"Well, go ahead, come over here Dud! You got to stand right in front of it."

Not at all sure about this, much less Harry's in the middle of the night wake up call insisting to go to an area of the castle that as far as Dudley could tell was not out of bounds at anytime, Dudley inched his way carefully forward. Blue eyes seeked out green. "I came all this way. Mind telling me exactly what is the deal with this mirror and why we're here at night?"

Harry's shoulder went up, green eyes peering up through the black strands and shadows, mouth quirking up. "For the atmosphere. Far more exciting and thrilling and adventurous to add in with a mysterious magic mirror. In the dark of the night! Far more fun this way! Come on! Stand in front of it!"

Sighing, Dudley followed Harry's incessant demands to get in front of the mirror. Any previous magic mirrors he'd come across, like the one Peter had been given by his mother many years ago, were prone to insults. Insults with a purpose to get one to spiffy up any ill fitting clothes or messy hair. With Uncle James and Harry, who had his father's messy head of hair, there had never been a magic mirror in their household. Sirius had managed to get his hands on one that, of course, liked his look, but had been working together with Arthur and Peter in their spare moments at the Ministry to change it as a more positive take than a mirror always speaking of improvements and insulting. It's temperament was good with Sirius, unnormally good for a mirror, so the three of them were hoping and hoping to one day surprise Remus with it.

"Okay, I'm in front of it Harry, what am I..."

Dudley trailed off as he looked up at ceiling to floor, elaborately framed mirror, forgetting any of the curiosity he had on the letters in some other possible language on the top. Forgetting any question of why it was in the middle of the room, everything else in the old classroom pushed to the sides. He saw himself in the mirror, same as always. Blond hair parted on the left. Blue eyes. Built solid. Him. Eleven years old. Just over five years since...since...

He spun around, looking behind him. Harry beamed at him.

"Isn't it neat?"

Dudley turned back to the mirror, eyes wide. There was no one behind him. No one but his cousin. He could see Harry in the mirror too. But standing beside him, not behind him. It was like a moving photograph, everyone posed for a group photo. There was him and Harry, both of them beaming, both of them in their loose Hogwarts uniforms. He... Dudley swallowed, just noticing a glaring obvious difference he'd missed at first glance. He was wearing shorts. But his eyes kept going to behind them, behind where he and Harry stood. Behind them was James and Lily. Lily was smiling, a bright smile, as she turned and laughed with the one next to her. His mum. And his dad chuckling at something. None of the hatred. Just one big family together. Like the accident never happened. Like the accident never happened...with improvements tossed in. His mum and Harry's mum, talking and laughing as sisters. And there wasn't the slightest issue about him wearing the Hogwarts robes. Just everyone there. Alive. Happy. At peace.

"N-n-neat?"

Breath hard to come by, his chest heaving, body going numb, vision of this wavering in front of him... Dudley teetered and then fell onto his rear, eyes still staring up at the mirror. The image remained. Potters and Dursleys. Together. A family.

"Dud? Dudley?" He could feel Harry at his side, feel the worry in the voice, but couldn't stop staring up. "Wha-? You're crying! What's wrong? Dudley! What's wrong? It's just a mirror that shows you what you look like when you're older! It's not supposed to be... It's just supposed to be neat and just a bit of fun! Dudley? What is it?"

"Older?" Dudley turned blankly, then pointed back to the mirror. "I am older. Mum and Dad died over five years ago."

"What? What do you mean? Wait, Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon are on the mirror?" Harry's head swiveled to look, shifting closer, eyebrows furrowing behind his round glasses. "But I don't see them. Just...just you and me in this room. I can't see them? But I don't...you don't see me looking older in the mirror right now?"

Dudley turned his head back, sucking in a large burst of air in surprise. His and Harry's parents were gone. It was just him and his cousin, as they were, Dudley with his rear plopped on the floor and Harry crouched down worriedly beside him. Where...where did they go? Why were they gone?

"Harry. Step back."

"Huh? Are you sure Dud?" Harry waddled his way back, still crouched close to the ground. "Are you okay?"

He breathed in, then breathed out softly. "They're back."

