More Questions.

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 85075

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, nymphadoraotonks at a... wrote:
> 
> 
> ... Hagrid ... tells Harry that his mum and dad were Head Boy and Head
> Girl. I know we only have one instance (of headboy) in canon- Percy,
> that we can directly derive any fact. So, if DD made Lupin prefect for
> his year, why would he derail from this decision ...and appoint James 
> as Head Boy? 
>
> -Tonks, just speculating now with our OoP information


bboy_mn:

Pure speculation, we need our Brit school experts to weigh in on this
one, but I concluded that Head Boy was based on different objectives
than Prefect.

 Headship is based on general excellences and achievement, whereas
Prefectship is based on trustworthiness, maturity, and ability to
command respect and obedience from the other students as well as
general academic excellences. 

Sirius and James were the best student to ever come through the
school; positively brilliant academically. So they would seem likely 
candidates for Headship, but they were not much on 'law and order',
either adhering to it or enforcing it, so their chances of Prefectship
would have been slim.

In a sense, Headship is like valedictorian, whereas Prefectship is
like a hall monitor and related to the functional and orderly running
of the school.

Logically, it would be common for overachieving Prefects to become
Head Boys, but not necessarily so. Giving James Head Boy, wouldn't
take away the honor of Lupin being Prefect. 

Certainly, we have people who have more direct experience than I do,
who can confirm or deny my theory. Let's hope they weigh in.

Just a thought.

bboy_mn