[HPforGrownups] Re: "Empty" pictures?

[Scott Santangelo]

No: HPFGUIDX 95166


SB4E wrote: 
I may be wrong, but I was under the impression that DD routinely had discussions (with the portraits in his office) . . . if your theory is correct on them being sentients of their former selves . . . would serve no purpose for Dumbledore, especially with ones like  Phineas, because they would be so removed from the current issues . . . I am still not convinced 
exactly how they work.  
> 
> Geoff:
> I don't think that my suggestion excludes these portraits to be able to discuss current matters once the information has been relayed to them by Dumbledore or someone else.  What they /can't/ do is discuss them as if they themselves had continued living into the situation. A poor analogy would be to say (snip) I can look as it as an observer and commentator but not as a participant in that sense . . .

Potioncat:
I agree with Geoff.  The portraits would have whatever wisdom and view points of the painting's subject, and perhaps memories of events up to that time.  Obiviously the portrait of Phineas would have memories of events that have happened in the Headmaster's office as well.  And the portrait obviously had feelings for his current family even though the original Phineas would never have met them.  But he still isn't the original Phineas. . . Mrs. Black's portrait has a different purpose and seems to be fairly limited in its abilities. I don't really think Harry will come across any magic portraits of 
his parents or Sirius.  But if he does, I say again, it won't be the real person.

Owlery2003 comments:

We honestly don't "know" about the portraits' abilities, but I think the magic goes deeper that that, and that in fact, the "real person" is being imaged in much the same way as the ghosts "reflect" the thoughts and ideas of the living wizards who well remember thier former selves. Of course the portraits are bound by a different dimension/rules than living beings, and of course, "can't" be human in the sense of walking around and going to feasts, but they give every sense of knowing, thinking, and otherwise "being" who they are. Strange as it seems, this is a form of wizard afterlife, and these characters have demonstrated the ability to move between different portraits (their own and others), to share/discuss current topics, and to act as spies. This is a double-edged sword, and we've really only seen the "good" edge so far. Wonder what portraits are in the Malfoy mansion?!



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