Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi.

Christmas was coming. Neptunia could feel it, the sluggishness of animals; the numbness in the plants' veins and just the general feeling in the air confirmed her thoughts. Not that she minded, because honestly? It was the best season because she got to wear all kinds of snarky hoodies.

One morning in mid-December, Hogwarts woke to find itself covered in several feet of snow. The lake froze solid and the Weasley twins were punished for bewitching several snowballs so that they followed Quirrell around, bouncing off the back of his turban. The few owls that managed to battle their way through the stormy sky to deliver mail had to be nursed back to health by Hagrid before they could fly off again. Neptunia assisted him a few times by communicating with the animals.

No one could wait for the holidays to start. While the Gryffindor common room and the Great Hall had roaring fires, the drafty corridors had become icy and a bitter wind rattled the windows in the classrooms. Worst of all was Uncle Sev's classes down in the dungeons, where their breath rose in a mist before them and they kept as close as possible to their hot cauldrons. Neptunia, however, was being used by all as a personal heater as she turned her hair into the hot but harmless fire.

"I do feel so sorry," said Draco Malfoy, one Potions class, "for all those people who have to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas because they're not wanted at home. "

He was looking over at Harry as he spoke. Crabbe and Goyle chuckled. Harry, who was measuring out the powdered spine of lionfish, ignored them. Neptunia who had been sitting behind Malfoy turned frigid and Harry smirked, looks like Malfoy will be suffering for the next half hour.

Malfoy had been even more unpleasant than usual since the Quidditch match. Disgusted that the Slytherins had lost, he had tried to get everyone laughing at how a wide-mouthed tree frog would be replacing Harry as Seeker next. Then he'd realized that nobody found this funny, because they were all so impressed at the way Harry had managed to stay on his bucking broomstick. So Malfoy, jealous and angry, had gone back to taunting Harry about having no proper family, which in turn angered Neptunia but instead of turning into her usual fire, she had managed to control it and turn it into ice. When Harry asked her about this, she simply said that she was practising controlling her emotions.

It was true that Harry wasn't going back to Privet Drive for Christmas, neither was Neptunia. Professor McGonagall had come around the week before, making a list of students who would be staying for the holidays, and Harry had signed up at once along with Neptunia. He didn't feel sorry for himself at all; this would probably be the best Christmas he'd ever had. Ron and his brothers were staying, too, because Mr and Mrs Weasley were going to Romania to visit Charlie.

Neptunia felt relieved that she didn't have to go to the cold and draft orphanage. No doubt it had been rebuilt and remodelled as promised but she didn't want to face the awful memories associated with that place.

When they left the dungeons at the end of Potions, they found a large fir tree blocking the corridor ahead. Two enormous feet sticking out at the bottom and a loud puffing sound told them that Hagrid was behind it.

"Hi, Hagrid, want any help?" Ron asked, sticking his head through the branches.

"Nah, I'm all right, thanks, Ron. "

Neptunia poked her head through as well, "You sure? I could lift it up and it'll be done?"

"Would you mind moving out of the way?" came Malfoy's cold drawl from behind them. "Are you trying to earn some extra money, Weasley? Hoping to be gamekeeper yourself when you leave Hogwarts, I suppose -- that hut of Hagrid's must seem like a palace compared to what your family's used to. "

Ron dived at Malfoy just as Snape came up the stairs. Neptunia stepped forward but stopped.

"WEASLEY!"

Ron let go of the front of Malfoy's robes. Neptunia stepped forward standing in between the two facing Draco. Just...why?!

"He was provoked, Professor Snape," said Hagrid, sticking his huge hairy face out from behind the tree. "Malfoy was insultin' his family. " Neptunia nodded, "That's right sir."

"Be that as it may, fighting is against Hogwarts rules, Hagrid," said Snape silkily. "Five points from Gryffindor, Weasley, and be grateful it isn't more. Move along, all of you. "

Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle pushed roughly past the tree, scattering needles everywhere and smirking. Neptunia glared at Draco who stopped, ducked his head and walked away.

"I'll get him," said Ron, grinding his teeth at Malfoy's back, "one of these days, I'll get him--"

"I hate them both," said Harry, "Malfoy and Snape. "

"Come on, cheer up, it's nearly Christmas," said Hagrid. "Tell yeh what, come with me an' see the Great Hall, looks a treat. "

So the four of them followed Hagrid and his tree off to the Great Hall, where 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. "

"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 them 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. "

Neptunia was staring off, frowning, "I know I've read it somewhere. My mind is a bit uncooperative these days." She looked away murmuring, "Maybe it's the influx of emotions...hmm."

