Author's notes: I got the idea about the sliding glass doors on the Hogwarts Express from the new Azkaban movie.
The idea that there's a rumor at the Ministry of Magic that Dumbledore has the Mirror of Emit stashed away at Hogwarts is from Slate-One.
Chapter Fourteen
"Twinky," I said. "I guess I'm going to Hogwarts today. Can you please help me pack my things?"
The house elf danced around excitedly. "Yes, yes, Missy! The train leaves at eleven." All the house elves seemed to love me, probably because I was the only one in Malfoy Manor that didn't kick, curse or scream at them. "Missy must dress as a Muggle to go to King's Cross station in London."
I slid into my jeans and a t-shirt. I searched the book of hair-grooming spells that the lady at the beauty shop gave me. I tried some of the anti- tangle and anti-knot spells. They worked immediately, but unfortunately, my smooth hair outraged the stone-imps, and they began making knots again in a flurry.
"Get out of my hair," I wailed at their reflection in the mirror. "You can't live in there forever, you know. My uncle is a very powerful wizard." This only earned me several rude noises and obscene gestures.
"This is disgusting!" I marched out of my bedroom. Surely since Mr. Malfoy had long hair, he must have had this problem before. I wondered how he was recovering from being tortured the night before. I felt like I should say goodbye to him, even though he hadn't been too happy about me going to school.
I quietly peeked into Mr. Malfoy's bedroom. Mrs. Malfoy had her own room, and I was relieved not to have to deal with her this morning. The Mediwizards had all left. Mr. Malfoy looked peaceful lying there with his eyes closed. I walked up to take a closer look at him. His hair splashed out onto his pillow like silver silk. I couldn't resist. I reached out and stroked it with a finger.
Mr. Malfoy's hand reached out and caught mine. I found his eyes open, watching me with some amusement. They were glossy, as though he had been tranquilized. He obviously hadn't been sleeping. "My dear, you actually look concerned for me." He smiled slightly. "You'll never be sorted into Slytherin at this rate."
"Are you okay?" I asked a bit anxiously.
"Yes, I have to rest a bit, and my Mediwizards have forbidden me to use magic for the rest of the day, but other than that, I'll be fine."
"That was horrible, what the Dark Lord did to you." I bit my lip, and tears came to my eyes. "How can you stand it? How can you stand living like this?"
To my astonishment Mr. Malfoy pressed my hand to his lips. "Pull up a chair, Miriel. Stop hovering over me. I've had Mediwizards fussing over me all morning. They've given me enough sedating potions to take down a hippogriff." He yawned.
I sat down. "I came to say goodbye before I left for Hogwarts, but, um, I seem to have a problem." I heard an explosion of tiny laughter coming from somewhere on my head.
He looked at my hair with a look of distaste on his face. "Obviously I need to teach you the method of eliminating stone-imp infestations. Twinky!"
Twinky arrived in a pop.
"Bring me a large magic-containment jar," Mr. Malfoy told her.
When Twinky brought the jar in and set it on the nightstand, Mr. Malfoy told me, "Take out your wand. Now point to your head, repeat the words, 'dimittero Proverti.' Then point your wand to the jar."
I had to repeat the words several times before I got them right, and then it felt like a miniature tornado ripped through my hair! The little stone- imps began shrieking, and to my amazement, they flew through the air in a spiral of wind, and were sucked down into the jar. I slammed the cap of the jar down on top of it. I didn't realize there had been so many of the little creatures. They were furious, hurling themselves against the glass and making nasty faces at me. The baby imp sat on the floor of the jar and cried. To my amazement, their bodies began to glow with a blue light, and tiny sparks crackled from their hands until it looked like I had entrapped a miniature lightning storm.
"Can I set them loose outside?" I asked.
But Mr. Malfoy was staring at my wand in wonder. The morning light from the window hit it, and it glittered and flashed in my hand, sending dizzying dots of colored light around the room."
"May I?" He held out his hand, and I slid the wand into it. "I've heard that very powerful Chinese wizards use wands made of jade, but I've never heard of a wand of adamant. How did you manage to pay for this? Did Ollivander add this to my account?"
"He gave it to me as an engagement present," I said.
A shadow passed over his features. "Ah, yes, an engagement that is, as of now, postponed. When asked about it, simply state that I have not yet made up my mind. Perhaps, since you were raised as a Muggle, I would like to see you prove yourself to me before I make a final decision."
