If I've posted this on a Friday, that means that the glitch is fixed!

(In case you haven't been on this week, there was a glitch where amongst other things, chapters updated starting on the 31st weren't showing up on the website, so I held back posting the Tuesday chapter until the glitch was fixed). The regular schedule is resuming, so Chapter 12 (The Malfoy Problem, Part 1) drops on Saturday as along as the site *fingers crossed* continues to work.

Here's the Chapter 10 recap:

Lysander leaned down a bit to whisper in my ear. "I've had a terrible idea, Lil."

"Not sure if I want to hear it."

"What if Rhys is a... werewolf? It would explain the strange scars."

The pieces began to click into place in my mind. "Ly, Albus has been helping Magellan prepare Wolfsbane. He said Magellan told him it was for extra credit, and he took it since Potions is the only subject he really cares about, but what if..."

"Rhys is a werewolf and Albus has been helping Magellan make Wolfsbane so that he can remain calm during his transformations? It's not entirely impossible."

I shivered. "Imagine Magellan knowing a secret about you. Especially a secret like that?"

"He probably doesn't know who it's for."

"Poor Rhys. Can you imagine how terrifying that must be to go through month after month, Wolfsbane or not?"

"Hey, what are you two gossiping about?" called James.

"Nothing!" I sing-songed back.

"Right, then what's stopping you from helping me unstick these streamers?"

"Coming, one sec." I turned to Lysander. "Let's not investigate any further or tell anyone."

He nodded tightly.

Chapter Eleven: Riddles and Frenemies

Semester had settled into a steady routine; it was already late November and the air was growing cold. I began to spend more time around the fire in the Gryffindor common room, and less traipsing around the castle (to Rose's immense approval).

Dad had asked me to talk to Aurelie about Astoria Malfoy, and I myself was curious too.

"So what was it like growing up with Malfoy? I can't imagine him as an older brother?" I asked casually one evening while Hugo and I were sat by the fire comparing notes for the practical in Potions.

Aurelie shrugged lightly. "I never saw him much."

"But you lived in the same house, right? Does he just hole himself up in his room all day?"

Hugo flipped over a page in his textbook. "Since when are you so interested in Malfoy's habits, Lil?"

Poor timing, Hu.

I rolled my eyes.

"Not really," Aurelie offered. "That's more me. He doesn't like Mother, and Father's very quiet most of the time."

"Oh." Where was I supposed to go from here? Albus would know.

"Even so, I can't imagine James and Al not finding some way to irritate me constantly," I pressed.

Aurelie stared at the rug. "He's not allowed to."

"By whom?"

"Mother. They don't like each other. He's not allowed to talk to me most of the time."

Intriguing, but vague. I already knew from Albus that Malfoy and his mother had an antagonistic relationship. Malfoy didn't go out of his way to keep his animosity with her a secret, but I never knew why they hated each other so much.

"Why do you think that is?"

"I don't know. They've never seen eye-to-eye."

If I didn't know better, I would think that Aurelie was purposefully evading my questions. There had to be something going on in Malfoy Manor. But if she wouldn't tell me about her mother's relationship with her brother, there was no way she'd mention her mother's Dark artifact-hoarding hobby.

"Did you write three times anticlockwise, or clockwise? I can't read my notes."

I pulled my knees up to my chest, squinting at my notes.

"Clockwise."

"Ah, okay."

Aurelie was absentmindedly doodling something on a scrap of parchment.

What if the reason Aurelie doesn't want to talk about Astoria and Scorpius's relationship issues... is because the reason they don't get along has got something to do with the hoarding, or maybe some specific artifact that she's got!

I had been speaking to the wrong Malfoy. I could barely concentrate on Potions for the next hour as I formulated my plan.

After Hugo and I finished studying, I sat down to write my letter to Dad.

I picked up a regular, Muggle pen (Pilot's my favorite brand) and printer paper.

To hell with parchment and quills.

Dear Dad,

I spoke with Aurelie last night like you suggested. Not sure that there's much more than family drama going on though. Astoria hates her son and vice versa, as we know. But I still have a really, really bad feeling about it. I just have this feeling that I'm missing something really, really, big. I'll keep digging. Maybe Malfoy will have more information?

