Mirror.. Mirror on the wall.. ((OPEN))

(( ))

Nani was sitting down in front of the Mirror.. rubbing sometimes her eyes just to hide tears.. it wasn't the first time that she was in front of the Mirror of Erised.. the first time she saw it Nani was at her third year of school and what she saw was just amazing: she that was holding the biggest Quiddittch Cup she had never seen wearing one of the most famous team's uniform..
Not now.. What she saw wasn't exactly the happiest thing in that moment.. her family.. not only Grandma and Sitka.. but all her family.. mother, dad, Lilo.. it was already passed some weeks from that day.. everybody explained her how the things happened but she couldn't still believe it.. you don't miss someone unless you lost it.. It was true..
She sighed and watched inside the mirror.. again.. she rubbed her eyes and lie down on the floor.. luckily it was late night and nobody would be around..

Miranda glided softly through the halls, wrapping her robe tightly around her in the cool night air. One of the house elves had woken her to tell her Nani had been wandering the halls at night again. She had asked Abra, the houseelf, to keep an eye on the young hufflepuff. The loss the Pelekai family was enduring was immeasurable. Sitka was too distracted and overcome by his own grief. But that's what best friends were for right? To pick up where the other couldn't carry on. So, Miranda had resolved to carry the family through this. They were, after all, the closest thing to a family she had apart from her eccentric father.
She pushed open the door to the supposedly hidden classroom. And there was Nani, lying still on the floor. There were no tears. She knew how cold the girl had to be feeling. Silently, Miranda glided next to the girl, and lowered herself to the ground, tucking her legs beneath her.

"Nani?" she said softly. "Care for some company? I couldn't sleep either."

Nani jumped a little when Miranda spoke.. she didn't even hear her enter in the room.. she was a good friend and in that moment Miranda was really helping Sitka and her to handle the whole 'thing'..
She smiled and raised on her elbows.. luckily it was dark so she couldn't see her slightly red eyes.. "Miranda.. oh.. ehm .. Professor Melgrove.." after all these years she still didn't know how to call her.. "Yes.. I guess we can call it in this way.." she smiled giving a quick look at the Mirror.. Care for some company.. she sighed.. "How are you?" it could sound as a stupid question but Nani heard that also Miranda was under the Imperio's spell and she had to do horrible things..

Miranda smiled as Nani corrected herself. "Just Miranda is fine when it's just the two of us. We've known each other far longer than I've been a professor."
She watched the young woman carefully. This hadn't been easy...for any of them. And it wouldn't become any better for quite some time.
"I'm as well as can be expected," she said carefully. "What happened to me isn't nearly as awful as much else that happened."
She hadn't had a chance to talk to anyone yet about her own fears and curse. It simply wasn't important in comparison to losing Lilo. She glanced up at the mirror.
"What do you see?" she asked quietly.

Nani made a little smile.. Miranda always knew what to say and in the right way.. she watched her.. "I heard also about the other students.. " she whispered even if she knew what Miranda was talking about.. and surely not about the others students that were under the spell..
Nani was looking at her feet when Miranda asked about the Mirror.. What did she see? Nani didn't know what to reply.. Should she tell a lie or the truth?
She raised herself from her elbows and sat down looking in the Mirror.. she stared for a few minutes in front of it and sighed.. she didn't want to tell the truth.. "Emh.. I'm playing Quidditch in a famous team.." she said without watching Miranda.. "We won the championship.."

"Yes, there were several cursed. Some under the imperius curse, and others tortured. And a few deaths..." her voice trailed off. "None of this should have happened, Nani. And we are going to stop those who did this."
She took the teenager's hand and squeezed tightly. She refused to look in the mirror herself. She knew all too well what she would see there. She raised an eyebrow at Nani's lie.
"Nani..." she said softly, moving her own head searching for Nani's eyes. "I've known you since you were a toddler. You can't lie to me anymore..." Her voice was soft, kind. She squeezed her hand gently. "Talk to me, honey."

Nani blinked.. why did she always know?! She sighed and tightened her hand.. "Do you promise to not tell to Sitka?!" she said raising quickly her look to her.. he already had a lot of problems himself, she didn't want to worry him more..
Nani sighed again.. "He has already a lot of things to think.. and I.." she paused.. "I.. I want to be strong.." she said brokenly.. "but the Mirror has undertood what I really want.. and I think you too.."

Miranda looked her squarely in the eye. "I promise," she said firmly. "What are 'almost' big sisters for eh?" She laughed lightly. But she quickly grew serious as Nani sighed once more. She gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "You are strong, Nani. You're family has gone through so much. I'm proud of you."
Her words were short and simple. But right now, right now Nani needed to express herself, to work through the crazy emotions going through her heart and mind.
"Talk to me." she said again.

