How many Prefects are there?

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 84858

"Robert Jones" wrote:
> > Nothing in the plot turns on this question, but I would still like 
> > to know the answer: how many Prefects are there? <snip>
>
Finduilas wrote: 
> I think the answer is most likely to be that there are two prefects 
> from each house at Hogwarts per year. I think so because I remember 
> Percy, one of the Gryffindor Prefects, leading the first years, 
> including Harry, up to Gryffindor Tower after the start of term feast 
> in PS/SS. <snip>
> Therefore I assume that when one is chosen as a prefect, he will stay 
> a prefect unless he acts so irresponsibly and with severe 
> consequences (for example endangering others) that he is inacceptable 
> and clearly the wrong person for this job. But as I daresay 
> Dumbledore has got his reasons for appointing prefects - even in 
> Draco's case I hope there's some urge to socialize the boy or to come 
> to know how he will handle a certain amount of power given to him 
> behind it - I don't think this will be the case very often so that 
> usually prefects will be in this position from their fifth- to their 
> seventh year.
> Additionally, I think when Sirius told Harry in OotP that "Remus got 
> the badge" (to 'tame' his bullying Marauder friends), it is likely 
> Dumbledore thought he could rather manage that during three terms 
> instead of only one.

I agree that prefects are appointed in their fifth year and retain
their positions in sixth and seventh years (I think we'll see this
confirmed in Book 6 with Ron, Hermione, and Draco), but I'm not sure
that Dumbledore alone is responsible for choosing the prefects. It
does seem that the final decision is his (last chapter of OotP), but I
imagine he takes into account the opinions of the heads of houses.
Surely he consulted with McGonagall before making Ron rather than
Harry a prefect, and I think he and Snape must have their reasons for
giving the position to Draco (unless he and his thugs are the only
Slytherin boys in their year, in which case he'd win the badge by
default).

Carol