Disclaimer: I do not own Victorious or Harry Potter, the former belongs to Dan and Nickelodeon, the latter to J. K. Rowling. This is a collab done with BloodyJesus and the idea is actually his, we're just working together to make this the best story possible.

Chapter 20: Who is the luckiest from those abroad?

It looked like an unused classroom. The dark shapes of desks and chairs were piled against the walls, and there was an upturned wastepaper basket — but propped against the wall facing them (Tori nudged her cousin) was something that didn't look as if it belonged there, something that looked as if someone had just put it there to keep it out of the way.

"Wow . . ." Harry remarked.

"Brilliant . . ." Both were stunned.

It was a magnificent mirror, as high as the ceiling, with an ornate gold frame, standing on two clawed feet. There was an inscription carved around the top: Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi.

Now that there was no sound of Filch and Snape, Harry moved nearer to the mirror, wanting to look at himself then stopped; should Tori go first? But the Latina was near the door, checking that, indeed, the adults were away. He turned, but there was no reflection. He decided to be bold and stepped in front of it.

He had to clap his hands to his mouth to stop himself from screaming. He whirled around and was just greeted with the sight of his cousin. His heart was pounding far more furiously than when the book had screamed — for he had seen not only himself in the mirror, but a whole crowd of people standing right behind him.

"Harry, are you okay?" She inquired, looking concerned. "You're breathing very fast cousin! This isn't time to hyperventilate!"

But he turned slowly back to the mirror, realizing something. Tori was part of the crowd, as was Trina, and . . . There he was, reflected in it, white and scared-looking, and there, reflected behind him, were at least ten others, his cousins included. Harry looked over his shoulder — but still, no one was there. Or were they all invisible, too? Was he in fact in a room full of invisible people and this mirror's trick was that it reflected them, invisible or not?

"But, I can still see your reflection," the boy mused.

He looked in the mirror again. A woman standing right behind his reflection was smiling at him and waving. He reached out a hand and felt the air behind him. If she was really there, he'd touch her, their reflections were so close together, but he felt only air — she and the others existed only in the mirror.

"Harry?" Tori stepped right where the woman was meant to be, and he could see the resemblance.

She was a very pretty woman, with pronounced cheekbones like his cousin. She had dark red hair and her eyes — her eyes are just like mine, Harry thought, edging a little closer to the glass. Bright green — exactly the same shape, but then he noticed that she was crying; smiling, but crying at the same time. The tall, thin, black-haired man standing next to her put his arm around her. He wore glasses, and his hair was very untidy. It stuck up at the back, just as Harry's did.

Harry was so close to the mirror now that his nose was nearly touching that of his reflection.

"Mum?" he whispered. "Dad?"

They just looked at him, smiling. And slowly, Harry looked into the faces of the other people in the mirror, and saw other pairs of green eyes like his, other noses like his, even a little old man who looked as though he had Harry's knobbly knees — Harry was looking at his family, for the first time in his life.

"Tori, I think I see your mum," he mused happily, giving her a cheeky grin and an accurate description.

The Potters and Evans smiled and waved at Harry and he stared hungrily back at them, his hands pressed flat against the glass as though he was hoping to fall right through it and reach them. He had a powerful kind of ache inside him, half joy, half terrible sadness.

"Maybe I can see our aunt Petunia?" Tori beamed, and he realized that he couldn't see them, the Dursleys. Maybe because they never felt like family?

"Hopefully, you won't," he replied, then motioned to the mirror, "go on, look at them! I think cheekbones run in the family."

"Hey!" But she was smiling as he was, then frowned. "I can't see anything."

"Look! Look at them all . . . there are loads of them. . . ."

"I can only see you cuz," she replied with a pout.

"Look in it properly," he insisted, then threw his arms up in mild exasperation, "go on, stand where I am."

Harry stepped aside, but with Tori in front of the mirror, he couldn't see his family anymore, just her in her layered pajamas.

"Oh my God Harry," she said along with the breath she exhaled, "I can see her; you have her eyes Harry!"

