[HPforGrownups] Religion in the Wizarding World. (Was: Re: Halloween Toasts)

[Liz Clark]

No: HPFGUIDX 191406

> Apparently Hogwarts gives the position of godfather some kind of guardian
> status, since at the end of PofA Sirius, as Harry's godfather, gives Harry
> permission to go to Hogsmead on weekends.  Hogwarts honors this 
> permission,
> even though the Dursleys are his legal guardians.
>
> Pat
>
I think this circumstance is a little biased.
Dumbledore (or a previous headmaster/headmistress) created the rule that 
asked for a permission slip. As the Headmaster, Dumbledore had the authority 
to waver this rule, but he didn't and I believe that was because Sirius was 
at large and thought to be after Harry at the time. Dumbledore would do 
anything to keep Harry safe.
However, after he learned Sirius was not after Harry, he then had the 
freedom to allow Harry to go or not. Sirius's permission slip gave 
Dumbledore an excuse to allow Harry to go without seeing to waver the rule. 
However, Sirius was not caring for harry, not was he living with him at the 
time. In fact, Sirius only had written contact with Harry. There was no way 
Sirius could tell what frame of mind Harry was in, whether he was behaving 
or not. Therefore. the fact that Dumbledore accepted the permission slip was 
seemingly a pure indulgence in Dumbledore's authority as Headmaster and 
nothing to do with Sirius being Harry's Godfather.
Liz