Little Brave Hearts || Neville Longbottom

CHAPTER NINE

There were nights where Maykha would have a sudden burst of energy, making body refuse to welcome slumber.

That night however, there was as if something  calling her to go out and explore the castle, and she was not someone to refuse that kind of invitation. Harry and Ron had already had their fair share of exploration, and that night it was hers

Not feeling as if drowsiness would come knocking on her eyes anytime soon, she succumbed to the calling of the castle to explore its beauty. She managed to get out from the common room but the lady in the portrait didn't let her go that easily, "And where do you think you're going, Maykha?"

Maykha awkwardly turned her head around to face Bethany and innocently smiled, "Oh I'm...just going for a walk."

Bethany crossed her arms and raised a brow, "It's already past curfew! What if you get caught?"

"I'll be quick, promise." Maykha said, raising her right hand. Bethany, though unconvinced, she just nodded to allow the girl to go.

Maykha's heart thumped in excitement as she walked through the corridors of the dark and empty castle with only her wand as her source of light. The whole castle was different at night, it was like she was starring in a horror film, and though she was not much of a fan of such movies, the thrill was little as she was acquainted to most, if not all, ghosts in the castle. There was a sudden cold wind coming from the opposite direction, making her grip tighter on her jumper before following the wind.

She walked as silently as possible, cautious of Mr. Filch and his cat, until she found a door that she was sure she hadn't seen before. She looked around her first to see if someone was coming before twisting the door's knob.

It was rather quite spacious inside, it looked like an empty and unused classroom, but and the thing that caught Maykha's attention was the large mirror that stood in the middle of the room. She ran towards it and read the words carved on it.

"Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi? What's that?" She asked herself as her eyes lowered to see her reflection.

To her surprise, she was not alone in her reflection on the mirror. She was standing between a man and a woman she did not know, but they felt familiar for Maykha. It was as if she knew them, only she did not. The man had grey eyes and black and curly hair, his face was sharp yet gentle as he looked at her. The woman, on the other hand, had a long brown hair and blue eyes, she wore an expression that was familiar for Maykha. As she wandered her eyes on the two unknown reflections, something caught her attention. It was the locket that the woman was wearing. Pulling out the locket of her own to confirm her suspicions, she gasped when she confirmed that it was the very locket she had around her neck.

Maykha placed her right hand on her chest and clenched her shirt. Although confused, she felt something weird, a single tear escaped from her eyes for a reason she herself did not know. She looked behind her, thinking the people in the reflection were with her in the room only to find that she was alone. She gazed back at the mirror and a weird feeling of longingness wrapped around her. Maykha was sure she haven't met these people but why does she felt she knew them at some point of her life?

"Who are you?" asked Maykha in hopes of getting the answer that she wanted but they didn't speak. The woman wiped Maykha's tear in the reflection and proceeded to hugging her, the man placed his hand on Maykha's head and playfully ruffled her hair. Suddenly, the warm feeling invaded her and she did not want that moment to end. She did not know what the mirror could do or who were the people in it but she didn't care anymore. She closed her eyes as she let the warmth take over her.

Maykha alerted when she heard footsteps coming towards her. She looked around, wishing it wasn't Filch that found her.

"I believe it is already past the curfew, Miss Iglehart." a husky voice said that she immediately recognised.

"Professor Dumbledore?"

Out of nowhere, Professor Dumbledore appeared, wearing his half-moon shaped spectacles and a kind smile.

Although Maykha felt relieved that it was Professor Dumbledore who appeared and not Filch, she felt nervous when she realised that she was caught by the school's headmaster out of bed late at night.

"P-Professor Dumbledore! Uh this is, I'm here bec-", Maykha stopped talking when Professor Dumbledore nodded and hushed her.

"I completely understand, Miss Iglehart. Youth is about exploring and being thirsty for an adventure. I myself was a victim of that thirst when I was your age," old man said with a chuckle and looked at the mirror next to them. "Do you know what does this mirror do?"

"No, sir." Maykha answered, shaking her head.

"What did you see, Maykha?"

Maykha hesitated before answering the old man's question, "I saw a...man and a woman that I haven't met before but I feel like I know them at some point of my life." Maykha stopped and looked at the professor, "Professor, what exactly is this mirror?"

"This mirror shows our truest desire, our heart's truest and most desperate desire", Professor Dumbledore answered.

"But professor, I don't even know them. How can they be my truest desire?"

"Our hearts remember what our minds had forgotten, child."