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Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Minerva McGonagall

Overview
Minerva McGonagall is the Transfiguration professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She is also Head of Gryffindor House and Deputy Headmistress. McGonagall also has the distinction of being one of the seven licensed Animagi of the 20th Century, being able to transform at will into a tabby cat (with distinctive markings around its eyes, similar to the square-shaped spectacles she wears).

Professor McGonagall is described as being tall, severe-looking, and has dark hair usually tied up in a bun.

It is never mentioned in the series if McGonagall ever married or had children, but her entry on the Pottermore website has more information. She was raised in Scotland, the eldest of three children born to a witch mother and a Muggle father, a Presbyterian minister. Being Scottish, she often wears tartan.

McGonagall attended Hogwarts and was sorted into Gryffindor House. She was an exceptional student, particularly in Transfiguration, studying under Professor Albus Dumbledore. After graduation, she worked for the Ministry of Magic for several years, then declined a big promotion to instead teach at Hogwarts, staying there for the remainder of her career. According to the author, Minerva McGonagall's birthday is 4 October, and she is about seventy years old when the series begins.

Professor McGonagall makes great efforts to behave fairly towards all students, including handing out House Points penalties to members of Gryffindor when she feels it warranted. Though she tries to hide it, we believe she has affection for Harry, supporting him emotionally when things are roughest for him.

McGonagall's wand is fir and dragon heartstring.

Philosopher's Stone
Minerva McGonagall, who we first see in her cat shape, meets with Albus Dumbledore as baby Harry is brought to Number 4, Privet Drive. As they discuss the recent events that have brought Harry there, McGonagall unsuccessfully argues against Dumbledore leaving the infant with his aunt and uncle, calling them, "the very worst sort of Muggles." McGonagall also suggests that Hagrid might not have been the best choice to carry the infant Harry from his now-destroyed home in Godric's Hollow.

Ten years later, McGonagall greets the first-years at the school's entrance and escorts them into the Great Hall for the Sorting Ceremony. Harry quickly realizes she is the wrong person to ever cross. However, he nearly does just that when he is almost late to his first Transfiguration lesson.

At breakfast in the Great Hall some days later, McGonagall stops a confrontation that would have pitted Draco Malfoy and his cronies against Harry, Ron, and Neville Longbottom.

During Harry's first flying lesson, McGonagall spots him flying "like a natural" and recruits him for the Gryffindor Quidditch team, even though first-years are normally ineligible. Against school policy, she provides him a new broom – a Nimbus 2000.

At Hallowe'en, Harry and Ron defeat a mountain troll that was about to attack Hermione Granger in the girls' bathroom. To cover for them, Hermione tells McGonagall that she intended to tackle it herself, but that Harry and Ron came to her aid; McGonagall penalizes Hermione five House points while rewarding Harry and Ron five points each—for sheer dumb luck.

When Harry is caught wandering the halls after hours and for "making up some cock-and-bull story about a dragon," it is McGonagall who metes out punishment. She penalizes her own house 50 points each for the three involved students, Harry, Hermione, and Neville – 150 points – as well as assigning detention. She similarly penalized Draco Malfoy for wandering the halls.

Harry startles McGonagall when he reveals he knows about the Philosopher's Stone, but when he presses to see Professor Dumbledore, she says he was summoned to London. This results in Harry, Ron, and Hermione deciding to go through the trap door to protect the Stone.

McGonagall's part in guarding the Philosopher's Stone was to create a giant enchanted chess set, that forces Ron to play a game through, before it will allow Harry and Hermione to pass on to the next barrier.

Chamber of Secrets
When Harry and Ron crash into the Whomping Willow with the flying car, Professor Snape sends for Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore. After hearing their story, Dumbledore leaves Professor McGonagall, their House Head, to determine their punishment. She gives both boys detentions but does not dock any House points. The detention she issues them, some few days later, is for Ron, under the supervision of Filch, to polish all the trophies in the Hogwarts trophy cases, while Harry has to assist Professor Lockhart answer his fan mail. Harry appeals to her to switch their assigned detentions, but Professor McGonagall says Professor Lockhart had specifically requested Harry.

Harry, following a voice that apparently only he can hear, finds himself in the second floor hallway. Words are scrawled on a wall and Mrs. Norris, Filch's cat, is hung off a torch bracket. In Professor Lockhart's office, Professor Dumbledore examines Mrs. Norris and determines she is only petrified, not dead. When Filch demands that someone be punished, Snape says that he believes Harry knows more than he is telling and suggests suspending him from Quidditch. McGonagall refuses to accept such severe punishment, knowing that a 12-year-old would not be capable of performing such Dark Magic, and Dumbledore reminds Snape that Harry is innocent until proven guilty.

When Justin Finch-Fletchley and Nearly Headless Nick are found petrified, Professor McGonagall curtly escorts Harry to Professor Dumbledore's office, then leaves, allowing Harry and Dumbledore to speak privately. When Professor Dumbledore is suspended as Headmaster, McGonagall becomes the interim Headmistress.

Professor McGonagall cancels a Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff after Hermione and Penelope Clearwater are found petrified. She takes Harry and Ron to see Hermione in the hospital wing, and asks if they know anything about what has been happening; they are unable to answer. She informs the Gryffindors that security restrictions have been enacted.

Ignoring the restrictions, Harry and Ron sneak off to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom where they suspect the Chamber of Secret's entrance is hidden. When they encounter McGonagall along the way, Harry claims they were going to visit Hermione in the infirmary. Touched by this apparent concern for their friend, McGonagall allows them to continue, only now they must actually visit Hermione. In her petrified hand, they discover a clue revealing the Chamber's secret. While waiting in the staff room to tell McGonagall what they have found, an announcement orders all students to their Common room. As the teachers enter the staff room, Harry and Ron hide in a closet. McGonagall tells the other teachers that Ginny Weasley has been abducted. McGonagall assists in goading Lockhart into entering the Chamber to find the Monster and rescue Ginny, as he has claimed to know where it is and what the monster is. Once he leaves "to prepare," she details plans for closing the school.

In Professor McGonagall's office after their return from the Chamber, Harry and Ron describe what happened in the Chamber and the events leading up to it. Dumbledore sends McGonagall to arrange a celebratory feast. Later, to the now-revived Hermione's dismay, Professor McGonagall announces that all final exams have been canceled.

Prisoner of Azkaban
Following Harry's unpleasant encounter with a Dementor on the Hogwarts Express, Professor McGonagall takes him and Hermione into her office. She summons Madam Pomfrey, who is glad that they now have a Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher (Remus Lupin) who actually knows some medical remedies (chocolate being the antidote to the after-effects of Dementors). Professor McGonagall suggests he rest, but Harry insists he is fine and requests permission to attend the Welcome Feast. McGonagall consents but asks to speak privately with Hermione. Harry does not discover why until later.

During Transfiguration class, McGonagall lectures about Animagi and is surprised that students fail to react when she transforms herself into a cat. When told that Professor Trelawney had predicted a student will die soon, she seems to have to restrain herself from criticizing another teacher or subject, but she reassures them by saying that Trelawney predicts a student's death every year and none have yet died.

When Harry asks McGonagall if he can go to Hogsmeade for the weekend outing, despite lacking written permission from Uncle Vernon, McGonagall refuses. She will not stretch the rules that far.

Fred and George Weasley give Harry a magical parchment called the Marauder's Map that shows secret passageways in and out of Hogwarts. Harry follows a tunnel into Hogsmeade, meeting up with Hermione and Ron. Together they visit the Three Broomsticks, where they eavesdrop on a conversation between Professor McGonagall, Professor Flitwick, Hagrid, Cornelius Fudge, and Madam Rosmerta. Harry learns that his godfather, Sirius Black, is believed responsible for revealing his parents' secret whereabouts to Lord Voldemort—information that led to their murders. He also learns the circumstances surrounding Black's arrest and later conviction.

When Hermione informs McGonagall that Harry received an expensive Firebolt broom from an unknown person for Christmas, McGonagall confiscates it, saying that Professor Flitwick and Madam Hooch will inspect it for any concealed Dark Magic.

After several months, and much nagging by Gryffindor Quidditch captain Oliver Wood, Professor McGonagall returns the Firebolt, saying it is believed to be clean. Harry flies a marvelous match on it. The match is marred only by apparent Dementors arriving on the pitch, though Harry is able to defend himself from them by use of the Patronus charm that he has learned. The Dementors turn out to be Draco Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and Marcus Flint, the Slytherin team captain. McGonagall gives all four of them detentions and penalizes Slytherin 50 House points.

Following the Quidditch victory celebration, the House is awoken during the night by Ron's screams—Sirius Black was in his dorm. Sir Cadogan, the guardian of the Gryffindor tower, tells McGonagall that he granted access to someone who had a password list. McGonagall becomes livid when she discovers it is Neville Longbottom's list. As punishment, she revokes his Hogsmeade weekend visit privileges for the rest of the year, gives him detention and forbids him from having the password into Gryffindor. Other students must now let him into the Gryffindor common room. After Black's break-in, Professor McGonagall tells Harry what he already knows: Black is trying to get to him.

Harry learns that Professor McGonagall gave Hermione a Time-Turner at the beginning of the year so she could attend extra classes (taught at the same time). Harry and Hermione use it go back in time to save Buckbeak from being destroyed and to free Sirius Black, who Harry has learned is innocent. Exhausted from the heavy workload, Hermione drops her extra courses and resumes a normal class schedule. She returns the Time-Turner to Professor McGonagall.

Goblet of Fire
As the returning students enter the entrance hall, Peeves welcomes them with water balloons. Professor McGonagall orders him out. At the Arrival Feast, when Dumbledore announces that the Triwizard Tournament is being revived, Fred Weasley is heard to exclaim, "You're joking!" This apparently prompts Dumbledore into telling a (perhaps inappropriate) joke, which Professor McGonagall interrupts by pointedly clearing her throat.

When Draco Malfoy attempts to Curse Harry, Professor Moody Transfigures him into a white ferret, bouncing him in the air a few times, much to Harry's and Ron's amusement. Professor McGonagall, arriving on the scene, forcefully warns Moody that transfiguration is never used as punishment, and transforms Draco back. McGonagall then tells Moody that he must instead talk to Professor Snape, head of Slytherin. Moody heads off to the dungeons with Draco.

