Portrait In A Pickle is a Hogwarts Legacy side quest in which you’ll have to find and rescue one of the frames of Ferdinand Octavius Pratt. To complete the Portrait In A Pickle Side Quest, you must have Alohomora Level 2, which you can unlock during The Man Behind The Moons Side Quest by finding nine Demiguise Statues.
The side quest has multiple endings or outcomes, and we will cover all of them in our guide.
How To Unlock Portrait in a Pickle in Hogwarts Legacy
To unlock Portrait In A Pickle, it is necessary to progress the main storyline until you’ve finished In The Shadow Of The Mountain Main Quest with Sebastian. Then, find the quest giver, the portrait of Ferdinand Octavius Pratt, near the Library Floo Flame in the Library Annex of Hogwarts Castle. We’ve marked its location on the map below.
Talk to the portrait of Ferdinand Octavius Pratt to begin the Portrait In A Pickle Quest quest.
How To Complete Portrait in a Pickle Quest
When talking to Ferdinand Octavius Pratt, you’ll learn that his other frame, once hung in the Three Broomsticks, had been stolen by thieves paid by the students. You can respond to the accusations with one of the following dialogue options:
- I’m sorry to hear that
- I’m not sure that’s true
The portrait believes that Astoria Crickett and her friends plotted the theft.
Where To Find Astoria Crickett
So, after you finish the conversation, you’ll have to begin your search by talking to Astoria Crickett and learning more about what happened with the other frame. Astoria Cricket can be found inside The Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade. To reach her location, fast-travel to the South Hogsmeade Floo Flame and follow the quest marker inside the bar.
When talking to Astoria Cricket, she will explain that Ferdinand spies on students inside The Three Broomsticks and reports back to the Headmaster, or he makes up things just to get them in trouble. She then explains that the thieves she hired took Ferdinand’s frame to their camp in a ruin by the coast.
Where To Find Ferdinand’s Other Frame
After you finish the conversation with Astoria Cricket, the game will mark the exact location of the Ashwinders’ camp inside the ruins along the coast she told you about.
To reach the marked location, fast-travel to one of the unlocked Floo Flames or travel on your flying broom. When you reach the Marunweem Ruins, you’ll have to fight and defeat the Ashwinders in the area so you can easily look for the entrance to the cave below. Once you take them out, head north of Merlin’s Trial to find a stairway with blue butterflies leading to an underground area.
Go down the stairs and follow the path until you reach a Level 2 locked gate, which you must open to get Ferdinand’s frame. As mentioned at the beginning of the guide, you’ll need Alohomora II to open the lock.
What To Do With Ferdinand Octavius Pratt’s Portrait
After opening the gate, talk to Ferdinand Octavius Pratt, and you’ll be given the option to choose what you want to do with the frame. If you choose the Let’s get out of here dialogue option, you can take him back to The Three Broomsticks or Ferdinand’s least favorite bar, the Hog’s Head Inn. Ferdinand will show gratitude to you if you decide to take him back to the Three Broomsticks, but it’s probably more fun to take him to the Hog’s Head Inn.
When you get to the Hog’s Head Inn and place him there, Ferdinand will panic at the thought of being in such a vile place. If you choose Returning you to the Three Broomsticks isn’t my only option dialogue option; you will be given the opportunity to burn Ferdinand’s alternate frame. To set it on fire, equip and cast Incendio or Confrigo.
Each quest ending will reward you with 180 XP and the Oddities Shelf, a decorative item that can be placed in the Room of Requirement. Feel free to select whichever outcome you like because the choice you make will have no impact on the overall storyline.
