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- "Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts. Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned."
- — McGonagall's sternness and belief in her field[src]
Professor Minerva McGonagall, O.M. (First Class),[15] (b. 4 October) was a Scottish half-blood witch, the only daughter of Muggle Robert McGonagall and witch Isobel Ross. She also was the older sister of Malcolm and Robert Jnr. Minerva attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and was Sorted into Gryffindor House, but it took the Sorting Hat five and a half minutes to decide if she was Gryffindor or Ravenclaw, which made her a Hatstall. During her seventh year, she was appointed Head Girl.
After her education, Minerva worked for two years at the Ministry of Magic and later returned to Hogwarts, where she became Head of Gryffindor House and the Transfiguration professor. Though she wasn't a member of the Order of the Phoenix during the First Wizarding War, Minerva greatly helped the Ministry of Magic's resistance through spying on Death Eaters and bringing the Aurors crucial information on their activities.
Eventually, Minerva became concurrently, at differing times, Deputy Headmistress and Headmistress of Hogwarts. In 1995, she opposed Dolores Umbridge, the High Inquisitor of Hogwarts. She also protected the students from Alecto and Amycus Carrow from 1997 until 1998. As part of the Order of Phoenix's new resistance movement, Minerva fought in several battles of both wars, including the Battle of the Astronomy Tower and the Battle of Hogwarts, where she led the resistance against Lord Voldemort.
Minerva survived the Second Wizarding War and became Headmistress full time, a title she still held into the early 2020s.[11]
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Biography[]
Early life[]
Minerva McGonagall was born on 4 October of an unknown year to Robert McGonagall, a Muggle Presbyterian minister, and his wife Isobel Ross, a witch. She was the couple's first child and was named after her mother's grandmother, a very powerful witch. By then, her parents lived on the outskirts of Caithness in the Scottish Highlands, in a village where mostly Muggles lived.[1]
Her birth proved both a joy and a crisis: Isobel had given up the use of her magic for her love of Robert and never told him about her nature as she was afraid to mar the bliss of their wedding. However, the infant Minerva displayed small but noticeable signs of magic from her earliest hours. She had no control of her magic and thus inadvertently summoned toys that had been left on upper shelves to her cot, made the family cat do her bidding, and her father's bagpipes play themselves which would cause her to chuckle happily. Thus, Isobel often secluded herself with Minerva for days at a time. She knew she must confess to her husband about their daughter's wizarding abilities and so she finally did, explaining everything to Robert and telling him that they were bound by the International Statute of Secrecy and that they must conceal the truth about their magical abilities for their safety.[1]
The two parents remained together despite the shocking revelation, but their trust never was the same, much to the sadness of their perceptive daughter. She later had two brothers, Malcolm and Robert Jnr, who revealed magical ability in due course. As a child, Minerva helped her mother conceal from her father the accidents and embarrassments the young witch's magic sometimes caused. She was very close to her Muggle father, whom in temperament she resembled more than her mother.[1]
On Minerva's eleventh birthday, Minerva received her admittance letter from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, at the time headed by Professor Armando Dippet. Before coming to the school, she visited Diagon Alley and purchased her wand from Ollivander's Wand Shop. The wand she selected was an unusual specimen, 9 and a half inches, fir and dragon heartstring. Now free to be with her kind and to exercise her talents, Minerva saw how her mother sobbed that day, not only out of pride, but also out of envy.[1]
Hogwarts years[]
At the age of eleven, Minerva attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. During her Sorting, she proved to be a hatstall: the Sorting Hat spent five and a half minutes wavering between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw before deciding to place her in the former. Minerva's school career overlapped by two years with that of Pomona Sprout, and after Minerva gifted Pomona a Fanged Geranium that Pomona named Gerald to help her get over her homesickness, the two students enjoyed an excellent relationship, both then and in later years, which had a magical effect on the plant, allowing it to thrive whilst their friendship was still going.[1][16]
Minerva was quickly recognised as the most outstanding student of her year with a particular talent for Transfiguration. By the end of her education at Hogwarts, she had achieved an impressive record: top grades in O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s, Prefect, Head Girl, and winner of the Transfiguration Today Most Promising Newcomer award. Under the guidance of her inspirational Transfiguration teacher, Albus Dumbledore, Minerva had managed to become an Animagus; her animal form, with its distinctive markings (tabby cat, square spectacles markings around eyes) were duly logged in the Ministry of Magic's Animagus Registry.[1]
Minerva played for Gryffindor Quidditch team in her student years, in which she proved to be gifted. However, she suffered a nasty fall in her final year: a foul during the Gryffindor versus Slytherin match which would decide the Quidditch Cup winner. This event left her with a concussion, several broken ribs, and a lifelong desire to see Slytherin crushed on the Quidditch pitch.[1]
Early heartbreak[]
After graduating from Hogwarts, Minerva was offered a position at the Department of Magical Law Enforcement of the British Ministry of Magic. She returned to her family's manse to spend one last summer with her family before moving to London. During these months an eighteen-years old Minerva met Dougal McGregor. McGregor was a local Muggle, who was the handsome, clever, and funny son of a local farmer.
The two shared a sense of humour, argued fiercely, and suspected mysterious depths in each other. Minerva fell head-over-heels in love with McGregor, being the first and only time in her life that she might have been said to lose her head. Eventually, McGregor proposed to Minerva on a ploughed field and she accepted his offer.[1]
That night, however, Minerva was unable to tell her parents of her engagement. Thinking about her future, she realised that wedding a Muggle who didn't know that she was a witch would mean Minerva would follow her mother's footsteps and live unhappily with her wand locked away, shredding all of her ambitions. Early next morning, Minerva went to tell McGregor she had changed her mind and could not marry him, aware that if she broke the International Statute of Secrecy and told him why, she would lose the job at the Ministry for which she was giving him up. She could give him no good reason for her change of heart, leaving McGregor devastated and left for London three days later. These months were to prove some of the most difficult of Minerva's life.[1]
Early career at Hogwarts (1910s–1945)[]
Though her feelings for the Ministry of Magic were affected by the fact that she had recently suffered an emotional crisis, Minerva didn't much enjoy her home in London and workplace, where some of her co-workers had an ingrained anti-Muggle bias. Given her adoration of her Muggle father and continuing love for Dougal, she deplored these ideas. Despite this, Minerva was among the most efficient, gifted employees in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and became fond of her much older boss, Elphinstone Urquart. After two years at the Ministry, she was offered a prestigious promotion, yet found herself turning it down as she missed her home in Scotland.[1]
Instead, Minerva sent an owl to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, asking whether she might be considered for a teaching post. The owl returned within hours, offering her a job in the Transfiguration department, under Head of Department, Albus Dumbledore. Through her efforts and work, Minerva proved to be a strict yet inspirational teacher, maintaining control of her students with a stern hand that made her someone not to be crossed.[1]
By this time, Minerva was shocked to learn from her oblivious mother (in the middle of a chatty letter of local news) that Dougal had married the daughter of another farmer. Albus discovered his former student and colleague in tears in her classroom late that evening, and she confessed the whole story to him. He offered both comfort and told Minerva some of his own family history, previously unknown to her. The confidences exchanged that night between were to form the basis of a lasting friendship.[1]
Sometime in the 1910s, among her first students were Newt Scamander and Leta Lestrange, the latter of whom was frequently in trouble with Minerva for magically retaliating against vicious gossip about her half-brother's death by hexing her peers. A notable example of this is when Leta sealed shut the mouth of a fellow student during her third year after the other girl had been speaking ill of her behind her back. Minerva was called upon to fix the situation, but Leta ran from her and Minerva was forced to chase her around the school, all the while docking points (Minerva ended up docking a total of 200 points). When she couldn't find her, Minerva removed the spell from the girl but promptly restored it with an irritated "Whisht!" when the girl continued to badmouth Leta.[17]
Global wizarding war (1927–1945)[]
During Gellert Grindelwald's rise to power, in 1927, Minerva stayed a close confidant to Dumbledore. She was quite critical of the Ministry of Magic's involvement at Hogwarts and was furious when Torquil Travers and a team of Aurors interrupted Dumbledore's Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson, protesting that this was "a school". However, her protests fell on deaf ears and she was forced to escort the students from the classroom.[17]
In 1932, Minerva went to the Hog's Head Inn and alerted Albus to Anton Vogel's decision to absolve Grindelwald's crimes. After Dumbledore's first army returned to Hogwarts from their first missions, Minerva watched them in the Great Hall while Albus showed the rest a sculpture of the Eyrie where they were heading.[18]
Proposal & Head of Transfiguration (1950s–1970)[]
Minerva remained close friends with her former boss in the Ministry, Elphinstone. During one visit sometime in between 1956 and the 1980s he proposed marriage to Minerva at Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop several times. Surprised, embarrassed, and still in love with Dougal, she declined. However, the two still remained in contact for years. Eventually, she accepted his proposal when Elphinstone proposed to her by the Great Lake. They would buy a cottage in Hogsmeade together, in which she would live when not teaching at Hogwarts. Eventually, Elphinstone died from an accidental bite from a Venomous Tentacula after three years of marriage. McGonagall sold their cottage and moved into her rooms at Hogwarts. She cherished the time she spent with Elphinstone and would frequently take walks by the Great Lake in her spare time to remember all the happy times she spent with Elphinstone. Later, during the 1980s, Madam Rosmerta would send her a teacup from Madam Puddifoot's as a reminder of Elphinstone's proposals.[1][19]
Later on in her career, Minerva rose to the position of Head of the Transfiguration department. Her lessons consisted of but were not limited to match to needle, animal to water goblet, beetle to button, and mouse to snuffbox transformations, as well as Switching Spells, Vanishing, and Conjuring. Furthermore, Minerva was appointed the position of Head of Gryffindor House, the house in which she used to reside whilst studying at Hogwarts. After he became Headmaster, Dumbledore would later on in his career also trust her enough to allow her to become Deputy Headmistress of the school and fill in for him on the occasions of his absence.[1]
First Wizarding War (1970–1981)[]
- Minerva McGonagall: "Oh yes, everyone's celebrating, all right. You'd think they'd be a bit more careful, but no – even the Muggles have noticed something's going on. It was on their news. I heard it. Flocks of owls ... shooting stars ... Well, they're not completely stupid. They were bound to notice something. Shooting stars down in Kent – I'll bet that was Dedalus Diggle. He never had much sense."
- Albus Dumbledore: "You can't blame them, We've had precious little to celebrate for eleven years."
- Minerva McGonagall: "I know that, but that's no reason to lose our heads. People are being downright careless, out on the streets in broad daylight, not even dressed in Muggle clothes, swapping rumours."
- — McGonagall's reaction to the wizarding world's celebration of Voldemort's downfall[src]
After the first rise of Dark wizard Lord Voldemort, Minerva took part in fighting back against Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters, though she still taught at Hogwarts during the First Wizarding War. Previously, she was suspicious of Riddle in spite of the fact that she wasn't his teacher and thus shared her fears with Dumbledore in private. Even so, McGonagall chose to not join the Order of the Phoenix, which was seen as a renegade outfit by the Ministry at the time. Instead, unbeknownst to her students, she spent many nights spying for them in the guise of a tabby cat, bringing the Aurors crucial information on the activities of Voldemort's followers.[15]
Despite her involvement in the Ministry's efforts to contain the threat of the Dark Lord's rise to power, Minerva got through the war unscathed. However, she suffered personal bereavements: the loss of her brother Robert; of two of her favourite students, Lily Evans and James Potter; and of Dougal McGregor, who was murdered in a random anti-Muggle attack by the Death Eaters, along with his wife and children. This last news was a terrible blow to Minerva, who wondered if she would have been able to save him if she had married him.[15]
Concurrently, as the war raged outside the castle walls, the school was plagued by a series of curses inadvertently unleashed by one of the students, Jacob, who began to meddle with the five fabled Cursed Vaults. Like the rest of the faculty, Professor McGonagall did everything she could to protect the students, although they were ultimately unable to prevent the injury of several students and the death of a Slytherin student named Duncan Ashe; this all led to Jacob's expulsion.
Protection of Harry Potter[]
- "These people will never understand him! He'll be famous -- a legend -- I wouldn't be surprised if today was known as Harry Potter day in the future -- there will be books written about Harry -- every child in our world will know his name!"
- — Minerva discussing Harry Potter's future with his Muggle relatives[src]
In 1981, baby Harry Potter "defeated" Lord Voldemort in his family home at Godric's Hollow after his parents James and Lily Potter (both members of the Order of the Phoenix) were murdered whilst protecting their son from harm. The fall of Voldemort ultimately ended the war and his followers were arrested and those that escaped went into hiding.
Minerva travelled to Surrey and spent an entire day observing the Dursley family seeing whether or not they met the standards of looking after Harry as they were his only living relatives with his parents now dead. What she saw horrified her; the Dursleys couldn't have been any less like Lily and James if they had tried. She was thus present, along with Rubeus Hagrid, when Dumbledore placed Harry on the Dursleys' doorstep, despite her objections to leaving him with these Muggles, whom she considered to be the "worst kind" of them. She kept a close eye on Harry from time to time during his early childhood, as did the members of the Order of the Phoenix.[4]
Between the wars (1981–1995)[]
After the First Wizarding War had ended, Minerva continued on with her career at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, carrying on teaching the art of Transfiguration. Elphinstone, who had never ceased to love her, proposed every now and then until she finally accepted after Dougal's death. Their engagement happened during a summertime stroll around the lake in the Hogwarts grounds. The retired Elphinstone bought a small cottage for the two of them in Hogsmeade, whence Minerva could travel easily to work every day. Although the couple had no children, her nieces and nephews visited often. This was a period of great fulfilment for Minerva.
In 1985, three years into their marriage, Elphinstone died from a Venomous Tentacula bite.[1] Minerva, who couldn't bear to remain alone in their cottage, packed her things after her husband's funeral and returned to her first-floor study in Hogwarts Castle. It is unknown whether she still owns the cottage. Always a brave and private person, Minerva poured all her energies into her work and few people – excepting perhaps Albus – ever realised how much she suffered.
During the second year of Jacob's sibling, when Ben Copper when missing, they asked Minerva about it as she was the Head of the Gryffindor House. She first asked if Jacob's sibling had seen him in the Hogwarts Express and if he had been acting strange and after learning that they didn't but Penny Haywood did and Ben seemed fine even though he was always a bit odd. She mentioned that the Cursed ice may have changed Ben and slightly chastised Jacob's sibling for their attempt to enter the Cursed Vault, asking them if they had learnt anything that said of a threat beyond the door and appealed to them that this involved all of Hogwarts, not just Jacob.
Learning that they had found and read a message about an Ice Knight and Vanished Stairs, Minerva said she will discuss this with Dumbledore and accidentally revealed that she and the other teachers had once dealt with the Cursed Ice, which she quickly covered by telling Jacob's sibling that he is free to help in the search of Ben and ask for him to tell her personally should he succeed, promising to reward him.[20]
McGonagall and Snape eventually found the missing Ben Copper encased in Cursed ice and Jacob's Sibling and Rowan realised she knew more about the Cursed Ice than she revealed. Minerva was perplexed that the Knockback Jinx had no effect on the ice, noting on how they once could use it to shatter the ice, and even more so when Snape callously suggested they use Incendio to melt the ice while also burning him to death, as she realised from how the Cursed Ice had began to expand throughout the school that someone had been tampering with the Vaults. Ignoring Snape's frustrated questioning of Dumbledore's whereabouts, Minerva and Snape used the Fire-Making Spell to successfully free Ben from the Cursed Ice, taking care to target as further as possible from his body.[21]
Knowing Minerva was the only one left in the school with Dumbledore gone that could possibly teach them the Revelio Charm, Jacob's sibling turned to her to learn the spell. At first Minerva was baffled due to how advanced the charm was but ultimately agreed to teach them if they proved themselves sufficiently adept, impressed by their desire to help Hogwarts and study Transfiguration. Finding their abilities to have reached the level required in the class, Minerva called them to have their private lesson and after Jacob's sibling successfully learned Revelio, Minerva congratulated them and noted the usefulness of the spell.[22]
After learning that Bill Weasley had taught Jacob's sibling the Fire-Making Spell, Minerva was furious and scolded him heavily.[23]
Protecting the Philosopher's Stone[]
In 1991 friend of Albus Dumbledore, Nicolas Flamel, had the Philosopher's Stone that was keeping him alive moved from his safe in Gringotts to Hogwarts for safe keeping. Minerva contributed to the defences set up around the magical artefact by transfiguring an enormous chess set and animating it to behave as a normal Wizard's chess set would. As part of its protection duty, it required that the person or persons seeking to get past would have to take the place of a piece on the board and play an actual game of wizard's chess, at great physical risk to themselves. This larger than life version of Wizard's Chess was known to be brutally violent and sacrificial for wizards to have to take part in themselves.[4]
Also in this year, Harry Potter, whom Minerva had been watching over for many years, would start his first year of education at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, not knowing this, as he did not know that he was a wizard. Once Harry eventually arrived at Hogwarts, after the delivery of many acceptance letters, Harry was Sorted into the house of Gryffindor which Minerva was head of. Harry was therefore again placed under the watchful eye and care of McGonagall.[4]
Though Minerva often maintained her strict persona in regards to the boy, she wasn't above bending the rules for him on occasion, such as when she caught him flying on a broomstick without proper supervision. Instead of expelling him, which was Madam Hooch's stated punishment for anyone caught doing so, Minerva instead took him to see Oliver Wood, captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, to comment on his prodigious skill with the broom. Harry made the team, remarkable for a first year, and became the youngest Seeker in a century. She made arrangements for Harry to have a Nimbus 2000, the fastest broomstick of the time, for use during games and practices. However, several incidents marred the year.[4]
At Hallowe'en, the festive feast was interrupted by the arrival of Professor Quirrell, who came charging in screaming about a troll loose in the dungeons before fainting dead away. After restoring calm, Dumbledore ordered all students to return to their dormitories while he and the teachers made their way to the dungeons. The troll was not there upon their entry, but a terrible racket from an upper floor provided a clue. Upon reaching the site, Minerva was shocked to discover a wrecked bathroom, an unconscious troll and three bedraggled first years, one of whom was her best student Hermione Granger.
To her further shock, Hermione claimed that she had gone looking for the troll thinking she could handle it but would most assuredly have been killed had Harry and Ron not found her. Torn between anger and pride, Minerva took five points from Hermione but awarded five each to Harry and Ron for, as she put it, "sheer dumb luck." Over the Christmas period, she attended the Christmas feast and received a kiss on the cheek from a very drunk Hagrid; rather than admonish him, she instead giggled while blushing red in the face.[4]
However, her serious side appeared one night when she caught Draco Malfoy roaming the school at night. Dragging him by the ear, she sentenced him to detention and deducted twenty points from Slytherin when he claimed that Harry was also out of bed with an illegal baby dragon. Though the dragon in question was successfully released, Harry, Hermione and Neville were all caught and brought before McGonagall by Filch. Harshly disappointed with them, she told them all off before punishing them severely; a loss of fifty points each, 150 in total, and detention with Malfoy. This caused Gryffindor to drop to last in the House Cup.[4]
Towards the end of the year, McGonagall and the other teachers' protective enchantments down in the Philosopher's Stone chambers would come to test when Quirrell attempted to steal the Philosopher's Stone. Also testing and facing the enchantments were Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley. The trio was successful in stopping the stone being stolen and at the end of the school year, Gryffindor had won the house cup after receiving the most house points that year after getting bonus points for the trio's and Neville Longbottom's bravery. Thus, for the first time in years, McGonagall's house was the current house cup champions. Her reaction wasn't documented, but it's assumed that she was pleased with their efforts as Professor Snape shook her hand with a very forced look of congratulations.[4]
The second opening of the Chamber of Secrets[]
- McGonagall: "What does this mean, Albus?"
