Among the many mysterious artifacts in theHarry Potterseries, the Veil in the Ministry of Magic is possibly the most enigmatic as its origin and purpose remain largely unknown. Located in the center of the Death Chamber, a large and dimly-lit room in the Department of Mysteries, it hangs on a “crumbling” stone archway, which stands upon a raised stone dais without any support of a surrounding wall. The ripped black cloth also seems to flutter slightly, as though it has “just been touched”. In the film, the arch is quite tall and narrow, and the Veil is shown as some sort of mist instead.
The only time it appears in the story is whenthe Death Eater Bellatrix Lestrangedirects a curse towards Sirius Black during the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, causing him to topple backwards through the Veil and disappear forever. Even though the film shows him beingstruck by the Killing Curse, it is stated in the book that a red streak of light hits Sirius in the chest — suggesting that Bellatrix’s spell does not actually kill him, but falling through the Veil does. Hence, it can be deduced that it is a physical manifestation of,according to J.K. Rowling, the “divide between life and death”.
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Who Created the Veil?
While it has never been explicitly mentioned in theHarry Potterlore where the Veil comes from, there are several theories about its backstory. Rowling’s only revelation about it is that it has been there as long as the Ministry itself. Although the research carried out by the Unspeakables (those who work at the Department of Mysteries) is strictly confidential, it can be safe to assume that they invented the Veil to study death up close — especially since they have a history of meddling with the unknown (the prophecies and Time-Turners being notable examples).
However, it should be noted that the Ministry of Magic was established in 1707 and the Department of Mysteries actually existed long before it, since records of its secret operations date back as far as 1672. This could mean that, given where the Veil is situated, the department was built around it first. In this case, it is actually an ancient relic instead of a creation of the Ministry employees. In fact, there are a few hints that seem to suggest that Death himself created the archway.
According toThe Tale of the Three Brothers, sometime in the 13th century, the Peverell brothers encountered a personification of Death, who bestowed each of them with magical objects that came to beknown as the Deathly Hallows: the Cloak of Invisibility, the Resurrection Stone andthe invincible Elder Wand. Each of these symbolize the human desire to hide from, control or overpower Death. The Resurrection Stone, in particular, granted the second brother (Cadmus Peverell) the ability to bring back anyone from the dead. He used it to resurrect a woman he loved, only to find out that she was just a mere shadow of her former self. As is narrated inThe Tales of Beedle the Bard, she was “silent and cold, separated from him as though by a veil”. This raises the possibility that the Veil in the Ministry is actually the mythical doorway described in the story.
Even though it can be argued that this form of Death only appears in a fictitious children’s tale — making him an unlikely creator of the Veil — there is no denying the fact that the fabled Deathly Hallows do actually exist. Dumbledore believes that the Peverell brothers, who were highly gifted wizards, most likely created the Hallows themselves. This brings forth an alternate theory that Cadmus actually fashioned the Veil, in his desperate attempt to open a portal between the dead and the living.
What Are the Whispers Behind the Veil?
When Harry and the others stumble across the Veil inHarry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, “faint whispering and murmuring noises” can be heard from it — presumably of those who have passed on from the living realm. In fact, they only seem to grow louder when Harry asks them who they are.
However, not all of them can hear the sounds. Harry feels a “strong inclination to climb up on the dais and walk through it”, whereas Luna also believes that “there are people in there”. On the other hand, Ron and Hermione claim that they cannot hear any sounds from the Veil, and Neville and Ginny, who do not hear anything, still remain transfixed by the glimmering threshold. It is interesting to note that Harry and Luna are also among the fewwho can see Thestrals(creatures that are only visible to those who have witnessed death). This would suggest that the Veil is only beckoning those two characters as they have been touched by death (with Harry losing both his parents and Luna her mother). In fact, the voices they hear could possibly be of their own loved ones.
Rowling also explains that this depends on the listener’s skepticism or belief about what lies beyond.The “hyper-rational” Hermionecannot feel any presence behind the Veil, and also thinks it is dangerous. In contrast, Luna, who “believes firmly in an afterlife”, hears the departed souls speaking “much more clearly than Harry does”. Harry is drawn to them because his life has been impacted deeply by death, which is why “he now has an uncharacteristically strong curiosity about the afterlife”.
