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Dumbledore and the Mirror of Erised
0 reviewsOne-shot! In the first HP book, Dumbledore claimed that he saw himself with socks whenever he looked in the Mirror of Erised. Could this be true, or just a cover up for something else?
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DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter, etc.; J.K. Rowling and other people do.
/Dumbledore and the Mirror of Erised/
By Quillian
(originally named Kraeg001)
SUMMARY: Dumbledore says in Book 1 that he sees himself with nice, warm socks when he looks into the Mirror of Erised. Was that true at all, or maybe a white lie for something more unsettling?
Inventa sunt specula ut homo ipse se nosset. Mirrors were invented so that man might know himself. -Seneca, Naturales Quaestiones (1.17.4)
A week before the beginning of the 1991-92 school year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Dumbledore took the Mirror of Erised to an old classroom that hadn't been used in at least decades, which would be an excellent hiding spot for it.
Just before leaving, Dumbledore caught a glimmer of something in the mirror. He didn't want to take a look at first, since some people had wasted away in front of this mirror like Narcissus with his own reflection; the old man certainly couldn't fill his role as Headmaster if that happened to him first! But eventually, his eccentric curiosities gave in, and so he decided to humor himself a little.
Dumbledore saw himself holding the biggest, comfiest pair of socks in the world. They were a magnificent crimson color, and the heels and toes of those socks were a rich gold. He quipped to himself they were "phoenix socks," since they vaguely resembled the rich plumage of his special companion, Fawkes the phoenix.
Suddenly, the image shifted, and Dumbledore saw himself next to a gigantic bag that was roughly the size of a small automobile. Spilling out the end were a few lemon drops, his favorite candy!
Once again, the image instantly shifted, and now it was something that Dumbledore never thought he'd see in this mirror.
Lying dead on the ground was Voldemort, and standing over him, wand clutched and face grim, was a young man. He looked about seventeen years old, and he had messy black hair, brilliant green eyes, and thick, round black glasses. But most importantly, he had a thin scar on his forehead, shaped like a bolt of lightning.
Harry Potter.
Dumbledore's heart suddenly ached. Deep down, he realized, that was what he wanted, even more than his own trivial little desires, which didn't hold a candle to the fate of the wizarding world. After all, the Sorcerer's Stone hadn't been moved from Gringotts to Hogwarts for nothing!
Dumbledore knew what he had to do. He felt bad about having to manipulate the course of Harry's life, hide the prophecy from him until the time was right, and "train" him to take on Voldemort, but it was all for the greater good. The sooner that Harry could successfully kill Voldemort, the sooner he could live a life free of forces beyond his control. As Machiavelli once said, "The ends justify the means."
"Headmaster?" enquired a gruff voice from the hall outside. It was Hagrid.
Dumbledore snapped out of his trance and turned to see his gamekeeper. "Yes, Hagrid?"
"I just wanted to give my report, sir," Hagrid said dutifully.
"Thank you, Hagrid." As Dumbledore pried his eyes away from the powerful image that only he could see, Hagrid decided to take a look, for curiosity's sake.
As Dumbledore walked towards the door, he heard Hagrid say, "Awww, now that is one cute little dragon..."
Clearing his throat, Dumbledore got Hagrid's attention, which tore his eyes away from the enchanted mirror and followed his employer out of the classroom.
Dumbledore knew the mirror would be safe, at least until his soon-to-be student, Harry Potter, discovered it soon.
If only he could ensure equally safe measures for the boy himself, once the covert training had begun...
/FIN/
A/N: I saw the Latin quote in one of my new Latin textbooks, and I instantly thought of the Mirror of Erised. So, what did you guys think of this one?
/Dumbledore and the Mirror of Erised/
By Quillian
(originally named Kraeg001)
SUMMARY: Dumbledore says in Book 1 that he sees himself with nice, warm socks when he looks into the Mirror of Erised. Was that true at all, or maybe a white lie for something more unsettling?
Inventa sunt specula ut homo ipse se nosset. Mirrors were invented so that man might know himself. -Seneca, Naturales Quaestiones (1.17.4)
A week before the beginning of the 1991-92 school year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Dumbledore took the Mirror of Erised to an old classroom that hadn't been used in at least decades, which would be an excellent hiding spot for it.
Just before leaving, Dumbledore caught a glimmer of something in the mirror. He didn't want to take a look at first, since some people had wasted away in front of this mirror like Narcissus with his own reflection; the old man certainly couldn't fill his role as Headmaster if that happened to him first! But eventually, his eccentric curiosities gave in, and so he decided to humor himself a little.
Dumbledore saw himself holding the biggest, comfiest pair of socks in the world. They were a magnificent crimson color, and the heels and toes of those socks were a rich gold. He quipped to himself they were "phoenix socks," since they vaguely resembled the rich plumage of his special companion, Fawkes the phoenix.
Suddenly, the image shifted, and Dumbledore saw himself next to a gigantic bag that was roughly the size of a small automobile. Spilling out the end were a few lemon drops, his favorite candy!
Once again, the image instantly shifted, and now it was something that Dumbledore never thought he'd see in this mirror.
Lying dead on the ground was Voldemort, and standing over him, wand clutched and face grim, was a young man. He looked about seventeen years old, and he had messy black hair, brilliant green eyes, and thick, round black glasses. But most importantly, he had a thin scar on his forehead, shaped like a bolt of lightning.
Harry Potter.
Dumbledore's heart suddenly ached. Deep down, he realized, that was what he wanted, even more than his own trivial little desires, which didn't hold a candle to the fate of the wizarding world. After all, the Sorcerer's Stone hadn't been moved from Gringotts to Hogwarts for nothing!
Dumbledore knew what he had to do. He felt bad about having to manipulate the course of Harry's life, hide the prophecy from him until the time was right, and "train" him to take on Voldemort, but it was all for the greater good. The sooner that Harry could successfully kill Voldemort, the sooner he could live a life free of forces beyond his control. As Machiavelli once said, "The ends justify the means."
"Headmaster?" enquired a gruff voice from the hall outside. It was Hagrid.
Dumbledore snapped out of his trance and turned to see his gamekeeper. "Yes, Hagrid?"
"I just wanted to give my report, sir," Hagrid said dutifully.
"Thank you, Hagrid." As Dumbledore pried his eyes away from the powerful image that only he could see, Hagrid decided to take a look, for curiosity's sake.
As Dumbledore walked towards the door, he heard Hagrid say, "Awww, now that is one cute little dragon..."
Clearing his throat, Dumbledore got Hagrid's attention, which tore his eyes away from the enchanted mirror and followed his employer out of the classroom.
Dumbledore knew the mirror would be safe, at least until his soon-to-be student, Harry Potter, discovered it soon.
If only he could ensure equally safe measures for the boy himself, once the covert training had begun...
/FIN/
A/N: I saw the Latin quote in one of my new Latin textbooks, and I instantly thought of the Mirror of Erised. So, what did you guys think of this one?
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