This is a chapter I was really looking forward to! How many times have we gotten the chance to explore what these characters would see in there? I did it all from one point of view for a very particular reason though, which is that you'll discover some in later chapters. For now, hope you enjoy this rather Regulus centric one!
Regulus had been so invested in his own thoughts that while he'd had no choice but to acknowledge the sickening feeling of being transported without permission again, his new immediate surroundings were unimpressive enough his train of thought kept going inside this seemingly empty classroom.
He agreed with Evans up to a point. While Snape seemed to be going out of his way to make himself the obvious person stealing the Stone, and that it was under threat was obvious, Dumbledore wouldn't have it moved if it wasn't. The problem was, he could still believe any teacher in the school could have fallen under the same circumstances, and he'd be remiss not to notice that in fact it wasn't every teacher, but only one other that consistently kept popping up around Snape-
"Oi, Moony, you read what this says?"
His elder brother, as usual, interrupted his thoughts with whatever his obnoxiousness was about this time. He and his three friends were crowded around, well now that Regulus focused it was rather odd to see a mirror just sitting around in here.
"It's not a language I recognize," the other returned before turning away dismissively and instead began wandering the room, calling Sirius after him to find the book again and get the next chapter going.
Sirius, who had landed in the middle and blinked in confusion for a moment watching Lupin walk off and then glancing back, hurried after him.
Potter followed after them at once, ruffling up his hair and glancing anxiously at the red-head like he actually thought she'd find him more inflated than usual for landing in front of the mirror. Actually, that was likely the reason for why she gave a derisive sniff and turned away, but considering that was her standard reaction it was hard to tell.
Noticing Alice Smith and Frank Longbottom by the window with nothing of interest about them, and still just the tiniest bit curious what his brother had been shouting about, he instead circled to the mirror proper just behind where Pettigrew was looking transfixed into the center. It was a grand old thing, nearly the height of the room with magnificent wood-carved feet, and he saw clearly the inscription above it that not only stumped Sirius but himself as they weren't words he knew.
Still though, he couldn't figure out what had Pettigrew so transfixed on the image. He'd never seemed as vain as his brother or best friend, in fact this Marauder was often at the back of the group with Lupin, far more prone to watching them get into mischief than actually joining in, something Regulus could respect considering how far he'd always strived to stay out of trouble but also keep in good graces.
Finally the lot gave up a manual search and instead summoned the book to them, which came whizzing out from behind the mirror apparently. Sirius caught it, and ignoring Potters crack about him getting a chapter involving a mirror, began at once.
The boys burst out laughing almost at once upon reading of the holiday hijinks, and Potter looked around in surprise when he finally seemed to realize one hadn't joined in.
"Oi, Wormtail, since when are you not boasting of who you last pegged with a snowball?"
Pettigrew jumped guiltily, meeting Potter's eyes for an instant and flushing at having been caught, and immediately darted over to their side to join in. He kept throwing lingering looks back to where he'd been standing, so again Regulus turned his attention to his own reflection, and startled in surprise.
Now that the other wasn't in the way, he was the only one left in the center of the reflection, and the view wasn't himself. Not exactly.
He turned on the spot but of course no one was actually there behind him. No one even glanced over at him except Pettigrew, who was now watching him with a critical eye and looking between him and the mirror. They met eyes, a passage of understanding wove between them, and Regulus slowly turned back to see that image still there.
That Regulus was older, probably just seventeen, his parents over one shoulder and beaming with pride at their son, and the Dark Lord on his other, bestowing him as the right hand of the Death Eaters. It was the only thing he'd ever wanted from his life, because he knew there could be no better calling, or his parents would want that for him instead.
His eyes wavered, but not because of the mirror, instead it lingered behind his mind's eye when he tore his sight away to see his brother still laughing along with his friends without a care in the world. He and Lupin were reminiscing about something they'd done over their Christmas break, just the two of them. Sirius had of course not come home for the holidays, just like the past five years, just like this younger Potter was going to be doing it seemed.
"Oi Prongs, come er'," Pettigrew suddenly tore him away and began towing him back to the mirror, sudden inspiration lighting his eyes. Potter went along curiously, still throwing half anxious glances at Evans and stopped in confusion just on the edge of the reflection.
"What?" he demanded when his friend began watching him anxiously.
"Err, here, come er' and look at this proper."
Regulus realized what he was doing just as he prodded Potter into the center, once again blocking out Regulus' view. He had half a mind to shove both of them back out of the way, but before he could act on the impulse their reactions became too fascinating to watch.
