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{{youmay|the room in the [[Department of Mysteries]]|the [[Death Cell|execution room]] in the [[Magical Congress of the United States of America|MACUSA]]}}
 
{{Location infobox
 
{{Location infobox
 
|image = [[File:Death_Chamber_1.jpg|250px]]
|name=Death Chamber
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|name = Death Chamber
|image=[[File:Death_Chamber_1.jpg|250px]]
 
 
|location = Level 9, [[Department of Mysteries]], [[British Ministry of Magic|Ministry of Magic]], [[Whitehall]], [[London]]<ref name="OOTP34">{{OOTP|B|34}}</ref>
|bgcolor1=9966CC
 
 
|affiliation = *[[Death]]<ref name="OOTP34"/>
|bgcolor2=C9A0DC
 
 
*[[Unspeakable]]s<ref name="OOTP34"/>
|location=Level 9, [[Department of Mysteries]], [[British Ministry of Magic|Ministry of Magic]]
 
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|owner = *[[British Ministry of Magic]]<ref name="OOTP34"/>
|residents=
 
 
**[[Department of Mysteries]]<ref name="OOTP34"/>
|affiliation=*[[Death]]
 
*[[Unspeakable]]s
 
|first=''[[Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix]]''
 
|latest=
 
|last=
 
|cause=
 
 
}}
 
}}
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{{Quote|This room was larger than the last, dimly lit and rectangular, and the centre of it was sunken, forming a great stone pit some twenty feet below them. They were standing on the topmost tier of what seemed to be stone benches running all around the room and descending in steep steps like an amphitheatre, or the courtroom in which Harry had been tried by the Wizengamot. Instead of a chained chair, however, there was a raised stone dais in the centre of the lowered floor, and upon this dais stood a stone archway that looked so ancient, cracked, and crumbling that Harry was amazed the thing was still standing. Unsupported by any surrounding wall, the archway was hung with a tattered black curtain or veil which, despite the complete stillness of the cold surrounding air, was fluttering very slightly as though it had just been touched.|Description|Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix}}
The '''Death Chamber''' is a room in the [[Department of Mysteries]] devoted to the study of [[death]]. It is located on the ninth level of the [[British Ministry of Magic|Ministry of Magic]] in [[London]], [[England]].
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The '''Death Chamber'''<ref name="OOTP36">{{OOTP|B|36}}</ref> was a room in the [[Department of Mysteries]] devoted to the study of [[death]]. It was on the ninth level of the [[British Ministry of Magic|Ministry of Magic]] in [[London]], [[England]].<ref name="OOTP34"/>
   
 
==Description==
 
==Description==
  +
{{Dialogue a-b-c|Harry Potter|Can’t anyone else hear it?|Luna Lovegood|I can hear them too. There are people in there!|Hermione Granger|What do you mean, ‘in there’? There isn’t any ‘in there,’ it’s just an archway, there’s no room for anybody to be there — Harry, stop it, come away —|Harry Potter and Luna Lovegood hearing voices in the Veil|Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix}}
The Death Chamber is a large, rectangular, dimly lit room that resembles [[Courtroom Ten]] of the [[Wizengamot]]. In the center is a sunken stone pit some twenty feet deep. Stone benches run all around the room and descend in steep steps toward a raised stone dais in the center of the pit. An ancient, crumbling stone archway, unsupported by any surrounding wall, stands on this dais. This archway is hung with a [[Veil|tattered black curtain]] which flutters very slightly as though it had just been touched or blown by a faint wind, although the air in the room is still and cold. The veil is believed to separate the worlds of the living and the dead, somewhat of a portal, linking the two worlds. It is believed that someone who steps through the Veil is forever trapped in the world of death. Some people, like [[Harry Potter]] and [[Luna Lovegood]], could hear voices from behind the Veil; the ability to hear these voices, and the degree to which they can be heard, is related to the individual's belief in an afterlife. These voices are said to be the whisperings of the dead, talking to their loved ones from the other side.
 
