C'mon, we already knew about Tom. And his gayness is very, very sublimated, mostly of the Nazi "NO GURLZ ALLOWED" variety. I don't think Tom approves of physical sex--such mess, and that feeling of NEEDING something outside oneself!
Okay, about 2 years ago I started an essay on that damned Mirror. Yes, it's a Dark Object; yes; it's addictive; yes, it's designed ultimately to kill its victims. And if one looks at it long enough, even if it doesn't kill one it causes severely damaging long-term emotional effects. In fact, Ron's experience can be used to argue that a single short exposure might have caused permanent, crippling damage in someone vulnerable..
Harry's wasn't short, and it was engineered by Albus.
Guess I'll have to dig that one out and finish it, yes?
As to its being a Hallow, something created by Death.... Well, the effect justifies that supposition, but nothing else that I can see. So not a Hallow, perhaps, but a trap set by Death for wizards...?
Hey, if it seduces like a Hallow, addicts like a Hallow, and kills like a Hallow...
One could argue that it's very similar the the stone, in that its reflection acts like the shades called by the stone: You see somebody you want to see, who tells you what you want to hear, and who makes you want to throw your life away to be with them. Just because JKR didn't see the obvious similarities doesn't mean we should ignore them. Don't we pride ourselves on picking up on things about her books she has overlooked
( ... )
Oh, I don't think killing Harry was why he stuck him in front of that Mirror and let him get addicted.
Someone else, I forget who, once posited that it was a test--that he wanted to know Harry's heart's desire. And I think he did, too. But I also think he expected Harry to see roughly what he did. And that that was part of the campaign to make Harry burn with the desire to get vengeance for his murdered parents, After the mirror, Harry started having recurrent--it sounds like, non-stop--nightmares about his parents' deaths. Before he saw them in the Mirror, it had all been rather abstract.
Sure, the Mirror is a powerful, seemingly addictive object, with potentially-fatal consequences of use, but why should it be made by Death? I can see an extremely-powerful, not-quite-sane or mostly-mad wizard or witch making such an object .... Perhaps even one of the Founders? Maybe the real reason the Founders of Hogwarts broke up was, one went insane and made the Mirror .... as a way of 'testing' students? Discovering if their deepest desire is for knowledge, strength, power over others, etc, or of testing their strength/wisdom/etc? After all, a truly strong/wise person would be able to resist the Mirror's pull .... and they/the Founders would be there to rescue the weaker ones
( ... )
Nice idea. Of course, it's presupposing the Mirror belong to/at the school--I personally wouldn't want it anywhere near kiddies, and would not put it past albus to have borrowed it as he did the Flamel's Philosopher's Stone and James's cloak. Mistrusting, me?
Well, of course no responsible teacher or headmaster would let the thing remain near children, once they realized what it really did/how dangerous it was; it would have been promptly removed, and hidden --- so well, perhaps, that by the time it was found all memory of its true origin had been lost ...
Hmn. Another black eye for Dumbledore(as if he needed one). If he truly just wanted to keep the Stone safe from Tom, he would've hidden it in the Mirror and promptly returned the Mirror to the Dept. Of Mysteries, to be once again locked in their securest vault. If he still wanted to trap Tom/Quirrell, he could've produced a fake stone to hide at Hogwarts ...
According to Pottermore the Mirror had been in the ROHT prior to being made into a VoldieTrap. Not that I trust Pottermore much, but at least it reflects what Rowling thinks now.
The very same 'Room of Hidden Things' that Albus supposedly didn't know about? He spoke of it as forming a loo when he really needed one, but otherwise doesn't mention that it can be anything you need. So, it's either another lie by Albus to Harry or maybe just a lie of omission? Those seem to be allowed.
I actually wonder whether it was a 'hidden thing' or did Albus just go to the RoR and think really hard about a Mirror of Desire that never existed before? OR if it really was in the Room of Hidden Things, then how did Albus know people have wasted away in front of it?
And lastly, IF it was in the RoHTs, then Albus removed it and put it in the room near the library JUST so Harry would find it. If he only wanted to use it for the Stone, it could have gone straight from the RoHTs to the 3rd floor gauntlet.
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Okay, about 2 years ago I started an essay on that damned Mirror. Yes, it's a Dark Object; yes; it's addictive; yes, it's designed ultimately to kill its victims. And if one looks at it long enough, even if it doesn't kill one it causes severely damaging long-term emotional effects. In fact, Ron's experience can be used to argue that a single short exposure might have caused permanent, crippling damage in someone vulnerable..
Harry's wasn't short, and it was engineered by Albus.
Guess I'll have to dig that one out and finish it, yes?
As to its being a Hallow, something created by Death.... Well, the effect justifies that supposition, but nothing else that I can see. So not a Hallow, perhaps, but a trap set by Death for wizards...?
Reply
One could argue that it's very similar the the stone, in that its reflection acts like the shades called by the stone: You see somebody you want to see, who tells you what you want to hear, and who makes you want to throw your life away to be with them. Just because JKR didn't see the obvious similarities doesn't mean we should ignore them. Don't we pride ourselves on picking up on things about her books she has overlooked ( ... )
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Someone else, I forget who, once posited that it was a test--that he wanted to know Harry's heart's desire. And I think he did, too. But I also think he expected Harry to see roughly what he did. And that that was part of the campaign to make Harry burn with the desire to get vengeance for his murdered parents, After the mirror, Harry started having recurrent--it sounds like, non-stop--nightmares about his parents' deaths. Before he saw them in the Mirror, it had all been rather abstract.
As for Severus, I'm sure you're right.
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I can see an extremely-powerful, not-quite-sane or mostly-mad wizard or witch making such an object .... Perhaps even one of the Founders? Maybe the real reason the Founders of Hogwarts broke up was, one went insane and made the Mirror .... as a way of 'testing' students? Discovering if their deepest desire is for knowledge, strength, power over others, etc, or of testing their strength/wisdom/etc? After all, a truly strong/wise person would be able to resist the Mirror's pull .... and they/the Founders would be there to rescue the weaker ones ( ... )
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Hmn. Another black eye for Dumbledore(as if he needed one). If he truly just wanted to keep the Stone safe from Tom, he would've hidden it in the Mirror and promptly returned the Mirror to the Dept. Of Mysteries, to be once again locked in their securest vault. If he still wanted to trap Tom/Quirrell, he could've produced a fake stone to hide at Hogwarts ...
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I actually wonder whether it was a 'hidden thing' or did Albus just go to the RoR and think really hard about a Mirror of Desire that never existed before? OR if it really was in the Room of Hidden Things, then how did Albus know people have wasted away in front of it?
And lastly, IF it was in the RoHTs, then Albus removed it and put it in the room near the library JUST so Harry would find it. If he only wanted to use it for the Stone, it could have gone straight from the RoHTs to the 3rd floor gauntlet.
Reply
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