Getting memories after death?

[hpheart]

You know how when Snape dies, he gives Harry his memories? Do you think it would be possible to retrieve memories after the person has died?

Bethan

[Maple_and_PheonixFeather]

To be honest, I don't think so. I can't really put to words exactly why, but I think that once you die, your brain stops working normally, plus I don't think that you could use Legillemency on a dead person. I think you sort of need a sense of who you are to actually have long term memories, because your brain only stores what is pertinant for you and your survival, and once your dead, there's like no need for memories. I don't even know if this post makes sense....

Summary:
No, I don't think that you could retrieve a memory from a dead person.

[hpheart]

Oh...well thats a problem, because my new story idea is based around that... Hmmm

Bethan

[Maple_and_PheonixFeather]

Haha, well if your story is based on that, I'd say go for it then. You could find a way around it or something...maybe your character found the Resurrection Stone?

[msk8]

I would say no.

I think the memories are supposed to be like a part of a person's soul that vanishes/gos to King's Cross/whatever you please when they die. Remember, Dumbledore says he managed to take that memory from Morfin before he died. I think if memories could be taken after death, there would be no anonymous murders, as well as no knowlege lost with death, and that all seems very implausible to me.

For your fic, Bethan, maybe you could have them found in a bottle in the person's pocket or something? It's hard to know, though, without knowing your plot.

Megan

[hpheart]

It doesn't matter, I've found my way around it now
Thanks for all the suggestions though

Mods, you can delete/move/whatever you do this thread now.

Bethan