Chapter 7, here we go.
Harry had admitted to an interesting discovery. Evidently, for Christmas he'd been gifted an Invisibility Cloak. He took it out for a spin and in hiding from Filch, came across a mirror that seemed to show his family. Tonight, he was going again, and Ron and I were to go with him.
We tried retracing Harry's route from the library, wandering around the dark passageways for nearly an hour.
"I'm freezing," said Ron. "Let's forget it and go back. "
"No!" Harry hissed. I know it's here somewhere. "
We passed the ghost of a tall witch gliding in the opposite direction but saw no one else. Just as Ron started moaning that his feet were dead with cold, Harry spotted a suit of armor.
"It's here - just here - yes!"
Harry pushed the door open and dropped the cloak from around his shoulders, then ran to the mirror.
"See?" Harry whispered.
"I can't see anything. " Ron muttered.
"Look! Look at them all. . . there are loads of them. . . "
"I can only see you. " I objected.
"Look in it properly, go on, stand where I am. "
Harry stepped aside, but with Ron and me in front of the mirror, he couldn't see his family anymore, just us in our pajamas.
I peered at the mirror, not sure what I expected to see. I saw myself, and behind me were many people. I saw Remus, and Uncle Sirius, but there were two people I was sure were my parents, and a man that looked an awful lot like Harry standing with his arm around a redhead. I was older, and had a knowing look in my eye, like I finally understood the Universe. The twins appeared, each looping an arm around me, and a little boy, with red hair and freckles, peeked out from behind my knee.
I wasn't sure what to think, but I knew I should leave. This mirror was dangerous, for even then I didn't want to leave. I wanted to spend the rest of my days watching my parents smiling at me, and Remus nudging Uncle Sirius in the ribs, a wide grin on his face.
Ron, though, was staring transfixed at his image.
"Look at me!" he said.
"Can you see all your family standing around you?"
"No - I'm alone - but I'm different - I look older - and I'm head boy!"
"What?"
"I am - I'm wearing the badge like Bill used to - and I'm holding the house cup and the Quidditch cup - I'm Quidditch captain, too. "
Ron tore his eyes away from this splendid sight to look excitedly at Harry.
"Do you think this mirror shows the future?"
"How can it? All my family are dead - let me have another look-"
"You had it to yourself all last night, give me a bit more time. "
"You're only holding the Quidditch cup, what's interesting about that? I want to see my parents."
"Don't push me-"
A sudden noise outside in the corridor put an end to their discussion. They hadn't realized how loudly they had been talking.
"Quick!"
Ron threw the cloak back over us as the luminous eyes of Mrs. Norris came round the door. We stood quite still, hoping she wouldn't hear us breathing. After what seemed an age, she turned and left.
"This isn't safe - she might have gone for Filch, I bet she heard us. Come on. "
Ron had to drag Harry as I tiptoed behind.
The Holidays were soon over, and it was back to classes, and back to Quidditch practice. On the twenty-first, the twins and I had popped a mandrake leaf in our mouths, excited to begin the transformation. Talking around it was a little awkward, as we didn't want anyone seeing it and guessing what we were doing.
Wood was working the Gryffindors hard, and even the rain that replaced the snow didn't dampen his enthusiasm. I came to every practice, though now that I understood the various positions, I was more of an observer. The Weasleys complained Wood was being a fanatic, and I was inclined to agree.
Then, during one particularly wet and muddy practice session, Wood gave the team a bit of bad news. He'd just gotten very angry with the twins, who kept dive-bombing each other and pretending to fall off their brooms.
"Will you stop messing around!" he yelled. "That's exactly the sort of thing that'll lose us the match! Snape's refereeing this time, and he'll be looking for any excuse to knock points off Gryffindor!"
George really did fall off his broom at these words. I rushed from my spot under the stands, where I had been hiding from the rain. "Are you ok?" I helped him back to his feet. "You didn't break anything did you?"
"Snape's refereeing?" he spluttered through a mouthful of mud, and I knew he was fine. "When's he ever refereed a Quidditch match? He's not going to be fair if we might overtake Slytherin."
The rest of the team landed next to George to complain, too.
"It's not my fault," said Wood. "We've just got to make sure we play a clean game, so Snape hasn't got an excuse to pick on us."
After practice, I headed for the twins. "George?"
"Yeah? What's up?"
"Are you ok? I mean you fell off your broom."
He waved it off as Fred snickered. "I'm fine. Just filthy." He glanced at me suddenly with a mischievous look in his eyes, and I took off running, hopping on my own broom as I fled. I could hear him shouting behind me, "Come back! I just want a hug!"
"No thanks!" I hollered back, leaning forward as I heard him closing on me. But his broom was no match for mine in speed, and I soon left him far behind as I zigged and zagged to change my direction. Only one problem, I realized as I finally slowed and paid better attention to where I was. I had flown into the Forbidden Forest, and I had no idea which way the castle was.
