Harry Potter: Shadow Eminence

Chapter 15.

On Christmas night, Brian returned to the vicinity of the library once more.

He silently cast a spell on himself to prevent any noise that might draw Filch's attention.

Hogwarts at night was in a deep slumber, resembling an enigmatic old castle concealed in the mountains, inspiring thoughts of strange things hiding in its shadows.

Just as Brian was about to begin his search, he heard a chilling and piercing scream emanating from the library, sending chills down his spine.

"Not good," Brian muttered to himself, quickly changing direction and fleeing.

Unexpectedly, at that moment, Harry, cloaked in invisibility, had also slipped into the Restricted Section.

This guy was sure to catch Filch's eye.

Brian had no time to look for Harry; he turned multiple times through the castle's intricate corridors, making sure he wasn't seen by Filch or Mrs. Norris before finally pausing.

He took a moment to steady his breath, which had quickened from running, realizing he could head towards the dungeon, so he turned toward the Slytherin common room.

He intended to return during the day to search. By then, he would have more time to locate the mirror without the constant fear of being caught by Filch.

He just hoped Dumbledore wouldn't remove the mirror during the day.

The following day, after quickly having breakfast, Brian continued his search throughout the castle.

He spent the entire day looking, and just as night fell, he finally discovered the mirror, having skipped dinner in the process.

The Mirror of Erised was concealed in a very secluded room, situated in a narrow corridor that one would hardly notice, obstructed by a tall suit of armor. More importantly, the door to that room was locked during the day and was unremarkable; Brian had overlooked it several times.

Brian felt inexplicably angry because he recalled that in the original story, the door had been ajar for Harry when he arrived, and Harry had returned twice without it being locked.

"Alohomora." He drew his wand and tapped the door lock, which clicked open.

Inside was a room resembling a storage closet, cluttered with tables, chairs, and various items, all covered in a thick layer of dust. The only thing that stood out was a clean and polished mirror leaning against the wall directly opposite the door.

It had a magnificent golden frame, reaching all the way to the ceiling, supported by claw-like stands.

"Lumos." Brian uttered the spell, and the tip of his wand glowed softly, illuminating the magical mirror. At the top, an inscription read: Eris Stella Ehreu Aiteubi Cafru Aiteon Wohes. This should be its full name.

"The Mirror of Erised," Brian murmured, "the Mirror of Desire."

It could reveal a person's deepest, most genuine desires.

Brian lifted his foot but then set it back down. At that moment, he felt a sense of hesitation.

He was afraid to confront his own heart, even more terrified that it contained things that could never be realized.

The glow from his wand gradually faded, and Brian stood quietly in the darkness, like a lonely, silent statue.

After a long time, Brian moved his hands and feet, somewhat stiffly stepping forward to reveal his figure in the mirror.

The mirror reflected his shape, only him, without any other changes or additional figures.

Brian stared blankly at himself in the magical mirror, feeling somewhat lost.

It was said that the happiest people in the world could use the Mirror of Eris as an ordinary mirror. But was Brian one of them? Clearly not; he was not happy.

"But why…" Brian reached out his hand, seemingly wanting to touch his reflection in the mirror.

The Brian in the mirror smiled gently, his expression calm and warm, similar to his usual demeanor but entirely different from how he looked at that moment.

The Brian in the mirror softly said, "You are free now, Brian."

"Free?" Brian halted, his eyes shining with a different light.

Freedom, what a strange word.

Brian recalled his past life, which was not particularly exciting, even rather dull.

Before he turned five, he had a happy family. His father was a somewhat famous entrepreneur in the city, having risen from poverty to become a prominent figure. His mother was a gentle and capable homemaker, always managing everything in life and work meticulously, and she would take time each day to accompany him in his growth.

Until one day, a car accident took everything away, leaving only the five-year-old boy.

His relatives were reduced to his parents' siblings, who shamelessly divided the inheritance and kicked him around like a football.

