"i can only see you." ron grumbles.
harry tuts at him before urging you over with his hand.
"i just see us." you agree, then you step closer to the mirror. "maybe if i get closer?"
"ron move closer to the mirror." harry nudges the sleepy ginger and ron squints at the reflection. suddenly, his eyes widen and he is transfixed at his own image.
"what-"
"look at me!" he exclaims.
"can you see all your family too?" harry asks eagerly.
ron shakes his head. "no, i'm alone- but i'm different- i look older- and i'm head boy!"
"huh?" the boy who lived's face scrunches up in confusion.
"i am- i'm wearing the badge like bill used to- and i'm holding the house cup and the quidditch cup- i'm quidditch captain too!"
you snort, it sounds like ron's made himself king of gryffindor.
"weasley is our king." you mutter under your breath.
"what do you see, y/n?" harry asks you and you step forward as ron reluctantly steps aside.
you peer into the mirror not sure what to expect.
you see yourself, older- just as ron had said and with a few scars across your face and hands. behind you stands lupin, creevey, severus, cedric, a guy with a crazy eye and a witch whose hair turns light blue as you make eye contact. you see lavender brown waving at you- she looks gorgeous all grown up, and you see vincent munching on cupcakes at the back.
everyone who is supposed to die stands behind you.
alive.
"i see myself with my dad-" you stutter. "we're with mum."
harry reaches out and holds your hand. you smile at him.
"you can have a go now," you tell him. he grins into the mirror, his eyes welling up again.
"let me have another look mate- you had it all to yourself last night.." whines ron, stepping forward.
"you're only holding the cup, ron." harry grunts, pushing ron back. "i want to see my parents."
"don't push me!"
"boys!" you whisper.
a sudden noise outside in the corridor puts an end to their discussion. they hadn't realised how loud they had been taking.
"quick." you say, lifting the cloak up so that two of them could get under it on either side of you.
the luminous eyes of mrs. norris came round the door, and you all hold your breaths. does the cloak work on cats? you all wonder. after what seems an age- she twirls her tail and leaves.
"this isnt safe-" you tell them. "i bet she heard you two."
"sorry." says ron.
"yeah sorry." harry repeats.
"it's fine. let's just get back, yh?"
the next morning you find yourself skipping to your father's chamber. you hold a hand over the handle and hear the click of the door opening, before you lean your body weight onto it and let yourself in.
"father, oh father!" you cry out.
you hear a clattering in the kitchen and a glum sigh.
"oh dear.." you say, before following the noise. severus' back is turned towards you, as he leans over the sink.
"are you okay?"
he's rubbing at his eye again.
"dad?"
he turns around and you gasp. his eye has gone completely bloodshot and waters heavily as he tries to blink.
"it's killing me." he grunts. "i might have to wear an eye patch."
you step forward and grab his face, bringing it towards your own. the eye looks so irritated and your heart sinks into your stomach.
"i'm so sorry." you say.
"don't be. it isn't your fault." he shakes his head, turning back to look in the compartment to his left for ice.
"if you hadn't been brewing my potion-"
"it all should have been fine, y/n." he insists. "i brew more dangerous potions regularly, it was my own carelessness that happened to get yours into my eye."
you tilt your head, watching him hold an ice cube to his eye.
"should help the burning." he tells you, noticing the confused look on your face.
"what did you need to tell me?" severus leads you to the kitchen table and you hop onto your stool. he hands you a jar full of biscuits and you happily accept it.
"harry and i found the mirror of erised." you say, twirling the chocolate covered treat in between your fingers.
"but we moved it for-"
"we found it in an empty classroom."
"fifth floor?" he asks, putting the icecube down onto a paper towel.
"i think so." you say. "anyways, he saw his parents right? and ron saw himself as like the king of gryffindor."
"of course." severus rolls his eyes. "the weasley's are all like that."
you giggle.
"i only hope his younger sister will be less trouble."
you bite your lip and he looks at you incredulously.
"don't tell me-"
"you'll find out." you say, holding up a hand.
he sighs, shaking his head, a soft smile spread thin across his lips.
"what did you see, y/n?"
"us. all of us, happy and alive." you pop the whole treat into your mouth.
severus stares at you, his eyes completely locking onto yours. you don't know what to do so you just wait for him to speak.
but for a while, he doesn't. his eyes flicker between your eyes, then to the hair sprawled over your shoulders, and your fingers with which you anxiously fiddle with the wet paper towel on the table.
the downward turn to his lips and the shakiness of his gaze makes you feel uneasy. he looks so sad.
"did i disappoint you? it's a boring vision-" you start.
"no, no, no!" he shakes his head adamantly. "it's not that you never-"
severus takes a deep breath. "you never bore me, y/n. it's just that- for someone your age i would have expected something more like what weasley saw,"
"queen of slytherin?"
"not like that. but maybe you in a pretty dress, or as captain of the quidditch team- maybe with a boy wrapped around your finger."
"dad!"
"or a girl."
you smile, reaching out a hand to him.
"all i want is to help. it's all i could ever ask for."
he knows you mean it. his thumb rubs the back of your hand, comfortingly.
"i show not your face," he softly begins.
you glance up at the clock, before looking back into your father's dark grey eyes.
"...but your hearts desire."