Musings on the Mirror

Discussion for Musings on the Mirror (http://www.mugglenet.com/editorials/editorials/edit-opal01.shtml) by Opalescent.

Actually, I don't think you can see anything or contact anyone through a mirror WITHOUT saying their name. There is no canon to support this assumption, just as there is no canon that a simple Reparo spell will restore the mirror's physical integrity AND it's magical function..

However..

... perhaps the fragments retain the function of the whole, and they can be used like "walkie talkies" to keep Harry in contact with his farflung support network during his Horcrux hunting.. people like Hermione/Ron/Ginny/Bill(a noted CURSE BREAKER.. very important) /Lupin/ Moody/Hagrid/etc.

If this is not possible, the other may have been missed or overlooked by Mundungus, or even hidden by Kreatcher in his lair. Perhaps it was even dropped by Sirius during the battle in the MOM and Harry may be able to use it to make a valuable contact in the Dept of Mysteries.. wouldn't it be interesting to have an Unspeakable on your side during this quest? As we do not know Harry's parents' occupations, imagine if one or both were Unspeakables (both were accomplished students at Hogwarts - I lean towards Lily). Imagine if a friend of James or Lily still worked as an Unspeakable and found the other mirror while cleaning up the carnage in the DOM... HMMMMM!

All speculation, of course, but then the usability/repairability of Harry's broken mirror and the location of Sirius' twin mirror is ALL speculation as well..

Good essay, but I find it hard to see whether anything you or I have posited has ANY chance of being close to the truth.. WE NEED BOOK 7, JO!!

:gryff: I suspect the mirror is still at 12 G.P. - as 'walkie talkies' were mentioned in comission with GoF (on trying to figure out how Rita Skeeter was getting her information), I wouldn't be surprised if they ended up being used as communication between the trio on the horcrux hunts. I also doubt the mirror could merely be hucked through the veil and be a means of communication with the dead; however, I don't doubt the mirror could be fixed with a simple 'reparo'. I'm hoping Kreacher hid the locket well enough that it wasn't stolen by Mundungus.... Great editorial!

Good Editorial but nothing new. But there is one thing I’d like to mention, people might think the Mundungus scene in HBP is completely unimportant but in fact it isn’t- Rowling said the mirror was not on the table, I’m 100% sure that it was with Sirius when he fell into the veil. But dung might have stolen something else, the heavy locket, old Order of the Merlin medals – Dung might have sold them to Borgin and Burkes.


The Mirror is like a cell phone, you have to say the name properly….maybe “Snuffles”- I wonder why Sirius like that name J.
Maybe there are other such mirrors out there, Harry has to keep trying different names until someone answers his call. If the mirror is damaged beyond repair then Harry will use it as a normal phone :D – hearing voices from his trunk would be a cool idea.


Aberforth Dumbledore has got nothing to do with the mirror however Harry wishes he’d never met him :D in Book 7

Well, you certainly put a lot of thought into the idea. I am not convinced, though. I don't think there is a whole plot centered around the mirror. I believe that if Mundungus had it, JKR would have given a small clue in that Hogsmead scene. I think it is still at 12 Grimmwald and Harry finds it. I think the mirror might play a role in helping Harry communicate with someone, which helps in the long run.

I think it just comes in handy and that "helps more than you would think."

I totally understand the speculation, though. I can hardly wait for book 7!

'As Harry, Ron and Hermione drew closer, the barman drew his cloak more tightly around his neck and walked away'

I think maybe the barman (who i think is Aberforth) had just purchased the locket and that is why he was drawing his cloak more tightly around his neck

You've put together a lot of things to create some interesting theories about the future of this important artifact. Even if Jo hadn't said so, I'd think we were likely to see the mirrors again in Book 7--they're too important and too weird not to show up again. And one of them once belonged to James. I wonder if there's any possibility of learning something from that?

I just had an image in my head of Harry, against better judgement, saying "Dumbledore" in the mirror, only to see Aberforth looking back:p

Well, I think the mirror is still at Grimmauld Place. First of all, if there's looooots of silver and gold etc, why steal a simple mirror? It's not so useful without the other one... and the Vanishing Cabinet thing doesn't prove a thing in my opinion... (not impossible though, but... if there's loads of magical objects, Orders of Merlin, silver, gold, etc., I wouldn't steal a mirror:p)

And secondly, just for the story, it seems more fitting to me if Harry finds the mirror to be there but the locket to be stolen (by Kreacher, by Mundungus, who was sent to Azkaban, trio goes to Azkaban... where Death Eaters and perhaps some Dementors are... and the dung tells them he sold it to Dumbledore. Aberforth Dumbledore. I don't see the mirror AND the locket being stolen and sold together. And what's the use of that? The mirror isn't that good a tracking device:p

Anyway, loved the speculation and it was really thought-provoking!

