Rivalry Forged in Unity-Chapter 12; Desires Revealed

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A couple nights later, me and Malfoy met up, both going to the Restricted Section with my Invisibility Cloak. I read off the shelves.

"Famous Fire-Eaters, Fifteenth-Century Fiends..." I muttered.

"Flamel...Nicholas Flamel..." Malfoy muttered.

I pulled the cloak off us and set the lantern down. I grabbed a book off the shelf.

"Maybe this?" I asked.

He shrugged.

I opened the book, and a face emerged from the page, yelling. I yelped, shutting it and putting it back.

"Jesus..." Malfoy muttered.

"Who's there?" Filch's voice called out.

"Crap..." I muttered.

I snatched the cloak, the lantern falling and breaking. I threw the cloak over us, hiding behind a shelf with Malfoy.

"I know you're in there. You can't hide." Filch called out.

He emerged.

"Who is it? Show yourself!" He spoke.

Once Filch was out of sight, we made our way out of the library.

When we stepped out, still invisible, Mrs. Norris meowed.

I swallowed.

We both made our way to the corner, to turn it. We stopped though, Snape and Quirrell being there, Snape almost pinning him to the wall.

"Severus, I-I-" Quirrell trembled.

"You don't want me as your enemy, Quirrell." Snape spoke.

"I-I don't know w-what you m-mean..." Quirrell stuttered.

"You know perfectly well what I mean." Snape said.

Snape's head turned, as if feeling our presence.

He reached his hand out, but we backed up.

Snape's head then jerked back towards Quirrell.

"We'll have another little chat soon, when you've decided where your loyalties lie." Snape warned.

Filch approached them.

"Professors, I've found this in the Restricted Section." Filch said, showing them the broken lantern. "It's still hot, which means there's a student out of bed." He smirked. The three walked off.

Me and Malfoy went into a room down the hall, which was empty. Once inside, we pulled the cloak off.

"That was close..." I said.

"Yeah, real close." Malfoy agreed.

"Look-" I nudged him, pointing to a large, golden, nice mirror in the corner.

"Woah..." Malfoy muttered.

We both walked over to it.

There was some writing on top that we couldn't read, as if in another language.

"Weird..." I said.

Malfoy nodded.

I stepped in front of it, looking at my reflection. It was still me, but...my mom was behind me, smiling.

"Woah..." I muttered.

"What?" Malfoy asked.

"You don't see my mom?" I asked, confused.

He shook his head.

"You're being mental right now, Lancaster." He said.

"No, no. Come stand in front." I said, moving out of the way.

He shook his head, going to stand where I was standing.

"Woah..." He muttered.

"What do you see?" I asked.

"I-I'm standing, looking really happy. My father has his hand on my shoulder, looking proud." He said.

"Huh...Maybe this mirror shows the future, but my mom is dead, so..." I said.

He nodded, turning to me.

"I'm sorry about your mom, Lancaster. She was great, really." Malfoy said.

"Thanks, Draco..." I smiled softly.

He nodded.

A few days later, I was sitting in the Great Hall by the fireplace, in deep thought.

Malfoy was eating with the few friends still here over the holidays. He got up and came over.

"Wanna come eat?" He asked me.

"No." I shook my head.

"Draw?" He asked.

I shook my head.

He sighed. "Mia, I know what you're thinking, but don't." He pleaded. "Something isn't right about that mirror." He said.

I just nodded.

A few days later, I was sitting in front of the mirror again.

"Back again, Mia?" Dumbledore spoke up.

I jumped, standing to my feet.

"I see that you, like so many before you, have discovered the delights of the Mirror of Erised. I trust by now you realize what it does." He spoke. "Let me give you a clue. The happiest man on earth would look into the mirror and only see himself exactly as he is." He said.

"So then...it shows us what we want. Whatever we want." I spoke up.

"Yes, and no." Dumbledore said. "It shows us nothing more or less than the deepest and desperate desires in our hearts." Dumbledore informed me. "Now you, Mia, who didn't get much time with your mom, you see yourself with your mom. But remember Mia, this mirror gives us neither knowledge, or truth. Men have wasted away in front of it. Even gone mad. That's why tomorrow it'll be moved to a new home, and I must ask you not to go looking for it again." He pleaded. "It does not do to dwell on dreams, Mia, and forget to live." He spoke softly.

The last day before the holidays ended, I was walking through the snow, admiring the scenery.

Malfoy was walking through the snow as well in the courtyard, and I gave a small wave. He nodded, a small smile.

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