Title: The Boys Who Lived
Author: Shara Lunison
Beta: Batsutousai
Rating for this Chapter: T
Pairings: Harry/Henry (OMC)
Warnings: SLASH, Eventual twincest!
Summary: The Potter twins are attacked by Voldemort and somehow defeat him. Now the Dark Lord has returned and they have to choose between light and dark. SLASH, Twincest, rated M for later chapters.
Disclaim Her: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
A/N: So um… I accidentally caused myself to have to raise the rating on the story already… I blame it on the mirror. But, I figured I'd have to raise it eventually anyway. Might just make it 'M' to save myself the trouble later. XD Sorry to anyone who liked it at 'K+'. And if anyone has any problems with the rating being raised, please tell me! I will post the graphic details elsewhere when they happen. Thanks!
Chapter Nine: The Mirror of Erised
By the time Christmas began to approach, the Slytherins and Gryffindors had met to have a new study party every weekend. Everyone was well ahead in the reading, and when the professors handed out the assignments due after the New Year, they were surprised by the whoops of joy that those two houses let out.
The exchange program continued to be a hit. After Ron and Draco, Hermione had been traded with Padma Patil in Ravenclaw, allowing her to make a few intellectual friends and tone down her know-it-all character even more. Even Draco found that it was no longer galling to take advice and tips from the bushy haired girl.
Students began to sign up to stay over the holidays, and Harry and Henry were delighted to learn that Ron and his brothers would be staying since their parents were going to Romania to spend time with their second-oldest son, Charlie. Both Draco and Hermione were going home, so it was nice to have at least one of their close friends there, and they hadn't had the chance yet to spend much time with the Weasley twins.
After waving off their friends at the platform, Harry, Henry, and Ron trekked their way back up towards the castle and got waylaid by the twins and Percy, who had built two snow forts and proceeded to pelt the first years with snowballs from behind the farther one. The three boys immediately ducked for cover behind the available fort and Henry set to work shaping a pile of snowballs while he let Ron and Harry throw with their better aim. A dark shape loomed up and joined them a few minutes into the fight, and Hagrid, resplendent in his moleskin coat, shaped the largest snowball Hen had ever seen (easily the size of the average snowman's bottom half) and chucked it at the older students. A muffled "Eeep!" was heard from Percy, while the twins went down laughing.
"That'll teach yer to pick on first years!" Hagrid chuckled.
Eventually, cold, wet, and tired, they trooped over to Hagrid's hut at his invitation to share some warm tea in the cozy little room.
"I wish I could have seen the looks on your faces!" Ron laughed at his brothers. "Still, it didn't hurt, did it? That giant snowball?"
Hagrid looked chagrined for a moment until the three older boys assured him they were fine. "It was like having a tree suddenly dump all the snow on its branches directly over your head, that's all." Percy laughed.
"Blimey, that gives me a great idea for a prank!" George cried.
"I think I know exactly what you're thinking, let's get to it," Fred answered. They guzzled back the rest of their tea and disappeared back into the cold.
Percy sighed, finishing the last of his own tea. "I'd better make sure they don't get into too much trouble. I'll see you later Hagrid, boys." He nodded and ducked out the door, letting in one last gust of cold air.
Hagrid chuckled, refilling the remaining boys' cups and clearing away the others. "Some poor soul is going to have snowballs chasing them around the rest of the day, you mark my words."
"I hope it's not Snape!" Henry said worriedly. "I've been trying to catch him in a good mood since Halloween."
"Professor Snape, in a good mood?" Hagrid crowed with laughter at the thought. "Never you mind that it's impossible, why would you want something like that?"
"We've been trying to ask him why he tried to get past the three headed dog in the third floor corridor on Halloween," Harry explained.
"How do you know about Fluffy?"
"Fluffy!? That thing has a name?" Ron gasped.
"'Course. I raised him from a pup, I did. What were you three doing up there, anyway?"