As others have noted above, the use of the mirror will play a role in helping the good guys fight the bad guys. The great thing about mirrors is that, unlike a broken cup, it retains its purpose and functionality no matter how many pieces it's broken into. Hermione will be the one to keen onto the idea of creating multiple communication devices from the pieces in Harry's trunk. I've explored and dramatized this idea in my ficAncient Magic (link is below), for those who are so inclined!

I think it's a great idea. I would actually like very much for that exact order of events to occur. Harry would experience frustration at first, thinking it was unable to track down that (Final?) Horcrux...until he remembers the mirror. Maybe he just guesses the same customer bought it, too, or maybe as you say Aberforth gives us that information. Either way, it would be a very interesting turn of events. Great thinking! :)

P.S. I also hope it isn't just used as a way to communicate with the dead. Personally, I would be disappointed. I think the two-way mirrors can be used in a much more clever way (such as in your scheme).

There is no reason to think that Mundungus has the mirror. The stuff he has are the valuables that he was coveting in OotP. This is the first stuff that Dung would grab, as this is the stuff that he has been eyeing all along.

Dung was not going to take things that did not have any obvious value (like a small mirror) while there was still so much good (i.e., valuable!) stuff to be had. Ditto for the locket: if that was not thrown away, then it is in Kreacher's stash. JKR deliberately left us a clue there: Harry finds one of the items in Kreacher's stash that they threw out at about the same time. However, JKR left us with no similar clues in HBP: Dung just had the goblets he'd been casing in OotP. Given the way that JKR lays out clues, she would have had given us some object indicating that Dung had some of Kreacher's booty.


So, how will the mirrors be used? Most probably, Harry will recover it when he returns to Grimmauld Place to get the locket. This magical "walky-talky" might come in handy, should Harry become separated from Ron and/or Hermione during the Horcrux hunt.

Interesting idea, though I'm pretty sure that JKR said the mirror is 'off the table', which i took to mean that we won't see it again. Still, great job.

I must say that this is a wonderful editorial. I agree that mirrors (not just this one) are and will be very significant in the series. Two-way mirror, Mirror of Erised, the mirror used against the Basilisk, etc. The theories may be true or not; however it is certain that the mirrors will be important.

Also there was a comment saying that the locket horcrux may be in the Borgin and Burkes. This may be true indeed, but even if it is not there may be another horcrux is hidden in that shop. We now that The Dark Lord had worked there. He may have concealed one of his horcruxes in that shop. Maybe it seems unwise to hide a horcrux in such a place but "does anyone really knows what You-Know-Who would or wouldn't do?"

'As Harry, Ron and Hermione drew closer, the barman drew his cloak more tightly around his neck and walked away'

I think maybe the barman (who i think is Aberforth) had just purchased the locket and that is why he was drawing his cloak more tightly around his neck

I agree. Aberforth then leaves quite suddenly when Harry approaches, as if he doesn't wish to encounter Harry.

Dumbledore sure finds out about Mundungus's filching of the Black heirlooms pretty quickly. Harry begins to tell Dumbledore about Mundungus when Dumbledore informs Harry he already knows about it.

"Sir," said Harry tentatively, "I met Mundungus in Hogsmeade."
"Ah yes, I am already aware that Mundungus has been treating your inheritance with light-fingered comtempt," said Dumbledore, frowning a little. "He has gone to ground since you accosted him outside the Three Broomsticks; I rather think he dreads facing me. However, rest assured that he will not be making away with any more of Sirius's old possessions."(HBP, p. 260, US hardcover)

Here, Dumbledore sounds as if he knew about Mundungus prior to Harry's altercation with him. Could DD have been looking for Mundungus for a while and that's why Aberforth met with him? To get something important from him? Aberforth does seem to be concealing something. But what? The locket or the mirror?

