How did Black get into Hogwarts in PoA? (Was: Dumbledore on the Dursleys . .

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 151722

Carol earlier:
<snip> 
> > Let me get this straight. No guards or protective spells of any
kind on the front doors, not even after the first attack proved that
Black was on the grounds (or could get onto them), and the doors are
not even taught to recognize Black until after the *second* attack. 
> > 
> Pippin:
> "the walls and grounds of Hogwarts are guarded by many ancient
> spells and charms to ensure the bodily and mental safety of those
> who dwell within them" -- OOP ch 24 

<snip> I think the doors were already enchanted to keep out intruders,
but either the door spells didn't work against animals, or they didn't
work against Sirius's 'open anything' knife. (He may also have been
trying to use the properties of the knife when he slashed the Fat
Lady's portrait, not just being wantonly destructive.)
> 
> I think there is probably not much even Dumbledore could do to
improve on those spells, and he was probably wary of trying, since
this is ancient magic, little understood, and we know spells can
interact with each other in unpredictable ways.  
> 
> There were portraits and ghosts on watch at all times -- why set
mortal guards in a Death Eater's path? Presumably Black wouldn't have
any more trouble eluding them than the ghosts and portraits, but
unlike the ghosts and portraits, they might be killed.


Carol responds:
Yes, I mentioned somewhere in my mostly snipped post that both Sanpe
and Dumbledore mention protective spells on Hogwarts even before the
extra precautions taken in HBP, but I don't recall any mention of them
in PoA, only the Dementors guarding the *gates* as opposed to the
doors (which are heavy oak doors that would be hard for a dog to open,
but unless DD is lying, he doesn't know at this point that Black is an
Animagus). And clearly those spells didn't keep Black out, nor did the
ghost/portrait network report him when he climbed the stairs to the
tower. And once he had actually gotten into the school, DD knew he was
on the grounds. Why not take additional precautions then? At *least*
have Mrs. Norris (who can get out of the way of a wizard quite
quickly) keep watch on the doors at night. Or a Sneakoscope that would
go off if unauthorized people entered?

Someone mentioned that DD knew about the Shrieking Shack. Of course he
did since he apparently built the passageway from the Whomping Willow
(or had it built) for Teen!Lupin's use, but did he know that Black
knew how to enter it and might be hiding there? Why not search it,
then? And if a dog is found there, why not test to be sure he's not an
Animagus? But I can't recall any evidence that the grounds were
searched after either attack, only the castle itself.

But essentially, then, everyone believes that Black got into the
castle using the front doors and not a secret passageway? No one is
even mildly annoyed by the pointlessness of the Marauder's Map if it
didn't provide a clue to the way Black was entering the castle? And no
one besides me finds his ability to just walk through the door strange
or disturbing, considering that DD to all appearances (along with
Snape and virtually every other adult we encounter in the book, from
Fudge to McGonagall) believes that Black is a DE who wants to kill
Harry? No one is disturbed that the protection was placed on the doors
(teaching them to recognize Black) only after the *second* attack even
though protection of the *grounds* as opposed to the school was now
useless?  

And everyone also thinks that it was okay for Lupin to keep the
Marauders' Map because he "knew" that Black wasn't getting in that
way? (Black's actual state of guilt or innocence isn't relevant here;
Lupin thought he was a murderer. If there was a way for Black to get
into the castle other than the front doors and Lupin alone knew about
it, shouldn't Lupin have revealed that information to DD?)

BTW, I don't think there's any evidence that Black owned or used the
open-anything knife at the time. The knife he used on Ron's curtains
(and presumably on the Fat Lady's portrait) was the twelve-inch blade
he intended to use on Wormtail in lieu of a wand and which Ron saw in
his hand.

Carol, feeling utterly bewildered and alone on this one!