Chapter 16: A clue

The library was quiet today. Most students were outside, taking advantage of the nice weather before gloomy autumn clouds moved in permanently. Elsa was perfectly content among the whispers of shuffled pages and distinct old book scents, which promised her knowledge and wisdom.

"You're so much better as a research partner, " she said quietly, bringing the heavy book to the table where Luna sat. "My brother is always complaining when I bring him here. Elsa," she tried to mimic his voice, "these books have too many pages. I need a break. Can we bring snacks? Pleeeeeease," and she finished with her version of Jack's sad puppy-eye look, which she must have done well because Luna giggled.

Luna didn't know that Elsa was one of those who couldn't refuse that puppy-eye look. Who could?

"I agree with the snack request." Luna put her book down and looked around them to confirm they were alone. "This is a perfect time to have some."

Out of her bookbag, she pulled out a small wooden box hand-painted in colorful swirls. The lid made a little squeak when she opened it.

"Dried dirigible plum," she said, offering it.

The fruit inside had red skin and was white on the inside. Elsa wasn't sure if it was even edible but didn't want to offend her friend, so she took one slice out.

Luna bit half of a slice. "It opens up your mind to enhance your awareness."

After Luna finished her piece and reached for another without showing signs of poisoning, Elsa gave it a try. The plum was hard to chew. It wasn't meant to be dried. Its sharp flavor reminded her of radishes, but it was also sweet, and the combination of the two flavors gave her a strange aftertaste. Elsa feigned a polite smile and looked back at the old book in front of her, hoping she wasn't required to eat more.

They studied quietly until Luna pushed her book over to Elsa to show what she had found.

"How about this one?" she asked, pointing at a page. "This journal says, 'I nearly wasted away in front of the mirror, unable to make its reflection possible.'"

Elsa leaned over to read the full passage.

"I've read about something like this before," Luna said, munching on another piece of dried fruit. "I think it could have been one of my dad's articles—something about a mirror that would show you what you want to see."

"I still don't see how I can use that," Elsa said. Maybe Luna had eaten too many of those strange plums.

"You want to discover a way to find your father. That's what you want to see."

"An enchanted mirror." Elsa agreed, starting to consider the possibilities. "Where can we find it?"

"I'll write to daddy to ask him. In the meantime, we could keep searching."

"Luna, you're brilliant! You have the best ideas!" Elsa admitted and popped a slice of the strange plum in her mouth. She was lucky to have Luna helping her, weird plums and all.

"That's very kind of you," Luna answered, staring off into the distance. "I've always believed that an open mind can hold more ideas. Take them all in and pick the best."

"Are you eating in here?" Madam Pince yelled from the end of the aisle, looking like a starved vulture that had found its prey. "Get out of my library!" she bellowed.

The two of them froze in place.

"Uh-oh," Luna said quietly.

The librarian then pointed her wand at two chairs, said a spell, which animated them, making them hobble like obedient soldiers. The girls quickly grabbed their things and fled. The chairs followed, creaking along the way. Elsa picked up the speed while Madam Pince cried in intelligible shrieks behind them as if a murder had been committed.

They ran out of the library, and Elsa braced her back against the door. She hoped the chairs wouldn't be able to follow them now. They didn't sprout hands on their way, did they?

"I have never been afraid of a chair before!" Elsa said, catching her breath.

"I have never been in trouble before." Luna stared at her with wide eyes and flushed cheeks. "It's more fun than I would have imagined. I wonder what she would bewitch if I brought in a drink. Oh, is it time for supper? I'm craving pumpkin juice."

Luna skipped away towards the Great Hall, humming a melody, and Elsa followed close behind while smiling to herself. Who said libraries had to be boring?

》《

Ginny sat at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall, where she had a perfect view of Harry Potter who chatted away with his friends with his back facing the giant fireplace. He looked so cute with the crackling fire illuminating his dark hair. She fantasized about smoothing up the mess. Or not. This was such a typical Harry.

Another week had passed by, and she barely exchanged a polite "How are you" with him. She had so many opportunities to talk to him but chickened out each time. It was a wonder she made it into Gryffindor—the house of the brave. Maybe the Sorting Hat had made a mistake. She pulled out her diary but barely managed to dip the quill in ink before being forced to hide it back in her bag. Colin, Merlin, and Jack sat down around her and immediately reached for the food.

"Hi," she said quickly, not meeting anyone's eyes.

"Hi Ginny," Colin said, his mouth already full with a sweet bun.

She gave him a weak smile. She was slightly irritated that they interrupted her, but it was hard to stay mad at Colin.

He licked his sticky fingers and started babbling. "I wrote some stuff describing Quidditch in my last letter and dad wrote back that my little brother, Dennis, got so excited, he demanded they bring him to Hogwarts to see the game. I don't think that would be allowed, would it?"

"Likely not," Merlin said.

"Anyway, I hope that he gets his Hogwarts letter too so he could join us here in two years. That would be awesome if he was a wizard too, wouldn't it?"

"Be careful what you wish for," Ginny warned. "Siblings can be annoying. It's nice you got a break from him for a while."

