Minerva McGonagall is a character in the Harry Potter book series. She is a witch who taught Transfiguration at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She proved to be an exceptional teacher and a formidable force in the First and Second Wizarding Wars. She was Acting Head of Hogwarts twice until taking the role of Head of Hogwarts after the Battle of Hogwarts.
Biography[]
Early life[]
Young Minerva
Minerva attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and was Sorted into Gryffindor House. She graduated Hogwarts and began teaching at the school in December 1956. She proved to be an excellent teacher, strict but fair.
At some point, Minerva decided to learn the ability to turn into an Animagus. Her reason for doing so was part of her extensive research into every field of Transfiguration, with no intention of pursuing anything surreptitious.[4]
Philosopher's Stone[]
Minerva found out from Rubeus Hagrid that Albus Dumbledore was planning to go to Privet Drive the day after Voldemort's defeat. She wanted to know why and waited the whole day by 4 Privet Drive in Animagus form. Minerva arrived in the morning and was reading a map, when Vernon saw her and thought it was odd. Minerva would later watch Petunia Dursley take Dudley to the shop and was shocked by Dudley kicking her and demanding sweets.[5]
Minerva reading in Animagus form
Dumbledore arrived near midnight and found Minerva waiting. Dumbledore wondered why she waited when she could be celebrating the downfall of Voldemort, but Minerva told him how unhappy she was with how the wizarding world have celebrated, because the Muggle world noticed and she blamed the shooting stars in Kent on Dedalus Diggle.[5]
Minerva then wondered whether Voldemort's downfall was true and that he actually died. Dumbledore eventually told her that it certainly looked that way while berating her for continuing to call Voldemort "You-Know-Who", telling her he thinks she's sensible enough not to fear the name. Minerva continued, now saying the proper name, telling Dumbledore that he only says the name because Voldemort feared Dumbledore and he could have defeated Voldemort if he tried the Dark Arts. Dumbledore then blushed and thanked Minerva.[5]
Minerva then brought up part of why she wanted to speak to him, because she was hoping that Dumbledore could tell her whether James and Lily actually died. She would not accept it to be true until Dumbledore told her for certain. Minerva was very upset when she found out they had indeed died, and worried about Harry and how he survived. Dumbledore comforted her and Minerva then asked again why he was at Privet Drive.[5]
Dumbledore told her that Harry was being brought there by Rubeus Hagrid to stay with the Muggle family at 4 Privet Drive. Minerva thought Hagrid may not be the best one to entrust Harry with, and she was shocked that he would leave Harry with them because of the way they acted, but accepted it when Dumbledore pointed out Harry would be better growing up without the attention of newfound fame.[5]
They were then joined by Hagrid and Harry and Minerva noted the lightning-shaped scar on Harry's forehead (the place that Voldemort tried to kill him). They then said goodbye, and Minerva told Hagrid to calm down when he started wailing, worried he would wake the Muggle neighbours. Dumbledore then said goodbye to Minerva, telling her to join a party, and she departed in Animagus form, unhappy that Dumbledore thought he could explain everything in a letter to the Dursley family.[5]
Minerva saw Harry Potter for the second time when he began Hogwarts School in September 1991. He and the other first-years were taken to the oak door at the entrance of the school by Rubeus Hagrid, and when Hagrid knocked on the door, Minerva opened it and Harry had the immediate opinion that she was not a teacher to cross. Minerva took the children to the empty chamber, where she told them how they would be placed in one of the four houses, and told them about each house.[6]
Minerva later led them to the Great Hall and placed the Hat on each head when she called their name. Minerva later joined the teachers at the High Table for the Start-of-Term Feast.[6] Harry knew from the beginning that Minerva was a strict and fair teacher who could sense trouble immediately. But when she saw Harry chase and catch a ball in Flying, rather than get angry he had no permission to fly on a broomstick, she gave him the role of Seeker for the House Quidditch team, making him the youngest Seeker in a century.[7]
Minerva was determined to win and hoped Harry would help them win the tournament that year.[7] In the first Quidditch game of the year, Minerva had to keep shouting at Lee Jordan because he had a problem being impartial.[8] Minerva and Flitwick decorated the Hall for the festive holidays in December.[9]
In the spring of 1992, Draco told her that Harry and Hermione were taking a dragon to the Astronomy Tower. McGonagall had found him at the foot of the Astronomy Tower stairs and told him he should not be outside the common room at midnight. But from their perspective, no-one showed up because Harry and Hermione were under the Cloak of Invisibility and snuck past them. McGonagall thought that Draco had invented the story and gave him detention.[10]
But later that night, Filch caught Harry and Hermione sneaking back to the common room and McGonagall caught Neville Longbottom sneaking about trying to warn Harry about Draco. McGonagall thought that Harry and Hermione had invented a story about a dragon to get Draco into trouble, got Neville involved in their scheming and gave them detention too for sneaking out past curfew.[11]
McGonagall sent Harry, Hermione, Neville and Draco a note each using owls to tell them to time and location of their detention: the Forbidden Forest at 11pm.[11] In early June, McGonagall was told by Hermione that she, Harry and Ron wanted to speak to Dumbledore. McGonagall told them that Dumbledore was at the Ministry of Magic and Harry told her that he thought that someone was going to steal the Philosopher's Stone.[12]
McGonagall was shocked that they even knew about the Stone but told they should not worry about the Stone because it was well protected.[12] However, she was wrong. Later that evening, Professor Quirrell and Voldemort attempted to take the Stone and Harry managed to save it.[13]
Chamber of Secrets[]
At the start of their second year, McGonagall was very angry to learn that Harry and Ron had taken a flying car to get to school, breaking the International Statute of Secrecy in the process. McGonagall decided what their punishment should be because she was their Head of House. She chose detention which disappointed Professor Snape who thought they ought to be expelled. Harry pointed out that they couldn't lose house points because they broke the law before the school year started. McGonagall slightly smiled at that and then left them to eat their dinner in the office instead of the Great Hall.[14]
