Winterfest was quickly approaching within the castle of Harnocks. By mid-December the grounds were covered in several feet of snow. The lake below the castle had frozen over and Matt and Jack were constantly getting into trouble ice skating and jinxing snowballs to fly around and catch other students in the head. Professor Querkle put a stop to it once a couple bounced off of her extremely swollen belly. A few owls had managed to battle through the stormy blizzard to deliver mail and then had to rest for days on end in the Familiarly.

Everyone was giddy for the holidays to start! Harnocks, to Henry, was amazing and magical. He didn't want it to end for a second but he could see why other kids may want to get home and be with their loving families during this time. It was an easy choice for Henry, however, to stay at the castle. He didn't feel as if he needed to, and it probably would get ripped up anyway, but he sent a letter via owl to the Dooflys telling them his decision. Curtis was probably over the moon that the Dooflys would be giving presents just to him.

When Garspatuon passed the list to sign up to stay at school, Henry grabbed the quill and had signed at once. With wide eyes, Henry watched Jon snatch it out of his hands and began to sign his name too.

"Jon but…" In the little bit of time on the Platform all those months ago, Henry had gathered that Jon had quite a lovely family.

"What good is Winterfest if you can't share it with your friends?" Was all he said and passed the list onto the next person. Henry's heart felt heavy and warm.

The Alpaggard common room and the Grand Hall were sources of extremely large and roaring fires. The kind that would make the chill of your body leak away until you are cozy and content. In contrast, the corridors and some of the classrooms were icy and drafty. Bitter winds rattled windows and made some wooden structures groan and moan. The worst were Professor Snabe's classes because the classroom was in the deepest part of the castle. Not even the fires underneath their cauldrons could warm their hands. You could even see your breath!

"I have to admit I feel very sorry," said Kimmi Slymer, all sugary sweet one Potions class, "for all of the kids that have to stay at Harnocks for Winterfest." Her eyes as icy as the weather outside looked right and Henry and appraised him, "my father said it's the children that are not loved and wanted at home that stay."

As Henry measured out pine needles to be ground later, he heard her quip and clenched his jaw to try and ignore her. Ever since the Grilled Cheese Duelling match she had become even nastier to him and his friends. She tried to get most of the school to tease Henry that an upside down monkey could have been the Alpaggard's flipper but it didn't catch on. Most students thought what Henry did was incredible and more so, staying on his bucking broom. And so, Slymer reverted to doubling down on the jeers out of anger and jealousy.

When class was dismissed Kimmi increased her pace to fall into step with Henry, Jon, and Esmani. Her eyes, however, were only focused on Henry's.

"My family always lets me have as many friends for Winterfest as I want," she grinned, "too bad you chose these weirdos instead of someone as cool as me." She punctuated her speaking with a thumb towards Esmani and Jon.

"It's because titles and lineage are not something to base a friendship on," Jon huffed.

"Oh Parsley! Surprised you can even see me coming out of those little eyes of yours!" Henry's jaw dropped and his nose flared. Jon looked ready for a fight. Eesmani looked pensive and worried. "I see you're not going back either! Is it because that shabby hut you call a home simply can't fit any more of your sniveling kin?" She didn't get a lot of time to begin laughing for Jon to advance and try to push her. Snabes, unbeknownst to each kid, was right behind them.

"PARSLEY!"

Jon had his hands on Kimmi's shoulders and dropped them instantly.

"He was provoked, Sylvia. I saw the whole thing," Hagish came out of nowhere caring huge bundles of firewood no doubt for the Grand Hall, "Slymer was insulting Jon's folks."

"That may be the case but fighting of any sort is strictly forbidden here at Harnocks, Hagish," she drawled smoothly. "Five credits from Alpaggard, Parsley. You should be very grateful I didn't take more. Now...move along all of you...move along!"