Transfiguration class seems to have more homework than the previous year; Professor McGonagall explains that the increased homework the fourth-year students are being assigned is to prepare them for next year's O.W.L. exams.

Shortly before the competing school representatives are to arrive, Professor McGonagall is heard exhorting her House to be on its best behaviour. In particular, she requests that Neville Longbottom conceal that he is unable to master even a simple Switching Spell.

When the Goblet of Fire unexpectedly chooses Harry as a fourth Triwizard Champion, he and the other three Champions meet with the competition judges: Professor Dumbledore, Professor Karkaroff of Durmstrang, Madame Maxime of Beauxbatons, and Mr. Crouch and Ludo Bagman from the Ministry. Professor McGonagall is present, as are Professor Snape and Professor Moody. McGonagall's contribution is limited; when it is suggested that Professor Dumbledore had drawn the age line incorrectly, allowing an underage Harry to enter his own name, McGonagall declares loyally that Dumbledore could not have made a mistake.

McGonagall, appearing tense and somewhat on edge, escorts Harry to the dragon enclosure for the first task, leaving him there with the other Champions.

During Transfiguration class shortly after the First Task, Professor McGonagall announces that a Yule Ball is part of the Triwizard Tournament. Fourth-year and above will be allowed to attend, as will younger students as their guests. McGonagall privately tells Harry that the Champions and their partners traditionally lead the way into the Ball and to have the first dance. Harry is shocked: he has only a month to find a date, learn to dance, and prepare to lead the schools into the ball.

At the Ball, McGonagall takes the four Champions aside to say they will be entering in procession after the other students are seated.

As Harry, Hermione, and Ron are researching ways that Harry can breathe underwater for the Second Task, Fred and George arrive to summon Hermione and Ron to Professor McGonagall's office. It is revealed later that they have been chosen to be charmed and handed over to the Merpeople as "hostages" that the Champions must "rescue" underwater for the Second Task.

Near the end of May, Professor McGonagall sends Harry to the Quidditch pitch to receive instructions about the Third Task.

Immediately prior to the Third Task, Professor McGonagall tells Harry that the Champions and their families are congregating in a small room off the Great Hall. Harry, not expecting anyone, remains in the Great Hall until Cedric Diggory, the other Hogwarts Champion, summons him. Mrs. Weasley and Bill Weasley have come to watch him compete.

Professor McGonagall, with Hagrid, Professor Moody, and Professor Flitwick, will patrol the maze's outer perimeter during the Third Task, rescuing anyone who fails the challenges.

When Harry returns from the duel with Voldemort in the graveyard, Moody, against Dumbledore's instructions, escorts Harry to his office. Professor McGonagall, Professor Dumbledore, and Professor Snape rescue Harry by breaking down the door and Stunning Moody. McGonagall wants to send Harry to the Hospital Wing, but Dumbledore overrules her, saying that Harry needs to know what has happened and why. Dumbledore sends McGonagall to fetch a large black dog waiting in Hagrid's pumpkin patch and take it to his office. Moody's dose of Polyjuice Potion wears off, and when McGonagall returns, she is stunned to see Barty Crouch Jr. lying on the office floor.

After Barty's confession, Professor Dumbledore leaves McGonagall to guard him, and takes Harry to his office to see Sirius Black and discuss that night's events. Harry is then taken to the Hospital Wing, where Madam Pomfrey gives him a dreamless sleep potion. Professor McGonagall's noisy arrival awakens Harry. She reports that the Dementor that accompanied Cornelius Fudge to Hogwarts instantly administered the "Kiss" to Barty Crouch, sucking out his soul. Barty can no longer tell anyone anything.

Order of the Phoenix
We learn that Professor McGonagall is a member of the Order of the Phoenix when Harry, then staying at the Order's headquarters sees her arriving, looking somehow odd in Muggle clothes.

Professor McGonagall is, if course, at the Arrival Feast and presides over the Sorting ceremony. She seems to be among the few teachers able to listen to Dolores Umbridge's droning "welcome speech".

On the first day of classes, Professor McGonagall hands out timetables. In Defence Against the Dark Arts class, Harry argues with Professor Umbridge about whether or not Voldemort has returned. He is given a note that he must take to McGonagall, where he learns he has been given detention every day for a week. McGonagall asks if he had understood Umbridge's welcoming speech, and Harry suggests it means that the Ministry was going to be taking a more active hand in running Hogwarts. McGonagall comments that she is glad Harry at least listens to Hermione. She then warns Harry to be cautious around Umbridge, especially in keeping his temper, to give her the least possible reason to punish Harry.

While leaving detention, Harry runs into Ron, who notices his cut and bleeding hand. Ron demands that Harry tell McGonagall, though Harry stubbornly demurs, insisting it is a personal issue between him and Umbridge now.

When Harry gets another week's detention, McGonagall additionally penalizes him House points, for failing to heed her advice to avoid antagonizing Umbridge.

When Hedwig is injured while delivering Sirius' message to Harry, he takes her to Professor Grubbly-Plank in the staff room. Professor McGonagall is also there, and she warns Harry that all communication channels in and out of Hogwarts are likely under surveillance.

Draco Malfoy's taunts combined with an after-the-whistle Bludger from Crabbe result in a physical fight after a Quidditch match against Slytherin. Harry and George Weasley are called into McGonagall's office, where McGonagall scolds them severely and gives each of them a week's worth of detentions. However, Umbridge steps in with a new Educational Decree and alters the punishment even further, banning the two boys (including Fred, even though he was not part of the scuffle) from playing Quidditch permanently, to McGonagall's further fury.

Just before Christmas, Harry dreams he is a snake attacking someone in a long hallway. Waking up, he tells Ron that his father is being attacked and needs urgent help. Professor McGonagall takes Harry and Ron to Professor Dumbledore's office. After hearing Harry's story, Dumbledore sends two portraits, Dilys and Everard, to investigate. When the portraits return, reporting that the man was found but is badly hurt, Dumbledore sends McGonagall to fetch the other Weasley children. McGonagall asks about contacting Molly, but Dumbledore says that is Fawkes' job. Shortly after McGonagall returns with Fred, George, and Ginny, Dumbledore sends her to head off Umbridge. She evidently is successful, as neither appears in Dumbledore's office before the Weasley children and Harry have left.

Dobby warns Harry that Umbridge is on her way to catch "Dumbledore's Army". Harry alone is captured, and Umbridge escorts him to Professor Dumbledore's office. Waiting there are Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, Cornelius Fudge, Percy Weasley acting as scribe, and two Aurors, Dawlish and Shacklebolt. Marietta Edgecombe, a student, has also been brought as a witness. Umbridge claims Harry held an illegal meeting at the Hog's Head. When she says Willy Widdershins provided her the information, McGonagall comments that she had wondered how he had gotten off so lightly for all those regurgitating toilets. When Fudge attempts to have Dumbledore arrested, a bursting white light knocks out him and the other Ministry officials. McGonagall has pushed Harry and Marietta safely to the floor. Dumbledore makes sure the three are unharmed, then departs.

Harry meets with McGonagall to discuss his career plans to become an Auror, only to find Umbridge is also there. Umbridge continually interrupts McGonagall, claiming Harry's "criminal" record will prevent his becoming an Auror. McGonagall, outraged, vows to do everything possible to help him achieve his goal. Harry leaves as their argument escalates.

With Dumbledore's departure, as well as Fred and George Weasley's exit, the school has become largely unmanageable. In silent rebellion, the teachers do nothing to help Umbridge regain control. At one point, McGonagall walks, apparently uncaring, past Peeves as he unscrews a crystal chandelier, though she might have told him that it turned the other way.

Umbridge, accompanied by multiple Aurors, attempts to sack Hagrid. Apparently attracted by the confusion and wand flashes, McGonagall runs to Hagrid's aid, but is simultaneously hit by four Stunners. When Harry envisions Voldemort torturing Sirius Black, he attempts to speak with McGonagall, the only Order member he can think of, but she has been taken to St. Mungo's Hospital. As a result, Harry attempts to contact Sirius directly by using Professor Umbridge's fireplace, and is caught.

Harry, distraught over Sirius' death, nearly gets into a duel with Draco Malfoy, who blames Harry for his father being sentenced to Azkaban prison. Professor Snape intervenes, then prepares to penalize Harry House points, only to discover the Gryffindor hourglass is empty. Professor McGonagall happens to return from St. Mungo's, recovered but still physically weak and using a walking stick. She sends Draco and his cronies off, then awards House points to all students who participated in the battle at the Ministry. She then subtracts the points that Snape intended to deduct.

When Peeves chases Umbridge out of Hogwarts, McGonagall is delighted to hear of her ousting, but is disappointed as she is unable to get outside to cheer Peeves on without her walking stick, which Peeves is using.

Half-Blood Prince
At the beginning of the year, Professor McGonagall hands out timetables to the sixth-year students. The process is complicated because the courses that students can take are limited by their O.W.L. results. Hermione gets her courses straight away. When she consults Neville about his results, she tells him that he can take Herbology with an 'Outstanding' O.W.L. and Defence Against the Dark Arts with an 'Exceeds Expectations'. However, he cannot take Transfiguration with only an 'Acceptable' O.W.L. as she fears that he may be unable to cope with the coursework, but his Charms grade is high enough for that course with an 'Exceeds Expectations'. While Neville is reluctant, saying that his grandmother believes Charms is a soft option, McGonagall comments that Augusta having failed her Charms O.W.L. is no reason for her to argue against it. She then tells Neville that it is high time Augusta appreciated her grandson for what he already was rather than what she wants him to be.

McGonagall informs Parvati Patil that Firenze and Professor Trelawney are splitting Divination classes. Harry's lost hope to become an Auror revives when Professor McGonagall tells him that Professor Slughorn is happy to accept students into N.E.W.T. Potions classes with an 'Exceeds Expectations' O.W.L. unlike Professor Snape. Both Harry and Ron enroll. Professor McGonagall also hands Harry a list with prospective Quidditch players for the House team.

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Leanne carry a necklace that cursed Katie Bell back to the school. McGonagall has Professor Snape inspect it. Harry, over Ron and Hermione's objections, states that Draco Malfoy must be involved. McGonagall says that Draco was serving detention in her office during the attack.

