The fat lady and password changes?

[fading]

When does the password change? I thought it changed during the night, perhaps while the students are suppose to be asleep in their dorms?

And if it does change at night and a student didn't have the correct password, would the Fat Lady still let them in?

[Horsesbella219]

I have no idea when it changes, but we do know that she wouldnt let students in if they do not know the password. For example, when neville forgets the password, he is made to sleep outside: We see this in both the third and first book. Also, as students are not supposed to be out of their common rooms after hours, they probably wouldnt get the sympathy vote.

[la_vie_boheme]

I think that it's completely up to the portrait or gargoyle guarding the entrance when the password changes. In CoS, Sir Cadogen kept changing the password multiple times a week, which wasn't ordinary, and everyone was complaining about it.
Also, as stated above, Nevile gets locked out of the dormintory a few times, so I don't think that there is any sympathy as far as password changes go.

As for non-cannon assumptions on my part. I'd think that she'd change them during the day so that she could alert the perfects and such that a password change had been made.

[fading]

Thanks to both of you for your comments! They were exactly what I'm looking for.

~Beauty

[Neville's Girl]

I was actually under the impression the Heads of House changed the passwords.

According to the Lexicon, the Gryffindor password was changed from "Caput Draconis" to "Pig Snout" during first after only twelve days.

[Horsesbella219]

I was actually under the impression the Heads of House changed the passwords.

According to the Lexicon, the Gryffindor password was changed from "Caput Draconis" to "Pig Snout" during first after only twelve days.


But doesn't cadogan change the password in the third book? But then the fat lady tells harry to talk to dumbledore if he doesnt like that the password changes in the fifth or sixth book I believe...?

Maybe it changes half way through the series due to the need for heightened security?

[B.C.]

I think the Fat Lady changes it, but tells the Head of House, Head Boy/Girl, or another person in authority with the ability to tell everyone. If she just changed it, than no one would know it.

[Gorgeous_Ginny]

I think the same as Horsesbella219 that the increase in Security Measures would mean that only the highest person in the school Dumbledore could change passwords and then that he would tell the portraits and then tell the Head Boy and Girl whom would give it to the Prefects of the respective houses.