Ok long time coming but this is my second go at my second chapter. I have work really hard at it and tried my best to make it perfect, but I could have not have done this without the help of my great friend and awesome editor Sally. I owe you huge. Thank you so much for your help and advice. Both were spot on and so helpful. You're so amazing and talented. So basically all this rambling is to say thank you. So thanks.

Please read it and review everyone else.

Ch Two: Tense time!

There was only one week until the Christmas holidays started and you could tell from the atmosphere. There was that buzz in the air as there always is before Christmas, but the thought of Christmas was not cheering up Harry at all.

All Hermione could talk about was how great it would be to have Christmas at home for a change. She was looking forward to all the traditions; going to church, the meals, and the presents and of course seeing her brother. Since she had first mentioned him she hadn't stopped talking about him.

This didn't seem to bother Ron, who nodded along excitedly as he compared muggle Christmas traditions and the traditions he knew. He reminded Harry faintly of the first time he had met Mr. Wesley, who had been so excited about hearing all about muggle inventions. Hermione was irritating the hell out of Harry and one evening in the common room he finally snapped.

'Look! Fine! You're excited about seeing your brother, but jeez! Not everyone is so stop going on about it already! Not all of us are seeing our family this Christmas!'

Harry stormed off to the dorms knocking Neville over on his way. He didn't even stop to say sorry or acknowledge Neville in any way.

Neville walked over to Ron and Hermione, a confused expression on his round face, and inquired about Harry.

'What is up with him?' he asked.

Hermione shrugged, but Ron was too deep in thought to hear him. Hermione started to talk to Neville about his Christmas plans when Ron suddenly started.

"You know what? We've both have been going on about family and the holidays a lot, and he doesn't really have any family. Especially now that Siri… I mean now that he's dead, so I bet he is just upset about that. I might go talk to him. See if he wants to talk about it."

Hermione looked up and nodded at Ron "I might go to bed. I'll see you in the morning. 'Good night Neville."

"Ron! Get up already! We have to go down to breakfast!"

A loud groan came from the direction of Ron's bed. He pulled his duvet over his head and moaned again.

They'd stayed up most of the night talking about past Christmas's. Like how it was so funny when Mr. Wesley dressed in a bunny costume instead of a Santa costume because he made a mistake in his research. Or how, one year, Percy stole presents from Fred and Georges stocking thinking Santa gave the presents, so no one would ever know that he took it. His parents knew the truth of course but couldn't say anything without ruining Santa for all the younger children. Bill and Charlie had made Percy give back the presents and confess what he'd done though so it all turned out fine. They told him that if he didn't Santa would stop bringing him presents.

Then the talk changed to how they never knew Hermione had a brother and wondering what it would be like to have to hide your magic from someone. Then they moved to how they actually knew so little about Hermione's life at home. They both eventually went to bed exhausted with Ron thinking happily that Harry would be ok now, having talked about it.

He was wrong. He hadn't hit on the real problem at all, but all was about to become clear...

In their first class of the day, Transfiguration with McGonagall, the first thing she did was take the names of those who would be staying at Hogwarts for Christmas. When Harry gave her his name Ron jerked awake. 'What?' he thought 'That isn't right! He was invited to my house...' Then it dawned on him. He had been about to ask Harry to come to his house for Christmas, when he had been distracted by Hermione and her revelation about her brother.

For the whole class McGonagall talked about transforming a chicken into turkey and other similar common festive transformations. Ron, however, was in a world of his own. He was wondering was it still ok to ask Harry to stay or was it too late. He was also wondering would Harry understand or be mad at him.

"So Ron, are you going to answer me or am going to have to ask again but this time with dire consequences?"

'Huh?' Ron stared up at McGonagall, who was standing over him, and all he could think of was that her nostrils got really big when she was mad. "Wait a minute. Mad?" he thought "Mad at me? Ok, ok... Em... What had she been talking about?"

"Well Weasley?" She was standing there getting ever more impatient and tapping her foot on the cold marble. Ron had a brain wave.

"Em... the common mistake of transforming chicken to turkey is that the chicken's flavour remains because they are so similar?" He finished, hopeful he had got it right.

Hermione sighed and shook her head in disapproval and he knew he hadn't but McGonagall just laughed
"Well at least you were listening at some point in the class today."

She walked back to the front of the class only pausing to silence a sniggering Malfoy with her stare.

"Well that's it for this class. Off you go to your next class and I expect those essays to be in after Christmas" She said "Weasley stay behind" she added, and sat down at her desk.

"I knew I got of to easily." Ron muttered to Harry as he made his way up to her desk.

"Well Mr. Weasley what do you have to say for yourself?" she inquired in her even but severe voice.

"Em... Sorry, but I was just thinking about" he looked down at his feet "Em... well about Harry…"

"Oh" she interrupted softly

"I forgot to invite him to back to my house for Christmas. He'll be here by himself, and I was just wondering could I still invite him?" he shrugged.