We see McGonagall briefly in the Quidditch match following Ron's birthday. Luna Lovegood is commentating, and while the school seems vastly amused by her announcements, McGonagall is heard correcting her several times.

When Harry, defending himself against Draco, uses Sectumsempra, Snape gives him detention every Saturday for the remainder of the year. It is mentioned that McGonagall agrees with Snape's setting this amount of detention.

McGonagall battles Death Eaters in the Battle of the Astronomy Tower, though we don't see much detail of this. After the battle, she is in the Hospital Wing after Dumbledore's death while they figure out what had happened. She is so shocked upon hearing that Dumbledore was killed by Snape, that Madam Pomfrey conjures her a chair. She said that Dumbledore had always said he trusted Snape, for good reason. Harry says that he knows the reason Dumbledore trusted Snape: Snape had carried the prophecy about Harry to Voldemort, and then repented of that to Dumbledore. McGonagall blames herself for sending Professor Flitwick to fetch Snape.

McGonagall reports that when Dumbledore and Harry left for the sea cave, Bill Weasley, Lupin, and Tonks had been on patrol. Harry tells McGonagall that the Death Eaters entered through the linked Vanishing Cabinets in the Room of Requirement.

McGonagall, as acting Headmaster, must make decisions about the school's future. She summons the other heads of Houses, Professor Flitwick, Professor Sprout, and Professor Slughorn to meet in the Headmaster's office; she also asks Harry and Hagrid. There, under Dumbledore's newly-present portrait, before the others arrive, McGonagall asks Harry what he and Dumbledore had been doing. Harry demurs, saying that he had been instructed to keep their activities secret, and Dumbledore had not said he should stop following his orders if he died. McGonagall and the other teachers decide the school should remain open, but McGonagall asks if the students should be sent home early. Harry points out that many will want to stay for Dumbledore's funeral. The Hogwarts Express is scheduled for the day after the funeral. Seeing the Minister for Magic approaching the school with a delegation, McGonagall quickly dismisses Harry.

McGonagall is present at the funeral, but we do not speak with her.

Deathly Hallows
It seems surprising that McGonagall, acting Headmistress following Dumbledore's demise in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and Deputy Headmistress since the series' beginning, was not made Headmistress; however, given Voldemort's interest in Hogwarts, it was probable that only a Death Eater would receive the post, thus making Severus Snape's appointment as Headmaster logical.

Professor McGonagall remains unseen until the book's conclusion. McGonagall is called upon to unlock the Ravenclaw common room for Amycus Carrow, as the way to open the common room door is to answer a philosophical question posed by the eagle-head door knocker, and Amycus is unable to answer it. When Amycus finds Alecto lying unconscious in the Ravenclaw common room, he decides to frame the Ravenclaw students for her having summoned Voldemort. When McGonagall objects, Amycus tries to override her, spitting on her in the process. Harry, concealed under his Invisibility Cloak, curses Amycus, knocking him out. McGonagall quickly binds both Amycus and Alecto, then summons the other three House Heads as she and Harry, hidden under his cloak, head for her office. Severus Snape suddenly appears, demanding to know what is happening. Snape's suspicions of McGonagall's explanation escalates into a fierce duel. Snape breaks and runs when Flitwick and Sprout, followed by Slughorn, approach, and Snape crashes through a window, soaring away.

McGonagall orders the castle to prepare for battle. Harry, returning to the Room of Requirement, is unable to find Ron and Hermione. He heads to the Great Hall, hoping they will be among the other students gathering there. McGonagall informs the school that Professor Snape has "resigned," resulting in cheers from all but Slytherin. Underage students are to be evacuated, along with any older students wishing to leave. Voldemort's booming voice interrupts her, stating that if Harry is turned over, no one will be harmed, otherwise, at midnight, he will be forcefully taken. Pansy Parkinson, at the Slytherin table, aims her wand at Harry; the other Houses quickly jump to Harry's defence, and McGonagall orders all Slytherins to be evacuated. She then reminds Harry that he is searching for something.

McGonagall then marshals Hogwarts' defence, mobilizing the armour, along with other enchanted objects, to defend the school during the Battle of Hogwarts.

During a break in hostilities, Harry views Snape's memories in the Pensieve and sees that Professor McGonagall was present at Snape's Sorting, some twenty years before.

In the final battle, Voldemort is simultaneously dueling McGonagall, Shacklebolt, and Slughorn. When Bellatrix is felled by Molly Weasley, Voldemort sweeps the three aside to attack Molly, but is thwarted by Harry from under his Invisibility Cloak.

McGonagall is glimpsed at the victory celebration, but Harry is too tired to speak to her just then, and simply wants to get away.

Strengths
McGonagall is a highly intelligent and an incredibly powerful witch. She is a particular expert at Transfiguration, but was extremely able in virtually all other areas of magic, also. She was also surprisingly capable in the Dark Arts field, despite not practicing it. The proof of this being she was able to cast a successful Imperious Curse (one of the three Unforgivable Curses) on Amycus Carrow.

Although a strict teacher, she has her students' respect. Despite her discipline often being severe, it is always fair and even-handed, nor does she show favoritism to her own House, several times deducting points from her own House if she caught any misbehaving Gryffindor student. Professor McGonagall possesses a tender side, and always considers the students' welfare to be her most important vocation, but she takes pains to conceal it.

McGonagall is extremely loyal to Albus Dumbledore and his causes. She was one of his most accomplished students in Transfiguration. Although she had a successful Ministry career, she wanted to teach at Hogwarts, where Dumbledore still taught.

In the final books, McGonagall shows she is an extremely adept and quick duelist, being able to overpower Severus Snape and stalemate Lord Voldemort himself with assistance. It is likely that if she had not elected to follow Dumbledore into education, that she would have made an excellent Auror, and she is likely a valuable Order of the Phoenix member if not their second in command.

Weaknesses
McGonagall is never portrayed as having any particular weaknesses. Her stern facade likely prevents anyone from getting close to her emotionally, with the possible exception of Dumbledore. We are led to believe that she prefers her solitude.

Relationships with Other Characters
It is hard to imagine the stern and staid Professor McGonagall "letting her hair down" to any great extent, which makes it difficult to imagine that she has many close relationships. However, she enjoys a warm friendship with Albus Dumbledore, and seems on friendly terms with the other Hogwarts teachers, including Severus Snape (up until Dumbledore's death) and Professor Slughorn, who becomes head of Slytherin. Also, her concern for Harry's well-being seems more than would be the result of his merely being a student in her House, or even his potential to cause Voldemort's final downfall.

J.K. Rowling has revealed on Pottermore.com, that the young McGonagall fell in love with a handsome Muggle, Dougal McGregor. She never revealed to him that she was a witch, and, unwilling to continually hide this from other Muggles, broke off their engagement after one day to fully pursue a Wizarding life. McGonagall understood the enormous strain on her parents' marriage caused by her Muggle father's eventual discovery that he had married a witch. This factored into McGonagall's decision to end the relationship with McGregor. McGonagall later had another suitor, her former Ministry boss, Elphinstone Urqhuart, whose many marriage proposals she continually declined throughout the years until much later in life, and then only after her first love, Dougal, had died. Their marriage was happy but short-lived, ending just three years later when Elphinstone was fatally bitten by a venomous tentacula plant. McGonagall had kept her maiden name when she married.

Analysis
Professor McGonagall is portrayed as an older witch who takes great pains to hide her more sensitive side, perhaps fearing it will be construed as weakness and exploited against her. She is moderately successful at this, to the point that Harry is surprised when she shows him any special consideration. In particular, when Harry is sent to Professor McGonagall as a consequence of his first, disastrous Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson with Professor Umbridge, McGonagall offers him a biscuit. Harry apparently considers this so uncharacteristic that he initially refuses. Harry is always surprised when he sees a lapse in her severity.

To a certain extent, McGonagall is a stock character, the "stern but fair" instructor. A staple in fiction of all sorts, but particularly in fiction about schools, this character often is seen as being in direct conflict with the strongly biased instructor who is opposed to the hero; in this series, of course, that biased character would be Severus Snape. The story arc requires that Snape's character be more complex than the stereotype allows, so he does get more time "on stage" than almost any other instructor; this means that Professor McGonagall is somewhat more in the background than usual for her role. Where McGonagall breaks away from the stock character is in her ongoing concern for Harry. We can see that McGonagall is deeply concerned for Harry's wellbeing, but knowing that she should not show favoritism for any student, she tries to conceal it as much as possible. We see it in small things: her warnings to Harry about dealings with Umbridge, and her stated determination to get him into the Auror program, for example. If we examine McGonagall's actions throughout the story, we see that in her public actions, such as grades, detentions, House points awards and penalties, McGonagall is fair almost to a fault. It is in her private actions, her concern for Harry's health after the Dementor episode, her meetings with Harry in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and the episode of the Nimbus 2000 in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, that we see her concern for Harry.

To a very small extent, McGonagall serves as something of a foil for Professor Dumbledore. The only time in the series that we see the two of them interacting directly is in the first chapter of the first book, where McGonagall protests Dumbledore's choice of a permanent home for the infant Harry. It is interesting there to see the obvious mutual respect between these two characters, despite the fact that they have taken opposite sides of an argument. That respect is also seen in other scenes in the series where Dumbledore and McGonagall are together. Generally, when McGonagall and Dumbledore are on stage together, apart from the instance mentioned above, they are together dealing with another issue which forms the focus of the scene; often, that focus is Harry. Despite this, we can see that there is still some interaction between Dumbledore and McGonagall, with McGonagall being a moderating influence on all parties, while exhibiting staunch loyalty to Dumbledore.

Questions

 * 1) Professor McGonagall, an Animagus, can morph into a cat. What does this animal reflect about her character?
 * 2) Why didn't Professor Dumbledore tell McGonagall more about Harry and his tie to Voldemort?
 * 3) Professor McGonagall eventually became Hogwarts' Headmistress. How might Hogwarts have changed during her tenure?


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Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Irma Pince

Overview
Irma Pince is the librarian of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She is described to be a "thin, irritable woman who looks like an underfed vulture." From the very little we see of her, we can guess that she is very impatient, and stereotypically we would guess her to have small glasses on her nose, which would probably be pointy. It is most likely she was in Ravenclaw house, guessing from her job and the location of the library.

