[HPforGrownups] Re: Portraits & Photographs

[June Ewing]

No: HPFGUIDX 190436

> mellaf88:
> I agree with you and have wondered the extent of the paintings
as well. At one stage, Harry walks into Dumbledore's office and
interrupts a conversation (more than once I think...) between
Dumbledore and the previous Heads. Does this imply that the
portraits maintain a certain sentience? Would the same apply to
busts, etc? The paintings have opinions, moods, habits but are
> they "shadows" of their lives or are they like a benign horcrux?


June:
I do not believe they are a horcrux. A horcrux is dark magic and
is to keep a person alive in flesh not pictures. The photographs
which you see (for instance) in the album Hagrid made for Harry
move due to a spell. Colin Creevy mentions it in The Chamber of
Secrets. The paintings are a little different than the pictures
in the Headmaster's office I think because although they have
thought and are able to do a job we don't know if they are
paintings of actual people or someone's imagination. The photos
in the Headmaster's office however I believe are a part of the
person who has passed on left behind to help the Headmaster or
Headmistress who is presently in the position and they may
contain the memories and knowledge of the previous head but the
actual head has passed over.