Portraits & Photographs

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 190475



--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "sbursztynski" <greatraven at ...> wrote:
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> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Joey Smiley" <happyjoeysmiley@> wrote:
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> > > ...
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> > Joey:
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> > In fact, it seems odd that people of WW don't get their portraits in place before they die. It's hard to consider Phineas or Fat Lady dead, isn't it?
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> > Cheers,
> > ~Joey :-)
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> Sue:
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> Or Dumbledore, for that matter. His portrait is issuing orders to Snape all through Deathly Hallows.
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Steve:

Well, we do know that people get their portraits made before they die.

And per my previous explanation, portraits are like actor in a play, they play their role well, but, as JKR has said, you can't probe them at depth or the illusion breaks down. 

However, here is an interesting possibility. If we assume Dumbledore's portrait was already in existance before his death, then that portrait was available to Dumbledore.

Dumbledore knew he was dying, it is possible the spoke to his portrait and kept the portrait filled in on his plans, so the portrait could give appropriate advice after Dumbledore was gone. 

Portraits do have a limited degree of sentience, in that they can remember, act autonomously, and they can engage in dynamic dialog; they don't simple keep reciting the same script. 

So, Dumbledore, sensing his eminent death, could have told the portrait the grand master plan, so the portrait could carry on after he was gone. 

Hey ... it could happen. 

Steve/bboyminn