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Chapter 2: Moving On
http://archive.skyehawke.com/story.php?no=13093&chapter=2
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A Summer Like None Other
by Aspen in the Sunlight
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Chapter Two:
Moving On
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Later that same evening, Snape verified Draco's translation, but he went further than that. "This is the Mirror of All Souls," he told both his sons, shaking his head a little. "It's a rather well-known example of old spells gradually losing their potency. It hasn't worked since the early twenties, I believe. The library likely has more information."
"The nineteen-twenties?" asked Harry.
"No, the fifteen-twenties," said Draco, scoffing.
Harry ignored his brother. It was too bad he hadn't ignored him earlier that day.
"You want to see your parents," Draco had repeated, shaking his head as though he didn't much like the idea. "Aren't they basically just strangers to you, though? It's not like you really ever knew them, Harry. You were too young when they died."
"I know them from my dreams."
Not the answer Draco wanted, obviously. His jaw clenched for an instant. "You're living in a dream if you think that means anything. They're dead, Harry! And you have Severus, now. You shouldn't need anybody else."
"I don't need anybody else. I just want to see them. Is that so terrible?"
"Yes!"
Harry felt his arms start itching. Draco was a fine one to talk! "Oh, sure it is. Yeah, you've never whinged on about wanting to see your mother, have you? Isn't Severus enough for you?"
Draco had abruptly cast a privacy spell. Then he spoke in a harsh whisper. "Look, you can't blame me for wanting to see with my own eyes that she isn't covered in bite marks or something--"
"You're such an arse," Harry had shouted, fed up. "You know that's not going to happen. You know that Remus wouldn't do a thing like that! Even if he wanted to, which he doesn't, he wouldn't blow his cover and you know it!"
"I know he forgot to take a potion, once upon a time!"
"Oh, shut up." Harry was sick of Draco's thinly veiled comments about Remus and fur, or claws, or his not-so-veiled threats about what he'd do if a werewolf laid so much as a finger on his pure, perfect mother. Not that she was, of course. As far as Harry was concerned, Narcissa and Bellatrix were a matched set in everything but looks. "Do you want me constantly talking about how much I hate your mother, eh? Because I do! Hell, I ought to be the one going on and on about how worried I am. She might figure things out and turn Remus in! She's evil enough to--"
Draco drew his wand. "Don't you call my mother evil!"
"Yeah, well don't call Remus rabid, then! You want to love her, fine. But I love him." Harry lowered his voice to a hiss. "So just shut up!"
And Draco finally had. About Remus, at least. But he was muttering as he slid his wand back into his trouser pocket. Something about how Harry not being afraid of him was bloody inconvenient sometimes.
The comment broke the tension, at least. And Draco hadn't said anything more about how Harry shouldn't want to see his parents. Maybe being reminded of his mother had made him realise that Snape being enough for them wasn't really the point. They both had other people they cared about. And Harry did care about his parents, even if they'd died when he was very young.
Snape was walking around the mirror now, examining it from all angles, his forehead wrinkled as he waved his wand in a small arc now and again. Harry waited as long as he could, but after a few minutes, he couldn't stand the tension any longer. "What's wrong with it? Can you tell?"
"Just as I said. The magic within it seems very weak at present. And weakening more every year, until eventually there'll be nothing left at all."
Harry flexed his fingers, a sudden thought overtaking him. "So it just needs something to amplify the magic, then. Kind of like a wand does, right?"
Snape whirled, robes flaring, and fixed him with a glare. "You're not to experiment with wanded magic or anything else."
"I was just going to research it. In the library, like you said." Harry took a step closer to the mirror, his hand reaching out to trace across his own image reflected there. "If I come up with any ideas I'll talk them over with you, honest. I did learn things, you know, from that essay you set me. The one about how dangerous it was to work with magical artefacts?"
"I'm not likely to forget. The question is whether you are."
"I said I'd talk with you, whatever I find." Harry swallowed, wondering if his father was about to forbid him to even research the mirror. "I won't experiment on my own. But . . . um, if I come up with something promising, will you help me test it? I mean, if you think it's safe?" Snape was so long answering that Harry bit his lip. "Please?"
Snape's harsh features softened, very slightly. "It's not lost on me why this might be important to you, Harry."
"You don't mind?" Harry glanced up through his fringe, feeling a bit like he was walking along a ledge. He knew he shouldn't feel that way, but he did. Just a little. He knew how this might look to Snape. "I mean, it won't make you any less my dad, if I get a chance to talk to my . . . er, to . . ."
"Don't start calling him James again," said Snape dryly. "'Dad' will do for both of us. Though I do believe you might horrify the man if you mention as much to him."
Harry blinked. He hadn't thought of that, not in a long while. For the past few minutes he'd been worried about what Snape would think of this whole idea. Now, it seemed like those worries had doubled. Or tripled, even. What would his dad have to say about the adoption? Harry'd have to tell him, right? He couldn't keep a thing like that secret.
Slytherins don't show when they're hurt, Draco had said.
Pretending he hadn't been adopted . . . that would be a horrible thing to do to Snape. Harry shivered just thinking about it. Too much like repudiation. No, he'd have to be completely honest with his Mum and Dad. But what would they say in return? It was almost enough to make Harry want to forget about the mirror. What was he going to do if James Potter swam into view and told Harry that he disapproved? What if he called Harry mental? Well, no, he probably wouldn't do that. But he might say what Ron had that time, about Harry having been Confunded . . .
Snape's voice echoed in Harry's mind. Your father loved you. He would want you to have what you need.
Probably true, but still . . . Harry wasn't really looking forward to explaining that he needed Severus.
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The Mirror of All Souls was documented in any number of books, as it turned out. Draco helped with the research. Grudgingly, Harry thought. But the other boy was obviously determined not to leave Harry alone, so the two of them spent hours in the library.