Mirror

First Tale: Mirror ~ Chapter 2

By Diana in collaboration with Meg R.

Revised edition

***

January 8, 12:03 p.m.

“Lumos!”Harry’s voice shook. The gold bracelet on her left hand glittered from the light of his wand. A name was delicately inscribed on it. Hers.“Cho?”He whispered in utter disbelief, not wanting to believe the evidence of his senses. But, it was she, as the name inscribed on her bracelet boldly proclaimed.“Cho Chang”

He crept closer to her. He stared at her wide-open gray eyes, thinking fast. Gray? But that can’t be! Cho’s eyes are as black as the night. He thought. Hand shaking, he reached out and gingerly clasped a cold wrist. Come on, come one. Let there be a pulse. Please! He pleaded fervently in his mind. His bright emerald eyes were tearing, but he didn’t even blinked as he waited for any sign of life within her clammy body.” A pulse.” He sighed in relief even as he found his voice again.“Alive! Alive!”He shouted joyfully even as dark thoughts returned to torment him. But it looks like she’s knocking on death’s door… Worse, it’s more like she’d entered that door already!

Quickly magicking a stretcher, he ran towards the hospital wing with his father’s Invisibility cloak haphazardly tucked in a pocket.A figure hidden in the darkness watched curiously as Harry fled down the corridors.Away.Away from…Chuckling malevolently, the shadow merged with the night. A cold night wind blew through the now empty corridor.

***

Hospital Wing

“Madam Pomfrey!” Harry called out as he banged at the door of the hospital wing.“Madam Pomfrey! Please, wake up! Cho’s…”

“Harry?” A familiar voice called out. Harry turned around to see Professor Dumbledore who was holding a mug of hot chocolate.

“Professor!” He exclaimed as Dumbledore approached him.

“Goodness!” Dumbledore exclaimed. “Is that…?”

Harry cut him off.“Yes, sir. It’s Cho Chang! I saw her sprawled on a corridor at…At the third floor?” He said the last uncertainly as the door finally opened.

“What is going on here?” A frowning, noticeably just awakened, Madam Pomfrey asked.

“Poppy, a student needs your expertise.” Dumbledore said pointing out Cho.

“By Merlin! What happened to the poor child?” Madam Pomfrey asked, even as she ushered them in, clucking under her breath.

Pale and shivering, Harry stood by Cho. He stared at her blindly staring eyes and wondered what she saw…Long fingers gently settled on his shoulder.He came to himself with a start.“ Professor!”He exclaimed.

Dumbledore shook his head. “Come now, Harry.Let Madam Pomfrey do her work. We need to talk.” Harry numbly followed Dumbledore as the old man lead him to a bed far from where Madam Pomfrey was working.

“Do take a sit, Harry.” Dumbledore kindly asked the shocked boy.

“Professor!I, I…” Harry stuttered, unsure of where to start.

Dumbledore sighed.“It’s alright, Harry. Just tell me what happened.”

Harry gulped as he tried to get his throat to work properly. “I, well, I’ve had a nightmare.”Dumbledore’s gentle expression changed at once. His twinkling blue eyes were staring something fiercely at him. “It wasn’t about Voldemort though. ”Anticipating the next question, Harry quickly hurried on. “My scar didn’t hurt, at all!It was something else. I don’t know what it was, however!”The boy shook his head in frustration. “I don’t remember anymore. It woke me up. Whatever it is, I couldn’t sleep so I went for a walk and, and…” His voice trailed away at this point.

“And found Ms. Chang, I presume.”Dumbledore said, finishing his narration.

Harry nodded. “It was at the third floor.She, she was just lying there on the floor. What happened to her, Professor? Her eyes… they’re wide open and yet, and yet…” His voice broke. “Is she going to be alright?” Harry asked worriedly, concern etched in his face as well as frustration and puzzlement.

“Well, as you can see Poppy is doing her best. All we can do now is wait.”Dumbledore calmly pointed this out to the distraught student. His blue eyes trained on another who was bustling about the person in the other bed. “We can only pray for deliverance…” He muttered under his breath.

***

Later…

Dumbledore have finally convinced Harry to go back to his dorm for there were classes the next day and more importantly, there was nothing he could do for Cho at the moment. After escorting Harry back to his dormitory, he returned to see the present occupant of the hospital wing once more. He stared out the window, thinking…

Cho Change is alive. At least, her body is. As for her mind, (or is it her soul?) it was somewhere else. She is simply… unresponsive. It is like she had drunk a Draught of Sleeping Death (or a more somber thought arose, like she had been given a Dementor’s Kiss).She lies in a comatose-like sleep. And a magically induced one at that .For now, all we could do is watch over her and wait. The Waiting Game is always a difficult one. It is not simply a waiting for consciousness to return. It is a waiting for life.

