Chapter 4
AN: For this story year 1 is book 1; year 2 is books 2 and 3; year 3 is book 4 and year 4 is 5, 6, and 7. I'm adding a character, by the way, you'll meet/hear about it well into the future, but I am just warning you. Please, continue reviewing, I love it. And this will probably my only story in the SM/HP crossover, there's only so much you can do during their school years, and unless you want to venture into the world after Hogwarts or before, there's only so much that can be done, if you want to stick somewhat close to canon and not create your own world for HP...
AN2: On a side note, I was researching for something on this topic, and a lot of the pictures I found, had DR looking down EW's shirt...
It was a sad day when Harry and Ron stood by the doors of the school, Serena and Hermione were leaving for winter break while the two boys were staying, along with all the Weasley children who attended Hogwarts. Ron's parents were going to visit Ron's eldest brother in Norway. Harry would rather pour acid in his eyes than go home to the Dursleys. Serena wanted to go home, she was missing her parents, they were very close, and what she didn't tell them, was that she needed their advice. She hugged the boys and waited for Hermione to do the same.
"I didn't even know I could stay." Hermione complained. "Don't get into any trouble while I'm away!"
"Don't worry Hermione, nothing will happen. Go enjoy your family. Your break will probably be more eventful than ours."
Serena hesitated, she too wanted to stay here, but she also wanted to go home, the first year was always the hardest away from family and the 'normal' world, if you were muggle-born, she wasn't, but she still missed the things she knew, while not true anymore, a lot of them still held true to her. "I'll miss you guys; don't let each other eat too much chocolate." They all smiled at each other and the two girls hugged the two boys one last time before they waved goodbye and they left together for the way back to the train.
Harry and Ron rushed up the stairs to watch the girls get on the boats heading back towards the train station and when they looked up, moving out of sight and into the fog, the boys waved and they returned the gesture, then they were swallowed up and disappeared.
"So..." Ron started, now that they were alone and school was out of session, with only the skeleton staff and students remaining. "What do you want to do?"
They shared a look and the grins that split both their faces had them in agreement and they ran through the halls.
It was only a day after Christmas and they had received all of their presents and opened them while the rest of the students had opened theirs the day of. Harry had gotten a package from the Dursleys, a required gift, and when he opened it, it was only a pair of old socks from Dudley and for the first time, he realized that Serena would be returning to his street and maybe interacting with Dudley, he wished her luck and hoped that the fat boy didn't harass her or hit on her. Harry shuddered at the thought, Serena and his cousin? Ew. Then again, she had her pick of boys here, once they'd gotten over the fact she may or may not be the dark lord's daughter, they had acted on their instincts, and truth be told, she was pretty, and her hair was the most exotic color and she always had it up in the most interesting style, she really did stick out in a crowd.
Ron's mother made Harry a blue knit sweater while Ron got a maroon one that clashed horribly with his hair, but while neither boy cared about that, Ron was just more annoyed that his mother continued giving him a color he detested. The first letter of each of their names was stitched into the front. Fred and George came thudding down to the common room, one was green and the other was purple, and Harry raised an eyebrow. "Forge and Gred?" He had thought, with Serena's help, that he had gotten them straight, for the most part, but if that was the case, then he had them backward.
They grinned and nodded and continued out of the house after ruffling Ron's hair, they were allowed into the city since they were old enough. "They do this every year." Ron complained, sitting down next to Harry, so they could continue opening their gifts. Ron got a few treats and more clothes, but not much else. Harry didn't fare any better, he was only gifted a wooden flute by Hagrid and a cloak. This was entrusted in my hands by your father; I believe it's time it returned to its rightful owner. It didn't have a name attached to it; it was just scrawled in very flowing handwriting. They both put on the sweaters, Harry was glad to get a gift for a change, and Ron did it out of family responsibility, though he'd prefer to burn it.
A few minutes later, after sating themselves with chocolate, Ron had gone to use the restroom and the window was open in a spot that Harry couldn't reach, so he threw the cloak over himself, it was a little chilly and he looked through a few of the presents, trying to figure out why he'd gotten them. Ron returned to the room and looked around. "Harry, where'd you go?" He called out to the room and Harry frowned.
