A Cloak and A Mirror
As Harry went to bed he found a mysterious parcel on his bed. Harry frowned and curiously went closer. Who sent that? he wondered. Looking the parcel over he found nothing that would indicate who this present was coming from. He sat on his bed and carefully ripped the wrapping open to reveal something silvery. As he pulled the cloth out of the package, he realized that it was some kind of cloak. He stood up and let the cloak hang from his hand.
This cloak looked strange. "What do I use this for?" Harry mumbled to himself. He shook the cloak out and a piece of parchment fell to the floor. The boy picked it up and read, "This cloak belonged to your father. Now it is time for you to have it. Use it well." Checking the note, Harry found the signature was missing.
Harry wondered, what was so special about this cloak that it was sent to him and why was it time to give it to him, when by the look of it, the cloak was far too big for him?
Pulling the cloak on and then looking down to see how long it actually was, he was shocked when he couldn't see his feet, or his body. Nearly panicking he wriggled his toes and was relieved that he could still feel them. So his body was still whole, but the cloak hid it.
"That's cool!" Harry said and ran to his cupboard. He opened the cupboard door to have a look at himself in the mirror on the inside of the door. His body had simply vanished except for his head. With a stupid grin on his face Harry pulled the cloak over his head and immediately vanished completely from sight. "Wow!" Harry breathed.
A sudden knock on his door startled Harry making him jump.
"Lights out in ten minutes, Harry!" Severus said unaware of what was happening inside the room.
"Okay!" Harry replied as soon as he found his voice again.
"Everything okay?" Severus asked, wondering why Harry sounded so out of breath. Just what is he up to in there?he wondered, opening the door.
"Yes, you just gave me a fright!" Harry said, pulled the cloak down and threw it hastily into the cupboard closing it just in time before Severus came through the door.
"What are you doing?"
"Erm… nothing!" Harry said and smiled innocently.
Getting suspicious Severus frowned and walked over to where the boy stood. "Nothing?"
Harry chewed on his under lip and the hung his head. Thinking hard about what he should tell Severus, because he really didn't want to tell his guardian about the Invisibility Cloak.
"I… was… just wondering what I should put on tomorrow. I have so many new clothes. This is all still like a dream for me. Sometimes I still feel I will wake up in my cupboard and nothing of this would be real." Harry surprised himself with these words. They were true, even if it wasn't what he was thinking right before his Dad came in. He looked up at the man and said in a small voice, "Thank you so much!"
Severus facial features softened at that. He opened his arms and drew the boy into a hug. "It's no dream, Harry. I promise you that."
Harry wrapped his arms around the man and snuggled closer, taking in a deep breath full of herbs from the potion master's robe.
Severus wasn't sure what to make of Harry's words. They were truthfully spoken, but he wondered if that was really the reason why Harry looked like he was up to some mischief when he entered the room.
He looked the room over and noticed the wrapping paper on Harry's bed. Obviously the boy had received another present. Maybe Harry just didn't want to show him what he got? But that's okay. It's Harry's present, nothing he should be concerned about, right? Probably it was just some clothing.
"Are you ready for bed?" Severus finally asked.
"Nearly, I still have to brush my teeth" Harry said looking up with a shy smile.
"Well, off you go! I will be back in five minutes. You better be in bed by that time!"
As soon as Severus left the room, Harry breathed a sigh of relief, as he hurried to the bathroom.
Severus frowned once more as he heard Harry's sigh. Maybe he was just paranoid, but he wondered once more what the present was and why Harry didn't seem to want Severus to know. As he came back to Harry's room the wrapping paper was gone and Harry lay in bed looking really tired from the day.
"You don't have to tuck me in, you know?" Harry whispered.
"I know, but I want to. So I can be sure you are really in bed."
"I'm not that bad," Harry replied with a frown.
"No, I know. But it puts my mind at rest." Severus smiled softly and brushed a strand of hair out of Harry's forehead.
Harry smiled at that. "You can't do that you know, when I'm back in the Slytherin's dorm."
"Says who?" Severus retorted and his smile morphed into a smirk.