  +
[[File:Bellatrix_kills_Sirius.jpeg|thumb|left|150px|The Veil in the middle of the room]]
 
The Death Chamber was a large, rectangular, dimly lit room that resembled [[Courtroom Ten]] of the [[Wizengamot]]. In the centre was a sunken stone pit some twenty feet deep. Stone benches ran all around the room and descended in steep steps toward a raised stone dais in the centre of the pit. An ancient crumbling stone archway, unsupported by any surrounding wall, stood on this dais. This archway was hung with a [[Veil|tattered black curtain]] which fluttered very slightly as though it had just been touched or blown by a faint wind, although the air in the room was still and cold.<ref name="OOTP34"/>
  +
  +
The Veil was believed to separate the worlds of the living and the dead, somewhat of a portal, linking the two worlds. It was believed that someone who stepped through the Veil would be forever trapped in the world of death. Some people, like [[Harry Potter]] and [[Luna Lovegood]], could hear voices from behind the Veil; the ability to hear these voices, and the degree to which they could be heard, was related to the individual's belief in an afterlife. These voices were said to be the whisperings of the dead, talking to their loved ones from the other side.<ref name="OOTP34"/>
   
 
==History==
 
==History==
 
{{Main|Battle of the Department of Mysteries}}
 
{{Main|Battle of the Department of Mysteries}}
  +
{{Quote|It seemed to take Sirius an age to fall. His body curved in a graceful arc as he sank backward through the ragged veil hanging from the arch.... And Harry saw the look of mingled fear and surprise on his godfather’s wasted, once-handsome face as he fell through the ancient doorway and disappeared behind the veil, which fluttered for a moment as though in a high wind and then fell back into place.|Sirius Black's death in the Death Chamber, during the Battle of the Department of Mysteries|Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix}}
[[File:DeathEatersBattle.jpg|thumb|left|300px|[[Death Eaters]] fighting in the Death Chamber.]]
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[[File:DeathEatersBattle.jpg|200px|thumb|[[Death Eaters]] fighting in the Death Chamber]]
In [[1996]], part of a [[Battle of the Department of Mysteries|battle]] of the [[Second Wizarding War]] was fought in the Death Chamber after [[Harry Potter]], [[Hermione Granger]], [[Ronald Weasley|Ron]] and [[Ginevra Weasley|Ginny Weasley]], [[Neville Longbottom]], and [[Luna Lovegood]] arrived in the [[Department of Mysteries]] in search of [[Sirius Black]]. The six [[Dumbledore's Army]] members passed through the chamber upon their arrival; Harry and Luna felt drawn to the [[Veil]], but the others urged them away. The students were ambushed by [[Death Eaters]] in the [[Hall of Prophecy]], and ended up fleeing through multiple chambers in the Department.
+
In [[1996]], part of a [[Battle of the Department of Mysteries|battle]] of the [[Second Wizarding War]] was fought in the Death Chamber after [[Harry Potter]], [[Hermione Granger]], [[Ronald Weasley|Ron]] and [[Ginevra Weasley|Ginny Weasley]], [[Neville Longbottom]], and [[Luna Lovegood]] arrived in the [[Department of Mysteries]] in search of [[Sirius Black]]. The six [[Dumbledore's Army]] members passed through the chamber upon their arrival; Harry and Luna felt drawn to the [[Veil]], but the others urged them away. The students were ambushed by [[Death Eaters]] in the [[Hall of Prophecy]], and ended up fleeing through chambers in the Department.<ref name="OOTP35">{{OOTP|B|35}}</ref>
   
They were eventually cornered in the Death Chamber, but several [[Order of the Phoenix]] members came to their rescue, and began fighting the Death Eaters. One of the pairs [[duel]]ling there was [[Bellatrix Lestrange]] and [[Sirius Black]]; Bellatrix knocked her own cousin through the Veil with a curse at one point, killing him.
+
They were eventually cornered in the Death Chamber, but several [[Order of the Phoenix]] members came to their rescue, having been tipped off by Severus Snape, who received Harry's cryptic warning, and began fighting the Death Eaters. One of the pairs [[duelling]] there was [[Bellatrix Lestrange]] and [[Sirius Black]]; Bellatrix knocked Sirius (her own cousin) through the Veil with a [[Bellatrix Lestrange's unidentified spell|spell]] at one point, killing him.<ref name="OOTP35"/>
   
 
==Behind the scenes==
 
==Behind the scenes==
*In ''[[Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix]]'', the Veil is described as an old stone archway with a black, tattered curtain hanging from it, while in the [[Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)|film adaptation]], the arch contains a semi-transparent veil of what appears to be some kind of smoke.
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*In {{OOTP}}, the Veil is described as an old stone archway with a black tattered curtain hanging from it; in the [[Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)|film adaptation]], the arch contains a semi-transparent veil of what appears to be some kind of mist.
*In the sixth book, it is stated that Dumbledore's funeral is the first Harry Potter ever attended. It is explained that no funeral was ever held for Sirius Black because his body was never recovered. This presumably indicates that the body left the material plane when it fell through the veil.
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*The sixth book states that Dumbledore's funeral is the first Harry Potter ever attended. It is explained that no funeral was ever held for Sirius Black because his body was never recovered. This presumably indicates that the body left the material plane when it fell through the veil.
 
