A/N: You know
the deal. Not mine, all hers. Oh, and the italics and underlining messed up
last time…hopefully it won't again. Reviewers are thanked profusely at the end.
This part is more…chilling, and thought-provoking, then depressing. And a
little shorter. Yup yup. Please read part one first, if you haven't already.
Part One: http://www.fanfiction.net/index.fic?action=story-read&storyid=179709
Quote of
the Day: What contemptible scoundrel has stolen the corkscrew to my lunch?!
The Deepest, Most Desperate Desire of Our Hearts: Ch. 02
My stomach lurches as Professor Lupin reveals The Mirror of Erised to my eyes. Excitement and terror rise, fresh as when I was in first year. No one knows, but that mirror brought around weeks of uneasy sleeping for me. It revealed feelings that I had hidden deep in my soul. Feelings of jealousy, of envy, and of inadequacy.
I barely hear Lupin telling us what the Mirror is- I already know. For Harry and I, the night of the Mirror is fresh in our minds. Like a cold shard of glass digging into my brain. I glare at the portion of the Mirror I can see. Because of the light shining on it, it seems to smile. My eyes narrow. How dare that Mirror pretend to bring so much happiness and pleasure, when it truly just causes torment in the soul of the viewer? It just forces you to think and think and think about what might have been, if only…
I watch intently as Lavender gets called up to the Mirror. In the back of my head, I idly wonder what she sees. Maybe…me? I can feel my face flush slightly as I think of this possibility. But, no. When she leaves the Mirror, she does not even glance my way. She's never glanced my way.
This brings me to a new idea, as Seamus stares into the Mirror. Maybe I won't see the old image. Maybe I won't see myself being the best among my brothers anymore. I am 17 now, much different than my first year self. Have my priorities changed? Will I see myself defeating He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, or maybe Lavender, whom I've had a crush on for a year now? I find myself getting slightly more curious and excited about the Mirror's prospects.
"Hermione
Granger!" I hear Professor Lupin call out. I glance at her tense face.
What will she see? Probably herself as Minister of Magic, or some other
high-class profession. That is her new ambition, now that she had succeeded in
her first, to be Head Girl. I smile a little to myself at her predictability.
But as I watch my best girl friend look into the Mirror, she looks upset, and a little confused. What if she isn't quite as predictable as I think? I shake my head, trying to clear my thoughts. I am getting too deep into this. She's Hermione! The Hermione that I dated in fifth year, only to find out that we didn't really love each other. I know everything about her!
Suddenly, my head snaps up in attention as I hear Harry's name being called. He looks terrified. I don't understand. Why isn't he thrilled to see his parents again? I would be if I was him- but then again, who am I to judge other people's feelings?
Harry looks into the Mirror, his face tense. He blanches, and his mouth opens a little in shock. He just stares for about 30 seconds. Then he starts crying. The great Harry Potter, crying! I start to stand up, to help him, but Lupin motions for me to sit down. The teacher looks like he wants to help Harry himself, but is holding back.
Harry suddenly grabs the edges of the mirror, his eyes huge and shiny behind his glasses. He sinks to his knees, still latched onto the mirror. I feel incredibly worried- what if he is seeing the Dark Lord? But then, that wouldn't be his heart's desire. I wouldn't think that he would be crying for his parents, so what was he seeing? My best friend's face was contorted into one of anguish, pain that I felt I could never comprehend. A few silent minutes passed. The quiet is soon ripped apart by a piercing scream. I shoot up out of my seat, running towards Harry. I have to save him from whatever the evil Mirror is doing to him!
Lupin grabs my arm, and pulls me back. I try to wrench away, but his grip is tight.
"What are you doing? We have to help him!" I hiss to the professor. He looks at me, and I can see he is as scared as I am.
"Ron, I understand how you feel. I want to protect Harry from whatever is happening to him, as well. But he has to deal with this on his own," Lupin replies sadly. Furious, I wrench my arm out of his grasp, but I don't go to Harry. I sit back down.
