"What the hell are you doing here!" he shouted. It felt strange to shout at her. He could feel his own conscience protesting, and yet his surprise and confusion got the better of him. He could feel himself breathing heavily, and he was sweating. He felt as if he had just run a thousand miles. He had not expected this at all. He had not expected anything that was happening lately.
Gabrielle looked as if she was about to answer, but then suddenly, she seemed to think better of it. She took a moment to look him in the face, then suddenly subsided into scarlet-faced silence.
Was she always like this?
"What did you see me doing?" he asked, his voice soft. Maybe she would respond to this one.
Gabrielle took a moment to steady herself. Then, breathing deeply, she answered, in a trembling voice.
"You.. you were talking to the mirror. I worried about you. I... I didn't see anyone in front of you."
"You, you didn't?". Why couldn't she see them? They were right in front of her. He instinctively turned around to look back at the mirror. His family was still standing there. There were worried smiles on their faces.
"They're... they're right there! Look- he stepped sideways so that she was looking straight into the mirror-, there they are see? They're right there!
The look on her face was confusion, mixed with fear. She continued to look at him instead of the mirror. What was she so confused about? What was the problem?
She shook her head slowly. No, its not true.
He could feel himself getting angrier and angrier. Why was she in denial? Why was she lying to him?
A voice in his head spoke softly. That's right, she's lying. Show her you won't fall for it.
He was seized by the the urge to grab her roughly and scream at her until she got on her knees and admitted that she had been lying the whole time. Anger coursed through him as his teeth gnashed together and hands balled into fists. He could hear himself struggling to speak, to make her see how she felt. He wanted to hurt her.
He was staring at her, and his whole body trembled with rage. And yet for the first time, he suddenly realized, although he was unsure how or what made him feel that way, that she looked so innocent. There was no spite or laughter on her face. She did not seem to enjoy watching him be tortured by her words. Her eyes were wide now, and for some reason, he suddenly found it hard to look her straight into them. But even despite this, he felt sure it was a different emotion on her face, one that he almost could not recognize.
Did she feel sorry for him?
Sorry? What was there to feel sorry about?
How dare she.
He was about to rush at her. His hands were were now unclasped, ready to grab her with all his might, slam her into the glass, make her see the truth. He had never hated anyone as much as he hated her at this point in time.
One step towards her.
Two steps.
She had walked backwards quickly so he needed to make two more.
He was inches from her now.
"No-", he could hear her say. The look in her eyes was nothing but fear now, she was a deer caught in the headlights.
How could she look so innocent?
A feeling of inexpressible shame washed over him and began to mix with his anger. He could not do this. He was thinking of hurting someone who had done no wrong. He barely knew her. If he went any further, he would be a monster.
The last step was slow, and as he placed his hands on her softly, there was pleading in his voice. He slowly, gently led her in front of the ornate glass. She was standing there, looking straight at the space that held his family, his old hopes and dreams. He could see them watch her with apprehensive expressions.
" Please, you can see them them right? They're there. Please tell me they're there."
Her eyes were orbs of blue that stared at him with a look sadness.
"Colin, who do you see in the mirror?" she asked.
The question had a terrible implication to it. She really couldn't see anything.
"My family. Its my mom, dad and brother. Can you see them as well?" He knew the answer to the question, and yet he had to ask.
Suddenly her face changed. At first, it was an expression of curiosity, as her eyebrows furrowed. Then slowly, her hands moved slowly towards the glass, and her expression changed into desire.
She wanted what was in the mirror as well. She ran her hands across the smooth surface,
He did not know what to do. What was happening to her? What was she seeing now? He watched her for some time, transfixed by her face as it stared at whatever was in front of it.
What was going on?
He gave her a soft shake, taking care not to hurt her He felt worry now.
"Hey, are you okay?" He half-shouted.
She gave a start, suddenly removed from her dreamlike state.
"Colin..."
"What is it?" he asked. "What do you see?"
He was surprised by the softness of the hand that clutched his without any warning.
She turned to him, and this time, she was the one pleading again.
"Colin, please, let's get out of here."
"Wha-"
"The mirror. Its, its dangerous. Please Colin. Let's leave this place."
Leave this place? But why?
"What do you mean leave? What did you see?" He was suddenly overcome by his own curiosity. What had she seen?
"I'll tell you later... but please, let's go now.
"What? No, tell me what you saw. What did you see?".
"I.. nobody. I didn't see anybody. Let's just go Colin please."
"I saw that look on your face. You saw something... someone. Who was it? Tell me." Was she just like him? Had they both lost something dear to them?
He suddenly felt shy. What was he doing, intruding upon her like this?
She was not meeting his eyes. Her blue orbs were aimed at the floor, and her head was hung, almost as if she was ashamed of something.
"Did you see your family too? Or someone else? Someone you knew? Someone you want back?"
