Chapter 7: Unexpected Desires


"You could have woken me up," Ron pouted for the millionth time beside me.

"You can come tonight, I'm going back, I want to show you the mirror." Harry replied.

Harry had just told us about the adventure he had gone alone last night. The thrill he must have felt, sneaking around the castle with the Invisibility Cloak, would've brought a great adrenaline rush! I was

"I'd like to see your mom and dad," Ron said eagerly.

"And I want to see all your family, all the Weasleys, you'll be able to show me your other brothers and everyone. And Ella, you'll get to see your mom and dad, too!"

"You can see my family any old time. Just come round my house this summer. Anyway maybe it only shows dead people," Ron said before he looked over at me. "It would be pretty cool to see Uncle Gideon and Aunt Evelyn though."

"I don't know, honestly, I'm a little scared to confront my parents," I said as I chewed my lips. "I don't know, but anyway, shame about not finding Flamel, huh. Have some bacon or something, why aren't you eating anything?"

But Harry only poked at his food the entire day, dazing in and out of focus during conversations. I frowned, knowing that the mirror was on his mind. And that night, Harry, Ron and I, covered in the cloak too, walked along the corridors that Harry thought he had gone last night.

"I'm freezing," said Ron. "Let's forget it and go back."

"No!" Harry and I hissed at the same time. I looked at him surprised but he continued, "I know it's here somewhere."

And just about when Ron started to moan that his feet were cold, Harry spotted a suit of armour.

"It's here – just here – yes!" Harry exclaimed. And as soon as we entered the door, he dropped the cloak and ran toward the mirror, making me frown. He seemed to look at the mirror as if mesmerized and then turned around, beaming, "see?"

I looked, trying to see what he was seeing, but I didn't see anything. Ron must have been the same way seeing that he repeated what was on my mind.

"Look! Look at them all… There are loads of them…."

"Harry, I can only see you," I said, slightly worried.

"Look in it properly, go on, stand where I am," he said as he dragged Ron to where he stood. Ron, then started to stare, seemingly transfixed in his image, making me laugh a little.

"Look at me!" he said

"Yes, look at you. In all your paisley and ginger glory," I bit sarcastically, still laughing.

"Can you see all your family standing around you?" Harry asked, ignoring my laugh and the pointed glare Ron gave me.

"No – I'm alone – but I'm different – I look older – and I'm head boy!"

"What?" Harry screamed, trying to peer into the mirror.

"I am – I'm wearing the badge like Bill used to – and I'm holding the house cup and the Quidditch cup – I'm Quidditch captain, too" he exclaimed, then he turned to face Harry and me, standing there. "Do you think this mirror shows the future?"

"How can it? All my family are dead – let me have another look -,"

"You had it to yourself all last night, give me a bit more time," Ron argued, before they started to yell at each other.

Then, a sudden noise sounded in the corridor outside. The boys looked at me with wide eyes as if they hadn't realized that they were making more noise than a herd of Banshees. I rolled my eyes, lifting up the invisibility cloak that they had carelessly cast aside, and motioned them to come in. We all held in our breath as Mrs. Norris came in and left, but our journey was cut short. And I left silently, disappointed that I had not gotten my turn in front of the mirror.

The next day, Harry was quieter than ever, and I had no appetite or motivation to do anything. By now I had guessed what the mirror does, and I was curious to know what I may see in it. I was sure that I would see my parents but would they be happy with the person I had become?

Even Ron, who is as slow as a Neanderthal, seemed to notice that Harry and I had been doom and gloom. He tried to make us eat, distract us with the idea of chess, exploding snaps, and even suggested a visit to Hagrid. However, I had only the mirror in my mind, and I knew Harry thought the same. And when Ron suggested Harry to not go back tonight, it fell on deaf ears.

That night, not being able to sleep, I waited in the common room for Harry to appear. He didn't disappoint when he came bounding the stairs even before midnight locking eyes with me.

"Can I come with you?" I asked in a hopeful voice, and smiled when Harry motioned me to come inside the cloak.

We made our ways toward the mirror quickly than the previous night and looked toward the mirror. I saw as Harry's face light up as he ran toward it. Then he turned to me with a smile. "Come on Ella. You can go first for a little while," he offered.

I ran toward the mirror, Harry sliding out of the way just in time for him to not get knocked over, and looked in.

I had seen pictures of my parents and dead relatives in pictures before, Aunt Molly made sure that I did. But seeing them standing there, as if they were alive and looking at me made my breath stop a little.