"We got lost the first weekend we were here. But on Halloween, Snape went there on purpose. He had a nasty gash on his leg when I saw him that night," Henry told the half giant.
"Do you know anything about what the dog is guarding?" Harry asked innocently.
"Never you mind about that. What Fluffy is guarding is between the Headmaster and Nicholas Flamel."
"Flamel?" Ron asked. "You mean the alchemist?"
Hagrid muttered, "I shouldn't have said that," under his breath.
The other two boys looked at Ron incredulously.
"What? There's a chocolate frog card of him. Only I've got about twenty. He's famous for lots of things, but I'd have to check the back of one of em' to see why."
"Now see here!" Hagrid admonished them. "You leave well enough alone, you hear? You lot are mixing into things you'd best not mess with. Leave it to the Headmaster and the other professors. They have things well in hand."
Harry put a hand on the man's arm. "Hagrid, it's too late for that. We already know where to look for the information. But I promise we don't do anything to interfere unless the Headmaster and the other teachers can't do anything to help us. All right?"
"All right." Hagrid smiled reluctantly. "Off with you lot. Go find the card and read up. I'd rather you know what you're messing with before you go flying off the handle, since you're so determined.
"Thanks!" Ron finished his tea and stood. "Lucky for us, I brought my whole collection with me just in case someone wanted to trade."
They left the half giant behind and made it back up to Gryffindor tower. Henry was the only first year Slytherin staying for the holidays, so he had decided to stay with his friends in the tower.
Ron rummaged through his trunk and pulled out several muggle shoe boxes that when opened were filled to overflowing with chocolate frog cards.
"Geez, Ron! It's going to take forever to find the one we're looking for!" Harry complained.
"No, it won't. I have them in order alphabetically. Just find the box that's labeled as having 'F's'."
"This is probably the only thing you own that's actually organized," Hen accused, finding the correct box and rifling through it.
"Oi!" Ron cried. "Well, you're probably right. I just figured, if someone here had Agrippa or Ptolemy and wanted to trade for something I had more than one of, I had better have them in order to make finding it easier. Did all that organizing instead of packing my trunk the night before catching the train."
The three of them laughed, and then Hen found the right card. "Here it is! Listen: 'Nicholas Flamel is an alchemist who was born in France in the fourteenth century and is the only known maker of the Philosopher's Stone, which grants immortal life and riches to the user. He celebrated his six hundred and sixty-fifth birthday this year.'"
"So that's it?" Harry asked. "The thing Fluffy is guarding on the third floor is the Philosopher's Stone?"
"Who wouldn't want it?" Ron asked, staring off into space dreamily. "I mean, living forever with as much money as you could ever want?"
"Sounds like it would get boring very quickly," Henry admitted.
"I suppose," Ron answered, "But you could live as long as you needed to, until you had done everything you ever wanted, and then just pass on knowing that your life had been lived to fulfillment."
The twins shrugged dubiously.
"Well, I guess now that we know, we can just keep an eye on things and make sure nothing happens to it," Harry decided.
"Good idea. Let's get some sleep, now. I'm peaked after that snowball fight earlier."
The twins crawled into the same bed again, having taken to doing so since Halloween. They had shared a bed all their lives until the Dursley's bought them a bunk bed. Having given it up for a short time, they both agreed that being together was more comfortable.
The candles were blown out and they fell asleep to the muted sound of snow falling outside the window.
-o-0-o-
Christmas morning came fast after that. They had learned from Hagrid (after a little prodding) that several of the professors, including Snape, had placed protections on the stone. No one but Dumbledore knew what sort of enchantments they had left, though.
The sight of the small mound of presents at the end of he and Henry's bed made all thoughts of the Stone leave his mind, though.
"Presents!" Harry gasped, shaking his brother awake as he hadn't even stirred at Ron's excited yelling yet.
