Mirror, Mirror On The Wall
The Mirror of Erised was found in the back of a dead end classroom after the war during the Hogwarts renovation. A bunch of builders had hauled it out for him to see. Harry knew the cracked glass well, of course. There was grime smeared at the sides and he stared at the thing in confusion. He vaguely remembers Dumbledore talking about it being destroyed but he couldn't be sure.
And that was what led Harry Potter to lay on his four poster bed that he had inhabited while staying at Hogwarts for the cleanup. The dirty mirror was perched in front of him and showing him his greatest desire. It had greatly changed over the seven years, of course. As an impressionable eleven year old, the best thing in the world for him was having Lily and James back. But now he was staring dumbstruck at an older version of him sitting in the exact same leisurely lying position as him. But he had no glasses on face and his eyes weren't glassy like they should be without correct vision. They were deep and sharp, a tunnel of knowledge in them that screamed I - know - something - that - you - don't.
The setting was most peculiar. Twenty year old Harry had a wine glass raised up to his lips and tight black jeans and a green Christmas jumper hugged his taller and leaner body. Behind him on the wall was written MERRY CHRISTMAS! in bold letters. There was even a floating cake that hovered around him in a charmed platter. But surrounding Mirror Harry's bed were faceless people that were dancing to soundless Christmas music, making jokes without voices. A girl with a blurred face even walked forward and took a chunk out of his cake.
This is what life would look like if it had always been Just Harry without the Boy-Who-Lived and Hero additives. The people around him loved him for his personality and not because he was a celebrity, or, he thought with a pang in his chest, not the first famous person they had met on the train. They hadn't faced a war or blamed Harry for their deaths. Mirror Harry was living life the way Harry never could.
Harry jerked on his bed when a boy his age with a blurred face plopped himself on Mirror Harry's bed. But Mirror Harry didn't move, only rolled over on his own accord and smashed his lips against the boys, or at least where there should have been lips. But his reflection had eyes only for him, his mouth curled into a cruel smile. You want to be me so bad, don't you? It seemed to say. Harry's jaw unhinged at the balant act of PDA.
But it wasn't Mirror Harry that disturbed him the most. No, it was the boy his Dream self was kissing. The effortless curls of black hair on his forehead and the broadness of his shoulders were so familiar for no reason. But he couldn't place his finger on it. It was like reaching for a cloud: you could feel it under your fingertips but never cage the substance in.
Harry ignored it with a deep breath. Mirror Harry picked himself up in a similar position to the way Harry was sitting in to examine his boyfriend in the mirror, and was hugging the back of the blurry boy's neck. The boy was more pronounced than the other people, more substance and seemed to be more, well, there. Harry felt like he ought to know him somehow.
But then Mirror Harry hugged him and leaned his chin on the boy's shoulder. He opened his mouth and spoke in the terrifyingly same voice as Harry, "You want this, don't you?"
Harry reeled back in shock, his head thudding against the wall. Mirror Harry's voice sounded weird to his ears, like he was playing back a recording of himself. But it was undeniably his own. Mirror Harry smiled at him sweetly, pushing his hands down on his boyfriend's shoulder to haul himself over the bed. The blurry boy caught Mirror Harry by the waist and pulled him to his feet and Harry flushed a dark red as if he was witnessing something he shouldn't.
Mirror Harry neared the barrier between them. People were dancing in a frenzy around him and he arched up his neck with a lazy grin. "You want this, don't you?" He repeated slyly. Blurry boy walked over and wrapped his arms around Mirror Harry's chest and pulled him against him.
"One second!" Mirror Harry chided the blurry faced boy. "We need to make him understand first." He gestured towards the mirror and at Harry himself. Mirror Harry turned his attention back to him.
"I can bring you here." Mirror Harry said with a sharp grin that never would grace this version of Harry's face. "Not a swap swap, but a reality. You can live my life here. I'll teach you everything you need to know. After all, everything comes with a starting."
"What?" Harry said, feeling dizzy. Mirror Harry scoffed at his unintelligent answer and placed his hands on the mirror barrier, his fingers splayed out.
"Come." Mirror Harry crooned. "Place your hands over mine and I will pull you into my life. You'll never want to give it up again."
Harry swallowed. "But you're a fake. An imagination in a mirror. This is my real life." He insisted desperately even as he edged towards the mirror and stopped in front of Mirror Harry's form.
But his reflection shook its head and hissed, "Foolish teenager. My life is no less real than yours. I am no less real than you. You may think the perfect world simply doesn't exist, but it does. But beware, Harry Potter, it comes with a great price. You will pay the Mirror back one day." He pushed his hands against the mirror insistently. "Come, Harry Potter. You want this so bad, don't you?"
Before Harry knew what he was doing, his hands flew up to touch Mirror Harry's. His reflection smiled a genuine smile, a relieved and happy glint in his eyes. "Hello, Harry." He said softly. He pulled his hands back and Harry felt himself being tugged forward. "Welcome home."