Mira

By Elizabeth Su-Ann Lim

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Part One

A Friend, At Last

Mira couldn't sleep; she had came down to warm herself up. The common room was dark. She took out her wand and mumbled, "Incendio!" and instantly, a great, roaring fire appeared. She sat on one of the scarlet armchairs in the empty Gryffindor common room, staring at the fire, deep in thought.

She had hurt so much when she was with her parents during last summer. They were oogling over Sean, her new baby brother. They detested her, and were constantly shouting at her. "You are so useless!", her mother had screamed, when she accidentally dribbled milk over Sean when she was feeding him in his crib. "Get away from him before you do something else wrong!" Her foster mother's voice rang in her ears.

Tears started to pour out of her once-twinkling emerald blue- green eyes. Her parents had never really loved her. Ever since they knew she had magical powers – she made a window shatter when she was only five – they hated her. She was adopted by her foster parents at the St. Hedwig's Children's Orphanage. Tears still running, she plunged into deep thoughts once more.

She thought of her first year at Hogwarts. Before that, her parents had dropped her at The Leaky Cauldron without a word and left. Professor Dumbledore had written to her, giving her instructions on getting to Diagon Alley. There was a fortune left to her at Gringott's, he wrote.

Mira wiped her eyes with the hem of her pyjama sleeve. She wondered who her dead parents were. Four years at Hogwarts, and she never got the chance to ask Dumbledore about herself, her past. She was so confused. Her head hurt; she hated herself – she didn't have any real friends, and she was terribly shy and quiet most of the time.

She brushed some flyaway, jet-black hair out of her tear- stained cheek. Suddenly, she heard someone cough behind her. Mira turned around, her hand immediately on her wand. She pointed it at a dark shadow sitting on another armchair a few feet away behind her. She couldn't see who it was. "Who is it?", Mira whispered fiercely.

The person, startled, said guiltily in a voice which reminded Mira when her magical powers got out of control (she was eight at that time) and had lied to her parents – as if she was caught in the act, "Boy, you're fierce! I sure hope you don't normally sound like that, because you certainly don't look like the type of person!" Mira could make out his face in the dim firelight. It was Weasley. Mira blushed, turning dark red. She rarely talked to the other Gryffindors, especially him. Aaron Weasley was tall, with a shock of red hair and was a prankster, and he was well known to the whole school for having beat Peeves at his jokes and pranks.

"Look, I'm sorry I invaded your personal space and gave you a fright." Aaron was nervously eyeing her raised wand. Mira promptly lowered it. He was smiling at Mira, his voice sounding both amused and surprised. "But this is our common room, after all, and you're not the only one who can't sleep. Except that I like being in the dark. Sorry."

She murmured, "I-It's okay." She chided herself for overreacting. Brushing her untidy shoulder-length hair nervously, she said, "Well, um, good night, I'd like to sleep now." Shuffling softly and avoiding Aaron's gaze, Mira started to the staircase leading to the girls' dormitories.

"But, wait, er, are you okay? Because um, I kinda saw you crying." Aaron was now standing up, his voice full of concern. Mira bit her lip, a tear escaping from her eye. Aaron, who obviously saw her, stood up and led Mira to an armchair. "Do sit down, I'll get you a glass of water."

A few tears rolled down her cheek. She had never knew what it was, being loved; she wanted to find out about her real parents desperately, dead or not. Looking up, she was surprised to see Aaron's sparkling blue eyes staring strangely wistfully into her green ones. Startled, she looked another way, avoiding Aaron's beautiful blue eyes. Going red, Aaron gave her her glass of water. "Thanks, Aaron," she mumbled, swallowing the painfully cold water, avoiding looking at him.

"You're welcome." Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Aaron sitting to an armchair next to her, concern still in his eyes. He ran his hand through his hair, making it stand up. Mira giggled, despite her worries. He looked hilarious, with his red hair standing up stiffly. "What?", came Aaron's slightly amused voice. "Your hair," Mira pointed, "is standing up in every direction."

"Oh," Aaron said, flattening his hair. He grinned at her, still red with embarrassment and stammering. "So, t-tell me what's wrong. You really look like you need someone to listen, so here—here I am." Mira hesitated. She had never talked to anyone about her problems. Fighting desperately to keep herself from crying, everything poured out, from the problems about her foster parents to her dead wizard parents. Suddenly, tears were flooding out of her eyes. Without her knowing, Aaron had came over, next to her and had started dabbing her eyes with his handkerchief.

"Oh my goodness, I'm sorry, bothering you with my problems," Mira said in a small voice, giving Aaron a watery smile. Noticing his tear- stained handkerchief, she gasped and said, "I—I'm sorry." Aaron replied, his arm awkwardly on Mira's shoulder, "It's, um, okay. Don't cry. Personally," he started whispering, "I don't really know what to do when girls cry, so do stop, or else I'll panic."

