Chapter 7: The true identity
It had been a fortnight since that incident, but the rumours would not die. The rumours did not stop the Famous Five from rummaging around for information on Nicholas Flamel. They made a breakthrough quite unexpectedly.
Ron was exchanging one of his Chocolate Frogs' trading cards with Seamus when Dudley reminisced that he had read about Nicholas Flamel on Dumbledore's trading card on his trip to Hogwarts. It wasn't difficult to find more about him then, thanks to Hermione. So, now they knew what was being guarded by the three-headed-dog – the Sorcerer's Stone, and that Professor Snape was after it.
Christmas was round the corner and it was time to go home. Ron and his brothers were not going home as Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were going to Romania to visit Charlie, so Dudley and Harry invited Ron to their house. They also invited Hermione and Ayesha for Christmas. Ron and Ayesha were to go home with them and Hermione was to join later. Christmas, this year would be fun.
--
"Welcome sons!" shouted Vernon over the noise on Platform number 9 ¾.
Dudley and Harry ran to meet their parents. Vernon and Petunia hugged both of them.
"Mom, Dad, This is Ron." Harry introduced Ron to his parents. Ron shook hands with Vernon, and Petunia hugged him.
"She is Ayesha." Dudley introduced Ayesha while pointing to her. She was met with same treatment as Ron, however they stepped back when they saw Nagini curled around her waist. It took some time for Harry and Ayesha to assure them that Nagini is harmless and fully under the control of Ayesha.
Soon they were in the car with their entire luggage secured in the rear.
"So kids, how was the term?" Vernon asked.
"Oh come on Dad! We wrote every thing in the letters. There's nothing else to tell." exclaimed Harry.
"You wait and see. I bet you still have loads to talk about." Petunia winked at Harry. She then turned towards Ron. "Is yours a wizard family?"
Ron nodded.
"Your lifestyle would be so different than ours. I would love to see how your mom performs routine chores with magic," Petunia said
"And my dad would love to see how Muggles work. He is a great Muggle-fan." said Ron. "Anything related to Muggles fascinates him."
"What does your father do, Ron?" asked Vernon.
"He works at the ministry, in the department of The Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office."
"What!" cried Vernon, "You people have got a ministry?"
"Err –- yes." answered Ron.
"The Wizard world is full of surprises, eh," said Vernon, shaking his head.
Petunia turned to Ayesha. "What about you, Ayesha? Is your family also a wizard family?"
Harry, Ron and Dudley looked at Ayesha, who looked uncomfortable with the question. No one knew anything about her family, except that she was pureblood; she had politely asked them not to ask questions about her family. "Yes, Mrs. Dursley." Ayesha mumbled.
She was spared further grilling as they reached home. They got their luggage out of the car and into the living room, where Petunia told the children about their arrangements. Dudley was to share Harry's room with Harry and Ron, and Ayesha was to stay in Dudley's room; Hermione was to join her when she arrived. Dinner was a quick affair, as all the children were tired and wanted nothing more than their beds.
The next morning, they all went to London to shop for Christmas. They bought presents, new clothes, sweets, and went to an amusement park. It was nice to have fun the Muggle way. It was all astounding for Ron, as he was not used to the Muggle world.
A week later, Hermione joined them. Her parents had dropped her off. Vernon and Petunia wanted them to stay, but they politely refused and went back the same evening. The Famous Five were together again. As is expected of Hermione, her first question was about homework. The whole house began laughing at this, as Ron had mimicked her exactly the same way, in the morning. When the laughter died down, Dudley said to Hermione, "We knew you'd say that."
Dudley woke up on Christmas earlier than Harry. He was half-way through opening his second present, which was from Hermione, when Harry woke up. Together, they opened all of their presents. At last only one parcel was left. It was for Harry, was very light and had no sender's name on it. He unwrapped it. Something fluid and silvery gray went slithering to the floor where it lay in gleaming folds. Someone gasped. Harry looked up to find Ayesha, Ron and Hermione in the doorway.
