Timeline for How come Professor McGonagall never noticed that Harry Potter's Hogsmeade permission form was signed by Sirius Black?
Current License: CC BY-SA 3.0
10 events
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| Feb 28, 2015 at 5:26 | comment | added | gatherer818 | I can confirm that in many real-world organizations, when someone at the very top wants something done discreetly or immediately, they go to the person who will do the thing, not pass it down the chain of command. This answer makes perfect sense to me - as a security officer, if I were at Hogwarts, I'd be the one at the door with the Probity Probe and poorly-sorted list of approved students. And if the Headmaster said "Put this person on the list", they'd be on there, bolded and underlined, if only because the additions normally come from the Heads of House. | |
| Feb 27, 2015 at 22:05 | comment | added | Ellesedil | Harry's statement at the bottom of this answer seems to strongly imply that Harry is turning in Sirius's approval to Dumbledore himself. Whether McGonagall handles all of the other Hogsmeade forms herself or not (she likely does according to the first quote of this answer) is immaterial in Harry's case because Harry is (understandably) bypassing her. So, Harry gives letter to Dumbledore, Dumbledore adds Harry's name to Filch's list, and then Harry and friends get into all sorts of trouble in Hogsmeade. | |
| Feb 27, 2015 at 17:58 | comment | added | DavidS | @MermishEssence Usually in administrations stuff like this goes off to a higher manager for a seal of approval, but that's besides the point, since we agree it's not a permission form. Your entire question is based on the idea that McGonagall was given the letter from Sirius and accepted it with no problems, but we've just agreed that we don't know she ever saw it, for the reasons Anthony gave. So the question doesn't work anymore (or it has been answered, depending on your point of view) | |
| Feb 27, 2015 at 17:33 | comment | added | Mermish Essence | @DavidS I know Sirius's was a letter, thank you very much. I was speaking generally. You said the list goes off to Dumbledore first, which I think is absurd. What, you think McGonagall incapable of taking care of such a simple task on her own? As to whether Harry bypassed McGonagall is a different matter of which there is no canonical answer. So speculation is all we have. | |
| Feb 27, 2015 at 17:11 | comment | added | DavidS | @MermishEssence It's not a permission form, it's a letter from a convicted serial killer. Why on earth would he give it to McGonagall? | |
| Feb 27, 2015 at 17:04 | comment | added | Mermish Essence | @DavidS Why would a simple permission form go to Dumbledore. Do we not understand the whole point of delegation? It's clearly said in the text that the forms are to be given to the Heads of Houses. Or at the very highest, the deputy Head Mistress. | |
| Feb 27, 2015 at 16:52 | comment | added | DavidS | @MermishEssence Actually, I'd have assumed the list goes off to Dumbledore first, so he can check everything is in order from each house. If that's the case then he has no problem adding in a name. And even if not, he could simply intercept this list under those terms (checking everythings alright, or such). Unless you think Harry's giving the letter from Sirius to McGonagall? That last quote (to me) heavily implies to me he's going to go entirely around her to Dumbledore. | |
| Feb 27, 2015 at 16:40 | comment | added | Mermish Essence | Your first quote contradicts your first statement. She's the Head of House, so obviously she checks the forms to make sure everything is in order then send the names off to Filch. So why wouldn't she be involved with Harry? That it wasn't on the actual permission form would only draw more attention to the name of the guardian more than a signature would. | |
| Feb 27, 2015 at 15:52 | comment | added | DavidS | Well I'm an idiot, forgot that it was a letter. Changed my answer to recommend yours :P | |
| Feb 27, 2015 at 13:41 | history | answered | Anthony Grist | CC BY-SA 3.0 |