Mira gave him another watery smile. It had been like she was drowning in helplessness before, but now she was so relieved; it felt like surfacing and breathing again. "And about your real parents, I'll accompany you to see Dumbledore if you'd like, first thing tomorrow," Aaron continued.

Mira's face was so close to Aaron's, she could practically count his freckles. She resisted the weird temptation to brush a stray red hair out of his eyes, and inched her face further away. Aaron was starting to turn red again. "Um, I'm off to bed now, good night. And congratulations on you turning McGonagall's quill into a live rat yesterday, I've never heard her scream like that before." Mira said softly, chuckling at the incident.

"'Night, Mira. And thanks. I had to do detention with Snape, so I guess it was worth it." Aaron replied, his eyes sparkling. "I want to sit here some more and warm myself up, your Incendio spell is certainly effective! Mine can only light a small measly handful of fire." Returning his smile, Mira shuffled up the stairs, her heart feeling lighter than before in her four years at Hogwarts.



Part Two

The Truth

Mira woke up the next morning, a ray of sunshine peeking through a gap at her bed curtains. It was Saturday morning. As last night's happenings flooded in her mind, she smiled to herself, brushing her wavy hair and pulling it back into a ponytail. She changed to a pair of denim jeans and a sweater, and headed down to the common room.

There were a few students in the common room who'd finished breakfast. She gave a small yawn, still feeling tired and looked around for Aaron. "Hey there, sleepyhead! Been waiting for you for ages!" Aaron called across the room in one of the armchairs. His friends around him (and other students in the common room as well) turned their heads to look at Mira, gaping.

Mira groaned inwardly. Almost all of the Gryffindors knew who she was, despite her being really shy and quiet, as Dumbledore often gave awarded her points for being the top student in each year-end feast. She had been so clammed up, none of the Gryffindors bothered to talk to her. But Aaron changed everything and she decided for herself that she, Mira O'Connor, was happy.

Hearing one of his friends cry out, "Wow, Weasley, since when did you get shy and oh-so-quiet Mira to be your new girlfriend?" snapped her back to reality. She blushed a deep crimson, hoping no one was listening. But alas, it now seemed that everyone was giving amused looks at her. After all, Aaron was well known for two other reasons: his good looks and the number of girls chasing him around school. She looked at Aaron for help, wringing her hands nervously.

Aaron glared at his friend and said, "Shut up, or I'll stick a few horned toads under your bed tonight, Keaton." And to everyone's surprise, went over, took Mira's arm and led her to the portrait hole.

Kyle Keaton's voice (and his friends' laughter) rang over to them in a sing-song voice. "Weasley's got a girlfriend, Weasley's got a girlfriend!" Fuming, Aaron stepped out of the hole and muttered to himself, "I'm so going to kill that ruddy git!"

Mira glanced at him nervously and said, "Um, I'm sorry." Aaron mused, "Don't keep apologizing, Mira, you should stand up for yourself and get out of that shell of yours!", grinning at her. "I'm okay, I'm just starving. Now let's get some breakfast before we go see Dumbledore, shall we?" Mira had to hold back her breath when Aaron's hand pushed a stray tendril of her hair over her ear. For some reason, Aaron's touch felt like electric. Shrugging it off, she walked with Aaron to the Great Hall.



Munching on some toast, Mira was trying to listen to Aaron. The number of students in the Great Hall was thinning, and there were no teachers on the staff table. "I've been to Dumbledore's office before," he said, taking a gulp of pumpkin juice and continued talking, but his voice faded away. Her palms felt cold. What was Dumbledore going to tell about her parents? She ached so much to know about them. It felt good to have Aaron on her side, to have a friend at last…

"Mira? Mira?" Aaron was shaking her. "Y—yes?" Mira replied, and saved his wobbling goblet in time to prevent spilling pumpkin juice all over themselves. "Are you okay?", he asked, the same concern from last night returning. "Yes, I am, but I'm just so nervous, about my d—dead pa—parents." She gave a small grin at him.

In broad daylight, Aaron looked so— so cute, Mira thought. "All right, looks like our breakfasts are finished. Let's go!" They stood up and walked to the doors. As Aaron shyly took her hand, she snatched her hand away from his immediately, her face burning: no one had ever held her hand before, not like this. "Sorry, Mira," he whispered.

"No, it's just that no one's ev—ever held my hand, not like this," she stammered, her head down. Aaron, looking like a tomato with red hair, couldn't think of anything to say. "Let's get going," Mira murmured, flushed.

