Mirror to the Past - a gift for Jtav
Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling and Warner Bros. All fics posted at this community were written entirely for fun and no copyright infringement is intended.
Title: Mirror to the Past
Author: vipersweb
Gift for: Jtav
Pairing: Luna/Harry, Lily/Snape, Lily/James, James/Sirius, Alice/Frank, Soleil/Xeno Lovegood
Rating: R
Word Count: 5,699
Summary: After finding the Mirror from the Snow White fairy tale, Luna convinces Harry to join her in asking it for a glimpse in their parents' past. The results are surprising
A/N: Jtav asked for: Luna, post-war fic, anything having to do with magical research, with a theme of fairy tales, and a mirror as an item. I hope this satisfies. Thanks to kalina-blue for running this and being patient.
Luna skipped through the halls of Hogwarts, humming a little song her mother used to sing to her as a child. Three years after the Final Battle, and Hogwarts finally looked as it had before the war. No more need to take detours to avoid construction - and with that, the final, visible sign of the war was now gone. Probably exactly what the wizarding world wanted.
"Hello, Neville," she sang out as she passed him on her way to find Harry. He looked at her, startled, as she had not visited Hogwarts since she had graduated two years ago. She didn’t pause, but made a note to arrange dinner with him sometime later this week. She wanted to know what he thought of his apprenticeship with Professor Sprout. She hadn’t had a chance to talk to him in far too long. Most of that was her own fault; she had immersed herself in her research at the Department of Mysteries ever since they had recruited her after her NEWTs. She snickered as she remembered Hermione’s disbelief when she had casually mentioned her new position. Poor Hermione; so convinced that books always held the answers, so convinced she could change the world if she just… pushed enough. Unfortunately, the wizarding world did not wish to change, digging its heels in and blithely returning to its pre-war attitude. While the Ministry now enforced new legislation designed to protect Muggles, too many of those who had served in Voldemort’s reign of power remained. Harry had given up, leaving the aurors after a mere year. He had returned to Hogwarts and accepted the position of professor for Defense Against the Dark Arts.
“I can’t change the Ministry, not when people like Malfoy are still running around,” he had explained bitterly to his small group of friends. “But, if I can reach their children, show them a different way of thinking… then maybe in a few decades, we can force change.”
Hermione and Ron had both protested his move, but Harry had remained stalwart in his decision. More than that, it looked as if he had broken the “curse” on the position, as he had stayed on past the usual one year that others had managed. Luna also knew he had left the aurors because he wanted to spend time with his godson.
It didn’t take her too long to reach Harry’s office. She took a deep breath, smoothing down her robes, checking to make sure that her wand held her hair up smoothly, before tapping on his door.
“Come in!” he called out, and so with a bright smile on her face, Luna entered.
“Hello, Harry Potter,” she declared. He looked up at her, a smile transforming his face from handsome into stunning. She felt her heart beat a little faster, and sternly reminded herself that they were friends, nothing more. Not that she didn’t wish for more, but he had never indicated interest in her, not since the end of his fifth year. He had tried something with Ginny, but that had fizzled a few months after the war. While he had gone on a few dates with some other witches, none of them had turned into lasting relationships. She suspected too many of them wanted to date Harry-Potter-the-hero rather than the man.
"Luna!" he smiled. "What brings you to Hogwarts?"
She perched on the chair before his desk, peering around the room with curiosity. He had sparsely decorated the room, with just a few photographs of his friends and parents and books. She smiled at him in a vague manner. “I had a question for you.”
Harry leaned back in his chair, staring at her as if he could divine whatever answer he sought from her presence. She stared back at him serenely. Finally, his lips quirked; “Want something to eat and drink?”
Luna tilted her head, considering his offer. “That would be lovely,” she finally decided.
He nodded, before snapping his fingers and ordering refreshments from the house elf that arrived. Not long afterwards, she reappeared with the requested provender. Harry played host, and poured her a cup of tea; Luna was impressed because he didn’t have to ask her how she liked her tea. “You remembered,” she commented.
Smiling at her gently, he shrugged. “I try to remember what my friends enjoy.”
It warmed her that he still considered her a friend. They had not really spoken in recent months, as she had delved deeper into her research; her department head had forced her home more than once. So used to being alone, she hadn’t really noticed how solitary she had become - until now. Even her father had rarely stopped by her flat, too busy burying himself in writing stories for The Quibbler. Her father hadn’t really recovered from the war and the actions he had chosen to take in an attempt to save her. He couldn’t seem to accept that no one blamed him for what he had done.
“How’s Teddy?” she asked.
Harry’s face lit up, green eyes sparkling. “He’s so smart! Some of Remus’ bookish tendencies rubbed off, because he’s learned his alphabet already. Andi’s going to start teaching him to read soon.”
She nodded, as if she knew anything about children. She didn’t, but she did enjoy watching Harry wax poetic about his godson. He had lost so much to the past. He deserved some happiness. They flitted from topic to topic, catching up on each other’s lives, and the lives of their friends, before Harry settled back in his chair, hands steepled before him.
“So, why are you here, really?” he asked.
She blinked, surprised then rueful. “As observant as ever, Harry,” she complimented. Overshadowed by Hermione’s brilliance to the point where most people assumed he had defeated Voldemort through a combination of luck and sheer power and so very few realized that he had a brain to match his magical power. Then, Harry had always seemed to understand her in a way no one else did. “Do you know where I work?” she asked.
“The Ministry, right?”
“Department of Mysteries,” she told him. His eyes widened in surprise.
“I thought you weren’t supposed to tell me that,” he commented.
She shrugged. “The project I’m working on… I…” she huffed. So much more difficult to tell him this, to ask than she had thought it would be.
A warm hand reached across the table to grab hers, encasing it with his own. “You know whatever you need, I’ll do my best to help,” he assured her.
His declaration almost brought tears to her eyes. So very few people - even among those who called her friend - would say something like that to her. Loony Luna, whose head existed in the clouds, who claimed to see mythological creatures that no one else could. But Harry… he had never cared what others thought, had treated her as well as any of his other friends, even if they didn’t always follow his lead. She smiled shakily. “I know. It’s just…” She paused, taking a deep breath. “I’ve been working on a project. It’s… well. I know you’re familiar with fairy tales.”
Harry grimaced, and Luna tightened her own hand around his. He had had an awful time with the Deathly Hallows, refusing to speak about it despite others hounding him for the truth about it all. She pushed forward before he could protest or get angry, or get the wrong idea. “Most fairy tales have an element of truth to them - you know that from the Deathly Hallows. For the last two years, I’ve been working on tracing the origins of the magic mirror from Snow White.”
“I thought that was a Muggle fairy tale?”
“Like most fairy tales, when you go far enough back to the beginning of it, you’ll find elements of magic. Like the mirror that the evil queen uses,” she explained.
“If it’s evil, why would we want to find it? Why would you research it?”
