Chapter Text
“Axel we can’t keep doing this…”
“Relax; we haven’t gotten caught yet, right?”
“Why can’t we study in the library like all the other students?”
“Because it’s too boring in there.”
This wasn’t the first time Axel and Roxas used the Room of Requirement to do their studies. They met up outside the hidden door every day after their classes, or sometimes they walked there together if Gryffindor and Slytherin had a class together that particular day. They usually used the room to study, or to do their homework.
The two walked the corridors of Hogwarts in content silence, occasionally smiling to a classmate walking by, or saying hello to a painting. Soon enough they arrived at the deserted hallway on the seventh floor that they both knew held the door to the Room of Requirement.
“Want to do the honors?” Axel turned to his friend.
Roxas shrugged and began to pace in front of the wall, eyes closed in concentration.
Once he paced back and forth three times, he opened his eyes and stared at the wall.
“Did you do it right?” Axel asked and placed his hand on the seemingly ordinary wall.
“Of course I did it right!” Roxas said and put his hand next to Axel’s. “At least I think I did.”
“Here, lets both do it. Maybe it’s just being stubborn today.” Axel took Roxas’ hand that was next to his on the wall and together they both paced the hallway three times. They both did their best not to focus on their conjoined hands and instead focus on the room that they needed.
On cue, the grand door appeared across from the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy.
“There we go.” Axel said and hesitantly let go of his friend’s hand. “It just needed both of us.”
Axel held the door open for his friend, and entered the room after him.
“Axel… this isn’t right.” Roxas said, looking around. “This isn’t the room we normally get.”
The room they entered was a large, empty one.
“Achoo!” Axel sneezed and wrinkled his nose. “It’s as dusty as my textbooks in here.”
“I wonder why we got this room this time…” Roxas trailed off; looking around at the strange room they ended up in.
“I dunno, what were you thinking when we were pacing?” Axel inquired, also looking around.
“Uh, well, I, um…” Roxas rubbed the back of his neck. “You see-“
“Hey look at this mirror!” Axel interrupted his stuttering friend. “This thing must be ancient!”
Together they walked up to the mirror with clawed feet and a gold frame and looked at their reflections.
“I wonder if it’s enchanted or something?” Roxas said, reaching out to the mirror.
“I don’t think so; all I see is you and me. Nothing special about that.” Axel said, and waved his hands, trying to get the mirror to do something.
“ ‘Esired stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi’…” Roxas did his best to read off of the mirror. “I wonder what that means.”
“I have no idea.” Axel said, squinting at the phrase engraved in the mirror. “I guess we’ll just study in the library.” Axel sighed and turned away from the mirror and out of its reflection.
However, even though Axel was out of the mirror’s visual, Roxas still saw his friend’s reflection standing next to him.