Mirrors and Revelations

Author's Notes and Disclaimer:

I do not own anything that you recognise from the world of Harry Potter, all of which belong to the wonderful J. K. Rowling.

I guess I may have jinxed it in the last chapter or so but we have been having very weird weather here in New South Wales lately. Although it isn't even winter yet temperatures had gotten down to 10 degrees (Celsius) before going back to normal this week. What's more it actually snowed. Not enough to cover the ground but little icy snow flakes fell last week; this is something rare where we live. it has only ever happened once or twice in my lifetime where we are. Just a fun fact for you.

I also want to take the time to point out a few changes that will be occurring with the main character. Although I will continue to base her on my friend and some of the very surreal and incredible things that have actually happened to her, I've realised that I have had this story in my mind for a lot longer than I thought. Originally this story was intended to be modelled on the adventures my friend and I had growing up reading the books and I wanted to surprise her with such memories. However, the more I write the more I realise that the character is based on a mix of people and, as such, from now on the actions, thoughts, and words (etc.) of Jen will not exactly be modelled on my friend. This could also be because in later years of the story she will mature and get more intimate so-to-speak with other characters, and this understandably could be very awkward if I attempt to write it from my friend's point of view.

"Shh, there's someone down there."

There was a pause. Only the crackling of the remaining logs in the fireplace could be heard in the still night air.

I didn't dare move from the awkward position I was currently in. What had originally been my idea of curling up comfortably on the empty lounge with my charms textbook propped up on my knees had soon become a tangle of my limbs in a semi- lotus position as I tried to stretch. Now, though, I didn't care about the tingly sensation in my crossed legs as I waited for the owner of the voice to come down the boy's staircase.

I had a fair idea of who it would be and planned to give them a good fright for forgetting to include me in their plans, if I was correct in what I guessed they would be doing.

"They must be asleep. It's not like they'd be able to see us anyway."

"They could still hear us!"

Neither of them were too good at whispering; they were uttering some rather choice words in hushed tones as they made their way down the stairs, evidently kicking their toes on the steps.

"Of course I can, the pair of you could make an elephant stampede sound like ants marching with all your complaints."

The look on Ron's and Harry's faces as they whipped off the invisibility cloak was priceless; it was definitely worth making myself known to them.

"Jen, what are you doing down here? Don't sneak up on people!" Ron apparently did not like this kind of surprise.

"I could ask you two the same question. If you must know I was reading" I waved the book I had dropped on the lounge "and I did not sneak up on you."

"We're going to see the mirror again; Ron wants to see my family. Want to come with us?"

I knew it! They were going back to the mirror that Harry had stumbled upon in his midnight exploration of the castle. If Hermione was here she would probably have made him go back to the library to do more research in the restricted section, in the daytime of course. She wasn't though and it seemed I was fast becoming bored with learning how to change the colour of different flowers.

"Count me in."

Both boys knew better now than to confuse me with Hermione. Sure, I didn't mind studying every now and again, and I didn't actively go looking to break the rules. I was more of a peace keeper than trouble maker… most of the time. That didn't mean though that I was against any form of adventure or could control my natural curiosity for exploring the castle's many hidden secrets.

I quickly ducked in between the two and let Harry enveloped us in the cover of the soft, velvety material.

It took us what felt like over an hour of wandering around the upper and middle floors to find the room Harry had been in. Ron didn't make it any easier with his constant complaining about the dropping temperatures. I was too busy listening out for signs of teachers or prefects; fortunately though, we only passed by one ghost of a tall witch heading in the direction of the library. It was with immense relief when Harry finally pulled us through a large wooden door that was located alongside a suit of armour.

The cloak was dropped as he dragged Ron and I towards a large, ornate mirror. At the top of the dusty frame the words 'Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi' were inscribed. I made a mental note to ask Hermione later if she could translate using her research skills.

Harry was standing in front of the mirror with a large grin on his face. I didn't understand why it made me sad to see so much joy on his face as he bounced on the back of his heels. Quidditch didn't even make him smile so naturally. Beckoning Ron and I over to see the many people of his family, I concealed my expression and merely walked over with a smile.

