Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/The Fat Lady
From Wikibooks, the open-content textbooks collection
| Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter - Character | |
| The Fat Lady | |
|---|---|
| Gender | Female |
| Hair color | Unknown |
| Eye color | Unknown |
| Related Family | Unknown |
| Loyalty | |
Contents |
[edit] Overview
The Fat Lady is the subject of a painting on the seventh floor of Hogwarts Castle. Her portrait guards the entrance to Gryffindor Tower. Students must tell her the password that she has created to enter the Gryffindor common room.
[edit] Role in the Books
[edit] Philosopher's Stone
When Harry and the other first-year students arrive at the entrance to Gryffindor Tower, Percy addresses the portrait of a very fat lady, in a pink silk dress, to give her the password, "Caput Draconis." Never named, the portrait is called The Fat Lady throughout the rest of the series.
When Harry departs for his Wizard's Duel with Draco, Ron goes with him as Second, and Hermione tags along to try and convince them to return to Gryffindor Tower. Finding herself unsuccessful, she turns around to re-enter the common room, but finds that the portrait is blank; the Fat Lady has gone visiting. When they run into Neville in the hall shortly, Neville tells us that he had forgotten the password, and without it the Fat Lady would not let him enter the Tower. Ron tells him the password ("pig snout"), but says that it won't do him any good, the Fat Lady's off visiting. After the failed duel, the Fat Lady asks what the four of them have been doing, but simply opens the entrance when Harry gives the password.
When Harry, trying out his new Invisibility Cloak, leaves Gryffindor Tower the night after Christmas, the Fat Lady squawks, "Who's there?" as he exits. Harry does not reply.
[edit] Chamber of Secrets
[edit] Prisoner of Azkaban
The Fat Lady refuses to let Sirius Black into Gryffindor tower at Hallowe'en because he does not have the password. He destroys her painting in a rage. She leaves the portrait out of fear for several months; during her absence, the entrance to Gryffindor Tower is guarded by Sir Cadogan. When Sir Cadogan allows Sirius into the tower, the Fat Lady is convinced to return, but she requires that a squad of security trolls be provided to keep her safe.
[edit] Goblet of Fire
[edit] Order of the Phoenix
Harry is first to the Gryffindor dorm's entrance on his first night back at school, but he does not know the password, and the Fat Lady will not let him in. Neville, arriving almost on Harry's heels, says that he will be able to remember the password this year; it is Mimbulus Mimbletonia.
On the Thursday of the first week of classes, Harry, returning from detention with Professor Umbridge near midnight, runs into Ron in the hall. When they reach Gryffindor tower, deep in conversation, the Fat Lady is dozing; after a while, she testily asks them to give the password so she doesn't have to keep listening to their conversation all night.
[edit] Half-Blood Prince
The Fat Lady is mentioned at the end of the book where she is told by Harry that Dumbledore is dead, she then wails in despair and swings forward to admit Harry into the common room without a password.
[edit] Deathly Hallows
[edit] Strengths
[edit] Weaknesses
[edit] Relationships with Other Characters
As early as the first book, we learn that at night the Fat Lady leaves her portrait and goes visiting.
In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, a witch in a portrait in the small room where the Champions gather after they are selected hastens off as Harry is announced as the fourth Champion. We later see her sharing the frame with the Fat Lady; she has evidently told the Fat Lady of Harry selection as fourth Champion. The same witch, identified as Violet or Vi, is later seen sharing a box of liqueur chocolates with the Fat Lady; they are both rather tipsy at that point.
In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, it is mentioned that the Fat Lady and Vi between them had drunk all the wine in a picture of monks over Christmas; as a result, the Fat Lady has chosen the word "Abstinence" as the new password.
