The Mirror of Erised (Was Re: HP and the Pillar of Storge)

[Geoff Bannister]

No: HPFGUIDX 102944

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "abigailnus" <abigailnus at y...> 
wrote:

Abigail:
> We've seen this before, of course.  How many times has a breathless 
> newbie (and some oldbies) logged on and announced to us that if 
> you reverse the text on the Mirror of Erised, you get...  And yet 
> there's never an explanation of what Erised means because one 
> isn't necessary.  In the Potterverse, Erised is simply a nonsense 
word.

Geoff:
I don't entirely see where your argument is coming from. Erised is 
not a nonsense word in the Potterverse. The inscription on the Mirror 
is a warning in reverse. Erised can be considered to be 
a 'reflection' of desire. As Dumbledore remarks:
"It shows us nothing more or less than the deepest, most desperate 
desire of out hearts."

(PS "The Mirror of Erised" p.157 UK edition)

So, when we look into the mirror, we see the reflection of our desire.