A/N I'm sooooooo sorry, I know that I said I would have this up forever ago, but I got writers block and so I couldn't write, and of course I couldn't post a half-written chapter! Then I got my laptop taken so I couldn't type, and so then I couldn't finsh it. But now it's all done and this is ready. By the way, if you haven't read it, I re-wrote chapter 11, and added in more Julia, so you should read that first. Also, I know that I should have said it before, but this is a Dursley abuse story. I'm sorry if you don't like that, but it is only mentioned, and I might write like, 3 scenes in all of the seven books describing it, and even then it will be vague. Now, enough with the boring authors note, and on with the story!

Chapter Twelve

The Mirror of Erised

Christmas was coming. One morning in mid-December, Hogwarts woke to find itself covered in several feet of snow. The lake froze solid and the Weasley twins were punished for bewitching several snowballs so that they followed Quirrell around, bouncing off the back of his turban.

The few owls that managed to battle their way through the stormy sky to deliver mail had to be nursed back to health by Hagrid before they could fly off again. No one could wait for the holidays to start.
While the Gryffindor common room and the Great Hall had roaring fires, the drafty corridors had become icy and a bitter wind rattled the windows in the classrooms. Worst of all were Professor Snape's classes down in the dungeons, where their breath rose in a mist before them and they kept as close as possible to their hot cauldrons.
"I do feel so sorry," said Draco Malfoy, one Potions class, "for all those people who have to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas because they're not wanted at home."

He was looking over at Harry and Julia as he spoke. Crabbe and Goyle chuckled. Harry, who was measuring out powdered spine of lionfish, ignored them, while Julia just busied herself with making mistakes in her potion. Malfoy had been even more unpleasant than usual since the Quidditch match. Disgusted that the Slytherins had lost, he had tried to get everyone laughing at how a wide-mouthed tree frog would be replacing Harry as Seeker next.
Then he'd realized that nobody found this funny, because they were all so impressed at the way Harry had managed to stay on his bucking broomstick. So Malfoy, jealous and angry, had gone back to taunting Harry and Julia about having no proper family. Julia knew that it was all an act, but hated it all the same, she wished that Draco would just give up the act.
It was true that the twins weren't going back to Privet Drive for Christmas. Professor McGonagall had come around the week before, making a list of students who would be staying for the holidays, and Harry had signed them up at once. The twins didn't feel sorry for themselves at all; this would probably be the best Christmas they'd ever had. Ron and his brothers were staying, too, because Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were going to Romania to visit Charlie. (Julia wasn't particularly happy about being with Ron, but she dealt with it.)
When they left the dungeons at the end of Potions, they found a large fir tree blocking the corridor ahead. Two enormous feet sticking out at the bottom and a loud puffing sound told them that Hagrid was behind it.
"Hi, Hagrid, want any help?" Ron asked, sticking his head through the branches.
"Nah, I'm all right, thanks, Ron."
"Would you mind moving out of the way?" came Malfoy's cold drawl from behind them. "Are you trying to earn some extra money, Weasley? Hoping to be gamekeeper yourself when you leave Hogwarts, I suppose — that hut of Hagrid's must seem like a palace compared to what your family's used to."

Ron dived at Malfoy just as Snape came up the stairs.
"WEASLEY!"

Ron let go of the front of Malfoy's robes.
"He was provoked, Professor Snape," said Hagrid, sticking his huge hairy face out from behind the tree. "Malfoy was insultin' his family."
"Be that as it may, fighting is against Hogwarts rules, Hagrid," said Snape silkily. "Five points from Gryffindor, Weasley, and be grateful it isn't more. Move along, all of you."
Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle pushed roughly past the tree, scattering needles everywhere and smirking.
"I'll get him," said Ron, grinding his teeth at Malfoy's back, "one of these days, I'll get him —"
"I hate them both," said Harry, "Malfoy and Snape." Julia kept quiet, knowing that if she did say she only hated Snape, there would be many questions.
"Come on, cheer up, it's nearly Christmas," said Hagrid. "Tell yeh what, come with me an' see the Great Hall, looks a treat."
So the four of them followed Hagrid and his tree off to the Great Hall, where Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick were busy with the Christmas decorations.
"Ah, Hagrid, the last tree — put it in the far corner, would you?"
The hall looked spectacular. Festoons of holly and mistletoe hung all around the walls, and no less than twelve towering Christmas trees stood around the room, some sparkling with tiny icicles, some glittering with hundreds of candles.

