25 December 1991 - Great Hall - 12:11PM
"MERRY CHRISTMAS YOU FILTHY ANIMALS!"
The gathered students and Professors started at the bawdy bellow, turning to the entrance to see a grinning Lord Black, flanked on each side by an exasperated Lord Gaunt and a giggling Libra. Sirius was decked out in his Christmas finest; a massive Santa hat covered his dark locks, charmed with dancing reindeer. Coupled with a red sweater with matching pants, the sweater was emblazoned with a charmed Gryffindor lion that occasionally roared 'Merry Christmas!'. Slytherin green dragonhide boots complimented his outfit, paired with an expensive black Acromantula silk cloak.
Laughing boisterously, he marched into the Great Hall directly to the Slytherin table, where a grinning Harry sat with a gobsmacked Theo, who was unused to such theatrics. At the Head Table, Lily and McGonagall fondly rolled their eyes as Dumbledore openly laughed at Sirius' rambunctiousness. Floating behind the group of three adults was a veritable mountain of brightly wrapped Christmas presents that Lord Gaunt gently guided to land on the Slytherin table, which was already creaking with mounds of food.
"Hello Harry! Happy Christmas!" Sirius swept his godson into a fierce hug, which Harry gladly returned.
"Sirius! What's all this for?" asked Harry, though he wasn't at all complaining about presents.
"It's your first Hogwarts Christmas! Naturally nothing but the best would do!" he replied, gesturing to the massive amount of gifts he'd purchased for his godson. Though a Gryffindor through and through, Sirius was fiercely supportive of Harry's Slytherin sorting as he was of his godson. He often cited that Lily was the smartest person he'd ever known, and if Harry got into her House, it must be a damn good one to be in.
"And you must be Theo, yes?" Sirius asked, staring intently at the boy in question. Gulping Theo responded, "Yes I am sir. Pleased to meet you Lord Black."
"Ah, none of that Lord Black nonsense! Please, call me Sirius!" He shook Theo's hand boisterously, further shocking the poor boy at his casual exuberance. Rolling his eyes once more, Tom introduced himself and Libra to Theo, pleased to see the boy's polite response. The brief glimpse into the boy's mind also bore much potential Tom was eager to explore.
From their vantage at the Gryffindor table, Jim and Ron stared in stunned silence, and no small amount of envy at the sheer number of presents they assumed was for Harry. Ron squawked upon seeing Lord Gaunt and Libra's attire; Slytherin green hand-knitted Weasley sweaters bearing their respective initials. Unbeknownst to the youngest Weasley son, Molly was still besides herself in gratitude for Tom's scholarship assistance to Charlie, and in the only way she knew how, had knitted Tom (and Libra) matching sweaters, scarfs, and leg-warmers as Christmas presents. Included in her gift were various homemade sweets, including peanut treacle brittle, crystallized pineapple, frosted peppermint patties, and triple fudge chocolate marshmallow brownies, the latter of which Tom had already devoured half. He'd instructed Mab to store the remainder (along with the various other sweets) to be polished off during the remainder of the holidays.
"Well then, now that all that's out of the way, let's get to unwrapping these goodies shall we?" With a loud clap Sirius brandished his wand, and with a grand flourish, began dispersing the presents to their intended targets. The lion's share landed in front of Harry's seat, much to his delight. Quite a few floated over to Lily and McGonagall, with even a small package floating towards a surprised Dumbledore. While Lord Black hadn't been outwardly cold towards him, he didn't make an effort to be overly polite either. To his surprise, a few floated over to Theo as well, with the shocked boy stuttering out his thanks as Harry encouragingly smiled.
Lily and McGonagall made their way over, thanking Sirius for their presents. To everyone's surprise, Sirius had given Professor McGonagall a firm kiss on her cheek, spinning her around while the usually imposing woman blushed furiously. She made her way back to the Head Table, her cheeks still a fierce pink. Laughing, Lily exchanged hugs with Sirius, Tom, and Libra, before sweeping Harry into his fourth Christmas hug of the day (she'd already given him two this morning in her private quarters when they'd exchanged presents with Severus). Reaching into one of her robe pockets, she removed multiple presents for Libra, Sirius, and Tom, much to their mutual excitement and appreciation. Together, they all sat down and began unwrapping their presents.