They then began some sort of contest to see who remembered most faces. Harry did notice that, although she was as excited as him, she kept yawning. They were supposed to be asleep, not seeing their dead relatives, although they could only compare to their Evans side of the family. He began looking for his cloak as she gazed one last time.

She gasped and looked at her right, jumping a bit then staring deep into the mirror.

"What is it Tori?" He asked as he took her hand to pull her towards the door; maybe she saw his father? His heart jumped at the notion.

"No, I thought I saw . . ." She shook her head, frowning a bit, "but, it can't be."

"Whom did you see?" He asked, shaken, but she just shook her head again and pushed him to the door.

"I'm not entirely certain but, someone who isn't dead Harry," she replied and he blinked; it answered his question, but didn't at the same time. "So I'm worried about what it might mean . . ."

She gave the mirror one last look and shivered, remembering the teasing face and the smirk that was unique to someone she cared about, besides family of course.

TV~JW

"Let me see if I get this straight," Jade began the next morning, holding her brother as he still slept on her lap once they woke; Harry wasn't sure why he didn't like sharing the information with West and not Weasley. "You both woke in the middle of the night and found a mirror that shows dead relatives."

"Yes," Tori winced.

"Yet you think you saw my family in it," she stated, pointing a finger at the Latina, who rolled her eyes but nodded yet again; it was the one reason why the boy had agreed to telling the pale girl first, "clearly, we're not dead . . ."

"Which is why we want to take you," he stated firmly, "who knows, maybe it'll show you how you'll die?"

"Harry!" The tanned girl hissed and he frowned.

"What?! I thought she would like that idea," he grumbled defensively.

"He's right," she stated, then cleared her throat. "Must it be at night?"

"Well, we don't want the rumor or news to spread," he replied defensively and Jade sighed.

"Fine, I'll go see this wonderful mirror of yours." Tori beamed.

What Harry feared most was that he might not be able to find the mirror room again. With two other beneath his cloak, it was hard, but neither girl pressured him, so it made him forget they were there. Once he saw the suit of armor and hence, found the room, he breathed a sigh of relief.

Jade, for her part, had to give them credit, it was a magnificent mirror. But more than just wishing to stare and see what her reflection would show, she marveled at the craftsmanship. She wondered without reserve what those words meant.

"Just look into it," Tori begged, while the boy began wondering; the pale girl had a point.

"Fine," she stood where they motioned and she gasped, eyes wide open with wonder. "I can see my family! I think that's my uncle Sirius and . . . yes! That must be aunt Dromeda, who dropped for a visit every Christmas before Jet was born! I think dad said something to her and she stopped . . ."

They breathed a sigh of relief, then she allowed Harry to go ahead, still marvelling at the side of the family she had never known. She even thought that Andromeda was, simply a woman her mother helped when the holidays came but had taken to calling her aunt, much to her father's displeasure. She felt the Latina sit close to her on the desk.

"So, no death?" She was surprised; she had forgotten all about that.

"Maybe looking into it a second time can answer that," she supplied.

She got her second chance, but shook her head; thinking of death evoked something deep within. What she wanted the most, was to see her father dead, and she saw herself stabbing him with her scissors. Shuddering, Jade felt someone warm besides her and the image shifted; as much as she loved blood, she didn't know how to feel about staining her precious gift with it, much less her with her father's.

"Are you okay?" Tori inquired, taking hold of her right hand. "You were shivering."

"I think I want to kill my father," she admitted softly, then shook her head. "Now I see my family again, and you at my right . . ."

They blushed and allowed the boy to continue looking at it. They could see why he would be transfixed so, but Jade didn't want another look. She wanted the last image she saw from the mirror to be the one she had seen, her genuine smile besides Vega's own. There was a cat bounding about in that image, her brother all grown, making her proud, and there were silhouettes of children. Her hold on the tanned girl's hand tightened, and she wanted to hold the other girl close. As if knowing this, Tori placed her head on a pale shoulder, and they both sighed in contentment. Whatever the mirror showed, be it future or past, what the image said still eluded her. Jade just felt that it spoke of family, but the concept was so foreign, that she couldn't entirely grasp its meaning. She did feel the need to return.

"Bring Cat, please," she requested.