Love,

Lily

I left through the portrait hole and headed down to the Owlery.

The early winter air was sharpest at the very top of the school, and consequently, the Owlery was freezing. I wished I'd brought a hat. Or gloves. Or worn better shoes.

The soft hooting of the owls above me floated on the chill air.

I gripped the ice-cold railing and tried my best not to slip on the steps. How do the owls stand it here?

The soft hooting grew louder as I approached the top of the tower. A rush of cold hit me as I entered the window-filled room.

Malfoy was there already, having just sent his letter. One of the school owls took off in a cloud of wings and feathers.

"Malfoy, can we talk?"

"She-Potter!" He strode over to me with an arched eyebrow and an expectant expression.

"Seriously. Let's talk about your sister. And your mother."

He narrowed his eyes, sneering as he swept past me. "I'm not answering questions about my private life for you to parrot to your daddy, She-Potter. In case you haven't noticed by now, I'm not my idiot sister."

"Malfoy!"

But he was already gone, the sound of his hurried steps echoing through the tower.

Dammit, I've gone and pissed him off.

Clearly I'd be a terrible Auror.

I sighed and walked over to the least aggressive-looking owl that I could find. I noticed Houdini but made sure to give him a wide berth.

"Frenemies, huh?" I asked the bird as it regarded me with yellow eyes. It hooted softly in response as it took off, flying through one of the windows and disappearing into the night.

It had to be getting close to curfew. I turned and left the Owlery, taking extra care not to slip on the steps.

The next day, in Transfiguration, Professor Clearwater passed back the grades from the practical, with extensive comments scribbled on several sheets of parchment. We spent the rest of the lesson, of course, going over the most-commonly mispronounced spells.

I grimaced at the notes as I flipped through mine after class was dismissed.

Hugo sighed. "How did you do on the Transfiguration practical? I did horrible."

Carla frowned. "Don't look at me. You should have studied."

"How did you do, Lily?" asked Maddie.

I shrugged. "Decent. My pincushion looked a bit hedgehog-y, though. She's written one entire page on what I did wrong."

"Yours looked pretty ok. Mine had legs."

Hugo continued to stare morosely at his grade. "Mum's going to kill me."

Carla singsonged back, "You, should have studied."

I nudged him. "Come on, Hu, let's go. Everyone's leaving and Magellan will kill us, as in today, if we're late."

"Do you know what we're doing today?" Maddie asked Carla as we filed out of the classroom and into the hallway.

"Pepperup Potion," she said, adjusting her headband.

Hugo looked aghast. "How does she know that?"

"She knows everything."

"Yeah," I responded.

"It's on the schedule, idiots," Carla turned around, walking backwards and shaking her head at us.

"We've got a schedule for Potions?"

"Yes!"

"When did we get that?" asked Maddie.

"First day of class."

"Oh."

On our way down to the Potions classroom, we crossed paths with Albus and Malfoy. The latter was sneering, clearly still angry about our altercation last night.

Albus grabbed my arm and whispered into my ear, "Found something. Meet me outside your common room at seven tonight and we'll get James."

Malfoy glared at me.

Al shrugged, "What, Scorpius?"

"Nothing, Al," he replied darkly, still glaring. I glared back, mouthing "Hate you too, Malfoy."

He mouthed, "Likewise," as he swept past.

"What's up with Malfoy?" Hugo muttered after we'd gone a few paces.

"Nothing."

"Yeah, seems to be a lot of 'nothing' around here recently. Has this got anything to do with you asking Aurelie pressing questions about Malfoy?"

"Nope," I lied in the cheeriest voice that I could muster and putting some extra bounce in my step for added effect. "Malfoy and I are totally not having a fight. We are on completely amicable terms and me asking Aurelie questions is totally unrelated to the fact that he's not mad at me."

Maddie snorted. "You're a horrible liar."

"And more importantly, are you and Albus up to? You're not getting into trouble, are you?"

"Don't worry, Carla, it's nothing Al can't lie his way out of."

She laughed as we reached the door of the Potions classroom. "Well, that's a great comfort."

I made an excuse to Maddie and Carla about being immensely tired (I don't think that they believed me) and slipped out of the portrait hole at seven precisely.