From Tom and Libra, Harry had received three books with charmed covers; one titled Applied Herpetology for Burgeoning Speakers, the second titled Great Snakes of Magical Africa, and the third titled Prefects Who Gained Power, with charmed bookmarks outlining the chapters on Slytherin Prefects, and the overall Prefect system within Hogwarts. Curious, Harry looked at Tom inquiringly, who only smiled indulgently before raising his glass in a cheeky toast. From Sirius, he'd received multiple wardrobe items bearing Slytherin colors; cashmere sweaters, fleece-lined jackets, dragonhide snow boots, and an impressive new Acromantula silk cloak in a gorgeous shade of Slytherin green. He'd purchased a matching cloak for himself and Lily, though his matching robe bore some Gryffindor-red adornments. As always, there was a heap of Quidditch paraphernalia, along with large parcels of treats and candies from Honeydukes.
For Harry's friends, Lord Black had purchased large parcels of expensive Honeydukes chocolate, along with wool and cashmere blend scarves bearing the respective house colors to provide extra warmth in the frigid Scotland cold. Theo had thanked him graciously as the man had grinningly waved him off. For Lily and Tom, he'd purchased a matching set of rare books on Charms and Arithmancy that they (surprisingly) didn't already have, along with multiple hundred-pound vouchers for muggle bookstores. Sirius had splurged on a luxurious mink stole, mink-lined hat, and matching gloves for Libra, citing that 'a woman as beautiful as she ought to be adorned in only that which is deserving of her beauty', before lavishing a gallant kiss on her knuckles as Tom rolled his eyes in amused irritation. As Lord Black was a huge fan of gag gifts, Harry, Tom, Lily, and Libra had splurged on multiple canine-themed presents, including a handsome handmade leather collar, matching leash, designer dog clothes, and fancy Muggle doggy toys, much to Sirius' roaring laughter. He'd even volunteered to put the collar and leash on for a 'test run', before he'd been vociferously outvoted by the other adults.
As they ate their meal and made pleasant conversation, the massive Great Hall doors opened and James Potter entered, striding imperiously to the Gryffindor table. He leveled a vicious glare at the back of Sirius' head, eyes flashing when he noticed him sitting right next to Lily. Harry shook his head in amusement while the remaining adults soundly ignored Lord Potter. Pausing at the Gryffindor table, James presented Brother Dearest with a big box in gold foil and sat down, causing Harry to look away and tuck into his hearty lunch meal.
A few minutes later, the doors burst open again, and, to Harry's pleasant surprise, Neville came in, accompanied by his grandmother, who wore her a yule-themed version of her stuffed hat, this time bearing reindeer horns! The two stopped off to wish Dumbledore and the other faculty members a Merry Christmas and then made their way to the Slytherin section where Harry, Theo, and the assorted adults were seated. Neville gave his two friends a big hug, making sure to exchange polite pleasantries with the adults. He then formally introduced them to the deeply intimidating Augusta Longbottom, who registered her approval upon their respectful bows and gallant kisses of her right knuckle. Once complete, Tom, Sirius, Lily, and Libra exchanged pleasantries, with Sirius (naturally) taking it a step further by heaping flirtatious compliments upon her person, causing her cheeks to pink and Neville to stare in shock at her unexpected reaction. Once that was over, Augusta eyed Theo somewhat severely.
"You are the son of Tiberius Nott, I take it?" she said imperiously.
He swallowed deeply. "I am his younger son, yes, ma'am."
"I must confess, Master Nott, that I do not approve of your father."
Theo cleared his throat and grimaced, but did not lower his gaze. "If you will forgive the impertinence, ma'am, I don't much approve of him either."
The old woman fixed him with a gimlet eye… and then she smiled approvingly. "My grandson informs me that the House of Longbottom owes you a debt. I wish you to understand that this debt is owed to you and not to the House of Nott. Furthermore, should circumstances ever warrant it, the House of Longbottom offers you sanctuary." She turned to include Harry: "That offer extends to you Mr. Potter… and if need be, your mother."
Bowing respectfully, Harry smiled and bowed graciously, thanking Madam Longbottom for her immense kindness. Behind him, Tom and Lily exchanged The Look while smiling approvingly, pleased with the proceedings.
11:17PM
Harry grunted and grumbled in his sleep, trying to push the impatient hand that jostled him.
