Across the Other Side of the Mirror
"... yes, I like Herbology. Plants are quite interesting, and some are really special," Neville said with a bit of excitement in his voice as he talked about his interests.
It was a conversation that had flowed naturally as they walked; and somehow, it also brought them closer.
"Seriously, I love Herbology and plants too," Grover said as if he had just found a shared affinity with Neville. "We're lucky that our Head of House is Professor Sprout, the Herbology professor," he added in a satisfied tone.
"It's a shame we don't have anything about sword training," Percy commented, diving straight into the conversation.
"You like swords?" Grover asked with sincere interest.
"Yes. I've been training with them since I was five," Percy answered with a light smile. "And you won't believe it, but my first sword teacher is a grumpy goblin," he added, smiling at the memory of Einjard.
"A goblin?" Grover asked, surprised.
"You mean from Gringotts?" Neville intervened, also surprised and intrigued.
"That's right. In fact, my master is an employee of Gringotts. I think he has a high rank, but I never asked," Percy said, shrugging, as if that detail had never mattered much to him. "But he's really tough. And very, very grumpy."
Percy noticed that Grover drifted into deep thought when he heard about the goblin who trained him.
Feeling Percy's gaze on him, Grover straightened a bit. "Ah, yes. In my other school we also have someone very grumpy as the principal," he said quickly, with a nervous smile, glancing around as if he feared something bad might happen just for saying it.
That made Percy raise an eyebrow… although he decided not to give it much importance.
"So, Grover, you came from very far away. Did you come alone or something like that?" Percy asked.
"Oh, no. I didn't come alone. I came with… my uncle," he said quickly. "Yes, my uncle. He's staying nearby while I study this year." And as soon as he said that, he spotted a painting not too far away, speeding up his steps before they could keep asking. "We're here," he announced, pointing at a large painting full of fruit, as if it were hiding a kitchen behind it.
"The kitchen is behind this painting," Grover explained before turning around and tickling one of the pears. The pear smiled for an instant before turning into a door handle.
Grover opened the entrance and, immediately, they were able to see the huge castle kitchen. As soon as they crossed the threshold, they noticed dozens of house-elves rushing all over the place, cooking and preparing breakfast for the students who must have been eating upstairs at that very moment.
In the center were four tables identical to those in the Great Hall, and one of the elves was running toward one of them to place a breakfast plate, which disappeared instantly, surely sent magically to the hall.
On one side, heaps of fresh ingredients were neatly arranged, clearly prepared for dinner later.
In another area, a huge cauldron bubbled over a constant flame, while several ingredients floated on their own and dropped into the steaming liquid.
In one corner was the dessert section, filled with cakes, tarts, and trays of sweets. Next to it was a gigantic sink that looked like a fountain, although filled with endless towers of dirty dishes.
Farther back, Percy saw what seemed like barrels… but with doors and windows, like tiny houses shaped like barrels. Maybe they were the daily bedrooms of the house-elves. Although, right next to them, there was a sort of storage area for rotten things.
Percy frowned with a disgusted expression; Grover noticed it immediately.
"Yes, I thought the same. And I asked them why they kept working here… but it's better not to ask or they get upset," Grover said.
After all, it was as if humans simply couldn't understand what went through the minds of those creatures.
"Yes, at home we have a house-elf who's a bit of an airhead… but they're not bad," Percy said, nodding.
At that moment, a house-elf saw them walk in and hurried over, very cheerful.
"Oh, young masters of the castle. What can Wimley do for you? Are you hungry? Would you like a freshly baked roll? Or perhaps a steak?" he asked while snapping his fingers; immediately, plates floated in front of them. The steak ended up in front of Grover, who had a clear expression of disgust.
"No, thank you. I'm vegetarian," Grover said quickly.
Percy, on the other hand, happily accepted the freshly baked roll.
"Vegetarian?" Wimley repeated, tilting his head. He snapped his fingers again. "A lettuce?" he asked as he grabbed one and offered it to Grover without thinking too much.
Grover, out of politeness, took the lettuce, seeing that the elf was trying to be friendly.
"We also have cookies that Wimley just baked," the elf announced, pulling out a huge pot full of freshly baked cookies. The smell spread immediately, and before they knew it, the three boys had their arms completely full of cookies.
"Uh… thanks," Percy said.
That made the house-elf even happier, and he began loading their arms with even more cookies and pastries.
When Percy, Grover, and Neville realized it… they were already outside the kitchen. Their arms were about to burst from carrying so many things.
"Well. Next time we should bring Harry and Ron," Percy said with a slight smile as he bit into a really delicious cookie.
The three had to hurry back, since classes were about to start, and Grover split off from them because he had a different class with the Hufflepuffs.
…
After a rather interesting History class. "Interesting" mostly because of the nap Harry and Percy took. Both woke up startled, which caused all the other students to jolt awake too and stare at them.
They suffered terrible embarrassment. Even Professor Binns stopped to look at them, when he normally didn't even react when a student snored.
Now they were having lunch in the Great Hall, with all the students spread out at their tables.
Percy waved to Grover from the Hufflepuff table, while Harry, still embarrassed, wanted to hide his head under his wizard hat.
"Hahaha… seriously, what kind of dream makes you jump like that?" Ron asked, still amused.
"They're dreams we usually have," Harry said with embarrassment. "This time I dreamed of a man sitting on a throne that looked like it was made of bones. He looked really evil and scary… but his words weren't evil at all," Harry said. Though he didn't mention what, exactly, that man had told him.
"And I dreamed that a three-headed dog wanted to bite me like I was a rubber toy," Percy said, shaking his head.
At that moment, Hedwig, who usually came every morning to steal a bit of bacon from Harry's plate, flew in through the window for the messenger owls, carrying a small package tied to her leg.
