Harry just stared at the mirror. He blinked several times. Harry stepped up closer. He couldn't believe what he was seeing but there he was, but quite a bit older. Next to him was a beautiful woman with long red hair; there were three kids, two boys looking about the same as he was now on maybe a little older and a young girl, who looked to be a little younger than he is now. The most striking thing to Harry was that the little girl reminded him of when he saw Ginny earlier this year and when she starts at Hogwarts. 'But how can this be? Unless…'Harry thought and then the realization seemed to hit him, the woman in the mirror is Ginny Weasley with him and the children are theirs. 'But, how can this be. Where are my parents and relative on my dad's side? How could it have changed? Is there anyone that I can talk to about it? Should I talk to anyone about it?'
Harry quickly wrapped the cloak around him and tears off through the castle to the Gryffindor dormitories and made Ron get up.
"Ron! Come on! You have to come with me. Now! Hurry up."
"I'm coming, just give me a second."
The two of them while under the cloak went to the room with the Mirror of Erised. Harry had Ron stand in front of the mirror, waited a few minutes and then,
"Ron tell me what you see, please."
"I see myself, I'm alone. I look different, older. I'm head boy. I'm holding the House cup and the Quidditch cup. Bloody hell, I'm Quidditch caption too!"
Ron briefly takes his eyes away from the mirror and looked at Harry, "Do you think this mirror shows the future?"
"No." Not paying attention to Ron admiring what he saw in the mirror. Harry started to think to himself, 'How could it have changed. Ron's stayed the same. Why did mine change? Could it have something to with going back in time? What was it that Dumbledore said about this mirror? Oh, yeah 'The Mirror of Erised shows you your most deepest desires. It does not give us truth or knowledge.'
The following evening Harry went back to the mirror. He remained under the cloak. 'Will it still work with me under the cloak' then images started to form in the mirror, he looked closely and there were the same five people from the night before. 'I wonder if because I had already seen my parents and the other relatives before is why they aren't showing up now? No. Something is different. Think! The explosion in Potions, what was I thinking at the time? What was my deepest desire at that time? Oh…Ginny'
Harry went to bed. He wasn't exactly confused, well maybe a little. Though he had figured out that his desire clearly changed, he was having difficulty trying to understand. He really wished more now than ever to be able to talk to someone about it all. But who?
* * * * * * *
Hermione returned just before the Holidays were over. She was dying to see her friends and find out what they had received other than what she had gotten them. She was fascinated with the cloak.
"There was no name on the note."
"Other than mine, no."
"Harry don't you think that you should have Dumbledore take look at?"
"No I don't think that Dumbledore should have a look at it. It's not dangerous. It belonged to my father. It's fine, don't worry about it okay."
"Are you sure that it used to be your fathers? Any one could have written that note."
"Hermione, relax, I think that Dumbledore is the one that sent it to me."
"But.."
"The writing on the note matches writing on other notes, ones that I have received from Dumbledore. I am not worried at all."
Several days had passed and Hermione was not letting up on Harry about having Dumbledore take a look at it. Harry finally gave in, only so that Hermione would leave him alone and to make her feel better about the cloak. Harry sent a not to Dumbledore,
Professor Dumbledore,
I would like to have a word with you about a gift I received at Christmas.
Harry
* * * * * *
Harry had just seated himself in Dumbledore's office when Dumbledore got straight to it, "Harry, what did you receive? Why do you need to speak with me about it?
"Well, Hermione is having a problem with what I got. I don't, neither does Ron. Hermione won't stop pestering me about it so I thought that I should see you about it."
"And what is it?"
"I received an invisibility cloak, there was a note attached and it said that it had belonged to my father. Hermione doesn't trust it. She wants me to have you take a look at it." Harry pulled out the cloak and started to hand it over; Dumbledore put his hand up to stop Harry.
"No need to hand it over Harry. I must say that Miss. Granger is cautious and wise to be so insistent that you have me look at it. I admire that. Harry, I have already looked at it and checked it out and everything. Yes it did belong to your father. I am not surprised that you didn't question the note or the cloak. I am sure you recognized my writing from other notes I have sent to you."
"I though that you had been the one to send it to me." Harry knew it was Dumbledore, but couldn't say that without giving an explanation. He thought that maybe one day he would tell Dumbledore, just not now.
Harry left Dumbledore's office and went straight to the common room. When he walked in he saw Ron pacing the floor, Hermione sitting in and arm chair looking anxious.
Ron looked up and saw Harry.
"Harry how'd it go?"
"How long does Dumbledore want to hold on it to for?" Asked Hermione
"He doesn't want to hold on to it. He has already looked at, looked it over and whatever else one can do. I have with me now. It really did belong to my father. Dumbledore is the one that sent it."
"Sorry Harry, I just…well with what happened with Marcus, the troll, the Sorcerer's Stone being guarded at the school by a three headed dog named Fluffy and the possibility that You-Know-Who might not be dead. I just wanted to be sure that it was legitimate and not some kind of trick or something."