"I'm afraid not. He has put his name down to staying. It can't be changed now." She said crisply. Then softer and more gently she added, "I am sure if you explain to Harry he'll understand. He'll have the company of all his other classmates who are staying. It might be good for you three, you, Harry and Hermione that is, to get to know other people in your year and make new friends. It can't do any harm, can it?"

"Yes it can" said Ron quickly then went quiet. Why did he say that? And more importantly, why did he feel so sure he was right? And why did he think it could do great damage?

McGonagall looked at him curiously but decided to just get back to the point of the conversation.

"Well, I will let you off with no punishment this time Weasley, but be warned, you had better listen in every single one of my classes in future, or I won't be so generous."

Ron felt so bad. No wonder Harry had gotten all moody any time Christmas was mentioned, and let's face it, at this time of year it was a lot. He was so ashamed that he couldn't talk to Harry all day. He went through the rest of the days classes avoiding Harry's eyes and never said more than one word in reply. He just felt he had let his friend down so bad.

Eventually, Harry said something...

"Ron, why won't you talk to me? Have I done something wrong?" he implored.

"No" Ron replied quickly "I have. I was meant to invite you for Christmas at my house but I forgot"

Harry looked away. He had hoped that no one would notice he was staying. He had never felt so…. so….. Without family before in his life.

Ron plunged on "I'm SO sorry Harry. I asked McGonagall could you still come, but she said you can't. I am so, so, so, SO sorry."

Harry just shrugged nonchalantly and said in a voice of attempted coolness.

"I don't mind it'll give me the chance to talk to other people and mak..."

"No!" Hermione yelled out and then blushed, "Sorry. I don't know why I yelled that." Ron looked at her confused. It was just like earlier with him and McGonagall.

Harry looked back at Ron and continued, "You know Christmas is great here, so it's no problem."
But it was obvious Harry was upset.

For the next few days there was a tension between Harry and Ron. Ron had never felt so guilty and Harry was feeling upset and embarrassed. They never talked, just skirted around issues, never really saying what was on their mind. Suddenly it was their last night together and everyone was packing. Harry was no where to be found.

Hermione had finished packing first of course and Ron hadn't even started. Both were in the now deserted common talking about Harry.

"Ron, ok it is awful that Harry has to stay by himself but it's been done. You need to forgive yourself already or you won't enjoy Christmas."

"Maybe I shouldn't be allowed to enjoy Christmas maybe I should be miserable the whole time." Replied Ron grumpily.

"Oh don't be silly Ron! What would that achieve? Do you think Harry would want that" Hermione questioned.

"No, but he should"

Meanwhile, Harry had left the common earlier that evening. He couldn't stand all the packing. Or everyone was going on about getting to see their families again. It was just too much for him to handle.

He had nowhere really to go, so he was just wandering the corridors when he suddenly heard Filch shuffling towards him from down the corridor. For the first time since he'd come to Hogwarts he didn't have to hide from Filch, but he didn't want to meet him either, so he dodge down an new corridor he hadn't seen before. It was, however, new by no other account. It had dust all over the place and the coats of armor that lined the walls were all rusted. Harry thought meanly that he could get Filch into a lot of trouble for this, but soon his brain began to wonder why would this corridor be so dirty and not be disturbed by any students?

He also noticed the lack of doors along this corridor and he was suddenly nervous. He realized no one has or ever would come down here and was just about to turn back, assuming Filch would be gone by now, but then a door at the next bend caught his attention. His curiosity got the better of him. He had to know what was behind that door. So he moved towards it and tried to open it. He hadn't really expected it to open but it did. Not easily though. It was stiff, and the hinges were in need of an oiling, but it was unlocked all the same.

He poked his head around the door, not sure what to expect. It was just an old class room with rotting wooden tables and chairs. He was about to leave disappointed, when he heard Filch coming down the corridor behind him.
"We will catch whoever is down here my sweet, and then maybe Dumbledore will allow me to use some of my tools." "Meow" was the reply Harry heard.

Harry didn't even have to think about it. He jumped into the room and shut the door behind him. Just in time he realized that he would have disturbed the dust, so he quickly muttered a spell to fix the dust and then shut the door, locking it as he did with the key that was in the lock. As soon as he turned it he realized that could be a mistake. What if Filch knew the door should be open and trapped him in here till Dumbledore came? But it was too late now. Filch was right outside. Harry didn't dare breath or even move.

Harry looked around the room he was now in since he was sure Filch had gone. Now that he was in the room, he realized it was much bigger than he had first thought and he also noticed that the tables and chairs only made up two rows. The rest of the room was as unclassroom like as anything.

But that was all he noticed because he had spotted the 'The Mirror of Erised' or so he thought at the time. He went up to it. It looked identical to the mirror he had discovered in his first year. He knew he shouldn't do it, but he looked into the mirror anyway expecting to see his family. He didn't.

He saw something so much more shocking and horrific...