Chapter 21

      Fluttershy walked through the long dark corridors with the invisibility cloak over her.

During the day, she could get back to the Gryffindor common room in ten seconds flat, but without her lantern she couldn't even see her own hooves. It was so dark, she almost bumped into Professor Jet Set and Professor Trixie.

"You don't want me as your enemy Jet Set," Trixie said.

"I d-d-don't know what your t-talking about," Jet Set stuttered.

     Trixie's horn glowed. Her magic grabbed hold of Professor Jet Set and pinned him to the wall.

"You don't know what you're doing," Trixie cautioned. "You-Know-Who isn't exactly somepony to take lightly. He could destroy you in a matter of seconds."

Jet Set gulped fearfully.

     "Now then," Trixie said. "If you're doing what I think you're doing, then there will be consequences."

Hayseed appeared out of the darkness and Trixie dropped Jet Set as if nothing had happened.

"I found this in the library," Hayseed announced, holding up Fluttershy's shattered lantern. "It's still hot. That means there's a student out of bed!"

     Fluttershy walked away quickly and quietly. She couldn't risk being heard.

She wandered the corridors until she found a large wooden door. For lack of a better option, Fluttershy opened the door.

Inside was a large, empty room. Well, almost empty. In the far corner sat a mirror.

     Fluttershy approached the mirror and removed her cloak. She could see she wasn't as skinny as she had been when she first came to Hogwarts, and her pink mane had grown longer. Then she saw an orange stallion with a short brown mane standing behind her. She looked back, only to find nopony was there. Then, another pony appeared. It was a green mare with a long bright red mane. 

     Again, Fluttershy looked back to see that nopony was standing behind her.

Then she realized it.

"M-mum? D-d-dad?"

     The two ponies in the mirror nodded their heads slowly. 

Fluttershy reached out to touch their smiling faces, only to be stopped by the cold glass wall.

*******************

     "Applejack!" Fluttershy cried, running full speed into the dormitory.

Applejack leapt out of her bed. "Did you find somethin' about Combover Liverspot?"

Fluttershy shook her head. "I found my parents."

"But Sugarcube," Applejack said softly. "You're parents are-"

"I know!" Fluttershy interrupted. "But they're here too! Come and see!"

     Luckily, the invisibility cloak was big enough to cover both of them. They finally arrived in the same room Fluttershy had discovered. The mirror still sat in the far corner.

"Come on," Fluttershy said. She pulled Applejack in front of the mirror.

"You see them don't you?" Fluttershy asked.

"I see me..." Applejack said quietly. "Except I'm older. And I got wings! I'm holding the Quidditch cup!"

Fluttershy stepped in front of the mirror to see what Applejack was talking about, but as usual, she saw her parents.

******************

     Fluttershy snuck out almost every single night to go and stare at the mirror. She'd sit on the floor and stare into the mirror. Every so often, she'd try reaching out and embracing her parents, but the cold glass stopped her everytime.

"Back again Fluttershy?"

     Fluttershy jerked around and saw Professor Celestia standing at the door.

"I'm s-s-sorry p-professor," Fluttershy choked.

"No need for apologies," Professor Celestia said. "I see that you have discovered the delights of The Mirror of Erised. I'm sure you've figured out by now what it does."

"It show's us what we want," Fluttershy replied.

"Yes, and no," Professor Celestia said. "It shows us the deepest desires of our hearts. You see your parents, while your friend Applejack sees herself playing a sport in which she was born incapable of playing. Tomorrow this mirror will be moved elsewhere, and I must ask you not to come looking for it again. It is not wise to dwell too much in dreams."

Fluttershy nodded. "Professor?" She asked. "What do you see in the mirror?"

     It wasn't until after she had said the words that Fluttershy realized how rude it was to ask such a personal question.

"I see myself holding a brand new pair of socks," Celestia explained. "There are few things in this world more joyful than a brand new pair of socks."