In the Grand Hall, trees were being carried in and set up by Hagish while Professor Garspatuon and Professor Flitnit were decorating them. The hall looked amazing! Holly and garland and mistletoe galore! Once Hagish hadn't come back with more, Henry counted twelve Winterfest trees towering and twinkling with merry and cheer. Some decorations on the trees were even charmed to glow or imitate melting icicles. Many were glittering with hundreds of tiny candles that were charmed never to burn out or burn anything down.

Henry and his friends were eating at the Alpaggard table when Hagish walked up to them.

"How many days have you got left until you leave, kiddos?" He wanted to know.

"Just the one! Which reminds me, we've got to hurry up and eat if you are going to spend the rest of lunch in the library, guys," Esmani began to cut her ham even faster.

"That's right!" Jon agreed and began to eat faster too.

"The library?!" Hagish said. "Not that I have nothing against more knowledge but...it's the day before break. You guys being a bit staunch eh?"

"Oh we're not going there to work, Hagish," Henry said cheerily and easily. "Ever since you mentioned Mitchel Flannel we've been trying to find out who he is via library books or old population archives."

"You what!" Hagish looked utterly shocked. "I thought I...now you listen here! I know I told you to drop it! It means nothing to you what Smooches is guarding up there!"

"You could always just tell us and save us the hard work part," Henry shrugged nonchalantly. "We probably have scoured hundreds of books already and can't find him anywhere. Maybe just a hint?"

"I can't say a word," Hagish said flatly.

"Looks like we just have to find out for ourselves, then," said Jon. Hagish backed away with a very disapproving face. He must know that his constant badgering wasn't going to make Henry or his friends change their minds.

Snabes trying to steal something was the driving force behind the three friends' obsession with this mystery. Henry wasn't lying to Hagish when he said that they had looked and looked. It was very tricky to know where to begin with these sorts of things. What could Flannel possibly have done to get himself into a book? He wasn't in Archives of Wizards True and Proud (1900 to the present), Note-worthy Casters of Our Day and Age, he wasn't even in Paramount Modern Discoveries in Realm of Magic Modern History, or even A Study of Developments in Wizarding (Edition 12). All of this along with the enormous library that had millions of books on hundreds of shelves hundreds of feet in the air and tiny rows that criss crossed and turned like a maze.

Another reason Esmani Ghadjer's friendship was so important was because in the library she was home. She took control and would draft up missions for each friend to tackle. Today, she decided she would look into more archived population censuses, Jon would go down row 765A to find a book on Simbledore, and Henry was to wander over to the Restricted Section just to have a peak. It had never gotten old for the boys to see there once staunchly goody two shoes friend getting a bit more loose on those types of matters.

"I'm just glad even in the Realm of Magic they use the Dewey Decimal system!"

Near the Restricted Section, Henry noticed a sign saying you needed a special signed note from one of the teachers to look in any of the books in that section. There was no chance that Henry would be able to go about it doing that. The books in this section seemed to be the kinds that contained powerful Untamed Magic not allowed to be taught to minors at Harnocks. They were for seventh years at the most who probably were fixing to study Defence Against the Untamed Arts to further their education after Harnocks.

"Henry…? May I help you?" The librarian Madam Konen looked uneasy seeing a first year next to such a section of her library. "What are you looking for today?"

"Nothing, just browsing," Henry said quickly.

"Well you're not about to be browsing around this section, off you pop. Get out, on on," she shuffled and shooed him away using her large body to round him up and out of the way.

"Well that was a bust," Henry sighed as he met his friends back up at their table. "I wish I would have thought of a quicker story.

"I wish we could just ask Madam Konen," Esmani matched Henry's sigh.

"She would too, but that'd risk Snabes catching on to what we're doing," the third sigh came from Jon and all three kids looked downright distraught. "We've been at it for two weeks, guys. It's so hard to fit this all in between the fifteen minutes between classes. We have to shorten breakfast, lunch, and dinner...and even school wide free time hasn't been enough." As Jon spoke, he earned nods of agreement from Henry and Esmani.

"We need to get a bunch of time without Madam Konen," Henry put his chin in his hand.

"You will keep looking even while I'm away, won't you?" Esmani asked. "And send me an owl if you find anything, right?"

