I don't own Harry Potter

Chapter 9- Under the moonlight

Back at Hogwarts, the search for any information about Nicholas Flamel continued, but with as little results as before. It was especially frustrating to Harry. He knew he'd heard that name somewhere before, but where? He couldn't remember Flamel's name ever being mentioned in a lesson or in any conversation he'd ever had with any of the Weasleys. Hermione still seemed determined to find the answer in a book, and since none of the books they'd looked at so far had even mentioned Flamel, she made a suggestion as a last resort.

"You know, none of us have tried looking in the restricted section yet. It might be worth a try to looking there. I mean, if what that dog is guarding is as powerful as we think it is, it's probably not something most students would have a chance to learn about."

Harry and Ron had to admit that made sense, but the only problem was that without a note from a professor they'd never be allowed in that part of the library. At least, they couldn't let themselves be seen in that part of the library. And now Harry had the perfect way to make sure he wouldn't be seen. It would definitely be breaking the rules, but Harry had heard plenty of stories about the adventures his dad and his friends had when they were at Hogwarts. He had a feeling his dad was keeping the more dangerous sounding stories from him because he didn't want to give Harry any ideas. Still, it wasn't as if he would get hurt just looking at some books.

While he agreed with Hermione that the chances of finding out anything about Flamel would be better in the restricted section, he hadn't immediately volunteered to go looking there under his cloak. As much as he cared about his friends, he wanted to be alone when he used the cloak the first time. Somehow it just felt like that's how it was meant to be. So, one night when he was having trouble falling asleep, he put on the cloak and made his way to the library, stopping to light a lantern.

It didn't take long before Harry found out he had a few things to learn before he followed in the Marauder's footsteps. Sneaking into the restricted section couldn't have gone worse. First the book he had opened started screaming, and then he had knocked over the lantern. To top it all off he had almost been caught by Filch, and had lost his way while making a run for it. Finally he ran down a corridor and through an open door on his left. He stayed quietly hidden there until he was sure Filch was gone, and only then did he start to notice anything about the room itself.

There was only one thing that set the room apart from any other unused class room. A tall mirror was the only thing different about the room, but what a strange mirror it was. His mind told him what it was showing him was impossible, but his heart wanted to believe it was true. There stood three people, two who's faces he only knew from photos and the third was the face of the man who had raised him. Lily, James, and Remus stood together, smiling at him, although Harry couldn't imagine how. Did the mirror only show the spirits of the dead? But then how could the man he thought of as his second father be there when he was very much alive and safe at home?

Then something drew Harry's attention away from the people reflected back at him and he saw that in the background of the image was the full moon showing through a window, and yet Remus hadn't transformed. What wouldn't Harry give for that to be true? A world where his birth parents were alive and his second dad was cured. He thought back to when he had first learned that Remus was a werewolf.

Harry had been at the Weasleys' like he was every month, but for once he wasn't happy to be at his friend's house.

"Couldn't I go some other night Dad?" he'd asked. Harry had been told that his dad needed to go someplace once every month, but he had never been told exactly where his dad went or why he had to go there. He only knew he dad was always so tired after every time he went, and Harry was hoping that he could delay whatever it was that was so hard on his dad.

Remus had looked at Harry sadly.

"I'm sorry son, but it has to be tonight."

Harry still looked sad about it, but Remus knew there was no other way. Then Arthur had said something that Harry hadn't understood.

"You should tell him Remus."

Turning to his dad Harry asked "Tell me what?" Remus looked away without answering. Harry looked at Arthur Weasley. "What's wrong with my dad, Uncle Arthur?"

"Harry," Arthur said gently. "Your dad will have to be the one to decide when to tell you," he looked up at Remus. "But I think he should tell you soon. And when he does, you should know that it doesn't make any difference to how much he loves you."

Looking defeated, Remus knew he couldn't avoid telling Harry his secret any longer. "Harry, remember what I've told you about werewolves when you asked about them that one time?" Harry nodded.

"You told me they're normal most of the time, but once a month they're very dangerous and don't know what they're doing. That I was never supposed to take a chance on letting a transformed one get near me because a werewolf would even attack people he loves."

Remus nodded, looking choked. Did he really have to let Harry know the truth now?

"Harry, when I taught you that it was to protect you from ever ending up like me. I- I was bitten when I was five, only two years younger than you are now."

Harry's eyes went wide as he understood what that meant.

"But then you're a- a-. No!"

Remus wanted to hug Harry close, but he was so used to seeing fear, hate, and disgust in people's eyes when they knew about his problem that for a moment he thought that's what the look on Harry's face meant.

"I'm so sorry, Harry. Please don't be afraid of me. You know I would never hurt you, don't you?"

Harry had looked stunned. "Afraid of you ? But why would I be afraid of you? You're my dad! That hasn't changed. I was just shocked, that's all."

He ran to his dad and wrapped his arms around him. Remus was so relieved.

"You're one of the few people who isn't afraid of me," the werewolf said quietly.

Ever since that day, Harry had two things he wished for more than anything else. One was to have his birth parents be alive. As much as he loved Remus, it still felt as if something that could have been had been stolen from him, that there was a missing part of his life. He had seen ever photo his dad had of them, and had been told so many stories about them, but there were times when those little pieces of them only made him miss them all the more. Remus had done everything he could to make Harry's life happy, but both Harry and Remus knew that it was normal for any child who had lost their parents to feel the loss.

His other wish would have been to see his dad cured, never having to suffer through another transformation ever again. His dad never complained, but Harry could see the transformations were hard on him. Harry had also seen the way people treated his dad. Whenever they went shopping together at Diagon Alley there were always a few shopkeepers who refused to help Remus or who would stare at him as if expecting him to attack someone. That was the main reason why his dad didn't have much to do with the wizarding world. Harry knew the way people treated him bothered Remus almost as bad as the transformations themselves.

Seeing both his wishes come true, even if it was only in a mirror, made it hard to look away. He knew deep down that what he was seeing couldn't possibly be true, but he had never wanted anything so badly. He'd seen pictures of the three people together many times, looking exactly the way they looked in that mirror, but this was completely different. In the reflection they were hugging him, ruffling his hair, speaking words he couldn't hear. It was almost as if he could step right through the mirror into a world where his deepest desires were true. He put his hand against the glass, almost as if he were trying to do just that.

He didn't know what he had expected to feel, whether he had expected a warm hand against his or a shock of energy or something else, but all he felt was the cold glass.

"It's not real. It can never be real."

Somehow feeling only glass helped him remember what he was seeing was only an illusion, but he couldn't help staying to look at it until he heard someone behind him.

"Still here Harry?"

Harry turned around with a jump. Albus Dumbledore stood behind him.

"Sorry sir. I couldn't help myself."

"No need to be sorry harry. I trust you realize what the Mirror of Erised does by now?"

Harry looked at the mirror again. If it had shown only his birth parents he might have thought it showed the dead. But that couldn't be right. He turned to the headmaster.

"It- well, it's showing me my birth parents. And my dad is cured. It's showing my the world the way I'd like it to be."

Dumbledore nodded for him to continue.

"So it shows us what we want, whatever we want?"

"Yes, and no. It shows us nothing less than the deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts."

Harry looked down at his feet before he spoke. He understood. "But nothing it shows is real, is it?"

Shaking his head, Dumbledore answered. "That depends on who is looking in it. If the person looking at it were completely happy as they were, they would see themselves the same as if it were an ordinary mirror. But sadly, no, what the mirror is showing you can not be real. The mirror will be moved tomorrow, and I must ask you not to go looking for it again."

Harry nodded, but he still took one last look before he headed back to Gryffindor tower.