"Harry! Harry please, wake up!" whispered Theo urgently. Harry grunted and rolled over to see his friend standing next to his bed, though why he was whispering in an otherwise empty room was a mystery. He was relieved that Selma was currently resting in her terrarium within his mother's personal quarters. Otherwise, it'd be very difficult to explain why he had a secret pet snake, even as a Slytherin.
"What is it, Theo?" asked Harry grumpily, still half-asleep. "And what time is it?"
"Never mind that now," the other boy said at a more normal volume. "I found something... something strange. And ... I really need you to take a look at it and tell me what it means. Please?"
Harry felt around in this dark for his glasses and wand and then cast a Lumos and Tempus in rapid succession. "Bloody hell Theo! It's almost midnight!" he said irritably. "What's so important that you had to wake me before dawn?!"
"It… it can't wait, Harry. Please, just come with me." It was at that point by the dim light of the Lumos spell that Harry realized his friend had been crying, tear tracks marking his pale cheeks.
"Theo, what's happened? What the hell is going on?" he asked, suddenly alert and wary, barely resisting the urge to look in the dark for hidden enemies.
"I can't just explain it – you wouldn't believe me. That's why I want you to come see for yourself. It's ... I think it's possible that I've gone… mad, so I want someone ... sensible ... someone I genuinely trust to have my back and tell me if it's real."
Harry quietly studied his friend. In the few months of their friendship, Theo had never made any demands of him, not even after the loan of his Notice-Me-Not ring to aid in rescuing Neville at Halloween. At the time, Harry had not fully appreciated how precious a gift that was. The ring was a Nott family heirloom, meant to be with Theo's brother Alexander at Durmstrang. But Alex was intensely if discretely protective of his younger brother and secretly gave him the ring, a Rememberall, and several other magical items which Tiberius Nott had intended for his Heir Presumptive. The elder Nott would be furious to know that Theo had the ring at all, and Harry shuddered at the thought of his reaction if he ever learned that Theo had given it to a Potter in order to help rescue a Longbottom. A few moments later, Harry made his decision.
"Of course Theo, whatever you need." Mere moments later, the two exited the dungeon in pajamas, robes and slippers, as Harry rapidly applied his wand holster. Five minutes later, Theo led Harry into an empty dust-covered classroom in an unused wing of the school. In the middle of the room was a large and rather ornate free-standing mirror, standing about four-feet wide and twice as tall. Theo pointed at it excitedly and started in that direction, but Harry quickly grabbed him by the shoulder, his expression calculating. Adjusting his glasses, Harry discretely activated the Rune Detector feature, eyes almost crossing as multiple complex symbols he had no hope of understanding sprang into existence, though the almost… malevolent glow of some did give him pause. A few seconds later he readjusted his glasses, deactivating the Detector.
"No. I've followed you here after curfew, but I'm not going near that thing until you tell me what's going on. How did you even find this room?"
Theo looked embarrassed, cheeks lightly pinking. "Well, I was feeling a bit hungry during the night – you know I have trouble sleeping – so I snuck over to the kitchens for a snack. One of the upper years who's friends with Alex told me how to find it and how to get in. On my way back, Mrs. Norris saw me, and I thought Filch might catch me, so I ran for it. Somehow I got turned around, and when I thought I heard them behind me, I ducked in here. That's when I found her."
"...Her?"
Theo nodded excitedly and pulled free of Harry's grasp. He ran across the room to stand in front of the mirror with a rapturous expression on his face. Cautiously, Harry followed him more slowly into the gloomy, dust-covered room. About halfway across the room, he jumped at the sound of the door creaking behind him. He'd forgotten that he'd left it open partially. Slowly, he turned back towards Theo and moved to join his friend, waving away the dust and cobwebs while mentally steeling himself for whatever image the mirror showed.
