Chapter 21-A Mirror and a Stone
By the time Christmas had come around, Anexandra, Andromeda, and Callisto still weren't speaking to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Anexandra had tried to fix things once, but Harry had refused to stop his accusations against Severus, and Ron and Hermione just didn't talk. The youngest Dumbledore children still didn't know what Albus and Minerva had run off for that day in the Hospital Wing, but they weren't really concerned.
So the Dumbledore's left Hogwarts on Christmas Eve, leaving it in the care of Rolanda, Poppy, Pomona, Fillius, and Hagrid. They returned late two nights after Christmas and the quadruplets separated from their family to return to their dormitories.
"I thought for sure that this was the year they'd get me a puppy," Callisto said sadly as she walked along the deserted corridors with her sisters.
"What do you want a puppy for?" Anexandra asked without looking up, as she was trying to find some of the candy she had stuffed in her bag.
"They're just so cute," Callisto said, running her fingers along the banister as she climbed the stairs.
"They're filthy, irritating animals," Anexandra murmured, getting impatient as she continued to search for her candy.
"That's rude," Andromeda admonished. She shook her head at Anexandra before turning to stare incredulously at Eliana, who was reading as she walked. "What are you doing Eliana?"
"What does it look like I'm doing?" Eliana muttered without taking her face out of her book.
"You're weird," Andromeda said, and Eliana slammed her book closed, stopping in the middle of the hall to glare at her sisters.
"You think, just because I read, I'm weird?" Eliana said through gritted teeth.
"Uh, yeah," Andromeda said, as if it were obvious.
"Reading isn't weird," Callisto protested.
"It's okay if it's not a stupid book," Anexandra added as she gave up her search for candy.
"I don't like to read," Andromeda said, staring at the book in Eliana's hands in disgust.
"We know," Anexandra and Callisto sighed.
"Well I think you're weird," Eliana said to Andromeda in an irritated tone.
Andromeda smiled and said, "Thank you for that compliment."
Eliana rolled her eyes and Anexandra groaned, "Please don't do that."
"What?" Eliana snapped.
"Let's not start fighting," Callisto said quickly, stepping between Eliana and Anexandra.
"Yes," Eliana said, her eyes narrowed. "Because we all know that you'll all be against me."
"What are you talking about?" Anexandra asked, stepping around Callisto, her eyes flashing dangerously.
"It's obvious that none of you even want to talk to me anymore," said Eliana. "The entire Christmas day I sat with Ororo and Severus, who hardly talk, and not one of you came to talk to me-"
Anexandra cut her off. "That was your choice! We all walked into the house together, and we all sat down together! You went straight to Ororo and Severus! You're the one that's been ignoring us and spending all your time with Draco."
"Whose father is a deatheater that tried to help Voldemort kidnap our mother!" Andromeda added.
"He's not a deatheater anymore!" Eliana retorted. "He's a respected member of the Ministry of Magic-"
"The hell he is!" Anexandra shouted.
"Stop!" Callisto yelled. "We have to stop arguing! We're sisters!"
"Hardly," Andromeda muttered, folding her arms across her chest and glaring at Eliana. "We might as well call ourselves triplets."
"Fine, go ahead," Eliana said. "You might as well, because we certainly aren't the Dumbledore Four anymore."
"And whose fault is that?" Anexandra said, folding her arms across her chest as well.
Eliana rolled her eyes once again, Anexandra grinded her teeth, and Eliana spun on her heel, stalking off towards the Slytherin common room.
"What the hell is her problem?" Andromeda said, putting her hands on her hips and staring in bafflement at the place from which Eliana had disappeared around a corner. "She's choosing Draco Malfoy over us." Andromeda turned to Callisto, who was looking irritated, and Anexandra who was still fuming. "I think she's under the imperius curse."
Anexandra and Callisto turned to Andromeda then, a confused look on their faces. "Why do you say that?" Callisto asked.
Andromeda raised an eyebrow. "Uh, come on, she chose him over us. No one in their right mind would do something like that."
