Between the Mirror and the Dawn
Harry observed the mirror for a moment in the middle of the room. It looked as if someone had left it there only a short while ago, simply to get rid of it. It was enormous and magnificent, almost reaching the ceiling of the classroom, with a finely crafted golden frame resting on supports that looked like claws gripping the floor.
Harry directed his gaze toward the inscriptions engraved around the frame.
"Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi." The words confused him for only an instant; however, the fright he felt afterward dispelled all doubt. He opened his eyes wide and brought a hand to his mouth, shocked.
He quickly turned around and began looking all over the room. Then he looked back at the mirror. In the reflection, besides his own figure, the room seemed full of people, at least a dozen. That made Harry look over his shoulder again; but, just like the first time, there was no one there.
For a moment he thought the mirror was some kind of trap that made invisible people visible; maybe all those individuals were using magic to hide themselves, just like he sometimes did.
However, he fixed his gaze on the mirror with seriousness. Right at the center, the magical particles seemed to tempt him to touch it; even the people reflected were looking at him with hope, especially the couple positioned in the front row, just on either side of his reflection.
Harry looked around again; then he slowly lifted his hand and touched the center of the glass.
Then, suddenly, the particles seemed to go wild, floating in all directions while he felt a pull. His body crossed through the mirror, placing him exactly where his reflection should be. Now, on the other side, he could see himself still standing in front of the mirror, as if an empty copy had been left behind. The people in the reflection were no longer there, because now they were behind him.
Harry turned around immediately, somewhat scared by the possibility that this was a trap meant to capture him. But before he could even think about drawing his wand or his magic tome, a surprisingly strong hug wrapped around him.
And a scent so familiar hit him that he almost went into shock.
"My baby," said the woman who hugged him tightly. Harry could feel the trembling of her body and the love that hug carried.
And as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, Harry murmured softly, "Mom."
"Yes, dear, it is Mom. It is Mom," replied Lily Evans as she held him with all her strength. Her face was covered in tears, and James Potter was right behind her, looking at both of them with affection, a gentle smile and a nod directed at Harry.
Behind him were several people; some resembled his father. A truly familiar couple, Fleamont and Euphemia, his grandparents; all gathered behind James.
On his mother's side there were surprisingly few people. Only a man with a confused expression, and behind him, his own parents. Further back, a mysterious individual covered with a black hood that hid almost his entire face. However, he had something peculiar: green eyes that shone intensely as he watched Harry with what seemed to be an interested smile.
Harry did not pay too much attention to that; he remained clinging to his mother's embrace, feeling that familiar warmth that awakened blurry memories of the brief months he lived with them. A few tears also rolled down his cheeks.
…
After a moment in which Lily and Harry held each other so tightly it seemed as if they were trying to recover one another after lost years, James let out a soft laugh, amused to see them both with red, teary eyes.
"It seems he really got the handsome looks; but your personality, eh, Lily," James commented with a proud smile. Harry's face was practically identical to his when he was young; except for his eyes, everything else looked like an exact copy.
Lily did not manage to respond, because Harry looked genuinely happy, though also confused.
"Ho… how?" Harry asked with emotion, thinking of a thousand things at once. He imagined his parents meeting Sally, Percy, his whole family. "How did you come back to life?" he asked at last.
Lily and James exchanged a look, a somewhat forced smile, sadness in their eyes, and then they directed that expression toward him.
Harry noticed it instantly and frowned. His gaze lowered almost involuntarily. Then he opened his eyes wide.
Everyone present had the lower part of their bodies as if they were ghosts; transparent, blurred, as if only the upper half was more physical. Even then, if he concentrated enough, he could see through them.
He understood that no, they had not come back to life. They were ghosts; echoes.
"I am sorry, Harry. We did not come back completely. We can only be here for tonight," Lily said softly, with deep sadness as she crouched down to caress his face.
"Why?" Harry asked almost immediately. "You cannot get out. I came in, so…"
"It is not that, Harry. We should not be here; well, we cannot say much, but someone tried really hard so that we could see you today," James explained calmly, with the voice of a father trying to be strong for his son.
Harry was speechless. He wanted to take them to meet Sally, Percy, his friends, his entire life; but a day was not enough for any of that.
Lily, with tears in her eyes, gazed at him with an ease only a mother could have, even if she never had the chance to raise him. The connection still existed.
"Harry, do not be sad. After all, we at least have one opportunity before going back. One chance to see you, to hear you and to know how you live. Someone told us that a very strong woman is taking care of you, and that you have a brother," Lily said with a sweet smile.
"Yes," Harry murmured, looking at the floor. He was deeply sad, but forced himself to breathe so he would not ruin the moment; this might be the only opportunity he would ever get.
Then he began to tell them everything. How he grew up with Percy. How his mother loved them both so much that she even pushed herself to exhaustion. How they discovered the magical world, the vault in Gringotts with the painting of Fleamont and Euphemia, who were listening with interest, since they were not truly them but copies of their memories. This was the first time they saw Harry. He also spoke of the Knights, of the Veil where ancient relics were protected. He did not care about sharing secrets; this was his family. He told them about the nonsense Sirius did to try to get Percy to like him, since Percy protected him too much. And he did the same for Percy, proving they were truly inseparable.
