Character: Minerva McGonagall

[John Walton]

No: HPFGUIDX 6741

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Character Summary: Professor Minerva McGonagall

or

"Minnie the Moocher"
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Summariser's note: I'm doing this without PS, CoS or PoA here, so bear with
me and feel free to add details.

Name: Minerva McGonagall

Age: Undetermined, but we guess middle-aged, whatever that is in Wizard
Years. The Harry Potter Lexicon reckons 70s.

Description: Generally severe. Hair in a bun. Scottish accent, especially
prominent on the Jim Dale audiotapes. Wears square glasses (her feline form
retains these in the form of square markings around her eyes).

Job: Deputy Head and Head of Gryffindor House. Professor of Transfiguration.
Looks set to be a prime mover on the side of Good.

Personality: Fair but firm. Refuses to favour Gryffindor above other houses.
(see question 4) Occasionally shows emotion -- when Lily & James are
murdered, for example (see PS/SS). One always knows where one stands with
Minerva McGonagall. (see question 1)

Special abilities:

* Is a feline Animagus
* Can Transfigure just about anything
* Referred to as a powerful witch
* Could outdo Anne Robinson in Miss Ice Queen 2000 (UK joke, sorry :D Anne
Robinson is a TV presenter who is known as the Ice Queen on "The Weakest
Link" game show)

RELATIONSHIPS:

None in the canon. Rita "catlady" Winston has a great theory that Minerva
and Madam Hooch (Minnie and Hoochie) have a longstanding relationship. Other
shipping/slash to be found includes M/Dumbledore, M/Snape, M/Flitwick,
M/Remus, M/Sirius and M/Pomfrey.

QUESTIONS:

1) In PS, she jumps to the conclusion that Harry and Hermione tried to lure
Draco out of bed up to the tower with the story about the dragon. Does this
seem unfair and out of keeping with her fair-but-firm attitude?

2) Does JKR overdo the "Prime of Miss Jean Brodie" idea? Y'know, they've
even cast Maggie Smith as McGonagall...::knowing look::

3) What is the significance of her "protection" method for the Philosopher's
Stone (the giant chess-set)?

4) Continuing the theme from question 1, what are possible reasons for
McGonagall not punishing Harry -- indeed, rewarding him -- for flying
unsupervised in PS? Hermione even thinks that this is inconsistent with
McGonagall in general. Again, does this have any greater significance than a
Good Plot Device?

That's about it from the depths of my brain for now. Feel free to fire away
questions and answers.

--John
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John Walton     john at walton.to

When I am an Evil Overlord...#220
Whatever my one vulnerability is, I will pretend to have a different one.
For example, I shall have all mirrors removed from the palace, scream and
flinch whenever someone accidentally holds up a mirror, etc. In the climax
when the hero whips out a mirror and thrusts it at my face, my reaction will
be "Hmm...I think I need a shave."
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