His upbringing was a constant journey from one relative's home to another, experiencing the coldness and warmth of human relationships. In the eyes of his relatives, he was a "debt collector," a "bad luck charm," and was subjected to disdain.

Later, he was sent to the countryside, where he was often locked in a small room. When someone remembered him, he would get some food; when no one remembered, he went hungry. Fortunately, they allowed him to attend the local school, which was the happiest time of his life.

After graduating from junior high, his relatives refused to let him continue his education and even wanted to confine him. He escaped, living in a dirty and chaotic shack, working while desperately learning everything that could be useful. He knew that knowledge could change his destiny.

His life gradually improved, and he followed a path similar to his father's. Through struggles and deceptions, his entrepreneurship bore fruit, and life became clearer.

His relatives found him, but they could no longer control his life.

He even planned to reclaim what belonged to him and teach those annoying relatives a lesson.

However, just as he was about to move and start a promising new life, he encountered a car accident on the way, ending up with a fate similar to his father's.

Such an absurd life, both laughable and tragic.

Indeed, how he envied Harry Potter; their situations were so similar.

Thus, he became deeply fascinated, shivering in his thin blanket on countless stormy nights, yearning for a tall figure to kick open his door and rescue him like a god.

At that time, Hagrid must have been the embodiment of hope in Harry's eyes.

Yet reality is always starkly different from fairy tales.

Brian looked at himself in the mirror, his eyes filled with deep sarcasm and sadness.

The Brian in the mirror gazed at him gently, like a book who knew everything. His eyes, filled with wisdom like Dumbledore's, seemed to hide endless mysteries, making one unable to resist exploring.

He once thought he would long for family, friendship, a happy home, or to return to his original world. But none of that was true; he was not a character from a fairy tale, and his desires were entirely different from those of a savior.

He was like the opposite of Harry Potter.

"Freedom, I want freedom that is not controlled by anyone." Brian looked deeply at himself in the mirror, "That requires infinite wisdom and strength as a guarantee, until even time cannot manipulate me at will."

"So, I have always been on the right path." Brian murmured to himself, his gaze deepening, no longer lost.

"Exceptional wisdom is humanity's greatest treasure." Brian chuckled softly.

Thus, he might be more suited for Ravenclaw.

"What do you see, Mr. Walker?" a voice said behind him.

Brian's body stiffened for a moment as he turned around.

Dumbledore stood behind him, wearing a casual robe, like a kind old neighbor. The eyes behind his half-moon glasses sparkled in the darkness.

"Ah, I see that I have become the most dazzling person in the world, just like you." Brian looked at Dumbledore and smiled slightly.

"This old man cannot claim your praise, Mr. Walker. Perhaps you could be a bit more straightforward." Dumbledore waved his wand, and the room lit up. A table and two chairs floated over, polishing themselves until they shone. A table filled with roasted meat, sandwiches, desserts, and pumpkin juice appeared.

"I think you haven't had dinner yet; it's just past dinner time." Dumbledore winked, "I suppose you wouldn't mind making do here? I haven't eaten either; this old body can't walk two steps without munching on some sugar."

Brian sincerely thanked him and sat down at the table. The two of them enjoyed dinner harmoniously, like a grandfather and grandson.

"Professor Dumbledore, when did you come here?" Brian asked.

"Ah, this magic mirror is something I placed here temporarily; it is very important, so of course, I made some small arrangements." Dumbledore mischievously winked.

"So that means you came as soon as I found this place." Brian pondered over his underlying meaning.

For a moment, the two were silent, quietly eating dinner. Dumbledore praised the honey lemon cake repeatedly.

After dinner, Dumbledore said, "Mr. Walker, the Mirror of Erised reflects the most urgent and intense desires in people's hearts; it is not unchanging. There are still many things in this world that you need to experience and discover."

He glanced at the time and said, "Oh, you should head back. I don't think Mr. Filch would be too pleased."

Brian pondered Dumbledore's words and nodded in response. Just then, the tightly closed door suddenly swung open.