Portraits

[Cougie]

It wasn't really explained whether portraits of the dead retained their memories or just their personalities. Because if they did Harry could continue to receive information and tips from Dumbledores portrait. Phineas Nigellus seemed to know a bit about himself.

[Un'Anima Persa]

I was thinking the same thing...

If they did retain memories, and their personality, then maybe there has to be some grounds for getting a portrait like that done...

Con legilimency(sp?) be used on portraits? That would be useful... VERY useful...

And in a sense, if they do hold everything from their lives except for their bodies, DD can still run the order, you know, give advice... and for hogwarts also...

SO many questions... i need to think more!!

[child of darkness]

Dumbledore in a portrait doesn't seem right, hes just not supposed to be locked up and immobile. Why didn't Serius have a portraiso Harry could talk to him, does a body actually need to be found for a portrait or just the knowledge that somebody is dead?

[Froggs]

I was one of the believers that Sirius did have a portrait and that HP would converse with it in OotP, that obviously didn't work out!

[glamourweaver]

Perhaps the portraits must be prepared before death & are invested with memories & aspects of one's personality in a Pensive-like manner... so it would have as much of the subject that the subject was willing to give it.

[Un'Anima Persa]

maybe you have to be dead!!

then maybe sirius is alive!!!!!

oh how i love to dream...

[Athena Appleton]

Portraits do seem to retain some memories at least. Phinneus seems to remember, and Mrs. Black (Sirius's mother) DEFINATELY does. Besides, the talking portraits of Headmasters seem to be there for help and advice, as well as general errand running.

[Amythest]

Dumbledore does have a portrait, it was added after his death in "his" (McG's at the time) Office. He was asleep. But exactly, he could totally give advice or atleast fortune cookie hidden hints through the painting... though this would have to occur in his office without McG, as the paintings are immobile.
As for Serius, I beleive i read some where that there was a communication mirror between him and harry in OotP that seemed to have mysteriously faded out of HBP. maybe Harry will find it...or find a way to release serius through it... at the end of book seven...I mean come on, hasn't he spent enough time locked up?

[SunsetG|rl]

i do believe portraits are limited...i mean if it would be so easy to gain this sort of immortality...wouldn't they all go for it? and has anyone actually seen a portrait making spells? i think portraits just keep a bit of who they were on the moment of the making of the portrait... and maybe they get their own (still limited) knowledge. they hear people talk and that combined with the personality they got from the living person they can speak some thoughts or bring some ideas.
but i doubt they can be considered plausibils wittnesses...oh wait...the fat lady could tell it was sirius who broke in the common room
oh well...i stick to the ideea they are limitated...compared to a living person.

[Froggs]

I don't think DD's portrait will be handing out advice to anyone in the next book. I think his painting may say things like "Quite Right dear Minerva" and "Whatever you say HeadMistress, I'm sure you know what is best." or "That lovely witch at St. Mungo's has shared her Chocolate Cockroach Clusters with me, wasn't that thoughtful?". I think DD giving serious advice through his portrait would undermine all that we know about him. I picture him (pun intended) enjoying his portrait life like a kind of retirement.

[Person1]

In the midst of a war, i think not! As you can see, the characters int he paintings do react, as The old headmaster, (Sirus's great grandfather or something....) reacted when he found out Sirus was dead. I think in that same way, DD will react to this situation with seriousness.

[Froggs]

In the midst of a war, i think not! As you can see, the characters int he paintings do react, as The old headmaster, (Sirus's great grandfather or something....) reacted when he found out Sirus was dead. I think in that same way, DD will react to this situation with seriousness.

I don't think the reader will be privy to DD's portrait pusuits in book 7, I doubt HP will spend much time in Hogwarts. Seriously, DD barking orders from an 8 by 10 would be an insult to his character, but I guess we'll see.

