A Disturbing Vision

After lunch, Mika and Minerva returned to the dressmakers’ to see if the wedding robes that Mika had ordered were finished.

“Ah, lay-dees!” Miss Dawdley exclaimed with an exaggerated smile and clasp of the hands. “Just in time to try on our lovely creation.”

He ushered the two women into the back fitting area and held up the most magnificent creation either woman had ever seen.

“Is it not just magnificent?” Miss Piddley’s round, piggy face turned pink with glee.

“Yes, please, do try it on.” Miss Dawdley pulled back a curtain and held the dress out for Mika, indicating that she should go inside and slip it on. Mika did this and a few moments later emerged, smiling broadly.

“It’s a perfect fit! How did you guys… um, ladies do such a fabulous job so quickly?” she marvelled, catching herself.

“Magic, my dear.”

“Of course!” Miss Dawdley clapped his hands in glee as he examined his and Miss Piddley’s work. “Absolutely splendid, don’t you agree?” he cooed.

“It is a most remarkable garment,” agreed Mrs. McGonagall. Even her ancient face beamed with delight.

Mika smiled and twirled around, coming to a stop and looking at herself in the set of full length mirrors that were there for just that purpose. As she stared into the centre mirror, however, her smile faded. The others saw her peer deeper and deeper into the mirror, a look of growing horror on her lovely features.

Minerva came forward immediately, alarmed, and looked into the mirror herself. “Mika, what is it?” she said worriedly. “Mika!”

The timelord opened her mouth, but no words came out. Slowly she raised her hand and pointed at the mirror. “Can’t you see it?” she whispered finally, her voice shaking as was her outstretched hand.

“No, Mika, I cannot see anything. Just your reflection, and mine of course,” Minerva said softly and soothingly.

“There! There in the mirror!” Mika’s voice was louder now and more hysterical. She tried to look away but just couldn’t. She was transfixed.

Seeing the distress their client was clearly in, Dawdley and Piddley rushed forward, wands out, and muttered spells that immediately covered all the mirrors with thick, black cloths.

“Oh, my dear! We are truly sorry!” The ‘Ladies’ were in terrible distress, wringing their hands, wands having disappeared again beneath their long skirts.

Now that the contact with the mirror was broken, Mika was able to look away and she immediately buried her face in Minerva’s consoling embrace.

“Oh, Min, it was horrible!” she sobbed into her robes.

“What did you see, my dear? Tell me what you saw and maybe I can understand?” she urged soothingly.

Mika took a deep breath and tried to compose herself. The dressmakers were rushing about frantically trying to make her more comfortable first by bringing her a chair in which Minerva gently seated her, then by bringing her a cup of tea. Then the two ‘lay-dees’ argued over the cup of tea, one insisting that she required something a bit stronger and brought out a bottle of brandy, and poured her a glass, offering it to her.

The timelady accepted the brandy and took a sip, Piddley offering Dawdley a smug ‘I told you so’ grin.

“Just take your time, Mika, that’s it. Now,” Minerva sat down in another chair that the dressmakers had brought in for her. “What was so horrible? What did you see?”

Mika leaned forward, her elbows on her knees, head held in her hands. She was trembling all over in spite of the caring attentions of Minerva and the dressmakers extraordinaire. She was thinking, trying to picture the image in her mind so that she could describe it accurately. She wasn’t sure what it meant, but she knew it was not good.

“I saw…” she began, her words slow and careful as she tried to remember every detail accurately, “a clearing in the forest. I was standing there at the end of a makeshift aisle. Everyone was there but I could hear nothing. Albus was standing with his back to me, a large book floating open beside him. I turned to see Remus, he was smiling but suddenly his smile faded and I found myself surrounded in flames. Everyone began screaming but I could not hear them. I heard maniacal laughter and then Albus turned around to reveal a grinning skull. The skull turned green and glowed and separated itself, Albus’ robes falling away to nothing. The laughing, grinning green glowing skull came closer to me closer…” Mika stared straight ahead as if seeing it all over again before her. “Suddenly I found myself atop a tall tower, the grinning skull above it. I was alone. I peered over the side to see a dark form crumpled and still on the ground beneath me. That’s when the mirror was covered. I didn’t see any more.”

She buried her head in her hands once more, her body wracked with sobs.

Minerva leaned in and hugged Mika to her comfortingly. “There, there now, I am sure it meant nothing.”

“I can’t go through with this wedding,” Mika said suddenly. “Not if it means people will be harmed. Not if… “ she swallowed hard, “not if Remus is in danger.”

“Oh Mika, you can’t halt the wedding on a mere vision,” Minerva began.

“But you don’t understand, Min. I have had these visions before. And they are almost always accurate. I can’t let anything happen to Remus. I would rather die.”