Portrait

Magical portraits are common in the wizarding world. The subjects of portraits are sentient, can speak to and with people on the outside, and they can move into other portraits in the same building, as well as visit their own portraits in other places. Some pure-blood wizards think that Muggle portraits are weird, because they do not move or display personality.

Portraits Beings
Beings in painted portraits have most of the capabilities of physical beings, only from inside the world of their frame or network of portraits near by in which they can travel to. They are usually ressurected for a fixed purpose which they stick to. They are fully sentient, however the details of the personalities and memories vary depending on the circumstances of their being painted, and in most cases are more like an "echo" of the person they represent. They are still conscious beings, only embedded inside a frame. In most cases they are not able to accurately remember all of their subject's memories, and therefore have separate memories and a separate existence from within the portrait world whilst taking the form of a real person. Therefore it is safe to say, that in most cases a portrait being's personality is only a replica of their subject's. However if the portrait painter is drawing themselves, it is most likely that the portrait being will have exactly the same personality and memories of the subject (depending on which aspects of themselves the subject wants to be portrayed). Portrait beings are aware that they are not actually the person they represent but a replica, and they may describe themselves as 'a copy of their self.' It is thought that the accuracy of a portrait personality is that of where and/or when the being's personality is depicted, the accuracy could also depend on how well the portrait painter knows the person they are painting.

Portait beings can live indefinitely, although they are not completely immortal, and it is thought that if caused by another portrait being, or if the portrait is damaged from means of the outside world, then a being can die. However portraits can be restored. It is also assumed that portrait beings can reproduce alike physical beings.

Portraits are often resurrected after a person's death, this can allow the person to live on to some extent. Portrait beings may not only be Humans but animals as well. Entire landscapes can also exist in portraits, as seen in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, when the Fat Lady's portrait was damaged, and the portrait she moved to was a landscape with animals in it. It is most likely possible that portrait beings can effectively 'add' to their portraits, and even create places within the portrait that is not visible from the portrait's frame. Portraits are used to guard secret passages, and possibly used for everyday tasks; for example, a portrait being representing the owner of a house-elf could command it in the absence of the owner so that the house can be maintained.

The portraits of past Headmasters at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry are resurrected to help the current Headmaster. A portrait of a Headmaster appears in the office after their death. These portraits only have memories which shall be useful to assisting future headmasters, and are therefore barely accurate although these portraits' personalities are similar to that of their subject's.

Portraits v Magical Photographs
Portraits are different than the moving photographs seen in the wizarding world. While photographs also move, the people in them are only that which they were when the picture was taken. Meaning they cannot converse with people outside their photos, cannot move from their photos, and are not aware of events happening outside their photos. They are essentially in the isolated world of their photograph.

Travelling in portraits
Apparently, only a single portrait-being of an individual can exist, and they must spend turns among different framed portraits of themselves only with which they are linked. Apparently if the location inside two portraits are the same, then a being could essentially be in both portraits at one time; it is possible that this trick is used as a mean of communication. Two people viewing two different portraits of the same being/object which is portrayed in the same location, could see the other party out of the other portrait's frame. The two parties could then communicate with each other through the two frames. This could supposedly be done either with or without the intervention of a portrait being. It is unknown whether this use of portrait magic is actually used, but is most likely possible. This trick is similar to a two-way mirror.

Phineas Nigellus Black has a painting in the Headmaster's office in Hogwarts and at 12 Grimmauld Place. In 1997, Hermione took Phineas' portrait from 12 Grimmauld Place and placed it in her small, beaded bag and carried it with her during their travels. Later, Harry, asked the portrait of Phineas Nigellus if it was possible to bring Professor Dumbledore from his portrait in Hogwarts to the portrait from Grimmauld Place, but Phineas Nigellus angrily answered that the portraits of Hogwarts may commune with each other, but they cannot travel outside the castle except to visit a painting of themselves hanging nearby.

Headmaster portraits

 * Albus Dumbledore
 * Ambrose Swott
 * Armando Dippet
 * Basil Fronsac
 * Dexter Fortescue
 * Dilys Derwent – Linked to St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries in London.
 * Eoessa Sakndenberg
 * Everard – Linked to the Ministry of Magic.
 * Heliotrope Wilkins
 * Newton Scamander
 * Phineas Nigellus Black – Linked to 12 Grimmauld Place in London.
 * Quentin Trimble
 * Severus Snape
 * Vulpus
 * Walter Aragon

Behind the scenes

 * In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, it is established that at least some portrait subjects have the ability to move between different portraits, at least within Hogwarts. After her portrait is damaged, the Fat Lady vacates it, and a search of other portraits is ordered (and she is indeed found hiding in one nearby). In a deleted scene, Sir Cadogan is also shown moving from portrait to portrait, even to the extent of flirting with a female portrait.

Notes and references
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