Harry Potter's Two-Way Mirror's Original Purpose, Explained

Many aspects of the Harry Potter story aren’t fully explained within the movies, with the directors having to make do with the time available to cram as much detail from JK Rowling’s books into each film as possible. That meant certain key moments within the Harry Potter movies didn’t quite get the explanation or backstory needed for non-readers to understand the purpose.

One of those plot holes was the two-way mirror shard that appears in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 and Part 2. It’s shown several times and is simple enough that audiences get the gist of what it’s for, but there’s no real explanation for how he ends up with it. Considering it ends up being a life-saving piece of magic, the decision not to explain it in the movies was risky.

What Is The Two-Way Mirror?

The shard of mirror that Harry Potter carries in the final two movies is a simple but effective magical tool he uses. It’s a relatively uncomplicated use of magic compared to others, as it connects pairs of mirrors to allow those holding them to communicate or see what they’re doing at any point. It can also be used to showcase where people are in difficult situations quickly, which makes it so helpful at times.

How Does Harry Potter Use It?

Harry uses the mirror in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 when he’s trapped inside Malfoy Manor with several of his friends. Hermione Granger ends up being tortured by Bellatrix Lestrange, and it ends up looking like a bleak situation for the heroes as Lord Voldemort’s faithful servants edge ever closer to identifying the disfigured Harry. However, he uses the mirror to call for help, which is how Dobby knows where he is. It’s only shown in a glimpse, though, and that’s one of the reasons why people are confused by it: audiences are just naturally expected to understand it.

Dobby appears and manages to save them all, rescuing Harry and his friends from the grave situation at the expense of his own life. But the mirror then appears in the franchise’s final installment when Aberforth Dumbledore reveals that he had the rest of the mirror. He uses it to keep tabs on Harry and how he’s progressing with his journey to destroy the Horcruxes, proving that he cares more about his brother’s former student than he initially lets on. However, Aberforth’s generally secretive personality doesn’t help explain it entirely to the audience, which only builds up the confusion surrounding the mirror.

How Harry Uses The Two-Way Mirror In The Books

There are many differences between the Harry Potter movies and novels, and this magical item is one of those. It has a much more significant impact in the novels as Sirius Black introduces it to Harry in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, allowing them to communicate while Harry is still at Hogwarts. The iconic school is not a safe place for Sirius; therefore, strolling in to chat with Harry is impossible, leading to him using this as a form of communication. However, Harry doesn’t use it because he’s scared of getting Sirius into further trouble if they get caught, and that would’ve been useful to add to the movie because it would’ve showcased how much Sirius meant to him long before his eventual death.

Harry uses the mirror in that particular book after Sirius’ death, realizing there’s a chance he could still be alive, which isn’t the case. He ultimately breaks it when unable to contact Sirius’ spirit, further pushing the impact that his passing has on the lead character. It showcases that the mirror is far more than just a fun magical trick to use as a plot device; it also conveys a lot of emotion and always reminds Harry of his godfather. Keeping that in the movies would have added a lot to the backstory and the feelings of the situation, plus it would’ve been less of a shock when Dobby appeared. Since it was an essential life-saving tool, the movie should have explained it a little more, and HBO will hopefully opt to do that in the television series as there will be more time available to add these smaller details to make it feel different from the movies.

Ultimately, not fully explaining the two-way mirror didn’t hurt the final two Harry Potter movies, as everything that took place was understandable enough. Dobby’s death ultimately prevented anyone from having questions about how he got there in the first place, but featuring the backstory of the two-way mirror could have enhanced the Harry Potter films to the next level. There are lots of details that would never be added, but this one would’ve been more important for Harry’s personal relationship with Sirius.

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