Chapter 6: A Mirror and a Stone
AN: Hey guys and welcome to Chapter 6.
This is another 5k words chapter which I will probably take as a basis from now on. However, soon I won't be able to provide daily updates anymore. Definitely every other day though :). Let me know how you like Harry's adventures so far.
Enjoy and please review.
Chapter 6
December 25th, 1991
Harry woke up on Christmas morning with a lot less euphoria than any other kid in the Castle. At the Dursleys, Christmas had never been a holiday Harry liked to remember. He never received any gifts but was expected to somehow come up with a gift for Dudley, Petunia, Vernon, and Marge in case their fat aunt decided to come over. The Dursleys however, forced him to watch as Dudley ripped open one neatly wrapped present after another, while the rest of the family shot nasty glares and evil sneers at Harry.
Today would probably not be any different, but then again, why should he care? The Dursleys weren't here, and he was at Hogwarts, the greatest place he had ever been. Ever since the eventful Halloween night, rumors about Harry's defeat of the troll quickly spread through the Castle. Most of the younger years had already heard of Harry's skill in magic and were highly impressed by him taking on a troll all by himself.
The upper years doubted his story. How would an admittedly talented firstie kill a troll? Something must have gone wrong, they thought. The teachers and staff must be trying to cover something up.
Others, like Ron Weasley from Gryffindor and Draco Malfoy from Slytherin, simply claimed Harry used dark magic to defeat the troll and spread nasty rumors about him.
Harry didn't care about their acts of jealousy. He overcame his first true challenge and while being proud of his accomplishment, he now knew what he needed to work on. Every day he practiced his spell work, increasing his repertoire of charms, jinx, and curses.
He learned the locking and unlocking spells, Alohomora and Colloportus. As well as spells like Incendio, Expelliarmus, and Impedimenta.
For weeks he has been practicing two 5th year spells. The shield charm and the stunner. To his disappointment, his shield was very weak, and he could barely hold it for longer than ten seconds. His Stunner was strong enough for flies but unable to stun anything larger, like the rats in the dungeons or Filch's cat Mrs. Norris, not for a lack of trying in Harry's defense.
Still, all in all, Harry was happy with his progress but he wanted to push himself even harder, especially now that he had a bunch of free time over the holidays. Life at Hogwarts had followed a routine ever since the events of Halloween. Sure, every now and then something interesting might happen, like one of the Weasley twins' pranks, which Harry had managed to avoid so far but for the most part life was quiet.
Harry noticed that Snape had started limping after the events on Halloween and Quirrell seemed to stutter even more. Harry vowed to keep an eye on both of them. Something was going on and he didn't like it.
Harry still had no idea who had let the troll into the Castle. Was it just a prank gone wrong, an attempt to attack the students, or a diversion for something else? Pushing those questions to the back of his mind Harry got up and pulled apart the curtains to his bed. Terry Boot and pretty much every other student at Hogwarts took the Express home a few days ago, to spend Christmas with their families.
On the floor in front of his bed, Harry noticed four neatly wrapped gifts. Harry got excited; this would be his first time opening presents on Christmas. He started with a small one on the right. It was a gift from Terry. He wished Harry a Merry Christmas and had given him some chocolate frogs. The next one was from Hagrid and this one truly surprised him.
Removing the wrapping, Harry stared at a photo album. Every photo showed a man with unruly black hair, glasses, and very similar facial features as himself. He was always beside a beautiful woman with auburn red hair and emerald green eyes. Harry caught his breath… He was looking at his parents. This was proof that Lily Evans and James Potter actually existed.
It was a priceless gift and Harry swore to thank Hagrid as soon as possible. The third gift was from Professor Flitwick, his head of house. It contained a Journal with the initials "LME". In somehow very familiar handwriting.
Harry opened the small note attached to the gift and began reading:
"Lily Marie Evans was perhaps the most brilliant student I have ever had the honor of teaching. Attached you will find a journal that she started her second year in charms all the way until she began her mastery under myself here at Hogwarts.