- Albus Dumbledore: "It means that the Chamber of Secrets is indeed open again."
- — The opening of the Chamber is confirmed after finding Colin Creevey petrified[src]
In the beginning of the 1992 school term, Minerva had to deal with Harry and Ron, who crashed Mr Weasley's Flying Ford Anglia into the Whomping Willow, due to the barrier to Platform Nine and Three-Quarters being sealed by Dobby so the two couldn't board the train. This nearly exposed the wizarding world to Muggles, but Minerva was fairer than Snape, the one who brought the matter up in the first place. Minerva ultimately let them off with a mere detention and letters to their families. Also she didn't take any house points as Harry pointed out that term had not started yet when they took the car, which she confirmed and almost smiled at this remark.[24]
Later, Minerva was present for the re-opening of the Chamber of Secrets. She, along with the rest of the teaching staff, scoured the castle for the Chamber, but to no avail. Minerva was worried over the messages left on the walls and was at a loss about what should be done. She also had to deal with the less than helpful Gilderoy Lockhart, who had been hired for the position of Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor. McGonagall had little liking or use for the man and by the end of the year was only one of the many staff members who utterly despised him. For example when he decorated the Great Hall in nauseatingly lurid pink hearts for Valentine's Day, she was observed to have a muscle twitching noticeably in her face. Throughout the year, two of Minerva's students, Hermione Granger and Colin Creevey were Petrified along with the House ghost Nearly Headless Nick.[24]
In the final weeks of that school year, Minerva served as temporary Headmistress of Hogwarts after the Board of Governors, under Lucius Malfoy's influence, suspended Dumbledore for failing to stop the attacks against the students. She was also quite shaken and softened up, as when Harry and Ron tried to sneak off to investigate the matter but were caught by herself. She let them off under the belief that they were trying to visit a petrified Hermione, though she normally would punish them with detention.[24]
- "All students to return to their House dormitories at once. All teachers return to the staff room. Immediately, please."
- — Minerva's emergency announcement[src]
When Ginny Weasley was later taken into the Chamber of Secrets, where "her skeleton will lie in the chamber forever", Minerva despairingly believed that they were facing the end of Hogwarts. Her temperament was not improved by the arrival of the hated Gilderoy Lockhart, who was completely oblivious to the worry of his fellow staff members, and immediately joined Professors Snape, Flitwick and Sprout in forcing him into a corner by recalling all of his boasts that he could deal with the monster easily. With him dealt with, as they couldn't care less if he succeeded or failed, the staff turned their attention to the thing they never thought would happen; the permanent closure of Hogwarts.[24]
Thankfully, this terrible reality never came to pass. While McGonagall received Ginny's distraught parents in her office, along with a returned Albus Dumbledore, she was astonished to see Ginny herself walk in, accompanied by a slime-covered Harry, Ron and Lockhart, the ragged old Sorting Hat, Dumbledore's pet phoenix and the silver Sword of Godric Gryffindor. Harry then explained that he and Ron had gone into the Chamber to find Ginny, having realised the mystery, and had slain the monster within. Dumbledore then declared the crisis over and sent Minerva down to the kitchens to organise a celebratory feast, which she subsequently attended with great joy as the monster was dead and Lockhart banished.[24]
Escape of Sirius Black[]
- Minerva McGonagall: "Sir Cadogan, did you just let a man enter Gryffindor Tower?"
- Sir Cadogan: " Certainly, good lady!"
- Minerva McGonagall: "You — you did? But — but the password!"
- Sir Cadogan: "He had 'em! Had the whole week's, my lady! Read 'em off a little piece of paper!"
- Minerva McGonagall: "Which person, which abysmally foolish person wrote down this week's passwords and left them lying around?"
- — Minerva's shock at Sirius Black entering the castle[src]
The summer of 1993 also saw the escape of Sirius Black from Azkaban. When the school year began in September, Minerva had to deal with the effects that the Dementors had on her students, such as Harry Potter. She also authorised Hermione Granger to use a Time-Turner in order to take extra classes, a decision that would prove more useful in future events that year. This year at Hogwarts would prove to be another difficult year with Dementors guarding the castle, though they were forbidden from entering the grounds properly by Dumbledore. Minerva heartily approved of this, as she despised the foul creatures.[25]
At the start of the year, when McGonagall demonstrated her Animagus form to her first class, she notes how quiet they were, as every class she demonstrated it to prior clapped. When Hermione explained about their first Divination, McGonagall understood and asked her class which of them would be dying this year. Harry Potter raised his hand. McGonagall assured him that Sybill Trelawney's predictions were a way of greeting her class and that no deaths of any students have occurred yet. To further put him at ease, she demonstrated one of her rare glimmerings of humour by stating that she still expected him to do his homework, but if he did die then she would excuse his not handing it in.[25]
Throughout the year, Minerva assisted in guarding the school, yet nonetheless Black was able to infiltrate the castle. After Black had attacked the Fat Lady, McGonagall tried to tell Harry that Black was after him, but was cut off by Harry, who told her that Mr Weasley had told him, before she could explain. Later in the year, Minerva was summoned to Gryffindor Tower when Ron Weasley claimed to have been attacked by Black. She initially dismissed him as Black could not have possibly got in without the password (unaware that Hermione's cat, Crookshanks, befriended by Sirius and gave him a discarded list of passwords).
McGonagall was rendered speechless when the new guardian, Sir Cadogan, confirmed that he had indeed let him in because he had the passwords written down. When Neville Longbottom admitted to having written the passwords down, McGonagall banned him from future Hogsmeade visits for the rest of the year, gave him a detention, forbade anyone to give him the password into Gryffindor Tower and wrote to his grandmother. As a result, Neville received a Howler from her during breakfast.[25]
When Harry received a Firebolt following the destruction of his Nimbus 2000, McGonagall had it confiscated to be "examined" because she believed it to have been sent by Black (and correctly so), and therefore lethally cursed (which was incorrect). This incident caused Harry and Hermione to have a row, because Hermione had alerted Minerva about the Firebolt. It was returned to him later after having been declared safe. During the Quidditch match against Ravenclaw, Draco Malfoy, Gregory Goyle, Vincent Crabbe, and Marcus Flint posed as Dementors to sabotage Harry's performance, only to get struck down when Harry reflexively cast a Patronus Charm at them. Utterly furious at this downright trickery, she deducted fifty points from Slytherin and put the quartet in detention.[25]
In the spring of 1994, though disgusted by the Slytherin Quidditch team's dirty tactics during the final Quidditch match after witnessing Draco Malfoy grab onto the end of Harry's Firebolt to stop him from catching the Golden Snitch (which infuriated her to the point where she stopped telling Lee Jordan off and actually joined him in firing furious comments at Malfoy), she witnessed the Gryffindor Quidditch team win the Quidditch Cup for the first time since Charlie Weasley had played for the team during his Hogwarts education. McGonagall was delighted by Gryffindor's victory, openly sobbing — even louder than the already sobbing Oliver Wood — into a Gryffindor Flag, but was upset to see Oliver Wood leaving. Later on in the year, three students from her house — Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger — would run into trouble when Sirius Black returned to Hogwarts.[25]
Triwizard Tournament[]
- "The Yule Ball is of course a chance for us all to — er — let our hair down. But that does NOT mean that we will be relaxing the standards of behaviour we expect from Hogwarts students. I will be most seriously displeased if a Gryffindor student embarrasses the school in any way."
- — McGonagall introducing the Yule Ball[src]
In the autumn of 1994, Hogwarts hosted the magical schools, the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic and the Durmstrang Institute for the Triwizard Tournament. Harry Potter was selected as a Triwizard Champion, despite being under age and McGonagall worried for his safety after having looked after him for so many years. Minerva pleaded with Dumbledore and Crouch to withdraw Harry from the tournament, as the tournament was highly dangerous. But withdrawing would go against the rules of the tournament and Potter had to continue on, as there was a binding magical contract in place.[26]
During the year Minerva more than once exhorted her students to provide a good appearance to their guests at the castle. She attended the Yule Ball with Albus Dumbledore and notably wore her hair down for the first time since Harry started his education at Hogwarts. While at the Ball, Minerva danced with both Ludovic Bagman and Dumbledore, among others. In the case of the former, Harry Potter noticed Bagman kiss Minerva's hand once they had finished dancing.[26]
Minerva loaned her classroom to Harry, Ron and Hermione so they could practise spells for Harry's preparation for the Third Task. She did this after having walked in on them practising so many times around the school. At the end of the Tournament, Minerva accompanied Dumbledore and Severus Snape in the rescue of Harry Potter from the Death Eater that had spent the entire school year impersonating the Auror Alastor Moody, that year's DADA professor.[26]
She was instructed to guard Crouch Jnr after he revealed his part in the rebirth of Voldemort but was unable to prevent the Dementor brought by Minister Cornelius Fudge from giving the Death Eater the Dementor's Kiss. She was intensely furious at Fudge for this blunder, and severely shaken from having witnessed the unspeakably horrible act, screaming more than Harry had ever seen before. Thus, when the Minister refused to believe Dumbledore and Harry Potter about the return of Voldemort, Minerva nonetheless stood in support of her superior and her student. In the return of the Dark Lord, Hufflepuff student Cedric Diggory was carelessly murdered and a memorial feast was held at the end of the school year. The Second Wizarding War had now begun, despite the Ministry trying to hush up any claims of this.[26]
Second Wizarding War (1995–1998)[]
- "Well, I think Potter and his friends ought to have fifty points apiece for alerting the world to the return of You-Know-Who! What say you, Professor Snape?"
- — McGongall openly addressing Voldemort's return to power[src]
Once the Second Wizarding War had begun, Minerva joined the Order of the Phoenix and spent much of the summer of 1995 doing work for the Order. She would come and go from 12 Grimmauld Place wearing a Muggle dress rather than her robes, which Harry thought made her look odd. Though these duties took up much of her time, Minerva would face even greater challenges at Hogwarts.
Because Dumbledore was unable to find a new professor for Defence Against the Dark Arts, the Ministry of Magic appointed Dolores Umbridge, a senior Ministry official and stout supporter of Fudge, to the Hogwarts staff. Minerva saw this appointment as an affront to the school itself and did little to hide her disgust.[13]
High Inquisitor at Hogwarts[]
- "I wonder how you expect to gain an idea of my usual teaching methods if you continue to interrupt me? You see, I do not generally permit people to talk when I am talking."
- — Professor McGonagall to Dolores Umbridge during her inspection[src]
When Harry Potter crossed Umbridge, earning a detention in his first class with her, Minerva was sympathetic but warned him that Umbridge was not to be trifled with and that he should keep his head down. McGonagall did all she could to circumvent Umbridge's authority without risking her own security as Deputy Headmistress. Indeed, she treated Umbridge with as little credence and respect as possible while Hogwarts was under investigation by the Ministry of Magic and even gave Peeves tips on how to unscrew a chandelier when he was trying to cause havoc for Umbridge. McGonagall also managed to put aside her dislike of Professor Trelawney for a time in the face of Umbridge's persecution of Hogwarts' inhabitants. It is shown she brings Trelawney back to Hogwarts after Umbridge dismissed her.[13]
After Umbridge's appointment as High Inquisitor, Minerva was forced to endure the other woman's presence during her evaluation of Minerva's teaching. Minerva kept her temper under control, maintaining an icy exterior and yet still unleashed a dry and pointed wit on Umbridge. The encounter did serve to cheer students like Ron Weasley who heartily disliked Umbridge; Ron even expressed delight at the prospect of seeing Minerva's classes inspected, remarking that "Umbridge won't know what's hit her". Still, darker times lay ahead.[13]
Despite Minerva's best efforts to thwart the Ministry's influence at Hogwarts, things continued to grow worse. After Harry's resistance group was discovered by Umbridge, Minerva was present in Dumbledore's office when Harry was brought in. When Umbridge revealed that anti-Muggle prankster Willy Widdershins had provided her with testimony that Harry was forming this rebel group, Minerva loudly voiced that she had wondered why he had managed to avoid prosecution for all his regurgitating toilet charges, joined in her vocal outrage by the portrait of Headmaster Dexter Fortescue.[13]
Dumbledore managed to save Harry by taking credit for the student organisation, which led to Fudge announcing his intention to arrest him and actually attempted to have him taken by force, sneering at the idea of Dumbledore taking on him and the others single-handed. Minerva, loyal to her mentor and friend, loudly declared that he wouldn't be single-handed and actually made to draw her wand, fully prepared to duel the Minister for Magic himself. She only stood down on Dumbledore's direct orders, as Hogwarts would need her.[13]
After Dumbledore escaped arrest, Umbridge was appointed Headmistress over Minerva, but had virtually no support. When Umbridge invaded the career advising of the 5th-year students, Minerva finally lost her temper. During Harry Potter's session, when Umbridge kept interrupting the conversation and declaring that Harry would never be an Auror at the Ministry, Minerva declared to Harry that she would help him in any way necessary to achieve his goal, even if it was the last thing she ever did. The atmosphere at Hogwarts continued to devolve under Umbridge's leadership.[13]
St Mungo's Hospital[]
- McGonagall: "How dare you! How dare you!"
- Hermione Granger : "It's McGonagall!"
- McGonagall: "Leave him alone! Alone, I say! On what grounds are you attacking him? He has done nothing, nothing to warrant such —"
- — McGonagall defending Hagrid moments before she's attacked[src]
During the O.W.L. examinations, events came to a head. When Dolores Umbridge and several Aurors attempted to evict Hagrid from the grounds of Hogwarts, Minerva sought to intervene on behalf of her colleague. Charging out of the castle, she shouted at the Aurors to leave Hagrid alone. However, before she could even draw her wand, Minerva was promptly hit with four Stunning Spells in the chest, which required that she be moved from Hogwarts Hospital Wing to St Mungo's for treatment.[13]
Hagrid was so enraged and disgusted by this attack that he attacked two of her attackers before fleeing, furiously denouncing them as cowards, while Madam Pomfrey said that it would be very difficult for Minerva to be hit in broad daylight. She would have resigned in protest because of this cowardly attack if the students' well-being was not placed as her priority. Many students were also outraged with this attack, to the point of ignoring their Astronomy exam and even the proctor Professor Tofty expressed aloud his fury.[13]
Return to Hogwarts[]
- "Well, I think Potter and his friends ought to have fifty points apiece for alerting the world to the return of You-Know-Who — that's fifty each for Potter, the two Weasleys, Longbottom and Miss Granger. Oh — and fifty for Miss Lovegood, I suppose."
- — McGonagall rewards the participants of the Battle of the Department of Mysteries[src]
Minerva didn't return to Hogwarts until after the Battle of the Department of Mysteries. After being released from the hospital, she required the aid of a walking stick for several days. Upon her return to the school, she promptly gave the six students involved in the Battle at the Ministry 50 house points each for "alerting the world to the return of You-Know-Who", in response to Snape needling Harry about Gryffindor having 0 house points.[13] She also watched with some happiness when Peeves chased Umbridge from the school, commenting that she would've joined Peeves in chasing Dolores away in the school grounds, but Peeves had appropriated her walking stick.[13]
1996–1997 school year[]
Having resumed her duties within the Order of the Phoenix as well as her other responsibilities at school when the new year began after summer,[13] early in the term, Minerva was responsible for the distribution of schedules among the sixth year N.E.W.T. students.[27]
Minerva was present after Katie Bell was cursed by the Opal Necklace. After Harry ran off to find someone to aid Katie, he bumped into Hagrid and led him back to the group. After learning the nature of the event Hagrid carried Katie to the castle, accompanied by Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Leanne. While in the castle Minerva appeared and asked Harry what he was holding in his hand, it was the necklace wrapped in his scarf.
She then proceeded to hand over the necklace to Professor Snape, through the Caretaker Argus Filch and questioned the trio and Leanne on what they witnessed. Harry told her his theory that it was Draco Malfoy that gave Katie the necklace, but she scorned the theory and dismissed them. Snape was able to stop the curse from spreading any further, but Katie was taken to St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, where she spent much of that year recovering from the effects of the curse.[27]
Battle of the Astronomy Tower[]
- "Professor McGonagall had risen to her feet, the mournful hum in the Great Hall died away at once."
- — McGonagall at Albus Dumbledore's funeral[src]
On 30 June 1997, Minerva and the other teachers was informed by Professor Dumbledore that he would be leaving the school for a few hours, and instructed them to patrol the corridors as a safety precaution, and that they would be joined by Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks and Bill Weasley. Mindful of the stringent security measures that had been put in place in light of the Return of Lord Voldemort, it seemed impossible that any intruder could bypass the protective enchantments surrounding the school, and indeed, even as she began with her sentry duty, nothing seemed amiss until the sudden arrival of Ron, Ginny and Neville near mindnight, who explained that they had just come from the seventh-floor corridor, where a number of unknown individuals had just emerged from the Room of Requirement, hidden under the cover of Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder.[27]
Within minutes of this happening, Minerva, Filius Flitwick, and the two trios of students and Order members discovered that group of no less than six Death Eaters heading in the direction of the Astronomy Tower and, having immediately chase and thereby forced them to scatter, they were all quickly engaged in a fierce skirmish to try and stop the trespassers: Although they were greater in numbers, the Death Eaters they fought were relentless, cursed-to-kill and seemingly prepared to duel to the death, and before long they had gained the upper hand.
Because of the relentlessness of the Death Eaters, Neville and Bill both had been brutally incapacitated in the struggle. Seeing the need for more wands on their side, Minerva sent Flitwick to get Severus Snape so he could help fend off the intruders, At the time of Dumbledore's murder, Minerva and the rest of the Hogwartsians was stuck on the level below them, having been prevented from passing on the stairs to reach them by a cursed barrier cast by the Death Eaters. When he arrived, Snape, by contrast, could (as he had the Dark Mark), and pushed past her.[27]
Having merely assumed that her colleague was simply in a hurry to pursue their adversaries, no one tried to stop him as he did so, and once when one of them caused a section of the roof to collapse and took the barrier with him, Minerva and those who were still standing rushed forward to pursue them as well; only for the dust to clear and Snape to emerge with Draco Malfoy in tow, Assuming they were running from the Death Eaters, Minerva let them pass before reengaging the Death Eaters that came down after them, whereupon she duelled and personally chased off Alecto Carrow, whom Minerva sent running for cover. Once the intruders escaped the scene of the crime, however, Minerva was devastated to find their esteemed headmaster, the man whom she had known nearly her entire life as a teacher, mentor and friend, lying dead outside on the lawn beneath the Astronomy Tower, and asked Hagrid to move the body.[27]
The death of Albus Dumbledore[]
Having notified Arthur and Molly Weasley about what had happened and that their oldest son had been gravely injured at the hands of Fenrir Greyback, Minerva regrouped with the rest of the other combatants at the Hospital Wing, where they discussed what had transpired and Harry Potter elaborated on the plot to assassinate Albus Dumbledore. Upon learning from Hagrid that Horace Slughorn had notified the Ministry of Magic, Minerva promptly and prudently assumed the role of acting Headmistress of Hogwarts by having the Heads of Houses meet with her in what had now become her new office in the Headteacher's Tower to discuss the future of the school.
Before they arrived, she also tried to tried to comfort Harry about the death of Dumbledore, as well as to persuade Harry to confide in her the truth about what he and the late headmaster had been up to prior to their sudden departure from the school, only for Harry to refuse her, as Dumbledore had shared the facts of the matter in the strictest confidence. Eventually joined by Pomona Sprout, Filius Flitwick and Horace Slughorn, the five individuals proceeded to talk about the possible closure of Hogwarts and the necessary arrangements for Dumbledore's funeral.