"Right here." He responded and Ron jumped, and his head whipped in all directions as his eyes tried to take in his sight.
"Stop that, whatever you're doing, it's not funny!" Ron glared, but he wasn't looking anywhere near Harry. "Come out right now."
Harry rolled his eyes and lowered the hood. "What are you playing at?" Harry asked annoyed and Ron's eyes bugged.
"You're a floating head!" He gasped and Harry looked down at himself, sure enough, he couldn't see his body. He quickly shucked the cloak off with a yell, trying to see if his body was slowly dissolving into nothing and if he'd eaten something weird. As soon as the material left him, his body returned.
Ron grabbed it up. "You know what this is?" He threw it around himself and Harry watched him disappear this time. "This is awesome!" Ron's voice came out of the spot that he was last seen before the cloak came off and he handed it back to Harry. "It's an invisibility cloak!"
Harry's dark brows came together as he tried to reason that out. "There's a lot of them?"
"No, I've only heard of them, never saw them myself before. Be careful with it, it's awesome, who sent it to you?" Ron grabbed at the note, and read it and then frowned himself. "It doesn't say, but Harry, this is so cool!"
Harry laughed and folded it up. "Yes it is. But if Hermione found out about this-"
"She'd say you can't use it, that's its too great a magic for someone so young." Ron intoned dryly.
Harry shook his head. "She'd say use it wisely, it's a large responsibility, and to not let anyone know about it."
"Yeah, you're probably right." Ron sighed and sank down onto the couch, handing Harry a box of flavored bots.
Harry took one and they spent the next hour playing cracking cards until Neville came in and made it a larger game, more students started trickling in and they continued adding members to the game.
It was a couple of nights later that found Harry wandering the corridors on his own, he had a vague notion of looking in the library at the forbidden books but he'd wandered without thinking about where he was going and he found himself in an empty room. He was about to leave had a golden glint not caught his attention. He wandered over to it, and out in the open sat an ancient looking mirror. He looked closely at the reflective surface, seeing himself standing there in his blue 'H' sweater and black pants, perpetually broken glasses over green eyes and untamable messy black hair which fell between the frames and lashes. He reached up and pushed them back and encountered the soft fabric of the cloak instead.
He frowned and his reflection did too. Maybe it could just show who was looking at it in their real form, his glasses hadn't broken yet since Hermione fixed them, again, just before break, didn't mean that they would remain that way until she got back. He was about to leave when the image changed around him and on each of his shoulders a hand rested. He looked up into the faces of people he did not recognize, at least, had not remembered seeing them before. But even that was wrong, he had seen them, he'd seen them in himself, those green eyes, from the woman with red hair on his right, and the man's messy black hair and slightly tanned skin tone on his left. His face had features that lent themselves into Harry's own face. Harry's eyes raked the two and behind them, more people started appearing, people he knew he'd never seen before, but he knew they were family members, going as far back as he could see in the mirror. He tried to talk to them, but they didn't respond. So he sat down and watched as his reflection interacted with them, took in his mother's smiling face, his father's proud look.
He didn't know how long he sat there, but eventually he yawned and caught himself falling asleep. He promised himself as he stood, he'd be back tomorrow night, and he was. Every night for the next week and it would have remained his secret, had Ron not caught him throwing the cloak on one night that he thought the redhead was sleeping. "Where do you keep going?"
"I- come on, I'll show you."
They disappeared a swish of cloak. Harry led Ron to the mirror and there they both stood looking into it. "Oh wow."
"What do you see?"
"I'm- I'm headboy!" Ron exclaimed, he was alone in his vision.
"That's it?" Harry looked deeply; he couldn't see Ron at all, just his family.
"No, it's changing; I'm the champion at the Quidditch cup!"
Harry figured it was a mirror showing him the past, and family that had died, and he didn't think Ron would see anything different. But maybe instead it was showing them what was going to happen. If that were the case, he would be joining his family soon. As far as he knew, they were all dead. They both stayed for awhile, and when he yawned, he knew they were there too long. "Come on Ron, let's go to bed, people will be heading out to Hogsmeade soon for the last time, I wanted to get up early enough to ask Gred to pick something up for me."
