Chapter 13
I was so exited for Christmas break. I managed to get Snape to bring me to Hogsmeade again so I could buy everyone's presents. Harry - A pocket watch, Hermione - Quiditch Through the Ages(her own copy), Ron- Rock Cakes, Neville- Magical Water Plants of the Highland Lochs, Fay and Parvati- Chocolates, Blaise- a Muggle Grimms' storybook(he never read one before), Weasley Twins- Acid Pops disguised as normal lollipops, and for Snape I got Parenting 101 as a joke and a Superman comic, since he's not familiar with muggle things.
I had fun shopping and later I had a snowball fight with Fred and George. We bewitched snowballs to follow Quirrel and pelt his turban. I got goosebumps every time it got hit, something bad seemed to be oozing out and it scared me. We ended up getting detention for it though.
The Common Room was nice and toasty but I couldn't say the same for the Dungeons. It was freezing down there. I had to use a heating charm on myself just to be able to make my potion. I was going to be staying at Hogwarts for break. I wasn't the only one staying though, Ron and Harry would be staying with me so I could just hang out with them, even though Ron pushed my buttons.
It was a day before the Holidays when Hagrid found out we were searching for Nicholas Flamel. Hermione had told me what happened after I stormed out and how Fluffly was guarding an item for Nicholas Flamel.
We entered the Great Hall to see the decorations all pretty. Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick were busy with the Christmas decorations.
"Ah, Hagrid, the last tree - put it in the far corner, would you?"
The hall looked spectacular. Festoons of holly and mistletoe hung all around the walls, and no less than twelve towering Christmas trees stood around the room, some sparkling with tiny icicles, some glittering with hundreds of candles.
"How many days you got left until yer holidays?" Hagrid asked.
"Just one," said Hermione. "And that reminds me - Harry, Ron, we've got half an hour before lunch, we should be in the library. Jess, you want to join us?" I shook my head no. I had been in the library way too much.
"Oh yeah, you're right," said Ron, tearing his eyes away from Professor Flitwick, who had golden bubbles blossoming out of his wand and was trailing them over the branches of the new tree.
"The library?" said Hagrid, following us out of the hall. "Just before the holidays? Bit keen, aren't yeh?"
"Oh, we're not working," Harry told him brightly. "Ever since you mentioned Nicolas Flamel we've been trying to find out who he is."
"You what?" Hagrid looked shocked. "Listen here - I've told yeh - drop it. It's nothin' to you what that dog's guardin'."
"We just want to know who Nicolas Flamel is, that's all," said Hermione.
"Unless you'd like to tell us and save us the trouble?" Harry added. "We must've been through hundreds of books already and we can't find him anywhere - just give us a hint - I know I've read his name somewhere."
"I'm sayin' nothin', said Hagrid flatly.
"Just have to find out for ourselves, then," said Ron, and they left Hagrid looking disgruntled and hurried off to the library.
"Kids right." I joked to Hagrid. He didn't seem to like my joke that much but he did give a semi-laugh.
I spent the rest of the day with Sherlock and Blaise. We had a snowball fight, I won. It was a lot of fun.
"Promise you'll write." I asked sticking out my pinky.
"I promise." He said, he linked his pinky with mine.
We parted ways and the next day break started.
It was soo boring, no one was around. Ron even started teaching Harry and myself wizards chess. It was lame. I had gotten so bored that I decided to enter the Slytherin Common Room.
I didn't remember how to get to the dead end that hid it, but I some how made it. I found myself standing in the dungeons in front of a stone wall. Once again it opened without me saying a word.
"Well let's get going then." I muttered out loud.
I walked into the Slytherin common room which was a long, low underground room with rough stone walls and ceiling from which round, greenish lamps were hanging on chains. There was a beautifully carved mantelpiece with a roaring fire under it. Two high backed chairs were around the cozy fire.
The dungeon seemed to extend partway under the lake, giving the light in the room a green tinge. The common room had lots of low backed black and dark green button-tufted, leather sofas, skulls, and dark wood cupboards. It has quite a grand atmosphere, but also quite a cold one. The noticeboard was decorated with tapestries featuring the adventures of famous Medieval Slytherins, I think.
It really was beautiful in a cold way. I was walking toward the stairs when an unmarked door caught my eye. The knob was a large emerald with silver. The door was looked very Wizard of Ozy with silver and emerald.
