A/N: I want to thank Raziel Tepes for correcting me on another spelling error, and for wishing me a Harry New Year. And to answer Romantic2's question, yes. Ron might agree, thinking about butterbeer, and Malcolm would agree, knowing it's not allowed. They might not like it, but they would be willing to give it a try. Francis, however, has strange morals. He would never give any of his brothers, or their friends, real beer. Unless his mother specifically told him not to.

Chapter Twenty Two: The Mirror of Erised

I just want you to know. It wasn't Mom. It wasn't Reese. And it definitely wasn't Dewey. Actually, it was Dewey. He said that he saw a Christmas tree in the common room and I had some presents under there. Ron wanted to go back early anyway. It seems that living with muggles was enough for one week but he didn't want to get used to it. Anyway, Mom thought it was a good idea that we go back directly to Hogwarts. And so we're back.

"Malcolm, I didn't want to say anything, but your family scares me."

"What's to be scared of?"

"Reese thinks it's fun to hit people. Your Mum yells all the time. Your brother, Dewey, is . . . I'm not sure, but he's scary."

"But Francis is pretty cool."

"I thought so until your parents went out that night and he invited us up to the roof."

"You're afraid of heights?"

"MALCOLM! The four of you were using a slingshot to shoot fruit at people. The grapes were funny. And the peaches, I guess. But that was a big slingshot."

"We've made bigger."

"That's not the point. The police came by after your brother launched that watermelon."

"They couldn't prove anything?"

Really. We can take everything down and hide it in less than a minute. I know they suspect us, but they suspect us of everything. Half the times they come by, they say they're only checking.

Ron was wide-eyed at that last remark. "Didn't it ever occur to you that it might be wrong?"

Malcolm paused. "No. Anyway, Dewey said we had presents that were still here. Let's check it out."

Malcolm led the way to the tree and looked underneath. There was only one package and it was addressed to him. He picked it up and sat down on a nearby chair to open it.

"It's a cloak. This stuff feels weird. Like it's made of water."

"Try it on," Ron suggested. When Malcolm put the cloak on, Ron gasped. "I know what that is. It's an invisibility cloak."

Malcolm's eyes lit up. "I . . . I can't see myself. Wait a minute." Malcolm threw the cloak over his head. "I can see though the cloak. Can you see me at all?"

"Not even a shadow."

Malcolm took off the cloak, amazed at such a gift. "Who gave it to me?" He looked in the packaging and found a note. "Your father left this in my care. I thought you could find a good use for it."

Ron read it from over his shoulder. "There's no name."

My father?

Malcolm stared silently at the note. "Maybe I should put this away for now."

Now, Ron stared in surprise. Malcolm had received the perfect gift for him to cause a great amount of trouble, but he didn't want to use it. "I thought you'd want to try it out by sneaking somewhere."

"Maybe later," Malcolm said without frowning. "I want to check out another present. The owl Hagrid gave me."

"I'll muck about with Fred and George until you get back."

"Okay."

Malcolm made his way to the owlery and was surprised when a snowy owl immediately flew to him. "You must be Hagrid's gift." The owl nipped playfully at his hand when he went to pet her. He spent the better part of an hour fawning over the bird and left with reluctance when he realized it was almost time for dinner.

Dang the time difference. It should be breakfast according to my stomach. I should've ate before I came back.

On the way back, Malcolm found a use for his new cloak, except that he didn't have it with him. He almost walked in on Snape and Quirrell having an argument. The only part he actually heard was Snape saying, "You should choose carefully which side you're on." To avoid being seen, Malcolm slipped into a nearby room and quietly closed the door behind him.

Good. No dogs. Only a mirror. In fact, there's nothing else in this room.

Malcolm walked over to the mirror. It was tall and had an ornate frame with strange words at the top. He looked in the mirror and smiled. His reflection smiled back at him. Then he stared. His reflection stared back at him as a man and a woman appeared on either side of him. Malcolm looked behind him but he was still alone. The two adults in the mirror smiled at him.

