The Mirror of Erised is a magical object that is said to show a person their deepest desire when they look into it. In the Harry Potter series, Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, tells Harry that the mirror shows him “nothing more or less than the deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts.”
When Harry looks into the mirror, he sees himself reunited with his deceased parents and holding the Quidditch Cup, symbolizing his desire for a loving family and success in the sport he loves. Dumbledore, on the other hand, sees himself reunited with his lost love, Ariana Dumbledore. Ariana was a young girl who was accidentally injured during a magical duel between Dumbledore’s father and sister, and as a result, she was left emotionally and physically damaged. Dumbledore spent the rest of his life caring for Ariana and keeping her safe from the outside world, but he never got the chance to fulfill his own dreams and ambitions.
Dumbledore’s reflection in the mirror reveals the weight of his guilt and regret over not being able to pursue his own desires and instead being forced to put the needs of others before his own. It also shows the depth of his love for Ariana, as he wishes for nothing more than to be reunited with her and make amends for the mistakes of his past.
The Mirror of Erised serves as a reminder that our deepest desires often come with a price, and that sometimes the things we want the most are not meant to be. It also serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of letting our desires consume us, as we see with Dumbledore’s brother, Aberforth, who became fixated on the mirror and let it consume him.
The Mirror of Erised ultimately serves as a tool for self-reflection, forcing us to confront the things we truly desire and the sacrifices we are willing to make to achieve them. It forces us to confront the parts of ourselves that we may not want to acknowledge, and to consider whether our desires are truly worth the cost.