When Professor Slughorn announced the emminent arrival of a delegation from the Ministry of Magic, led by the Minister for Magic Rufus Scrimgeour, she gave Harry leave to vacate the office so that she could prepare to receive the new arrivals and inform them about what had happened. During this exchange, Scrimgeour also agreed to let Minerva follow through with Dumbledore's previously stated wish of being put to rest at the school grounds.[27]
1997–1998 school year[]
Voldemort's control of Hogwarts[]
As the war continued, Minerva remained at Hogwarts, even when it was taken over by Voldemort. This was most likely to try and make sure as little harm came to the students as possible, and because she could act as an insider so that the Order of the Phoenix was informed on what was going on at Hogwarts. Even when Severus was appointed Headmaster and Alecto and Amycus Carrow were given free rein in the school, Minerva did as much as she could to protect the students. The rebel alliance Dumbledore's Army founded by the students reformed and McGonagall helped to keep their meetings a secret.[14]
Battle of Hogwarts[]
- "You're acting on Dumbledore's orders? ...We shall secure the school against He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named while you search for this — this object."
- — McGonagall to Harry Potter before the Battle of Hogwarts[src]
On 1 May 1998, Minerva was present when Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley returned to Hogwarts in the middle of the night in search of Rowena Ravenclaw's Diadem. That night, she found Amycus at the door to Ravenclaw Tower, furiously assaulting it and demanding to be let in. Dryly pointing out that perhaps his sister, whom Professor Flitwick had admitted earlier at their urgent request, could open the door and prevent him from waking half the castle. Minerva then intervened on his behalf after he told her that Alecto wasn't responding.[14]
When the door opened, they found Alecto unconscious on the floor, which Minerva surmised as the work of a Stunning Spell. Amycus then revealed that they had been warned that Harry might try to get into Ravenclaw Tower, to which Minerva responded with confusion as Harry was in her house, speaking of this with pride in her voice, before scanning the room. Amycus then horrified her by stating his plan to push the blame for Alecto summoning Voldemort on the children in the dormitories, without remorse or concern that they would likely be killed or horribly tortured.
Minerva refused to allow Amycus to place blame on the children, prompting the Death Eater to spit in her face, only to be flung across the room with the Cruciatus Curse when Harry, who had witnessed the whole thing from under his Invisibility Cloak, revealed himself in sheer anger. With both Carrow siblings now incapacitated, Minerva used the Imperius Curse to gain their wands, before she magically restrained and confined them to the Ravenclaw common room.
Ousting of Severus Snape[]
Realising that a battle was upon them, Minerva engaged Severus Snape, the Headmaster at the time, in a fierce duel. Whilst Snape did put up a good defence, McGonagall gained the upper hand in the duel quickly, and when Filius Flitwick, Horace Slughorn and Pomona Sprout arrived, Snape fled, now severely outnumbered. Minerva, believing his escape was motivated by fear, called him a coward as he fled the school.[14]
Harry informed McGonagall of a quest that Dumbledore had left him. In respect for Dumbledore's wishes, she offered to hold Voldemort and his army back whilst Harry fulfilled this quest. She then proceeded to lead the defence of Hogwarts against the Death Eaters with Kingsley Shacklebolt, personally animating virtually all of the castle's suits of armour and statues to help her defend the school.[14] Shortly before the battle, Minerva ordered Neville Longbottom with the aid of Seamus Finnigan and other students to destroy the Wooden Bridge so that the Snatchers could not sneak into the school grounds.[28] To ensure the advantage of chaos on their side, she also ordered Argus Filch to find Peeves and bring him to her, which he did in response to her agitation.[14]
First stage of the battle[]
- "Hogwarts is threatened! Man the boundaries, protect us, do your duty to our school!"
- — McGonagall preparing for the Battle of Hogwarts[src]
After ordering the evacuation of younger students through the Hog's Head, Minerva began to help fortify the castle against the coming attack, with the assistance of her fellow teachers, Order members, and even the older students who had stayed behind to fight. When Pansy Parkinson suggested they take the deal offered to them by Voldemort — that of their lives in exchange for Harry Potter — Minerva ordered the cowardly girl and all those not willing to fight to leave.[14]
Minerva fought skillfully in the first part of the battle, during which she could have sworn she saw one of the statues that usually flanks the school's Main Gates dive-bombing a cluster of Death Eaters.[29] She also led a herd of enchanted desks into the fray at one point, during which she yelled "CHARGE!".
Second stage of the battle[]
She stood defiant in the lull and among many students in a crowd when Voldemort himself walked into the Hogwarts grounds. It was only when she saw Harry Potter's body being carried by Hagrid that she began to despair, letting out a scream terrible to anyone who heard it, equal to that of Ron, Hermione, and Ginny's together. Nonetheless, Minerva continued to fight when the battle resumed after the attack by the Centaurs on Voldemort and the Death Eaters. In the final moments of the battle, she duelled Voldemort himself to a stalemate along with Horace Slughorn and Kingsley Shacklebolt. They were blasted aside by his fury when Bellatrix Lestrange was killed in a duel with Molly Weasley.[14]
McGonagall was also present when Harry and Voldemort duelled for the final time. She and many others witnessed Voldemort's Killing Curse connect with Harry's Disarming Charm. Voldemort's curse was rebounded, signalling his final defeat at Harry's hands. She, along with everyone else in the Great Hall, hugged Harry in an uncharacteristic display of great emotion, being one of the first to reach Harry after Hermione, Ron, and Ginny. This event signalled the end of the Second Wizarding War.[14]
In the aftermath of the battle, Professor McGonagall brought the Winged Boar Statues' part in the battle to the attention of Professor Flitwick. Flitwick thought it an unlikely story, as no one was known to have enchanted them. This subsequently lead to a long-standing disagreement between the two, who could not agree as to whether or not the winged bore statue had, in fact, participated in the Battle of Hogwarts.[29]
As Headmistress of Hogwarts (1998–)[]
Early career (1998–2003)[]
Having been awarded the Order of Merlin, First Class, by Minister for Magic Kingsley Shacklebolt for her unwavering allegiance to the Order of the Phoenix during the historic conflict, Minerva was eventually immortalised on a Chocolate Frog Card (an accolade she later admitted she had never imagined receiving),[15] and four months later, by which time the damages done to the castle during the battle had been repaired and the protective enchantments around the castle and grounds restored, she had been officially appointed to the position of Headmistress.[30]
Upon assuming her new post full-time, she was advised not to confuse the Headmaster portraits for the actual people they depicted, as they were only paint and memory, and supposed to be nothing more than a support mechanism for the many difficult decisions that she would have to make while running the prestigious institution.[31]
Ultimately, the faculty was ready to accept a new batch of first-year students for the 1998–1999 school year on 1 September. During this term, the school also guided those who would have otherwise completed their studies had it not been for the Magic is Might Campaign of Lord Voldemort and his followers, such as Muggle-borns like Hermione Granger, in finishing their N.E.W.T.s.[32] Around this time, following a private conversation with Harry Potter, the new Headmistress, in view of the revelation of his true intentions and motives, made the somewhat controversial decision to add Professor Snape's portrait to the gallery in her office in commemoration of his true allegiance and the role he had played in the Second Wizarding War.[33]
In the time that followed, Minerva oversaw a very trying time for the rest of the denizens of Hogwarts Castle, as the final battle had left marks both seen and unseen upon the school. On the anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts, Minerva would host memorials at the school, at least one of which involved those in attendance being treated to several expert demonstrations of the Shield Charm.[34]
Having also lost members of the staff during the battle,[28] she was also involved with the hiring of new members of the school faculty. In addition to find a suitable candidate to replace her as the school's Transfiguration teacher,[35] as well as a new, permanent occupant for the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts instructor. She was also behind the eventual employment of her former student Neville Longbottom to the Herbology department, under head of department Pomona Sprout,[36][30] whom she eventually appointed as her successor as the Head of Gryffindor House.[37]
Headmistress McGonagall was also known to have continued to personally attend to some of the duties she had carried out on Dumbledore's behalf throughout her time as Deputy Headmistress, including sending acceptance letters to future Hogwarts students,[38] collecting the new first-years, escorting them to the Great Hall, and presiding over the Sorting Ceremony.[30]
Minerva ultimately earned recognition as a very successful and inspirational Headmistress of the school, and when she took up permanent residence in Dumbledore's old quarters, her new study became the home to among other things a self-playing harp whose tones could often heard around midday between classes.[39]
2002–2003 school year[]
Five years after the final battle, Minerva also wrote a glowing letter of recommendation to the Ministry of Magic's research wing regarding one of their graduating students: Having achieved no less than five 'Outstandings' and one 'Exceeds Expectations' on his N.E.W.T.s, Grim Fawley had been one of the students that were bereft by the Dark Lord's second rise to power; having lost both of his parents to the Death Eaters during the conflict. Still and all, he had remained an outstanding student that embodied all of the qualities that marked a true Hufflepuff, and given his perseverance and impressive record, Minerva was happy to help him land a job at the Ministry, where he was later taken on by the Department of Magical Law Enforcement as a research assistant at the Auror Office.[40]
The new generation (2008–2015)[]
At some point in 2008, ten years after the Battle of Hogwarts took place, Minerva gave Hermione Granger, who had since joined the Ministry and risen to a high-placed office in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, permission for Dumbledore's old notes on The Tales of Beedle the Bard to be published as part of her new translation of the book.[41]
Sometime before 1 September that same year,[42] Headmistress McGonagall charged Rubeus Hagrid with serving as a special messenger to a young Muggle-born that had been admitted to the school to deliver their letter of acceptance and to take said student-to-be to Diagon Alley in London to purchase the necessary school supplies.[30]
2008–2009 school year[]
Start-of-Term[]
In September 2008, Professor McGonagall carried out the Sorting Ceremony after collecting a new batch of first-years escorted by Professor Hagrid. In the Great Hall before the Start-of-Term Feast, she addressed the students with a brief speech about the importance of unity in spite of their individual differences. She cited their victory at the Battle of Hogwarts as a prime example of what the castle's residents might accomplish when they worked together and that they were capable of much more than they might have thought. She also put nervous students at ease by reminding them that even the famous Harry Potter had once stood where they did, having both started out as a student like themselves and looked just as nervous.[43]
The ceremony saw the sorting of a new Muggle-born student, Kevin Farrell, Robyn Thistlethwaite, Cassandra Vole, Fischer and Colby Frey, Daniel Page and Lottie Turner into their respective houses. However, the Headmistress was surprised to find that they were one student short when she called for Ivy Warrington, who did not respond. She asked if anyone knew where she was but nobody could tell her. Then, however, Hagrid arrived at the hall and brought Ivy with him, explaining that she had got distracted by the bushes outside the castle.[43]
At some point after the Battle of Hogwarts, she created a Dance Club. She had enjoyed dancing her whole life, once telling the student that she was a "spritely lass" when she was younger and enjoyed waltzing as much as Transfiguration. She thought the Yule Ball had boosted morale at Hogwarts and wanted to give future students that same experience. She talked to the student when they arrived at the club for the first time, telling them not to be nervous and asking them about their prior experience. She then encouraged them to get their friends to participate too.[44]
The woes of the Warringtons[]
The following evening, Professor McGonagall learned that Ivy Warrington had wandered off once more and, what was more, this time been missing for a long enough time that there was actually cause for alarm. Having gone to have a look for her herself, the Headmistress eventually came across a small group of her classmates late in the evening in the Grand Staircase, whom she questioned about their classmate's whereabouts. Upon realising that they did not know either, Minerva tasked Hagrid with organising a search party to find her and turned down her peer's offer to lend them a hand.[45]
Due to Ivy's disappearance, McGonagall contacted her grandmother and learnt from her the true story of Ivy, which involved Ivy's sister Winifred accidentally Vanishing herself during a confrontation with Ivy, and her grandmother modifying Ivy's memories to make her forget what happened. She also contacted the Ministry of Magic at some point, and affirmed that the incident was accidental, and that Ivy would not be expelled. After Ivy was found and was caught by the caretaker Argus Filch wandering in the castle, she was brought to the Headmistress's office and explained to McGonagall what she had found out about herself. McGonagall noted that her story was not complete, and invited her grandmother to come forward and recount the truth of what had happened. Despite Ivy's grandmother lamenting she wasn't a good teacher for her granddaughters, McGonagall thought otherwise, and voiced the belief that Ivy had also received proper guidance from the friends she had made.[46]
2009–2010 school year[]
At some point before the new term, Headmistress McGonagall got in contact with a worldly traveller with a proclaimed interest in bygone times named Jakub Gorski and invited him to join the staff for the duration of the new term as a visiting professor of History of Magic. He was also known to have kept a lemur called Bly, which acted as his assistant.[30] The new school year also saw the sorting of Edward Lupin into Hufflepuff.[47]
Later that term, Minerva visited the Hog's Head Inn during a Hogsmeade weekend trip and discovered that several second-year students, the same friend group she had summoned to her office near the end of the previous year, had snuck out of the school without permission and visited the village despite the fact that they were not old enough to partake in said trips.[48] The Headmistress listened to their explanation, but didn't believe their claim that Gorski was at the inn, as they had no proof. She then put them all in detention, which involved polishing statues in the castle.[49]
Shortly afterwards, however, McGonagall received word from the Ministry of Magic that they had been following Gorski's moves for months, and that Ministry agents would arrive before long to secure the castle. The Headmistress rushed to find him in his classroom, only to find that he was already incapacitated and surrounded by the very students who had tried to warn her about him in the first place. McGonagall was able to discern that Gorski was being controlled by the Imperius Curse, and, knowing the wizard responsible was running lose somewhere in the castle, ordered the students to return to their dormitories and leave the Dark wizard in question to the teachers and Ministry officials.[49]
During the same school year, Hogwarts was represented in the eighty-seventh Wizarding Schools Potions Championship.[50]
Christmas at Hogwarts[]
During Christmas later that term, Minerva was approached by Daniel Page, who explained that Ivy, whose memories had since been mostly restored, was not feeling the holiday spirit, as she was missing her sister too much, and that he had come up with the idea that Ivy might feel more connected to Winifred if she had a present for her and vanished it, hopefully to wherever Winifred was. The Headmistress, though aware that this was not how Vanishing Spells worked, could still appreciate it as a symbolic gesture and retrieved one memory from each of Ivy's friends about when they first met Ivy, which was then gift-wrapped and handed to her so that it could be 'sent to Winifred'.[30]
Later career (2015–2018)[]
After Teddy Lupin was appointed the new Head Boy before his seventh and last year at the school,[47] over the next few years, the young James and Albus Potter, as well as Scorpius Malfoy arrived at Hogwarts and were sorted into their Houses. James Potter and Scorpius Malfoy were as expected sorted into Gryffindor[47] and Slytherin respectively, however, Albus Potter was also sorted into Slytherin to everyone's surprise.[51]
Assisting the SOS Task Force (2018–2021)[]
"Well, I think we should put it back in order for them, don't you?"
This entry needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. |
2018–2019 school year[]
Assisting the SOS Task Force[]
By 14 December 2018,[52] the world wizarding community had been dealt a devastating blow following the sudden outbreak of a chaotic piece of magic that caused numerous unpredictable traces of magical activity to suddenly appear all over the Muggle world, thus threatening with the potential exposure of the magical world. During the Ministry's investigation into the cause of the Calamity, whereupon generally agreed by his former co-workers that Grim Fawley had both the means, motives and opportunity to bring about said catastrophe, Minerva provided the Calamity Management Team with a copy of Grim's school record and informed them about the tragic fate of his parents, as well as noting what an outstanding student he had been, and gave no indication that she believed in Grim's guilt.[53]
After the International Confederation of Wizards and the Ministry of Magic in London partnered to create an International Task Force whose sole purpose would be to investigate and contain the situation, several former members of the Order of the Phoenix, including Arthur Weasley, Aberforth Dumbledore, Hestia Jones and Minerva herself, got personally involved to help the agents of the then recently founded Statute of Secrecy Task Force for the task at hand.[54]
At one point, Minerva was called in as a guest lecturer to talk about the peculiarities of fighting Curiosities, during which aspiring Magizoologists in attendance learned a lot and were able to use said knowledge to improve their defensive spellwork.[55] At a later date, she also invited a Calamity Investigator working for the task force to Hogwarts in order to show them the original architect's blueprints for the castle to help them better understand how the school had changed over the years since its initial construction and the transformative powers of magic.[56] Along with her former students Harry Potter and Ginevra Weasley, Minerva later held a panel at the Ministry where the three spoke about having parts of their lives turned into Foundables by the Calamity, with the emotional evening being attended by the same Calamity Investigator.[57]
Before long, Minerva would also assume a part-time role in the Calamity Management Team herself, where she was put in charge of overseeing those of the Calamity Investigators wishing to pursue a career as Professors, whom she warned of the difficulties they would have to face along the way, as well as the fact that they might be called upon to do things they never thought possible. She invited at least one such person to join the teaching staff at Hogwarts in time for the new term in order to get some experience educating young witches and wizards, and to learn practical skills that would help them to better tackle the Calamity.[58]
The visiting professor[]
Upon the arrival of a Calamity Investigator to Hogwarts Castle to take up a teaching position, Professor McGonagall welcomed the individual by giving them copies of the letters that were once exchanged between Albus Dumbledore and Adalbert Waffling to help improve their skills in addressing the Calamity, specifically in fighting Impaired Foes.[59] Along with teaching them the Deterioration Hex for the purpose of weakening their foes,[60] she also showed them how to draw on the strength of others when in combat,[61] how to systematically work with academic research to improve their attention to detail,[62] and how to augment the effects of the exceptionally powerful Protection Charm they had previously been taught by Filius Flitwick by adjusting their stance.[63] During this time, she would also lecture them on how to better connect with their teammates, which helped them get better results with their Proficiency Charm.[64]
Determined to run the school as normally as they possibly could under the circumstances, despite the rising tensions surrounding the Calamity, and even though Hogwarts was hit with a massive Pixie infestation and required all of the professors to spend time finding and removing nests of nettlesome Pixies from the premises,[65] the Inter-House Quidditch Cup was held as planned, and at some point after the tryouts of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, Professor McGonagall announced to an gathering of students in the Great Hall that Rose Granger-Weasley had made the it as their new Chaser.[66]
Despite the best efforts of everyone involved, however, it eventually became glaringly obvious that the security measures that had been put in place to ensure the safety of the school's residents were wholly insufficient to stop the Calamity from claiming victims from within the castle itself. At some point, students from all the four houses was snatched and dislocated in the Muggle world, a number of items and special artefacts from Hogwarts such as portraits became Foundables as well, along with several staff members, including Minerva herself.[67]
Summer holidays[]
In the summer leading up to the new school year, the Ministry of Magic hosted a panel of luminaries that had all had pieces of their lives turned into Foundables by the Calamity to share their experiences. Minerva, having accepted the invitation to partake as a panel speaker, joined Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley in talking open and honestly about what they had gone through, which resulted in an enlightening and emotional evening from which the agents of the SOS Task Force was later known to have benefited greatly from.[68]
2019–2020 school year[]
Back to Hogwarts[]
Shortly before the beginning of the 2019–2020 school year, Minerva was informed that a highly talented student in Slytherin House had decided to transfer to Beauxbatons Academy of Magic to distance herself from the surges of chaotic magical activity that was running rampant in Britain, as she felt the Calamity had singled out her House. Minerva tried to convince her to stay, was ultimately unsuccessful.[69]
The Headmistress took no small amount of pride in the fact that more than seventy-four percent of the volunteers that had taken time off their busy schedules to assist the Ministry — by quill and parchment — with the job of tracking, sorting, cataloguing, collating, and archiving returned Foundables for the Ministry were current and former members of Hufflepuff House.[69]
Around the same time, Minerva also received owls from no less than three students in Ravenclaw House asking if they could receive their lesson plans early as not to fall behind in their studies, an exchange she noted that it was not uncommon for her to have with students of that house at the beginning of each term.[69]
When the Hogwarts Express was whisked away by The Calamity just shortly prior to its scheduled departure on 1 September, however, she quickly solicited the assistance of a highly reputable member of the SOS Task Force that Hermione Granger had recommended, hoping said individual could returned the train in time for the new school year. In the meantime, however, due to the ongoing surge, a number of Foundables materialised on the school grounds, including werewolves and fire-breathing chickens, expressing the concern that lest the Calamity was dealt with, she would have to spend the whole term keeping first-year Gryffindors — and — Rubeus Hagrid away from them.
