Broken Mirror
By Aya of the ACLT
Chapter Two: Ghostly Reflections
Harry sat in his office waiting for his next class to start. Defense Against the Dark Arts, the cursed job, the one that Harry had always loved, and now it just held the stench of past memories and ghosts. Every time he walked into the familiar classroom to the faces of students that he knew, and some he didn't, and every one of the faces reminded him of Ronald and Hermione and his self, way back when, when they would sit in the classroom talking about who knows what.
A quick look at the clock told Harry that it was time to go and he stood up, once again ready to walk into the classroom and teach what ever was on his agenda on this first day of school.
"Hello class, I'm Professor Potter for the few of you who don't know." Harry said as he walked into the classroom before even looking up at the students. This class was full of third years, who would have been first years the last time Harry went to school. "Yes I am the famous Harry Potter, and no you may not ask me about my personal life. Now, do you all understand?"
The class nodded in complete awe of the man in front of him. Harry sighed and walked to his desk. "Well, I'd like some one to tell me what you guys learned last."
It was the instant that he finished that that a little girl's hand popped up, a proud look on her face. Harry nodded to her. "We were talking about Shaman's and whither or not they're really harmful." She replied happily. The girl sitting next to her rolled her eyes in the way that Ron used to.
Harry closed his eyes and turned away from the two, trying to get those thoughts out of his head. "Okay. Well then we might as well go from there." He sat at his desk and looked out over the class. "Now, Shamans naturally aren't dangerous, most aren't wizards but they can do a few tricks with magic. Such as let ghosts possess them and stuff like that. Nothing really hurtful to other people. Although they are dangerous when possessed by the ghosts. At that point the ghost can actually hurt you, and there fore you do need spells to protect yourself. Of course these attacks are very rare. Now, does any one know what the spell is called that can kick a ghost out of some one's body?"
The same little girl popped her hand back in the air and Harry nodded to her again. "It's the Espella spell, and you just point it at the person and it will fling the ghost out."
Harry nodded. "Correct."
The lesson went on from there, as they continued to talk about the Shamans and just other stuff like that. One more class went by and then Harry trudged down to the teachers lounge and plopped down on the couch with a sigh. The first day of school was always the worst, even for teachers, especially for teachers. That's what he hated the most about it all. The first day, having to pretend that that past was gone and the ghosts weren't there to haunt them. The little girl that had kept raising her hand kept reminding Harry more and more of Hermione, and her friend was so much like Ron. One of the boys in the fourth year class was so much like Harry when he was younger. It was hard to think about.
A cup of Meade floated over to Harry and looked around to see who sent it, finding Alice Sinclair sitting in the room with her hand in hand, and sipping on her own glass of Meade. "You look like you need it."
Harry sighed and took the glass, swishing it around for a moment then sipping on the drink. "Thanks."
"Misery needs company, da?" She smiled and did an air toast.
Harry nodded and returned the toast. "You want to go on a walk? I need to get some air."
Alice nodded and stood up. The two of them headed out of the castle in silence. Once they got out side Harry started to head to the part of the lake where most likely there would be no student. The graveyard.
"So, Harry, what is your story? What makes you so sad on this lovely day?" she asked as the continued to walk, looking up at the cloudless sky before looking down at Harry.
"The usual. My best friends are dead because they were protecting me."
"The Ronald and Hermione?" She asked, stopping at the graveyard and looking down at the graves.
"Yeah."
"They we're lovers, no?"
"They were lovers."
"Well then at least they died together. You wouldn't not want one sad friend to try and cheer you up while they are mourning of their love, now would you?"
"No, I guess not. But what if they were both alive."
"Then you would be dead, I believe." She shrugged. "Some one important was meant to die, so it was either you or them. That is that I believe." She looked at the ground with a little smile. "My husband would say that all the time. He was always saying stuff like that."
"Was? He's dead?" Harry asked.
"Yesterday two years ago."
"I'm sorry to hear that Professor."
"Call me Alice. We are both Professors." Alice laughed. "When my daughter, Ava, was born Erich and I promised that she would have a good peaceful life and would be able to be spoiled as we weren't. We did that. When he died he told me that even though he was dead I would still always have some one to love me." She pointed to Ron and Hermione's graves. "It is the same with you. Even though they are all dead you still have some one that loves you. You have many that love you. But one that is absolutely in love with you. Just see that."
Harry nodded. "I'm even getting lectures from people I barely know."
Alice shrugged. "Every one cares for other people right now." She smiled and bid Harry good bye, then headed back to the castle.
Harry sighed and put his hand on Ron's grave, letting the smooth stone chill his hand. "Ron I'm sorry. I hope you are Hermione are together in a better place. You have to be in a better place, can't get too much worse than this." He sighed and sat down, leaning against the tomb marker, his eyes glossed with tears.