"Lil."

I nearly jumped out of my skin as Albus materialized next to me.

"Al, you can't just sneak up on people with the Invisibility Cloak! You're going to give me a heart attack!"

"Ugh, you're so loud." He shook out the Cloak and threw it over both of us. "Let's go, we can't risk being seen."

"You're not going to tell me what you found until we get to James's office, are you?"

"Correct."

"I hate you."

"Yeah, me too. By the way, we're not going to James's office, I changed my mind."

"Where are we going, then?"

"I told him to meet us in the Dungeons. Come on, walk faster."

Albus pulled the cloak off as we approached a small classroom. It looked abandoned; I'd certainly never been inside.

"What's in here?"

Albus lit his wand. "Don't know, haven't been in yet. James, are you here?"

"Aye aye, captain."

Albus huffed as James walked towards us.

"Have to admit Al, I thought you were pulling a prank on me."

"Would I ever do that to you, James?"

"Don't even get me started."

I interrupted before they could start fighting.

"How did you find this, Al?"

"There was a puzzle; it wasn't hard."

"And you didn't invite us to help?"

"It was easy!"

I frowned.

Albus sighed and began to explain in a condescending tone. " The map told me I should look for a room number. The room number on this classroom is literally the year Hogwarts was founded: 0993. It's also carved on the fireplace on the Slytherin common room, and it's the only number it there, so this had to be it. Did you want me to call you in to read the Roman numerals, Lil?"

"Wow, so sensitive."

"So petty," Albus muttered back as we stepped inside the classroom. I perched on top of a desk.

An ancient-looking, baroque-style mirror with clawed feet stood in the middle of the room. The glass looked blotchy and cloudy, and the frame was delicately-wrought gold. When I peered closer, I saw that it was engraved with the words "Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi."

"That looks... incredibly expensive."

"It's kind of your style though, Lil."

James nudged Albus. "Come on Al, you've got an O.W.L. in Ancient Runes."

He rolled his eyes. "If you are familiar with the English language, it will be apparent to you that the words, when mirrored and the spaces are moved around, spell 'I show not your face but your heart's desire'."

James perked up. "Hey, that sounds kind of familiar. Is that... the Mirror of Erised?"

"Given that Erised is the first made-up word on the engraving, I'll say yeah."

"What is it, James?" I asked.

"It's a mirror that shows your heart's desire."

Albus laughed, "Have you turned into Aunt Hermione or something? Yeesh, James."

I frowned. "Sounds sketch. We'd better not get too close. Or look into it."

The three of us fell silent as we regarded the mirror.

"Is it dangerous, James?"

"I don't know, but it must be hidden for a good reason."

"D'you think this is what the owner of the book wanted us to find?"

Albus stepped up to the mirror.

"Al, don't-"

He turned back.

"It can show me what I want most? Isn't that right, James?"

"Al, it's not a good idea-"

"Al, what are you doing?"

Albus stared into the mirror. He stood completely still for a few seconds. James and I held our breath.

Then, he reached towards the mirror, and his hand passed through the glass. The glass rippled as if it were water.

James and I ran towards him to pull him away. This had gone far enough.

Albus turned towards us as James reached for his arm. His eyes blazed empty and purple and his voice was not his own; too high and faraway. My breath caught in my throat.

"James, what's wrong with his eyes?"

Are you afraid?

"Al, snap out of it, you're scaring me!"

Don't be afraid.

I felt the same metallic pressure as I did when the book spoke to me. The air smelled like lightning and silver.

The truth will set you free.

Don't you want to know?

"Al, come on, snap out of it!" James tugged Al's arm. "He's stuck!"

"Maybe pull him from behind?" My heartbeat was stuttering in my ears. This can't be happening.

Who I am?

It will haunt you forever if you don't find out.

"Three - two - one!"

James and I managed to pull Albus's hand out of the mirror, the three of us landing hard on the ground.

"Shit."

"Al, are you okay?"

He looked a bit dazed, and he blinked slowly as if he'd just woken up, but his eyes had returned to their usual green and his gaze looked normal and focused. Albus rubbed his eyes as he sat up.

