The Veil: What do you think its like?

[GlowingWand]

That veil intrigues me, too. I think I can agree with some posting here, that it could be some sort of doorway. Sirius fell through it and couldn't return, so what if it were a doorway to another dimension (as also stated?). I'm inclined to agree about there being a point where one could "be" in the spirit world and still be alive, so maybe that's what the veil is. Some sort of portal.

If so, then could one be able to communicate with the "voices" on the other side, through some means? Perhaps the Unspeakables were working on it, or something... I dunno. That was spooky, though, the veil.

As for Sirius being alive? I dunno...

[omnedon11]

It is obvious that the veil will be used for something. Why else would it be mentioned in the books.

I think Harry will travel beyond the veil. Either to gather information from someone who has passed or to destroy a Horcrux (e.g. his scar, if it is one).

Snape said in PS/SS that he could make a potion that could put "a stopper on death". Perhaps such a potion would allow Harry to enter the veil for a limited time and return safely.

[62442al_Man]

Not sure. Pheonixes can die, they must be able to. Perhaps there are some things that Pheonixes can be reborn from and others can't. Fawkes, or any other phenix, would probably be trapped in the Beyond which is beyond the veil, I think. We aren't exactly sure what is beyond the veil, but I am guessing that it is just a quick death. Perhaps that is what would happen to Fawkes.

If Pheonixes never died, well needless to say. . .the world would be voer populated by them even though they are rare.

[fizzle]

Well, similar question: what would happen to Fawkes if his ashes were scattered just after he burst into flame and before he had a chance to be reborn? Or if Harry had managed to find water to put him out as he started burning? Or if the basilisk in book 2 managed to gaze on him.

I don't know that Fawkes is truly immortal. I think he's merely just incredibly long lived.

Similar to us if we ever manage to get technology to the point where we can regenerate tissue and regrow flesh, as well as reverse the aging process. We'd still be able to die. We would merely just not die from age.

[Khushi]

Originally Posted by Sam_62442

I guess it is just a matter of your beliefs. In OOTP, when Dumbledore told Lord Voldemort that there was something worse than death, do you believe he was perhaps talking about the veil, or something else? The series finally coming to an end is a real neat thing if you think about it. I know this means no more HP books, but we will also get the answers to all our little questions that have been itching to be answered for how many years.

I thought that something worse than death was what happened after a dementor's kiss.

[HermionesTwin27]

I don't think anybody that goes through the veil, may it be animal or human, actually dies. I think they just dissapear or there is another world on the other side of the veil. So if Fawkes went through the veil I believe he wouldn't die, he would just live life on the other side of the veil.

The reason I don't think anybody dies is because of the voices you hear from the veil.

[Harry_Potter713]

I agree with the above poster, I think what is beyond the veil is just the world of the dead. Anybody who goes through the veil will remain alive until they die of starvation/dehydration/etc, but on the other side of the veil.

Fawke's ressurecting powers allow it to be immune to ageing, burning, severed body parts, gunshots, freezing, starvation, dehydration, or, apparently, Avada Kedavra. It can be killed, like with the basilisk's stare or perhaps the dementor's kiss. If it were to go to the other side of the veil, it would remain alive forever beyond the veil, unless there was a basilisk or dementor back there. IMO. Nice topic btw.

[Khushi]

Has JKR commented on whether its possible to get out from beyond the veil or not? There has to be a way if people behind it are not exactly dead.

[Kidney Pie]

I think Faulks could go through the veil but not die. I don't know if he could come back out, because maybe there isn't a way out. But if there is a way out of the land of the dead then I am sure Faulks could find his way out. I am not sure Sirius could hold on to Faulk's tail and come out too. Maybe Sirius died falling into the Veil. But I don't think Faulks would die, I think it would just be like a visit to another world for him.

[SimplyShadow]

Yes, i think he did go throughout the veil.You're correct,Phoenixes are "inmortal"..but they still have to be reborn,so its own soul is not eternal.If you can consider Fawkes as having an essence.

[g_i_n_n_y]

So Fawkes could live where the dead live but he is still alive?

