Harry Potter: Wizards Supersmacy

Chapter -15.

On Christmas Eve, Brian found himself near the library once more.

He silently cast a spell on himself to prevent any noise that might alert Filch.

The night at Hogwarts was tranquil, with everything resting in the darkness, giving it the appearance of a mysterious ancient castle nestled deep in the mountains, prompting thoughts of what strange and unusual things might emerge from some hidden corner.

Just as Brian was about to begin his search, he heard a chilling, piercing scream echoing from within the library, sending a shiver down his spine.

"Oh no," Brian whispered to himself, quickly turning and fleeing in another direction.

Unexpectedly, the timing was perfect, as Harry, cloaked in invisibility, had also entered the restricted section at that moment, sure to draw Filch's attention.

Brian couldn't risk looking for Harry; he spun through the castle's intricate corridors, making sure he wasn't seen by Filch or Mrs. Norris before finally coming to a halt.

He steadied his breath, which had quickened from running, realizing he was being somewhat foolish, and turned towards the Slytherin common room.

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

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

The next day, after hastily finishing breakfast, Brian searched the castle again.

Merlin knows, he spent the entire day and barely found the mirror just as night fell, missing dinner in the process.

The Mirror of Erised was concealed in a very secluded room, situated in a corridor so narrow that it would easily go unnoticed, and it was obstructed by a tall suit of armor. More importantly, the door to that room was locked during the day and was quite inconspicuous; several times, Brian had overlooked it.

Brian felt inexplicably angry because he recalled that in the original story, the door had been slightly ajar for Harry when he arrived, and Harry had returned twice more, and it had never been locked.

"Alohomora." He drew his wand and pointed it at the door lock, causing it to click open.

Inside was a room resembling a storage closet, cluttered with some tables and chairs, all covered in a thick layer of dust. Only on the wall directly facing the door was there a clean, polished mirror.

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

"Lumos." Brian uttered the spell, the tip of his wand glowing softly, illuminating the magic mirror. At the top was inscribed a line of text: "Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi". This should be its full name.

"The Mirror of Erised," Brian murmured, "the Mirror which shows hidden Desires."

It could reveal the deepest, most genuine desires of one's heart.

Brian lifted his foot but then set it down again. At that moment, he felt a bit hesitant.

He feared seeing his true self and was more terrified that it might be something he could never achieve.

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

After a long while, Brian moved his stiff limbs and stepped forward, allowing his figure to appear in the mirror.

The mirror reflected his shape—only him, with no other changes or additional figures.

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

It is said that the happiest people in the world can use the Mirror of Erised as an ordinary mirror. But was Brian one of them? Clearly not; he was unhappy.

"But why..." Brian reached out, seemingly wanting to touch the version of himself in the mirror.

The version of him in the mirror smiled gently, a serene and warm smile that resembled his usual expression but was entirely different from how he looked at that moment.

The mirror's Brian softly said, "You are free, Brian."

"Free?" Brian paused, a different light flashing in his eyes.

Freedom, what a strange word.

Brian recalled his past life, which was not remarkable, even quite dull.

Before the age of five, he had a happy family. His father was a somewhat well-known entrepreneur in the city, having risen from poverty to become a prominent figure. 

His mother was a gentle and capable housewife, always managing everything in life and work neatly, and she would set aside time every day to accompany 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 openly divided the inheritance, treating him like a football, kicking him around.

His upbringing consisted of constantly being shuffled between different homes, experiencing the warmth and coldness of human relationships. In the eyes of his relatives, he was a "debt collector" and a "bad omen," enduring disdain.

Later, he was sent to the countryside, where he was often locked in a small room. When someone remembered him, he would get something to eat; when no one did, he would go hungry. Fortunately, they allowed him to attend a school in the countryside, which were the happiest times of his life.

After graduating from middle school, his relatives refused to let him continue his studies, even wanting to lock him up. He escaped and lived in a dirty shack, working while desperately learning all the knowledge he could, knowing that knowledge could change his fate.

His life gradually improved, and he followed a path similar to his father's. Through struggles and intrigues, his entrepreneurial efforts 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 sad.

Indeed, he once envied Harry Potter, as their circumstances were so similar.

Thus, he became deeply fascinated, trembling in his thin blankets on countless stormy nights, longing for a giant 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 looked at him gently, like a wise man who knew everything. His eyes, filled with wisdom like Dumbledore's, seemed to hide infinite mysteries, tempting one to explore.

He had once thought he would crave familial love, friendship, a happy family, or wish to return to his old 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 endless wisdom and strength as a guarantee, until even time cannot control me at will."

"So, I have always been on the right path," Brian murmured, his eyes growing deeper, no longer lost.

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

Thus, he perhaps was more suited for Ravenclaw.

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

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

Dumbledore stood behind him, wearing a casual robe, like a kind old neighbor, his half-moon glasses glinting in the dark.

"Ah, I see that I have become the most dazzling person in the world, like you," Brian said, looking at Dumbledore and smiling slightly.

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

"I think you haven't had dinner yet; dinner time has just passed," Dumbledore winked, "I believe you wouldn't mind making do here? I haven't eaten either; this old body can't take it."

Brian sincerely thanked him and sat down at the table, the two of them enjoying dinner harmoniously like a grandparent and grandchild.

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

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

"Meaning you came as soon as I found this place," Brian pondered his underlying meaning.

For a moment, the two sat in silence, quietly eating dinner. Dumbledore praised the honey lemon cake.

After dinner, Dumbledore said, "Mr. Walker, the Mirror of Erised reflects the most desperate and intense desires of the heart; it is not unchanging. There are still many things in this world for you 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 happy."

Brian pondered Dumbledore's words and nodded in response.

At that moment, the closed door suddenly swung open.