Dept of Mysteries Veil Room

[gelite67]

No: HPFGUIDX 114283

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> > --<snip>
> > >Angie wrote:
<snip>

I think DD wants everyone, especially Harry and Voldemort, to 
> > believe that Sirius is dead, so that Voldemort can't use Sirius 
> > against Harry (and maybe he could also work for the Order).  
> > Remember, DD doesn't know for sure how much of Harry's thoughts 
> > Voldemort has access to.  So, Harry must be made to think that 
> Sirius 
> > is dead.
> > 
<snip>

> Hannah: If Sirius turns out to be alive after all, or comes back 
> from the dead, I will be very, very disappointed in JKR.  Not 
> because I don't like Sirius; I think he's a good character and 
cried 
> when he died, but because it would undermine the power of the books 
> for me.  
> 
> JKR has made much of the fact that she is unafraid to write about 
> death, and hopes to help children confront and deal with death.  
> Many people have said that the stories have helped their children 
> deal with the death of a loved one.  If she then turns round and 
> says 'it's OK, he's not dead after all!' it would be such a let 
down 
> for all those children whose RL dead relative *isn't* going to 
> suddenly pop back from behind the veil.  
> 
><snip>

Angie responds:
One thing we know for sure, then, is that either you or I will be 
disappointed, because I will be disappointed if Sirius is dead. :) I 
agree it is a good thing that JKR has children's characters that deal 
with death.  But I also think if her goal is to help with that, she 
should have written Sirius off in such a way that his death would 
could not be questioned.  Here, she clearly left the door open, so 
IMO it's not a case in which a dead relative suddenly pops back.  I 
agree that would not be good.  I would hope that any child reading 
the series would be old enough to understand Sirius's disappearance 
behind the veil can be interpreted as something other than him being 
dead.

I also think that James' and Lily's death serves the function to help 
children cope with death, at least for those who had people die 
before they had any memory of them.  

I guess we could question whether JKR is doing the right thing for 
kids even in allowing for the possibililty of a reappearance or 
continued contact if Sirius is dead -- I mean, that doesn't happen, 
either, at least not in my world.  But again, it is fiction.

Finally, if Sirius isn't dead, and DD knows it and keeps it from 
Harry, is there not a lesson in that for kids -- that its OK to not 
always know what goes on and that sometimes we have to trust the 
adults in our world?  It would be a harsh way to teach that lesson, I 
admit, but it's a lesson Harry has yet to learn (can't say that I 
blame him, though).