“Oh, the mirror itself isn’t evil,” she assured him. “It is magical though, and if you ask it the right question, it can show you the most wondrous things! Anything really.” And hadn’t she heard the snide comments from some of her colleagues, who assumed she wanted to use it to prove the existence of what they termed her ‘mythical beasts’ like the crumple-horned snorkack. None of them realized she wanted to uncover the secrets of the mirror so she could see her mother.
He shook his head. “I don’t know what you want from me, Luna…”
“Merlin,” she said. “I’m not explain myself at all, am I?” She rubbed sweaty hands against her robes, suddenly wishing she hadn’t come here to offer him this… but she needed him. Needed him if she was going to actually use the mirror. She just didn’t have the emotional strength to use it by herself. “I found the mirror. And I know how to use it.”
“Luna… correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t the queen just ask it to show her who the ‘fairest of them all’ was? What use would you get out for that?”
She giggled. The sound startled her, breaking the tension in the room. “Oh, Harry,” she sighed. “It can be used for so much more than that…”
“Is it dangerous?”
“Depends on who uses it, and what they ask.”
“And what do you want to use it for?”
This was the tricky part. She rather thought he would agree, but she didn’t know what exactly would convince him. “The mirror can show us such wondrous things. You just need to find the correct set of words, and you can see whatever you want…” She trailed off, fixing her gaze on the picture of his parents that sat on the desk. She desperately wanted to hide her vulnerability, wished she didn’t sound as if she was begging. She took a deep breath. She could do this. Harry was her friend. He wouldn’t taunt her or dismiss her ideas out of hand, simply because of who she was. “I lost my mother before I came to Hogwarts, you know. Daddy did his best, but he loved her so very much, and he didn’t - doesn’t - like talking about her very much. And you never really knew your parents. I… I thought it would be nice to use the mirror to, well… observe them. To see their past - to actually see who they were and what they were like, not just what people tell us what our parents were like.”
“Oh my god,” Harry breathed out. He ran a hand through his hair. “How? Is it safe? Would they see us?”
“No, no… it’s kind of like a pensieve. We ask the mirror to show us, and it does. It picks something to show us, and we see it. Like that Muggle thing… a… movie?” she bit her lip, not sure if that was the correct word. Harry nodded, so she assumed she had used it correctly. “It’s just…” she trailed off, not sure how to tell him why she wanted to share this with him. She technically shouldn’t since he wasn’t an Unspeakable like she was. But he was Harry and she trusted him like none other.
“This is important to you?” Harry asked, breaking the silence that had fallen. She nodded, not really having the words to express just how much she wanted to use the mirror and to see if they could gain a glimpse of the past. “Alright, then. Why don’t you join me for dinner tonight? I’m meeting Andi and Teddy at Grimmauld. We can talk about it some more and you can tell me when and where we’re going to try this spell.”
“Really?” Luna had to ask, astonished.
“Really,” he confirmed. “Come on. You can help me prepare dinner.”
In a slight daze and surprised that he had agreed to her scheme with very little effort on her part, Luna followed him through the floo. She had not expected it to be so easy!
***
Luna genuinely liked Teddy. He accepted her comments about nargles and snorkacks - crumple-horned or otherwise - and fibbles and wracklespurts with a happy smile and a plea for more. Too many months had passed since last she had seen him, but he didn’t seem to mind. More than that, Andromeda Black accepted her for what she was, not pretending like so many others. Of course, the Blacks were an old family, one that remembered the old ways and respected the Lovegoods for their eccentricities. If Harry wanted her advice, Andromeda would not steer him wrong. She might not understand all that Luna saw, but she at least respected it. Strange how Harry accepted it as well, with such an ease as might be expected from an Ancient and Noble family, and yet… Harry had not grown up submersed with such teachings and knowledge that Andromeda had.
“You found the Mirror?” Andromeda asked, astonished.
Luna nodded happily, head tilting to one side. Harry paused as he handed out the cups of tea. “You’ve heard of this mirror, Andi?” he asked. Luna didn’t feel offended that he wanted confirmation. He had had too many try and use him in the past. It spoke to his trust in her that he even considered her proposition without dismissing it out of hand.
Andromeda smiled softly. “I forget sometimes that you didn’t grow up here, Harry,” she commented. “A lot of the old stories are based on truth. Magical artifacts that have been lost to time - or the means of using them have disappeared from our knowledge.” She returned her attention to Luna. “You’ve figured out how to work the Mirror then?”
“Yes. It just requires the right rhyme… and the real desire for what you’re asking it for,” she explained.
“So, if the person using the mirror isn’t heartfelt enough it won’t work?” Harry asked.
“Exactly!” Luna beamed, pleased that he understood the problem with the mirror.
“How does it judge whether someone wants to see something well enough?”
Luna shrugged, exchanging a glance with Andromeda. One of the biggest illustrations in the divide between those Muggle-raised and those Wizard-raised was the former’s inability to understand that Magic just… was. Catching their glance, Harry colored. “Oh, right… Magic.” He blew out a sigh. “I’ll remember that, one of these days,” he said ruefully.
“It’s not your fault, Harry,” Andromeda comforted. “Dumbledore should have prepared you better.”
“So will you help me, Harry?” Luna asked quickly, not wanting this to devolve into a conversation about how Dumbledore had neglected pretty much everything when it came to preparing Harry. She had heard all the arguments three years ago.
“Yes, Luna,” Harry agreed, smiling fondly at her. “I’ll help.”
“Oh good!” She clapped her hands with glee. Andromeda lips quirked with amusement.
“Tomorrow, then?” Harry suggested.
Luna nodded her agreement. Best to try this before school started. “Thank you, Harry,” she told him, trying to put into her voice how very much his agreement meant to her.
“It’s my pleasure, Luna,” he said. She caught his eyes and her breath caught at the unfamiliar look in it. She had never seen him look at her like that before. She wondered what was going through his head…
***
The next morning, Luna once again flitted about the halls of Hogwarts. She waved hello to the inhabitants of the various portraits she passed, wondering if they would sense the use of the mirror. She made a mental note to ask them - after they tried to use the mirror, of course. “Hello, Neville!” she called out, as she once again passed him on the way to Harry’s office.
“Hello, Luna,” he replied, another look of confusion on his face. She stifled a giggle as she skipped past him. The rumors of her appearance and presence at Hogwarts - two days in a row, no less - would make the rounds of the gossipmongers posthaste. She wondered what they would say.
Once she arrived at Harry’s office door, she became a bit more nervous. Harry had agreed to help her, but he could still back out. And while she could do this on her own, she really wanted his help. She took a deep breath, and firmly told the wracklespurts to leave her be. She didn’t have time for their playfulness, not today. Harry must have been waiting for her, because he called her inside as soon as she rapped on his door.
“Good morning, Harry Potter,” she solemnly greeted.
“Morning, Luna,” he replied, surprising her by pulling her into a hug. “Would you like some tea? Or do you want to start right off?”
“Oh… um…” She firmly told herself to stop being so flustered! So he had hugged her! It didn’t mean anything. She was his friend. He probably hugged all his friends… “Why don’t we try it now?”
