The following day, Ginny rushed to the prefect's meeting after her last class. Today they would be determining the play that they would perform, and figure out who would be playing what parts.
Hurrying around a corner and trying to avoid running into lost-looking first years, Ginny frantically scrambled for the small slip of paper she had buried in her pockets. `Romeo and Juliet,' it read. It was a play by William Shakespeare, a very well-renowned Muggle playwright, or so Hermione had said. Ginny had not particularly felt like selecting a play for herself, so she had just gone to Hermione and asked for a title. Luckily, Hermione had been in a good mood and had started listing her favorite plays. Ginny was not entirely sure as to what Romeo and Juliet was about, but since her play was not likely to be selected, it did not really matter.
Pulling open the door to the prefect's meeting, Ginny hurriedly sat with the rest of the Gryffindor prefects. Dumbledore smiled knowingly at her over his half-moon spectacles, and slowly stood, preparing to address the meeting.
"I assume you all did your homework," Dumbledore stated, looking around the room at the prefects, who all had small slips of paper sitting in front of them, with the exception of several of the Slytherins. "Now, if you will, Minerva, pass me that hat over there."
Ginny looked up suddenly, she had not noticed before that the four Heads of Houses were here in addition to Dumbledore and the prefects. Professor McGonagall handed Dumbledore a hat with a stuffed vulture on top which had been sitting on the shelf next to her. Summoning all the parchments, Dumbledore dropped them all into the hat and lightly shook it.
Holding the hat towards Professor Snape, he gestured for him to draw out a name. Staring bitterly at the stuffed vulture, Snape reluctantly put his hand in and drew out a name. "Romeo and Juliet," he said, his voice dripping with disdain. Ginny looked up, surprised. He had chosen the play she had selected-unless someone else had also picked Romeo and Juliet. Judging by Snape's reaction, he was familiar with the plot of the play and did not think it was suitable. However, Dumbledore, the other professors and the prefects who had heard of the tale seemed alright with the choice.
"Romeo and Juliet?" scoffed Malfoy, "who in their right mind would pick a story with a title like that?" Ginny glanced towards Hermione who looked particularly seething. "This better be a war story. Romeo versus Juliet, that's the only way to go. I'll be Romeo and take that Juliet down." Draco crossed his arms smugly across his chest.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Malfoy, to inform you that Romeo and Juliet is, in fact, not a war story. However, since you volunteered, you are more than welcome to play the part of Romeo." Dumbledore stated, a slight smile peeking through on his face.
"Of course I will," Malfoy stated self-righteously, obviously quite pleased with himself for landing the starring role of the school play, regardless of what the plot might be. Ginny glanced towards Hermione, who seemed to have an amused look on her face that told Ginny that Malfoy would most likely not enjoy the part he had committed himself to.
Of the remaining prefects at the table, only the half-bloods and muggle-borns seemed to be familiar with Romeo and Juliet, the rest looked as oblivious as Ginny felt. "Now," started Dumbledore, "we must select who shall play the other parts."
"So does anyway recall the names of the characters of Romeo and Juliet?" asked Professor Flitwick, pulling out a long quill nearly as tall as he was, and a fresh piece of parchment.
Not surprisingly, Hermione was the first to respond. "Well, there's Romeo and Juliet, of course, and then Montague and Lady Montague, Capulet and Lady Capulet. Then… let's see…" Hermione pulled a thick leather-bound book out of her bag and began flipping through it as everyone else in the room glazed on with looks of utter shock upon their faces. "Ah yes, Escalus, Mercutio, Paris, Page, Montague, Lady Montague, Romeo, Benvolio, Abraham, Balthasar, Capulet, Lady Capulet, Juliet, Nurse, Tybalt, Capulet's Kinsmen, Peter, Capulet's servants, Friar Lawrence, Friar John, Apothecary, Musicians, Watchment, and the Chorus." Hermione closed the book with a firm snap that made several people jump, and looked around the room happily. Ginny stifled a laugh as she saw Professor Snape and several Slytherins roll their eyes at Hermione's display.
"So what is this Romeo and Juliet about anyway?" asked Pansy Parkinson obnoxiously, clearly irritated at not knowing the plot. Hermione looked enraged, and a few of the other muggle-raised prefects seemed a bit surprised; however, the remainder of the prefects who had grown up primarily in the wizarding world seemed quite interested in learning the plot, with the exception of Malfoy, of course. He seemed quite content in knowing that he was the star, and was busy picking imaginary specks of dust off his expensive black robes.
Hermione jumped in to explain the story. "How could everyone not know about Romeo and Juliet? It's the greatest tragic love story of all time!"
"Love story…?" Ginny heard Malfoy say questioningly, he had suddenly perked up and was now avidly paying attention.
"Yes, love story," Hermione stated firmly. It is the tale of two star crossed lovers whose families have lifelong feuds, and they are not allowed to be together, so they take their own lives. `Two households, both alike in dignity-"
"Wait-Romeo dies?" Malfoy said, seemingly enraged.
"Yes, and so does Juliet," Hermione replied matter-of-factly.
"Well, then what the hell is the point of doing this stupid play if everyone is just going to die anyway?" Malfoy asked bitterly. He was clearly furious that Romeo and Juliet was a love story. "Headmaster Dumbledore, you can give the part of Romeo to someone else, I have better things to do." He stood up and started getting ready leave.
"I'm sorry Mr. Malfoy," Dumbledore started with an amused look on his face, "I'm afraid you've already committed yourself to the position. We do, however, need to select a person to play your counterpart, Juliet. Minerva, please-" He gestured to Professor McGonagall, who was sitting with the stuffed vulture hat full of names. Stubbornly, Malfoy sat back down onto his chair, his arms folded across his chest.
"It better not be a filthy Mudblood," Ginny heard Malfoy mutter under his breath. The Slytherins near him sniggered evilly. Hermione was glaring at Malfoy with a certain look of disgust, and Ron looked about ready to leap across the table and pummel Malfoy.
"I'll be Juliet," purred Pansy as she looked adoringly at Malfoy. Ginny felt a sudden urge to throw up. Her brother and Hermione looked utterly disgusted, and so did most of the other prefects. Malfoy's expression was impassive. Only Dumbledore seemed unfazed as he shook up the hat of names.
"That will not be necessary, Pansy," stated Dumbledore as he took out his wand and gently stirred up the names before extending it towards Malfoy. "I will let Mr. Malfoy himself draw out the name of his on stage love interest." Ginny giggled as Malfoy looked at the stuffed vulture hat with a look of dread on his face.
Malfoy reached his hand out, trying to recover his usual look of superior arrogance on his face. He nonchalantly pulled a name out of the hat, and kept it balled up in his fist for a moment before casually opening it.
The imperturbable look on his face was suddenly replaced by a look of absolute loathing and revulsion. "Oh, hell no," he exclaimed as he whipped out his wand and began muttering a burning spell.
"Accio parchment!" shouted Professor McGonagall and the charred parchment flew across the room. She opened it and read the name as the other Heads of House and Dumbledore looked on. They all had a mild look of surprise on their faces, except Snape who was as unreadable as usual. Dumbledore was looking at the parchment with a slight smile on his face.
"In the interest of time, we will finish selecting roles for everyone and post the list outside the Great Hall before breakfast tomorrow. If any of you have a reason as to why you wish not to act, please send it to me in the next several hours and I will review it." He stood up and firmly placed his pointed wizard's hat upon his head. "As you all know, the part of Romeo will be played by Draco Malfoy." Malfoy looked like he was ready to punch something. "And part of Juliet," Dumbledore continued, "will be played by our very own Ginny Weasley. Good night!"
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