I disagree that the mirror wouldn't be thought to be valuable by Mundungus. If it was made of elaborately designed silver or gold-plated it could be very valuable. Being dirty only disguises its worth.

This was a very good editoral, very thought-provoking and explored a lot of possibilities.. but I agree with past posts:

[QUOTE=Wimsey;4121705]There is no reason to think that Mundungus has the mirror. The stuff he has are the valuables that he was coveting in OotP. This is the first stuff that Dung would grab, as this is the stuff that he has been eyeing all along.
I really don't think that Mundungus would have any idea of the mirrors value, and thus wouldn't really think to take such a simplistic mirror. Also, supposing that Mundungus did, and Aberforth (if that really is the barman's true identity) did take it off his hands, I don't believe that Aberforth would pawn it off. If anything, he would have alerted his brother, Dumbledore, of its presence.

"There could be no doubt that Dumbledore's detailed knowledge of those with whom he was travelling was even less welcome to Voldemort; however, he rallied almost at once.
'You are omniscient as ever, Dumbledore.'
'Oh no, merely friendly with the local barmen [this is in reference to the barman at the Hog's Head],' said Dumbledore lightly."
- Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 20, page 445

It has been proved that they are friendly, if not very close partners, and that Aberforth is part of the Order.. so it seems unlikely that he would illegally sell it. And also, you said that you believed that if your theory was true, (and that the locket was given to Aberforth) that Harry would be lead to the Hog's Head, but Aberforth might not want to divulge the locket to him, which I don't believe to be true either. Mundungus is the only member of the Order that is said to be a criminal, and we have no basis of which to believe that Aberforth (other than practicing illegal charms on a goat, and perhaps being illiterate (?)) is a petty thief and criminal.

Otherwise... great editorial! It was interesting to read!

I have no clue where the mirror could be....it remains a mystery!

But as to the veil and 'the beyond', I really dont think JKR will have a direct contact between the him and Harry. As breath taking as that moment could be, Sirius is dead and gone, so says the author.

But this doesnt mean Sirius cant be usful to Harrys journey. If and when Harry realizes he has to go back to 12 Grimmauld place he will then discover the name RAB, and the locket in kreachers room.

WQhat we have to remember about Grimmauld Place is that Snape knows it's location, and he's believed to be a Death Eater at the moment. So I cant see the Order rushing back there.

Interesting editorial but I think Aberforth was the one who informed Albus that Mundungus had nicked some stuff from Grim Place. With a bit of luck Aberforth has the important stuff from Grim Place in his safe keeping and will give them to Harry when they finally get to know each other. I think Aberforth is undercover for the Order and isn't as inept as Albus made out and that Albus just said those things to help keep Aberforth's cover.
However I agree the mirror could be used if the other one is found to help Harry keep in contact with Ron, Hermoine or Ginny. That is somethng I hadn't thought of before your editorial so good work there.

Putting the Mirror through the Veil would be ridiculous but you said so yourself. I have been thinking for ages that Aberforth got the locket from Dung and sold it on to Borgin and Burkes, but I never even considered the mirror I thought that Kreacher would chuck the other mirror at Harry in a tantrum and that would be how he found it so I like your idea better. I really hope we do get to meet Aberforth, I think he's going to be a no-holes-barred version of Albus. But anyway just like to say that though there isn't anything drastically new in your editorial I'm glad someone has made it.

Interesting editorial but I think Aberforth was the one who informed Albus that Mundungus had nicked some stuff from Grim Place. With a bit of luck Aberforth has the important stuff from Grim Place in his safe keeping and will give them to Harry when they finally get to know each other. I think Aberforth is undercover for the Order and isn't as inept as Albus made out and that Albus just said those things to help keep Aberforth's cover.
However I agree the mirror could be used if the other one is found to help Harry keep in contact with Ron, Hermoine or Ginny. That is somethng I hadn't thought of before your editorial so good work there.


I agree with your assessment of Aberforth as "undercover agent" , and have wondered if Aberforth was a metamorphagus ( excuse the spelling I don't have the book handy) and is really the blond death eater in his morphed disguise. I too think that Aberforth told DD about Mundungus. It seems that they are closer to each other than we are specifically told ( look to DD's encounter with V when he comes to ask for the DADA job).

