Through A Looking Glass

Chapter 1 - Mr. Weasley's Big Break

"Oi, Harry, are you coming?" came Ron's voice from downstairs.

Harry had been long awake and was perfectly aware that breakfast was already being served at the Weasley's table but he just sat there at Ron's bed, staring at his face in the mirror. Instead of the usual skinny boy with a lightning scar on the forehead, a flat nosed, pale-skinned wizard stared back at him--his red slit-like eyes boring down on him as if it could go right through him.

Harry blinked hard and tried to shove the horrid vision away. He had just awoken from a terrible nightmare of hissing cauldrons and chanting figures and he found it not easy at all to forget.

Possibly everything from odd to extremely strange have been occurring after Harry's fourth year in Hogwarts. Harry had never imagined actually leaving the Dursleys' to live in the Burrow, the Weasley's home. But much to his surprise, he was allowed by Professor Dumbledore to spend this vacation with Ron after Arthur Weasley was promoted as chief of the Magical Community's Defense Against the Black Arts League. But even weirder, until now, Lord Voldemort still hadn't shown any sign that would cause the magical community to panic. Ever since his rise to power, no attacks or plans of attack had been discovered except Voldemort's fresh attempt to kill Harry. Even the Dark Eaters Harry swore he saw within the Dark Lord's circle weren't doing anything odd enough to raise an eyebrow. And to Harry, this was most alarming. Dumbledore seemed to read his mind though, as he preferred to keep Harry in the company of a wizard family and the Defense Against the Dark Arts' chief instead of the M uggles.

Many times during Harry's stay in the Burrow did he wake up like this--shaking with beads of cold sweat trickling down his face. Scenes from the old graveyard still haunt him in his sleep--the familiar chilly laugh, the hooded figures, and Cedric's death.

"Harry, what's taking you so long?" came Hermione's voice from outside the door.

Harry almost fell off his seat. He turned around and tried to focus his eyes on the figure at the door. He heaved a sigh as he recognized the form to be of his other best friend He r mione's and not of the Dark Lord's again. She had just arrived at the Burrow after buying her school supplies at Diagon Alley . She was there to catch the Hogwarts Express with them.

Harry glimpsed a very worried look in her face and quickly muttered , "Nothing."

She wasn't convinced though as she sat down beside him and stared in silence. Harry watched the almond-haired girl beside him and tried to look her straight in the eye.

"I'm fine , r eally."

This was useless as it just made her chestnut iris narrow, surveying Harry as if it could see right through him. Harry looked away. Lately, he didn't feel like telling her any of his dreams and a part of him was quite annoyed that she just wouldn't go away.

"Harry, you could tell me..." Hermione piped in.

Harry still kept silent. He knew he could tell Hermione anything but it just wouldn't do any good. There is just nothing she could do about it.

"I'm hungry, aren't you?" he said suddenly, standing up.

Hermione stared at him again with her You're-Being-Stubborn look but just sighed and followed his lead.

"Sure. If you're reall y fine...took you ages to go down, " she muttered under her breath.

They hurried down the stairs and the nice aroma of Mrs. Weasley 's cooking filled their nostrils. Hermione sat beside an extremely happy Ron and Harry sat at her other side. Fred and George were busy comparing notes with each other, not minding the irritated took on Mrs. Weasley's face. Harry had obviously known how she disapproved of the twins' plan of establishing their own joke shop. But thanks to Harry's Triwizard winnings, Fred and George had finally managed to build their dream joke shop (Weasley's Wizard Wheezes Co.) three blocks to the right of the infamous Shrieking Shack in Hogsmeade.

Harry shifted at his seat as Mrs. Weasley started serving them breakfast. She outdid herself this time , as the breakfast was yet the best Harry had ever tested.

"This stuff is really good Mrs. Weasley!" Hermione complemented from Harry's side.

"Of course Hermione, Dad has a fat salary now so we get to have better sorts of food , " said Ron between hearty munches.

Harry grinned. Not that he thought Mrs. Weasley's cooking was better now than when they were poor, it was just nice that Ron could now get his eyes off Harry's new things and start feeling happy about his own.

