Dumbledore's Portrait : Can it speak? Will it be able to help Harry? v2

[Wright1771]

All portraits speak, but I don't see Harry going off to Hogwarts every so often, just for a chat. For the first thing, what is Harry going to say to McGonagall every time he wants a chat with Dumbledore? I'm sure the Headmistress will be suspicious and will expect Harry to let her in on what's going on!
Of course, there are probably other portraits in other places!

[Lord_V]

Originally Posted by Wright1771

All portraits speak, but I don't see Harry going off to Hogwarts every so often, just for a chat. For the first thing, what is Harry going to say to McGonagall every time he wants a chat with Dumbledore? I'm sure the Headmistress will be suspicious and will expect Harry to let her in on what's going on!
Of course, there are probably other portraits in other places!

You are totally right about the fact the new Headmaster/mistress is in the room too, so maybe Harry cannot talk to DD without telling the new Headmatser/mistress about the horcruxes! (If DD won't tell it himself).
Never thought about that

[Nadia]

Originally Posted by Wright1771

Of course, there are probably other portraits in other places!

I think that's the key; another portrait somewhere else. In McGonagall's office, Harry wouldn't have the 'privacy' needed to speak freely about Horcruxes, the Prophecy, etc.
Also, we still don't know how do portraits work; will Dumbledore's portrait be able to talk at all? And if it does, will it remember about Horcruxes?

[Daelin]

That raises an intriguing question:

Just who are the Governors of Hogwarts?

[prongs92]

I would think that even thought he's a new portrait he would be able to help harry in the fight against voldemort. it would be great if it did b/c there are so many things he can learn from voldemort that would be essential to the defeat but there are also other things that need to happen that are almost crucial.
Prongs

another question though i jjust thought of though was does dumbledore have many other portraits some where else???
Prongs

[Beerchick]

I personally would like to see one in Godric's Hollow. I think you are right in the fact that Harry will not have the privacy needed to discuss the Horcrux's in the headmisstress' office. Besides Harry doesnt plan to go back to Hogwarts anyways, which I think is a mistake.

[potterbuff]

As seems to be the general consensus, yes DD's picture will talk as do all the others.

I also agree that Harry can't just go in & out of the head's office whenever he feels like it. One reason is that he won't know the passwords for a start!! From what I can remember the protraits just seem to act as a sounding board as opposed to giving advice. Could be wrong of course, but that's only from memory.

Another point is that what would DD say to Harry? Harry couldn't possibly go to DD with any little thing. This leads to a different thread, but we are of course assuming that:

• DD is actually dead & therefore is a portrait

• Harry lives to be able to talk to DD

Discuss.... lol

[Daelin]

It just hit me - of course Harry can talk to DD through the picture.

But not the portrait, necessarily. Remember the Chocolate Frog cards?

[Nadia]

Originally Posted by Beerchick

I personally would like to see one in Godric's Hollow. I think you are right in the fact that Harry will not have the privacy needed to discuss the Horcrux's in the headmisstress' office. Besides Harry doesnt plan to go back to Hogwarts anyways, which I think is a mistake.

I thought about it too, but, sadly, I don't think we'll see Dumbledore's portrait in Godric's Hollow... I mean, we don't even know if the house still exists! In PS/SS, Hagrid told Dumbledore that he had to rescue harry from the ruins of the house; I think it would be unlikely to find a portrait in a place that doesn't even have walls!

I agree with you on the fact that Harry's not returning to Hogwarts is a mistake... But I believe that he will make one visit to the place at least...

Originally Posted by Daelin

It just hit me - of course Harry can talk to DD through the picture.

But not the portrait, necessarily. Remember the Chocolate Frog cards?

I don't think the Chocolate Frog's Cards can talk; it sounds as if they were just hollograms, in my opinion. Besides, Ron collects them, and he never said something about a card speaking to him...

[Daelin]

Originally Posted by NadineTink

I don't think the Chocolate Frog's Cards can talk; it sounds as if they were just hollograms, in my opinion. Besides, Ron collects them, and he never said something about a card speaking to him...

I agree that ordinarily the Chocolate Frog cards cannot speak, but do you not recall in OOtP that Ron observes that DD says he doesn't care about his honors as long as he remains on the Chocolate Frog cards. And those cards showed up a lot in the first few books, but disappeared right at the point where mentioning them would remind the reader to pay attention to them.

I can imagine how DD makes contact again:

"Harry stared morosely out the window, as Ron hungrily devoured the chocolates on the table.

Suddenly Ron stopped for a moment, turned to Harry and tapped him on the shoulder, trying to give him something.

Harry saw it was one of the Chocolate Frogs.

"No thanks Ron, I'm not hungry", muttered Harry, but Ron insisted.

"But it's Dumbledore, Harry", explained Ron.

"I know he's on the cards." sighed Harry, "but I'm not in the mood for eating or card games."

"That's too bad, Harry" came a familiar voice from the card, "I'm quite fond of Exploding Snap, and that could lighten the mood just now".

Harry stared at the card before him. Albus Dumbledore beamed back at him.

"Hello Harry," said the Hogwarts former Headmaster. "I've missed you too."

[Beerchick]

Originally Posted by NadineTink

I thought about it too, but, sadly, I don't think we'll see Dumbledore's portrait in Godric's Hollow... I mean, we don't even know if the house still exists! In PS/SS, Hagrid told Dumbledore that he had to rescue harry from the ruins of the house; I think it would be unlikely to find a portrait in a place that doesn't even have walls!

