Playing With Magic

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Chapter 35: Mirror Erised

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January 6, 1992 - Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Jonathan Grey

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The train ride to Hogwarts was smooth enough, we caught up with each other, and at some point, we decided to visit the other compartment where some of our other friends were seated. While catching up with Su, Tony, and the Patil twins, they also gave me their Yule.

Su handed me a beautifully wrapped book titled The Hidden Magical Communities of China, Padma and Parvati gave me a book on The Mystical Magical Communities of India, and Tony proudly handed me a signed copy of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by his distant relative, Newt Scamander. I also gratefully accepted some books from Micheal and Terry, but I had already read them. They didn't read my gifts, so they won't feel bad if they don't see me reading theirs.

Once we finally arrived at Hogwarts, I immediately made my way to Dumbledore's office to arrange my NEWT exams and Masteries while the others settled in. Unsurprisingly, both were immediately accepted. The date for the exams will be confirmed later, but I will have completed Hogwarts within a year by the summer and will be the youngest Hogwarts Graduate and Qualified Wizard in History. At least while using the new educational standards, anyway.

As for the Masteries, Dumbledore said he would be fine to do them with me because he had no doubt I would be able to go through them like I did the Hogwarts education. But he also said if the other teachers accept, then they could also provide their expertise, which would be better because he only has so much time free in the week. He also brought up a meeting he set up with Flamel to see if he'll accept me as an apprentice, but I'll have to see how that goes.

I didn't really care much about any of the Politics of the whole thing, and with the Resurrection Stone in my possession, I wouldn't mind some alone time to scour through the knowledge of older wizards during my free time. Dumbledore did seem to hint at spending my summer with Sirius and learning as much as I could from the Black Library, which was all I needed to see what he was trying to do. I didn't blame him or make a fuss because it was already in my plans anyway, but it seemed more like he was trying to remind me as a way to keep me from spending too much time out of his view. 

Then there was Harry 'the trouble magnet' Potter. We had only been back at Hogwarts for less than a day, and he was already out there doing his protagonist's bullshit and dragging me into it because doing it on his own was probably not enough of a thrill for him.

"So you're telling me," I began, turning to a sheepish-looking Harry as he and I walked down the corridor. "You're telling me that, having been back at Hogwarts for less than 24 hours, you decided to use an invisibility cloak you got for Christmas to visit the Restricted Section in the library. Only, you had to make your escape because one of the books yelled, and you ended up in a room with a mirror that showed you your parents. Did I miss anything?"

Harry winced slightly but nodded. "Yeah, that's pretty much it. But the note that came with the cloak said to 'use it well,' so…"

I stopped at an alcove and turned to give the boy a deadpan look, not failing to notice the dark circles under his eyes. There was no doubt he spent most of the night with the mirror. "I don't think they meant to break into the Restricted Section of the Hogwarts Library, Harry. And you really need to get some sleep. You look terrible."

"Thanks," He gave me a deadpan look of his own before giving a weak smile, clearly trying to downplay how tired he really was. "But yeah, maybe you're right. Let me show you the mirror first. You coming or what?"

"Alright," I reluctantly agreed with a sigh, and the sleep-deprived boy led me to the room where he had discovered the Mirror. I could always use my Map to find it when he visited again at another time, but I might as well use this opportunity to explain away how I found it. The room itself was tucked away, hidden behind a door that creaked loudly as Harry pushed it open. The mirror stood at the far end, rectangular, around seven feet tall, with several runic inscriptions carved on its frame.

Harry immediately moved toward the mirror as I closed the door to make sure we weren't interrupted. I had already sensed Dumbledore's magic making his way here after we triggered a ward that was placed on the door. Standing in front of the Mirror, Harry took a deep breath before speaking. "They're standing right there, my parents, over my shoulder. My dad has his hand on my shoulder, and my mum is smiling at me. It's like they're really here."

I listened quietly as I observed the mirror's ornate frame as Harry spoke. Passing my magic through the runes and enchantments meticulously and copied the enchantments and runes down to the last spec as I ran my fingers along the edge. It was well made. Self-repairing to an extent, increased durability and obviously the enchantment itself, which used [Legilimency] to delve into the onlooker's mind to obtain the information it needed to reflect. It made me think someone might have studied how Dementors got bad memories from people and just flipped it.

[Mirror of Erised - Magical Item]

[A magical mirror that shows "not your face but your heart's desire." Those who look at their reflection in the mirror can see their reflected self in a state of perfect happiness. The Mirror can offer great comfort to those who look into it, or it can be dangerous for people who cannot walk away from what they see but are unable to obtain.]

[The mirror uses a form of Legilimency to achieve its results.]

"John, you should try it." Harry's voice brought me out of my thoughts. At this point, Dumbledore was already in the room, having silenced the door so as not to make a noise as he walked in under a [Disillusionment Charm]. I had completely ignored him in favour of the mirror's enchantments. "Stand in front of the mirror. You'll see them too."