"I've heard of those," Ron said in a hushed voice, dropping the box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans he'd gotten from Hermione. "If that's what I think it is -– they're really rare, and really valuable."
"What is it?" asked Dudley.
Harry picked up the shining, silvery cloth off the floor. It was strange to the touch, like water woven into material.
"It's an invisibility cloak," said Ayesha, a look of awe on her face. "I'm sure it is -– try it on."
Harry threw the cloak around his shoulders, and all three gave a yell.
"It is! Look down!" Hermione cried.
Harry looked down at his feet, but they were gone. He dashed to the mirror. Sure enough, his reflection looked back at him; just his head suspended in midair, his body completely invisible. He pulled the cloak over his head, and his reflection vanished completely.
"There's a note!" said Ayesha suddenly. "A note fell out of it!"
Harry seized the letter. Written in narrow, loopy writing he had never seen before were the following words:
Your father left this in my possession before he died. It is time it was returned to you. Use it well.
A Very Merry Christmas to you.
There was no signature. Harry stared at the note. "No name," he whispered as tears welled in his eyes.
"Hey what happened?" Dudley asked Harry.
"Uhh … nothing. This belonged to my father, as this note says. I wish I could know my parents; I wish I remembered them." answered Harry, gazing longingly at the cloak.
Ayesha put a hand on his shoulder and nodded in understanding at Harry. They all heard a call from Petunia for them to come to breakfast. Ron, Hermione and Ayesha dashed back to their rooms to get ready.
They all met in the kitchen. Petunia and Vernon had decorated the whole house. They told Petunia and Vernon about the gifts they all had got. Everyone had a try with the invisibility cloak. Vernon even clicked some photographs with it. They were worthy of horror movies, the only difference being that they were not manipulated.
The rest of the day was spent lazing around in the house. For dinner, they had a scrumptious feast, courtesy Petunia, at dinner. Then, they listened to Christmas carols on Vernon's new stereo.
--
"I seriously think they should consider increasing the number of holidays." said Dudley solemnly.
"We will file a petition this year," laughed Ayesha, "but for that, we've got to go back. So pack your bags. Okay?"
Dudley crossed his arms and sat on the Ayesha's just-packed trunk. "I don't want to go back. We were having so much fun here."
"This is what you always feel, isn't it?"
Dudley and Ayesha looked up to find Petunia standing in the doorway. She was smiling. She came in and sat on the bed. "Dudley, why don't you do like the others, and start packing now? I don't want you to forget anything."
Dudley got up gloomily and left the room. Ayesha got up to join him but Petunia stopped her. She pulled up a chair and motioned Ayesha to sit. Ayesha obeyed.
"Ayesha! I want to talk to you, if you don't mind."
Ayesha nodded.
"It's about your family… I know you don't want to talk about it; Dudley told me that. But I want you to talk about it with me."
"There is ... nothing to … talk about it" whispered Ayesha.
"Ayesha! Look at me."
With great effort, Ayesha looked up, putting on a weak smile.
"It's not difficult, you know, to guess; no calls or owls from your parents, no mention of your family in your talks, you become uncomfortable when someone asks you about your parents, the longing in your eyes whenever you see Harry, Dudley, me and Vernon together." Petunia paused. "What happened to them?"
Ayesha looked down, took a deep breath but did not say anything. After a moment she asked her icily, "Why do you want to know?"
Petunia was taken aback by the tone of the girl. However, she composed herself and answered her gently, "Because you have bottled up too many emotions inside you, and I think it's not healthy for an eleven-year-old girl to do so. I want to help you, Child."
Ayesha looked at her. She appeared to be struggling with something. She closed her eyes for a moment, but when she spoke it was again in that ice-cold tone. "Thanks, but no thanks. What makes you think I need help?"
Petunia would not give up. "Ayesha," Petunia continued gently, "I don't know what you're afraid to tell, but I assure you, not everyone is out to hurt you"
There was a heavy silence; Petunia could feel the tension in the air, the struggle inside the young girl, the emotions welling in her eyes, and the memories swirling in her mind. Petunia did not break the silence.
