hey guys, i'm sorry for the slow updates for this story. :( i haven't had the time to write. actually, it's 1:21 AM right now and I wrote this chapter for about 10-15 minutes, I guess, with all the formatting and rereading included. :) i've been more preoccupied with my newest story, You Can Let Go Now. It's a Sirius/OC fic (the OC's not Jolie, 'kay) and it's Romance/hurt/comfort. If you haven't read it, please do so. ;) and please don't forget to review for YCLGN as well as TDOAND. :D

at the start of the chapter, i didn't put lyrics of a song, but instead, i put the lines of lily in this chapter. it just really struck me. i mean, she really stood by what she said: look at what she did for harry. :)

CaraGrace, you CAN find it in TDSOTM! The reason why Jo's pregnant was all because of what happened in TDSOTM's chapter 55. ;) check it out if you want. that's when Jo and Remus did you-know-what. :O

10. THE MIRROR OF ERISED

"A person may leave this world, but their love will stay with you forever."

- Lily Evans, Chapter 10: The Mirror of Erised, The Dawn of A New Day

"Morning, James."

"Hey. Morning, Lily."

James and Lily were the first ones up on a cold, rainy Saturday morning. The fire in the common room was burning up. The sun hadn't even risen yet, but Lily and James were already awake.

"I'm excited, James."

"For what?"

Lily smiled. "The wedding, idiot."

James laughed softly and tucked a lock of Lily's hair behind her ear. "So am I," he said.

"Thanks so much," said Lily.

James looked curious and confused, "For what?" he repeated.

"For not giving up on me."

James and Lily looked into each other's eyes and slowly leaned towards each other to kiss. The soft, innocent touch of their lips was ironically filled with enthusiasm for the future they were both so keen on anticipating.

When they pulled apart, James wrapped his arms around Lily and she leaned on his shoulder. "Lily," James sighed, "I'm worried."

"Hmm?" asked Lily.

"I'm worried about Jo."

Lily swallowed and pretended to not know anything. "Why would you be worried?" she smiled. "She's not in any danger or anything like that."

"Yes, but… well, there's something different about her."

"Like?" Lily looked sceptical.

"I'm not sure! I know there's something, but I just can't put my finger on it. One thing's for sure, though—something's changed. Or maybe something's troubling her?"

Lily shrugged. "If she had any troubles, I would know, James."

James looked at her suspiciously. "That's the point, Lils," he muttered.

"And so?" chuckled Lily, "Jo's fine. Don't be so anxious."

"She's my sister. I haven't seen her smile in a… well, in quite a while."

Lily shook her head, "Maybe that's just you."

But James shook his head as well, "No way. Even Sirius, Peter and Remus think there's something she's hiding—especially Remus."

Lily said frankly, "She's not hiding anything."

But of course, that was far from the truth. Because in reality, Jolie really was hiding something. Lily had tried at all means to convince Jolie to tell Remus about the child, but somehow, she always failed. It was either Jolie would get mad at Lily "for being such a nagger," as Jolie described it, or she would be reduced into tears, afraid of her situation and not knowing what to do.

Of course, abortion was never an option. As much as Jolie didn't want the child, she couldn't bring herself to kill an innocent soul.

Jolie still constantly consumed the blue potion Madam Pomfrey gave and she did it quite discreetly. The secret of the baby had been hidden very well, because in Hogwarts, for example, if one has a secret in the morning, more than half of the school will know about it by dinner time.

Jolie and Lily would often talk about the baby when it was just the two of them in the girls' dormitory. They had high suspicions on what the baby might turn out to be when it is born—surely, it will be a shape shifter just like its mother. It might even inherit the ability to see the future, being a seer like Jolie. However, the baby will also have werewolf-like characteristics because of the father, Remus.

Werewolves. Shape shifters. Enemies.

It wasn't a pretty picture.

In short, the baby will be enemy to itself.

"Lily?" James looked at her, "You have that look in your eyes again. The one that says, 'I know something, but I can't tell you.' Your eyes are saying it loud and clear."

Lily snapped out of her trance-like stare. "My eyes don't speak."

"C'mon, Lils! Tell me what's wrong with Jolie!" James begged already.

"Nothing's wrong with her!" Lily tried to put James off the trail.

James rolled his eyes, "Yeah, right."

All of a sudden, the sound of the boys' dormitory door opened. Footsteps could be heard going to the common room.

"Remus, is that you?" James called out, recognizing Remus' walk.

"Oh, hey, James, Lily. Why are you up so early?" Remus rubbed his eyes.

"We should be asking you the same thing."

Remus shrugged. "I had a weird dream. I can't remember it anymore, but I know it was weird. Nightmare. I didn't want to go back to sleep."

"Really, you're a sissy," Lily teased.

"Hey," Remus chuckled, "I resent that!

"So what're you both up to?" Remus sat on an armchair.

"Talking about random things," Lily answered.

James retorted, "They're not random! We're talking about just one topic."

