The Untold Story of the Witches of Hogwarts

Erised

Elphaba cursed herself under her breath. She hadn't meant to stay in the library for so long, but she had fallen asleep while studying. After receiving a rude awakening from Madam Pince, the green girl had been forced to scram. Only half awake, she stumbled through the dark and empty halls of Hogwarts. Through her irritation and her exhaustion, Elphaba found herself briefly wondering if she might find a shortcut back to the Gryffindor tower. She wasn't sure how much further her legs would carry her, so any shortcut would be welcome. Besides, this was Hogwarts. The castle itself was alive, ever-shifting and ever-changing. Elphaba was willing to bet 10 galleons that some mystical door would pop up and lead her down a magical hallway that would somehow open up right over her bed. It wouldn't surprise her at all.

"Here's hoping," she muttered to herself, but as she continued on through the long and winding corridors, no such luck befell her. Every door she opened, or tried to open, had something either very random or very mundane behind it. First there was just an empty classroom. Then a broom closet. Then sleeping griffin (Elphaba had hastily shut that door again). Then a room full of a bunch of random floating lights. Knowing Hogwarts, they were either killer fairies or sentient stars or some strange mix of the two.

"Nope, nope, nope," Elphaba side tiredly. Looks like she was going to have to talk the long way home after all.

But even though Elphaba had resigned herself to this annoying fate, she still opened up a few more doors on her way back, hoping that maybe some room might still offer her a desired shortcut. At last, then, she stumbled upon something that caught her eye.

"Hmmm, this looks new!" Elphaba whispered to herself, perking up ever so slightly as she noticed a new door on the corner of the hallway. As far as she could tell, it had not been there a few hours ago when she first went to the library. Curious, Elphaba pushed the door open. She was slightly started when its hinges made not a traditional squeaking sound, but a ghostly sigh, as if someone had just exhaled when she opened the door. But there was no one there. Elphaba half considered running right then, thoroughly creeped out by the humanistic noise of the door, but then she noticed something tucked against the far wall of the otherwise empty room. A mirror?

Feeling inexplicably drawn to it, Elphaba steeled her nerves and stepped inside, approaching the mirror. For a moment, she couldn't see anything in it, even her own reflection, but she attributed that to the layers of grime and dirt that coated the mirror's smooth surface. Once she was standing in a very particular spot, however, Elphaba finally saw something, but it was something beyond her wildest dreams and it was hideously clear, sharp and detailed. It was herself. And all of her family, living and dead, standing together and smiling. And all of them were totally normal...

Elphaba's mouth opened in silent cry of awe as she reached out and touched the mirror's suddenly-clean and bright surface. Staring back at her was a beautiful, pale-skinned face. The figure's long brown hair was combed back in beautiful waves. It was her! Crazy as it sounded, that girl in the mirror was her! Pale and smooth and flawless! The same deep brown eyes, the same sharp nose (though not quite as offensively long), the same cocky and confident smile, but so much better and happier and... prettier!

"I look... beautiful!" Elphaba murmured, and her pale-skinned reflection nodded back at her, as if agreeing with her whispered statement.

Standing to her left was a girl who looked quite a lot like her, smiling and waving at Elphaba too. That was Nessa! Her legs were strong, sturdy and gorgeous. They weren't tangled, they weren't bone-thin, they were fully functional! And there wasn't a wheelchair in sight! She looked so happy, holding her normal-skinned sister's hand. Elphaba felt tears pricking her eyes at the sight.

Behind the two sisters were Frex, Melena, and the Minister of Magic. All of them were smiling, looking so proud at Elphaba and the strong, beautiful, confident young woman that she had become. The minister was resting a proud hand on one of Elphaba's reflection's shoulder while her father, Frex, rested his hand on Elphaba's other shoulder. For once, he looked quite content with his daughter and his eyes seemed to say, Do you see this? This is Elphaba Thropp. And she is my daughter! Beside him, Melena had an arm wrapped around his waist, her head resting happily on his shoulder. She was smiling warmly at the Elphaba on the other side of the mirror.