"Isn't she beautiful?" Theo asked softly. And she was, with her brilliant red hair, dazzling green eyes, and loving smile always reserved for him and him alone. His only question was why Theo was so entranced by Lily Evans. Well, that and why Theo was ignoring the other six figures in the mirror – James Potter, Jim Potter, Sirius Black, Severus Snape, Tom Riddle, and Harry himself. But then Harry had never seen a reflection of himself, mother, and uncles like this one: happy and thrilled to be in the company of the Brother Dearest and his abominable father. He still wore Slytherin robes, just as Jim wore the colors of Gryffindor, but there was no hint of animosity over it on the part of either twin. In fact, the brothers each had an arm over the other's shoulder as if they were the best of friends. James, in his auror's robes, affectionately rubbed his fingers through Harry's messy hair, but Harry only laughed as if used to it. And Lily looked adoringly back and forth at her two precious boys, the very picture of blissful maternal love. Behind the immediate family stood Tom, Sirius, and Severus, all happily joking along with Lord Potter, genuinely pleased to be among each other. Even Severus was smiling and joking along with James!
'This is what it should have been. This is the life we all should have had, how my family should have been united. All of us, together as one," Harry thought in wonderment, slowly smiling in awe.
Then, Theo spoke again, almost dreamily. "So beautiful. Why did she have to die, Harry?"
Theo's words sliced through the train of Harry's thoughts like a jagged knife, and out of sheer reflex, Harry initiated the basic self-diagnostic techniques that had comprised the first lessons of his introductory Occlumency training.
'Wait, what? My mother's not dead! She's still alive! So what is Theo talking about? Some other woman? Of course… he sees someone else in the mirror, someone he loves as much as I love my family. So we see different things. I see that my father and brother love as I am, and he sees someone he loves who died. But … wait a minute… that means that what he's seeing isn't real. And if he is seeing something impossible then ... what I see ... is impossible too. They only look like they love me. Impossible. They look like they accept me. Impossible. I look like I love them. Impossible. It's all a lie. Nothing but IMPOSSIBLE LIES!'
With a furious snarl, Harry turned his face from the mirror and staggered a few steps away, dropping to his hands and knees as he fought the urge to vomit. And it hurt! It had been physically painful to rip himself out of the comforting fantasy that beckoned within the mirror. Even now that he knew it was a deception, he still wanted to go back and look at it again. From somewhere behind him, he thought he heard a movement and in a flash, his wand was out panning the room. But there was nothing there – just his imagination playing tricks, the pounding of his heart making him jumpy.
As he retracted his wand, he suddenly noticed that his hands were shaking, and from his side vantage point, he dared another look at the mirror. It seemed safe now. Well, safe to him – Theo had also fallen to his knees and was staring in awe at the image it held, tears streaming down his face even as he grinned in delight. Apparently, its powers only affected those who looked directly into it. Internally, Harry marveled at what sort of stupidity would lead to something as monstrous as this being placed in a school. Then, he remembered what else had been placed in the school and understood. This was a trap, one meant for the Dark Lord himself. And some fool had left it in an unlocked room over the Christmas break. Harry shook his head.
Then, he thought back to what he'd felt when he looked into the mirror and let out a shuddering breath. He had nearly been ensnared by a trap intended for the Dark Lord. Would it have driven him mad? Sucked out his soul? Or merely left him inert and helpless until someone else came along? Someone who was meant to finish him off? Almost certainly, he would never have broken free on his own if he hadn't possessed the Occludic fundamentals he did have, and even then, he'd needed Theo to say something to trigger his primitive defenses. He thanked whatever gods wizards were supposed to worship that Theo himself had broken free long enough to come to him instead of staying here alone all night.
Harry rose and edged around slowly, avoiding a direct reflection. At the top of the mirror, he noticed, was some lettering. It was an archaic script but clearly English letters, though it didn't look like the English language. In fact, it didn't look like any language Harry had ever encountered. 'ERISED STRA EHRU OYT UBE CAFRU OYT ON WOHSI,' it said. Harry studied the words for a confused moment before it clicked, causing him to roll his eyes in exasperation. He hoped the Dark Lord didn't take the time to read the instruction manual someone had helpfully placed atop the mirror before looking within, or Dumbledore's little game would be all for nothing.
'So, the mirror shows images of whatever one subconsciously wants to see the most, which in Theo's case, is the image of a dead woman," thought Harry. 'Probably his mother who, according to Neville, died in a vaguely suspicious accident in 1985. Theo would have been four or five.' Internally cursing Tiberius Nott's name, Harry focused all his attention on Theo, knowing he would need the full strength of his wits to break the spell upon his friend.
"Theo, why did you bring me here?" he asked gently.
