How many Prefects are there?

[ghinghapuss]

No: HPFGUIDX 84825

> Robert Jones asked
> Nothing in the plot turns on this question, but I would still like
> to know the answer: how many Prefects are there?  I mean, is being
> appointed a Prefect a one-year gig, or do those who are appointed
> Prefects in their fifth year remain Prefects in their sixth and
> seventh years?  In other words, at any given time, are there *two*
> Gryffindor Prefects or *six*?  Maybe someone who knows the British
> boarding school system can shed some light on this.

Now me:
My experience was that there were two prefects for each year in the 
5th, 6th and 7th years of school.  So 6 prefects in all, 3 boys and 3 
girls.

Now the 6th and 7th years, called the 6th Form and the Upper 6th.  
Don't ask why.  Are different only because you are dealing with 16-18 
year olds. At this age in Britain you are of age to have sex and 
drink some low alcohol beverages at 16 and vote and drink at age 18, 
so you have essentially young adults who are still in school with 12 
year olds.  So often times in the last 2 years of school are kept 
separate from the youngsters.  In a different buildings even.  In my 
school we had a separate common-rooms, bathrooms and even our own 
kitchen. However in Hogwarts they all seem to be together. But I 
digress.

The prefect badge is for one year only, although often it is awarded 
again and again if you got it once. The 5th year prefects look after 
the 5th years.  Their authority over the 6th and 7th years would be 
sparse.  For Hermione to over rule Fred and George is unusual.  In 
the real world, they would have laughed her out of the comon-room and 
she would have had to get the help of an older prefect to have had 
influence over the twins.  IMO there would have been older prefects 
in the room anyway, who would have spoke up in Hermione's defense.  A 
good prefect would not have let the situation of a younger prefect 
disciplining an older child even happen in the first place.

In my school we had Head of House as well as Head Boy and Head Girl.  
There is only one Head Boy and Head Girl in the whole school and they 
would be from different houses! Which is part of my argument about 
James and Lily not being in the same house but, this is JKR's world 
not the real world.

FYI: I don't know of any school in Britain who gives out different 
school uniforms to different houses.  All kids wear the same colour 
ties, jumpers, scarves, hats etc. In the school colours.  In my case 
it was Green and Grey, which is why I'm so fond of Slytherin I 
expect.  No indication of House allegiance is show on the body.  When 
you are in school you just get to know who is in what house because 
you spend all day every day with them.  In most cases you sleep 
altogether with those in your year and sex too.  Only the common-
rooms would be separate.

Anything else?

Mandy