Portraits - SPOILER!

[Snuffles]

Portraits...
yes, we have all seen how pictures in the portraits have a mind to themselves, moving and eating and even drinking liquors (Fat Lady). Inspired by another thread, I thought to bring this up...

Isn't a portrait like a Horcrux? Well, it's not actually splitting up the soul of a person, but the picture inside a portrait does have a personality of the character. Remember the.. what's her name.. the old woman in the portrait at Grimmauld Place who keeps yelling that filthy Mudbloods are in her house? And remember.. the ex-Headmaster in Dumbledore's office, who keeps saying from his portrait, "impudent! impudent!" or something like that?

If, for example, a wizard or a witch somehow paints a portrait of Dumbledore or Sirius Black or James or Lily Potter, (there must have been some pictures of them to draw!), woudn't it... like be more like bringing the dead to alive? This is wacky, but hear me out! :evil1: *evil laugh*

Yes, the dead are the dead, and there will be NO way to bring them alive again. But what if... Sirius's portrait was found in some remote part in the Grimmauld Place? And somehow, all the ex-Headmasters and Headmistresses have THEIR portraits in what used to be Dumbledore's room, so why can't Dumbledore?

Going back to my original point, a portrait, I believe, works like a Horcrux, only it doesn't have a split up soul inside, right? So what if the portraits of some dead people we know were found? Any ideas? :p

[wolfsbaine]

Portraits...
yes, we have all seen how pictures in the portraits have a mind to themselves, moving and eating and even drinking liquors (Fat Lady). Inspired by another thread, I thought to bring this up...

Isn't a portrait like a Horcrux? Well, it's not actually splitting up the soul of a person, but the picture inside a portrait does have a personality of the character. Remember the.. what's her name.. the old woman in the portrait at Grimmauld Place who keeps yelling that filthy Mudbloods are in her house? And remember.. the ex-Headmaster in Dumbledore's office, who keeps saying from his portrait, "impudent! impudent!" or something like that?

If, for example, a wizard or a witch somehow paints a portrait of Dumbledore or Sirius Black or James or Lily Potter, (there must have been some pictures of them to draw!), woudn't it... like be more like bringing the dead to alive? This is wacky, but hear me out! :evil1: *evil laugh*

Yes, the dead are the dead, and there will be NO way to bring them alive again. But what if... Sirius's portrait was found in some remote part in the Grimmauld Place? And somehow, all the ex-Headmasters and Headmistresses have THEIR portraits in what used to be Dumbledore's room, so why can't Dumbledore?

Going back to my original point, a portrait, I believe, works like a Horcrux, only it doesn't have a split up soul inside, right? So what if the portraits of some dead people we know were found? Any ideas? :p



Hiya Snuffles,

What would you want DD or Sirius to do?

The example you cited of Mrs Black shouting her abuse is not indicative of the women except at the moment it was painted. There must have been a time when she loved her son, maybe in her own way admittedly. But she would have at one time in her life, loved Sirius, he was her first born, he was the future of the Black dynasty. Until he rebelled he would have been brought up as a much favoured and loved son. Yes, Mrs Blacks political views would have been the same, but would Mrs Black have voiced them, would she have been so unwise, to voice her views, with a houseful of Order members if the portrait had been of a younger Mrs Black.

So keeping that in mind, would you have to find a portrait of the dead that is recent. As were you to find a portrait of Sirius before he had his epiphany, then you may find a very different Sirius.

Can we see the horcrux as the same as a portrait, because a horcrux is or contains in it, some very dark magic and are receptacles just for that soul? They do not reflect that soul, if anything they show that the person placing the soul in them vanquished the owner of the receptacle even if only psychologically.


I personally think that Sirius may have gone to the other side to aid Harry, and looking at what we learned in HBP, maybe even get some information about the Horcruxes from those who have died and moved on. I am sure that DD has known about the Horcruxes for a while.

[Alz]

I think JKR has tackled this subject somewhat herself ...
The portraits are more of shadows of the person - it isnt their soul or spirit ..
I would have to refer back as to why some and some dont - not even sure if she stated but they is nothing sinister or wierd other than a talking picture :p


And somehow, all the ex-Headmasters and Headmistresses have THEIR portraits in what used to be Dumbledore's room, so why can't Dumbledore?