"You… you're so much cleverer than me. I could see her… I can see her, but I can't get her to speak. I knew if I showed her to you, you could find a way to let her communicate, and she could tell everyone… tell everyone the truth about how she died. Then, she could be at peace. We both could be at peace." He hadn't blinked once during his statement, and Harry felt his heart break for the quiet pain he heard in his friend's voice.
"Who, Theo? Please tell me, who do you see in the mirror?"
"It's ... it's my mother," he confirmed without taking his eyes from the mirror. "Can't you see her?"
"No, Theo. The mirror shows something different to whoever looks into it." Staring assessingly at Theo, Harry continued, his voice never wavering from its gentle cadence: "Tell me about her. What does she look like?"
"Like I said – beautiful. Her eyes are ice-blue and her hair is the color of fresh straw. And she loves me even though…" Theo's eyes blinked rapidly, trying and failing to contain his tears. Harry took a step towards him and gently laid an arm across his friend's shoulder, careful to keep his attention solely on Theo to avoid looking into the mirror himself. He also used his position to slowly turn Theo's body towards him, hoping to break his concentration.
"Even though ... what?" Harry asked gently.
Theo's mouth began to crinkle. "It was because of me. Father wanted a girl. He had his male heir to carry on the line, and he wanted a daughter of Draco's age to get a marriage contract with the Malfoys. He…" Theo paused here and shuddered, the motion causing Harry's arm to shake. "He made Mother take an illegal potion to increase the chances of a female child. But it didn't work and it made her terribly sick. I… I almost died as a baby. I was sickly for years…" He shook his head forlornly, as more tears streamed down his face. "Another reason for him to hate me. And when I was three, he made her try again. That poor baby was stillborn, and after that she couldn't have any more children. He… he didn't even bury it properly. I heard the elves talking…he just wrapped it in sheets and set it on fire!" Theo's voice broke as he choked back a sob, and Harry gently rubbed soothing circles on his friend's back, his own eyes feeling teary. "He was angry all the time after that. At her… at both of us. Drank a lot too... he would say horrible things," a shudder ran through him, causing Harry to tense. "Things like... 'what's the point of a wife who can't even breed properly?' And... that if only they'd found out earlier ... that I'd been a mistake... she could have… aborted me and started over earlier."
Then, Theo broke out into wracking sobs, his head bowing and his eyes squeezing shut, and Harry made his move while the visual connection was broken. He twisted the sobbing boy around by the shoulders to turn him away from the mirror, and placed his hands on either side of his friend's head so he couldn't turn back in its direction. Then, he leaned forward until the two boys were touching foreheads, creating a physical anchor so Theo couldn't look away. Maintaining his soothing sotto voce, Harry comforted his grieving friend.
"Shhh, Theo. It's okay. I'm here. I told you I would be here for you if you ever needed me, and here I am. But I need you to stay strong and listen to me. And most of all, I need you to focus on me. Do not look in the mirror."
"But, my mother ..." he said through his tears.
"It's. Not. Her. Theo. I'm so sorry but it's not really her. The mirror is a trap. The words over the mirror are backwards writing and they say "I SHOW NOT YOUR FACE BUT YOUR HEART'S DESIRE. And that's just an awful thing to show to someone who's hurting, because to show someone his heart's desire when he can't have it or even touch it is just the cruelest thing you can do to someone. Now, forget the mirror and just focus on me. Go on with your story. What happened to your mum? I'll be here to listen and be with you and help you, but you have to stay focused on me, alright?" Nodding, the two friends slowly turned to sit on the floor with their backs to the mirror. It was still difficult though because somehow, even with his back to it, Harry swore he could feel the image of his loving family still in the mirror calling out for his attention, and he was sure it was worse for Theo. Harry put his arm around his sobbing friend's shoulder and held him firmly.
Theo took a few seconds to collect himself. "When I was about five or so, I heard them arguing and poked my head out of my bedroom door. He was drunk again, and he'd just found out that the Malfoys had set up an arranged marriage between Draco and Pansy. He was furious, yelling about what a waste I was and what a failure she was. They argued and ... and he… backhanded her hard. She was standing at the top of the stairs and… oh gods Harry she fell!"
Theo broke down at that and wept for a moment, resting his head on Harry's shoulder. Not knowing what to say, Harry just held on tight to Theo's shoulder and rubbed soothing circles into his friend's back, waiting for him to continue.