"Wha?" Henry mumbled, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. Then he saw clearly enough that there was a jumble of oddly shaped and brightly wrapped bundles on the end of the bed and he joined Harry in examining them with excitement.
They had never had presents before, nor the money to give them to anyone else.
From Hermione they each received a large box of chocolate frogs. Mrs. Weasley had sent along a box of homemade fudge and two emerald green sweaters with H's knitted into the fronts. They put them on immediately. Hagrid sent along two beautifully carved wooden flutes. Harry's sounded a bit like an owl while Hen's was more like a nightingale. The Dursleys, unexpectedly, had sent them each fifty pounds, which Ron looked at like it was the strangest thing he'd ever seen.
"Paper? But how do they prevent people from just making it themselves?" He cast a duplication charm to prove his point, and the twins had a hard time figuring out which one was real so they could get their present back.
Several of the Slytherins had also sent along presents. Crabbe and Goyle had teamed up to give the twins a thorough sampling of Honeyduke's best chocolate. Blaise gave them both very nice wizarding watches, that had extra hands that said things like, 'You're late!' 'Time for a break' and 'Homework time'. He told them the shop where they were sold in Diagon Alley so that they could get new hands as the old ones stopped applying.
Finally, Draco had sent them a gift certificate to Quality Quidditch Supplies. After their flying lessons early in the year, the boy was determined that at least one of them would have to try out the next year. "You can't let that talent go to waste!" Henry was mostly indifferent to the sport, so he suspected that by the next year he would be watching his brother and his best friend duking it out over the snitch (after all, they were both built to be seekers).
At the bottom of the pile was a small squishy package wrapped in purple paper. Inside was a cloak made from some kind of silvery fabric. A note fell out as Harry unfurled it and Henry picked it up. "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."
"Who is it from?" Harry asked.
"It doesn't say." Henry watched as his brother wrapped the cloak around his shoulders and both he and Ron gasped as the other boy disappeared from the neck down.
"An invisibility cloak!" Ron said. "They're really rare, and really valuable."
"I bet it's from Dumbledore," Henry said.
"Yeah, who else would have something our dad left behind?" Harry grinned.
"You two should try it out tonight. You might be able to catch Snape or someone else snooping around the third floor corridor," Ron offered.
"Maybe." Henry hesitated.
"We could at least explore," Harry wheedled. "Come on, Hen! You know you want to try it! Even Mrs. Norris won't be able to see us in this."
"All right. We can go out tonight."
-o-0-o-
Henry stared down into the glowing red eyes of Mrs. Norris over his brother's shoulder. "What was that about her not being able to see us?" he asked in a furious whisper.
The cat turned away and dashed down the hall the way she had come.
"Come on," Hen hissed, "She's probably gone to fetch Filch."
They ducked into the nearest classroom—they had made it to the third floor, but not the particular corridor where Fluffy was hiding the Stone—but it seemed that the professors and the caretaker were patrolling the area much more heavily now that most of the students were away.
The room they entered was completely empty except for a tall gilt mirror in the very center of the room. Harry slipped out from under the cloak and stepped in front of it, curious. After a moment he gasped. "Hen, come look! It's our parents!"
Henry hurried over and joined Harry in front of the mirror. He frowned. "I only see us."
"Stand in it properly, go on. Stand here where I am!"
Henry moved to take his brother's place and glanced up at the mirror to see… them. He was about to tell Harry that it was just an ordinary mirror when he realized that the twins in the mirror were several years older than they were now. He had his arms wrapped around Harry's waist possessively and as Henry watched his twin in the mirror turned his head and their lips met in a warm and gentle kiss.
Gasping, he turned away from the mirror, sure that his face must be flaming red.
"Did you see them?" Harry asked, taking his place in front of the mirror once more. "There's loads of people behind us, too. I reckon there's a grandfather on dad's side that has our knobbly knees."
Hen didn't answer, instead he studied the inscription at the top of the mirror that he had not noticed before. "Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi," he mumbled.