He wasn't sure what that eager look on Pettigrew's face was, maybe validation that whatever this mirrors trick was didn't work on just him, though he should already know that not to be true considering he'd just been watching Regulus react to it.
Potter's reaction was the most vivid yet. "Glory, what is this thing?" He yelped loud enough for the whole empty castle to hear as he pressed his hand right up to the image, gazing at it with the widest smile any had seen.
"Eh?" Sirius and Lupin looked up from where they'd been whispering together while Longbottom and Smith had been laughing that they'd be in the library right now if they could, looking up Flamel as well. Even Evans, who'd apparently been feigning disinterest to the ceiling this whole time, turned begrudgingly around at such a statement, all of them to reexamine the mirror.
"What do you see?" Pettigrew demanded at once, his face alight with eagerness as he looked from the mirror to his friend, back and forth like he was hoping to get just a glimpse himself, or perhaps still trying to see his own sight again.
"The future I hope!" He whooped.
"I'm sure Harry's going to find this thing," Smith said, craning her neck around from her desk but still keeping back from it now that it was clearly confirmed as some kind of magical object, but she considered herself smart enough not to go poking around it until she actually knew what it was.
Longbottom's curiosity got the better of him though, and he slid free to edge around and see it proper. "I don't see nothing but myself," he told what they'd all seen at first.
"You have to look in it proper, obviously," Potter said dismissively, though making no move to allow him to do so, his eyes still transfixed on whatever his eyes alone could see.
Pettigrew huffed, clearly feeling dismissed his question hadn't been answered, but then, as he had yet to volunteer himself what he'd seen, Regulus didn't quite blame Potter.
They'd all been so thoroughly distracted by this mirror, they'd hardly taken any notice of Harry's search for Flamel or that his holiday break had arrived. Sirius had though, easily relating to what Harry was going through in not wanting to be at his place for the holidays, so he honestly hadn't been paying Prongs any mind, going through each of his presents with a warm smile, but freezing in shock as a particular one was revealed.
He nudged Remus, hard, who scowled slightly at him but leaned in as Sirius silently offered the book and then Sirius got to watch that same expression flit across his face. Considering the past few times they'd been interrupted though, neither dared say anything about what they really thought this thing was in such an open place even if the others were so thoroughly distracted. It was ruined all the same anyways when Sirius kept going, honestly happy for a moment no one was really paying attention until he caught their attention when it was confirmed Harry had been gifted an Invisibility Cloak, and the strange note attached.
"Potter has an Invisibility Cloak?" Evans couldn't seem to help demanding as if of someone else even as she turned to him like she expected an answer.
Clearly still disoriented from his own desire of the mirrors image, his answer came out slowly, "no, well I haven't now, so not a clue what that's about."
Smith and Longbottom were still muttering their shock that such a thing would ever be in his hands, let alone an eleven year olds. Those were highly rare and really valuable, Regulus agreed it would boggle the mind for anyone but an elite Auror to be in possession of a true one.
Evans just tisked and turned back towards the window, but Potter seemed to take the attention she'd given him as an invitation as always and go over to her side like he was hoping to somehow continue the conversation.
She responded by walking away from him, back around the mirror just to prove her point, seemed unable to stop herself from glancing at it on her pass, and Regulus watched that same expression of awe now appear for a fourth time. She even pressed her hand to it, her face mere inches away in seconds as if hoping to fall right through to it.
"What is it? What do you see?" Alice asked her quietly. She'd finally come over herself, though curiosity was clearly still warring with nerves as she stayed on the edge to ask this, neither of them even seeming to realize Regulus was still behind them.
"I, ah, a dream, I suppose," she murmured.
"Can I try?" Smith's decision was now clearly made up, stepping forward all the way, though her face at once still uncertain if she truly wanted Evans to step aside.
At first her hand tensed along the glass, her reflection showed a fierce look of protection like she was contemplating shoving the other girl away before allowing any such thing, her eyes had yet moved from the image, when she startled in surprise at a book screaming at Harry.
This didn't faze the Marauders, who'd had the unfortunate problem of discovering this on their own when trying to get a particular Transfiguration book out of there without permission. Regulus had been around to see them being told off, but had never bothered to ask why they wanted it, but their collective amusement seeing the reaction of the others actually managed to make them all smile for a moment.
When Evans turned back to face Alice as the shock wore off, she relented and stepped away at once, though certainly still entranced as her steps were still tentative at best.
