A certain broken Hogwarts

Chapter 56 The Magic Mirror of Erised

Owen leaned against the door, squinting as he watched Harry pull aside the massive curtain covering the room, revealing a very impressive mirror underneath.

The mirror had an ornate gold frame, and its smooth, flat surface reflected the shimmering moonlight. It was supported by two claw-shaped feet, and at the top was inscribed the words: Erisstra Ehruait Ubika Fruait Onwochs.

If you read this line backwards, it means: I am not showing you a mirror image, but your inner desires.

"The Mirror of Erised..." Owen muttered, looking down as he fiddled with the wand in his hand.

There was no need for him to speculate; this mirror was definitely placed there by Dumbledore on purpose to lure Harry in. Not only did the Magic Mirror appear much earlier than in the original story, but its placement had also changed. Perhaps Dumbledore was so confused by Harry's Sorting Ceremony and daily behavior that he couldn't sit still and wanted to learn more about him beforehand.

In any case, the Mirror of Erised, which can reveal people's true desires, is definitely a good way to test a person.

"Owen... Owen, did you see that?" Harry's voice, trembling with fear and rapid breathing, came from behind the mirror. "There are so many people in the room!"

Owen glanced sideways at the mirror from the doorway and could only see Harry's reflection. The little wizard, who had been made invisible by Owen's Disillusionment Charm, was reflected in the mirror, his face pale as he covered his mouth, his green eyes darting around in panic behind the round lenses of his glasses.

"Hmm, a lot of people." Owen chuckled with a wicked grin. "It seems this room is crammed with unseen ghosts. They are all vengeful spirits who died at Hogwarts over the centuries, wandering the castle day after day, lonely and resentful, trapped in this room every night, waiting for scapegoats to walk into their trap."

"They will strangle the young wizards who stray into their clutches, then possess their bodies and live on in their place. The scapegoat will then become one of them, howling in agony and remorse all day long..."

As Owen's eerie voice began to narrate, Harry, already startled, let out a cry of "Ah!" and before he could even get a good look at his reflection in the mirror, he dashed out the door like a gust of wind, standing on the other side of the corridor, leaning on his knees and panting heavily.

Irving smiled broadly, clearly in a good mood, then slowly walked into the room and glanced at himself in the mirror.

"...I really want to smash this thing." Looking at the scene in the mirror, Owen couldn't help but grind his teeth.

He saw himself smashing that damn fax machine to pieces, then returning to his sweet sleep...

It looks like they're mocking him no matter how you look at it!

"Okay, the Mirror of Erised reflects people's greatest desires right now. All I really want to do right now is fix that fax machine and get a good night's sleep."

Irving rolled his eyes, paused after leaving the room, then politely closed the door behind him before continuing toward the auditorium.

Harry followed him in a daze, and only after they entered a small room on the side of the Great Hall did he belatedly say, "Owen, were those really vengeful spirits? I don't think... I don't think they look like them. I mean, they look a bit like me, like... like my parents or relatives..."

"Maybe so," Owen said listlessly, lounging in a chair and resting his chin on his hand.

"Huh?" Harry stared at him, and after a long pause, he stammered, "Were you just scaring me?"

"Yeah, your expression back then was really funny," Irving said casually.

Harry felt his fist harden, but he quickly forgot about that: "You mean, I'm not mistaken, they might really be my family? They...they're here?"

"That mirror is clearly a magical artifact, probably reflecting your family," Owen said calmly, flipping through a book of standard spells, level seven, and looking at it by candlelight. "But it's just an illusion; don't take it too seriously."

Despite Owen's words, Harry began to fidget. He stood up and paced back and forth in front of Owen, looking as if he wanted to say something but hesitated.

"Go if you want, you're making people dizzy by walking around here." Owen glanced at him.

"Okay, sorry, excuse me." Harry nodded eagerly, and as soon as he opened the door, he bumped into a silver-white figure rushing in from outside.

"Ouch..." The silvery-white ghost passed right through his body, making him tremble.

"Hehehe, little Potter, do you like Peeves' loving hugs?" Peeves grinned, his hurried figure rushing forward suddenly turning back, burrowing in and out of Harry's body, and making a cacophony of squeals.

"Enough, Peeves!" Harry shivered from the cold and stamped his feet angrily.

Mischievous Pikachu charged over, making a funny face. The enlarged, comical grin slammed into his forehead with a "bang," making him stumble and see stars.

Pipi Ghost also floated more than a meter in mid-air, shook its head, and then put its hands on its hips and laughed loudly.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" Owen's head was throbbing from the noise.

"That fax machine, Peeves found it!" Peeves immediately let Harry go, winking and gloating at Owen, and excitedly did a backflip in mid-air.

"Where?" Owen slammed the book shut.

"Ha, let Pippi think about it. Pippi has collected more and more chalk stubs, and those silly little tricks..." Pippi pretended to count on his fingers, his malicious little eyes darting towards Owen.

"You'd better think this through. Our original agreement was that you would bring me the fax machine," Owen said calmly and gently. "If someone else gets it before us..."

"Mischievous Ghost can't move that thing!" Mischievous Ghost jumped up like a ball, shouting reluctantly, "It's in the middle of the restricted area corridor on the fourth floor, and some little devils have already sneaked over there!"

Irving carefully examined Pippi's expression and, finding it to be genuine, instantly jumped up from his chair, grabbed his suitcase, and ran out.

"Hey, you can't possibly stop the students from passing by, can you?"

Pipi Ghost's mischievous black eyes darted around, his desire to watch the show taking over: "Pipi Ghost already told you, haha, don't even think about ordering Pipi Ghost around! Pipi Ghost is a free spirit!" He chuckled to himself, finding it more amusing to see Owen's dejected expression after his failure.

"Aha, Mischief has an idea!" He suddenly flew through the wall and shouted in his hoarse voice, "A little devil is out for a night stroll! Catch him! The fax machine is on the fourth floor, to the right, come quick! Hahaha..."

A piercing scream echoed far and wide through the silent castle, seemingly causing the ground to tremble slightly. Peeves disappeared through the ceiling, but his penetrating voice still lingered, accompanied by the clanging sounds of armor and statues being smashed.

At this moment, Pipi Gui's chaotic and evil nature took over, and in his madness, he cared about nothing.

"Phew, I knew it." Owen hadn't really expected Peeves to be reliable anyway, and just hurried up the stairs. Harry felt he could help, so he grabbed his wand and ran up with him.

Filch's angry shouts could be heard from afar, along with whispers and rustling footsteps, all approaching the right side of the fourth floor.

In the still of the night, the slumbering castle seemed to be completely awakened.

(End of this chapter)