My father and Uncle Fabian stood to my left, giving me the goofiest grin they can muster in their freckled face. They had flaming red hair, darker and richer red than that of the Weasleys', the same shade that I had inherited. My mother, half-Veela, Evelyn Prewett, stood to the right of me with Aunt Helen. Aunt Helen, pregnant and glowing, flipped her beautiful ebony hair and waved at me. Mother, beautiful with brilliant silver blonde hair, and bright blue eyes twinkling, looked a lot like me.

And there I stood in the middle of them, older and happier looking. But my smile faltered when I saw a little newspaper clipping in my hand in the mirror. I walked closer, pulling up the newspaper clipping. It was a headliner of the Daily Prophet. It read that Dolohov's soul had been sucked out by the Dementors.

Startled, I backed away before I looked towards Harry. He didn't even question why I had moved away from the mirror when he ran towards it, looking in to see his parents. But then a voice broke off our trance.

"So – back again, are you?" Dumbledore said. He was sitting on one of the desks by the wall, looking at us with a little smile.

"- we didn't see you, sir," Harry mumbled.

"Strange how nearsighted being invisible can make you," Dumbledore smiled. "So, both of you, like hundreds before you, have discovered the delights of the Mirror of Erised."

"I didn't know it was called that, Sir." Harry said.

"But I expect you've realized by now what it does?"

"It – well – it shows me and Ella our family," Harry said as he looked towards me, I nodded, confirming he was right.

"And it showed your friend Ron himself as head boy."

"How did you know -?" Harry asked

"I don't need a cloak to become invisible," said Dumbledore. "Now, can you think what the Mirror of Erised shows us all?" Harry shook his head but I remained silent. "Let me explain. The happiest man on earth would be able to use the Mirror of Erised like a normal mirror, that is, he would look into it and see himself exactly as he is. Does that help?"

"It shows us what we want… whatever we want…"

"Not really," I finally cut in. "It shows us the most desperate desires of our hearts… but it will never give us the way to achieve it."

"Precisely, Ms. Prewett," Dumbledore smiled. "Men have wasted away before it, entranced by what they have seen, or been driven mad, not knowing if what it shows is real or even possible. The mirror will be moved to a new home tomorrow. And I must ask you both to not go looking for it again. It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live, remember that. Now, why don't you put that admirable cloak back on and get off to bed?"

Harry stood up, before he looked toward Dumbledore. "Sir – Professor Dumbledore? Can I ask you something? What do you see when you look in the mirror?"

"I? I see myself holding a pair of thick, woolen socks. One can never have enough socks," Dumbledore laughed, but I just raised my eyebrow, not believing a word he said. "Another Christmas has come and gone and I didn't get a single pair. People will insist on giving me books."

Harry looked at me as if he was expecting me to come with him but I turned toward the Dumbledore, asking Harry silently to go on without me. Professor and I watched as Harry's form disappeared beneath the cloak and everything became silent.

"Sir, was there any… Kiss performed in Azkaban as of late?" I asked as I turned toward him.

He raised his eyebrow, then gave a sad smile. "No, Ms. Prewett. I'm assuming you saw Dolohov's punishment in the Mirror?"

"Well… yes and no, I saw my parents and Uncle Fabian and Aunt Helen… but I had been holding a newspaper clip… it was an article about how Dolohov had received the Kiss," I fidgeted. "It may be a sinister and barbaric thought, but I kind of had hoped that it had happened. Does this make me a bad person?"

The professor smiled, pulling me as he lead me out the room and back toward the direction to the Gryffindor tower. "I do not believe that you have a bad heart, Ms. Prewett. I merely think that you want justice done to the person responsible for your loss. But, I must ask you to not to dwell upon it, and to never risk your sanity to see that it is done," he said as we stopped in front of the Fat Lady. "Good night, Ms. Prewett," he said as he walked away.

"Professor," I called towards him. When he turned I gave a grateful smile. "Please, call me Ella, I insist."


(A/N) Hello everyone, sorry for not updating sooner! I had been visiting my parents in Alberta after the funeral and all, and had no time to update, but I will be updating more when I go back to Ontario tomorrow! And I know there isn't much Draco/Ella encounters at the moment but I swear I am building up to it! (Maybe even in the next chapter)

Well, anyway, if you love this story, please don't forget to review, favourite, and follow to encourage me to update faster! If you have any ideas or suggestions or ideas as to where this story should go, leave me a private message, and I may just take you upon it:). Also if you have a Pottermore account, and wish to add me, it's GalleonHazel24184

xx Bingum