Compared with the surprise at Ron becoming a prefect, Hermione becoming one seemed to strike everyone as perfectly natural.
Of course, apart from the twins, no one, including Harry himself, had thought Harry could become a prefect.
"Thank goodness. I really was worried about that," Sirius had said upon learning that Harry had not become a prefect. "Though I think there's nothing wrong with Hogwarts, or Gryffindor, rather, making a few appropriate changes. But if you became a prefect, Harry, I'd still worry about the school's future atmosphere."
This was at the celebratory dinner that evening. Mrs. Weasley had held a small dinner to celebrate Ron and Hermione becoming prefects. Although she was said to be organizing it, Kreacher, Dobby, and Mido were the ones actually doing the work.
To give her her due, in just over two years, Mrs. Weasley had gone from a hardworking witch skilled at housekeeping to an expert at directing house-elves.
There were not too many people at dinner, but not too few either. Besides Black, Lupin, and the others who had been staying there lately, several members of the Order of the Phoenix whom Harry had met had come. Sirius's words drew a burst of laughter around the table.
Harry shot his shameless godfather an irritated glare, but after thinking about it, he could not help laughing himself.
"Sirius, were you a prefect when you were at school?" Hermione asked eagerly.
"Of course not," Sirius said matter-of-factly. There was not the slightest embarrassment in his voice at not having become a prefect. On the contrary, he looked proud rather than ashamed:
"You must be joking. I don't think even Dumbledore could possibly have made James and me prefects. We got detention at least twice a month. At least! If the two of us went