Albus Dumbledore is one of the most mysterious and complex characters in the Harry Potter series. He is wise and all-knowing, yet also harbors many secrets. One of the biggest mysteries surrounding Dumbledore is what he sees when he looks into the Mirror of Erised in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.
What is the Mirror of Erised?
The Mirror of Erised is a magical mirror discovered by Harry Potter in an abandoned classroom at Hogwarts. The inscription on the mirror states “Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi,” which reversed reads “I show not your face but your heart’s desire.” When someone looks into the Mirror of Erised, they do not see a reflection of themselves, but rather their deepest, most desperate desire.
For Harry, he sees himself surrounded by his deceased family, as his heart’s deepest desire is to have the family he never knew. Dumbledore explains to Harry:
“It shows us nothing more or less than the deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts. You, who have never known your family, see them standing around you. However, this mirror will give us neither knowledge or truth. 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.”
The Mirror provides a glimpse into the innermost workings of a person’s heart. When Dumbledore looks into the Mirror, what does he see?
What Dumbledore sees in the Mirror
Although it is never explicitly stated what Dumbledore sees in the Mirror of Erised, there are some strong theories based on what we know about his past:
1. His family, whole again
When Dumbledore was a young man, his sister Ariana was attacked by Muggle boys and left mentally and emotionally scarred, unable to control her magic. A fight later broke out between Albus, his brother Aberforth, and his friend Gellert Grindelwald, resulting in Ariana’s death. The loss of his sister devastated Dumbledore and estranged him from his brother. When looking into the Mirror, Dumbledore may very well have seen Ariana alive again and his family restored.
2. Grindelwald saying he was sorry
Gellert Grindelwald was Dumbledore’s closest friend and intellectual equal as a young man. The two dreamed of finding the Deathly Hallows and creating a wizard-led utopia. However, after Ariana’s death, Grindelwald fled and began his reign of terror across Europe. Dumbledore felt incredible guilt over his former friend’s actions. The Mirror may have shown Grindelwald apologizing and atoning for his misdeeds.
3. Finding the Deathly Hallows
Although Dumbledore gave up his quest for the Deathly Hallows after the tragedy with his sister, a part of him may have still longed to unite the three mythical objects. The Mirror could have reflected his dream of finally possessing the Elder Wand, Resurrection Stone, and Invisibility Cloak.
4. Seeing his parents and sister alive
Dumbledore’s early family life was marred by tragedy. His mother Kendra died accidentally when Albus was young, and his father Percival later died in Azkaban. Dumbledore was left with the responsibility of caring for his damaged sister. The Mirror may have shown him a timeline where his parents and Ariana were still alive and his family was never torn apart.
5. Mentoring students
As headmaster of Hogwarts, Dumbledore took great pride and joy in watching students learn, grow, and mature under his guidance. The Mirror may have shown him visions of continued mentorship and passing wisdom to young wizards and witches.
6. Protecting Harry Potter
From the moment Harry was dropped on the Dursley’s doorstep, Dumbledore made it his personal mission to guide and protect The Boy Who Lived. Harry’s safety and well-being became one of Dumbledore’s top priorities. The Mirror may reflect Dumbledore’s desire to watch over Harry and ensure he fulfills his destiny.
7. Defeating evil
Dumbledore had seen firsthand the harm caused by unchecked power. After his sister’s death, he shifted his worldview and realized wizard supremacy and power were not as important as fighting evil and protecting others. The Mirror may show Dumbledore’s dream of ridding the world of evil wizards and establishing peace.
8. Redemption
Dumbledore admits he is not a perfect man and like all others, he has made regrettable mistakes. He may see the Mirror as a chance for redemption – to be forgiven for his misjudgments and given a clean slate to pursue righteousness.
Clues from the books
While it is not definitively stated, there are some clues from the books about what Dumbledore may have seen:
- Hagrid says the Mirror shows Dumbledore himself holding a pair of thick socks. However, this is almost certainly untrue or said in jest.
- Dumbledore tells Harry that he, like so many before him, sees himself holding a pair of socks in the Mirror. This suggests he did not actually see socks, but is being cryptic.
- Dumbledore seems unnerved and shaken after looking into the Mirror, indicating he saw something profoundly moving.
- The Mirror ultimately shows the viewer’s deepest desire, not necessarily something they consciously know they want. Dumbledore may not have been fully aware of or able to articulate his own deepest desire.
The common theme: Love
While we can’t know exactly what Dumbledore saw in the Mirror, it likely relates to his innermost wishes involving love, family, protection, and redemption. As a very morally gray wizard in his youth, Dumbledore spent the rest of his life trying to spread goodness and fight injustice. His deepest desires likely centered on repairing past wrongs and cultivating love.
Dumbledore himself says:
“It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.”
Perhaps what matters most is not the specifics of what Dumbledore saw in the Mirror, but how it spurred him to live fully and act ethically.
Theories from Fans
While J.K. Rowling has not revealed what she intended Dumbledore to see in the Mirror of Erised, fans have plenty of theories:
| Theory | Description |
|---|---|
| Seeing his family whole again | Dumbledore lost several family members at a young age and likely wished to see them restored. |
| Making amends with Grindelwald | Dumbledore felt remorse over his friendship with the evil wizard Grindelwald. |
| Finding the Deathly Hallows | Uniting the three Hallows was Dumbledore’s dream in youth. |
| Protecting Harry Potter | Keeping Harry safe became Dumbledore’s obsession. |
| Defeating evil | Dumbledore was committed to eradicating dark forces. |
| Teaching students | He loved mentoring young wizards and witches. |
| Seeking redemption | He wanted to atone for his past wrongdoings. |
Ultimately, only J.K. Rowling knows what vision would appear to Dumbledore in the Mirror. But it likely related profoundly to love, loss, family, and redemption.
The meaning behind the mirror
More important than the specifics of what Dumbledore saw is what the Mirror represents. As Dumbledore wisely tells Harry:
“It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.”
The Mirror shows desired realities, not truth. Men have wasted away obsessed with its visions. Dumbledore knows the dangers of losing oneself in impossible dreams and idealized fantasies.
Instead, he chose to take the deeper wisdom and self-understanding granted by the Mirror and turn it into positive action in the real world. Rather than remain fixated on the image of his heart’s desire, Dumbledore used that revelation to spread good in the world.
In this way, the Mirror served its highest purpose not as a vehicle of escapism, but one of self-discovery and motivation to act with love. Dumbledore represents the ideal response to the Mirror’s gift – embracing your deepest wisdom and desires and channeling them into doing good in the real world.
Conclusion
The Mirror of Erised provides a glimpse into the most private longing of a person’s soul. For wise wizards like Dumbledore, this revelation is treated as an opportunity for self-insight and motivation to spread good in the world, not an escape from reality or cause for obsession.
Dumbledore likely saw something related to love, family, redemption and his role as a mentor. But the specifics pale in comparison to how he took that knowledge and used it to protect Harry Potter and fight for justice in his world.
In the end, the Mirror shows us truth about our deepest selves – but a wise wizard knows not to dwell on dreams and forget to live.