As he sadly looked down at the now seemingly just reposing student, Dumbledore speculated about just what sort of creature she had encountered tonight in the corridors. Her shocked face flashed like a picture in his mind. Her mouth was open in a scream that never came and her eyes were blankly staring out to the unknown. All these stayed in his thoughts as he returned to his room. It is the face of betrayal. “But who?” He mused the last out loud.

***

January 8, 7:29 am

Ron yawned sleepily. “Hey, Harry!” He called out, still yawning. He was surprised to see the drapes of the other boy’s bed. “Hey, you still sleeping? Unbelievable! I woke up before you.” He muttered the last under his breath as he changed from his nightclothes. Pulling the drapes aside, he excitedly yelled. “Harry! You’re late for Quidditch practice!”

The other boys were looking puzzled at him from their beds. Seamus asked, “Quidditch practice?”

“Er, just joking,” Ron said with a laugh. He looked down again at the still sleeping boy.

“Still, I’d thought he’d get up if someone said Quidditch…” Dean commented with a sly smile.

Seamus laughed. “Sirius Black is here!” He said jokingly.

Harry suddenly sat up. “Sirius?” His eyes were wide open as he asked this in a disbelieving voice. Fortunately for him, the rest except for Ron thought he said ‘serious?’ Thus, the implication that Harry Potter was asking about an escaped convict by first name was eluded.

“Of course not!” Dean laughingly replied in the negative as the rest went down for breakfast.

Sitting on his bed, Ron asked worriedly, “You wouldn’t wake up. I was getting worried. I thought that, you know, you were having a nightmare again.”

Harry shook his head.“No, no nightmare just…” His voice trailed off as he remembered the reason why he had a hard time waking up that morning. “Cho…” he whispered, his face going white in remembrance of last night’s events.

Ron looked at him strangely. “Cho?You were dreaming about her? ”He suddenly teased the other boy. “Oooh, and just what were you dreaming about Cho?Hmm? Hmm?”

Harry’s face was very serious as he spoke. “Ron, last night, I found her sprawled on the third floor! It was at the wing opposite the one closed off during our first year!”

“What?! What are you talking about?” Ron exclaimed.

Harry’s face contorted into a grimace. “I’ll tell you later when Hermione’s here. I, I really don’t want to talk about it twice.”

***

At the Great Hall…

Gossiping students were slowly filling up the Hall. Strangely enough the Ravenclaw table were quiet, somewhat somber. Hermione frowned, lost in thought. Something’s not quite right… I wonder what it is?

Lavender was chatting with Parvati across the table. “That’s strange !Why are they so, I don’t know, so solemn?”Lavender frowned.“Weird. Cho’s friends look really worried…”

“She’s not there?” Hermione looked around for the pretty Ravenclaw seeker. She wasn’t there. She confirmed for herself that news. Harry and Ron’s still not yet here, could it be? Wait, Neville, Dean and Seamus aren’t here yet either. A sigh escaped her lips. Granger, you have an overactive imagination! Wait, here they come…But still no Harry and Ron? Where? Oh my God! Oh my God !Something did happen last night? Hermione’s face was by now a portrait of worry as her imagination went wild with the possibilities, especially the bad ones.She quickly stood up, determined to go to the boy’s dorm when…“Harry!Ron!” Hermione exclaimed. They’re fine! Thank goodness, they’re alright! Ooooh, I’ll be giving them a piece of my mind for worrying me so!She thought, scowling at the source of her concerns.Face stern, Hermione placed her hands on her hips. “And why are you so late?! ”She asked severely.

Harry looked up to see a frowning Hermione. He smiled at her weakly, lost in his own thoughts.

“Morning, Hermione,” said Ron while sneaking worried glances at his fragile-looking friend. Worried thoughts crowded his mind. He’s so thin! He doesn’t need all these other stuff, not with You-Know-Who and all! Can’t even get a good night sleep. Merlin’s beard! Does just about everything have to happen to him? Just coz he’s the Boy Who Lived and all. He shook his head dejectedly at that.

Seeing the preoccupied looks on her friends’ faces, she sat down and urged them to share their thoughts.

Harry sighed as he thought of what he’ll have to say but then quietly told them the events that occurred last night.

