Harley Potter And The Sorcerers Stone
The Girl Who Lived
Chapter Thirteen
Christmas Day And The Mirror Of Erised
December 31st
It was Christmas and almost everyone had left Hogwarts to head home. Harley had decided to stay, not wanting to leave and go to the Orphanage. She wanted to have a real Christmas, and not make it like any other day. Before Hermione left, she and Harley spoke shortly to each other. Harley let Hermione know she would search for any information about Nicholas Famel over Christmas break. The raven-haired girl lay in her bed, snuggling deep into her blankets as she slept peacefully. She, forgetting it was Christmas, curled into a ball as she slept peacefully in her warm dorm room. "Harley wake up! There's something at your window!" Ron yelled, having woken up from the consistent tapping at the window near Harley's bed. He had been sleeping peacefully too. Harley groaned and muttered to herself as she stood up from the bed. Stumbling out of the bed she pulled open the window tiredly. She could barely see anything as the owl flew into the room. Cold air followed, showing the gray covered sky. Snowflakes fluttered and swirled down to the ground, covering it in a blanket of white. It had reached about six feet deep over the night.
Over the start of Christmas break, Harley and Ron had spent much of their time in the Gryffindor Common Room. They spent their time in the large comfortable armchairs beside the fireplace. They talked about everything with each other while they roasted anything they could. They also played Wizard Chess, which confused Harley slightly, but she was getting better. Harley stumbled over to her bed and slid on her glasses over her eyes. Her eyesight became clearer as she looked around the room. She noticed a dark brown owl sitting at the far end of her bed, a package in its claws. "Who are you from?" She questioned curiously, even though she knew the bird wouldn't answer her. Standing up from the bed she walked over to the bed and picked the package up from the owl. Picking up the package, she noticed a letter attached to it. Her eyebrows rose as she stared at both the letter and package.
"What's that you got there?" Ron questioned tiredly as he rolled over on his bed so he was facing Harley from his bed. He looked sleepily at his friend as he glanced at the package and then his friend.
"Don't know. It came from the owl." She stated, pointing to the owl that remained placed at the end of the bed. "That's what that tapping on the window was." The two eleven year olds stared at the square shaped package and letter with curiosity and suspicion.
"You going to open them mate?" Ron questioned with an eyebrow raised. Harley didn't answer him but raised her hands and pulled the letter up. She held the letter in her hand and left the box on the bed. Pulling the letter open she read over it.
Your parents left these in my possession.
I hope you take care of them well.
They gave them to me before they died for safekeeping.
I hope these do you some good.
All they did for me was bring bittersweet memories.
Merry Christmas.
Harley set the letter on her bed and looked to the box. Raising her hands she began to pull loose the strings she pulled the sides of the box open and looked to see a large red and gold covered book with the words, Extraordinary Years Of Marauders And Friends: First Through Seventh Year. Underneath the book were a few more objects. One was a picture of a large group of people standing near the black lake underneath the Oak tree. Another was of just her parents and another of just her parent's friends. She set the pictures and book aside and dug into the big box. She found another book that was filled with letters between her parents, which had been stuck to the pages with a spell.
Small words written in next cursive was underneath, showing the dates and place the letters were received. It made her eyes blur at the thought. The book was named An Undying Love. Whoever this person was, she owed them. Setting the book aside she picked up two more objects. The second to last object was a beautifully crafted dark brown music box. It had dark green designs of lily flowers across it and in neatly crafted words was, Lily Flower. She slowly, with shaking hands, picked up the lid of the box and froze as a slow song began to sing from the box. The swirling of beautifully crafted wooden lily flowers spun in a circular pattern on wooden spirals in the wooden box. What almost looked like water beneath the flowers the circled the outer rim of the box showed flickering images of her parents.
The strands in your eyes
That color them wonderful
Stop me and steal my breath
Emeralds from mountains
Thrust towards the sky
Never revealing their depth
Tell me that we belong together
Dress it up with the trappings of love
I'll be captivated,
I'll hang from your lips
Instead of the gallows
Of heartache that hang from above
I'll be your cryin' shoulder
I'll be love suicide
I'll be better when I'm older
I'll be the greatest fan of your life
As the voice continued to sing, flashes of images appeared in the box. It looked liked a reflection in water as different pictures of her mother, with fiery red hair and emerald green eyes appeared reading a book underneath the large oak tree beside the black lake. The next images were of her father, with messy raven black hair and hazel blue eyes standing with her mother as the couple grinned at each before kissing. More images blurred by, with her mother in them and her father with her. They continued steadily before going back to the first image of her mother underneath the large oak tree by the lake reading a book. Another picture showed her mother and father laying down on Gryffindor Common Rooms couch, with James arms wrapped around Lily's waist as he leaned forward, whispering sweet nothings in her ear, making Harley's mother smile and blush.