"But I don't want to leave-" Ron complained, he was enjoying his vision too much.
"Come on knuckle-head." Harry grabbed his arm and pulled him unwilling out of the room, remembering the last second that they were visible and threw the cloak over them.
They got back to the common room just in time to slip back into bed, their pajamas still on, because they'd never changed. Seamus rolled over with a groan, showing that he was about to wake up. Ron fell back asleep easily and Harry pretended, though even he was drifting in and out of consciousness as everyone around them got up. Harry pushed himself off the bed and stumbled downstairs to the commons. It was really a very small amount of people that were there and so he didn't mind in the slightest that he was without his robe.
He talked to Fred and George and they laughed and agreed to get what he wanted them to do, and he gave them the coins necessary. By the time they got back, he was already sleeping, exhausted from the day before. Ron was passed out and falling off of his bed with limbs in every direction. So Fred put the package down by Harry's feet while George went to mess with Ron.
There was only a few days left before students returned and they went fast for the boys at times, and slow at others. When the girls returned to Hogwarts they were greeted with another feast and they caught up with one another. Harry told Hermione about the cloak and she devised a plan, seemed over the break she'd decided to join them. "What's the switch?" Ron asked, disappointed he wasn't right with her reaction.
"Um... nothing really. I guess I just found out my parents have been telling everyone that I'm going to Clown school and then onto Brown. Also, I figured as long as I was with you, it'd help keep you guys out of trouble. Which you didn't get involved in while I was gone, right?" She was looking at the two of them, waiting for them to spill the beans.
Ron and Harry exchanged glances; Serena too was watching them with a curious expression. She hadn't really said hi yet, Hermione had launched into a questioning session as soon as she'd seen the cloak. In that regard, neither had she really, she just popped in and talked about what they'd been up to. Serena smiled and waved shyly at the rest of them. They smiled in return and then broke down how their plan was going to work. Serena didn't bother to point out the very obvious piece they were missing, they didn't know when or how to get past Fluffy. "Might want to talk to Hagrid." She mentioned casually as she stood stretching. "Mind if I go unpack a little?"
"Why Hagrid?"
"Fluffy is his pet, is he not?" The others had to agree. "Then he'd know how to best calm him too, right?" She left them with that thought and exited up the stairs to the girl's hall.
"Maybe I should go join her-" Hermione thought out loud, readying to stand when Harry shook his head.
"I don't think she wants to be so embroiled into these plans. Haven't you noticed the pattern? It's always an accidental accomplice with her. Except when she wants to be included. I too am a little confused by her desires, but she chooses when she is involved and not."
Ron narrowed his eyes as he thought over what Harry had said. "I don't think so. I think she wants to be involved, but she seems pulled in two different direction..."
"Maybe she doesn't want to bother talking to Hagrid about Fluffy. Maybe she already knows something, but doesn't want to share. She does visit him or at least, Fang often." Harry sighed. "But she's right; we need to learn all we can from Hagrid himself."
"She's good with animals, why doesn't she just come and soothe the savage beast herself?" Ron questioned. Hermione shrugged while Harry looked thoughtful, but neither of them had an answer. They were to go talk to Hagrid.
"You need to stop doing these disappearing acts." Harry complained as Serena popped up at his elbow after lunch. "Where were you anyways?"
Serena bit her bottom lip and half smiled and he knew he wouldn't get an answer, or at least a real one. "Gone to see Hagrid yet?" She asked with a lifted brow instead.
"No, we're waiting for the right time."
"Then what do you keep disappearing for at night?" She turned and walked backward, Harry winced as she caught an edge with her heel and crashed into a suit of armor and it made a large ringing.
Harry sighed, only Ron knew about the mirror so far, and Ron had only gone once, pleased by what he saw, Harry had gone several times since the girls returned, and he didn't know how Serena knew but he might as well tell her, she'd at least not be able to claim he liked Ron or Hermione better than her again. "I'll show you, tonight."