"Mrs. Dursley!" said Ayesha, "There is no family to talk about. I lost my parents when I was one-year-old." After a moment she added, "I lived with my granduncle Rahul – I call him Nanaji – for few years, then I had to move to an orphanage. That's it."
Petunia's mind was full of questions, but it was clear that the girl would not reveal anything more about her parents. It is not her fault; she hardly knows me, mused Petunia. "Why did you move to an orphanage?"
"Because I was never welcome in my Nanaji's family. Nanaji is my father's mother's brother. My grandmother's family had abandoned her years back; therefore, I was also an outcast. Nanaji wanted me to live with him, but after a few years, he realized my grandmother's family was still hostile towards me, he had no other option but to leave me in an orphanage."
Ayesha paused for a moment, but when she continued she had a smile on her face, "We both had lots of fun in the orphanage, something we could never have at his house. He is much more relaxed and cheerful when he is alone with me." She seemed to think she'd said too much, because she went silent and became interested in her fingernails.
Petunia knew she could not get more details out of her right now. She observed the young girl for some time. "I am sorry, Ayesha." She added after a pause, "Why don't we go to kitchen and finish packing the cookies?"
Ayesha hurriedly got up, relieved at the change of subject and started for the door.
"Ayesha!"
Ayesha turned around. Petunia gave her a sad smile and added, "You are always welcome here."
"Thank you, Mrs. Dursley." mumbled Ayesha, looking up at Petunia with a feeling of gratitude. She then ran out of the room a moment later.
Petunia sighed and followed her.
--
"Are you sure you heard it right?" asked Hermione.
"What do you think I am, Hermy? Deaf?" asked Dudley, raising an eyebrow. "I heard it, all right? She told Mom that she has got no family, and that at present she lives in an orphanage. That's why she never got letters from her parents; I thought she's been hiding letters from home."
Dudley had overheard the conversation between Ayesha and his mom. He filled in all the others when he got time alone with them in the evening.
"Now I understand what she meant when she told me that she and I have more in common." said Harry thoughtfully.
"What?" asked Ron.
"I had once told her that we had one thing in common, being Parselmouths, you know. At that time she had just answered that we have more than that in common. I had not understood it at the time, but I do now." answered Harry. "I must be an idiot not to have understood it before." said Harry slapping his forehead.
"Speak for yourself," said Hermione, "I always had an idea, though I never thought the situation was that extreme."
"Oh really?" said Ron, Harry and Dudley together.
"Why, then, you did not enlighten us?" asked Ron, raising his eyebrows, so that they vanished in his hairline.
"It has to be Ayesha who should tell us, and tell us the truth, not guesses by me. Bet you never noticed Neville." said Hermione matter-of-factly.
"What about him?" asked Harry.
Hermione sighed, "Oh nothing."
"Hi everyone. Packing finished?"
All four stopped talking. Ayesha was standing in the doorway. There was an awkward silence. Ayesha seemed to notice it. "Everything okay?"
"Er –- y--yes." stammered Hermione.
"Oh yeah … we are done packing." said Dudley trying to sound cheerful.
"I can see that." said Ayesha looking at the three neatly packed trunks. "Mr. Dursley told me that we are to go out for dinner tonight. We have to be ready by seven o'clock." She came in and sat on the bed beside Ron.
"We have enough time till then. How about a game of chess?" offered Ron.
"Well, you enjoy your game. I came to ask Dudley for Hobbit." She turned towards Dudley, "Can you lend me Hobbit? I want to write to Nanaji – Rahul Uncle; that is what I call him. I want to tell him that I am going back to school tomorrow."
"Oh yeah, sure … why not … but –er- where is she?" stammered Dudley.
"She must be perched on the tree in the garden or playing with Hedwig." offered Ron.
"Oh … I'll go see." With that Ayesha sprinted out of the room.
"Thank God, she left. I couldn't utter a single word." said Harry, wiping the beads of sweat from his forehead.
"We ought to be careful. As far as she knows, we don't know anything about her family." said Hermione, "Anyway, it hardly makes any difference, does it?" All three boys shook their heads. "We are her family now."
