McGonagall's abilities (was: Lupin and a Patronus)

[Barb]

No: HPFGUIDX 29956

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Hollydaze" <hollydaze at b...> wrote:
> Lucy wrote:
> > Which also gives the interesting side question of just how Lupin 
> > came into contact with Dementors and needed to learn it?
> 
> He is (was) a DADA teacher and we have been told that Dementors 
> are dark creatures, even in league with LV before his fall from 
> power, so it is safe to presume they have something to do with the 
> dark arts. Surely it is part of Lupin's area of expertise to know 
> how to defeat them and teach it to other people? Just as it is NOT 
> part of McGonagall's area it is part of his.

And yet, she may also be able to conjure a Patronus.  Just because 
McGonagall teaches Transfiguration does not mean she cannot cope 
with dark magic or Charms or Potions, etc.  Snape is clearly an able 
duelist, despite the fact that it was Flitwick who was a dueling 
champion in his youth.  And look at Dumbledore; in the "flashback" 
we get in CoS, he is the Transfiguration teacher (circa 1941-42, if 
it is literally fifty years earlier, rather than this being a rough 
figure).  In this scenario, he would be defeating the dark wizard 
Grindelwald in just a few years.  Clearly he was able to do more 
than Transfiguration, even though that was the subject he taught.  
We must remember that the professors were also educated at Hogwarts 
and had to take most of the same subjects as their current pupils 
(the differences coming in choice of electives).  McGonagall should 
therefore be perfectly able to conjure a Patronus; there is nothing 
in canon to suggest she cannot, and given that she is the deputy 
headmistress, it is perhaps even more likely.

--Barb

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