"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.

They had indeed been searching books for Flamel's name ever since Hagrid had let it slip, because how else were they going to find out what Snape was trying to steal? ("I'm telling you guys! It's Quirrel! That bastard reeks of darkness!" You can just guess who said that.) The trouble was, it was very hard to know where to begin, not knowing what Flamel might have done to get himself into a book. He wasn't in Great Wizards of the Twentieth Century, or Notable Magical Names of Our Time ; he was missing, too, from Important Modern Magical Discoveries, and A Study of Recent Developments in Wizardry. And then, of course, there was the sheer size of the library; tens of thousands of books; thousands of shelves; hundreds of narrow rows.

Hermione took out a list of subjects and titles she had decided to search while Ron strode off down a row of books and started pulling them off the shelves at random. Harry wandered over to the Restricted Section. Neptunia was talking to Madam Pince. He had been wondering for a while if Flamel wasn't somewhere in there. Unfortunately, you needed a specially signed note from one of the teachers to look in any of the restricted books, and he knew he'd never get one. These were the books containing powerful Dark Magic never taught at Hogwarts, and only read by older students studying advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts.

"What are you looking for, boy?"

"Nothing," said Harry.

Madam Pince the librarian brandished a feather duster at him. NEptunia was standing behind her, staring exasperatedly at Harry.

"You'd better get out, then. Go on -- out!"

Wishing he'd been a bit quicker at thinking up some story, Harry left the library. He, Ron, and Hermione had already agreed they'd better not ask Madam Pince where they could find Flamel. They were sure she'd be able to tell them, but they couldn't risk Snape hearing what they were up to. Neptunia, however, didn't agree and she was chatting with Madam Pince about various magical discoveries.

Harry waited outside in the corridor to see if the other two had found anything, but he wasn't very hopeful. They had been looking for two weeks, after all, but as they only had odd moments between lessons it wasn't surprising they'd found nothing. What they really needed was a nice long search without Madam Pince breathing down their necks.

Five minutes later, Ron and Hermione joined him, shaking their heads. Neptunia came out smiling but she just winked (I'll charm Madam Pince, all librarians like a quiet nerd). They went off to lunch.

"You will keep looking while I'm away, won't you?" said Hermione. "And send me an owl if you find anything. "

"And you could ask your parents if they know who Flamel is," said Ron. "It'd be safe to ask them. "

"Very safe, as they're both dentists," said Hermione dryly. Neptunia giggled and nudged her.

Once the holidays had started, Ron and Harry were having too good a time to think much about Flamel. They had the dormitory to themselves and the common room was far emptier than usual, so they were able to get the good armchairs by the fire. They sat by the hour eating anything they could spear on a toasting fork -- bread, English muffins, marshmallows -- and plotting ways of getting Malfoy expelled, which were fun to talk about even if they wouldn't work.

Ron also started teaching Harry wizard chess. This was exactly like Muggle chess except that the figures were alive, which made it a lot like directing troops in battle. Ron's set was very old and battered. Like everything else he owned, it had once belonged to someone else in his family -- in this case, his grandfather. However, old chessmen weren't a drawback at all. Ron knew them so well he never had trouble getting them to do what he wanted.

Harry played with chessmen Seamus Finnigan had lent him, and they didn't trust him at all. He wasn't a very good player yet and they kept shouting different bits of advice at him, which was confusing. "Don't send me there, can't you see his knight? Send him, we can afford to lose him."

Neptunia, on the other hand, had been reading up on different kinds of wands and what they meant, she was starting to think that each wand had a personality which suited each owner and magically gravitate towards them. Neptunia would sometimes go to a boulder beyond the Black Lake and sketch out anything. Sometimes, she'd go to the kitchens for a cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows. Neptunia had also learned wizard's chess and beat Harry twice and Ron once. Also, whenever Seamus's pieces would give her advice, she would do the exact opposite of what they said, making them shut up.

On Christmas Eve, Harry went to bed looking forward to the next day for the food and the fun, but not expecting any presents at all. He was woken up the next day with Neptunia jumping on the foot of his bed before she leapt and landed on Ron's bed.

"MERRY CHRISTMAS!!" She yelled.