Anexandra and Callisto stared at Andromeda in shock for a moment before they both burst into laughter. The two ended up leaning on each other as they laughed themselves to tears and Andromeda watched them, staring at them as if they were crazy.
"I agree," Anexandra was finally able to say as she wiped a tear from her eye and coughed slightly.
"Yes, Eliana's definitely mental," Callisto agreed, rubbing her side.
Andromeda yawned then and said, "Well duh. Now, I'm tired, so lets-"
Andromeda was cut off as she backed into something invisible and went tumbling to the ground, letting out a shrill scream on her way. Anexandra and Callisto jumped in surprise. Andromeda, while still screaming, rolled off of what ever she had run into and the three girls saw a pair of feet, but nothing was attached.
"What's that?" Callisto exclaimed, taking a step behind Anexandra.
Anexandra just stared as Harry Potter suddenly appeared, rubbing his side as he threw aside an odd looking cloak. Anexandra immediately recognized it as an invisibility cloak.
"Potter!" Andromeda shrieked. "What are you doing?"
"Nothing," Harry murmured, brushing dirt off his pajama pants as he pushed himself onto his feet.
"Obviously you're doing something," Callisto said, folding her arms across her chest.
"It's not important," Harry mumbled, picking up his invisibility cloak and shuffling his feet.
"It must be, since you're sneaking around after hours," Anexandra said, putting her hands on her hips and studying Harry's face for some sort of answer.
"Well you're out after hours," Harry retorted, but there was no anger or irritation in his voice, only a sort of anxiousness.
"Well we're aloud," Andromeda said.
"We just returned to Hogwarts," Callisto added.
"Well not just," Anexandra said. "We haven't exactly been walking fast."
"Why would we do that?" Andromeda asked.
Anexandra shrugged. "We wouldn't."
"So anyway," Callisto said, turning back to Harry. "Why are you out after hours?"
"No reason," Harry said, attempting to slip past the girls.
But Andromeda grabbed his arm and said, "We could tell our parents you know."
Harry frowned, looking between each of the girls before sighing and saying, "I found a mirror."
The three girls looked at Harry confusedly and Andromeda said, "Conceited much?"
"What kind of mirror?" Anexandra asked, ignoring her sister's comment.
Harry shrugged. "I dunno what it is really, but…I can see my family in it."
Anexandra and Callisto exchanged a glance and Andromeda continued to look at Harry as if he were crazy.
"The Mirror of Erised?" Callisto asked.
"Oh that mirror," Andromeda said as it suddenly dawned on her.
"The what?" asked Harry.
"The Mirror of Erised," Anexandra said. "It's…look, why don't you just show it to us."
Harry stared warily at the girls.
Andromeda said, "Remember Harry, we can tell our parents about your midnight strolls."
"Like they don't already know," Anexandra and Callisto muttered.
But Harry didn't hear them and he said, "Alright, alright. I'll show you."
The girls smiled triumphantly and Anexandra said, "Lead the way."
The four set off down the corridor, and a few minutes later they had reached the abandoned classroom that Harry claimed to hold the mirror he could see his family in. Sure enough, when the girls stepped into the room, they immediately saw the large mirror on the other end of the room. They exchanged glances before slowly making their way towards it.
"Uh, I don't know if I want to look into that," Callisto murmured after a few seconds of the girls just exchanging glances and looking warily at the mirror.
"Why not?" Harry asked.
"People waste away in front of these, Harry," Anexandra said quietly, still staring at the mirror.
"Well said, Anexandra."
The four children gasped and spun around to see who had spoken. Perched on a desk were Albus and Minerva. Albus was the one who had spoken, and he slid off the desk first, holding out his hand for Minerva to help her slide off the desk as well.
"So, back again Harry," Albus said as he and Minerva walked over to the four children.
"I, er, yes, sir," Harry stammered.
"I see that you, like hundreds before you, have discovered the delights of the Mirror of Erised," Albus continued, looking around at the group.
"That's what your daughters were calling it," Harry murmured.
Albus beamed at the three of them and said, "I've taught them well then." Minerva snorted at this, but Albus merely smiled at her before continuing. "So, have they also told you what it does? Or did you figure that out for yourself?"