As for having the Sirius' mirror, I thought that this was more likely than his having the locket which has been speculated about. I mean - a locket with the mark of Slytherin would be suspect even if Aberforth was on the slow side. Interesting idea about looking into the mirroe and asking for DD - only one problem with this - after Harry tried this and was unsuccessful I doubt that he would use this method to contact another dead person - especially since he would have no reason to think DD had the other mirror. Much more likely that Harry will find the mirror in Grimwald Place while looking for the locket and decide to use it this time as a communicator between himself and ron and Hermione or Aberforth has it and will communicate with Harry using it.

Interesting idea, though I'm pretty sure that JKR said the mirror is 'off the table', which i took to mean that we won't see it again. Still, great job.
Maybe Jo saying the mirror is "off the table" should be taken literally. Maybe it was on the table, but it isn't anymore!

I agree that Aberforth probably bought the locket. However, Dumbledore obviously didn’t know about his brothers purchase. It’s a pity, really, because it might have saved his life, at least temporarily. Perhaps the brother’s aren’t on the best of terms?

It still begs the question why on Earth would Aberforth buy the locket? Then hide it under his cloak? Hmmm…

Your suggestion that the mirror has passed many hands since Sirius’ death is intriguing. It opens so many doors as to who might have it now, and what sort of information they may possess. My prevailing thought is that what if the mirror isn’t tracking a Horcrux, but R.A.B himself? *Refuses to let go of her Regulus-Black-is-alive theory until Jo herself forces humble pie down her throat :D*

What many people haven’t seemed to grasp is that, yes you do need to call out someone’s name to talk to them. But who’s to say HARRY has to be the one to initiate the conversation? As it has been stressed many times in the book, EVERYONE in the wizarding world knows Harry Potter’s name.

I agree that Aberforth probably bought the locket. However, Dumbledore obviously didn’t know about his brothers purchase. It’s a pity, really, because it might have saved his life, at least temporarily. Perhaps the brother’s aren’t on the best of terms?

It still begs the question why on Earth would Aberforth buy the locket? Then hide it under his cloak? Hmmm…

Your suggestion that the mirror has passed many hands since Sirius’ death is intriguing. It opens so many doors as to who might have it now, and what sort of information they may possess. My prevailing thought is that what if the mirror isn’t tracking a Horcrux, but R.A.B himself? *Refuses to let go of her Regulus-Black-is-alive theory until Jo herself forces humble pie down her throat :D*

What many people haven’t seemed to grasp is that, yes you do need to call out someone’s name to talk to them. But who’s to say HARRY has to be the one to initiate the conversation? As it has been stressed many times in the book, EVERYONE in the wizarding world knows Harry Potter’s name.

I’m sorry but entire Black family is dead otherwise Harry would not have inherited 12 Grimmauld Place, Kreacher and Kreacher would not have taken orders from Harry. House-elfs are bound to one family and they cannot take orders from someone else. This is how Dumbledore confirms that Harry is the rightful owner of 12 Grimmauld Place.


And Mundungus Fletecher has NOT SOLD the locket to Aberforth, because he is banned at Hogshead and the barman don’t like him.


However it is possible that Dung has stolen the locket because he always likes to steal precious things or objects which has really good value in the wizard world.

And Mundungus Fletecher has NOT SOLD the locket to Aberforth, because he is banned at Hogshead and the barman don’t like him.


However it is possible that Dung has stolen the locket because he always likes to steal precious things or objects which has really good value in the wizard world.


Mundungus met with Aberforth in Hogsmeade. Therefore, he could have sold Aberforth anything in his trunk. Harry saw Mundungus and Aberforth, but when Harry approached them, Aberforth drew his cloak around himself and left. That's why we're speculating that Aberforth may have the mirror or the locket.

Good point about the Black family! But wouldn't Bellatrix have inherited before Harry if it only had to do with being alive? Didn't Sirius change his will to allow Harry to inherit everything? If Sirius didn't know if Regulus was alive or not, and changed his will to benefit Harry, thereby bypassing Bellatrix's claims to it, then Regulus could still be alive and Harry could still have inherited!

I’m sorry but entire Black family is dead

Well…If only common sense could convince me so easily. :D Believe me you’re not the first person who has tried, and failed, to knock sense into me.

Good point about the Black family! But wouldn't Bellatrix have inherited before Harry if it only had to do with being alive? Didn't Sirius change his will to allow Harry to inherit everything? If Sirius didn't know if Regulus was alive or not, and changed his will to benefit Harry, thereby bypassing Bellatrix's claims to it, then Regulus could still be alive and Harry could still have inherited!

