☽☽☽
"DO YOU HAVE TO GO?"
"You ask me that every time" Athena smiled sadly, "I'm sorry but this is my job, you knew what you were getting into"
"I know... it's just hard... how the times flies, you know?"
Athena nodded as she rested her head against Ben's shoulder, her hand entwined with his. He was breathing softly, she could hear it as she moved away and stared up at him.
"Easter will come soon" Athena pointed out, "it's in April... that's four months"
"I know" Ben nodded, "unless you can get away on your birthday"
"If I can you know that I will" Athena nodded, reaching up and kissing him gently, "but now I have to go... term actually started this morning so I've missed a day"
"You didn't have any lessons though" Ben pointed out as he moved some hair away from her face, "so it's fine"
"I'd rather spend the time with you" Athena nodded, "and I will do again, I'll call you on Friday, ok?"
"Ok" Ben replied, "I'll miss you"
"I'll miss you too" Athena smiled as she kissed him again, "I love you Ben"
"I love you Rena"
She turned and waved one last time before she closed the door behind her, greeted by the cold January air. She made her away around the corner and into a backstreet before she apperated. With a small pop she found herself standing in Hogsmede.
The town wasn't too busy, people were walking around and not paying attention to her as she strode up the street with her bags in hand. Her heart hurt as she had seen the saddened expression in Ben's eyes. A lot of the time she wished it didn't have to be like this.
She wished that he knew about her world, then she could visit him more often without him questioning how she travelled many miles in the blink of an eye or how she simply stepped out of his fireplace.
Athena noticed that it had snowed a lot in Scotland while she had been away. The layer of white glistened over the grounds, the trees and the roof of the large and impressive building. It made the place look even more beautiful.
She made her way up the stone staircase, smiling and waving to some students as she approached her office. Athena liked being well liked by those she taught, it made her feel as though she was doing a good job and that's all that mattered really.
Aurora wasn't in the office, she was probably up in her room, with Dominique or in the astronomy tower. Those were the places that she would usually be found if not in the office.
She breathed a large sigh of relief to place her bags down and fall into her seat. Christmas had gone quickly but at the same time it had seemed like a while had passed since she had been sitting in this seat. Hogwarts was like her comfort place, somewhere she felt she would always feel safe.
Just as she thought that a warm coffee or tea was exactly what she needed, her office door practically flew open and Harry was standing there looking excited to see her.
"Harry, it's great to see you but knocking is always a good thing to do" Athena laughed lightly at the boys excitement,
"Sorry Rena" Harry replied as he shut the door and took a seat in front of her desk with a wide grin.
"How was your Christmas?" Athena asked, "tell me all about it"
"It was amazing!" Harry grinned, "the best Christmas I've ever had by far!"
"That's great to hear" Athena mused,
"I spent it with the Weasleys and I got presents! Thank you for the books by the way I love them!"
"Did you see the card?" Athena asked,
"Yes... they were my mothers" Harry murmured, "I'm very grateful Rena, I'm sorry I didn't get you anything"
"Don't be silly" Athena laughed, "you don't owe me anything, what else did you get?"
"Mrs Weasley sent me a Weasley jumper!" Harry buzzed in excitement, "and some sweets, Hagrid got me some cakes and... well someone send me a gift and I was wondering whether it was you?"
"Me?" Athena frowned, "I just got you the books Harry, what was the gift?"
"An invisibility cloak... the note said that it belonged to my dad? Is that true?"
Athena's smile faltered, she'd forgotten about the cloak, the cloak that Dumbledore had taken from James before he died.
"Yeah your dad had an invisibility cloak" Athena nodded, "he used to use it all the time in the castle to pull pranks... master of mischief was your dad"
"Who sent it then?" Harry asked, "if not you"
"The cloak was passed to Dumbledore after your Dad passed" Athena felt immediately bad for the slight lie but knew that Harry wouldn't like to know the entire truth, "so I presume it must have been him"
"Oh... that was nice of him" Harry smiled,
"Yes it was" Athena forced a nod,
"Anyway, I found something! I want you to see it!"
"If this is about Nicholas Flammel" Athena sighed.
"It's not" Harry grinned, "I couldn't find anything on him, at least not yet but we're still looking... no this is different"
"What is it?"
"A mirror... It shows me my parents" Harry explained.
"Your parents?" Athena frowned, "in a mirror?"
"Yeah... well it doesn't show everyone their parents... Ron said that he saw himself being quidditch captain and head boy, like his brothers"
"So it shows what you want?" Athena asked lightly, "what you desire?"
"Yes I think so" Harry nodded, "come on I'll show you"
Athena got up carefully and followed the excited boy out fo the room. It hurt her to think that the thing Harry wanted more than anything was his parents. It hurt that he'd never get this wish no matter how hard he worked and Athena had to force a smile as he turned to see whether she was alright.
It took Harry a while to get his bearings and the two of them ended up having to go to the library for Harry to be able to figure out his way. The corridors were emptying by this point as evening approached. Curfew was upon them however Athena knew that Harry couldn't get told off as long as he was with her.
They opened a door into an unused classroom and Athena saw it sitting against the wall. A large, ornate, golden mirror. Carved on the top were the words Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi.