I hesitantly reached toward the knob and grasped it. With a slight twist it opened wide. I was greeted by black eery stairs. For some reason there were no cobwebs nor dust. It was all very peculiar but I walked up the dark stairs.
At the top of the stairs was another door. This door was not so elaborate and sparkly as the first door. It was a plain black door with a silver snake as the frame. The head of the snake crept down into the middle of the door and moved forward as if it was attacking you, with it's mouth wide open. The eyes of the snake were small emeralds. No knob was found on the door.
For some strange reason I was fascinated by the snake, I wanted to touch it. So I did. I reached my hand up near the snake and hesitantly touched it's head. The metal was so realistic, it felt slightly scaled. I moved my hand down onto the emeralds. When I touched the emeralds I felt a zap through my body. It wasn't painful, just unexpected.
I heard a loud sound of mechanics then the door opened.
"Woah!" I exclaimed.
The room was semi-large with emerald green walls and a large silver chandelier on the ceiling. There was also a very large couch, five tall chairs, and a dresser next to the couch, all in black. There were also portraits on the wall of who I believe to be descendants of Salizar Slytherin.
Before I even put my foot down in the room it changed. Suddenly in front of me was a bedroom of medium size. A silver double king sized bed with emerald and black sheets and comforters. The drapes around it were also emerald. The walls had changed color as well, now they were black and silver. There also was a large walk-in closet with beautiful dresses, all in my size, a dresser, nightstand, lounge, connecting bathroom, lamps, and a large jewelry box. Of course the theme in the room also had snakes.
I went toward the jewelry box, because hello jewelry, and opened the doors and drawers of it.
"Oh. My. God."
Inside the box was a beautiful silver and emerald snake ring. The snake twisted around a finger so beautifully. Its eyes were a hypnotizing blue too. I fell in love with it so I placed it on my right ring finger. It was the perfect size too! When I placed it on the eyes lit up. There was a note that laid underneath it that read:
This ring belongs to the truest Slytherin Heir. The one who decides the elder's fate, does so by deciding their's first. They must choose their friends wisely or else the world will fall into complete chaos. This ring will link with them as they places it upon their left ring finger, on any other finger it will form a semi-link to not get lost. Know that only a full link will unlock their potential and help them with the elder's fate.
I reread the note twice. I was confused as to the total meaning of the note, but I understood the gist of it. My brain gave me the idea that it had something to do with the prophecy that the Sorting Hat had mentioned in before term started. I had already put the ring on my right ring finger and didn't want to take it off, so I stuffed the note in my pocket and left back to my room.
I didn't want to wake up alone on Christmas, like I had for years in the orphanage, so I stayed in the boys dormitory with Sherlock. Yes I know I should have stayed with Snape, but we were still working on our relationship and I didn't want him to hate me. I slept in Neville's bed because it was the cleanest.
I awoke first on Christmas so I crawled into Ron's bed enclosing and did a silencing charm to barrier the sound. I awoke him in the best way ever by yelling, "RONALD BILLIUS WEASLEY WAKE YOUR FAT ARSE UP AND COME OPEN PRESENTS BECAUSE IT'S CHRISTMAS!"
I also jumped on him, boy was his reaction priceless. He started screaming something about spiders. I should have brought a camera because his face was priceless.
He then went to wake up Harry, meanwhile I started going through my presents. I had the largest pile. Whoohoo!
"Merry Christmas," said Ron sleepily as Harry scrambled out of bed and pulled on his bathrobe.
"You, too," said Harry. "Will you look at this? I've got some presents!"
"What did you expect, turnips?" said Ron.
I let out a snort, turnips for Christmas, just too funny.
So I got many presents and I shall list them all. Blaise- A Guide to Color Changing, it was a book on how to change the color of objects and people etc., long story. Harry- A miniature broom, Ron- chocolate, Fay- Chocolate that had magical qualities, Parvati- regular chocolate, Hagrid- Rock Cakes, Snape- A beautiful emerald cloak and an identical gold cloak. I fell in love with those cloaks immediately and put the green one on.
The boys said it looked beast on me, well they didn't say beast but same thing.
Anyways I also got a pranks set from the twins, Dumbledore- color changing socks, some of the other teachers got me candy as well, and Hermione got me Monopoly.
The last thing I had left was a lumpy parcel, Harry had one too, it seemed that it was a Weasley sweater, or jumper as they say. I opened mine to find a nice thick hand-made sweater. It was an emerald green, ironically, and on the front was a large gold J.