Looking horrified Harry propped his body up on his elbow. "Please. It's not that I don't like it, but the others…"
"Harry, I was joking. Did you ever see my kissing Draco good night in the dorm?" There was no need for Harry to know that he occasionally had been watching Draco and even Harry while they were sleeping in the dorm. These two boys meant the world to him and sometimes he had to make sure that they were alright.
Harry sighed and rolled back on his back. "No."
"Have a good night, Harry," with that Severus stroke through Harry's hair once again.
"G'night, Dad!" Harry whispered closing his eyes and leaning into Severus touch.
-sSHp-
The next day at breakfast Harry was nervous. He wondered when Severus would talk to Ron and he was afraid of Ron's reaction.
"Harry, are you alright? You look a little pale." Severus asked concerned.
"I'm okay. I just wondered… will you talk to Ron today?"
"Yes, I planned to do that."
Harry sighed sadly knowing Ron would hate him for that and then he will have nobody to play and talk with.
"Can't you wait until Hermione is back? I promise we won't search anymore."
"I considered to do that, but there is no way to be sure that Mr. Weasley won't do some research on his own. The last thing I need is the boy breaking into the restricted section of the library."
Harry gulped. That was exactly what he had suggested they should do. "Oh!"
"Indeed. Now finish your breakfast."
-sh-
Harry walked worriedly next to Severus. Why the hell, does he have to be present when Severus talked to Ron? Harry bit hard on his under lip hoping the floor would open up and swallow him.
"Mr. Weasley?" Severus asked, as soon as he entered the library.
Ron looked up worriedly, at the sharp tone. "Sir?" He asked unsure of what his professor wanted, but then his eyes fell on Harry. Taking in the other boy's hunched shoulders and fearful look he understood immediately what this was about.
"You told him?" he asked Harry, hurt and angry at the same time.
Harry hung his head to hide the tears that were starting to gather in his eyes.
"Mr. Weasley. We really need to talk," Severus said to get Ron's attention back.
"We did nothing wrong!" Ron said hastily.
"Let me be judge of that, will you? I have something to explain to you. Come and sit down." Severus pointed to the group of armchairs next to him.
Ron dragged his feet over while casting livid glares at Harry who winced and started to tremble.
"Stop that and listen!" Severus demanded and as Ron looked back at his professor. Severus explained the situation to the redhead.
"The information you were searching for is nothing illegal, therefore I will provide it for you. I was also informed that you and Ms. Granger had an encounter with the hell hound and you have to promiseme, that you will NOTgo back into the forbidden corridor under any circumstances! If you do, you will not like the consequences and rest assured a loss of points will be the least of your problems then. I will not tell your head of house of this, because I'm sure she will take points, but this also means if you break your promise you will answer to me and not to your head of house, am I clear?"
Ron gulped. So he was not in trouble right now? He wondered before answering "Yes, sir."
"The object under the trap door is called the Philosopher's Stone. You can look up what it would do or ask Harry as he has already read about it.
Although it would be great to have it in my possession, I'm not the one trying to steal it. I'm working together with the other professors to protect it. Should you find something concerning the stone, or if you have any questions about its safety you are free to come and talk to me. This goes for you too, Harry. I also have to ask both of you, not to tell anyone else. It is very secret information and no one should know the stone is on school grounds."
A chorus of "Yes, Sir" answered him.
"Well, then have a nice day!" with that the professor stood and left the library.
It grew silent after the professor left. Harry cast an unsure look at Ron. The red headed boy looked angrily back "I can't believe you told him. You promised us you wouldn't."
"I'm sorry Ron. I didn't mean to, but it's hard to keep a secret from the head of Slytherin. I wasn't about to tell him your names, but then he showed me his wound he got from Fluffy. It doesn't look nice. This three headed thing is dangerous."
"So? We weren't going to go up there again. We were just searching for information."
"It slipped my lip, I'm sorry!" Harry answered desperately. "But on the good side, you have the information you wanted now."
"Oh yes, that and the promise to get my ass blistered by your head of house if I dare to get near the third floor corridor."