Another
scream is wrenched out of his mouth. This time, Dumbledore comes running in. My
attention is averted from Harry for a moment, as I stare at the Headmaster. He
opens his mouth to speak, but his eyes catch on Harry staring at the Mirror. He
looks sympathetic, nods to Lupin, and leaves.
A few seconds later, Lupin walks cautiously over to Harry. He puts his hand on Harry's shoulder. Harry jerks, and looks up. Lupin whispers something, and Harry says something back. I can't make out the words. My friend stands up, and walks back to his desk beside me. I lean over.
"Harry, what happened back there?" I ask urgently. He just turns and stares at me, his eyes glazed over and riddled with tears. And then he gets up, and walks out of the room. The whole class stares after him. Lupin fumbles around, and finds his list again.
"Dean Thomas!" Dean looks around nervously, but complies and goes to the Mirror…
Five minutes later, I hear my name being called. I bite my lip, and look at Hermione, but her head is still resting on her desk. I force a small smile onto my face, for what, I don't know, and walk to the Mirror. I stand in front of the glass.
The tiny smile leaves my face. There I am, older, twenty or so. My older self stands there, with a cocky grin on his face. He is dressed in bright orange, and words are inscribed on his robes: "Ronald Weasley, Chudley Cannons Captain". My breath catches in my throat, as I see myself holding the Quidditch World Cup trophy triumphantly in my right hand. In my left hand there is a letter, and I angle my head to see what it says.
"Dear
Mr. Weasley,
We just wanted to thank you again, Minister, for ridding the world of Lord Voldemort-"
I stop reading. I concentrate on a dark
shape behind my other self, getting closer. I, like Harry, drop to my knees as
I see what it is. Lavender gives Mirror-Ron a kiss, and a flash of gold
reflects from her left hand. A wedding ring. My breath quickens. Oh, cruel
Mirror! It had combined all of my hopes and dreams, to make one impossible
situation which would never come true, yet torture me for years. I feel myself
get sucked into the Mirror of Erised's world.
I am better than all of my brothers. They
all worship me, look up to me, see me as their idol, instead of the other way
around. The populace loves me as well. I'm better than Harry, for I have
defeated Voldemort forever. Better than Harry…better than Hermione…better than
my family…perfect…
"Perfect Percy," I
suddenly hear a voice mutter. I remember someone saying that, long ago. I
remember my animosity and resentment towards the subject of perfection.
"And now, perfect Ron…" I can tell these words have not actually been spoken in the real world, but they send as much impact.
I snap back to reality as Lupin lays a hand on my arm. I shake my head to clear the fantasy. But I know, deep down, that the wish for perfection and being the best will never be gone from my mind.
A/N: Oh my! I did NOT expect this many reviews! I love you all!!! MAJOR THANKS and FREE FIREBOLTS go out to: Star Dust (umm…where's the review?), Harry's Mum Lily (it really made you cry? Aw, thanks!), Cairnsy (thanks for the advice about the Mirror being secret, but remember, these are different times, Voldemort is on the loose, and the kids need all the knowledge they can have. Oh, and I LOVED your Mirror of Erised fic!), MeatLoaf the Happy Donkey (interesting name, thanks for putting me on favorite authors/stories), *hag* & *norbert*, Tonallan (nope, no Draco…only Gryffindors here), Shelley Heartilly, Rosmerta, deviline, snow-angel, PEZ, Lilly Potter, Ash Night (COOL WHIP! Do you want me to send you Hermi's part? I will, my wondieful beta-reader.), PixyChick (you cried too? *looks sheepish*), Jyfae, Adelina, Zing/Milificent Snape, Ally, Blotty-on-a-tissue (Nice e-mail address. *yayfun* And I don't want to have finals either. Human nature…could this series count?), D.S. Moony (what do the initials stand for?), Justin's Future Wife (Jessie fait Marshall…c'est vrai!), sara, Hermionefan (Hermione's the next part!), debra (there are going to be five parts in all), Sarah (She dies???), Tigerlily, and LiLY FLoweRPot. If I forgot anyone, tell me, and thanks again!!!!!!!