[HPforGrownups] OOP: prefects & head boy

[rayheuer3 at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 63624

doseylel at aol.com writes:

> I'm not sure I understand the process of selecting Head Boy and 
> Girl.  I was under the impression that head boy and girl were chosen 
> from the prefects.  We already knew that James was Head Boy, but in 
> OOP we learned that Lupin was made prefect in 5th year.  Of course, 
> if they were in different houses, this wouldn't matter, but I've 
> always pictured MWPP as being in the same house.  Am I way off base?

There was never any question in my mind that MWPP were all in the same House, 
specifically Gryffindor.  Although I'd like to have a small chat with the 
Sorting Hat as to why Peter Pettigrew was placed in Gryffindor.

>From what Hermione tells Harry on the train, followed up with what Dumbledore 
tells Harry at the end of the book, we see that the Prefects are apparently 
appointed, a boy and a girl from each House.  Hermione was a certainty, but Ron 
was a bit of a surprise.  I actually expected Neville to be named Prefect.
Sirius says that Lupin was named Prefect largely because it was felt that he 
would keep James and Sirius in check.  It's possibly that Lupin resigned as 
Prefect after fifth year when it became clear that a) he *couldn't* keep James 
and Sirius in check, and b) other students had problems with a Werewolf 
prefect.

"Best Boy" and "Best Girl" may be similarly appointed by the Headmaster, but 
I'm hoping that they are chosen either by a specific criteria or by popular 
vote.  I'd prefer the popular vote method, but the fact that the Houses seem to 
have very little contact, even in the Great Hall, would seem to make popular 
vote impractical.

  --  Ray


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