OOP: Sirius, Phineas, Portraits

[m_warren17]

No: HPFGUIDX 68603

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Alon van Dam" 
<alanphoenix1 at h...> wrote:
> Dear all,
> 
> Here's a new pet theory of mine that could have us see Sirius again 
> in the future. Don't pin me down on this, but it's a possibility, 
> maybe?
> 
> How about if someone drew a magical portrait of him at some point 
> during his life, and his identity is retained in it? We know that 
all 
> magical pictures/photographs have some form of consciousness, but 
it 
> seems that only fine drawings have actual personalities. The 
pictures 
> of the Headmasters is of course the best example, but Sirius' 
mother 
> also retains her old personality. Now, we also know that these 
> pictures can learn things and not just stay with their old 
memories: 


I was wondering about this myself. I'm surprised that the possibility 
of regaining contact with Sirius via a portrait or photograph never 
occured to Harry, especially when he was trying so desperately to 
contact Sirius including seeking out Nearly Headless Nick and 
experimenting with the two-way mirror. It seems that it was the one 
avenue that he didn't consider. Although, it's more than likely that 
if such a portrait did exist, Mrs Black would in all probability have 
had it destroyed when Sirius left home- after all, his name was 
erased from the family tree.

> Phineas clearly knew about Sirius, for example.
> 
> Now, I know that this would only be a bland copy, and that it would 
> never happen, but what would be a better birthday-gift for Harry 
from 
> Dumbledore (or a better inheritance for Harry from Sirius) than a 
> portrait of Sirius who Harry can turn to for advice and the like?
> 
> Your thoughts?
> 
> Alon
> Who would have personally contacted Sirius as follows if he didn't 
> have the mirror: 
> 1) Ask a portrait (Sir Cardogan, The Fat Lady, Violet, etc.) to 
> either walk over to the Headmaster's office or some other location 
> where a Headmaster's painting is and *beg* Phineas for a message: 
> Sure, he might not like to comply, but some of the other 
Headmasters 
> might employ peer pressure
> 2) Even better: Ask a ghost (Sir Nick or, better yet, Myrtle) to 
> glide to the Headmaster's office and do the same...