The Flames of Hatred and Love

Eleven- The Mirror

It was two nights after Christmas, and Harry couldn't sleep. He hadn't used his Invisibility Cloak since the day he and Tom had tried it on. Now, he had the whole castle to himself. It would be easier without all of the students at school, and he was sure Filch wouldn't be expecting it.

So Harry slipped his feet into his slippers, and then hurried down to the Common Room. He pulled the Cloak over himself and opened the portait door.

"Who's there?!" The Fat Lady asked sharply.

Harry smirked as he ran to the staircases. Harry pondered what he should do now that he was out.

Hermione's voice entered his mind: 'Make sure you research Flemel over Christmas.'

Harry really didn't want to sit in the library for hours searching for some obscure note about an old, most likely dead, guy. But then Harry remembered that there was the restricted section. So he bounded off to the library.

"Alohamora!" Harry whispered, and tapped his wand against the lock. The door clicked open, and he closed the door behind him.

"Lumos!" Harry walked through the rows and rows of shelves to the back of the library.

The restricted sections was blocked off by a tall gated door. Harry tried the handle, and was surprised to find that it was opened!

Harry scanned the books- They all loosed nasty, and had awful sounding names like "To Poison or Not to Poison", "Revenge et Asperget Magicae", "Secrets of the Darkest Arts", and "100+ Undead Creatures".

Harry opened one of the books, and a ghostly face popped out! It let out a horrible wail that reverberated off of the shelves.

Harry slammed the book shut.

"Who's there!" Filch called out.

Harry shoved the book back into it's spot, and then ran out of the library as fast as he could. Filch ran after him (though Harry was still invisible), with Mrs. Norris trotting alongside him.

"Professor Snape!" Filch called.

Harry's stomach lurched as he nearly plowed into his least favorite professor.

"What is it, Filch?" Snape snapped.

"There's been a student out of bed, Sir! You told me to let you know- They were in the Restricted Section."

Harry's heart was pounding, and he held his breath, scared that Snape might hear him breathe. That was when he also noticed that Snape wasn't alone; Professor Quirrel was with him, and he did not look too pleased about that. The Potions Master's eyes swept the corridor, and Harry quickly ducked into a door that was ajar.

"Where did they run off to?" Snape demanded.

Harry listened until their footsteps had faded, and then he let out a sigh of relief. Harry looked around the room he was in, and saw that it was an unused classroom with a large mirror in the middle of the room.

Curious, Harry walked closer to the mirror, and saw that on top were some words written. Mirror of Erised.

Harry peered inside the mirror, and was shocked to find himself staring back.