Bill finished his classes for the day and was at the point sitting in his office waiting for Fleur to get back. All he wanted was to see his wife, yet lately she had been actually been avoiding him. Not coming home until after he was out, eating when she knew he wasn't around, and making sure to never walk around where he was. Every time that Bill even saw her she would walk the other way, pretending not to see him.
Bill sighed and stood up. Finally figuring that she wasn't going to come home. "I think I liked it better when the war was going on." He muttered, about to walk out the door when there was a loud knock and Bill was forced to freeze in place, hoping beyond hope that Fleur would walk in the door and throw her arms around him.
Instead of Fleur Tonks walked in and looked up at Bill. Brown hair up in a pony tail and her face stuck in permanent sorrow. "Hi, Bill." She said quietly, offering a failed smiled.
Bill unfroze and nodded. "Hey. You're back from . . . where'd you go?"
Tonks looked at the couch and Bill motioned for her to sit. Tonks did so and looked around. "Where's Mrs. Delacour?"
"Miss, and I would have no idea." Bill sighed and sat on the couch next to Tonks.
"You two aren't married yet? But I thought that when you moved it back from July you were only going to wait a few months." Tonks said.
"Yeah well we decided to wait a bit more. Hopefully she starts talking to me again and it will be soon."
"A lover's spout?"
"She thought that either I was having an affair or out of love and so now she's avoiding me." He explained, putting his elbows on his knees and his head on his arms.
"Oh. Well that's French woman for ya." She leaned back on the couch.
"So where were you?"
Tonks sighed and looked at him. "I had to get some stuff in order. Since Re . . . Remus didn't have a family . . . I had to get together his stuff and decide what to keep and not." Tears were forming in her eyes as she talked and her voice broke a few times.
Bill put his arms around Tonks' shoulders and let her put her head on his chest. "It'll be okay Tonks. Every one's lost some one and we're going to be okay in the end. Just don't give up."
"How can I do any thing but give up? He's gone and I never got a chance to be with him!" She murmured with her head buried in his chest. "I can't do this. Dumbledore, Sirius, Remus, every one's dead."
Bill nodded. "We're still alive, there's got to be a reason for that Tonks."
"A reason for every thing." Tonks sobbed. "You're mom's given up, why can't I?"
"She hasn't given up, she's just getting a little well deserved break. She lost one son, I was almost killed and now disfigured. And Percy is in hiding for fear of his life. Her family falling apart. You only have one man."
"One man that I love and I never got a real chance to be with!" She said, starting to cry heavier.
Bill wrapped his arms around Tonks. "I'll be okay." He whispered.
They sat in silence for a moment or two before the door opened and there was a large gasp. Both Tonks and Bill looked up at Fleur.
"I was right! You are cheating on me! With her of all people!" Fleur screaming, jamming a thumb in the air towards Tonks.
Bill stood up. "I wasn't doing any thing! She just got back, I was just helping her out!"
"Doing what? Filling her sad pity with your love? The love that should be towards me!"
"We were just talking! You're being so freaking dramatic! Fleur I love you, I'm not going to cheat on you!" He yelled back.
"Well great way of showing it! You're a big fat liar! A Bastard! Vous devriez vous décomposer dans l'enfer! Vous anormal!" Fleur turned around and slammed the door shut.
Tonks looked at Bill. "Sorry." She said, whipping away some tears. Bill shrugged. "You'll be okay." She turned and walked out the door.
Bill fell onto the couch and put his hand on his forehead. All alone again.
Charlie stood before the seventh year class in the middle of lessons. They were out side looking at a large jar filled with some kind of small bug with transparent wings. All the faces were staring at the jar waiting for Charlie, or Professor Weasley, to speak.
"So, does anyone know what these are?" He asked. A hand jumped into the air and Charlie nodded to the boy who owned the hand.
"It's a Lacewing Fly." He said.
Charlie nodded. "Good. Now, some one tell me what they are used for. Ava?" He asked, looking at her.
"They're used for potion ingredients." Ava replied.
Charlie nodded. "Seeing as both of you are Gryffindor, ten points to you both." He walked over to the jar. "These creatures are actually useful only for that . . ." He started talking about the Lacewing Flies.
It was a boring class, only for the reason that Charlie was forced to start with some animals that were small first. The class ended, last class of the day, and then the students ran off to eat dinner or whatever else they do.
Charlie sighed and pulled out his wand, ready to unscrew the lip so the bugs could get away.
"Are you allowed to do that?" Ava asked, walking over to Charlie and looking at the jar at the little bugs.
"Sure." Charlie shrugged and let the lid off. All of the bugs all of a sudden burst out and flew out into the forest. "So how was your first day of classes Ava?" He asked, turning to look at her.
