When A Dragon Slythered In...

CHAPTER 36 - IN THE MIRROR OF ERISED

Tears flooded my eyes. The stabbing pain behind my ear had subsided into a gloomy pounding.

I pushed myself out of the wheelchair and glanced back around at Draco.

"Holly, you need to be back in the wheelchair."

I simply turned myself away from him and braced into a run, looking behind me every so often to see if Draco was still behind me. Eventually, he must have given up following me. I was alone.

I began to panic as I realised (being a 1st year) I had lost myself in the passages around the school. I was about to turn back when a light caught my eye. I noticed there was a door, which had been left ajar.

I used all my weight to push the heavy door open as gently as I could; I marched thoughtfully over to a boy on the other side of the room, he appeared to know where he was - maybe he could help me find my way back to my new quarters (I also slipped out the instructions from Draco's pocket and took them with me).

The boy had sleek, electrifying blonde hair, a severely pointed chin, he was quite tall and thin and (to complete the look) a wide grin. It looked like Draco, but most definitely a few years older.

In a trance, I waltzed over, marvelling over his defined features, and put out my hand. I could see myself, too. Then I realised. It wasn't really him; it was only a mirror.

Draco held out his hand and motioned for me to grasp it. I clenched the air as I tried to hold his hand. Lucius walked in behind  and Draco wiped the cheeky grin off his face as quickly as it had come. Lucius patted his shoulder and Draco took my other arm and pressed a nervous (yet somehow reassuring) finger into it. I felt a strong, unidentifiable pain in my left arm. I looked sen to see a big black snake imprinted in my arm. Lucius and Draco quickly faded.Now, I was with  an aged Harry, Hermione and Ron.

Hermione glanced at my arm; meanwhile Ron and Harry were mouthing discreetly to one another. Hermione took out her wand and touched my mark.It clouded over, but was still red and swollen (as well as there being a thin, but blurred, outline of the snake). The mark on my arm wasn't truly gone.

I heard a voice echo gently behind me.

"The Mirror of Erised is powerful, Holly; but it isn't filled with veritaserum. It doesn't tell the truth, and yet, at the same time, it doesn't lie either."

"But, that's impossible, there are only 2 types of choices - the truth and the lie."

"True, Holly," The silhouette paused in deep thought. "In reality, it shows us our hearts deepest desires; so all in all, maybe that isn't in reality."

The figure stepped into the light, yet I was unfazed by the character standing about one metre away.

"Professor Dumbledore..."

"Yes, Holly."

"I have two desires. But they are both completely different."

"Confide in me if you will, Holly."

"Well, I saw me with Malfo-"

"Please may you call the students by their first names, I really prefer it when people make the habit of using their real names."

"Very well, I saw myself with Draco - and his father. It was a sort of ceremony, you see; and I think... I think I became a death eater."

Professor Dumbledore plainly gestured for me to carry on.

"We were all much older, maybe about year 5 or 6-"

"You say we were all?"

"There were more people in the second one, Professor. Next it was myself, Hermione, Harry and Ron."

"I see. You seem to be caught up between love and war and - well true family."

"Yeah. But then Hermione healed - well kind of healed - my dark mark only arm. But Harry and Ron were both mouthing behind her."

"I think these are rather odd desires. But it appears  you wish to be a double-agent of sorts. You mean to do well, not just for the greater good, but for loved ones, friends and family."

"Professor, do you mind me asking..."

"Ask away, Holly. What harm can it do?"

"What do you see in this-this mirror."

"What I see?" He pondered as he thought up an answer. "I see myself younger and care-free. I see myself at Godric's Hollow during the holidays, surrounded by family. And of course, I see socks. For one can never have too many of a pair."

"Thank you, Professor."

"My pleasure."

"Professor, could you help me get back to my new quarters."

"It would be my pleasure."

There were no more questions asked. I parked up my instruction and the invisibility cloak (Harry and I agreed we could both use it, but he said he's needs it back soon, for finding out who is wanting the stone).

"Here we are, Holly." Dumbledore opened the massive, flamboyant entrance doors and welcomed me in.

"Draco, I'm back." I half-shouted.

I turned around to thank Dumbledore, but he had gone.

Draco approached me with the crutches and handed them to me.

"I think I need some sleep. I'm going to go off to bed."

I placed each crutch under one arm and hobbled off to my new room.

I took no notice of the elaborate colours on the walls, the tall dressing table, the shelves for my clothes as I slipped off my shoes and clambered into bed.

I fell asleep almost as soon as my head his the pillow.