Supper would be starting soon, and I had no idea which way to go. I knew I had made too many turns to just about-face and walk, but with no better options, I chose a direction. I had my wand, and my broom, so I flew straight up, hoping to spot the castle or even the lake. But I had flown farther than I thought, and the sun was going down.
I knew the forest was East of the castle, so I turned to face the sun. It had set to an angle I was blinded, so I landed in the trees and began walking, wand at the ready. I could hear things moving in the trees, but dare not investigate. The sun was lowering fast, and it would soon be dark. The last thing I needed.
I had been walking for quite some time when the darkness set in, and with it the crippling fear. I shakily tried for a Lumos, but couldn't manage one due to my distraction. This made me begin to shake visibly. I found a vine nearby and made a harness to carry my broom over my shoulder, so I could have both hands free.
I finally decided I wasn't getting anywhere, and admitting that to myself triggered a panic attack. I fell with my back to an old oak tree. I can't do this. I need to get- I need to get out of here. Pulling my knees up to my chest, I started to hyperventilate, feeling my heart rate skyrocket. Need to get out. I tried to focus on my breathing, only for a sound to startle me and my eyes to jump around the darkness.
Exhausted, I curled tighter into myself, shivering with the cold. Want to go home. Please, let me- My wand held tight in my frozen fingers, I twitched at every sound echoing through the trees. My breathing grew more ragged and rasping, and I couldn't even manage a wince at the noise I was making. They're gonna come for me. The Dementors. I can't- I can't- Please. Help. Help. Please.
I jumped hard with a hoarse scream when I heard something stumble into the tree next to me. No no no no no no. No please. I gotta get out. Gotta- Please. No. Let me go home. I didn't even register my thoughts tumbling out of my mouth. Please, let me go home. I want home. I want Ray. Where's Ray. Please.
I screamed again when hands brushed my shoulder, and I went flying backward, my spine hitting a tree with a harsh thump. I want Ray, I want Seer. Please no. Where is Seer? Please. Black spots danced before my eyes. Seer? Where is Ray? Please, no.
The hands moved away, and I could hear voices, my thoughts too frantic to make out real words. Where is Seer? I want Ray. Get me out. Get me- Help me, please. My mind spun, but the voices persisted. Soft, soothing whispers. I faintly registered my name. "-eo? Leo, can you hear me?"
The voice was familiar. "Please Kitty." Where was I? Where were Ray and Seer? My vision started to clear, and I could make out two blobs, both vaguely human-shaped.
"Kitty, can you breath with me?" I jumped away again as one of them reached for me. No no no, leave me alone.
"I'm not going to touch you, but you need to breathe for me. In- and out." The blob exaggerated his breathing as an example. I took in a shaky breath, coughing harshly in the middle. "That's it. Just breath." My vision continued to clear, and I suddenly realized it was the twins who had found me. My chest, already tight with pain, squeezed. I gasped, and one of them reached out again but pulled back when I whimpered.
My breathing was slowly evening out, but I could not stop the trembling. I was shaking so hard I thought my teeth might rattle out of my head, and that made me gasp again. My breathing picked up just briefly. But I was managing to focus a little better and fought with my body to calm down.
"George? Fred?" I managed to croak.
"Oh, Leo!" One of them sighed with relief. "We are here, we found you. We need to get you back to the school."
"Can you walk?" Fred, I realized, asked. I shook my head. There was no way my shaking body could walk back.
"Alright, I'm going to have to carry you, but not until you're ready, ok?" George spoke softly.
I nodded. Taking one more bracing breath, I reached out. George stepped closer, placing one arm around me and under my arms, the other just under my knees. I knew he could feel me shaking, and I hid my face in his neck. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." I muttered into his soft skin. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry-"
"Hey." Fred interrupted me. "You're safe now, that's all we care about. We were so worried when you didn't show up for dinner, and you weren't on the map. We tried the Room, but you weren't there either. It was George who thought to use a point-me spell."
"I'm sorry," I muttered again, too tired to formulate a better response.
The boys maintained a quiet, comforting presence as we headed back the direction they came from, my body still letting off random shudders. I lay my head on George's shoulder but was too wound up to properly fall asleep. Instead, I dozed and jerked awake at every twig snap and rustling leaf.
When we arrived at the castle George gave Fred a nod and then headed upstairs towards the dorms, Fred disappearing into the lower levels of the castle. He carried me straight to the Gryffindor dorms, gave the portrait of the fat lady the password, and stepped through the door.
Hermione, Ron, and Harry were seated at the fire and looked up in concern when we came in, but a shake of George's head kept them from asking questions.
George continued through the common room and carried me up to the third year boys dorm. He deposited me on the bed, only moving just far enough to shove Fred's bed closer. With the two beds side by side, we could easily all three fit. Luckily, Lee was out. I forced myself to crawl over to the middle of the beds, and George hopped in beside me as Fred reappeared, his arms full of goodies from the kitchen.
He handed me a mug of hot chocolate and climbed into the bed himself. Sensing I didn't have the energy to talk, they let me eat in silence, and I soon drifted off to sleep between them.