The Calamity Investigator was eventually successful in returning the Hogwarts Express in time for the start of the term, much to the relief of Minerva; who pointed out that the time-honoured tradition of riding the train to school was as much part of the "Hogwarts experience" as the Sorting Ceremony. She was also relieved to hear of the safe return of the trolley witch, who had been turned into a Foundable and at some point afterwards retrieved by the aforementioned Task Force member, saying that the Hogwarts Express would not be the same without her and her sweets, noting that she could remember her working at the train even back when Minerva herself was a student, during which she was "partial" to her Pumpkin Pasties.[70]
That was not to say that her troubles was over, however, as the Calamity hit the school itself next, spiriting off with the Sorting Hat, a Thestrals from Hogwart's herd, one of their carriages, a boat, a Winged Boar Statue and even the sign directing people between Hogwarts Castle and Hogsmeade Village; all of which the same diligent individual was able to retrieve and return to their allotted places, much to the delight of the denizens of Hogwarts Castle. In the aftermath of the incident, the Headmistress noted that in light of the fact that the school had suffered no lasting damage from this latest surge, (not counting the students' new favourite excuse for not finishing their schoolwork in time; 'the Calamity stole my homework!'), and that she would be writing to Minister Granger and inform her about the admirable service that the Calamity Investigators involved in putting down the new outbreak had done to the old school.[71]
The Lost Love[]
On 13 February 2020, the Hogwarts Headmistress was dismayed to learn that not only had the seemingly quasi-sentient predicament that was wreaking havoc on magical communities everywhere hit her school once more, but that this time, it gave the impression of having taken a particular interest in her personally; as it had snatched away several items of a significantly more private sort than the ones that had been claimed by the Calamity so far. Mindful of the exemplary job that the Statute of Secrecy Task Force had done in ensuring that the new term could begin as planned as six months earlier, however, Minerva had to qualms about reaching out to them again. Along on this endeavour was also former student and then Head of the task force, Constance Pickering, whose comments and constant questions about the various objects that they retrieved Minerva would eventually find to be irkesome in the long run.[72]
The first possession to be returned to her self-playing harp, at which point Minerva showed signs of mild exasperation when she had to explain to Miss Pickering that the self-playing instrument had, as the name suggests, been bewitched to play itself. The next items on the list was the memory of a hornbill that she once owned, which she had used as a teaching aid during her career as a Transfiguration professor, and remembered it fondly as "a good bird", although she had not viewed it as a pet, as she was more partial to cats.[72]
Other items on the list included a school crest, her Order of Merlin, First Class, which she had framed and kept in her office, and an old photo of Dougal McGregor, about whom she refused to comment when Pickering asked about the man's identity, saying only that he was "a man [she] once knew" and that that was all she was prepared to say on the matter.[72] By 3 March, all of the items had been successfully retrieved, and though grateful for their help, Minerva still lightly admonished Miss Pickering for prying into her personal life, reminding her that she did not have the right to the answer of every inquiry she could think of just because she asked.[72]
Inter-House Cup[]
In spite of the fact that the security of the castle had been breached more than once as a result of the Calamity, and, having taken into account the prevailing theory that if enough people focused on something, it could affect how said phenomenon behaved, the decision to permit the annual and always much anticipated Inter-House Quidditch League to go on as planned was not one Minerva made lightly. Having concluded, however, that the collective disappointment at its cancellation would be more likely to trigger a new surge with Hogwarts at the heart of it than to allow the student body their yearly competition, the new season was held as normal.
It was later noted that the Gryffindor Quidditch team had, despite some injuries on the part of the players, a fine showing that season, as had the Slytherin team, which the Headmistress herself judged to have been deserving recognition for their successes. Having proceeded without incidents for most of its duration, it was only as the final matches of the contest that the Calamity was drawn back to the Scottish Highlands and whisked away with among other things the Hogwarts Quidditch Cup.
Upon learning this, Professor McGonagall alerted the Ministry of Magic, which sent an agent from the Statute of Secrecy Task Force to recover the all. One of the Foundables in question was an old Nimbus 2000, prompting a Chaser on the Gryffindor Quidditch team to grow concerned that her broom, which of the same model, might vanish and be weakened if the same happened to hers, to which her headmistress assured her that the broom in question was almost certainly the echo of the one that once belonged to another, famous student that played on their team years earlier.
When the Gryffindor house ghost, Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, was spirited away by the Calamity along with the cup and turned him into a Foundable, Minerva was delighted to see his safe return, stating that she had meant to ask his opinion on the Calamity, seen as how he, being somewhat separated from his original self, just like the Foundables were, perhaps had some interesting insights into the Calamity they had not considered.[73]
First Extraordinary General Meeting[]
As though the Calamity was not bad enough; conceding with the ongoing catastrophe was also the discovery that various dark and dangerous magical creatures that had once allied themselves with the Dark Lord had began to behave rather conspicuously. McGonagall was present at the Extraordinary General Meeting called at the Ministry of Magic by Minister Hermione Granger in the afternoon[74] of 1 September 2020, where Harry Potter, now the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, talked about the movements and increased activity of Voldemort's former allies and cautioned vigilance regarding Dark Magic. Minerva also reported that when the staff returned to the school from the summer holidays, they had discovered that someone had taken Boomslang skin and lacewing flies from the Potions stores during the summer break, the ingredients for Polyjuice Potion.[75]
2020–2021 school year[]
Helping Albus Potter[]
When Albus Potter and Scorpius Malfoy did not arrive at Hogwarts with the Hogwarts Express on 1 September 2020, McGonagall sent owls to their parents,[76] and later met with Harry Potter, Ginny Potter and Draco Malfoy, along with Minister for Magic Hermione Granger and her husband Ron Weasley, to find them. She suggested that they take Professor Longbottom with them to look for the two boys, as his expertise in Herbology could prove useful in the forest.[77]
Unbeknownst to the other involved parties, however, by the time the missing students was finally found, they had meddled in time and made changes to past events in the timeline. McGonagall, however, was still Headmistress of Hogwarts in spite of their interference, and tried to advise Harry on interfering in Albus and Scorpius's friendship, but he insisted on keeping them separated and even went so far as to threaten to come down on the school with the full force of the Ministry unless she complied, and insisted that the Headmistress use the Marauder's Map to track their movements to keeping them apart, and McGonagall reluctantly agreed.[31]
Having half-heartedly carried out Harry's instruction and used the map a few times, and once purposefully ignored the two because they were under the Invisibility Cloak and she felt justified in pretending she could not truly know they were together lest she saw them.[78]
Shortly after, she received another visit from Harry, Ginny and Draco. Upon seeing them, McGonagall turned to Harry and informed him that come what may, she wanted no further part in ruining friendships, to which he apologised for the way he had spoken to her, and asked that she used the map to find Albus and Scorpius so that he can apologise to him too, having finally realised that he had been dangerously isolating his son by refusing to let him be with the only friend he had. Inclined to grant his request, McGonagall used the map to discover that they were in the girls' bathroom on the second floor.[79] McGonagall and the parents tried to find them, but Moaning Myrtle revealed that they had gone beyond their reach by using a Time-Turner to go back in time in order to save Cedric Diggory from death at the hands of Peter Pettigrew, much to McGonagall's shock.[80]
The Time-Turner[]
- Minerva McGonagall: "So to be clear — you illegally jumped off the Hogwarts Express, you invaded and stole from the Ministry of Magic, you took it upon yourself to change time, whereupon you disappeared two people —"
- Albus Potter: "I agree it doesn't sound good."
- Minerva McGonagall: "And your response to disappearing Hugo and Rose Granger-Weasley was to go back in time again — and this time, instead of losing two people you lost a huge number of people and killed your father — and in doing so you resurrected the worst wizard the world has ever known and heralded in a new age of Dark Magic. You're correct, Mr Potter, it doesn't sound good, does it? Are you aware how stupid you've been?"
- — Headmistress McGonagall getting a confession out of Albus Potter and Scorpius Malfoy[src]
Albus and Scorpius then drastically changed the timeline again, which Scorpius had to fix himself due to Albus being un-born. After they reunited, McGonagall and others found them on the edge of the Great Lake,[81] and brought them to her office. After they confessed what they had done, McGonagall admonished not only the two students for their serious lack of judgement, but their parents as well for holding onto a Time-Turner that was supposed to be destroyed; reminding them that as noble as they had been in wanting to help Amos Diggory prevent the loss of his son, their meddling had returned them to the darkest times of the wizarding war, and to never forget that the current, peaceful world they lived in had been created in part exactly because of the sacrifices made by those that had laid down their lives to fight for it. As punishment for their recklessness, she put them both in detention for the reminder of the year, placed on them both a blanket ban on all future Hogsmeade trips and cancelled Christmas before telling them to find the Time-Turner that Scorpius had found to be missing upon emerging from the lake when they had returned in the original timeline.[82]
Not too long afterwards, however, McGonagall received another message from Harry Potter late one evening, and joined him at the Slytherin common room. When they found the two friends had left the dormitory and missing once again, she took with her fellow student Craig Bowker Junior to "turn the school upside down" to find them again.[83]
Second Extraordinary General Meeting[]
- Harry Potter: "But there is one truth we can't escape: That somewhere in our past a witch is trying to rewrite everything we ever knew — and all we can do is wait — wait for the moment she either succeeds or fails."
- Minerva McGonagall: "And if she succeeds?"
- Harry Potter: "Then — just like that — most of the people in this room will be gone. We'll no longer exist and Voldemort will rule again."
- — Harry Potter noting the severity of the situation[src]
Later, Craig was found dead at Hogwarts, which prompted a second Extraordinary General Meeting at the Ministry. McGonagall was present when Hermione announced that their investigation revealed Voldemort had a daughter. When Headmistress McGonagall inquired as to why the girl had not been taken into custody, Hermione admitted that she had "hidden herself in time" through the use of the very time-turner that Scorpius had sworn he had lost. While McGonagall was shocked at and criticised their failure to destroy said object, the meeting ended with a personal victory for Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Draco when they all took the floor together and publicly united ranks in order to save their children.[11]
A calamitous warning[]
In late November the same year, the Ministry's internal Calamity Management Team discovered the existence of a secret society known as The Unforgivable, as well as evidence that suggested that it had not only been manipulating the Calamity from the start. This was a feat that they had so far only thought that Grim Fawley (who caused it) and Harry Potter (who helped spearhead the efforts to contain and understand it) was capable of, but also believed to have been behind the disappearances of the London Five.[84]
Headmistress McGonagall, along with the rest of the Statute of Secrecy Task Force, subsequently received a letter about this from Constance Pickering, informing them about their suspicions about the cabal of said and instructed them all to report any anomalities they saw in the Calamity's behaviour.[85]
Hogwarts for the Holidays[]
Although the very start of the following school term began as uneventfully as one could hope under the circumstances, only three months passed before the school had to send word to Constance Pickering to inform her that a fifth surge had centred itself around Hogwarts. The surge, though its effects were notably less dire than they could, and indeed had been previously, nevertheless warranted remedying, as it had whisked away with a number of the painted likeness and departed souls of some of Hogwarts' finest; more specifically, the portraits of the four Founders and the resident House ghosts.[86]
After the Statute of Secrecy Task Force successfully recovered that which had been lost to the first wave of the surge, the Headmistress came across the ghost of Hufflepuff House, who explained how he had just conversed with Grim Fawley, who had asked him to "mind the portraits". Having scoured the castle without finding any signs of him in the castle, nor any other intruder for that matter, Minerva, upon seeing that the Fat Friar remained adamant that the exchange had indeed taken place, nevertheless decided to increase patrols around the castle before she went to the Ministry of Magic to notify the rest of the Calamity Management Team.[86]
Upon arriving at their underground headquarters in London, Minerva found the Minister for Magic in the middle of overseeing the efforts that went into stamping out the ongoing surge. Hermione, who had previously discovered that the he had found a way to influence the Calamity to the extent that he could actually modify its behaviour and guide the focus of the the surges,[87] theorised that Grim Fawley had created the surge and attached a false memory to the Fat Friar's Foundable as a way of trying to tell them something important, as he had communicated with them this way before. With this in mind, the Headmistress returned to Hogwarts, but not before assuring her that she would be telling Sir Cadogan and the other portraits around the school to keep an out for anything that was out the ordinary.[86]
Although two weeks would pass before the second wave of the surge came to pass, Headmistress McGonagall was still obliged to pay another visit to the Ministry when, on 22 December, the spectral knight of Gryffindor House were found in the Grand Staircase. Having reportedly been instructed by Grim Fawley to stand guard "until he's been found", suggesting that Fawley were trying to tell them that someone was hidden either in or behind one of the portraits there. Hermione, who had never heard of such a thing happening before, questioned as to whether it was even possible for that to be the case, to which Minerva dryly remarked that if a lifetime of service to the ancient school had taught her anything at all, it was that anything was possible at Hogwarts.[86]
Sometime later, Headmistress McGonagall was made aware that her erstwhile student had reached out to one of school's resident ghosts once more when a curious student in Ravenclaw House had spotted The Grey Lady canvassing the Grand Staircase and, when they asked what she had been up to, been told that she was "helping Grim search" before she left the area. Upon learning this, Minerva tried to track down to make some further inquiries, only to discover that she had apparently gone missing as well. Minerva would later visit the Ministry to inform her colleagues on the new development. Later, the Ministry discovered a cryptic note written in Grim's own handwriting, explaining that the person Grim wanted them find were "waiting for them where the Prince of Enchanters was enthroned".[86]
By the time they had solved the riddle, however, Minerva had already sent an urgent owl to inform them all that Sir Nicholas had found two individuals trapped within the portrait of Merlin: The first was the Grey Lady, which explained her sudden disappearance. The second one, however, was incredibly enough none other than Kit Gerrard, a former reporter for the Daily Prophet and one of the missing London Five. Following this, the Headmistress gave a number of Curse-Breakers permission to enter school grounds, who were eventually able to free them both, the latter of which were transported the latter to St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries.[88]
The Unforgivable[]
In late March of 2021, Minerva was once again contacted by Harry Potter; this time for the purpose of asking the Headmistress for permission to station a party of Aurors at Hogwarts Castle for extra security. Having been locked in something of a cold war with The Unforgivable since they first learned of their activities and actively sought to wrestle away from them their control of The Calamity, the new Head of Department had successfully intercepted their incoming surge and redirected it towards his secondhand memories of theMarauders, the reprecussions of which had been what had appeared to be a veiled threat that the cabal planned to go after their children as means of coercing them into ceasing their efforts to twhart them.[89]
Upon learning this, Minerva readily agreed to have the Dark wizard catchers help protect the school and put the staff on high alert. Each of their children was personally assigned an Auror to guard them, and Minerva would henceforth send report back to the Ministry on a regular basis to inform them on the situation. At one point, Minerva's owl had been delayed by bad weather. Afraid that this might mean that something was amiss, the Headmistress was startled when the recipient of her letters came bursting into her office, wand at the ready. Having assured him that everything had been quiet, thus allowing Harry to rest easy and return to the Ministry of Magic to continue his work with the Statute of Secrecy Task Force.[89]
A Weasley Predicament[]
On 2 April, however, the Calamity Management Team was horrified to learn that their threat of teaching Harry "a lesson they don't cover at Hogwarts" had been deliberately misleading; and that while the Ministry had been preoccupied securing the school, members of the cabal had gone to Diagon Alley and, with the help of Polyjuice Potion to assume the identiites of Barnabas Cuffe and Hermione, tried to get the jump on Ron and Ginny at work. And whilst the latter had been admitted to St Mungo's to recupurate from her injuries, she had noticed that something was off and successfully driven away her assailant, Ron, on the other hand, had been caught off guard and abducted.[89]
Devestated to learn about their father's disappearance, Rose and Hugo were both wracked with worry after they heard what had happened, and Minerva, in addition to having done what she could to help them through the trying time ahead of them, also organised another search of the castle's portraits in the unlikely event that Ron would turn up in one of them, to no avail.[90]
Much to the relief of everyone involved, however, he was finally returned to them after The Unforgivable proposed to give them Ron in exchange for the complete control of The Calamity, and even though the Ministry's effort to use the trade to infiltrate the organisation went awry, both the Ministry and denizens of Hogwarts alike was delighted to learn that he had been found, although Hugo and Rose was left having to cope with the fact that their own father had no recollection of who they were, having been completely Obliviated, and Minerva did her outmost to offer her support.[90]
2021–2022 school year[]
Although Minerva played no significant part in the continued struggle against The Unforgivable by the Calamity Management Team, the repercussions of this was still felt by its denizens by the fact of how some of the subsequent surges of the magical disturbance in question was carved from Harry Potter and Hermione Granger's memories of their time as students, as they had found that the manner in which they directed it was crucial to restoring Ron's recollection.
By 31 December 2021, however, the cabal had been defeated, its infiltrators at the Ministry of Magic identified and apprehended, Ron's memory completely restored, and Grim Fawley had been found and reunited with his wife, and the Calamity was slowly fading away, allowing life at Hogwarts to finally return to normal.[91]
Physical description[]
- "The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had a very stern face and Harry's first thought was that she was not someone to cross."
- — Harry Potter's first impression of McGonagall[src]
Minerva McGonagall was a tall, rather severe-looking, and "sprightly" seventy-year-old woman. She had black hair which was rarely let down, and the majority of the time was combed back into a tight bun.[6] In her youth, Minerva was described to not be as beautiful as her mother, but she was still rather pretty according to her picture in that age.
Minerva always had a very prim expression. She also was known for her mouth to become very thin whenever she was angry. Harry Potter made analogies to McGonagall looking like she was going to explode, breathe fire and shoot sparks from her nose based on how transparent her anger could appear. When Minerva was happy or relaxed, she seemed like a different person entirely. She was capable of blending into Muggle crowds though Harry noted that the appearance didn't suit her.
Minerva often wore emerald green robes or her favourite tartan pattern. She wore square spectacles that matched the markings around the eyes of her Animagus and Patronus: a silver tabby cat. She also wore a pointed hat cocked to one side. As Minerva was a fan of tartan print and would often wear it to Quidditch games along with a woolly hat covering her ears.
Personality and traits[]
- "Moody, we never use Transfiguration as a punishment! Surely Professor Dumbledore told you that?"
