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TLDR: Has there ever been any canon speaking lines for Slytherin or Gryffindor's portraits?


A bit of context:

According to wikia, the canonicity of Harry Potter works is broken out into 3 tiers. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, at Universal Studios, is listed under Tier 2 Canonicity. Which means everything there falls under this description:

These sources do not contain information directly from the "mouth" of J. K. Rowling, but they are projects based on works by her, and in which she was involved in some capacity at some point.

While in line for Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, there are lots of cool things to look at, as well as speaking portraits who talk to each other. In one section of the line, the portraits of Salazar Slytherin, Helga Hufflepuff, Godric Gryfindor, and Rowena Ravenclaw speak to each other. The main conversation is about Harry Potter, and how all the founders say things like "Godric, you must be so proud to have Harry Potter in your house... etc etc." while Slytherin says things like "HAH, the boy who lived!? bla bla bla" (obviously not direct quotes).

This got me wondering: firstly, are there actual speaking portraits of the 4 founders at Hogwarts? Doing a little research, I found that both Gryfindor and Slytherin have portraits in the Entrance Hall, and a portrait at the Grand Staircase and the dungeons antichamber respectively. It's probably safe to assume the other 2 founders have portraits as well, but they've never been mentioned.

Given that these portraits do exist, are there any canon speaking lines for Slytherin or Gryffindor’s portraits? Gryffindor speaks proudly that Harry Potter is in his house at the Universal Studios ride. Has Slytherin ever mentioned how proud he is of Voldemort or have they ever spoken on the events happening at Hogwarts, for example? Or really, have either of them ever spoken at all, in any capacity (in tier 1 canonicity)?

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    circular logic using non-canon wikia as an arbiter of canonicity ;)
    – NKCampbell
    Commented Aug 6, 2018 at 21:27
  • @NKCampbell That's a fair point. But the main question still remains the same.
    – Jun Kang
    Commented Aug 6, 2018 at 21:31

2 Answers 2

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In the books (and movies), there are no portraits of the founders.

In both the books and movies, there are no portraits of any of the four founders in Hogwarts. There’s even a question on why there aren’t any. They of course then don’t speak, because they aren’t there to do anything at all. Actors to play the founders were only cast when they were needed to appear in the queue for the Forbidden Journey ride and on the Chocolate Frog cards in Universal Studios.

In the video games, there are portraits of both Salazar Slytherin and Godric Gryffindor in Hogwarts guarding secret passageways (probably what whatever you found in your research is referring to), but nothing like this is ever mentioned in the books or movies.

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    Oh nooooooo. Much disappoint. Now I feel stupid. My research was unsatisfactory. Thanks
    – Jun Kang
    Commented Aug 6, 2018 at 22:03
  • 3
    @JunKang That’s okay, that’s what this site’s for, to ask questions and get answers! :)
    – Obsidia
    Commented Aug 6, 2018 at 22:05
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From the OP's question:

Have either of them ever spoken at all, in any capacity (in tier 1 canonicity)?

Sort of - kinda, maybe

If we take the Sorting Hat at it's word, and consider it's quotes of the Founders to be literal and accurate, then, we do at least have canon quotes from the Founders:

In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the Sorting Hat states:

"Said Slytherin, "We'll teach just those Whose ancestry's purest."

Said Ravenclaw, "We'll teach those whose Intelligence is surest."

Said Gryffindor, "We'll teach all those With brave deeds to their name."

Said Hufflepuff, "I'll teach the lot And treat them just the same."

- Chapter 11 - The Sorting Hat's New Song

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  • This doesn't really address the question.
    – Alex
    Commented Aug 7, 2018 at 16:23
  • @Alex - my answer specifically addresses the broader last question from OP - "Or really, have either of them ever spoken at all, in any capacity (in tier 1 canonicity)?"
    – NKCampbell
    Commented Aug 7, 2018 at 16:36
  • Does "them" refer to the people or the portraits of the people? The entire rest of the question only speaks of the portraits, and it seemed obvious to me that the question was asking about whether they have commented on any current events via their portraits, not whether there are any records of things they said 1,000 years ago. However, given that your answer has a bunch of upvotes and no other critical comments (including from the asker) I might be wrong.
    – Alex
    Commented Aug 8, 2018 at 5:37
  • @Alex The primary question was about the portraits. So technically, this doesn't answer the primary question. But I still like this answer. Granted it's technically "incorrect" since the portraits never existed. I assume, had their portraits existed, they would probably have used those lines. Just another perspective on the question.
    – Jun Kang
    Commented Aug 8, 2018 at 16:06

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