THANK YOU! I find the evidence of Kreacher’s allegiance to not be evidence at all. Mainly, because it’s extremely suspect in the first place that Sirius got the house. He was blasted off the family tapestry and was obviously stripped from his inheritance, because his uncle Alphard felt the need to help him out financially and leave his nephew with a sizable fortune. Not to mention the fact that Bella, according to British law, shouldn’t inherit the house anyway because she cannot benefit from homicide. My point? Jo makes it very obvious that wills and inhertences CAN be tampered with. Surely anyone who needs to fake their death, would have to do just that in the wizarding world. That is all beside the point though, because this article isn’t about Regulus anyway.

Jo has confirmed that Aberforth is the barman of the Hogshead in an interview, which I can’t find right now, but she has confirmed it. Harry also confirms that the man who walked away from Dung pulling the collar of his robes tight around his neck (!) is the barman of the Hogshead.

REGULUS LIVES! :clap: * runs away from angry canon wielding commenters*

THANK YOU! I find the evidence of Kreacher’s allegiance to not be evidence at all. Mainly, because it’s extremely suspect in the first place that Sirius got the house. He was blasted off the family tapestry and was obviously stripped from his inheritance, because his uncle Alphard felt the need to help him out financially and leave his nephew with a sizable fortune. Not to mention the fact that Bella, according to British law, shouldn’t inherit the house anyway because she cannot benefit from homicide. My point? Jo makes it very obvious that wills and inhertences CAN be tampered with. Surely anyone who needs to fake their death, would have to do just that in the wizarding world. That is all beside the point though, because this article isn’t about Regulus anyway.



We have to remember Wizarding law is not the same as British law. We see this when Harry comes of age at 17 instead of 18 according to British law.

Good point about the Black family! But wouldn't Bellatrix have inherited before Harry if it only had to do with being alive? Didn't Sirius change his will to allow Harry to inherit everything? If Sirius didn't know if Regulus was alive or not, and changed his will to benefit Harry, thereby bypassing Bellatrix's claims to it, then Regulus could still be alive and Harry could still have inherited!

No she could not have inherited the house. She does not belong to the Black family, she is Lestrange now. But Dumbledore had this little doubt and wanted to confirm if everything is alright. Only a Black would have been able to bypass the will and fidelius charm placed by Dumbledore to make it unplottable. Dumbledore says "Sirius knew what he was doing"

And About the Dung selling Mirror/Locket :lol:

Quote from OotP:

'Who overheard us?' Harry demanded.

'Mundungus, of course,' said Sirius, and when they all looked puzzled he laughed. 'He was the witch under the veil.'
....
'Why was Dung hiding from us?' asked Ron, sounding disappointed. 'We'd've liked to've seen him.'

'He was banned from the Hog's Head twenty years ago,' said Sirius, 'and that barman's got a long memory.

-----------------------

I don't see Dung being matey with Aberforth.

Perhaps Aberforth bought the silver goblets from Dung and then told gave them to Albus and told him that Dung had nicked them from Grim Place. The idea that Aberforth and Dung had fallen out might have been a ruse to deflect suspicion of them both being in the Order from any Deatheaters who went into the bar. I don't think Dung wuld bother about the mirror as it probably wasn't valuable enough to be worth stealing.

Mundungus met with Aberforth in Hogsmeade. Therefore, he could have sold Aberforth anything in his trunk. Harry saw Mundungus and Aberforth, but when Harry approached them, Aberforth drew his cloak around himself and left. That's why we're speculating that Aberforth may have the mirror or the locket.

Good point about the Black family! But wouldn't Bellatrix have inherited before Harry if it only had to do with being alive? Didn't Sirius change his will to allow Harry to inherit everything? If Sirius didn't know if Regulus was alive or not, and changed his will to benefit Harry, thereby bypassing Bellatrix's claims to it, then Regulus could still be alive and Harry could still have inherited!

I am not sure if anyone has already mentioned this , but in chapter three pg 50 of HBP (US edition hardback) DD tells harry that " Black family tradition decrees that the house was handed down the direct line, to the next MALE with the name Black. Sirius was the very last last of the line as his younger brother Regulus predeceased him and both were childless" If this is correct, and Regulus is actually alive, wouldn't the the will have been nullified as there was a MALE black still living. I think that confirms that Regulus is dead.

