Finality of Death/That Pesky Lack of Body

[minetourjunkie]

No: HPFGUIDX 67821

So to combine several things into one ...

Well much debate about whether or not Sirius is coming back.  

Marianne wrote:
"Death, in JKR's world, is not finite.  People who are dead keep 
finding ways to come back into the land of the living. I think that 
some people would have a problem of a fully revived, resurrected 
Sirius springing out from behind the veil because it may, in their 
view, cheapen death.  In the real world we don't have the opportunity 
to get our loved ones back once they're gone, at least, not in a 
corporeal sense.  But, I think the door is wide open for a 
reappearance of Sirius in some other form."

I think it's been obvious that I love that Sirius character and am 
none too happy he's snuffed it.  The sentimental part of me would 
love it if the people posting that the lack of body paves way for him 
to come back are right.  I was convinced that if they just reached 
into that veil ... (wild theory: crossing the veil physically rather 
than metaphorically actually saves him.  For example, living people 
who crossed the river Styx could come back ... it didn't kill them.)

The more objective part of me thinks that bringing him back alive 
would not exactly cheapen Death (this is a magical world after 
all ...) but perhaps cheapen the story a little.  An important part 
of growing up - and whatever other grander things the books may be, 
at their heart, it's a coming of age saga - is learning about death 
and accepting it.  Ya, Harry's had to before - but his parents were 
never real people to him.  He's got stories and built up an image in 
his head (which is why that pensive scene is so upsetting).  Sirius 
was real, he was close to him (unlike Cedric, who he knew but didn't 
love) and his loss will affect Harry a lot.

I think that regardless of how you feel about him, Sirius death had 
quite an impact on both the readers (look how much debate it has 
sparked!), the story and the other characters.  To take that away by 
bringing him back to life like nothing happened would seem a little 
like a cop out.

Not that the bit of me in denial wouldn't be happy of course ... :)

But I like the idea of a some other type of reappearance, either 
because Harry goes to the Land of the Dead and has chats with ghosts 
or Sirius reappears in some other form or ... well whatever JKR cooks 
up.  At the end of it all, he's been a fairly important character and 
I can't imaging he's not going to have some part to play in the last 
two books.  Even James and Lily, decidedly dead, manage to show up 
due to that Priori Incantorem (sp?) and muck up Voldemorts plans ... 
so maybe there's some new thing to pop up that we haven't been 
introduced to yet.

dublexuk wrote:
"I agree that he may not have been dead when he fell through the 
viel, but its not clear exactly how large the void behind the viel 
is. If its a large and almost infinite expanse it could be possible 
to fall through the viel and end up trapped forever."

I like this theory ... I've noticed a lot of discussion on which 
spell Bellatrix used.  I'd thought, just out of assumption, she was 
shooting to kill, but the various posts on such diversities as the 
colour of the previous shot (hey anyone finding the spell colour 
discussions rather light saber-ish? :), the fact Sirius seems to have 
registered what happened after being hit, etc., have rather persuaded 
me that she may not have been.  So imagine being stunned and waking 
up beyond the veil (provided that the veil itself doesn't kill you 
when you pass through it) surrounded by dead people.  Could be an 
interesting idea ... how it would work in, no clue.  But I like it.  

Oh, random thought on this topic: anyone else think that veil works 
like the Threstrals?  Ron and Hermione didn't seem to hear the voices 
and Neville, Luna and Harry did.  (pg. 683 Can. Ed.: Harry talks 
about hearing voices and Hermione and says "Nobody's talking Harry" - 
well the scene continues, but you all have the book)  So, maybe you 
have to have seen death to be able to understand the veil as well.

Anyway, I'm all for Harry finding himself communing in Dead Land for 
whatever reason and in whatever way (the Threstral use to cross is 
interesting ... rather like the ferry over Styx).  As for the return 
of Padfoot ... love him or hate him, I don't think we're done with 
him yet.

Cheers,
Sarah W.  "Denial ain't just a river in Egypt, you know"