By now, the High Table was full of teachers except for the headmaster and the tiny Charms professor. Minerva frowned as she looked about the gossiping students. Something’s afoot. She thought. Quickly glancing at her House’s table, she noted that Potter was talking quietly to his friends who were beginning to look horrified. Well, Potter’s here safe and sound, but… he obviously knows something. Of course, it just has to be related to the Boy Who Lived. Just about everything has got something to do with him! Shaking her head at her musings, she looked about for Dumbledore and Flitwick. Hmmm, both Albus and the Flitwick aren’t here and the Ravenclaw students look somewhat like the Hufflepuffs did last year… Goodness! Something must have happened to a Ravenclaw student then! But, what? And what does Potter have to do with a Ravenclaw? Minerva’s furiously churning thoughts grinded to a halt with the arrival of the men she was looking for. Albus Dumbledore came in with Flitwick, both looking like they had been up all night. Together? A stray naughty thought entered her mind. Of course not! Not together! No, bad thought! Bad girl! Shaking her head, she wondered where that came from.

Clearing his throat, Albus addressed the students, as well as the rest of the unsuspecting staff, who were now looking at him curiously. “Ahem, I’m sorry to say that I have grave news. As the Ravenclaws have already noticed, Ms. Chang is not here. She is currently at the Hospital wing for unknown reasons. If anyone knows anything, please come to my office. That’s all.” He sat down knowing that his staff was now going to pounce on him.

“Albus, what happened?” Minerva asked quickly proving that his theory was right. She was not the only one of the professors either.

Meanwhile, rumors abounded like daisies in the Great Hall as the students gossiped over breakfast. “At the third floor…” “…forbidden years ago…” “…meeting someone?” “At midnight!” “…eyes gray…” “…wide open, staring!” “…shocked look in her face!” “Potter found…” “Him again?” “…with Potter?” “I don’t know…” “Cedric’s girlfriend?” “…You Know Who?” “…can’t be!” “…not going anywhere…” “Definitely not alone!” Students began to look at Harry suspiciously while murmuring ideas to each other.

Harry continued to eat disregarding his fellow students’ doubts. He was used to it, especially after last year… Ron and Hermione, however, where a different matter altogether. Sharing knowing glances with each other, they began to stare meanly at everyone casting suspicious looks against their friend.

“They always do that! They never learn.” Hermione said angrily.

Ron snorted as he said, “Don’t mind them! They just don’t know what really happened.”

Harry smiled at his friends. “Thanks for the vote of confidence. But, it’s alright.” He shrugged his shoulders a bit as he continued. “I understand.”

Hermione smiled back. “Well, they really should know better.”

“Yeah,” Ron seconded. “They should know by now that they should trust you!”

Harry laughed. “Thanks, you guys! Thanks!” With that, everything was fine in the world for them. The trio left for their first class.

***

The days passed by quickly enough without anymore incidents.The furor eventually died down. Cho Chang was sent to St. Mungo’s for treatment. Meanwhile, the students slowly wrote her off their minds as some kind of freak accident. Classes continued normally as the students began to forget that anything had happened at all. Meanwhile Snape, to everyone’s surprise and Neville’s delight, continued to be as nice as ever.Apologizing for mistakes, being polite and kind to everyone, giving points to Gryffindors instead of taking them as usual…Yep, life went on as normally enough as it could in a wizarding school. Life was good alright, until thirteen days after…

***

January 20, 10:17 p.m.

Harry woke up with a start. “No.” He whispered hoarsely. His voice sounded like it was raw from screaming for hours without end. Shakily running his hand through his wet with sweat hair, he tried to recall his dream. “What woke me up?” He asked himself wonderingly. Suddenly feeling immensely tired, he fell asleep once more. “I don’t remember…” He murmured to himself as he was swept away to the land of the Sandman once more.

***

January 21, 5:49 a.m.

Harry groggily stood up. Yawning, he did his morning absolutions. He did not even noticed that everyone else were still fast asleep. He sleepily walked out of his dorm and towards the Great Hall when he saw a glint of gold on the ground. “What?” He asked himself sleepily as he stoop down to examine the shimmering light better. It wasn’t a metal.It was hair. And it was attached to somebody’s head.Harry Potter was now very wide-awake. He had realized with horror that he was tugging at the long blond locks of a student. Quickly opening the door, his mind was thrown back to the past at seeing the look in her face. Cho. Eyes wide open and gray. Mouth open in a scream that never came. Her face was a portrait of betrayal. And now, it has claimed a second victim. It was Cho all over again but this time, it was… “Hannah?” He asked in a weak voice. Her bracelet glinted in a ray of light .Sunshine. Daybreak had come. Clearly scripted on the glinting surface was a name. ‘Hannah Abbott. ’He fell backwards; slipping down the cold, hard stonewall. “Hannah,” he whispered feverishly. “Hannah Abbott.” His nightmare had returned.

