Eventually, they were left with just one mirror — The Mirror of Erised.
Daphne looked into the mirror.
Her parents were there. So were Astoria and Tracey. So was Hermione. So was Harry. And Harry was tall. All of them were older, and standing in some exotic location, if the many tropical trees and grasses were any indication. Harry looked so happy. In his left hand he held a blood red stone, and with his right, he proudly ruffled Reflection-Daphne's hair. Reflection-Daphne looked embarrassed but also deeply happy with flushed red cheeks, downcast eyes, and a huge smile.
"Any luck?" Harry asked.
Daphne tore her eyes away from the image, shaking her head.
Hermione's voice was quiet when she spoke. "I see… I see you with the stone, Harry. I see a lot of other things too, but the important bit is that you've got the stone. You're not doing anything with it, though, just holding it."
"Mine's like that too," Daphne added. Harry nodded. "Same, although in my case, the stone isn't in my hands, but rather on top of a Midas-worthy pile of gold in the reflection's background. I guess that's the mirror's way of saying that I don't meet the requirements to retrieve the stone."
Daphne took a step back. She was finding it difficult not to keep staring at the mirror. "So, what do we do now then?"
"Hermione is going to retrieve the stone."
Hermione started. "M-Me?"
"Yep. Or, more specifically, I'm going to use various mind magics on you to temporarily alter your desires. The idea is that the mirror is like a combination safe and only a specific combination of desires will unlock it." Hermione bit her lip, but did nod her head.
"I'll need you to completely drop your occlumency."
Hermione nodded again and closed her eyes for a few minutes before opening them again. "Done."
Harry nodded and levelled his wand between Hermione's eyes. "Confundus."
Hermione shook herself. That felt weird. Err… what were they doing? Oh yes, she had to find the stone. She had to find the stone and this mirror was the key.
She gazed into the mirror. The reflection showed a huge library, massive, ancient, and overflowing. Her older reflection sat reading on a sofa with an older Harry sitting next to her, arm wrapped comfortably around her shoulders, holding the stone in his free hand, occasionally giving her blushing reflection a light kiss on top of the head.
Hermione frowned. This wasn't her deepest desire. She needed to find the stone!
Reflection Harry caught her eye, smiled, and shook his head while idly tossing the stone up and down.
Something felt wrong here. A tiny voice in the back of her mind was getting louder and louder. Something about Harry. Something about wanting….
"Confundus."
Hermione shook herself. That felt weird. Err… what were they doing? Oh yes, she had to find whatever it was that this mirror was protecting. She gazed into the mirror. Sofa bound Harry lightly kissed a delighted reflection Hermione on the cheek, gave real Hermione a playful wink and waggled a single admonishing finger at her through the glass.
Hermione frowned. This wasn't her deepest desire.
"Confundus."
Hermione shook herself. That felt weird. Err… what were they doing? Oh yes, she had to stop Voldemort getting the stone. That was critical!
Reflection Harry rolled his eyes at her.
Daily Prophet Front Page [29th March, 1992] HOGWARTS ON LOCKDOWN!
Yesterday, at two o'clock in the afternoon, the students and staff at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry experienced something that has not happened since the last goblin rebellion. Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, Order of Merlin - first class, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, and Supreme Mugwump of the ICW, placed Hogwarts castle on lockdown and summoned a task force of eight aurors to the school. In a statement released to the Prophet, Headmaster Dumbledore said that, 'The situation is under control and our children are in no danger.'
Despite these assurances, the school remains in lockdown, and we at the Prophet have to wonder what kind of situation would cause the Headmaster to take such an action. Neither he nor the DMLE is currently willing to disclose details.
What does lockdown mean? The lockdown status of Hogwarts castle is a warding protocol that prevents anyone or anything from leaving or entering the school grounds through any normal entrance or exit other than a single point controlled by the Headmaster. Lockdown is the second highest level of security the school can assume and because of the large drain of magic, can only be maintained for a week. Continuing his earlier statement, Headmaster Dumbledore said that, "The annual Hogwarts duelling competition will take place as normal and the lockdown will be lifted before the event. As it stands, the lockdown is only in place as a precautionary measure."
This begs the question, 'what is going on at Hogwarts School?'. Readers will recall that in September of last year, a fully grown mountain troll breached the school's defences and roamed the school unchecked until defeated by a group of first year students. Some might say it is reassuring that the Headmaster is now taking threats to our children's safety more seriously, while others would question the headmaster's right to keep such a security concern secret.
At the time of going to print, a related twenty-four hour block on all owl communication with the castle has been lifted.
Dumbledore sat invisibly in the empty stands of the duelling arena, watching the Slytherin duelling practises with a calculating gaze.
For his age, Harry Potter really was a genius — definitely at the level he and Tom were at when eleven, if not better. Indeed, the young boy was more teaching than practising, even with the seventh years, something his older peers seemed to accept, if barely.
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