Serena grinned and looped her arm with his. "Excellent, tonight seems like a perfect choice."
He laughed and let her lead him to Occult, Hermione hated the class and would spend every day complaining about it afterward and how unfounded the teacher was in her 'visions'.
Their classes went pretty fast during the day and just before most of the students headed off for bed that evening, Harry leaned down and whispered in Serena's ear. "Midnight."
Serena's eyes slid towards him and nodded. She walked upstairs with Hermione and the two were talking as they did so. Ron and Harry went towards the boy's floor. "What's up between you and Serena? You guys seem to be getting closer; don't tell me you like her?" Ron wasn't accusatory, just surprised.
"No, it's not like that, she's a friend, just like you and Hermione. A good friend, just like the two of you." Harry responded slipping into bed and listened for Ron's heart and breathing to slow down, and listened for anyone still awake, but a lot of the students went to bed far earlier than ten, and woke up far earlier than he did too. At midnight he was waiting by the portrait on the inside, but still in the shadows of the dim light glowing from the candles around the room. They always burned but never melted or caught fire on anything but the wick.
He waited patiently and it was probably long after Midnight when Serena came down and started looking for him. "You're late." He whispered, nobody would hear him, but he still didn't want to take the chance, this was the first rendezvous he'd had with Serena, he didn't know how it would go, and he didn't want to get her into trouble, if he didn't have to.
"Sorry, the girls were up giggling about something over what happened today in one of their classes. They finally fell asleep." She apologized and he nodded, he took her hand and pulled her close, before throwing the cloak over them.
"It hides us, but doesn't cover up any sounds. So we have to be very quiet if anyone were to come close to us." He'd had close moments before with some of the employees here.
"No problem." Serena responded, and it wouldn't be, as long as she didn't trip into anything. She just prayed her ability to glide gracefully would hold up there and back, wherever there was.
Harry led Serena into the empty room with the mirror. He took off their cloak and showed her to it. He stood behind her, looking in, and it was the same thing he always saw, his parents, his family and him. He didn't see her in front of him, in either physical reflection or in the mirror looking back either. So she wasn't destined to the same fate he was, nor any of his friends. He was so enthralled still with the image that he'd almost forgotten she was there, until he moved forward towards it and physically ran into her. "Sorry, what do you see?"
Serena looked long and hard at the image in front of her. It was a man-boy with black hair and piercing blue eyes, he had armor on, neither of this time nor place, not even the magical wizarding world. Only she knew the armor was spun flower from Elysian hardened by dragon's fire. The thread was each cord from the dead flowers in his realm, she'd had the chance to visit once, and it really was a safe haven, the unicorn-horn-boy a willing servant to his master, a willing sacrifice. At Harry's question it pulled her from what she could only barely remember, strange, random facts of an era long ago, an era she hardly belonged in, and a life she shouldn't be a part of, she would just ruin everything. This was the first time she'd seen his face, seen anything concrete about him, and yet she didn't remember him, only remembered the armor's details, the strange quirks she'd inherited from him, and the love that was so painful at times, all the time, because she couldn't remember why she loved him, just knew because it was her duty, which had been reiterated over break and knew that it hurt because she wasn't with him, and she even felt betrayed looking into his handsome face while with her best friend, not only on this land, but in the normal, plain human one as well. She thought she had accepted it, the unknown stranger who had dictated her life without even knowing it, but the feelings welling up inside of her clearly pointed out, that she still wasn't completely ok with it, she accepted only aspects, the ones she couldn't change, but she didn't want her life tied to a random man, who may not even live in this world again, no matter how slight that connection might or might not be.
Serena took a long time in answering Harry, and he wondered if she was trapped in her image like he sometimes felt in his, but to him, it always felt so good. He was about to ask again, to pull her out of it and not stay, like Ron had begged to do on occasion when he wanted to be reassured that his future wasn't going to change from what he'd seen. Harry didn't give in to it, and he shouldn't have brought Serena here now either.
Serena shook her head. "I see only ghosts. People who do not exist in this plain any longer. Who never will again."