- — Minerva's strict but fair attitude as an educator[src]
By her own words, she had her father's temperament and her mother's magical ability.[92] Minerva almost constantly exuded magnanimity and sternness, being held in great respect (and some fear) by nearly all students and staff. Used to having her way, she tolerated neither audacity nor silliness from her pupils and was known to turn cold towards people who said or did things in front of her that were stupid, or if she thought they were trying to be funny.[26] She was a woman who rarely smiled or gave compliments freely. Despite her stern demeanour, Minerva did exhibit a dry sense of humour which usually came out when times were tough. She wasn't afraid to speak her mind and showed quite a sharp tongue, especially during arguments.[13]
- "We teachers are rather good at magic, you know. I am sure we will be able to hold him off for a while if we all put our best efforts into it. Of course, something will have to be done about Professor Snape —"
- — Minerva's fierce dedication to protecting Hogwarts[src]
True to Gryffindor, Minerva valued bravery and courage highly, believing cowardice be a heavy flaw. She fought the Death Eaters and protected her students, proving her bravery. Despite her loyalty to her house, Minerva was a fair-minded person who was known for docking points from students in her own House when she saw it must be done.[4] Although she permitted of-age students to choose whether they wanted to stay or evacuate for the Battle of Hogwarts as a respect for their valour and rights, she gave the strict orders for anyone underage to evacuate, prioritising their safety over their courage and refusing to let under-qualified children risk dying in battle despite their desires.[14]
For the most part, though, Minerva usually maintained great emotional composure, without being indifferent. Although she wasn't always particularly personable, she could be very warm and supportive during times of trouble or loss and cared a great deal about her students, both personally and academically. She was known to be extremely caring in times of tragedy, being known for her kindness in her own reserved manner. Though it rarely happened, Minerva showed a temper that could reveal itself on occasions when she was angry or flustered.[26] Apparently, she shared this temper with her father. Upon seeing Harry's alleged death, Minerva screamed in such despair that Harry never heard before.[14]
- "Professor McGonagall, who could spot trouble quicker than any teacher in the school, was there in a flash."
- — Minerva's keen perceptiveness as a Hogwarts teacher[src]
As the devoted instructor of Transfiguration classes, Minerva highly respected this specific branch of magic, which she considered be among the most difficult and sophisticated magic that Hogwarts students learn. She became an Animagus — a complicated, long process- to further her study in this subject and enjoyed correcting articles in Transfiguration Today. On the other hand, Minerva had very little patience for the field of Divination, due to its impreciseness and rarity of true Seers.[25]
Though she gave up Quidditch on leaving Hogwarts, the innately competitive Minerva later took a keen interest in the fortunes of her house team and retained a keen eye for Quidditch talent. She enjoyed watching Quidditch, and supported the Montrose Magpies.
Minerva inherited her cast-iron moral sense from her father. As a law-abiding citizen, she respected the particular law that all Animagi of Britain must register, insisting that Talbott Winger do so despite understanding his reason of secrecy. She wasn't inducted into the Order of the Phoenix during Voldemort's first climb to power because the Order was held as a renegade outfit by the Ministry, who feared Dumbledore's charisma and magical talent and were inclined to harbour fears that he wished to succeed them. Instead, she became their informant and bravely spied on Voldemort's followers in the guise of a cat.[13]
However, by the time of the second wizarding war, Minerva was no longer prepared to act as a spy for a Ministry she believed had become corrupt and dangerous. She is known to have a very severe dislike and hatred of those who abused power, such as her making an enemy of Dolores Umbridge for the latter's bigoted and sadistic behaviour. This also displayed her own distaste for racial prejudice and sadism.[13] Following the confrontation with the Death Eaters who had invaded Hogwarts at the time of Albus Dumbledore's death, Minerva became a fully fledged member of the Order of the Phoenix, which was now, more than ever, seen as an outlaw organisation. Similarly, she stood up to Amycus Carrow, despite the Death Eater's higher authority at the time, refusing to let him blame the students for Alecto's blunder and looked down at him with pure disgust.[14]
- Jacob's sibling: "I must've misheard you, I thought you said Professor McGonagall could teach the Mooncalf to dance."
- Hagrid: "She wanted teh teach ballroom dancing the students for years. Expect she's love to try"
- — Hagrid advising Jacob's sibling to take their Mooncalf to Minerva in order to teach it how to dance[src]
Albus Dumbledore believed that only a few people would have found out how funny and interesting she was.[92] She had loved to teach ballroom dancing to her students[93] and in her free-time, Minerva was known to enjoy needlework.[1]
Magical abilities and skills[]
- "Minerva was a gifted Transfiguration student to say the least. But it's been most satisfying to see her grow into a master of magic as well."
- — Albus Dumbledore on Minerva's outstanding magical power and knowledge[src]
Minerva McGonagall was an incredibly powerful and talented witch whom none should have ever underestimated. Her magical prowess allowed her to be the teacher of Transfiguration, a remarkably complex field of magic which she proved to be an expert in. She was also highly capable in many areas of magic as well as Transfiguration. She survived both Wizarding Wars and a duel with Voldemort himself, as well as correctly brewing the extremely advanced Animagus potion at only seventeen years of age. She was also the only person ever seen to produce three Patronus charms at once, which she additionally did non-verbally.
- "Professor McGonagall is the most powerful witch I know."
- — Jacob's sibling on Minerva's outstanding magical prowess[src]
- Magical mastery: Minerva was an exceptionally powerful and talented witch, having inherited such talent from her mother and great-grandmother. She achieved top grades in her O.W.Ls and N.E.W.Ts when she was at Hogwarts, being quickly recognised as the most outstanding student of her year, with a particular talent for Transfiguration. During her school years, she was the recipient of several awards such as the "Transfiguration Today Most Promising Newcomer Award". As an adult, Minerva displayed her tremendous skills and powers by successfully becoming the Head of Transfiguration, Deputy Headmistress, and Headmistress at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She had extremely advanced magical knowledge, proving herself capable time and time again of mastering and performing highly advanced and difficult spells. Voldemort himself respected her ability, given that even when he controlled the school, and her unwavering loyalty to Dumbledore, she was kept on as Transfiguration professor. Her duelling skills were also exceptional, for she faced some of the greatest magical talent of the age and lived to tell the tale. When facing Snape in battle, one of the few wizards who could have rivalled McGonagall for magical skill, her magical assault was such he was forced onto the back foot almost immediately. Along with surviving both Wizarding Wars, she even went on to challenge Voldemort himself along with Horace Slughorn and Kingsley Shacklebolt at the very end of the second wizarding war, holding him at bay from harming the crowd that had gathered to watch. Though they were ultimately overpowered, neither side were able to hurt the other, further showing her extraordinary skill.
- Wandless and nonverbal magic: Minerva was shown to be extremely skilful at non-verbal magic for a wide variety of spells, especially transfiguration spells and charms which she could perform with just a wave of her wand. This is a testament to her formidable magical skills, as both these branches of magic were difficult to begin with not to mention to do them non verbally which required intense concentration and focus. She could even perform certain spells intentionally without her wand, such as the Avifors spell[94] and often wandlessly conjured a textbook into her hands during Transfiguration class. She stalemated and gained the upper hand over Severus Snape in a fierce duel without uttering a single incantation which is further evidence of her extraordinary skills - lesser witches and wizards seemed to produce weaker magic when using non-verbal spells or under the influence of Silencing Charms, but she seemed unhindered. She was fully capable of disintegrating Snape's fiery serpent he sent at her with just a wave of her wand and instantly turning it into swarm of daggers without saying the incantation. They were so powerful even without the incantation that he was forced to hide behind a suit of armour.[10] She nonverbally untransfigured Draco Malfoy when he was turned into a ferret by simply pointing her wand at him.[95] When Neville Longbottom vanished one of the legs of his desk by accident during a lesson, she had it back very shortly after with just a wave of her wand. She also non-verbally conjured a length of shimmering silver rope to hang the Carrow siblings before the Battle of Hogwarts to incapacitate them.[10] If her ability to conjure three consecutive Patronuses at once was not impressive enough, it should also be noted she did so non-verbally, which is an extraordinarily challenging feat, considering the difficulty of conjuring a single one with the incantation.[10]
- "As if one of them could have Stunned Minerva McGonagall face-on by daylight!"
- — Poppy Pomfrey regarding Minerva's martial abilities[src]
- Duelling: Minerva was an immensely skilful duellist. She was described as moving "faster than Harry Potter would have believed", displaying an incredible amount of speed and precision with her spell work. Though she was hit by four stunning spells without warning by a group of Aurors, Poppy Pomfrey furiously insisted that they wouldn't have stood a chance in an actual fight.[13] During the Battle of the Astronomy Tower, Minerva easily overpowered Death Eater Alecto Carrow even when she had aid from her brother, sending them desperately escaping from her spells, and survived the battle unscathed.[27] In 1998, shortly before the Battle of Hogwarts, she proved herself capable of not only matching Severus Snape in a fierce duel, quickly and easily countering all of his spells and responding with her own, but she also managed to begin to gain the upper hand sending daggers so powerful after him that he was forced to take refuge behind a shield of armour when he couldn't counter her spell. With aid from Pomona Sprout and Filius Flitwick, she swiftly forced Snape to flee from the school by jumping out of a classroom window and flying through the grounds. Even without them, her ability to make Snape unable to counter one of her spells showed Minerva alone could have probably eventually defeated Snape (although it must also be noted that Snape wasn't fighting to kill her). Minerva emerged as one of the survivors of the Battle of Hogwarts and most likely defeated many Death Eaters given her previous results in duels. Alongside Horace Slughorn and Kingsley Shacklebolt, she even duelled Voldemort himself to a stalemate and they were only overpowered when Voldemort's rage of Bellatrix's death caused his magic to explode, although it must be noted that Voldemort was wielding the Elder Wand at the time without having achieved mastery over it and Harry's loving sacrifice was weakening the power of Voldemort's spells.[14] It should also be noted, in her favour, that she, Horace and Kingsley had been fighting Death Eaters for hours before facing Voldemort, whereas Voldemort had only just entered battle. Her duelling knowledge remained even as she grew older, with her instructing members of the Statute of Secrecy Task Force how to improve their sight and teamwork.[85] She was also incredibly skilled in manipulating and using her environment to her advantage in battle, which made her an extremely formidable opponent in duels. Her most impressive uses of this came in the duel with Snape, where she utilised the torches on the walls to make a fiery whirlwind, and at the beginning of the Battle of Hogwarts, when she brought the various desks and chairs to life, leading them into battle against her Death Eater opponents.[14]
- "Professor McGonagall raised her wand again and pointed it at Snape's desk. A large plate of sandwiches, two silver goblets, and a jug of iced pumpkin juice appeared with a pop."
- — Minerva making food and drink appear with transfiguration[src]
- Transfiguration: Minerva was taught Transfiguration by Albus Dumbledore, showing an unusually high level of talent in the subject even at a young age. With Dumbledore's guidance, she was skilled enough to achieve the Animagus transformation at the young age of seventeen, a highly advanced and challenging process that could be disastrous if gotten wrong. Her record was so impressive that upon finishing her seventh year, she was awarded the "Most Promising Newcomer Award" by Transfiguration Today. Upon returning to Hogwarts to teach, she was offered a job as Professor of Transfiguration, under Head of Department, Albus Dumbledore.[1] Her mastery, skill and power in this immensely difficult branch of magic meant she took over the job as Head of Transfiguration upon Dumbledore's promotion to Headmaster, a job title she retained until she herself became Headmaster in 1998. She would later regard it as “some of the most complex and dangerous” magic taught at Hogwarts.[4] As an adult, her skills in Transfiguration were known to be exceptional, with even Voldemort himself respecting her skills given that she was kept on as Head of Transfiguration even when he controlled the school, despite her allegiance to Dumbledore making her a prime target. Minerva was therefore phenomenally accomplished in all branches of transfiguration, including Conjuration, Vanishment, Transformation and Untransfiguration. She could perform advanced transfiguration spells with just a quick flick of her wand, for example untransfiguring Draco Malfoy back into human form, which she did simply by pointing her wand at him.[95] Like Dumbledore, she seemed especially proficient at conjuration. For example, she was effortlessly able to conjure three chairs at once non-verbally for herself, Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley in Dumbledore's office,[13] with a simple wave of her wand; silver rope and silver nets as restraints for the Carrow siblings;[14] conjuring a large fan out of thin air to "waft" Nearly Headless Nick to the Hospital Wing,[24] conjure flames[24] and also to effortlessly conjure a snake from the end of her wand.[96] In 1992, when Harry and Ron had to eat in Snape's office, she transfigured a plate of sandwiches that would automatically refill itself.[24] Like Dumbledore, she was highly skilled at using Transfiguration in battle, easily vanishing a massive black snake Professor Snape had sent at her in their brief duel, disintegrating it almost immediately into smoke without saying a word.[14] From this smoke, she quickly turned it into a swarm of pursuing daggers, which she directed back at Snape, who was forced to hide behind a suit of armour to avoid them.[14] At the start of the Battle of Hogwarts, she brought the various tables and chairs to life to fight the Death Eaters, in much the same way in which Dumbledore brought the statues to life in his duel with Voldemort. She was also trusted by Dumbledore to contribute to the defences of the Philosopher's Stone, which she did magnificently by enlarging an entire Wizard's Chess set to giant size and bringing them to life.[4] She was also highly skilled at teaching students Transfiguration, something she did for more than four decades. Her spells in class included transforming a desk into a pig and back,[4] transforming animals into water goblets,[97] changing the colour of eyebrows, Switching Spells, conjuring snakes,[96] conjuring birds[98] and turning lovebirds into love notes for Valentine's Day.[99] Jacob's sibling remarked how easy he thought Professor McGonagall made it look, when the reality was very different, further demonstrating her talent.
- "Really, what has got into you all today? Not that it matters, but that's the first time my transformation's not got applause from a class."
- — Minerva to third year students in 1993, regarding her impressive abilities as an Animagus[src]
- Animagus: Minerva learned how to become an Animagus under Dumbledore's tutelage during her time as a student at Hogwarts, transforming into a tabby cat at will. She often used this ability when she didn't wish to be recognised. An example of this usage was when she spied on the Dursley family before Dumbledore brought Harry to them.[4] On his notes of The Tales of Beedle the Bard, Dumbledore stated that Minerva asked him to explain that she had never abused the ability for any surreptitious purposes, setting aside legitimate business for the Order of the Phoenix (and previously the Ministry of Magic) where secrecy and concealment were imperative to survive and get information from the enemy. Minerva demonstrated her transformation to the students in their third year, which usually got applause. When Hermione Granger searched for Animagus references in her third year, she saw that her Professor was one of the few registered Animagi in the 20th century.[25]
- "She marched toward the door, and as she did so she raised her wand. From the tip burst three silver cats with spectacle markings around their eyes."
- — Minerva non-verbally conjuring three consecutive Patronuses with her wand[src]
- Charms: Minerva was shown to be incredibly skilled in charm-work. She was effortlessly capable of performing many simple everyday charms non-verbally without fail, such as the Fire-Making Spell, Mending Charm,[24] Wand-Lighting Charm,[100] Freezing Spell,[9] Disarming Charm,[101] Summoning Charm[95] and Levitation Charm.[14] She was also able to successfully teach her students various charms related to transfiguration such as the Colour Change Charm,[102] Mending Charm,[103] Hardening Charm,[104] Softening Charm[105] Bird-Conjuring Charm[98] and Revelio Charm[22] in her classes. Minerva had mastered the Patronus Charm, being able to create a powerful corporeal Patronus in the form of a cat — identical to her Animagus — , being the only person seen to cast three Patronuses at once. Many wizards and witches alike are unable to produce one Patronus whilst saying the incantation, further evidence of Minerva's world class ability. She also was able to use her Patronus as a means of communication, as taught to her by Dumbledore. Minerva was also proficient in the use of the Piertotum Locomotor charm, describing it as one of the spells she best excelled in and favoured, using it to such a great effect that with a single use, she animated virtually all of the thousands of desks and suits of armour in order to defend Hogwarts during the final battle with Voldemort.[14] She was also able to perform a powerful Amplifying Charm, which was capable of being heard across the castle, using it to summon the other Professors to the second-floor corridor when the Heir of Slytherin took a student into the Chamber of Secrets.[106] Minerva was additionally proficient in Silencing Charms, using one to great effect to control the chaos in the corridor where Justin Finch-Flecthley had just been found petrified. She non-verbally silenced the corridor using her wand, setting off a "loud bang", restoring order to the corridor.[107]
- Defence Against the Dark Arts: Minerva was exceptionally experienced and accomplished in defensive magic as she fought in the two wizarding wars and survived, having defeated powerful dark wizards and witches in process and even surviving a duel with Voldemort himself.[14] During her early years in teaching, Minerva effortlessly undid the effects of the dark charm Oscausi Leta Lestrange placed on a Gryffindor girl.[17] While not as powerful as her predecessor, it was nevertheless the case that Minerva, upon being appointed Headmistress of Hogwarts by the Board of Governors, as all those that had held the post before her, was charged with handling the protective enchantments surrounding the school, which, considering her still considerable abilities, she likely still did so very well. She was able to teach how to greatly increase the strength of the Protection Charm of the Statute of Secrecy Task Force.[85]
- "Before Harry or Luna could act, Professor McGonagall rose to her feet, pointed her wand at the groggy Death Eater, and said, “Imperio”. Amycus got up, walked over to his sister, picked up her wand, then shuffled obediently to Professor McGonagall and handed it over along with his own."
- — A rare example of Minerva using an Unforgivable Curse[src]
- Dark Arts: Whilst she did not practise the Dark Arts, Minerva was surprisingly capable in the field. She seemed to have no trouble performing standard dark charms, such as the spell Oscausi on the girl who had had it cast previously on her by Leta[17] and the Knockback Jinx in a failed attempt to free Ben Copper from the cursed ice (openly noting she used it when it was previously unleashed upon the school successfully).[21] She also successfully cast an effective Imperius Curse on Amycus Carrow,[14] a remarkable feat as the Unforgivable Curses required both heartfelt intent and power in order to be effectively cast,[108] and was also able to discern that Jakub Gorski was bring controlled by the curse in a matter of seconds.[30] She was particularly proficient in the use of Deterioration Hex, enough so to teach them to the members of the Statute of Secrecy Task Force.[85]
- "She brandished her wand at a touch on the wall and it flew out of its bracket. Harry, about to curse Snape, was forced to pull Luna out of the way of the descending flames, which became a ring of fire that filled the corridor and flew like a lasso at Snape."
- — McGonagall non-verbally and easily filling the corridor with fire in her duel with Snape[src]
- Elemental magic aptitude: Much like her mentor, Dumbledore, Minerva seemed to be exceptionally capable with manipulating fire. When freeing Ben Copper from the Cursed ice, she along with Snape were able to free him with the Fire-Making Spell while avoiding burning his flesh. When duelling the extremely powerful Severus Snape, she easily manipulated the fire from the torches into a fiery whirlwind first and easily blasted to smoke the fiery serpent he transformed her attack into.[14]
- Flying: During her school years at Hogwarts, Minerva was a skilful player of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. However, while playing, she suffered a number of serious injuries — such as a concussion and broken bones— that forced her to give up playing. It is highly possible that the Slytherin Quidditch team had cheated in the process.[4]
- Potions: Minerva had very advanced abilities in brewing potions, as she was capable of brewing the Animagus potion, which was known to be immensely difficult, complex and time-consuming with great consequences if brewed incorrectly,[15] showing her superior talent in potion-making.
- Study of Ancient Runes: Minerva was highly proficient and well versed in the study of Ancient Runes or Runology, being able to understand and translate complex runic scriptures, alphabets and symbols correctly, often using the help of a highly useful and practical Rune Dictionary.[9][109]
- Control of underage magic: As an infant, Minerva had early signs of magic. She inadvertently summoned toys that had been left on upper shelves to her cot, made the family cat do her bidding, and her father's bagpipes play themselves.[1] Further evidence of her staggering magical ability was that the only other person known to be able to control animals as a child was none other than Voldemort himself.[27]
- Intellectual giftedness: McGonagall was an incredibly wise, observant, and intelligent witch. She was once given the option to become a Ravenclaw by the Sorting Hat, though she turned it down in preference for Gryffindor, with her officially becoming a known Hatstall.[1] In 1998, she effortlessly solved the riddle to allow Amycus Carrow into the Ravenclaw Tower.[14] Minerva's strategical-sense and deduction skills, along with her cautious nature, were shown several times: She confiscated Harry's Firebolt to be "examined" because she correctly guessed it to have been sent by Sirius Black (though she did this because she incorrectly believed it was lethally cursed),[25] did all she could to circumvent Dolores Umbridge's authority without risking her own security as Deputy Headmistress for certain time and gave Peeves tips when he was trying to cause havoc for Umbridge;[13] and helped to keep the meetings of the reformed Dumbledore's Army a secret.[14] Shortly before the final battle, Minerva ordered her students, with the aid of pyrotechnics, to destroy the main access to Hogwarts so the Snatchers could not sneak into school grounds[28] and ordered the caretaker to find Peeves to ensure the advantage of chaos on their side.[14]
- "Hogwarts needs you, Minerva!"