I stopped myself from making a face. There was no way that I was going to tell people that.
"It would be wise if you did not...advertise the implications of this wand," Mr. Malfoy continued. "The Ministry of Magic would have you down there immediately, for one thing, while they did studies, took photographs and conducted an entire inquisition. They're very thorough, if nothing else. They even keep an extensive list of all the registered Silverthorn mirrors at Hogwarts."
"At Hogwarts? You mean, Professor Dumbledore has them?" I remembered that the headmaster had mentioned Silverthorn mirrors that I was heir to.
"Yes, after your grandfather disappeared into the Mirror of Emit, Dumbledore became the legal keeper of the Silverthorn family's mirrors. They're all stashed away at the school. There are rumors going around the Ministry that he is also secretly hiding the Mirror of Emit there as well. They've tried searching the castle many times, but have been unable to come up with anything."
"What exactly does the Mirror of Emit do?"
Mr. Malfoy's pushed himself up a bit on his pillows, and his eyes lit up as though he found the subject fascinating. "Your grandfather originally created it as a portal through time and space. He broke about a million of the Ministry of Magic's laws in doing this, of course. The Ministry considers time travel to be much too dangerous to play with. Supposedly, through this mirror, one could travel to different times and places. Obviously Silverthorn did not know what he was doing, because somehow he got himself trapped in the bloody thing."
"You mean, he's still there?" I asked, surprised. "He's actually trapped inside the mirror?"
Mr. Malfoy shrugged. "No one has heard from him since. I believe that Miranda attempted to draw her father back from the mirror, but she was unable to do so. It might have been that she simply did not have the amount of power that it required. Miranda attempted to modify the mirror for the Dark Lord, until one could communicate to other people in different times. In theory, the Dark Lord could actually have talked to a young Tom Riddle in the past, and in so doing, change the course of events."
I sat in silence, considering the implications of this. It was rather horrifying.
Mr. Malfoy sighed. "What could I do with such a mirror?" I looked over at him and his eyes were filled with regret. "What would I tell a younger version of myself?" He closed his eyes. I thought maybe he had fallen asleep, until his voice took on a dreamy quality. I leaned forward to catch his words. "I was quite young, younger than you are now, Miriel, when I became a Death Eater. My father was a harsh man, who was difficult to please. He was one of the Dark Lord's first and most passionate supporters. He firmly believed that the Muggles, with their developing technology, were a threat to our wizarding culture. Especially in the fifties, young wizards had begun to take an unhealthy interest in the new Muggle television, and this invention began influencing our language, music, clothing, and our very way of life. I joined the ranks of the Dark Lord mostly to gain my father's approval but also to help preserve our culture. The Dark Lord was very persuasive. By the time that I realized exactly what service to the Dark Lord entailed, I was trapped." Mr. Malfoy glanced at me, and something on my face made him pause. "What is it?" He asked. "What are you thinking about?"
"Nothing," I said. "I was just thinking about your story."
Mr. Malfoy looked into my eyes. "Do not believe that just because I am drugged up to my eyebrows that I am a fool. Now tell me."
I squirmed uncomfortably. I hated it that he could read my mind. "I just remembered something Dumbledore told me. I asked him where the Mirror of Emit was. He said that it wasn't, um, prudent to tell me. That's all."
"He didn't deny its existence?" Mr. Malfoy looked at me sharply. When I wouldn't meet his eyes, he changed tactics. "Miriel, wouldn't you like to see your mother again?"
I looked up at him with a start. "What do you mean?"
"The Mirror of Emit could give this to you. That mirror could change everything, destroy the Dark Lord, and give me back my life. The Dark Lord is too powerful for me, for anyone, to defy. In spite of that ridiculous prophecy about Harry Potter destroying the Dark Lord, the brat will never be able to pull it off. He's Draco's age, for Merlin's sake. It's only a matter of time until Potter follows his parents' fate."
"So you want me to find the mirror? And give it to you?" An uncomfortable feeling squirmed in the pit of my stomach. He had made it all sound so simple, but I had read enough novels to know that messing around with time was always tricky and unpredictable.
"Dumbledore obviously cares a great deal about you," Mr. Malfoy said. "He has no reason to distrust you. If you find me this mirror, Miriel, I swear that I will find a way for you to be with your mother again."