As Harley watched the pictured, the music continued to play. The next image to appear was of her parents in front of a bubbling cauldron; both hurriedly tried to save it as they flipped through books. She couldn't hear what was being said but was sure that her mother was cursing at her father as James gave a half smile and continued to search. As the couple continued to lean forward near the cauldron, it suddenly exploded with a big blast of smoke, as it cleared, it showed two very disgruntled students covered in soot as they glared at a few of their laughing friends. Harley's father's hair stood on end, showing a little smoke as her mothers hair had darkened considerably to an almost black from the blast. Another picture appeared, showing her parents lying down in bed, their arms wrapped around each other as they slept peacefully, protected in each other's arms, oblivious to those watching them.
Rain falls angry on the tin roof
As we lie awake in my bed
You're my survival
You're my living proof
My love is alive and not dead
Tell me that we belong together
Dress it up with the trappings of love
I'll be captivated
I'll hang from your lips
Instead of the gallows
Of heartache that hang from above
I'll be your cryin' shoulder
I'll be love suicide
I'll be better when I'm older
I'll be the greatest fan of your life
Another picture appeared, the decorations showed a ball of some sorts in the background. The photograph showed her father twirling her mother in a circle. The couple was dressed up in proper clothing. James Potter, in the picture, wore a nice black suit with a silk black button but shirt underneath with a silk red tie. Her mother wore a beautifully made emerald green dress that matched the color of her eyes perfectly. The couple continued to dance with each other before Harley's father unexpectedly dipped her mother and leaned forward, capturing her into a loving and sweet kiss. Lily's hair had fallen over her shoulders, hiding her bright red blush as she burst into delighted laughter, a content grin across her lips. Her bright emerald green eyes twinkled in happiness and from the light. James himself had a crooked pleased smile spread across his lips as he gazed down at his girlfriend with a loving sparkle in his hazel blue eyes. Another picture soon swirled into view, showing her parents sitting on a dock at the black lake. Their feet were dipped in the water and swaying back and forth. The couple held their hands together as they looked out into the setting horizon that showed colors of reds, purples, yellows and oranges over a mountain landscape that made the water twinkle like diamonds.
The next picture showed her parents in the same area, but in the dark. They were standing as they looked out into the lake and mountain, watching the moon cast a glow over the black water. James and Lily in the picture didn't notice a sudden figure in black rushing up to them. Suddenly the figure was behind them and shoving them into the water. What should have been a scream was silence as the couple toppled into the water. The figure in black cracked up laughing on the dock at his friends before suddenly being pulled in as well, causing Lily and James to burst into laughter as well. The last image was of her parents sitting at a desk, with a few of their friends behind them. Her mother looked very disgruntled as she glared in front of her. Her father sat lazily in the chair, a smirk of mischief across his lips, every once in awhile he would glance at the girl beside him. Behind the couple sat their group of friends, each person had a different facial expression across their faces.
I've dropped out
Burned up
Fought my way back from the dead
Tuned in
Turned on
Remembered the things you said
I'll be your cryin' shoulder
I'll be love suicide
I'll be better when I'm older
I'll be the greatest fan of your life
I'll be your cryin' shoulder
I'll be love suicide
I'll be better when I'm older
I'll be the greatest fan of you life
Harley shut the music box as the song and pictures began to repeat themselves. She looked down at the music box with a small smile. It was her mother's box, which the young girl was sure of, and had been given to her by her father. She gave a slightly bigger smile and lightly traced the patterns of the flowers on the smooth wood surface. She looked to Ron and gave a chuckle at his look. "Guess my father really loved my mum." She stated. Ron nodded silently as he looked at the music box with interest.
"Wonder where he got it." Ron stated with a tilt of his head. Harley shrugged and grabbed the next object from inside the box. This had to be her fathers. It was a small golden snitch, with the initials, J.H.P, engraved on the side. A smile of amusement graced her lips as she allowed the snitch to flutter up in the air. As it began to fly away, Harley's hand snapped up and caught it.
"This stuff…it's amazing." She said with awe as she looked down at everything. Picking everything back up she set it back in the box. "Let's get ready to open the other presents." The eleven year old stated. Picking up her box of new things from the stranger that sent it to her, she set it inside her trunk and shut it closed. Heading out of the room and down to the Gryffindor Common Room they noticed a group of presents underneath the tree. "I've never had presents before." She spoke up as they sat down on the ground beside the tree.
"Really?" Ron questioned. Harley just nodded and reached towards a package that was light in weight. Noticing a note on it, she pulled it off and read it first.