Harry didn’t seem to notice her unease at his actions. “Of course. Can we do it here? Or do we need to be in a specific space?”
She blinked. She hadn’t really expected him to take much interest in the dynamics of using the Mirror. “Somewhere we’re not likely to be disturbed would be best.”
He nodded. “My private quarters should do then,” he said. He grabbed her hand and brought her to a door that hadn’t been there earlier. “Got to key you in,” he explained at her look of confusion. “It’s meant to keep students from getting into my quarters without my permission.”
“How ingenious!” she replied.
“I guess,” he shrugged. She followed him through and immediately saw the similarities to Grimmauld place. He had decorated his rooms with a restful color scheme, eschewing the reds and golds of his former house for creams and blues and forest greens. Pictures of family and friends dotted the walls, and his broom held a place of honor above the mantle. Bookshelves lined one side of the wall, and her hands practically itched to take a closer look. She refrained though, reminding herself that she was here to use the Mirror, not paw through Harry’s belongings.
“Do you have the Mirror?” Harry asked.
Luna nodded and pulled the miniaturized Mirror from her bag. She unshrank it and lets him help her set it against the wall.
“It doesn’t look anything like I thought it would,” Harry commented.
Luna tilted her head. “Oh?” she asked. “What did you imagine it would look like?” With a frame of stone that had runes carved into it, the face of the Mirror shimmered with an otherworldly flare, hinting at the secrets it could reveal.
He seemed embarrassed as he answered. “I guess something more ornate than this, made of metal. Not as heavy.” He examined it for a moment more before turning to her with an excited light in his eyes. “So, ready to give this a try?”
She returned his smile. “Oh, yes. Remember the words,” she told him.
“Memorized them last night. And…” he hesitated for a moment before grabbing her hand in his. “I just want you to know, Luna, that if this doesn’t work the way you hope it does, I’m still thankful you gave me this chance. You didn’t have to ask me to help you test this with you. I really appreciate the chance to even get to see a glimpse of my parents.” He paused for a moment before drawing her close to him and placing a chaste kiss on her forehead. “You’re a good friend, Luna Lovegood.”
She blinked in surprise. She had not expected that and tried her best to ignore the tingling that his lips had brought to her. “Your very welcome, Harry Potter,” she finally said. She pulled her wand from behind her ear, and pointed it towards the Mirror. “Ready? On three.” She really hoped this worked. “One… two… three…” And she began the chant, hearing Harry’s voice join hers in the incantation:
Mirror, Mirror on the wall
Show us the past of those who fall,
Show us our blood, show us our kin
Reveal the truth from the walls within.
A stream of light beamed out of each of their wands, entwining together before splashing against the Mirror’s surface. As the last syllable from the spell fell from their lips, the surface rippled and they found themselves in the past.
Hogwarts Library
“…Lily! I can’t believe you’re dating him,” a fellow Gryffindor hissed at the red haired girl next to her. Across from them, a taller blonde who resembled Luna, laughed gently.
“Alice, you know Lily isn’t going to change her mind just because you disapprove of her choice in partners,” Soleil commented. “Though, Lily dear… I do think you should be cautious.”
Lily shook her head stubbornly. “I know Severus. He’s not going to hurt me,” she insisted.
“Lily…” Alice sighed, exchanging a look with Soleil. Soleil picked up her wand and cast a privacy spell. “Look. It’s not because he’s a Slytherin, though that is enough to make me feel a bit uncomfortable. It’s just… you know what’s going on outside of Hogwarts. And you know who he’s friends with… Are you sure you’re safe with him? Are you sure his… associates aren’t going to hurt you?”
“You shouldn’t listen to Potter and Black all the time,” Lily admonished. “They hate Severus. They don’t know him though. He won’t hurt me.” She bent her head back to her work, signaling without words that the conversation was over. In doing so, she missed the concerned looks that passed between her friends. Eventually, they too returned to their work, with looks of resignation upon their face.
“Oh, Merlin…” Harry muttered. Luna looked at him and saw how pale he had become. She wondered if it was the glimpse of his mother, or the fact that apparently her own mother had been friends with his. Or perhaps it was the revelation of Lily’s relationship with Professor Snape.
“Are you okay?” she asked. Before he could answer, the spell showed them another scene.
Hogwarts, after the OWLs
“…him down, Potter! Leave him alone!” Lily yelled as she raised her wand in defense of Severus. Potter and Black just laughed. She could see Alice and Soleil heading towards her as well.
“Oh, come on, Evans! It’s just Snivellus!” Black protested.
Lily stamped her foot and pointed her wand straight at Potter. “Put him down,” she ordered, and he must have heard something in her voice, or seen something in her face because he actually listened to her. He flicked his wand and Severus became right-side-up and was lowered to the ground. Lily went to help him.
“Are you okay, Sev?” she asked worriedly.
“Get away from me, you mudblood!” he snarled at her. Lily stepped back, pale with shock.
“What did you call me?” she whispered. She heard the angry murmurs of the crowd that had surrounded them.
“I don’t need the help of filth like you!” he insisted, face red with anger and shame as he stalked away from her. Lily dropped her hand to her side, seemingly frozen by the words uttered to her.
“Lils…” Alice whispered gently, an arm placed around her. Soleil came on her other side and together the two girls helped her into the castle and away from the rest of the school.
“How could he say something like that to me?” Lily finally asked, after they had found a deserted room. “We’re dating! And he calls me that?” Tears dripped from her eyes.
“Hush, my dear,” Soleil soothed, rocking Lily in her arms. “I’m so sorry he said that. He had no right.”
Alice slipped away; by the time she returned with mugs of hot chocolate for the three of them, and some snacks she had cajoled from the House Elves, Lily’s tears had slowed. “You were right,” she finally said. “Both of you were right to warn me from dating him.” Soleil and Alice exchanged concerned looks.
“Lily, I don’t know why he acted like he did today, but before now… he treated you so well. We were happy for you, happy that you had found someone like him,” Alice told her.
“Were you happy with him?” Soleil asked.
“Oh, yes,” Lily smiled through her tears.
Soleil shrugged. “Then accept the happy times with him, and… try to forget this.”
“How?” Lily asked.
“That, I can’t tell you.”
Luna tightened her hand around Harry’s, trying to convey comfort to him. He looked sickened and upset by what they had seen. It couldn’t be easy to know that your mother dated your most-hated professor. Or that your father and godfather had acted like complete prats to said professor. But… for herself, she loved seeing her mother, seeing her interact with her friends. Her own memories of her mother were hazy, and her father still got upset when talking about Soleil. She only hoped that whatever the Mirror showed them next, would not be as upsetting.
Hogwart’s Library
“… oh, my rapturous Soleil, who burns so brightly… will you honor me by accompanying me to Hogsmeade this weekend? We can search for wracklespurts and flitters before enjoying some butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks,” Xeno asked. Soleil laughed with amusement, but agreed to join him. The somewhat flighty Ravenclaw bowed over her hand, placing a kiss on it before leaving.
