The Headmaster's Only Mistake

The Return to Hogwarts

"Hardy har har." Sirius rolled his eyes, sauntering out of the room, but not before yelling, "We're opening presents in an hour!" over his shoulder.

···

For the rest of the winter holidays, Harry was happy. He had even almost forgotten about Albus Dumbledore and Ron Weasley. 

Almost.

The old man had decided to make a surprise appearance at the New Year's celebration hosted at Bone Manor. He hadn't received an invitation, as Madam Bones wasn't liking Dumbledore very much these days and many members of the Board of Governors were attending the celebration.

When he had arrived, the whole room had quieted down, after all, many worked at the ministry and knew what was happening around him and a few things had been disclosed to the papers. Dumbledore had just smiled at them with the annoying twinkle in his eye as if nothing was wrong

He mostly kept to himself, but everytime Harry was near him, he could hear Dumbledore telling his friend Elphias Doge about this wonderful mirror he had found while wandering around Hogwarts.

Harry remembered his own nights standing in front of the mirror, and he wondered if Dumbledore had purposefully given him the cloak in hopes that Harry would find the mirror.

Probably.

He seemed to be changing tactics now, wanting to imbed small seeds into Harry's 'curious' mind.

"Why'd you think Dumbledore keeps bringing up that blasted mirror?" Neville grumbled as he, Draco, Luna, and Harry went to the refreshment table for glasses of punch.

"To be honest, I've got no idea, but I've read about a mirror like that and it's dangerous, Nev. You know Dumbledore, he's just trying to get us in trouble." Draco responded as he took a cookie from a plate.

"Exactly, he's just trying to get in our head and under our skin." agreed Harry, trying not to sound too obvious.

"So you think he wants us, or you most probably, to find it?" Pansy conspired, tuning into the conversation as she too picked up a punch glass.

"Exactly."

"So... are you going to go look for it?" Hermione asked, standing next to Pansy.

"Obviously not." Draco and Harry snorted.

They stayed quiet for a moment.

"Who are we kidding, of course we are." both boys said at the same time.

 Luna giggled from her place under Harry's arm.

Damn Albus Dumbledore and his manipulation tactics.

···

Harry Potter was not a happy camper. 

He was cold and sad and curled up into a ball in a corner of a compartment while his friends chatted amicably.

A few hours ago, he and his friends had clambered off of platform nine and three quarters and onto the Hogwarts Express, leaving behind the rest of their family. Not only that, but going to Hogwarts meant Dumbledore, which reminded him of the mirror.

That was another problem. What would he see in the mirror? Would he see anything at all?

"Hey, you alright?"

Harry looked up and smiled at Pansy who had distanced herself from the rest of the group to sit beside him. Susan and Daphne were looking at them worriedly, but Harry shot her a grin before turning back to Pansy.