Apparently the twins told their mom all about me. I thought it was really sweet of her to make me such a nice thing. I took off the cloak and folded it then put on the lovely sweater.
I had nothing more to open so I waited for the boys to finish. Harry had one last parcel left that he began to open. Something fluid and silvery gray went slithering to the floor where it lay in gleaming folds.
"Merlin!" I gasped. "How did you get this? It's so rare and extremely valuable! Harry do you know what this is?!?"
Harry shook his head no and said, "What is it?"
"It's an invisibility cloak!" I screeched, "Go on, try it on!"
Harry threw the cloak around his shoulders and Ron gave a yell.
"It is! Look down!" Ron yelled.
All that could be seen of Harry was his head, floating in midair. Harry pulled the cloak over his head and his reflection vanished completely. "Beast." I murmured in awe.
There's a note!" said Ron suddenly. "A note fell out of it!"
Harry pulled off the cloak and seized the letter while I went to admire the beauty of his cloak. Ron said something about how he really would want one, but I wasn't really paying attention to him because I was thinking of what I could do with it. The pranks I could pull would be awesome.
Before anything else was said about the cloak Fred and George bounded in the room. I noticed that Harry hid the cloak, but I didn't mention it.
"Merry Christmas!"
"Hey, look - Harry and Jess got Weasley sweaters, too!"
Fred and George were wearing blue sweaters, one with a large yellow F on it, the other a G.
"Harry's is better than ours, though," said Fred, holding up Harry's sweater. "She obviously makes more of an effort if you're not family."
"Why aren't you wearing yours, Ron?" George demanded. "Come on, get it on, they're lovely and warm."
"I hate maroon," Ron moaned halfheartedly as he pulled it over his head.
"You haven't got a letter on yours," George observed. "I suppose she thinks you don't forget your name. But we're not stupid - we know we're called Gred and Forge."
I giggled at that, ah those buffoons. "Hey I've got a letter too." I pointed out. "Did you tell her I was a ditz?"
The boys did a little 'I'm Innocent' whistle, while they looked around. I was about to tackle them, but I was interrupted.
"What's all this noise?"
Percy Weasley stuck his head through the door, looking disapproving. He had clearly gotten halfway through unwrapping his presents as he, too, carried a lumpy sweater over his arm, which Fred seized.
"P for prefect! Get it on, Percy, come on, we're all wearing ours, even Harry and Jess got them."
"I - don't - want -" said Percy thickly, as the twins forced the sweater over his head, knocking his glasses askew.
"And you're not sitting with the prefects today, either," said George. "Christmas is a time for family."
"WOOHOO! I'M A WEASLEY!" I yelled throwing my hands up in the air.
They frog-marched Percy from the room, his arms pinned to his side by his sweater. I trailed behind like a lost puppy, with my puppy following me.
I got Sherlock the cutest collar and leash set, plus a jacket, scarf, and hat. He seemed to enjoy them as he pranced along behind us.
In all my life I had never seen such a Christmas dinner. A hundred fat, roast turkeys; mountains of roast and boiled potatoes; platters of chipolatas; tureens of buttered peas, silver boats of thick, rich gravy and cranberry sauce - and stacks of wizard crackers every few feet along the table. These fantastic party favors, which I had just discovered Muggles also have in Britain. Up at the High Table, Dumbledore had swapped his pointed wizard's hat for a flowered bonnet, and was chuckling merrily at a joke Professor Flitwick had just read him.
Flaming Christmas puddings followed the turkey. Percy nearly broke his teeth on a silver sickle embedded in his slice. I watched Hagrid get redder and redder in the face as he called for more wine, finally kissing Professor McGonagall on the cheek, who giggled and blushed, her top hat lopsided.
When I had finally left the table, I was laden down with a stack of things out of the crackers, including a pack of nonexplodable, luminous balloons, a Grow-Your-Own-Warts kit, a large feathered hat, and much more. The white mice had disappeared, probably being eaten by Mrs. Norris.
Before dinner I left the Weasleys to spend some Christmas with Snape. Since we're family and all it was the right thing to do. I walked down to the dungeons and knocked on Snape's door. I held his presents behind my back as Sherlock and myself waited for the door to open.
When the door finally opened I yelled out, "Merry Christmas Snapey!"
"Merry Christmas Jess." He said with a slight smile.
