Lack of Memorial for Sirius (was Re: JKR's dealing with emotions)

[Ceridwen]

No: HPFGUIDX 147606

fuzz876i:

> In The Order of the Phoenix Sirius went throught the curtain behind 
> the veil. When this happened there was no body to bury and so 
> therefore no true reason for a memorial.  In the Half-Blood Prince 
> Harry says that Dumbledore's funeral is the first that he has 
> attended because there was no body for Sirius to remembered.  This 
> makes me think that yes that someone that falls through that 
curtain 
> might be able to return.

Ceridwen:
A funeral involves the physical remains of the deceased.  A memorial 
is a service held without the body.  It can be held in a different 
city than the funeral, for instance a memorial service held in New 
York for someone who died and will be buried in Los Angeles.  Or it 
can be held when there is no body to bury, as in the case of 
shipwreck victims.  The memorial is absolutely for the living, some 
way of attaining closure, a time to say good-bye.

I don't know why they didn't have a memorial service for Sirius, 
either.  JKR said he's definitely dead.  Not having a memorial leaves 
everything so open-ended, for everyone.  It looks like Harry will 
have to hold his own private memorial.

Ceridwen.