Harry woke up and wore his glasses, surprised to see a pile of presents. Ron woke as well, but he did so slowly.

Neptunia smiled and left them to their own devices. She ran up to her own dormitory. She had a small pile. She had gotten a muggle novel from Hermione, a bunch of coloured hair ties from Harry, A lumpy parcel which contained a dark grey turtle neck sweater with the Hogwarts logo on it along with homemade fudge. She smiled and wore it immediately and went to the present from Uncle Sev who had gotten her a few books on Mind Shielding and what not. From Hagrid, she had gotten a small wooden owl which looked like it was hand-carved. Neptunia smiled and decided that she would paint it later. From Draco, she had gotten a few watercolours and a notebook for her sketches. She had laughed when she realised she had gotten paint but not the kind she needed for the wood.

Neptunia, herself, bought a few gifts for the others. Neptunia got Hermione a book as well, one that Hermione said that she wanted to read. For Harry, she got a book on Quidditch plays. She got Ron, a new set of chess pieces. For Uncle Sev, she bought a bunch of labels and markers because the old ones were peeling off and she wanted to give him a hint. For Hagrid, she got a book on muggle animals extinct and living. For Draco, she got a potions supplies kit since he liked to experiment. Neptunia got up and wrote a quick thank you letter for Mrs Weasley which she decided to mail later.

Neptunia walked downstairs and laughed as she saw the twins frog-marched Percy. Neptunia smiled, yeah. She could get used to this. This feeling of home.

Harry and Neptunia had never in all their life had 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 favours were nothing like the feeble Muggle ones the Dursleys usually bought, with their little plastic toys and their flimsy paper hats inside. Harry pulled a wizard cracker with Fred and it didn't just bang, it went off with a blast like a cannon and engulfed them all in a cloud of blue smoke, while from the inside exploded a rear admiral's hat and several live, white mice. 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. Neptunia sat beside her Uncle Sev as she nudged him no and then and he sported a small amused smirk.

Flaming Christmas puddings followed the turkey. Percy nearly broke his teeth on a silver sickle embedded in his slice. Harry watched Hagrid getting redder and redder in the face as he called for more wine, finally kissing Professor McGonagall on the cheek, who, to Harry's amazement, giggled and blushed, her top hat lopsided. He glanced at Neptunia who was sporting a similar expression to him.

When Harry finally left the table, he 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, and his own new wizard chess set like Ron's. The white mice had disappeared and Harry had a nasty feeling they were going to end up as Mrs Norris's Christmas dinner. Neptunia looked at the mice and pointed a direction for hiding and they quickly saluted her and disappeared. Not that anyone noticed this.

Harry, Neptunia and the Weasleys spent a happy afternoon having a furious snowball fight on the grounds. Then, cold, wet, and gasping for breath, they returned to the fire in the Gryffindor common room, where Harry broke in his new chess set by losing spectacularly to Ron, who also broke in his new chess set. Harry suspected he wouldn't have lost so badly if Percy hadn't tried to help him so much.

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. Neptunia lay in front of him on the couch reading the muggle book, The Honest Truth by Dan Gemeinhart, given to her by Hermione. Harry felt scared when Neptunia started crying before she quickly wiped her tears and smiled reassuringly at him.

It had been Harry's best Christmas day ever. Yet something had been nagging at the back of his mind all day. Not until he climbed into bed was he free to think about it: the invisibility cloak and whoever had sent it.

Ron, full of turkey and cake and with nothing mysterious to bother him, fell asleep almost as soon as he'd drawn the curtains of his four-poster. Harry leaned over the side of his own bed and pulled the cloak out from under it.

His father's. . . this had been his father's. He let the material flow over his hands, smoother than silk, light as air. Use it well, the note had said.

He had to try it, now. He slipped out of bed and wrapped the cloak around himself. Looking down at his legs, he saw only moonlight and shadows. It was a very funny feeling.

Use it well.

Suddenly, Harry felt wide-awake. The whole of Hogwarts was open to him in this cloak. Excitement flooded through him as he stood there in the dark and silence. He could go anywhere in this, anywhere, and Filch would never know.

Ron grunted in his sleep. Should Harry wake him? Something held him back -- his father's cloak -- he felt that this time -- the first time -- he wanted to use it alone. But then he stopped, Neptunia had been there for all his first experiences. It would be odd to start without her. After all, they were best friends, weren't they?

