Minerva McGonagall
Mar 22, 2015 13:25:19 GMT
Post by Minerva McGonagall on Mar 22, 2015 13:25:19 GMT
Minerva McGonagall
86 -October 4 - Halfblood
Wand: Fir, Dragon Heartstring 9 1/2Biography
from Harry Potter Wiki
Early life (1935-1947)
Minerva McGonagall was born on the outskirts of Caithness in the Scottish Highlands, on 4 October, 1935 to Robert McGonagall, a Muggle Presbyterian minister, and his wife, Isobel Ross, a witch. She was the couple's first child, and was named after her mother's grandmother, an very talented witch.
Her birth proved both a joy and a crisis: Isobel had given up the use of her magic for her love of Robert, and never told him about her magical abilities as she was afraid to mar the bliss of their wedding. Minerva, however, displayed small but noticeable signs of magic from her earliest hours. As an infant, Minerva had no control of her magic, and thus she inadvertently Summoned toys that had been left on upper shelves to her cot, made the family cat do her bidding, and made her father's bagpipes play themselves which would cause baby Minerva to chuckle happily. Isobel knew she must confess to her husband about their daughter's wizarding abilities and so she did, explaining everything to Robert and telling him that they were bound by the International Statute of Secrecy, and that they must conceal the truth about their magical abilities.
The two parents remained together despite the shocking revelation and had two other sons, Malcolm and Robert Jr.. Both revealed magical ability in due course. Minerva then, as a child, helped her mother conceal from her father the accidents and embarrassments the young wizards' magic sometimes caused.
On Minerva's eleventh birthday on 4 October, 1946, she received her admittance letter from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, at the time Headed by Professor Armando Dippet. Now free to be with her kind, and to exercise her considerable talents, Minerva saw how her mother sobbed that day; not only out of pride, but also out of envy.
Hogwarts years (1947-1954)
Minerva attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry at the age of eleven. During her Sorting, she proved to be a hatstall: the Sorting Hat spent five-and-a-half minutes wavering between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw before deciding to place her in the former.
Minerva was quickly recognised as the most outstanding student of her year with a particular talent for Transfiguration. Minerva's school career overlapped by two years with that of Pomona Sprout, and the two students enjoyed an excellent relationship both then, and in later years.
By the end of the 1953-1954 school year, her seventh and last year at the school, Minerva had achieved an impressive record: she achieved top grades in her O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. examinations, she had been both a Prefect and a Head Girl, and won the Transfiguration Today Most Promising Newcomer award. She, like Dumbledore, received "Outstanding" in all her O.W.L's and N.E.W.T's. Having learned Transfiguration from Professor Albus Dumbledore, Minerva became, under his guidance, an Animagus, an ability that was duly recorded in the Animagus Registry at the Ministry of Magic. Minerva also played for Gryffindor Quidditch team in her student years; a nasty fall in her final year (a foul during the Gryffindor versus Slytherin match which would decide the Quidditch Cup winner) left her with a concussion, several broken ribs and a lifelong desire to see Slytherin crushed on the Quidditch pitch.
Early heartbreak (1954-1956)
After graduating from Hogwarts, Minerva was offered a position at the Department of Magical Law Enforcement of the British Ministry of Magic. She returned to her family's manse to spend one last summer with her family before moving to London.
During these months Minerva, aged eighteen, met Dougal McGregor, a local Muggle, who was the handsome, clever and funny son of a local farmer. Minerva fell head-over-heels in love with McGregor. The two got to know each other, and eventually McGregor proposed to Minerva on a ploughed field and she accepted his offer. That night, she was unable to tell her parents of her engagement. Thinking about her future, Minerva realised that wedding a Muggle who was oblivious to the fact that she was a witch would mean Minerva would follow her mother's footsteps and live unhappily with her wand locked away, shredding all of her ambitions. Early next morning, Minerva went to tell McGregor she had changed her mind, and could not marry him, aware that if she broke the International Statute of Secrecy she would lose the job at the Ministry for which she was giving him up. She could give him no good reason for her change of heart. She left McGregor devastated and left for London three days later.