I originally thought he was guided here by some kind of mind magic, so that Dumbledore could give him some information or get closer to him. Surprisingly, there weren't any spells pushing anyone, even Harry, to this specific room. So either he wiped all traces of it, or He genuinely stumbled on the mirror without external interference. That, or Fate decided to make a move.

Stepping onto the spot Harry was just standing in, he stepped to the side as I peered into the mirror. I was immediately met with a light [Legilimecy] probe. Seeing that the Mirror only showed me staring back, I decided to drop my [Occlumency] shields to allow the probe to do its work - making sure to only let the Mirror probe into my mind and nothing else. With Dumbledore in the room, I have to make sure he doesn't take advantage.

Harry watched me and the mirror intently. "Do you see your parents too?"

"No," I muttered as I furrowed my brows slightly as I focused on the image in the mirror. "Not my parents."

Harry looked confused as he looked back and forth between me and the mirror. "Then what do you see?"

"I see magical portals." I continued to gaze into the mirror as I absentmindedly described it. "Magical portals of my creation. One sparkling with golden magical energy on its edge and another a swirling vortex of energy, shimmering with energy."

I knew exactly what they were and where they were from. One looked exactly like the portals the Sorcerers used in Marvel, and the other was a portal from the Witcher verse. If there was any doubt, then the figures standing on the other end of the portals, the Ancient One and Yennefer, were enough to make me certain. There were also multiple other magical and non-magical artefacts laid around from different fictional works as well. I didn't need any more information to let me know that my heart's desire is to travel to other worlds and add to my magic knowledge and more artefacts to the Hoard. That wasn't surprising.

"But…" Harry's confusion deepened, and he looked back at the mirror, trying to understand. "Why would it show that?"

I guess the [Legilimency] doesn't show the system and my previous life, so it couldn't show my family from my previous life even if it wanted to. Glancing up at the mirror's frame, I read the inscription aloud, "Erised straeh ruoy tub ecaf ruoy ton wohs I." I paused, further confusing Harry. "It says, 'I show not your face but your heart's desire.' This mirror is enchanted, Harry. It shows what you want most in the world. It seems to use a form of Legilimency."

"So…" Harry blinked as he looked back at the mirror, slightly over his reflection's shoulders. "I see my parents because I want to be with them the most."

"Exactly." I nodded. "And I see magical portals, artefacts and spells because I want to be able to create them. That's my greatest desire—magic. I think I've moved on from the loss of my parents. That's why I don't see them. Well, that, and I've got an eidetic memory. They're always with me in a way, I guess."

Placing a reassuring hand on Harry's shoulder as he stared at the Mirror, I said, "It's powerful, but it can be dangerous too. It shows us what we want, but it can't give it to us. Be careful with this, Harry. It's easy to lose yourself in what you see."

"You are quite right, Mr Grey," Dumbledore said, finally stepping out of the shadows as he undid the [Disillusionment Charm]. Harry jumped a little, slightly startled by the Headmaster's appearance here, but I just calmly turned to the man as he shimmered into view.

"This mirror gives us neither knowledge nor truth," Dumbledore continued, his eyes twinkling like they usually did as they settled on Harry. "Men have wasted away before it, entranced by what they have seen, or been driven mad, not knowing if what it shows is real or even possible."

"It shows us what we want, doesn't it?" Harry looked back at the mirror in sadness and longing, having quickly gotten over his jump scare. "The things, people, we want most."

"Indeed it does." Dumbledore nodded with a serious but compassionate expression as he stepped closer. "But remember this, Harry: it does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live. Remember that."

"I shall be moving the mirror to a new home tomorrow, boys," Dumbledore said, now standing right in front of us, shifting between the both of us. "I would ask that you not go looking for it. However, If you ever run across it, you will be better prepared. Now, I think it's time for Harry to get some rest."

Harry nodded slowly, his gaze lingering on the reflection of his parents in the mirror. "I think… maybe you're right. But it's hard, you know? Seeing them, even if it's not real…"

Dumbledore didn't respond as Harry stood in silence staring at the Mirror one last time before nodding and finally looking away. Dumbledore then said, "The happiest man on earth would look into the mirror and see only himself, exactly as he is."

"What do you see in the mirror, sir?" Harry asked, "If you don't mind me asking."

The corners of Dumbledore's mouth curled into a small, warm smile as he looked into the mirror. "I see myself holding a pair of thick, woollen socks."

Harry blinked, taken aback by the simplicity of the answer. "Socks, sir?"

Dumbledore's smile broadened as he started to gently guide us toward the door. "One can never have enough socks. Another Christmas has come and gone, and I didn't get a single pair. People will insist on giving me books."

"I don't see how that would be a problem," I muttered. If I constantly received books on magic every Christmas, I wouldn't complain. Not unless I already have the books they keep sending me. Considering how old Dumbledore is, it might be the very problem he's having.