--
After coming back to the school, Harry was dying to use the invisibility cloak. So many times he had suggested the others go after Malfoy under his invisibility cloak and scare him. However, his offer was always turned down, specifically by Dudley.
One day when Harry was having difficulty sleeping, he took his cloak and left his dormitory, wandering around the castle. He was having fun till he knocked a statue of knight to the ground. The clatter caught attention of Filch, who came running towards the source of sound. Harry passed Filch in the corridor; Filch's pale, wild eyes looked straight through him, and Harry slipped under Filch's outstretched arm and streaked off up the corridor, into a room in the far corner. Harry heard Filch going in the opposite direction to find the prankster. It was only after that that Harry took notice of the room.
It looked like an unused classroom. The dark shapes of desks and chairs were piled against the walls, and there was an upturned wastepaper basket -– but propped against the wall facing him was something that didn't look as if it belonged there, something that looked as if someone had just put it there to keep it out of the way.
It was a magnificent mirror, as high as the ceiling, with an ornate gold frame, standing on two clawed feet. His panic fading now that there was no sound of Filch, Harry moved nearer to the mirror. However, he did not see his reflection, so he stepped in front of it. He was shocked at what he saw; he was so shocked that he couldn't say anything.
There he was reflected in the mirror, along with at least ten other people behind him. A woman standing right behind his reflection was smiling at him and waving. He reached out a hand and felt the air behind him, but he felt only air -– she and the others existed only in the mirror.
She was a very pretty woman. She had dark red hair, and her eyes -– her eyes are just like mine, Harry thought, edging a little closer to the glass. Bright green -– exactly the same shape, but then he noticed that she was crying; smiling, but crying at the same time. The tall, thin, black-haired man standing next to her put his arm around her. He wore glasses, and his hair was very untidy. It stuck up at the back, just as Harry's did.
"Mom?" he whispered. "Dad?"
They just looked at him, smiling. And slowly, Harry looked into the faces of the other people in the mirror, and saw other pairs of green eyes like his, other noses like his, even a little old man who looked as though he had Harry's knobbly knees -– Harry was looking at his family, for the first time in his life. He had a powerful kind of ache inside him, half joy, half terrible sadness. How long he stood there, he did not know. It was only after some time that he realised where he was; he could not stay there, he had to go back.
"I will come back," he whispered and hurried from the room.
He told his friends about his discovery of last night. Everyone was excited to see Harry's parents. Since nighttime could land them in detention, as pointed out by Hermione, they settled for lunchtime to go to that room.
They met in the Great Hall and hurriedly finished their lunches. Soon they were on their way, led by an overjoyed Harry, to the mysterious room that held an even more mysterious mirror.
"Come in, everyone." whispered Harry, "Everyone in? Okay. Over there. Look, there is the mirror." Harry reached the mirror first and stared longingly at his family. "See … she is my mom and he is my dad."
"Hey bro … we can't see anything … where are we supposed to look?" asked Dudley.
"Yes Harry, we can't see anyone?" agreed Ron.
"Look in it properly, go on, stand where I am." Harry stepped aside, but with Ron in front of the mirror, he couldn't see his family anymore, just Ron.
Ron, though, was staring transfixed at his image.
"Look at me!" he said.
"Can you see all your family standing around you?" asked Harry.
"No -– I'm alone -– but I'm different -– I look older -– and I'm head boy!" answered Ron.
"What?" Hermione, Ayesha, Dudley and Harry cried in unison.
"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."
"Oh move aside," snapped Hermione; she pushed Ron aside and stood in front of mirror. She saw herself in the reflection, standing with a parchment showing her result with top grades in all subjects. "What do you all see?" she asked others.
"Just you, Hermy." answered Dudley.
"Why don't you two also try this mirror?" she asked Dudley and Ayesha.
Dudley moved to step in front of the mirror. He saw his own reflection. "I see myself, just the way I am right now." The others also nodded confirming that they also saw the same. Dudley stepped aside to make way for Ayesha.
