Minerva McGonagall bio

Name: Minerva McGonagall.

Age: Approximately 70.

House: Gryffindor.

Distinguishing Characteristics: Professor McGonagall is distinguished by her square-framed glasses and her black hair scraped back severely into a bun. She is a registered animagus, with her animal form being a tabby cat.

Heritage: Unknown.

Family: Unknown.

First Mention: Chapter One of The Sorcerer’s Stone.

General: Minerva McGonagall is famous for two things: firstly she is a very strict, no-nonsense teacher of Transfiguration, held in respect (and some fear) by all students. Secondly, she is a avid Quidditch fanatic. These two facets demonstrate the conflicting sides of her personality: on the one hand she is strict, severe and unsmiling, whilst on the other she longs for her house to be victorious in a trivial sporting event.

Nobody can be in any doubt who is in charge when Professor McGonagall is teaching a class – even Dolores Umbridge was treated with very little respect (and a good deal of contempt) when attempting to assert her authority in McGonagall’s classroom. She tolerates no misbehaviour, and commands the attention of the whole of her class. Unlike Professor Snape, she is also careful to take an even-handed approach to discipline with all pupils, punishing those from her house even when this could mean losing the House Cup.

Professor McGonagall is a Deputy Head of Hogwarts and the Head of Gryffindor house. In this capacity, it is unlikely that she would take her unbiased approach to discipline as far as to harm her beloved Quidditch team. Indeed, when she caught Harry disobeying Madam Hooch’s instructions and flying a broomstick having been told not to (albeit in an attempt to retrieve Neville’s Remembrall from Malfoy) her reaction was to appoint him Seeker of the Gryffindor Quidditch team rather than to punish him.

This one small distraction aside, however, Minerva McGonagall is strict, straight and fair at all times. She is also fiercely supportive of Professor Dumbledore and his natural successor as Head of Hogwarts, and as such is should be considered prudent by all of the pupils to stay on the right side of her.