“A date, Soleil?” Lily asked archly.
Soleil blushed.
Harry smiled softly, meeting Luna’s happy gaze with his own. Her father had related the story of how he had asked Soleil out on their first date, but to actually see it? That was a priceless gift.
Hogwart’s Abandoned Room
Three teens huddled together giggling. “Oh, Merlin! Truly?” Soleil asked, hand to her mouth as if to hold her mirth in.
Lily nodded her head vigorously, her read hair spilling haphazardly around her shoulders. “Oh, yes! Alice and I walked into the common room this morning and saw it ourself!”
“But, really? Potter and Black? As a couple?”
“I can’t imagine why else they would have their lips locked together like that!” Alice giggled.
Soleil fanned herself. “Wow…”
She wondered how many more shocks Harry could take before he simply snapped and broke the spell. The Mirror would continue to show them scenes from their parent’s time at Hogwarts until either the power or the desire behind the spell dissipated. And so far, Harry had seen a lot about his parents, just nothing he had known before.
Hogwart’s Gryffindor Dormitory
Two boys lay on a bed, embracing each other. Both were dark-haired and slim, and completely engrossed with each other. “Sirius…” one moaned, as the other nibbled his way down his neck. Sirius looked up and grinned mischievously.
“Patience, James. Or I’ll stop,” he threatened mockingly.
James shivered and pulled Sirius to him closer. “Are you sure you want to end your fun?”
Sirius growled instead and rolled James over, holding himself over the other boy. “You’re such a fucking cock tease.”
“Yeah, but you love me anyway,” James countered, leaning up and kissing Sirius. He didn’t seem to mind and…
Sneaking a peak at Harry, Luna saw him flush. She could understand why - who wanted to see one’s parents snogging? She really hoped the Mirror didn’t decide to show a similar scene between her parents. As much as she wanted to see more of her mother, she had no desire to see the truly intimate acts she might have engaged in.
Gryffindor Common Room
“Lily-flower, will you go with me to Hogsmeade?” James pouted.
Lily frowned. “I thought you and Sirius…?” she asked. Beside her, Alice looked up from her Transfiguration homework with interest.
“Oh… uh…” James blushed, shifted in his seat and then leaned closer to her. “You… knew?”
“Of course… was it a secret?” she asked, confusion written clearly on her face.
“No, no,” he hastened to assure her. He huffed. “I love Sirius, but… it’s…” he trailed off, running a hand through his already messy hair. “We’re not meant to be together, not like… that.”
She looked at James, really looked at him, as if trying to figure out all the nuances to what he was trying to say. In the end, she shrugged. “Alright.”
“What? Really?” James asked, completely taken aback by her easy agreement.
“Yeah,” Lily confirmed, twitching her lips in a smile.
A soft smile graced Harry’s lips. A much better event to spy on. Luna can feel the drain of the spell. One more scene, before the spell ran its course.
The Black Lake
Soleil, Alice and Lily lounged on a conjured blanket before the lake. “I think Xeno’s going to ask me,” Soleil confided.
“Really?” Alice squealed. “That’s wonderful!”
“Yeah… it really is,” Soleil responded with a smile as bright as her namesake. She twirled a piece of grass in her hand. “Any hints from Frank?”
Alice blushed. “I… think so. At least… he told me he had to speak to his mother about something. And then, I could have sworn I saw my family owl deliver a letter to him the other week.”
“Asked your father, then?” Soleil asked.
“I guess,” Alice shrugged. The two of them turn towards their third. “Hey,” Alice said, knocking her foot against Lily’s. “What’s going on with you and James?”
She smiled mysteriously for a few moments before giggling. “He asked last night.” She waved her right hand over her left, and showed off the elegant engagement ring James had given her the night before. Soleil and Alice squealed in delight, engulfing her in a hug.
“Oh, Lily! That’s wonderful!” Soleil congratulated. Alice offered her own.
“So…” Alice began, waggling her eye brows. “How did Sirius and the others take it?”
“Oh, fine. Sirius informed me that he was going to be godfather to our first child before giving me a big hug and a kiss,” Lily replied.
Alice and Soleiel exchanged looks with one another. “Lily, feel free to tell us it’s none of our business, but… you used to hate James and Sirius. Why did you agree to date James?” Alice asked.
“After the incident with… Snape, James and Sirius came to me and apologized. They… well, they felt pretty awful about what had happened.” Lily stared out over the lake, lost in thought. “Truthfully, I only went out with James at first because I was curious. He and Sirius were so, so… together and then. All of a sudden, James was asking me out? I wanted to know why. And then I had a wonderful time, and discovered that James wasn’t the same boy who had tormented Snape, or teased us.”
“What did happen between Sirius and him?” Soleil asked, curious. “I mean, we all knew they were together and then all of a sudden… they were dating different people, yet seemed really good friends.”
Lily shrugged. “That’s what they are. The best of friends.” Alice and Soleil waited to see if she would say anything more, but she remained silent. Before they could ask anything else, Frank, Xeno and James rushed over.
“I’m sorry we’re late!” Frank panted. “The House Elves kept wanting to give us more food!”
“That’s okay… It gave us more time to talk about you!” Alice told him, grinning wickedly. All three males looked a little concerned, but quickly took their spots next to their ladies.
“Oh, delight, my Sun, how beautiful you look,” Xeno waxed rhapsodically, bowing over Soleil’s hand.
Not to be outdone, James brought Lily’s hand to his mouth and kissed. “My Lily-flower,” he breathed. Lily blushed as he brought his lips to hers, kissing her softly.
“Great,” Frank muttered. “What can I possibly say that won’t sound ridiculous?” He sulked before picking Alice up bridal-style and kissing her. The others hooted in amusement.
The Mirror pulsed once more before turning blank, leaving the room in silence.
“Wow,” Harry finally said. He pulled Luna close to him, turning her to face him. “Thank you, Luna.” He hugged her.
“No, Harry Potter. Thank you. I… I don’t think I could have done this on my own,” she confessed, a few tears falling down her face. She had seen her mother - seen both her parents, in happier times and that was a gift she never thought to have.
He rocked her gently, comforting her as she cried, and murmuring soft words of reassurance. “I’m sorry,” she sniffed. “I think the nargles have infested me.”
Harry pulled back a little, smiling at her gently. A finger gently traced down her cheek, wiping her tears away. “Sweet Luna,” he whispered. “You don’t have to hide from me.” She stared at him, unsure of what he meant, though a great part of her hoped that maybe, just maybe he returned her own feelings for him. He bent his head, his intentions written so clearly on his face - moving so slowly that she could move away from him if she didn’t want what he offered - as his lips lowered and…
Hesitancy… lips molding against hers, shaping and…
Discovery… tongue gently swiping across her mouth, tasting, asking for more…
Fire… slowly, gently, exploring her mouth, learning her taste…
Heat… pressing for more, asking for…
Oh Merlin!
Passion… love…
She fell against him, opening herself to him and whatever may come.
