Practicing, gazing, and wondering . . . {Open}

[mariaisabella]

Maria walked slowly through the second floor, trying to find a place to practice. She turned the knob of one of the doors and saw a plain room, with only a few scattered books and a mirror in it. Maria smiled, and walked into the room, pulling out her wand.

"Accio, book." Maria said, pointing out a red book at the other side of the room. It shivered, and came towards her slowly. Maria strained to keep it from flying and hitting her in the head. Or maybe the strain was on the spell she was using. Shaking her head, Maria grabbed the book as it approached her. It didn't have a title, but Maria wasn't really interested in reading it.

Maria looked carefully at the mirror. It seemed to taunt her to come closer. Ignoring the curious pang, Maria pulled out a matchstick. "Nulictor!" Nothing happened. Furiously, Maria threw the match. She had tried her hardest the past few hours to get the spell to work, but it just wouldn't change. Maybe it's because I'm a Muggle-born. She thought, sulking. She noticed her match had hit the mirror.

She walked to pick the match up, and examined herself in the mirror. Maria jumped at what she saw. People were in the mirror with her! Turning around, she made sure that no one else was in the room. Must be magic. She thought, and looked at the mirror again. She stood there, along with her brothers and sisters. Her parents were also there, looking proudly at them all. Maria noted that her siblings were wearing wizard's robes.

Maria shook her head. "I'm imagining things." She said aloud. "My parents are in St. Mungo's. They were attacked. They can't be here." The picture didn't fade, though. Maria shook her head and glanced at the mirror again. The image had changed some. Now, along with her siblings, Aislin and Morganna appeared. They smiled at Maria, obviously happy. What was most noticeable, though, was Nicodemus Grey. Maria's eyes widened. Nico was standing tall next to her with his arm around her waist. Maria felt something brush the same spot, and looked. There was nothing there.

Maria blinked, and gazed at the mirror, highly confused. The match in her hand fell to the ground, and she smiled slightly. The vague thought occurred to her that she was hallucinating and should get to a doctor, but it was so lovely seeing her family again, alive and well. And there was so much to puzzle out from that mirror. Why is Nico there? And if he's in the mirror, how can it be that my family is here, too?

{Wow. That was long.}

[alysonmelissa]

Alyson walked sulkily down the hallway, her eyes downcast. She didn't want to be here. It was a magic school. Those people had tried to kill her, and she was going to be one of them. Her father was dead now, because of it. Maria is one of them. Aly blinked. The thought had been random, and not at all one she should have been thinking. Yes, and I don't talk to Maria anymore. Alyson thought firmly. A tear squeezed it's way between her eyelids and down her cheek.

She found herself in a room, and to her surprise, Maria was in it. Aly almost left, but then she saw the look on her sister's face. Curious, Aly closed the door behind her and walked to Maria, peering at the mirror. Maria was smiling at it almost dreamily, but Aly couldn't see anything special about it. Breaking her new rule of silence, Aly spoke. "Maria?" Her voice sounded hoarse and dry, most likely due from the lack of use. "What are you doing?" She croaked.

[mariaisabella]

Maria jumped as she heard her sisters voice, but didn't want to turn her head. The image was just so perfect. Reluctantly, she turned to face her little sister. "Aly? Y-you're talking again?" Maria smiled warmly and ran to give her sister a hug. Squeezing her tightly, she didn't want to let go.

"Did Nico talk to you yet? I don't know if he did or not, but it's all right, because now you're talking to me and it's really the thought that counts. Are you all right?" Maria bent over and looked her sister over carefully. "You look so tired. Have you slept at all?"

"Oh! You really should look at this, Alyson, it's such a marvelous mirror! I don't know what it does exactly, but it must be magical. Look! You can see Mom, and Dad, even though Dad's dead. And then there's you and Alex, and we all look so happy! And my friends, Aislin, and Morganna; she's dead too. And then there's . . ." Maria trailed off and felt the urge to jump away from the mirror, not quite wanting her sister to see Nico's arm wrapped around her.

[alysonmelissa]

Aly felt a little better, and warmer, getting a hug, but honestly she was a little frightened of Maria. After all, Maria was the same as those witches and wizards. She could do magic, and she had a wand, too. The thing was sitting on the floor, just feet away from the both of them, and Aly shivered. "I've been sleeping some." Aly said softly. And she had been, but most of the sleep didn't do any good.

"Who's Nico?" Aly asked, her voice still cracked and damaged sounding. "Is he . . ." But Aly already knew the answer. Nico must have been one of her wizarding friends.

Aly peered into the mirror curiously. "I don't see anything Maria." She said bluntly. All she saw was her sister, and herself of course. "Just us. Are you okay?"

[mariaisabella]

"Yes, Nico's one of my new friends. He's in Slytherin, but don't judge him for that! Nicodemus Grey is one of the sweetest boys I've met." Maria smiled sweetly, and looked back at the mirror. "He's right there. Can't you see him?"

"Why . . .?" Maria began, and jumped away from the mirror. The people vanished as she stepped away. Curiously, she looked at Aly, who was still standing in front of the mirror. "I'm all right, Aly. But don't you see anything at all in that mirror?"

[alysonmelissa]

Alyson gasped as Maria stepped away from the mirror. Aly saw herself standing in the field, right outside their home. Flowers were in bloom, and she was standing amongst her friends, who all grinned happily. Her father was also there, but barely visible, seeming to call them to dinner from a distance. Alyson's eyes filled with tears, and she nodded to Maria's question.

"I see it." She said, and though she knew that it had to be magic, she didn't want to leave. "It's so beautiful, Maria." She began to sob, but never took her eyes away from the mirror.

[mariaisabella]

Maria saw the tears streaking down Alyson's face and went over to comfort her. "It's all right." Maria said softly, hugging her sister tightly. Her throat tightened, and her eyes watered as she did. "I saw people, too." And she cried, guiding her sister away from the mirror and to their dorms.

{Maria and Alyson Exit}