Behind the scenes:
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Revision as of 19:00, August 11, 2016
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{{Quote|Men have wasted away before it, not knowing if what they have seen is real, or even possible.|Albus Dumbledore explaining the danger of the mirror to [[Harry Potter]]|Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone}}
{{Quote|Men have wasted away before it, not knowing if what they have seen is real, or even possible.|Albus Dumbledore explaining the danger of the mirror to [[Harry Potter]]|Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone}}
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The Mirror of Erised was created before the end of the [[19th century|nineteenth century]]. It is unknown who created
it
or how it came to be at [[Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry|Hogwarts]]. A succession of teachers have brought back interesting artefacts from their travels, so it might have arrived at the castle in this casual manner, either because the teacher knew how it worked and was intrigued by it, or because they did not understand it and wished to ask their colleagues' opinions.<ref name="pottermore">{{PM|the-mirror-of-erised}} (transcription available [http://lady-slytherin-forever.tumblr.com/post/8980253987/mirror-of-erised-pottermore here])</ref>
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The Mirror of Erised was created before the end of the [[19th century|nineteenth century]]. It is unknown who
the creator was. The mirror is one of those magical artefacts that seems to have been
created
in a spirit of fun (whether innocent
or
malevolent is a matter of opinion), because while it is much more revealing than a normal mirror, it is interesting rather than useful.<ref>{{PM|the-mirror-of-erised}} (transcription available [http://lady-slytherin-forever.tumblr.com/post/8980253987/mirror-of-erised-pottermore here])</ref> It is unknown
how it came to be at [[Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry|Hogwarts]]. A succession of teachers have brought back interesting artefacts from their travels, so it might have arrived at the castle in this casual manner, either because the teacher knew how it worked and was intrigued by it, or because they did not understand it and wished to ask their colleagues' opinions.<ref name="pottermore">{{PM|the-mirror-of-erised}} (transcription available [http://lady-slytherin-forever.tumblr.com/post/8980253987/mirror-of-erised-pottermore here])</ref>
The Mirror had been kept in the [[Room of Requirement]] since around 1891.<ref name="pottermore" /> It was only about a century later, in 1991, that [[Headmaster]] [[Albus Dumbledore]] brought it out and, tucking it out of sight in a [[Mirror of Erised storage room|disused classroom]], initiated some key modifications to the mirror, so that it could hide the [[Philosopher's Stone]].<ref name="pottermore" />
The Mirror had been kept in the [[Room of Requirement]] since around 1891.<ref name="pottermore" /> It was only about a century later, in 1991, that [[Headmaster]] [[Albus Dumbledore]] brought it out and, tucking it out of sight in a [[Mirror of Erised storage room|disused classroom]], initiated some key modifications to the mirror, so that it could hide the [[Philosopher's Stone]].<ref name="pottermore" />
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*The scene where Harry sees his parents in the mirror for the first time makes an appearance in {{OOTP|FA}} during Harry's [[Occlumency]] lessons with Snape.
*The scene where Harry sees his parents in the mirror for the first time makes an appearance in {{OOTP|FA}} during Harry's [[Occlumency]] lessons with Snape.
*The Mainland Chinese version of {{PS}} included various footnotes from the translator explaining various aspects of British culture to Chinese readers. The footnote for the Mirror of Erised's inscription incorrectly claims that it is a secret [[Wikipedia:Taoism|Taoist]] charm.
*The Mainland Chinese version of {{PS}} included various footnotes from the translator explaining various aspects of British culture to Chinese readers. The footnote for the Mirror of Erised's inscription incorrectly claims that it is a secret [[Wikipedia:Taoism|Taoist]] charm.
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=== Author's comments ===
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"''Albus Dumbledore's words of caution to Harry when discussing the Mirror of Erised express my own views. The advice to 'hold on to your dreams' is all well and good, but there comes a point when holding on to your dreams becomes unhelpful and even unhealthy. Dumbledore knows that life can pass you by while you are clinging on to a wish that can never be - or ought never to be - fulfilled. Harry's deepest yearning is for something impossible: the return of his parents. Desperately sad though it is that he has been deprived of his family, Dumbledore knows that to sit gazing on a vision of what he can never have, will only damage Harry. The mirror is bewitching and tantalising, but it does not necessarily bring happiness''."
==Appearances==
==Appearances==