一次偶然的机会，小哈里波特发现了魔镜，他能在镜子里看到自己素未谋面的爸爸妈妈。于是，每到夜深人静，他几次穿着爸爸留给他的隐身衣，躲过门卫的检查，来到魔镜前。这天，他遇到了校长邓不利多，邓不利多开导他说，要远离耽于幻想的魔镜，要现实地生活——

D: I see that you, like many before you, have discovered the delights of the Mirror of Erised. I trust by now you realize what it does. Let me give you a clue. The happiest man on earth would look in the mirror and see only himself, exactly as he is.
H: So then, it shows us what we want, whatever we want.
D: Yes, and no. It shows us nothing more or less than the deepest and most desperate desires of our hearts. Now you, Harry¹, who have never known your family, you see them standing² beside you. But remember this, Harry, This mirror gives us neither knowledge or truth. Men have wasted away in front of it. Even gone mad. This is why tomorrow it will be moved to a new house. And I must ask you not to go looking for it again. It does not do to dwell³ on dreams and forget to live.

重点讲解

　　delight，乐趣，好处。邓不利多告诉哈里，他猜想现在哈里已经知道镜子的好处了。他说，世上最幸福的人在镜子里只会看到他自己，只有他自己，别无其他。

　　波特回答，镜子里出现的是我们想要的东西，任何我们所求的东西。邓不利多回答“也对也不对”（Yes, and no.）。它展现的我是我们内心最深切（deep）、最强烈（desperate）的渴望。因为哈里从生下来就没有见过父母，所以他在镜子里看到的就是一家三口其乐融融的景象。词组nothing more or less than，正是，恰恰就是。

　　但是，邓布利多话锋一转，这个镜子既不给我们知识，也无法告诉我们真相（neither…or…既不……也不……）。人们在它面前浪费了太多的时间，甚至会为它而发疯。词组wast away，荒废，白白耗费。邓布利多警告哈里，不要再去找这个魔镜，不要踯躅于幻想而忘记了现实地生活（dwell on dreams and forget to live）。