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This morning, I escaped from my room just in time because there was some crazy mess going on with the house-elves, the presents, the panic, and the terror. I myself do not receive gifts, and do not send ... Maybe I should start to change this well-established personal tradition ...?

...After standing for a while, looking at the snowflakes flying at an angle, I returned to the castle. The memory of Ron Weasley trying to ask Fleur to the ball still gave me mixed feelings. On the one hand, it was amusing to watch the redhead fail again. Still, on the other hand, he looked horribly disgusting during that very invitation: he looked weak-willed, silly-faced, a little hunched over, almost drooling, barely able to utter a sentence or two. Terrible. Malfoy, by the way, tried to do the same but ended up looking exactly the same.

When I got to the common room, where, even now, before lunch, the students were checking their readiness for the ball, and the younger ones were looking at the older ones with envy and making their own cunning plans for the ball, I noticed that something was wrong. Hermione, Lavender, and Parvati were sitting on our couch. And if the latter looked kind of normal, Hermione's and Lavender's faces were clearly filled with great tragedy, no less. Driven by the urge to go over and find out the reason for such a horrible state, I made my way to the couch.

"Ladies, what's wrong?"

"Oh, Max," Parvati immediately jumped up and walked over to me. "You have no idea!"

The Indian girl looked very worried and puzzled.

"What is it?"

But then Hermione spoke, with a rather angry tone, without getting up from the couch.

"Some bitch ruined my dress."

"Mine, too," Lavender looked as sorrowful as possible, and after all, this curly blonde, a hodgepodge of all the stereotypes about blondes, generally never discouraged in principle.

"Mine wasn't touched," Parvati nodded, immediately adding. "But it wasn't me. Most likely, they simply did not take the national dress for a ball gown."

"Hmm," I rubbed my chin thoughtfully. "Are there any other casualties?"

"Sir Sherlock," Hermione showed no emotion on her face. She seemed to have her occlumency set to the maximum. "We've already come to certain conclusions. There are no more casualties. Two dresses were ruined. Lavender certainly did not bother anyone, so her dress was ruined either just in case or so as not to make a mistake. However, it's too easy to tell the difference between Lavender's stuff and mine if you know us even a little."

"Yes," nodded the frustrated blonde.

"What about..."

"Reparo doesn't help," Hermione didn't let me finish. "Not every damage can be repaired."

"Do you think the intruder is someone from outside?"

"There are no other options," Parvati nodded again. "And protecting the common room with a password isn't at all as good as they say it is."

"Yeah?"

"Well, you can eavesdrop!" Parvati looked at everyone in surprise. "Haven't you ever thought of that?"

Everyone shook their heads in the negative. I hadn't either, but here's the thing - I hadn't thought about breaking into other people's common rooms at all. It really is a vulnerable spot.

"We should definitely tell the professors to change the password. Ugh..." sighed Lavender sadly. "And I was so looking forward to this ball. It's a ball! What am I going to tell Seamus? Oh, girls..."

"You don't have to tell anyone," I stopped the rant on the subject. "The culprit, as usual, returns to the scene of the crime. This place," I circled my hand around the common room. "Will be the perfect place for him to enjoy the fruits of his labors. This means that by the time everyone goes out to the ball, it is quite possible that the intruder will decide to see the fiasco of his goal in person. That's when we'll nail him."

For more weight to my words, I pounded my fist against my palm.

"And my revenge will be terrible!" Lavender jumped up from the couch, transforming into a blond fighting hamster, but her fuse went away immediately."But I still can't go to the Yule Ball... My first ball. Damn it."

"I'll try to think of something. Wait here, I don't know how long."

Turning around, I headed for my room. Quickly changing into my suit, I threw on my winter coat and scarf. I didn't wear a hat, and I still don't wear one - I can't be intimidated by a sub-zero temperature like the one in England in winter.

With my bag on my shoulder, under a complex of concealing charms, I easily left the Hogwarts grounds, which were open because of the guests. Why was I doing that? Well, I was going to Grimmauld Place for a costume anyway.