Greatest Desires (Hannibal fanfic)

The Mirror

"You should find him in the room of requirement. He mopes around there a lot."

•

Jack walked through the passages of Hogwarts, weaving through the maze of rooms and doorways.
He found himself before the large blank wall, void of the paintings that litter the walls of castle.
Auror Jack Crawford watched as a door formed on the wall. It was tall and it's handles were rusted with age.
He pulled the hinges and the room opened up to show a man and a mirror.
The space was cold and silent.
Jack moved towards them.
He stopped a few feet behind the man.

"You remember when you decided to call Hannibal?"

•

Professor Will Graham stood in the room of requirement. He had never thought about entering the room until recently but now it called to him.
The mirror called to him.
He let the silence consume him as he stares into the reflective surface.
His peace was shattered when he heard a familiar voice echo behind him.

"You remember when you decided to call Hannibal?"

Will takes a sharp breath of air in a desperate attempt to ground himself. He closed his eyes, letting Jack's voice worm into his head.

"I wasn't decided when I called him.
I just called him."

Will could feel his former boss's eyes boring into the back of his head.

"I deliberated while the phone rang
and I decided when I heard his voice."

There was a pause between them and Will could feel the air becoming thick with conviction.
Judgement.

"You told him we knew."

"I told him to leave."

Will looked deep into the mirror.
The mirror of Erised.
He saw himself and two figures standing with him.

"Because I wanted him to run."

The taller figure was standing beside him, an arm wrapped around Will's waist.
The shorter figure was clinging to his arm, a bright smile adorning her face.

"Why?"

The question hung heavy in the air.
Will let it sit there, running it over in his mind.

"Um,"

Will looked into the eyes of the taller figure.

",because,"

It all felt too much now.

",because he was my friend."

The silence was so powerful it felt louder than his words.
He stared at the figure, at Hannibal. Will took in his features, the fond smile on his face and the arm that he had wrapped around him.
He shifted his gaze to the shorter, to his daughter, to Abigail. Her eyes were filled with so much joy and hope.
His deepest desire was here in front of him in this mirror
His family.

"And because I wanted to run away with him."