Chapter Text
Once upon a time, there was a man in front of a mirror.
He wasn’t always there, you see, but sure seemed like it. Younger students were made aware of his presence as soon as they first walked into the castle - a strange living thing haunting one of the third-floor classrooms that should be avoided at all costs, like the Forbidden Forest, the Whomping Willow, or being late for classes. First years were easily impressionable by tales involving weird noises, dark and ancient - and probably unreal - spells.
However, he truly wasn’t dangerous - after all, he wasn’t even the shadow of the man of his past. He was just… mysterious, a trait that accompanied him even in this half existence, and mostly silent, except for one little question spoken by that soft baritone voice every single time anyone tried to talk to him. No answer, nor any acknowledgment, just a question that hung in the air.
No one knew for certain why he ended up facing the Mirror of Erised, or whether he could be saved from it - the best (and even the said worst people) tried to free him to no avail. Some thought he was cursed, others that he was simply a ghost trapped by his own unfulfilled wishes. Everyone knew his name, though.
Former Headmaster Severus Snape.