Sometimes, there was a happy ending.
/fin
Title: Mirror to the Past
Author: vipersweb
Gift for: Jtav
Pairing: Luna/Harry, Lily/Snape, Lily/James, James/Sirius, Alice/Frank, Soleil/Xeno Lovegood
Rating: R
Word Count: 5,699
Summary: After finding the Mirror from the Snow White fairy tale, Luna convinces Harry to join her in asking it for a glimpse in their parents' past. The results are surprising
A/N: Jtav asked for: Luna, post-war fic, anything having to do with magical research, with a theme of fairy tales, and a mirror as an item. I hope this satisfies. Thanks to kalina-blue for running this and being patient.
Luna skipped through the halls of Hogwarts, humming a little song her mother used to sing to her as a child. Three years after the Final Battle, and Hogwarts finally looked as it had before the war. No more need to take detours to avoid construction - and with that, the final, visible sign of the war was now gone. Probably exactly what the wizarding world wanted.
"Hello, Neville," she sang out as she passed him on her way to find Harry. He looked at her, startled, as she had not visited Hogwarts since she had graduated two years ago. She didn’t pause, but made a note to arrange dinner with him sometime later this week. She wanted to know what he thought of his apprenticeship with Professor Sprout. She hadn’t had a chance to talk to him in far too long. Most of that was her own fault; she had immersed herself in her research at the Department of Mysteries ever since they had recruited her after her NEWTs. She snickered as she remembered Hermione’s disbelief when she had casually mentioned her new position. Poor Hermione; so convinced that books always held the answers, so convinced she could change the world if she just… pushed enough. Unfortunately, the wizarding world did not wish to change, digging its heels in and blithely returning to its pre-war attitude. While the Ministry now enforced new legislation designed to protect Muggles, too many of those who had served in Voldemort’s reign of power remained. Harry had given up, leaving the aurors after a mere year. He had returned to Hogwarts and accepted the position of professor for Defense Against the Dark Arts.
“I can’t change the Ministry, not when people like Malfoy are still running around,” he had explained bitterly to his small group of friends. “But, if I can reach their children, show them a different way of thinking… then maybe in a few decades, we can force change.”
Hermione and Ron had both protested his move, but Harry had remained stalwart in his decision. More than that, it looked as if he had broken the “curse” on the position, as he had stayed on past the usual one year that others had managed. Luna also knew he had left the aurors because he wanted to spend time with his godson.
It didn’t take her too long to reach Harry’s office. She took a deep breath, smoothing down her robes, checking to make sure that her wand held her hair up smoothly, before tapping on his door.
“Come in!” he called out, and so with a bright smile on her face, Luna entered.
“Hello, Harry Potter,” she declared. He looked up at her, a smile transforming his face from handsome into stunning. She felt her heart beat a little faster, and sternly reminded herself that they were friends, nothing more. Not that she didn’t wish for more, but he had never indicated interest in her, not since the end of his fifth year. He had tried something with Ginny, but that had fizzled a few months after the war. While he had gone on a few dates with some other witches, none of them had turned into lasting relationships. She suspected too many of them wanted to date Harry-Potter-the-hero rather than the man.
"Luna!" he smiled. "What brings you to Hogwarts?"
She perched on the chair before his desk, peering around the room with curiosity. He had sparsely decorated the room, with just a few photographs of his friends and parents and books. She smiled at him in a vague manner. “I had a question for you.”
Harry leaned back in his chair, staring at her as if he could divine whatever answer he sought from her presence. She stared back at him serenely. Finally, his lips quirked; “Want something to eat and drink?”
Luna tilted her head, considering his offer. “That would be lovely,” she finally decided.
He nodded, before snapping his fingers and ordering refreshments from the house elf that arrived. Not long afterwards, she reappeared with the requested provender. Harry played host, and poured her a cup of tea; Luna was impressed because he didn’t have to ask her how she liked her tea. “You remembered,” she commented.
Smiling at her gently, he shrugged. “I try to remember what my friends enjoy.”
It warmed her that he still considered her a friend. They had not really spoken in recent months, as she had delved deeper into her research; her department head had forced her home more than once. So used to being alone, she hadn’t really noticed how solitary she had become - until now. Even her father had rarely stopped by her flat, too busy burying himself in writing stories for The Quibbler. Her father hadn’t really recovered from the war and the actions he had chosen to take in an attempt to save her. He couldn’t seem to accept that no one blamed him for what he had done.
“How’s Teddy?” she asked.
Harry’s face lit up, green eyes sparkling. “He’s so smart! Some of Remus’ bookish tendencies rubbed off, because he’s learned his alphabet already. Andi’s going to start teaching him to read soon.”
She nodded, as if she knew anything about children. She didn’t, but she did enjoy watching Harry wax poetic about his godson. He had lost so much to the past. He deserved some happiness. They flitted from topic to topic, catching up on each other’s lives, and the lives of their friends, before Harry settled back in his chair, hands steepled before him.
“So, why are you here, really?” he asked.
She blinked, surprised then rueful. “As observant as ever, Harry,” she complimented. Overshadowed by Hermione’s brilliance to the point where most people assumed he had defeated Voldemort through a combination of luck and sheer power and so very few realized that he had a brain to match his magical power. Then, Harry had always seemed to understand her in a way no one else did. “Do you know where I work?” she asked.
“The Ministry, right?”
“Department of Mysteries,” she told him. His eyes widened in surprise.
“I thought you weren’t supposed to tell me that,” he commented.
She shrugged. “The project I’m working on… I…” she huffed. So much more difficult to tell him this, to ask than she had thought it would be.
A warm hand reached across the table to grab hers, encasing it with his own. “You know whatever you need, I’ll do my best to help,” he assured her.
His declaration almost brought tears to her eyes. So very few people - even among those who called her friend - would say something like that to her. Loony Luna, whose head existed in the clouds, who claimed to see mythological creatures that no one else could. But Harry… he had never cared what others thought, had treated her as well as any of his other friends, even if they didn’t always follow his lead. She smiled shakily. “I know. It’s just…” She paused, taking a deep breath. “I’ve been working on a project. It’s… well. I know you’re familiar with fairy tales.”
Harry grimaced, and Luna tightened her own hand around his. He had had an awful time with the Deathly Hallows, refusing to speak about it despite others hounding him for the truth about it all. She pushed forward before he could protest or get angry, or get the wrong idea. “Most fairy tales have an element of truth to them - you know that from the Deathly Hallows. For the last two years, I’ve been working on tracing the origins of the magic mirror from Snow White.”
“I thought that was a Muggle fairy tale?”
“Like most fairy tales, when you go far enough back to the beginning of it, you’ll find elements of magic. Like the mirror that the evil queen uses,” she explained.
“If it’s evil, why would we want to find it? Why would you research it?”