"Don't say that," I whispered. "Don't get my hopes up like that."
Mr. Malfoy smiled gently. "I realize that life must be getting very complicated for you right now," He said. "You're supposed to marry my son, who will one day live the same cursed life that I do. You're to spy on Harry Potter, become Severus' little protégé, and learn how to become a decent witch at that abominable school. I assure you, my dear, if you found the Mirror of Emit, everything could be sorted out." He glanced at the clock on the wall. "I'm afraid I'm tiring, and it's almost time for you to go. You and Draco will have to go by yourselves today."
"What about the stone-imps? Do I let them loose outside?"
"No, unfortunately, the imps are magically powerful for their size. They are extremely resistant to hexes and curses, as well. Unless they found another host immediately, they would find a way to return to you. Perhaps you should take them to school with you, keeping them in the jar, of course. When your new potions instructor provokes you to anger, you could inflict him with them." He chuckled as though he enjoyed the image.
"Why would Severus make me angry?" I picked up the glass jar, feeling its heat and energy under my fingers, generated no doubt by the imps.
"He's not terribly patient with his students. He's irritating enough outside of school, but at Hogwarts he acts like he has a broomstick up his arse."
"Thanks for warning me," I said sarcastically.
"Severus uses stone-imps' wings in some kind of hex-repelling potion, so he'd probably thank you... eventually."
"Ugh. I couldn't do that, then." I watched the imps through the glass jar. They had finally calmed down somewhat, although they looked very cranky. As aggravated as I had been by them, I couldn't bear the thought of killing them.
Mr. Malfoy rolled his eyes, but he was smiling. "You certainly do have heroic tendencies, don't you? Please tell the sorting hat that if it places you into Gryffindor, I will personally come to that school and throw the bloody thing into the nearest fire." He motioned for me to bend down and kissed me on the cheek. "Please remember what I've told you," he whispered. And then I left.
"I'm supposed to do what?" I stood in front of the barrier between platforms nine and ten. People jostled me on their way to the other platforms, and I couldn't help but feel a bit silly. "Are you sure that no one can see us do this?"
"Just make a run for it, and you'll pass right through," Draco told me. "Don't stop and don't be scared you'll crash into it, that's very important."
I pushed my trolley around and stared at the barrier. It looked very solid.
Draco sighed with exasperation. "Look, I'll do it first, and then you follow."
To my amazement, Draco melted right into the bricks and vanished.
I was considering this, when suddenly I was surrounded by people with flaming red hair. The only one I recognized was Ron, Harry's friend. He looked at me with that same look of distaste that had been on his face in Flourish and Blotts, only this time it was amplified. A short, redheaded girl accompanied him. She shot a glare of pure hatred at me. Two tall, skinny twins grinned wickedly as if they knew that trouble was brewing.
"Look, Mum," One of them said to a plump, redheaded woman walking up behind them. "It's the 'scarlet woman' you've been talking about."
"Um, hi, Miriel," Harry said, appearing at their side.
"Harry!" I suddenly recalled all that the newspaper had said about us, and I felt my face burn with embarrassment. "I'm really sorry about- " I didn't even have time to finish my sentence, because the woman marched up to me and shook her finger in my face. I could tell by the grins on the twins' faces that they were enjoying this immensely.
"You! Who do you think you are? I hope you realize all the trouble you've caused poor Harry," The woman screeched. She wore a shabby dress with a crocheted beret on her head, but she was scarier than Mrs. Malfoy. I doubted that she'd ever need to use a howler. "Toying with the poor boy's affections. I don't care how rich and powerful your family is, you have no right to treat him that way. And that uncle of yours belongs in Azkaban! You-"
"Now, Dear!" A redheaded man who must have been her husband attempted to calm her down. "Harry has explained all about that. Miss Silverthorn was raised as a Muggle." The man turned to me. "Which, by the way, I find fascinating. Can you please tell me-"
"Arthur Weasley!" The woman shrieked. "How can you-"
Harry nudged me toward the brick barrier. His face was bright red. "Just go," he muttered.
I took a deep breath and pushed my trolley toward the barrier. In a moment I stood in an entirely different part of the train station. A scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people. A sign overhead said Hogwarts Express 11:00 A.M.
"That took you long enough," Draco said. "Come on, Crabbe and Goyle will put your luggage on the train." Two huge boys with vacant expressions stood on either side of him. They grimaced at me, and I suppose that it was their version of smiling.
