In J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, Voldemort was presented as the notorious villain that everyone fears. In the books, people would refer to him as “The Dark Lord,” “You-Know-Who,” or “He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named,” since mentioning his name would elicit fear that Death Eaters could apparate and locate them.
This is why even fans were confused why there seems to be a painting of Voldemort in the film Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. In a scene where Harry and other Gryffindor students were trying to enter the Common Room through “The Fat Lady,” a painting of what looked like a dancing Lord Voldemort is seen.
In the Prisoner of Azkaban film, there's a painting of Voldemort dancing to The Fat Lady's singing pic.twitter.com/OZW5QYnA8B
— Hogwarts Logic (@HogwartsLogic) September 20, 2014
Why would anyone paint Voldemort and hang it on Hogwarts when they can’t even mention his name? Who would even dare, right?
As any Potterhead would know, paintings in the Wizarding World are often commissioned after a person/wizard dies or through a spell. Technically, Lord Voldemort isn’t dead (but also isn’t alive or has taken human form) at that time since he broke his soul into piece and hid it into Horcruxes. The Dark Lord was only reborn during the fourth book/film, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and died at the end of the series.
One fan theory explained that maybe, his followers put up a painting of him or the bodiless Voldemort has been lurking on and taking over other painting frames in the castle.
Still, nobody is entirely sure if this is really Voldemort, or why would there be a painting of him if this is really the Dark Lord himself. J.K. Rowling, we need answers!