"As long as you promise to ask your parents if he's known in the Normie world. That's safe right? Snabes won't be in the Normie Realm and Simbledore really likes Normies. Maybe he's a Normie!" Jon was perking up as he thought upon his theory.

"I will for you, Jon," Esmani giggled, "it's safe to assume my parents know a lot of people. They are both doctors after all."

Once break started Jon and Henry were having too much fun being able to really spend time together and hang out in Harnocks castle. Mitchel Flannel sort of was put on the backburner. All of the other boys in their dormitory had gone home for the holiday, so Jon and Henry were able to sleep late and hang out just the two of them. It was like a sleepover that Henry never got to have! The common room was also way emptier than usual and the two were able to get the comfiest armchairs. The ones with the little afgan and pillows.

"Every living room needs a chair like this!" Jon said one day. Henry agreed completely.

The boys would sit and laze the days away by the fire. They fixed to feeding themselves anything that could be roasted with a fork. Marshmallows, hot dogs, and even fish. They also had fun plotting ways to get Slymer into trouble. It was all in just fun, they knew it would never work.

Jon also had started teaching Henry wizard's Don't Wake the Llama. It was basically like regular Don't Wake the Llama (in some worlds they call it Jenga) but you had to use spells and magic to remove the sticks from the tower. The little llama figure at the top of the tower can't fall off or you lose. Like many things the Parsleys owned, Jon's set was old and used. He had gotten it from his grandmother from Shang Simla. Henry realized just how great Jon was with a steady wand and impeccable planning ahead.

On Winterfest Eve, Henry went to bed looking forward to the feast and fun Harnocks had planned for all of the children that had wished to stay behind. With a start, he woke up early in the morning to see a small pile of packages at the foot of his bed. What in the worlds?

"Happy Winterfest!" Jon said through a yawn as Henry nearly tripped in his tangled bedding to get to the pile. He had never seen this many gifts for just him before!

"Happy Winterfest, Jon! Look at this! I've actually got presents!"

"What did you expect, coal?" Jon laughed and slowly rounded his bed to sit criss cross on the floor in front of his larger pile of presents.

"I expected air, honestly! Curtis always got everything and I…" he didn't care to go on. Instead, he picked up the top package. It was wrapped in thick paper and had To Henry written in a familiar, elegant script. It was from Hagish and when he opened it, inside was a beautifully carved flute. It was obviously hand whittled by Hagish himself. When Henry blew it-it sounded twinkling and light. How thoughtful!

The smallest parcel contained a note.

We received your message and I'll have you know it took your aunt two hours to get the mangy owl that sent it out of our house. Use the post next time! Enclosed is something. From Uncle Vincent and Aunt Petunia. Taped to the note was twenty Simoleons.

"Wow...that's more than I'd ever imagine," said Henry.

Jon was fascinated by the Simoleon.

"Wild!" he said, "It's made out of paper! This is really your money! A baby caster could forge this!" He stared at it in awe.

"You can keep it," laughed Henry and Jon took it in his hands with reverence. "Huh...I can't guess who sent these?"

"I think...I think I do…" Jon began to turn pink and pointed to the lumpy package. "My mom. I told her you didn't expect any presents from her and...oh no," he groaned and squeezed his eyes shut, "she's knitted you a Parsley sweater!"

Henry didn't really understand Jon's trepidation. When he tore open the package he found a thick, hand-knitted sweater in Alpaggard colors. There was a big golden 'H' in the middle of it and a small box of homemade fudge was hidden in the sleeve.

"Every year she makes us a sweater," said Jon as he unwrapped his own.

"That's really, really great, Jon," said Henry wishing he could explain to Jon just why it was. But he felt it wasn't nice to lecture his friend on being thankful so instead, he popped some fudge into his mouth and noted just how creamy and tasty it was.

His next present contained a large box of Popkins from Esmani!

