A/N: I'm going to make this clear. I don't own the Harry Potter series or it's characters. That right goes to JK Rowling

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 of 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.

All during the class, Malfoy was as annoying as he had been since the Quidditch match. Disgusted that Slytherin had lost, he had tried to get everyone laughing at how a wide-mouth tree frog would be replacing Harry as Seeker next. Then he'd realized that nobody found this funny, because they were all impressed by how Harry manage to stay on his bucking broomstick. So Malfoy, jealous and angry, had gone to taunting Harry through other possible ways.

Harry wished he could stay for the school year, but James had up and decided that it was best that they go home for winter break. James wouldn't say why, but Harry figured it was to stop him from researching Nicholas Flamel.

Ever since Hagrid brought up that name Hermione Ron Neville and Harry was trying to research the name—mostly because Ron and Neville agreed with Harry that they heard the name before.

The best part though was that the Weasley Family was going to Romania to visit Charlie, and they invited James and Harry.

They left the dungeons at the end of Potions, and found a large fig tree blocking the corridor ahead. Two enormous feet sticking out at the bottom and a loud uffing sound that 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 face out from behind the tree. "Malfoy was insulting 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."

"Come on, cheer up, it's nearly Christmas," said Hagrid. "Tell you what, come with me and see the Great Hall, looks a treat."

"Sounds good," Neville said.

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 decarations.

"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 got left until your holidays?" asked Hagrid.

"Just one," said Hermione. "And that reminds me—Ron, Neville, we've got half an hour before lunch, we should be in the library."

"Oh yeah, you're right," said Ron, tearing his 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 as the three left. "Just before the holiday?"

Harry shrugged. "That's Hermione for you. Always want to find a new book to read."

"Then why aren't you going with them?" Hagrid asked.

"Dad banned me from the library without supervision," Harry replied. "He thinks I'll try to look up what is hidden here at the school through the library."

Hagrid looked at Harry carefully, "I better go check on Hermione Ron and Neville."

Harry smirked as Hagrid left. Truth was, James didn't banned Harry, but has informed Madam Pince to keep an eye on his son for any mystery activity, which Harry learned the first day of their search for Flamel.

So instead, Harry been going over his chocolate frogs. If Nicolas Flamel was a famous wizard, he would have his own card. If not, Harry been trading famous wizard cards with other Gryffindors as well as Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs, and the few trusted Slytherins. He even paid off Fred and George Weasley, who started going to Hogsmeade this year, to bring him back some chocolate frogs since the twins have become notorious for sneaking in something from those trips—without telling them why other than that Harry is looking for a rare card—which worked out.

As Ron Hermione and Neville search the library, Harry decided to explore the castle.

Harry use to do this when he was little while his dad either worked or sleep. Harry would often get so lost James had to send a search party to look for his son. One time, Harry even found a passageway tunnel that coincidentally led straight to Filch—nearly giving the man a heart attack. Too this day Filch still thinks Harry knew where the Passageway was the whole time and was trying to use it to scare him.

Not only that, but it was because of Harry's little adventures around the Castle, he learned some of the castle's secrets, which led to the reason why Harry never stopped as a kid as he always hoped to find a new adventure.

But now that Harry was a student, he didn't plan for another adventure before Christmas. Sadly, that adventure found him.

Harry was wondering around, eating a chocolate frog, stuffing empty wrappers in his pocket and wizard cards he been through in his bag, when he didn't noticed he stepped on Mrs. Norris' tail until he heard the cat scream in pain.

Harry stumbled back as Mrs. Norris shot off to find her master. Knowing he was going to get in trouble for accidentally stepping on Mrs. Norris (as Filch was well known about every student's ambition to kick the cat), not to mention Harry's pocket were stuff with chocolate frog wrappers that Filch might mistaken as some form of prank involving littering (Filch always jumps into conclusions about students faster than he appears through some passageway); Harry quickly opened the nearest door and quickly went inside what he thought was a closet and closed it.

Harry steadied his breathing as he heard the scuffling sounds of someone running by along with the familiar wheezing sound Filch makes when he run to the scene of the rule breaking.

Harry stayed quiet until he didn't hear Filch anymore.

Harry breathed a sigh of relief before turning around and found he wasn't in a broom closet but rather an empty classroom.

It wasn't very surprising. James had told Harry that Hogwarts had several spare classrooms in the castle, which comes in handy when something happens to one of the other classrooms leaving the professor needing a temporary classroom (which happens more than you would think with Peeves the poltergeist as well as the Weasley Twins).

But what caught Harry's attention was a magnificent mirror in the classroom, 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 oy tube cafru oyt on wohsi.

Harry found himself curiously drawn toward the mirror, wanting to look see himself in it for some reason. When Harry stepped in front of it, Harry had to clap his hands to mouth to stop himself from screaming.

In the mirror was him, but he wasn't alone. Standing behind him was a woman with dark red hair, bright green eyes smiling at him waving, but at the same time crying. Harry immediately recognized her from all the photos his father kept in the Potter Cottage.

"Mum," Harry said.

The woman's smile grew as she nodded. She wrapped her arms around Harry like his dad would do when he's upset and hugged him.

Although it didn't really happen outside the mirror, Harry almost imagined feeling his mother's arms wrapped around him.

Harry stood there for what seemed for hours—not even noticing the classroom door opening and closing.

"Harry—"

Harry jumped and turned to see it was his dad.

"Dad… what?"

"I went searching for you when you didn't show up for lunch with your friends," James said. "I see you found the Mirror of Erised."

"The Mirror of Erised?" Harry asked.

James nodded. "It's an enchanted mirror that shows whoever faces it their greatest desire. That's why you're seeing mother."

"How—"

"Because I know you, Harry," James stated.

Harry let tears flowed from his eyes. "I missed her, dad. I never knew her, but I want too."

"I know," James said. "I miss her too and I wish she could see you now. But I know she would be proud of the kind of person you have become."

"Thanks dad," Harry said.

"Come, Harry. Your friends are worried about you," James said.

Harry nodded and left with James.

A/N: In case some of you might have failed to understand Harry's Heart's Desire in this story: It is to meet his mother and get to know her.