Ghost Cedric

[serenadust]

No: HPFGUIDX 53823

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, artsylynda at a... wrote:
> Cedric died happy 
> 
> His mother rationalized that he must have been happy because he 
was co-winner 
> of the cup, and Harry didn't argue the point with her.  But in the 
actual 
> scene, Cedric was wary -- "Wands out, you reckon?" were his last 
words as 
> they found themselves in a place that was unexpected and felt 
dangerous.  I 
> wouldn't say that was dying happy -- he died prepared to meet some 
challenge, 
> not having happy thoughts of his half of the winnings.  I imagine 
the "happy 
> thoughts" fled as soon as they saw where they were.  IMHO anyway.


I don't think JKR meant that people who were not "happy" at the 
moment of their deaths would become ghosts.  If that were the case, 
I think that there'd be many, many more ghosts since I imagine that 
most people aren't really all that thrilled to be dying in falls, 
car crashes, protracted illnesses, etc.  What she said in the 
Scholastic Interview (Feb 2000) was "...the happiest people do not 
become ghosts."

To me that would indicate that a person who was generally content 
with their lot in life would not be likely to return as a ghost.  If 
you use Moaning Myrtle as an example of someone who *isn't* 
generally happy, then Cedric, in contrast, seems to be unlikely to 
fall into the same category. In fact, he seems to be someone who had 
a pretty pleasant and successful life, and enjoyed it right up to 
the end.  So, I really would be surprised to see him return as a 
ghost.

Just IMHO of course,

Jo Serenadust