10 Best Subplots In The Harry Potter Movies

During his first year at Hogwarts, Harry receives an Invisibility Cloak for Christmas. Keen to discover the truth about Nicolas Flamel, he puts on his new cloak, wanders through the night-time corridors, and starts searching the restricted section in the library.

But when things don’t go according to plan, Harry is forced to flee the scene. After narrowly avoiding Snape, he stumbles across the Mirror of Erised, a magical mirror that shows people their deepest desire.

Harry, who has never known his true family, sees his mother and father staring back at him. It’s an emotional moment and a bold thing to put in a children’s movie. The mirror is a reminder that, despite all the magical charm of his surroundings, Harry never stops suffering. The death of his parents will always be with him.

The other highlight of this subplot is Dumbledore’s warning. He tells Harry about the dangers of the mirror and how men have wasted away before it, which leads to one of Dumbledore’s greatest lines:

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

The sequence with the Mirror of Erised isn’t just a great subplot. It’s also the best part of Harry’s first adventure.