Philosopher's Stone
Madam Pince is librarian when Harry first arrives at the school. As Harry, Ron and Hermione search the library for a book containing information about Nicolas Flamel, Pince was considered someone to avoid, as she could warn Professor Snape of their activities. Once, she saw Harry edging towards the Restricted Section of the Library and asked him what he was looking for. When he answered "nothing," she sent him out of the library.

Hagrid seems to be hiding a book from Madam Pince when the Trio see him in the library. It turns out to be a book on raising dragons, and Hagrid promises to explain why he needs that book later.

Chamber of Secrets
Hermione Granger arrived at the library with a note written by the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher allowing her to retrieve the volume Moste Potente Potions from the Restricted Section. She gave it to Madam Pince, albeit reluctantly, wanting to keep Lockhart's autograph, and Pince studied the note very thoroughly, checking for forgery. She then went into the Restricted Section and handed over the book, despite still appearing suspicious.

Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry does spend some time in the library, but we don't hear much about Madam Pince in this book.

Goblet of Fire
As part of the preparation for the Second Task, Harry, Ron, and Hermione are looking for ways that Harry can breathe underwater for an hour. After Ron and Hermione are summoned to Professor McGonagall's office, Harry remains in the library, searching on his own, until Madam Pince diminishes the lights indicating the library is now closed and chases him out.

Order of the Phoenix
It is mentioned that Madam Pince kept her usual routine of prowling around the library, breathing down the necks of those touching the books.

During the Easter holidays, she was seen checking out a pile of books for a frantic-looking Hannah Abbott, who was presumably revising for her O.W.L.s.

Harry is studying in the library when Ginny brings him his Easter gift from Mrs. Weasley: a large chocolate egg. Harry is distracted; he has just learned something extremely disturbing about his father and needs to talk to Sirius Black about it. Ginny tells him that, living as long as she has with the Twins, she has learned that nothing is impossible. Harry and Ginny had been distractedly eating their chocolate egg while they have been talking, and Madam Pince spots this potential damage to her precious books and chases them both out of the library, enchanting their possessions to attack them as they flee.

Half-Blood Prince
Madam Pince is seen in the library, prowling around the bookshelves and protecting her tomes.

At one point, as it approaches the 8:00 PM closing time, Madam Pince tells all of the students to return the books back to their shelves and leave. When she reaches the table where Harry and Hermione are sitting, she notices the Half-Blood Prince's highly annotated copy of Advanced Potion-Making. Enraged, she screams about how the book was "despoiled" and "befouled", and ignoring Harry's claims that it was his own personal copy, almost appears to have a seizure.

Madam Pince was seen in the Entrance Hall prior to Professor Dumbledore's funeral, standing by Argus Filch, and wearing a thick black veil that fell to her knees. It is likely she attended the funeral.

Strengths
As the librarian at Hogwarts, arguably the center of magical knowledge in Britain, Irma Pince has full access to, and knowledge of, very nearly all the magic texts known in the country. While she may not be able to use the knowledge directly herself, for pretty much any bit of magical arcana, she knows where to find it.

Relationships with Other Characters
It has been suggested that Irma Pince and Argus Filch have a relationship, by many fans, and in fact by Harry and Ginny in conversation. There is little evidence supporting this relationship anywhere else in the series, though some fans have suggested that the "Half-Blood Prince" of the title of the sixth book might actually be the son of these two, and "Prince" might be a typo for "Pince". The final chapters of that book, however, name the Prince (Eileen Prince) and her son (Severus Snape), which rules out that possibility.

Irma is apparently obsessed with her books, and she treats students and teachers with almost equal suspicion, worried that they might be putting her precious books at risk. We never see anyone, apart from Filch on one occasion, with whom she seems to be on reasonable terms; of course, we also never see her away from her precious library. Away from her books, she may be completely different.

Analysis
One thing that anyone who uses a Muggle library is aware of is the helpful nature of the librarians there. By and large, if there is something you need to research, a librarian can help you to find it. In many places in the Harry Potter story line, it becomes necessary for the Trio to find some historical fact from the books in the library: in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, for instance, it is necessary to find the identity of Nicolas Flamel; in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban the Trio are researching cases where dangerous creatures won their trials, and later won their appeals; and in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry needs a way to survive for an hour underwater. In all of these cases, a helpful librarian would have short-circuited the process of finding the answer and would have decreased Hermione's participation. Madam Pince's monumental obstructiveness thus can be seen as important to the story, both as a means of pacing, and as a means of making Hermione, with her library research skills, more valuable to the partnership.

Questions

 * 1) What are Madame Pince's interactions with the staff like? How does this compare with her relationships with students?

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/


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Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Poppy Pomfrey

Overview
Poppy Pomfrey is the school nurse for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Her office is in the Hospital Wing, and she is usually to be found there, but on occasion will attend patients elsewhere on the grounds.

Philosopher's Stone
Madam Pomfrey is first mentioned in chapter one when, according to Professor Dumbledore on the night of November 1, 1981, Madam Pomfrey had complimented him on a set of earmuffs he had recently acquired. The compliment made him blush in such a manner that would only be rivalled when Professor McGonagall compared his magical prowess favorably against those of Voldemort.

Madam Pomfrey is mentioned after Neville broke his wrist during his first flying lesson. On their way to the midnight duel, Harry, Ron, and Hermione find Neville asleep in the corridor. Upon awaking, Harry asks how is arm is. “‘Fine,’ said Neville, showing them. ‘Madam Pomfrey mended it in about a minute.’” Madam Pomfrey is next mentioned when Ron is helping Hagrid take care of his pet dragon, Norbert. Norbert bites Ron, but Ron doesn't want to go to the Hospital Wing for fear of revealing Norbert's existence. When the bite swells up and turns green, though, he has no choice. Madam Pomfrey seems skeptical of his claim that it's a dog bite, but asks no further questions.

When Harry is in the infirmary after his session in the Chamber, we see that Madam Pomfrey is limiting the visitors that he can have. She is somewhat put out that Professor Dumbledore has insisted that Harry be allowed to attend the Leaving Feast, but allows him to leave the infirmary anyway.

Chamber of Secrets
Madam Pomfrey is first mentioned in chapter eight when October had arrived and a damp chill had spread over the grounds and into the castle. And, as the nurse, Madam Pomfrey was kept busy by sudden colds among the staff and students.

When Harry's wrist is broken playing Quidditch, Professor Lockhart "heals" it by magically removing all the bones from his arm. Once in the infirmary, Madam Pomfrey says that she can heal broken bones almost immediately, but growing an entirely new set is quite a different matter. The potion she gives him, "Skele-Gro", tastes horrible, but Madam Pomfrey has little sympathy, saying that he is in for an uncomfortable night.

While he is in the Hospital Wing, he is visited by Dobby. Dobby, as usual, has to punish himself; Harry tries to restrain him, fearing that the noise will wake Madam Pomfrey. Madam Pomfrey is undisturbed, however, until Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall bring in a Petrified Colin Creevey. All she can really do for him, though, is set him on one of the beds and pull curtains around him.

Over the course of the year, other students get Petrified and are moved into the infirmary. We can safely assume that Madam Pomfrey is taking care of them as best she is able.

Madam Pomfrey heals Hermione after she ingests Polyjuice potion contaminated with cat hair. Madam Pomfrey does not question how she had gotten a tail, fur, cat ears, or cat eyes, simply treating the problem.

When Hermione is Petrified, Harry and Ron are taken to the infirmary to see her. Madam Pomfrey is in the background, but does not say anything.

Harry and Ron determine that the Monster in the Chamber may have been the instrument of Moaning Myrtle's death, and resolve to go and ask her. They are intercepted in the halls by Professor McGonagall, and to explain their absence from class, they say that they are going to see Hermione. Professor McGonagall agrees that they may go and see her, so they must; Madam Pomfrey is mildly vexed, saying that there's no point in visiting someone who is Petrified, they can't hear anyway.

After Ron, Harry, and Ginny return from the Chamber with Professor Lockhart, Professor Dumbledore suggests first that Ginny should go to the Hospital Wing; he says that Madam Pomfrey will be awake, giving out restorative draughts to the Petrified students. He later suggests Ron should take Lockhart to the Hospital Wing to see if Madam Pomfrey can do anything for him.

Prisoner of Azkaban
Having encountered a Dementor on the Hogwarts Express, Harry is called into Professor McGonagall's office as he enters the school. Shortly, Madam Pomfrey bustles in, telling him he needs attention because of the Dementor. Harry says he's feeling fine, that Professor Lupin had given him chocolate on the train. Madam Pomfrey is pleased to hear that for once they have a teacher of Defence Against the Dark Arts who knows his remedies. Harry eventually manages to convince Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey that he is all right and can go to the Welcoming Feast.

When Dementors invade the Quidditch pitch during the match against Hufflepuff, Harry loses consciousness and falls off his broom. He awakens in the Hospital Wing, surrounded by the Quidditch team; apparently they lost the match, though nobody blames Harry, except for Harry himself. Madam Pomfrey eventually shoos everyone out except Ron and Hermione.

After the events in the Shrieking Shack, Professor Snape gathers up the unconscious students, along with Sirius Black and takes them to the Hospital Wing. While Harry and Hermione recover relatively quickly, having suffered from the effects of the Dementors, Ron was hit with a curse by Peter Pettigrew and is receiving care from Madam Pomfrey when they regain consciousness. Madam Pomfrey is scandalized that Snape and Cornelius Fudge would be arguing with her charges, specifically Harry and Hermione, and hindering their recovery. She is further upset when Dumbledore demands to speak with Harry and Hermione alone, sending Fudge and Snape away and Madam Pomfrey back to her office.

After Harry and Hermione return from their mission, Madam Pomfrey, unaware that they have been gone, only knowing that Professor Dumbledore has finally left, reappears from her office, demanding to know if she can finally take care of her patients. She is again interrupted by the return of Snape, Fudge, and Dumbledore. She agrees with Dumbledore that Harry and Hermione had been right there all along. As Snape leaves in a huff, and Fudge and Dumbledore leave more quietly, she locks the Hospital Wing door behind them and resumes her ministrations to Harry and Hermione, who meekly accept massive slabs of chocolate.