"After... that happened, Father saw me and realized I'd seen everything. He grabbed me and said he'd kill me if I didn't go along with his story. When the auror's came, he told them that I'd bumped into her on accident while running down the hall and that's why she lost her balance and fell. I said it was true even though it must have been obvious I was lying. Not that it mattered. We're an Ancient and Noble House, so none of them wanted to look too closely at how the Lord's wife ended up dead. But Alex knew. That's why he gave me his Remembrall – in case Father ever tried to change my memories so that I believed his story. Alex didn't want me to carry the guilt for what Father did, but he made me promise not to tell anyone because... because Father would kill me." Theo laughed brokenly through his tears and wiped his sleeve across his face, and Harry wanted to pummel Lord Nott in his face for harming Theo in such a horrific way. "Father wants to kill me anyway. He's joked about it enough. He actually jokes at dinner about how many different ways he could kill me and get away with it. I think he's just waiting for a good excuse. That's why... when I saw... I-I-I thought she was a ghost or a spirit or maybe the mirror let you talk to the dead. And if she could accuse him, maybe the Ministry would do... something!"
Theo's whole body shook with silent tears as Harry rubbed his back, cooing words of nonsensical comfort to the boy, just as Lily did for him all the times he'd been upset as a young child. The boy's distress was so loud and heartfelt that Harry almost didn't hear the cough. Almost. He spared a quick glance over towards the entrance to the room and saw nothing. Then, he looked at the floor and noticed telltale footprints on the dusty floor. Two sets belonging to Theo and himself, and a third set that looked like prints from a pair of trainers that led to an alcove directly across the room where the boys were sitting.
"Theo?" Harry whispered. The boy slowly looked up into Harry's suddenly intense eyes. "I need you to keep very calm and still. Keep your eyes on me, and keep your back to that mirror, okay? Can you promise to do that?" Theo nodded slowly. And then, Harry moved, snapping out his wand and standing as he cast. "VENTUS!" He put as much power as he could into the air-generating spell and was rewarded with a powerful gust of wind that enveloped the intruder in a cloud of thick dust that had him coughing uncontrollably. But more than that, the wind also caused the edges of the invisibility cloak the other person was wearing to flap up, revealing the legs of a boy in Gryffindor robes wearing the same expensive new trainers that Harry's brother had shown off at Christmas dinner mere hours ago. Theo watched in surprise before stiffening in fear at what sounded like a feral beast somewhere nearby. Then, he realized it was Harry… growling in pure rage.
"ACCIO JIM POTTER!"
A responding yelp sounded as Jim Potter's legs were pulled out from under him, and he banged his head as it hit the floor. The invisibility cloak fell away completely as the boy slid feet-first towards his brother. Disoriented, he tried to pull his wand out of his pocket, but Harry viciously kicked at his hand and the wand went flying across the room, smiling wickedly when the felled boy howled in pain. Then, Harry jumped on top of Jim, landing hard astride the other boy's stomach and weighing down his arms. Jim coughed in pain as the air was knocked out of him, struggling to kick his brother off. Steadfast Harry held on to the bucking boy. In a flash, Harry had his left hand around Jim's throat with his thumb just below the boy's Adam's apple, and the sticking his wand painfully into the flesh below Jim's chin.
"Hello, Brother Dearest," Harry said through clenched teeth. "So glad you could join us." There was a terrible rasping edge to Harry's voice that Theo had never heard from him before. Jim froze. He couldn't move easily anyway, and from this position, Harry had his choice of crushing Jim's larynx or shooting a spell straight into his head. The Boy-Who-Lived looked up into his brother's deathly green eyes, and after four months of calling Harry a "dark wizard," Jim suddenly wondered just how dangerous his brother might truly be. He wasn't the only one.
"Theo?" said Harry in a commanding voice without ever moving or breaking eye contact with Jim, "are you still looking at me and not the mirror?"
"Y-yes, Harry," said Theo. His own voice cracked in anxiety. When Harry had held Malfoy at wandpoint back on Halloween night, he'd talked in a light and playful manner even as he threatened to shoot Draco in the face with a fireworks spell. Like a cheeky little cat toying with an unsuspecting mouse. This however, was different; a much more dangerous predator who was not in any kind of playful mood.