[PandaBear]

Hm... a Horcrux behind the veil huh? I was thinking along the same line, since Voldy may think that no one want to sacrafice him/herself to destroy the horcrux, maybe he throw one in there after making it?

Maybe Voldy found out that only those who pass through the veil can have a flesh in the afterlife, and he think no one want to sacrafice himself to destroy a horcrux. So, I think Sirius may be the one to destroy it since his flesh is in there.

[junika3]

I was just wondering what would happen if a ghost went throught the veil in the Department of Mysteries?

[Manymee]

I suppose he would stay there and finally be dead and gone. ( If I were a ghost and stuck in the Between, I'd probably go for it.)

[junika3]

Since s/he was a ghost, s/he might be able to come back out of the veil and tell us what's there.

I suppose he would stay there and finally be dead and gone.

Ghosts can't die, as we learnt in HP & the CoS. Nearly-Headless Nick saw the Basilisk, but since he couldn't die again, which is why he was Petrified and became all smoky or whatever.

[canismajoris]

I think a ghost would pass through and come out the other side. You have to be alive to interact with the veil, as Sirius so tragically demonstrated.

[junika3]

I think a ghost would pass through and come out the other side.

What do you mean by other side?

You have to be alive to interact with the veil, as Sirius so tragically demonstrated.

You can be alive to interact with the veil. It's never mentioned that you have to be alive, is it?

[Aarequin]

We are not entirely sure how the veil works. Actually, I mean, we are almost clueless on how the veil works. The only thing we seem to know about it is that it is some gateway to death, and that once you step into it you die. However do you die into 'another' world? Could it be that you are still alive in the 'Veil World' but dead in the Wizarding World as everyone knows it?

Anyway, based on the very little scraps of information we have on the veil, I wouldn't be surprised if it were that ghosts cannot pass through the veil. I believe there would be a magical boundary that does not permit a ghost to cross it - into the lands of the 'dead'. A ghost is a ghost because that person has chosen, upon death, to remain in the real world. Most people who choose to be a ghost are those who want to seek revenge on their attacker, or simply cannot let go of being alive. As Nick told Harry, Sirius would have moved on, and not chosen the path to be a ghost.

Once you become a ghost, it means you have chosen to exist 'forever', somewhere between the boundaries of life and death - but you are not dead. In CoS, it stated that a ghost who was already 'dead' could not die twice, that is why the Basilisk affected Nick in such a way. To pass through the veil would be to die, therefore a ghost - who is already dead - would not be able to pass through it. Additionally, they would not want to even if they could, for they had already chosen to 'live'. Even if they wanted to, their initial choice to live the 'life' of a ghost is a decision that lasts for all of eternity. The veil simply would not admit a ghost.

[canismajoris]

Originally Posted by junika3

What do you mean by other side?


You can be alive to interact with the veil. It's never mentioned that you have to be alive, is it?

Well since if you're dead you're either unable to interact with ANYTHING, or you're a ghost, which likewise can't interact with any physical objects, I think you must be alive to interact with the veil.

As for "the other side," I refer you to descriptions of the veil from Chapter 34 of OOtP:

"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. Unsupported 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...."

"He had the strangest feeling that someone was standing right behind the veil on the other side of the archway. Gripping his wand very tightly, he edged around the dais, but there was nobody there. All that could be seen was the other side of the tattered black veil."

It is a physical object that has physical dimensions, such that Harry could walk around it. Physically passing through the archway was what I meant by "interacting with" it. Since a ghost has no physical form like a living person does, nothing would happen, it would merely pass through the veil and come out the other side. The alternative being that a ghost can die more than once, and we know it's not true.

It's a fact that a person passing through the archway dies (well, almost a fact, mostly based on its being referred to as the "death chamber" and Sirius' death). It's a fact that ghosts are not people because they're not alive, despite looking and acting like people, so they cannot be killed like people can. So when a formless, non-living ghost passes through, I suppose nothing whatsoever would happen.

[snowgoose]

I don't think anything would happen. I don't know whether that's because a ghost would be unable to pass through the veil, or because it would make no difference if the ghost did pass through though.