[HPforGrownups] Re: "Harry, I am your *Uncle*"

[Horst or Rebecca J. Bohner]

No: HPFGUIDX 18555

Deelite wrote:

>Remember,though- when Harry looked into the Mirror of Erised, he saw
all of his relatives- and he didn't see Snape amongst them.<

To which Lea added:

>No, he didnt see the Dursleys (because theyre still alive,
supposedly - same goes for Snape so far). Unless you claim he didnt
see them because they were dead, but because they were unknown to him
and his deepest desire was to see his *unknown* family. But then Snape
would have been in it, too.<

You really think that Harry Potter's heart's desire would be to find out
that Snape was a part of his family?  Any more than his heart's desire was
to see the Dursleys in that mirror -- despite the fact that they, too, are
his biological relatives?

The mirror showed Harry what he wanted to see:  not necessarily a false
image, but certainly a selective one.  Harry was seeing only what he really
longed for -- relatives who would love him, approve of him, be happy to see
him, and welcome him into their midst.  Neither the Dursleys nor Snape (if
Snape is a relative, which I think he might be) could possibly fit into that
category.

Note also, that although the mirror shows you what you want to see most, it
is not necessarily factual, revelatory, or accurately predictive.  Ron saw
his heart's desire in the mirror -- to be better than his brothers at
everything -- but do any of us think that's really going to come true?

So I don't think we can draw any firm conclusions from the Mirror of Erised.
All it really tells us is that Harry yearns for a real, loving family of his
own.
--
Rebecca J. Bohner
rebeccaj at pobox.com
http://home.golden.net/~rebeccaj