Snape opened the door wide enough for Sherlock and myself to enter. We entered his, well I guess it's sort of our, humble abode. Nothing had changed since I moved into the Gryffindor Dorms, except there was a beautifully decorated Christmas tree in the living room. Underneath were even more presents!
I set down the gifts I got for Snape and gave him a large hug. "Aw thanks Snape." I said into his cloak. I released him and gave him a large smile. "I love the cloaks too. I was wearing one but the Weasley sweaters were calling to me."
Snape ruffled my hair affectionately and sat on the couch. "Are you going to open your presents?" Snaperz asked. "Or should I return all of them?"
He began to get up, but I pushed him back down. "Stay." I commanded him. "I shall open the presents." I began to tear into the wrappings. I got the most awesome things, such as: new Muggle Converse, advanced spell books, advanced potions books, the cutest new clothes, and much more.
I had finished opening all my presents and sat in the midst of the wrapping paper. "Thank you so much for the presents!" I squealed in glee. "I've never had so many gifts before. Ms. Tara tried to give everyone gifts, but it was difficult at times to support all us children, even with the government's money."
"Well there is one more thing, but I don't know if you'll actually want it." Snape replied with a slight twinkle in his eyes.
"I do! I do!" I screeched bouncing in spot. "Pleaseee, Dad!" I stopped bouncing and the room fell silent. I had never called him Dad before, so I felt awkward. "I mean, uh Snape, sorry."
Snape didn't say anything, instead he waved his wand and a large parcel appeared. Snape handed me the parcel, still not speaking, and motioned me to open it.
I was still feeling awkward about the whole dad slip, so I hesitantly opened the parcel. I tore the paper off and opened the box, inside was a beautiful broom! Not just any broom it was a Nimbus Two Thousand!
"Oh My God. Da- I mean Snape! You got me a broom, not just any old broom but a brand spanking new Nimbus Two Thousand!" I screamed jumping up and down. I ran over to Snape and tackled him in a large hug. "You're the best." I whispered to him.
"Well I'm glad you like it." Remarked Snape. "I've, ah, seen you borrowing Potter's broom to fly, and I know how bad the school brooms are so I figured you would want a broom of your own."
The rest of the day I spent with Snape. We hung out doing random things just chilling out together before dinner.
After a meal of turkey sandwiches, crumpets, trifle, and Christmas cake, everyone felt too full and sleepy to do much before bed except sit and watch Percy chase Fred and George all over Gryffindor tower because they'd stolen his prefect badge.
It was my best Christmas day ever, which I would remember forever. I fell asleep in happy bliss, even though the boys dorm was beginning to smell.
My nice comfortable sleep was interrupted by a squeaking, like a bed.
"Hrgheg." I mumbled. I heard a reply, but it didn't register in my mind. I fell back asleep dreaming of having a grand family.
In the morning Harry explained the squeaking I heard. Apparently he found a mirror that showed him with his family. It sounded really awesome. I wish he had woken me up. Ron thought the same thing.
"You can come tonight, I'm going back, I want to show you the mirror."
"I'd like to see your mom and dad," Ron said eagerly.
"Me too!" I pitched in.
"And I want to see all your family, all the Weasleys, you'll be able to show me your other brothers and everyone." Harry replied.
"You can see them any old time," said Ron. "Just come round my house this summer. Anyway, maybe it only shows dead people. Shame about not finding Flamel, though. Have some bacon or something, why aren't you eating anything?"
"Are you all right?" said Ron. "You look odd."
Harry was quiet and didn't really eat the rest of the day.
We tried retracing Harry's route from the library, wandering around the dark passageways for nearly an hour.
"I'm freezing," I moaned. "Let's forget it and go back."
"No!" Harry hissed. "I know it's here somewhere."
We passed the ghost of a tall witch gliding in the opposite direction, but saw no one else. Ron started moaning that his feet were dead with cold just as Harry seemed to have found his way.
"It's here - just here - yes!"
"See?" Harry whispered.
"I can't see anything." Ron complained.
"Look! Look at them all... there are loads of them..."
"I can only see you."
"Same Harry." I agreed.
"Look in it properly, go on, stand where I am."
Harry stepped aside and Ron stepped forward.
"Look at me!" he said.
"Can you see all your family standing around you?"
"No - I'm alone - but I'm different - I look older - and I'm head boy!"
"What?"
"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." Ron tore his eyes away from this splendid sight to look excitedly at Harry.
I pushed Ron out of the way to look myself. I saw a woman, she had auburn colored hair down to her waist. She looked familiar to me. It suddenly hit me...
