“The Veil”


The Veil. What is it exactly? What’s its purpose? What’s its meaning?

These are all questions that are asked about this mysterious artifact and most of them are somewhat answered. So what is this magnificent structure?

Well, let's say for the sake of argument, that it's a world of the dead. As we all know our beloved character Sirius Black died through this veil, but surely the purpose of this magical item was known, or known to be of danger or complication at the very least. So who in their right mind would put it so far out in the open?

It is said in the book that the veil stood in the centre of an atrium like theatre. Could the Death Eaters have possibly positioned it so open and so easy to make a quick death. Did they hope someone would fall into it? We are told that Sirius and Bellatrix duelled beside the veil, maybe Bellatrix lured Sirius close to the veil.

The purpose of the veil? This is an awkward and difficult question to answer. Why would something so powerful, evil almost be created and made to use. What possible use could this veil have? I doubt very much it may have been used for suicidal purposes, this is of course avoiding the concept as to why the veil is so open in the first place.

The meaning of the veil? What exactly is the meaning to this? We know it takes people to their death, but is it sending a subliminal message to us, or is there something in the archway that is trying to tell us something? Should the veil be put under some more protection, more security. After all security was limited towards it and after what the veil does you would expect close surveillance. Is there actually a meaning to the veil at all? Maybe it's some useless artifact made by some wizard who decided to make a killer antique (no pun intended!).

So the mystery still remains behind this veil. It is very likely to crop up in further books to explain example how things work with the veil and hopefully all the above questions may be answered. So for now the veil does not just hide the dead, it hides the secrets within.

Aaaahhh! I hate this subject! Everytime I make a guess, it leads to more, and eventually, I'm back where I started. I thought that it was a place to kill Death Eaters too but now I'm not quite so sure. Doesn't the Ministry want to torture them in Azakaban? I think that's what one of the books said. Well, anyways, I think that it was used to study life and death. Like, see what happens when you just put one hand through it or something. Since it's inside the Department of Mysteries and life and death is a very mysterious subject, it's still a mystery to the Ministry on how it works. But I'm not quite so sure why you can hear voices behind it...

The Department of Mysteries seems to be a place where things are studied for the sake of understanding and... just to be studying them. I don't know that the Veil has some nefarious purpose, as much as that it is merely a way to study Death and what comes after Death.

I think the Veil is something that the Ministry is studying, because it was in a locked room, and the seating I assume would be for presentations to the other wizards studying it. Now its purpose I don't know, but I think that is why it was in that location. Waybe it was just JK's way of giving the metaphor of the phrase "veil of death" into a actual thing

What we have to remember, as others have stated, is that the veil is in the Department of Mysteries. No one but those who work there know exactly what is going on, and considering the name of the department, i doubt the unspeakables even truly know. when reading the book, I saw the veil as 'death', pure and simple, yet strangely complex. It makes sense that they would be studying it. it is afterall one of life's biggest mysterious.

So why was it created? its possible that the veil has been in existance longer than anyone knows. it could be as old as life and death themselves. OR, the DoM workers created it in order to study death.

As far as the security measures go...it was somewhere where everyone thought it was safe: the department of mysteries. Its not as though people are meant to wonder up to it idly. That department is one of the most, if not the most, secretive (and supposedly secure) departments at the ministry.

Of course there is no way to be sure about the veil as of right now, but your editorial got me thinking about the subject once again and i hope that soon we will have some more concrete answers (soon as in july 16th

okay its a study of death and people may get lost in the daprtment of mysteries, but5 i just feel it is to open for everyone to see. If i was for some sort of presentation i still think they would have cleared it away to the room it would have belonged to before the presentation. Something as dark and able-to-be-dangerous as this just doesnt seem right to be left out in the open. thats why i think maybe it was purposefully left out by the DE's or JK put it there so that Sirius' death would be easier to write.

I do think that JK used the Veil for a specific reason. I'm probably one of those highly unpopular people who thinks that Sirius is well and truly gone and is not coming back. There's something kind of poignant about the Veil's image and the way they talk about it. The term "beyond the veil" was around well before JK used it, and I like that she played with it.

Harry and Luna heard the voices coming from the veil. It appears that only those who have witnessed death can hear the voices. Lupin must have known what the veil was because he kept Harry from running through it in an attempt to save Sirius.

