𝐄𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐲 - ʰᵖ

12.

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TWELVE:
THE CRUEL MIRROR

    In an attempt to hide from the array of professors hunting them down, Harry and Elsie ducked into a spare room as soon as Filch, Snape, and Quirrell were gone.

    "Think we're safe in here?" Harry asked taking the cloak off.

    "For now." Elsie answered looking around the room. It was mostly empty, except for a giant mirror with engravings decorating the rim. Upon closer inspection Elsie could see that it said 'The Mirror of Erised'.

    Harry stepped in front of the mirror and let out a small gasp. "Mum?" He paused staring deeply into the mirror. "Dad?"

    "Harry, no ones there," Elsie called out worriedly for the boys mentality.

    "No look! Its my parents," Harry shook his head and stepped aside so that Elsie could look into the mirror.

    Feeling curious Elsie stepped where Harry once stood and stared into the mirror, but instead of seeing Harrys late parents she saw her own.

    Elsie only knew her mom, Gianna Jones, from photographs as she had been far to young when she had died. But looking at her smiling face in the reflective surface was like alighting an old memory. Elsie could have sworn she'd seen her bright blue eyes staring down at her. Her dark hair trickling over her shoulder as she spun her around the living room. The girl could have even sworn she heard the sound of her melodic singing.

    Elsie's father on the other hand, was slightly familiar to the girl. He had disappeared long ago, and her memories of the man were fading, but seeing him in the mirror felt very real. Like he had never left, like he was still apart of her life.

His dark curly hair was messily brushed over his head and his brown eyes reminded her of hot chocolate on a cold winters night. He had a wide smile stretched over his face as he stared down at the girl, his boney hand resting on her mothers shoulder.

They were right in front of her.

The glass between them was almost cruel, a separation of love. Elsie stretched her finger tips out and rested them between her parents who stared down at her sadly.

"Well?" Harry questioned. "Don't you see them?"

"I see my parents," Elsie forced her eyes away from the mirror. She was a smart girl, she knew this must be some sort of trick, her mother was dead and her father was gone. A mirror wasn't going to change that.

"Lets go back to the dorm, I'm tired." Elsie faked a yawn and without looking back, she stepped out into the dark corridor.

A moment after Harry followed and threw the cloak over the girl. "Wait up,"

They walked in silence, both thinking of the mirror. Finally Harry muttered, "What do you think that mirror is?"

Elsie didn't answer for a while. Only listening to the soft steps of their shoes against stone. In truth she didn't know. But instead she said, "Its probably just a trick. Maybe whoever looks in sees their family."

Even saying it out loud sounded ridiculous, but any doubts were kept internal as they continued down the dark corridors.

* * *

    For the rest of the Christmas holiday, Elsie spent her time space out. When she wasn't staring out a window while playing with her locket, she was reading by the fire, though anyone who looked close enough would be able to see that the girls brown eyes never really moved.