THEORIES PLEASE. <333

[flexiblegenius]

Is there any proof that Sirius is indeed dead? I mean, there was no mention of Bellatrix saying the actual Killing Curse.

Only one couple were still battling, apparently unaware of the new arrival. Harry saw Sirius duck Bellatrix's jest of red light: He was laughing at her. "Come on, you can do better than that!" he yelled, his voice

Comments

[a_fallen_sister]

This is the interview I read that convinced me that Sirius is truly dead:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/arts/3004456.stm

About halfway down, she says, commenting on OotP: "Yeah. Well I had re-written the death, re-written it and that was it. It was definitive. And the person was definitely dead."

But even though I believe he's dead based on that, I still wonder why she didn't just have Bellatrix kill Sirius with "Avada Kedavra" if she wanted/needed Sirius dead and out of the way for good. JKR has said that the point of her 'killing off' Sirius was 1) Because Harry, as the hero, has to go into the finale alone and 2) To show that death is often sudden and unexpected. 'Avada' could have accomplished that better, I think. It would have been just as sudden and it would have been clearer to both the fans and to Harry that Sirius was truly gone. Yet JKR confuses the issue by having Bellatrix's first wand blast be a red flash instead of the Avada's green flash, and then she has him disappear behind this mysterious veil. Still seems an odd way to kill the character, to me. I hope we get a really good explanation in book seven! :o)

[elizagolightly]

I COMPLETELY agree with you about the clarity of death and the closure, we as fans, and Harry would feel with Avada. Why she chose not to use a differeny curse is beyond my thinking because it leaves so many questions about his death in my mind. Mystery consumes his entrie death scene, leading me to beleive there is so much more to it than that, but also wondering what it could all mean! You articulated my thoughts perfectly!

[akhekhu]

One reason that JK might not have had Bellatrix use the Avada is that death isn't always clear cut. Sometimes you don't see a body and you don't know for certain. I think as the reader, we are supposed to have this internal struggle of *isn't there still hope that Sirius is alive* just like Harry probably has when he thinks on it (whether he admits this, is another thing). Harry might have "given up" and come to terms with the death, but it makes it more psychological and realistic of not every death is clear cut.