"WOAH! HOW DID SHE?!" Henry looked over at an embarrassed Jon and noticed he was holding a box of his own Popkins as well as a card from one that was taped to the box. "She um...I told her this was the one I was missing and…" Jon clamped his mouth shut.

Henry was left with only one package left and he opened it slowly to savor the feeling just for a few more seconds. It was large like a clothing box and when the paper tore away he realized it was a clothing box. When Henry lifted the lid, Jon looked over and shrieked which made him drop the handful of Zee's Jellybeans he had gotten from Jack.

"What, what? Jon it's just...a hat…?" Henry looked inside the box.

Much like his black, brimless trainers cap that had to be worn in each class, this one was blue with gold stars embroidered on to it.

"I've heard of those, mate!" Jon was saying in a hushed voice. "If that is what I think it is...they're like, really, really valuable. Nearly as rare as rare can be."

"So...what is it?"

Henry picked up the hat and the material was nothing like he had ever felt before. It was if you could combine the feeling of silk, velvet, and cotton.

"It's a Debugging Hat," Jon said as his breath increased, "I'm sure it is! Try it on, try it on, Henry!"

"Okay, Jon, geez!" Henry cracked up at his friend's eagerness. With two hands, he put the cap on his head and the strangest thing happened:

He could see...clones of himself. They were flickering and apparitions appearing but they were all doing different things. He saw one making his bed, one over by Jon snatching some Zee's Jelly Beans, one eating more fudge, and one dressed and ready to go.

"Jon...this...this is so weird do…? Do you see multiple...me?"

"It really, truly is! Henry, no! I don't see the multiple yous! What you're seeing are not clones, they are the one single you...from the future!"

"What?" Henry was shocked and stood up to go to the mirror. At once the ghostly Henry's were all doing different things now. He was not at the mirror yet, but one of the staticy figures was, another was making the bed, another was eating more of his fudge, and the last was taking more of Jon's jellybeans.

"These caps help you multitask, mate!" Jon laughed and walked up to him. When he put his hand on Henry's shoulder Henry could now see a bunch of ghostly Jons and Jon probably could see the multiple Henrys. "This cap must be really good, mate! Some can't predict all of these futures! Hey! You're fixing to snag some of my beans?" Jon was only kidding but Henry still wasn't understanding.

"You control what your future selves do by thinking ahead and watching them move. When you like that future you just copy the movements of the copy of you that is the closest and then the rest of the futures will follow our lead!"

Henry considered this and looked at the Henry that was in the mirror. He followed and walked right through it to take its place.

In an instant Henry's bed was made, there was fudge in his belly, he had some of Jon's jelly beans in his pocket and he was dressed out of his pajamas and into his clothes. He didn't move a single muscle!

"WOAH!" Henry cried and Jon let go to put his hands on his waist. The Jon figures disappeared.

"Isn't that so cool! Henry, look, a note fell out of it!"

Henry took the cap off and grabbed the note that had fallen to the floor. A handwriting he had never seen before stared back at him in a loopy, interesting scrawl.

Your father left this in my care before he was killed. It is time for it to be returned to you. Use it well and good and have fun.

A very Happy Winterfest to you.

There was no signature. Henry stared at the note and began to feel very strange. Jon was admiring his cap longingly. Who could have sent this type of gift? How did they know Henry's father? And more importantly, Henry began to think of his father.

In the common room, Henry and Jon were startled by Matt barging in and taking a seat right next to his brother. He was about to speak but instead held up a finger and ticked off three, two, one…

Tumble, tumble, twump

Jaclyn tumbled out of the unlit Alpaggard fireplace.

"Merry Winterfest Henry!" Jack said and dusted herself off.

"Like my own personal Father Winter," Matt grinned and Jon wrinkled his nose as his brother and Jack kissed. "Hey! Henry's got a Parsley sweater, too!"

Matt's sweater was green with a golden 'M' on it and Henry noticed Jack was wearing one too that was blue with a silver 'J' on it.

"Henry's is better though. Just look at Henry's and Jack's! I swear she takes more care and time if you're not family," Jon rolled his eyes and Matt looked taken aback for some reason.