Casting one last look at the mirror, I was able to easily notice the colourful glowing gems on one of the gauntlets mirror-me was wearing. Infinity stones. Mirror-me was also wearing a full-body suit of enchanted armour similar to Doctor Doom but the metal seemed dark and rippled like Valyrian Steel. There was also Captain America's shield leaning on a milky-white greatsword that I could easily identify as Dawn from the A Song Of Ice and Fire series by the emblem of a sword and shooting star on its pommel.

Looking Closer at the armour, I could see some sort of liquid moving around it but could not quite make out what it was. Then there was the fact that I was holding a miniature universe in the palm of my hand like it was nothing. If I didn't know any better, I'd say Mirror-me gave Franklin Richards a [Handshake] at some point.

The creak of the door brought me out of my thoughts as we walked out of the room. Closing the door behind us, Dumbledore pat us both gently on the shoulders and said, "Now, off to bed with both of you," 

Soon enough, Harry was in bed, probably catching up on sleep - I checked on my Map while I was in one of my trunks creating a Mirror Erised of my own. 

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Dumbledore's Office

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"Did I hear that correctly?" Perenelle Flamel asked, looking at Dumbledore with interest. "The boy mentioned portals when he looked into the Mirror?"

"Yes, Ma'am." Dumbledore nodded. "That's what he claimed to see—two magical portals, swirling with energy."

"But how can we be certain he's telling the truth?" Nicolas, Perenelle's husband, asked. His brow furrowed slightly as leaned forward in his chair. "The boy has strong Occlumency shields—strong enough, as you yourself have tested, to block the mirror's true effects. He could be lying about what he saw. You did say it seemed like he already knew you were in the room before you made yourself known. He might have just wanted to keep what he saw to himself."

"It's true that John's Occlumency is impressive, and he may well be hiding parts of what he saw." Dumbledore considered Nicolas's words carefully as he rhythmically tapped his long fingers lightly on the armrest of his chair. "But I don't believe he is lying about the portals. Even if that was only a portion of what the mirror revealed to him, I sense no deception in his words on that particular subject. I did, however, see his eyes dart around the reflection to other things after he stated he saw the portals."

"Portals, hmm, intriguing." Perenelle's eyes seemed to light up. "If that is truly what he desires, even if only partially, then I'll gladly teach him everything I know about the subject. I had already planned to help expand his education while he studied Alchemy with Nick, so adding this to the curriculum will be no problem at all. If all we have heard of him so far is only partially true, I have no doubt we'll be able to make great strides in the subject."

"Albus, there is one thing I must insist on," Her smile immediately disappeared as her demeanour grew serious. Turning her sharp gaze on Dumbledore, she demanded, "Make sure that John does not swear any oaths, especially not to any government entity, not even the Unspeakables. The political landscape is always changing, and we cannot afford to have oaths used against him, and, by extension, everyone else."

"I and my associates share your concern," Dumbledore's expression matched her seriousness as he nodded in agreement. "The boy is brilliant, but still young. Even still, he has already flipped the board on its head while only being out of view for the Yule holiday with one action alone. We have already put plans in motion to ensure he remains free to primarily pursue his studies while minimising unhelpful distractions."

The room fell into a contemplative silence for a while as its occupants were lost in thought. But that small while wasn't enough for Nicolas to forget why he was here in the first place. Leaning back slightly in his chair, he narrowed his eyes and spoke, "Now, let's not beat around the bush, my boy. Explain again why you still plan to go ahead with this plan of yours when you know full well a staff member is being instead of capturing the man."

Perenelle seemed to enjoy the pending drama and decided to take the entire cookie bowl from the table. Placing it on her lap as she treated it like popcorn while looking back and forth between her husband and the Headmaster. Dumbledore could only sag his shoulders as he let out a sigh.

"Well…"

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The next day

Johnathan Grey

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[Dragon's Mirror of Erised - Magical Item]

[A magical mirror created by Johnathan Grey that shows "not your face but your heart's desire." Those who look at their reflection in the mirror can see their reflected self in a state of perfect happiness. The Mirror can offer great comfort to those who look into it, or it can be dangerous for people who cannot walk away from what they see but are unable to obtain.]

[The mirror uses a form of Legilimency to achieve its results.]

Well, that was easy. It wasn't in any way difficult to make. But as soon as I completed it, I kind of just got bored. After seeing no personal use for it, I decided to cover it up and store it in the Hoard. If I ever need to see what a person's true desires are, I could always use my [Legilimency] in the same way the magic in the Mirror does. The mirror may not be that useful, but the magic was.

Leaving the trunk, I went to meet up with Tonks. Apparently, she had an interesting story to tell me about her time spent with the Auror's Office chasing some rogue Alchemist. It was easy to see that her main reason for choosing to join is the thrill she gets from chasing down criminals. 

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"It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live."

— Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, AKA Albus 'too-many-names' Dumbledore

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Autor Here

I imagine Harry saw his parents exactly as they looked when he was a baby because the Mirror showed them that way from his memories. Otherwise, the mirror would have gotten the image wrong or just blurred their faces. I like the idea of his parents always being with him like that, even if only in memory. Well, that and whatever protective spell Lily used.

And here I am, barely remembering what happened two weeks ago.

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