"How many days you got left until yer holidays?" Hagrid asked.
"Just one," said Hermione. "And that reminds me — Harry, Ron, Julia, we've got half an hour before lunch, we should be in the library."

"Oh yeah, you're right," said Julia, tearing her eyes away from Professor Flitwick, who had golden bubbles blossoming out of his wand and was trailing them over the branches of the new tree.
"The library?" said Hagrid, following them out of the hall. "Just before the holidays? Bit keen, aren't yeh?"
"Oh, we're not working," Harry told him brightly. "Ever since you mentioned Nicolas Flamel we've been trying to find out who he is."
"You what?" Hagrid looked shocked. "Listen here — I've told yeh — drop it. It's nothin' to you what that dog's guardin'."
"We just want to know who Nicolas Flamel is, that's all," said Hermione.

"Unless you'd like to tell us and save us the trouble?" Julia added. "We must've been through hundreds of books already and we can't find him anywhere — just give us a hint — I know I've read his name somewhere."
"I'm sayin' nothin', said Hagrid flatly.
"Just have to find out for ourselves, then," said Ron, and they left Hagrid looking disgruntled and hurried off to the library.
They had indeed been searching books for Flamel's name ever since Hagrid had let it slip, because how else were they going to find out what Snape was trying to steal? The trouble was, it was very hard to know where to begin, not knowing what Flamel might have done to get himself into a book.
He wasn't in Great Wizards of the Twentieth Century, or Notable Magical Names of Our Time; he was missing, too, from Important Modern Magical Discoveries, and A Study of Recent Developments in Wizardry.

And then, of course, there was the sheer size of the library; tens of thousands of books; thousands of shelves; hundreds of narrow rows.
Hermione took out a list of subjects and titles she had decided to search while Ron strode off down a row of books and started pulling them off the shelves at random.
Julia wandered over to the Restricted Section. She had been wondering for a while if Flamel wasn't somewhere in there. Unfortunately, you needed a specially signed note from one of the teachers to look in any of the restricted books, and she knew she'd never get one. These were the books containing powerful Dark Magic never taught at Hogwarts, and only read by older students studying advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts.
"What are you looking for, girl?"
"Nothing," said Julia.
Madam Pince the librarian brandished a feather duster at her.
"You'd better get out, then. Go on — out!"
Wishing hse'd been a bit quicker at thinking up some story, Julia left the library. She, Harry, Ron, and Hermione had already agreed they'd better not ask Madam Pince where they could find Flamel. They were sure she'd be able to tell them, but they couldn't risk Snape hearing what they were up to.

Julia waited outside in the corridor to see if the other three had found anything, but she wasn't very hopeful. They had been looking for two weeks, after all, but as they only had odd moments between lessons it wasn't surprising they'd found nothing. What they really needed was a nice long search without Madam Pince breathing down their necks.
Five minutes later, Harry, Ron and Hermione joined her, shaking their heads. They went off to lunch.
"You will keep looking while I'm away, won't you?" said Hermione. "And send me an owl if you find anything."

"And you could ask your parents if they know who Flamel is," said Ron. "It'd be safe to ask them."

"Very safe, as they're both dentists," said Hermione.

Once the holidays had started, Julia, Ron, and Harry were having too good a time to think much about Flamel.

They had the dormitory to themselves and the common room was far emptier than usual, so they were able to get the good armchairs by the fire. They sat by the hour eating anything they could spear on a toasting fork — bread, English muffins, marshmallows — and plotting ways of getting Malfoy expelled, which were fun to talk about even if they wouldn't work. Julia did so only because she didn't want them to get suspicious.

