Chapter 51. Warped Image

While staring into the large mirror in Dumbledore’s office, I could see myself, but slightly differently. I could see myself smiling, even though I knew for certain I was not. Val rested on my shoulder, even though he wasn’t there when I checked, but the most heart wrenching image was the unicorn. I clutched my heart, watching as my reflection brushed her beautiful mane, while she silently lowered herself into her knees and let me continue easier.

I knew this was some kind of illusion, but couldn’t turn away from the sight. I bit my quivering lip while grabbing at my heart just seeing the unicorn and I happily enjoying each other’s company. I continued to absentmindedly stare into this sweet dream, silently wishing that it might come true if I leered enough at it. It was then that a hand gently rested on my shoulder, making me jump in surprise.

I turned to see Dumbledore staring at the mirror as well. “Truly a marvel.” He said, almost in a whisper. “The Mirror of Erised… It does not show one’s reflection in a normal sense…” He then glanced down at me with a benign smile. “What do you see?” I looked back at the Mirror, the image of me standing beside the unicorn I held together into death’s embrace. I nervously played with my shirt over my chest as I spoke, feeling the vial underneath. “The unicorn alive…” I muttered, not able to say much more.

Dumbledore nodded calmly. “As I’m sure you are already aware… This is no more than an illusion… Only showing... What you want to see.” I sighed under my breath, the inkling of hope that perhaps she might be alive somehow vanished before my eyes. Dumbledore then calmly waved his wand, placing a white sheet over the mirror, blocking it from sight. “Apologies for my tardiness… Many questions are being raised over the newest victim.”

I snapped my head at Dumbledore, only hearing news of this now. “What? Who? When?” I hurriedly asked, Dumbledore gently waving his hand, for me to calm down and take a seat. I took a breath, and a seat opposite of his desk as he explained. “As for who… It appears that a, Ms. Chiara Lobosca has also been petrified… It happened late last night... while she was looking though the telescope at the Astronomy Tower...” My mouth hung slacked in shock, and my stomach sank at this information. I gulped, and my breathing became more erratic with stress.

“Do you perhaps think this of me, Headmaster?” I asked, the guilt of this eating me alive. Dumbledore gave me a reassuring smile and shook his head slowly at my idea. “No… I never suspected you to begin with Lucas…” He said reassuringly, but I wasn’t convinced in his words, the gnawing feeling in the back of my mind growing louder. “I only wanted to know if you perhaps heard anything strange this year…” He asked, sitting back in his chair in a relaxed manner.

I calmed down enough to answer his question, but wondered what I should say. I had only portions of clues, but nothing that pointed away from me. ‘Everything I found, feels incriminating to myself…’ “I’m sorry, but the attacks have only happened when I was inside of my special room. I spoke with Merlin about it, but he was left at a loss as well.” I perfectly side-stepped speaking of anything I found in Salazar’s room, or the ‘instructions’ left for his bloodline. Dumbledore raised a brow with interest at my answer, clearly knowing I should have only needed it this night instead. “You were resting in your special room last night?”

“I was out late last night, and curfew was already past, so instead of perhaps getting into trouble, I thought it would be best to stay in the special room.” Dumbledore nodded slowly, before smiling with a small chuckle. “Indeed a good way to avoid being caught out. Haha…” He then pondered for a moment, before gently standing up from his desk, and walking towards a bookshelf neatly tucked away beside the window. “Perhaps this shall help…”

It was then that I saw the old worn and torn Sorting Hat from my first year, and saw a few new students get in for my second year. “I’m already inside my House.” I answered back, not wanting to change out for the uproar it might cause. I had never heard of any student doing that, and I definitely didn’t want to be the first, and paint a target on my back. However, the sorting hat just laughed at me for the very idea. “No, I always choose correctly, where you are, is where you should be.”

Dumbledore then added on. “Think of him as a silent observer. He has been bound to stay silent to others regarding matters of what he has seen, but never to the person themselves… If you need true proof that you are not to blame for these attacks, then you shall have it for yourself…” I felt a weight come off my shoulders, as I grasped the raggedy hat, and eagerly placed it atop my head. “Thank you for this.” I said, happy that I was being helped, knowing that tonight would be another dangerous night if I was a strange connection to the attacks.

Dumbledore watched the young boy leave his office with a reassured smile. Dumbledore knew that Lucas couldn’t have been the one, especially with that little test with the mirror, but that small hint of his being linked to the real culprit had to be investigated, it was highly possible that another attack might happen tonight if the pattern continued. Dumbledore sighed with worry, the Chamber of Secrets was surely opened again, and this time even ‘purebloods’ were not safe if they were close to ‘Mudbloods’.

“Why are you wearing that old thing?” Draco asked as I sat down at the table, food appearing on a plate before me. I shrugged while acting as if I didn’t know either. “Dumbledore wanted me to wear it for a while.” Pansy glanced up from her multitude of books towards my head and frowned. “Perhaps he thinks you are to blame for the newest attack.” She muttered, looking back at her pages.

I held back a scoff, since I was the one who was still slightly unsure. “There was another attack? Who?” Draco asked while I sighed, wondering why it had to be that girl who was petrified. “A Hufflepuff girl. Chiara something.” Pansy answered back, causing Draco to scoff. “Hah, well it makes sense since she protects Mudbloods.” He glanced behind me, and towards the Gryffindor table, most likely at Hermione who he was referring to.

After some smirking, he suddenly had an epiphany, and looked back over to me with excitement. “Oh! Did you hear? We’re having Dueling practice in a few weeks!” I paused eating, wondering how it might turn out. “It could prove to be useful, you want to partner with each other?” I asked, glancing between Draco and Pansy. Pansy nodded casually, but Draco was more bloodthirsty. “I’d prefer if I could Duel with Potter and put him in his place.”

Midway into December, and the highly anticipated club’s first meeting was soon to begin. Entering inside the large room, a long rectangular platform with what appeared to be the phases of the moon to indicate distance from the center was surrounded by students of all years and Houses. “It appears to be a school-wide event, rather than a class.” Draco announced, Val slithering inside my sleeves to hopefully see people he had never before. "Well, it's understandable. The last attack happened the next night after the Hufflepuff girl, some news boy from Gryffindor. Who knows when the next attack may happen?" Pansy mumbled with a shrug, none of the horrifying news effecting her since she and everyone she cared for was safe. "Well, I'm just excited to Duel, as are much of the Slytherins." Draco chuckled, glancing around at all of the Slytherin students, speaking with one another at ease, a complete distinction from the rest of the large room of anxious glares and glances.

It was then that Professor Lockhart appeared from the door behind us in a Dueling uniform, resembling fencing attire. I frowned knowing about fencing from some of Quirrell's teachings of it with some of my spell practice, still some of the best teaching I ever had, especially in comparison to Professor Lockhart. “Welcome students!” He announced with flair, everyone looking over to him, many of the girls visibly excited to see him while I noticed Professor Snape roll his eyes as he walked inside the room behind Lockhart.

Professor Lockhart jumped onto the large platform, everyone’s gazes following him with each step he took. “Can everyone see me? Can you all hear me?” He glanced around at all of the girls eagerly nodding their heads before he muttered something under his breath I couldn’t quite catch. “In light of the dark events in recent weeks, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this Dueling Club. To train you all up, in case you ever need to defend yourselves, much like I have numerous times, for full details see my published works.” He joked, getting a few chuckles from the girls in the audience while Draco, Pansy, and I rolled our eyes, unsure if this was truly worth our time.