She looked at him straight in the eyes this time, and tears slowly started falling down on her cheeks. He suddenly felt like he was the one who should be feeling ashamed.
He suddenly backtracked.
"I... I just.. you seemed so... I didn't mean to ask. You don't have to say." he said in a sheepish voice that he felt did not belong to him.
Her reply was sudden.
"This mirror, I know now what it shows us."
"Wait, what?". Was that her answer?
"This mirror-" repeated Gabrielle, "I think it shows what we want the most. And drives us to madness trying to pursue it."
"What are you talking about?"
"You asked if I saw someone in the mirror that I want back. The answer is no. I'm much more selfish than you. There are so many people that I'd like to have back. But I only saw myself in the mirror. Or rather, I only noticed myself. There were other people around me in the image, but i could only focus on myself. They were merely part of the background"
"What do you mean?
She shook her head. In the dim room he could see her tears glisten like jewels.
"I saw myself as an eight year old girl. It was my eightth birthday. I was in a white dress, and I was about to blow the candles of a large birthday cake. My family and friends were surrounding me. But when I looked at it.. I could only see myself. All I could think about was going back to that time. When I was 10 years old again. That's what I miss the most. All I could think about when I was looking at the mirror was to get it back. And I'm sure that if I look into the mirror again, that is all I will be able to see.
Colin felt that he should be able to understand what she was saying, but yet, somehow the meaning of her words eluded him.
Gabrielle gave him a sad smile.
"You don't understand. I know it sounds strange to want your childhood back so badly. It sounds selfish to want to go back to that time and to erase all my experiences since then. All the people I've met and all the friends I've made. But that was before-"
She stopped suddenly. He looked into her eyes,and he saw only yet, yet at the same time she looked so beautiful that it made his chest ache.
"Colin. I don't know why you see what you see. But I know that this mirror is exploiting our weaknesses. It's taking the things that hurt us the most, and it's promising us that all of our sadness will away. But it's lying Colin. I can tell that you've lost people important to you. But this mirror won't change anything Colin. It will drive you mad promising you that you will get back what you've lost. We have to leave this place Colin."
He looked back at the mirror. They were still there. Could he really leave them? Was he, Colin, really going to leave behind everything he had ever wanted? Why did he not drop everything and stare into the Mirror of Erised till days, weeks, maybe even a month passed. Why did he not stare into it forever?
"We have to leave the past Colin. We both have to live. "
The realization hit him suddenly, like a slap to the head.
It was almost Christmas.
He had invited his brother, his Curse-Breaker brother, over to his house.
She was right.
The cold air cut through the night as they slowly made their way through the sidewalk illuminated by streetlights. There is an awkwardness between them, a palpable tension that they both want to remove but are unsure how to do so. Both of them want to speak to break the silence.
He moves first.
"Hey. "
She is surprised but also relieved that he had finally decided to break the ice.
"Yes?" she asks.
"Let's not talk about what happened to anyone else okay?"
She nods her head yes, although she thinks it is strange that he feels the need to tell her this. What good would it do to tell anyone
"Yes. Its our secret"
Secret. They had a secret now.
"Yeah."
They continue walking. A slow steady pace. Not knowing what to say, they chose silence.
They reach the point where their paths diverge.
She is the first one to speak this time.
"So.. you'll be going that way?"
"Yeah." He turns and looks at the long road towards his house.
"Well, see you then Colin."
"Yeah, see you Gabrielle."
They turn towards their respective paths and slowly prepare to walk straight into the dark night towards the comforts of home.
He has to say it. It's been wearing on his mind this whole time.
One step. Two steps.
"Gabrielle!". He calls out to her.
She turns, and looks at him curiously.
"Yes, what is it?"
"I was just wondering... um...". Why was it so hard to ask?
"Yes?",
"Do you... uhh... where are you gonna spend Christmas this year?"
The smile on her face relieves him. He had expected her to find the question strange.
"Well, this year I might spend it with my sister. Why?"
"Uh well... nothing. It's just, if you... you know.. wanted some company... I've only got my brother over... and I was thinking... the more the merrier right.? But its cool that you're gonna spend it with family.
The smile on her face gets bigger. A truly happy smile this time. Her eyes shine.
His chest aches.
"Well, let's see. I would like some more company on that day and well.. my sister does have her family to attend to. I will see if I can take you up on your offer Mr Photographer."
He smiles too, for the first time in what seems like a very long time.
"Great. Don't worry no need to bring food. I'll cook enough for six people."
"Cook? Don't you mean use magic?"
Cheeky.
"No. It tastes better when done like how the Muggles do it. Muggles are better than wizards at cooking."
"I see. Well that certainly sounds interesting."
They smile at each other, both of them still wanting to talk a little bit more but knowing that it can wait until next time.
"Well Gabrielle, see you then"
"See you, Colin."
Somewhere in the distance, a Christmas song began to play.