"Mom." I gasped.
There stood my mother with me. Next to us was...
"Snape?" I whispered.
We all had large smiles and looked like a true family. Even Sherlock was there! I stepped away from the mirror where I could no longer see myself with a family. The mirror reflected the room, but no images stood out.
"Do you think this mirror shows the future?"
"How can it? All my family are dead - let me have another look -"
"You had it to yourself all last night, give me a bit more time."
"Hey ladies first." I butted in.
"You're only holding the Quidditch cup, what's interesting about that? I want to see my parents."
"Don't push me -"
A sudden noise outside in the corridor put an end to our dispute. I hadn't realized how loudly we had been talking.
"Quick!"
Ron threw the cloak back over us as the luminous eyes of Mrs. Norris came round the door. We stood quite still, all thinking the same thing - did the cloak work on cats? After what seemed an age, she turned and left.
"This isn't safe - she might have gone for Filch, I bet she heard us. Come on."
And Ron and I pulled Harry out of the room.
The snow still hadn't melted the next morning.
"Want to play chess, Harry?" said Ron.
"No."
"Why don't we go down and visit Hagrid?" I suggested.
"No... you go..."
"I know what you're thinking about, Harry, that mirror. Don't go back tonight."
"Why not?"
"I dunno, I've just got a bad feeling about it - and anyway, you've had too many close shaves already. Filch, Snape, and Mrs. Norris are wandering around. So what if they can't see you? What if they walk into you? What if you knock something over?" I questioned.
"You sound like Hermione."
"I'm serious, Harry, don't go."
I knew Harry wouldn't listen so I tried to follow him. I couldn't see Harry with the cloak on, but I vaguely remembered the way.
I was a bit lost when I heard a voice speaking. I followed the voice to the room that held the mirror. Inside were Dumbledore and Harry sitting on the floor.
-you, like hundreds before you, have discovered the delights of the Mirror of Erised." Dumbledore was saying.
"I didn't know it was called that, Sir."
"But I expect you've realized by now what it does?"
"It - well - it shows me my family -"
"And it showed your friend Ron himself as head boy and young Jessica with her family."
"How did you know -?"
"I don't need a cloak to become invisible," said Dumbledore gently. "Now, can you think what the Mirror of Erised shows us all?"
I was in the shadows, but no doubt Dumbledore knew of my presence. "Our greatest desires." I whispered in awe. "Erised is desire spelt backwards or mirrored."
"-deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts. You, who have never known your family, see them standing around you. Ronald Weasley, who has always been overshadowed by his brothers, sees himself standing alone, the best of all of them. Jess sees a new family, because she was abandoned by her family. However, this mirror will give us neither knowledge or truth. Men have wasted away before it, entranced by what they have seen, or been driven mad, not knowing if what it shows is real or even possible."
"The Mirror will be moved to a new home tomorrow, Harry, and I ask you not to go looking for it again. If you ever do run across it, you will now be prepared. It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live, remember that. Now, why don't you put that admirable cloak back on and get off to bed?"
Harry stood up.
"Sir - Professor Dumbledore? Can I ask you something?"
"Obviously, you've just done so," Dumbledore smiled. "You may ask me one more thing, however."
"What do you see when you look in the mirror?"
"I? I see myself holding a pair of thick, woolen socks."
Harry stared.
"One can never have enough socks," said Dumbledore. "Another Christmas has come and gone and I didn't get a single pair. People will insist on giving me books."
Harry left and I stepped out of the shadows.
"Professor how did you know what I saw?" I asked.
"You said two things, do you remember what?"
"I- I said Mom and Snape." I looked at my feet. "Before the mirror is moved can I have one more look?" I pleaded giving my best puppy dog face. Dumbledore let out a hearty laugh and moved so I could look.
I stood in front of the Mirror of Erised one last time. I was greeted with the warm smile of my Mom and Snape, but there was a darkness in the background now. I couldn't tell what it was except it may be human. Sherlock was anxious in the Mirror, but it was time to go so I couldn't examine the scene further.
"Thanks Dumbledore." I said. I turned to walk away, but I stopped in my tracks. "What you told Harry, about seeing socks, it's not true is it? What you see, it's too personal to talk about freely, am I right?"
Dumbledore let out a sigh. "Some things are better to lie about than to even mention at all." I walked away, leaving Dumbledore standing in front of the Mirror to examine what ever his greatest desire is.