"Jack...um...how is it that you, an Owlenmoon, can be in Alpaggard common room?" Henry wanted to know and was met with a sly smile from Jack as she was just about to open her mouth. Instead, she shut it, perked her ears up, and dove under the nearest couch.

"What's all that commotion?"

Perry Parsley stuck his head through the door from his dormitory at the top of the stairs. He looked upon his brothers disapprovingly. In his right hand, Henry noticed he had a dark yellow sweater in his hand.

"Why aren't you at home?" Matt wanted to know.

"Why aren't you?" Perry shot back.

"You know why," Matt looked a bit angry and Henry looked to Jon to see if the answer was on his face. Perry came down the stairs and sat on the very same couch Jack was hiding under.

"It is not my problem you decided to court a Normie born," Perry said very cruelly and Henry watched Matt's ears go pink just like Jon's did. "If she has nowhere to go on the holidays that really isn't our family's concern. Aren't Owlenmoons supposed to be…"

"SHUT up, Percy!" Matt snapped and Henry was beginning to get super uncomfortable. "Put your damn sweater on that mom made you and sit with us in the Grand Hall. It's Winterfest. That's for family time. Not your high falutin Princep time." Perry stared right into Matt Parsley's kind, green eyes threw the sweater on the couch, and spoke very cooly.

"No, I don't think I will." He strode out of the common room. His sweater was forgotten. Jack began to crawl out from under the couch and Matt was by her side to help her. His face was full of worry and shame. It was very disheartening to see the hurt look on the normal jovial face of Jaclyn.

"He's an ass, it's whatevs I think...I think I'll just meet you after breakfast, okay…" and then she kissed Matt's cheek, tried to smile at Jon and Henry, pulled some sort of invention from her pocket, ducked into the fireplace, and quiet suction sounds were heard until it was quiet.

Things were a bit awkward in the Grand Hall event at Winterfest lunch. Matt and Perry were not speaking and just stared daggers at each other. Henry was too enthused by the food to care much about their family drama. Instead, he focused on the fast roasted turkeys, roast beef, mashed, baked, and broiled potatoes. There were mashed peas, green beans, boats of rich gravies, and sauces abundant!

The party favors were nothing like the Normie world had to offer! Paper hats and plastic toys were not a thing here! There were wizard crackers that actually exploded and twinkled which made Matt smile for the first time since that morning. Sparks rained down and Perry even had to smile a bit. Up at the Faculty Table, Simbledore had switched her witch's hat with a flowery, embroidered top hat. She was cracking up at something Flitwit had said.

Puddings, cakes, pies, and candies were served with dessert as well as mountains and mountains of Winterfest cookies! The adults looked red, flushed, and happy. Hagish picked up Querkle's hand and gave it a kiss which made her blush and giggle. Henry looked at his pile of favors piling up. More wizard crackers, twinkle balloons, a children's toadify kit, and a travel sized Wizard's Don't Wake the Llama.

Jon and Henry had fun snowball fighting in the courtyard. Matt and Jack joined them and all seemed to be well and good. Cold, wet, and tired Jack and Matt said their own personal good-byes as she left for Owlenmoon common room while the other three entered through Princess Cordelia's portrait and lazed by one of those blazing fires again. That was why Jack wouldn't be joining them.

A light supper was delivered to the room of leftover turkey sandwiches, potato, and beans and as they ate the sleepiness got even stronger. Henry got to break in his new Wizard's Don't Wake the Llama with Jon and lost miserably. Matt jokingly stole Perry's Princep badge and all seemed to be okay between the two brothers because Perry was wearing his yellow sweater with a red 'P' on the front.

In bed, Henry finally had a chance to think of the cap and who could have sent it. Jon almost instantly was out when his head hit the pillow. Henry still peaked at the sleeping form of his friend just to make sure. When he was satisfied that Jon was in fact asleep Henry leaned over the side of his bed and pulled the hat out from underneath it. It had been his father's...his father's. He let the material ebb and flow through his fingers. Smooth and sheer, light as a feather. Use it well, the note had said. What would that even mean?

