OOP:A Hypothesis on the Two-Way Mirror

[norwoodpa]

No: HPFGUIDX 65069

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "pan_donkey" <mac at d...> wrote:
> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "norwoodpa" <norwoodpa at a...> 
wrote:
> >   	"Sirius didn't have his mirror on him when he went through
> > the archway, 
> > said a small voice in Harry's head.  That's why it's not
> > working?.
> > 	"Harry remained quite still for a moment, then hurled the mirror
> > back into the 
> > trunk where it shattered.  He had been convinced, for a whole shining
> > minute, 
> > that he was going to see Sirius, talk to him again?.
> > 	"Disappointment was burning in his throat.  He got up and began
> > throwing 
> > his things pell-mell into the trunk on top of the broken mirror-" 
> >         Page 858
> > 
> <snipped>
> > I will be very interested in seeing what happens next time Harry
> > uncovers that 
> > mirror.
> 
> This is an interesting theory, but my feeling was that JKR was making a 
statement 
> about the finality of death with this scene and the talk with Sir Nick. Though 
Luna's 
> comments might be considered contradictory to this, I think they could be 
taken to 
> mean that while we're cut off from the dead during life, we can look forward 
to being 
> reunited with them later -- but not until then. That's just my impression, 
though.
> 
> What surprised me most about Harry's discovery of Sirius's mirror is that he 
didn't 
> seem at all upset by the fact that this little object would have saved Sirius's 
life. If 
> Harry had known what was in the package, or had turned to it when he 
thought Sirius 
> had been captured, he could have found out right away that Sirius was fine. 
It seemed 
> odd that the thought didn't even cross his mind. Am I missing something?
> 
> -Pan


I 'm convinced that you absolutely have NOT missed something and that is 
why I think this broken mirror is extremely important.

To tell the truth, I personally find this whole mirror situation a litlle annoying 
because it's not true to life.

How many 15 year olds would take 6 months to unwrap a gift  they had been 
given, much less to remember it?!  Add  to that the emotional charge of the 
love between recipient and giver and Harry's often desperate need for 
someone to guide him, Sirius' house-bound status, their parting, the drama of 
the warning "No, don't open it in here!...I doubt Molly would approve-but I want 
you to use it if you need me, all right?"   I don't see how anyone, no matter 
how preoccupied, could completely forget about it.  I think most people would 
replay such a parting scene in their heads  countless times, that at least 
should have reminded him.

As a literary contrivance, I don't think this situation is at all convincing.  If JKR 
wanted Harry to have this mirror but not use it, I think it would have been a lot 
more believable for the mirror's delivery to have been delayed until after 
Sirius' death, e.g. a member of the OOTP was to deliver it to Harry at some 
arranged meeting, for instance at a Hogsmeade weekend, but  was 
unavoidably detained. Unaware of the nature and importance of the package, 
a special effort at delivery was not made and the gift was posthumous.

But my opinion aside, she's gone to great lengths for Harry to have this mirror. 
I don't think its sole function is one destructive expression of grief and 
frustration.