Slopeydoope: Hello!
The bit about Aberforth Dumbledore being the bar man at the Hog's Head is a theory/ a suggestion/ a posting on this site (prob. others). Can't remember where it's posted but if you pop 'Dumbledore's Brother..' into your 'search' shinanigans, I'm sure you'll find it again

I liked the idea of Aberforth as the innkeeper 'cause I can't figure out why anyone would throw the eaves-dropper out the night of Trelawny's prophecy unless they had some vested interest. Therefore, being Dumb's bro, seemed to make sense for a moment. On further introspection however: NAAAAaaaa!!!!!! After rereading the 5th, the guy we meet behind the bar just doesn't seem to give a d.amn (notice how I have to spell the word 'd.amn' in order to actually use it on this site? You try it. I would recommend other wordsa for you to test the censor police thingo on this site on but I'm WAY too busy and mature!!! :P ) about what went on in his pub. A ruse?? / A spy??? A brother????????

I agree that we'll hear more about Alberforth

Method of Communication: I got the impression that the 'silvery shape' was 'Moody'/Barty Couch Jr. 's invisibility cloak caught in Dumb's Lumos.

We know from when Crouch Jr. is given Veritum (sp?) serum at the end of GoF, that he used the Mauraders' Map to see his Father on the Hogger's grounds, he ran down and stunned Krum, killed his Dad, transfigured his Da's bod. into a bone, hid under his invisibility cloak, run behind Hagrid's hut and bury his Dad/ the bone. Couch Jr's invisibility cloak was in the trunk when Dumb. opened all the locks before he found the imprisoned Moody. Therefore, I assumed it was the silvery shape of Moody's invisibility cloak that Harry and Dumb saw when Dumb. did the 'Lumos'. Nothing to do with a 'Patronus' charm as far as I remember. ???? Sorry mate but I don't reckon that's got much to do with communication either way. Thanks for thinking about it though. Been driving ME crazy!!! Ta

fenrirbound: There's something in Ootp where they explain about the headmasters' portraits owing the present headmaster their service. I'll go looking for it. I really get the feeling that Philleaus does the least and is the most resistant to Dumb's requests for help. He doesn't strike me as a member of the Order. Whatya reckon???

There's a great discussion somewhere - I'll TRY and track it down for you (hang on, ... I think it might be in 'HBP?' haa haaa, right!! Like THAT'll help!!! it IS in one of those 'Who's the HBP?' threads Sorry, I've lost the thread now..... ohhh yeah: ) - about the world/s, the existence and, more relevantly, the autonomy of the subjects of paintings AND photos. V. interesting stuff I think