"Not enough cloak space for so many people!" Harry hissed with a frown and the pale girl laughed bluntly in his face. "What?"

"If you plan to bring Trina, you might as well request Alex to bring her," she grinned with a shake of her head, "too bad Beck's missing out."

"And Hermione," Tori added, and the other two smiled at that. Ah, they could never forget her, ever.

JW~TV

"You could have woken me up," said Ron, crossly, "really, taking Jade first —"

"You can come tonight, we're going back, I want to show you the mirror." Harry said to appease him, already planning the trip with Trina, Tori, and Alex.

"I'd like to see your mum and dad," Trina said eagerly.

"Well, it shows more than family," the cousins frowned a bit, "we're not entirely sure how it works. Ron might see his own —"

"You can see them any old time," said Ron. "Just come round my house this summer. Anyway, maybe it only shows dead people."

"Once again, it might not work exactly like that," Harry remarked as they reached the Great Hall for breakfast; Jade was there with Jet, introducing him to all the teachers. They hadn't seen most of them and were obviously courses they hadn't even taken yet! "I really, really want it to work on you Ron, for you to see my family."

"From what you say, they must be related to you in some way, right?" Alexander spoke for the first time, and the hero sighed in defeat. "It's an option mate, not the truth!"

But Harry could tell it was the truth about it. Right then, Jade returned with Jet. Cat was M.I.A for the moment; they woke up and didn't find her there.

"Shame about not finding Flamel, though." Ron remarked with thought.

"Have some bacon or something, Harry," Trina offered, then frowned a bit. "Why aren't you eating anything?"

Harry couldn't eat. He had seen his parents and would be seeing them again tonight. He had almost forgotten about Flamel. It didn't seem very important anymore. Who cared what the three headed dog was guarding? What did it matter if Snape stole it, really?

"Are you all right?" Tori took his hand, making him snap his head up. "You look odd."

TV~TV

With Ron covered in the cloak, too, it was mostly hard because they were all invisible from each other; they had to walk much more slowly. Still, he had the path fresh in his mind, and whenever he doubted, Tori would help him. It wasn't like that first time, when they tried retracing Harry's route from the library, wandering around the dark passageways for nearly an hour. Once again, even Jade who wasn't known for her patience, proved to be more understanding than anyone gave her credit for.

"I'm freezing," said Ron. "Let's forget it and go back."

"No!" Harry and Tori hissed. "We know it's here somewhere."

They passed the ghost of a tall witch gliding in the opposite direction, but saw no one else. Just as Ron started moaning that his feet were dead with cold, Harry spotted the suit of armor.

"It's here — just here — yes!"

They pushed the door open. Harry dropped the cloak from around their shoulders and ran to the mirror. Cat squealed and followed him. She had been kept distracted by Tori, who had spoken eulogy after eulogy about the redhead's brother and his coffee machine. The ditz kept quiet and nodding, no matter that the praises were softly spoken; they were honest and true, which made her happy.

Harry sighed in relief as his eyes fell upon them. There they were. His mother and father beamed at the sight of him.

"See?" Harry whispered.

"I can't see anything." Cat said with a pout and the boy blushes a bit.

"Oh, right, sorry," he stepped aside then motioned for the girl to take his place, "you must stand right here . . . do you see them?"

"No, I only see myself as a cat," they frowned at that; what's wrong with this chick? "A girl with blonde hair is beckoning . . . I want to meet her!"

With her happy exclamation, she began going towards the door. Tori stopped her.

"Cat, now is not the time to look for that girl," the Latina remarked softly, and even though she pouted, she smiled at the redhead. "Tell me about your brother."

Cat began happily recalling her brother's exploits to the willing listener. The others just shrugged at this and Ron took a step forward and gasped. But he was pushed away by Trina, who frowned at him; granted, it wasn't hard, but he still looked hurt.

"Ladies first, Ronald," she remarked then gasped with joy; he looked properly chastised though. "I can see!"

"Can you let me try now?" The redhead inquired politely, and the Latina stepped away, bewildered. "Thanks."

"Wow . . ." She remarked.

