Minerva McGonagall

Headmistress Minerva McGonagall (born October 4, ca. 1925){{ref|birthday}} is a fictional character in the Harry Potter series of novels by J. K. Rowling. McGonagall is played by Maggie Smith in the films.

Related Topics:
October 4 - 1925 - Fictional character - Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling - Maggie Smith

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

She is the Deputy Headmistress, Head of Gryffindor House, and Transfiguration teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where she began teaching in December, 1956. McGonagall considers Transfiguration to be the most complex and difficult branch of magic.

Related Topics:
Gryffindor - Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry - 1956

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Stern, snappy, and reserved, Professor McGonagall has nonetheless shown herself to have the best interests of the students of Hogwarts, of her wards in Gryffindor, and especially of Harry himself in mind. McGonagall is also one of Albus Dumbledore's staunchest supporters and a member of the Order of the Phoenix. She is the first magical character and Animagus we are introduced to in the series.

Related Topics:
Harry - Albus Dumbledore - Order of the Phoenix - Animagus

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

McGonagall has black hair drawn into a tight bun. She wears emerald green robes, and always a very prim expression. She is, according to Rowling, a "sprightly" 70 years old. She wears square glasses with markings on them that are the same as the ones around her eyes when she is a tabby cat. She also has a fondness for tartan patterns, apparently derived from a Scottish heritage; even her dressing gown is tartan.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Her name derives from two sources: one is Minerva, the Roman goddess of wisdom (a name that suits Minerva very well). Her surname comes from that of a 19th century Dundee eccentric, William Topaz McGonagall{{ref|william-topaz}}. He is often regarded as the worst poet in the history of the English language.

Related Topics:
Minerva - Dundee - William Topaz McGonagall - English language

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

We first meet Minerva McGonagall in the opening chapter of the Philosopher's Stone, The Boy Who Lived, when she meets Albus Dumbledore at Number four Privet Drive. She is immediately shown to be an Animagus, a witch or wizard who has the ability to turn into an animal without the aid of a wand, and as such she waits on a brick wall all day in the form of a tabby cat. In this chapter, Professor McGonagall's complete personality is summarised: her caring side (she is worried when Dumbledore reveals he plans to leave Harry Potter, fresh from Lord Voldemort's attack on him, with the Dursley family, his only living relatives), her snappy, brusque side (she criticises a number of people, including Hagrid), and ultimately, her intelligence (to become an Animagus is very difficult, and can sometimes take years to master the magic).

Related Topics:
Animagus

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

McGonagall is the member of staff who performs the Sorting Ceremony at Hogwarts. She demands complete respect from all of her students.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

McGonagall is very keen on Quidditch, and, as Head of Gryffindor House, she takes an interest in the house Quidditch team's progress. In Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, she recommends Harry as Seeker after seeing him skillfully fly on a broom, despite the fact that, as a first year, he would not normally be allowed the position.

Related Topics:
Quidditch - Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

McGonagall, despite being a strict disciplinarian, often assists Harry in an indirect way. She has often hinted at certain things for Harry's benefit. One example at this is when she warned Harry in his fifth year that the Ministry of Magic was monitoring communication in and out of Hogwarts. She was also the member of the Hogwarts staff who most obviously disliked Dolores Umbridge, yet were not afraid of her. All of Umbridge's attempts to interfere with Minerva's business, whether career counseling or regular classes, would be promptly dismissed with a stern remark.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

She was also friendly to Peeves at that point, overheard telling the poltergeist at Hogwarts that "It unscrews the other way" upon observing him attempting to unscrew and destroy a chandelier in a bigger plan to thwart Professor Umbridge's dictatorship at Hogwarts. She also lent him her walking stick, which he used to beat Umbridge with as she left Hogwarts.

Related Topics:
Peeves - Poltergeist

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Professor McGonagall is a member of the Order of the Phoenix, as is revealed in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. She warns Harry not to provoke Dolores Umbridge, as she works for the Ministry of Magic. In that book, she also attempts to keep Umbridge and her minions from taking Hagrid away forcefully, and pays for her attempt when she gets hit by four Stunning Spells. She is taken from the school to St Mungo's. However, after the battle in the Department of Mysteries, she returns to the school safe and well, returned to her usual brisk self.

Related Topics:
Order of the Phoenix - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - Dolores Umbridge - Ministry of Magic - Hagrid - Stunning Spell - St Mungo's

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

After the death of Albus Dumbledore at the hands of Severus Snape in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Professor McGonagall becomes acting Headmistress of Hogwarts due to her position as Deputy Headmistress. Whether she becomes regular Headmistress will only become apparent when the 7th volume is published. If indeed McGonagall does continue her likely reign as headmistress, then she will need to appoint a new head of Gryffindor house, a new deputy, and a new Transfiguration teacher, as well as a new head of Slytherin House and the positions of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher and (presumably) Potions teacher, as Professor Slughorn told Harry in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince that he would only be staying in Hogwarts for one year.

Related Topics:
Death of Albus Dumbledore - Severus Snape - Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~