In October, McGonagall informed Harry and Ron what their detentions were. Ron was sent to help Filch shile Harry was to help Professor Lockhart. Harry didn't like Lockhart so he begged her to let him help Filch instead. She found it curious but because Lockhart had specifically asked for Harry, he had to go.[15] The evening of their detention, she saw Harry, Ron and Hermione near Mrs Norris who was Petrified. On the wall was a warning that the Chamber of Secrets had been opened. She defended Harry when Filch thought he had attacked Mrs Norris. Snape thought Harry was hiding something and thought he should still be punished, but she pointed out that the cat was not struck with a broomstick.[16]
In November, McGonagall found a Petrified Colin Creevey at the foot of the stairs leading up to the Hospital Wing. She was very shaken and glad when Professor Dumbledore passed by on his way to get a hot chocolate. They took Colin to Madam Pomfrey. Dumbledore told her it was proof that the Chamber of Secrets was indeed opened. McGonagall deduced Colin was taking grapes to Harry and asked Dumbledore who would open it, but she was confused when Dumbledore asked not who, but how.[17] Ron and Hermione heard Professor McGonagall telling Professor Flitwick about Colin.[18]
In December, she caught Harry at the scene of a newly Petrified Nearly Headless Nick and Justin Finch-Fletchley. She took Harry to Professor Dumbledore and when he told her he was not responsible, she told him it was not in her hands judge.[18]
In April, McGonagall found new more students Petrified including Hermione. She suspended every school club, stopped Quidditch games and imposed new rules including a curfew. She took Harry and Ron to the Hospital Wing where she informed them about Hermione. She revealed the school would probably have to close if the situatiin wasn't resolved soon.[19] Professor Dumbledore was suspended by the Board of Governors and Professor McGonagall was instated the temporary Head. He gave her instructions that the school should carry on like it normally would.[20]
In May during Transfiguration, she announced that second-years were taking an examination for every subject. Seamus Finnigan had expected her to cancel examinations because of the Chamber of Secrets, but she responded that the whole point of keeping the school open was so everyone could get an education.[20]
A few days later, Professor McGonagall announced that the Mandrake Restorative Draught could be completed that evening, causing the school to cheer. She hoped at least one Petrified person could be able to tell her who was responsible for it. That evening, she saw Harry and Ron wandering unsupervised. She looked very angry because they weren't supposed to be in the corridors without a teacher. They lied to her about how much they miss Hermione and that were heading to the Hospital Wing to tell her she would be okay. She had a tear in her eye and gave them permission to visit her.[20]
That evening, she found a new warning on the wall about the Chamber of Secrets. Someone had written that Ginny had been taken into the Chamber itself where her skeleton will lie forefer. She called for everyone to go back to their House common room and informed the other teachers that the school was going to have to close. Professor Lockhart was late to the scene. After he had spent months bragging that he could knew where the Chamber was, Professor McGonagall with the other teachers started telling him he was being sent to the Chamber to rescue Ginny. It was a ruse to get him out of their way because they knew he didn't really know where it was. She sent the Head of Houses to tell their students.[20]
Harry overheard her and decided to enter the Chamber with the help of Ron. With a coerced Lockhart, they found the entrance to the Chamber. Harry was successful in finding it, slaying the Basilisk within and rescuing Ginny. Minerva was consoling Mr and Mrs Weasley with a returned Dumbledore in her office when Harry and Ron walked in with Ginny. She was shocked by their appearance, gasping and clutching her chest in amazement that Ginny was fine. Harry told them the story of how he rescued her. Professor McGonagall was astonished at how many school rules he had broken.[21]
Professor Dumbledore explained who Tom Riddle was, that he had enchanted Ginny with his diary into opening the Chamber. He had Professor McGonagall plan a great feast in order to celebrate the end of the monster's reign of terror. She headed to the kitchens to let the house-elves who cook there know. During the feast, she announced examinations were cancelled but Hermione was disappointed.[21]
Later life[]
After the death of Dumbledore, she discovered his notes on The Tales of Beedle the Bard that he had left to the Hogwarts Archives in his will. She gave permission for these to be printed in a new edition along with Hermione Granger's translation of the book from its original ancient runes.[22]
Appearance[]
Professor McGonagall keeps her hair in a tight-bun. She has sharp eyes and wears spectacles.[23]
Notes and sources[]
- ↑ Minerva began working at Hogwarts in December 1956 according to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 15. She had to be at least 17.
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 15 (taking place in 1995) - How long have you been teaching at Hogwarts?" Professor Umbridge asked. "Thirty-nine years this December".
- ↑ Minerva gave permission for notes to be put in the 2008 edition of The Tales of Beedle the Bard, which says she was the Head of Hogwarts then. In an [interview], J. K. Rowling says she wasn't the Head of Hogwarts by Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Epilogue which took place in 2017.
- ↑ The Tales of Beedle the Bard: Albus Dumbledore's notes on Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 1
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 7
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 9
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 11
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 12
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 14
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 15
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 16
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 17
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 5
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 7
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 9
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 10
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 11
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 14
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 16
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 18
- ↑ The Tales of Beedle the Bard: Introduction
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 5