Merry Christmas
Filius Flitwick"
His mother's charms journal. Harry couldn't wait to start reading it, but he had one more gift to unwrap. The last gift was surprisingly light and when Harry removed the wrapping some sort of clothing made of a very smooth and cold material came to the surface. Fully unwrapping it, the gift seemed to be a cloak of some sort.
Harry stepped in front of the Mirror and almost yelped in surprise when his reflection disappeared as soon as he wrapped the cloak completely around himself. He looked downwards, but couldn't see his feet, legs, or even torso.
He had read about this kind of magical artifact. He was holding an invisibility cloak and a very powerful one if he was not mistaken. Harry grabbed the small note that fell out of the wrapping and began reading.
"Your father left this in my possession when he died. It is time it was returned to you.
Use it well."
His father owned an invisibility cloak... One he most likely used during his time at Hogwarts and gave it to Dumbledore shortly before he died? The average invisibility cloak lasted around two-maybe three years. The most expensive ones he saw at Borgin & Burkes in Knockturn Alley claimed to last up to five years and knowing Mr. Borgin that was most likely widely exaggerated.
How come a cloak, that his father used during his time at Hogwarts and left in someone else's possession for over ten years after his death, was still working perfectly well? Whatever this cloak actually was, Harry knew it was a priceless magical artifact. One he would keep on him at all times.
Harry thought about the possibilities and opportunities this cloak presented to him while at Hogwarts. The entire Castle, every room, corridor, and floor could now be discovered without fear of being caught. He could even visit the restricted section in the library or the corridor on the third floor while wearing his latest gift. He planned on doing just that tonight. Now though, it was time for breakfast.
Breakfast was pretty unspectacular. About a dozen students from all houses stayed at the Castle over Christmas, including all four Weasleys from Gryffindor. Harry thanked Professor Flitwick and Hagrid for their gifts and spent the rest of the day finishing his homework for the beginning of classes after the holidays. Around 10 pm, Harry pulled over his cloak and left the Ravenclaw common room, making his way to the library. The entire knowledge of the restricted section stood on display, just waiting to be explored.
Harry spent almost an hour just going through different books, taking notes on interesting titles and authors so he might return in the future to continue his research. Suddenly he heard Mrs. Norris meow and the hasty steps of Filch arriving at the entrance to the library.
This was bad, Harry thought. The cloak might hide him visually, but a cat could still smell him and hear him. He should really start learning some silencing spells. Maybe there was a spell to hide one's smell as well?
Harry narrowly avoided Filch, but his stupid cat knew exactly where he was and started following him. He ran through the corridors back towards the Ravenclaw common room, when Filch suddenly appeared in front of him. Shit, Harry thought. He must have used a shortcut that he didn't know about yet.
With Mrs. Norris closing in on him, Harry took his only chance of escape, unlocking the door of a classroom with the Alohomora spell and locking it right after. He was praying that Filch, who never seemed to use any magic, did not know the counterspell, but hearing Filch walking further through the corridor Harry's fear seemed to be unfounded. He decided to wait a couple of minutes in the classroom to make sure that Filch and his damn pet were occupying a different part of the Castle before taking his leave.
Looking around him he noticed a large mirror that was leaning against the wall. Curiously he approached the mirror and stood in front of it. He saw his reflection for a couple of seconds, noticing his now taller posture, the bright emerald green eyes, his untidy hair, and of course: his scar.
All of a sudden his reflection started changing. Harry's mirror image started to grow and other people appeared around him. Checking his own surroundings quickly, Harry confirmed that whatever happens right now is limited to his reflection in the mirror and not the actual classroom.
Looking back at the mirror, seven people appeared in front of him. In the background, he saw a man with the same unruly black hair as himself. He had his arm around a woman, with his exact eyes and the Auburn red hair of Lily Evans. These must be his parents, but who were the other people?
His own reflection smiled back at him. He was definitely older and seemed to be between 20 and 25. He was noticeably taller, even taller than his father. His reflection stood at around 6 feet and two inches tall. He was more toned and carried some serious muscle as well. Most likely weighing around 200 pounds. He looked strong and confident and very handsome if he could say so himself. His eyes, while still emerald green, were almost glowing. He wasn't wearing any glasses, Harry noticed.
