Re: The Prince’s Tale

[Mari]

No: HPFGUIDX 172612

guzu wrote: 
 
Maybe. Snape was a Ministry-appointed Headmaster, right? Is there a 
portrait of Umbridge in the Headmaster's office? It's not mentioned 
either way, but when Harry walks in to all the applause and tears of 
the portraits at the end, I think Umbridge's would have stood out, 
had it been there; it wouldn't have been too happy. 

Mari again:

Well, I see Snape's situation as different. Yes, he was appointed by 
the ministry, who was effectively controlled by Voldemort. However, 
because of his actual loyalty to Dumbledore, he had access to the 
same office that Dumbledore and the other legitimate headmasters and 
mistresses had used, and interacted with their portraits. A major 
purpose of having the portraits there is to give advice to new 
incumbents. 

If you remember, Umbridge, because she was NOT actually loyal to the 
school or acting in its best interests, was not able to gain access 
to the office at all. She had to continue to use her own office, not 
Dumbledore's. It looks as if the magic operates to shut out any 
headmaster or headmistress who does not have the legitimate right to 
be there. Remember DUMBLEDORE wanted Snape to watch over things at 
Hogwarts, and perhaps he thought the best way Snape could do this was 
by being Headmaster. He was, after all, Dumbledore's right hand man. 
He could continue to get advice from Dumbledore's portrait. Snape 
even used 'Dumbledore' as the password to gain access to the office!

The above suggests that even if it is not canon, it is *possible* 
that a portrait of Snape would exist in the office. After all, it 
doesn't seem that Phineas Nigellus was a perfect headmaster while he 
was alive, if the behaviour of his portrait is anything to go by. He 
nevertheless has a portrait in the collection.