The predictability of death is a subject that fascinates every culture in the world. Why, you may ask? Death is an event that no single human will ever be able to stop, and though some have tried, none have been victorious. The fact that no one knows when they will pass on to the next life, is a fear that every being either subconsciously or consciously possesses. A death omen can give one the knowledge that death is almost upon them, offer them a chance to achieve things that they have put off for one reason or another.


"Italian Death Omens"

No one likes to think of death though somewhere in the back of our minds it lurks about silently. That is until we see or hear something that forces that thought right before us.

The first time (hopefully) any young witch or wizard comes in contact with the knowledge of Death Omens is in their third year of wizarding training when they climb that ladder up to the Divination classroom. Who can ever forget the first class when Professor Trelawney tries to shock the class by announcing that someone has The Grim in their tea leaves and is going to die? The Grim you see is a Death Omen; tea leaves that take on the shape of a large, bear-like dog. It is believe that anyone with this shape in their cup will surely die. Some believe The Grim is a large black dog and that after seeing “The Grim” they will shortly die. How true that is we really don’t know.

There are death omens in every part of the globe, some the same, some different but all feared. If a black cat crosses your path you can not deny that you don’t quickly say a prayer to ward off evil spirits.

Growing up in an Italian household, I have heard of any number of Death Omens on my Grandmother’s knee. There are the Traditional omens involving animals such as the howling of dogs, or the chirping “death watch” of crickets, and of course the hooting of owls is a sure sign that death is near. It is also believed that breaking a mirror will cause death, also the sipping of olive oil is suppose to be a death omen. I think that’s more for the fact that the price of olive oil is so expensive and that if you waste any, your Grandmother will come after you. Or at least that’s how it was in my family. The one Death Omen that had everyone crossing themselves was when a religious statue falls for absolutely no reason.

There were also little traditions that we needed to do in order to ward off evil spirits. It was believed that if one does not carry out ashes on New Years Day, that a death in the family would take place before the year is out.

Even in sleep these omens will haunt you. If you dream of rare meat, a priest, a dead person, losing a tooth or having one pulled, or even getting married, it is believed that a friend or family member will die. I can remember a night or two waking up after dreaming of loosing a tooth and losing the rest of the nights sleep worrying about if this belief was true or not.

Dogs, owls, cats and birds were not the only animals that could still the heart of my family. The appearance of a moth in our home was sure to be a sign of impending death, especially if the moth in question is the European Hawk Moth. This Death Head Hawk moth has been the object of folklore and terror throughout history. The creature has obtained a sinister reputation due to the design on its thorax; there are markings on it that resemble a skull and crossbones. It also has the ability to make an unexpected loud shrill that would chill your blood.

Whether any of these or all of these omens are true, I do not know. What I do know is that at anytime one does cross your path, it wouldn’t hurt to say a little prayer. I know I do.



"Blame it on the Birds"

In the Wizarding world we have many death omens. They can differ greatly from place to place. Each country and each community has their own set of superstitions, or omens. Throughout the world there are some common threads and one such thread is birds. Yes, it is indeed those lovely winged creatures that seem to carry a world of weight at times.

In researching updates for this book, we studied different death omens related to birds throughout the world. There were many omens including: a bird flying in through an open window, a bird flying down the chimney, a bird tapping on a window and even a bird hovering above a house! It seems that almost every scenario where you are likely to see a bird means death is on the way. Of course that is silliness. It doesn't mean it is your specific omen. Maybe it is an omen for someone you know.

There is of course the significance of the bird itself also. If for instance you see a flock of magpies fly over your house, that would be a bad sign, but if you were to see a flock of owls fly over your house, then you know the Quiddy World Cup results are in. Every bird has its own associations with omens and or death.

Before becoming paranoid about our feathered friends lets take a closer look. Birds are without a doubt a great symbol to our world. They fly effortlessly and even with brooms, we cannot rival that kind of magic. It is believed that many birds carry wisdom from the past. We hold birds in high esteem because they are truly magical and mysterious creatures. It should be of no surprise that many omens are associated with them.

To put your self at ease, it should be noted that many birds are commonly mistaken for other birds. Crows for instance are commonly misidentified as magpies. It might bode well for you to keep a bird identification guide nearby at home in case you sense that a passing bird is trying to tell you something. In many cases this has happened. Just be sure to document your omen, so that it can be used for further research.



"Unscheduled Omens by Nature"

Our natural world can tells us a great many things. Many among us believe that at times Mother Nature herself sends us death omens. While these omens vary greatly from country to country, we will review a few of the shared omens of our world.

