Anther Harry Potter 7 question...?

J.K. said that we'd find out why some people become ghosts and why others don't... I didn't see anything about this... did I miss it or did she just not live up to her word?

Anther Harry Potter 7 question...?
Nearly Headless Nick explained it to Harry after Sirius died, not sure if it was end of book 5 or beginning of book 6. Harry asked Nick, because he was hoping that Sirius would be a ghost and he'd be able to talk to him. Nick said he had been expecting this, because many students came to him with that question after losing a loved one. It was something about making a choice between moving on or staying locked to the earth because you're too afraid or too attached to accept leaving your life behind you.
Reply:She mentioned it in book 5 actually. Nearly Headless Nick stated that people who become ghosts are those who fear death enough to want to retain some sense of the living. He actually said he was sort of a coward (nick) because he chose to stay as a ghost rather than die. He also stated that life as a ghost was not really living, but rather a poor imitation of life.
Reply:I think she adresses this when harry used the resurrection stone to summon his loved ones . . . not as ghosts i think.
Reply:You just missed it. By the wa, this wasn't explained in the 7th book but rather in the 5th book. Some people become ghosts while others don't because while most ghosts choose to go to heaven and dont bcome ghosts. However, somne ghosts are scared of death, and choose to become ghosts.





This was explained at the ending of the fifth book when Harry is all upset about the death of Sirius Black. He looks for Nearly Headless Nick, who is already a ghost, thinking that Sirius would turn into a ghost. However, Nick explains to Harry that not all people become ghosts, just those who wish to exist in the mortal world. Most people, including Sirius, go to heven rather than become ghosts is because as a ghost, you are not alive ye t you ar enot dead. You can't touch or feel anything, and is always apart from the humans.





***Hope this helped!***
Reply:I believe that she already touched that subject briefly at the end of Book 5 when Harry asked Nick about ghosts and death. Remember Nick said the Sirius would have gone on and that he (Nick) was afraid of what lies "out there" that he remained just a pale image of what he was, a ghost. In the last book, we've finally learned of the stories of the Gray Lady and the Bloody Baron. Dumbledore told Harry that he has a choice of whether to "go on" (die) or "go back".





Well, given the above to go on, my take about the subject is this: IT IS A DECISION YOU HAVE TO MAKE whether you want to go on or just become a ghost in the land of the living. I think that only those who were afraid of dying and facing what's beyond this life (like Nick), full of regrets and reservations (like the Gray Lady for stealing from her mother), extreme guilt (like the Bloody Baron for stabbing the Gray Lady), or just extremely unhappy (like Moaning Myrtle) would have opted to stay behind as ghosts.





Harry's parents, Sirius, Lupin, Cedric, Tonks and the others (mostly on Harry's side) were brave enough in life and were equally brave to face death. I think that they were satisfied with their physical life on earth that dying is but a journey. Take Sirius, for example. Yes, he cared a lot about Harry, and we thought that he would have come back as a ghost in Book 6 and 7 just so he could help him with his quest. But I think that much as Sirius love Harry, his missing James Potter overcame even that. When faced with the opportunity to finally be with James, he chose that path.





Dumbledore did not come back as a ghost, but I think that he didn't really went on until Harry succeeded in defeating Voldemort. Nevermind that their conversation was all in Harry's head.
Reply:yes. nearly headless nick says i believe that some people are not quite ready to go leave the earth so they stay. that's why he's still around. other ppl he says leave the earth. thats why i think harry's parents(?) or someone else important didn't come back as a ghost. this also might relate somehow to the deathly hallows...i just forget.
Reply:We did find out. When Harry talks to Nearly Headless Nick he explains that people who weren't afraid of death, didn't become ghosts. Only those who were scared of death or didn't want to leave could stick around. And he explains some more :)
Reply:end of book 5