"Fine," he said irritably, and I breathed out a sigh of relief. "But I feel like I just drank a gallon of mercury."

"If you drank a gallon of mercury you'd be dead."

"Ugh, you know what I mean. My head's killing me."

James looked uncharacteristically serious as he pulled himself into a sitting position.

"Maybe we should ask Dad for advice-"

"No!" Albus yelped. "We're handling it!"

"Clearly not, what did that mirror just do to you? It was like you were possessed or something!"

"Yeah, well, that was mostly my fault. I shouldn't have tried to touch it. I thought I could be stronger than it."

I leaned back against the desk as I stood up, rubbing the spot where I'd bumped my forehead. "What if that's not the answer to the clue?"

My brothers looked at me as if I had grown another head.

"I mean, looking into the mirror is pretty obvious. And everyone's going to see something different. What if something is hidden on the mirror? Or behind it? Most people wouldn't look there. And Al said that this must be some kind of test, so the location of the next clue can't be obvious."

Albus got up too.

"Maybe you should stay-" James began as he got to his feet.

"I'm not a baby, James!"

"Clearly."

I walked over to the mirror. I wonder I'd see. I debated sneaking a glimpse of my reflection, but then remembered what had happened to Albus. Better not risk it.

We stood staring at the smooth golden back of the mirror.

"Hey, look! More engraving." James held his wand up to the back of the mirror, and read the words aloud.

I have no eyes, yet my sight is clearer than most

I have no voice, yet my words decide your destiny

I have no mind, yet I know yours

Within me you will find the answer to your quest.

The words faded as soon as James read them.

"We should write them down."

James pulled out a pen and Al produced some paper.

"Let's start simple. So, we need something that doesn't have eyes, a voice, or mind."

"That could be anything," Albus pointed out. "Like that chair."

"Can't be," said James, "It has to be something specific. A riddle has a single answer. And that only uses half the riddle." He pointed at the last line. "Like here. It has to contain something. Chairs usually don't."

"We need a Ravenclaw. They're good at riddles."

"Do you really think we should drag other people into this?"

"No!"

"Besides, we don't have to give the person the full riddle. Or tell them where it comes from. I bet most Ravenclaws would be happy to do it. They're crazy like that."

"Lil, you look pensive."

"Yeah, I've got someone in mind."

Albus strode over to the Ravenclaw table the next morning, and I trailed after him.

"Lysander!"

Ly's head snapped up. "Huh? Oh, hi Al! What brings you over here?"

Albus folded his arms, frowning at any Ravenclaws looking in his general direction. "What doesn't have eyes but can see?"

Why is my brother so oblivious? Or maybe he already knows.

Lysander looked thoughtful, tapping a blue finger to his lips.

"Ah, you were trying to get into the Ravenclaw common room? The riddle won't be the same when you get back, it changes constantly. I'll come with you if you like?"

Al shook his head. "No, it's fine."

"Do you still want to know the answer?"

"Yes."

Lysander smiled. "It's a plant!"

Albus frowned. "A plant?"

"Yeah. It doesn't have eyes but grows towards the sun."

"Okay, thanks."

Albus walked past me back to the Slytherin table.

"A plant?"

"I told you to ask him the full riddle, like James said! You can't ask the four lines to four separate people and put them together!"

Al shook his head. "Fine, you ask him the full thing later if you want."

He sat down next to Malfoy, who turned around to shoot an icy glare at me.

I glared right back at him.

Malfoy and Albus put their heads together, discussing something in hushed tones. I hesitated to walk back to the Gryffindor table.

Malfoy stood up and gestured at me to follow him out. I looked at Albus for guidance, pointing at Malfoy's retreating back. He nodded and I apprehensively followed Malfoy out of the Great Hall.

He was leaning against the wall with his eyes half-closed.

"M-Malfoy?"

"She-Potter."

"What did you call me out here for?"

He lifted his chin, peering at me out of the side of his eyes. I shivered. I'd forgotten how scary he could be sometimes.

Then he walked towards me slowly.

Shit, Malfoy's going to murder me. Yep, this is how I die. I provoked the fricking snake, and now I'm paying for it.

He stopped about a foot away and looked down at me with a supercilious air and a sneer.

"So, you want to know about Astoria?"