Ayesha stepped in front of the mirror and like Ron, was staring transfixed at the mirror.
"What do you see?" asked Harry impatiently. He could not understand why others could not see his family or for that matter, their own families. Everyone seemed to see different things in it.
"I –er- I … it's my family there. Look … my dad … Mom … and see … he is my brother … he was just a week old … see they all are here." She moved her hand to touch their reflections. Tears were running down her cheeks. She did not notice that the other four had gone silent. "He ... he is so cute … I have never seen him before." She felt an arm around her shoulder. She turned around to find Hermione there. Ayesha again turned towards mirror whispering, "Can you see them, Hermione?"
"Ayesha …" whispered Hermione, "Let's go … let's go from here. I have got a bad feeling about this mirror." She dragged Ayesha with her towards the farthest corner. She motioned others to follow her.
"What do you reckon it is?" asked Dudley, one arm clasped around Harry's shoulder. Harry and Ayesha were still looking longingly at the mirror and not following the conversation.
"I think it shows the future," said Ron.
"I don't think so. It showed Harry's and Ayesha's family and … they … they are dead." whispered Hermione.
This seemed to bring Ayesha and Harry out of their trances. The look of longing on Ayesha's face turned to startled one, as she realised what all she had said. She slumped to the floor, burying her face in her hands. There was an awkward silence.
"Er-- - Ayesha … we know … about your family. I … I overheard your conversation with mom." whispered Dudley, sitting beside Ayesha.
Ayesha looked up at him and then others. "You know?"
"Yes, and it doesn't make any difference," said Hermione, "We are your family. We are a family."
"Y - Yes. I … I am sorry. I should have told you myself." said Ayesha.
"It's okay." said Ron, helping Ayesha get to her feet. "But we still have not solved the mystery of this mirror."
"I can only guess. I think it shows what we want it to show." answered Hermione.
"Whatever it is, I find it creepy. None of us is coming back here." Dudley said, looking at Ayesha and Harry. Hermione and Ron nodded. After some time Ayesha nodded weakly. Harry, however, did not answer. "I want a promise from you bro." Dudley told Harry. After much reluctance Harry gave in. All of them left the room when they heard a bell ringing in the distance.
--
Ayesha tried very hard to divert her attention, but she could not get the mirror out of her mind. She had seen her mom and dad smiling, talking to each other, talking to her. She had also seen her younger brother. She had never seen him before. He was only a week old when he died; there were no photographs of him. She decided to go back there at night. She wanted to see her brother once more. I won't go back again after that, she promised herself.
However, she could not hold on to her promise. Her visit to the mirror fuelled her desire to see her family again. She went there the next day, as soon as her classes were finished – not waiting for night to fall. This was a different day for Ayesha and she wanted to spend it with her family. Ayesha sank down to sit on the floor in front of the mirror. There was nothing to stop her from staying here all night with her family. Nothing at all. Except –
"So -– back again, Ayesha?"
--
"Did you find her?" Dudley asked Hermione.
"No! No one has seen her. I found Mary on the way. I asked her as well. No one has seen her since Charms class."
Dudley looked around and saw Harry and Ron hurrying towards them.
"She is not at Hagrid's hut. She did not go there." said Ron, panting.
"Where could she be?" asked Hermione. "Even dinner is over."
"I think I know." hinted Harry.
"The mirror!" all four shouted and sprinted towards the room.
--
Ayesha felt as though her insides had turned to ice. She looked behind her. Sitting on one of the desks by the wall was none other than Albus Dumbledore. Ayesha must have walked straight past him, so desperate to get to the mirror that she hadn't noticed him.
"-– I didn't see you, Sir."
"Strange how nearsighted desires can make you," said Dumbledore, and Ayesha was relieved to see that he was smiling.
"So," said Dumbledore, slipping off the desk to sit on the floor with Ayesha, "you, like hundreds before you, have discovered the delights of the Mirror of Erised."
"I didn't know it was called that, Sir."
"But I expect you've realized by now what it does?"
"It shows what we want it to show." Ayesha repeated Hermione's words.