Ron also started teaching Harry wizard chess, while Julia went off to some sessions with Peeves. This was exactly like Muggle chess except that the figures were alive, which made it a lot like directing troops in battle. Ron's set was very old and battered. Like everything else he owned, it had once belonged to someone else in his family — in this case, his grandfather. However, old chessmen weren't a drawback at all. Ron knew them so well he never had trouble getting them to do what he wanted.

Harry played with chessmen Seamus Finnigan had lent him, and they didn't trust him at all. He wasn't a very good player yet and they kept shouting different bits of advice at him, which was confusing. "Don't send me there, can't you see his knight? Send him, we can afford to lose him."
On Christmas Eve, Harry and Julia went to bed looking forward to the next day for the food and the fun, but not expecting any presents at all.
When Harry woke early in the morning, however, the first thing he saw was a small pile of packages at the foot of his bed.

"Happy Christmas," said Ron sleepily as Harry scrambled out of bed and pulled on his bathrobe.
"You, too," said Harry. "Will you look at this? I've got some presents!"
"What did you expect, turnips?" said Ron, turning to his own pile, which was a lot bigger than Harry's.
Harry picked up the top parcel. It was wrapped in thick brown paper and scrawled across it was To Harry, from Hagrid. Inside was a roughly cut wooden flute. Hagrid had obviously whittled it himself. Harry blew it — it sounded a bit like an owl.

A second, very small parcel contained a note.
We received your message and enclose your Christmas present. From Uncle Vernon and Aunt
Petunia. Taped to the note was a fifty-pence piece.
"That's friendly," said Harry.
Ron was fascinated by the fifty pence.
"Weird!" he said, 'What a shape! This is money?"

"You can keep it," said Harry, laughing at how pleased Ron was. "Hagrid and my aunt and uncle — so who sent these?"
"I think I know who that one's from," said Ron, turning a bit pink and pointing to a very lumpy parcel. "My mom. I told her you didn't expect any presents and — oh, no," he groaned, "she's made you a Weasley sweater."
Harry had torn open the parcel to find a thick, hand-knitted sweater in ruby red and a large box of homemade fudge.
"Every year she makes us a sweater," said Ron, unwrapping his own, "and mine's always maroon."
"That's really nice of her," said Harry, trying the fudge, which was very tasty.
His next present also contained candy — a large box of Chocolate Frogs from Hermione.

This only left one parcel. Harry picked it up and felt it. It was very light. He unwrapped it.
Something fluid and silvery gray went slithering to the floor where it lay in gleaming folds.

Ron gasped.
"I've heard of those," he said in a hushed voice, dropping the box of 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?"
Harry picked the shining, silvery cloth off the floor. It was strange to the touch, like water woven into material.
"It's an invisibility cloak," said Ron, a look of awe on his face. "I'm sure it is — try it on."

Harry threw the cloak around his shoulders and Ron gave a yell.
"It is! Look down!"
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 Ron suddenly. "A note fell out of it!"
Harry pulled off the cloak and 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 Happy Christmas to you.
There was no signature. Harry stared at the note. Ron was admiring the cloak.
"I'd give anything for one of these," he said. "Anything. What's the matter?"
"Nothing," said Harry. He felt very strange. Who had sent the cloak? Had it really once belonged to his father?
Before he could say or think anything else, the dormitory door was flung open and Julia with Fred and George Weasley bounded in. Harry stuffed the cloak quickly out of sight. He didn't feel like sharing it with anyone else yet, though he would show his sister later.

"Happy Christmas!"
"Hey, look — Harry's got a Weasley sweater, too!"
Fred and George were wearing blue sweaters, one with a large yellow F on it, the other a G.

"Harry's is better than ours, though," said Fred, holding up Harry's sweater. "She obviously makes more of an effort if you're not family. I mean look at Julia's!" Harry turned and saw that Julia was wearing an emerald green sweater.
"Why aren't you wearing yours, Ron?" George demanded. "Come on, get it on, they're lovely and warm."
"I hate maroon," Ron moaned halfheartedly as he pulled it over his head.