"Nah. My brother is great. I can't wait for him to get here but poor Cleo is going to be so sad. She's an Australian Shepherd, and she's such a good dog. She's white and brown and has a few black spots on her face and back. It looks as if someone spilled paint on her. She's so cute and funny. I wish I could bring her here. It's such a shame we're not allowed to have dogs here. I've seen cats in the dorms, why not dogs? Do wizards not like dogs?"

Boys had their mouths full, so Ginny answered.

"It's a strange rule. I like dogs and cats, and all animals really." Ginny sighed, imagining the dog Colin described. Cleo sounded like a beautiful, happy animal. "But my family only had owls or rats. I think my parents felt that there were too many animals in the house already."

"What animals?"

"My brothers," she said, rolling her eyes. Her brothers were the reason why she could never have the things she wanted.

Colin continued talking in between swallowing food, "It's really cool that two of your brothers both made it onto the Quidditch team. I saw you on a broom during our lesson. You're good. You all are. I'm the only one among you that doesn't know how to fly yet, but I'll be fine watching the practice from the stands. I'm going to take so many photos. I just hope I have enough film."

"Save some film for the actual game, Colin," Merlin pointed out.

Ginny's eyes travelled to where Harry sat. Maybe if she lived in a parallel universe, where she was brave, she would ask him to go to the Quidditch field together for a quick game—just the two of them. They would tumble through the air and share a laugh. It would be perfect because he was perfect.

Colin waved to catch the attention of Fred and George who had just risen from the bench. "When is your next Quidditch practice?"

The twins walked up to them and addressed Ginny. "Ginny, ever so popular with the boys."

Ginny's cheeks flamed. "Go away!"

"A little respect for your seniors, sister," said Fred. "Quidditch practice is at ten today."

"If you want to see Harry play," George finished, waggling his eyebrows.

"We rhymed!" Fred said, and they high-fived each other.

"Why would I care?" Ginny asked in a shaking voice, feeling herself go beet-red. She took a swig of her juice to calm herself.

"Come on, Ginny,"

"We know," they finished together.

Ginny flinched, spilling juice on the table.

"What was that about?" Colin asked, looking after them as they sauntered away.

Ginny promptly packed her things and left without a word.

Seeking privacy, she ran to a nearby lavatory. She couldn't understand why her brothers kept teasing her so mercilessly. So they knew about her feelings for Harry. She rambled on about him too much during the summer, didn't she? But did they have to say it in front of everyone? Didn't they understand how it made her feel? Her brothers were the worst curse that could ever be placed upon her. She wished she was an only child.

She checked herself in the mirror. Her heart was still racing, and her cheeks still burned. She wasn't ready to be seen in public yet. She splashed her face with cold water and tried to calm down.

Tom, she needed Tom. She sat down against the tiled wall and pulled the diary out.

Hi Tom.

Ginny, my friend. What brings you to my pages today? Do you have something to get off your chest?

I just wanted to talk to someone. Sometimes it feels like you're the only person I can open up to.

I'm happy to talk to you, Ginny. That's what friends are for. So tell me.

Harry has Quidditch practice today and I'm trying to decide if I should watch it.

Is he any good?

I heard that he's a spectacular Seeker. I want to see it for myself but now I'm afraid to go.

Why?

My brothers will tease me.

Then, don't go. We'll do something fun together. I know just what you need.

Like what?

It's a surprise.

Before she knew it, Ginny found herself submerged in the magic of the enchanted diary, plunged into Tom's memories. She watched the scenes of his life as if she was right there with him when it all happened. The Tom she normally wrote to was sixteen years old, but the Tom in the memory was only eleven like her. He wanted to show her what it was like for him during his first months at Hogwarts.

The Muggle orphanage Tom grew up in was never his home. He didn't have friends there because he always felt that he was different, that he didn't belong among them. He didn't know that he was a wizard. The other kids called him a freak and excluded him from their playtime. Even the adults kept their distance and treated him like they didn't want him there. When he came to Hogwarts, he was lost and confused in a foreign world, but for the first time in his life, he was where he was supposed to be. Hogwarts became the home he never had.

Ginny thought about her own family: her noisy brothers, overbearing mum, and childish dad. As annoying as they all were, at least she wasn't all alone in the world like Tom. While their poor finances were a constant reason for embarrassment, it was riches when compared to Tom who had nothing. Her life was all sunshine and roses when Tom's was filled with dark lonely corners. If he was able to rise out of those corners to become a wizard skilled enough to create such a unique diary at only sixteen, maybe there was hope for her still. Maybe Hogwarts could become for her what she always imagined it could be.

Like Tom, she didn't have true friends now, but he assured her that feeling isolated and misunderstood wouldn't last forever. And if she ever felt down or lonely, Tom always had a way to make her feel better. She did not need anyone else.

Ginny was surprised to learn that Tom was in Slytherin. She would not have guessed that. Friendly, helpful kids like Tom were usually sorted into Hufflepuff. He always took care to ask her how she felt and was genuinely interested in her life. He let her talk about Harry to no end. He gave her an easy friendship like no one else ever had.

Maybe what everyone said about Slytherin wasn't accurate. Not everyone in that House was like the obnoxious Draco Malfoy, who bossed everyone around and bullied all her friends. Tom was a good person. It didn't matter that he was a Slytherin. He was her true friend.