And a new portrait has joined the ranks of the dead headmaster and headmistresses of Hogwarts ... Dumbledore was slumbering in a golden frame over the desk, his half-moon spectacles perched upon his crooked nose, looking peaceful and untroubled.


..as you can see - he has already joined the ranks of dead headmaster and headmistresses ...

[Tonks]

J.K. Rowling at Edinburgh Book Festival

All the paintings we have seen at Hogwarts are of dead people. They seem to be living through their portraits. How is this so? If there was a painting of Harry’s parents, would he be able to obtain advice from them?

That is a very good question. They are all of dead people; they are not as fully realised as ghosts, as you have probably noticed. The place where you see them really talk is in Dumbledore’s office, primarily; the idea is that the previous headmasters and headmistresses leave behind a faint imprint of themselves. They leave their aura, almost, in the office and they can give some counsel to the present occupant, but it is not like being a ghost. They repeat catchphrases, almost. The portrait of Sirius’ mother is not a very 3D personality; she is not very fully realised. She repeats catchphrases that she had when she was alive. If Harry had a portrait of his parents it would not help him a great deal. If he could meet them as ghosts, that would be a much more meaningful interaction, but as Nick explained at the end of Phoenix—I am straying into dangerous territory, but I think you probably know what he explained—there are some people who would not come back as ghosts because they are unafraid, or less afraid, of death.
This is actually kind of a weird quote and now I am starting to think about portraits a lot differently. If Dumbledore is going to offer advice via the portrait in the Headmaster/Headmistress's Office, then can he only say stuff like what he did when he was alive? And what does this mean exactly? I sort of interpret that to mean that he can only give limited advice, but just how limited? Will it be less limited than, say, Harry's parents portraits would be because Dumbledore died so much more recently?

[Snuffles]

Thanks, Tonky for the great quote! :)

The portrait of Sirius’ mother is not a very 3D personality; she is not very fully realised. She repeats catchphrases that she had when she was alive.

Relating to this part of the quote, I had to bring up another question.... what about, say, Fat Lady? She seems to be quite.. well, alive! No, no. I'm not saying she's alive, but she eats, talks, and even drinks with her portrait friends.

[Hermione]

I could see where someone could use a portrait as a horcrux, but doesn't that seem a bit obvious? The horcrux Dumbledore and Harry went after was very well guarded with all sorts of spells and enchantments...unless the portrait would give information about where to go, or be the gate way I don't see it. The only painting I have ever seen that made me think of horcruxs was in the Ghostbusters 2 movie. As for as Voldemort is concerned, where would he have a painting of himself? Not at Hogwarts, not at the orphanage...the Malfoys maybe? So now it could be in a Ministery of Magic basement.

Couldn't a ghost by definition be a bit of one though? They leave a themselves on Earth but without a body.

Where is another question, what is the differance between a memory, a ghost, and a horcrux?

[Padma Patil]

If Dumbledore is going to come back via the portrait in the Headmaster/Headmistress's Office, then will he only say stuff like what he did when he was alive?


"But Fawkes's perch stood empty, he was still crying his lament to the grounds. And a new portrait had joined the ranks of the dead headmasters and headmistresses of Hogwarts: Dumbledore was slumbering in a golden frame over the desk, his half-moon spectacles perched upon his crooked nose, looking peaceful and untroubled."

Dumbledore already is back. His portrait must have shown up right after he died. Thats the only way it could have gotten there so fast. It must have just like appeared, or something.

[mimbulus mimbletonia]

I think with the Head's portraits, they will give advice; but only in the same manner as when they were alive. For example Nigellus would always advise in favour of purebloods. I guess they would be like a stereotype of their former selves; and not necessarily much help in a new situation.

Perhaps the Fat Lady was always a drinker, so it wouldn't be out of character; Sir Cadogan's personality certainly seems like a caricature of his real self.

[Snuffles]

And a new portrait has joined the ranks of the dead headmaster and headmistresses of Hogwarts ... Dumbledore was slumbering in a golden frame over the desk, his half-moon spectacles perched upon his crooked nose, looking peaceful and untroubled.

I've just noticed something..
So.. the moment a headmaster or a headmistress dies or retires, the portrait of him or her is automatically put up on the wall? that's interesting...