Goblet of Fire
In Herbology, Harry's class is studying Bubotubers. Professor Sprout tells the class that the treated "pus" can be used against acne. It is mentioned that Eloise Midgeon had tried to curse her spots off, but that Madam Pomfrey had managed to get her nose attached again.

When Fred and George are hurled out of the age line after they tried unsuccessfully to age themselves in order to enter The Triwizard Tournament, Professor Dumbledore suggests they head to the Hospital Wing and see Madam Pomfrey who was already tending to Miss Fawcett, of Ravenclaw, and Mr Summers, of Hufflepuff, both of whom decided to age themselves up a little, too.

Immediately after the First Task of the Triwizard Tournament, Harry is taken into the first aid tent by Madam Pomfrey. He had been struck by the tail of his dragon, and the spikes had wounded his shoulder. She treats his wounds and tells him to sit still for a minute. She then goes to another part of the tent, and Harry hears her checking on Cedric Diggory, who is apparently injured worse than Harry is.

At the Yule Ball, Harry notices that Hermione's teeth look different. Hermione tells him that following the duel between Harry and Draco Malfoy, where Hermione's teeth had been accidentally enlarged, Madam Pomfrey had given her a mirror and told her to say when her teeth were the correct size; she had allowed Madam Pomfrey to shrink them to a smaller, and more becoming, size than they had been originally.

Madam Pomfrey is again in evidence immediately following the Second Task, providing blankets and Pepper-Up Potion to both Champions and rescued hostages, to revive them following their time in the Lake.

After the Third Task, and his return from the cemetery, Harry is taken off first to Professor Moody's office, then to Dumbledore's office. When he finally reaches the Hospital Wing, Bill Weasley and Molly Weasley are berating Madam Pomfrey, demanding to know what she has done with Harry. At Dumbledore's instructions, Madam Pomfrey brings Harry a sleeping draught. Harry falls asleep before he has finished it.

Harry is awakened by Professor McGonagall returning to the Hospital Wing with Cornelius Fudge, demanding to speak with Dumbledore. Madam Pomfrey tells her that Dumbledore is not there, but he arrives almost immediately. Madam Pomfrey remains in the background while the debate between Fudge and Dumbledore goes on. After Fudge has departed, Dumbledore sends Madam Pomfrey away to care for Winky; she seems rather surprised to be sent to care for a house elf, but complies. It turns out that Dumbledore has sent her away so that he can ask Sirius Black to return to his human form; so far this evening, he has appeared in his Animagus form, as a large black dog, because he is still believed to be a fugitive murderer and supporter of Voldemort.

While Madam Pomfrey certainly returns to care for Harry, she is not mentioned directly again in this book.

Order of the Phoenix
Dolores Umbridge has brought Aurors to assist in her sacking of Hagrid. In the confusion surrounding this event, Professor McGonagall is hit by multiple Stunners and is taken to the Hospital Wing. The next day, Harry receives a vision that leads him to believe Sirius is being tortured. Desperate to reach the only member of the Order of the Phoenix still at the school, he goes to the Hospital Wing to see McGonagall, only to have Madam Pomfrey tell him that McGonagall has been taken to St. Mungo's Hospital.

After the Battle at the Ministry, Hermione, Ginny, Ron, Luna, and Neville are being cared for in the Hospital Wing by Madam Pomfrey. Professor Umbridge, now rescued from her sojourn among the Centaurs, is also there receiving treatment. Ron frightens Umbridge by making the sound of hooves; when she sits bolt upright, Madam Pomfrey pops out of her office to see if she is all right.

Half-Blood Prince
When Katie Bell touches a jinxed necklace and is cursed, she is taken to the Hospital Wing. We hear from Dumbledore later that Professor Snape has done what he can for her, and she has been sent to St. Mungo's Hospital. At Harry's question as to why Snape, Dumbledore says that he understands the Dark Arts much better than does Madam Pomfrey.

Ron is poisoned on his birthday, and ends up in the Hospital Wing. When we see him there, Harry, Hermione, Ginny, and the Twins are with him. Hagrid arrives, and Madam Pomfrey bustles out of her office, saying "Only six visitors to a patient." Harry points out that Hagrid would be the sixth visitor, and Madam Pomfrey retreats, confused.

Some time later, while Ron is still in the infirmary, Harry is hit by a Bludger and ends up in the Hospital Wing with a cracked skull. While he is there, he recalls that in his second year, he had been visited by Dobby; and has the idea of summoning Kreacher to tail Malfoy for him. When he summons Kreacher, Dobby arrives as well; it seems they are fighting because Kreacher had insulted Harry. Peeves, always happy at the sight of chaos, also arrives; Harry, worried that he will attract Madam Pomfrey, silences him, at which he runs away, and muffles the sound of the struggling house-elves. Harry is able to give Kreacher his assignment without Madam Pomfrey being any the wiser.

After the death of Dumbledore, Harry, in shock, is taken to the Hospital Wing. There, we see Madam Pomfrey tending to Bill's injuries, until Mrs. Weasley arrives and takes over.

Deathly Hallows
Madam Pomfrey oversees the evacuation of Hogwarts before the Battle of Hogwarts. In the pause after the death of Snape in the battle, we see her ministering to the fallen.

Strengths
Madam Pomfrey is a gifted, experienced and dedicated healer. With few exceptions she is able to treat and cure all manner of illness and injury occurring at Hogwarts. Given the high injury rate due to Quidditch, magical accidents, dangerous creatures and student pranks, Hogwarts is a hazardous place. Madam Pomfrey's services are frequently called upon.

Madam Pomfrey is also strict and maintains high standards in the hospital. She is not afraid to stand up to anyone who is compromising the treatment and recovery of a patient, even Dumbledore.

Weaknesses
As Madam Pomfrey is a classic example of a minor character, provided to handle a single function, that of running the school infirmary / Hospital Wing, her character is not as fully limned as some. As a result of this, we do not get a feel for where her areas of weakness, if any, may lie.

Relationships with Other Characters
Madam Pomfrey is portrayed as the classic "mother-hen" character, possibly over-solicitous of those currently in her care and definitely a bit over-protective. This is somewhat tempered by strictness when necessary to effect a cure for her charges; she does not cavil at forcing Harry to drink the horrible "Skele-gro" potion, for instance, and shoos Harry's visitors out when she feels they might be tiring him out. She almost refuses to allow Harry to attend the Leaving Feast in his first year at Hogwarts, and is upset at being overruled by Professor Dumbledore. Similarly, she intends to have Harry in the infirmary at the beginning of his third year, to deal with the effects of his exposure to Dementors, and is somewhat upset when Harry insists that the is all right and doesn't need to visit the Hospital Wing. In this case, it is only because Harry has already received the appropriate remedy from Professor Lupin that she, reluctantly, allows him to go to the Feast.

This solicitousness only extends to those who she is convinced need her care. As an example of one who does not fit this pattern, we have Draco malingering after the injury he received from Buckbeak is cured. Despite his claims to still be in agony, claims that Pansy Parkinson and Professor Snape take at face value, Draco has been sent back to class rather than being kept in the infirmary. While the scene where Madam Pomfrey scolds Draco for faking appears only in the film version of this story, it seems entirely in character and fits with the events we see in the books.

Madam Pomfrey seems to respect Professor Dumbledore, and will take instructions from him insofar as she does not believe them to hinder her caring for her patients.

Analysis
Interestingly, Madam Pomfrey does not ask any questions about how the injuries she is asked to treat were received. We see this first with Ron's dragon bite, which she must be aware is not the dog bite that Ron claims it is, and then later with Hermione's accident with the Polyjuice Potion, which she must be able to recognize in order to treat. Madam Pomfrey, being in charge of an infirmary which is responsible for the care of several hundred presumptuously or arrogantly confident young wizards and witches, must have seen every imaginable magical side effect, and must be able to recognize many of them on sight. It is safe to assume that she recognizes Ron's wound as the result of something like a dragon, and it is almost certain as well that she recognizes the effects of contaminated Polyjuice Potion, but in neither case does she question the lame explanations offered.

Additionally, what happens in the infirmary seems to stay in the infirmary. While she is likely aware that Hermione's affliction over Christmas in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets was caused by Polyjuice Potion, that being one of the potions that NEWT-class students work with, she does not divulge the nature of Hermione's illness. This is an indication that Madam Pomfrey is discreet when dealing with student injuries, as Professor Snape does not hear about the probable cause of Hermione's illness, and thus does not make the connection between that and the missing ingredients from his stores.

Questions

 * 1) How does Madam Pomfrey treat the students?
 * 2) Describe Madam Pomfrey in three words.
 * 3) (Extra Credit) Madam Pomfrey and Molly Weasley are both written as strong but motherly types. Yet they present quite differently; Madam Pomfrey would appear to be unlikely to ever use an offensive spell, even to save herself or her charges, while Mrs. Weasley quite readily attacks those who are attacking her children. What differences in their characterization make up this apparent distinction?

Greater Picture
Another author, Randall Garrett, has one of his characters mention that the Healing Art is very different from regular sorcery. The example he uses is that of guiding two drunken companions home. The healer's job is simplified by the fact that the subject wants to be healed, and the healer only has to help him along the way; in much the same way, a man can easily help his two drunken friends home without any equipment other than a soft word and a guiding hand. Replace the two drunkards with three hundred pounds of builder's sand, though, and suddenly you need a wheelbarrow, and more strength but less subtlety. This may have something to do with how seldom we see Madam Pomfrey actually using her wand. It is certainly true that Madam Pomfrey seems to be cut from a different sort of sorcerous cloth than the other wizards in our story. While she seems to be as strong a wizard as most we see, her strength does not seem to lie in the same direction; we cannot see her attacking the Death Eaters, though we can easily imagine her defending the Hospital Wing and her charges there with purely defensive spells, probably of great power.


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Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Professor Binns

Overview
Professor (Cuthbert) Binns is the History of Magic professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He is the only professor who is a ghost. It is believed that he sat down in front of the staff room fireplace, fell asleep and died; the next day, his spirit simply got up and went to class, leaving his body behind. Initially he was unaware he was dead, though apparently was quite shocked upon learning he was no longer alive.

Philosopher's Stone
Professor Binns' only function in this book is to teach History of Magic and put the entire class to sleep. That year, Binns taught his first years about historical figures such as Uric the Oddball and Emeric the Evil, which Harry and Ron always managed to confuse.