Ava shrugged. "Truthfully it was pretty dull. I think I was expecting a lot more from the most famous Hogwarts. But then again yesterday wasn't the best and I was hoping for something to take my mind off."
"What happened yesterday?" Charlie asked, motioning for Ava to follow him.
"It was the anniversary of Father's death." She shrugged.
Charlie nodded and started to walk towards the school. "When'd he die?"
"Two years ago. It was a sad day." Ava smiled thoughtfully. "Amazing how time passes so quickly. It feels like I was back in Slovenia with my mother wondering what to do now that Father was no longer there."
"It feels like my brother was still alive and here at the school. I keep thinking I see him and Hermione and Harry sitting around and laughing. I would hear so many stories about them that it's hard not to think that I was there." Charlie sighed and looked down at Ava. "Do you ever get over it?"
She shook her head. "No. But you learn to live with the memories you have. You go on."
"I don't think I had enough moments with him. I hadn't seen Ron for so long. Then I came for Bill's wedding and that was the last time I saw the boy."
"But, I though Bill was not married."
"They called off the wedding because of certain . . . circumstances." Charlie shrugged and continued to walk again. Ava still at his side. "So you really never get over it."
"You'll be okay Professor. There's still the rest of your family and pictures." Ava smiled. "I have to go. Good-bye Professor." She curtsied playfully and then ran off to a few friends.
Charlie smiled as he watched her leave, then walked into the castle and headed off to his office to rest for a while then go and check on his mother.
"Hey Charlie!" Fred shouted, running up to his brother with a grin. "What's up big bro?"
"Classes. Where's your shadow?" He asked, looking around for George.
"Sleeping. He's going to kill you for calling him my shadow." Fred laughed lightly and took a shrugged. "I was about to go down and visit mom. You want to join me."
"Yeah. I was going to do that later, but as long as I have company." He sighed and turned the corner. "So how was your day?"
"Truly, it was dull. Nothing much went on. First day of school. I always thought I was done with this place forever." He stopped at the door of their mother's room and knocked, then let himself and Charlie in.
Molly Weasley was sitting on the couch, curled up and resting against Arthur.
"Father, you're home." Fred said with a smile. "Why aren't you at work?"
"I took the day off to spend with your mother." Arthur replied. "It's nice to see you both care about her."
Charlie nodded. "Well we'll let you go than." Fred and him walked out of the room, shutting the door behind them. "That's good for Mom, she's got him for once."
"Yeah, that's probably one of the things that was really bugging her. I feel sorry for mom." Fred sighed.
"I've noticed. You and George are actually telling her that you love her and all that, stop giving her a hard time."
"Well it's not the time for jokes around here. Every once in a while maybe, but our little brother is dead. You can't joke around too much when some thing like that's happened. "I always thought you'd be the first to die."
"Me?" Charlie laughed. "Why me?"
"Because you work with dragons. We all expected some Hungarian horntail to kill you off." Fred shrugged. "No one really though Ron would . . ."
Charlie nodded and brushed his hair out of his eyes. "It was a shock to every one."
"You want to play chess?"
Charlie shrugged. "Why not? The great hall then?"
"Yep." Fred smiled. "I'll race you." He started to run before he even finished the sentence, and Charlie followed close behind him.
"I'm dizzy." Severus whispered as he tried and failed to sit up. He was in his hospital room, still sickly after all that had happened. It was hell to be all alone, knowing that every one hated you because you killed some one. Even the nurses would give Severus glares. Every one, even Severus, was shocked at Harry's constant hope that Severus would survive. He would visit every chance that he could. Most of the time Severus was asleep. He would sleep for weeks at a time, just hoping to his the tiredness out of his body and yet every time he woke up he was still tired.
At this time there was no one in the room, it was empty and so white and clean. It even smelled clean. They would clean it every time they got, even if he was in the room. The smell was intoxicating. Severus closed his eyes in order to stop the room from spinning. It was almost as if the nurses were hurting him more than helping. Which wouldn't be to surprising seeing as they all seemed to hate him.
A moment of two later the man dozed off, the fitful images of Dumbledore being flung back into the air going back into his mind.
Thirty minutes later there was a sharp pain in Severus's neck and he snapped his eyes open to see a man standing at his hand with his wand jabbed into Severus's neck. "You're a murdered, I should just kill you." He hissed.
Severus shrugged and tried his best to talk. "Be my guest." He replied.
The man stuck his wand farther into Severus's skin. "Oh so you want to die? You actually want me to believe that you feel sorry for what you did! If you felt sorry for it then you wouldn't have done it in the first place." He said.
Severus barely nodded. "And you know every thing that happened." He said with as much sarcasm as he could muster.
The man faltered for a moment before continuing on with his jab into Severus's neck. "You killed Dumbledore, you betrayed every one."