In previous chapters we covered birds. They are of course a huge part of our natural world but instead of going over them again we will simply refer you to chapter 4 for a refresher on that subject.

Animals like birds are a pretty common thread in death omens. Here are a few to watch for. Foxes barking when someone is ill can mean that death will soon be calling. Seeing the Grim (large black dog) is of course a sign that death will be around soon. Also seeing a weasel unexpectedly watching you is another sign of impending doom.

There are also many weather related omens throughout the world. When weather changes instantly without reason there can be a few different reasons. Either it has been magically altered or it is a warning of death. Dark clouds that linger over houses are thought to carry a warning to someone residing inside. Violent gusts of air that can whirl up suddenly, but only seem to focus on one person are also a sign of future death. Signaling "a change in the wind" for that individual.

Flowers though beautiful in appearance can also carry the negative association with death omens. It is widely believed that a flower found blooming out of season is a death omen for the person who found it. A tree found blossoming in the fall is said to be a death omen as well.

These omens are not meant to scare. We are merely providing you with a list of omens you may want to be on the watch for. They should be a comfort to you, after all perhaps Mother Nature is just trying to prepare you for whatever comes next.



"Celtic Death Omens : Part I"

Having mentioned the Irish Banshee as a prominent Death Omen in the previous chapters, this chapter will elaborate on a few other Death Omens originating in the Celtic Nations.

Unlike the present day, people did not used to live nearly as long, finding that death came swiftly and suddenly to those least expected. Even witches and wizards had shorter lifespans, and people, including Muggles, soon began looking for warnings of impending death.


Corpse Lights (Canwyll Corff)
Origin: Wales

The Welsh call them “Canwyll Corff” - Corpse Candles. They are widely known as Corpse Lights, and are perhaps one of the more widely reported death omens in the British Isles.

They are said to wend their way - bobbing, hovering and floating - to the places where death is imminent. Sightings include small pale blue or yellow lights representing the impending death of an infant or child, larger red lights for men, and blue for women. On occasion, corpse lights will remain until the loved one is laid to rest, following the uneral procession to the burial.

If one were to see Corpse Lights and attempt to go nearer to them, they would disappear.


Spectral Hounds
Origin: Various

Many cultures have associated the appearance of a spectral dog (often black or grey) with approaching death. In Britain they go by many names : Hellhounds (Muggles believe these dogs represent the Devil), The Grim, Skrikers, Gwyllgi (“Dog of Darkness”) in Welsh, Moddey Dhoo (“Black Dog”) in Manx and Cù Sìth in Scottish Gaelic to name a few. They are said to be larger than a normal dog, with glowing red eyes.

They are often associated with death as well as crossroads, places of execution, and ancient pathways.

It is said that if you see a Spectral Hound, your death will come soon after. In some cases, people have said it is accompanied by a hag, though this is widely believed to be an exaggeration.



ANKOU
Origin: Brittany (France)

In the Breton language of Celtic Brittany, an Ankou means “King of the Dead.” It is a death omen that comes to collect the souls of the dead; the Ankou is usually believed to be the last person to die in the past year. It has been said to appear as a skeletal creature with a rotating head, enabling it to see in every direction, driving a spectral cart and accompanied by ghosts on its journey to the one who is about to die.

As was addressed in an earlier chapter, many times people have an “accidental” omen experience, in which they think they experience an omen but it is proven to be something else. They are generally rare, and if seen, report to the Ministry.

The next chapter will cover three more death omens of the Celtic Nations.



"Celtic Death Omens: Part II"

In the previous part of this chapter we went over three of the most common Celtic Death Omens, however, there were some truly odd ones as well.

With the Celtic Nation being made up of several separate tribes each tribe can and do have their own traditions.

Here are some of the weirder ones.

CROWS
Origin: Various

Crows were associated with death and the underworlds and so were considered omens of misfortune, especially death. Though the fact that the omen often relied on the location of sighting in interpretation makes this one especially interesting.
In most of England one lone crow meant anger, but in the Northhamptonshire it meant general bad luck or bad events.
The death omen, the one one had to worry about was one crow flying over a house thrice. The Irish also believed that crows flocking in trees,, but not nesting, were souls in Purgatory. (Interestingly, other cultures hold or held similar views on crows, ravens, and/or other dark/black birds).