*In the film adaptation, the [[Battle of the Department of Mysteries]] takes place entirely within the Death Chamber and the [[Hall of Prophecy|Hall of Prophecies]], whereas in the novel, the [[Dumbledore's Army|D.A.]] members were pursued into at least two other chambers as well.
 
*In the film adaptation, the [[Battle of the Department of Mysteries]] takes place entirely within the Death Chamber and the [[Hall of Prophecy|Hall of Prophecies]], whereas in the novel, the [[Dumbledore's Army|D.A.]] members were pursued into at least two other chambers as well.
*It is possible that this room is or was used for execution.
 
 
*Rowling stated that the Veil has been in the Ministry as long as the Ministry itself has been there. This could mean that the Ministry was either built around the archway, originally constructed to study it, or that it was somehow relocated or constructed during the formation of the Ministry.
 
*Rowling stated that the Veil has been in the Ministry as long as the Ministry itself has been there. This could mean that the Ministry was either built around the archway, originally constructed to study it, or that it was somehow relocated or constructed during the formation of the Ministry.
*In the film, Bellatrix hit Sirius with the [[Killing Curse]], ''Avada Kedavra'', killing him before he passes through the Veil. In the book, the curse that hits Sirius is not identified. In the video game, a cutscene shows Bellatrix casting a spell similar to how Stupefy is depicted in the video game - a red bolt of spikes - to knock Sirius into the Veil.
+
*In the film, Bellatrix hit Sirius with the [[Killing Curse]], which would have killed him before he passes through the Veil. In the book, the curse that hits Sirius is not identified, although presumably it was a simple stunning spell. In the video game, a cut scene shows Bellatrix casting a spell similar to how Stupefy is depicted in the video game - a red bolt of spikes - to knock Sirius into the Veil.
   
 
==Appearances==
 
==Appearances==
  +
*{{OOTP}} {{1st}}
*''[[Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix]]''
 
  +
*{{OOTP|F}}
*''[[Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)]]''
 
  +
*{{OOTP|G}}
*''[[Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game)]]''
 
  +
*{{DH|F2}} {{flashback}}
*''[[LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7]]''
 
  +
*{{PM}}
*''[[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2]]'' {{flashback}}{{fact}}
 
  +
*{{WW}}
  +
*{{HPK}}
  +
*{{LEGO|Y2}}
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*{{WU}} {{Mention}}
   
  +
==Notes and references==
  +
{{Reflist}}
 
{{Ministry Level 9}}
 
{{Ministry Level 9}}
  +
[[de:Halle des Todes]]
 
 
[[es:Cámara de la Muerte]]
 
[[es:Cámara de la Muerte]]
  +
[[pl:Sala Śmierci]]
[[Category:Department of Mysteries]]
 
  +
[[pt-br:Câmara da Morte]]
[[Category:Death]]
 
  +
[[ru:Комната смерти]]
  +
[[Category:Battle of the Department of Mysteries]]
  +
[[Category:Death-related magic]]
 
[[Category:Rooms]]

Latest revision as of 18:00, 13 April 2023

"This room was larger than the last, dimly lit and rectangular, and the centre of it was sunken, forming a great stone pit some twenty feet below them. They were standing on the topmost tier of what seemed to be stone benches running all around the room and descending in steep steps like an amphitheatre, or the courtroom in which Harry had been tried by the Wizengamot. Instead of a chained chair, however, there was a raised stone dais in the centre of the lowered floor, and upon this dais stood a stone archway that looked so ancient, cracked, and crumbling that Harry was amazed the thing was still standing. Unsupported by any surrounding wall, the archway was hung with a tattered black curtain or veil which, despite the complete stillness of the cold surrounding air, was fluttering very slightly as though it had just been touched."
— Description[src]

