Dumbledore's stream of consciousness is presumably an endless string of profound wisdom, as he drops this existential piece of truth as an afterthought, while discussing the allure of the Sorcerer's Stone with Harry. As a sage and powerful wizard, Dumbledore must have experienced this truth in many capacities throughout his many years, and it is fascinating to consider the events that may have culminated in this particular insight. Perhaps he was thinking of his own struggle to resist the allure of the Deathly Hallows. He could easily have made the same remark while discussing the Mirror of Erised with Harry, earlier in the same school year. While it is perfectly understandable that Harry's deepest, most desperate desire would be to know and experience the love of his family, the imitation thereof by way of the Mirror of Erised could only lead to an obsessive and destructive yearning. It is much like Dumbledore's own, seemingly uncontrollable longing to use the Resurrection Stone to see Ariana--such that he risked putting the Horcrux ring on his finger, knowing it was likely to harm him.
Dumbledore's stream of consciousness is presumably an endless string of profound wisdom, as he drops this existential piece of truth as an afterthought, while discussing the allure of the Sorcerer's Stone with Harry. As a sage and powerful wizard, Dumbledore must have experienced this truth in many capacities throughout his many years, and it is fascinating to consider the events that may have culminated in this particular insight. Perhaps he was thinking of his own struggle to resist the allure of the Deathly Hallows. He could easily have made the same remark while discussing the Mirror of Erised with Harry, earlier in the same school year. While it is perfectly understandable that Harry's deepest, most desperate desire would be to know and experience the love of his family, the imitation thereof by way of the Mirror of Erised could only lead to an obsessive and destructive yearning. It is much like Dumbledore's own, seemingly uncontrollable longing to use the Resurrection Stone to see Ariana--such that he risked putting the Horcrux ring on his finger, knowing it was likely to harm him.
--AK