"You haven't got a letter on yours," George observed. "I suppose she thinks you don't forget your name. But we're not stupid — we know we're called Gred and Forge." "Oh, we know that, we just don't want to mix you two up is all." Julia told the older twins.
"What's all this noise?"
Percy Weasley stuck his head through the door, looking disapproving. He had clearly gotten halfway through unwrapping his presents as he, too, carried a lumpy sweater over his arm, which Fred seized.
"P for prefect! Get it on, Percy, come on, we're all wearing ours, even Harry and Julia got one."
"I — don't — want —" said Percy thickly, as the twins forced the sweater over his head, knocking his glasses askew.
"And you're not sitting with the prefects today, either," said George. "Christmas is a time for family."

They frog-marched Percy from the room, his arms pinned to his side by his sweater.
Julia had never in all her life had such a Christmas dinner. A hundred fat, roast turkeys; mountains of roast and boiled potatoes; platters of chipolatas; tureens of buttered peas, silver boats of thick, rich gravy and cranberry sauce – and stacks of wizard crackers every few feet along the table.
These fantastic party favors were nothing like the feeble Muggle ones the Dursleys usually bought, with their little plastic toys and their flimsy paper hats inside. Harry pulled a wizard cracker with Fred and it didn't just bang, it went off with a blast like a cannon and engulfed them all in a cloud of blue smoke, while from the inside exploded a rear admiral's hat and several live, white mice. Up at the High Table, Dumbledore had swapped his pointed wizard's hat for a flowered bonnet, and was chuckling merrily at a joke Professor Flitwick had just read him.
Flaming Christmas puddings followed the turkey. Percy nearly broke his teeth on a silver sickle embedded in his slice. Julia watched Hagrid getting redder and redder in the face as he called for more wine, finally kissing Professor McGonagall on the cheek, who, to Julia's amazement, giggled and blushed, her top hat lopsided. "Harry, check it out. I think that McGonagall's drunk!" Harry turned and saw what she was looking at, then promptly dropped his jaw.

When Harry and Julia finally left the table, they were laden down with a stack of things out of the crackers, including a pack of nonexplodable, luminous balloons, a Grow-Your-Own-Warts kit, and Harry got his own new wizard chess set. The white mice had disappeared and Julia had a nasty feeling they were going to end up as Mrs. Norris's Christmas dinner.
The Potters and the Weasleys spent a happy afternoon having a furious snowball fight on the grounds.
Then, cold, wet, and gasping for breath, they returned to the fire in the Gryffindor common room, where Harry broke in his new chess set by losing spectacularly to Ron. He suspected he wouldn't have lost so badly if Percy hadn't tried to help him so much.

After a meal of turkey sandwiches, crumpets, trifle, and Christmas cake, everyone felt too full and sleepy to do much before bed except sit and watch Percy chase Fred and George all over Gryffindor tower because they'd stolen his prefect badge.
It had been the twin's best Christmas day ever. Yet something had been nagging at the back of Harry's mind all day. Not until he climbed into bed was he free to think about it: the invisibility cloak and whoever had sent it.

Ron, full of turkey and cake and with nothing mysterious to bother him, fell asleep almost as soon as he'd drawn the curtains of his four-poster. Harry leaned over the side of his own bed and pulled the cloak out from under it.
His father's… this had been his father's. He let the material flow over his hands, smoother than silk, light as air. Use it well, the note had said.
He had to try it, now. He slipped out of bed and wrapped the cloak around himself. Looking down at his legs, he saw only moonlight and shadows. It was a very funny feeling.
Use it well.
Suddenly, Harry felt wide-awake. The whole of Hogwarts was open to him in this cloak. Excitement flooded through him as he stood there in the dark and silence. He could go anywhere in this, anywhere, and Filch would never know.
Ron grunted in his sleep. Should Harry wake him? Something held him back — his father's cloak — he felt that this time — the first time — he wanted to use it alone. But then he remembered Julia, and decided she should come as well.