He crept out of the dormitory, down the stairs, across the common room and was about to turn towards the girls' dormitory when he saw Neptunia sleeping on the couch, book that she was reading in hand along with a pencil. He walked towards her and woke her up. Explaining everything, he told her that he wanted her to be there even if it was his father's.

They together got under it and walked out the portrait hole. "Who's there?" squawked the Fat Lady. They said nothing. They walked quickly down the corridor.

Where should they go? Harry stopped, his heart racing, and thought. And then it came to him. The Restricted Section in the library. He'd be able to read as long as he liked, as long as it took to find out who Flamel was. He looked towards Neptunia who nodded. Drawing the invisibility cloak tight around them, they walked towards the library.

The library was pitch-black and very eerie. Harry lit a lamp to see his way along the rows of books. The lamp looked as if it was floating along in midair, and even though Harry could feel his arm supporting it, the sight gave him the creeps. Neptunia was just grinning.

The Restricted Section was right at the back of the library. Stepping carefully over the rope that separated these books from the rest of the library, he held up his lamp to read the titles.

They didn't tell him much. Their peeling faded gold letters spelt words in languages Harry couldn't understand. Neptunia was tilting her head at a few of them. He would ask her later. Some had no title at all. One book had a dark stain on it that looked horribly like blood. The hairs on the back of Harry's neck prickled. Maybe he was imagining it, maybe not, but he thought a faint whispering was coming from the books, as though they knew someone was there who shouldn't be. Neptunia dragged him forward.

She walked forwards searching for a book. She dragged her fingers across different spines trying to use the new trick she had learned.

Meanwhile, Harry was thinking hard. He had to start somewhere. Setting the lamp down carefully on the floor, he looked along the bottom shelf for an interesting looking book. A large black and silver volume caught his eye. He pulled it out with difficulty, because it was very heavy, and, balancing it on his knee, let it fall open.

A piercing, bloodcurdling shriek split the silence -- the book was screaming! Harry snapped it shut, but the shriek went on and on, one high, unbroken, earsplitting note. He stumbled backward and knocked over his lamp, which went out at once. Neptunia rushed towards him. Panicking, he heard footsteps coming down the corridor outside -- stuffing the shrieking book back on the shelf, he ran for it. They passed Filch in the doorway; Filch's pale, wild eyes looked straight through them, and they slipped under Filch's outstretched arm and streaked off up the corridor, the book's shrieks still ringing in their ears.

He came to a sudden halt in front of a tall suit of armor. He had been so busy getting away from the library, he hadn't paid attention to where he was going. Perhaps because it was dark, he didn't recognize where he was at all. There was a suit of armour near the kitchens, he knew, but he must be five floors above there. Neptunia was looking around trying to figure where they were.

"You asked me to come directly to you, Professor if anyone was wandering around at night, and somebody's been in the library Restricted Section. "

Harry felt the blood drain out of his face and Neptunia's hair turned lighter. Wherever they were, Filch must know a shortcut, because his soft, greasy voice was getting nearer, and to his horror but to Neptunia's relief, it was Snape who replied, "The Restricted Section? Well, they can't be far, we'll catch them. "

They stood rooted to the spot as Filch and Snape came around the corner ahead. They couldn't see them, of course, but it was a narrow corridor and if they came much nearer they'd knock right into them -- the cloak didn't stop them from being solid.

They backed away as quietly as they could. A door stood ajar to their left. It was their only hope. They squeezed through it, holding their breath, trying not to move it, and to his relief and Neptunia's as well. They managed to get inside the room without them noticing anything. They walked straight past, and Harry leaned against the wall, breathing deeply, listening to their footsteps dying away. Neptunia just slid down, eyes closed. That had been close, very close. It was a few seconds before he noticed anything about the room he had hidden in.

It looked like an unused classroom. The dark shapes of desks and chairs were piled against the walls, and there was an upturned wastepaper basket -- but propped against the wall facing him was something that didn't look as if it belonged there, something that looked as if someone had just put it there to keep it out of the way.

It was a magnificent mirror, as high as the ceiling, with an ornate gold frame, standing on two clawed feet. There was an inscription carved around the top: Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi. His panic fading now that there was no sound of Filch and Snape, Harry moved nearer to the mirror, wanting to look at himself but see no reflection again. He stepped in front of it.

He had to clap his hands to his mouth to stop himself from screaming. He whirled around. His heart was pounding far more furiously than when the book had screamed -- for he had seen not only himself in the mirror, but a whole crowd of people standing right behind him.

