OOP: Sirius (Was: Another Question?)

[Diana]

No: HPFGUIDX 61974

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  But the portraits of people are not really *alive*.  They are not 
actually those people come back to live inside of a painting.  Like 
photographs in the wizarding world, paintings (done with magic paint 
perhaps?) can move and talk and, obviously, retain the personality 
of who they are meant to be, whether once a real person or provided 
by the artist painted the painting in case the subject is from the 
artist's imagination.  
  The images of Sirius from the Daily Prophet and maybe even from 
paintings inside his home will continue to be there, but they will 
only reflect the Sirius as captured at that moment in time.  It may 
be possible for Harry to converse with the image of Sirius in the 
future, but it won't really be Sirius, just an imprint of what he 
was when alive.  The images in a photograph, I noticed, don't really 
extend themselves beyond re-enacting the feelings present in the 
subjects being photographed at that moment.  For example, in the 
picture of Lockhart and Harry that Colin Creevy took, Harry is 
hiding out of sight while Lockhart tries to tug him back into the 
picture because Harry DIDN'T want his picture taken at the time is 
was snapped.  The only other reactions the subjects in photos seem 
to have outside of the feelings present in the person when the photo 
was taken, is when something physically happens to the picture, such 
as tea being dripped on like with Percy's picture of Penelope, or 
Sirius' relatives screaming when the glass over their pictures was 
smashed.   
  That being said, I get the strong impression that the pictures of 
the headmasters in Dumbledore's office are not your usual wizard 
paintings.  I feel that those paintings are very special and are 
there to offer the great wisdom and advice of all the previous 
headmasters to whoever currently holds the position.  After all, it 
is stated that the pictures are sworn to support the headmaster.  
Likewise with the Fat Lady that guards Gryffindor tower.  She holds 
an important job is most likely specially enchanted with certain 
personality enhancements.  

Just my thoughts anyway.

Diana L.

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Jennifer" <thewifenwv at y...> 
wrote:
> I was just wondering?  Why is it that some wizards who have died 
are 
> still alive (so to speak) in portraits.  Such as past headmasters 
> and Sirius's mother?  Maybe Sirius will come back in a portrait 
> since we know that two of his relatives have.
>> 
> "Jennifer"