Malfoy pulled Potter aside after he left Charms when the others weren’t looking, “Look Potter, I apologize for my behavior last night.” Harry was taken back a bit, because Malfoy seemed to be one of those people who never apologize. “It’s alright Malfoy, you were scared and…” Harry started. “It was dishonorable to the Malfoy name, Potter.”
“I don’t even know what that means,” Harry states as they walked to the next class. “Even so, my father would cuff my ear and demand that I try to rectify my cowardice…”
“What are you trying to say Malfoy? You want to be my friend or something?” Harry questioned the Slytherin; boy talk about beating around the bush.
Draco was shocked but, recovered quickly and placed the ever-trained Pure Blood mask back on; reached out his hand, “Yes, I would. My name is Draco Malfoy, and I would like to be your friend”.
Harry took the hand offered to him, “ My name is Harry Potter, I would like to be friends too”. With that a strange thrum and warmth flowed through Harry; but, that was short-lived as he heard a shout. “ GET AWAY FROM HIM! YOU SLIMY SNAKE!” both boys turned to see Ron storming up the corridor with Hermione in tow. Ron was redder than a tomato which clashed horribly with his hair. Hermione just looked worried.
“What are talking about Ron?” questioned Harry, as both he and Draco stopped as the two students caught up to them. “What has he done to you Harry?” questions Ron, still seething.
“Draco and I were having a private discussion, Ron. He just offered me his friendship and I…”
“But you can’t be friends with a Slytherin! You’re my friend! NOT HIS!!!” Ron vented. Harry narrowed his eyes and was about to say something Draco looked like he was about to hex Ron into next week. “Harry can be friends with whoever he wants to Ronald” scolded Hermione, forcing herself in between the redhead and the other two boys.
That seemed to work a little bit as Ron took off with a huff, shoving past Malfoy. Hermione gave both boys an apologetic look, “ Well, then. We better be heading to Transfiguration.” And she took off.
Up in Dumbledore’s office:
Dumbledore was angry. Ron Weasley just reported that Harry had made friends with the Malfoy Spawn. How was he supposed to mold Harry to hate everything Slytherin? Unless… no. He would just have to place a stronger block on Potter. He told Weasley he’ll take care of it and told him another deposit will be put into his Gringotts account. The boy left and he was left to adjust his plans For the Greater Good.
It was now December 23rd and the castle was a buzz. Hagrid was dragging in hundred-foot pine trees to decorate the Great Hall and Entrance Hall. Most of the Purebloods from older families still celebrated Yule, but Harry was Muggle raised so he knew it as Christmas. Ron didn’t bother explaining Yule, as they played a game of Wizards chest in the Great Hall. “ I just came by to say goodbye, and Happy Christmas” said Hermione.
For the last few weeks, the trio looked for any reference for Nicholas Flamel with no luck. “Ron why aren’t you coming?” she asks as Ron removes one of Harry’s chess pieces. “ Change of plans, mum and dad decided to visit my brother Charlie in Romania.” Hermione looked at the smug face before cutting in “Well then you can help Harry look through more books”. “ But we looked at all the books we could” complained the redhead. “Not in the restricted section” Hermione replied before heading out the doors.
“We’ll do it after Christmas, okay” suggests Harry. Ron just grumbled before going back to their game.
There was a great amount of snow that had fallen overnight, and was still snowing when Ron shook him awake, Harry woke up gasping in fright almost hitting his friend in the nose. “ Wake up, it’s Christmas Harry! Time to open presents!”
Harry doubted he got presents, the Dursleys rarely bothered to get him anything. His last Christmas where Dudley got hundreds of presents, including a computer; he got a crusty, holey sock.
He dragged himself out of bed and went down to the common room, there was a small tree in the corner, the fire was already roaring and Ron was beside a pile of wrapped presents. As Harry got closer Ron just pointed out a pile that had a placard with his name on it. He got presents? Harry had to pinch himself to see if he was dreaming. The first present was from Hagrid, it was a huge multi-knitted scarf. The second was from Hermione, which was a book on quidditch and a broom care kit.