Nani smiled.. she knew that what Miranda was saying was true.. but she didn't really know how to handle the whole situation.. she watched again Miranda and then the Mirror.. she took a deep breath.. "When my parents died I was only 6 years old.. " she said.. "I remember them yes and no.." she smiled awkwardly.. she wasn't really happy about this thing.. most of her memories were really faded.. she sighed.. "And now I see them in the Mirror.." she pointed at it.. "They, grandma, me, Sitka, Lilo-" her voce broke for a moment.. "-together.." she paused as her eyes were ready to cry.. she rubbed them and spoke again.. "I wish we could be a 'normal' family again.."

Miranda's face saddened as Nani mentioned her parents. "I remember," she said softly. "I stayed with your brother almost constantly through all of that."
She glanced at the mirror as Nani pointed. Empathy consumed her. She wrapped an arm around the young girl's shoulders, pulling her tightly against herself.
"We're going to get through this, Nani," she whispered. "Your family...your family is strong. You and your grandmother, Sitka," she couldn't help but smile as she said his name. "I'm going to make sure you get through this.--- We are not going to forget them, but we ARE going to try and continue to live for them. Do you think you can do that?"

Nani smiled and nodded.. Continue to live for them.. she sighed and looked inside the mirror.. "It's not easy.." she said in a low tone.. for a few minutes she didn't say anything.. just watched her feet.. but then she said only two words.. "Thank you.." all the things she could say, maybe it wasn't enough.. it was surely not enough.. but she had to thanks Miranda for all the things she was doing for her.. for Sitka.. Nani sighed and tightened at Miranda.. "Thank you.." she said again before start to cry in her shoulder...

"It's not easy. But we've both done it before."
The tears startled Miranda. They really shouldn't have, but Nani had always been so strong, stronger than her that was for sure. She held the girl tightly to her, rocking her gently in her arms, trying to make her feel safe and loved...at least for a time. The school hadn't even acknowledged what had happened, leaving friends and family to grieve on their own. If she was honest with herself, it made her rather angry. But Nani didn't need anger, she needed empathy and love.
Her melodious voice softly filled the air as she sang,
"It may be empty
Oh, and weightless and maybe
I'll find some peace tonight

In the arms of the angel
Fly away from here
From this dark, cold hotel room
And the endlessness that you feel
You are pulled from the wreckage
Of your silent reverie
You're in the arms of the angel
May you find some comfort here....

Her voice faded to a soft whisper, "May you fiind...some comfort here."

Nani sighed and rubbed her eyes.. it wasn't what she wanted to do! Not start to cry with Miranda! But she couldn't stop the tears falled down from her eyes and she didn't want in a sort of way to make them stop.. It made her feel so much better..
As Miranda started to sing she raised her look.. it was so beautiful... she rubbed her eyes again and tightened more at her.. "You're a real angel.. Miranda.." she said in a whisper..

Miranda smiled sadly. "No, my dear. I'm just an old friend who doesn't like to see those she loves hurting."
She ran her hand up and down Nani's arms.
"The pain will lessen, Nani. I promise. And you are going to keep going, and make us all proud. Me, your grandma, Sitka...I know he is so incredibly proud of the young woman you are becoming. And so am I. And your talent on a broom?" She grinned. "Unmatched by any other Hufflepuff I have ever seen."

Nani rubbed her eyes and smiled.. "You're more than a friend.." she smiled and flicked her on the shoulder.. it was true, Miranda was like a sister to her.. She smiled.. "Yes! But we don't win the championship from a lot of time.." she laughed and sat down again near Miranda.. she breathed.. "I feel better.. thank you.." she smiled..

Miranda laughed. "After all these years I sure hope so!! Remember when we filled Sitka's bed with those slimy frogs? It felt like he chased us around the entire island!"
She squeezed the younger woman's shoulders encouragingly. "I'm glad. It's what I'm here for, now isn't it?"

Nani laughed.. they made a lot of things together! And that was one of her favourites! "Yes! We had to run the whole day!"
She smiled and moved near her flicking her softly on the shoulder with her shoulder.. "Luckily you're here!" Nani underlined smiling..

Miranda laughed right along with her. "Remember how red his face got? I teased him for days!"
She blushed. "I don't know what you're talking about, Nani," she said innocently. "Of course I'll always be here for you...and him...We've known each other for far too long and been through far too much together for me not to be."

Nani smiled.. "Yeah.. suuure.." she teased her.. "With all the things that we did together.. or better you and Sitka did.." she laughed.. "You're one of the family! An honorary Pelekai!"

"What exactly are you hinting at Miss Pelekai?" Miranda asked with a small blush. "Sitka and I did what we had to to occupy ourselves!" she laughed, bringing her knees to her chest. She wrapped her arms around her knees and mumbled under her breath. "always just an honorary pelekai..."

Nani watched her.. "Yes.. yes.." she smiled and lied down on the floor.. she looked at Miranda, she seemed sad now.. biting her lips she moved her hand on hers.. "Are you ok?" she asked at her.. "You know you can tell me everything.."