McGonagall vs. Umbridge (Was: CHAPDISC: HBP 29, The Phoenix Lament)

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 164086

dungrollin: <snip>
> > 10. <snip> Since all the portraits are sworn to help the current
head, do you think they will tell her about the horcruxes? If they
refused, do you think she has the potential to turn into an Umbridge,
or worse?
> 
zgirnius responded:
<snip> 
> I don't think McGonagall has much in common with Umbridge. It is my
 opinion that she asked with the intent to help Harry, and further the
work of the Order in Dumbledore's absence. The extenmt to which the
portraits must obey the current head is unclear to me. I'll be 
curious to see what other people think.

Carol adds:
Thanks for calling my attention to this part of the question, which I
missed in my own (already overly detailed) response. I agree that
McGonagall will never turn into an Umbridge. She's strict (except for
occasional favoritism related to Quidditch), but she also has a kind,
compassionate side concealed by her stern expression and prim, proper,
schoolmarmish air. (Don't we twice see her brushing away a tear?) In
contrast, Umbridge pretends to be sweet and treats the students like
little children. Instead of teaching them difficult and dangerous
magic, like McGonagall (and Snape), Umbridge "protects" them by
teaching them theory and only theory, supposedly expecting them to
pass their DADA OWLs without ever having learned, much less practiced,
a DADA spell. And Umbridge punishes Harry's "lies" with a vicious,
blood-drawing punishment that leaves his hand scarred; McGonagall
scolds Fake!Moody for using Transfiguration as a punishment. Even if
she agreed with Umbridge's pro-MoM, anti-Dumbledore stance, as she
clearly doesn't, she would never approve of her teaching methods or
her disciplinary tactics. One of McGonagall's finest moments is in OoP
when she stands up to Umbridge, literally and figurative, when
Umbridge tries to interfere in Harry's career counseling session. No,
McGonagall, whatever her faults (and she does have them, as do all of
JKR's characters) will never become an Umbridge. In fact, she seems to
be the antithesis of Umbridge in every way.

What McGonagall would do if the portraits refused to defer to her, I
don't know, but I think it's a moot point. They closed DD's office to
Umbridge, or it sealed itself off, and Everard informs her that
Scrimgeour is coming, tacitly acknowledging her authority as
headmistress. I doubt that the board of governors would choose another
headmaster/mistress under those circumstances. I think that part of
her job description would be to assume the office in the event of DD's
death, and she was hired because she had the qualifications to do so.
The office's and the portraits' acceptance of her seals the bargain.
Besides, a new headmaster or headmistress unfamiliar with the Hogwarts
students and the events of the last six years (at least) would be a
disservice. The students need a firm, familiar authority figure who
knows them and will put their welfare before everything else.

Also, of course, Harry needs a headmistress who knows him and cares
about him so he'll be allowed to revisit Hogwarts to use the RoR or
the Pensieve or to talk to Portrait!Dumbledore, so for plot reasons, I
think that JKR will retain McGonagall as headmistress at Hogwarts,
which I believe will--and should--remain open.

Carol, who thinks that McGonagall will be too busy as headmistress to
play much of a role in helping the Order in DH but that she'll aid
Harry in small but necessary ways