"You told me before, you weren't planning to go there anyway, so nothing will happen." Harry answers.
"Are you really that naive? He is the head of Slytherin. Since when is he fair to us Gryffindors? As soon as he believes I was in the forbidden corridor he will have my hide no matter if I really was there or not."
Harry looked shocked at the redhead, "He will not!" he defended his guardian.
"He smacked you in front of me for being late just a few days before and here you are telling me, that he will not spank the living hell out of me?"
Harry's face turned red at the mention of the two smacks he had earned himself for loosing track of time. Severus was unfair that day, but he explained himself later, so Harry forgot about that already.
"He wasn't in a good mood that day," Harry admitted.
"See? And you can never know when he will have a bad day again. So please excuse me now, before I find a way to obliviate you for your betrayal," with that Ron stood up and left.
Harry's tears came back as he watched his lost friend going away. He buried his head in his arms and sobbed as soon as he was alone. He had known that this would happen. He had known it the moment Severus asked him to reveal the names, but still he had hoped against hope that Ron would forgive him.
Feeling incredibly alone Harry got up and started to walk through the corridors without any destination, sniffling every now and then.
He was about to stop and sit on the window sill as he spotted an open door of an unused classroom. Curious he got nearer and peeked inside. In the back of the classroom there stood a very big and mysterious looking mirror. Harry wondered what it was doing there and went into the room. He felt himself drawn nearer by his curiosity until he stood directly in front of the glassy surface.
What he saw then took his breath away.
-sSHp-
"Where is Mr. Potter?" Severus asked Ron at lunch, as the troublemaking kid didn't appear.
"I don't know. He was still in the library after I left."
"When was that?"
"Right after you left," Ron said frowning.
Severus gritted his teeth. So Mr. Weasley was angry at Harry. "You should not blame Harry for telling me. It was very important, to warn you. This hell hound is too dangerous for children. You have no idea what could have happened."
Ron was surprised. Professor Snape really sounded concerned. "He tends to walk aimlessly when he is upset," he informed his professor finally.
"Yes, thank you."
Ron bit his lip before he asked, "Shall I help you find him?"
"Thank you for your offer, but its better you eat something. I'm sure I will find him."
"I'm sorry!" Ron found himself saying, feeling bad for leaving Harry alone.
"About what?" Severus asked, inwardly rolling his eyes. Why was it so hard to speak in full sentences?
"I'm sorry I blamed Harry for betrayal."
"You should tell that Harry, not me, but I accept you apology."
With that Severus went to search for Harry, surely the boy was just sitting somewhere on a window sill. He took out his wand and cast a point-me spell. Following the direction his wand was pointing he ran along many corridors until his wand pointed to an open classroom door.
With a sigh of relief he entered the classroom only to find his breath taken away again. Damn! Where did that thing come from?
In the back of the class he found his missing child in front of the Mirror of Erised. Troubles do follow you around, child, don't they? Severus asked himself.
Harry stared longingly into the mirror. His hand placed against the surface and tear tracks on his cheeks.
"Harry?" Severus asked, but the boy didn't react. He was too lost in what he was seeing. Preparing himself for a very distraught child Severus pointed his wand at the mirror and conjured a black curtain which fell slowly down and over the mirror's surface.
"No. No. NO!" Harry cried and tried to pull the curtain away without any success.
"Harry!" Severus called the boy again. This time the boy spun around.
"Please, you have to help me. My parents are in there."
"Harry, calm down", Severus said and stepped up to the boy to draw him into a hug.
Harry didn't understand why Severus wasn't helping him to remove the curtain. He didn't want to be hugged right now, he wanted his parents back, but as he tried to free himself he found himself trapped in these strong arms.
"What are you doing?" Harry asked desperately trying once more to get free.
"I'm holding you, Harry, until reality catches up with you again", Severus simply explained.
"But my parents!" Harry pleaded.
"If they are really there, then they will also be there after you have calmed down."
At these words Harry stopped his struggle. That made sense to him. If they had been trapped in this mirror for ten years now, then they could wait a little bit longer.
