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Hogwarts Legacyfollows the journey of a young fifth-year student during their time at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The protagonist will be required to attend various classes when they arrive at the famed wizarding school, but they will eventually be given the freedom to explore the vast magical world outside the castle’s walls, where they can offer their help to various witches and wizards.
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Though most of the side quests inHogwarts Legacyare located outside the castle, some, like thePortrait in a Pickleside quest, can only be found by exploring Hogwarts itself. Unless the player is searching for this quest specifically, however, there is a chance they mightn’t find it, as the quest-giver can easily go unnoticed.
Updated July 22, 2025, by Justin Flynn:Several side quests in Hogwarts Legacy force players to make big decisions, and the Portrait in a Pickle side quest is no exception. Toward the end of this quest, the protagonist must decide what happens to the portrait in question, and depending on what players choose, the outcomes can be quite different.
Hogwarts Legacy is very much a decision-based game; as a result, players will be faced with several multiple-choice options during their playthroughs, but only some of them will affect what happens in the story. Though the choice presented in the Portrait in a Pickle side quest is small, it can have a lasting effect on a particular character’s fate.
How To Begin The Portrait In A Pickle Side Quest In Hogwarts Legacy
to begin thePortrait in a Pickleside quest, players shouldfast-travel to the Libraryand approach the portrait to the right of where the Floo Flame spawns them. Upon interacting with said portrait, the player will be introduced to Ferdinand Octavius Pratt, a rather obnoxious character who claims some Hogwarts students have wronged him.
According to Ferdinand, the portrait of him that once hung in the Three Broomsticks has been stolen and taken somewhere far away. He believes Astoria Crickett is the mastermind behind the theft, so when the cutscene ends, the protagonist will suggest speaking to her before beginning their search.
Where To Find Astoria Crickett
Astoria Crickett can be foundinside the Three Broomsticksin Hogsmeade. To reach this location quickly, the player should fast-travel to theSouth Hogsmeade Floo Flameand travel north until they find the establishment. Upon interacting with Astoria inside, she will explain to the protagonist that Ferdinand reports the conversations of students to the headmaster, which is why she chose to move him to a different location.
She then reveals that the thieves she hired took Ferdinand’s portrait to a ruin near the coast, and though this description seems vague, the game will highlight the exact location of the ruins in question once the conversation ends.
How To Get To Poidsear Coast
Normally, players can mount their broom and fly directly to whatever part of the map they like, but this isn’t the case for those who wish to travel to the southern reaches ofHogwarts Legacy’s world. Players who have already unlocked a Floo Flame in this part of the map are free to fast-travel there and continue their search for Ferdinand’s portrait, but those who have not will need to make their way through a cavern filled with goblins until theyget to Poidsear Coast.
This cavern can be found justbehind the Medium Bandit Campdirectlysouth of Keenbridge. Upon entering the area, the protagonist will be attacked by the goblins waiting there, but those who wish to avoid combat can simply run past them and enter the cave. Inside the cavern, the same strategy can be used, but players hoping to do everythingHogwarts Legacyhas to offer should take a moment to fightOgbert the Odd, one of the game’stwenty-one Infamous Foes.
Where To Find The Marunweem Ruins
Upon reaching the end of the cavern, the protagonist can mount andfly their broomsouth and follow the shore to reach the Marunweem Ruins.
Those who have already reached this section of the map can fast-travel directly to theMarunweem Ruins Floo Flame. Once there, the player will need to fight and defeat thePoachers and Ashwinderslurking around the area before they can freely look for the entrance to the chamber below.
After all the Dark Wizards have been dealt with, the player should head to the northern section of the ruins, where they will find astairway leading into the ground. At the end of this path, they will be faced with aLevel 2 lockthat must be opened in order to reach Ferdinand. To unlock these advanced locks, the player will need to have found nineoptional Demiguise Statuesand returned them to Gladwin Moon.
What To Do With The Portrait Of Ferdinand Octavius Pratt
Upon interacting with Ferdinand in the final chamber, the player will be given the option to choose what happens to his portrait. If the player chooses the"Let’s get out of here"option, they can either return him to theThree Broomsticksor bring him to theHog’s Head, an establishment Ferdinand despises.
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Ferdinand will thank the protagonist if they choose to return him to the Three Broomsticks, but bringing him to the Hog’s Head is arguably the more enjoyable option. Upon arriving there, Ferdinand will cower at the thought of being in such an ill-fitting establishment, and the barkeeper will suggest that his portrait will make for good target practice.
If players chose the second option when they found Ferdinand’s portrait at the Marunweem Ruins, they could also choose toburn his portrait. Each quest outcome will reward the player with180 XPand theOddities Shelf, a decorative item that can be placed inthe Room of Requirement, so the player can feel free to choose whatever outcome they like, as their decision won’t have any long-lasting effects on the overall story.
Are There Any Other Quests Like Portrait In A Pickle In Hogwarts Legacy?
Most side quests inHogwarts Legacyrequire the player to head to a destination and recover something valuable or important, and a great deal of them allow players to choose what happens to the item or creature they find. The Portrait in a Pickle’s choice is arguably one of the most interesting, however, as whatever choice players make will have a pretty big impact on the rest of Ferdinand’s existence.
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Those who wish to find similar side quests that feature equally interesting choices should seek out"Rescuing Rococo,““Take the Biscuit,“and"Birds of a Feather.“Each of these quests' multiple-choice scenarios can lead to the protagonist acquiring a unique creature that can only be obtained during said quests.
Side quests like"Gobs of Gobstones"and"The Lost Astrolabe"also require players to make a choice, but the protagonist won’t earn anything of value from choosing to take any quest-related items; their decision will only affect how the quest-giver speaks to the protagonist whenever they encounter each other later.
Hogwarts Legacyis available now on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, with a Switch release scheduled to release on July 09, 2025.
