Born From Madness (Harry Potter Fanfic)

23

"You could have woken me up," Ron said, crossly, to Harry and Hermione. She stayed quiet as she possible, picking at her breakfast. The visions still haunted her even though she was far from that damn mirror. 

"You can come tonight, I'm going back, I want to show you the mirror." Harry claimed to Ron. Hermione wanted to advise them to stay away from the mirror, that it was no good, but how could she? Harry seemed to be happy about seeing his family again and why would she want to take that away from him. She just listened as Harry and Ron talked with each other. 

"I'd like to see your mom and dad. Hermione must be thrilled to have seen them." Ron stated. Hermione wanted to inform the two she hadn't seen Harry's parents, but she was still a bit gloomy.

"And I want to see all your family, all the Weasleys, you'll be able to show me your other brothers and everyone." 

"You can see them any old time," said Ron, "Just come round my house this summer. Anyway, maybe it only shows dead people. Shame about not finding Flamel, though. Have some bacon or something, what aren't you eating anything?" 

Hermione knew why she wasn't eating, but why wasn't Harry hungry. He had gotten a look at his family. But then again, his parents are dead and he can't see them again. So seeing them in the mirror might have disturbed him a bit. 

While Harry and Ron went sneaking off to look at the mirror, Hermione stayed in the common room, reading her book. She sighed as tried to stop her mind from thinking about it. But the more she tried to stop, the more she was sucked into remembering it. 

"So-- you did not go again, Hermione?" Hermione jolted from her seat as she turned to see Dumbledore standing a few feet away from her. 

"I-- I didn't see you, sir." 

"So, you and Harry, like hundreds before you, have discovered the delights of the Mirror of Erised." Dumbledore said while he walked over and sat across from her.

"I didn't know it was called that, sir." 

"But I expect you've realized by now what it does?" 

"Not really. Harry claims to show him his family... the mirror however for me... showed me two visions." Hermione admitted, "I didn't tell Harry or Ron this. I didn't want to hurt them or make them think I was crazy." 

"And what may those be?" 

"Well the first one showed me of my family and the women had these different animals, and these two older people I didn't know. One I believe is Betty White but I don't know who the man is. Then it shifted to show me as an older woman, but not much. I was beautiful, but I knew I was also brilliant still... and I was shaking hands with all of these people. From the Minister of Magic and his subjects to Harry, Ron and his brothers to even shaking hands with Dark Wizards. I don't exactly know what it means." 

"The mirror has showed us nothing more or less than the deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts. Your desires are so strong that the mirror broke the vision in two." Dumbledore explained to her. Hermione tilted her head. 

"I don't understand, sir. I mean... the family part I get, but the other vision..." Hermione dragged on, hoping it would click to her.

"If I could make a guess. You want to look and feel beautiful. You want to dazzle as lovely as the stars above. But you want not to be known for beauty, but for brilliance. And the reason you see all these people from the highest power to mere friends to the worst Dark Wizards is because you don't care who it is that knows, you just want to be known for your mind." Dumbledore explained to her, smiling brightly, "Which is greatly understandable." 

Hermione knew he was right. Hermione was always laughed at for being so smart and not being the most beautiful person. She did want to be noticed as beautiful but she wanted to be still known for being brilliant. 

"However," Dumbledore spoke again, "the mirror will give us neither knowledge or truth. Men have wasted away before it, entranced by what they have seen, or been driven mad, not knowing if what it shows is real or even possible." 

Hermione felt her heart jolt as her mind raced for Harry and Ron. 

"Don't worry, Hermione. The mirror will be moved to a new home tomorrow. But I must ask you to not go looking for it. If you ever do run across it, you will now be prepared. It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live, remember that." Dumbledore told her before standing up from the chair and proceeded to the door. Hermione turned around as she asked...

"What do you see when you look in the mirror, if I may ask sir?" 

Dumbledore stood there for a moment, giving off a look that reminded her of her Grandma Elka's look when she is trying to think up something else. 

"I see myself holding a pair of thick, woolen socks. One can never have enough socks." Dumbledore claimed before walking out of the common room. Part of Hermione felt Dumbledore hadn't been telling her the truth, but then it had been a personal question she had asked him.