She flew straight toward Harry and dropped the package onto the table in front of him before landing gracefully on his shoulder.
"So that's why you didn't come this morning," Harry said as he gave her a bit of meat from his stew. Hedwig accepted it gladly. Immediately afterward, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, she looked at Percy with an air of superiority and disdain.
"Hey, why do you keep looking at me like that? Last time I even shared my breakfast with you," Percy said, annoyed by the owl's stare.
Hedwig turned her head with absolute contempt, as if she had no interest in listening to the words of a brute.
Meanwhile Harry ignored the argument between those two; he opened the small box that had fallen in front of him.
Percy was trying to make peace with Hedwig, remembering that she was technically the family owl… although it didn't seem to be working. Especially because Percy was trying to bribe her with a piece of broccoli he didn't want to eat.
"It's from Mom and Aunt Mor," Harry said, making Percy stop bribing the owl and turn around with intense interest.
Harry pulled out a letter… and what seemed to be a small hand mirror.
Inside the letter there were two papers: one for Percy and one for Harry.
Harry handed him his.
Both letters said the same thing. They were as sugary as their mother usually was, expressing how much she missed them… although the ending was different for each.
Harry's said: "Make sure Percy doesn't get into trouble."
Percy's said: "Don't get into trouble."
Both burst out laughing when they read it.
Then they looked at what Aunt Mor had sent. It was some kind of hand mirror. Harry held it with some confusion… until, when he looked closer, he saw the people on the other side.
They were Sally and Mor. And behind them were Sirius and Mark.
"Mom! Aunt Mor!" the two children shouted happily, pressing their faces close to the mirror.
"Hey, we're here too," Sirius complained, pretending to look hurt, while Mark huffed in annoyance behind him.
"Oh, hi to you two as well," Percy said as if they were the least important ones.
"Hello, Padfoot. And also Mr. Mark," Harry said politely.
"How is school going?" Mor asked with a smile, while Sally, with a huge expression of joy at seeing them after so long, did everything she could not to start crying. That was why Mor was the one speaking for her.
"It's fun. We made some friends," Harry said, pointing the mirror toward Ron and Neville, who waved nervously. Hermione was also seen leaning in to look at the mirror with great curiosity.
"Why didn't you tell me you ended up in Gryffindor?" Sirius asked, taking the mirror and getting way too close. Harry had to pull it away so Sirius wouldn't literally stick his nose inside. Apparently he didn't need to see the ties; just by recognizing the table, he already knew where they'd ended up.
And it was true: they didn't want to tell him because they wanted it to be a surprise when they returned home.
Mor smacked Sirius on the head and took the mirror back.
"It's really good that you're getting along with your classmates," Sally said with a soft smile. "How are you doing in your subjects?" she asked lovingly.
"Good," Harry said while Percy looked the other way, pretending that a fly buzzing nearby was very interesting.
Of course Sally could guess the real answers from both. Percy seemed to remember that and leaned closer to the mirror.
"Aunt Mor, you won't believe it, but the Potions professor is an ignorant," he blurted out.
The entire Gryffindor table, which had been chatting cheerfully, sucked in freezing air at the same time. They froze, staring at Percy as if he had just uttered forbidden words.
But Percy ignored them.
"He thinks he's the best potion brewer ever, but when Harry told him about the Underworld Potion, he mocked him. He also said that the creation of aspho—"
"Asphodel," Harry said, completing the word Percy was trying to remember.
"That. He says that whole thing about it being created from Cerberus' saliva is just a childish fantasy," Percy continued.
"Mm… certainly an ignorant," Mor said. Mark nodded behind her with the same expression. "It seems the teaching level at Hogwarts has dropped several levels," she added with a critical tone.
"Yes. And on top of that he took five points from Gryffindor because I told him the truth," Percy added.
"Percy, you're not fighting with your teachers, right?" Sally asked quickly, looking at him firmly.
"Eh… uh… no, of course not, Mom," Percy said instantly, realizing he had just confessed something he shouldn't have.
"Is your Potions professor a guy who looks like he wakes up every morning smelling a troll's backside, with greasy hair as if he never washes it, and who dresses like a giant bat?" Sirius asked.
"Yes!" Percy said, as if the descriptions were perfect. Harry couldn't deny any of it.
"Oh, that guy… Snivelus. Don't pay attention to him. He was always an idiot. He probably holds a grudge against James and, being the idiot he is, he takes it out on Harry for resembling him. Truly stupid!" Sirius repeated several times, with all the passion in the world. "Don't worry; I have something perfect you can give him from me. I'll send it to you right now."
"You will not send anything," Sally said immediately, glaring at him. Then she looked at Percy and Harry. "And you two won't do anything either. Remember he's your teacher; you must respect him even if he's wrong."
It was a strange piece of advice, yes, but Sally only wanted her sons to enjoy their school days without entering constant battles with a teacher who could ruin every day for them. She had lived through that herself in the past.
"Okay," both said at the same time.
"Well then, we'll stop bothering you. It must be time for your next classes. Now that you have the mirror we can talk anytime you want. For now, pay attention in class and don't misbehave," Sally said lovingly.
Harry and Percy nodded, said their goodbyes, and the connection ended. Harry put the mirror away to use later.
Then the two realized that everyone at the Gryffindor table was staring at them.
"What?" Harry asked.
"No… nothing. It's just that… your family is really amazing," Ron said, referring to how everyone seemed to immediately accept that Snape really was an ignorant just from hearing Percy's conversation.
And well, that was true.
Besides Sirius, Sally had learned alchemy and potions from Mor's notes, so she fully understood the potion Harry had mentioned. And Mark, who studied books far older than Hogwarts' curriculum, knew that a single potion could have several names depending on the region. For them, it was totally reasonable.
…
Next chapter: Flying lessons.