Mentoring at Hogwarts, WAS: Re: How Did McGonagall know?

[female_jedis]

No: HPFGUIDX 82909

  
> > Jen replied, in post #82893: 
> > 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.

***snipped part***
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!!
> 
> 
> 
> Bohcoo adds:
> 
> What a splendid, thought-provoking post, Jen. There DOES seem to 
be a 
> rather close and unique connection between McGonagall and 
Hermoine, 
> which is happening "off-page." When you said that 
McGonagall "heard 
> Hermoine's words coming out of Harry's mouth," that implies quite 
a  
> personal knowledge by McGonagall of Hermoine.
> 
> I agree with you -- it sounds like a mentoring arrangement moreso 
> than a winkwink relationship. I never really thought about the 
other 
> students receiving special, extra lessons from their professors. 
> 
> Harry received Patronus lessons from Lupin. . . Could Hermoine be 
> learning to become an animagus from McGonagall?
> 
> We've also heard about Neville getting together with Prof. Sprout 
> regarding his mimblus plant.
> 
> Who else do we think might be getting extra, mentoring-type 
> instruction?
> 
> Thanks, Jen, for the catalyst on this!
> Bohcoo

I would guess that Draco is "mentored" in Potions by Snape.

Also, don't Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil mention that they've 
learned extra stuff from Trelawny (take that for what you will)?

I don't think Hagrid "mentors" anyone in the formal way we are 
discussing, but I think it is clear that he has taken Hermione, Ron 
and Harry under his umbrella so to speak.  Similarly, I think 
Dumbledore oversees and cultivates Harry, but he doesn't "mentor" 
Harry the way Lupin did.  

I don't think anyone in Harry's class has demonstrated a proclivity 
toward Charms, so I don't think Professor Flitwick is mentoring 
anyone in Griffindor; but that doesn't mean that he doesn't have 
that relationship with someone in Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff or, dare I 
say it, Slytherin.

Anyone think Madame Pomfrey is mentoring someone in the Healing 
Arts?  

As I re-read this, I'm struck by the notion that Ron doesn't seem to 
have a mentor.  I'm not sure what that says.  It could be that 
Harry, Hermione and Neville are most in need of a mentoring 
relationship.  Many muggle mentoring programs focus on children in 
difficult backgrounds (children from impoverished and/or single 
parent homes for Big Brothers/Big Sisters/Big Buddies) or on 
children who are under-represented in leadership roles (I can think 
of a variety of programs for young girls, young African-Americans, 
etc).  Harry and Neville are both orphaned and perhaps they need to 
have a strong relationship with an adult in the magical world.  
Hermione's parents are muggles and she would need a mentor to help 
guide her through the things in the magical world that can't be 
learned from a book.  Maybe Ron, with his strong, supportive (except 
for Percy) magical family, doesn't need the same support structure 
to flourish in the magical world.

Interesting topic.  Thanks for taking us down this path.