(born
October 4 ,
C. 1925 ) is a
Fictional Character in the ''
Harry Potter '' series of novels by
J. K. Rowling . At the beginning of the stories she is deputy Headmistress at
Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft And Wizardry , head of
Gryffindor House, and
Transfiguration teacher, which she began teaching in December of
1956 . McGonagall considers Transfiguration to be the most complex and difficult branch of magic.
McGonagall has black hair, typically drawn into a tight bun. She wears emerald green robes, and always a very prim expression. She is, according to Rowling, a "sprightly" 70 years old. She wears square glasses which match the markings around the eyes of her tabby cat form (McGonagall is an
Animagus - a witch or wizard who is able to transform into an amimal at will - the first one to be introduced in the series). She also has a fondness for tartan patterns, apparently derived from a Scottish heritage; even her dressing gown and biscuit tin have tartan patterns. Stern, snappy, and generally reserved, Professor McGonagall has nonetheless been shown to have in mind the best interests of the students at Hogwarts, her wards in Gryffindor, and
Harry himself. McGonagall was also been one of
Albus Dumbledore 's staunchest supporters and is still a member of the
Order Of The Phoenix .
Her given name comes from
Minerva , the Roman goddess of wisdom (a name that suits Professor McGonagall very well). Her surname comes from that of a 19th century
Dundee eccentric,
William Topaz McGonagall . He is often regarded as the worst poet in the history of the
English Language .
McGonagall is played by
Maggie Smith in the ''Harry Potter'' film adaptations.
Readers first encounter Minerva McGonagall in the opening chapter of ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'', when she meets Albus Dumbledore at Number 4 Privet Drive, 's devastating attack, with the Dursley family, his only living relatives); her snappy, brusque side (she criticises a number of people, including Hagrid); and ultimately, her intelligence (to become an
Animagus is very difficult, and can sometimes take years to master the magic). McGonagall is the member of staff who runs the Sorting Ceremony at Hogwarts. She demands complete respect from all of her students.
McGonagall is very keen on
Quidditch , and, as Head of Gryffindor House, she takes an interest in the House Quidditch team's progress. In the first book, after seeing Harry fly masterfully his very first time on a broom, she recommends him to fill the position of Seeker, even though as a first year student he would not normally be allowed to play. McGonagall, though a strict disciplinarian, often assists Harry indirectly with activities that are not strictly within the rules of Hogwarts. Aside from her stern front, McGonagall has been known to display a range of emotions when either unaware of observation or overcome by feeling.
as Prof. McGonagall in ''
Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire '']]
She has often hinted at certain things for Harry's benefit, such as her warning in his fifth year that the Ministry of Magic was monitoring communication in and out of Hogwarts. She was also at this time the member of the Hogwarts staff who most obviously disliked
Dolores Umbridge , yet was not afraid of her. All of Umbridge's attempts to interfere with McGonagall's business, whether career counseling or regular classes, would be promptly dismissed with a stern and usually sarcastic remark. During Umbridge's tenure as Headmistress, Professor McGonagall observed
Peeves the
Poltergeist attempting to loosen a chandelier, and was overheard to mutter "It unscrews the other way". She also lent him her walking stick, which he used (along with a sock full of chalk) to beat Umbridge as she left Hogwarts.
Professor McGonagall is a member of the
Order Of The Phoenix , a fact revealed to Harry in ''
Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix '', and she warned Harry not to provoke
Dolores Umbridge , who works for the
Ministry Of Magic . Nevertheless, she and Umbridge seemed to have a particular hatred for each other, as Umbridge usurped more and more power from the staff in general and Dumbledore and McGonagall in particular. Minerva attempted to keep Umbridge and her minions from unjustly taking
Hagrid away by force, and paid for it when she was hit by four
Stunning Spell s. Taken from the school to
St Mungo's , she returned to the school after the battle at the Ministry for Magic, though she temporarily used a walking stick to support herself.
After the
Death Of Albus Dumbledore at the hands of
Severus Snape in ''
Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince '', she became the Headmistress of Hogwarts. Whether she will continue to hold the post of Headmistress is not yet apparent at the conclusion of that book, nor is the fact that Hogwarts will even stay open, but several quotes from characters and events have hinted that she will indeed become the next Head of Hogwarts; for example, Hagrid refers to her almost immediately after Dumbledore's death as the ''Headmistress''. If McGonagall does indeed continue in the position, she will need to appoint a new:
'']]
- Deputy Head
- Head of Gryffindor House
- Transfiguration Master/Mistress
and after the departure of Severus Snape:
- Head of Slytherin House
- Defence Against The Dark Arts Master/Mistress
, McGonagall may leave the school altogether to continue her work full time as a senior member of the Order of the Phoenix.
The new head of Griffindor could be Hagrid because after McGonagall called them to the headmaster's office she wanted to see Hagrid too and we know Hagrid was in Griffindor.