The man took his hand and lifted up some of Malcolm's hair, looking amused. The woman also seemed to laugh. Malcolm felt his own head, but no hand was there. No one was touching him. Only his reflection. He looked closer at the two figures. The woman had green eyes. The same color as his. And the man. The man had black hair. He also wore glasses. And there was an eerie similarity between his features and Malcolm's.

"Are you my mom and dad?"

The two figures in the mirror nodded. Malcolm smiled. The woman put her hand on his shoulder and squeezed it. Malcolm put his hand on his own shoulder. His reflection followed him and put his hand on his mother's hand. Malcolm's father put his hand out, and rested it on Malcolm's.

I see it, but I don't feel their hands. They're not really here.

Malcolm began to cry.

"Malcolm."

The boy turned around.

"Professor Dumbledore."

"We missed you at supper. Ronald told me you went to the owlery. When you weren't there, I thought I would look in here."

"How long have I been here?"

"Hours. It is time for you to be in bed."

"Hours?" Malcolm turned around again to look at the mirror. "I saw my parents. In the reflection. You know, the ones that died."

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow. "That is curious. I would have thought, considering that you have a family . . ."

"I never knew anything about them. I didn't even know what they looked like. What kind of mirror is this?"

Dumbledore could see the sad eyes in Malcolm's reflection. He walked up to Malcolm and put a hand on his shoulder. In the reflection, Malcolm saw him standing between his parents. His parents looked at Dumbledore with familiarity and trust.

"It's called the Mirror of Erised. It does nothing more than show us our deepest, darkest desires."

Malcolm nodded. "That explains it. Ever since I found out I was adopted, I wanted to know where I came from, what my . . . Mom and Dad . . . were like. It isn't real then. It's just a reflection." He looked at his mother and father one last time. "Goodbye."

"Would you like something to eat?" Dumbledore asked as he led Malcolm away.

"Yeah. I'm starving." Malcolm watched as Dumbledore closed the door behind them. "Professor, is that mirror always there?"

"It's only there for a while. In fact, we are moving it tomorrow."

"Because of me?"

"Because of you? No, my boy. We have other uses for it. In fact, had you not come back early, you would never have come across it." To change the subject, Dumbledore asked, "Did you like Hagrid's present?"

"The owl? Yeah, she's great. I think she even likes me."

"What did you name her?"

"I haven't thought of a name yet . . . Yes, I have. Do you think my mom would mind if I called her Lily?"

Dumbledore paused as he understood which mother Malcolm was referring to. "I think your mother would be flattered." He pointed toward the owlery. "Did you want to tell someone, first?"

Malcolm smiled. "Thanks. I would. And I know I shouldn't say this but with everything that's happened today it makes me feel kinda funny."

"You're being so serious, Malcolm. I don't know what to say."

Malcolm tried to smirk. "You're supposed to say I look kinda funny."

Albus chuckled. "I apologize. I am used to being the straight man." He smiled when Malcolm managed to laugh.

"She's beautiful," Hermione said when Malcolm showed her his owl. "What's her name?"

"Lily?"

"What's the joke?" Hermione noticed that Malcolm's eyes seemed to dim for a brief moment.

"Because she's white as a Lily? Get it?"

"Shouldn't that be white as snow?"

"Too obvious," Malcolm said cheerfully. "I've been reading up on how to take care of her."

"Have you read up on anything else?" Hermione hinted.

"Albus Dumbledore."

"I was referring to Nicholas Flamel."

"Albus Dumbledore, with his partner Nicholas Flamel, discovered the twelve uses of dragons' blood. It's on the back of every Chocolate Frog (TM) Wizard Card."

"And you discovered this when?"

"When Dewey decided to read out loud the backs of every card he got from every chocolate frog he ate on Christmas. Except I think he ate one of the cards, too. Somebody named Agrippa. Funny thing, Ron took that really hard."