Harry looked at the redheaded boy with something akin to worry. Ron, though, was staring transfixed at his image.

"Look at me!" The joy was evident in his voice.

"Can you see all your family standing around you?"

"No — I'm alone — but I'm different — I look older — and I'm head boy!"

"I know! I saw the same thing!" Trina remarked, eyes off in the distance, still dazed by the picture.

"What?" Tori and Harry were baffled this time.

"I am — I'm wearing the badge like Bill used to — and I'm holding the house cup and the Quidditch cup — I'm Quidditch captain, too!" Ron explained.

Ron tore his eyes away from this splendid sight to look excitedly at Harry.

"Do you think this mirror shows the future?"

"How can it? All my family are dead — let me have another look —"

"You had it to yourself all last night, give me a bit more time."

"You're only holding the Quidditch cup, what's interesting about that? I want to see my parents."

"Hey guys," Tori began, holding Cat's hand, "there's still someone who hasn't had the chance."

Alex blushed but accepted the spot. "I see a quaint little house, with children running around, a normal family." But the truth was, he was seeing certain tanned girl, in the mirror a full grown woman, laughing as a child fooled around and she was expecting another. They stared at him, then Trina, Harry and Ron began arguing for being next.

"Don't push me —"

"I want another chance —"

"You already had one!"

"I didn't get to stay in front —"

"I found it —"

"My turn —"

"I said, don't push me!"

A sudden noise outside in the corridor put an end to their discussion. They hadn't realized how loudly they had been talking.

"Quick!"

Tori threw the cloak back over Harry and Cat as Alex did the same with Trina and Ron. They saw the luminous eyes of Mrs. Norris come round the door. They all stood quite still, thinking the same thing — did the cloak work on cats? Only Alex knew with certainty the answer to the question, but didn't risk speaking. After what seemed an age, another cat, this one black, pounced on the calico one and soon, both ran off, hissing and spitting at one another.

"This isn't safe — she might have gone for Filch!" Ron moaned.

"She didn't see us, but I bet she heard us. Come on." Alex cautioned and everyone followed.

And with that, Tori pulled Harry out of the room just as Harry extended his hand and it was taken by his other cousin. Funny, he had the thought that both redheads were being in the middle.

HP~RW

The snow still hadn't melted the next morning.

"Want to play chess, Cat?" Ron asked, itching for a rematch.

"Yay!" She remarked.

"Harry, want to chase the snitch?" Jet requested.

"No." The little one pouted.

"Why don't we go down and visit Hagrid?" Tori said.

"No . . . you go . . ."

"I know what you're thinking about, Harry, that mirror. Don't go back tonight." This time, it was Trina giving the caution.

"Why not?"

"I dunno, I've just got a bad feeling about it — and anyway, you've had too many close shaves already." Alex said softly, then stated. "Filch, Snape, and Mrs. Norris are wandering around. So what if they can't see you? What if they walk into you? What if you knock something over?"

"You sound like Hermione."

"We're serious, Harry, don't go." Trina finished.

But Harry only had one thought in his head, and he knew he wasn't the only one, to get back in front of the mirror, and none of them were going to stop him.

"Mind if I use your broom, Potter?" Jade requested civilly, and he only motioned with his arm so she took it; she used the time to give him one short warning. "Don't involve my little brother in on this, hear me? He doesn't have to know, but you don't have to be cold about it."

"That's what you do, right?" He snapped back, just as softly, but soon regretted his words. "Look, I'm sorry but —"

"Don't be," she replied as smoothly, "you're right."

But he only felt worse afterwards.

HP~TV

That night, the only one who prevented him from making a ruckus, was Tori. Since they didn't meet anyone, it wasn't that bad, but she still reminded him that he had to be careful, maybe not for himself but for her.

And there was their family, smiling at them again, and one of their grandfathers was nodding happily. Harry sank down to sit on the floor in front of the mirror. There was nothing to stop him from staying here all night with his family. Nothing at all. Tori would be happy to trade places with him every once in a while, but since she had her parents, her need wasn't so great. It also seemed that it was no longer about family for her, which was odd to him. But before they could continue with the routine of the first night, they heard someone.