He put the cap on and saw a bunch of those ghostly Harry's doing many different things. One was sneaking past Jon, another was quietly opening the dorm door...Henry cocked his head to the side. It was a very funny feeling. What did his mind want to do that his future selves knew about but the present Henry sitting right there did not know?

Suddenly, he felt very wide-awake. The whole Harnocks castle was basically empty and open to him and his new cap. Excitement and realization flooded through him as he stood there in the dark and quiet dorm. He didn't even know it...but he was sneaking past Jon's bed. If his future selves could go anywhere...he could sneak past Feltch and no one would ever know!

Should he wake Jon? That wasn't what his future apparition was doing so Henry thought better of it. It was his father's for the first time...he didn't want to share this with anyone. In a blink of an eye he was at the back of Princess Cordelia's portrait. What a rush! The cap showed him that his future self had the idea to distract the lady within the portrait while the other future self snuck through. Present Henry followed this lead and in an instant he was down the hall in the corridor. Incredible.

The school was his! Where should he go first?

His heart raced as he saw the nearest future Henry sneak down the stairs while a different Henry was loitering by the boy's restroom on that floor. Henry shrugged, seemed like what his mind wanted to do, so he followed Henry closest to him. In an instant he was by the library and it clicked!

He could go to the Restricted Section of the library! He could read as long as he wanted and could figure out who Flannel was. He watched the future Henry apparitions dance lazily towards what present Henry had to do to make the future happen in his way. One of the staticy figures was tip-toeing into the library, one was checking behind corners, the other was on look out at the nearest exit, and another Henry was walking into the Restricted Section. Present Henry nearly chuckled when he followed and in an eye's blink he was in front of the Restricted Section!

It was pitch black and very eerie back here. Henry saw one of his multitaskers grab a lit lantern from a different section and he liked that plan. In an instant, Present Henry was holding a lit lantern. Henry had to duck low to clear the velvet rope that separated these books from the other books in the rest of the library. He read the titles via lantern light.

It didn't tell him much. They were either peeling, faded, or spelled in languages Henry couldn't understand. Some leather bound huge books had no title at all. There even was a book that had a dark stain from it's front all across the binding to the back. It looked a little too much like plasma. Very low whispering prickled Henry's ears and made his neck hair stand on end. Could the books in this section speak to each other? Maybe they knew he shouldn't be in here.

Present Henry looked at all of the apparitions of his future. One was starting low and looking high, one was starting high and looking low, one was near the archived scrolls, and one was taking a nap. Present Henry blinked and followed their lead. When he opened his eyes he had a bunch of memories of reading different books from his debugged future selves. Nothing contains Flannel, however. He also was in front of a huge bounded book that was shelved just right in front of him. It looked promising so Henry reached up to pull it off the shelf when it revealed itself to be too heavy and Henry stepped out of the way.

When it fell open on the ground, it started to scream!

Piercing, blood curdling shrieks split the silence of the library. Henry snapped it shut with all of his might and looked around hurriedly to see what his future selves were doing. One Henry was putting the book up as best as he could, another was darting under a table to miss Feltch (who also was ghostly and staticy telling Present Henry that that was the near future) so Henry blinked and he was there in real time and so was the real Feltch.

"Come out, now!" Feltch wheezed.

Henry saw a future self jumping out and shouting which made a ghostly Feltch walk right through the real Feltch and cart the ghostly Henry off to detention. Henry also saw a future self army crawl towards a library cart and no ghostly Feltch was stopping that so…

Henry was now under the cart.

"I SAID COME OUT!"

One ghostly Henry threw a book which distracted Feltch and another Henry made a run for it. The one that didn't cause a ghostly future Feltch to catch him was the one that threw the book so Present Henry did just that.

"HEY!" Feltch ran for the sound of the book and Present Henry made a run for it.