But the room was empty. Breathing very fast, he turned slowly back to the mirror.

There he was, reflected in it, white and scared-looking, and there, reflected behind him, were at least ten others. Harry looked over his shoulder -- but still, no one was there. Or were they all invisible, too? Was he in fact in a room full of invisible people and this mirror's trick was that it reflected them, invisible or not?

He looked in the mirror again. A woman standing right behind his reflection was smiling at him and waving. He reached out a hand and felt the air behind him. If she was really there, he'd touch her, their reflections were so close together, but he felt only air - she and the others existed only in the mirror.

She was a very pretty woman. She had dark red hair and her eyes -- her eyes are just like mine, Harry thought, edging a little closer to the glass. Bright green -- exactly the same shape, but then he noticed that she was crying; smiling, but crying at the same time. The tall, thin, black-haired man standing next to her put his arm around her. He wore glasses, and his hair was very untidy. It stuck up at the back, just as Harry's did.

Harry was so close to the mirror now that his nose was nearly touching that of his reflection.

"Mom?" he whispered. "Dad?"

They just looked at him, smiling. And slowly, Harry looked into the faces of the other people in the mirror, and saw other pairs of green eyes like his, other noses like his, even a little old man who looked as though he had Harry's knobbly knees -- Harry was looking at his family, for the first time in his life.

The Potters smiled and waved at Harry and he stared hungrily back at them, his hands pressed flat against the glass as though he was hoping to fall right through it and reach them. He had a powerful kind of ache inside him, half joy, half terrible sadness.

He turned and pulled Neptunia to it, she turned to him about to scold him but she caught sight of the mirror. She looked at the writing and then looked in it.

Neptunia gasped and blinked fast. She saw a man. His face appeared full of laughter. He had fair skin, medium, lustrous black hair, striking grey eyes like hers, and an air of 'casual elegance' He smiled at her. She looked towards the woman beside him, she looked quite like her. Her hair black, reaching down to her waist in a french braid. Just like mine, Neptunia thought. They both had arms around each other and one hand each on her. Behind them, Uncle Sev was standing, not quite smiling but he was happy, along with Draco who was full-on grinning. On the left of the man, who Neptunia figured was her father was Harry and what she assumed to be his parents. He really was a carbon-copy of his dad. Next to them was a man who looked young but had light brown hair. He had a few scars and she assumed this was her Godfather. She looked towards her the people standing near her Uncle. It was the Weasleys and Hermione along with all the children from the orphanage who were hugging her.

Neptunia was about to let out a choked sob but she covered her mouth with her hand. How her heart ached, she wanted to meet her parents. Her family. She stepped closer and pressed her forehead to reach them. Neptunia backed up a bit and held Harry's hand. They both stood there, holding hands and watching their families.

How long they stood there, they didn't know. The reflections did not fade and they looked and looked until a distant noise brought them back to his senses. They couldn't stay here, they had to find their way back to bed. Harry tore his eyes away from his mother's face, whispered, "I'll come back," and hurried from the room and Neptunia whispered the same and followed him.

"You could have woken me up," said Ron, crossly.

"You can come tonight, I'm going back, I want to show you the mirror." said Harry eagerly

"I'd like to see your mom and dad," Ron said just as eagerly.

"And I want to see all your family, all the Weasleys, you'll be able to show me your other brothers and everyone. "

"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?"

Harry couldn't eat. He had seen his parents and would be seeing them again tonight. He had almost forgotten about Flamel. It didn't seem very important anymore. Who cared what the three-headed dog was guarding? What did it matter if Snape stole it, really?

Neptunia stared at him, eyes wide. In her musings, her mind had opened up and she heard him. Harry really wouldn't let anyone with ill intent steal the stone! On the other hand, wasn't she just thinking the same thing (replaced with Quirrel, of course.) How had their thought process twisted so much?

"Are you all right?" said Ron. "You look odd."

Neptunia shook her head, "I'm fine."

With Ron covered in the cloak, too, they had to walk much more slowly the next night. They tried retracing Harry's route from the library, wandering around the dark passageways for nearly an hour.

"I'm freezing," said Ron. "Let's forget it and go back. "

"No!" Harry hissed. I know it's here somewhere. "

They passed the ghost of a tall witch gliding in the opposite direction but saw no one else. just as Ron started moaning that his feet were dead with cold, Harry spotted the suit of armour.

"It's here -- just here -- yes!"