- — Albus Dumbledore trusting Minerva to run the school just before temporarily going on the run[src]
- Leadership skills: Minerva was an exceptionally effective leader, being able to take charge in any situation within minutes. During the long absences of Dumbledore, she was the one to step in to fill his shoes.[24] In the upstart of the Battle of Hogwarts, Minerva took charge of the school and secure it against Voldemort and his Death Eaters. She led the defenders of Hogwarts during the battle with great efficiency, persisting against the forces of darkness even at the face of so many casualties in the first round of battle before turning the tides with additional help and ultimately coming out victorious when Harry defeated Voldemort once and for all.[14] After everything returned to normal, Minerva became the permanent Headmistress of Hogwarts. Her leadership skills would help her when she became the leader of the members of the newly created Statute of Secrecy Task Force who desired to become a Professor, being able to lead both those under her charge and her fellow instructors into fighting the Calamity while remaining hidden from Muggles.[85]
- Physical aptitude: It should be noted that Minerva was in excellent physical condition, despite her old age. She had great physical endurance as she notably fully recovered from four Stunning Spells aimed at her by Dolores Umbridge and some Aurors. Although she was hospitalised due to the severity of her injuries, many noted that the four spells straight to the chest could have been fatal, another testament to her overall strength.[13] She was also quite agile and displayed reflexes and speed rivalling the younger Severus Snape during their duel, which shocked Harry Potter who had never seen her move as fast as she did prior to that.[14]
- Teaching skills: Being the Head of Transfiguration at Hogwarts, Minerva was an extremely skilled and efficient teacher during her time in this position and was one of the few professors at Hogwarts who could keep a class quiet with minimal effort as a result of her strict nature, making her one of the most respected teachers at Hogwarts. Her effective teaching methods were enough for her to pass Dolores Umbridge's inspection of her despite Umbridge's attempts to discredit many Hogwarts teachers along with making her the Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts and later the Headmistress after Voldemort's final defeat.
- Wizard's Chess: Minerva was a skilled player of Wizards' Chess, and enjoyed playing the game with others,[110] along with giving tips.[111]
Possessions[]
- Wand: Minerva's wand was 9½", fir, and had a dragon heartstring core. The wand was well suited to Transfiguration, proven by its owner, who was a teacher of the subject and an Animagus.
- Alecto Carrow's wand and Amycus Carrow's wand: Minerva gained the wands of Alecto Carrow and Amycus Carrow after restraining and confining the latter to the Ravenclaw common room, using the Imperius Curse to obtain both his wand and his sister's on 1 May 1998.[10]
- Hornbill: This male hornbill was owned by Professor McGonagall from 1992 or earlier. In that year, she used the bird to demonstrate the spell Vera Verto, in front of her second-years' class.[112]
- Office: Minerva's office was a small study located off of the first-floor corridor,[113][114] to the right of a staircase to the Serpentine Corridor.[115] It had a large fire,[113] windows overlooking the Training Grounds[116] and the Quidditch pitch,[117] and a sparse stone-floored bedroom behind a concealed door.[1]
- Cottage: During their marriage in the 1980s, Minerva and Elphinstone Urquart lived in a small cottage, which the latter purchased after he proposed to her in the summer of 1982. The cottage was located in Hogsmeade, from where Minerva could go to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry every day to teach.[1]
- Dress robes: Minerva wore a set of dress robes to the Yule Ball, which was held on Christmas Day 1994, together with a hat on which she arranged a rather ugly wreath of thistles. The robes were made of a red tartan fabric.[118]
- Walking stick: Minerva used this walking stick after leaving St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, after being hit with four Stunning Spells. It was once borrowed, with her permission, by Peeves to chase and whack Dolores Umbridge with.[13]
- Headmaster's office: Upon assuming the headship of Hogwarts following the legendary Battle of Hogwarts, Professor McGonagall presided henceforth over the school from the office of her predecessors. It is unknown what, if any changes she did to the decor, or what the passwords were.
- Self-playing harp: Minerva owned an enchanted harp, that could play by itself.[39]
- Chess sets: Minerva McGonagall, as an avid Wizard's Chess player, owned several different chess sets.
Relationships[]
Albus Dumbledore[]
Minerva knew Albus Dumbledore for the majority of her life. She attended Hogwarts as a student during Dumbledore's time as Transfiguration Professor and even replaced him as Head of Transfiguration when he took the position of Headmaster of the school. Albus discovered Minerva in tears in her classroom late one evening after she found out about Dougal McGregor's marriage with another woman. She confessed the whole story to him, and he offered both comfort and wisdom; telling her some of his own family history, previously unknown to her.
The confidences exchanged between the two intensely private and reserved characters were to form the basis of a lasting mutual esteem and friendship. Despite this fact, they had never been fully in each other's confidence. Minerva was one of only a handful of people who knew how dreadful a moment it was for Dumbledore when he made the decision to confront and defeat the Dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald in 1945.[15]
Minerva served for many years as his Deputy Headmistress, standing in for him in dangerous situations and even replacing him as Headmistress on several occasions.[24][27] She also served more than once to bring Dumbledore back on track when he became distracted from the matter currently at hand.[26] Minerva had great faith in Dumbledore, placing great stock in the differences between him and Voldemort.[4] However, she didn't hesitate to disagree with him when she felt the need to do so, greatly opposing his decision to place Harry Potter with Petunia Dursley's family[116] and his policy of allowing Harry to run extreme risks.
Minerva never hesitated in displaying her loyalty to Dumbledore. When Cornelius Fudge brought Aurors to arrest Dumbledore in 1996, she boldly stepped forward and announced her intention to fight the Aurors on his behalf. She only stepped back at Dumbledore's insistence when he reminded her that Hogwarts and her students would need her in his absence.[13] Minerva was devastated when Dumbledore was killed in 1997 during the Battle of the Astronomy Tower and arranged his funeral.[27] A year later, when Harry was on a mission given to him by Dumbledore, she didn't question the decision of the late headmaster, but immediately sought to provide whatever assistance she could.[14]
Harry Potter[]
- "You couldn't find two people who are less like us. And they've got this son — I saw him kicking his mother all the way up the street, screaming for sweets. Harry Potter come and live here?"
- — McGonagall discussing the Dursley family as Harry's guardians[src]
Minerva showed her care for Harry Potter ever since she, Dumbledore and Hagrid left him in the care of the Dursleys, in part because she had been quite fond of Harry's late parents. She was sort of a loving grandmother to him and expressed concern with both Dumbledore's choice trusting Hagrid to safely transport Harry to Little Whinging, and of the choice of family with whom Harry would stay. She spent hours on end spying on the Dursleys to get an insight to what life for Harry growing up would be like,[4] calling them "the worst sort of Muggles imaginable".[116] It is unlikely, however, that she kept watch over Harry, as she would never go against Dumbledore's actions, no matter how much she disagreed with them.
When Harry arrived at Hogwarts, Minerva was naturally pleased that he was Sorted into Gryffindor, her house and as he studied in Hogwarts. Although her relationship with him remained mostly normal, she kept a watchful eye on him and his friends Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger to ensure his safety. She also (along with the other professors) reported that he was likeable, humble and talented.[119] Although she was fully willing to punish him for his misdeeds, Minerva would not hesitate to intervene in their affairs whenever necessary to keep them safe and ensured that Harry would not be punished too severely. This was shown when Harry and his friends were caught sneaking around the tower in the dead of night during their first year at Hogwarts and she sent him off to serve detention in the Forbidden Forest.
However, rather than punishing or expelling him for having broken Madam Hooch's order that no student would ride on their broomsticks and the risk he took, Minerva brought him to see Oliver Wood, captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, announcing that she had found their new Seeker. In her gratitude for Harry accepting the position, she bought him a Nimbus 2000 for his first Quidditch game.[4] Her affection for him even allowed her to forgive him and Ron's use of the Weasleys's flying car to reach Hogwarts, which risked exposure of the wizarding world and broke several of the international laws, a far more serious deed than smuggling Norbert out of Hogwarts, without even taking House Points from Gryffindor and only punishing him and Ron by giving them both detention. She nearly smiled when Harry pointed out how she couldn't take House Points for Gryffindor as it was only the beginning of the year.
This particularly strong concern for Harry, clearly above what Minerva felt for most other individual students, was later shown in his third year: She proved she cared far more for Harry than winning the Quidditch Cup for Gryffindor, ensuring he was kept in maximum security and limiting his time to practise and even not hesitating to confiscate the Firebolt he was given to out of concern it was sent by Sirius Black and instantly lost her temper when Oliver Wood suggested Harry be allowed to fall off his broom as long as he caught the Snitch, intimidating Wood into submission. She also pitied him for being unable to go to Hogsmeade due to not having a signed note and appeared to indicate she would be willing to allow him to go had it not been for the danger of Sirius.
- Minerva McGonagall: "Now, don't panic, just keep a cool head.... We've got wizards standing by to control the situation if it gets out of hand.... The main thing is just to do your best, and nobody will think any the worse of you.... Are you all right?"
- Harry Potter: "Yes. Yes, I'm fine."
- — McGonagall reassuring Harry before the first task of the Triwizard Tournament[src]
When Harry became the fourth Triwizard Champion, Minerva adamantly defended Harry from the accusation of Olympe Maxime that Harry had been willing to die for the gold rewarded and even went as far as to try to convince Albus into not letting Harry compete, being utterly mortified by the fact that Snape and Dumbledore were willing to use Harry as a bait and often showed herself to be more protective of Harry than the then Headmaster. She also wanted to keep Harry out of the explanation the imposter was about to give, believing Harry had had enough, but reluctantly conceded to Dumbledore's wish that Harry stay. However, she was quick to praise his performance and assure he was tended to in the First Task and helped him train for the Third Task by lending her room.
In Harry's fifth year, Minerva promised Harry that she would do whatever she possibly could to see that he achieved his dream of becoming an Auror. She supported him unequivocally even though she had never been fully in his confidence. When she later found out about the sort of punishment Harry and various other students had been receiving from Dolores Umbridge, Minerva expressed nothing but absolute disgust and disapproval, despite the power Umbridge wielded.[13] In return, although Harry disliked her strictness regarding his opposition of Umbridge, he was still grateful for her care towards him and was utterly infuriated when McGonagall was attacked so severely by the Aurors sent to capture Hagrid she had to be sent to St Mungo to the point where he even believed Umbridge being murdered brutally (fed to a Blast-Ended Skrewt) was not a punishment good enough and immediately felt such anger that he coldly defied Umbridge when she gloated over McGonagall's current state despite being cornered.
- "Why would Harry Potter try to get inside Ravenclaw Tower? Potter belongs in my House!"
- — McGonagall's pride that Harry belongs in her house[src]
Shortly prior to the Battle of Hogwarts, Amycus Carrow - who, along with his sister Alecto, had been posted at the school by Voldemort - demanded to know where Harry was in the Tower and McGonagall asked why he would be there as he belonged in her house, with clear pride in her voice. When Amycus spat at McGonagall, Harry was outraged to the point of attacking him with the Cruciatus Curse, even agreeing with Bellatrix Lestrange's assertion that one had to "really mean it" to perform the curse correctly. Although shocked by Harry's sudden appearance and his use of an Unforgivable Curse, she was clearly touched by the gesture. Though Minerva initially tried to convince Harry to flee out of concern for his safety, she immediately joined Harry in retaking the castle and preparing for battle. She did this when he informed her that he was acting on Dumbledore's orders. Nearing the end of the Battle of Hogwarts, Minerva's devastation was great when she saw Rubeus Hagrid carrying Harry's seemingly dead body. This grief was enough to make her duel Voldemort head on in the final battle, alongside Horace Slughorn and Kingsley Shacklebolt, in order to protect the rest of her students. When the battle ended with Voldemort's death at Harry's hands, she was among the first to embrace him.[14]
The two continued to have a very positive relationship over the following years. Harry acted as a frequent guest lecturer on Defence Against The Dark Arts, under Minerva's jurisdiction. She would serve as Headmistress over Harry's three children, and in turn she learned to expect them to get into the same kinds of trouble as their father. This was to be expected, after having now taught and served over three generations of Potters. Minerva's relationship with Harry experienced a brief strain when he blackmailed her into using the Marauder's Map to ensure Albus and Scorpius remains apart, which she felt great discontent at doing, but it was reconciled when Harry apologised and she wasn't shown to hold any ill-will afterwards.
Hermione Granger[]
- "Ah, of course. There is no need to tell me any more, Miss Granger. Which one of you will be dying this year?"
- — McGonagall discussing a previous Divination lesson[src]
Minerva took a shine to Hermione Granger since the younger witch successfully transfigured a match into a needle early on in her first Transfiguration lesson, before any other student. She gave Hermione one of her "rare smiles". Hence, Minerva was extremely shocked and disappointed in Hermione when she said she had gone looking for the Troll that invaded Hogwarts, under the impression that she could stop it. The claim wasn't true, but Minerva was none the wiser.[4] When Hermione was attacked by the Basilisk in 1992, Minerva was greatly moved and would often take time to visit her Petrified student in the hospital wing.[24]
In Hermione's third year, Minerva went to the effort to arrange for Hermione to be given permission to use a Time-Turner to take additional classes. Teachers didn't often seek permission for a student to use one of the devices, but she saw something special in Hermione and went out of her way to make sure the younger witch wasn't under-achieving.[25] Minerva further showed her high regard of Hermione, by appointing her a Gryffindor prefect in her fifth year at Hogwarts. When Minerva was attacked by several Ministry employees outside of Hagrid's Hut, Hermione showed deep emotion towards the event, like Minerva did a few years before. She and McGonagall were allies during the Battle of the Astronomy Tower and the Battle of Hogwarts, surviving the Second Wizarding War.
Minerva was a role model for Hermione and both had much in common. They both believed that Divination was a very "woolly" subject and that Professor Trelawney was a fraud.[25] Furthermore, both were considered for Ravenclaw, but in the end were both Sorted into Gryffindor House.
Ron Weasley[]
- Professor McGonagall: "You'd better get along to the hospital wing, Weasley, you're bleeding."
- Ron Weasley: "Not much. Professor, I wanted to watch my sister being Sorted —"
- Professor McGonagall: "The Sorting Ceremony is over. Your sister is also in Gryffindor."
- Ron Weasley: "Oh, good."
- — Professor McGonagall to Ron Weasley at the beginning of the 1992–1993 school year[src]
Ron Weasley was a student at the time McGonagall was a professor at Hogwarts. He was Sorted into Gryffindor, McGonagall's house. Ron thought she was very strict, however, he did see her good side on a number of occasions. The two clashed when he and Harry flew Arthur Weasley's flying car to Hogwarts. However, she didn't wish to see them expelled. During the Yule Ball, Minerva showed the other students how to dance by dancing with Ron in front of the whole class, a move which prompted laughter from the class and Fred and George agreeing to always tease him about it.
Ron is appointed prefect by McGonagall in his fifth year after most likely being persuaded by Dumbledore, as he felt that Harry had enough responsibilities to deal with. He and McGonagall were allies during the Battle of the Astronomy Tower and the Battle of Hogwarts, surviving the Second Wizarding War.
Neville Longbottom[]
- "It's high time your grandmother learned to be proud of the grandson she's got, rather than the one she thinks she ought to have — particularly after what happened at the Ministry."
- — McGonagall complimenting Neville for the first time[src]
Minerva had a long history with the Longbottom family, being allies with the Order of the Phoenix, in which Neville's parents were members. They were eventually tortured into insanity by Bellatrix Lestrange. She also had a personal relationship with Neville's grandmother, who raised him.
McGonagall frequently seemed to expect more from Neville than he produced, starting with Neville's first day at Hogwarts when he ran out of a crowd after his toad.[4] When Neville "lost" his scrap of parchment (which was actually stolen by Crookshanks) with Gryffindor's passwords on them, allowing Sirius Black to enter the common room, Minerva was furious with him.[25] She voiced pride in Neville's courage in participating in the fight with the Death Eaters in the Department of Mysteries.
Minerva couldn't help but feel pity for Neville after the loss of both his parents, whom she knew and fought alongside earlier on in her career. She also sought to encourage Neville to take Charms, in his sixth year, despite his grandmother's dismissal of the subject as "soft;" Minerva wanted to see Neville pursue his own talents rather than the skills his grandmother appeared to value.[27] After the Second Wizarding War, Minerva may have been the one to employ Neville as the school's new Herbology professor.
Draco Malfoy[]
- "What utter rubbish! How dare you tell such lies! Come on — I shall see Professor Snape about you, Malfoy!"
- — McGonagall after catching an 11-year-old Draco out of bed[src]
While Professor Snape favoured students of his own house and often overlooked any misbehaviour from students like Draco Malfoy, McGonagall had little tolerance for nonsense from any student, regardless of their house, and took no notice of the Malfoy family's status within the wizarding community. As she wasn't a Slytherin, Malfoy didn't respect her at all but was never foolish enough to make this clear in front of her.
Despite her clear disapproval of Malfoy's pure-blood supremacist leanings, McGonagall sought to protect him as much as every other student, being completely appalled when Alastor Moody (Barty Crouch Jnr in disguise) transformed Draco into a ferret in 1994. She transformed Malfoy back into his human form and reminded Moody that they never use transfiguration as a punishment. In addition, Minerva wouldn't accept Harry's accusations of Malfoy mailing a cursed necklace without sufficient evidence, nor condone any attacks Harry made on Malfoy such as when the former beat up Malfoy in 1995 and later when he used the Sectumsempra curse (not knowing exactly what it did) on Malfoy, in 1997.
However, when Draco was proven to have led a group of Death Eaters into the castle, Minerva came to see him as much an enemy as any Death Eater, until after the war, where Draco was pardoned. At which point. Minerva and Draco established a cordial relationship, as she accepted Draco's son into Hogwarts and treated him just as she would every student despite whatever dark feelings she may had towards Draco for his misdeeds, being utterly appealed at Harry's request that she help Albus and Scorpius stay apart. Draco also trusted her into using the Marauder's Map to find his son and Albus and fully accepted whatever punishment would be given to Scorpius, acknowledging he believed her decision would be fair.
Weasley family[]
McGonagall and the Weasleys get along well, considering they were all in Gryffindor House and fellow members of the Order of the Phoenix. However, Minerva disapproved of Fred and George Weasley's behaviour at school, although she still seemed impressed by their magical skills. When Dolores Umbridge was appointed as High Inquisitor for Hogwarts, she allied with the twins and attempted to oppose Umbridge.
Minerva was fond of all the Weasley children, including Ginny. She was glad that Ginny was Sorted into Gryffindor, and, although Ginny thought McGonagall was a little strict, she believed that the Transfiguration professor was also fair. Both witches tried to oppose Umbridge (in 1995) and the Carrows (in 1998). Furthermore, Minerva had high regard and expectations of Percy Weasley, who was a Gryffindor prefect and Head Boy in his last year at Hogwarts.
The Marauders and Lily Evans[]
- "Is it true, Albus? Lily and James... are dead?"
