In Search for Harry

Little Miss Dove

 

Chapter Four: The Mirror

 

It was deep into the evening when the Hogwarts Train pulled into the tiny dim lit platform. The sky was a dark purple, casting long shadows under the light of stars behind the clouds. As students filed out onto the platform huddling in small groups against the cold night air, a familiar glow came floating towards them.

"Hagrid," Ron whispered as the bushy face of giant man became visible in the faint lamplight.

His beetle black eyes shining towards the group of students as he began his traditional chant of: "Firs' years! Firs' Years over here! C'mon, follow me this way!" Signalling the new students towards the conventional journey across the Hogwarts Lake, he caught Ron's eye and motioned towards down the mud track where the other Hogwarts students were heading to sit in the stagecoaches drawn by hundreds of what possibly was invisible horses.

"This is just like when we were back at Hogwarts," Hermione said as the coach they climbed into began to move. "It feels so long ago."

"Hermione, it was only under three years ago."

Hermione glared at the red headed wizard.

"How far is it till Hogwarts Castle?" Jade asked sensing the need to change the topic while peering out the cracked window. Between the swaying back and forth of a small spider she saw the twisted iron gates of Hogwarts approaching.

"Not far, we'll be there soon," Ron replied as looming dark towers come into view. "There's the castle now," he pointed out.

The coach didn't take too long to pull up to the front of Hogwarts. As the students horded up the stone steps leading into the gigantic entrance hall, the wizard and two witches followed the crowd and were met by Dumbledore himself.

"Evening Ron, Hermione," the Hogwarts head master greeted.

"Evening Sir," Hermione replied struggling to keep still as the wave of students heading towards the Great Hall pushed past them. "This is our friend Jade Hyadia."

"Nice to meet you Professor."

"The pleasure's mine," said Dumbledore his eyes twinkling, "Now I trust you all had a good journey. Shall we commence towards to the Sorting? I'm guessing you are all famished."

"Er, you see Sir, we would like to see the Mirror…" Ron began.

"Ah, the mirror, in due time," Dumbledore replied, "I have placed the Mirror in a special room that appears only at ten o'clock in the evening for one hour, so there is time for a good meal."

The trio looked at each other for a decision, they were all hungry so Ron nodded and the three followed Dumbledore into the Great hall. It didn't take to long for the sorting to commence and the feast to continue, but for Hermione and Ron, each second waiting seemed forever.

Finally Dumbledore stood up and finished with his annual messages: "Since we're all full to the brim, before we go off to our comfy beds, I have a couple of notices to give out. As always the Forbidden Forest is off territory, anyone found near there will be severely punished.

We have a couple of new magical assistants with us this year, including Neville Longbottom in the Herbology department and Arachne Noir with Potions and Charms…"

Hermione and Ron looked surprised, throughout the feast they had failed to notice their old school mate, who had actually been but a dozen of seats away. But the round-faced boy had changed, he had an air of confidence and his face was determined and set. However after the split second Hermione and Ron turned to see him, when Dumbledore said his name, Neville chocked on his mouthful resulting in Arachne needing to thump him in the back.

"Last of all, the North and West Astronomy Tower are closed, no one is to advance onto the stairs leading up there," Dumbledore continued… "Now, let us finish the evening with the school song, everyone pick their favourite tune."

As the pupils all sang at different paces and melodies, Jade looked half amused and half bewildered at the racket. Both Hermione and Ron now looked at each other curious, Dumbledore usually gave a reason for why areas of the school were closed or forbidden, the only time he hadn't was during their first year. The third floor had been closed as Fluffy; the three-headed dog guarded the Philosopher's stone. What was in the towers that Dumbledore couldn't tell the students about? It had to be something that could cause disarray. 

"Hermione," Jade called out, "Ron. It's time."

The witch and wizard stepped out of their thoughts; the students were piling out off the Great Hall, and Dumbledore was waiting patiently for them to follow. The trio leapt out of their seats and followed. The headmaster leads them to the corner of the hall, making sure no one was watching he pulled back the tapestry revealing a secret tunnel lighted up with enchanted torches. 

They followed Dumbledore through the passage, which wounded up and down, within the walls of the school. Finally they got to the far end of Hogwarts, just in time as between two forgotten statues of ogres hidden in the passageway, the wall started to disappear revealing a sloping roof room where Dumbledore had placed the mirror of Erised.

Hermione and Ron walked through the space followed by Jade, then Dumbledore. The first three walked in slowly; this was the moment they had been anticipated. As they went near up to the mirror, they were careful of each step as if one slightest motion and the mirror would smash and there chance to find Harry would be lost forever.

As they approached, Hermione and Ron looked at each other and nodded, they both glanced into the mirror at the same time and both faces changed at the exact same time.

However it wasn't to relief, it was to puzzlement then fear.

"What do you see," Jade asked looking at her friend's faces, she had not known Harry personally, so her heart's desire was truthfully not to find him, but she had known Hermione and Ron's keenness in searching for their lost friend and was equally eager to know of the boy's whereabouts.

"What do you see?" Dumbledore asked also, a tiny hint of zeal in his voice.

"N… nothing," Ron stammered, "I can't see anything in the mirror, just… just a blackness," he looked at Hermione to see if she too saw the same thing.

She nodded, "Professor, is the mirror broken?" She asked hopefully.

The headmaster looked back at them with a thoughtful look, calm as usual as if nothing could ever surprise him. He walked up to the mirror staring at it for a brief moment and turned back, "It is in working order," he announced.

"Then why doesn't it show us where Harry is? That doesn't mean he's…" Hermione trailed off, her face panic stricken.

"No, Hermione. It should not mean Harry is dead, the mirror of Erised is a complex magical object, and how it works is still unsure, but even when the person or people you desire to see is gone, they should still appear in the mirror as you desire them."

"Like Harry and his family back in our first year, right?" Ron asked.

"Exactly, there are several 'loopholes' shall we say to getting a proper answer from the mirror, such as your idea to desire to see where Harry is, however I am unsure as to why you both see pitch blackness."

"There is one reason," Jade said slowly, "One that I was taught when I was studying about magical objects which you can seek answers from." She looked at the others unsure whether to continue, Dumbledore nodded. "The only reason which I know of, why a magical object such as the mirror of Erised won't work is as if the object or person you desire doesn't exist, not just die out of existence, but was never born or never created."

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A/N: Hey all,

This chapter isn't that good is it? Oh well, I did try. Sorry for the writer's block, which did develop from being a short one till a lengthy just under four months odd. Thank you for those of you who are still reading and reviewing. I did bring the mirror in this time, but you will definitely find out what happened to Harry in the next chapter, that is if I write it. [Here's the pleading part] Please!!! Review, it encourages me to write faster, really it does. ;)

Well I don't think I have anything to add, except to repeat again: remember to review, or I'll be really paranoid and think no one wants this to continue, in which case it won't then.

Thanks,

Dove.

Disclaimer:

Anything you recognize that isn't mine is obviously not mine. HP and co' belong to J.K Rowling and Warner Bro's and only the few new characters are mine. They are several descriptions from the books, just paraphrased and re-written, so credit to the books and not me.

Little Miss … (the first part of the name I use) is created by Mr. Roger Hargreaves.