"Your family?" Harry asked on a breath, maybe she would be suffering the same fate, he wasn't seeing anyone else that he might have known that died, just people related to him. She might be fated to die, or they were just seeing the family they lost, because they were both orphans.
"I guess." Serena bit out harder than she meant it and she sighed. "I don't think they look anything like me."
"I wish I could see it." Harry stated and Serena looked at him slightly amused.
"I don't think you do, they're very ugly."
Harry couldn't help the laugh as he covered them both up again, really, it was better nobody else stayed there as long as he liked to. "Hard pressed to believe anyone ugly could produce you."
"I think you'd be very surprised." He was about to argue that point, even her adoptive parents were gorgeous, but he didn't think she wanted to talk about it; she kept trying to make it seem lighter than it was. Maybe she was just worried she too was going to die before they managed to do anything meaningful, he just didn't have the words to reassure her or know the truth.
She hugged him and thanked him for taking her, but she'd refrain from going again and for him to have a pleasant night's sleep.
Harry went to bed, but he felt more bothered than he had been after any other visit. He promised himself he'd go again tomorrow night and be soothed by the images of his smiling parents.
The following night came and he sat in front of the mirror for long hours, trying to memorize each of their faces, including all the relatives he'd never had a chance to meet before he was even born.
"It's an addictive thing isn't it? Seeing your heart's desire played out for you, before your very eyes."
Harry jerked and turned towards the voice. "Headmaster!" He scrambled to his feet. "I'm sorry- I know I shouldn't be-"
"Do not worry Harry; I have been watching you closely for these many nights. It's a dangerous thing though, this mirror, I have met many who have gone mad seeing their goals realized and visualized like this, but they never achieve it themselves." Dumbledore shook his head sadly.
"What do you see, professor?"
"Me?" He looked a little puzzled for a moment, before glancing into the mirror. "I see myself with a pair of socks, one can never have too many, you know. I try not to look too often, that's why I stashed it up here, so it'd be less tempting for myself and others. I did not know that you would stumble upon it, however." Dumbledore looked at him kindly. "What do you see in the mirror Harry?"
"My family, the one I lost when Voldemort killed them." Harry glanced back at the mirror. "The family I have left isn't the best example of a "true family", in the world."
"I am sorry about that, Harry. It was never my intention to leave you with such uncaring and bitter people; I had suspected that anyone who could raise a girl like Lily would have been able to raise another one just like her. I suppose even this old man can be wrong." He chuckled. "Come along Harry, there are other ways to see them and the heart can always desire something else, once that has been put to rest."
Harry followed Dumbledore through the halls, the old cat had seen them and spotting Dumbledore, slinked away as if she hadn't.
"I see you got my gift. I hope you use it wiser than to visit some rusty old enchanted mirror."
"It was you that sent me it?" Harry looked on in amazement as Dumbledore nodded. "My father left this to you?"
"No, he left it in my hands; I felt it was wise to give it back to you on your first Christmas away from home. It does after all, rightfully belong to you, he was kind enough to lend it to me on a mission I had back then."
"Thank you, it means a lot to have something that originally belonged to my parents. It's some type of connection to them that I hadn't had before."
Dumbledore smiled kindly. "What did Ron and Serena see?"
Harry looked up at him for a long moment, trying to process that. "You'd seen them here?"
Dumbledore nodded. "Though Ron has tried to find it during the day, Serena's only been here once, the time you brought her. She hasn't even bothered to look again. I have a feeling she saw something she didn't want to, or something that disturbed her."
"You too, believe she's Voldemort's daughter."
"I have no proof of that. I knew a Tom Riddle once, he was an interesting boy. Serena Riddle has turned out to be a very interesting girl."
"You have no proof? But you seem to know everything about everyone. It'd be a load off of everyone's mind to lay that rumor to rest. She was raised by muggles, for crying out loud!"
"So too, were you. You both have celebrity status, no matter where you were raised; maybe that only makes it more potent." Dumbledore shrugged. "What did she see?"
"Ron said he saw himself as headboy and winner of the Quidditch Cup. Serena said she saw her family."