"What's that?" Harry asked, taking his eyes off the mirror at last.
"The inscription at the top. It's not Latin." Henry frowned and then glanced at the mirror below, a sudden idea occurring to him. "It's a mirror image. I show not your face… but your heart's desire!"
"That makes sense." Harry smiled back at the images of his mum and dad. "All I've ever wanted was to know our family. Do you see the same thing?"
Hen shook his head. "No." And he left it at that.
"Oh." Harry looked sad, but then he looked at the mirror and the frown was replaced by a strange happy look. He moved to sit down, but suddenly Hen was beside him and pulling him up.
"Come on Harry, I don't like the way this mirror is making you act. Let's get back to the tower."
"But Hen!"
"No buts, Harry." He wavered at the upset look on his brother's face. And then there was that kiss. Now that he was no longer flustered, he almost wanted a second look himself. "We can come back tomorrow night and bring Ron and the twins with us."
"Oh, all right." Harry pouted but followed his brother under the cloak anyway.
-o-0-o-
"So where is it?" Fred whispered.
"This cloak is a bit small for all five of us, mate," Ron muttered.
"Relax, it was just up here a bit farther. The only classroom on the left. There!" Henry pointed under the cloak at the door that was just barely ajar.
They ducked inside and all five teens drew deep breaths as they freed themselves from the cloak. As airy as the fabric was, it was still a bit crowded with so many people underneath.
"So this is the mirror?" George asked, moving to stand in front of the frame. He gasped a moment later. "Fred, come quick!"
The other twin hurried to take his place and a grin of delight suffused his face as well. They turned to one another and grasped hands, looking as though Christmas had continued for an extra day. "Our own joke shop, and Zonko's in the dust at our feet!" they crowed.
Harry frowned. "How come both of you saw the same thing and Henry and I didn't?"
"It's simple, Harry my friend." Fred wrapped an arm around his shoulders.
"You and Henry simply don't have personalities as similar as ours." George came up on Harry's other side.
"Yeah, I mean, one of you is a Gryffindor and one of you is a Slytherin," Ron offered. "That's as different as you can get for twins."
Henry chose to intervene as he noticed his brother looking more and more upset. "Ron, you go next. Harry and I have already seen ours."
"And what did you see?" Fred sidled up to him as he had Harry.
"Oh slithery Slytherin?" George added from his other side.
Harry looked interested in the answer as well, but luckily Ron interrupted.
"I'm head boy!" he cried. "I'm holding the House Cup and the Quidditch Cup. I'm Quidditch Captain too!"
Fred and George were suddenly at his sides. "Oh ickle Ronniekins. We have failed you! Don't go over to the dark side like Bill and Percy!"
"Shove off!" he pushed them away impatiently.
"It's my turn!" Harry cried. "I want to see my parents again!" He took his place in front of the mirror and just smiled happily for several minutes while the twins wrestled with Ron on the floor. Henry grew worried that they would be heard and decided to round everyone up. He pulled Harry from the mirror once more, and noticed that his twin was even more reluctant to leave now. But eventually everyone moved back to the cloak, getting ready to leave. As he passed the mirror, Hen couldn't help but to glance in again at the captivating image. There they were again, but this time their lips were locked in a much more heated kiss, and he could swear that both of mirror-Harry's hands were up the back of mirror-Henry's sweater. His mirror image took the opportunity while Hen was watching to grip mirror-Harry's arse and pull him closer.
Henry could practically hear the groan of arousal that left mirror-Harry's lips at the movement.
Gasping, he turned away and joined his friends and brother under the cloak.
"Ickle Henry is blushing," one of the Weasley twins teased.
"What does your brother see when he looks in the mirror, Harry?" the other asked.
"Shut up!" Henry cried, a little too loudly. A distinctly cat-like yowl was heard down the corridor.
"Run!" Ron shouted.
