Found In the Past

8

Albus's POV: (Mainly written by SlytherinSquibPotter )

Sitting in the darkness, I still can't believe I kissed him. I'd kissed Scorpius Malfoy. I'd done the thing I had only dreamed about for months until today.

Plus. I probably imagined this, but it didn't seem like Scorpius was pulling away from me. It was everything I imagined that it would be: passionate and perfect, even if it only lasted for a tiny moment. Yet I knew I had to pull away if I wanted to keep my best friend.

Just thinking about that moment causes a vision of Rose's fiery hair to flicker across my mind. I can almost feel her crying, though I know she never would, and my heart drops inside of my chest. The logic I'm using doesn't make complete sense, but I feel like I made Scorpius cheat on her somehow. They aren't even together yet, but I had kissed him. It's like everything I feel for him is horribly wrong in every way. Still... when I had made that stupid remark about never loving him, I could have sworn I saw pain flood into his eyes.

"Goodnight Scorp," I whisper to his sleeping form, though I know even a mandrake couldn't wake up his snoring self right now. His nightmares have been less recent now-a-days, though I'll always remember the nights he woke me up, screaming and terrified. It seemed like he didn't think anyone would be with him. I know his deepest fear is that he'll lose everyone and I hate that the Time-Traveling fiasco proved that.

He refuses to tell anyone else about the screams he hears at random, but when Rose asked him out, he reported that they started disappearing. I'm glad he can sleep well at night, but it seems not being able to sleep has passed onto me. I have a very sinking suspicion as to why.

I tug off the suffocating sheets that were on top of me and stand up, careful not to make a sound. I pull on my shoes and robes and then open the door. I cast one last glance at Scorp, who's arm is now slung over his face, and then carefully shut the door behind me.

"Please don't say anything," I tell the bald portrait that guards the door to the common room, trying to sound like I know where I'm going, "I just need to... clear my head," I offer. He glares at me pointedly, but, nevertheless, the portrait door swings open for me to walk through. Having no where else to go, I decide to head down to the library. I make it half-way before something weird happens.

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHH!" I scream as a face materializes next to a suit of armor along the wall besides me. I recognize the tussle of brown hair on a closer look, and James smacks his face in annoyance at me.

"Thanks a lot. You just woke up half the school bro!" he rolls his eyes at me in a big-brotherly manner, a mischievous smile playing across his face. James's hands turn visible along with a shimmering cloak I recognize as our father's. I glance down and see what else he's holding in his grip. Stink bomb and parchment, I note, meeting his eyes with a small grin. I can tell that Professor Longbottom will not be happy tomorrow morning.

"Well? Get under. Do you want to get caught in the halls after hours?" He asks, holding up the cloak so I can join him. I duck under the hood just as footsteps start approaching our position. We have to get away from here, I think nervously, biting my lip. James starts moving down the hall, as if reading my mind, and I stumble along on his heels. He's moving so fast that I have to work to keep up. I'm pretty sure he knows where we're going, but I don't bother to ask.

After a few minutes of heavy breathing and silence, he freezes next to a door. My brother takes the cloak off of us in a motion and shoots his custom, dare-devil grin.

"What is this place?" I ask him, watching as he feels around the wall as if for a handle. If I didn't know better, I would assume he's finally lost it. A tile sinks down underneath his tanned hand and a passageway opens up, causing my jaw to drop.

"You'll see," James laughs and pulls me down the stair case that's been revealed. The stairs spiral down to a tiny chamber with only a shining mirror as an occupant. My brother has always had a narcissistic side, I think to myself with a small laugh. I glance at the mirror out of curiosity, but instead of seeing my own, rumpled reflection, I see other faces.

My parents are there besides a more handsome, older version of me. I see my mum smile and plant a kiss on my cheek, looking like she's the happiest woman alive. I turn to see my father, who's actually smiling for once, beaming with pride. Pride for me... I turn to meet this different version of me's eyes and they wink at me. That's when I look down to see clean, crimson robes. I'm a Gryffindor instead of a disappointment...

Another person enters the frame, and I look over, eyes wide. This person also has red robes on, along with a wide smile, and platinum-blonde hair. Scorpius walks over to mirror-me. Everything seems normal, except the whole Gryffindor thing, so it does seem like a reasonable wish for me to have. Until the mirror-me leans over and takes Scorp's hand. (Yes homo.)

"... yeah I found this place when I overheard McGonagall talk about it. She was supposed to destroy the Mirror of Erised I think, but she couldn't bring herself to do it, so of course I had to come and check it out. I mean, you know how I am," James drones on with me barely paying him any attention. He was apparently able to tear his face from the mirror. How long was I staring? I wonder, ripping my own gaze away reluctantly.

"Do you see Mum and Dad?" I ask him cautiously. Dread that he saw the OTHER part of my vision fills my body as James glances at me curiously.

"No... I just see myself. Of course I am the owner of a joke shop like Uncle Ron," he laughs, though I can tell he's leaving something out. If he doesn't prod me about my vision I won't ask him about his. "This mirror shows our truest desires."

"We should get out of here," I say quietly, even though I regret it as soon as I mention it.

"We should," he echoes me, but neither of us take a step towards the door. James eventually moves first, muttering something about trusting the Marauder's Map next time when it says Albus is in the hall. He disappears under the cloak, leaving me alone with mirror. I take one last glance at my reflection and see myself wave good bye, still hand in hand with Scorpius. Your greatest desire is something that will never happen, I remind myself sadly. I slowly walk up the stairs to make my way down to the dungeon.

"So you're back now?" the bald man in the portrait looks up with a raised eyebrow, "You wouldn't happen to be the boy who screamed, waking up half the school would you?" He asks with a stern look

"No," I tell him arching my own eyebrow while wringing my hands behind me. "Slytherins don't scream. Pureblood," I tell him the password and step through, impressed at my own lying skills. I really do belong in Slytherin, I think with a wince.

I creep up to my dorm only to find that light is already seeping through the window sill. It's already morning. Might as well get as much sleep as I can, I decide, pulling the sheets over my eyes. I have a long day tomorrow.