The Death Chamber[2] was a room in the Department of Mysteries devoted to the study of death. It was on the ninth level of the Ministry of Magic in London, England.[1]

Description

Harry Potter: "Can’t anyone else hear it?"
Luna Lovegood: "I can hear them too. There are people in there!"
Hermione Granger: "What do you mean, ‘in there’? There isn’t any ‘in there,’ it’s just an archway, there’s no room for anybody to be there — Harry, stop it, come away —"
— Harry Potter and Luna Lovegood hearing voices in the Veil[src]
Bellatrix kills Sirius

The Veil in the middle of the room

The Death Chamber was a large, rectangular, dimly lit room that resembled Courtroom Ten of the Wizengamot. In the centre was a sunken stone pit some twenty feet deep. Stone benches ran all around the room and descended in steep steps toward a raised stone dais in the centre of the pit. An ancient crumbling stone archway, unsupported by any surrounding wall, stood on this dais. This archway was hung with a tattered black curtain which fluttered very slightly as though it had just been touched or blown by a faint wind, although the air in the room was still and cold.[1]

The Veil was believed to separate the worlds of the living and the dead, somewhat of a portal, linking the two worlds. It was believed that someone who stepped through the Veil would be forever trapped in the world of death. Some people, like Harry Potter and Luna Lovegood, could hear voices from behind the Veil; the ability to hear these voices, and the degree to which they could be heard, was related to the individual's belief in an afterlife. These voices were said to be the whisperings of the dead, talking to their loved ones from the other side.[1]

History

"It seemed to take Sirius an age to fall. His body curved in a graceful arc as he sank backward through the ragged veil hanging from the arch.... And Harry saw the look of mingled fear and surprise on his godfather’s wasted, once-handsome face as he fell through the ancient doorway and disappeared behind the veil, which fluttered for a moment as though in a high wind and then fell back into place."
— Sirius Black's death in the Death Chamber, during the Battle of the Department of Mysteries[src]
DeathEatersBattle

Death Eaters fighting in the Death Chamber

In 1996, part of a battle of the Second Wizarding War was fought in the Death Chamber after Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron and Ginny Weasley, Neville Longbottom, and Luna Lovegood arrived in the Department of Mysteries in search of Sirius Black. The six Dumbledore's Army members passed through the chamber upon their arrival; Harry and Luna felt drawn to the Veil, but the others urged them away. The students were ambushed by Death Eaters in the Hall of Prophecy, and ended up fleeing through chambers in the Department.[3]

They were eventually cornered in the Death Chamber, but several Order of the Phoenix members came to their rescue, having been tipped off by Severus Snape, who received Harry's cryptic warning, and began fighting the Death Eaters. One of the pairs duelling there was Bellatrix Lestrange and Sirius Black; Bellatrix knocked Sirius (her own cousin) through the Veil with a spell at one point, killing him.[3]

Behind the scenes

  • In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the Veil is described as an old stone archway with a black tattered curtain hanging from it; in the film adaptation, the arch contains a semi-transparent veil of what appears to be some kind of mist.
  • The sixth book states that Dumbledore's funeral is the first Harry Potter ever attended. It is explained that no funeral was ever held for Sirius Black because his body was never recovered. This presumably indicates that the body left the material plane when it fell through the veil.
  • In the film adaptation, the Battle of the Department of Mysteries takes place entirely within the Death Chamber and the Hall of Prophecies, whereas in the novel, the D.A. members were pursued into at least two other chambers as well.
  • Rowling stated that the Veil has been in the Ministry as long as the Ministry itself has been there. This could mean that the Ministry was either built around the archway, originally constructed to study it, or that it was somehow relocated or constructed during the formation of the Ministry.
  • In the film, Bellatrix hit Sirius with the Killing Curse, which would have killed him before he passes through the Veil. In the book, the curse that hits Sirius is not identified, although presumably it was a simple stunning spell. In the video game, a cut scene shows Bellatrix casting a spell similar to how Stupefy is depicted in the video game - a red bolt of spikes - to knock Sirius into the Veil.

Appearances

Notes and references

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 34 (The Department of Mysteries)
  2. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 36 (The Only One He Ever Feared)
  3. 3.0 3.1 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 35 (Beyond the Veil)
Department of Mysteries
Level 9, British Ministry of Magic
Room of Doors · Hall of Prophecy · Death Chamber · Brain Room · Time Room · Space Chamber · Love Room