"It is a shame, isn't it?" James suddenly said to Lily, stopping Harry in the middle of his story. Both of them were looking at him with those identical green eyes.
"What is?" Lily asked, truly confused.
"If we weren't like this… I am sure we could have given Harry several siblings; in true Weasley style," James commented with a smile as he raised his eyebrows toward his wife.
Lily gazed at him with an exhausted expression and pushed him toward Fleamont and Euphemia, because it was definitely not the moment for that kind of joke, and least of all in front of their son. James's parents looked at him with disapproval, shaking their heads, which made James embarrassed.
Harry, even so, was amused for a moment; he really did not know his parents' personalities, and discovering them now, even through silly jokes, filled him with joy.
But Lily, suddenly, adopted a sad expression while looking through the mirror. The room that had been dark before now appeared slightly illuminated, as if dawn were about to arrive.
"Harry, it is time to go back," she said sadly. She looked at her son with such affection and love that one could almost feel how her heart hurt at having to say goodbye.
Harry also turned around and wore the same sad expression, trying hard to hold back his tears. "Will… will I see you again?" he asked with trembling lips.
"Yes, Harry. But… that will not be for a very long time," Lily replied softly. "In the meantime, I want you to listen carefully," she added with calm seriousness as she knelt down to be at his height.
Harry nodded quickly, as if he were about to receive instructions he would never disobey.
"I want you to eat well. I want you to grow up healthy. Do all your homework; although if it is very difficult, you can take breaks, do not overwhelm yourself. Do not eat too much junk food. Do not drink alcohol or any of those things. I want you to be strong. Take care of your mother Sally. Keep being the best brother to Percy. And above all… please, be happy," she said. It did not sound like a request; it sounded like a plea entrusted to Harry's life.
Harry nodded firmly, even though tears were falling down his cheeks.
"Ah, something was missing," James said, pointing at Lily with a smile.
"Right. Do not learn anything from your godfather. All those things would lead you down the wrong path; just like they did to your father," she said to Harry, although with a mischievous smile.
"Hey, I did not go down the wrong path," James protested immediately. "I married the most beautiful woman in Hogwarts and had an adorable son."
"And those two things were thanks to me," Lily replied without thinking.
Harry laughed again, wiping his tears, and nodded at the part about not learning from Sirius.
"Goodbye, dear," Lily said softly.
"Goodbye, champ," James greeted with pride.
"I hope you live a full life, my grandson," added Fleamont, while Euphemia quickly approached to give him a farewell hug.
Several of the others also said goodbye with smiles full of affection.
Even the hooded man, who had remained silent until the end, made a slight nod. For an instant, he looked toward the inside of the castle through the mirror with a gentle sadness, as if remembering familiar walls. Then his gaze shifted to a particular corner and a small smile appeared on his face for a moment.
Then Harry felt a pull on his back; his body began to be absorbed toward his real form outside the mirror. He managed to lift his hand toward his family, but he did not finish the gesture. Even so, he gave them a farewell smile, the same kind they were giving him.
The pull increased and his body was expelled, colliding strongly with his real body. He fell sitting on the floor of the classroom.
Harry rubbed his backside for a moment and quickly looked up at the mirror. Now there were no magical particles surrounding it; although he could still see the reflection of his parents. They did not look as alive as before, but rather like an image similar to animated portraits, watching him all the time with a gentle smile.
Knowing they were not truly them, Harry put on a sad expression and let out a sigh.
"It was a pleasure meeting you… Mom, Dad, Grandpa, Grandma. I will try to live the best life I can until we can meet again," Harry said as he lightly touched the surface of the mirror.
Then he took a deep breath, gathered courage, stopped looking at their reflections, and turned around to leave the classroom without looking back.
As soon as Harry left, someone who had been invisible suddenly appeared with a completely confused, shocked, and almost stunned expression.
If Harry had been there, he would have immediately recognized Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts. The old wizard looked toward the hallway where Harry had gone and then at the mirror, with notable surprise on his face.
He looked once more in the direction of the young boy and moved with slow steps toward the front of the mirror. He stopped right in front of it, contemplating his own reflection… and something else, something that for an instant made his eyes shine.
Dumbledore raised his hand and slowly brushed the surface, although he did not fully touch it, as if he did not feel worthy of doing so. Finally he touched the center of the mirror, but nothing happened. Not like it did with Harry.
Even so, Dumbledore spoke, almost in a whisper heavy with sadness.
"Hello," he said softly, as if he expected a response from what he saw reflected. But of course, he did not receive one. He let out a tired sigh, turned around, and walked toward the classroom exit.
"A power no one knows about. I hope it is enough. And that your life is full of happiness," the headmaster murmured, having heard the last words Harry had spoken to the mirror.