"You...you see your parents? I saw myself being older. Standing tall in front of some sort of fancy certificates or awards, some framed pictures, a couple trophies. Couldn't tell what for, no matter how hard I squinted, but I was older and taller and...I guess kind of put together. Nothing I ever thought would be making you cry. I... I didn't mean..."

"It's okay," Dudley said. He continued staring up at the mirror, watching as Lily said something to his mum, unheard to his ears, but his mum picked at her dress and smiled, turning to let Aunt Lily see it better. Then his dad clapped a large hand on his shoulder, both him and James grinning as what looked to be them bragging about him and Harry. Easy teasing. Dudley turned, swearing he could feel the weight, but there was no hand on his shoulder. Just Harry crouched a distance away and blinking at him. "It's us, standing together. Me, Mum, Dad. And you, and your mum and dad. All together. And...and everyone is getting along. Not like...not like how it was with..."

He trailed off, chin tilting farther up, blue eyes looking past Harry to the doorway. Harry's green eyes went wide and he spun about, staggering as he quickly stood up, mouth gapping open wide. It was, Dudley thought, perhaps the first time he'd ever seen his cousin get snuck up on.

"Hello Harry," Albus greeted. His blue eyes went to Dudley, smiling slightly, understanding on his face. "Dudley."

Albus made his way over, slowly sitting down next to Dudley on the floor. He'd barely made the motion with his hand and Harry was already joining them, grin on his face as he scooted in close, eyes bright as he'd realized very quickly they weren't in any major trouble. Albus chuckled. Then his sights went to the mirror, sobering somewhat, and then looked back to them.

"So. The two of you, like hundreds before you, have discovered the delights of the Mirror of Erised. Do you realize what it does? Can you think of what the mirror shows us?"

Dudley frowned, him and Harry sharing a look. And suddenly, quite suddenly, Dudley's curiosities and concerns about the mirror were back and he turned about to get a better look at the description on the top of the mirror's frame. "It's not the same thing for everyone," he said slowly, trying to work it out. He tilted back further, the odd angle looking up the whole length of the mirror giving him an idea. Backwards. The letters up at the top weren't for another language, but... "I show...not your faced? No, I show not your face but your...your...hearts desire. I show not your face, but your heart's desire. It..."

Albus smiled at him, nodding. "Correct. 'I show not your face, but your heart's desire.' The Mirror of Erised shows what one most desires."

It dawned on Dudley then what he'd been seeing. It was his younger desire of not wanting to live with his aunt and uncle and cousin. But, no, that wasn't... There was too much in what he saw. His parents not dead, but still alive. The car crash didn't happen, which meant he was like any other kid. But he was in his Hogwarts uniform. Something that wouldn't have happened without his cousin. And his parents and Harry's parents were getting along in the mirror. Not like how it'd been between them when his parents were still alive. They were a whole and full family.

"I desire to grow up," Harry asked. His face twisted up. "Really? I think there must be something wrong with it. And it made Dudley cry."

"Let me explain," Albus began. Harry leaned forward and Dudley himself sat up straighter from where he sat on the floor. "The happiest man on Earth would be able to use the Mirror of Erised like a normal mirror. That is, he'll look into it and see himself exactly as he is."

"But," Dudley spoke up. He frowned. "Just because you're happy, doesn't mean you don't still desire something. Right?"

Albus beamed over at him. "I believe I stand corrected on my words. Just because you are happy, it does not mean you do not have desires. We are all human. The mirror shows us our deepest, darkest, most desperate desire of our hearts. Nothing more, nothing less. So, while you wish the automobile accident never happened to you, you have grown over time. The desire has shifted over the past five years. You still wish for all the good that happened due to the accident to have happened to you, along with your parents. And Harry, I don't think it is so much a desire to grow up for you, but perhaps...something else. Not being an adult, but perhaps something you see in adults that you wish to have."

Green eyes wide, Harry shifted uncomfortably where he sat.

"However, this mirror will give us neither knowledge or truth. Men have wasted away before it, entranced by what they see. Or driven mad, not knowing if what it shows is real or even possible. Or the knowing of it never can be. The mirror will be moved to a new home soon. I ask you both not to go looking for it again. If you ever run across it again, you will now be prepared. It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live. Remember that. Now, how about we get the two of you back to your beds?"

