The mirror reflected... absolutely nothing!
Well—more accurately, it only showed Harry's own reflection: handsome and confident as always, but beyond that, nothing.
There was no special vision. No illusion. No hidden desire laid bare.
It really was just... a mirror.
Harry refused to believe it.
No way—it must be that I'm doing it wrong…
He started touching the frame, tapping the glass, pulling funny faces at his reflection. He even muttered random incantations he didn't fully understand:
"Mirror, oh mirror…"
"You are the most beautiful mirror in the world…"
"Reveal yourself…"
"Demacia—!"
Eventually, Harry gave up, slumping in defeat.
He hung his head low. The Harry in the mirror hung his head too.
…
It really was a nice mirror, though. Finely crafted, crystal-clear, full-length.
But—
Bloody hell! This is NOT what I came here to see!
…
Harry narrowed his eyes.
No. This can't be the real Mirror of Erised—it has to be a fake. A knockoff!
He stroked his chin, putting on his best "I'm an expert" face.
But then he had an idea.
There was a very simple way to test if it was real.
He bolted out of the room and sprinted downstairs—straight to the library.
Cho was still standing by the bookshelf, cuddling Little Cutie in her arms, when suddenly she saw Harry charging toward her.
Before she could react, Harry grabbed her hand and pulled her along.
Thud!
The book in her other hand dropped to the floor.
"Harry—wait! My book—" Cho called out.
"No time! We'll come back for it!" Harry shouted without slowing down.
Cho, holding Little Cutie in one arm and being dragged by Harry with the other, suddenly felt like she was… eloping with him.
Thump thump thump...
They raced all the way up to the fifth floor and stopped just outside the abandoned classroom.
Panting slightly, Cho gasped, "What... are you doing?"
In his heart, Harry muttered:
Right now, you're my little guinea pig. No voting rights for you.
…
Harry said, "I want to show you something really amazing."
"What is it?" Cho asked.
He pointed to the door beside them. "It's in this room."
"This one?"
"Yeah. Go ahead, take a look."
Cho gently pushed the door open and found an abandoned classroom. And then she noticed it—a towering mirror leaning against the far wall.
She was drawn to it instinctively.
Suddenly, her breath caught, her eyes widening in disbelief.
She gasped in delight, "Harry! Come here, quick—I…"
Harry was already standing right behind her, so when she turned to shout, she nearly bumped into his chest. Her breath tickled his neck.
Realizing how close they were, Cho immediately stepped back, looking down in embarrassment. After a few moments, she murmured, "I saw my parents in the mirror… it's incredible."
She turned back toward the Mirror of Erised, a soft smile spreading across her face as she gazed at its reflection.
Watching her expression, Harry suddenly understood why people said it was dangerous to spend too long with this mirror.
The Mirror of Erised revealed your deepest desires—who could resist something like that?
Even someone as gentle and reserved as Cho, just seeing her parents again had stirred her so much…
Imagine what would happen if someone saw their greatest fantasy come true—could they ever look away?
…
Although Harry didn't think Cho would become obsessed, he still spoke calmly:
"This is the Mirror of Erised. It's a powerful magical artifact. It shows people what they want most… but it doesn't give knowledge, or truth. People can waste away in front of it—chasing after what they see, never knowing if it's real… or if it can ever be real."
Cho nodded softly, then tilted her head with a playful smile. "And the inscription on top—'Erised'? That's 'Desire' spelled backward, right? Just like the full message: 'I show not your face but your heart's desire'?"
Her eyes were clear, steady—not a trace of obsession in sight.
Harry let out a faint smile. "I forgot you're in Ravenclaw. Of course you'd know about the Mirror of Erised…"
Cho winked at him cheekily.
"So… what did you see in the mirror?" she asked, curiosity shining in her gaze.
Harry sighed. "Just myself."
…
Creak…
Suddenly, the door behind them opened.
An old man entered, wearing flowing robes and a long, sweeping purple cloak. His half-moon spectacles perched on his nose, and his blue eyes sparkled behind them with a gentle, knowing light.
He was a wise figure—the guardian of this school.
His name… was Albus Dumbledore.
That name carried unmatched prestige.
Everyone who saw him couldn't help but feel admiration. But unfortunately, at this very moment, he was doing something… not quite so dignified:
He was licking a piece of pudding—with a good amount of it stuck to his beard.
Harry carefully observed Dumbledore. This was only the second time he had seen him at Hogwarts. The first had been at the start-of-term feast, and even then, from a distance.
He was always a bit of a mystery, rarely seen. Harry had never really gotten the chance to interact with him.
And now, Dumbledore was studying Harry too, those bright blue eyes surprisingly clear for someone his age.
They stared at each other.
Harry realized that, oddly enough, he didn't feel nervous around Dumbledore. Was it because the old man's current "harmless grandpa" vibe was disarming?
Harry was the first to speak:
"Didn't expect this, Professor Dumbledore—spying on a young couple's private conversation from behind the door."
Dumbledore looked startled.
"You—what are you talking about?!" Cho blushed furiously, steam practically coming off her head, and stomped on Harry's foot.
"OW—!" Harry hissed in pain.
Dumbledore licked his pudding again and chuckled.
"Well, I wasn't exactly trying to eavesdrop. You two sort of… invited me."
Harry was confused until he noticed a faint glowing thread drawn across the doorframe—a minor enchantment meant to alert someone when the room was entered.
…
Dumbledore gazed at Harry with admiration—and a subtle but deep sense of relief.
"You really only saw yourself in the mirror?" he asked softly.
"Of course," Harry replied.
Dumbledore approached the Mirror of Erised, lightly placing his hand on the surface. His voice was quiet, thoughtful.
"They say the happiest person in the world would look into the Mirror of Erised… and see only their own reflection. I've never believed that. I've never met someone who could do it."
Cho's eyes widened in awe, her expression adorably surprised.
Harry raised an eyebrow. "Happy? Me? Orphaned, no family, no home, and just barely enough Galleons to get by…"
Dumbledore looked at him steadily.
"Happiness," he said, "is determined by your heart, not your circumstances. It's about how you see the world, not what you have. As Merlin once said: Even if a true warrior stands in fire, he still feels warmth in his heart."
Harry smirked.
"Maybe that's just because Merlin never actually stood in a fire."
Cho burst into laughter, quickly covering her mouth.
Even Dumbledore chuckled, and then said something that completely caught Harry off guard:
"Because of your insight and your outstanding character, I've decided to award Gryffindor… fifty points!"
…
Lo Bei: I want bookmarks, I want votes, thank you~
o(∩_∩)o
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