I agree with you on the fact that Harry's not returning to Hogwarts is a mistake... But I believe that he will make one visit to the place at least...

There could be another building or house that has his portrait.

[Daelin]

What about Dumbledore's home away from Hogwarts?

JKR said once that only the groundskeeper stays at Hogwarts over the holidays.

[Beerchick]

Originally Posted by Daelin

What about Dumbledore's home away from Hogwarts?

JKR said once that only the groundskeeper stays at Hogwarts over the holidays.

doesnt mean that Dumbledore never lived in Godric's Hollow at one point.

[Nadia]

Originally Posted by Daelin

I agree that ordinarily the Chocolate Frog cards cannot speak, but do you not recall in OOtP that Ron observes that DD says he doesn't care about his honors as long as he remains on the Chocolate Frog cards. And those cards showed up a lot in the first few books, but disappeared right at the point where mentioning them would remind the reader to pay attention to them.

I can imagine how DD makes contact again:

"Harry stared morosely out the window, as Ron hungrily devoured the chocolates on the table.

Suddenly Ron stopped for a moment, turned to Harry and tapped him on the shoulder, trying to give him something.

Harry saw it was one of the Chocolate Frogs.

"No thanks Ron, I'm not hungry", muttered Harry, but Ron insisted.

"But it's Dumbledore, Harry", explained Ron.

"I know he's on the cards." sighed Harry, "but I'm not in the mood for eating or card games."

"That's too bad, Harry" came a familiar voice from the card, "I'm quite fond of Exploding Snap, and that could lighten the mood just now".

Harry stared at the card before him. Albus Dumbledore beamed back at him.

"Hello Harry," said the Hogwarts former Headmaster. "I've missed you too."

That would be quite a shock for Harry, indeed!

As for Dumbledore's home away from Hogwarts... Maybe there's a portrait of DD there, but Harry doesn't know where he lived... He could ask Aberforth, though... I think he (Aberforth) will be crucial in DH, specially to contact Harry with Dumbledore... Maybe there's portrait of Dumbledore in the Hog's Head... After all, Aberforth IS his brother...

[witchsmart]

Daelin:
It just hit me - of course Harry can talk to DD through the picture.

But not the portrait, necessarily. Remember the Chocolate Frog cards?

There was some discussion before about how Dumbledore might be able to talk through his chocolate frog cards, but I believe that a chocolate frog card and a portrait have different magical properties.

Daelin:
I agree that ordinarily the Chocolate Frog cards cannot speak, but do you not recall in OOtP that Ron observes that DD says he doesn't care about his honors as long as he remains on the Chocolate Frog cards. And those cards showed up a lot in the first few books, but disappeared right at the point where mentioning them would remind the reader to pay attention to them.

I think that was just Dumbledore's sense of humor. But you could be right, only Jo knows!

[kash]

well i do think that he will be able to talk from his potraits.. tehre will be one in his office at hogwarts,one in gringotts.and one at the ministry.. and maybe one in grimmauld place cause he was head of the order and it was the head quarters... i feel tat more so now cause of what she said to dan just recently.

[Nadia]

Originally Posted by kash

well i do think that he will be able to talk from his potraits.. tehre will be one in his office at hogwarts,one in gringotts.and one at the ministry.. and maybe one in grimmauld place cause he was head of the order and it was the head quarters... i feel tat more so now cause of what she said to dan just recently.

I really don't think there'll be a portrait of Dumbledore in Grimmauld Place; even though that's the Order's headquarters, I don't think Mrs. Black would be too happy to have the portrait of such a Muggle-lover hanging from her walls... And we know the house has many enchantments and charms, so I don't think that, even though Harry is the new owner, he'd be able to hang a portrait of DD from the walls... And I don't think he wants too, either...

Also, it sounds quite reasonable that they hang his portrait in places like the Ministry or Gringotts, but I think that, if Harry wants to talk to Dumbledore, he needs to find a portrait in a'less populated' place...

[Cymbaline]

Of course it can talk. Has there ever been a portrait in the books that can't?

As to whether or not it can actually give Harry some useful information, that remains to be seen. I assume it can because all the other portraits in the series seem to have the same personality and memories as their former selves, i.e. Phineas Nigellus' concern for Sirius when he found out he died, and also remember how he told Harry he hated teaching because he hated dealing with adolescents emotional problems.

IMO the first question (or one of the first) that Harry will ask the portrait will be "WHY did you trust Snape??!"

There's probably portraits of Dumbledore all over the place in the wizarding world, as he was one of the most powerful and influential wizards in the world. They could be in the Ministry, offices of the Int'l confederation of wizards, the Wizengamot, and probably other places we haven't thought of.

[witchsmart]

Cymbaline:
IMO the first question (or one of the first) that Harry will ask the portrait will be "WHY did you trust Snape??!"

I think that Harry would just blurt out a ton of questions, but that would probably be the most emphasized one. Though I hope that he doesn't wake up until the end of the book because then he will spoil all of the mysteries.

[Nadia]

Originally Posted by witchsmart

I think that Harry would just blurt out a ton of questions, but that would probably be the most emphasized one. Though I hope that he doesn't wake up until the end of the book because then he will spoil all of the mysteries.

I think the key to this question is not what Harry would ask, but what Dumbledore's portrait can answer, and where... I mean, if the only portrait is located in McGonagall's office, then I don't think Harry would be able to talk freely about horcruxed in front of her; he said it himself; Dumbledore didn't want anyone to know about that, and Harry would never betray DD's trust, no matter what...