(MAJOR spoiler alert) Question about HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX

[derby378]

I'm serious about this. If you haven't either read the book or seen the movie, do yourself a favor and move along, nothing to see here.



Now, for the rest of you, I've got an observation and a big question about Sirius Black and that arch - the one with the spectral veil. I'm sure you know whereof I speak.

Although neither the book nor the movie come right out and say it, I think that the veiled arch was used once upon a time to execute condemned wizards. Both Harry and Luna were able to hear voices on the other side of the veil, so walking through the arch apparently isn't as soul-destroying as the Dementor's Kiss is - but once you're through the arch, you're dead and gone forever.

Or so we're led to believe.

Luna dropped a big hint in the movie (and, more subtley, in the book) that whatever we lose that is precious to us has a way of finding its way back - even if it comes back in a way that one would not expect.

So, do you think this veil is simply a one-way ticket into the afterlife? Or is it a well of souls that can be broken by a wizard or witch who has the knowledge and power to do so? Either way, are J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers setting us up for a possible "return" of Sirius Black in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows?

Just a humble Slytherin here with a few lingering questions of his own. Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws, fellow Slytherins, and Muggles alike, please feel free to weigh in...

[VenusRising]

1. I remember from the book that no one ever escapes

the veil. An instrument of execution is an interesting idea that I hadn't thought of for the archway.

I was of the opinion that the two-way mirror would somehow be involved in Harry still being able to speak with Sirius, but they didn't even put that in the movie. So, now I'm not sure exactly how they will bring Sirius back into the story or if they will at all.

[AmyDeLune]

2. Except Harry

broke his mirror, so will it still work?

Sirius was hit with a death curse and dropped whole body through the archway, I can't help but think that leaves the door open, as it were, for some type of return...*wanders off pondering*

[Neoma]

3. Repair spell, easily done.

[derby378]

5. Ah, yes - "Reparo!"

I didn't know it could work on magic artifacts, too - but then again, I can't remember seeing it tried on one.

[Neoma]

4. Ravenclaw house member here.

No one has ever pointed it out in the book or the movie. They were studying the veil and I'm betting that they were looking for a way to bring someone back out. It may be some sort of soul time stopper in which way that Sirius Black could live there for a few years and come back without age. They would just never have figured out a way to bring the folks that go in there back out.

[northzax]

6. I think you are missing the potential for the mirror (SPOILER FROM BOOK 6)

what might happen if you forced someone who had split their soul into horcruxes (horcrui?)into the mirror? does this provide an opportunity to eliminate Voldemort, even if Harry's scar is a Horcrux, without killing Harry?

hmm...

[WolverineDG]

7. Sirius was dead before he fell through

IIRC. It's been a while since I read the book (am giving it a re-read right now in anticipation of book 7), so I could be mistaken.

dg

[LostinVA]

8. No, you're correct

[WolverineDG]

9. F-in Bellatrix

I hope Neville gives her what she's got coming to her. :grr:

:hi:

dg

[LostinVA]

10. Me too -- I HOPE he's the one who does it

It would be poetic justice.

[derby378]

13. Boo-yah

I'll be cheering Neville on, as well.

[mondo joe]

11. I believe in the book he is pushed through the veil by a Bellatrix spell, but in the movie she

does use the death curse on him before he falls back into it.

[jgraz]

12. I think you're on to something

Why would the Revenclaws haze Luna by hiding her stuff, if not to set up that premise?

[jobycom]

14. I wondered in the book whether the arch would somehow negate the spell.

In the book the spell and the arch hit Sirius almost simultaneously, or so it seemed to me. I wondered then whether they were setting up some scenario where the arch negated the spell or where the two together caused some third possibility.

On the other hand, Nearly Headless Nick's comments seemed to mean that Sirius was dead.

I did have the same question about Luna's comments at the end of the movie. That was pretty blatant foreshadowing, but of what, it's hard to say.

[LuLu550]

15. Yeah, well my completely unrelated question is

If nobody but Luna and Harry could see the threstrals, how did the rest of them ride them??