"Yes and no," said Dumbledore quietly. "It shows us nothing more or less than the deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts. However, this mirror will give us neither knowledge or truth. Men have wasted away before it, entranced by what they have seen, or been driven mad, not knowing if what it shows is real or even possible. The Mirror will be moved to a new home tomorrow, and I ask you not to go looking for it again."
"Yes sir … I j – just -."
"- wanted to be with them today?" Dumbledore finished the sentence for Ayesha, smiling at her kindly.
Ayesha looked up, astonished. How does he know No ... he didn't mean that.
"I know Ayesha, what day is today." Ayesha could see sadness in those twinkling eyes. She still could not believe that Dumbledore knew. As if reading the look of incredulity in Ayesha's eyes, Dumbledore answered, "I know that you lost your parents this day, ten years back."
--
"There is someone inside." whispered Hermione.
"Of course, 'Mione. Ayesha … remember we came here looking for her?" said an irritable Dudley.
"No, I mean there is someone else as well." Hermione tried to listen through the doors. Ron opened the door slightly.
"I know who it is," said Ron, "It's Dumbledore. What is he doing here? I hope Ayesha isn't in any trouble."
"S-shhhh … they seem to be talking. Listen," whispered Hermione.
--
"How – Sir –"
"-do I know?" smiled Dumbledore, but his trademark twinkle was gone. Ayesha could sense the sadness in those eyes. She nodded.
Dumbledore was staring ahead, as if remembering something, "I was your great grandfather's friend. You come from a powerful wizard family, Ayesha. He was very good at transfiguration. He ought to have been a teacher; I don't know why he chose to become auror. He died at such a young age. That was a great loss for the wizard community."
"Oh … we drifted a bit. Sorry. I was your great grandfather's friend. I convinced him to send his daughter, that is your grandmother, to Hogwarts. None of your family members had ever been to Hogwarts before. They all had gone to Beauxbatons." He paused for a moment before continuing. "I remember your grandmother. She was an extraordinary witch, most accomplished in Charms and Potions. She wanted to be a teacher, unlike her father."
Ayesha stared at the old wise man sitting beside her. She had heard about her grandmother from her Nanaji, but hearing it from someone else came as a pleasant surprise. No one said anything good about her family, anymore. Dumbledore seemed to read the young girl's mind, because a moment later he added, "There was too much at stake for your great grandfather when he came to know the truth. He could not accept the truth."
Ayesha turned away from Dumbledore. She looked at her family in the mirror, smiling and waving at her. She gave them a sad smile and asked Dumbledore, still not looking at him, "Why did he kill my parents? It was his family, after all."
--
Nothing was making sense for Harry, Ron, Hermione and Dudley.
"Her great grandfather killed his own daughter and his grandson?" exclaimed Ron.
"We missed something. It can't be --," said Harry.
"Shshhh --" whispered Hermione.
--
Dumbledore remained quiet for some time. Ayesha had to turn towards him to make sure he was still there. Dumbledore was not looking at her; he was looking straight ahead, as if recalling the long forgotten past. At last he spoke softly, "I can't tell you why he did what he did, but I don't think he knew, at that time, that he was assassinating his own family. Whether that would have made any difference or not, we may never know."
Ayesha nodded weakly. She got up and moved towards the mirror. She traced the figure of her brother with her trembling hand. There was a dreadful silence. A lone tear trickled down Ayesha's cheek.
"Yeah … we may never know." She paused, before adding, "It is Voldemort, after all, we are talking about."
She turned and sprinted out of the room.
Okay, this is the revised chapter. Read and review please. Thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter. Tons of thanks to Scooter who proof-reades my chapters; he probably spends more time correcting the chapters I write than I spend writing those chapters.
Nanaji is pronounced as naa-naa-g
Also, just to clarify, what Ayesha calls her Uncle Rahul is not correct. I am myself not sure of what she should call him. Actually Rahul will be Ayesha's Father's Mama. I had thought i will make Ayesha copy her father. But i did a mistake and made her call Rahul her nanaji. I cant change it since i had used it too much before i realised my mistake.