James and Lilly a ghost?

[brandgwen at hotmail.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 15365

Mecki wrote:
> You've probably discussed this at length before, but I only joined 
this group yesterday...

They probably have, but if so I was elsewhere at the time.

>...and I desperatly want to know:  Why do some people change into 
ghosts when they die and others don't?

As I hear, the official line from JKR is that we will find out in
book 5.  I believe the only hint she dropped was that unhappy people 
are more likely to become ghosts than happy ones.

As for my own suspicions, I think dissatisfaction with and/or lack of 
filfillment in life may contribute to someone becoming a ghost.

> We know Myrtle and Nick died by force, but Prof.Binns just fell 
asleep in his Armchair. 

Binns is a major source of interest to me, also.  I suspect some
deep, dark secret.  After all, he would have been teaching at
Hogwarts while Tom Riddle was a student.

>Myrtle and Binns died in Hogwarts, but I don't think Nick was 
executed there, so why has he, and some of the other House-Ghosts 
come to hogwarts after their death?

I don't think ghosts are trapped where they died.  After all, they
are able to go on Headless Hunts and attend each others' Death Day 
parties.  Myrtle is yet to get over her teasing, so she is still 
moping around the bathroom, as she did as a living person.  Whatever 
it is that got to Binns, I don't think he's over it yet, either.

As to "why Hogwarts"?  Well, why not.  It seems a relatively lively 
place to be dead.

> I hope I am not just bringing up really old stories and am 
anxiously waiting for answers

I think you'll find with most old topics there will be a new idea out 
there, no matter how many times you revisit.  There is nothing wrong 
with asking the classic questions!

Gwen.