"Um, well," said Harry. "It – it shows my family."
"And it shows Mr. Weasley as Head Boy," Minerva put in.
"How did you-"
"Professor Dumbledore and I don't need a cloak to become invisible, Mr. Potter," Minerva said. "Now, can you think of what the Mirror of Erised shows us all?"
Harry shook his head, seemingly baffled.
"Let me explain," Albus said. "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?"
Harry seemed to think this over for a few seconds before slowly saying, "It shows us what we want…whatever we want…"
"Yes, and no," Albus said. "It shows us nothing more or less than the deepest, most desperate desires of our hearts."
"You," Minerva continued. "Who have never known your family, see them standing around you. Ronald Weasley, who has been overshadowed by his brothers, sees himself standing alone, the best of all of them. However, this mirror will give us neither knowledge nor truth. As Anexandra so accurately put, 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, Harry," Albus said. "And I ask you not to go looking for it again. That applies to the three of you as well," Albus said to Andromeda, Callisto, and Anexandra, who kept glancing back at the mirror. "If you ever do run across it, you will now be prepared. It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live, remember that. Now, I believe you four should be off to bed."
The four nodded and the three girls started towards the door, Minerva following. Harry, however, said, "Professor Dumbledore, sir? Can I ask you something?"
"Obviously, you've just done so," Albus smiled. "You may ask me one more thing, however."
"What do you see when you look in the mirror?"
"I? I see myself receiving a thick pair of woolen socks from each member of my family."
Harry stared at Albus, his head tilted to the side and an eyebrow raised.
"One can never have enough socks," said Albus. "Another Christmas has come and gone and I didn't receive a single pair. People will insist on giving me books."
Harry nodded, seemingly accepting this answer and followed the girls from the room.
Albus glanced at the mirror, but didn't dare step in front of it. Then he followed Harry from the room. Once in the corridor with Minerva, they watched the children sleepily walking back to their dormitories.
Once the children had turned a corner, Minerva turned to her husband and said, "Albus, I've given you at least one pair of socks for Christmas for the past forty years."
"Ah, yes, but Harry doesn't know that," Albus murmured, turning to give Minerva a small smile.
She nodded. "I don't know why he would ask such a personal question."
"He was merely curious my dear."
"Yes, but still."
"I know," Albus said, turning to look back into the room in which the Mirror of Erised sat.
After a long moment of silence, Albus felt Minerva wrapping her arms around his waist and laying her head on his shoulder as she whispered, "You see her too, don't you."
Albus sighed, wrapping his arms securely around Minerva. "I see all of them. Without pain, or scars, or worries."
Minerva nodded. "Me too."
Months passed and the three quadruplets still hadn't spoken to Eliana or Ron, Harry, and Hermione. Instead they started hanging out with Fred and George Weasley, pulling pranks on students and receiving multiple detentions, not to mention the lecture their mother had given them. Still, they were having fun and it took their mind off of their arguments with their sister and former friends.
One afternoon towards the end of the year, after the girls had finished their exams, they were serving their detention with Minerva, who was letting them finish early since it was such a nice day outside. All four of them were carrying a stack of books. It was the last thing the three girls had to do before their punishment was over and they could go hang out by the lake with Fred, George, and Lee Jordan.
They were trying to stay quiet and behave when they heard Minerva say, "What are you three doing inside?"
The three quadruplets looked up to see Harry, Ron, and Hermione standing in the Entrance Hall. The three of them looked up as well and Hermione said, "We want to see Professor Dumbledore."
The three quadruplets exchanged glances and Minerva repeated, "See Professor Dumbledore? Why?"
Harry hesitated before saying, "It's sort of secret."
At this statement Andromeda shook her head, Anexandra rolled her eyes, Callisto raised an eyebrow, and Minerva's nostrils flared.
"Professor Dumbledore left ten minutes ago," Minerva said coldly. "We received an urgent owl from the Ministry of Magic and he flew off for London at once."
"He's gone?" said Harry frantically. "Now? But this is important."
