CH3

Harry POV

There are certain memories that shape us. Ones that we come back to over and again, that fester or bloom; either way they shape us. One such memory is my encounter with the Mirror of Erised. Yes, Voldy's host attacking me while I put the stone in my pocket is a significant memory, but I'm referring to what it first showed me: my family. It was so captivating to sit in front of the mirror and watch the line of Potters wave and smile at me- seeing my Mother and Father in the glass filled me with joy only an orphan can know. Thrilling me again each night I visited.

I brought Ron on the second night, when I told him he could see his family for generations back he said all he needed to do that was look in the albums back home. Still though he thought he would show me Charlie & Bill, and maybe the Prewetts, although if they are supposed to be like Forge I wasn't too keen. But, instead of the mirror showing him masses of red hair and freckles he saw only one person. He saw only himself only a bit older, very impressive, and utterly alone. On the third night I snuck into see my parents I decided I was going to think about what I wanted to be when I was older- thinking that maybe that was what Ron thought the mirror did. I went in and mentally screamed 'PROFESSIONAL QUIDDITCH PLAYER', but was again greeted with the image of my family members, and again I was filled with the same contentment as before. I resigned myself to never understand the mysteries of this mirror and not to come back, but as I sat in the warming company of the Potters another image walked into the frame. A girl. With thick wavy hair like my mother's but with my father's coloring, deep chestnut hair, eyes of his mischievous hazel, no glasses, but the same smile and the slightly overly plumped bottom lip that my mother had.

It was the next night when I went to see her that I had another unexpected guest in the mirror. This one walked up behind me and for a moment I was convinced I was related to Albus Wulfric Percival Brian Dumbledore. He spoke though, breaking my reverie, "It does not do well do dwell on dreams Mr. Potter".

I find that I quote that to myself quite frequently… usually in my weaker moments of bitterness and sarcasm.

The fact is that I have dwelt on this 'dream'. I've come back to this girl many times over the years, my description of her has changed over the years- my eleven year old self's ability to describe an attractive woman wasn't quite so eloquent (brown hair and brown eyes was about as much detail as I could muster then). While my description has changed the memory of the image never wavers. Nonetheless, I can never quite picture her perfectly. It's like I only know what she looks like because I know I once knew… makes about as much sense as anything else in my life, I know. I could probably walk right into this mirror girl and not know her.

Nevertheless, I was plagued by questions about her. Was I supposed to find her? Did she somehow help me defeat Voldy? Was it her I should be with instead of Ginny? I quickly pushed that thought aside, I was fairly sure Gin was the one… and if she wasn't the Weasley brothers would make sure she was my last one…

This other woman then- Was she my mind's manifestation of the Horcrux that lay in wait overfilling the 'no vacancy' sign attributed to my body that some how Voldy missed- suggesting that my eleven year old self wished to tell me of the tag along?

The last one is Hermione's favorite theory.

We found out about the Horcrux last year. It was a weird summer to say the least. After the Department of Mysteries and Sirius's death I withdrew and blamed myself #boywholived

I know, typical. Ron tried to pull me out of it - said that the scars from the brains were cool and rivaled his brother's dragon ones. Hermione attempted to use logic and while it made sense, I refused to remove myself from the pit of despair. Dumbledore eventually even let me go to the Burrow where Ginny was able to knock me out of it when I said we couldn't date- physically knocked me out one day after a bat-boegy hit me in the face and I fell off the broom I was riding. But as usual, it was Bella who was able to pull me out of my potter-pity-party. There was something different though about this time.

She got it.

She was an orphan too.