Severus coughed. "I did what I was told." He breathed.
"By the dark lord!" He glared.
The door opened, letting a blast of light into the room and the nurse standing there gasped. "What do you think you're doing? Get out of here at once!" She said, grabbing the man's arm and trying to force him back. He stayed for a little while, just staring at Severus, then glared at the nurse and walked out of the room, slamming the door behind him.
The nurse sighed and turned on the light. "Are you okay sir?" She asked, looked at Severus's neck.
"Just dandy." Severus sighed.
"Oh good." She replied, fingering the spot of Severus's neck where the wand had been.
"And yet you still have to check me out."
"You were being held at wand point Sir. I don't care wither or not you think you're fine."
"Don't call me Sir, it makes me feel old."
"You are old. Or at least older than I am."
"Yes, I'm an old murderer." He closed his eyes and sighed again.
"I'm sure you had a reason to do what you did. If you didn't then Harry Potter wouldn't have saved you, or wouldn't be caring so much for you." She replied, pulling her hand away. "Well you look okay. But if any thing hurts tell me. I guess I'll keep watch."
"Maybe Harry Potter has his own reasons for caring."
The nurse shrugged and sat down on a chair. "Like what Mr. Snape?"
"Memories." He whispered. Severus held memories of Harry's parents, of Sirius and Remus. As far as any one knew he was the only one alive that had known Harry's parents up close and personal, even if the relationship wasn't the best, it was still there.
Fleur was storming back and forth in the hallway right next to the office that she shared with Bill. Trying to get her thoughts sorted out.
The first time they had met had been magical, literally and not. Well, actually the first time they met they didn't really met, he just caught her eye. And even now that he was disfigured didn't mean any thing to Fleur; he was still the same old Bill that had caught her eye back at Hogwarts. Maybe it was him. he was self-conscience now that he was disfigured. That wouldn't be it, though, Bill wouldn't care about how he looked.
Deep down Fleur knew that he hadn't been cheating on her, and that he still loved her, but it was still hard because it seemed like they were falling apart, and that wasn't something she wanted. The day they actually met popped into her head as she started to walk slower.
Fleur looked up from her desk at Gringotts when she heard heavy footsteps coming. She sighed and stood up to see who it was this time. The job was boring, but still it was a job and it was nice, in a way. She arrived at the main entrance where all the tellers where. There stood a man, tall, dark, and sexy as hell talking to the manager of this Gringotts.
She stood where she was in awe as she looked over the man. Long red hair tied back in a pony tail, a fan earring, bright eyes, and muggle clothing that just added to his looks. Of course a few moments after Fleur was gawking she realized where she had seen him before. At Hogwarts, he was the one that had caught her eyes, the brother of Ronald Weasley, Bill. It was obvious in his fiery red hair.
Fleur was continuing to gawk as she thought of how to talk to him. Something she had wanted to do since she set eyes on him the first time. It was at that point that Bill looked over and flashed a smile to her. The manager nodded and walked over to Fleur, with Bill right next to him.
"Miss Delacour, this is Mr. Bill Weasley, he is our new employee. Bill was at our other office here in Britain, but as been moved, so he knows the works of the place and I don't suspect that he'll be much trouble to you." The manager introduced, completely ignorant of the fact that the two he was introducing were staring at each other with stars in their eyes.
"It's so nice to meet you Miss Delacour." Bill said after a moment, taking her hand and shaking it.
Fleur nodded. "You too."
The manager smiled. "I have to go. Fleur can you show Bill to his desk?"
"Of course."
With that the manager walked out and left the two together.
"Bill Weasley, you're desk is over here." Fleur said, pulling her hand away from Bill.
Bill took her hand back and made sure she couldn't walk any where. He pulled her back to facing him. "Fleur Delacour, the Beauxbatons TriWizard Champion?"
"The one and only. Now if you would let go of my hand, I could show you to your desk." She said with a playful smile.
"And who, my dear, cares about desks at the moment?" Bill replied with a grin, still not letting go of her hand. "When's your break?"
"In a few moments." Fleur replied with a slight blush.
"Well then, I technically don't have to get to work yet. Let me take you out to lunch."
"I couldn't." She smiled.
"Yes you can." Bill turned around and started to lean the most willing Fleur out of building.
Fleur stopped her walk in the middle of the hall and leaned against the wall. "What every happened to that love Bill? The love that we used to have? Why'd it have to go away? Only because we postponed the wedding?" She whispered to herself, staring at the other wall as if Bill was there. The tears starting to fall as she slowly slunk down the wall. "I still love him. No matter what he looks like, I still love him." She said through sobs as the tears started to fall harder, so much that she couldn't see her own hands in front of her. Fleur pulled her legs up to her chest and buried her head in her arms. Muttering over and over again that she loved Bill, more than any one she loved him.