I am not sure if anyone has already mentioned this , but in chapter three pg 50 of HBP (US edition hardback) DD tells harry that " Black family tradition decrees that the house was handed down the direct line, to the next MALE with the name Black. Sirius was the very last last of the line as his younger brother Regulus predeceased him and both were childless" If this is correct, and Regulus is actually alive, wouldn't the the will have been nullified as there was a MALE black still living. I think that confirms that Regulus is dead.

Thanks, I guess I should have done some research! I don't believe Regulus is alive myself, but wouldn't it be nice?

I am not sure if anyone has already mentioned this , but in chapter three pg 50 of HBP (US edition hardback) DD tells harry that " Black family tradition decrees that the house was handed down the direct line, to the next MALE with the name Black. Sirius was the very last last of the line as his younger brother Regulus predeceased him and both were childless" If this is correct, and Regulus is actually alive, wouldn't the the will have been nullified as there was a MALE black still living. I think that confirms that Regulus is dead.

That IS an excellent point I'll admit it, of course, if Sirius was able to bypass Bella's right to the house, who's to say Reg wasn’t making an effort to pass the house to someone else at the same time? I mean Sirius WAS stripped of his inheritance after he ran away. Which makes his ownership of Grimmauld Place somewhat dubious to say the least. *clings to hope*

Don't you love how I can discreetly change any topic into a heated debate about Regulus? That's fangirling at its finest right there. :D

it is true that sirius was able to bypass bellatrix but only b/c she was no longer carried the black surname. If Bella had been a Ben or Narcissa a Nathan sirius's will would probably not been valid in the wizarding world. Since there was no other living person baring the name Black the current owner ( in this case sirius) had the option to bequeth the house to whomever he chose. I do wonder if there had been an unmarried female with the surname black if harry could have inherited.

sorry if i sound a bit foolish, but could someone please tell me where the idea that Aberforth is the barman of the Hogs Head came from, because I really have never noticed that, but it seems to be fact.
As Sirius made a will I'm thinking that it couldn't have to Bellatrix.

sorry if i sound a bit foolish, but could someone please tell me where the idea that Aberforth is the barman of the Hogs Head came from, because I really have never noticed that, but it seems to be fact.
Harry I think noticed that the bar smelled a bit of goats, and Rowling chuckled and said she was really proud of "that clue." And we know something fishy was going on with Aberforth and the goats.

I haven't been on Mugglenet for a long time, but I'm glad to discover this editorial. I liked the way it was written. It is obvious now, but I don't remember realizing that Aberforth bought something from Mundungus. What he bought is a good question to ask! I think it will definitely figure in the plot in the next book, so it is a very good catch. I like what soemone said about it being the locket, because he drew the coat around his neck.

I also like what some of the posters said about the pieces of the mirror becoming walkie talkies for the whole order! That is a great idea, even if it doesn't happen. What I thought was peculiar is that the author concluded the mirror must still be in the trunk, but what struck me was that it was not mentioned at all in the assortment of messy objects. But this absence may be there in order not to make it too obvious how important that object is.

Although I'm not a native speaker of English, I think when people say something is "off the table" it means that they refuse to discuss it for whatever reasons; in the case of Rowling, because it would be giving away too much; Snape's loyalties is also "off the table."

Although my column was called the two-way mirror, I never made an attempt to say how this mirror will figure in the next book. Somehow, I haven't thought the answer would be interesting. Just that it would be a communication device between Harry and his buddies. But what might be interesting is to figure out what situation would make this device absolutely necessary, indispensable. i.e. is it going to be an object that can be used as well as any other object that serves a similar function?

Actually, I'm surprised more wizards don't have such two-way mirrors! They communicate with the floo powder, which is extremely uncomfortable. It seems to me that these mirrors should be mass produced as a much better and more comfortable way to communicate. The question is, why aren't they mass produced? Where do they come from? Are they as rare and expensive as the invisibility cloak? I doubt it somehow. The cloak is made of some hard to obtain material. But isn't it pretty easy to put a spell on a mirror and make it work? The spell can't be too easy though, because it lasts.

How is the mirror going to be used in an interesting fashion? There is a simultaneity associated with it. Perhaps there will be a double or triple attack perpetrated by the trio that will need to be simultaneous for some reason, and coordinated, and for that reason the mirrors will be necessary.

