[the_old_crowd] Canned memories

[Catherine Coleman]

This
Was
Going 
To
Be
A
Me
Too
But
I've 
Changed
My 
View
Whilst
Writing


--- davewitley <dfrankiswork at ...> wrote:
> 
> Kneasy:
> 
> > I was sort of relying on DD's portrait launching into the
> > final explication at the end of book 7. But if he's got memory 
> blanks that
> > exercise might be less than complete.
> 
> Oh, no.
> 
> What *I* foresee is a truly heartrending scene in which Harry finds 
> out the limitations of portraits.
> 
> He will dash into the HM's study, and start asking Dumbledore's 
> portrait questions.  The portrait will start by courteously, and 
> twinklingly, no doubt, asking Harry who he is.

Yes, the idea of that was quite upsetting, but I'm now quite confused by JKR's assertion that
these portraits are mere imprints.  Phineas Nigellus is probably the portrait we have seen the
most of, substantively and his character seems fully formed; he seems to have a fairly good grasp
of his own past history (certainly remembers what it was like being headmaster, for example), he
is capable, as all of the ex-head teachers are, of having fully formed opinions on everything, he
is alert and able to understand the context of what is going on around him and he is capable of
reacting to current events on an emotional level - hence his reaction to the death of Sirius. 
What is missing?

So I'm thinking that Dumbledore's portrait could be a useful devise in the final installment -
both from an emotional perspective, and from imparting important exposition.

> 
> David, who doean't understand why people keep asking after Neil

Yes you do!

Catherine


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