"Where's it being moved to?" Harry asked as they walked the corridor. "Dudley's not going to run across it again, is he?"

Dudley reached over and gave his cousin a jab. "I'm less likely than you." A grin flashed across Harry's face at that.

"That does sound true and highly likely," Albus said with a chuckle. He smiled down at Harry, blue eyes twinkling. "The portraits do tell quite some stories. But it will be placed where students are not allowed. And I know you have followed this. Despite what Argus informs me about certain doors unlocked and opened."

"What door? I've never unlocked and opened a door while here," Harry said. The familiar innocent, believe me face shined in his beseeching eyes. Dudley snorted. If Harry pulled that look on anyone else but Albus, Lily, Augusta, or Neville, he'd back his cousin up. Of course, Hermione appeared to be quickly aiming to join the list of people who'd figured out Harry's innocent act and ready to call him out. James and his friends were more amused and cheering Harry on for such antics than to actually call him out. "Unless you count me giving the password for the Slytherin common room and your office Albus. Hey. What do you see when you look in the mirror?"

"I?" Albus's pace slowed down for a moment at the question. Then picked it back up with a small smile. "I see myself holding up a pair of thick woolen socks. One can never have enough socks. I have found myself without a pair of woolen ones, oh, ever since the time I graduated Hogwarts. Now, I believe, if my eyes do not fail me, we have reached the entrance of the Slytherin common room. Off to bed, both of you."

"You too Albus," Harry said tossed back with a wide smile.

"Oh, soon enough. I have the esteemed honor of finding your head of house. There is something I need to check with him, as he patrolled the castle tonight with Professor Quirrell. However, I'm afraid, there is now an additional reason to speak with him. Although, the pair of you did last the longest this year for the first year Slytherins, quite impressive, but I was of the mind to agree with Severus in that the pair of you would never be caught out after curfew by a professor at all. While I was the one to discover you two out after curfew..."

Albus smiled at them both. "Professor Snape prefers to give the Slytherins he finds out and about after curfew detention. I believe I'll leave the detention to him rather than myself. As I know Harry would not take detention spent with me as seriously as it should deserve. Your head of house has a greater chance to get the point across. Good night."

Harry gapped as Albus walked away. "But! It's bad enough this is the only time I've been caught!"

From farther down the corridor, Dudley could hear him laughing. He turned to look over at his cousin, mouth quirking a bit at Harry's completely flabbergasted face. "Your mum has caught you before. And—"

"Not like this! It's bad enough this is the only time I've ever been, ever been, caught unaware! That was bad enough!"

"Let's just get to bed Harry. Unless you want to be heard and caught again?"

Green eyes widening, Harry grabbed a hold of Dudley's cloak and tugged him through the Slytherin's common room entrance.

Dudley didn't get much sleep that night and could see what Albus meant about that mirror. All that was in his head was what he had seen. A life where the accident never happened. Where he still had a family, his mum and dad. But he still had family with Harry and Lily and James. He turned about in his bed and shook his head, trying to get his mind off of what he saw in the mirror. And then he remembered Harry and him were going to be serving detention with their head of house, the strict Potions professor, the man who used to be friends with Aunt Lily and enemies with Uncle James and likely still was with what James said in the Great Hall about becoming a professor after the troll on Halloween.

So much for Albus's wish of 'good night'.

Author's Note: Another late night expedition for Harry and Dudley. And caught while they were doing it. Let's be honest though, they were distracted and Albus is likely to be checking on that mirror before it moves into place. Ah, the Mirror of Erised appears. Harry, of course, isn't going to have the same desires, but I did have fun thinking over what his might be and enjoyed his reaction to it. Dudley however, he's the orphan in this story, but also very much part of the Potter family. So his desire isn't simply just wanting his parents back. It's a mixing of different desires. Albus… I got to thinking about his answer in the book, the clearly not the real answer, but I like to believe it came from somewhere and this Albus has been close to Harry and Dudley for a while, so his response to the question isn't quite the same. Take the nod to his history and my idea that his answer had some weight to it as you will. Thank you to the favorites and follows.