Chamber of Secrets
Hermione convinces Professor Binns to tell the class about the Chamber of Secrets; this upsets him because it is a myth, rather than concrete facts. However, he does explain what the myth says, which is instrumental in the later discovery of the actual chamber.

According to Professor Binns, Hogwarts' four Founders had a falling out. One, Salazar Slytherin, believed the school should only accept students descended from wizard families. The other three Founders strongly disagreed, believing Muggle-borns and Half-bloods should be allowed to study magic. Slytherin then left the school for good, but not before he supposedly created a secret chamber and housed a monster within. Legend claims the Chamber can be opened, and the monster can be controlled, only by Slytherin's true heir. Binns goes on to say that headmaster after headmaster has searched the school, and none found so much as a secret broom closet. Angry at having his lovely historical facts interrupted by this legend, Binns then refuses to speak any more about it, and the class once again subsides into boredom.

Prisoner of Azkaban
Professor Binns' only function in this book is to teach History of Magic and put the entire class to sleep.

Goblet of Fire
Professor Binns' only function in this book is to teach History of Magic and put the entire class to sleep.

Order of the Phoenix
Professor Binns' only function in this book is to teach History of Magic and put the entire class to sleep. It is in one of these classes that an injured Hedwig appears at the window; Harry brings her in, excuses himself from class saying that he needs to go to the Hospital Wing, and carries Hedwig off to the Staff Room, where he hands her over to Professor Grubbly-Plank to have her healed.

Half-Blood Prince
As neither Harry or Ron received a passing grade on his History of Magic OWL, they no longer attend History of Magic, and Hermione, whether or not she has chosen to drop the subject, never mentions it; thus, Professor Binns has no role in this book.

Strengths
He manages to put the class to sleep (particularly Harry), very effectively.

He acquired much knowledge during his long lifetime, though he does not seem to have added to that knowledge significantly since his death.

Weaknesses
Binns never seems to be particularly aware of his class, or even of the outside world, and what is going on in it. It is uncertain if he has even updated his curriculum since he passed away. Whether this is because he is a ghost or he was also this way in life is unknown. Binns seems to be a particularly ineffective teacher. Harry thinks that the subject material in his class, the Giant Wars, might have been far more exciting if it was taught by a different instructor.

Relationships with Other Characters
Being a ghost, Binns seems relatively detached from flesh-and-blood characters. As there are no references of him appearing among the other ghosts, it seems that he has no special interest in them either. His only interests apparently lie in teaching his classes. Although this requires that he be attentive to his students, his interaction with them appears to end as soon as they leave the classroom. He is even unable to remember his students' names. When Hermione Granger asks about the Chamber of Secrets, he initially does not recall her name, then addresses her as "Miss Grant," calls Seamus Finnigan "O'Flaherty," and addresses Parvati Patil as "Miss Pennyfeather." He also calls Harry Potter "Mr. Perkins" when Harry goes to the Staff Room with injured Hedwig.

Analysis
Professor Binns, being a ghost, shares many features common to all ghosts mentioned in the series. Significant analysis of ghosts appears on that page.

It would appear that the only book in which Professor Binns is at all important to the plot is Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Presumably any character teaching History of Magic could equally serve the purpose here. Professor Binns also has a tiny role in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, where Hedwig's appearance at the classroom window is only noticed because the class itself is so dull.

It is never explained why History of Magic is taught by a ghost; we can only speculate that the author thought it would be an interesting conceit to have an effectively dead subject taught by an effectively dead teacher. There is also no explanation for the confusion of names that Professor Binns displays in his one useful interaction with the class; he does seem to get the initial letter of the student's name right (for instance, Parvati Patil becomes Miss Pennyfeather). It is possible that he is simply recalling the names of students that he taught when he was alive, conflating him with the students he finds in front of him.

Questions

 * 1) The story of Professor Binns' origin does not tally with what Nearly Headless Nick says about the origin of ghosts in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix — see Ghost for details. What do you think really happened?
 * 2) Professor Binns shuffles his notes on several occasions. Ghosts are unable to interact with material objects. Does Professor Binns have ghostly notes as well? How does Professor Binns mark exam papers?
 * 3) Did Professor Binns choose to become an Earth-bound ghost rather than "moving on"? Explain.

Greater Picture
At first glance, there does seem to be some difference between what Nearly Headless Nick says about how ghosts are created, and what we know about Professor Binns. However, there is more similarity than it initially appears. Ghosts are created when a person feared dying or was unprepared for death. They choose to haunt the Earth rather than "go on". Professor Binns was probably not expecting to die at that time. He was a long-time teacher and passed away in the staff room waiting for his next class. His dedication to his vocation caused him to arise as a ghost and carry on as a teacher. Death for him would mean shirking his duties, something unthinkable.

We can also speculate about the notes he seems to be carrying. It may be possible that his notes are part of his ghostly persona. Other ghosts keep their clothing and accessories, and we hear several times that Nearly Headless Nick arranges to change the ruff that he wears, so why should Binns not keep his class notes? The fact that they make noise when handled by Binns is no more strange than hearing ghosts talk and converse. The fact that his "ghost notes" cannot be updated might explain why Hermione once commented that they never learn any History of Magic newer than the late 19th Century; presumably that is when Professor Binns died.


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Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Professor Sinistra

Overview
Professor Sinistra is the Astronomy professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Goblet of Fire
It is mentioned that Professor Sinistra is dancing with Professor Moody at the Yule Ball.

Analysis
Astronomy in the Harry Potter world is very different from real astronomy. There are no physics present in the Harry Potter astronomy. Rather, the lesson focuses on nomenclature and its position in relationship to the other planets. The various stars outside of our Solar System, other galaxies, black holes, and other celestial objects play little importance. In short, Harry Potter's astronomy is descriptive.

Questions

 * 1) How might Astronomy be important in learning about magic? Why is it considered separate from Divination?
 * 2) Think about what kind of personality Professor Sinistra might have, and describe it.


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Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Pomona Sprout

Overview
Pomona Sprout is the Herbology professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She is also the Head of Hufflepuff House.

According to a note posted on the Author's web site, Pomona Sprout's birthday is 15 May.

Philosopher's Stone
Harry finds that he has Professor Sprout for Herbology. He is learning how to care for the herbs and fungi that are used in magic, and their properties.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione learn from Hagrid that one of the enchantments guarding the Philosopher's Stone was put in place by Professor Sprout. When they go through the trap door, they find that her contribution is a large Devil's Snare plant, which traps Harry and Ron. Hermione manages to conjure fire to force it to retreat and free them.

Chamber of Secrets
Professor Sprout, somewhat the worse for wear, enters our story being trailed by Professor Lockhart; it seems Lockhart has been giving her pointers regarding the first aid she is providing for the Whomping Willow, which Harry and Ron had driven into the night before. It does not seem that the pointers were much use; Professor Sprout seems somewhat disgruntled when she arrives, and her mood is not lightened when Lockhart asks to speak privately with Harry for a moment.

Once Harry returns to the greenhouse, he finds that Professor Sprout is giving instructions on the repotting of young Mandrake plants.

The mandrake plants prove necessary over the course of the book as students and others are petrified by an apparently unknown monster. We hear that Professor Sprout has canceled one class in the dead of winter because she needs to fit winter clothing on the Mandrakes and doesn't trust anyone else to help; and over the course of the year we hear about how the Mandrakes are growing and maturing.

Finally, at the end of the year, Professor McGonagall announces that Professor Sprout has informed her that the Mandrakes are ready and the potion to revive the petrified students will be administered that evening.

Prisoner of Azkaban
Though we know that Harry, Ron, and Hermione are still taking Herbology, we see relatively little of Professor Sprout in this book. We first see Professor Sprout during a Herbology lesson telling Ron Weasley to be careful after he accidentally drops a pile of beans on the greenhouse floor. We also see her at the Christmas feast, along with Harry, Ron, and a very few of the teachers who have elected to remain at Hogwarts over the Christmas break.

Goblet of Fire
Professor Sprout starts the year by telling the students that they will be squeezing pus from Bubotubers.

The first Defence Against the Dark Arts class, taught by Professor Moody, leaves Neville Longbottom severely shaken. Moody asks Neville back to his office for tea, and while he is there, tells him that Professor Sprout has spoken highly of his abilities in Herbology. Moody also gives him a book, Magical Mediterranean Water-Plants and Their Properties.

At the end of the book, Cedric Diggory is murdered by Peter Pettigrew (Wormtail). It is mentioned that Professor Sprout, as head of Cedric's house, is speaking with his parents.

Order of the Phoenix
Like so many of the other teachers, Sprout lectures them on importance of OWLs, and assigns an essay. Harry is beginning to wonder where he will find time for all the homework he has been assigned.

The weather in the autumn is absolutely dreadful; it is mentioned at one point that the rain on the greenhouse roofs nearly drowns out the lecture.

We see Professor Sprout reading the Prophet at breakfast, when the news of the mass breakout from Azkaban is published. Shortly, we see a conversation between Harry and Susan Bones in Herbology; and Sprout is mentioned as being in conference with Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick, apparently concerning this news article, some days later.

Shortly after Harry's interview is published in the Quibbler, Professor Sprout, rewarding him for his bravery in speaking out, awards Gryffindor house twenty points when he hands her a watering can.

As time for the exams comes close, one of the major topics for conversation is revising (or studying) and other ways of attempting to ensure success in the exams. Harry is listening to Ernie's recitation of how many hours a week he is studying, and is thankful when Sprout opens the greenhouse door for them, cutting Ernie off.

Half-Blood Prince
When Harry, Ron, and Hermione are harvesting Snargaluff pods, Professor Sprout chides them for being slow; it seems that while they are still strapping on their protective gear (and talking), Neville has already harvested his first pod. The Trio's first pod bounces free while they are trying to open it, and rebounds off the glass roof of the greenhouse, knocking Professor Sprout's battered hat off.

When Harry, with the assistance of Felix Felicis potion, is trying to recover a particular memory from Professor Slughorn, he feels impelled to go past the greenhouses. There, he sees Professors Slughorn and Sprout harvesting leaves of some plant for Slughorn's third year Potions class, and talking about how they are most effective when collected at twilight.