“Oh, the mirror itself isn’t evil,” she assured him. “It is magical though, and if you ask it the right question, it can show you the most wondrous things! Anything really.” And hadn’t she heard the snide comments from some of her colleagues, who assumed she wanted to use it to prove the existence of what they termed her ‘mythical beasts’ like the crumple-horned snorkack. None of them realized she wanted to uncover the secrets of the mirror so she could see her mother.
He shook his head. “I don’t know what you want from me, Luna…”
“Merlin,” she said. “I’m not explain myself at all, am I?” She rubbed sweaty hands against her robes, suddenly wishing she hadn’t come here to offer him this… but she needed him. Needed him if she was going to actually use the mirror. She just didn’t have the emotional strength to use it by herself. “I found the mirror. And I know how to use it.”
“Luna… correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t the queen just ask it to show her who the ‘fairest of them all’ was? What use would you get out for that?”
She giggled. The sound startled her, breaking the tension in the room. “Oh, Harry,” she sighed. “It can be used for so much more than that…”
“Is it dangerous?”
“Depends on who uses it, and what they ask.”
“And what do you want to use it for?”
This was the tricky part. She rather thought he would agree, but she didn’t know what exactly would convince him. “The mirror can show us such wondrous things. You just need to find the correct set of words, and you can see whatever you want…” She trailed off, fixing her gaze on the picture of his parents that sat on the desk. She desperately wanted to hide her vulnerability, wished she didn’t sound as if she was begging. She took a deep breath. She could do this. Harry was her friend. He wouldn’t taunt her or dismiss her ideas out of hand, simply because of who she was. “I lost my mother before I came to Hogwarts, you know. Daddy did his best, but he loved her so very much, and he didn’t - doesn’t - like talking about her very much. And you never really knew your parents. I… I thought it would be nice to use the mirror to, well… observe them. To see their past - to actually see who they were and what they were like, not just what people tell us what our parents were like.”
“Oh my god,” Harry breathed out. He ran a hand through his hair. “How? Is it safe? Would they see us?”
“No, no… it’s kind of like a pensieve. We ask the mirror to show us, and it does. It picks something to show us, and we see it. Like that Muggle thing… a… movie?” she bit her lip, not sure if that was the correct word. Harry nodded, so she assumed she had used it correctly. “It’s just…” she trailed off, not sure how to tell him why she wanted to share this with him. She technically shouldn’t since he wasn’t an Unspeakable like she was. But he was Harry and she trusted him like none other.
“This is important to you?” Harry asked, breaking the silence that had fallen. She nodded, not really having the words to express just how much she wanted to use the mirror and to see if they could gain a glimpse of the past. “Alright, then. Why don’t you join me for dinner tonight? I’m meeting Andi and Teddy at Grimmauld. We can talk about it some more and you can tell me when and where we’re going to try this spell.”
“Really?” Luna had to ask, astonished.
“Really,” he confirmed. “Come on. You can help me prepare dinner.”
In a slight daze and surprised that he had agreed to her scheme with very little effort on her part, Luna followed him through the floo. She had not expected it to be so easy!
***
Luna genuinely liked Teddy. He accepted her comments about nargles and snorkacks - crumple-horned or otherwise - and fibbles and wracklespurts with a happy smile and a plea for more. Too many months had passed since last she had seen him, but he didn’t seem to mind. More than that, Andromeda Black accepted her for what she was, not pretending like so many others. Of course, the Blacks were an old family, one that remembered the old ways and respected the Lovegoods for their eccentricities. If Harry wanted her advice, Andromeda would not steer him wrong. She might not understand all that Luna saw, but she at least respected it. Strange how Harry accepted it as well, with such an ease as might be expected from an Ancient and Noble family, and yet… Harry had not grown up submersed with such teachings and knowledge that Andromeda had.
“You found the Mirror?” Andromeda asked, astonished.
Luna nodded happily, head tilting to one side. Harry paused as he handed out the cups of tea. “You’ve heard of this mirror, Andi?” he asked. Luna didn’t feel offended that he wanted confirmation. He had had too many try and use him in the past. It spoke to his trust in her that he even considered her proposition without dismissing it out of hand.
Andromeda smiled softly. “I forget sometimes that you didn’t grow up here, Harry,” she commented. “A lot of the old stories are based on truth. Magical artifacts that have been lost to time - or the means of using them have disappeared from our knowledge.” She returned her attention to Luna. “You’ve figured out how to work the Mirror then?”
“Yes. It just requires the right rhyme… and the real desire for what you’re asking it for,” she explained.
“So, if the person using the mirror isn’t heartfelt enough it won’t work?” Harry asked.
“Exactly!” Luna beamed, pleased that he understood the problem with the mirror.
“How does it judge whether someone wants to see something well enough?”
Luna shrugged, exchanging a glance with Andromeda. One of the biggest illustrations in the divide between those Muggle-raised and those Wizard-raised was the former’s inability to understand that Magic just… was. Catching their glance, Harry colored. “Oh, right… Magic.” He blew out a sigh. “I’ll remember that, one of these days,” he said ruefully.
“It’s not your fault, Harry,” Andromeda comforted. “Dumbledore should have prepared you better.”
“So will you help me, Harry?” Luna asked quickly, not wanting this to devolve into a conversation about how Dumbledore had neglected pretty much everything when it came to preparing Harry. She had heard all the arguments three years ago.
“Yes, Luna,” Harry agreed, smiling fondly at her. “I’ll help.”
“Oh good!” She clapped her hands with glee. Andromeda lips quirked with amusement.
“Tomorrow, then?” Harry suggested.
Luna nodded her agreement. Best to try this before school started. “Thank you, Harry,” she told him, trying to put into her voice how very much his agreement meant to her.
“It’s my pleasure, Luna,” he said. She caught his eyes and her breath caught at the unfamiliar look in it. She had never seen him look at her like that before. She wondered what was going through his head…
***
The next morning, Luna once again flitted about the halls of Hogwarts. She waved hello to the inhabitants of the various portraits she passed, wondering if they would sense the use of the mirror. She made a mental note to ask them - after they tried to use the mirror, of course. “Hello, Neville!” she called out, as she once again passed him on the way to Harry’s office.
“Hello, Luna,” he replied, another look of confusion on his face. She stifled a giggle as she skipped past him. The rumors of her appearance and presence at Hogwarts - two days in a row, no less - would make the rounds of the gossipmongers posthaste. She wondered what they would say.
Once she arrived at Harry’s office door, she became a bit more nervous. Harry had agreed to help her, but he could still back out. And while she could do this on her own, she really wanted his help. She took a deep breath, and firmly told the wracklespurts to leave her be. She didn’t have time for their playfulness, not today. Harry must have been waiting for her, because he called her inside as soon as she rapped on his door.
“Good morning, Harry Potter,” she solemnly greeted.
“Morning, Luna,” he replied, surprising her by pulling her into a hug. “Would you like some tea? Or do you want to start right off?”
“Oh… um…” She firmly told herself to stop being so flustered! So he had hugged her! It didn’t mean anything. She was his friend. He probably hugged all his friends… “Why don’t we try it now?”