As they walked in the corridors, Mira, who guiltily noticed Aaron's crestfallen face, timidly reached out for his hand and held it. After all, she needed his support. Aaron grinned sheepishly at her. Mira returned his grin, gave him a peck on his cheek and murmured, "Thanks for everything," in his ear.



"Peppermint drops," Aaron said to the stone gargoyle, who sprang to life and stepped aside. Mira, still holding Aaron's hand, said curiously, "How'd you know the password?"

"Well, as you know, I've been playing pranks since my first year and Dumbledore has brought me in his office hundreds of times, when McGonagall gets tired of lecturing me about my promising wizarding future." He said the last three words exactly like McGonagall's stern voice. Mira stifled a giggle as Aaron knocked on the oak doors.

"Come in!", boomed Dumbledore's slightly muffled voice. Mira opened the door and went in. "Well, well, well, Mr. Weasley again. What's brought you here with Miss O'Connor?" said Dumbledore, who was sitting behind his desk, a smile lighting up his old and tired wrinkled face.

Both of them sat themselves in two armchairs. Returning very much to her shy self, Mira said, "Professor Dumbledore, I'd like to know about my parents. Could you tell me more about them?", clutching Aaron's hands nervously. "Professor Dumbledore, sir, Mira's not being treated well by her Muggle foster parents. Do tell her about her real parents, she's been dying to find out!", piped Aaron. Mira stared at him, horrified, and was about to stop him from revealing anything else when Dumbledore walked over, right in front of them.

Dumbledore smiled. "Well, Mira, I'm pleased you've come to find out the truth, with the help of Weasley here," he said, amused, his eyes pausing at their held hands. "I'm very pleased to tell you that your real father was very well-known in the wizarding world, Mira, he is… Harry Potter."

Aaron stared at Mira, his mouth open in surprise. Mira couldn't believe the news. She had read about famous Harry Potter in some books, but surely, her father, Harry Potter? "Ha—Harry Potter, Professor? Are you sure?"

Dumbledore replied, "As old as I am, my memory of you and your real parents as a family, being so happy, never left me at all. Your father loved you so much, Mira." His voice turned grave, shaking his head. "He was killed by Voldemort, as you know, who duelled with me after he murdered your parents. I was outraged at the cruel murder of your parents, Mira. I'm terribly sorry." A tired smile returned to his face. "Well, Voldemort lost, and I'm a very lucky old man to be here today."

Aaron was still gaping in surprise. "Have you ever wondered why you could shatter a window when you were only five? Your parents were powerful wizards, Mira." Dumbledore continued. "And your mother is Sephia Jackson Potter, the most wonderful and well-loved Head Girl Hogwarts' had in years," Dumbledore continued. "Now that's all I can reveal, for now. Oh, and you have your father's and mother's beautiful eyes, child." Dumbledore looked deep into her eyes as she stared into his clear blue smiling ones. "Well, off you go now, I've got a lot to do," he said, shooing them out of his office.

Mira burst into tears of happiness outside the office. Aaron put his arms around her. "Thank you so much for being such an angel, Aaron," she said through tears. "I still can't believe—" Mira started to say, but was broke off by Aaron kissing her softly. Mira returned his kiss happily.

As they finally released each other, Aaron pulled Mira along, running at high speed through corridors (much to Mrs. Norris' and Filch's annoyance) until they reached a statue of an odd-looking, three-eyed wizard with a long, crooked nose. Aaron tapped the wizard's hat with his wand, muttered "Flipendo!" and a door opened behind the wizard. Inside was a beautiful, small but cozy looking room with a few armchairs, a sofa and a fireplace inside.

"I found this while I was exploring Hogwarts," Aaron said, his arm around her waist, smiling mischievously at Mira. As both of them sat on the blue sofa, Aaron pushed another jet-black tendril off her face and said, "I—I've been having this major crush on you ever since second year, Mira Potter, ever since you helped me out at Charms once, remember? And I can't contain my feelings anymore…" Mira sat still in shock over the news. "Well, I, um, like you a lot, too, Aaron. But why choose me? I mean, they're plenty of other girls chasing you around." Her feelings for him poured out of her, just like that.

"Mira, I love you, and further more, I don't quite like brainless nosy girls chasing after me," Aaron looked so happy, she thought he'd burst. Then he leant over to kiss Mira. Mira smiled and received his kiss, wrapping her arms around him. When they broke apart, Mira ruffled his hair. "I love you so much, Mira," he whispered in her ear and started kissing her neck. "I love you, too, and ooh— it tickles!"

Aaron stopped and stared up lovingly at her. This time, Mira couldn't resist kissing him. Mira felt so happy. She wished her real parents could see her and Aaron together.