𝕬 𝕷𝖎𝖙𝖙𝖑𝖊 𝕳𝖊𝖎𝖗 𝕽𝖎𝖘𝖊𝖘 | 𝑇𝑜𝑚 𝑅𝑖𝑑𝑑𝑙𝑒 |

Chapter 7- The Inescapable Truth

"What is it, Tom?" Frankie inquired, obviously noticing him tense up at the sight of the mirror.

"It's nothing..." Tom replied, stiffly. His gaze lingered for a moment at their reflections in the mirror and then quickly darted away again, in a vain attempt not to look suspicious. With the group surrounding the mirror it must not work properly. No one was staring at it with a sense of wonder and amazement, like he had when he first saw it. They merely examined their reflections and spread about the room looking for the reason they were brought there. All except Frankie. She frowned, arms crossed, and stayed put at his side. Although she could always spot his most fearsome falsehoods, Tom's lying was certainly getting worse with every passing day. Frankie hadn't believed that weak lie for one second and was certainly in no mood for any further secrets. He knew something about the mirror he wasn't about to tell her without vehement persuasion or forceful action.

"Out of my way, Tom!" she huffed, suddenly pushing him aside. Tom instinctively grabbed her arm to stop her, despite the rude gesture and sudden attitude.

"Don't go near that thing!"

"Then, tell me what it does."

"I don't know—I don't know what it does." he answered. She glared at him with disgust and Tom realized he would need to tell her what he knew and what had happened. "I came here once last year. I was conflicted and, when I looked inside the mirror, I thought I saw the future..."

"A mirror that shows the future—"

"That's what I thought, but I don't think that anymore."

"Why not?" Frankie questioned, huffily. She was clearly too agitated to speak with him, so Tom reached into his bag and retrieved the journal.

"If you really don't feel like talking with me, ask your mother! This was their spot!" he snapped back, unable to bare her hostility any longer. He shoved it in her hands and walked a few feet away for a moment to angrily simmer.

When you face the Mirror of Erised, you must face the truths and desires you try desperately hide.

When Francis faced the mirror, he claimed to see himself winning the Triwizard Tournament. A very fat chance he can do it, but a plausible desire for him to have right now. Cora said she saw her family with grins that weren't malicious or murderous. I wonder if he sees that too. He's well acquainted with the frame, as am I, so what would he see if he dared to look. Meanwhile, Albus says he sees himself holding a nice pair of socks. That is all (and for some reason I don't doubt him).

No one had trouble confessing, except me. When I faced the mirror, I saw only myself, like I always have when I'm talking with him. I thought I might see myself as an Auror, surrounded by friends and family. However, that has never been the case. It can't possibly be accurate though. I'm not nearly so content with my life. Perhaps, it's because I want so much. There's no way a mirror, even such a large one, could possibly contain all of my desires.

"Finally, something that'll force you to tell the truth." Frankie retorted, once she finished reading the passage. She closed the book and practically shoved it back into Tom's chest. "You can go last, if it's such a struggle."

People were more up to confessing then they should've been. They thought the mirror was another extraordinary magical object to toy with, rather than something making them confess their deepest desires. Of course, then again, they were a bunch of pre-teens. Most of them were childhood dreams that still had plenty of time to come true. Magical jobs, dream pets, something as simple as a new pair of socks. The only two with any juice to their confessions were the two elephants in the room who stayed at least seven feet away from each other, glaring at the other one to go first.