Harry's New Guardian (A Snape Mentor/Adopts Harry Fanfic) Book 1

Chapter 11: The Mirror of Erised and Nicholas Flamel

3 days after Christmas, Harry was hurrying to get back to the common room before curfew. He was at the library, reading and in the process, lost track of the time. As he was hurrying, he comes across an empty classroom. He looks inside the classroom to find a huge mirror. He looks around and sees that no one is around. He sneaks into the empty classroom and walks up to the mirror. The mirror nearly touched the ceiling! All along the top of the mirror, there were words that said: Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi. Unbeknownst to Harry, if it was read backwards, it would have read: I show not your face, but your heart's desire. As he got closer to it, he saw a woman with red hair and green almond-shaped eyes. Her eyes were identical to Harry's. The man had messy looking hair like Harry and wore glasses too. His eyes were hazel. Harry realized that they were his parents. They stood on either side of him. He looks back to find no one there. Harry looks back into the mirror and sees them again. They were both smiling at him. Harry looks at the woman and said, "Mum?" The woman smiles and nods. He the looks at the man and said, "Dad?" The man nods and smiles. Harry puts his hands on the mirror. What he wouldn't give to hug them. His mum smiles sadly at him and puts her hand on his shoulder to comfort him. Harry touches his shoulder, wishing he could feel her hand there. He sits down and stares at them. He didn't know how long he was there, but eventually he decided to bring Ron down to see them for himself. He leaves quickly and runs up to the common room. He wakes Ron and talks him into coming with him. He grabs his invisibility cloak and covers himself and Ron and heads downstairs to the empty classroom. Once inside, he takes off the cloak and goes up to the mirror. Ron follows him and looks in the mirror. Harry said, "Do you see my parents?" Ron said, "I don't see anything. I only see you." Harry said, "Come stand over here and look in the mirror properly." Harry has Ron stand where he stood. Ron suddenly looks transfixed as he looks into the mirror. He said, "It's me! I'm head boy! Bloody hell! I'm Quidditch Captain, too!" Ron tears his eyes away from the mirror and looks at Harry. He said, "Do you think this mirror shows the future?" Harry said sadly, "How can it? Both my parents are dead." A sudden noise in the corridor made them look at the door. Harry grabs his cloak and said, "Let's get out of here, if Filch's cat find us...." Ron agrees and the both of them leave and head back up to the common room.

The next day, Snape noticed that Harry was acting odd. He grows worried and wonders what it was that was having Harry act so odd. The following night, Snape disillusions himself and follows the sound of footsteps. The sound of the footsteps lead Snape to an old classroom. He watches as the door opens of its own accord. He quietly slips inside and stands against the wall. He saw as Harry removes the invisibility cloak and lets it drop to the floor. He walks up to the mirror and sits down. He knew at once what the mirror was. It was the mirror of erised. He looks at Harry and realizes that Harry must be looking at his parents. The boy never knew his parents and longed to see them, to hold them. Snape had to do something, otherwise the boy will wither away in front of the mirror. Snape also knew that if he moved closer to that mirror, that he would see Lily. He had to warn Harry, though. He removes the Disillusionment Charm and walks up to Harry, keeping his eyes away from the mirror. Snape said, "Harry, step away from the mirror." Harry tears his eyes away and looks at Snape. He said, "Why dad?" Snape said, "This mirror is called the mirror of erised. Do you see the writing at the top there?" Harry nods. Snape said, "If you had read it backwards, it would have said, 'I show not your face, but your heart's desire'." Harry said, "So... it shows us what we want, whatever we want?" Snape shakes his head, "Not exactly, Harry. It shows us what we want more than anything else in the world. For example, you Harry, who never knew your parents. You see them standing on either side of you, don't you?" Harry nods sadly. Snape said, "If you keep looking into the mirror at your parents. You will not eat, or drink. You won't care about anything else, only to see your parents again. That's what the mirror does. It draws you to it and makes you stay there, until you wither away in front of it." Snape hugs Harry and said, "Many witches and wizards have withered away in front of it, unable to resist its power. I don't want you to have the same fate as them, Harry. I don't want you to forget to live." Harry hugs Snape tightly. He looks up at Snape and said, "What do you see when you look in the mirror, dad?" Snape finally looks into the mirror and sees Lily smiling at him. Harry felt Snape's heart race as he watches him stare into the mirror, utterly transfixed. Snape's eyes had become red with unshed tears. Snape finally tears his eyes away from the mirror. He was panting as if he wanted to cry. Harry said worriedly, "Dad, are you ok?" Snape looks down at Harry. He said, "I see Lily, whenever I look into the mirror, Harry." Harry hugs him, feeling bad for Snape. Suddenly, he felt Snape fall to his knees and begin to cry, his shoulder shaking. Harry hears him say over and over again, "I'm so sorry, Lily. Please forgive me...." Harry said, "It's ok dad, I know you miss my mum and that you love her. I know you feel bad for all the things you've done. I'm sure mum forgives you. It's ok to cry. Just because you cry, doesn't mean your weak, dad. It shows that you're human." Harry rubs Snape's back as he cries on Harry's shoulder. After crying for nearly half an hour. Snape manages to calm down and stop crying. He wipes his tears away and looks at Harry. He said hoarsely, "Thank you for your kind words, Harry and thank you for comforting me. You're right, crying isn't a weakness. I shouldn't feel ashamed of crying. I miss your mother very much. There are times when I do cry, but I cry in the privacy of my room. I've never cried in front of students, until now. I truly hope she has forgiven me." Harry smiles, "I'm sure she did, dad. If I can forgive you, so can my mum." Snape looks at Harry and smiles slightly. The boy never ceases to amaze him!