"Guess what?" Hermione yelled, bursting into the Gryffindor commonroom.
Harry and Ron glanced uneasily at each other. This was usually the prologue to something that they wouldn't like-
"Dumbledore decided that we all needed a stress-reliever, what with all of You-Know-Who's attacks lately, so we're gonna put on a play as a school."
Well, this wasn't so bad, then. "When're tryouts and stuff?" Ron asked.
"That's the interesting part- they're all gonna be assigned. Dumbledore says that certain people could learn quite a bit from certain parts."
Ron and Harry exchanged another glance. That wasn't so good.
"The house heads are supposed to be bringing scripts by later tonight."
"What play?"
"RENT! That's the cool part!" The three had gone to the ply in New York the previous summer at Hermione's behest; the Weasleys had thought it would be a great thing to send on to, since it would "educate him in the way of muggles." Ginny had gone along on Mrs. Weasley's behest.
"I hope I get Mark- he seemed coolest," Harry remarked, flopping down in an armchair to wait for McGonagall.

McGonagall arrived later that night, as Hermione had said she would, her arms full with a big box. By that point, most of the school had heard about the play from some source or another and were congregated in the common room.
"Now," McGonagall said, setting the box down, "The major parts were given to the fifth year and up, since they were considered- ahem- mature enough to handle them. Everyone else will be chorus. We're lucky, our house got many more parts than the others."
"Come up here and get your script when I call your name," McGonagall said, reaching into the box and reading off a list. "In order of appearance," she muttered to herself, "Ah! Here we go! Ron Weasley- Roger!" Ron went to fetch his script with some suprise, but he did look happy to have the lead.
"Colin Creevy- Mark!"
Colin happily ran up to get a sript, while Harry groaned mentally.
"Harry Potter- Collins!" Harry blinked, then went to fetch his script, muttering, "_Collins_?" under his breath.
"Neville Longbottom- Benny!"
"Guess Dumbledore wants to teach him to have some spine," Hermione muttered to Ron.
"Joanne isn't in here, neither is Angel, so- Hermione Granger- Mimi!"
"What?" Ron yelped, as Hermione went to get her script. "She _can't_ be playing Mimi!"
"Why not?" Harry wondered.
"Because _I'm_ playing Roger!"
"Oh." Then, "Ohhhh." Smirk. "This oughta be good."
"Ginny Weasley - Maureen!"
"Dean Thomas- Paul, a cop and others! That's it, guys!" McGonagall finished, hauling the empty box off to wherever the staff disappeared to when they weren't busy.
"So the only major roles not being played by Gryffindors are Angel and Joanne," Ginny mused. "I'm gonna go ask around in the other common rooms- see who's playing them."
"Bye!" Harry said cheerfully.
"I can't believe _you're_ playing Mimi," Ron said. "How out of character is that?"
"No more out of character than Roger is for you," Hermione retorted, the two shooting sparks at each other.
Harry groaned and wondered what Dumbledore had been thinking.
"Hey, guys," he said in an effort to get them to quit giving death glares at each other, "At least you don't have to play Collins."
"Hello?" Ron protested. "I have to play across from _her_ and be best friends with-" he made gagging noises, "-Colin Creevy."
"And I have to play across from _him_" Hermione said in return.
"Hey, at least you know who you're playing across from-"
"Well, you can't do worse off than Colin, and we know what he's playing. Consider yourself lucky."
"Care to take that back, Ron?" Ginny asked, bursting into the room. "Joanne is being played by Cho," she said grouchily.
Ron and Hermione burst into laughter, knowing that Cho and Ginny _hated_ each other.
Harry looked worried. "But- who's playing Angel?"