Or perhaps the interesting aspect will be related not to simultaneity, but to the fact that you have to pronounce a person's name. Harry will pronounce Voldemort's name and find Voldemort on the other end of the mirror! I think it's interesting that you have to pronounce the name of the person at the other end in order to see them, and that there is a name almost no one in the wizarding world can pronounce Voldemort's name... Harry will "reveal himself" to Voldemort (kind of like Aragorn showing himself through the Palantir (which are kind of like these mirrors) to Sauron. And like Aragorn had the sword, he will have the locket around his neck. The destroyed locket. Maybe because he will realize that Voldemort needs to find him, because he can't find Voldemort, and Voldemort won't be able to resist going after the locket.

That last paragraph by MagicLantern makes a lot of sense. When Harry is ready to take on Voldemort he will have to let him know where he is and if Voldie has a mirror then he could do it via that but having the last horcrux on him and showing it to Voldie would bring Voldie to him post-haste and his hurry to get at Harry could help bring about his downfall as he could make some silly but fatal mistakes that way.

I got the impression that the mirror like the marauder's map were the inventions of James and sirius and possibly lupin ( no reason to think that wormtail had any part of the inventing as the others viewed him as a second class wizard) but it would be interesting to know if all the marauders had mirrors or if only james and sirius had them. I was thinking that only sirius and james had them - this seemed reasonable to me since no one else seems to be using them or seems to know about them, even DD didn't know about the marauders map so there is no reason to think that he or anyone else knew about the mirrors. Perhaps we can presume that sirius ,when he went to check on james & lily's after finding wormtails hiding place empty, picked it up at that time for what reason - presently it is unknown , perhaps as just a keepsake. James and sirius are in many ways similar to george and fred - think about it - prior to george and fred's joke shop - wizards needed to be able to perform a shield charm rather than having a shield cloak- if george and fred had not advertized their ingenious wares ther ministry would have had to rely upon the abilities of the wizard for protection.

Now that is a thought....James and Sirius were mischievous like Fred and George and had some good inventions eg Marauders Map and the Mirrors? Maybe Fred and George could help Harry with any mirror problems because I think if the Map hadn't already been invented by James Sirius (et al?) then Fred and george wiuld have invented it themselves. I think they may be able to help Harry with James and Sirius inventions as they were not unlike them in many ways. After all they worked out how to use the map when even Snape and Filch couldn't.

Perhaps we can presume that sirius ,when he went to check on james & lily's after finding wormtails hiding place empty, picked it up at that time for what reason - presently it is unknown , perhaps as just a keepsake.
That is a painful scene to image, Sirius digging through the rubble and finding the mirror, taking it with him... It makes it seem even more that he saw James in Harry.

Maybe Fred and George could help Harry with any mirror problems because I think if the Map hadn't already been invented by James Sirius (et al?) then Fred and george wiuld have invented it themselves. I bet Fred and George would get a real kick out of the mirrors; but a serious kick; I can just see them examine them with a professional eye, admiring a fellow expert's work... And they did have a remedy for Hermione's eye. If they can figure out how to invent the mirrors, they can figure out how to fix them. I wonder if Reparo is enough. We've had cases where reparo brought the container back together, but what was in it was lost. Would the mirror be back, but its spell be lost? And the twins would need to figure out the spell.

I thought of reparo as well - but really ahdn't connected that it would not have put the spell back. - that is an interesting thought. perhap reparo only works on solid items and not liquids. - it seemed to work on harry's glasses and it can be presumed they were perscription glasses since everything is blurry when he is not wearing them. but then they are only a muggle invention so maybe reparo works on that and may not work on a bewitched item.

Don't worry Fred And George will surely figure out a way to get the mirror back in working order again and poosibly a new invention for communiction will be the result of their investigations.

When JKR said in her interview with Emerson and Melissa that the mirror was not on the table, what she meant was that she would not discuss it during the interview. She meant it was not on the table for discussion; "on the table" is an expression used for meetings. JKR has already made it clear that the mirror will play a role in book 7.

Some good thoughts in this editorial. A number of people have stated that Mundungus would not bother with the mrror because it's not valuable enough. That's possible but not a certainty. We don't know much about Mundungus, and surely not enough to determine how he decides what to steal. He was dealing in stolen cauldrons, remember? No precious metals involved there.

