Chapter 28 – The Power of Friendship, or What You See is What You Are
- - - - - - - -
"Why.....why is it so dark? I can't see.....but, what's that?" James stood, unwound himself from sleep and something else, and walked over to the only thing he could see in the pitch black void.
It was a mirror.
"A mirror.....only a mirror. What's it doing here?" James tapped it. It didn't seem too special – just an ordinary, oval mirror.....that happened to be hanging in midair. It didn't even show his reflection. He started to turn away from it.
'James.....'
"Huh!? Who said that?" He spun back to the mirror.
'Have a look, James. Don't be afraid. It's only your soul.....' now his reflection was inside, yet.....
"I-I can't, I have to go.....help Maria....."
'Do you honestly care for her, James? She's just an arrogant little twit.....leave her be....."
James' eyes widened. "What!? Who are you!?"
'I'm you, James. I'm your soul.'
"I.....I don't understand....."
'Don't go to her, James. She is weak. Just leave her be.....her death will be a holy blessing.'
"No! I don't know who you are, but you're not me!"
'.....James. Bare your heart to me.' His reflection suddenly changed – into Lily!
"James! What are you doing here!?"
James blinked. "I'm trying to save Maria, Lils. Your best friend....."
"Oh.....! Forget about her and come back to me!"
"W-what!? Lily, that's not like you!"
Lily put her hands on her hips. "What? What's the matter with you? I thought you loved me."
James swallowed. "I do. I love you, Lily, but I won't let one of our best friends just slip away. If you really loved me, you'd be patient. Love is patient. It waits if it is true."
Suddenly, Lily smiled. "That's right, James. I'll wait forever if I have to. You save Maria. You save me best friend. I know you can, James." She vanished, and his reflection was back, smiling cruelly at him. But it didn't say anything.
James sighed. Just as he was about to turn away, his reflection spoke again. "That's good, James, but it's not love that will save you and bring Maria back. That's what put you here in the first place."
"I.....don't....."
Mirror James sighed. "Come closer, James, and bare your memories to me."
Once again, his reflection was gone, but this time, it was replaced with a scene. James saw himself curled around Maria, both lying on a bed in the hospital wing. Noel, Remus, Lily, and Professor Dumbledore were there, asleep. But Sirius.....
James' heart constricted. Sirius' arms were flung over James, and he was crying.
"Sirius.....are you really crying.....for me?"
For as long as they'd been best friends, James had never seen Sirius cry. But there he was.....crying. He touched the mirror. "Siri.....please don't.....I can't stand to see you cry....."
The scene changed, and he saw his eleven-year-old self wandering around the Hogwarts Express. As he watched, Little Sirius ran past, then skidded to a stop.
"Hiya, I'm Sirius Black. Who are you?"
"James Potter."
"Ohhh.....wanna be best friends?"
"Okay!"
Then another change.....Sirius' face, so happy after they had played their first successful prank; so dream-filled when he first laid eyes on Maria.....and now.....
"James, I'm so sorry," Sirius sobbed. "This is all my fault.....I hurt her, James, and I hurt you, too....."
Tears gathered in James' eyes. "Oh, no, Siri.....please, it's okay.....I forgive you, Sirius....."
The mirror shattered.
- - - - - - - -
a/n: Another chapter over. Thank you, reviewers. You make my day.
- - - - - - - -
"Why.....why is it so dark? I can't see.....but, what's that?" James stood, unwound himself from sleep and something else, and walked over to the only thing he could see in the pitch black void.
It was a mirror.
"A mirror.....only a mirror. What's it doing here?" James tapped it. It didn't seem too special – just an ordinary, oval mirror.....that happened to be hanging in midair. It didn't even show his reflection. He started to turn away from it.
'James.....'
"Huh!? Who said that?" He spun back to the mirror.
'Have a look, James. Don't be afraid. It's only your soul.....' now his reflection was inside, yet.....
"I-I can't, I have to go.....help Maria....."
'Do you honestly care for her, James? She's just an arrogant little twit.....leave her be....."
James' eyes widened. "What!? Who are you!?"
'I'm you, James. I'm your soul.'
"I.....I don't understand....."
'Don't go to her, James. She is weak. Just leave her be.....her death will be a holy blessing.'
"No! I don't know who you are, but you're not me!"
'.....James. Bare your heart to me.' His reflection suddenly changed – into Lily!
"James! What are you doing here!?"
James blinked. "I'm trying to save Maria, Lils. Your best friend....."
"Oh.....! Forget about her and come back to me!"
"W-what!? Lily, that's not like you!"
Lily put her hands on her hips. "What? What's the matter with you? I thought you loved me."
James swallowed. "I do. I love you, Lily, but I won't let one of our best friends just slip away. If you really loved me, you'd be patient. Love is patient. It waits if it is true."
Suddenly, Lily smiled. "That's right, James. I'll wait forever if I have to. You save Maria. You save me best friend. I know you can, James." She vanished, and his reflection was back, smiling cruelly at him. But it didn't say anything.
James sighed. Just as he was about to turn away, his reflection spoke again. "That's good, James, but it's not love that will save you and bring Maria back. That's what put you here in the first place."
"I.....don't....."
Mirror James sighed. "Come closer, James, and bare your memories to me."
Once again, his reflection was gone, but this time, it was replaced with a scene. James saw himself curled around Maria, both lying on a bed in the hospital wing. Noel, Remus, Lily, and Professor Dumbledore were there, asleep. But Sirius.....
James' heart constricted. Sirius' arms were flung over James, and he was crying.
"Sirius.....are you really crying.....for me?"
For as long as they'd been best friends, James had never seen Sirius cry. But there he was.....crying. He touched the mirror. "Siri.....please don't.....I can't stand to see you cry....."
The scene changed, and he saw his eleven-year-old self wandering around the Hogwarts Express. As he watched, Little Sirius ran past, then skidded to a stop.
"Hiya, I'm Sirius Black. Who are you?"
"James Potter."
"Ohhh.....wanna be best friends?"
"Okay!"
Then another change.....Sirius' face, so happy after they had played their first successful prank; so dream-filled when he first laid eyes on Maria.....and now.....
"James, I'm so sorry," Sirius sobbed. "This is all my fault.....I hurt her, James, and I hurt you, too....."
Tears gathered in James' eyes. "Oh, no, Siri.....please, it's okay.....I forgive you, Sirius....."
The mirror shattered.
- - - - - - - -
a/n: Another chapter over. Thank you, reviewers. You make my day.