Please do not confuse this omen with the ravens of the Tower of London and the legend that should they leave, England (and now the entire UK) will fall.
For those word trivia buffs amongst us, a group of crows is called a murder of crows…Take that as you will.
THE WILD HUNT
Origin: Various

The Wild Hunt is said to be the hunting party of either a pagan god, the Fae Folk, Satan/the Devil, or the Grim Reaper himself/herself/itself. Though hardly ever seen, it can be heard quite readily as the baying and howling of spectral hounds and the hoofbeats of horses. Sometimes the sound of hunting horns and war drums will also be heard.

On the rare occasions that the party will be seen the hounds are oft describe as being white with red ears and eyes and the horses being pale and skinny. The riders will be either dressed in traditional regional garb or their own burial shrouds.

The life expectancy of the witness is variable depending on region or ethnicity or tribal affiliations, but never exceeds a year. Nothing can save you from death once this omen is witnessed. So, please put your affairs in order and be measured for your shroud, urn, and/ or coffin.

The newly dead person is then said to join the hunt itself for either a set period or eternity, so you might want to practice your hunting skills in whatever time you have left. As, try to make sure you die peacefully, as you’ll be bearing your death wounds as you hunt.
The last omen for this chapter is an old favorite of mine, the Doppelgänger.

DOPPLEGANGER
Origin: Various

An omen common to many cultures, including the Celts, is the Doppelgänger (which is German for “Body Double” or “Double Walker”). This is perhaps the most frightening and disconcerting omen as it is yourself. The idea is that the soul has manifested itself outside the body as a copy of the body it once inhabited (or it could be an evil Witch or the Fae using your form for their own purposes). However your Doppleganger does not have to show itself to you, it may appear to your mother, father, grandmother, aunt, ex-wife, friend, or second cousin twice removed and disowned from the family. Even the circumstances can vary; it may appear while you’re away at war, if you’re sick in the hospital, or if you’ve just gone on a beer run down the road.

The Doppelgänger is so well known that Paranormal Researchers have categorized them as “Crisis Manifestations”, i.e. they most often show up when the original is in some sort of life-or-death crisis, just died, or about to be in a life-or death crisis.

Like The Wild Hunt this omen cannot be escaped. You will die and you will die soon after you see your Doppleganger or it has been seen by someone you know. So, once again, please set your affairs in order and be measured for your shroud, urn, and/or coffin.



"Deadly Dreams"

Having unexplained, negative, or strange dreams? The best thing to do would be to visit a trustworthy and professional divinations expert, or log a dream journal, but there are many omens that are common in dreams. The more you know about death omens and dreams, the easier it becomes to recognize future dangers.

Dreams involving certain figures, such as the Grim Reaper or perhaps figures of our own brutal wizarding history like He-who-must-not-be-named are often signs of impending doom to you or those who are very close to you. This only is an omen to you or your loved ones if the figures are seen directly, whereas if the figure is merely mentioned or thought about, the omen may not be specifically geared towards you, but at someone you have once met or know of.

As mentioned in the introduction, dreaming of a wedding is usually perceived as a death omen, or an omen that if things do not go as planned, there will be disastrous effects.

Many dreams indicate that a family member is soon to die; like dreaming of a cyclone, a brother, a newborn baby (which could also signify a future marriage), black snakes, falling into a hole in the ground, the digging of a grave, a red cross, a cliff, water running off a house, or plums. Though not all of these omens directly cause a family death, it is always a smart idea to visit a dream interpreter or diviner to make sure that no harm is coming or to prepare is something is.

Other dreams symbolize death anywhere around you or someone you love, and it is best to warn others if you see them in your dream along with the following: a white pigeon, grease, blackberries, ashes, found money, flowers, lice, muddy water, breaking bread, a black couch, a storm, a beautiful garden, a naked man or woman (the opposite sex dies, and you will hear of it), a tooth extraction, new lumber, a fish, planting flowers, a slaughterhouse, a bird or donkey, a baby, planting flowers, and fire or anything white.

These may seem like random items that cannot be controlled in dreams and you would not normally think of to appear in dreams, but it is important to keep a dream journal so that if one of these things does appear, you can visit a diviner immediately to get a true interpretation. Many believe divining to be a magic of chance, but it has been proven by the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes that in 60% of events that they have recorded there has been someone who has warned the authorities of the event days beforehand and have claimed that many of the sources say that they dreamed of either the event or of the previously mentioned items.

It is frightening and easily disturbing to know about these warnings and signs that can often appear in dreams and are seemingly unimportant. However, remember that even if you dream of a death omen and take precautions against the omen, it is never your fault if someone ends up losing their life. The dream was merely there to prepare you and those around you for loss. And though sometimes death is avoidable, often a person's time has come to an end.