Taking a closer look at his reflection's outfit Harry also noticed a few interesting aspects. He was wearing a silvery cloak that showed a strange resemblance to the invisibility cloak he was currently holding. His robes were form fitting and a dark green. A sort of emblem was placed on those robes right above his heart. It was a strange symbol, maybe a rune. It looked like a circle within a triangle, with a straight vertical line from the top to the bottom.
Interestingly enough the very same symbol was depicted on an old-looking black gemstone, that his reflection was carrying on a ring on his left hand. Harry tried to memorize the strange rune and took a more detailed look at the other characters in the mirror.
To his right was a woman. But not just any woman. This was perhaps the most beautiful woman that Harry had ever seen. She looked almost like an angel, with long silvery blonde hair that reached all the way down to her waist. She had an incredibly beautiful face with defined, high cheekbones, full red lips, a cute nose, and dark blue eyes. She looked athletic, but her long light blue dress showed her curves and womanly features. The woman also stood noticeably taller than his mother in the background. She didn't seem to be wearing any heels, but the top of her head almost reached his reflection's chin. The blonde woman smiled happily at Harry.
Harry tore his eyes away from the women and took a look at the last two occupants of the mirror. The first was a boy, maybe around 5 years old. He stood strong and proud at the sight of his reflection. He had the same dark untidy hair as the other Potter men in the mirror, but his facial features had some similarities to the blonde woman, particularly his dark blue eyes.
The last person was a young girl, perhaps only three years old. She clung to what must be her mother's leg hiding from Harry but giving him a shy and bright smile. She looked almost like a mini-copy of the blonde woman, but her eyes were an emerald green. Just like Harry and his own mother.
Harry couldn't comprehend what he was seeing. Even though this was undoubtedly his family, it couldn't be the future. His parents were dead. No spell can bring back the dead. But it all looked so real.
He took a better look at the mirror itself and noticed the letters on top.
"Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi"
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
Realizing he was dealing with a mirror, Harry read the words backward.
"I show not your face but your heart's desire"
Finally, he knew what he was seeing. This was his dream… His ultimate heart's desire. He saw himself, powerful, strong, and unbending to anyone else. He saw his family, something he hadn't ever gotten to experience. Something priceless he had created on his own. They were safe and happy, and Harry would let nothing step in between them.
He was about to continue looking for further clues on the strange symbol his reflection carried when suddenly the door to the classroom opened and someone or something seemed to step in.
Harry whirled around, instinctively letting his wand slide into his palm from his holster at his forearm.
"Show yourself or I start cursing" Harry shouted
"Now Harry, I do not think that will be necessary and while I do not carry a cloak like yours that might get damaged, I would still prefer not to get cursed by you, after experiencing how you dealt with the troll on Halloween." Albus Dumbledore cheerfully replied whilst canceling whatever charm kept him invisible.
"How do you know abou- it was you. You sent me the cloak!" Harry almost accused the old Headmaster.
"Very good, Harry, indeed I did, and I see that you're putting it to good use, much like your father during his school years."
"This isn't a normal invisibility cloak, is it Professor? I know the average cloak holds for maybe three years and a very good one potentially for five. Is that why my father gave it to you? So you could study it?
"A brilliant deduction Harry, indeed, this is a very special artifact, and I would advise you treat it very carefully, not just for your fathers and forefathers' memory."
'Forefathers' Dumbledore said… That means that the cloak is even older than Harry had originally anticipated. He noticed how Dumbledore didn't seem to lose any further words on this topic and carefully watched his Headmaster as he turned his attention to the strange Mirror.
"I see that you, just like countless others before you, have discovered the beauties of the Mirror of Erised. Surely you managed to figure out what the mirror shows you, Harry?"
"It shows our heart's desire, our deepest wishes, and dreams." Harry replied, careful to not give away what he saw in the mirror.
"Very good, Harry indeed it does. Now, excuse an old man's curiosity, but what does the brightest first year see in this very special mirror?"
Harry thought carefully, could he let Dumbledore know what he saw without mentioning his thirst for power?
"I will tell you what the mirror shows me, if you do the same, Professor."