"Good. Now, I want you to go out that door without looking back and return to our dorms. I'll be along shortly."
"N-no. I… I won't leave you alone with him, Harry."
"It's okay, Theo," Harry responded, his grin vicious. Jim shuddered at his expression and the next words: "I can handle him."
Silence hung thickly in the air. "I'm not worried about him hurting you, Harry," Theo said quietly.
With that, Harry smiled with all his teeth as his eyes remained locked on Jim, who swallowed at the sight. To him, Harry might as well be baring his fangs. "It's alright, Theo. I already promised Neville. No death, dismemberment, or permanent injury." Jim balked at that statement, his expression further paling. "Now go on back to our dorm. Jim and I are just going to have a little chat. Brother to brother."
Slowly, Theo edged his way around the twins who seemed frozen in some violent tableau, like living statues of Cain and Abel. At the door, he almost turned around when Harry spoke again in that frightening voice Theo had never heard from him before tonight. "Don't. Look. Back." He was suddenly alarmed to realize how much Harry's voice reminded him of his father's voice during his darker rants. Theo took a deep breath and exited the room, pulling the door shut behind him and hoping that he wasn't leaving the scene of Jim Potter's imminent murder.
Harry neither moved nor relaxed his grip, and his eyes bored into Jim's. He spoke softly, his words sinuous and so unnaturally cold that Jim shivered in spite of himself. "So, did you enjoy the show, Brother Dearest? One slimy snakey Slytherin comforting another who was crying over his dead mother and his murderous Death Eater father. I'm impressed you could keep from laughing. I bet you can't wait to tell Lackey Weasley and all your shithead little Gryffindor followers about it." He sneered with all his teeth, grimly satisfied at Jim's answering flinch.
Jim coughed. "Harry, it's not..."
"Shut. Your. Filthy. Lying. Mouth. Don't even pretend with me, Potter. You followed us with your little invisibility cloak hoping to get us into trouble. Finding us weeping in front of Dumbledore's new toy was just gravy. You have no fucking idea…" Harry shook for a second, his thumb digging just a little deeper into Jim's throat. Jim's eyes widened in fear.
"You Gryffindors... with your games and your pranks and your fucking adventures," he spit furiously, eyes practically burning into Jim's frightened ones. "You have no fucking idea what it's like to be Theo Nott, to live each bloody day knowing that your own father might kill you on a drunken whim. No fucking idea the... damage that can be wrought on an... innocent by violent bigots, damage they have to live with, all because some shitheads believe themselves to be better." His thumb dug deeper into Jim's throat, the frightened boy's eyes growing even wider in terror. "This is not a game to us, Jim, because Slytherins. Don't. Play. Games. Slytherins survive. We endure because we must, because none other can withstand what we can. Do you understand what I'm saying, Jim?" His voice had turned mocking as he glared unblinkingly into Jim's eyes, eyes so much and yet so unlike his own.
"Y-yes, Harry. I understand." Jim's voice was little more than a croak, fearful that Harry would crush his windpipe in his fearsome rage.
"Oh no Brother Dearest, I don't think you do. So, let me be a little more… direct." Harry leaned forward without relaxing his grip or moving his wand, until his face was less than a foot from Jim's as she smiled with all his teeth. "Since literally the day we first met, you have told nearly everyone who will listen that I am a dark wizard. A bad seed born of bad fruit, another insult upon my mother's person. So now, I want you to listen to what the dark wizard has to say and believe it with all of your selfish shriveled heart. If any harm comes to Theo Nott and I trace it back to the Big Fat Mouth of the little Bastard-Who-Lived, I swear to you on the blackened soul of the father who wronged me that you will learn to fear me more than you have ever feared the Dark Lord. Do you understand that, Brother Mine?"
Jim, unable to speak due to the pressure on his throat, nodded urgently as his eyes goggled. A few unblinking moments passed, before Harry relaxed his hands and rose up, never taking his wand off Jim. Then, he turned and headed towards the door. "Nice cloak," he said casually as he passed by it. "I guess I know what Daddy got his Number-One-Son for Christmas."
He had just put his hand to the door when Jim coughed out his name. "H-Harry...! Wait!" He hesitated, waiting for Jim to continue.
"What did you see ... in the mirror? What did you see?"
