Harry (technically) dying?

[jmgarciaiii]

No: HPFGUIDX 127530


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Constance Vigilance" 
<ConstanceVigilance at g...> wrote:
> The Veil. I think it is the biggest unresolved artifact in the 
series 
> thus far. I would not be surprised to see Harry go through the 
veil, 
> but my money would be in Book 7. 

Me: Book 6, Book 7...what's a tome between friends? Now, if I were a 
guessing man--and modern medical science has clearly proven I am not-
-my wild GUESS would be at the end of Book 6. But that's a trifle.

As I was re-rummaging through the various books, looking for hidden 
(or as-yet-unnoticed-by-me) snippets*, I found the following tidbit 
of interest to this hypothesis: At Nearly Headless Nick's Deathday 
Party, Nick pulls back a black veil and allows Harry to pass into--
in a way--a land of the dead.

> Since "going through the veil" seems to imply a permanent death, 
what 
> would happen if a ghost went through the veil? I think that it is 
> highly likely that we will see Nearly Headless Nick going through 
the 
> veil in a future book, as he seems somewhat regretful that he 
didn't 
> have the courage the first time to finish his death. His rejected 
> application to the Headless Hunt might cause him to realize that 
he 
> is a misfit as a ghost, and given a properly heroic reason, he 
could 
> easily be convinced to Cross Over.

Me: See above. As I ruminate this further, I think it very possible 
that Nick might be able to "pull back" this OTHER (and more serious) 
veil for Harry to pass through. Also, the implication of the 
underworld being a land of no return is what makes it such a 
fascinating thing. However, classic mythology has some notable 
exceptions...not just the usual heroes, but also guys like 
Aesclepius whose curative skills were so great he was able to spring 
people out..to Hades' great annoyance.
 
> ConstanceVigilance:
> 
> I didn't notice that during my readings. But it is a good catch, 
JM. 
> As I recall Persephone was not supposed to eat anything but she 
ate 6 
> pomegranate pips. Her punishment was to spend one month in Hades 
for 
> each pip. The world dies with her for those 6 months, giving us 
> winter. So, Persephone + pomegranates = partial bad news. Perhaps 
> Harry + pomegranate = Not Completely Bad News, too? Maybe he will 
be 
> able to "die" and come back? OK, I'm reaching. I don't want Harry 
to 
> die, but I think we are given many hints that it is coming.

Me, yet again: I think you may be righter than you know. If one 
wants to, one could overlay the template of Classical Epic to the 
arc of the Harry Potter books. One of the recurring themes in these 
sorts of books (Like The Aeneid, The Odyssey, etc.) is what some 
call "Descent Motif" wherein our hero (Aeneas, Herakles/Hercules, 
Odysseus, etc.) goes down to the underworld (technically dying, I 
s'pose) and retrieves--or attempts to--something of value.

These books also usually feature a mentor whom the hero must 
transcend, and this could be the case with Harry and Sirius. Again, 
my guess, is Harry will cross the veil--technically dying--to fetch 
Sirius, will meet up with Sirius and will come back without 
him...but will come back with something--I have no idea what--else, 
of inestimable value to an eventual victory. After all, if crossing 
the veil was no big deal, then classic epics wouldn't make such a 
fuss about it...right?

More later.

-Joe in SoFla

* My way of "sleuthing" the HP books is pretty simplistic--as I am 
but a Watson swimming in a sea of Sherlocks and the odd Mycroft--I 
read the books the first time to enjoy them, but the second and 
third times I look for patterns, running bits, threads...THEN when I 
re-re-read them, I look for evidence or details that refer 
(supporting or refuting) to the thread and the hypothesis formed 
around it.