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

[milena89]

The paintings, including Dumbledore, has some importance to them. they're there for a reason. So the painting with Dumbledore will help Harry very much.

[loonylizzy]

I think that DD's portrait will be able to help Harry in a similar way that he helped him before his death. Or, at least, the portrait will still be able to give the same advice and assistence.

Things to consider:
1. Dumbledore likely relayed most of what he knew about Voldemort to Harry previous to his death. Hence, further assistence will not give away the plot or anything because DD cannot tell Harry everything there is to know...they will figure it out together.

2. This is important if 1 is going to work. The portrait has to be more than just a remnant of DD's appearance. Though it is obviously not DD's soul trapped on canvas or anything, it will still be able to reason etc. like a wizard. Basis for this hypothesis: All the other portraits in the office not only remember what happened when they were headmaster/headmistress, they are also quite opinionated about what SHOULD happen in the present . This suggests they have reasoning power and maintain personality/ability.

[LunanNeville]

Dumbledore's portrait, like all of the other portrait, will be a physical representation of DD's personality. It looks like him, sounds like him, moves like him, and can give advice like he would...

That being said, the portrait is limited in many ways:

1) It is a stationary object that is in the office of the Headmistress/Headmaster of Hogwarts, which Harry has already expressed that he will not be returning to. That doesn't mean he won't go there for other reasons, but he won't be attending school.

2) If Harry does come to Hogwarts to get DD's possessions or for whatever, and he does talk to the portrait, the portrait is still limited in how much it is capable of helping. All he may find is some comfort and some advice... that's about it.

I believe that DD knew his time was almost up, and that he told Harry everything that he possibly could tell him that would be beneficial to him...

If anything becomes of the portrait, I don't think it will likely be more insight...

Now that being said, if Harry does find some insight somewhere, DD's memories would be a good place, and therefore I think that the pensieve would be more helpful...just my opinion

[Kopannie]

Originally Posted by loonylizzy

I think that DD's portrait will be able to help Harry in a similar way that he helped him before his death. Or, at least, the portrait will still be able to give the same advice and assistence.

Things to consider:
1. Dumbledore likely relayed most of what he knew about Voldemort to Harry previous to his death. Hence, further assistence will not give away the plot or anything because DD cannot tell Harry everything there is to know...they will figure it out together.

2. This is important if 1 is going to work. The portrait has to be more than just a remnant of DD's appearance. Though it is obviously not DD's soul trapped on canvas or anything, it will still be able to reason etc. like a wizard. Basis for this hypothesis: All the other portraits in the office not only remember what happened when they were headmaster/headmistress, they are also quite opinionated about what SHOULD happen in the present . This suggests they have reasoning power and maintain personality/ability.

I agree compleatly. I have always believed that the portrits have to be able to learn new information and dispense timely, current, advice.

[jenny_d_b]

I think his portrait will be important, although it won't be Dumbledore in person it could still be useful. I think Harry will spend some brief time at Hogwarts, probably to find out more about Dumbledore's pensieve, talk to McGonnagall about his quest (I think he'll tell her eventually) and so on. And of course, say goodbye to Hagrid whom he might not see for a long time.

[Schlubalybub]

Yes I think it can speak. All of the other portraits can speak, so why not Dumbledores?

[Voldemorts8thHorcrux]

I don't think it will help Harry for only one or two horcruxes, maybe give harry a clue where it is, but he won't do much. He will want Harry to do it himself.

[blax03]

In chamber of secrets... Dumbledore says the line about how he will never be gone as long as those who remain are loyal to him... will that matter now that he is dead? Or will his portrait be how he "remains"?

[galleon]

We did see DD's portrait sleeping in book 6. I always wondered why Harry or anyone else did not try to talk to it.

I just have one concern. Harry has been very tight-lipped with McGonagall lately. Will she allow him to consult DD's portrait in the Headmaster's office? Will she allow him to free access whenever he needs it and without her being there?

[Misfit_Soul]

She should, though she may be reluctant. Despite all of the trio's adventures, they are still her students and she has always treated them as such.

Perhaps there is some waiting period for a portrait to finally wake up.

[IgoRetla]

I don't think the prtrait in the Head's office will be the only one. Remember, we're told that it depends on how famous the wizard is, so with Dumbledore, there would be one at Hogwarts, one at the Ministry (the Wizengamot), one at the International Confederation of Wizards....who knows where else. Probably in his family home as well, much as Phineas Nigellus.

[veela101]

Is it possible to use the chocolate frog pictures, because they are pictures of dumbledore?

[Schlubalybub]

I think that JKR said that the Chocolate Frog cards were "a good idea" but I don't think they will work, I think that Harry will only be able to talk to him through the portrait, because I've always had the impression that the chocolate frog cards were photographs, and we know that photographs can make the odd noise but they can't talk like portraits can

[Hes]

Originally Posted by galleon

We did see DD's portrait sleeping in book 6. I always wondered why Harry or anyone else did not try to talk to it.

Because he wasn't alone with it. McGonagall would have been listening and Harry had promised not to talk about the horcruxes etc with anyone besides Ron and Hermione. He couldn't have asked McGonagall to leave her own office for a while.

I just have one concern. Harry has been very tight-lipped with McGonagall lately. Will she allow him to consult DD's portrait in the Headmaster's office? Will she allow him to free access whenever he needs it and without her being there?

The Order is aware that Harry is of vital importance to the defeat of Voldemort in the end, so I think McGonagall will try to help Harry as much as possible. Dumbledore might have given her instructions in regard to Harry in case something would happen to him. So I think she will give him access to the portrait.

[__Bellatrix__]

Originally Posted by IgoRetla

I don't think the prtrait in the Head's office will be the only one. Remember, we're told that it depends on how famous the wizard is, so with Dumbledore, there would be one at Hogwarts, one at the Ministry (the Wizengamot), one at the International Confederation of Wizards....who knows where else. Probably in his family home as well, much as Phineas Nigellus.

I think there will probably be other portraits of Dumbledore as well but I don't think it is likely that the ministry will be in a big rush to put up a portrait of Dumbledore, as they are were not quite happy with him, during the last part of his life.

[Schlubalybub]

They were more happy with him in his last year than the previous two years

[Hes]

Originally Posted by __Bellatrix__

I think there will probably be other portraits of Dumbledore as well but I don't think it is likely that the ministry will be in a big rush to put up a portrait of Dumbledore, as they are were not quite happy with him, during the last part of his life.

I tend to agree here, I don't think Scrimgeour will like a Dumbledore portrait in his Ministry. He might have the feeling that someone is watching his every move. Even though the portrait can't really do anything, they might still feel that it influences the Ministry in a bad way.

[Schlubalybub]

I think it all depends on where the portrait was in the Ministry. I mean if it was in Scrimgeour's Office (highly unlikely) I don't think he would be happy about it. However if the portrait was in the foyer/ atrium I don't think he would be all that bothered...

[IgoRetla]

I was just intending to say that there will likely be other places that Harry has access to Dumbledore's portrait than just the Head's office.

And for all we know, McGonagall is one of the early deaths in the book, so her wishes wouldn't be a factor at all.

[Schlubalybub]

But if McGonnagal dies, then Harry has to put up with someone else in the office...someone who may not let Harry into the office at all...