Interview With A Portrait
This was actually initially a school assignment that I had been reticent about completing. I felt incredibly awkward about interviewing a school portrait and was confused about the point of the exercise. I was incredibly surprised at how informative and interesting it was to speak with someone with so much experience, both in life and after. Portraits are incredibly interesting, particularly those at Hogwarts, and I felt that sharing would be the only thing to do. I also intend to collect other people's interviews if they are willing to include in this book. (Note: Still accepting submissions! Owl me!)
Last Updated
05/31/21
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Albus Dumbledore: An Interview By Ellie Pelto
Chapter 2
Below is the transcription of my interview with the portrait of Professor Albus Dumbledore.
1) What is your name?
My full name is Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, but you may call me Professor Dumbledore. I will answer to either!
2) How old are you?
Oh, well that depends on what you mean, dear. Me, the portrait? I was painted in 1956, so I suppose that makes me, the painting, 58 years young. As for the “real” me, I was born in 1881 and was killed in 1997, so I was the ripe old age of 116.
3) What is your favorite pastime at Hogwarts?
Me, Portrait Dumbledore? I like to have visitors. I particularly enjoy my conversations with the portraits of Rowena Ravenclaw, Godric Gryffindor, and Helga Hufflepuff. Salazar Slytherin is not much of a friendly conversationalist – always wanting to talk about the politics of purebloods versus Muggles. The Fat Lady is also quite an entertainer – she can sing the most beautiful aria.
4) Tell me a story.
After I was painted, I was kept in the Headmaster’s office so that I could become more like him. As you must know, brilliant student as you are, portraits do not know anything that their subjects know, unless they are taught it by the subject of the painting!
When I was a young lad, I used to be quite the troublemaker, though all of my professors thought I was a model student. Anyway, during my fourth year at Hogwarts, I decided that the ugly curtains in my dormitory had to be taken care of. They smelled of Flobberworm mucus (from a poorly performed Levitation charm by a roommate). I decided that it would be a great opportunity to practice my Incendio charm. It had been a while since I had learned it, and I needed to practice it to make sure I wasn’t getting rusty.
I focused on the curtains and cast the spell. WOOSH, the curtains went up in flames! I counted to ten. Then, I put them out with an Aguamenti charm. I told the Head of Gryffindor house that I “accidentally” set them aflame by misplacing my focus. But by Merlin’s beard, I got new curtains the next day. It was mischievous, but I accomplished my goal. As I always say, it is better to beg forgiveness than ask permission!
5) What was the most important thing that you learned from Professor Dumbledore?
He told me many profound, wise things. My favorite would probably be the one thing that helped me through after his death. I had to assist Harry Potter in destroying all of the Horcruxes to defeat Lord Voldemort. At times, things would seem quite dark and like there was no hope. During these times, I would remember what he had said to me: “Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” It was truly the most important thing Dumbledore ever taught me, portrait Dumbledore, and I have had the opportunity to say the same to many a troubled student here at Hogwarts.
6) What is something that most people probably don’t know about you?
Astonishingly, the real Dumbledore and I share a love of music. It is truly a magical feeling when a song hits you just right, and you can’t help but sing along and let your body move to the rhythm. Dumbledore once told me that music was beyond the magic that Wizards and Witches do at Hogwarts – I believe this to be entirely true!
7) What was Dumbledore’s Hogwarts experience like, and what class did he do best in?
It is known by some, now, that Dumbledore’s father was convicted of harming some Muggle children and was sent to Azkaban for his crimes. This, in turn, caused all those at Hogwarts who knew the story to believe that Dumbledore was also a Muggle-hater, which was actually quite the opposite of the truth. Dumbledore had a great fondness for Muggles and Muggle-born Wizards and Witches. In fact, Dumbledore’s favorite candy was the Muggle-made Tootsie Pop – he could never count how many licks it took to get to the center, no matter what spells he tried to use to accomplish this.
Dumbledore ended up befriending many students and was well known as the smartest in his class. He achieved NEWTs in Charms and Transfiguration (widely known as the most challenging class at Hogwarts, or so the crying students tell me after exams). He was quite a brilliant man, in school and in life.