Henry must have followed some of the Debugging Hat's suggestions without knowing it because before he knew it he was behind a suit of armor. There weren't many like this around the castle and Henry deduced he was probably on the fifth floor. He gulped. This was quite the time to be lost in Harnocks!

"Professor Snabes, am I glad to see you! You told me to come right to you if anyone was caught wandering around at night. Well! I tell you someone's been in the library. Ma'am I think...the Restricted Section."

Henry's blood went cold. Feltch must know every secret corridor to be up here and talking to Snabes. Henry saw one of his future selves creeping along the wall and another staying put to listen. How awful! Neither looked like they led to a consequence! What should he do?

"Restricted Section?" Snabes gasped. "Well they can't be far, let's catch them."

Henry didn't want to but he picked the future Henry that was creeping away.

When his eyes opened he was in a classroom he had never seen before. An upperclassman class perhaps? It looked unused, however. Dark shapes of desks and chairs were piled against walls instead of set up to hold students. Even the garbage bin was tipped over. He was just about to assess where he could go next when he saw something that didn't look like it belonged there.

It was a striking gold floor length mirror. Ornate with a gold frame and standing on clawed feet. There was an inscription carved around the top and Henry had no idea what language that could be. His adrenaline was cooling now that he couldn't hear Feltch or Snables. He walked past the mirror and stopped in his tracks.

There were other people in that mirror!

Henry looked quickly.

No...I guess it was just only him.

It was just a mirror.

But as Henry turned to follow a Henry apparition, he didn't see a woman with blonde flowing hair and a face just like Henry's and a man with sandy brown hair and the same blue eyes as...his son's.

He was now in front of the bathroom at the end of the corridor to Alpaggard Tower. He was now the future Henry that he had seen in the beginning! Snabes and Feltch had just climbed up the stairs.

"PUFFER! Why are you in the corridor at this hour?" Snabes asked hotly.

"And why are you wearing that hat?" Feltch wanted to know.

Using the hat, Henry saw one of his selves making up a lie about someone using the restrooms in the dorms and another Henry was telling Snabes that it was his favorite Winterfest gift and he just couldn't possibly take it off. He blinked.

When he opened his eyes he was safely in his bed.

"That's amazing! You should have woken me up!" Jon was a bit angry to say the least.

"You can come with me tonight! I have got to show you this mirror that looks totally cool. I think...I couldn't be too sure but I think it shows more than just your reflection."

"Like, a magic mirror?"

"Yeah!

"That sounds awesome," Jon was satisfied and Henry smiled warmly at the knowledge that he could have gone home to his loving family and instead stayed behind for Henry.

"I would really like to meet your family, Jon," Henry began, "your dad and your other brothers," was that being weird? But Jon just grinned.

"I'd like that Henry!"

He had the most intense feeling of the long gone family he never got to know.

"Are you alright, Henry?" Asked Jon. "You look a bit odd."

"As long as you're touching me you can plan your future self's multitasking and we can get this done quickly and stealthily," Henry was instructing Jon that night. Deep down, he feared they would not be able to find the abandoned classroom that the mirror had been in. With Jon firmly holding on to Henry's wrist the two worked like a well oiled machine to use the Debugging Cap to effortlessly navigate the cold, dark castle.

"I'm freezing my butt off, Henry," Jon whispered. "Can we go back?"

"NO!" Henry hissed. "It's got to be here somewhere."

They saw a few ghosts (luckily no Sceeves) but no one else. Jon's complaining was grating Henry's nerves. Finally, he spotted that suit of armor!

"It's right here! I just have to follow this version of me and you follow that version of you and…" they pushed open the door to a classroom once they opened their eyes. Henry took off the cap and ran to the mirror.

"Henry I...I don't see anything...it's just a normal mirror," Jon said slowly.

"I swear I saw something out of the corner of my eye the last time I saw it, I know it, Jon," Henry was speaking very high pitched and kind of desperate. He sort of had the feeling he was freaking Jon out a bit.

"It's...a pretty mirror though. Very big and old fashioned...my nan would love…"

"I don't think it's a normal mirror," Henry snapped. "What normal mirror would have an inscription like this?" He pointed to the foreign scrawl. "That means something!"

