portrait in GH -Nature of Movement

[nkafkafi]

No: HPFGUIDX 97516

bboy_mn:

<snip> just
having a portrait in your house especially in your bedroom would, in
my book, be an awkward invasion of privacy. Even more so for teenage
boys who are often compelled to releave certain hormonal urges. (yes,
an unpleasant subject, but a harsh reality of teen life.) My point is
that even if portraits are very restricted in movement, they are still
a substantial invasion of privacy.

Neri adds:

It's not only the portraits, it's even some mirrors ("tuck your shirt 
in, scruffy!"). I hate to think what this mirror would have to say 
when the teenager will use it to check how much certain areas of 
his/her body have matured...  
 
bboy_mn:

Now Dumbledore adds a new concept, portrait characters who have
portraits in other locations can move between those portraits. Based
on the wizard who ran to find the injured Mr Weasley, once at the new
location, they are again able to move from portrait to portrait.

This second character's movement ability (location to location) seems
a reasonable extension of the first ability to move (local portrait to
local portrait). I see no reason to restrict it to
Headmaster/headmistresses.

Portraits of this nature are not going to be very common. Hand painted
portraits are usually only found in rich people's house and public
buildings (government offices and museums). My point here is that hand
painted magical portraits are probably not a problem for the average
wizard, because they can't afford them.

Neri:

Many portraits are hung in public places, such as St. Mungo's and the 
MoM. I can't believe Fudge, for example, would have tolerated this 
had he known that they report to DD. No matter how rare are hand-
painted portraits, if any wizard who has more than one portrait can 
travel between his portraits the secret would be out very quickly, 
and this ability would have been common knowledge. There is also that 
wink that Dilys gives Harry when he enters St. Moungo's. My strong 
impression is that this is a secret between DD and the past 
headmasters of Hogwarts, known to very few beside them, but I can't 
find definitive canon to either prove or disprove it.

If we go back to the idea that started this discussion: a portrait in 
GH reporting to DD what happened in that fateful night, well, if I 
was Voldy the first thing I would have done when entering the 
Potters' house is blasting any portrait out of the wall. Unless it is 
not common knowledge that they can run and bring DD.

Neri