Lysander Scamander and the Missing Mirror

2: The Mirror

I ran through corridors, listening for Lily. I turned corners and burst into dark classrooms, turning around and running more. Finally, one classroom made me stop. The door was slightly open, and a bright light glowed from inside. I pushed the door open some more and was met with a mirror that sat half covered in the corner.

In the mirror, I saw an image of Lily. I walked over to it and pulled the sheets off it. Lily smiled up at me, her emerald eyes sparkling.

"Lysander! Hurry up! He's taking his first steps!" Lily's image called.

I crouched down and reached out for Lily's image. An image of a small toddler appeared in the mirror. He was standing up and about to toddle around. An image of me came into view by slamming harshly in the doorknob.

I cringed at that part. It seemed like something I would do. I let myself fly from my broom on purpose.

"Did I miss it?" my image asked, frantically getting out my phone.

"Not yet Ly. But you will if you don't hurry." Lily's image informed mine.

I crouched and held up my phone. The small child in the scene started toddling forward. Lily and I smiled, which made me smile wistfully. I hurriedly covered the mirror when I heard a voice behind me.

"It's a surprise to see you here, Mr. Scamander." Professor McGonagall addressed.

I quickly got to my feet and stood before the mirror, "Professor? How'd you know I was here?"

She looked me up and down behind her spectacles, "Mr. Scamander. I may be old, but I know more than you think."

I looked at the floor, "I'm sorry. I just-"

She held up her hand, "It's quite alright, Mr. Scamander." she gestured to the door with her head, "Walk with me?"

I smiled awkwardly and headed to the door. She followed me out and continued our conversation.

"I'm sure you're wanting to know what it is?" she guessed. I nodded, "Hufflepuff's own dear Teddy Lupin managed to create it."

"Teddy? Really? I thought he flunked charms?"

"He did. In his second year. For the other six years, he was fine." she explained to me, "Anyway. Mr. Lupin wanted to know how Miss Delacour-Weasley felt about him but didn't how to ask properly. So, the mirror was made so others can see what someone else sees."

I swallowed, "So... you-"

"Yes, Lysander. I saw the person your love the most."

I stopped and looked at McGonagall, "You won't tell her, will you, Professor?"

McGonagall smiled down at me, "Lysander, that would be against my better judgement. And it would be breaking a student's trust." I nodded, "But, you have to promise, Mr. Scamander, not to tell anyone about the mirror."

I looked at her, "No one?"

"No one, Mr. Scamander." she repeated.

I nodded quickly, "I swear on my life. I won't tell anyone."

McGonagall nodded, "Alright, Mr. Scamander. Now head back to your common room."

I turned back down the corridor, locking gaze at the classroom before moving down to the hall quickly. I got back to the common room and found Alice passed out on a couch. It felt weird, but I brought her back to her room. Setting her down on the bed, I tucked her in and left.

Alice reminded me of Erika. She had the same open-mindedness and naive attitude. When I got to my dorm, I was so tired at this point, I just collapsed, fully clothed, on top of the covers.

_____

I walked into the Great Hall the next morning, more tired than I'd ever been. I'd woken up around three in the morning covered in sweat. I dreamed Lily was being tortured and I couldn't get to her. I dropped into an empty seat and, half asleep, scooped some breakfast out onto my plate. It wasn't until I heard a voice next to me that woke up fully.

"Hey, Lysander." Riley Goldstein's voice said with stifled laughter in her throat.

I looked blinked a bunch when I heard her in my ear and realized what she was laughing at. I was just scooping eggs onto my plate and there were so many there, they'd started avalanching over the edge of the plate.

I quickly picked up my plate and slid the eggs back into the bowl and grabbed some bacon instead.

"So, not much sleep last night?" she asked, but before I could say anything, she said, "You're kidding! Teddy made-!"

I lunged forward and covered her mouth before she could say anything. I looked around the Great Hall. A few people who were sitting close to us were staring a little confused, but no one else seemed to care. I move my eyes back to Riley.

Putting my finger to my mouth, I shushed at her, "Don't yell the stuff you read out loud. I thought you'd learn that by now?"

Riley hunched over, "Sorry, Ly. But now that I know about," she lowered her voice, ", Teddy's mirror, what do we do?"

I bit on the bacon strip in my hand and stared at her as I chewed. With the chewed bacon in my cheek, I said, "We're going to go find Headmistress McGonagall, that's what."

Riley and I hurried through the corridors. We stopped briefly in front of the gargoyle that concealed the headmistress's office.

"Suck it, Albus." Riley said suddenly.

"What was-?" I started but was cut off when the gargoyle started to move. I looked back to Riley, "That's the password? Seriously?"

Riley shrugged and stepped onto the stone steps. I followed in close pursuit. I banged on the door to McGonagall's office and loudly stated,

"Problem! Someone else found out about the mirror!"

The door swung open, revealing Alice sitting in front of Professor McGonagall's desk. My shoulders hung as I came to realize.

"She knows, too?" I asked.

McGonagall nodded, "I'm not surprised Miss Goldstein knows."

Riley's head hung low in embarrassment, "Sorry."

"You can't control what you read, Riley." I reminded her, comfortingly.

Another sound startled them, "Hey, Professor. I was trying to find what you wanted, but I got sidetracked. There was an abandoned classroom that had a mirror that remin-" she stopped when she saw Alice, Lysander, and Riley, "What's going on?"

Professor McGonagall rose to her feet. Looking around at the four of them, she sighed, "So the four of you know. Lysander has already promised not to tell anyone about the mirror. What about you three girls?"

Riley and Lily nodded and assured they wouldn't tell. Alice added, "I swear on my life, professor. I won't tell a single soul."

_____

I sat in class with Alice, half asleep as Professor Binns lulled everyone to sleep with his monotone drawl. The girls and I had known about the mirror for three days now and everything seemed fine. Until Harry intruded on the class. He seemed very serious.

"I need Lysander and Alice at the present time." he informed Professor Binns.

The ghost professor nodded and gestured to Alice and me. We gathered our books and papers and followed Harry out. Riley and Lily were there, too.

"Harry-?"

Harry held up his hand, "Not now. At the moment, all I want to know if you four told anyone else about the mirror."

I looked around at the girls and informed Harry, "No. Not that I know of."

Riley, Lily, and Alice all shook their heads in unison. We had kept our promises to McGonagall.

"Why do you want to know?" Riley asked.

Harry looked around at them, "Because it's missing."