"There, look, those people are my family!"

"I can't see them. I can only see you in the mirror."

"Come, stand here then Ron. You'll see."

I watched in curiosity as Ron's expression changed abruptly from confusion to joy.

"Mate, I don't see them but… but, it's me. Only… I'm older and Head Boy!"

"What?"

I quickly strode over to them and looked myself. What was staring back at me was not what I expected. It wasn't anyone resembling Harry's family and it wasn't Ron with a crowd cheering him or with a large gold badge pinned to his robes.

"I'm, I'm… different."

I, too, was much older than I was now. My hair was still down to my waist but was a more golden colour, glistening in a soft light. My eyes were hazel, a touch more green on the outside. What struck me most thought was who was with me. I was surrounded by a crowd of students; some leaning on my shoulders, others looking up at me in what I could only describe as being a look of respect or adoration. There was a boy next to me with his arm around my waist. I couldn't tell who he was though; every time I concentrated on his face it seemed to change. Everyone was smiling and laughing, even my younger siblings in Hogwart's uniforms were pleased.

It couldn't be. In the mirror I was popular. Really popular, with not a care in the world. My family was here with me and I had a boyfriend. I wasn't some girl from the other side of the world; I wasn't the "runt of the litter" as I used to be called. It was amazing.

"Maybe it shows the future?" I asked somewhat hopefully.

Ron nodded eagerly.

"It can't; my parents are dead."

I looked away guiltily as I realised that I had been neglecting Harry in my own viewing of the mirror. He was right though; the only way it could represent the future was if he were to die and was seeing himself reunited with his parents in heaven or somewhere.

With that terrible thought in mind I suddenly felt tired and no longer wanted to stay. Stepping back, I nearly jumped out of my skin as I heard a loud yowl.

"Oh! Sorry Mishka-"

I realised too late that it wasn't my cat's tail that I had accidentally stepped on like so many times before. With my luck it just had to be Mrs Norris glaring back up at me with her yellow eyes.

"Quick, under here! She's probably gone to fetch Filch, let's go!"

Once safely back in the common room and having caught my breath I turned to Harry and Ron, both as unequally fit it seemed.

"Sorry! I didn't mean to blow our cover like that."

"It's 'k."

"I'm going back tomorrow anyway."

"What?"

"Why?"

"Why not? I got to see my family, my parents. Why wouldn't I want to go back to see them? Don't you want to see your visions too?"

"Mate, I don't think it's such a good idea. I'm no Hermione but I don't think it's such a good idea to go sneaking back with Filch on watch. Besides, I got to see what it was like to be Head Boy and Quidditch captain. I got to hold the house cup! That's enough for me until then. If it is the future I know it'll be good."

"I agree with Ron. Filch could've been onto us, or Snape, or McGonagall, or any of the other professors. Plus, I may have liked what I saw but I don't think it's right. Something feels off about it all, like I'll jinx it all if I see it again."

"Fine, you can both stay, but tomorrow night I'm going back, I'm not passing this up again."

Harry did go back to the mirror, or I should now call it the Mirror of Erised, much to the disappointment of Hermione, Ron and myself. It may have only been Dumbledore who caught him out of bed, but I didn't like the idea of the actual mirror giving him false hope of any kind. At least what he did see brought a smile to his face.

I was busy contemplating my own vision in the mirror of the possibility of being popular when I heard taunting voices coming from the nearby corridor. I thought it was odd as very few people, professors included, chose to spend their time in the library immediately after the Christmas break. I myself should have been watching Harry and Katie in their Quidditch practice as per their request but had chosen to resume my search for information on Nicolas Flamel.

"Lost your remembrall again Longbottom? My, you are forgetful. Good thing me and the boys are here, you could be of some use to us."

Turning the corner to investigate, I almost ran into the back of the bulking forms of Crabbe and Goyle. The two gargoyles were cracking their knuckles whilst nodding at Malfoy to continue his bullying.

"Watch where you're going." One of the pair grunted almost inaudibly.