"I know you mean well Hermione. I appreciate that, but can you possibly try to trust my judgment?" Harry tried his best not to be harsh when he asked Hermione to try to trust his judgment.
"I'll try. I'm sorry Harry, I shouldn't be questioning your judgment, you haven't been wrong so far."
Harry was relieved that he had not hurt Hermione's feelings. He would have felt so horrible if he had.
Harry, Ron and Hermione went to see Hagrid later that night.
They reached Hagrid's hut and knocked.
Hagrid after several minutes opened his door, just only slightly.
"Oh, it's you three. I 'spose it wont do any harm to let yeh three in."
They walked in and sat down. As they looked around they noticed that Hagrid was standing in front of the fireplace. A closer look and they could see a large bucket hanging from something over the fire, and then they noticed that there was an egg in the bucket.
Curiosity got the better of Ron; he got up and walked over to the fireplace to take a better look. He recognized what type of egg it was.
"Hagrid how did you get it? Did you have to pay a fortune?" Ron asked
"No. I won it off a stranger playing cards in the pub down in the village."
"But Hagrid you live in a wooden hut. What are you going to do when it hatches?"
"I've been reading up on it and it doesn't seem like it would be all that hard."
"Hold on, what are you two going on about?" Hermione asked.
"It's a dragon egg," Ron said while pointing at the fireplace. "A Norwegian Ridgeback to be exact." Ron replied.
"How'd you know Ron?" Hagrid asked.
"My brother Charlie works with dragons in Romania."
"But aren't Norwegian Ridgebacks one of the illegal dragon's?"
"Yes they are Hermione."
Harry remained quiet up to this point. He knew that he had to do something.
"Hagrid, you know you can't keep it. If anyone were to find out, which they will eventually, I don't want to think about what could happen to you." Harry said hoping that by getting an early start that it would make it easier to get the dragon out. And hopefully no one gets in trouble. Hagrid, I'm sure that Ron's brother Charlie would take the dragon. Won't he Ron?"
"I think so. I'll to write him a letter to be sure though."
"So, Hagrid what do you think?" Harry asked.
"I 'suppose so. It's just that I have always wanted a dragon."
"I know Hagrid but this one is illegal. You can't keep it, sorry."
Hagrid had put the egg on the table and it begun started cracking. They all watched it as the egg split open and a baby dragon fell out on to the table.
"Oh shit!" Harry exclaimed
"What it is it?" Hermione, Ron and Hagrid asked
"Malfoy, that's what. I just saw him peering in the window. I know he saw the dragon. Ron you have to write and send that letter to Charlie today."
Hermione, Harry and Ron left Hagrid's hut and quickly headed back up to the school. They ran into their common room, Ron went straight to writing the letter to Charlie. Harry lent Ron Hedwig. Harry figured have his owl do it since he hadn't had her do much of anything.
* * * * * * *
A few weeks went by. During this time Hagrid had named the dragon, Norbert.
Everyone was in the dinning hall that afternoon. Harry saw Hedwig and knew that they would have Charlie's answer. Hedwig landed right in front of Ron. Ron took the letter but did not open it just yet. He did not want to open in such a busy place. It didn't mater what his brother said in it; it's just that it had to do with the fate of an illegal dragon.
Several hours later, Hermione, Harry and Ron were in the common room practically alone. There were only a few other students sitting around.
"Ron you get a chance to read the letter from Charlie yet? If so what did he say?" Hermione asked.
"Yeah I got a chance to read the letter. He said that he would be glad to take Norbert. Some of Charlie's friends will be going to visit Charlie and that on their way they can pick up Norbert. We will need to be on the tallest tower at midnight on Saturday, so that his friends can take Norbert while it's still dark. So do you think that we can pull if off?"
"Tell Charlie that yes we can do that. Ron it's not going to be a problem. How hard could it be?"
"You positive Harry?"
"Yes, Ron I am."
Ron quickly wrote a note to Charlie'
Charlie, thank you so much. Yes we can do it. You have no idea how much we appreciate it.
Ron
* * * * * * *
The next day they went to see Hagrid. While there Ron nearly got bit by Norbert, Harry had quickly but gently pushed Ron out of the way. Ron instead only got a scratch on his hand. Harry was just as amazed as Ron and Hermione at how much Norbert had grown since they were last there. Harry was thinking that it was going to be quite a bit easier to get Norbert to the astronomy tower.
After several days Ron decided to go to Madam Pomfrey. His hand wasn't real bad but it was really bothering him.
When Madam Pomfrey asked Ron what had happened he didn't say and told her that it didn't matter. Ron followed Harry's advice about not going with the 'dog bite' excuse; Harry had felt that it wouldn't be believed.
Draco talked Madam Pomfrey into letting him get one of Ron's books, by saying that Ron said he could barrow it. Ron had heard and had begun to panic. He was dying for Hermione or Harry to come visit.
