OOP:Portraits (was Sirius)

[kiricat2001]

No: HPFGUIDX 62001

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Diana" <dianasdolls at y...> 
wrote:
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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.  

Makes you wonder about Mrs. Black's portrait.  She's described as an 
old woman, drooling, with rolling eyes and stretched, yellow skin.  I 
wouldn't think the portrait was done with her looking quite like 
that.  However, she retains memories of Sirius' renounciation of the 
family.  Is she seeing him as the 16-year-old-kid who left home? Or 
does she percieve him as the 35+ year-old he is now?  And does 
she "know" who the other people are in the house?  Or does she simply 
assume that if they're there with Sirius' blessing, they must also be 
blood traitors?

 
>   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.  
>

Yes, I'd agree.  They obviously are not stuck in the time they were 
painted, or Phineas would have no idea who Sirius was.  Obviously, 
they are able to understand what's going on in current times.  To use 
Phineas as an example, they also seem to keep their original 
personality.  He couldn't stand students and still loathes them.  I 
wonder how useful his advice and support have been to other 
Headmasters, since most of what he has to say about kids is 
derogatory.  No wonder he was the least popular Headmaster Hogwarts 
ever had.

Another question about portraits.  We know the people can go from 
picture to picture, visiting each other.  But, I think this is the 
first time we seen portraits go from one building to another, 
assuming they are "hung" in more than one location.  Is this a 
characteristic of all wizard paintings?  Or is this a special trait 
that the Headmaster paintings have?

Marianne