Siriusly Alive ...or Gone but not forgotten

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 96449

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Miller, Gina (JIS)"
<ginamiller at j...> wrote:
> ... tell me that someone else ... believes that Sirius is alive!
> What is the veil? ...(The veil)... sound(s) like something that 
> belongs outdoors ... and not in a room of the MoM? ... If Sirius is 
> really dead why didn't Harry ask for an explanation ...? ... we are 
> led to believe he doesn't want to know so that an answer does not have
> to be given because it is not really curtains for Sirius. 
>  
> Gina - dying to know what the veil is.....
>  
> Gina A. Miller

bboy_mn:

A mysterious and menacing ancient archway draped with a black veil
rests on a raised dais (platform) in the center of an otherwise empty
room (auditorium) known as the Death Chamber. That's the Death
Chamber! I don't think that name is applied to the room because that's
where the Unspeakables take their daily tea (polite sarcasm). 

Then we must contend with the phrase 'beyond the veil' which is a very
old and very common euphemism for death.

See this poem-
Bartleby's Famous Quotations...
http://www.bartleby.com/40/225.html
"Beyond the Veil"
Henry Vaughan (1622–1695)

Or this modern interpretation-
The Poem Zone...
http://www.poemzone.com/f/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=005469


I think this gives us a pretty strong clue as to what the room, the
Arch, and the Veil represent. In addition, Remus seems to understand
immediately what has happened, and though he refused to accept it,
deep down Harry understood the situation very quickly.

----Quote - OotP - Am HB Pg 806-807----
"There's nothing you can do, Harry--" [Lupin]

"It's too late, Harry--" [Lupin]

"There's nothing you can do, Harry ...nothing ... He's *gone*." [Lupin]

"He can't come back, Harry," said Lupin, his voice *breaking* as he
struggled to contain Harry. "He can't come back, because he's d--"

"HE--IS--NOT--DEAD!" roared Harry.
---- end quote ----

Sirius has passed 'beyond the veil', but do "you think the dead we
love ever truly leave us" (Dumbledore)? "It's not as though (we'll)
never see (them) again, is it?"  They are "just behind the veil". "You
heard them..." "In that room with the archway. They were just lurking
out of sight, that's all. You heard them." (quotes from Luna Lovegood)

I admit that there is room for speculation and interpretation of
Luna's comments, but in my eyes, it's pretty clear she understands
death, and understands that her dead mother too is 'beyond the veil'.

Lupin's statements, on the other hand, don't leave much room for
speculation; "there is nothing you can do", "it's too late", "he's
gone", "he can't come back", "he's d--".

I think Sirius is gone from this mortal life, but that doesn't mean he
is gone from the books or from the story. Harry's parents are dead,
yet they have returned to the story several times.

I could even speculate a hero's journey into the underworld (beyond
the veil) where, in a matter of speaking, Harry meets Sirius again
face to face. But even if that happens, Sirius will still be dead and
unable to join the world of the living. 

Harry on the other hand, for no reason other than I SAY SO, will be
able to return from beyond the veil to the world of the living. It
happens all the time in real life; it's called 'near death
experience'. In addition, it happens all the time in legend, myth, and
foldtales; it's called 'a hero's journey'.

I'm not saying you are wrong. In fact, I think there are legions of
fans who want to believe you. I'm just saying that I think he is dead;
dead but not gone.

bboy_mn