He.had.forgotten.completely.about.prefects.being.chosen.in.the.fifth.year..He.had.been.too.anxious.about.the.possibility.of.being.expelled.to.spare.a.thought.for.the.fact.that.badges.must.be.winging.thir.way.towards.certain.people..But.if.he.had.remembered….if.he.had.thought.about.it….what.would.he.have.expected?.
Not.this,.said.a.small.and.truthful.voice.inside.his.head..
Harry.screwed.up.his.face.and.buried.it.in.his.hands..He.could.not.lie.to.himself;
.if.he.had.known.the.prefect.badge.was.on.its.way,.he.would.have.expected.it.to.come.to.him,.not.Ron..Did.this.make.him.as.arrogant.as.Draco.Malfoy?.Did.he.think.himself.superior.to.everyone.else?.Did.he.really.believe.he.was.better.than.Ron?.
No,.said.the.small.voice.defiantly..
Was.that.true?.Harry.wondered,.anxiously.probing.his.own.feelings..
I.m.better.at.Quidditch,.said.the.voice..But.I.m.not.better.at.anything.else..
That.was.definitely.true,.Harry.thought;.he.was.no.better.than.Ron.in.lessons.
.But.what.about.outside.lessons?.What.about.those.adventures.he,.Ron.and.Hermione.had.had.together.since.starting.at.Hogwarts,.often.risking.much.worse.than.expulsion?.
Well,.Ron.and.Hermione.were.with.me.most.of.the.time,.said.the.voice.in.Harry.s.head..
Not.all.the.time,.though,.Harry.argued.with.himself..They.didn.t.fight.Quirrell.with.me..They.didn.t.take.on.Riddle.and.the.Basilisk..They.didn.t.get.rid.of.all.those.Dementors.the.night.Sirius.escaped..They.weren.t.in.that.graveyard.with.me,.the.night.Voldemort.returned….
And.the.same.feeling.of.ill‐usage.that.had.overwhelmed.him.on.the.night.he.had.arrived.rose.again..I.ve.definitely.done.more,.Harry.thought.indignantly..I.ve.done.more.than.either.of.them!.
But.maybe,.said.the.small.voice.fairly,.maybe.Dumbledore.doesn.t.choose.prefects.because.they.ve.got.themselves.into.a.load.of.dangerous.situations….maybe.he.chooses.them.for.other.reasons….Ron.must.have.something.you.don.t….
Harry.opened.his.eyes.and.stared.through.his.fingers.at.the.wardrobe.s.clawed.feet,.remembering.what.Fred.had.said:..No.one.in.their.right.mind.would.make.Ron.a.prefect…..
Harry.gave.a.small.snort.of.laughter..A.second.later.he.felt.sickened.with.himself..
Ron.had.not.asked.Dumbledore.to.give.him.the.prefect.badge..This.was.not.Ron.s.fault..Was.he,.Harry,.Ron.s.best.friend.in.the.world,.going.to.sulk.because.he.didn.t.have.a.badge,.laugh.with.the.twins.behind.Ron.s.back,.ruin.this.for.Ron.when,.for.the.first.time,.he.had.beaten.Harry.at.something?.
At.this.point.Harry.heard.Ron.s.footsteps.on.the.stairs.again..He.stood.up,
.straightened.his.glasses,.and.hitched.a.grin.on.to.his.face.as.Ron.bounded.back.through.the.door..
.Just.caught.her!..he.said.happily...She.says.she.ll.get.the.Cleansweep.if.she.can...
.Cool,..Harry.said,.and.he.was.relieved.to.hear.that.his.voice.had.stopped.sounding.hearty...Listen.‐.Ron.‐.well.done,.mate...
The.smile.faded.off.Ron.s.face..
.I.never.thought.it.would.be.me!..he.said,.shaking.his.head...I.thought.it.would.be.you!..