McGonagall as Deputy Headmistress

[Lisa (Jennings) Mamula]

No: HPFGUIDX 116710


Potioncat:
> I'm starting a new thread to get this topic away from Snape, and to 
> see if we can keep a discussion going about Minerva.

LisaMarie
Well done!  I love McGonagall; she's really a great character, and I hope we'll 
find out some more about her in books 6 & 7.  
 
<snip>

Potioncat:
> For one year we had the goofy Lockhart as DADA.  I don't know about 
> you, but I thought he was a little creepy.  Yet Harry was assigned 
> detention with Lockhart for at least 4 hours, alone late at night. 
> It was at Lockhart's request, but it was the Deputy who assigned it 
> for an illegal use of a magic car.  What was she thinking?

LisaMarie:
Well, while we don't *know* what she was thinking, I would like to venture a 
guess:  I believe she was thinking that Lockhart was an idiot.  I'ts been a while 
since I read CoS, but I seem to remember that she directed quite a few barbs 
at him, and not the playful, friendly kind.  I got the impression that she (and not 
only she) didn't think much of Lockhart, but I never got the impression that she 
thought he was "creepy."  I don't think that she saw Harry's 4 hours with 
Lockhart as a danger; merely a deprivation of free time, a just punishment for 
his actions.

Potioncat: 
> She also assigned 4 first-year students to go into the Forbidden 
> Forest in the middle of the night as detention for wandering around 
> the castle at night.  Sort of fits the crime, but seems extreme.

LisaMarie:
On this one, I think she trusted Hagrid (maybe not as implicitly as DD did) to 
take care of the children.  Maybe she thought the Forbidden Forest late at 
night would scare away their desires to wander the grounds?!

Potioncat:
> So, what do we think of this stern-but-fair teacher?

LisaMarie:
I think she's awesome.  (I'd say she's "brilliant," but I'm an American; we're not 
allowed to say things that sound that cool. :)  Really, the more JKR expands 
MM's character and role, the more I love her.  I especially loved her 
appearance at Grimmauld Place in her Muggle best!  She's a great HoH 
(IMO), and an excellent person to watch over the Trio.  After all, they get miles 
of leway from DD and bitter disdain from Snape; SOMEONE has to treat them 
like everybody else, right?  :)