Just then, a tawny owl came hopping on the table, splashing milk at Ron's front.

"Pigwidgeon!" Ron scowled snatching what unmistakably were their letters from Hogwarts.

"Here , " he said throwing Harry's and Hermione's envelopes.

Hermione's eyes widened and she let out a small gasp. "The N.E.W.T. exams are due in the fourth month of school? This is impossible! It's too early! There isn't enough time to study," she muttered, scanning the letter for other notices.

"Oh that's because the ministry desperately needs help in the Defense Against T he Dark Arts League as soon as possible," Mr. Weasley explained.

"What do you mean by ' as soon as possible ,' Mr. Weasley?" Hermione asked.

"Oh, no, honey ! Don't tell me that the ministry wants those students who might pass the N.E.W.T . s to join the League against You-Know-Who even before school ends!" Mrs. Weasley interrupted, looking enraged.

"I'm afraid that's the idea dear , but you see, with You-Know-Who lurking around, we really don't have much of a choice. And besides, the tests would be extremely difficult this time to make sure that only those with exceptional skills could qualify..." Mr. Weasley was saying when Mrs. Weasley pounded on the table, very red in the cheeks.

"This is ridiculous! Absolutely absurd ! N ot to mention extremely dangerous ! I don't know how Dumbledore ever approved of this. . ." she said.

Harry glanced over at Hermione. She was again searching her parchment with an absorbed look in her face. He noticed that Ron was also staring at her with a look that was very hard to read. His face seemed to shift from fury to anxiety and back again. Harry could see that he was trying his best to consider his words but when his voice came out, it was full of urgency and demand.

"Hermione, you aren't possibly considering taking them, right? I mean it's too hard for anyone--even you ! " Ron said, his voice quite higher than usual.

To Harry's opinion, anything that is labeled extremely difficult is as exciting to Hermione as Quidditch. B esides, he was one hundred percent sure she would pass the test. He wasn't surprised at all when Hermione shot a quick , " ' Course I am." What did surprise him was Ron's reaction. He stood up clenching and unclenching his fists, looking extremely horrified.

"You can't take that test Hermione! The moment you do, they'll be ditching you out to get killed!" Ron burst out.

"No they won't, silly! And besides, won't you be glad to finally be able to help those people who got wind of You-know-who? The Diggorys for instance, the Longbottoms...and Harry here!" Hermione said, as Ron cut in.

"Why do you have to do the saving anyway? Too good to let other people do the job , eh? Thanks, but no thanks. Harry doesn't need your saving. He kicked You-know-who's ass four times already y'know , " barked Ron, his face stark red.

"What are you trying to say Ron? Oh this is stupid... I shouldn't have brought the topic up , " she mutter ed as Ron looked at Harry for help.

"Umm...Hermione , " Harry started, prodding her at the back, "I don't look like someone who'd really need watching over, do I ?" He forced a grin.

Hermione glared at him.

"How could you say that! You don't even know half the spells the Defense League do!" Hermione shrieked.

"And neither do you!" piped Ron, looking angrier than ever.

"I don't know why you always have to pretend to know it all! Everyone knows you don't stand a chance on those tests. . ."

Harry knew Ron had hit the mark that time. There 's just no telling Hermione that she's not good at something without a fight.

"Sure I do, and for you Ron, I'd make sure I top it!" shouted Hermione storming out of the kitchen.

"The guts..." Ron stammered before slipping the other way.

For a moment, Harry just stood there with mouth open. It took a while before he noticed the whole Weasley lot gaping at him. He was quite relieved when Ginny chose the moment to drop her glass.

"Oops, sorry ! " she said distractedly as Mr. Weasley helped her pick up the shards of glass.

"Oh, well. There goes Ron--that stupid prat! Imagine hanging on Hermione's neck like that! Talk about Pah-the-tic!" Fred mocked.

"One really nosey git. Forget about them Harry. They'll get over their little love fight , " George said.

"They'll get over it, sweetie , " hushed Mrs. Weasley , a little of the horrified look still reflected in her face.

But Harry thought otherwise. He had a bad feeling that this was going to be for a long, long time.