Author's note: Re: Houses: I thought about putting Cokie and Grace and the other bitchy girls into Slytherin (even Mary Anne, because under all that sensitivity, I think we all know she's a true Mean Girl), but it wouldn't make sense since Slytherin wouldn't ever put any Muggles in its House, but I had to have somebody representing it, so I chose Dawn, because I hate her. Heh..so mature, I know. I also thought about putting Claudia in Ravenclaw just to get a WTF? reaction, but couldn't come up with a realistic reason why she would be sorted there…

Dere Janine,

I have made miny new frends at the plase my skool is visiting. There names are Laffender Brown, Poverty Patale, and Hirmieney Granjer. This plase is way fresch (that meens cule). I have a crush on one of the teechers here too….

Love,

Claudia

I was sorted into Gryffindor, the Sorting Hat told me, because I was brave for wearing the outfits that I did. I didn't know if I should be insulted by this or not.

Stacey and I would be sharing a dorm with the fifth-year Gryffindor girls since there were only three of them and they had two extra beds in their room. After dinner we followed them up to their room and introduced ourselves to each other.

"I'm Lavender Brown," said the girl with the blonde ponytail, "and this is my best friend, Parvati Patil, and over there, with her nose in that book, is Hermione Granger."

"Her-me-knee," I replied.

Hermione looked up from her book. "Hermione," she said.

"Her-me-ninny," I tried again.

"Hermione," Hermione repeated.

"Why do you have such a weird name, anyway?" I asked.

Hermione frowned. "I didn't realize my name was "weird."

"I'm Stacey McGill, and this is my best friend, Claudia Kishi," Stacey said quickly, probably so I wouldn't get into a fight with Her-Whatever the Hell Her Name Was. "We're thirteen. How old are you guys."

"Fifteen," Parvati replied. She was sitting in front of a vanity mirror with some kind of instrument, removing her makeup. It seemed to just disappear! I had to get a product like that!

"Oh, I get it," said Stacey. "You're fifteen and in the fifth year. So that must mean that the fourteen year olds are in the fourth year, the thirteen year olds are in third year, and so on."

"You got it," Lavender replied.

(I should mention that Stacey is a math whiz. It's no wonder she's the treasurer in the BSC!)

"Oh, hey," Stacey lowered her voice, "that redhead boy at the table tonight…do you know his name?"

I noticed Hermione look up sharply when she said this.

Lavender giggled. "You must mean Ron Weasley." She grinned at Stacey. "Do you like him?"

"Well, he is quite cute," Stacey admitted. "How old is he?"

"Fifteen," Lavender replied.

"Does he have a girlfriend?" Stacey asked.

"No, he does not!" Hermione snapped. Her attention was fully on the rest of us now.

Lavender giggled. "Hermione has a crush on Ron."

Hermione's face went bright red. "I do not! We're just friends, that's all."

"So you wouldn't mind if I asked him out?" Stacey asked.

"Fine, whatever," Hermione replied huffily and returned her attention to her book.

The next morning I decided to wear my poufy purple genie pants that came just below the knee with red and black striped socks along with a gold tunic with purple stars and moons embroidered all over it. Of course, since Stacey and I would be attending classes today with the rest of the students, we had to wear black robes because it was part of their dress code. (I could never survive in a private school with uniforms…dressing is how I express myself!) However, even though my outfit was covered up, I could at least wear my hat! It was a large gold cone-shaped headdress with plastic purple moons and stars glued to it and long, purple gauzy material coming out from the top. And guess what? I even had a prop: a purple plastic magic wand with sparkles encrusted all over it and ribbons coming out of the cardboard star at the end to look like a shooting star. I had made it myself after I learned we'd be going to a theme park about magic! (Some theme park though, we'd only been on one ride since we got here!)

Stacey and I ate breakfast with our new friends and Dawn came over to eat with us as well. After breakfast, was our first class: Potions, which was located in the dungeon and taught by Professor Snape, who, Hermione had warned us, was a bit on the intimidating side.

Stacey and I sat next to each other at one table and looked at each other excitedly as we waited for our first magic class to begin. I adjusted my hat and lay my wand on the table in front of me. I felt bad since I hadn't made Stacey a wand and hope she wouldn't need one.

The door opened and a draft of cold air flew into the room. Immediately all the students became quiet as a man with billowing black robes strode into the room. He whisked to the room and wrote something on the blackboard…using his wand as a piece of chalk! How dibble is that?

He turned to face the class and began talking. "As you know, we've been studying-"

But I didn't hear another word he spoke. I was staring at him, my mouth dropped open. I couldn't believe it! Besides his greasy, black hair and his sallow skin, he could have been a dead ringer for Alan Rickman, who is like, my favorite actor in the world! I have seen Die Hard about 50 million times. (Well, I'm exaggerating, and yes, I know I'm only 13, but if I can get away without my parents knowing about my hiding candy and Nancy Drew books, then you can bet I can find a way without them knowing that I've seen Rated R movies). Even though Alan Rickman is like, fifty years older than me, I have a serious crush on him. In fact, you could call it an obsession. Professor Snape was still talking and I realized he even had a British accent like Alan Rickman! I turned to Stacey to ask her if she also noticed the resemblance, but Professor Snape had come over in front of our table. My heart began to beat a bit faster.

"You two must be the Muggles visiting us from the States," he said with a sneer - a sexy sneer!

"Yes," replied Stacey, but I couldn't speak. I was having trouble breathing being so close to scorching hotness!

"Well, as being you're just inadequate beings, you'll have to watch my students mix up their own Pepperup Potion." He returned to the front of the class to tell the students what they should put in their potions. (I guess this was like chemistry class for kids learning magic).

"Stacey!" I whispered, once all the students were at work. "How hot is that teacher?"

Stacey, who had her chin resting in her hand with her elbow on the table and had been staring dreamily at Ron, who was working with Hermione and Harry, turned to me and wrinkled her nose. "Professor Snape? Are you serious? He looks like has hasn't taken a shower in months!"

"He looks exactly like Alan Rickman!"

"Oh." Stacey rolled her eyes. "No wonder you think he's hot."

I watched Snape pace from student to student, looking at their projects and suddenly I got a great idea from a movie I've seen once. Discreetly, (well, no one was really paying attention to me anyway), I took out my compact mirror and black eyeliner pencil. I closed my right eye and drew a heart over the eyelid. Then I closed my left eye (I had to keep my fingers over it since I am right-eyed, haha right-eyed, get it?) and wrote the letter "u" over it. Get it? I was writing "I love you." My eyes I, the heart love, and U you. Eye heart U, I love you? Pretty clever, huh? I checked in the mirror to see how the finished product looked, but it wasn't easy since I couldn't exactly see myself with my eyes shut!

Every time Professor Snape passed by our table, I would loudly clear my throat and when he looked in our direction, I'd stare at him for a few seconds, then shut my eyes, hoping he was getting the full effect (and message!), but every time I opened my eyes, he was yelling at a student. (Mostly Harry). I sighed heavily. Obviously, I was not getting his attention! Oh, well, he was probably too old for me anyway.