Professor Sprout, as head of Hufflepuff house, is present at the meeting of the heads of house at the end of the book, along with Professor McGonagall (as head of Gryffindor and acting Headmaster), Professor Slughorn (as head of Slytherin), Professor Flitwick (as head of Ravenclaw), Hagrid, and Harry. She has little to say at the meeting, but is in favour of the school remaining open.

Deathly Hallows
Pomona Sprout, as the head of Hufflepuff house, is one of the Heads of House that Professor McGonagall summons when she decides to oust the current Headmaster, Professor Snape, and defend Hogwarts against the Death Eaters so that Harry can locate the final Horcrux. Professor Sprout is present when Snape makes his escape, and is in the Great Hall, with the Hufflepuffs, when McGonagall announces the evacuation of the under-age wizards.

We see Professor Sprout acting to defend Hogwarts against the Death Eaters attack. She is one of the teachers assigned to the battlements, and with the help of Neville among others, we see her carrying various magical plants to the tops of the towers to throw down upon the enemy.

Strengths
Professor Sprout is a master herbologist and may have had some skill in dueling as she fought in the Battle of Hogwarts and survived. Assisted by Neville Longbottom, who became Herbology professor after her, she used her knowledge of plants to attack the Death Eaters.

Questions

 * 1) Why isn't Professor Sprout in the Order of the Phoenix?


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Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Professor Vector

Overview
Professor Septima Vector is the Arithmancy professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Analysis
From the construction of the word arithmancy = arith- + -mancy, it's evidently magic to do with numbers. In the real world, arithmancy means divination using numbers, but in the Harry Potter world it seems to include also numerology, the study of magical properties of numbers. The professor's name, Vector, may hint that arithmancy in the Wizarding world could include more sophisticated mathematics.

In the Harry Potter world, numbers are often inscribed in places, such as tombs, pyramids, and monuments. These numbers supposedly have meaning, either hiding a secret message or protecting the site with a curse. Arithmancy, if applied correctly, allows the practitioner to interpret these findings.

Gringotts curse breakers are required to have sufficient knowledge of Arithmancy.

Questions

 * 1) Hermione repeatedly states that Arithmancy is very useful. What kind of things might be taught in an Arithmancy class, that Hermione would see as being particularly useful?


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Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Wilhelmina Grubbly-Plank

Overview
Wilhelmina Grubbly-Plank is the temporary Care of Magical Creatures professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She is called in on a number of occasions when the permanent Care of Magical Creatures teacher is "unwell", including a long stretch at the beginning of Harry Potter's fifth year.

Goblet of Fire
We first meet Professor Grubbly-Plank in the first class after Christmas. Hagrid has gone into hiding because of an article in The Daily Prophet which identified him as being half-Giant. While Hagrid has been teaching the class about Blast-Ended Skrewts, Professor Grubbly-Plank starts off by teaching a class on the Unicorn, which everyone except Harry and Ron feels is more like what they expected to learn in that class. (Hermione secretly seems to feel that Professor Grubbly-Plank's lessons are more useful than Hagrid's, but we can see her dissembling to spare Harry's and Ron's feelings.) Professor Grubbly-Plank continues teaching Care of Magical Creatures for about a week on this occasion, until Harry and Dumbledore persuade Hagrid to return.

Order of the Phoenix
Harry is dismayed upon returning to Hogwarts to find that it is not Hagrid collecting the first-years for their trip across the lake, but Professor Grubbly-Plank.

Professor Grubbly-Plank teaches Harry's class Care of Magical Creatures. When asked about Hagrid's whereabouts, Professor Grubbly-Plank is abrupt and dismissive. Professor Grubbly-Plank starts the year by teaching about Bowtruckles; Harry, overhearing comments from Draco Malfoy about Hagrid, is so angered that he nearly squeezes the one he, Ron, and Hermione are supposed to be drawing in half.

Inspected by Professor Umbridge in her role as Hogwarts High Inquisitor, Professor Grubbly-Plank passes inspection without difficulty, despite the fact that she obviously supports Dumbledore. When Professor Grubbly-Plank is being inspected by Professor Umbridge, she tells Umbridge that she doesn't actually know where Hagrid is.

Hedwig returns from carrying a message for Harry, arriving an hour later than the usual time for owl post and apparently injured – she is holding one wing oddly. Harry leaves History of Magic class, and goes to the staff room to find someone who might be able to help Hedwig; Professor Grubbly-Plank is there, and says she'll have Hedwig back in shape in a few days. Harry and Professor McGonagall almost forget the message Hedwig is carrying, which is from Sirius Black.

Professor Grubbly-Plank continues teaching Care of Magical Creatures up until November when Hagrid returns from his mission. Upon Hagrid's return, he mentions that Professor Grubbly Plank would come back to teach whenever Umbridge decides to sack him. There is so little time between when Umbridge violently fires Hagrid, and the events inside the Ministry of Magic where Umbridge is dismissed and Hagrid reinstated, that we do not learn whether Professor Grubbly-Plank has been summoned in the interim.

Strengths
She seems to be very talented in her field, having knowledge of a variety of creatures.

Relationships with Other Characters
Professor Grubbly-Plank is not around long enough to form any meaningful relationships with any of the characters at Hogwarts. She is seen to claim that she respects Professor Dumbledore, and we see that she is taking care of Hedwig as she would any other injured animal. Her interactions with the students are neutral, instructor to student, and she does not seem to have any favorites in the student body.

Questions

 * 1) Why might Dumbledore have chosen Hagrid instead of Grubbly-Plank to teach Care of Magical Creatures?
 * 2) What are the main differences between Professor Grubbly-Plank's lessons and Hagrid's?

Greater Picture
In at least one respect, Professor Grubbly-Plank is a stereotype: she is portrayed as being very mannish, has a gruff voice, and smokes a pipe. While there is no hint as to her sexual orientation – we do not see any companion she has, and we don't see enough of her to see her form any attachments – her depiction is almost stereotypically lesbian. This is, of course, unimportant to the story line, and will quite properly be ignored by the target audience, but inclusion of this alternate lifestyle may be meant as a hint that other characters could be homosexual as well. As it turns out, we do later learn that Professor Dumbledore is homosexual, a fact that does have some plot significance; the revelation is somewhat tempered, we believe, by the earlier introduction of Professor Grubbly-Plank.


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Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/The Fat Lady

Overview
The Fat Lady is the subject of a painting on the seventh floor of Hogwarts Castle. Her portrait guards the entrance to Gryffindor Tower. Students must tell her the password that she has created to enter the Gryffindor common room.

Philosopher's Stone
When Harry and the other first-year students arrive at the entrance to Gryffindor Tower, Percy addresses the portrait of a very fat lady, in a pink silk dress, to give her the password, "Caput Draconis." Never named, the portrait is called The Fat Lady throughout the rest of the series.

When Harry departs for his Wizard's Duel with Draco Malfoy, Ron accompanies him as his Second while Hermione tags along to try and persuade them to return to Gryffindor Tower. Unsuccessful, she tries to re-enter the common room, but is unable to get in because the portrait is now blank; the Fat Lady has gone visiting. When they run into Neville in the hall, Neville says he had forgotten the password, and the Fat Lady would not let him enter. As they return from the failed duel, the Fat Lady asks what the four of them have been doing, but simply opens the entrance when Harry gives the password.

When Harry, trying out his new Invisibility Cloak, leaves Gryffindor Tower the night after Christmas, the Fat Lady squawks, "Who's there?" as he exits. Harry does not reply.

Chamber of Secrets
When Harry and Ron first reach the Common Room after landing the flying car in the Whomping Willow, the Fat Lady asks them for the password; of course they do not have it, but Hermione tells them ("wattlebird"). The portrait swings open to reveal a large welcoming party in progress – apparently Harry and Ron are somehow heroes for having taken unconventional means to get to the school.

While Harry goes through the portrait hole a number of times in this book, even under the invisibility cloak, this is the only time that we see or hear him interact with the Fat Lady.

Prisoner of Azkaban
The Fat Lady refuses to let Sirius Black into Gryffindor tower at Hallowe'en because he does not have the password. He destroys her painting in a rage. She leaves the portrait out of fear for several months; during her absence, the entrance to Gryffindor Tower is guarded by Sir Cadogan.

When Sir Cadogan allows Sirius into the tower, he is sacked. The Fat Lady is convinced to return, but she requires that a squad of security trolls be provided to keep her safe.

Goblet of Fire
When Harry Potter and Ron Weasley were called by Hermione Granger to go to the kitchen, the Fat Lady was annoyed that she had to open the door just after they planned to not use it.

Later that year, after the Yule Ball ended, the Fat Lady and Violet, a witch from another portrait who was visiting her, were both drunk, and Harry Potter had some trouble getting her to open the door.

Once, when Harry tried to enter the tower, the Fat Lady was asleep, and he had to shout the password to wake her up, much to her irritation.

Order of the Phoenix
Harry is first to the Gryffindor dorm's entrance on his first night back at school, but he does not know the password, and the Fat Lady will not let him in. Neville, arriving almost on Harry's heels, says that he will be able to remember the password this year; it is Mimbulus Mimbletonia.

On the Thursday of the first week of classes, Harry, returning from detention with Professor Umbridge near midnight, runs into Ron in the hall. When they reach Gryffindor tower, deep in conversation, the Fat Lady is dozing; after a while, she testily asks them to give the password so she does not have to keep listening to their conversation all night.

Half-Blood Prince
When Harry returns from Christmas break, Hermione informs him that the new password is "Abstinence". Apparently the Fat Lady had somewhat overindulged over the break – there is mention of her visiting a picture of some happy monks with wine casks.

When Harry returns from retrieving a memory from Professor Slughorn, the Fat Lady denies him entrance to the Common Room. Nearly Headless Nick, passing by, stops to mention that Professor Dumbledore has returned and is in his office; Harry elects to report to Dumbledore immediately, instead of returning to his dormitory.

The Fat Lady is mentioned at the end of the book where she is told by Harry that Dumbledore is dead, she then wails in despair and swings forward to admit Harry into the common room without a password.

