Summary
The pivotal mystery inHarry Potter & The Sorcerer’s Stonewas hidden right under readers' noses, but it still felt like a clever twist. TheHarry Potternovels were a pivotal part of many people’s earliest memories of reading and exploring fictional worlds. With an incredibly expansive world of magic and mystery, the seven-novel saga is full of depth and intrigue surrounding the Boy who Lived and his attempts to uncover the untold secrets of his past.
In each new entry, the novels choose to focus on a new school year, and with each new year, comes a brand-new mystery for Harry and his friends to uncover. Whether they are investigating a hidden chamber beneath Hogwarts, or uncovering the trueidentity of the half-blooded prince, each book brings a new twist. But one of the core elements inHarry Potter & The Sorcerer’s Stoneisactually very obvious looking back. The mysterious Mirror of Erised, which reveals the deepest desires of the beholder.
The Most Powerful Wizards In The Harry Potter Universe, Ranked
There’s no shortage of wizard powerhouses in the expansive Harry Potter universe, but some wizards outrank the others when it comes to magic.
Harry Potter & The Sorcerer’s Stone Told Us How The Mirror Of Erised Worked Right Away
The Secret Was Hidden In Plain Sight
When the Mirror of Erised is first introduced, thedescription highlights words which have been etched into the frameof said mirror. The inscription reads “Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi,” which may appear like some fancy Elvish tongue, but it’s actually just the mirror’s instructions in reverse. Ironically, if someone were to view the mirror’s inscription with another mirror, it would read “I show not your face but your heart’s desire.” So, quite literally, the mirror comes with instructions, directly telling the individual reading the inscription exactly what they are seeing.
While some of the mysteries in Harry Potter took time to unravel, and felt like there wereclever methods employed to hide the fact, this was one of the least imaginative, but also fitting for the young hero’s first year in a magical school. Harry was just getting familiar with the world of witchcraft and wizardry, he certainly wasn’t equipped to gohunting for the seven Horcruxes. However, a mystery such as this reveals how wizards, though they may appear haughty, are often ordinary people with a sense of humor and joie de vivre.
The Mirror Of Erised’s Inscription Plants A Clever Clue For Eagle-Eyed Readers
Those Who Seek The Answer, Will Soon Find It
While the movie may have managed toobscure this detail with dim light surrounding the mirror, and just a small part of the mirror’s surface exposed at any one time, readers of the novel had a far better chance of cracking the code. Anyone reading throughHarry Potter & The Sorcerer’s Stonecould have easily spent a few moments on the inscription, and potentially noticed the hidden message. And if they did, it puts them ahead of Harry, and further immersed in the world of the story.
Armed with a greater knowledge about the mirror’s ability, readers may have felt like they were on par with thewise old wizard Dumbledore, helping Harry to crack his first big case at Hogwarts. And, although it clearly states the instructions, it does stillplay out as a sort of riddle for the uninitiatedin the magical realm. Mirrors do little more than present a reflected image, so the cryptic message about showing desires rather than faces could still hold enough mystery to compel those sleuthing readers towards the conclusion of the story.
The Harry Potter Books' 10 Best Plot Twists, Ranked
The Harry Potter books' best plot twists are shocking and serve the bigger story, including Scabbers' identity, Regulus' past, and Snape’s betrayal.
Harry Potter’s Mirror Of Erised Clue Sets Up The First Book’s Ending
The Clue Points Toward The Novel’s Final Moments
Of course, the mirror is only an instrument ringing in the first novel’s ending. Thanks to its peculiar workings, the Mirror of Erised does not function for Voldemort in the way he desperately craves. Rather than giving him the tool to bring on his hearts desires and be restored to life, themirror understands his desire is not the Sorcerer’s Stone, but what he can do with it. This means that Voldemort fails to get the stone. Harry, on the other hand, is a trustworthy and faithful young man who Dumbledore has taken under his wing.
“The mirror comes with instructions, directly telling the individual reading the inscription exactly what they are seeing.”
His desires are pure, and centered on the family he lost in his infancy. This is what leads the mirror to determine that his desires are without greed, and allows him to receive the stone. All stemming from the desires of both characters, and clearly drawing a line between the heroic and selfless Harry Potter, as opposed to the greedy and power-hungry Voldemort. All adding up to a rousing conclusion to the firstbook in theHarry Potterseries, and setting the tone for what is to come in the following novels.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Cast
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone - known as Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in the US - follows the titular Harry Potter as he discovers he has magical powers. Living with his cruel aunt and uncle, the orphaned Harry lives a challenging life that is changed when he meets a gentle giant named Hagrid, who spirits him away to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
