Christmas

For the next several weeks before Christmas break, we studied all we could in the library but found nothing whatsoever on Nicholas Flamel. We didn't dare ask Madame Pince about it, lest she learn about what we were doing. Soon school let out for a few weeks and we were bursting with excitement for Christmas.

The halls were decorated with tinsel, mistletoe, gold and silver baubles, beautiful Christmas trees and enchanted snow. I was staying at the school for Christmas, naturally. Ron and Hermione were going to their families, and Cedric said he was staying with me as his parents had other plans and he wanted to celebrate with me.

Before leaving, Hermione suggested we look in the Restricted Section, but none of us replied as that was a one-way ticket to trouble. I wasn't expecting anything, but on Christmas Day, I woke up to Cedric shaking me. "Helena, wake up!"

"Cedric?" I said, as I put my glasses on. "How'd you get in here?" Boys weren't allowed in the girls' dorm and he was a Hufflepuff not a Gryffindor.

"Dumbledore said I could come in just for Christmas Day, and lifted the enchantment for us," he explained. "Come on, there's presents downstairs."

"Presents? For me?" I said, thrilled.

"Of course for you!" he said, laughing. "Come on!"

We ran downstairs and began opening gifts. I got a box of homemade fudge and an emerald green sweater from Mrs. Weasley, a box of Chocolate Frogs from Hermione, a chess set from Ron, a flute from Hagrid, and a silver charm bracelet from Cedric. "Thank you, Cedric," I said, smiling.

"Glad you like it," he said, smiling as he admired his broom compass I'd given him. He looked under the Christmas tree. "Hang on; it looks like you got one more package."

He handed me large silvery bundle and then I opened the card.

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

Inside the parcel was a cloak that felt like water to the touch. But that wasn't the least of our surprise. When I wrapped the cloak around me, my body seemed to vanish.

"Wow," said Cedric. "That's an Invisibility Cloak! My dad says they're extremely rare. Who gave it to you?"

"I haven't a clue," I said, as I slipped my cloak off. "There was no name. Do you think it was really my dad's like the card said?"

"Definitely. It wouldn't surprise me one bit," said Cedric. "I asked McGonagall about your dad yesterday and she said your dad and his friends usually got up to their ears in pranks and jokes."

I was silent. This had been my father's. I had something of his to remember him by. I somehow felt closer to him than before. After a moment, I pushed it aside and my face brightened as Cedric and I enjoyed the rest of the day.

There was a fine feast, games, and prizes in little exploding crackers. Cedric and I had a snowball fight, made snow angels, built a huge snowman with Hagrid, and then ice-skating on the frozen lake before we went back inside and enjoyed delicious hot chocolate with marshmallows and whipped cream.

We went to bed exhausted, but laughing. I'd had the best Christmas of all and I'd never wanted it to end. Well, there was always next years.

After changing into my pajamas, I couldn't sleep as I kept thinking about the Cloak and suddenly, I felt mischievous. I slipped on my sweater over my pajamas and then put on my Invisibility Cloak. I snuck out of the common room and went down to the Restricted Section of the library.

I fingered through the titles until I came across one that looked promising. I pulled it off the shelf and opened it, but it began screaming at me and I quickly shut it. The noise aroused Filch, but I managed to avoid him after putting the Cloak back on. I got out of the library and walked around, and then I saw Snape holding Quirrell against the wall.

"Se-Severus, I-I—"

"You don't want me as your enemy, Quirrell," he snarled. He let go of Quirrell as I backed up and kept my hand on my mouth to silence my breathing. "We'll have another little chat soon, and then we'll see where your loyalties lie."

The two men disappeared down the hall when Filch showed them my lantern and then I went into the first room I could find to hide for a minute. Well, if this didn't prove Snape was up to something, I didn't know what did. He was threatening a teacher! I turned my attention to the room, which was dark and almost empty except for a large dusty mirror in the corner.

