Erised

Disclaimer: No, I don't own any of this.

I'm woven in a fantasy;

I can't believe the things I see,

The path that I have chosen now

Has led me to a wall.

"The Wall" by Kansas

A mirror stood in the middle of a room, draped with cobwebs and covered in dust. Even so, it gave off an unearthly glow, hinting at origins other than an ordinary glassmaker. The mirror had captivated millions, and was always slightly dangerous to have around, as obsession could easily befall those who stared into it. It became their reality, the world they lived in lost its color, and became a dull black and white.

A young man stared at the glass pane, watching his life, as he truly desired it to be, instead of how it was. He watched as he grabbed the special, curious-very-curious wand, which had an unusual connection to his past. He watched as his sorting placed him in the house of his dreams, with heroes on par with Harry Potter. He saw himself defeating Snape at his own sarcasm game, destroying monsters which were under the control of the Dark Lord, and even defeating the inner circle of Death Eaters.

He even witnessed Harry Potter's final defeat of Voldemort, and the freeing of the Wizard world. He orchestrated the eventual merging of the Wizard and Muggle societies. He cured diseases, and did great deeds.

He watched as he grew close to, and eventually fell in love with, a girl who was his best friend from the first day at Hogwarts. He watched his children grow, and become as distinguished as himself.

He saw his life draw to a close, and felt satisfaction at how he had truly lived. He also felt a touch of sadness that it had ended, but it was nothing to the exhilaration of a truly happy ending.

He had lived to the fullest, giving everything he had, and gaining everything in return. Nothing had been able to bring him down…

He pulled away from the glass, and cracked his neck, deep depression settling over him. The life he wanted would never be, but he had to return every night to awaken his dreams, and to escape the colorless blur of reality.

Sighing deeply, the young man turned off the black-on-white lettering of his Mirror of Erised, and cursed J. K. Rowling for creating the world that had infected his every waking moment with impossible dreams.

It does not do to dwell on dreams, and forget to live.

--Albus Dumbledore

A/N: And that is the life that many of us lead…isn't that depressing?