Even Draco sent him a small gift of dragonhide gloves with a growth charm; which was unexpected, as he quickly hid the note from Ron. He was about to reach for another package, when Ron groaned, “ She keeps forgetting I hate maroon” Harry looked up, and saw Ron holding a jumper with a letter R on the front. “ looks like she knit you one too.” Ron says as he tosses the jumper aside. Harry reached for the package Ron was pointing to and ripped off the wrapping paper, there was a maroon knitted jumper, with a grey ‘H’, and a full box of homemade fudge. Harry smiled and pulled the jumper over his head. They continued to open presents, granted Ron’s pile was much larger than Harry’s as the Weasley Twins came down the stairs yawning.
“Happy Christmas” Yawned Fred, or was it George? Harry thought. Both twins already had on the same color sweater with an ‘F’ and ‘G’ on the front. “Oh, look Fred, little Harry has one too” George. “ Come on Ron put it on, we just got done getting Prefect Percy to wear his” the siblings continued to argue before the older ones left for breakfast.
Harry placed all of his gifts into a neat pile, when he saw one that he missed. He read the card, “ Your father gave me this before he died. It was time it came to you. Use it well” off-put slightly with the card having no name, he opens the package. It looked like a large, silky blanket. He pulled it out showed it to Ron, who looked excited. “Well put it on!” he encouraged. Harry swung the fabric around his shoulders and heard Ron gasp. He looked down and cried, “I’m invisible!”. Both boys admired the cloak as Ron went off stating good invisibility cloaks were extremely rare.
The boys of Gryffindor Tower topped their day with a massive snowball fight. The twins jokingly pelted Quirrell’s Turban. They all came in with rosy cheeks by dinner time; which was held at one table as there were only a handful of students that stayed behind. Dumbledore sat at the head, looking smug when Harry and Ron sat down for dinner. He stole James’s cloak just before he died, and placed several compulsion and other charms upon the packaging for Harry to go off to find the mirror of Erised.
When dinner was finished, and everyone off to bed. Dumbledore was up in his study when his alarm went off for the mirror. He smiled, as his plan started to fall perfectly into place once again.
_ _ _ _
Harry couldn’t get to sleep after dinner. He stared up at the four-poster canopy of his bed, Ron was snoring a few beds over. He felt restless, and a sudden urge to move; he got up and grabbed his father’s Invisibility cloak and left Gryffindor Tower for the library. The gate to the restricted section was unlocked, funny because Madame Pince was quite particular on how the library was kept. And she had the only key. He pushed forward wandering the shelves looking for any books with information about Nicholas Flamel and the Stone.
He opened one of the many books, which began to moan and wail loudly. He slammed the book shut as he heard someone come in. It was Filtch and Mrs. Norris! Harry swung the cloak over him and quickly but silently got out of the library and went down one of the side passages. He almost ran right into Snape and Quirrell who were talking in hushed voices, Snape seemed more aggressive and had his wand out. Harry side passed them and into an empty classroom. Well almost empty. In the center of the room was a tall mirror.
What was a mirror doing in a middle of an abandoned classroom? Harry thought, walking closer to it. When he got closer he saw himself; not just himself but a man that looked just like him, and a woman with fiery red hair standing behind him. He turns around, but they weren’t there. The woman smiled sadly and both wrapped their arms around him. This is what I wanted, he thought taking it all in. He had to show Ron! He ran up all the way to the tower and minutes later dragged Ron to see the mirror, and his parents.
But Ron didn’t see his parents. Which confused Harry a bit, Ron told him he saw himself as Quidditch Capitan and Head-Boy. Ron stared at the mirror for a few more moments before stating he wanted to go back to bed. As they were leaving Harry began to ponder what the mirror showed him. He felt empty.
He went back the next night, and the next night. Sometimes sitting there for hours in front of the mirror. Although it was his plan to get Harry addicted to the mirror, Dumbledore had to step in to prevent anyone else for falling into the mirror’s trap.
He and Harry had a “heartfelt” discussion about the mirror. He then told Harry to not go looking for the mirror again, as it was to be moved to a new home. He led Harry out of the room, a cruel smile that went unnoticed when he saw Harry give one last longing look back at the mirror as the door of the classroom closed.