Harry didn’t seem to notice her unease at his actions. “Of course. Can we do it here? Or do we need to be in a specific space?”
She blinked. She hadn’t really expected him to take much interest in the dynamics of using the Mirror. “Somewhere we’re not likely to be disturbed would be best.”
He nodded. “My private quarters should do then,” he said. He grabbed her hand and brought her to a door that hadn’t been there earlier. “Got to key you in,” he explained at her look of confusion. “It’s meant to keep students from getting into my quarters without my permission.”
“How ingenious!” she replied.
“I guess,” he shrugged. She followed him through and immediately saw the similarities to Grimmauld place. He had decorated his rooms with a restful color scheme, eschewing the reds and golds of his former house for creams and blues and forest greens. Pictures of family and friends dotted the walls, and his broom held a place of honor above the mantle. Bookshelves lined one side of the wall, and her hands practically itched to take a closer look. She refrained though, reminding herself that she was here to use the Mirror, not paw through Harry’s belongings.
“Do you have the Mirror?” Harry asked.
Luna nodded and pulled the miniaturized Mirror from her bag. She unshrank it and lets him help her set it against the wall.
“It doesn’t look anything like I thought it would,” Harry commented.
Luna tilted her head. “Oh?” she asked. “What did you imagine it would look like?” With a frame of stone that had runes carved into it, the face of the Mirror shimmered with an otherworldly flare, hinting at the secrets it could reveal.
He seemed embarrassed as he answered. “I guess something more ornate than this, made of metal. Not as heavy.” He examined it for a moment more before turning to her with an excited light in his eyes. “So, ready to give this a try?”
She returned his smile. “Oh, yes. Remember the words,” she told him.
“Memorized them last night. And…” he hesitated for a moment before grabbing her hand in his. “I just want you to know, Luna, that if this doesn’t work the way you hope it does, I’m still thankful you gave me this chance. You didn’t have to ask me to help you test this with you. I really appreciate the chance to even get to see a glimpse of my parents.” He paused for a moment before drawing her close to him and placing a chaste kiss on her forehead. “You’re a good friend, Luna Lovegood.”
She blinked in surprise. She had not expected that and tried her best to ignore the tingling that his lips had brought to her. “Your very welcome, Harry Potter,” she finally said. She pulled her wand from behind her ear, and pointed it towards the Mirror. “Ready? On three.” She really hoped this worked. “One… two… three…” And she began the chant, hearing Harry’s voice join hers in the incantation:
Mirror, Mirror on the wall
Show us the past of those who fall,
Show us our blood, show us our kin
Reveal the truth from the walls within.
A stream of light beamed out of each of their wands, entwining together before splashing against the Mirror’s surface. As the last syllable from the spell fell from their lips, the surface rippled and they found themselves in the past.
Hogwarts Library
“…Lily! I can’t believe you’re dating him,” a fellow Gryffindor hissed at the red haired girl next to her. Across from them, a taller blonde who resembled Luna, laughed gently.
“Alice, you know Lily isn’t going to change her mind just because you disapprove of her choice in partners,” Soleil commented. “Though, Lily dear… I do think you should be cautious.”
Lily shook her head stubbornly. “I know Severus. He’s not going to hurt me,” she insisted.
“Lily…” Alice sighed, exchanging a look with Soleil. Soleil picked up her wand and cast a privacy spell. “Look. It’s not because he’s a Slytherin, though that is enough to make me feel a bit uncomfortable. It’s just… you know what’s going on outside of Hogwarts. And you know who he’s friends with… Are you sure you’re safe with him? Are you sure his… associates aren’t going to hurt you?”
“You shouldn’t listen to Potter and Black all the time,” Lily admonished. “They hate Severus. They don’t know him though. He won’t hurt me.” She bent her head back to her work, signaling without words that the conversation was over. In doing so, she missed the concerned looks that passed between her friends. Eventually, they too returned to their work, with looks of resignation upon their face.
“Oh, Merlin…” Harry muttered. Luna looked at him and saw how pale he had become. She wondered if it was the glimpse of his mother, or the fact that apparently her own mother had been friends with his. Or perhaps it was the revelation of Lily’s relationship with Professor Snape.
“Are you okay?” she asked. Before he could answer, the spell showed them another scene.
Hogwarts, after the OWLs
“…him down, Potter! Leave him alone!” Lily yelled as she raised her wand in defense of Severus. Potter and Black just laughed. She could see Alice and Soleil heading towards her as well.
“Oh, come on, Evans! It’s just Snivellus!” Black protested.
Lily stamped her foot and pointed her wand straight at Potter. “Put him down,” she ordered, and he must have heard something in her voice, or seen something in her face because he actually listened to her. He flicked his wand and Severus became right-side-up and was lowered to the ground. Lily went to help him.
“Are you okay, Sev?” she asked worriedly.
“Get away from me, you mudblood!” he snarled at her. Lily stepped back, pale with shock.
“What did you call me?” she whispered. She heard the angry murmurs of the crowd that had surrounded them.
“I don’t need the help of filth like you!” he insisted, face red with anger and shame as he stalked away from her. Lily dropped her hand to her side, seemingly frozen by the words uttered to her.
“Lils…” Alice whispered gently, an arm placed around her. Soleil came on her other side and together the two girls helped her into the castle and away from the rest of the school.
“How could he say something like that to me?” Lily finally asked, after they had found a deserted room. “We’re dating! And he calls me that?” Tears dripped from her eyes.
“Hush, my dear,” Soleil soothed, rocking Lily in her arms. “I’m so sorry he said that. He had no right.”
Alice slipped away; by the time she returned with mugs of hot chocolate for the three of them, and some snacks she had cajoled from the House Elves, Lily’s tears had slowed. “You were right,” she finally said. “Both of you were right to warn me from dating him.” Soleil and Alice exchanged concerned looks.
“Lily, I don’t know why he acted like he did today, but before now… he treated you so well. We were happy for you, happy that you had found someone like him,” Alice told her.
“Were you happy with him?” Soleil asked.
“Oh, yes,” Lily smiled through her tears.
Soleil shrugged. “Then accept the happy times with him, and… try to forget this.”
“How?” Lily asked.
“That, I can’t tell you.”
Luna tightened her hand around Harry’s, trying to convey comfort to him. He looked sickened and upset by what they had seen. It couldn’t be easy to know that your mother dated your most-hated professor. Or that your father and godfather had acted like complete prats to said professor. But… for herself, she loved seeing her mother, seeing her interact with her friends. Her own memories of her mother were hazy, and her father still got upset when talking about Soleil. She only hoped that whatever the Mirror showed them next, would not be as upsetting.
Hogwart’s Library
“… oh, my rapturous Soleil, who burns so brightly… will you honor me by accompanying me to Hogsmeade this weekend? We can search for wracklespurts and flitters before enjoying some butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks,” Xeno asked. Soleil laughed with amusement, but agreed to join him. The somewhat flighty Ravenclaw bowed over her hand, placing a kiss on it before leaving.
