[HPforGrownups] Mirror of Erised Musings

[Samaporn Teeravechyan]

No: HPFGUIDX 17711

At 02:56 AM 4/26/01 -0000, you wrote:

>Firstly, when Harry finds the mirror of Erised in the empty classroom 
>what is gaurding the stone? Dumbledore was taking a big risk by 
>removing it, since we assume he didn't know who was trying to steal 
>it or when. If fact this lends itself to the idea that Dumbledore did 
>know Harry would go after the stone as he was obviously setting him 
>up for a later battle. But does that mean that maybe he knew who was 
>going after it. He couldn't have known Voldy was inhabiting Quirell 
>and allowed it?!?!

Perhaps the stone was not hidden in the Mirror until it was moved into the
guarded passage later on (Dumbledore did tell Harry on his last visit that
the Mirror was to be move, and that Harry should not try to look for it).
Dumbledore may have held on to the stone in the meantime. Or, perhaps
Dumbledore -was- personally guarding it ... he was aware that Harry had
been visiting the Mirror and knew what both Harry and Ron saw on their
visit together.

>Secondly, how is that Harry in the Quirell scene was able to see 
>himself getting the stone and not his family again. How is it that 
>the rules could change so that the mirror showed the desire relevant 
>to the task at hand and not his true desire for family.

His wish to be part of a family may one of Harry's deepest desires, but it
doesn't mean that it is his only true one. Upon coming unexpectedly
face-to-face with Voldemort and the possibility of his return, I believe
that the intensity and gravity of the situation was such that his strongest
desire at that moment was to protect the stone at all costs.

Samaporn