Harry took a deep breath and tried to relax. He took in the herbal smell of Severus' robe and as he closed his eyes he heard Severus' heart beat and felt the small rise and fall of his chest while he was breathing. This is real, the sudden thought took Harry by surprise. His guardian was breathing. He was warm and so very real.
This hug was also real, but what was the mirror then? He saw his mother hugging his mirror image but he didn't feel anything. His mum wasn't really here, was she? His mum was dead, but why was she with him in the mirror? Are they ghosts?
"Why is this mirror showing my parents?" Harry finally asked.
Severus sighed soundlessly as he realized that the child was back to his senses. "This mirror shows you your deepest heart's desire."
"So my parents aren't trapped in the mirror?"
"No, Harry. They are not. They are… dead," Severus nearly lost his voice as he remembered that dreadful day. He remembered how he held Lily's lifeless body in his arms and moaned about her death. He hadn't really taken notice of the tiny baby boy in the room at that time, but now he suddenly remembered the wailing child in the background.
If only he would have taken that child with him at the time. He wasn't really sure if he would have been able to have kept the boy, but he would have at least checked every now and then, how the boy was doing. He would have been able he take Harry out of hell, as soon as he would have noticed the abuse. "I'm so sorry, Harry!" Severus whispered and tightened his hold on the boy.
Harry said nothing. He was too confused and tired to wonder, what exactly Severus was sorry for. "Can we go?" Harry asked getting uncomfortable at the mirror's presence. It was somehow calling to him again, and Harry wasn't sure if he wouldn't lose himself in it again.
"Yes. Let's go home!"
Severus and Harry went back to their quarters and after a little snack, Harry laid down for a nap. He felt so incredibly tired and emotionally exhausted that he was asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.
After two hours he woke up still feeling drained. He wondered what he should do now that he had no friend anymore. He went into the small kitchen to get himself a drink when he saw a small note with Severus' handwriting.
"I'm in my lab. You may join me if you like, but please knock before you come in. PS: My lab is next to my office."
Harry smiled at the note. It was nice to know where his guardian was. With nothing else to do he went to join Severus. Knocking softly at the door he waited until he heard the potion master calling him in.
"Hi!" Harry greeted him shyly.
"Hello Harry. Did you have a nice nap?"
At that Harry just shrugged his shoulders.
"You don't really look rested. Is everything okay?" Severus asked concerned, as he took in Harry's hunched shoulders and his tired look.
"Guess I'm just bored. I have nothing to do."
"Did you talk with Mr. Weasley?"
Harry shook his head sadly. "He is not my friend anymore," he whispered.
"Maybe he just needed time to think. You really should talk with him," Severus suggested strongly.
"Okay. I'll try, later. What are you doing?" Harry changed the subject looking into the cauldron on the fire.
"Be careful! These fumes are not very pleasant," Severus warned and pulled him back, before the boy could breathe them in.
"Am I disturbing you?" Harry asked a little hurt, at the rough tug on his arm.
"No, Harry. Just, please, be more careful. You should know by now how dangerous even the fumes of a potion could be."
"Sorry," Harry mumbled looking more lost than ever.
"Do you want to help me? I have some more potions I need to brew."
Harry shrugged his shoulders "Okay."
"Here," Severus gave Harry a potion journal and pointed at a recipe. "This is a fever reducer. If you follow the instructions, you should be able to brew that."
Harry nodded and looked the recipe over. It wasn't all that complicated. He was sure he could manage that. "Okay."
"The ingredients are over there."
The two worked silently on their potions until dinner time. With a confident smile Harry filled his potion into the vials and placed them on the table next to Severus' filled vials.
"Thank you, Harry. You did very well."
At that Harry beamed happily. A warm feeling was wrapping around his heart. "Thank you, for letting me help you."
"If you like it we can do this again. I can do with a little help every now and then, and you are getting better and better."
Still grinning Harry wrapped his arms around Severus. "I'm so happy, you want me."
"Harry. I do not simply want you. I love you, like a son I never had." Severus corrected and hugged Harry back.
"I know, dad, but it is still so hard to believe", Harry whispered, "I love you too!"
