NOT the Real Spy (Was Re: The REAL Spy)

[Goddlefrood]

No: HPFGUIDX 168340

> Mitchell

> Ok. Now I know this might have been discussed in this forum 
> before.

Goddlefrood:

It might have :|

> Something I was discussing with my friend is the likely 
> outcome of Professor Minerva McGonagall being the next 
> traitor. I myself am prone to not seeing anything at ALL 
> bad in Prof. McG! She's my fav character and save Harry 
> and Hagrid, she was the most loyal to DD! Just wondering 
> your thoughts on this?

Goddlefrood, mounting his charger to defend Prof. McG.:

Minerva is certainly arguably the most straightforward 
character in terms of her loyalties, this appears to have 
made many suspicious of her for no better reason than to say
"well she MUST be a traitor because she so obviously isn't
one", or words to that effect.

There are one or two quibbles I have with this and let me say 
I do not believe Minerva is a traitor.

Firstly Voldemort, despite being arguably mad, is not so 
deranged as to mix up the gender of his Death Eaters. He 
clearly states "he" when talking about his faithful servant 
at Hogwarts and indeed for all the missing DEs in the 
graveyard scene in GoF. Minerva is clearly a woman ;) and 
also at Hogwarts during that excursion of Harry's, unless 
she pulled a Snape of course and went to explain her absence 
later. 

This would exclude the possibility that he was referring to 
Minerva, and also, therefore the possibility that she is a
Death Eater. Could she be another type of spy? Not as far as
I'm concerned and I see no value in it :)

Should we choose to trust JKR's interviews, and I for one 
generally do on points of information at least, then Minerva 
was 70 years old from the stand point of 1995. This would 
translate to the very real probability that, while she was 
indeed at Hogwarts with a certain Tom Riddle, she had actually 
concluded her Newts and left the school prior to the original 
opening of the Chamber of Secrets, albeit only the year before.

I also do not think that when some argue that Minerva 
deliberately put herself in harms way in OotP with a view 
to having herself out of communication with Harry when needed. 

She clearly had no ulterior motive and was absolutely outraged 
by the attempt to arrest Hagrid using unnecessary force. If 
that did not show as well that she was no spy then not much 
would.

Had she been out to get Harry in any way then she was presented 
with a very clear opportunity to exclude him from further studies 
and probably further interference in the wizarding world as a 
result of Harry amd Ron's flying car stunt at the beginning of 
the school year in Cos. She chose to only give them a slap on 
the wrist. Not really conducive to then argue that she were a
spy either :-?

She has been shown to be a teacher that does not unfairly go 
against any student in particular, unlike Severus. She is in 
fact equally harsh with all as evidenced by her deductions of
large amounts of points from children in her own House at times.

I certainly believe it will not be correct that Minerva is a 
traitor or spy of any kind. Harry has enough known and unknown 
enemies or possible friends to deal with without any more being 
sprung on him, as I've said before in respect of certain others,
who will not be mentioned ;).

That she was not in the original Order of the Phoenix picture is
no indication that she was working for someone else at the time,
she was a teacher (39 years this December) and has been stated 
by JKR to be a worthy second to Dumbledore.

Sorry, I just don't see it, could a little further argument be
advanced?

My little thought on Minerva is that she may have something 
to do with bringing the Centaurs on side apart from being 
Headmistress. The link to a picture I now share, which is 
rather well known and of interest for its own sake, led me 
to this thought, here it is:

http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/1922/minervaandthecentaurow1.jpg

As you see from the link it is called "Minerva and the Centaur".
There is no development of that thought I can offer, but there
it is :).

Of course this could also lead to fierce battles with the 
Minerva / Firenze shippers, but I'm prepared to defend myself 
against them :O)

Goddlefrood saying have at you for now ;)