Hello and welcome to the next chapter! This will be the first chapter into the actual plotline, so I hope you all enjoy!
Chapter 4: A strange package?
It was a summery day in the east side of England… well, that was a bit of a stretch, it was the brightest weather you could find in the place. As Draco awoke, one of the beams lit right in his face, and he was forced to stand straight up rather than stay laying down for a few more minutes. Potter was unaffected, of course, and he was still snoozing with his right side almost completely out of the bed. Draco knew what he had to do.
He prowled closer and closer to the sleeping Gryffindork, grabbing one of his magazines from his nightstand. He fidgeted once, but that was probably due to the beautiful dreams he was most likely having. Draco was Syltherin to the core, after all. Finally, he leaned down to the face half covered by the blanket, and slapped him hard across the face while yelling "WAKE UP!"
The effect was instantaneous, but unfortunately to Draco, Harry only slightly turned his head in Draco's direction before putting his head back down. Draco was not one to be deterred. He needed his daily tea and Harry might have to do some Hero-ing to let Draco have his cup. "You're not in a coma, are you? I need tea." At 'tea' he perked up considerably, nodded slowly, and reached for his wand. So distracted by the thought of tea Draco was that he had not noticed that Potter was aiming it at him before the incantation was heard; Flipendo to be exact, and he was knocked back off his feet onto the ground.
Harry huffed and got off the bed, choosing that moment to speak. "Just to let you know, I am a morning person. I was often the first one up. So maybe save the slapping for someone else? Ahh man, you bent my 'Daily Quidditch'." Draco's eyes were currently inside his head. Of course, the hero had an early rise. "Oh, morning tea huh? Think I'll have coffee instead." Draco feared his eyebrows might rise so high his hair would ruin the effect. "Merlin, just hurry up."
Harry was humming annoyingly loud as they walked down the hallway to the breakroom, and if this was what it was going to be like walking to the cafeteria, he was about to permanently combust. Potter was dressed in a puffy pullover that looked two sizes too big, with cheap robes on top. The git had left the robe open at the top, letting his upper body look like a burnt marshmallow. Draco didn't know if that was intentional or just accidental. On the way Draco saw Theo, and crowded to his side as if for protection. Draco could see him steal glances at them quizzically, as if it was a new secret he was trying to solve. Well, let him guess, then. At last, tea was in Draco's view and he sprinted for the door, leaving Theo in his distracted talking about the latest scores and Potter in his annoying physique.
~.~.~.~.
As Malfoy ran, his hair puffed up even more and Harry thought he looked like a white fluffy marshmallow. It would fit better if he was wearing something casual, but the arsehole was wearing something snobbish as always. There was not even a forced dress code at the academy, and he was still wearing fitted robes and a tie. But he didn't look very high and mighty as he fought his way through to the tea, Harry thought and grinned.
Back and replenished with energy, Harry grabbed for his enchanted keys as Draco pointed at a small package on the matt that wasn't there before. "What's that?" He asked, stepping discreetly behind Harry. He clearly wasn't used to packages not sent via owl. "Finite Incantatem." Harry whispered, a spell that would hopefully get rid of any dark magic traces before grabbing hold of the box off the floor. "Well, want to look?" Harry mock-asked before ripping the tape off and opening. The box was full of muggle bubble wrap and Harry had to throw multiples out before finally huffing as Draco struggled with his own enchanted keys on the door. The enchantment was needed, A quick Alohomora and people would have access, which made extra privacy spells a must. But that didn't mean it wasn't irksome when one had a mysterious package to be attending to.
A successful entrance into the dorm room and a couple of bubble wrap scattering across the floor later, Harry had the thing free from the box. At closer inspection, it appeared to be a mirror. The hand-held mirror had a white pearl coat, purple and green gems around the oval surface, but besides that, it didn't seem to be strange in any way. Draco shrugged and mimed him to look into it. Harry took a deep breath and looked into the mirror, but only saw his normal face. "I don't understand- ""Wait! Look at the bottom!" Draco whispered, and on the rim bare before now bore the words 'No osot eno geno emostu beca fur oyto nwoh si.' Harry could feel the familiarity of the words; but couldn't quite place them. By the looks of it Malfoy was struggling too, as he was biting into his lip with thought. "Father told me of a legendary mirror once… what was it? Mirror of Arised?" He wondered aloud, and Harry finished the thought. "Erised. This must be somehow in relation." He turned the mirror back and front, and then focused on the inscription again.
"I got it! It's in reverse with different spacing, just like it. Hold on, let me think… I… Show… Not… Your… Face… But someone gone too soon!" Draco exclaimed, and Harry's face turned from his own in the mirror to someone with mousy light hair, and dark green eyes. It took Harry a moment to fully digest the murky image that was becoming clear in the mirror, for he let out a short burst, "Colin!?"
"That's me." The ghostly voice contrasted strikingly with Colin's old squeaky one, and Harry started. Draco looked aghast too, and mumbled "So, more like a portrait than an actual mirror…" Leaving Malfoy to figure out the calculations in his head, Harry turned back to the mirror. It was Colin. He could feel it in his gut, and the boy had the spot-on smile. "How did you get into this mirror, Colin?" Harry asked. Colin's smile dissipated. "It's kind of a long story…"
"Well, we've got time." Draco was standing up again, and had gotten closer to the mirror than Harry had realized. They had certainly not got time, as first lessons were in an hour, but he had decided to not to sound like Hermione, and instead kept his mouth shut. "You see, after my death, I realized I had unfinished business. But I don't know who killed me, you see. And I don't know how exactly I got onto this mirror. But I do know that somehow, I'm here now! And it must be worth it because I have seen you again Harry Potter! Does this mean that we won the war? Oh, and…" Colin seemed to be completely ignoring Draco, and Draco himself seemed to be wanting to supply a "Yes, we know." After a hesitant recap of the last month's events, Colin again spoke up.
"Harry! Can you please show me this Academy? Finishing my last year doesn't sound as cool as this! Oh, pretty please?" He asked, using a special pout. Draco was mocking this 'pretty please' with his mouth and Harry turned the mirror away. "Ohh, um yes! Sure!" Harry cringed. Oh what was he going to do now?
