Siriusly Alive

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 96896

Gina wrote:
> Please tell me that someone else out there believes that Sirius is
alive! What is the veil? Doesn't the whole description sound like
something that belongs outdoors somewhere and not in a room of the
MoM? <snip>

Carol:
Sorry, Gina. I can't offer you much comfort as I don't believe that
JKR would cry over killing a character who isn't "properly dead." As
to what I think the veil is, IIRC it's in a dungeonlike chamber deep
under ground and is probably very old, probably predating Roman
Britain. I believe (but have no way of confirming whether I'm right)
that it was an execution chamber in the time of the Druids, perhaps
used for sacrifices as well. It appears to be an entrance to the
underworld, the world of the dead. And since the dead have voices, it
seems to indicate that there's some sort of afterlife for all but the
unfortunate few like Barty Jr. whose souls are sucked from them by
Dementors--even, I'm guessing, for DEs and other evil people if
they're willing to face it rather than staying in the WW as ghosts.

I definitely don't think Sirius will come back, and I don't think it
would do any good for Harry to toss the mirror through the veil,
either--Sirius would still be unable to talk with him even if he were
sadly lingering by the spot where died because he would be some sort
of disembodied spirit (maybe a silvery Sirius-shaped "echo" like the
ones that came out of Voldemort's wand). But I do think Harry will
learn that Dumbledore is right in referring to death as "the next
great journey" and that he will stop mourning Sirius, maybe even be
glad that he's past the tribulations of this world. In the Other
World, whatever it is, he won't be in hiding or falsely suspected of
treachery and murder and he won't be driving himself crazy because he
has to hide away in his mother's hated house. I don't think Sirius
could ever have lived a normal life even if he survived VW1. He's
better off where he is, with James and Lily in that other world. I
don't know if that comforts you, but I think it will comfort Harry.

Carol