I was too busy staring at Malfoy who had drawn his wand to point at the trembling form of Neville, fists held shakily in the air in an attempt to defend himself.

"What are you-"

"Locomotor Mortis!"

Before I could stop him, Malfoy's wand shot an electric-blue light towards Neville who immediately keeled over. Pushing past the blonde, I moved to see what had happened.

Neville was lying on the floor attempting to sit up. Unfortunately his legs were bound together with some form of invisible rope, making it impossible for him to move freely.

"What did you do that for?"

"Practice, cat eyes, practice. It seems I'm rather good at it now, don't you think? Longbottom here should thank me for having such good aim."

The two baffoons behind him shook with laughter as Malfoy smirked. It gave me time to draw my own wand.

"Ooh, what are you going to do Aussie? Throw your wand at me like a boom yang? Change your eye colour? Very threatening. I think I'm scared boys." He said as he trembled in mock fear. Stupid git.

"FYI, it's boomerang, and I find that stereotype quite offensive. At least changing my eyes is better than calling my dad for back up." I was trying to stall for time with my bad come-backs, trying to figure out a spell that would teach him a lesson.

"At least my father is around."

Why I always let him get to me, I didn't know. Right now I didn't even care as I pointed my wand at him ready to curse him into oblivion.

Without uttering a single spell though a clear stream of water shot out from my wand onto his jumper and trousers.

"Malfoy, did you wet your pants?" Neville was still shaken but by this time had at least managed to sit up.

"Water? Is that the best you could come up with? You wet my uniform, now I'm going to have to go dry it. You're just as pathetic as the rest of them-"

"There's no need to cry Malfoy, there's no shame in bladder weakness. Run along now and get yourself cleaned up, I can hear more students coming. Wouldn't want them to see your accident now would we?"

I didn't have time to recover from my own shock at having water come out of my wand. I could have at least come up with something better than that. Putting it down to a possible freak occurrence because I was angry, I cooled my expression so as not to let Malfoy see my magic as accidental.

"I think we could teach you a thing or two about manners, Gold. Water or not you intentionally tried to hurt me. Crabbe, Goyle, put her in your place will you?"

Oops. I didn't mind dealing with Malfoy's lunacy sometimes but I wasn't ready to face those two. They may have all the intelligence of a rock yet that didn't mean they couldn't or wouldn't pound someone into the ground, even if it was a girl three of four times smaller than themselves.

"Drakeyyyyyyyy, what are you doing down here? Ugh, you're not bothering with that mutt or loser are you? Come on, we have to go to the common room, Theo's father sent him a book of spells I want to try out."

Saved by the bell, or rather, the shrill voice of Pansy. I decided to let her comments go though as the boys turned to the sound of her foot tapping impatiently on the ground.

Evidently I wasn't the only one who detested the girl's whinging; Malfoy rolled his eyes at her in reply whilst Neville cringed slightly on the floor. I moved quietly back to try and help him get up whilst the trolls were distracted.

"Go, Pansy, I'm busy now, can't you see? I'll be with you in a minute."

"Hmph, but it's no fun without you there. I don't want Tracey getting her slimy, un-manicured paws into Theo before I see the book."

"Crabbe, Goyle, leave it. We can do this another time, maybe use the book to help us."

The two shrugged as they hobbled over to Pansy who was now running her fingers throw her bobbed hair. Malfoy walked towards them a few paces before turning around.

"Next time, Gold." Raking his eyes over me as I held onto Neville's unsteady form, he took off with his crew.

"Are you Ok Neville? What happened?"

"I was going to meet Susan and Hannah for some herbology study when I ran into Malfoy. I thought he might have had my remembrall so I tried to stand up to him and..." By now he looked like he was on the verge of tears. "I'm not very brave like the other guys."

"Don't be silly, you're a Gryffindor aren't you? I thought we were all selected for our bravery. Besides, you tried to stand up to him and although it didn't exactly turn out how you wanted you didn't run away, did you?"

"No, but I-"

"I've heard so many people say it now, including my nan. 'Bravery isn't about not being afraid. It is about doing something even though you are afraid.' Don't forget that. Plus, if it makes you feel better I'll let you in on a little secret. I'm terrified of spiders and will only ever face them if I'm holding a shoe or can of fly-spray."

