Remember all those years of torture in trying to decipher what was really beyond the fabled Veil of Death? In case you don't, this might refresh your memory: SBFCers discuss The Veil - 2006 onwards

Well, no more wondering at last. Seems J.K. Rowling has finally decided to answer more in-depth questions about one of the last of her big mysteries.

Here are extracts from an interview with Mellissa Anneli, topic which was posted in our SS news some time ago:


So what do you think? Does her explanation satisfy you? And what DO you think is really beyond the veil?

I don't really understand still why people hear stuff when near the veil. anyone care to clarify?

as for the mysterious other side...well, I just wonder, when Sirius fell--did he hear anything before he plunged into it?

I mean, serious is kinda easy-going but we have seen his serious side [no pun intended]. And he's genuinely curioius too. so is he more of a Luna and most likely hear what she hears or Harry and hear what Harry hears?

thoughts?

Err, is it bad of me to admit that I never read that? For someone who was so obsessed with the mysteries of the veil, I find it weird that I haven't caught on to that. Either way, that's what you lovely mods are for, no? Thankss.

Uhmmm. I can sort of understand what she means. Faith is far different than intellect. I mean, it's the whole "Well, how can you believe in evolution and God?" xD Not that I mean to get into religion [which I won't anddd if you guys think that comment should be removed, edit, warn, and remove by all means.] but just to give you guys an idea. They have two separate identities. If you're too obsessed with one side of it, it doesn't mean that you're...wrong, but it's just a personality difference and can stop you from seeing the bigger picture.

I'd have liked a bit more flashy details but that works, I suppose.

Oooh, what an interesting thought.

Honestly though? During the battle, it was so loud and it was so hectic...that I don't think Sirius had a CHANCE to even consider hearing them. I mean, take another example. Remus knew that the Marauder's Map made no mistakes. Why would Harry lie about seeing Pettigrew on there? I mean, maybe Harry was delirious. But..Remus didn't really question it as much as someone like Sirius would've because it was so irrational, so unreal. Granted, he did believe it in due time, but I honestly think if Remus had paid more attention to it...it might've been different.

However, if he was with everyone else earlier on, I do think he'd be the type to hear it. I mean, let's go back to Sirius in Azkaban. As soon as he saw Pettigrew in the Daily Prophet, he didn't even doubt it. He jumped. A leap of faith, if you will. Yes, the chance that it wasn't Pettigrew was there..but that was irrelevant. At least to Sirius. I think that's what JKR was getting at. At least, my perception of what she said.

I did read this, but I can't remember how long ago it was when I noticed it. Anyway, I know how JKR feels about this, and it's really she who has the final say in all of this. Making the divide between life and death, yes, that's a very interesting explanation for what the veil represents, that's certainly something people wonder about. However, I've always perceived the veil a bit differently. A divide it may be but I like to think that it is possible to come back from behind the veil, though it certainly is a difficult path and not one easily followed. I would love to hope that Sirius might come back from that veil one day, I'm sure Harry would agree with that and would never give up hope, either.

I am satisfied with what Jo has said. I also agree that Sirius would have heard the voices too, but he wouldn't have that kind of curiosity that Harry and Luna had. He is much older and more experienced in the area of death. Just as Lupin had understood when Sirius fell through the veil, that's how Sirius must have known what it was.

What I really am interested in knowing is what happened after he fell through the veil, I mean, was he still in that room and could see everything going on? Or had he moved on from there. Did he fight like Harry did to be reunited? Or did he accept his fate.

The only answer I can come up with is that some people are more sensitive to death or the paranormal or the metaphysical than others. Some may dabble in magic of some sort or some have been faced with death before, most likely in a direct fashion. These more sensitive people would also be more inclined to accept that there are no reasonable explanations for some things, that there is a very abstract form of magic that bridges spirituality and often evades reason. Which is why Hermione could hear no voices when she was next to the veil, and seemed determined to get Harry away from it. People like Luna or Harry on the other hand had both been faced with death at an early age and could fit the profile of a 'sensitive.'

I think that he may have heard voices or sounds coming from it. Or if not, I believe he did sense its 'presence.' Like Lupin, Sirius must've known what it was and judging by his life full of hardhips and near-death experiences, I would say he was also more sensitive to it than others.


Yes, that's bad Seriously, I had no idea you'd never read it, much less never posted in it. But ya know, all's not lost and such. That's what this thread is for.

I know what you mean. I somehow got the impression that Sirius was one of those people who could successfully blend the two; it's the more ideal option I see, anyway. Getting too focused on one in the detriment of the other only ends up clouding your judgment. I do think that the revenge way of thinking did end up stopping Sirius from seeing the bigger picture unfortunately, like in Kreacher's case. :/

I really wish that were true, but JK stated several times that once you're gone through the veil, you're gone for good. I still think that JK wanted to make a point with his whole death scene or his death in itself, but I'm not sure I see the point xD Life is feeble and it takes only one moment of unattention to lose everything you had? Death is just around the corner? There are some aspects of life that will always remain unexplainable to us? I'm not sure what it is, and I know her explanation for killing him was that Harry was bound to make the journey alone in order to become a true fulfilled hero or whatnot, but still I can't help but wonder.

That's a scary thought. Being able to still see everything that was going on. If so, how long would that have lasted? It also must have been agonizing to see his godson run after Bellatrix, knowing that his crazed cousin might've killed him too. But no, I think that he moved on from there quickly, slipping away from the fingers of life.

I'd bet anything I possess that if it had been in his power, Sirius would have never accepted his fate. Heck, he might still be fighting to be reunited with Harry even now, if he had a chance. But I doubt he did. I wonder if the whole process of dying was quick or not. Whether it was painful. Did he end up in a sort of limbo or did he go... beyond? Well, like JK said, these are questions she can't really answer without addressing the problem of the afterlife and what happens after death, and I guess she wanted to leave that question unanswered because after all, none of us have the answers, not in this life. But the question is still out there, even if there's no answer to it. And that's what, I think, makes the veil one of the remaining mysteries of the books.

What if, maybe, it...wait, I can't Deathly Hallows spoilers, so I'm just gonna be quiet.

Don't worry, the spoiler ban has been lifted for some time, so feel free to discuss, debate, analyse, etc. anything & everything concerning the HP series without the fear of spoilers