15 Biggest Unresolved Plot Holes In Harry Potter

In the magical world, the occupants of portraits have the capacity to move, think, and communicate with other portraits and those in the real world. Yet for the most part, this fascinating aspect of the wizarding world isn’t used to its full potential.

When a Hogwarts headmaster or headmistress dies, for instance, their portrait automatically appears in the office of their successor. But when Dumbledore dies at the end of The Half-Blood Prince, Harry doesn’t even attempt to communicate with his old headmaster. If he had done, his hunt for the Horcruxes could have been much easier. He might have learned about Gryffindor’s sword and its capacity to destroy Horcruxes or the importance of the Deathly Hallows.

And if the subjects of portraits are able to think and feel as they did in real life, why doesn’t everyone make sure they have a portrait of themselves made before their death? That way, characters could communicate with their loved ones long after they died.