"Same as you..." Dumbledore dwelled on that internally for awhile.
"She said it before I even opened my mouth to talk about mine." Harry clarified and quickly covered for Serena. Really though, that's how it happened, or at least how he remembered it happening.
"No, I am not doubting what she said she saw. Do you, Harry, believe she is trustworthy?"
Harry nodded instantly. "Of course."
Dumbledore's face broke into a very powerful grin. "Then I am glad. No matter who Serena is related to, she is still her own person, free to make her own mistakes and follow her own heart. You are no different. I just hope neither one of you are too hard on the other in the future."
"I have one more question... if it's her heart's desire, then why did she have such a negative reaction to what she'd seen?"
Dumbledore lifted both bushy white brows at the question and gave a little laugh. "Sometimes what the heart desires isn't always what the brain wishes it were. Ron had two strong desires and Serena had one but one she wishes she didn't desire so much." He rested a hand on Harry's shoulder. "Well, goodnight Harry."
They were outside the fat lady and after Harry told her the password, turned to say goodnight back to Dumbledore.
"Oh, and Harry?" He asked when the boy stepped one foot through. "Don't go looking for the mirror again, it will be moved tonight and it won't be as easy to find next time."
Harry sighed and nodded, he'd give up on the mirror and the sight within. Dumbledore was right; there was no way to achieve that image, if all he did was sit in front of glass. "I won't, thank you for the enlightenment."
"No problem, if you ever need anything, don't be afraid to ask. Minerva is here for you as well."
Harry headed inside and then up to bed.
The following week, Harry decided to focus on the other issue going on. Hermione, Harry and Ron all went under the guise of cloak to Hagrid's house. They removed the cloak and Harry knocked on Hagrid's door. Hagrid looked out with a tense expression. "What are you kids doing here? It's after hours, go back to bed!" He tried to shut the door but Hermione stuck her hand in front of it.
"Come on Hagrid, we need to talk to you." She pushed. Hagrid glanced behind him, he had finally gotten back after a week of being gone and Harry had a feeling he was hiding something.
The three of them pushed themselves in and saw Fang curled up by the fireplace and a dragon's egg cocooned on the table. "Hagrid- what-" Ron was next to it and ran his hand down the side; he knew exactly what it was, having seen plenty in the past. "You're not supposed to have this!"
"Hagrid, how did you get it?" Hermione questioned, all of them had forgotten all about questioning him on the stone when there was a giant egg sitting in front of them.
"Ah, I won it in a card game." He admitted. "Just earlier this week."
"They're illegal!" Hermione screamed, clearly upset by the turn of events.
"Nobody knows about it. Except you guys." Hagrid turned defensive.
"And who gave it to you." Ron stated dispassionately.
"Well I won him, fair and square. The man who was sitting opposite of me knew my fondness for animals, we started talking about different breeds we'd raised and the troubles we had to go through with them."
"Hagrid!" Harry suddenly shouted. "What did you tell him?"
"Nothin', just talked about the different animals."
"Did you talk about Fluffy?"
"Maybe." Hagrid was unhelpful, adjusting the blankets around the dragon egg and pulling another one from the hook by the fire.
"If you put it closer to the fire, it will hatch faster." Ron muttered.
"Hagrid, did you talk about Fluffy?"
"Yah, but it wasn't anything important. We were just talking about tricks we had when it came to the more unsettled animals. I just told him how to handle Fluffy, a nice song soothes him." Hagrid groaned. "I shouldn't have told you that."
"You shouldn't have told him that." Harry bit out.
"What did he look like?" Hermione tried to be more levelheaded, but all of the children were angry with Hagrid letting out such vital information, this could facilitate Voldemort's return, somehow.
"I don't know, I never saw his face, he was wearing a black cloak."
"Hagrid, you can't keep the dragon." There was nothing they could do about the information already received; they could only help Hagrid with his newest problem.
"Aw, come on, nobody has to know."
Harry frowned deeply, they weren't going to win with Hagrid, at least not now, and besides, it was still an egg, it had to hatch first and grow a little before it could be moved. Ron had told him that much. "All right, fine. But only until it can fly."
