[HPforGrownups] Re: Book Covers

[Kimberly]

No: HPFGUIDX 166865

Elisabet said:
 I seriously doubt that the curtains are the Veil - the description
just doesn't match (not that Grand Pre hasn't got things wrong
before). My first impression was that it was not part of the scene,
just compositionally filling and framing the picture; see the PS cover
for how she has done this before. But if it is part of the scene, then
perhaps the curtains are either in some sort of doorway leading into
the arena or the curtains are framing a seating box, though there are
no boxes or curtains in the arches we see behind the shadowy
spectators. The perspective, though, is quite low and seems to be
looking up from near the floor of the arena, so an entrance seems more
likely.


Kimberly:
I think it is the veil, especially based on the canon in OotP when
Harry first comes upon it.

OotP, Amer. Ed. pg. 773
"...They were standing on the topmost tier of what seemed to be stone 
benches running all around the room and descending in steep steps like an 
amphitheater, or the courtroom in which Harry had been tried by the 
Wizengamot.  Instead of a chained chair, however, there was a raised stone 
dais in the center of the lowered floor, and upon this dais stood a stone 
archway that looked so ancient, cracked, and crumbling that Harry was amazed 
the thing was still standing.  Unsuppported by any surrounding wall, the 
archway was hung with a tattered black curtain or veil which, despite the 
complete stillness of the cold surrounding air, was fluttering very slightly 
as though it had just been touched."


The curtains to me are the veil and the broken crumbled part is described to 
be ancient, cracked, and crumbling.    I'm pretty sure it's the veil.  My 
only question is what perspective of it are we looking at it from.   Are 
they on the other side of the veil or is something from the other side of 
the veil looking  through it to them ?   I'd have to think, based on the 
orange sky, that they are on the other side of the veil.  The room where the 
veil is is several floors down in the MoM, isn't it ?   So there would be no 
sky, correct ?

Although, in looking at it again, it really does look to be outside in some 
sort of coloseum.   Hmmm....

Kimberly