After dinner Harry and Hermione went to see Ron in the hospital wing.
Ron made sure that no one was around and could hear what he had to say.
"No time to go into details but Malfoy has one of my books."
"So what." Hermione said.
"You don't understand. The book he has just so happens to have the letter from Charlie. You know the one that says where to be, at what time and what day."
"Well, it's not like we can do anything else. We can't exactly tell Charlie that we have to change the day since it's tonight. We have to go through with it. It will be fine; Hermione and I will have my dad's cloak. We can still do this.
That nigh Hermione and Harry while under the invisibility cloak made their way to Hagrid's to get Norbert. When they got there they noticed that Hagrid had already packed Norbert in a good-sized crate. Harry thought that it was good-sized since it was pretty large the first time.
As they made their way to the castle with Norbert, Harry realized that it wasn't really any easier this time. It was still just as difficult. They were almost there when they noticed movement and heard at least one voice and froze in place. They recognized the voice to be McGonagall. She had Draco by the ear and was yelling at him for being out after hours, and that he had detention and had lost Slytherin twenty points. Draco trying to save his own ass and get Harry in trouble tried to tell McGonagall that Harry was coming and had a dragon. McGonagall was appalled. She did not believe Draco and thought that he was lying. Harry had to hold his breath to keep from laughing. After they left, Harry and Hermione made their way up the steep spiraling stairs. They had to wait a little while, as they were early.
Charlie's friends were spotted a few feet out and getting closer. Once they were there, they used a harness to attach Norbert and crate to their brooms. They flew off in the night, Harry and Hermione turned to leave, Harry quickly grabs the invisibility cloak and throws it over them. On their way down, Harry motioned for Hermione to not say a word. Nearly to the last step Harry came to halt. Harry knew that Filtch was just right there waiting to catch him. Harry was trying to figure out a way to get passed him and not get caught. Harry then remembered a black out spell. It only worked for a few minutes but that is all he needed. He lifted his wand and cast the spell at Filtch. All that could be heard from Filtch was, "Aargh!"
With the time they were sure that no one would be there in the common room. As a precaution they both looked around to be sure. Harry pulled the cloak off of them. They were about to sit down in the armchairs to relax before going up to bed when they heard the portrait start to swing open. They ran up the stairs, Hermione went one way to her dormitory and Harry the other way to his.
As Harry lay in bed his heart pounded. When he heard someone walk into the dormitory his heart began to really pound. He felt around for his glasses and put them on. He looked around and sighed with relief. It was thankfully Ron.
Ron had not noticed that Harry had sat up and was looking at him. He was too tired to really care. Ron just wanted to get into bed and sleep.
Harry smiled and stifled a laugh. Ron stretched out on the bed and was snoring shortly after. Harry had finally drifted off to sleep. He was dreaming about living with Sirius at number Twelve Grimmauld Place and having fun with him. Not that he could hear most of what Sirius was saying he knew that it had to do with his parents. Suddenly a fog rolled over this wonderful image and all that was heard was Bellatrix Lestrange saying 'I killed Sirius Black' over and over again.
Harry woke up sitting straight up in bed, heart pounding, head pounding and sweat dripping off his face. Harry did not want to go back to sleep so he laid back and stared at the ceiling and tried to drowned out Bellatrix's voice. Harry was concentrating so hard that he did not hear his roommates getting up.
"Harry are you okay? You look horrible."
"I'm just fine Ron. And thanks a lot."
"You coming down to eat?"
"In a bit. Don't worry. Really I'm fine."
Ron wasn't so sure of that. Harry looked as though he had just lost a close and dear loved one. He knew that Harry wanted to be alone for a little while, with the look on Harry's face, who couldn't know that?
Ron left with Neville, Dean and Seamus to go eat. Once they were gone, Harry jumped out of bed and got dressed. He walked over to his trunk and pulled an inkbottle, a quill and some parchment. He went down stairs to the table and began writing,
Dear R.J. Lupin'
You don't know me but there is something I have to tell you. Sirius Black is innocent. He was not James and Lily's secret keeper. Peter Pettigrew was their secret keeper. He is the one that betrayed the Potter's. Sirius did not kill Pettigrew. Peter Pettigrew is an animagus, he transforms into a rat. When Sirius cast his spell at Pettigrew, he transformed into his rat form and got away, leaving only a finger behind. I know that Muggles were killed but it was not Sirius it was Peter. Sirius never got a trial, he was just sent straight to Azkaban Prison. If he had only been questioned. If Veritaserum had been used on Sirius then every one would know that he is innocent. If you can, please do something to make this wrong, right. Set an innocent man free.
Thank You.
Harry used the handwriting changing charm on the letter. He did not sign the letter in any way or form. Harry rolled up the parchment and went to the owlery to send it on its way. Harry chose not to use Hedwig she was a noticeable owl.