- — McGonagall's devastation regarding the Potter's murders[src]
McGonagall had long been the Transfiguration professor at Hogwarts by the time Lily Evans and the Marauders attended as students, all being Sorted into the Gryffindor house. After they left Hogwarts, both McGonagall became allies with her former students, who became members of the first Order of the Phoenix.
The Marauders were four great friends: Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, Sirius Black and James Potter. Despite their boisterous ways, at odds with Minerva's no-nonsense reputation, they seemed to have a good relationship with her. Coincidentally, both McGonagall and the Marauders had the accomplishment of becoming Animagi. This information most likely not privy to her.
Minerva liked James Potter (an intelligent and talented wizard), despite the fact that he could sometimes be a bit of a bully and was not above bending the rules. McGonagall seems to have had a good relationship with James's future wife, Lily Evans. The couple would later become Head Boy and Head Girl; neither appointment would have happened if their Head of House had not approved, which means she trusted them. McGonagall was devastated at the murder in 1981 of Lily and James, both of whom she considered her all-time favourites. She later became friendly with the Potters' son, Harry, who was also her student and a member of her House, though she did not show favouritism and was more than willing to take many points even from her own House for misbehaviour.
A little over a decade after he left Hogwarts, Remus Lupin (a former Prefect of her House) returned to the school in order to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts, becoming Minerva's professional colleague in 1993. She didn't care about the fact Remus was a werewolf, because Dumbledore trusted him, and respected his efficient teaching skills, as she referenced him during Harry's Careers Advice. The two were members of the Order of the Phoenix in the Second Wizarding War. After Dumbledore's death, McGonagall, Lupin and several other individuals were devastated; they all discussed about the way Snape killed Dumbledore. Sadly, Lupin himself died in the Battle of Hogwarts.
Minerva had a good relationship with Sirius Black. But after James's death, she, the rest of the wizarding community, assumed it was Sirius who betrayed the Potters since he was expected to be their Secret-Keeper. Only in 1995 did she learn that the Secret-Keeper at the time of the Potters' deaths was actually Peter Pettigrew, who took the title after Sirius turned it down. Sirius was murdered by his own cousin Bellatrix Lestrange during the Battle of the Department of Mysteries in 1996. Minerva's reaction to Sirius's death is unreported.
- "Hero-worshipped Black and Potter. Never quite in their league, talent-wise. I was often rather sharp with him... Stupid boy... Foolish boy..."
- — McGonagall's low opinion of Peter Pettigrew[src]
Minerva had a pretty poor relationship with Peter Pettigrew, describing him as a "stupid" and "foolish" boy. She confessed that she was harsher than necessary with him during their time together as student and teacher, even when "hero-worshipped" James Potter and Sirius Black for the mischief. Peter faked his own death standing up to Sirius, who was a suspect in the Potters' betrayal, leading McGonagall to regret that she had been harsh towards him and to acknowledge him as a brave Gryffindor.
Rubeus Hagrid[]
- "I'm not saying his heart isn't in the right place, but you can't pretend he's not careless."
- — McGonagall's opinion of Hagrid in delicate situations[src]
Rubeus Hagrid respected McGonagall. Hagrid was the gamekeeper, and later Care of Magical Creatures professor of Hogwarts. McGonagall was one of the most serious professors at Hogwarts, and sometimes disapproved of Hagrid's behaviour, especially during the Sorting Ceremony. However, they were still close friends, were both members of the Order of the Phoenix, and admired Albus Dumbledore.
Hagrid once kissed McGonagall on her cheek when he had drunk very much and she was noted giving a flushed giggle in the event's festivities. When Dolores Umbridge and several Aurors from the Ministry sought to sack and exile Hagrid from the school grounds by force, Minerva quickly flew to his aid, in turn taking four stunners simultaneously to the chest. Hagrid was disgusted and enraged when the Aurors stunned and injured her to the point that he attacked two of her attackers before fleeing, furiously denouncing them as cowards.
In 1997, after Albus Dumbledore's death, Minerva stated that she appreciated Hagrid's opinion very much, as did Dumbledore. McGonagall and Hagrid fought against Death Eaters during the Battle of the Astronomy Tower and the Battle of Hogwarts. They were among the first ones to run to congratulate Harry after he defeated Voldemort. They both survived the war and still taught at Hogwarts.
Severus Snape[]
- "And Potter — do try and win, won't you? Or we'll be out of the running for the eighth year in a row, as Professor Snape was kind enough to remind me only last night..."
- — McGonagall after enduring taunting from Snape[src]
Minerva McGonagall was Severus Snape's professor of Transfiguration during his time as a student at Hogwarts. After he had graduated and then returned as the Potions master, he and McGonagall became colleagues. As Head of Gryffindor House, McGonagall and Snape teased one another about House points and Quidditch standings, acting like friendly rivals to one another. Like Snape, McGonagall was a strict disciplinarian, but was fairer to Harry Potter, who was a member of her House.
Both were demanding and effective teachers, unusually talented at magic, and loyal to Albus Dumbledore, so over time, Minerva grew to respect Severus despite his dark past. McGonagall knew that Snape was a Death Eater in his youth, but she followed Albus Dumbledore in believing that he truly regretted his former allegiance. She did, however, admit to being suspicious of Snape's true allegiance though she trusted him simply because Albus did. Unusually for Snape, he was on first name terms with McGonagall, showing a certain level of personal friendship.
- "Coward! COWARD!"
- — Minerva's fury towards Snape after duelling him, and her last words towards him in life[src]
After Snape killed Dumbledore, McGonagall was shocked and perhaps personally hurt to find her formerly-respected colleague a murderer and apparent traitor. When Snape became Headmaster of Hogwarts, she opposed him and his supposed minions the Carrows, without knowing Snape was secretly helping her protect the students from his fellow Death Eaters. At the onset of the Battle of Hogwarts, McGonagall and Snape duelled inconclusively; with Professor Flitwick's later help, and Snape fled the school rather than continue the fight. McGonagall, believing his retreat was motivated by fear, called out "Coward!", an insult he particularly detested. Snape was killed by Voldemort during the battle, but she learnt that Snape had killed Dumbledore in a painful act of loyalty to the Headmaster's own orders too late. Following a private conversation with Harry, Minerva later took the controversial decision to add a portrait of Severus Snape to the gallery of old headmasters and headmistresses in her tower office. There is no report that she objected this, which shows that she likely forgave him and came to admire his marvellous bravery.
Pomona Sprout[]
- Flitwick: "Nothing we do will be able to keep out You-Know-Who indefinitely."
- Sprout: "But we can hold him up."
- McGonagall: "Thank you Pomona"
- — Filius Flitwick, Pomona Sprout, and Minerva just before the Battle of Hogwarts.[src]
The relationship between Professor McGonagall and Professor Sprout dates back to when both attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.[15] The two students maintained an excellent relationship, which was kept well into their adulthood.
When Dolores Umbridge stood to speak during the 1995 Start-of-Term Feast after her introduction by Headmaster Dumbledore, the two professors were both taken aback at this, and even exchange glances of disapproval.[13] During the Battle of Hogwarts on 2 May 1998, Minerva and Pomona had the same views on protecting the Castle against Lord Voldemort's Death Eaters.[10]
Sybill Trelawney[]
- Sybill Trelawney: "Certainly I knew, Minerva. But one does not parade the fact that one is All-Knowing. I frequently act as though I am not possessed of the Inner Eye, so as not to make others nervous."
- McGonagall: "That explains a great deal."
- — Professor McGonagall's obvious disdain for Divination[src]
Minerva and Sybill Trelawney weren't the best of friends, barely maintaining civility between them. Minerva had no use for Sybill's subject, Divination, believing that Trelawney was a fraud. The only reason Minerva has never spoken ill of Sybill directly was due to her refusal to insult her colleagues.[25]
Despite her dislike for Trelawney and her teachings, Minerva was still disgusted when Umbridge unceremoniously and cruelly sacked Sybill. They would grow to understand one another through their shared hatred of Dolores Umbridge during the woman's tenure as Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor. Minerva was there as a literal shoulder for Sybill to cry on, speaking out against Dolores and told her what she thought after the events.[13]
Hogwarts staff[]
- Filius Flitwick: "I suppose you are aware that nothing we do can indefinitely prevent You-Know-Who to enter the school, right? —"
- Pomona Sprout: "But we can delay it. —"
- McGonagall: "Thank you, Pomona."
- — McGonagall's interaction with other members of staff[src]
McGonagall seemed to have a good relationship with most of her co-workers at Hogwarts. Among them was Filius Flitwick. Their fellow Hatstall status was a subject of gentle humour between them, with the two Heads of house being amused to think that they might, but for those crucial moments in their youths, have exchanged positions. Flitwick fought alongside McGonagall in the upstart of the Battle of Hogwarts.
McGonagall was friendly with Poppy Pomfrey, the nurse. Pomfrey seemed to admire McGonagall's magical abilities and strength. This was shown when McGonagall was hit by four Stunners on the chest, as Madam Pomfrey said that it would have killed most witches of her age.
McGonagall was friendly with Argus Filch, the caretaker, although they argued many times. During the Battle of Hogwarts, she shouted at Filch, and called him a blithering idiot. Then she sternly ordered him to call Peeves. It is possible that, after the war, McGonagall and Filch were still co-workers.
Minerva was on amicable terms with Horace Slughorn, her former Potions professor. However, she commented on his seemingly cowardly behaviour when he realised the castle was under attack, noting he should take his students and do so if he wished to leave. She said that the two would duel to kill if he attempted to hinder their efforts against Voldemort from inside the castle, stating that it was time for Slytherin to finally choose their alliances. He was taken aback at this and he fled, but later returned with reinforcements of students' parents and residents of Hogsmeade to help with the battle efforts. Both Minerva and Horace battled together against Voldemort alongside Kingsley Shacklebolt in the Battle of Hogwarts.
On the other hand, Minerva had no liking for Gilderoy Lockhart whatsoever, the D.A.D.A professor before Lupin. This was due to him being obnoxious, incompetent and insensitive, annoying her with nonsensical advices while being ignorant and unhelpful around the second opening of the Chamber of Secrets. Even as a student, Lockhart was already a vain, annoying attention-seeking troublemaker, to which she held in contempt. Minerva was positively hateful towards Lockhart when he walked in late and oblivious when everyone else was greatly saddened at Ginny Weasley's impending doom. She full-heartedly supported Snape sending Lockhart to deal with the monster within in the hopes of scaring her incompetent colleague away. When Lockhart resigned due to his self-induced amnesia, McGonagall was cheerful along with the rest of the staff and students at the news.
After Voldemort infiltrated Hogwarts, two new professors took the post of Muggle Studies and Defence Against the Dark Arts: Alecto and Amycus Carrow respectively. They were loyal Death Eaters, and befitting their status, they taught Dark Arts rather than Defence Against the Dark Arts, devoted Muggle Studies to explaining how Muggles were filthy animals, and often took delight in punishing students with the Cruciatus Curse. Minerva did the best she could to protect the students from the Carrows, and she did not condone Amycus's plan to blame the students for Alecto's mishap, all the while looking down at him with disgust and speaking to him coldly and fearlessly. When Amycus spat on McGonagall's face, Harry Potter got very angry and hit him with the Cruciatus Curse. After the war, McGonagall sent the Carrows to Azkaban.
Order of the Phoenix members[]
McGonagall had a good relationship with most members of the Order of the Phoenix. Some of them included Nymphadora Tonks and Kingsley Shacklebolt, whom she appeared to be friendly with Kingsley. They fought Voldemort, along with Horace Slughorn, and all of them survived the war.
Other fellow member was Alastor Moody, who was appointed as DADA professor in 1994. However, he was captured by Barty Crouch Jnr and Peter Pettigrew; Barty Crouch was disguised as Moody and became the professor, as he wanted to send Harry Potter to Voldemort. McGonagall was very angry by Crouch's teaching methods and shouted at him. It is possible that she had the same opinion of the real Moody, but Moody might have been friendly with McGonagall afterwards. He was killed by Voldemort during the Battle of the Seven Potters.
Lord Voldemort[]
- Minerva McGonagall: "As I say, even if You-Know-Who has gone —"
- Albus Dumbledore: "My dear Professor, surely a sensible person like yourself can call him by his name? All this 'You-Know-Who' nonsense — for eleven years I have been trying to persuade people to call him by his proper name: Voldemort. It all gets so confusing if we keep saying 'You-Know-Who.' I have never seen any reason to be frightened of saying Voldemort's name."
- Minerva McGonagall: "I know you haven't. But you're different. Everyone knows you're the only one You-Know- oh, all right, Voldemort, was frightened of."
- — Minerva and Albus Dumbledore discussing Voldemort in 1991[src]
Minerva did not teach the young Tom Riddle during his time at Hogwarts, but she was privy to Dumbledore's fears and suspicions about him.[15] During the First Wizarding War, Minerva joined the fight against Voldemort and his Death Eaters, using her skill as an Animagi to spy on the Dark Lord's followers and report her findings to the Auror Office. Like most in the Wizarding world, Minerva was very wary of speaking Voldemort's name.[4]
During his second rise to power, Minerva joined the Order of the Phoenix and stayed in Hogwarts during the tenure of Severus Snape as Headmaster and the Carrows to protect her students. She was one of the few people that was not afraid of standing against the Carrows, as she did defy them many times during the 1997-1998 school year. In spite of her well-known loyalty to Professor Dumbledore, Voldemort and his followers believed that Minerva was both too gifted to lose, and too sensible not to join them fully once their victory was assured. However, she proved him wrong when she defended the school against his army and, along with Kingsley Shacklebolt and Horace Slughorn, bravely duelled Voldemort himself during the second part of the Battle of Hogwarts. She watched as Voldemort was defeated by Harry Potter once and for all, finally ending the War.[14]
Dolores Umbridge[]
- Minerva McGonagall: "He has achieved high marks in all his Defence Against the Dark Arts tests —"
- Dolores Umbridge: "I'm terribly sorry to have to contradict you, Minerva, but as you will see from my note, Harry has been achieving very poor results in his classes with me —"
- Minerva McGonagall: "I should have made my meaning plainer, He has achieved high marks in all Defence Against the Dark Arts tests set by a competent teacher."
- — Minerva insulting Dolores Umbridge[src]
Minerva disliked Dolores Umbridge right from the beginning when the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher began to invade Hogwarts with her Hogwarts High Inquisitor position and did everything she could in her power to circumvent Umbridge's authority without risking the loss of her job. She was the colleague whom she had more violently clashed with than any other colleague in her long and varied career. During Umbridge's inspections of McGonagall's class, Minerva tried for the most part to ignore Umbridge. This was difficult due to Umbridge's constant interruptions by means Umbridge's soft, girlish cough of "Hem hem". When forced to acknowledge Umbridge's presence, McGonagall treated her with a cold and harsh demeanour.[13]
Despite Umbridge having the power to put Minerva on probation or even sack her, Minerva was not afraid to show her disgust and hatred of Umbridge to the woman's face. Despite this, she understood that Umbridge had a lot of power and that she was reporting directly to Cornelius Fudge, and so Minerva once warned Harry Potter to tread carefully around Umbridge. Even so, Minerva vehemently vouched for Harry during their Career Advice session, claiming that she would coach him nightly if she had to in order to realise his dream of becoming an Auror, after Umbridge's furious protests that Harry would never become one. After Umbridge fired Sybill Trelawney from her post as Divination teacher, Minerva even put aside her mild dislike of Sybill to focus even more on her hatred of Umbridge, indirectly stating that the latter's evaluation is incompetent and will not be taken into consideration.[13]
Even when Dolores took over Hogwarts, replacing Albus Dumbledore as Head of the school, Minerva continued to help undermine Umbridge's reign, preferring to watch her struggle with the chaos that was being caused by the students and Peeves (and sometimes even helping with it). When Minerva was attacked and sent to St Mungo's, Dolores was pleased that she at last had complete control of Hogwarts. After she returned to Hogwarts, Minerva did nothing to curb the students' enthusiasm when Peeves chased Dolores from Hogwarts, only lamenting that she could not watch with them because the poltergeist had taken her walking stick to hit Dolores with as he followed her from the school.[13] Umbridge returned to the Ministry in a high-ranking position and interrogated Muggle-borns, capturing them and imprisoning them to Azkaban. However, after the Second Wizarding War, Umbridge was captured by Aurors and sent to Azkaban herself, for the rest of her life.
Despite their hatred for each other, both McGonagall and Umbridge share the same Patronus: a cat, although McGonagall's resembled her Animagus form.
Media[]
Etymology[]
- The name Minerva means "wise". Minerva is the Roman name of Athena, Greek goddess of wisdom, strategy, war, courage, and justice (among other things), which is a name suitable for Minerva's personality. Also, Minerva was the goddess of wisdom, schools, art and commerce, which could connect to her being one of the heads of Hogwarts.
- McGonagall comes from the Scotsman William Topaz McGonagall, who is considered to be one of the worst poets in the English language, although Rowling stated that this has nothing to do with Minerva, she only liked the surname. The Scottish name McGonagall (or McGonigle, McGonegal) is from the Celtic name Conegal, meaning "the bravest", plus Mc, or "son of".
Behind the scenes[]
- Minerva McGonagall is portrayed by the late British[120] actress Dame Maggie Smith in the film adaptations Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chamber of Secrets, Prisoner of Azkaban, Goblet of Fire, Order of the Phoenix, Half-Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows: Part 2. Despite being from Essex, her late mother was from Glasgow, so Smith may had picked up that accent, but is less pronounced.
- In 2007, Dame Maggie Smith was diagnosed with breast cancer and struggled through the filming of Half-Blood Prince (2008) while undergoing chemo treatments. In 2009, during the filming of Deathly Hallows: Part 2 she developed shingles (a painful skin rash), but still continued the film despite the pain.
- From August 2017 onwards, Maggie Smith was the oldest cast member still living in the series, after the death of Robert Hardy (born 1925), who played Cornelius Fudge from the Chamber of Secrets film onwards.
- McGonagall's Tabby Cat Animagus appearance is portrayed in the first instalment by Mrs. P. Head.
- A younger Minerva McGonagall is portrayed by Fiona Glascott in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald and Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore.
- Previously, on Harry Potter Wiki and Harry Potter Lexicon, McGonagall's year of birth was calculated to be 1935 from her Pottermore biography and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 15 (The Hogwarts High Inquisitor), which reveals she began Hogwarts in December 1956 after working for the Ministry for two years immediately after graduation. This places her graduation in 1954, her first year in 1947, and her birth in 1935 (because of her October birthday, she was almost 12 when starting at Hogwarts). Furthermore, her Pottermore piece states that she was a student of Dumbledore when he taught Transfiguration ("under the guidance of her inspirational Transfiguration teacher, Albus Dumbledore"). It also states that Dumbledore employed her when he was still Head of the Transfiguration department and that she worked under him when he was Head of the department ("offering her a job in the Transfiguration department, under Head of Department, Albus Dumbledore").
- However, in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, Albus and Minerva were presented as basically being a contemporary and Dumbledore taught Defence Against the Dark Arts first, meaning he couldn't have taught her Transfiguration. Hence, McGonagall's appearance in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald greatly upset certain fans and generated debates on the matter, as it retconned her previously given birth date. In order to force this retcon to work, she (and Dumbledore) have to switch back and forth implausibly in too short of a timeframe in their career, and it extensively ages Pomona Sprout (who had two overlapping school years with McGonagall) too. J. K. Rowling nor anyone else in the franchise have explained the change of McGonagall's birth date. Theories have included:
- McGonagall's comments to Dolores Umbridge in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, where she says she had been working at the school for "thirty-nine years" never specified that she taught those thirty-nine years consecutively, which was the assumption for the calculation to work. This could mean Minerva had been teaching as Head of the Transfiguration Department for 39 years and not Hogwarts in general. In this case, it only contradicts Minerva's second statement that she had started as transfiguration professor "after working for the Ministry for two years immediately after graduation."[13]
- It is also possible that she took a break in her career at some point in her life like Horace Slughorn or she was in fact outright lying to Dolores Umbridge about her real length of employment at Hogwarts.