[Athena Appleton]

Dumbledore does have a portrait, it was added after his death in "his" (McG's at the time) Office. He was asleep. But exactly, he could totally give advice or atleast fortune cookie hidden hints through the painting... though this would have to occur in his office without McG, as the paintings are immobile.
As for Serius, I beleive i read some where that there was a communication mirror between him and harry in OotP that seemed to have mysteriously faded out of HBP. maybe Harry will find it...or find a way to release serius through it... at the end of book seven...I mean come on, hasn't he spent enough time locked up?

By "release Sirius through it", do you mean somehow bring him back to life? I think it's been pretty established that Sirius is dead for good. There is still the mirror, and if Harry thinks to retrieve it, there's something gonna happen with it (read the mugglenet interview with Rowling). I've heard some rumors that it's one of the Horcruxes, but I really doubt there would be two Horcruxes somehow already in the Black family possession, and the locket that won't open (from Grimmauld Place) is almost certainly the locket from the Horcruxes.

i do believe portraits are limited...i mean if it would be so easy to gain this sort of immortality...wouldn't they all go for it? and has anyone actually seen a portrait making spells? i think portraits just keep a bit of who they were on the moment of the making of the portrait... and maybe they get their own (still limited) knowledge. they hear people talk and that combined with the personality they got from the living person they can speak some thoughts or bring some ideas.
but i doubt they can be considered plausibils wittnesses...oh wait...the fat lady could tell it was sirius who broke in the common room
oh well...i stick to the ideea they are limitated...compared to a living person.

The portraits are one of the aspects of the HP books that totally confuse me. I think a portrait retains its knowledge, and its main limitation is that it's area of post-death knowledge is limited to what they can see/hear from the portrait. It's clear they offer advice, and if Dumbledore is needing advice from someone, that person would have to be using more than just the personality. The Marauders Map only preserved the personality of someone from the past, but the portraits seem to be able to be a little more personable than that.

I think DD giving serious advice through his portrait would undermine all that we know about him. I picture him (pun intended) enjoying his portrait life like a kind of retirement.

See, that's a statement I really don't get and it's one a lot of people seem to agree with. Even though Dumbledore was eccentric and tried to keep things as light as possible, he was never glib when it was inappropriate, and there was a lot more to him than jokes and pleasantness. I think he definately wants to enjoy, the way you put hit, "his portrait life", but that'll have to wait until AFTER the huge danger has passed.

I don't think the reader will be privy to DD's portrait pusuits in book 7, I doubt HP will spend much time in Hogwarts. Seriously, DD barking orders from an 8 by 10 would be an insult to his character, but I guess we'll see.

I do agree with that. BUT I do think we'll see him guiding the Order, and Harry in particular, as to what to do, and giving encouragement and support.

[Froggs]

Let em try to explain...No, I don't think DD's portrait will make glib remarks whilst hearing of people dying under LV, I was attempting humor in my other post. If anything, I am sure he will be suuportive of McGonagal and her duties. BUT I think one of the reasons that DD's portrait was snoozing when HP and MM entered the office is because JKR does not want to belittle the CHARACTER of DD... if DD was alert and giving advice it would have been sadder, almost pathetic, like watching an eagle with his wings clipped. I may be 100% wrong, but I don't think we (*the readers) will be aware of anything that DD's portrait does first hand. It is something I would expect to learn about towards the end of the book, perhaps from MM herself, for example "We never would have guessed that you were here Harry, if had not been for something DD's portrait mentioned" etc. etc. Does that make sense?

[Augusta Longbottom]

Froggs, I agree with you. I don't think DD will be barking orders...and I do think he will interject when need be, but won't flat out tell others what to do or what should be done...that's McGonagall's job now. However, if they need assistance, I see DD providing clues or riddles to point them in the right direction. I can't see DD stepping on McGonagall's toes since this is now HER office. Yet, I don't see DD completely abandoning them when they need help the most. I think I understood what you were saying Froggs, and agree with you entirely.