The Mirror and the Heart

[arrowsmithbt]

No: HPFGUIDX 105297

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "cubfanbudwoman" <susiequsie23 at s...> 
wrote:
> 
> SSSusan:
> I remember this post!!  And I also remember that I disagreed w/ you 
> then...and still do.  We're seeing the word "use" in different 
> lights.  Here's a snippet of a response to you the first go-round:
> 
> **********************************
> KAT/rxk replied in #95664:
> > But Quirrel DID want the stone to use it to benefit himself-by
> > giving it to LV, he expected to be greatly rewarded; perhaps
> > through the riches it might create or even some of the elixer.
> > Hence, his motives would not be "pure", whereas Harry's were to
> > keep the Stone safe.
> 
> Siriusly Snapey Susan:
> I think Kat is exactly right. Harry's & Quirrell's intentions were
> quite different.
> ********************************
> 
Kneasy:
Well, we can argue about this until the cows come home, but the fact
of the matter is that Quirrell did not want to use the Stone - that's
made quite clear in canon. Subsequent events are problematical, but
it seems that to Voldy Quirrell had only one use - to find and hand 
over the Stone.

If that's true - and we have no reason to think otherwise - then we
are forced to conclude that DD's  at it again - he's shaving the truth.

Harry and quirrell did have different motives, true.
Harry wasn't trying to find the Stone at all, he was trying to stop 
someone else from finding it - Quirrell. But neither intended to
use it - and that, according to DD is what matters. The Mirror
hid the Stone from anyone who wanted to use it. 

"But no more questions" Sly old bugger, DD.

> 
> SSSusan:
> This is a fascinating take on it, and I'm really enjoying the 
> thoughts you, Dave & Iris so far have put out about the Mirror.  I'm 
> not sure I can quite buy going so far as to say the viewer sees DD's 
> desires & wants, though.
> 
> WHY would DD want Harry to see his family?  I think he wanted Harry 
> to find the mirror, yes, and to familiarize himself with what it does 
> and how it works so that he would recognize it when he saw it again.  
> But I don't think DD "programmed it" or has power over it in such a 
> way as to establish what it shows each viewer.  I mean, what if 
> DD "chose wrong" and the viewer said, "That mirror's a load of sh*t; 
> THAT'S not my deepest desire"??
>

Kneasy:
Oh ye of little faith - if it's a communication device, and every mirror 
we've seen in the WW does communicate (or at least I can't remember
one that doesn't) - why shouldn't DD's be one that broadcasts  what 
DD 'desires and wants' you to see? Very  handy, I'dve thought.
But of course when DD looks into it he just sees his own reflection
 - maybe holding a pair of socks. 

As to  why show Lily and James, that's hinted at in OoP chap 37, I 
think -  where DD vapours on about how he prevaricated in telling 
Harry the truth, how he wanted peace of mind for Harry, how he 
wanted happiness for him etc, etc. 
He was giving Harry something Harry had never had before - his family.

As for programming it - no;  I think it more likely to be 'live broadcast'
than automatic response. That way he tailors it to the viewer.
He could get it wrong I suppose -  but how often do you think that
would happen? It's hardly left lying about; only three people we
know about have looked into it and it lied to one of them. In the
climax of PS/SS it didn't show Harry what he wanted, it showed him
what it was going to *do*. If it was 'programmed' how the hell did
it know that young Harry Potter would turn up to save the day? Harry's
deepest desire was to get out of there but it didn't bother to show him
that bit. 
It all seems a bit too convenient for something in automatic mode.