***

Later at the Great Hall…

It was bedlam in the Great Hall, just like another morn two weeks past. The students were in an uproar. News was flying about faster than the Golden Snitch. “…Hannah?” “Yes, Hannah Abbott!” “…like Cho.” “Eyes gray!” “Hannah has blue eyes!” “…in a scream” “Impossible.” “Twice now…” “I can’t believe it!” “…Potter.” “It must be him.” “At a classroom…” “Snape found them.” “… in the hospital wing.” “It’s like the Chamber of Secrets all over again.” “…Potter is innocent?” “…catatonic!” “…just staring.” “…should be in Slytherin!” “…also a victim.” “I don’t know…” “…nothing but trouble!”

“Dumbledore should expel him.” Pansy said sneeringly.

“Nobody’s safe with scar-head around. He’s a menace to this school.” Ron glared at Draco Malfoy as he drawled the last sentence aloud. Meanwhile, Hermione stared daggers at Pansy for her little bit about expulsion. They had both been summoned to the hospital wing earlier and then sent out again. They were definitely not in a forgiving mood. To be frank, they were shocked, worried and absolutely furious at what’s happening around them.

The rest of the Gryffindors, especially the Quidditch team, were also incessantly defending their Seeker. But the rest of the Houses were all stirred up as well. The Hufflepuffs were mixed up. Some were sad. Some were angry. Some were both. Hannah Abbott may be no Cedric Diggory but she was still a Hufflepuff. One of their own. The Ravenclaws were sympathetic as they too, lost one of theirs. As for the Slytherins, they were all for blaming Harry Potter. Especially one whose name happened to be Draco Malfoy.

***

At the Hospital Wing…

Sirius looked at his godson worriedly.He was gazing at the wall blankly.“Harry, what did you see?”He gently asked.The boy continued his fascinating study of stonewalls.His eyes never wavered from staring straight ahead.It was a frustrating sight but he persevered.“Please wake up, Harry.Please…”

***

Later…

Dumbledore shook his head sorrowfully as he looked at two catatonic students.Ideas whirled about in his mind.Hannah Abbott is without a doubt in the same state as Cho Chang is.Eyes open and gray.Check.Mouth formed in a scream.Check.Overall look of shock.Yes indeed, Cho Chang all over again.But, Harry…Now, Harry’s something else.He doesn’t look like that at all. He looks like himself, merely entranced…He looked at the boy sadly.He was hoping that he’d be able to get something out of him, but…“What did you see?” He thought out loud.He had been trying to get Harry to talk all morning but so far…He sighed.Not even the boy’s best friends, Ron and Hermione, were able to get a peep out of him.He had just scared both of them with the boy’s blank expressionless face.He had to send them out because of it.He even had the entire staff try to talk with him but still nothing.Not a word.He was hoping that perhaps the boy’s godfather might be able to do better, however…After the continued lack of success, he finally gave up and settled on just trying to wake the blankly staring student.

He sat in a chair beside the boy’s bed.It was the same one that Sirius was using a few moments ago.He had sent out the very worried Sirius Black to take a break for a while.Not that he cooperated really, but there are some advantages to having a werewolf in your staff.Especially since the said werewolf is a friend of Black’s.He smiled a bit in remembrance of the way Remus handled Sirius earlier.I suppose, it’s more like manhandled.Dumbledore chuckled at the thought of Remus forcefully taking Black out to the Great Hall for lunch.Still, he had to promise Sirius before he left that he would stay beside Harry until the other came back.Looking back to those glazed green eyes, he found himself asking aloud that same question again.“Whatever did you see, Harry?Whatever is it?”

“Gray…” The boy replied in a dead voice.

Dumbledore was startled at this, even if he had been waiting for him to speak since early that morning.It was mid-afternoon already.He had gotten used to not being answered after all the countless failed attempts.He quickly asked again.“What did you see, Harry?”

Harry replied in a slow and low monotone. “Gray… eyes staring at me… Red…ah--” But whatever it was that he was going to say had been cut off by the sudden opening of the door. Blinking, he looked about in surprise at his surroundings.He was awake.“Professor?”He asked in a bewildered voice.“What’s going on?”

“Oh dear,” said Dumbledore.“You don’t remember, do you?”

The boy frowned.“Remember?Remember, what?”

“Harry!You’re alright!”It was Sirius, who was quickly followed by Remus.

