Dobby gave Harry a portrait of himself (Harry) for Christmas in OOTP. Harry opens it, and as usual with Dobby's gifts he doesn't seem too thrilled or intrigued with it. That makes sense, especially in OOTP, since Harry's fame was part of his problem in that book, and so having a portrait of himself would be especially tense.

But, we know the wizard portraits are magical.
We know elves have their own special magic.
We know that things Harry minimizes or overlooks are often important.
We know Dobby is important, and knew things about Harry that were important before he even met him.
We know that in the very room where Harry opened this odd and disturbing gift, Harry was being watched over by the portrait of Phineas Nigellus.

Is the portrait an important object overlooked by Harry?
Could the portrait Dobby gave him be in any way be looking over Harry?

And what about the fact that Dobby, an elf, is doing art? It struck me as very interesting.

Good catch, Pumpkinjuice!

Interesting thought! I wonder what an elf-made portrait can do that perhaps a wizard made one can't. Where was this, I'd love to read it for the specifics... like did it move and look back at Harry? I have such a vague rememberance of it, but you're right... the simplest thing often mean something!

Its on page 502 of the American edition, buried in the litany of Christmas gifts, tho Fred and George do apparate in and comment on it being a "good likeness", after commenting that it looked like a "gibbon with two black eyes".

I should say that Harry guessed that Dobby did it himself, and the fact that it is Harry is unknown until one of the twins points out that it says so on the back.

It's very interesting... Of all the things for Dobby to give him... a portrait is suspiciously magical. I wonder if Dobby enchanted it somehow to protect Harry, or at least watch over him. I don't think that it could tallk... as "gibbons" don't usually have a lot to say, but perhaps by putting what Dobby sees as Harry's likeness on canvas, it somehow protects him with elfin magic????

I agree that it was an odd present... if you think about it, Dobby must be amassing a tidy sum, because even though he only makes a tiny bit per week, he still lives at Hogwarts, gets his meals there, and has Hermione providing him with enough clothing to cover 100 elves.

Also, as you implied, we have never seen Dobby do anything artistic before. Now this may just be a sign that Dobby is growing intellectually with his freedom, but it is suspicious. He could have easily bought Harry some gruesome gift, or found something interesting in the Room of Requirement. He could have made him some special treat in the kitchen where he works, there were so many options... why a portrait?

I was thinking something along those lines. I suppose it could just be another hand-made gift, like the socks, but portraits are, as you say, not the everyday object. It's possible it is there to call attention to the portrait in that room that gives Harry directions (PN) from DD, but I dunno....I want to think this has some kind of Dobby investment.

Trying to remember where if at all Dobby ever comes in in OOTP besides the gift.....

Hmmm...interesting idea you have there. It is true that dobby related things tend to pop up in the series more than once, no matter how small the incidence. It could also just be a symbol of Dobby's loyalty to Harry, but it would be completely neat if it had some hidden elven magic melded into it as well.

Nice catch pumpkinjuice!



Usagi, I agree that this could just be a sign of Dobby's loyalty to Harry. I mean what could the portrait end up being? Harry's evil twin?

Of course it can have some magical properties (Dobby being able to keep an eye on Harry, when Harry watches his portrait he'd be able to remember important things or see details he couldn't see when he lived the thing), but on the other hand, I can't help compare it to a fans' behaviour : they are very keen on drawing their idol, and send the portrait to them (I've been a fan in my youth :-) and have talked with other fans).

Yes but is it likely Harry still has the portrait? I mean we haven't heard ANYTHING about it since book 5. I would guess that Harry may have disposed of it as for it was being made fun of by Fred and George Weasley.

I had been thinking the same thing just before I read your post jiggery-pokery. If I was Harry, I probably would have thrown it out, or put it somewhere that no one would be able to find it.

Very good idea! I agree that it is likely it'll have alot of signifigance, more than the Character Zacharias Smith.

Mod Edit: No need for such large font.

I really dont think Harry would throw out a gift from Dobby. Dobby was Harry's hero in GoF for providing the Gilly-weed, remember. And Harry did wear Dobby's ridiculous mismatched socks that time after being horrified by them.

Harry has very little in the way of connections to people/beings. Even a silly looking portrait from Dobby is likely to mean something to him even after it is mocked by Fred and George.

I just don't think a portrait gets tossed away as insignificant in these books. I'd be disappointed if such a loaded image turns out to not come back at all, after the stupid socks did.

Wow, I've never thought about this. Your theory is very good and makes a lot of sense, thinking about it now it could play some importance in book 7. But then again it might just be a picture by a house-elf...

what an interesting topic!! good tho

well i deffinatly think that the portrait might have some importance my reasoning for this is that everytime dobby shows up in the book it has something to do with him "helping" harry it may not have helped directly or positivly like with the bludger and petunias desseart and the barier at kings cross (well in dobbys mind he was helping harry the whole time) but none the less he was helping him in some way so the portriat could be really helpfull like the room of requirement or it could be a clue hence helping harry indirectly. doby generally knows things the trio dont i mean he is a house elf at hogwarts maybe he heard someone (DD) discussing the importance of portraits so dobby took it upon himself to make harry one. as to where it could help him in the seventh book im not entirely sure yet!!!

I don't know. I may be completely wrong, but I think the portrait was just a gift and nothing more. It doesn't mention it being able to move like the wizard portraits. However, if Dobby had given Harry a portrait of Dobby himself, then I would tend to think that maybe Dobby would use it to watch over Harry. But, as it is, I think the gift was just a gift with no magical qualities. But like I said, I could be wrong. The truth is coming ever so much closer!!

We know Elves have very powerful magic (I think hermione told us this in CoS), they just need their masters permission to to it... Dobby is free now, but the only Powers we've seen him to is a hovering charm, apperateing, and knocking back lucius malfoy... The hover charm is probobly meant for serveing food... not very powerful as such. Apperateing is just that, quick travel. And knocking lucius back is handy, but i'm not sure I would call is "very powerful". I think there is a possibilty that we see more of House Elf powers in DH.

Anyone have Ideas of what these powers might be?

We didnt SEE the portrait of Harry move, but that doesent mean it doesent. How do you make a portrait move, any ideas on that also?

If memory serves me correctly, Collin Creevy said that he was developing his pictures in the special chemical or potion that will make the pictures move once they are done developing. Dobby, I assume, used paints or something to that effect so there wouldn't have been any developing in that special potion to make the portrait move. If he did do something to it however, it would have been from his own magic I would think.

Still, I'm not sold on the idea that the portrait Dobby made for Harry will be of importance in DH. I may be wrong, and if I am, I'll be the first to admit it. But I think the gift was just a gift.

I think Dobby gave harry a painting as its alot mnore personal than sweets or somthing from the room of requirement and it show how loyal to harrry dobby is. so i think this doesnt symbolise the apinting being significent in DH but rather the loyalty and friendship of Dobby which will be significant.