McGonagall's Teaching Experience

[amiabledorsai]

No: HPFGUIDX 129253

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Tonks" <tonks_op at y...> wrote:
> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, theotokos <theotokos_8679 at s...> 
> wrote:
> > 
> M says she has taught 39 years this December.  Has anyone on list or 
> elsewhere discussed if they think the date is of interest.  It would 
> mean M came to Hogwarts 3 months after the start of term.  I am 
> wondering why JKR would let us know that if it doesn't lead somewhere.  
> 
> Tonks:
> I can't remember how long DD has been headmaster. Did something happen 
> to the old headmaster and DD took over and then they had to get a new 
> transfiguration teacher?

The Lexicon has it that Dumbledore became Headmaster in the 70's, so,
McGonagall probably taught something else for several years.

McGonagall's backstory has some interesting gaps, and there is a
tantalizing hint that there may be much more to her than we've
seen--when Harry tries to see McGonagall in the Hospital Wing after
the Aurors Stunned her, Pomphrey comments: "As if one of them could
have Stunned Minerva McGonagall face-on by daylight!" 

Interesting, that.  In the opinion of a witch who knows her well, a
spinsterish old schoolmarm like McG is a match for an Auror....

The Lexicon has it that Minerva graduated in 1943, a few years before
Tom Riddle, and, presumably, smack in the middle of whatever it was
Grindlewald was doing to earn his rep as a Dark Wizard.

Dumbledore is supposed to have defeated Grindlewald in 1945--I wonder
if he enlisted one of his prize students for the fight.

What did you do during the war, Minnie?  What did you do for 11 more
years before you started teaching?  And what did you teach before
Dumbledore gave up the Transfiguration post?

Amiable Dorsai