Plus, I happen to like the idea of Aberforth ending up with the mirror. He's Dumbledore's brother, and JKR has said that Dumbledore's family is a "profitable line of inquiry." So I think it's safe to assume that Aberforth has some role to play in book 7, and perhaps the mirror will be a part of that.

What many people haven’t seemed to grasp is that, yes you do need to call out someone’s name to talk to them. But who’s to say HARRY has to be the one to initiate the conversation? As it has been stressed many times in the book, EVERYONE in the wizarding world knows Harry Potter’s name.

Excellent point! :)

I don't think the mirror will be used for Harry to communicate with the dead, I believe Rowling has made it clear that both Sirius and Dumbledore are gone for good from Harry's life with perhaps the exception of Dumbledore's portrait. I do however think that the mirror might become useful. Maybe it'll help Harry and his two friends find the horocruxes and could serve as walkie talkies once Harry finds the other one. I do believe the mirror will serve some purpose

I like the idea of Harry saying "Dumbledore" in the mirror, only to see Aberforth looking back, as said by HP_Hedgehog, and I would also like to point out that J.K never said the mirror was in the trunk, broken quills, maybe, but no broken mirror, and if he threw it in his trunk, he would surely be missing some pieces, unless he was careful to get all of them, which would mean he would look at it and comprehend what he was looking at, which would surely bring up enough emotion to be mentioned in the book.

As for having the Sirius' mirror, I thought that this was more likely than his having the locket which has been speculated about. I mean - a locket with the mark of Slytherin would be suspect even if Aberforth was on the slow side.

The locket was described as "a heavy locket that none of them could open." There was no mention of the mark of Slytherin on it anywhere. It was probably buffed off by RAB if indeed it is even the locket we all think it is. So if Aberforth saw it, he probably would not know what it was any more then they did when they found it at Grimauld Place.

The locket was described as "a heavy locket that none of them could open." There was no mention of the mark of Slytherin on it anywhere. It was probably buffed off by RAB if indeed it is even the locket we all think it is. So if Aberforth saw it, he probably would not know what it was any more then they did when they found it at Grimauld Place.

RAB, whoever he/she was, stole the locket in order to destroy it (or to be precise to destroy the horcrux in it), to make Voldemort mortal again. If he didn't manage to destroy it himself, why would he buffer one of its regonisable feature ? It would make it so much less likely that anyone could ever find it and destroy it.
It would not make much sense.
OK, RAB was maybe arrogant enough to go after the horcrux alone and not tell anyone, including Dumbledore or his member-of-the-Order - brother about it (I assume it is indeed Regulus), but he is not delusional enough to think he will survive much longer, so it is likely that he would have considered the possibility that he wouldn't be able to destroy the hocrux before dying and that he should then leave other people a possibility to do it in his place.

About the fact Slytherin's mark is not mentionned in the description of the heavy locket, it's easy to explain. For once, it would be far to obvious then. And what is more, we see the thing through Harry's eyes, and by that point he has no way to recognise it, no reason to be particularily interested in it, and plot-wise he must not pay it too much attention for he must not be able to make the connection when he sees the memory one year later. True, he could have notice that it was 'an heavy locket with a strange mark upon it and that none of them could open', but then the details would make it too obvious that this locket would become significant, and it would have been logical that someone else would have noticed that mark, including people among the adults who might have recognised it as Slytherin's, which would create a problem plot-wise. It seems much easier to leave it in the hands of the kids who only notice the fact they can't open it. And the fact it can not being open might in itself been much more interesting regarding its horcrux nature.

That said, I doubt Aberforth has this locket. He would most likely have told his brother about it, and Dumbledore (Albus) would have identified it as a horcrux and destroyed it and would have told Harry about it.
I don't believe he as Sirius' two-way-mirror either. The idea of Harry telling "Dumbledore" and seeing the Hog's Head bar-tender is amusing and imaginative, but I somehow doubt it would work without the first name and I agree with those who think Mundungus would not have been interested with this shabby-looking mirror when there were so much silver things in Grimmault place.

Though you do seem to have put a lot of thought into this idea, you kind of keep going to far. It's speculations on speculations on spectulations. And, as you have very little proof for what you say in the beggining, I have a hard time believing anything that you say later on. It's kind of like a really fun "what if..." but it's not very substantial. You need to make sure you can back up everything you can say, past the whole "I think..." thing.