Is Sirius really dead?

[Sherry]

No: HPFGUIDX 136120

Twinkeles20002000 wrote:
> I do not think that Sirius Black is dead. He however passed through the 
> veil, and due to Harry, Hermione and Ron's good relationship with the 
> dead will be able to pass through once more and get him out. Anyone 
> with a comment or theory please reply. 

Amontillada:

First of all, what is the difference between "dying" and "passing
through the veil"? From Luna's talk with Harry afterward, she at least
sees it as the same thing. 
 
Throughout the series, death appears to be not the end of existence,
but a change to a different kind of existence. Nearly Headless Nick
told Harry that Sirius "would have gone on" to that other existence,
while Nick was suspended between life and death "neither here nor
there," because he shrunk from death (OotP US edition, p. 861). 

So Sirius is now...somewhere, in some form. I don't expect Harry and
his friends to bring Sirius back to life as they are living it. It's
possible that Harry might find some way to contact Sirius where/as he
is now. 

But what's more likely is Harry communicating with Dumbledore. We know
that the portraits of the late headmasters are talkative sorts on the
office walls. Even if the portrait is only a shadow of its subject, I
think that the portrait of Dumbledore might reflect some of the
knowledge or wisdom that Dumbledore would have passed along to Harry
if he'd had the time.

Amontillada