"Something you have to say is more important than the Ministry of Magic, Potter?"
"Harry," Hermione said, grabbing the sleeve of his robe. "We can trust her. She's Mrs. Dumbledore. She's just as powerful as him."
Minerva opened her mouth to say something, but Harry cut her off saying, "It's about the Sorcerer's Stone."
Minerva hadn't been expecting this, and the books in her arms tumbled to the ground. "How do you know-" she spluttered.
"Professor," Harry said. "I think…I know…that Sn-" Harry caught himself when he saw the look the three quadruplets gave him. Instead he finished, "Someone is going to try and steal the stone."
Minerva eyed Harry with a mixture of shock and suspicion, obviously not wanting to believe what he was saying, but also wondering how in Merlin's name he could know such a thing. She knew that the three had been trying to find out who Nicolas Flamel was and, obviously, they had figured it out. Other than that she had no clue how they could possibly have come to the conclusion that someone was going to steal the stone. She had also caught Harry's slip up when trying to say that Snape was going to steal the stone and, while Minerva had never particularly been too fond of Severus, for the simple fact that he played a part in dragging her daughter into being a deatheater, she was almost positive that he would not be the one attempting to steal the stone.
"Professor Dumbledore will be back tomorrow," she said finally. "I don't know how you three found out about the stone, but rest assured, no one can possibly steal it, it's too well protected. As Miss. Granger said, I am Professor Dumbledore's equal. No harm shall come to this school whilst I am here."
"I know," Harry murmured. "But Professor-"
"Potter, I know what I'm talking about," she interrupted. She bent down to pick up the books she had dropped. "I suggest you all go back outside and enjoy the sunshine." Minerva waved her wand and the books in her daughters' hands floated into the air in front of her. "You girls go along with them. Your detentions are over."
The three quadruplets then waited until their mother was around a corner and out of ear-shot before rounding on Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
"What are you three up to?" Andromeda asked, narrowing her eyes at them.
Anexandra put her hands on her hips and raised an eyebrow when there was no reply.
Then Harry spat, "We aren't up to anything. Your brother in-law is."
Callisto rolled her eyes and sighed, "You're still on about that? Honestly why don't you three get a life and act like normal children instead of sticking your nose in everything-"
"We have proof," Hermione cut in. "We wouldn't make something like this up. I wouldn't make something like this up especially. You know that Anexandra."
"All I know is that you three are trying to incriminate my brother," Anexandra said indignantly. "Your so-called proof probably isn't even enough to convince us that you're right, but go on, give it a shot."
Harry started right away, telling the three quadruplets about conversations they'd heard between Severus and Professor Quirrell. About the cut on Severus's leg that he had received from the three headed dog. And about Hermione and Ron seeing Snape muttering under his breath at the Quidditch match that Harry's broom had gone haywire. None of this even slightly changed the three girls' minds.
"Blimey, Harry," Ron said after Harry had finished giving his 'proof' to the girls. "He's their family, they aren't going to believe it. I wouldn't believe it if you tried to tell me one of my brothers was planning on stealing the stone. Arguing with them won't save the stone or make this any easier. We're supposed to be friends. I mean, these are the Dumbledore's. We should be happy that they even spoke to us on the train at the beginning of the year!"
Everyone turned to stare incredulously at Ron. He hadn't spoken at all whenever the three quadruplets ever argued with Harry.
Hermione had tears in her eye. "Oh Ron," she said, sniffing loudly. "That was exactly what should have been said months ago."
Ron's ears turned red, and then Callisto smiled at him and his whole face was as red as a tomato.
Harry sighed, "Ron's right. We shouldn't be arguing over this. There's a slight chance that Snape doesn't want to steal the stone, but someone has to be. I know something's wrong."
The three quadruplets exchanged glances, seeming to think this over.
"Well," Anexandra said after a while. "I suppose we couldn't possibly let someone steal the stone."
"Of course not," Callisto said.
"And these three obviously couldn't save it without us," Andromeda added.
"So you'll help us?" Harry asked.
Anexandra looked to both of her sisters once more for confirmation before nodding and saying, "Count us in."