Dumbledore chuckled and his eyes twinkled brightly "An interesting proposition, Harry. I think you would have done well in Slytherin. Salazar must be very disappointed not to have you in his house. Very well, I promise to be honest to you about what the mirror shows me."
Harry studied the old Headmaster with a look of suspicion "The mirror shows me my family, my Mum and Dad a- and a family of my own."
That was all Harry wanted to admit to the Headmaster, he didn't know if he could trust the man yet.
"Extraordinary, Harry. You don't see fame, riches, immortality, or endless powers unlike so many other brilliant minds that have watched their reflections in this very Mirror. Now I made a promise to you, young man, and I am keen to keep my word…"
Dumbledore slowed down a bit, stepping in front of the mirror and a sad expression appeared on his face.
"Just like you, Harry, I also see my family, but unlike you, I don't see any future possibilities, only the memory of the mistakes I have made a long time ago."
Harry didn't know if Dumbledore was being 100% honest with him. But he wouldn't dwell on it any longer.
"I must ask you not to keep looking for the mirror any longer, Harry. Tomorrow it shall be moved. Focus on your schoolwork and try to enjoy your time at Hogwarts as much as possible. There is no place on earth like this Castle." With that Dumbledore left.
Harry too, decided to head back to the Ravenclaw common room, thinking about Dumbledore's words, his reflection from the mirror, his special invisibility cloak, and the strange symbol he saw on his reflection's chest.
Albus quietly made his way back to his personal quarters in his office. His thoughts were once again spinning around a raven-haired student of his. He was very satisfied with what Harry seemed to see in the Mirror. He originally feared the boy might see power, unlimited strength, or other darker tendencies but it seemed his worries were unnecessary.
Of course, the child might have lied to him or withheld parts of the truth. Albus decided not to probe young Harry's mind looking for any hints of untruthful claims. At this point, the boy was most likely skilled enough to detect even his smallest attempts at Legilimency and Albus couldn't risk dealing irreparable damage to their weak relationship.
He decided to trust the boy, even revealing his own deepest desires in return for the show of confidence. What did concern Albus however, was the boy's interest in the cloak... Albus knew that he couldn't tell Harry about the true nature of his heirloom. If the child found out about the Hallows, he too would start spending his youth trying to claim the legendary artifacts.
Maybe one day Albus would tell him, but hopefully, Harry would drop the matter in the meantime. Satisfied with how he handled the situation he went to sleep.
May 1st, 1992
The months since his encounter with the Headmaster had passed in an overall uninteresting fashion. Nothing much happened at Hogwarts. Apparently, Weasley, Granger, and Longbottom were on some weird treasure hunt. Harry heard them consulting together while hiding under his cloak one day. They really thought that the Headmaster had hidden the legendary Philosopher's stone made by Nicholas Flamel in the Castle.
Apparently, it was guarded by some three-headed dog which was the reason the corridor on the third floor was off limits and coincidentally the reason the Slytherin head of house was limping after the events on Halloween.
To confirm their ridiculous story, Harry made his way straight to the corridor and almost had a heart attack after opening the door and watching a giant three-headed dog bare its sharp teeth at him. Just like Granger mentioned, the dog was guarding a trap door.
Harry had to admit that their story was fairly consistent. Two days after his birthday someone breaks into Gringotts but fails to steal whatever he was looking for.
According to Granger, Hagrid had visited Gringotts on the 31st of July, which Harry could confirm himself, having seen Hagrid that night at the Leaky Cauldron. If one was to trust what Granger said, Hagrid admitted to the children that the dog was guarding something that no one besides Albus Dumbledore and Nicolas Flamel had a right to know. Apparently, that was the clue that it must be the Philosopher's Stone the dog is guarding. What else could be valuable enough and is connected to the name Flamel.
So far, the story did admittedly make sense. But why would the potions master try to steal it? What was his motive?
Apparently, Weasley and Longbottom found out after their detention with Hagrid in the forbidden forest. According to what they shared with Granger; they were attacked by a cloaked figure that drank unicorn blood in the forest.
In the end, they were being saved by a centaur who warned them about some strange star constellations. Harry decided to keep one eye on the Gryffindor trio and the other on their prime suspect.
His own studies continue