"I show not your face but your hearts desire" Athena read,
"What?" Harry frowned, "how'd you know that"
"Read it backwards Harry, mirror image" Athena smiled as she traced her fingers over the carving, "it shows your parents to you because... that's what you want more than anything"
Harry was stood in front of the mirror now staring into it. The look in his eyes was so hopeful,
"I see my family, not just my parents" Harry explained, "my grandparents too, behind them... did you know my grandparents?"
"I knew your fathers parents... Euphemia and Fleamont, they were incredible people... I never really knew your mothers parents"
"They look so much like me" Harry whispered, "it's liked they're really there"
At this point Harry turned around and Athena felt her heart hurt even more as she wished that they could actually be beside him.
"They'd be so proud of you, you know that right?" Athena asked,
"Yeah I do" Harry smiled lightly, "anyway, you can have a go"
Harry moved away from the mirror and referenced for Athena to stand in front of it.
"Oh I'm not sure that's a good idea Harry" Athena smiled lightly, "listen... I know it's amazing to see your family but you must understand that what this mirror shows you... isn't real... people are driven mad by desire even the best witches and wizards... they'd waste away before this mirror... I know you want to see your parents Harry... but this mirror won't give you any comfort in the end"
Harry seemed to understand what she was saying which Athena appreciated. She knew what he was thinking and she knew exactly what she would see if she did look into this mirror.
"I get it" Harry nodded, "it's just... I like pretending they're there"
"I know" Athena nodded, blinking back tears and hoping that the young boy hadn't noticed, "it's just not a good idea, ok?"
"Ok" he replied,
"You won't keep coming back?",
"I won't" Harry nodded as he stared into the mirror one last time, "I know it's not real"
Athena walked Harry all the way back to Gryffindor tower where he said goodnight. After that she found herself lying awake, staring at the ceiling as thoughts whirred through her mind. The small room that she slept in was silent. She could hear the hoots of owls from outside.
She really wished that Harry hadn't shown her that mirror, her mind had latched onto it like an obsession and now, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get the image out of her brain.
Athena knew what her hearts biggest desire was, she wasn't kidding herself but she knew that if she did see it in that mirror there was a chance that she would never leave.
Rolling over, she stared at the stars outside her window. The moon wasn't full. Athena always paid attention to this now, she always looked to the moon. When it was full she'd automatically grow anxious because this idea had been engrained into her.
In a flash, Athena gathered herself out of bed and grabbed her shoes and jacket. She was going crazy just lying here thinking about the mirror. Shoving the shoes on her feet and the jacket around her shoulders, Athena left the room and hurried out of her office hoping that she hadn't woken Aurora.
There wasn't anyone around anymore, those on duty would have gone to sleep by now. Her footsteps made barely any noise as she made her way down sliding staircases and long corridors. Eventually she found herself standing in the classroom that Harry had brought her to.
Athena moved forwards, looking at the gold which shone in the light of the moon coming in from the window. The carvings stood out to her as she moved her fingers over them. She closed her eyes and stepped back until she knew that she was positioned in front of the mirror.
This was a bad idea, she knew as soon as Harry had told her about this mirror that it would bring her only hardships. However, here she stood. She'd given in to her own weaknesses by coming here and now there was no way around it. No matter how hard Athena tried, she wouldn't be able to turn back now.
Athena took a deep breath before she opened her eyes. They collided with her own immediately, the same scared and anxious eyes staring back at her. However she didn't look as tired and the more she stared at herself the faster realised that her reflection was happy.
It was then that she took in the rest of her reflection. Athena didn't even hold in her tears, they slipped from her eyes as soon as she saw them standing around her. Athena's friends.
Lily, James, Kennedy, Sirius, Dorcas, Marlene and... Remus.
They all fit into the mirror as she stood close enough to see them all. Marlene had her head rested on Dorcas' shoulder. Kennedy was grinning like Athena had only seen her do a few times. Sirius looked careless and young again.
Lily and James stood closet to her, Lily practically next to her left shoulder and Athena felt her presence even though she knew that it was simply her mind playing tricks on her. James was smiling sheepishly, his glasses lying lopsided on his face.
Athena had been forcing herself to not look at Remus but she couldn't ignore him anymore. He stood directly beside her, so close that it looked at though their sides were touching. She watched as the reflected Remus moved his hand and took hers in his.
It was as though she could actually feel him, his weirdly cold touch on her skin. Athena let out some more tears just thinking about it.
"This isn't right" Athena whispered, "this shouldn't be my deepest desire"
The reflection of Remus just smiled. The curls over his face, the light eyes, the freckles. He looked just as she remembered him. In one of his larger jumpers with that sweet smile that had caused her to feel happy so many times.
"Why did you have to ruin it?" Athena asked knowing that he wouldn't reply. She dragged her eyes from him and stared to everyone else. They were all looking at her. The people she thought about more than she thought about anything. The people she loved so much. Her friends.
"I'm sorry I couldn't help any of you" Athena murmured, "I miss you all more than you'll ever know... I love you"
They smiled at her still. Athena supposed that this mirror couldn't talk but she felt as though their voices were in her mind telling her that there was nothing that she could have done.
Athena continued to watch them, watching them simply smiling at her. This was a mistake, she couldn't bring herself to leave. She couldn't bring herself to look away. She wished that she'd listened to the advice that she'd given Harry, maybe then she wouldn't be sitting crying to herself as she stared at the reflections of her friends. Knowing that they weren't really there.
☽☽☽
A/n
Words - 2300
Published - 18th April 2021
My parents are taking
me and my best friends
to Harry Potter studios
for my birthday 😎