I am not sure that is the veil. The veil is described as a veil, not two curtains tied together. Just one piece of cloth.
I like the idea that it is symbolic of the beginning and end. The curtain on the back of the Sorcerors Stone was never explained, and many think it is the 4 poster bed, but i don't think so. The hand with the candle does not look like a normal hand to me, it looks like Voldemorts hand. The way Mary Grandpre has drawn it before is different from the way it is presented on the cover, the way she has drawn it is just one cloth. I don't think she would change it. I like the idea of the final show and it is symbolic of that. I think they are in some place where another horcrux is hidden. As for the shadows, no idea yet.
I have an idea, and it is sord of complex but bear with me. I posted it on another forum as well.
http://www.hpana-media.com/Books/HPDH/B ... drens.html
There. A big close up of the childrens UK edition. This is a bit far fetched but bare with me. The snake in the orb looks like it has ruins more than scales. Those runes look like the symbols from the Runic alphabet, the Futhark.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Futhark#Mythological
Now, there is a theory out there of Dumbledore having close correlation with the Norse god, Odin. This ruin is associated with Odin, "In Norse mythology, the invention of runes is attributed to Odin, it describes how Odin receives the rune through his self-sacrifice." This would also go along with the theory that Dumbledore planned his death through self-sacrifice.
Also, the runes, "the runes are attributed with the power to bring that which is dead to life" Havamel is a poem with contributions to Odin, and one of the stanzas goes: A twelfth [spell] I know;
when I see aloft upon a tree
A corpse swinging from a rope,
Then I cut and paint runes
So that the man walks
And speaks with me.
A 12th spell. . .like the 12 uses of dragons blood?
Another stanza from the poem is as follows:
I know a sixth one if a man wounds me
with the roots of the sap-filled wood:
and that man who conjured to harm me,
the evil consumes him, not me.
A sixth one, like another use of it? It's interesting to note that a yew tree, which is associated with Voldemorts wand, is known as sap filled wood.
The runes are also associated with divination and oracles, somewhat, althought its hard to be accurate with it.
The whole dragon blood thing, dragon blood is associated with mythology and is used as medicine and protection and many other things. I think that what Harry has around his neck on the cover is a piuch with a vile of dragons blood. I don't think it is the locket. It looks more brown and clothy than a locket. Plus, Harry wouldn't show the locket in front of Voldemort and let him know about the horcruxes.
I know this is a bit far fetched, but that snake really does strike me as odd, and those scales look like more than scales. I know this also can't be trusted because it didn't come from JKR herself, only an illustrater, but it is still interesting nonetheless. I know, i know. . .highly unlikely any of this, but it is still extremely interesting. . .really far fetched. . .but interesting nonetheless. . . don't shoot!
Didn't JKR also say a while ago that Snakes play an important role and that we can guess a lot of the plot from looking at snakes in mythology?
http://www.accio-quote.org/articles/200 ... html#part6
Snakes are sometimes associated with immortality. They often bite their tail and then coil around in circles to form spirals. The circles were seen as eternity. Called an ouroboros. In a Nordic myth, evil was give nby the Dread Biter, a snake, who coiled around the Tree of Life to try and suffocate it. The Tree of Life was an Ash tree, like wands are made of ash. Snakes were also associated with the underworld because they lived underground and dug holes deep into the earth. In some myths, characters would have to transform (transfiguration?) into a snake to go to the underworld.
Also along with the orb, i was thinking and thinking, and i was wondering why those stars are in the orb, so it got me thinking about star constellations, and i have no idea if this is legit or anything, because there are extra stars, BUT it is quite interesting nonetheless. I think i am thinking too deeply into it, BUT. . .Well, it could be the star constellation with
Sirius or
Regulus.Or, i may just be looking too much into it, but that orb REALLY is intriguing to me. Especially that window now. . .
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Why can't life go back to the way it always was?