[HPforGrownups] Portraits in Dumbledore's Office

[rayheuer3 at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 76308

cathio2002 at yahoo.com writes:

> Are the portraits in Dumbledore's office like ghosts?
> The people are dead, but their spirits live in a
> picture? So when a wizard dies he has a choice of
> being a ghost, living in a frame, or going beyond the
> veil. I was just wondering.

I don't think it's a matter of choice.  As I see it, JKR is incorporating the 
old "soul stealer" myths and postulating that whenever a portrait is taken 
(painted or captured on film), a small part of that person's living essence 
("soul", if you like) is captured in the image.  Since portraits last for 
centuries, that portion of the person lives on, apparently able to enter any other 
portrait (not necessarily their own) until the painting/photograph is destroyed.

When the portrait of "The Fat Lady" was destroyed, the image herself was not, 
so there are apparently "portrait doctors" in the WW.

  --  Ray


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