I took a small, leather bag the house elves had given me onto the train. I had packed the jar with the stone-imps inside the bag, and had decided to give them to Severus. Maybe he would know of a way to set them free and they wouldn't end up in a potion.
Each train compartment was shut off by a sliding glass door, which gave the passengers some privacy. Draco and I made our way through the train, until we found an empty one. I relaxed into the seat, feeling a mixture of excitement and relief that we had made it on time. Draco and I ate the huge breakfast that the house elves had packed for us. Crabbe and Goyle joined us, and stared at us with sad faces until we finally shared the food with them.
I opened my bag to check on the stone-imps.
"Hey, you brought your little friends with you, did you?" Draco tapped on the glass jar.
"I wonder if they're hungry," I said.
"They don't eat food, so don't take off the lid, for Merlin's sake," Draco said. "They live off the energy that surrounds the stone sites. They're very active during lightning storms."
"Yeah," Crabbe said, his mouth full of pastry. I had never seen anyone eat so much food so fast. "We learned about those little blighters in Professor Lupin's class. He was a loser, but he knew a lot about imps and pixies and stuff."
After I had finally relaxed and eaten, my eventful night caught up to me and I began to feel sleepy. Draco was busy telling the two eating-machines his evil plans for Harry Potter, when I fell asleep on the seat. I was dead to the world until the train lurched and shook me awake. I blinked up, expecting to see Draco, but the compartment was empty. I glanced down at my bag.
The jar of stone-imps was gone.
I found Draco, Crabbe and Goyle outside one of the train compartments, shrieking with laughter.
"Look at 'em! Look at the Mudblood!" Draco cried.
I looked with horror through the glass door. Harry, Ron, the redheaded girl and another girl with brown, bushy hair were screaming and scrambling on top of each other trying to escape the stone-imps. Glass from the broken jar covered the floor. The stone-imps must have been frustrated from being imprisoned for so long, because now they were furious. They burned with a fierce, blue light that blinded my eyes. They whizzed around the kids so fast that the entire compartment was full of blue light. The imps pulled the kids' hair, pinched their skin and bit their faces. Tiny streaks of blue lightning flew from the imps' hands and shocked the kids. From the way the kids screamed and flayed their arms about, it looked painful. The redheaded girl screamed and desperately tried to pull the door open. The girl with brown, bushy hair managed to repair the glass jar with a spell. The stone-imps grabbed her wand, however, and began to wrestle it away from her.
"I locked the door with a spell," Draco gasped. He laughed so hard that he had to wipe the tears out of his eyes. "It's finally a spell that Granger doesn't know."
"Stop it, Draco!" I demanded. "It's not funny! What if they really get hurt?"
Draco tried to get his mirth under control. "Do you want those things to come after us?" He asked me. "Because that's what will happen if we open that door."
I looked up and down the train. Didn't they have some kind of train attendants to deal with this kind of thing? I couldn't believe they let these kids run wild without some kind of supervision. The little witch with the candy trolley didn't count.
Eventually, the stone-imps tired out. They must have liked the girl's brown, bushy hair the most, because they settled into it. The girl blinked out at us, traumatized, blood running down her face from tiny cuts and bites. The redheaded girl was crying hysterically. Harry shook with rage and glared at Draco, murder blazing in his green eyes.
"You sick creep!" Ron pounded on the glass door. "Open this door and duel like a man!"
Many thanks to all my reviewers!
Thank you, Merryday, Shadowstar21, Hannah and Slate-One
Escaped: Hope things are going well for you. I keep having nightmares about me and Lucius in the dungeon! It's not fair that I don't dream about the sex part, just the whipping part.
Arsinoe de Blassenville: Thanks for reading my story. Have a great trip! Are you going to the U.K. by any chance? If you are, please bring me back some of those Cadbury chocolate truffle thingies ;-) why does tea taste so much better over there?
Dragonwing: Yes, things are getting pretty complicated aren't they? That's very nice of you to say that this is one of your favorite stories. I think I decided to write the kind of story that I would like to read.
Chocoliciouz: You're going to India??? That is too cool. Have a good trip. I don't get to go anywhere fun this summer.
Rycca Wolfbane: Hope your poor head feels better. It's probably from running after all those kids all day! Hope you had fun this weekend, and that you got to see the Azkaban movie.