"So — back again, Harry, Tori?"

Harry felt as though his insides had turned to ice. He could tell his cousin felt the same, with her shivers. They looked behind them. Sitting on one of the desks by the wall was none other than Albus Dumbledore. Had they walked straight past him? In their desperation to get to the mirror, perhaps they hadn't noticed him.

"I — I didn't see you, sir."

"Sorry Headmaster —"

"Strange how nearsighted being invisible can make you," said Dumbledore, and they breathed a sigh of relief when they saw that he was smiling.

"So," Dumbledore began, slipping off the desk to sit on the floor with them, "you, like hundreds before you, have discovered the delights of the Mirror of Erised."

"We didn't know it was called that, sir." Tori whispered, looking ashamed.

"But I expect you've both realized by now what it does?"

"It — well — it shows me my family —"

"And it showed your friend Ron himself as head boy, as it did with Trina."

"How did you know —?" They both asked, incredulous.

"I don't need a cloak to become invisible," said Dumbledore gently. "Now, can you think what the Mirror of Erised shows us all?"

Harry shook his head, though Tori looked pensive, if worried.

"Let me explain. 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?"

They thought. Then she said slowly, "it shows us what we want . . . whatever we want . . ."

"Yes and no," said Dumbledore quietly. "It shows us nothing more or less than the deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts. You two, who have never known your whole family, see them standing around you. Ronald Weasley, who has always been overshadowed by his brothers, sees himself standing alone, the best of all of them. Katrina, who keeps seeing the shadow of her feat as only an infant, wishes to prove she still has that courage and can lead her house to greatness . . .

"However, this mirror will give us neither knowledge or truth. 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."

"What about Jade, sir?" Tori asked softly, concerned.

"And Cat and Alex?" Harry added.

"Ah, I believe Miss Valentine only searches for someone who can complement her," he remarked softly, "someone with whom she can be while in her own house, not another and not with the help of others. Alex Belmont though, he is one curious case, for he want to simply be, not an existence made for him, but one he makes for himself."

"But, what about Jade," the Latina felt an overwhelming need of knowing, "why did hers change —?"

"The heart can easily be swayed by an idea, Tori," the Headmaster delicately interrupted, sighing, "she too, has always wished to know more about her family, even more so after she learned the truth, but at the thought of death . . . She cannot forgive her father, and condemns him, even though she loves him, to die and save her heart ache. But it's intriguing how it all changed once you took hold of her hand."

"What did she see then?" Harry asked, puzzled, but the man shook his head.

"I cannot tell, for it isn't my place to see into her heart," he remarked softly with a smile, "I could see, though, her change in demeanor.

"Now then, the Mirror will be moved to a new home tomorrow, Harry, Tori, and I ask you not to go looking for it again. 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, why don't you put that admirable cloak back on and get off to bed?"

They stood up.

"Sir — Professor Dumbledore? Can I ask you something?" Tori began softly.

"Obviously, you've just done so," the answer flustered the girl and Dumbledore smiled. "You may ask me one more thing, however."

"What do you see when you look in the mirror?" Harry asked once he got his courage and the one that had fled his cousin.

"I? I see myself holding a pair of thick, woolen socks."

They stared.

"One can never have enough socks," said Dumbledore. "Another Christmas has come and gone and I didn't get a single pair. People will insist on giving me books."

Harry shook his head, clearly bewildered, but Tori only placed a hand into her pocket and felt what Jade had gotten for her, for Christmas. It was a lousy gift, even the pale girl had admitted to that much, but considering she received something, it felt special. A lousy pair of socks. While Harry was ready and waiting for her, she still went to the man and gave him that lousy, pair of socks. She blushed as she did this. The Headmaster looked surprised, but otherwise pleased; he patter their shoulders.

It was only when he was back in bed that it struck Harry that Dumbledore might not have been quite truthful. Tori perhaps thought otherwise, but then, he realized, as he shoved Scabbers off his pillow, it had been quite a personal question.

He began wondering how the Weasley rat could survive with Midnight on the prowl; then remembered how clear Jade had been about hunting out of the range of other pets. With that thought, he finally went to sleep.