The Department of Mysteries, located within the British Ministry of Magic, holds many of the wizarding world’s most inexplicable secrets. An entire division within Britain’s governing body, its sole purpose is to solve the things that not even magic can explain.
While we learn that the department houses some truly odd and mystifying items, none are quite as perplexing as the Veil. A massive, cracked archway shrouded in darkness, it’s the central structure in the department’s Death Chamber.
But what exactly is the Veil, and what lies beyond it? In this article, we’ll cover everything you should know about the Veil and where it leads—if anywhere at all.
All the Facts You Need About the Veil
What Is the Veil in Harry Potter?
The Veil is an ancient stone archway located in the Death Chamber that resides in the Department of Mysteries at the Ministry of Magic.
Tall and pointed, the archway is so cracked it seems to defy gravity just by staying upright. Hanging from the top of the structure is a black, tattered piece of fabric best described as—surprise, surprise—a veil.
What Is the Death Chamber in Harry Potter?
The Death Chamber is a large amphitheatre with tiered seating encircling a dais. Atop the dais is the archway of the Veil.
This large, dimly-lit room is located deep within the Department of Mysteries, suggesting that it is only known to employees who have unregulated access to this division with the Ministry.
While seemingly no longer in operation, it’s unknown what the Death Chamber’s specific use once was. (Although, it seems pretty obvious that it had something to do with, well, death.)
The History of the Veil
The Veil is an ancient magical structure that’s existed for a very, very long time.
From what we know, it has been around at least as long as the Ministry of Magic, which was founded in 1707. However, many witches and wizards believe it has existed even longer than that, due to its poor state of repair.
This means that the Death Chamber, which is part of the Ministry, is likely not nearly as old as the Veil. Presumably after the Veil was discover, the chamber was built around it sometime in the 1700s; although, the exact date of construction is unknown.
Centuries later, in 1996, during the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, Harry and his friends accidentally came upon the Death Chamber and discovered the Veil. Upon moving closer to the crumbling archway, Harry began to hear whispers…
He had just heard something. There were faint whispering, murmuring noises coming from the other side of the veil.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Not long after, the battle between Harry, his allies and a group of Death Eaters broke out. The fighting led to a duel between Harry’s godfather, Sirius Black, and Sirius’ deranged cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange.
A final blow from Bellatrix launched Sirius through the Veil, where he disappeared, never to be seen again.
In terms of the Veil’s history, this is all we know.
Is There Anything Beyond the Veil?
What we learn from the experience of both Harry and Sirius is that the Veil appears to be a gateway to the land of the dead.
Of course, we can’t know this for certain. But, there are at least three things that support that the Veil may be an entryway to the afterlife.
- Creepy Whispers: Harry and Luna were able to hear voices, which got louder the closer they came to the dais. Presumably, these two were able to hear the whispers, even though Ron and Hermione could not, because they’ve both been “touched by death”. That is, both Harry and Luna have lost someone close to them. Perhaps that’s who was trying to call out to them from beyond.
- Lack of Visibility: One cannot see through to the other side of the Veil, as is made clear from Sirius’ crossing. He falls through the archway and does not come out the other side but continues into a realm unknown. This makes a case for it being a gateway into the mysterious world of the dead.
- No Return: Since Sirius’ fall through the Veil is effectively his death, it appears as though one can only cross through into this other realm—but not back again. As it’s impossible to come back from the dead, this further supports that the afterlife is what waits beyond the veil.
What do you think? Share your theories about the Veil and what lies beyond in the comments!