51 Facts About Minerva McGonagall

Professor Minerva McGonagall is a fictional character in JK Rowling's Harry Potter series.

Professor McGonagall is a professor at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, the head of Gryffindor House, the professor of Transfiguration, the Deputy Headmistress under Albus Dumbledore and a member of the Order of the Phoenix.

Minerva McGonagall was originally portrayed in the film adaptations by actress Maggie Smith, and later by Fiona Glascott in the Fantastic Beasts prequel films The Crimes of Grindelwald and The Secrets of Dumbledore.

Minerva McGonagall was born a half-blood witch as her father was a Muggle and her mother a witch.

Minerva McGonagall began her Hogwarts education at the age of eleven and was sorted into Gryffindor after being the longest ever Hatstall between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw.

Minerva McGonagall became friends with Hufflepuff student and future colleague Pomona Sprout and gained a particular talent in the art of Transfiguration under the tutelage of then Transfiguration professor Albus Dumbledore.

Minerva McGonagall was a skilled member of the Gryffindor Quidditch team.

Minerva McGonagall was offered a promotion but turned it down and applied to teach Transfiguration at Hogwarts under Dumbledore.

Minerva McGonagall's protection was a life-sized enchanted game of Wizard's Chess.

Minerva McGonagall took five points away from Hermione but gave five points each to Harry and Ron for "sheer dumb luck".

Later on in the year, Minerva McGonagall caught Draco Malfoy roaming the castle after hours.

Minerva McGonagall was fairer than Slytherin Head and Potions master Severus Snape in punishing Harry and Ron, and instead assigned them to a detention rather than expelling them.

Towards the end of the year Minerva McGonagall was forced to act as temporary Headmistress after the Ministry of Magic suspended Dumbledore.

Minerva McGonagall believed that this would be the end of Hogwarts, and forced the new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor Gilderoy Lockhart to find the Chamber of Secrets and rescue Ginny, pointing out all of Lockhart's supposed heroic acts.

At the beginning of this school year, Minerva McGonagall assigned Hermione a Time-Turner to allow her to take multiple classes at the same time.

However, Minerva McGonagall confiscated it assuming it was sent by Sirius and cursed.

That year Minerva McGonagall watched as her house won their first Quidditch Cup in years, which resulted in Minerva McGonagall openly crying tears of joy.

Minerva McGonagall would lend her classroom to Harry, Ron and Hermione to practice for the third and final task of the championship.

Minerva McGonagall was instructed to guard Crouch, but was unable to prevent the Dementor sent by Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge to kill Crouch in an attempt to stop mass hysteria over the return of Lord Voldemort.

Minerva McGonagall was unafraid to show her disgust and hatred of Umbridge and her methods.

Minerva McGonagall was supportive of Harry, Ron and Hermione's formation of Dumbledore's Army in an attempt to teach the students how to defend themselves, considering Umbridge's refusal to do so.

Minerva McGonagall pulled Harry aside and told him that she will assist Harry in achieving his goal of becoming an Auror even if it was the last thing she ever did.

Whilst attempting to protect Hagrid from being sacked by Umbridge, Minerva McGonagall was attacked by Umbridge's Aurors and was sent to St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries.

Minerva McGonagall was unable to return to Hogwarts until after the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, where Voldemort's return was revealed to the world.

Minerva McGonagall awarded fifty points each to all six students present at the battle, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville, Ginny and Ravenclaw student Luna Lovegood for alerting the world of Voldemort's return.

Minerva McGonagall was present when Umbridge was forcibly removed from Hogwarts grounds, stating that she would have joined Peeves the poltergeist in chasing Umbridge off if her injuries had not prevented her from doing so.

Minerva McGonagall was one of the first people Harry, Ron and Hermione turned to after Katie Bell was cursed.

Minerva McGonagall called upon Snape and Filch to investigate the necklace she touched that caused her to be cursed.

Later in the year, Minerva McGonagall duelled with Death Eater Alecto Carrow during the Battle in the Astronomy Tower and later learned of Snape's murder of Dumbledore.

Minerva McGonagall was initially appointed as Headmistress, but was demoted after Voldemort took control of the school and placed Snape as Headmaster.

Later during the year, Minerva McGonagall was present when Harry, Ron and Hermione returned to Hogwarts searching for Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem.

Minerva McGonagall found Amycus Carrow attempting to break into Ravenclaw Tower, claiming his sister Alecto was inside.

When Minerva McGonagall refused and Amycus spat in her face, Harry angrily revealed himself and incapacitated the siblings with help from Luna.

Minerva McGonagall then defeated Severus Snape and banished him from Hogwarts and began to defend the school.

Minerva McGonagall tasked Neville and Seamus to destroy the wooden bridge to prevent Snatchers from sneaking into the school.

Minerva McGonagall helped evacuate the younger students to Hogsmeade and ordered Pansy Parkinson and all those in favour of giving Harry over to Voldemort in exchange for their lives to leave.

Minerva McGonagall was present to watch Harry defeat Voldemort once and for all and was one of the first people, aside from Ron, Hermione and Ginny, to congratulate him.

Minerva McGonagall eventually hired Neville as the new Herbology professor due to his gifts in the subject, and elected him as the new Head of Gryffindor House.

Minerva McGonagall later learned that Snape was secretly Harry's protector and had killed Dumbledore at Dumbledore's request.

Minerva McGonagall then made a controversial decision to add Snape's portrait in the Headmaster's Office as a testament to his bravery.

Minerva McGonagall is considered to be a formidable witch who is skilled in many forms of magic, notably transfiguration and spell-casting.

Minerva McGonagall is able to perform certain magic without casting spells or sometimes without the use of a wand.

Minerva McGonagall is a registered Animagus and can transform herself into a tabby cat at will.

Minerva McGonagall was always held in high respect by her peers and students at Hogwarts and commanded a position second only to Dumbledore.

Minerva McGonagall was notable for her sternness and dry sense of humour.

Furthermore, Minerva McGonagall was inspired by the Roman goddess, Minerva or Athena in Greek mythology.

Minerva McGonagall was the goddess of wisdom and war.

For example, in the Deathly Hallows Part II, Minerva McGonagall directs and orders vital defensive tactics before the penultimate battle against Voldemort.

Minerva McGonagall is quick to kick misbehaving students out of her class, and deduct house points when the situation warrants.

When push comes to shove, Minerva McGonagall is a formidable witch with powerful magical abilities, even facing Voldemort himself at the Battle of Hogwarts.

Minerva McGonagall's inclusion in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald was controversial for some fans of the series, as the character had been believed not to be born yet and was shown in the film teaching at Hogwarts.