They pushed the door open. Harry dropped the cloak from around his shoulders and ran to the mirror.

There they were. His mother and father beamed at the sight of him.

"See?" Harry whispered.

"I can't see anything. "

"Look! Look at them all. . . there are loads of them. . . "

"I can only see you. "

"Look in it properly, go on, stand where I am. "

Harry stepped aside, but with Ron in front of the mirror, he couldn't see his family anymore, just Ron in his paisley pajamas.

Ron, though, was staring transfixed at his image.

"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.

"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. "

"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 their discussion. They hadn't realized how loudly they had been talking.

"Quick!"

Ron threw the cloak back over them as the luminous eyes of Mrs. Norris came round the door. Neptunia, Ron and Harry stood quite still, both 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 pulled Harry out of the room.

The snow still hadn't melted the next morning. Neptunia was sitting on her usual spot using her water-colours. Ron smiled at her and Neptunia returned one back. Ron turned to Harry, who looked a bit distracted. They glanced at each other.

"Want to play chess, Harry?" said Ron.

"No. "

"Why don't we go down and visit Hagrid?" suggested Neptunia, once she put her water-colours aside.

"No. . . you guys go. . . "

"I know what you're thinking about, Harry, that mirror. Don't go back tonight. " said Ron.

"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?" Ron said as Neptunia looked away.

"You sound like Hermione. "

"I'm serious, Harry, don't go. "

But Harry only had one thought in his head, which was to get back in front of the mirror, and Ron and Neptunia weren't going to stop him.

That third night he found his way more quickly than before. He was walking so fast he knew he was making more noise than was wise, but he didn't meet anyone. And there were his mother and father smiling at him again, and one of his grandfathers nodding happily. Harry sank down to sit on the floor in front of the mirror. There was nothing to stop him from staying here all night with his family. Nothing at all.

The door creaked behind him, he turned around to see Neptunia, "Harry..."

Harry stood up, "You can't stop me from seeing this mirror."

Neptunia looked at the mirror before looking at him, "I know what you're feeling Harry. I see them too. My mom, dad, you and your family, Uncle Sev, my godfather, Draco, The Weasleys, The kids who used to be with me at the orphanage. Last night...couldn't see how impulsive it made us?"

Harry looked away from Neptunia towards the Mirror, towards his family. Neptunia was distressed, she turned around to walk away to call a teacher, only to find--

"So -- back again, Harry? And, Neptunia. I see you figured it out."

Harry felt as though his insides had turned to ice. He looked behind him. Sitting on one of the desks by the wall was none other than Albus Dumbledore. Harry must have walked straight past him, so desperate to get to the mirror he hadn't noticed him.

"I -- I didn't see you, sir. "

"Strange how nearsighted being invisible can make you," said Dumbledore, and Harry was relieved to see that he was smiling. Neptunia sat down beside Harry and put her head on his shoulder.

"So," said Dumbledore, slipping off the desk to sit on the floor with Harry, "you, like hundreds before you, have discovered the delights of the Mirror of Erised."

"I didn't know it was called that, Sir. " said Harry at the same time as Neptunia who scoffed, "Real subtle name."

"But I expect you've realized by now what it does?" said Dumbledore smiling.

"It -- well -- it shows me my family--"

"And it showed your friend Ron himself as head boy. "

"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?"

Harry shook his head.

"Let me explain. The happiest man on earth would be able to use the Mirror of Erised like a normal mirror, that is, he would look into it and see himself exactly as he is. Does that help?"

Harry thought. Then he said slowly, "It shows us what we want. . . whatever we want. . . "

"Yes and no," said Dumbledore quietly. "It shows us nothing more or less than the 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. Neptunia sees the same as you, but she also sees found family as well." He looked towards Neptunia who discreetly wiped a few tears. He looked back towards Harry. "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?"

Neptunia stood up and pulled Harry up as well. He looked towards Professor Dumbledore.

"Sir -- Professor Dumbledore? Can I ask you something?"

"Obviously, you've just done so," Dumbledore smiled. Neptunia smiled, shaking her head. "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, woollen socks. "

Harry stared and Neptunia laughed.

"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. "

It was only when he was back in bed that it struck Harry that Dumbledore might not have been quite truthful. But then, he thought, as he shoved Scabbers off his pillow, it had been quite a personal question.

Neptunia, however, was plotting to get the Professor some socks next year as a joke. Because it was quite obvious that he had deflected the question.