| Chapter 20 - Ron's Big News Continued |
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| �I�ve thought about that before,� Hermione said thoughtfully. �I always wanted to know how that works,� Ron quietly said. �Do you want to ask Nearly Headless Nick?� Harry whispered. �Should we?� Hermione questioned nervously/ �Why not?� Harry asked. �I really want to know.� �So ask him,� Ron said. �Alright I will,� Harry said boldly. He stood up from the couch and turned the direction Nick was going. �Hey, Nick!� he called out to him. Nick turned around. �What?� he answered, bearing a strange look on his face. �We were wondering,� Harry began slowly. �Why do some people become ghosts when they die, and others just, well� die?� Nick floated over to where Harry was standing. �I�m surprised, not many people would ever think to ask me something like that,� he said, raising an eyebrow. �However, the answer is fairly simple. When a witch or wizard has an unhappy and unfulfilled life, when they die they become a ghost. In order for someone not to become a ghost, they need to do something worthwhile in their life. It can be anything, but they also cannot be depressed for their whole lives, because that will also cause them to become a ghost. The easy way you can think of it is that if someone�s life was worthless, they become a ghost so they can �live� until their life has some meaning to it.� �So what happens if a ghost does something worthwhile?� Hermione asked. �Well, if they accomplish something good enough, their souls are put to rest, and they no longer wander the earth,� he answered. �So why haven�t you done something worthwhile?� Ron asked. Harry gave him a �Don�t say that!� look, but Nick just laughed. �I happen to enjoy being a ghost. There are many that do. But some ghosts don�t want to roam around for eternity, so they try to do something that�s meaningful,� Nick answered. The three students nodded in understanding. �So does that answer your question, young Potter?� Nick asked Harry. �I am in a bit of a hurry to get to my monthly Dead Poets Society meeting.� �Yes, thanks for helping us out,� Harry said. Finished with his business in the Gryffindor Commons Room, Nick floated out the room through another wall. Harry started thinking about his parents. In some ways, he wished they hadn�t done anything worthwhile, because if they were ghosts he could at least see them again. But then again, he thought to himself, that wouldn�t be fair to them. His parents led a meaningful and happy life, even though it was cut tragically short, and he knew that was worth more than anything else in the world. |