Phineas' portrait( wasRe: Nature of Sorting)

[Hannah]

No: HPFGUIDX 125560


> Ginger wrote:  
<snip>
> This got me thinking, and leads me to my question:  Do you (as in 
all  of you) think that Harry got the particular room at #12 because 
the  portrait was in there (or that the portrait was put in that 
room) so  that PN could keep an ear, if not an eye, on Harry for 
DD?  

Hannah:  I think PN's portrait being in the room was no 
coincidence.  Whether Harry was given the room because of the 
portrait being there, or that PN's portrait was placed in that room 
when it was decided Harry would sleep there, I don't know.  But I'm 
sure that DD keeps a much closer eye on Harry than it would seem - 
doesn't he say as much himself at the end of OotP?

Having Phineas there proved extremely useful at Christmas, when 
Harry considered running away.  He could also have monitored Harry's 
dreams and his behaviour in general.  Suppose Harry had been 
literally possessed, like Ginny was in CoS.  PN could have reported 
it to DD very quickly, hopefully before anyone else in 12GP got hurt.

DD was afraid to have too much contact with Harry directly in OotP.  
By using Phineas, he was able to have a close connection to Harry 
without Harry himself - and therefore possibly LV - realising it.

Hannah