Christmas puzzle!

[sepherim_ml]

Edit 26/12: so, I've decided to post the fanfic here, for the moment, until I can create a AO3 collection to keep them together. I think most will be in English, but let's see. I'm sure all will be involving Harry Potter, oh yes, it's that time of year!

Partecipo ad un bellissimo contest, il Christmas Game: ho scelto un puzzle e i miei 9 prompt e

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[sepherim_ml]

Fill #3, Prompt #4: ghosts
Title: The woman in the Mirror
Fandom: Harry Potter
Wordcount: 538
Warnings: what if - book 1

Severus moved silently in the shadows and entered in the abandoned classroom, wand in hand. He didn't know why Dumbledore asked him to check on the Mirror of Erised in the middle of the night, but he followed the order and Dumbledore was definitely right.

There was someone there. Although, not the person he thought it would be.

"What are you doing here Potter?"

The brat startled and turned around to face him. He was holding a Cloak of Invisibility in his hands and his eyes were red, like he was crying until that very moment. Behind him, there was the Mirror of Erised. Severus tried very hard not to look into it.

"I was... I was..."

"You were wandering after curfew and I believe not for the first time. Twenty points from Gryffindor." Severus put back his wand, tasting deep satisfaction when Potter looked debauched. "Go straight to your dormitory or it will be twenty more points."

For a long moment, Potter didn't reply. He cast a last, longing look to the Mirror and then he asked. "What is it... sir?"

"This is not your business, Potter."

"But sir, I think I see... I see my parents," Potter blurted out. "And a... friend saw himself with the Quidditch cup! What is it?"

Severus had no doubt that this friend was Weasley, but he was distracted from detracting more points. Potter was seeing his family in the Mirror. Something about that statement made Severus' determination crumble.

In the Mirror, Severus was smiling happily to Lily.

After all this time... Lily was there.

They were both there together, drinking hot chocolate and sitting under the porch at the Evans' house. It was their usual Christmas Eve tradition; they would drink hot chocolate, exchange gifts and talk about everything.

They did that every Christmas since they met until the day Severus had cut the ties with her.

And every Christmas since her death, Severus used to prepare two mugs of hot chocolate and place them on the table. He never touched them. Then, the day after, he always threw the chocolates away, along with his moment of remembrance.

But Lily, Lily was there again. She was laughing, her green eyes were sparkling with amusement, now an adult herself, long red hair, same green eyes, same amazing smile. She was waving to the brat at Severus' side.

"Sir?"

Severus looked at Harry Potter, incapable of speaking, distraught. For a moment, his stoic mask wavered and the sorrow was overwhelming.

"Sir, are you alright?"

"You have her eyes," the words slipped from Severus' mouth before he could stopped them.

Potter gazed at the Mirror again, confused. "My mom's?" He returned to look at his professor. "You knew my mom?" His voice was soft, a murmur almost, but destroyed the last wall of Severus' heartache.

"Yes, I did."

"Do you see her?"

Severus looked at Lily. She was nodding, smiling, so perfect and yet so unreal. She didn't forgive him, in the end. She had all the reasons no to and he couldn't blame her. Now, she was dead and Severus had to look at the Potter brat and see her eyes all the time. Could he repent now, through the brat?

"Always."