He crept out of the dormitory, down the stairs, and entered the common room. It was there that he found Julia about to climb up the stairs.
"I need to tell you something." They both stated at the same time.
"Ok, you go first." They told each other once again at the same time. Harry then spoke before his sister.
"You go first then me." Julia nodded.
"Alright, well I came to tell you two things. One, I got s-scared by the Dursley's note." Harry suddenly turned serious.
"What did it say?"
"T-they said they had a few surprises waiting for me when we got back." Harry gave her the biggest hug that he could, and she returned it. "You know that I would never let them hurt you."
"I know Harry, it just kind of freaked me out a little." "So, what was that other thing?" Harry asked her.
"Nothing, just that, I was kind of hoping you would go pranking with me?" Her tone turning hopeful at the end. Harry laughed, the mood before quickly forgotten.
"Only you would want to go pranking on Christmas night. That reminds me, guess what I got!"
"What?" Julia asked, her curiosity peaked.
"An invisibilty cloak!" Julia gaped at her brother with wide eyes.
"Who gave you an invisibility cloak,?" She finally spluttered out, Harry grinned.
"That's the thing, I don't know!" He said this so happily Julia had to wonder if she either heard it wrong, or if Harry had lost his sanity.
"If you don't know then why are you so happy?" She asked him, "I'm happy because whoever sent it said that it was Dad's!" This answer shocked her into silence, then she asked. "How did this person get it?"
"I've got no clue, but I think we should do some investigating to find out." Harry replied, Julia grinned her answer, then shrunk to the size of 2 inches, Harry picked her up threw on the cloak and they walked across the common room, and climbed through the portrait hole.
"Who's there?" squawked the Fat Lady. Harry and Julia said nothing. Harry walked quickly down the corridor.
Where should he go? He stopped, his heart racing, and thought. And then it came to him. The Restricted Section in the library.
He'd be able to read as long as he liked, as long as it took to find out who Flamel was.
"Where are we going Harry?" Julia whispered to her brother, seeing as at the moment, she could only sit and follow.
"The library." Harry answered as set off, drawing the invisibility cloak tight around him as he walked.
"My god, Harry Potter willingly treking into the library, I never thought I'd see the day!" Julia giggled.
"Oh shut it, you. I was thinking of looking for Flamel. He's probably in the restricted section." "So you've finnally caught on to breaking the rules and going in?" Julia asked, Harry nodded, rolling his eyes. "
Yes! I've finally corrupted you! You've seen the light!" Julia suddenly shouted into the hall. "Oi! Shut it will you, I don't want to get caught by Filch." He told her as they entered the library.
The library was pitch-black and very eerie. Harry lit a lamp to see his way along the rows of books. The lamp looked as if it was floating along in midair, and even though Harry could feel his arm supporting it, the sight gave him the creeps.

The Restricted Section was right at the back of the library. Stepping carefully over the rope that separated these books from the rest of the library, he held up his lamp to read the titles. "Don't you think that there should be more than a rope separating the Restriced Section from the rest of the library?" Julia asked him. Harry didn't respond, as he was to busy reading.

The titles didn't tell him much. Their peeling faded gold letters spelled words in languages Harry couldn't understand. Some had no title at all. One book had a dark stain on it that looked horribly like blood.

The hairs on the back of Julia's neck prickled. Maybe she was imagining it, maybe not, but she thought a faint whispering was coming from the books, as though they knew someone was there who shouldn't be.
She had to start somewhere. Setting the lamp down carefully on the floor, Harry looked along the bottom shelf for an interesting looking book as Julia jumped off and returned to normal. A large black and silver volume caught Harry's eye. He pulled it out with difficulty, because it was very heavy, and, balancing it on his knee, let it fall open.
A piercing, bloodcurdling shriek split the silence — the book was screaming! Harry snapped it shut, but the shriek went on and on, one high, unbroken, earsplitting note. He stumbled backward and knocked over his lamp, which went out at once. Panicking, he heard footsteps coming down the corridor outside — stuffing the shrieking book back on the shelf, and grabbing Julia, he ran for it. They passed Filch in the doorway; Filch's pale, wild eyes looked straight through them, and Harry slipped under Filch's outstretched arm and streaked off up the corridor, the book's shrieks still ringing in his ears.
He came to a sudden halt in front of a tall suit of armor. He had been so busy getting away from the library, he hadn't paid attention to where he was going. Perhaps because it was dark, he didn't recognize where he was at all. There was a suit of armour near the kitchens, he knew, but he must be five floors above there. "Harry," Julia whispered into his ear, "we've got to figure out where we are."

