I think that it is the death penalty. Why would the ministry need a door to the after life?

Well, why do people need televisions? Or cars? Or ipods? They don't need them. The ministry may not need a door to the afterlife, but wouldn't it be cool to have? Even in real life people try to "connect" themselves to the afterlife, or to the dead. Perhpas it is simple human curiousity. Sir Nicholas does say that no one knows what happens after you die until you actually die and expierence it.

I suppose this is sort of along the lines of the veil being a doorway to the afterlife...but with a twist.

I think that the veil is sort of a limbo between life and death...the people who are unfortunate enough to pass through it aren't really dead, but they aren't really alive either.

This is why those of the living can still hear whispers from those that have passed through the veil.

I think that there is some secret to the veil that needs to be figured out before the people who have passed through it can be freed...freed from eternal limbo into death. I don't believe that once you've passed through the veil you can come back to life.

My opinion on the viel is that it leads to a differnt dimension
i dont think death because 1. bellatrix says that "the traitor black is behind the veil" so i think it kind of a limbo of some sort

I think that's just an expression for deing. As Nearly Headless Nick said "He's gone" so I don't think Sirius is anywhere but dead.

I personally think that it is some form of against his will, apparation device.
I think it is irreversible too, so he couldnt immediately get back through the veil.
I don't know, maybe it's for whoever may try to still a prophecy from the Department of Mysteries and they may think they need to hide and will slip through the veil and never come back. Maybe it transferred him back to Azkaban... I really don't know, and I really don't think anyone but JK Rowling knows, obviously, I mean, she wrote the book, LOL. So, I really hope that somewhere in the Deathly Hallows, that the veil in the Department of Mysteries AND The Unspeakables will be more further explained.

I think it is a way to go see the after life without dying, but you have to go and find your way out its not a 2 way portal, he will have to find someway to get out, i beleive Sirus will come back

Well, the Veil represents the Gate of Saturn, (my Avatar is the Gate of Saturn) and here's a clip on that from HarryPotterForSeekers.com-- check it out, it's really neat and if you read it, you'll know what happens in book 7.


The Gate of Saturn is symbolised in Harry Potter by the archway with the veil in the Department of Mysteries. Anyone who passes through this gate enters the world of the dead. It is called the Gate of Saturn because the Roman god of that name was the god of the harvest - the harvest at the end of life. This is why he is often depicted holding a scythe and an hourglass. He is often referred to as The Grim Reaper.

Every mortal human being passes through the Gate of Saturn at the end of every incarnation. The harvest of his life is gathered into the storehouse of the microcosm as the personality dies. The microcosm then prepares for a new incarnation, ready to pour the harvest into a new personality about to be born.

However the whole purpose of life on earth is to learn to go through the Gate of Saturn for the last time. This is what Harry Potter is really about. By going the Path of Alchemical Liberation a seeker can make the Philosopher's Stone. In Part 7 Harry will achieve the ultimate triumph: he will symbolically obtain the Philosopher's Stone, with which he can make the Gold of the Spirit and the Elixir of Life. With this, Harry will be able to pass through the Gate of Saturn for the last time, and then return, showing that he has been able to triumph over death.

How will Jo show this in the narrative? Here's a possible scenario:
Harry will realise that the last horcrux is situated behind his famous scar. He will then know that the only way to defeat Voldemort will be to pass through the Gate of Saturn and destroy the horcrux behind his scar. However with the help of Sirius, Harry will be able to return through the Gate and face Voldemort, who will then be mortal. Harry will defeat Voldomort, but not by killing him. Goodness does not kill evil. It steps back and fills the void with love, in which evil kills itself. Voldemort will disappear in puffs of smoke.

-----HarryPotterForSeekers.com

itowards the end off OOTP I thought the statement Luna had made about the veil was true it rather confused me a bit when it didn't go in to the next books. any one know why?

i think that it might be a passage to the after life

why could only harry nd luna hear the whispering from inside the curtain.

was it like the thestrals where only some people coiuld hear it?

did you have to have seen death ?


but if that was the case then why couldnt nevielle hear them?

or could he but he just didnt speak up?

I think Its a doorway to the afterlife. Cause I think Luna mentioned something about hearing whispering voices.

The reason I say that "It's the wizard form of the death penalty" is because it is set in an auditorium type place. I would assume that this is to watch as the penalty and death occur. It would explain why it is out in the open and has the seats.

Hi there random 12 year old here to give her mature opinion (to flaunt my smartickle-ness)


The veil is a gateway, a bridge between two different dimensions the living and the dead, the veil is also one of the many forms death takes, you go in and don't come out it is a doorway to the underworld and could have once possibly been a death-penalty for Wizards by being pushed (litterly) into the afterlife.


Once you die you dont emerge back just as you were,


You NEVER come back (unless as a ghost but unlikely)


The veil is a bridge from the living to the dead and may have been studied by unspeakables to talk to those in the 'underworld'

I think that it's some sort of gateway/place between life and death... Or a place were the dead linger....

I think that it is a doorway to the after life and if you are near it you can hear there voices. Kinda creepy if ya ask me.

A gateway or a barrier that somewhat separates the living from the Dead.

It makes sense to think the Veil was something that lead to the afterlife, as Lupin stopped Harry from passing though it. If it were just another room, Harry would have been allowed to go and see Sirius - or his body. As it were, if he passed beyond the Veil, he would have died too.