To be honest, Scott didn't really want to deal with the first-year's problems.
He wasn't a professor or a prefect. Resolving conflicts between students wasn't his responsibility.
It was just... everyone else was still asleep, and he couldn't leave the first-year here by himself.
"Okay."
Scott walked over and sat on the sofa opposite the first-year.
"So, first-year, what's your name?"
"Jacob." The boy sniffled. "Jacob Kent."
Scott nodded. "All right, Jacob. I'm Scott Trollope, a fourth-year."
"Hello, Mr. Trollope," Jacob said softly.
Scott wasn't particularly interested in what had caused the conflict between the first-years, so he asked outright, "Jacob, why didn't you go to a prefect for help? You should know at least two of them. As is customary, after last night's feast, the fifth-year boy and girl prefects were responsible for bringing the first-years to Ravenclaw Tower."
Jacob sniffed loudly again and mumbled, "Miss Taylor and Mr. Cooper... but they both hate me... I didn't dare go to them..."
"Hate you?"
Scott realized things might be more complicated than he'd thought. Looking Jacob in the eye, he asked, "Can you tell me what happened? What did you do? Why are the other first-years and those two prefects... well, why are they all unfriendly toward you?"
"I didn't! I really didn't do it! None of them believe me!" Jacob suddenly raised his voice and shrieked.
"Stop!"
His shouting gave Scott a headache, and he hurriedly cut him off.
Perhaps noticing Scott's displeased expression, Jacob immediately looked terrified and apologized in a low voice. "I'm sorry, Mr. Trollope, but... I really didn't..."
"So what exactly happened...?"
Scott was just about to ask what was going on when he caught sight of Penelope coming down the girls' dormitory stairs. He quickly stopped himself, stood up, and went over to her.
"Good morning, Penelope."
"Oh, good morning, Scott." Penelope looked surprised. "Is something wrong?"
"Over there." Scott pointed to Jacob, who was still curled up on the sofa. "Jacob Kent, a first-year. His roommates kicked him out of their dormitory, and he spent the night in the Common Room. I thought this was something a prefect should handle."
He was eager to pass the problem on.
"Oh, Scott," Penelope said with a smile. "Maybe you could help the poor boy yourself. I know you'd handle it well."
"No, I'm not a prefect. It's not my responsibility," Scott immediately refused.
"All right." Penelope shrugged slightly. "Standing by and watching—that's very Ravenclaw of you. But..."
She smiled teasingly.
"Perhaps next year... Professor Flitwick has always liked you. He might choose you as the new boy prefect."
"Then we'll talk about it next year."
Scott shrugged too, and went with Penelope to Jacob.
Jacob had already stood up from the sofa and was looking at them both nervously.
Scott spoke as gently as he could. "All right, Jacob. This is Penelope Clearwater, a sixth-year and a Ravenclaw prefect. Don't worry, she'll help you."
"Miss Clearwater." Jacob glanced at Penelope, then quickly lowered his head.
"Hello, Jacob." Penelope smiled reassuringly. "Come on, show me your dormitory."
"But..."
Jacob was still frightened. He looked at Scott pleadingly.
Unfortunately, Scott had no intention of getting further involved. He only reassured the boy, "Go on, Jacob. Penelope's a prefect. She has more authority than I do."
Penelope stood to the side, smiling, and tactfully didn't contradict Scott.
Hearing Scott say that, Jacob could only hang his head and lead Penelope to the boys' dormitory.
On the way, he couldn't help glancing back several times, but Scott had already sat down on the sofa by the window and opened his copy of Standard Book of Spells, Year Four. He paid no attention to Jacob's looks.
Twenty minutes later, Scott closed his book, but Penelope still hadn't come out of the boys' dormitory.
Was this really such a troublesome matter?
Scott muttered to himself, still with no intention of getting involved. He tucked his textbook and notebook under his arm and left the Common Room.
As he descended the tower by the long spiral staircase, Scott spotted Percy Weasley pacing beneath Ravenclaw Tower.
"Good morning, Weasley," Scott greeted him. "Waiting for Penelope?"
"Yes, good morning, Trollope."
Percy immediately stopped pacing and straightened up. His face was a little red, making the freckles across it stand out even more.
Scott understood at once why Penelope had gotten up so early, but he didn't feel bad about interrupting their date.
After all, wasn't this really a prefect's responsibility?
Still...
"You might have to wait a little longer, Weasley."
He could casually explain why Penelope was late.
"Something came up..." He didn't want to tell a Gryffindor about Ravenclaw business, so he kept it vague. "Anyway... Penelope has to deal with it as a prefect, and she's busy right now."
"Oh, that's all right. Prefects naturally have to fulfill their duties." Percy Weasley seemed to take it well. "Thanks for telling me, Trollope."
After saying goodbye to Percy Weasley, Scott left Ravenclaw Tower and crossed the long stone bridge toward the Great Hall on the cliff opposite.
It was nearly breakfast time. Students were gradually leaving their respective Common Rooms, and Hogwarts Castle was slowly waking in the morning light.
"Good morning, Scott."
Two overlapping voices suddenly greeted Scott in the Entrance Hall.
"Good morning, Weasleys."
Facing the redheaded Weasley Twins, Scott smiled more naturally than he had when talking to their brother Percy Weasley.
"Oh, Merlin's filthy socks!"
"We've known each other for three years!"
"And Scott calls us 'Weasleys'!"
"Maybe he doesn't know our mum and dad gave us names, too!"
Fred and George each put an arm around one of Scott's shoulders and took turns voicing their complaints.
"I bet you called Percy 'Weasley' when you spoke to him just now, George." Fred raised the Monocular in his other hand.
"Obviously, Fred, Mr. Trollope puts Percy and us in the same category in his relationships!" George said indignantly.
Together, they shouted into Scott's ears, "That's an insult!"
"All right, I'm sorry." Scott quickly surrendered. "Forgive me, Fred, George. I've run into three Weasleys in quick succession."
"Unfortunate, Mr. Trollope," George said.
Fred winked. "Our little sister started school this year, too."
George raised his eyebrows. "And then there's our idiot little brother."
Together, they concluded, "There are five Weasleys in Gryffindor now."
Scott couldn't help laughing. "Then I'm really glad I'm not in Gryffindor."
"That's heartbreaking. Professor McGonagall's favorite student saying something like that!" Fred let out a loud, fake sob.
George wiped away fake tears, too. "Merlin, Professor McGonagall likes him so much."
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