"Let me have another look then…"

"But maybe it only works for me…?"

"Henry, hey! Hey...don't push me…!"

A sudden noise outside the hallway put an end to their blooming argument. They must have been talking louder than they had wished.

"Grab on to me!" Henry whispered and Jon grabbed Henry's wrist.

Two, huge eyes glowed like lanterns as Mayor Whiskers came around the door and into the classroom. Henry and Jon both watched the Debugging Hat plan out what they could do to get out of this situation. Jon hissed and Henry ducked as Mayor Whiskers pounced. Jon then swatted the flailing cat and when the two blinked, they were outside the portrait of Princess Cordelia.

"That was close...it was just a mirror, Henry."

But Henry could just feel that it wasn't.

The remaining days of break were drifting by.

"Want to play some Don't Wake the Llama, Henry?" Jon asked.

"No."

"We could go down and visit Hagish?"

"I'm not in the mood."

"You're thinking about that mirror, aren't you?" Henry didn't say a word. "Henry...mate, listen, it's just. A. Mirror." Henry flared his nostrils. "Henry I...I just have a bad feeling if you take off and go looking for it again tonight. Mayor Whiskers may have alerted Feltch. It's a great hat, the Debugging Hat, but it can't turn you invisible. It basically just makes you extremely clever in a multitasking, future jumping, choice making sort of way."

"You sound like Esmani," Henry snapped. Jon made a funny face at that.

"I'm serious. Please don't go."

But Henry was going and Jon was not going to stop him.

That night he did not wake Jon again and found the room quicker than he ever had. Henry didn't even care that his rapid pace meant his feet were making more noise than what would be smart. He didn't see or hear a single soul.

The classroom was still empty and the mirror was still there.

Henry lowered himself on to the floor and crossed his legs.

"It's not a normal mirror...if you were wondering…"

Henry felt his innards turn to stone and he whipped around. He was so engrossed in seeing the mirror he didn't even notice Headmaster Simbledore lazily sitting at what would have been the teacher's desk in this particular classroom. He would have had to walk right past her! He was ashamed on so many levels and awaited his punishment.

"I...I'm sorry ma'am I...didn't see you," was all he could stammer.

"Funny how much you miss when you're doing multiple things at once," Simbledore was smiling and gestured to his blue and starry cap. Seeing the wizard smile relieved him just a bit. "So…" she said and even though she was an elder, she easily pulled herself down to sit right to the boy on the floor in front of the mirror. "...The Edóm Mirror," she let out a short huff of a laugh. "Usually I have it in my office but...these are different times, I'm afraid."

"I didn't realize it had a name, ma'am," Henry stammered.

"You're wanting to know what it does?" Simbledore said slowly and knowingly.

Henry could only nod.

"I'm afraid I can't do that...not yet at least…" Henry could feel his entire hopes and heart shatter. "In time...but for now. This mirror will be moved tomorrow and I ask you not to go looking for it again. Trust in me that you will cross paths with it again sometime. And when you do, you will be prepared. Don't dwell on wishes and wants and forget to live, remember that. Now...let's see how fast you and all of your little Henry's pop on off to bed.'

Henry stood up sadly.

"Ma'am...Headmaster Simbledore? Can...can I ask you something?"

"You just did!" Simbledore teased but she slowly nodded. "Yoi may ask another question, yes, child."

"What do you see when you look into the mirror?"

Simbledore's eyes went wide and a huge grin split her face.

"What a question! What a clever boy you are! I say I…" she pauses to think. "I see my...aging face...not fearing that but revelling in the fact my long years in the Realm has given me proof of my wisdom, inspiration, and influence."

Henry just stared at her.

"People fear getting older. I do not. Getting older means you have lived longer. Which I intend to do, Mr. Puffer."

Henry nodded.

In bed, Henry deduced Headmaster Simbledore didn't have to be telling the whole truth...but another part of his mind decided it may have just been a very personal question.