That night, the Hogwarts professors gave up their rest to conduct another meticulous, comprehensive search of the castle. Meanwhile, the students gathered anxiously in the Great Hall, their nerves stretched taut and their eyes fixed eagerly on the front, hoping for news of Sirius Black's capture.
Yet when the first rays of dawn fell, Professor McGonagall appeared before them with a grave expression and announced that Black had escaped once again.
The next day, tighter security measures were evident in every corner of the school. Professor Flitwick held a large portrait of Black as he carefully taught every gatekeeper to recognize him; Filch suddenly became busy, boarding up every possible entrance, from tiny cracks in the walls to each and every mouse hole. Sir Cadogan was dismissed for his negligence, his portrait moved to a lonely landing on the Seventh Floor, while the Fat Lady returned to her post.
Although professional restoration had allowed the Fat Lady to resume her duties, she remained highly strung. To ensure her safety, the school had specially hired a group of rough, stern house-elves to protect her. They trudged through the corridor, muttering comparisons of the sizes of their clubs.
Neville suffered unprecedented embarrassment and harsh punishment. Professor McGonagall was so furious at his negligence that she banned him from setting foot in Hogsmeade again, gave him detention, and ordered everyone not to tell him the password to the Gryffindor Common Room.
With no other choice, poor Neville could only wait miserably in the corridor outside the Common Room every evening, hoping someone would help him into the tower. The rough house-elves, however, seized the opportunity to mock him, making his situation even more humiliating.
But an even harsher punishment lay ahead. Just two days after Black broke into the tower, Neville's grandmother sent