Employment (1956-1970)
Minerva worked in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement at the Ministry of Magic for two years after graduation
Dissatisfied with her job at the Ministry, in December 1956, Minerva returned to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, this time not to learn but to teach Transfiguration, under the head of department, Albus Dumbledore. She later replaced Dumbledore as Head of Department after he ascended to the position of Headmaster of the school. As a teacher, Minerva was a strict disciplinarian, maintaining control of her students with a stern hand that made her someone not to be crossed. Later on in her career, Minerva was also be appointed the position of Head of Gryffindor House, the house in which she used to reside whilst studying at Hogwarts. Albus Dumbledore would later on in his career also trust her enough to allow her to become Deputy Headmistress of the school and fill in for him on the occasions of his absence. Her lessons consisted of but were not limited to match to needle, animal to water goblet, beetle to button, and mouse to snuffbox transformations, as well as Vanishing, Conjuring, and Switching Spells.
Through her early years at Hogwarts, Minerva remained close friends with her former boss, Elphinstone Urquart. During one visit, he proposed marriage to Minerva at Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop. Surprised, embarrassed and still in love with Dougal, she declined. Elphinstone, however, had never ceased to love her, nor to propose every now and then, until she finally accepted.
First Wizarding War (1970-1981)
After the first rise of dark wizard Lord Voldemort, Minerva took part in fighting back against Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters. McGonagall still taught at Hogwarts during the first war.
Order of the Phoenix
In the early days of the First Wizarding War, McGonagall joined the movement against Voldemort, the Order of the Phoenix, led by Albus Dumbledore. Minerva played a vital role in the resistance against Voldemort and his army of followers (Death Eaters), and throughout the war McGonagall stayed loyal to the Order despite the rise in murders of members. McGonagall got through the war unscathed where others suffered loss of limb or other injuries.
Later life (1998-Current Day)
With the conclusion of the war, Minerva returned to the position of Headmistress of Hogwarts and remained there until at least 2008 as she gave permission for Dumbledore's notes on The Tales of Beedle the Bard to be published. It is possible she was responsible for the employment of former Gryffindor student Neville Longbottom at Hogwarts.
She continues to teach at Hogwarts and remains Headmistress.
Personality and traits
Minerva almost constantly exuded magnanimity and sternness and was held in great respect (and some fear) by nearly all students and staff. Used to having her way, she tolerated neither audacity nor silliness from her pupils, and was known to turn cold towards people who said or did things in front of her that were stupid, or if she thought they were trying to be funny. Despite her strict demeanour, however, Minerva did exhibit a dry sense of humour which usually came out when times were tough.
True to Gryffindor, she valued bravery and loyalty highly, thinking cowardice a heavy flaw. Despite her loyalty to her house, though, and a fair-minded person, McGonagall was known for docking points from students in her own House when she saw it must be done so.
Minerva was not afraid to speak her mind and showed quite a sharp tongue, especially during arguments. For the most part, though, she usually maintained great emotional composure, without being indifferent. Although she was not always particularly personable, she was a huge supporter of Harry and trusted the likes of Dumbledore, Sprout, Flitwick, Pomfrey and Hagrid. She could be very warm and supportive during times of trouble or loss and cared a great deal about her students, both personally and academically.
Minerva enjoyed needlework, correcting articles in Transfiguration Today, watching Quidditch, and supporting the Montrose Magpies. She has showed a great fondness for taratan patterns and love for cats.
As the devoted instructor of Transfiguration classes, Professor McGonagall highly respected the specific branch of magic, and considered it to be more complex and sophisticated than all others, though she respected most others just as much; she became an Animagus to further her study in the magic. On the other hand, she has very little patience with Divination, due to its impreciseness and rarity of true Seers.
As well as this, she has a temper that can reveal itself on occasions when she is angrily flustered
Animagus: Being an Animagus gave Minerva the ability to transform into the form of a tabby cat at will. She often used this ability when she did not wish to be recognised. An example of this usage was when she spied on the Dursley family before Albus Dumbledore brought Harry Potter to them. She also demonstrated her transformation to the students in their third year, which usually got applause. When Hermione Granger searched for Animagus references in her third year, she saw that McGonagall was one of the few registered Animagi in the 20th century. On his notes regarding The Tales of Beedle the Bard, Albus Dumbledore states that Minerva asked him to explain that, while Animagi are usually people who seek to avoid punishment when they have broken the law, she merely became one to further her research on all branches of Transfiguration. She learned to become an Animagus under Dumbledore's tutelage during her time as a student in Hogwarts.
Family
Spouce: Elphinstone Urquart (deceased)
Children: Persephone "Poppy", Proserpina "Rosie" and Robert "Bobby" Urquart