TBAY: Evil! McGonagall Revisited (WAS: Who Will Betray the Order?

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 83951

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "elfundeb" 
<elfundeb at c...> wrote:
> Debbie scans the empty shores of Theory Bay. The summer 
tourists have gone, and Kirstini's souvenir shack sits deserted. 
Debbie spies an old newspaper scrap caught in a crevice and 
pulls it out. The headline reads, "Who Will Betray the Order?" The 
article, signed by Pippin, states:
> 
> We are looking for someone who is supposed to be 
> > nice, and close enough to Harry for him to take the betrayal 
> > personally. I'd say the candidates are: Dumbledore, Hagrid, 
> > Hermione, Lupin, Molly and Ron. Any others? Most of you 
know 
> > which one I'd pick.
> 
> Wait a minute, Debbie thinks. Where's McGonagall on that list? 
She's supposed to be nice. She should be considered *close* to 
Harry - she's his Head of House, and she's cut him a few breaks 
over the years. Debbie draws a deep breath and shouts, 
"Elkins!" No response. "Elkins! Are you here?" Still no response. 
"Elkins! They've forgotten EverSoEvil!McGonagall!" 
> 
> There is no sound in Theory Bay except the wind and the 
waves lapping the shoreline. Debbie spies a scaffold near the 
souvenir stand, undoubtedly used to execute discredited 
theories, and quickly climbs on the landing. She clears her throat 
and begins to speak loudly.
> 
> <<Ever So Evil! McGonagall lives!  Don't be fooled by surface 
evidence!  Yes, I know the conventional wisdom is that 
McGonagall came into her own in OOP. McGonagall is shown to 
be a faithful member of the order *and* an effective fighter 
against Umbridge. But I'm not convinced. Not at all. 
> 
> 
> I go back to Elkins' brilliant analysis of ESE McGonagall. 
> 
> 
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/39470 
> 
> I submit there's nothing in OOP that resolves the questions 
Elkins raised. 


"Oh yes, there is," says a voice, quietly. Debbie jumps and nearly 
falls off her scaffold. A figure  in cape and dark glasses has 
somehow appeared right next to her. 

"Yipes!" says Debbie. "How do you *do* that?"

"Never you mind," says Pippin, mysteriously. "But you were 
speaking of Ever-so-evil McGonagall. I submit there is indeed 
evidence in OOP to discredit Elkins'  theory. I draw your attention 
to Chapter 30, OOP.
---
Indeed, a week after Fred and George's departure Harry 
witnessed Professor McGonagall walking right past Peeves, 
who was determinedly loosening a crystal chandelier, and could 
have sworn he heard her tell the  poltergeist out of the corner of 
her mouth, "It unscrews the other way."
-----

I submit that no evil character in Rowling ever gets off  a good 
line.  Indeed, the principal difference between Impostor!Madeye 
and the real Moody is that the *real*  Moody is funny.  Same with 
memory-wiped "haven't got a sword" Gilderoy versus his former 
self. 

Pippin
who can't remember that  Lupin has ever said anything  funny