Lily rolled her eyes. "He's such a nagger," she explained to Remus.

"I know you're hiding something," James ignored Lily's previous statement, "Both of you."

"Whoa, both of who?" Remus ran a hand through his hair. It was getting a bit long already.

Lily and James answered Remus' question at the same time. Lily said, "No one," and James said, "Lily and Jo."

"Did you just say Lily and Jo, James?" Remus frowned. There was a quick silent moment. "There's something that's bugging Jo, I can feel it."

"Ha!" James looked at Lily triumphantly, "See? I told you. Even Remus thinks so."

"Ugh," complained Lily.

"Wait, you've been talking about what might be bugging Jo?" Remus frowned again.

James answered, "Yeah. Lily knows something about it."

"No, I don't!" she replied hotly.

"Yes, you do," both James and Remus said at the same time, using the same tone.

"Listen, Lils," Remus pointed out, "James and I, as the men in your life and in Jo's life respectively, know when there's something going on. We can just feel it. Whether you say something about it, not say anything about it, hide it or make it obvious. We just know. It's pure instinct."

"It's a guy thing," James side commented.

Lily smiled sarcastically. "I know my thoughts better than you both do and there's only one simple teeny tiny explanation for that fact—they're my own thoughts and no one else's."

Remus and James still pressed on the topic, with no success afterwards.

The month of February went past rather quickly and in no time, it was soon March. Remus, James, Sirius and Peter still never found out about what was the secret they suspected Jolie and Lily were hiding. Little by little, they also lost interest in it, as Jolie was gradually going back to her normal, happy self.

"Really, I don't want anything huge for my birthday, Lily," Jolie laughed as she stood in front of the mirror in the girls' dormitory, tying her hair up in a carefree looking ponytail.

In three days, Jolie would turn eighteen.

"Aw, but Jo! Why not?" Lily whined like a child.

"Well, I'll be honest with you—I don't really want to remember my birthdays anymore."

Lily looked at her incredulously. "Are you insane? Eighteen is a very important age! It should be special. You made Remus' eighteenth special, you know—"

"Yeah, well, his case is different. It's his birthday, and I wanted it to be special. My birthday just reminds me of my family." There's was no trace of bitterness in Jolie's voice. It was just flat.

"What do you mean?" Lily asked softly.

At this point Jolie was already done tying her hair up. She slumped on a seat and looked at Lily before saying, "I've always celebrated my birthdays with my parents, and with Justin. This is the first time I won't be doing that. It's like… my birthday reminds me that I won't get to see them ever again. That I won't get to celebrate it like how I used to.

"Besides, we never went for anything big for my birthdays—I don't really like that anyway."

Lily sighed and smiled sadly, "You haven't lost your family, Jo."

"Yeah," Jolie nodded, "I know I have James—"

"Not just James!" laughed Lily, "Family are the people who love you dearly and who accept you for who you truly are. They're the people whom you feel at home with, and who feel at home with you. Of course, Mr. and Mrs. Daniels were like that, even Justin. But you haven't lost your family."

Jolie smiled at Lily, knowing what she meant. But she just kept quiet and let her continue.

"For one thing, a person may leave this world, but their love will stay with you forever. They'll always be a part of your heart and a part of who you are," Lily said easily, "For another thing, family doesn't only mean people who are your relatives. In short, Jo, we are your family. The Marauders and I."

Jolie stood up from her seat and hugged Lily tight, "Love you, Lils."

"Love you too, Jo," Lily laughed.

Jolie didn't let go right away. She suddenly fell into a blank stare. Well, it was blank to others but to her, it showed a lot.

There, in a dark hall that looked like a part of Hogwarts itself, stood a lonesome mirror. It was big and it looked exactly the same as the mirror in the dress shop in Hogsmeade.

However, the mirror had an inscription— "Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi," was engraved upon it.

There was a boy sitting on the floor, just staring at the mirror. He was small, skinny and wore round glasses. He had a lightning bolt scar on his forehead. His jet black hair stood up at the back. He looked exactly like James Potter.

Except the eyes. His eyes were almond shaped and were bright green. Just like Lily Evan's.

Suddenly, the mirror showed not just the face of the young boy, but two adults standing on either side of him as well. One was a man and one was a woman. It was clear that these two were James Potter and Lily Evans as adults.

The young boy's eyes lightened up with hope. "Mum?" he called out to the mirror, "Dad?"

"Jo. Jolie. Jo!" Lily laughed, trying to shake Jolie out of her trance like state.

"Oh, sorry, Lils!" Jolie let go of Lily, freeing her from the long hug. "I… I suddenly realized something."

"What?"

"Remember that mirror in the dress shop?"

"Of course I do, we've been thinking about it ever since it occurred to us that there's something special and strange about it—"

"I think I know why it's so special and strange!" Jolie said excitedly.

"Why?" Lily eyes widened.

Jolie sighed, "I… I can't tell you…

"…But I can show you."

aha, so you finally know what the mirror was all about. ;)