A trip beyond the veil?

[Kate Williams]

No: HPFGUIDX 126147


OK, I know I risk being cut to pieces for discussing a subject that has 
already been done to death (metaphorically speaking)  ... and thanks Steve 
for the links to posts, all of which I have read.  However, as a new member 
I would like to put forward a theory that I think has not been discussed 
before, and I should be keen to hear members' views.

The Veil:

Sirius knew exactly what the Veil was and meant. In his brief career before 
imprisonment in Azkaban he was an Unspeakable and was involved in a research 
project studying the passage of life to death. Whilst at Grimmauld Place he 
was frustrated and bored and worried by the Prophecy, the contents of which 
had already been communicated by Dumbledore to OotP members.  He knew that, 
in order to save Harry, someone would need to discover the secrets of LV's 
survival of death and find a counter-curse. 

Finding himself locked up in his parents' old house, Sirius resorted to an 
in-depth study of their books on Dark Magic: explaining why he spent 'hours 
at a time' locked up in Buckbeak's room apparently in 'fits of the sullens'.  
The episode at the Ministry of Magic presented Sirius with an opportunity. 
By 'goading' Bellatrix to 'kill' him, he could put into practice all of the 
counter-curses that he had been studying, and follow the path that LV had 
taken, beyond death and to a place of 'resurrection' where he could discover 
LV's secret and tutor Harry, whether though the mirror, or by finding a way 
back to real life. 

In support of the theory that Sirius planned his own 'death' it is notable 
that Sirius waits until Dumbledore has appeared before staging the fight with 
Bellatrix (probably in order to ensure that Harry is safe) and then 'allows' 
Bellatrix to hit him with (probably) a stunning spell before tumbling though 
the veil.  There are also several other reasons why Sirius might have fancied 
a trip beyond the veil.  The most obvious one is to contact James and Lily; 
but I wonder too if he didn't have a desire to contact other members of the 
OotP, in particular, the mysterious and beautifully-named Dorcas Meadows, who 
may very possibly have been Sirius' girlfriend.  (She was stending next to 
Sirius in Moody's photograph, just as Lily was standing next to James.)

The only person who knew of Sirius' plan was Lupin, which is why he acted so 
promptly to prevent Harry from following Sirius though the veil.  He's 'd...' 
could stand for so many things.  'He's dead' is obvious.  He's 'descended, 
disapparated, discovering...' etc., less so.  Dumbledore would have been 
furious had he known of the risks Sirius was planning to take; and Harry 
himself could not know since there was a high likelihood that Sirius would 
die in the attempt.

Clearly I am in SAD DENIAL, but it seems so obvious to me that Sirius' death 
is not clean cut.  There is no body, no reason for Sirius to succumb to a 
wizard less powerful than himself, no reason for Sirius to goad Bellatrix 
into killing him, and no reason to wait until Dumbledore turns up to stage 
the final fight. And the veil itself is so mysterious, with voices clearly 
emanating from beyond, that it cannot be a final divider between life and 
death.

I could go on with this theory for many boring pages, but would welcome 
members' views first.  Please don't cut me down.  One of these days I may 
well get around to reading all 100,000+ previous posts.


Fitzov de Sullens