Spooky Mirror

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"What's going on?" Sirius asked in surprise.

"Let me see," Dumbledore replied, stepping up to Mrs. Black's portrait and studying it intently.

Dumbledore gently swiped his hand across the darkened canvas, inspecting it closely, but found nothing with the naked eye. He then drew his wand, tapping the surface several times, and cast diagnostic spells.

Bright light spots appeared across the painting, gradually covering the entire canvas. Dumbledore closed his eyes, frowning as he delved deeper into his examination.

After a long time, he finally opened his eyes and sighed.

"I'm sorry, Sirius. I can't determine why Mrs. Black's image has vanished," he said, his voice tinged with regret.

"It's alright, Dumbledore. You've done more than enough," Sirius quickly reassured him.

"Perhaps we should ask the other portraits in the room," Ethan suggested, his voice thoughtful.

The suggestion brought a spark of hope to Dumbledore and Sirius's eyes, and they immediately began searching for the other portraits lining the corridor.

As Dumbledore approached a portrait of a wizard seated in a chair, wearing a pointed hat, the figure inside quickly stood, removing his hat and bowing respectfully.

"Good day, sir," Dumbledore greeted with a gentle smile.

"I have a question for you."

"Of course, ask away," the wizard in the portrait replied, his tone filled with respect.

"Did anyone enter this room after we left, or did you notice anything unusual with Mrs. Black's portrait?" Dumbledore inquired.

The portrait's demeanor suddenly shifted, his voice becoming flat.

"I'm sorry, sir. I don't know."

Ethan noticed that even the wizard's eyes seemed to dull as he spoke.

Moments later, the portrait appeared to snap out of a trance, shivering slightly.

"I apologize, Mr. Dumbledore. I seem to have been distracted. Did you ask something?"

The wizard's voice was once again lively and respectful.

Dumbledore, Sirius, and Ethan exchanged uneasy glances, each sensing the same undercurrent of concern.

They questioned several more portraits, but each time, they received the same unsettling response—when asked about anything unusual, they would fall into a daze, unable to recall any details.

"There's something at work here," Dumbledore said gravely.

"These portraits seem to be under the influence of some mysterious force."

"I've checked the house thoroughly. No one has entered, and the protective enchantments, including the Fidelius Charm, remain intact. Only the three of us should be able to access this place," Sirius added, his worry deepening.

Dumbledore clasped his hands together, his brow furrowed in deep thought. After a moment, he spoke again.

"Sirius, may I take Mrs. Black's portrait back to Hogwarts for further investigation? This situation is quite unusual."

"Of course," Sirius agreed quickly.

"But my mother applied a permanent sticking charm to the portrait so she could remain here forever."

"That shouldn't be an issue," Dumbledore replied confidently, raising Elder Wand towards the frame.

"Finite incantatem," Dumbledore murmured.

The portrait clicked slightly, swayed twice, and then fell from the wall in one swift motion.

Dumbledore caught it just before it hit the ground.

"Hey, what's this?" Sirius exclaimed, noticing a small mirror hidden behind his mother's portrait.

"Was this mirror always here?" Ethan asked, turning to Sirius.

"No, there's never been a mirror here," Sirius replied, his tone serious.

"So, this mirror appeared after the portrait was hung?" Dumbledore asked, his voice growing more concerned.

"I can assure you, there was no mirror here before," Sirius confirmed.

Dumbledore leaned in closer, inspecting the mirror. It was flush with the wall, seamlessly embedded. As Ethan observed it, the mirror reflected a distorted image of Dumbledore's face, its craftsmanship crude and imperfect.

Despite its ordinary appearance, something about the mirror felt off. Dumbledore, curious, lightly touched its surface.

The moment his fingers made contact, the mirror shattered with a sharp crack.

Dumbledore recoiled, but not quickly enough. A shard had nicked his finger, and a thin line of blood began to flow.

"This... is unexpected," Dumbledore muttered, staring at his bleeding finger.

Quickly regaining his composure, he cast several detection spells on his wound, and the mirror fragments scattered on the floor.

After a tense moment, Dumbledore exhaled in relief.

"No poison or curse. It's safe."

"But there's something strange about this mirror," he added, his brow furrowed.

Ethan, still unsettled, stared at the broken shards. There was something more to this mirror; he felt sure of it. Suddenly, his breath hitched. He raised his wand, and with a flick, the shattered pieces of the mirror lifted from the ground, hovering in mid-air.

The shards began to reassemble themselves, fitting together like a jigsaw puzzle. But as the pieces aligned, it became clear that one shard was missing.

Dumbledore's eyes narrowed as he studied the incomplete mirror, the shard that had cut his finger conspicuously absent.

Ethan and Sirius exchanged uneasy glances, both sensing the same ominous undercurrent.

Dumbledore's gaze remained fixed on the bloodstained mirror.

"A wizard's blood is never to be taken lightly," he said quietly.

"I need to take this mirror back for further examination."

Ethan nodded and carefully retrieved a bag from his belongings. He guided the mirror shards into the bag using a levitation spell without touching them directly. Once the bag was secured, he handed it to Dumbledore.

Dumbledore placed the bag in his pocket, his expression calm but focused.

"I'll continue investigating this," he said firmly.

"But now, we turn our attention to the Regulus case."