Where are the dead buried?/ Wizarding burial rites

[sophineclaire]

No: HPFGUIDX 42259

"Christie wrote:" 

> One suggestion: they were creamated and their ashes scattered, 
hence 
> no gravesite or memorial exists.  Since we have no evidence to the 
> contrary, one assumes that wizard burial rites are more or less 
> concurrent with Muggle ceremonies, which allows for some variety as 
> to disposal of the remains.


  There could also be the concern about the use of a dead body for 
dark arts and other nasty things. I don't think it would be 
particularly pleasant to see Uncle Bilius come to tea when he's been 
dead for 3 months, and to AK you no less... 
I'd say it would be more so in the case of Lily, James and, to a 
lesser degree Cedric (as someone mentioned in a previous reply).

  There's also the risk of Muggle Excavation. Yes,  guess there maybe 
muggle repelling charms to protect gravesites, but they only seem to 
last as long as there is someone or something to keep them up. If we 
assume that Wizards have been around for more than a couple of 
Millenia ( via the date on Ollivander's sign) then would it be safe 
to assume that Wizards, at some point, had elaborate or cultural 
burial rites like other early civilizations?.

  I could see problems brewing for the WW as old repelling charms are 
disintergrating and London is expanding and all of a sudden, a huddle 
of graves are found containing bird feathers (Quills), sticks of wood 
(wands), and a deflated red ball (Quaffle). Of course the MOM would 
come and oblivate anyone who found the body (which would be 
subsequently removed) but after a century or two of this, it would 
have to be decreed that all bodies must be cremated for the sake of 
time, energy, and saftey.

  Taking Voldemort into account, I could see why he opted to search 
for immortality. If his body is cremated when he dies ( his initial 
worry now), he will not be able to come back or be resurrected due to 
lack of body. Years of research and self experimentation later, 
Voldemort discovers a way to achieve immortality AND has found a back 
up in case he does lose his body. So, Voldie skips along to the 
Potters; knowing full well that if anything goes wrong, he will live 
but he will just have to search for a new body.


Sophineclaire
 -who was always interested in mummies.