- There is also the possibility that there was another, older Scottish witch of the same name who also taught at Hogwarts before the birth of Minerva who appears in the Harry Potter books and films, although it would be unlikely that the two are related as the latter inherited her surname from her Muggle father.[15]
- Another possible theory is the idea of time travel as this concept has been explored in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, where Albus Severus Potter and Scorpius Malfoy get stranded in the 1981 timeline but were successfully able to summon their parents back from the present to save them. Similarly, there is a possibility that McGonagall travelled back to the early 1910s to fill in Albus Dumbledore's previous (or intended) position in Transfiguration, so Dumbledore could instead teach Defence Against the Dark Arts thus better preparing his students for the war to come. If so, it is likely that Dumbledore was able to summon a professor back from the future (which happened to be McGonagall) to fill in the post by sending a out message to her future self in a similar manner like what was used by Albus Severus to summon Harry. Also, in the Cursed Child, she later expresses her disgust about time turners and their consequences towards Albus Severus and Scorpius due to their reckless use of one and towards Hermione Granger due to not destroying that. This may also be attributed to a bad experience she had back in those days when using it.
- McGonagall's comments to Dolores Umbridge in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, where she says she had been working at the school for "thirty-nine years" never specified that she taught those thirty-nine years consecutively, which was the assumption for the calculation to work. This could mean Minerva had been teaching as Head of the Transfiguration Department for 39 years and not Hogwarts in general. In this case, it only contradicts Minerva's second statement that she had started as transfiguration professor "after working for the Ministry for two years immediately after graduation."[13]
- However, in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, Albus and Minerva were presented as basically being a contemporary and Dumbledore taught Defence Against the Dark Arts first, meaning he couldn't have taught her Transfiguration. Hence, McGonagall's appearance in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald greatly upset certain fans and generated debates on the matter, as it retconned her previously given birth date. In order to force this retcon to work, she (and Dumbledore) have to switch back and forth implausibly in too short of a timeframe in their career, and it extensively ages Pomona Sprout (who had two overlapping school years with McGonagall) too. J. K. Rowling nor anyone else in the franchise have explained the change of McGonagall's birth date. Theories have included:
- Previously, on Harry Potter Wiki and Harry Potter Lexicon, McGonagall's year of birth was calculated to be 1935 from her Pottermore biography and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 15 (The Hogwarts High Inquisitor), which reveals she began Hogwarts in December 1956 after working for the Ministry for two years immediately after graduation. This places her graduation in 1954, her first year in 1947, and her birth in 1935 (because of her October birthday, she was almost 12 when starting at Hogwarts). Furthermore, her Pottermore piece states that she was a student of Dumbledore when he taught Transfiguration ("under the guidance of her inspirational Transfiguration teacher, Albus Dumbledore"). It also states that Dumbledore employed her when he was still Head of the Transfiguration department and that she worked under him when he was Head of the department ("offering her a job in the Transfiguration department, under Head of Department, Albus Dumbledore").
- J. K. Rowling stated that she always pictured Maggie Smith, who portrays her in the films, as Professor McGonagall.
- Professor McGonagall has the distinction of being the first magical character introduced in the series, when Vernon Dursley sees her reading a map in her Animagus form on the morning after the Potters' deaths. Only the three Dursleys are introduced before her. However in the films, McGonagall is the second magical character introduced as Albus Dumbledore appears before her. She is the second overall character introduced in the film series, as well as the first female character introduced.
- In the film adaptations, there seems to be a recurring gag to have Minerva delivering alliterative lines; for instance, in Goblet of Fire, she says "behaving like a babbling, bumbling band of baboons", and in Deathly Hallows: Part 2, she says "particular proclivity for pyrotechnics".
- In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban there is a painting of a young Minerva McGonagall on the Gryffindor common room wall. The same painting, although in a different frame, can be seen hung at the Grand Staircase interacting with Sir Cadogan.
- In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince she led the respectful wand raising to rid the sky of the dark mark from the late Dumbledore's body.
- In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, after casting Piertotum Locomotor, Minerva excitedly says to Molly Weasley, "I've always wanted to use that spell!"
- In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, before the Battle of Hogwarts, she tells Filius Flitwick not be afraid to say Voldemort's name, because he will try to kill him either way. Also before the Battle of Hogwarts, she duels Snape with what appears to be the Blasting Curse, defeating Amycus and Alecto Carrow before Snape Disapparates.
- Minerva is partly inspired by J. K. Rowling's inspirational English teacher Lucy Shepherd, who taught her what a good book looks like.
- Minerva was the first Animagus introduced in canon.
- She was the first female character confirmed to have kept her maiden surname when she married. Later, it was revealed that Hermione Granger also did.
- In an interview after the publication of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, J. K. Rowling had stated that Hogwarts had a different Head by the time Harry Potter's children arrived in 2017, saying that Minerva was "getting on a bit".[121] Her stance was eventually changed, as with the release of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Minerva is shown to still be active as of Albus Potter's time at Hogwarts.[11]
- Minerva McGonagall and Dolores Umbridge share the same Patronus, a cat.
- McGonagall is a playable character in the video game adaptation of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2.
- In LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4, Professor McGonagall can't enter the Gryffindor common room despite the fact she is the head of the house and she was in Gryffindor House during her studency at Hogwarts.
- In LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7, she isn't shown bringing the suits of armour to life to help in the Battle of Hogwarts. Also in this game, before casting the protective enchantments around the castle before the Battle of Hogwarts, she asks Harry for flowers.
- Professor McGonagall appears as Headmistress in the video game Harry Potter: Magic Awakened, in which she is voiced by American actress Susanne Blakeslee.[122]
Appearances[]
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (First appearance)
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game)
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film)
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game)
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game)
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (video game) (Appears on the collectible card)
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game)
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film)
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (video game)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (video game)
- Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
- Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (play)
- Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald - The Original Screenplay
- Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
- Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore
- The Tales of Beedle the Bard (Mentioned only)
- Pottermore
- Pottermore Presents: Short Stories from Hogwarts of Heroism, Hardship and Dangerous Hobbies
- Wizarding World
- Harry Potter: The Character Vault
- Harry Potter: The Creature Vault
- The Making of Harry Potter (Appears in portrait(s))
- Harry Potter Trading Card Game
- LEGO Harry Potter
- LEGO Harry Potter: Building the Magical World
- LEGO Harry Potter
- LEGO Creator: Harry Potter
- LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
- LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
- LEGO Dimensions
- Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup
- Harry Potter for Kinect
- Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
- Harry Potter: Wizards Unite
- Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells
- Harry Potter: Magic Awakened
- The Harry Potter Wizarding Almanac
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 1.23 1.24 1.25 1.26 1.27 1.28 1.29 1.30 1.31 1.32 1.33 1.34 1.35 1.36 1.37 1.38 1.39 1.40 1.41 1.42 1.43 1.44 1.45 1.46 1.47 1.48 Writing by J. K. Rowling: "Professor McGonagall" at Wizarding World
- ↑ She was teaching as early as the 1910-11 school year and had to be at least 17 years old.
- ↑ HP lexicon transcript of JKR's notes.
- ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 4.14 4.15 4.16 4.17 4.18 4.19 4.20 4.21 4.22 4.23 4.24 4.25 4.26 4.27 4.28 4.29 4.30 4.31 4.32 4.33 4.34 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
- ↑ MSNBC Interview with J.K. Rowling
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 7 (The Sorting Hat)
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 1 (The Boy Who Lived)
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 6 (Talons and Tea Leaves)
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 30 (The Sacking of Severus Snape)
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Act Four, Scene One
- ↑ Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 3, "HOGWARTS TRIVIA" Achievement
- ↑ 13.00 13.01 13.02 13.03 13.04 13.05 13.06 13.07 13.08 13.09 13.10 13.11 13.12 13.13 13.14 13.15 13.16 13.17 13.18 13.19 13.20 13.21 13.22 13.23 13.24 13.25 13.26 13.27 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
- ↑ 14.00 14.01 14.02 14.03 14.04 14.05 14.06 14.07 14.08 14.09 14.10 14.11 14.12 14.13 14.14 14.15 14.16 14.17 14.18 14.19 14.20 14.21 14.22 14.23 14.24 14.25 14.26 14.27 14.28 14.29 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 15.5 15.6 15.7 15.8 Pottermore Presents: Short Stories from Hogwarts of Heroism, Hardship and Dangerous Hobbies, Chapter 1 (Minerva McGonagall)
- ↑ Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 3, "HUFFLEPUFF CELEBRATION" Achievement
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald - The Original Screenplay
- ↑ Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore - The Complete Screenplay
- ↑ Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 5, "LOVE STORY" Achievement
- ↑ Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 2, Chapter 1 (Year Two Begins)
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 2, Chapter 3 (The Black Quill)
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 2, Chapter 4 (Revelio) - Private Transfiguration Lesson "Revelio"
- ↑ Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 2, Chapter 10 (The Vault of Ice)
- ↑ 24.00 24.01 24.02 24.03 24.04 24.05 24.06 24.07 24.08 24.09 24.10 24.11 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
- ↑ 25.00 25.01 25.02 25.03 25.04 25.05 25.06 25.07 25.08 25.09 25.10 25.11 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
- ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 26.3 26.4 26.5 26.6 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
- ↑ 27.00 27.01 27.02 27.03 27.04 27.05 27.06 27.07 27.08 27.09 27.10 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
- ↑ 28.0 28.1 28.2 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
- ↑ 29.0 29.1 Harry Potter: Wizards Unite "Brilliant Event: Back to Hogwarts"
- ↑ 30.0 30.1 30.2 30.3 30.4 30.5 30.6 Harry Potter: Magic Awakened
- ↑ 31.0 31.1 Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Act Two, Scene Ten
- ↑ PotterCast 130
- ↑ Pottermore Presents, Short Stories from Hogwarts of Heroism, Hardship and Dangerous Hobbies, Chapter 1 (Minerva McGonagall)
- ↑ Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, Professorial Appraisal: Confronting the Faceless
- ↑ Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, Chapter 2: Minerva McGonagall: Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, formerly Professor of Transfiguration. An old friend and mentor to Harry Potter.
- ↑ Harry Potter: Wizards Unite (see this webpage)
- ↑ Harry Potter: Magic Awakened, October 2021 special event (at the start of this video, on the top right, Neville is described as "格兰芬多院长", which means Head of Gryffindor)
- ↑ Harry Potter: Magic Awakened (see this image)
- ↑ 39.0 39.1 Harry Potter: Wizards Unite "Brilliant Event: Lost Love"
- ↑ Harry Potter: Wizards Unite (Chapter 2: Grim Fawley - background - Grim's School Record)
- ↑ The Tales of Beedle the Bard, page xi, xiv.
- ↑ Harry Potter: Magic Awakened official website - Notable Alumni - "For fans of Harry Potter, there are many familiar faces from the series that appear in Harry Potter: Magic Awakened. Taking place ten years after the Battle of Hogwarts, many past alumni and professors have become valuable members of the school's faculty…"
- ↑ 43.0 43.1 Harry Potter: Magic Awakened, Year 1, My First Days at Hogwarts
- ↑ Harry Potter: Magic Awakened, Year 1, Socialise at Dance Club
- ↑ Harry Potter: Magic Awakened, Year 1, Main Story, Chapter I: The Night Ivy Went Missing
- ↑ Harry Potter: Magic Awakened, Year 1, Main Story, Chapter V: Ivy's Doppelgänger
- ↑ 47.0 47.1 47.2 J. K. Rowling on X: "Have just heard that James S Potter has been Sorted (to nobody's surprise) into Gryffindor. Teddy Lupin (Head Boy, Hufflepuff) disappointed."
- ↑ Harry Potter: Magic Awakened, Year 2, Main Story, Chapter IV: Hog's Head Inn
- ↑ 49.0 49.1 Harry Potter: Magic Awakened, Year 2, Main Story, Chapter V: The Truth
- ↑ Wonderbook: Book of Potions
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Act One, Scene Four
- ↑ While the out-of-control, riderless broomsticks captured by a Muggle speed camera dated 14 December 2018 is the earliest glimpse players of Harry Potter: Wizards Unite got of the Calamity, it is listed as the seventy-forth Trace the SOS Task Force encountered and, seen as how the game establishes that the Calamity began gradually and increased steadily to the point where they had regular surges.
- ↑ Harry Potter: Wizards Unite (Registry: Mysteries)
- ↑ Harry Potter: Wizards Unite (SOS Task Force Training)
- ↑ Harry Potter: Wizards Unite (Magizoological Appraisal - Guest Lecturer)
- ↑ Harry Potter: Wizards Unite (Calamity Essentials I - Founder's Foundation)
- ↑ Harry Potter: Wizards Unite (Calamity Essentials I - On Being a Foundable)
- ↑ Harry Potter: Wizards Unite (Professor McGonagall was the one to introduce members of the SOS Task Force to their chosen career during the Calamity.)
- ↑ Harry Potter: Wizards Unite (Professorial Appraisal: "Ideal Exchange")
- ↑ Harry Potter: Wizards Unite (Professorial Appraisal: "The Deterioration Hex")
- ↑ Harry Potter: Wizards Unite (Professorial Appraisal: "Strength in Numbers"
- ↑ Harry Potter: Wizards Unite (Professorial Appraisal: "Attention to Detail")
- ↑ Harry Potter: Wizards Unite (Professorial Appraisal: "Enhanced Protection Charm")
- ↑ Harry Potter: Wizards Unite (Professorial Appraisal: "Advanced Proficiency Charm")
- ↑ Harry Potter: Wizards Unite (Professorial Appraisal - Pesky Pixies)
- ↑ Harry Potter: Wizards Unite (Professorial Appraisal: "Advanced Proficiency Charm")
- ↑ Harry Potter: Wizards Unite (see this webpage)
- ↑ Harry Potter: Wizards Unite - (Calamity Essentials I: "On Being a Foundable")
- ↑ 69.0 69.1 69.2 Harry Potter: Wizards Unite (Brilliant Event: Back to Hogwarts)
- ↑ Harry Potter: Wizards Unite "Brilliant Event: Back to Hogwarts"
- ↑ Harry Potter: Wizards Unite (Brilliant Event: Back to Hogwarts)
- ↑ 72.0 72.1 72.2 72.3 Harry Potter: Wizards Unite (Brilliant Event: Lost Love)
- ↑ Harry Potter: Wizards Unite "Brilliant Event: Hogwarts Quidditch Cup"
- ↑ This meetings took place after Harry and Ginny dropped off their children at King's Cross, but before the Start-of-Term Feast where Minerva could see the students arrive and notice that Albus Potter and Scorpius Malfoy failed to appear to school.
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Act One, Scene Twelve
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Act One, Scene Fifteen
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Act Two, Scene Three
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Act Two, Scene Sixteen
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Act Two, Scene Eighteen
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Act Two, Scene Nineteen
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Act Three, Scene Nine
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Act Three, Scene Ten
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Act Three, Scene Fifteen
- ↑ Harry Potter: Wizards Unite (Brilliant Event: Battle of the Department of Mysteries)
- ↑ 85.0 85.1 85.2 85.3 85.4 Harry Potter: Wizards Unite
- ↑ 86.0 86.1 86.2 86.3 86.4 Harry Potter: Wizards Unite (Brilliant Event: Hogwarts for the Holidays)
- ↑ Harry Potter: Wizards Unite (Brilliant Event: First Year at Hogwarts)
- ↑ Harry Potter: Wizards Unite (Brilliant Event: An Imperfect Love)
- ↑ 89.0 89.1 89.2 Harry Potter: Wizards Unite (Brilliant Event: The New Marauders)
- ↑ 90.0 90.1 Harry Potter: Wizards Unite (Brilliant Event: A Weasley Predicament)
- ↑ Harry Potter: Wizards Unite (Brilliant Event: Battle for Secrecy)
- ↑ 92.0 92.1 Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 2, Side Quest "A Special Celebration of Hogwarts Teachers"
- ↑ Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 4, "Over the Moon" Adventure
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game)
- ↑ 95.0 95.1 95.2 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 13 (Mad-Eye Moody)
- ↑ 96.0 96.1 Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 4, Chapter 12 (Working with Snape) - Transfiguration Lesson "Serpensortia"
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 14 (Cornelius Fudge) - (About the Chamber)
- ↑ 98.0 98.1 Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 6, Chapter 9 (Artefact Check) - Transfiguration Lesson "Avis"
- ↑ Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 5, Side Quest "Valentine's Day"
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game)
- ↑ Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 4, Chapter 14 (The Spider's Lair) - Transfiguration Lesson "Colovaria"
- ↑ Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 4, Chapter 2 (The Mysterious Madam Rakepick)
- ↑ Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 3, Chapter 5 (Tulip Karasu) - Transfiguration Lesson "Duro"
- ↑ Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 2, Chapter 6 (Bill Weasley) - Transfiguration Lesson "Spongify"
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 16 (The Chamber of Secrets)
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 11 (The Duelling Club)
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 14 (The Unforgivable Curses)
- ↑ LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
- ↑ Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 2, Side Quest "A SPECIAL CELEBRATION OF HOGWARTS TEACHERS"
- ↑ Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 5, Side Quest "The Curse-Breaker's Gambit"
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film) - Chapter 14 (About the Chamber)
- ↑ 113.0 113.1 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 5 (The Dementor) - "Ron stared as Professor McGonagall ushered Harry and Hermione away from the chattering crowd; they accompanied her across the entrance hall, up the marble staircase, and along a corridor. Once they were in her office, a small room with a large, welcoming fire, Professor McGonagall motioned Harry and Hermione to sit down"
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 15 (The Forbidden Forest) - "Filch took them down to Professor McGonagall's study on the first floor, where they sat and waited without saying a word to each other"
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 12 (The Triwizard Tournament)
- ↑ 116.0 116.1 116.2 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 9 (Grim Defeat) - "Professor McGonagall stood up and stared out of the window at the Quidditch field, just visible through the rain"
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 23 (The Yule Ball)
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 33 (The Prince's Tale)
- ↑ Maggie Smith at the Internet Movie Database
- ↑ JK Rowling One-On-One: Part One. Today Show (NBC), 26 July 2007
- ↑ Susanne Blakeslee at the Internet Movie Database
Dumbledore's first army | ||
---|---|---|
Leaders: | ||
Members: | ||
Allies: | ||
Headquarters: | ||
Before registration system | |||
---|---|---|---|
Falco Aesalon (Falcon) · Cliodna (Sea Bird) · Morgan le Fay (Bird) · Morrigan (Crow) · Unidentified Native American Animagus (Eagle) | |||
Registered | |||
Minerva McGonagall (Tabby cat) · Adrian Tutley (Gerbil) · Talbott Winger's mother (White Swan) · Unidentified witch (Black cat) · Five unidentified individuals (Unknown) | |||
Unregistered | |||
Patricia McManners (Calico cat) · Olivier Kikkert (Frog) · Sirius Black (Black dog) · Peter Pettigrew (Rat) · James Potter (Stag) · Rita Skeeter (Beetle) · Talbott Winger (Eagle) | |||
Unknown registry status | |||
Mudiwa Onai (African fish eagle) · Natsai Onai's father (Giraffe) · Natsai Onai (Gazelle) · Poacher Animagus (Wolf) · Jacob's sibling (Brown dog, Black and white cat or Falcon) · Bly (Lemur) · Ambrose Turner (Butterfly) | |||
Fictional Animagi | |||
Babbitty Rabbity (Rabbit) |