October 31, Tuesday

7:00 PM

Dear Diary,

It's Halloween!  And this year, Dumbledore's got a new activity started – we're having a Halloween ball.  Everyone dresses up, including the professors!  Harry is dressing as a girl – it will be highly amusing.  He said he's going to charm his hair long and wear a dress…I think there's a side to him that no one really knows…a 'feminine' side.  Ron, on the other hand, hasn't told me what he's going as.  Probably is going to go as a player for the Cannons or something.  That's not really a surprise though.  I myself have decided to disguise myself as my slightly older self…with straighter hair, of course.  I'm going to make my face look how it will in about two years or so.  I wonder what people will think?  But what I really can't wait to see is what the professors will do.  Maybe Dumbledore will go as a first year or something – that would be so sweet; or maybe he'll go as one of those Muggle candies he loves so much – a lemon drop or butterscotch.  I wonder what Snape will do…maybe he'll wash his hair; that would be a first.  Okay, so now you're probably wondering why I'm insulting his hair…well, as much as I (apparently) like him, I cannot STAND his hair…eew.  Oh, I hear Ron and Harry calling me to come down – I've got to finish preparing for the ball, goodbye!

Hermione

October 31, Tuesday (well, November 1, really) Midnight – one a.m. ish

Hello.

I'm back.  From the ball.  THE ball.  I am sorry if this writing is putting you off…I am still in a state of shock.  I can't believe I'm actually forming coherent sentences.  So…the ball.  It was interesting, to say the least.  I came downstairs, to find Harry as a (quite pretty) girl and Ron as (of course) a Cannon player.  We went to the ball, and as I suspected, Dumbledore was disguised as a younger version of himself, quite charming actually.  But the biggest shock of the night was dear old Professor Snape.  Not only did he look slightly younger, but he had charmed his hair into that Muggle style that is seen on television – you know, the short, sort of flipped upwards in the front look.  If I thought he looked handsome before, well, now he just looked…hot.  He was dressed as a young Muggle man, complete with semi-baggy khaki trousers, a white t-shirt with a plaid button-down shirt over it, buttoned almost to the top, with the sleeves rolled up a few inches before the elbow.  He had the very tips of his hair dyed a  lighter silvery color, the only sign that he was still a wizard (I mean, what Muggles have shining silver hair?)  I don't think anyone except the other professors knew it was Snape.  Okay, so now you're asking how*I* knew that it was Snape, right?  Well, at the end of the ball, there is an "unmasking" sort of ceremony, in which we discover the true identities of the professors and our fellow students.  There was a huge gasp when Snape revealed who he was, mainly from a (formerly) coquettishly giggling group of Slytherin girls (and a group of Gryffindors as well).  But I think the biggest shock came from my own self.  For you see, I didn't know it was him, and well…we danced…at the ball.  Together.  And it wasn't even a fast song – I wonder if he knew who I was?  Probably.  But why would he dance with me?  I mean, he's always able to read some of the students thoughts, wouldn't he have known he was dancing with a student?  Or was it just part of his plan to shock the students even more, maybe even disgust them…you should have seen the way he was dancing – he's actually very good.  Anyway, there are too many thoughts colliding in my little brain, so I am going to (try) and get some sleep…goodnight,

Hermione