"You asked me to come directly to you, Professor, if anyone was wandering around at night, and somebody's been in the library Restricted Section."
Harry felt the blood drain out of his face. Wherever he was, Filch must know a shortcut, because his soft, greasy voice was getting nearer, and to his horror, it was Snape who replied, "The Restricted Section? Well, they can't be far, we'll catch them."

Harry stood rooted to the spot as Filch and Snape came around the corner ahead. They couldn't see him, of course, but it was a narrow corridor and if they came much nearer they'd knock right into him — the cloak didn't stop him from being solid.

He backed away as quietly as he could. A door stood ajar to his left. It was their only hope. He squeezed through it, holding his breath, trying not to move it, and to his relief he managed to get inside the room without their noticing anything. They walked straight past, and Harry leaned against the wall, breathing deeply, listening to their footsteps dying away. That had been close, very close. It was a few seconds before he noticed anything about the room he had hidden in.
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. Julia was inspecting it. "C'mon Harry, you've got to take a look at this thing!" Julia beckoned to him.

It was a magnificent mirror, as high as the ceiling, with an ornate gold frame, standing on two clawed feet. There was an inscription carved around the top: Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi, that is what Julia was looking at.

Harry's panic fading now that there was no sound of Filch and Snape, he moved nearer to the mirror, wanting to look at himself but see no reflection again.

He stepped in front of it.
He had to clap his hands to his mouth to stop himself from screaming. He whirled around. His heart was pounding far more furiously than when the book had screamed — for he had seen not only himself in the mirror, but a whole crowd of people standing right behind him.

"Harry, what's wrong?" Julia asked him, the room was empty save them. Breathing very fast, he turned slowly back to Julia. "I swear I saw a whole crowd of people behind me!" "That's strange, let me look." Julia told him, then took his place in front of the mirror.
There she was, reflected in it, white and curious-looking, and there, reflected behind her, were at least ten others, she jumped, then Julia looked over her shoulder — but still, only Harry was there, looking apprehensive. Or were they all invisible, too? Was she in fact in a room full of invisible people and this mirror's trick was that it reflected them, invisible or not?

No, hat couldn't be it, in everything that she had read, heard, and studied, there was nothing that talked of a mirror like this. But that writing, maybe that was a clue, without moving from her position she looked up at the words there. Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi, looking at it meticulously, she tried to figure out what it meant. She knew it wasn't another language, because Nyx said that through their connection Julia would be able to understand anything that she could.

But maybe, … "Aha!" Julia exclaimed, while Harry Jumped at the sudden noise. "I figured out what the writing says!" She told him excitedly.

"So what does it mean?" "It says : I show not your face, but your hearts desire!" "How'd you get that?" Harry aksed, she laughed, simply replying, "Backwards."

Suddenly she stopped, and looked in the mirror again. A woman standing right behind her reflection was smiling at her and waving. "Then that means …" she whispered, trailing off.

She reached out a hand and felt the air behind her. If the woman was really there, she'd touch her, their reflections were so close together, but Julia felt only air – the woman 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, Julia thought, edging a little closer to the glass, and so is her hair. The woman's eyes were bright green — exactly the same shape, but then Julia 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. He looked just like Harry!

