Dear Vile Diary,
Oh bloody hell. Damn Albus, damn that old coot. He's trying to get Miss Granger and I together. She's the student he was talking about so long ago. The one he kept insistently inquiring about day and night. He knew that she fancied me, and he thought to throw us together. I realized it last night as I was falling asleep. How could I possibly have been so dense as to not see the connection between Dumbledore's nosiness and that letter I had received?
MERLIN'S BEARD ALBUS, SHE IS SEVENTEEN! That's nineteen years younger than I. I'm old enough to be her father. Merlin, why can't Dumbledore just keep his meddling nose out of other people's business?
Now Miss Granger is going to show up in an hour for our Occlumency lesson that Dumbledore planned. Bloody hell, what am I going to do? Likely she will be – yet again – unable to completely close off her mind from me and I will be forced to watch another one of her contrived fantasies about her and I together.
Another owl just came from Albus,
Severus,
Judging by the loud crash that I heard from the dungeons this morning, I assume that you have determined the real reason for my wanting you to continue teaching Hermione Granger Occlumency. I understand if you are angry with me, but I want you to try this. Despite your age differences, I believe you will find that you and Miss Granger are indeed quite similar.
Give it a try,
Albus
P.S. Just be yourself.
Damn, I just heard a knock at the door. Here goes nothing.
Severus Snape