For quite a few moments Smith just blinked, like her vision was having trouble focusing though that made no sense as everyone else seemed to gaze upon it clear as day. Slowly though she started to smile, a warm look Regulus had certainly never seen on her. Then she whirled on the spot and desperately waved Frank over to her just as Harry found this himself.
Regulus was so distracted from Harry seeing his parents in the mirror as well he didn't even register what Longbottom's reaction to the same object was. Potter and Evans were actually looking at each other with the same expression of shock and sympathy, Sirius was reading in a tone unlike any Regulus had ever heard, empathy.
The idea had been pieced together rather quickly in Regulus' mind by now, this mirror showed something they all wanted. The idea that all this little Potter kid wanted was a family truly felt wrenching, and for the first time made him feel a bit selfish for his own. He did understand it though, wasn't that exactly what he'd seen in another light? His family to love him.
Sirius seemed to be having difficulties reading this bit, the idea of saying the words his best mate only existing in a mirror couldn't be a happy one Regulus realized. It seemed to relieve something in him when Harry had no choice but to take off.
It didn't seem to be going easier the second time with Ron around, even hearing what he saw wasn't exactly thrilling since many could have called that from what he'd said on the train, though the two boys scuffling over it was just a bit amusing.
Finally though when Harry came back for a third time Sirius' curiosity won out, and not wanting to be forced to read that again he sauntered over and kindly shoved Longbottom out of the way. He looked properly outraged, but Sirius' expression was enough to stop him retaliating, he looked baffled. He looked from the mirror, back to where his three friends were watching him curiously still over by the desk, and back again before chuckling and going back over and trying to keep going like nothing had happened.
"Oh come on," Potter began wheedling at once, not letting Sirius go on until he at least tried, "you not going to share what you saw?"
"You didn't," Sirius reminded with a challenging little smirk.
"Me and Evans with this little Harry," he said at once without a trace of abashment, throwing her yet another look they'd all seen countless times.
Evans flushed and just glared back at him before resolutely turning back away. He sighed, but the hopeful gleam in his eyes only grew stronger for once, as if this object had only confirmed what he'd always known.
"You guys," Sirius answered with a shrug possibly to get his friend's attention back, or just to answer him anyways. "Guess I'm already living out my want."
His friends just gave carefree laughs, looking the picture of innocence in that moment, and Regulus couldn't help but scoff at such a waste as this, finally turning away and gazing at his own image again, something clearly none of these others could even comprehend, an actual future.
Dumbledore's entrance was admittedly the greatest surprise yet, even more so than the mirror itself as instead of Harry getting in trouble for this he instead was given a lesson over the object. 'Deepest desire of their hearts,' Regulus couldn't help but let the words spin in his mind, even as his heart squeezed again almost painfully. He'd give anything for this reflection to come true, how was it fair his own brothers already was.
As Sirius reached closer to the end, he stopped whatever it was Dumbledore was saying about socks or some nonsense to start pushing his last friend over.
"Sirius, what if I don't want-" Lupin tried to protest.
"Oh go on, everyone else did," Potter waved eagerly for him to keep walking before giving a pouting look at his last friend, "even if others won't share."
"I said I would later," Pettigrew huffed, crossing his arms and not meeting anyone's eyes now.
Lupin tried protesting one more time, but Sirius had already positioned him in the center. The boy cringed and tried to take only a peek before darting right back away, but like so many others, he froze and instead seemed mesmerized when he locked on. His expression became curious, he studied what none could see and then glanced sideways at Sirius again.
"Thanks," the gratitude was hardly more than a whisper, but the sincerity flooded the room.
Sirius just smirked, clearly pleased with himself even if he just as clearly wasn't sure what he was being thanked for. He waited expectantly, but when Lupin's eyes just darted around the room and he instead stuffed his hands deep into his pockets without saying anything else, Sirius took the hint.
Instead, just before he finished, Sirius turned curious eyes on him and asked, "what about you? Going to share what you saw?"
Regulus raised a challenging brow, but held no shame as he lightly interpreted, "my parents, actually having a child to be proud of."
Sirius' lip curled at once, but his expression turned almost pitying. "Careful what you wish for Reg," he muttered before turning back to the book and finishing with Harry crawling back to bed, somewhere they all honestly wished they could be at this point.
Let me know of the ones you saw, too predictable? I'd love to hear some guesses from you guys for the ones who didn't share. I won't tell you what they are, but it'll be fun to see you guess now!