Julia was so close to the mirror now that her nose was nearly touching that of her reflection.
"Mom?" she whispered. "Dad?"
They just looked at her, smiling. And slowly, Julia looked into the faces of the other people in the mirror, and saw other pairs of green eyes like hers, other noses like hers, even a little old man who looked as though he had Harry's knobbly knees — Julia was looking at his family, for the first time in his life. Then, she noticed a reflection Harry in the mirror, one-armed hugging her tight.
The Potters smiled and waved at Julia and she stared hungrily back at them, her hands pressed flat against the glass as though she was hoping to fall right through it and reach them. She had a powerful kind of ache inside her, half joy, half terrible sadness.

She would have kept looking but then Harry asked her what was in the mirror. "Why don't you see for yourself!" She grinned, and Harry looked into the mirror, before gasping, realizing what she had, and they switched looking into to it for sometime.

How long they stood there, she didn't know. The reflections did not fade and they looked and looked until a distant noise brought Harry back to his senses. They couldn't stay here, they had to find their way back to bed. Harry tore his eyes away from his mother's face, whispered, "I'll come back," and grabbed Julia, hurrying from the room.

"What'd you do that for Harry?" Julia asked at Harry's sudden change in demeanor,
"What time do you think it is?" He replied.

"You could have woken me up," said Ron, crossly as Harry recounted what had happened.
"You can come tonight, I'm going back, I want to show you the mirror."
Suddenly, Julia but in, "Who said he could come?"
"I'd like to see your mom and dad," Ron said eagerly ignoring Julia, as always.

"And I want to see all your family, all the Weasleys, you'll be able to show me your other brothers and everyone."

"Harry, he won't be able to see mum and Dad, and we won't be able to see his family." Julia tried to tell him, but neither of the boys would listen. Though normally Julia would be quite angry at this, she found didn't care, all she wanted to do was see her family again.

"You can see them any old time," said Ron. "Just come round my house this summer. Anyway, maybe it only shows dead people. Shame about not finding Flamel, though. Have some bacon or something, why aren't you eating anything?"

Harry couldn't eat, and looking at Julia realized she wasn't eating either. He had seen his parents and would be seeing them again tonight. He had almost forgotten about Flamel. It didn't seem very important anymore. Who cared what the three headed dog was guarding? What did it matter if Snape stole it, really? All he knew was that he was going to be with his parents and sister, thats all that really mattered.

"Are you all right?" said Ron. "You look odd."

What Harry feared most was that he might not be able to find the mirror room again. With Ron covered in the cloak, too, they had to walk much more slowly the next night. Julia had decided to walk around normally, she'd change her appearance if any can walking around. They tried retracing the twin'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!" Julia hissed. "I know it's here somewhere."
They 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 the suit of armor.
"It's here — just here — yes!"
They pushed the door open. Harry dropped the cloak from around his shoulders and ran with Julia to the mirror.
There they were. His mother and father beamed at the sight of him.
"See?" Harry whispered.
"I can't see anything."
"Harry, he won't be able to see anything. Just make him go back."
"Look! Look at them all… there are loads of them…"
"I can only see you."
"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 in his paisley pajamas.
Ron, though, was staring transfixed at his image.

"Look at me!" he said.
"Can you see all your family standing around you?"
"Harry, I'm trying to tell 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 idiots, move, Harry, I already told you what the mirror showed. Now move, let me see."
"You two 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." Harry told him.
"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 the three of them as the luminous eyes of Mrs. Norris came round the door. Ron and the twins stood quite still, all thinking the same thing — did the cloak work on cats?
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."
And Ron pulled Harry out of the room, while Harry dragged Julia.
The snow still hadn't melted the next morning.
"Want to play chess, Harry?" said Ron.
"No."
"Why don't we go down and visit Hagrid?"
"No… you go…"
"I know what you're thinking about, Harry, that mirror. Don't go back tonight."
"Why not?"
"I dunno, I've just got a bad feeling about it — and anyway, you've had too many close shaves already. Filch, Snape, and Mrs. Norris are wandering around. So what if they can't see you? What if they walk into you? What if you knock something over?"

"You sound like Hermione."