Hermione looked at him like he was crazy and he shrugged off her look. There were more pressing matters to attend to.
Later that night, when the three got safely back to the house common room, they sat by the fire that lit and ran all day and night. "What do you make of that?" Hermione whispered to the other two.
"He gave us how to get past Fluffy." Ron said on a hopeful note.
"He also gave it to Snape." Harry whispered back.
"Why do you think it was him?" Hermione wondered.
"Whoever had traded Hagrid for the egg had gotten the information on how to get past Fluffy."
"Yeah, but he didn't know who that person was, I think he'd recognize Snape."
"Not with all the tricks he can no doubt do." Harry countered, firmly believing it was Snape, and refusing to look elsewhere. "Snape is the one behind everything, and he's going to go after the stone."
"Not until after finals, I think." Hermione predicted. "I think he'll wait until all of the students and professors are busy."
"What if he goes sooner?"
"We'll just have to keep an eye on him, then." Ron responded glibly. "Between all of our studies and other investigations."
"Oh come on, you big baby." Hermione huffed, still keeping her voice low so as not to wake anyone else. "It's not that hard to keep an eye on a professor."
"I'll do it." A female voice stated over their heads. They turned their gaze to look at Serena. "What? I'll watch him. You guys can focus on everything else. He won't suspect me and I'll just buddy up more to Malfoy, giving me a perfect cover to be near Snape."
"That's not a smart idea-" Harry started to protest.
"Actually... it's not a half bad idea. Though, it is dangerous. I don't think you should do it, but it is a possible solution." Hermione disagreed with Harry, and looking at Serena with a pondering look, trying to work through all the contingencies.
"But Malfoy? Snape? Can we really let her do this?"
"You're not letting me do anything. I volunteered. Besides, they won't hurt me." She winked and Ron shook his head, bemused. She was probably right.
"It's too dangerous!" Harry tried to argue once again, but it seemed as if everyone's mind was made up. So he sighed and let them talk about what was next and he listened in. He agreed with Hermione, it was too soon for Snape to go after the stone, and everyone was very alert and on top of it, they hadn't had enough time to rest easy, knowing it was safe against all odds.
So when Hermione hugged all three of them and headed off for bed, hardly able to keep the yawns at bay, and Ron followed after. Harry caught Serena's hand and pulled her to a stop. "Just, be careful, ok? I don't want anything to happen to you. Don't trust either of them."
Serena smirked, but it was a friendly one, as if she was amused. "Don't worry Harry; I can take care of myself. I'm just glad that you stopped fooling around, looking for that mirror."
"You never looked for it again." He stated, reminded about it, by her own words. "Why?"
"I didn't like what I saw." She answered truthfully. "Seeing it once was enough." It was forever ingrained in her brain anyway. It didn't matter though, he was dead.
"But it was your family!" Unless her family really was Voldemort, he couldn't see why she'd be so against it. He would give anything to talk to his again.
She smiled gently this time. "Harry." She breathed and pushed back a lock of hair that fell into his eyes. "I have a family I love, anything that mirror could show me, was just smoke and, forgive the pun, mirrors. I desire so much more than what it was telling me."
"Or you just don't know that's what you really want."
"That would be the day. Besides, desires can change. Sometimes they're not as great as you've imagined them to be. The realities of some things far outweigh the fantasy." She must have done that, built him up in her head so great that when she'd seen him, she hadn't been disappointed but... he could never truly live up to what she'd imagined.
"Or they can be better than you imagine." Harry tried to argue, but he knew she was probably right in this regard, at least towards her own family.
"Good night Harry." She smiled at him one last time before disappearing up the stairs.
"Good night, Serena." He trudged upstairs to his own bed; Ron was out like a light when he got there.
EAN: So! We're learning more about Serena, even delving into her brain a little, we're getting some type of situation between the two, not saying if it is romantic/relationship because I promised in the beginning and I'm sticking with it... Need more Hermione/Ron interaction? Make it more believable later on? I was trying to keep the story to a minimum, for a few reasons that I'd rather just not go into here.