I like the theory that it was created (assuming that it was created) to kill dementors, since threre is no spell in existence that can kill them, at least I dont think there is. I read too many fan fics.

wow that never crossed my mind, well spotted

unfortunatley i have to agree

I hate to say it, but he really could be gone for good. I don't see how he can come back, and like demented_death_eater said, Lupin must have known what it does and tried to stop Harry going, otherwise there would be no way for him to get back either. I hope I'm wrong!

Lets just see what JK comes up with

There does seem to be a purpose for it anyway, and it was quite well guarded considering it was in the Department of Mysteries, but why was it there? And let's face it, why, when it's so powerful and people obviously seem to know what it does, is it just placed in the middle of the room with no other protection?

And Lee, that was one good piece of writing

I think the veil acts as a symbol of death and its finality. Throughout the books, the theme of the permanence of death has pervaded Rowling's writing. The veil acts as a literary tool for realizing that idea. It draws people to it. Those who pass through do not appear to be able to actively ocmmunicate with those who don't. Those most affected by death believe they can actually hear the voices of those who have passed on. The specifics of what it does are not important. Just like the difference between apparating and port-keying is not important. The imagery used to describe the veil bears much similarity to classical imagery of death: cold, obstinate, withdrawn, mysterious, and strangely alluring. I have always believed that is simply what the gate is: Some fools managed to create a gateway to deaht, the afterlif,e whatever, unfortunately as they soon discovered, they can not only not contorl it, but its effects are one way and irreversable.

i simply think that it's relevant to death and other horrible
things worst than death (if there is such)
im just a simple HP fan.
i love reading it.
so, i'll leave the veil mystery to ms. rowling

use all make intresting points guys! and lengthy ones at that

thanks for reading!

I dunno, I think the veil is like RS - all the questions like "what is the point of life?" "why are we here?" "where do we go when we die?" - they're unanswerable, at the moment anyway...

The veil may not be death at all....... Jk has not been very clear about Sirius being dead, always avoided the topic.... I think the veil is something nobody understands, as anybody who touches it probably gets sucked in...... The voices make a very clear point that they are not dead, Exist in some form inside the veil.... May be it just imprisons everybody who goes through it with no way to get out, The veil must have been in existance for a long time which might explain the number of voices....... and besides If Jk wanted to kill Sirius she could have made Sirius fall through the veil and fall out through the other side dead! why did she make him vanish??? I still think harry and sirius will communicate in some way!!! Lets see what happenes in book 6.

Yes she has; she's expressly said, several times, that's he's definitely dead.

i agree she has comeout and said he is dead and that is that you cannot come back from being dead

it just hit me! on JK's website, one of the clues that were behind the door, was a piece in the book where JK was introducing a new character. an old man, i dont have the information with me on him but he could be an Unspeakable! the ppl that work in the Department of Mysteries where the veil lies! so, im just making a theory here, but wat if Dumbledore brought him to Harry to tell Harry about the veil.

*Danielle*

right an editorial on it! could be intresting

I think that the ministry may have taken it from some witch or wizard because they were using it to get rid of people. I think they put it in the department of mysteries to study it and know what happens to people when they go behind it.I could be wrong and probably am but i just think it was just sommthing terrible and Sirius just happend to be stunned there and fell into it. I really don't think it has any bigger meaning, but i am always wrong.

I agree. I don't think JK would just randomly put the Veil just to make us think. I definitely think we'll see more of it in the next two books. She was very vague about it though, it definitely made me think of what its future purpose might be, though I do believe that Sirius is definitely dead.

However, I remembered in Star Wars (yes, I'm a Star wars geek too ), when Vader killed Obi Won Kenobi, but Obi Won came back "more powerful then you could ever imagine." I thought maybe something like this could happen with Sirius? Just a thought, an unlikely possibility.

It's also interesting to remember Luna's words..I don't remember them exactly but it was along the lines of-- "They're not gone, didn't you hear them behind the veil?" Also cause to think..

OKay, once again I have contradicted myself. Bleh!

ha ha no you didnt you could agree with Erin but want somethign different is all , good points, thanks for bringing up Luna's line ^^^ its very shifty

i think that we will learn more about the veil and what it is in HBP

most probable ^ unless JK is trying to torture us!