How Did McGonagall know?

[Jen Reese]

No: HPFGUIDX 82893

> --- bohcoo <sydenmill at m...> wrote:
> > OOP, ch. 12, page 249, Professor McGonagall
> > speaking:
> > "'Didn't you listen to Dolores Umbridge's speech at
> > the start-of-term 
> > feast, Potter?'
> > "'Yeah,' said Harry. 'Yeah. . . she said . . .
> > progress will be 
> > prohibited or. . . well, it meant that...that the
> > Ministry of Magic 
> > is trying to interfere at Hogwarts.'
> > 
> > "Professor McGonagall eyed him closely for a moment,
> > then sniffed, 
> > walked around her desk, and held open the door for
> > him.
> > 
> > "'Well, I'm glad you listen to Hermoine Granger at
> > any rate,' she 
> > said, pointing him out of her office.


> 
Rebecca said: 
> I just chalked it up to McGonagall's general knowledge
> of Harry and Hermione's characters.



Jen: 
I also think McGonagall and Hermione have a mentoring relationship 
that's progressed throughout the series. Even though we don't see it 
often, I suspect they talk quite a bit.

They've had a connection since the very first class in SS/PS when "By 
the end of the lesson, only Hermione Granger had made any difference 
to her match; Professor McGonagall showed the class how it had gone 
all silver and pointy and gave Hermione a rare smile"  (SS p. 134).

Then Mcgonagall arranges for the time turner for Hermie in POA and 
Hermione tells McGonagall about the Firebolt. I wouldn't be surprised 
if Hermione took her concerns about Umbridge to McGonagall at some 
point after the feast, and McGonagall heard Hermione's words coming 
out of Harry's mouth.

I would be very interested to find out more about their connection, 
and just how much Hermione talks about with McGonagall. We're given 
information about the mentoring relationships Harry engages in (i.e., 
Lupin, Sirius, Dumbledore) but know very little about the 
Hermione/McGonagall connection--they could be a powerful team!!