Harry turned back to his brother who was still resting on the floor. "You first," he replied coldly.
Jim swallowed again, steeled himself, and turned to face the mirror. Then, he gasped. Part of him was strangely unsurprised by the reflected image now that he knew what the mirror did, but Jim Potter would never have guessed in a million years how similar it was to what Harry had seen. James and Lily were there, and Harry and Jim were loving brothers wearing identical Gryffindor robes. In fact, Jim couldn't tell which of the twins in the mirror was which, for neither of them had been marked with an identifying scar. It seemed that in the world of his heart's desire, the Dark Lord had never come to their house and torn the twins apart.
"POTTER!" Harry barked after a few seconds. Jim's attention snapped away from the seductive image and back to the reality of an angry Slytherin glaring at him. "I don't have all bloody damn day!"
Jim swallowed. "I saw Mom and Dad and myself and…" The words died in his throat, a truth he could not bring himself to admit to any Slytherin, especially this one. "And… that's all. I'm an only child."
Harry snorted as if he'd expected that answer.
"And you?" Jim asked. "What did you see?"
"Just myself and my mother," Harry lied just as easily. "Which is all I've ever needed. I'm in my mid-twenties, I think, and wearing formal robes as I'm sworn into the Wizengamot as the new Lord Potter, with Lily Evans right by my side as Seneschal Potter." He sneered hatefully at his twin. "Presumably because both you and James Potter lie rotting in your graves. All the better for the world." With a vicious sneer, turned with a flourish and strode out of the room, leaving an angry and shaken Jim behind. After a moment's hesitation, Jim stood up slowly and walked out as well, snatching up his wand and his father's cloak as he left.
Seconds later, there was a shimmer in an archway in the far corner as Dumbledore allowed his invisibility spell to lapse. The archway itself led to a secret passageway that only the Headmaster could navigate – he'd come as quickly as he could once he sensed the mystic alarm indicating that the Mirror had ensnared not just one victim, but two. Exhaling slowly, Dumbledore replaced his wand inside his robe. He'd kept it at the ready, just in case it was necessary to separate the Potter twins before violence erupted, but despite Harry's cold and calculated fury, the old wizard believed that there was no murder in the boy's heart. Just a fierce desire to protect his friend, along with the lingering self-doubts caused by his father's hateful treatment of him and his mother. And so the old wizard stayed his hand as long as possible to watch invisibly. Still, it was ... unnerving to see Harry Potter instantly shift from the compassion and protectiveness he held for the Nott boy to the ruthless efficiency with which he disarmed and then threatened Jim's life. He was truly Lily Evans' son in all the ways that mattered.
Dumbledore looked back to the Mirror of Erised with revulsion. He'd been working on modifying the mirror's enchantments all night and had only taken a break for an hour to review some notes on its history that he kept in his office. The door had to remain unlocked while he was harmonizing the cursed mirror with the school's protective wards, but at almost midnight. and with so few students in the castle, he felt sure it was safe. And yet three students managed to find the wretched thing in under an hour! He grimaced at the implications. Had the Mirror of Erised itself somehow reached out for potential victims? Or was there some other more nefarious force at work? Or perhaps Fate - as always - was just toying with the Potter Twins as it had for more than eleven years.
The Headmaster shook his head. He'd planned to spend another few days finishing his modifications, but now he was reluctant to leave the mirror for even one more hour than necessary where students might encounter it. He closed his eyes and sent a mental command for a house elf to fetch him a pot of strong coffee. He would finish his work tonight whatever it took and then move the mirror to the Third Floor. As he moved closer to the foul thing, Dumbledore ignored the images of dead and estranged family members waving to him from the other side of the mirror's glass, Ariana's presence the strongest. Attuned as he now was to the inner workings of the Mirror of Erised, its dark magic and the deep-seated regrets they reflected held no purchase on him. He was more troubled by the images he'd seen reflected for the Potter Twins – two boys so much alike and with so much in common, but who now, it seemed, could only cause each other pain. With a heavy heart, Albus Dumbledore returned to his work.
AN 1: Finally! That was a doozy! Of course Sirius Black would burst in and bellow out an iconic quote from a Muggle movie.
AN 2: The Mirror of Erised scene is a touch more different; my Harry's idea of a happy family is vastly different from PoS'.
Next Up: The Sentinel!