Minerva McGonagall (was Re: Favorite ( or second favorite ;) character moment

[potioncat]

No: HPFGUIDX 178373

 
> va32h:
> 
> Well she definitely doesn't know why Dumbledore is there - she
> expresses surprise at pretty much everything Dumbledore says.  She
> doesn't know who the Dursleys are, that baby Harry is coming to them
> or that Hagrid is bringing him.  Or even that James and Lily are
> really dead and Voldemort really gone. Dumbledore seems amused to 
see Minerva, but not shocked or dismayed.

Potioncat:
Right. Once upon a time this list really X-rayed this scene. Not 
knowing DD as well as we do now, we wondered why DD was keeping 
McGonagall so far in the dark about everything. Some of us thought 
she was ESE!

As it is, the main reason I think she came was to find out what the 
heck was going on. She had already had several years of Secretkeeper!
DD (Oh, boy, is that ironic now!) 
 
> va32h:
> So here's what I think:  Minerva hears these rumors, goes up to
> Dumbledore's office to ask for the scoop - DD is his usual cryptic
> self and disappears.  

Potioncat: Well, actually. I think she says that Hagrid told her 
where he was meeting DD. I'm not sure that she knew Hagrid would have 
the baby.

va32h: 
> I don't think she was in the Order (she's not in the photo that 
Moody shows Harry in OoTP is she?)

Potioncat:
No she isn't. But we do see her at 12 GP this time around. But I 
think you're right.

va32h
 and she may or may not have been Deputy
> Headmistress at the time.  It wouldn't necessarily have been OOC for
> her to leave the school even if she were...she is ready to fight for
> Dumbledore and risk her position until DD reminds her that Hogwarts
> needs her more than he does. 


Potioncat:
Well, if she were Deputy, I think it would have been very wrong for 
her to leave Hogwarts under the circumstances. But JKR may not have 
worried about it, and at this point, we're not likely to find out.

But I think it's very clear that Minerva, just like Harry, just like 
Severus, had to put up with DD's secrets. We see him sending her out 
of the room in PoA. She's in the dark in SS/PS. In HBP she admits 
that DD never said why he trusted Snape. 

She seems to admire him very much, but it must have been frustrating 
working for him!