The lettering on it was backwards, but I could still make it out. I show not your face but your heart's desire. What was that supposed to mean? I gazed at my reflection in the mirror, but then I wasn't alone. I saw a man with hazel eyes, untidy black hair and circular glasses and a beautiful woman with red hair and green eyes like mine. My throat tightened. "Mum?" I murmured. "Dad?" The people in the mirror nodded and smiled. Lily squeezed my shoulder and rubbed it affectionately as James squeezed my hand and mouthed, "We love you," which made tears stream down my face. I could swear I felt them touching me at that moment. I really saw my parents for the first time in my life. It was unbelievable.

I stayed for a few hours until I felt the need to sleep. I brushed my fingers against the dusty glass. "I love you both," I whispered. "I'll be back soon."

I put on my Cloak and headed back, only to bump into Cedric. "Ow!" he said. "Who's there?"

I pulled off my Cloak. "It's me!" I hissed.

"Helena, what're you doing out here?" he whispered.

"Me! What're you doing out here?"

He held up a thermos. "I came down for a Sleeping Draught from Madame Pomfrey. I had insomnia. What're you doing down here?"

"I was looking in the Restricted Section and I…" I told him about everything and he seemed even more convinced that Snape was up to something. But he was even more curious about the mirror. I offered to show it to him, and then we snuck back to the room. Cedric stood where I had before, only he didn't see what I had.

"What do you see?" I asked.

For some reason, Cedric was turning red. "Nothing," he said. "Helena, this mirror says it shows our heart's desires, but…"

"But what?"

"I don't know. I don't like this. It just seems wrong."

"It's bittersweet," I agreed. The mirror showed me my parents, but it couldn't bring them back to me. Nothing could. We went back to our common rooms and kept looking for information on Nicholas Flamel, but my heart wasn't into it as night after night, I kept going back to the mirror and it was getting harder to leave. My lack of sleep or desire to do anything else didn't go unnoticed by Cedric. One afternoon, I sat in front of the fire in the Great Hall and Cedric talked to me.

"Are you hungry? There's still some cake left."

"No, I'm not hungry."

"Are you tired?"

"No."

"Are you ill? You look a bit pale."

"No, I feel fine."

"Want to play a game of chess?"

"No."

"Want to visit Hagrid?"

"No."

"Helena, look at me," he said, as my green eyes met his grey ones. "I know what you're thinking, but don't. There's something not right about that mirror and it's making you practically ill. I know how hard this is for you, but you've got to stop it. I'm really worried about you. Please, just stay away from that mirror, okay?"

I sighed. Cedric was right. I needed to get away. But what harm could one last visit do? "I'm sorry. Tonight will be last visit. I just need to see them one more time, okay?

Cedric narrowed his eyes. "Do you promise that this'll be your last visit?"

"I promise."

"Alright, then, but if you sneak out to see it again, I'll…I don't know what I'll do. Now, in the meantime, let's get some food in you and then you should sleep, okay? You're as pale as a ghost."

I chuckled and we split some cake and enjoyed a chess game before I got a few hours' sleep and went down to visit the mirror for the last time.

I sat there in comfortable silence until a voice said, "Back again, Helena?" I spun around to see Professor Dumbledore who went on, "I see that you, like so many before you have discovered the delights of the Mirror of Erised. I trust by now you realize what it does?"

"It shows us what we want," I said.

"Yes and no," he said. "It show us nothing less than the deepest most desperate desires of our hearts. You, who have never known your family see them standing before you. But Helena, you must understand that this mirror gives us neither knowledge nor truth. Men have wasted away upon and even gone mad. Which is why tomorrow it'll be moved to a new home and I must ask you to keep your word to Mr. Diggory and not go looking for it again, Helena."

"I will," I promised. "I'm sorry; it's just that I miss my parents so much."

"That's perfectly natural and understandable," he said, gently. "Now, perhaps you'll care to join me for some hot chocolate to help you sleep and then I'll escort you back to your common room."

"Yes, Professor. Thank you."