Your father left this in my possession before he died.
It is time it was returned to you.
Use it well.
Have a very Merry Christmas.
Tilting her head curiously and unwrapped the present. A glimmering cloak that looked like it changed colors lay in her lap. Standing up from the floor she flung it over her shoulders. "You disappeared. Your body is gone!" Ron exclaimed with awe as he hurried to his feet.
"What?" Harley demanded her eyes widened as she indeed disappeared. "But how?" She questioned.
"I know what that is. That's an invisibility cloak. No one makes those anymore. You're really lucky to have one!" Ron exclaimed with a smile. After opening the rest of her presents, she had gotten a few from everyone. She got a hand knitted maroon sweater with a gold H on the front along with some chocolate homemade fudge. She got a few new books from Hermione that Harley was interested in reading later. Among a few other Christmas presents she was interested in looking at later. After the interesting sibling argument with Fred, George and Percy the group headed off to the Great Hall for some lunch.
Harley tossed and turned through out the night as she tried to get some sleep. She was unsuccessful which led her to throwing off her blankets and slipping on some shoes. Throwing a sweater over her head she grabbed her invisibility cloak and made her way out of the Boys Dorm Room quietly. She was trying not to wake Ron who slept peacefully in his bed. Walking down the steps of the boy's dorm she threw the cloak over herself and snuck her way through the portrait hole. Glancing around she made her way randomly through hallways, looking for nowhere in particular, though she vaguely kept tract of how far she was going. Harley slowly slipped into a rather large room behind the library and walked farther into the room. It was large and empty; nothing was inside it until she walked into the middle of the room. Her gaze landed on a large mirror that was before her. She slid off the invisibility cloak and looked at the mirror with interest. She stepped closer to the mirror and froze as an image began to appear in front of her.
Harley could see herself standing by herself, with no one around her, before she noticed two figures appearing beside her. It was her parents, but she knew they where dead, and that it was impossible for them to be alive. She gave a small smile at her parents who smiled back in return, each putting a hand on her shoulder. She breathed out, looking away from the mirror and then back at it. She took a seat on the ground as she sat before them. She didn't say anything, as she looked her parents over closely. Everyone was right, she did look a lot like her father, every facial feature she had was like him, except for her emerald green eyes.
For the next few days she continued to go to the Mirror of Erised. After showing Ron once, she continued to go back to it, just to see her parents. As she sat on the ground she heard a small sound to her right. Looking over her shoulder she noticed Professor Dumbledore standing there. "Professor Dumbledore." Harley stated, looking at the older man with a nod of her head. She glanced back at the mirror with a sigh.
"Harley. I see you found my mirror." Albus smiled at Harley. "Do you know what is called?" Albus questioned with a raise of an eyebrow.
"No, but it's interesting." She replied to his question.
"That it is. Many people have wasted their time to find this mirror. That's why I'm moving it." Dumbledore spoke. Thick silence settled over the two before it passed after five minutes.
"Why?" Harley questioned finally, breaking the silence. She knew she shouldn't be so addicted to this mirror, but she was seeing what she wanted.
"It has a new home to stay in. Do you know what this mirror shows, Harley?" Dumbledore questioned quietly. Harley shook her head with curiosity. "It shows you your greatest desire. Men and woman alike have wasted their lives finding this mirror and looking into it." He stated. "When I move it, Harley, I ask you not to go looking for it." Dumbledore said in his gravely voice.
"Whenever I find myself in this room before the Mirror of Erised, I see myself with a pair of socks." Dumbledore remarked cheerfully as he looked at Harley. She looked at the Headmaster incredulously. Seeing her look he explained. "You can never go too long without a pair of socks. It seems every Christmas I'm giving books instead of socks."
Harley nodded head slowly, thinking her Headmaster was finally going bonkers. Giving the mirror one more look she stood from the floor and grabbed her cloak. It was late anyways and she wanted to get some sleep. "Goodnight Professor." Harley stated as she walked past the older man and out of the large room with the mirror.
"Goodnight Harley." Dumbledore replied as he watched the young first year walk out of the room and back towards the Gryffindor Common Room.
Chapter Thirteen is up; I find this chapter my favorite.
What do you all think of it? I like it.
Can any of you guess why I made Harley receive these 'presents' and why the song is going to be so important in the future stories? The song that was playing from the music/picture box is I'll Be By The Goo Goo Dolls.
It's the best song I could come up with to use for Lily and James. If anyone has a suggestion to a better song, let me know.
Anyways, I had to re-edit this chapter again because it didn't have what I thought it originally did, so it has been re-edited and uploaded.
Your Writer,
TheWeepingRaven