Harry slipped on the invisibility cloak and suddenly realized something incredible.
With it, all of Hogwarts was open to him. He could go anywhere.Ron mumbled in his sleep, and Harry considered waking him but decided against it. This was his first time using his father's invisibility cloak, and he wanted to experience it alone.
His heart pounded as he imagined the possibilities. He could sneak into the restricted section of the library to search for clues about Nicolas Flamel or explore the depths of the first floor to see what secrets lay hidden there. Maybe he could even find Damon. Harry had always been curious about where Damon went to practice spells.
If he could track him down, he might catch a glimpse of Damon honing his magic.Harry headed to the restricted section on the fifth floor first, but found no clues. Instead, a screaming book startled him, and he fled, losing his way in the process. Fearing Filch, the caretaker, he stumbled into an abandoned classroom.Inside,
desks and chairs were piled against the wall, forming a dark, looming mass. An upside-down wastepaper basket sat in one corner.
But what caught his eye was something that seemed out of place, as if someone had left it there temporarily with nowhere else to store it.It was a magnificent mirror, stretching to the ceiling, framed in ornate gold and supported by two claw-shaped feet. At the top, a line of cryptic text was carved: Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi. Backward, it read:
I show not your face but your heart's desire.An inexplicable magic drew Harry closer. He stepped forward and stood before the mirror.In its reflection, a beautiful woman with dark red hair appeared. Her eyes were just like Harry's, and she smiled while tears streamed down her face.
Beside her stood a tall, thin man with messy black hair, wearing glasses. A tuft of hair stuck up at the back of his head, just like Harry's. Harry leaned so close that his nose nearly touched the glass.He understood. The mirror showed his parents.Harry pressed his hands against the glass, staring at them with longing.
A sharp pain gripped his heart, half joy, half deep sorrow.He didn't know how long he stayed there.Back in the dormitory, he shared his adventure with Ron. He wanted to tell Damon too, but according to their pattern, Damon wouldn't reappear for a few days.The next night,
Harry and Ron returned to the mirror. Ron saw something entirely different: himself as president of the student union and captain of the Quidditch team, celebrated alongside Damon as the "Gryffindor Lions." Afterward, Ron's mood soared, his eyes gleaming with excitement.On the third morning, though it was a holiday, Harry didn't linger in bed.
He wanted to see if Damon was in the Great Hall. Based on their observations, Damon tended to vanish for two or three days before appearing at breakfast.When Harry spotted Damon at the dining table, he couldn't help but call out in excitement, "Damon!""Oh, Harry, you look thrilled," Damon said, pulling out chopsticks he'd transfigured himself and slurping beef noodles from a bowl. After gifting the house-elves, they'd expressed their gratitude, and Damon had cleverly requested pasta dishes.
Though the elves didn't know pasta, magic solved the problem."What's that? Never mind, that's not why I'm here," Harry said, glancing at the professors' table. He leaned in and whispered, "I found something amazing. Want to come see it tonight?""A night trip?" Damon slurped another mouthful of noodles.Harry thought Damon might worry about breaking school rules and was about to mention the invisibility cloak, but Damon agreed without hesitation.
Alright, I'll come to your dormitory later. See you then."Damon finished his noodles, wiped his mouth, and left. Harry stared after him, slightly stunned. Damon had agreed so quickly it threw him off."See you then," Harry muttered.That night, Harry led Damon to the mirror with ease. Ron had declined to join them, worried that frequent night trips were too risky. He'd tried to convince Harry to stop, but when he heard Damon was going, he didn't object.
The cloak couldn't cover three people, so Ron said regretfully, "Ask Damon what he sees and tell me later."Harry grinned and nodded. "Don't worry, I'm curious about what Damon will see too."What would someone as talented and driven as Damon see in the mirror?
That's it. That's what I wanted to show you," Harry said, pointing to the Mirror of Erised, his face full of anticipation.As Damon stepped in front of the mirror, Harry grew nervous. But Damon only raised an eyebrow, his expression unchanged, lacking the excitement Harry and Ron had felt."What do you see?" Harry asked.
Nothing, Harry," Damon said, turning with a slight smile, a hint of satisfaction on his face. "I saw myself.""What? That's impossible," Harry said, his eyes widening. He stepped up to the mirror, gesturing for Damon to move aside. His parents' images reappeared at once."It's not broken," Harry muttered, stepping back. "Try again?
Alright," Damon said.Damon stood before the mirror again, and once more, it showed only his own reflection. He knew why, but he couldn't say—not with Dumbledore likely watching them from the shadows, as the story's plot suggested."It's still just me, Harry. Maybe this mirror doesn't work for me.
But how?"
Harry stammered, embarrassed. He'd been so eager to share this discovery with Damon, only for it to fall flat.He wanted Damon to try again, but Damon spoke first.
Alright, Harry, since you call this mirror a treasure, why don't you tell me what you saw?
I saw my parents," Harry said. "I was standing with them in the mirror. My father had his hand on my shoulder, and my mother was crying, rubbing my head. Her eyes never left me.
That sounds wonderful," Damon said, patting Harry's shoulder. "You've never seen your parents before, have you? In that case, should we take this mirror with us?
What?
Harry hadn't expected that and froze.In the corner behind them, a faint ripple of magic stirred.
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End of this chapter.