[HPforGrownups] Re: Observations and Questions

[Odile Falaise]

No: HPFGUIDX 57595

Patrick Dawson wrote:

"GoF Ch.25
This isn't the first time that someone has waited
outside the Gryffindor common 
room to let Harry out at night. So if the portrait
can't be opened from the inside, how 
the heck do they get out in the morning?"

Then Chia replied:
Whenever someone opens the Gryffindor common room door
for Harry, it's because 
he's invisible. For example, when Hermione opened it
(from the outside) for Harry 
(GOF), it was because he was invisible. The Fat Lady
would be suspicious if she swung 
forward and no one left or came in!

And Odile (that would be me):

In PS, when Harry uses the invisibility Cloak the
first time:

PS, p 151 (UK)
"He crept out of the dormitory, down the stairs,
across the common room and climbed through the
portrait hole.

"'Who's there?' squawked the Fat Lady.  Harry said
nothing.  He walked quickly down the corridor. [end
quote]

There is no specifics of how he got back in, but he
seemed to have got back in without any trouble from
the Fat Lady. (Right?)

As to Ch. 25 of GoF, p 398 (UK):

"...Harry sneaked up to bed, put on the Cloak, crept
back downstairs and...waited for the portait hole to
open.  This time it was Ron who waited outside to give
the Fat Lady the password ('Banana Fritters').  'Good
luck,' Ron muttered, climing into the common room as
Harry crept out past him." [end quote]

My take is that it is not so much that Harry does not
want to arouse the suspicions of the Fat Lady -
certainly if there were other students lounging around
the common room, they would freak if the portrait hole
opened and closed "by itself" (I would!)  In PS, the
first time he used it was over the Christmas holidays,
when most everyone else was away anyhow.

How long has the Fat Lady been the guardian of the
Gryffindor entrance?  I am wondering if she was around
during the heyday of the Marauders, and, if so (as is
likely), then she would have been (somewhat) mindful
of James sneaking out using the Cloak (and perhaps his
father as well? and so on...) 

Has this been covered before?


Odile