“Sirius.”Harry said as he looked from him to Remus and then to Dumbledore.“Is something the matter?”He inquired in a puzzled tone.

Sirius just stared at him. And then out of the blue just suddenly hugged him.“You, you…” Words failed him as he felt like the weight of the world had been taken off his shoulders.My godson’s awake.That’s all that really matters.He’s fine.At that thought, Sirius felt at peace with the world.He was fine.Fine.His mind repeated this chant over and over. He hugged the boy close to him, not wanting to let go.He just wanted him to be safe.

Remus smiled in similar relief.“Are you feeling alright then, Harry?”He asked in his usual calm tone.

“Yeah,” Harry choked out in reply.“If only… I could… just breathe… properly.”

Sirius released him from the tight bear hug.“Ooops, sorry about that.”

Remus chuckled.“Really, Sirius.I don’t think Harry woke up just for you to break his ribs.”

Sirius laughed as he ruffled Harry’s already messy hair.“Well, it’s your fault for not waking up!You’re an even heavier sleeper than James and I didn’t think that, that, was possible!”Harry just stared at them in amazement.They all laughed then except for Harry who was beginning to think that all of them had just lost it.

“Ahhh, well Harry.There’s a lot to tell and a lot to ask.” Dumbledore’s expression turned serious as he recounted to Harry the events that morning.

Harry was shocked.“But, that can’t be!Are you sure?”

Dumbledore’s eye twinkled as he replied.“I’m quite sure, Harry.Quite sure.”

Remus smiled wryly.“Professor Dumbledore had the entire staff try to wake you up this morning.”

Harry blanched.“The ENTIRE staff?As in Professor McGonagall, Professor Flitwick…”

Sirius stopped him from reciting the name of all the teachers.“Yes, Harry.All of them, even,” he rolled his eyes as he said, “Snape.”

Remus raised an eyebrow at him.“Sirius, Severus has been acting courteously for weeks now.Don’t you think, it’s about time that you mend your fences with him?”

Sirius returned the raised eyebrow look with one of his own.“You said it yourself.It’s all an act.”

Dumbledore cleared his throat. “Ahem, gentlemen. As I was saying…”

Sirius smiled sheepishly at him. “Sorry, Professor.”

“Well,” Dumbledore said as he stood up. “I had better break the news as there are many people worrying about you, Harry.”

Harry looked up to him, feeling guilty. “Sorry.” He said in a low voice.

“Now, Harry. It’s not your fault. Really.” The old wizard added the last as the boy didn’t looked convinced. He would have continued when he saw Remus give a slight nod at his direction. I see. Very well then, Remus. He thought. “I have to go now. Take care, Harry.” He smiled as he walked out the door. I leave these things to you and Sirius, then. These were his last thoughts before he left the room.

Harry stared at Dumbledore until the door blocked his view.

“Harry?” It was Professor Lupin.

“Oh! Sorry, Professor. It’s just… unbelievable. I mean the last thing I remembered was going to sleep in my bed and then…” Harry’s voice trailed off.

“Totally understandable. I’m sure I would have been just as confused.” Sirius reassured him.

“Probably even more so.” Remus joked.

So, the afternoon passed with Harry, Remus and Sirius going over what happened. After classes, Hermione and Ron came by and joyfully took Harry away from the hospital wing. Hannah Abbott was sent to St. Mungo’s like Cho before her while suspicions about who’ll be next ran around the castle. Dumbledore had a meeting with the staff about the mysterious occurrences, which resulted in tighter security and Sirius and Remus sniffing about the castle grounds. Almost two week passed without anything untoward happening. That is, if you don’t count Snape’s continued good will… To be exact, it was now exactly eleven days since the last incident.

***

January 31, 10:36 p.m.

Nooooo! Harry woke up in cold sweat. “Wha…? What’s going on?” He asked anxiously. Shivering, he stood up. I think I’ll go wash up in the bathroom. He thought as he quietly left the room to go to the boy’s bathroom.

Splash!Drip. Drip. Looking up to the fuzzy mirror (for he had taken off his glasses before he washed his face), he saw an eerily glowing figure.It was on his forehead.A strange violet light… and it wasn’t his scar… He felt the hair at the back of his neck rise as he stared at the figure on his forehead.He realized that it was a figure, alright.Oh yes, it was the number six.

***

Preview:

Harry stuttered as he took a step back.He felt sick.Eyes wide open and gray.Mouth agape.That look… It was the same look on her face… Just like Cho.Hannah.And now…This is wrong.It’s all wrong!For her eyes are supposed to be green.