"I'm serious, Harry, don't go."
But Harry only had one thought in his head, which was to get back in front of the mirror, and Ron wasn't going to stop him.
"Well good luck to you lot, I'm off." Julia said, tearing her gaze away from the window.
"And where are you going?" Harry asked suspiciously,
"Me, oh I'm just going to meat Peeves, plan some more pranks." Julia said, avoiding his eyes.
"Liar! Your going to that room again aren't you?" "I- uh- um …" Julia was saved from amswering by the weasley twins who entered the room rambunctiously, and promptly took Julia, demanding for her help on enchanting Quirrels turban or something like that.

That third night Harry and Julia found their way more quickly than before. Julia was walking so fast she knew she was making more noise than was wise, but they didn't meet anyone.
And there were her mother and father smiling at her again, and one of her grandfathers nodding happily. Julia sank down to sit on the floor in front of the mirror, Harry could go later. There was nothing to stop her from staying here all night with her family. Nothing at all.
Except —
"So — back again, Harry, Julia?"

Harry felt as though his insides had turned to ice. He and his sister looked behind them. Sitting on one of the desks by the wall was none other than Albus Dumbledore. They must have walked straight past him, so desperate to get to the mirror they hadn't noticed him.
"I — I didn't see you, sir." Harry answered
"Strange how nearsighted being invisible can make you," said Dumbledore, and Julia was relieved to see that he was smiling.
"So," said Dumbledore, slipping off the desk to sit on the floor with the twins, "you, like hundreds before you, have discovered the delights of the Mirror of Erised."

"I didn't know it was called that, Sir." Harrry answered
"But I expect you've realized by now what it does?"
"It — well — it shows me and Julia our family —"
"And it showed your friend Ron himself as head boy."

"How did you know —?"
"I don't need a cloak to become invisible," said Dumbledore gently. "Now, can you think what the Mirror of Erised shows us all?"
Harry shook his head.
While Julia sat their, wondering why Dumbledore only asked Harry these questions. Of course, Juila already knew what the answer. She wondered why Harry didn't rememer what she had told him.
"Let me explain. The happiest man on earth would be able to use the Mirror of Erised like a normal mirror, that is, he would look into it and see himself exactly as he is. Does that help?"
Harry thought. Then he said slowly, "It shows us what we want… whatever we want…"
"Yes and no," said Dumbledore quietly. "It shows us nothing more or less than the deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts. You and your sister, who have never known your family, see them standing around you. Ronald Weasley, who has always been overshadowed by his brothers, sees himself standing alone, the best of all of them.

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, Harry, and I ask you not to go looking for it again. If you ever do run across it, you will now be prepared. It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live, remember that, both of you. Now, why don't you put that admirable cloak back on and get off to bed?"
Harry stood up.
"Sir — Professor Dumbledore? Can I ask you something?"
"Obviously, you've just done so," Dumbledore smiled. "You may ask me one more thing, however."
"What do you see when you look in the mirror?"

"I? I see myself holding a pair of thick, woollen socks."

Harry stared.
"One can never have enough socks," said Dumbledore. "Another Christmas has come and gone and I didn't get a single pair. People will insist on giving me books."
"Sir, why is such a dangerous thing in the school?" Julia spoke up, Dumbledore turned to her alone for the first time and answered her question. "To be honest, I have no idea. This mirror is rumered to have been here since the founders time." Julia accepted the answer and walked out with Harry.

It was only when he was back in bed that it struck Harry that Dumbledore might not have been quite truthful with his answer to Harry's question. But then, he thought, as he shoved Scabbers off his pillow, it had been quite a personal question.

A/N The end of another chapter! Now, why was Dumbledore ignoring Julia, and why would the founders of Hogwarts put the mirror there? These questions probably wont be answered next time, but you should stay tuned to find out! Now if you want to spur me on and make sure I update next Friday, I want 5 reviews from 5 different people, and please make them longer than 5 words. WOW! That was a lot of fives. Anyway, hopefully the next chapter will be up next Friday!