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"IT WASN'T A NIGHTMARE! PROFESSOR, I WOKE UP, AND SIRIUS BLACK WAS STANDING OVER ME, HOLDING A KNIFE!"
Ron Weasley waking up to a horrifying sight[src]

This break-in took place in 1994 in the Gryffindor Tower which was infiltrated by then-suspected mass-murderer Sirius Black in his search for Peter Pettigrew.[1] This was the only time Black successfully broke into the tower.[1]

History[]

Background[]

"He tried to bring Peter to me, but couldn't... so he stole the passwords into Gryffindor Tower for me... As I understand it, he took them from a boy's bedside table..."
Crookshankss helped Black gain access to Gryffindor Tower[src]
B3C8M2 Fat Lady portrait slashed

Sirius Black's previous attempt to break-in Gryffindor Tower

This was, in point of fact, Sirius Black's second break-in attempt in that school year to reach Peter Pettigrew, the first having culminated in failure when, in frustration at her refusal to grant him access to the Gryffindor Tower, he had slashed the portrait of the Fat Lady several months previously.[3] This had led to the Fat Lady refusing to serve as portal keeper for the Tower until Black was caught; the sole volunteer to replace her was Sir Cadogan.[4]

Due to his abysmal memory, Neville Longbottom had written a list of passwords that would be used, at the insistence of Sir Cadogan, to gain entrance to the Gryffindor Tower. Crookshanks had stolen this list from Neville's table in the Gryffindor Boys' Dormitory and gave it to Sirius Black, who used them all on Sir Cadogan who then allowed him to enter the Tower.[1]

The break-in[]

Ron Weasley: "Black! Sirius Black! With a knife!"
Dean Thomas: "What?"
Ron Weasley: "Here! Just now! Slashed the curtains! Woke me up!"
Dean Thomas's reaction to Ron Weasley after the attack[src]

Sirius broke into the Boys' Dormitory and walked towards Ronald Weasley's bed in his search for Peter Pettigrew, who had, for a dozen years, disguised himself as Ron's pet rat, Scabbers. Ron woke up, hearing some scratching noises, and saw Sirius in the room with a knife that he was holding as defence against Peter. When Ron began to scream, Sirius fled to avoid being seen by the other sleeping boys, who woke instantly.[1]

Aftermath[]

Minerva McGonagall: "Sir Cadogan, did you just let a man enter Gryffindor Tower?"
Sir Cadogan: "Certainly, good lady!"
Minerva McGonagall: "You — you did? But — but the password!"
Sir Cadogan: "He had ‘em! Had the whole week’s, my lady! Read ‘em off a little piece of paper!"
— Professor McGonagall's shock at Black having gained access to Gryffindor Tower[src]
Gryffindor common room 1993

Professor McGonagall and the residents of Gryffindor Tower in the common room after Sirius Black's break-in

When Ron had woken up the entire Gryffindor House they all gathered in the Gryffindor Common Room to discuss the events. Professor Minerva McGonagall, the Head of House, was called. Ron explained his story and theorised that Black must have gone for the wrong bed and was aiming for Harry Potter. McGonagall asked Sir Cadogan about it and he told her that he had let Black enter after Black gave him the correct passcode.[1]

Another search of the castle took place, but Black escaped capture again. The Fat Lady resumed her duty of guarding Gryffindor Tower on the condition her portrait be guarded. Neville was placed in detention and stripped of his visitation rights to Hogsmeade for the rest of the school year and the other Gryffindors were forbidden to tell him the password to the tower, forcing him to wait outside for someone to let him in while the security trolls guarding the Fat Lady leered unpleasantly at him. But none of that compared to the Howler his grandmother sent him during breakfast, which shouted at him that he had brought shame to the family.[5]

Media[]

Appearances[]

Notes and references[]

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 13 (Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw)
  2. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 19 (The Servant of Lord Voldemort)
  3. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 8 (Flight of the Fat Lady)
  4. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 9 (Grim Defeat)
  5. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 14 (Snape's Grudge)
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