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Chapter 76 - Chapter 76 – Pumpkin Pie

"Ah, this is indeed a good place to store things," Dumbledore said slowly. "But it's a pity that very few people can discover this room.

In fact, it wasn't surprising that Vison knew about the Room of Requirement. Throughout Hogwarts' long history, many teachers and students had discovered this magical room.

Dumbledore himself, for example, once found many exquisite chamber pots here during a hurried night.

"You can tell the students about this room, Professor," Vison nodded. "They would definitely be excited."

Dumbledore shook his head. "That won't do! We must keep some sense of mystery, don't you think? That's part of what makes Hogwarts so magical—you never know when you'll stumble upon a hidden room."

Vison nodded in agreement. Indeed, this ancient castle was filled with mysterious and strange rooms, both useful and useless. Exploring them was one of the greatest joys for students.

"By the way," Vison glanced at Dumbledore curiously, "Professor, what are you doing here so late?"

Dumbledore smiled gently and adjusted his half-moon spectacles. "Oh, Professor Weasley, like you, I'm here to retrieve some... old things."

"Looking for something?" Vison was a little surprised. Could Dumbledore also be here to search for Ravenclaw's Diadem? No... he shouldn't know about that. Right?

Then, just as Vison had done before, Dumbledore paced back and forth three times in front of the wall. Unsurprisingly, a door appeared.

He pushed it open and turned to Vison. "Would you care to join me, Professor Weasley? Perhaps you can help me locate what I'm looking for."

"Alright," Vison replied and followed Dumbledore through the door.

To his surprise, it was the same cluttered storage room—specifically, the version of the Room of Requirement used to hide things.

"Professor Dumbledore," Vison asked tentatively, "what exactly are you looking for?"

Dumbledore scanned the room and answered lightly, "Oh, just a mirror. It may be buried somewhere beneath the mess or tucked in a corner. I haven't used it in so long... I can't even remember what it looks like."

"A mirror?" Vison thought for a moment. Could it be... the Mirror of Erised?

That was the only mirror he could think of that would prompt Dumbledore to come all the way here.

"Alright, Professor. I'll help you look," Vison replied, then began scanning the piles of objects around him.

In truth, the mirror wasn't hard to find.

Dumbledore located it in a corner in less than ten seconds.

It was a tall mirror, almost touching the ceiling, draped in a tattered cloth and placed inconspicuously against the wall.

Dumbledore waved his hand, and the cloth flew off and folded itself neatly on a nearby table.

The mirror revealed itself: tall and elegant, with a golden frame and two claw-shaped feet supporting it—impressive, even regal.

"Eldra."

[Name: Mirror of Erised]

As expected, it was the Mirror of Erised. Vison nodded slightly.

"My memory isn't so bad after all," Dumbledore said cheerfully. "Let's go, Professor Weasley."

He pulled out his wand and pointed it at the mirror. The claw-like feet beneath it creaked softly and began to move as though alive.

The mirror waddled toward the door. Given its large size, Dumbledore cast a shrinking charm to help it fit through.

Once they were back in the corridor, Dumbledore introduced the mirror formally.

"This, Professor Weasley, is the Mirror of Erised," he said with exaggerated solemnity. "Hogwarts' most honest mirror. It won't tell you if your hair is messy, or if your robe is on backwards—but it will show you what your heart most desires."

Vison looked up. At the top of the mirror, runes were etched into the frame. When read backwards, they said: I show not your face but your heart's desire.

"That doesn't sound like a mirror," Vison remarked.

"I don't think so either," Dumbledore winked. "It's like a mirror, except… one reflects your appearance, and the other reflects your soul."

Vison instinctively avoided looking into it.

The Mirror of Erised showed the deepest desires of one's heart. That kind of truth was disturbing.

No matter how much you denied it, once you saw what it showed, you couldn't unsee it—it was the purest reflection of your innermost self.

And yet, in the end, Vison couldn't resist. He glanced into the mirror.

"Did you see something?" Dumbledore asked casually. "You can tell me if you'd like—though it's perfectly fine if you don't. It's your secret."

"A pumpkin pie," Vison said with a shrug. "Looked delicious. I think I've figured out what I want for breakfast tomorrow." It wasn't a lie.

That was what he saw—himself holding a pumpkin pie.

But when he looked closer, he saw his family behind him—his father, mother, sister, and several people he recognized.

His desire was simple.

Dumbledore blinked, then chuckled. "You like pumpkin pie, Professor Weasley?"

Vison nodded honestly. "I like all beautiful things, Headmaster. Pumpkin pie is just one of them."

Dumbledore nodded slowly, an approving glint in his eyes. "Me too. Beautiful things have that effect on people. But that's what makes this mirror dangerous—it tempts you. It makes you doubt. It can become an obsession... and even drive you mad."

He paused, as if caught in a memory.

"I used to spend too much time in front of it…"

He suddenly stopped and gave an apologetic smile. "Please forgive an old man's rambling."

"Perfectly reasonable," Vison replied sincerely.

He didn't ask Dumbledore what he had seen in the mirror. That was private.

Although he had his guesses.

The two stood silently before the mirror for a few more moments.

Then Dumbledore rubbed his eyes, took one last look at the mirror, and turned away.

"Alright, Professor Weasley. Time to go. A good night's sleep is important—especially for someone my age."

"Good night, Professor Dumbledore."

Dumbledore waved his wand, and the Mirror of Erised's feet transformed into small stubby legs again. It followed him, making soft clicking sounds as it trailed along the corridor.

Vison felt slightly anxious, wondering if the mirror might trip while going down the stairs.

After they had walked a while, Dumbledore suddenly turned around and called out, "Almost forgot—Professor Weasley, please come to my office tomorrow morning."

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