“A date, Soleil?” Lily asked archly.
Soleil blushed.
Harry smiled softly, meeting Luna’s happy gaze with his own. Her father had related the story of how he had asked Soleil out on their first date, but to actually see it? That was a priceless gift.
Hogwart’s Abandoned Room
Three teens huddled together giggling. “Oh, Merlin! Truly?” Soleil asked, hand to her mouth as if to hold her mirth in.
Lily nodded her head vigorously, her read hair spilling haphazardly around her shoulders. “Oh, yes! Alice and I walked into the common room this morning and saw it ourself!”
“But, really? Potter and Black? As a couple?”
“I can’t imagine why else they would have their lips locked together like that!” Alice giggled.
Soleil fanned herself. “Wow…”
She wondered how many more shocks Harry could take before he simply snapped and broke the spell. The Mirror would continue to show them scenes from their parent’s time at Hogwarts until either the power or the desire behind the spell dissipated. And so far, Harry had seen a lot about his parents, just nothing he had known before.
Hogwart’s Gryffindor Dormitory
Two boys lay on a bed, embracing each other. Both were dark-haired and slim, and completely engrossed with each other. “Sirius…” one moaned, as the other nibbled his way down his neck. Sirius looked up and grinned mischievously.
“Patience, James. Or I’ll stop,” he threatened mockingly.
James shivered and pulled Sirius to him closer. “Are you sure you want to end your fun?”
Sirius growled instead and rolled James over, holding himself over the other boy. “You’re such a fucking cock tease.”
“Yeah, but you love me anyway,” James countered, leaning up and kissing Sirius. He didn’t seem to mind and…
Sneaking a peak at Harry, Luna saw him flush. She could understand why - who wanted to see one’s parents snogging? She really hoped the Mirror didn’t decide to show a similar scene between her parents. As much as she wanted to see more of her mother, she had no desire to see the truly intimate acts she might have engaged in.
Gryffindor Common Room
“Lily-flower, will you go with me to Hogsmeade?” James pouted.
Lily frowned. “I thought you and Sirius…?” she asked. Beside her, Alice looked up from her Transfiguration homework with interest.
“Oh… uh…” James blushed, shifted in his seat and then leaned closer to her. “You… knew?”
“Of course… was it a secret?” she asked, confusion written clearly on her face.
“No, no,” he hastened to assure her. He huffed. “I love Sirius, but… it’s…” he trailed off, running a hand through his already messy hair. “We’re not meant to be together, not like… that.”
She looked at James, really looked at him, as if trying to figure out all the nuances to what he was trying to say. In the end, she shrugged. “Alright.”
“What? Really?” James asked, completely taken aback by her easy agreement.
“Yeah,” Lily confirmed, twitching her lips in a smile.
A soft smile graced Harry’s lips. A much better event to spy on. Luna can feel the drain of the spell. One more scene, before the spell ran its course.
The Black Lake
Soleil, Alice and Lily lounged on a conjured blanket before the lake. “I think Xeno’s going to ask me,” Soleil confided.
“Really?” Alice squealed. “That’s wonderful!”
“Yeah… it really is,” Soleil responded with a smile as bright as her namesake. She twirled a piece of grass in her hand. “Any hints from Frank?”
Alice blushed. “I… think so. At least… he told me he had to speak to his mother about something. And then, I could have sworn I saw my family owl deliver a letter to him the other week.”
“Asked your father, then?” Soleil asked.
“I guess,” Alice shrugged. The two of them turn towards their third. “Hey,” Alice said, knocking her foot against Lily’s. “What’s going on with you and James?”
She smiled mysteriously for a few moments before giggling. “He asked last night.” She waved her right hand over her left, and showed off the elegant engagement ring James had given her the night before. Soleil and Alice squealed in delight, engulfing her in a hug.
“Oh, Lily! That’s wonderful!” Soleil congratulated. Alice offered her own.
“So…” Alice began, waggling her eye brows. “How did Sirius and the others take it?”
“Oh, fine. Sirius informed me that he was going to be godfather to our first child before giving me a big hug and a kiss,” Lily replied.
Alice and Soleiel exchanged looks with one another. “Lily, feel free to tell us it’s none of our business, but… you used to hate James and Sirius. Why did you agree to date James?” Alice asked.
“After the incident with… Snape, James and Sirius came to me and apologized. They… well, they felt pretty awful about what had happened.” Lily stared out over the lake, lost in thought. “Truthfully, I only went out with James at first because I was curious. He and Sirius were so, so… together and then. All of a sudden, James was asking me out? I wanted to know why. And then I had a wonderful time, and discovered that James wasn’t the same boy who had tormented Snape, or teased us.”
“What did happen between Sirius and him?” Soleil asked, curious. “I mean, we all knew they were together and then all of a sudden… they were dating different people, yet seemed really good friends.”
Lily shrugged. “That’s what they are. The best of friends.” Alice and Soleil waited to see if she would say anything more, but she remained silent. Before they could ask anything else, Frank, Xeno and James rushed over.
“I’m sorry we’re late!” Frank panted. “The House Elves kept wanting to give us more food!”
“That’s okay… It gave us more time to talk about you!” Alice told him, grinning wickedly. All three males looked a little concerned, but quickly took their spots next to their ladies.
“Oh, delight, my Sun, how beautiful you look,” Xeno waxed rhapsodically, bowing over Soleil’s hand.
Not to be outdone, James brought Lily’s hand to his mouth and kissed. “My Lily-flower,” he breathed. Lily blushed as he brought his lips to hers, kissing her softly.
“Great,” Frank muttered. “What can I possibly say that won’t sound ridiculous?” He sulked before picking Alice up bridal-style and kissing her. The others hooted in amusement.
The Mirror pulsed once more before turning blank, leaving the room in silence.
“Wow,” Harry finally said. He pulled Luna close to him, turning her to face him. “Thank you, Luna.” He hugged her.
“No, Harry Potter. Thank you. I… I don’t think I could have done this on my own,” she confessed, a few tears falling down her face. She had seen her mother - seen both her parents, in happier times and that was a gift she never thought to have.
He rocked her gently, comforting her as she cried, and murmuring soft words of reassurance. “I’m sorry,” she sniffed. “I think the nargles have infested me.”
Harry pulled back a little, smiling at her gently. A finger gently traced down her cheek, wiping her tears away. “Sweet Luna,” he whispered. “You don’t have to hide from me.” She stared at him, unsure of what he meant, though a great part of her hoped that maybe, just maybe he returned her own feelings for him. He bent his head, his intentions written so clearly on his face - moving so slowly that she could move away from him if she didn’t want what he offered - as his lips lowered and…
Hesitancy… lips molding against hers, shaping and…
Discovery… tongue gently swiping across her mouth, tasting, asking for more…
Fire… slowly, gently, exploring her mouth, learning her taste…
Heat… pressing for more, asking for…
Oh Merlin!
Passion… love…
She fell against him, opening herself to him and whatever may come.
Sometimes, there was a happy ending.
/fin