"Fly-spray?"

"Oh, it's a muggle invention. Like a bottled poison used for killing insects in the house. Not very pleasant sounding I know. That's beside the point though. Even though my mum says that they're probably more scared of me than I am of them I will still stand on my bed and scream for help."

"Really?"

"Really. Don't tell anyone though, especially Ron. It's the one thing I can hold over him right now that he doesn't know affects me too."

"I won't, I promise. Thanks, I feel a little better."

"I'd help undo what Malfoy did but I'm afraid I don't know the counter curse. Here, lean on me and we can get up to the common room for help."

Neville threw me a weak smile as he gripped onto my shoulder for support. He seemed to be a little more calmer now, albeit a bit shaken from the experience. As we moved towards Gryffindor tower, him hopping, me trying to walk steadily, I made him tell me some stories about his own gran to get him smiling again. Unfortunately just as he was warming up to me we entered the common room to a sudden onslaught of laughter at the sight of him.

"Oh man, Neville, what happened? You look like you've bunny- hopped all the way here!"

If it wasn't for Hermione coming over to undo Malfoy's curse I'm sure Neville would've have crumbled from shame right there and then. His cheeks took on their usual pink blush as his eyes started to water.

"You have to go see Professor McGonagall, Malfoy can't get away with this!" Hermione insisted, beginning an argument with him as he was too afraid he would cause trouble.

I was thankful for my friends as they comforted the poor boy, Harry offering him a chocolate frog. I had used all my energy getting Neville up here that all I wanted or could do right now was sit by Parvati and Seamus who were playing a game of wizard's chess. Seamus nudged Dean to be quiet and stop laughing when he realised I was in no mood for any more harassment.

"He'll be right now, look he's smiling. Malfoy and the rest of them are just being prats as usual. They're nothing but snakes."

"Snakes who love themselves. Seamus, I attacked him back. Neville was being bullied and all I could think about was blasting Malfoy for what he said about me."

"Good on 'ya. What did you do? Hit him? Stick his tongue to his mouth?"

"Uh, no. Um, I made him look like he peed his pants, that's all."

I didn't feel like explaining that all I could manage to do was make water shoot out. After he and the rest of my peers brushed off Neville's incident with Malfoy, I didn't want to look even more like a fool than I was with my incompetence.

"Ha, that's hilarious! Should've taken a picture! But you're alright now, aren't ye? He didn't do anything else?"

"Nah, I'm fine."

"Cool." With all the confusion of wanting to be popular and not knowing if I could ever do it, Seamus' impish smile was enough to pull me out of my self- indulged misery.

"Hermione's waving you over Jen." Parvati pointed out before I could go back to those thoughts.

"He's found him! Harry found who Nicolas Flamel is! Listen to this…"

As they excitedly read out the words on the Famous Wizards card Harry had kept from the chocolate frog he gave Neville, Hermione ran upstairs to fetch a particularly heavy book she had used for 'light' reading.

"It all makes sense now. That's what Fluffy is guarding, the philosopher's stone. Nicolas Flamel was an alchemist and created it to ensure a witch or wizard's immortality or to make gold. It has to be what Hagrid took from the vault at Gringotts when he was with Harry, it's small enough."

"Immortality. I wonder how many Quidditch games I could win if I didn't age?"

"Ron!"

"Be serious, this is what Snape is after. Anyone would want it! Don't you see? Now we definitely have to keep an eye on him. I don't care if he is refereeing the next match-"

"What? He is, why?" I had missed that part.

"-I'm going to play. We have to watch him closely and not let on that we know what he is up to."

Despite having spent months of my free time in the library on a fruitless search, I was glad to know what we were up against. I only hoped that the next Quidditch match wouldn't put Harry in any more danger than the game already held.

Ok, this chapter was somewhat sloppy (it hasn't been edited yet and unfortunately I will probably not get the chance to do so until after these papers are due in a few weeks) and a bit of a filler. As I said I'm starting to base Jen on a mix of other people.