Dobby's Gift

[Jen Reese]

No: HPFGUIDX 105563

Suzanne:
> When I recently reread OoTP, this exchange sent chills
> down my back.
> There are so many portraits of dead wizards inhabited
> in some sense by
> the wizards themselves, even though they are quite
> dead. These wizard
> portraits are quite important in this book. Given the
> mostly unknown but
> powerful magical abilities of house elves, I cannot
> help but think that
> Harry may indeed die and will wind up inhabiting
> Dobby's crude portrait.


Jen: This was an interesting painting because 1) It's the only 
portrait we've seen so far that isn't moving & 2) We never find out 
anything about its history, like why Dobby is giving it to Harry or 
if it is indeed a painting of Harry. 

It seems like, after Dobby almost killed Harry of course, that he
gives Harry very useful things: Gillyweed, bringing back Hedwig,
introducing him to the Room of Requirement. Then we have the Snitch
socks and the painting, which haven't proven useful...yet. 

JKR mentioned houselves have their own 'powerful magic'--it makes 
sense they might be able to weave magic into socks or paint it into 
a painting, offering the user protection or power of some sort.

Jen Reese