They thundered back up to Gryffindor tower and collapsed into their respective beds. Henry joined Harry on their four poster once more, but couldn't bring himself to touch the other boy after his twin fell asleep.
"What's wrong with me?" he whispered into the dark room. The image in the mirror was surely his heart's desire, but it wasn't something he saw himself ever wanting, much less at the age of eleven. There had to be some other reason for it.
Thinking of the soul bond that they shared, Hen resolved to spend some time in the library researching the connection a little more.
Deciding that it couldn't be helped, he rolled over and spooned against Harry's back, smiling when the sleeping boy's hand fell into his and threaded their fingers together. If he pulled Harry a little tighter against him than normal or relished the smell of his brother's hair tickling his face, he didn't admit it even to himself.
Harry smiled into his pillow. Whatever Hen had seen in the Mirror of Erised, it seemed that he had come to terms with it. The older boy quickly fell asleep at his back and Harry wriggled around to face him, wrapping his arms around his brother to protect him from the demons that had been haunting his eyes all day. He didn't expect Hen to snuggle into his neck, nor the kiss placed there that sent an electric tingle down his spine.
-o-0-o-
Harry did his best not to blush the next morning, and mostly succeeded. Hen wanted to spend the day in the library researching something, so they decided to try parting ways and see how far they could get before the pain started. The answer was about two floors or halfway across the castle. After that, a dull sort of ache started that grew worse the longer they stayed apart.
That night, Harry lay beside his brother in their bed and waited for Henry to fall asleep. The mirror was still weighing on his mind, and he wanted to see their parents just one more time before he stopped going.
He slipped softly from the bed and opened his trunk to retrieve the cloak before tiptoeing out of the room.
-o-0-o-
Henry opened his eyes when the door closed and sighed. Harry was probably going to go see the Mirror of Erised again. He just hoped that his brother would come to his senses on his own, since his own attempts didn't seem to have worked.
He rolled over and thought of what he had read that day. There was no other information on soul bonds in the normal part of the library. He could only assume that the restricted section would have more, but Madam Pince had been pinch-lipped enough at him asking to see the soul books again.
For now, it seemed that the nature of the bond, and the reasons for what he had seen in the mirror would remain a mystery.
-o-0-o-
Harry sat in front of the mirror and gazed up at his parents, almost reaching out a hand to touch them before he reminded himself that it wasn't real.
A noise behind him made him turn and he gasped as he saw Professor Dumbledore standing in front of the chalkboard at the front of the room.
"Good evening, Harry. I see that you have discovered the seductive allure of the Mirror of Erised."
Harry looked away and glanced at his mother waving at him from the corner of his eye. "I know it's not real, Professor. But I can't help wanting to see them. My mum and dad. And all the rest of our family."
"Ah. Yes, you are not the first to be entranced by what you have seen. The happiest person in the world could use this mirror as though it were nothing more than mirrored glass. Men have wasted away before it, or gone mad, not sure if what they are seeing is real or even possible."
"Hen… Henry saw something else, but he won't tell anyone what it was," Harry whispered. "And he doesn't seem to be drawn back to it like I am. It's like, whatever he saw isn't something he really wants."
Dumbledore chuckled. "The heart is a peculiar thing. Whatever your brother saw, I suspect that he does not yet know himself well enough to expect it to appear in the mirror."
Harry nodded thoughtfully.
"The mirror will be moved to a new home tomorrow, Harry. I must ask you not to go seeking it out again."
"Yes, Professor." He stood and wrapped the cloak around his shoulders. "Good night."
"Good night, my boy." Dumbledore smiled gently and watched the youngest Potter leave the room. When he was quite sure that Harry was gone, he tapped the side of the mirror and murmured, "Orexis revalio." His eyebrows raised as he viewed the most recent heartfelt desires that the mirror had absorbed. "This… complicates things," he hummed to himself as he turned and left the room.