Deathly Hallows
While Harry does eventually head for Gryffindor Tower to get some sleep after the battle at Hogwarts, we leave him before he reaches the Fat Lady's portrait, and so we don't actually see her in this book. We hope that she will let Harry into the dormitories given his recent efforts on the school's behalf; there is mention that all the occupants of the portraits are wandering the school to monitor the battle, and that all the historical Headmasters in their portraits cheer Harry on his return to the Headmaster's office, so we can assume that the Fat Lady is at least as well aware of Harry's role in the battle.

Relationships with Other Characters
As early as the first book, we learn that at night the Fat Lady leaves her portrait and goes visiting.

In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, a witch in a portrait in the small room where the Champions gather after they are selected hastens off as Harry is announced as the fourth Champion. We later see her sharing the frame with the Fat Lady; she has evidently told the Fat Lady of Harry's selection as fourth Champion. The same witch, identified as Violet or Vi, is later seen sharing a box of liqueur chocolates with the Fat Lady; they are both rather tipsy at that point.

In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, it is mentioned that the Fat Lady and Vi between them had drunk all the wine in a picture of monks over Christmas; as a result, the Fat Lady has chosen the word "Abstinence" as the new password.

Analysis
We note that all of the common rooms, not just Gryffindor, must have some way of barring the entrance to those not of that House. The Fat Lady is the only portrait charged with that job as far as we know. In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, we will see that the Slytherin common room is reached by providing the password to a particular stretch of blank wall; in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows we will see that entrance to the Ravenclaw common room is allowed in response to answering a philosophical question posed by a brass eagle's head. We never see the Hufflepuff common room. However, the Fat Lady seems to be part of a pattern of doorways hidden behind magically-animate objects; we learn later of the carved gargoyles guarding the headmaster's office, and the still life painting that allows access to the kitchens. Curiously, there are apparently two carved gargoyles guarding the entrance to the staff room, mentioned only in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, but not in any of the other books where Harry has business in the staff room.

The Fat Lady is a very minor character, and as she is a portrait, she can not change, at least not much. Whatever character traits we see in her will be, presumably, fixed as of the day her portrait was finished. That said, one must suppose that a portrait, whose job consists of being in one place all day in case someone needs entry to a place she is guarding, must get bored. This would explain her "going visiting", which we see occurring within the first month of Harry's first year; it likely would also explain her drinking, as there is a plethora of alcohol in the various paintings, and one assumes it cannot be permanently consumed. It is a little odd that a painting, which presumably does not have much of a metabolism, can suffer a hangover; however, our interactions with the Fat Lady lead us to believe that, painting or no, she does have the ability to form, act upon, and be changed to some extent by memories.

We also suspect that the Fat Lady's experiences with alcohol may be meant as something of a warning to readers. With the exception of Winky, and in later books Professor Trelawney, no characters - even if they do drink alcoholic beverages in large quantities, as Hagrid apparently does - are seen as having a drinking problem of any sort. In all three cases, but particularly with the Fat Lady, the bad aspects of alcohol, specifically confusion ("Lairy fights, that's right") and hangovers, are displayed in a way that might cause the young potential imbiber to re-think matters. It is to the author's credit that she manages to show the point without belabouring it.


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Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/The Fat Friar

Overview
The Fat Friar is the House Ghost of Hufflepuff.

Philosopher's Stone
At the Entrance Feast, we see the Fat Friar at the Hufflepuff table.


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Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Godric Gryffindor

Overview
Godric Gryffindor was one of the four founders of Hogwarts and the creator of Gryffindor House. He preferred to teach students who exhibited honour and courage, and members of the House are now known for these traits.

Role in the Books
While Godric Gryffindor has been dead for possibly a thousand years, and thus cannot play any direct part in our story, he has influenced events that occur throughout the series.

Philosopher's Stone
Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger are sorted into Gryffindor house, as the Sorting Hat determines that they contain qualities that Gryffindor would treasure: daring and bravery, no matter what their origin. The Sorting Hat does suggest Slytherin as a possibility for Harry, but is swayed by Harry's opposition to being placed in that house. We also learn, from the Sorting Hat's song, that the Hat was once Gryffindor's.

Chamber of Secrets
Professor Binns tells us the legend of the Chamber of Secrets. The four founders of the school, Godric Gryffindor, Salazar Slytherin, Helga Hufflepuff, and Rowena Ravenclaw had existed in harmony for only a short time, before Slytherin and Gryffindor began to disagree over the nature of the students to be educated. Slytherin felt that only Wizards descended from Wizards, "pure blood Wizards", deserved education while Gryffindor felt that the ability to do magic outweighed any question of ancestry. Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw agreed with Gryffindor, and Salazar Slytherin left, after (according to legend) creating a secret chamber in the school, and hiding a monster within it. The chamber could only be opened by Slytherin's true heir, according to the legend.

When Harry finds himself in the previously-legendary chamber, Fawkes brings him the Sorting Hat to assist him in his battle against the Monster. The hat, in turn, produces the sword of Gryffindor, with which Harry vanquishes the Monster.

Prisoner of Azkaban
It is mentioned that Harry's father and mother, along with Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew, were in Gryffindor house as students. We presume this means they had those qualities of character that Godric Gryffindor felt were important.

Half-Blood Prince
In discussing Lord Voldemort's pattern of making Horcruxes from relics of the Founders, Professor Dumbledore mentions that the only known relic of Gryffindor's was the sword. (It should be noted that the Sorting Hat was his, also, but as it had been granted a rudimentary consciousness, there is question whether it could be considered a relic.)

Deathly Hallows
We learn that Godric's Hollow, where Harry's parents lived, is named after Godric Gryffindor, it having been his birthplace.

The Sword of Gryffindor is returned to Harry in the Forest of Dean, in a manner that requires courage, a trait beloved of Gryffindor, to regain it.

The sword is later provided to Neville Longbottom, a student in Gryffindor House, by the Sorting Hat as it was earlier provided to Harry, possibly in part as a result of Neville's bravery.

Analysis
While very little is known of Godric Gryffindor, we can surmise that Godric Gryffindor was, if not an active fighter against Muggle discrimination, at least one who believed that Muggle heritage was not grounds for denial of Magical skills. We know, from the words of the Sorting Hat, that he favoured students with courage, loyalty and chivalry. His specific magical skills remain unknown, though there does seem to be a certain affinity for Transfiguration among those who are Sorted into the House he founded – the Gryffindor Head of House, Professor McGonagall, and the Transfiguration teacher before her, Professor Dumbledore, are extremely skilled at Transfiguration.

The Sorting Hat's reiterated statement that Harry would have been good in Slytherin House could lead the reader to question the difference between Gryffindor's character and Slytherin's. Clearly, power and daring were treasured by both wizards, but we gather from the Sorting Hat's song that Slytherin was more interested in what power could get for him personally, while Gryffindor was more concerned with using the power he had to help others. Readers can plainly see that Harry is not interested in power for himself; why can the Sorting Hat not see this? We never find out, but it seems that the Hat may be unable to reliably detect the self-serving aspect of personality, possibly because it was something alien to Gryffindor himself. We note that in at least two, and possibly three cases, the Hat seems to misjudge appropriate House affiliation: trying to place Harry in Slytherin, placing Peter Pettigrew in Gryffindor, and possibly placing Snape in Slytherin.


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Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Helga Hufflepuff

Overview
Helga Hufflepuff was one of the four founders of Hogwarts and the creator of Hufflepuff House. She would teach any student that the other three would not, though the Sorting Hat mentions that Hufflepuffs are generally loyal, and Hufflepuffs have come to be known as the most equitable witches and wizards. She was wizard of the month for May, 2007 on J. K. Rowling's official website. Rowling's Wizard of the Month feature gives the text on a particular wizard's Famous Wizard card, which was also written by Rowling. Hufflepuff's card reads: "One of the four celebrated Founders of Hogwarts, Hufflepuff was particularly famous for her dexterity at food-related Charms. Many recipes traditionally served at Hogwarts feasts originated with Hufflepuff."

Chamber of Secrets
Professor Binns, in speaking of the feud that resulted in Salazar Slytherin leaving the school, mentioned that Hufflepuff had agreed with Godric Gryffindor that all Wizards should be taught, regardless of parentage.

Order of the Phoenix
At the Entrance Feast, the Sorting Hat's song is longer than usual, as it points up the dangers of inter-House rivalry and pleads for school unity. In that song, the Sorting Hat mentions Helga Hufflepuff and speaks of her character and the character of the students she preferred to teach.

Half-Blood Prince
While Helga Hufflepuff does not play a direct role in this book, we see that her cup is one of the artifacts of the Founders that is deeply desired by Tom Riddle. We believe that Riddle, to steal that artifact and one other, murdered an old witch, Hepzibah Smith, and let her house elf, Hokey, take the blame, though not even Professor Dumbledore can prove that.

Deathly Hallows
She does not have a direct effect on this story but her cup is central to the storyline, as Lord Voldemort used it to create a Horcrux that Harry Potter needs to destroy.

Strengths
According to Pottermore, she was skilled at food related charms, and probably provided many recipes used even today in the Hogwarts kitchens.

Also according to Pottermore, she was skilled in transfiguration, and helped significantly in the construction of Hogwarts.

Relationships with Other Characters
She was best friends with Rowena Ravenclaw


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Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Rowena Ravenclaw

Overview
Rowena Ravenclaw was one of the four founders of Hogwarts and the creator of Ravenclaw House. She preferred to teach students with the greatest intellect and members of her House have come to be known by this trait.

Chamber of Secrets
When Professor Binns is telling Harry's class about the myth of the Chamber of Secrets, he mentions the four Founders of Hogwarts: Godric Gryffindor, Salazar Slytherin, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Helga Hufflepuff. He mentions that when the argument between the Founders, as to whether those who could not prove magical forbears, broke out, it was Salazar Slytherin standing alone against the other three.

Deathly Hallows
In Xeno Lovegood's study, we see an odd contraption which he says is an attempt to re-construct the lost Diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw. This diadem, we are led to believe, had some enhancing effect on intelligence.

Rowena's heirloom, her magical diadem, was stolen by her daughter and concealed in a hollow tree in Albania. Ashamed of her daughter's treason and not wishing to reveal how it had gotten stolen, Rowena said it had gotten lost. However, Rowena later fell terminally ill. By then, she only had one wish; this was to see her daughter for the last time, though that was turned down by Helena. Thus, Rowena never got the chance to reconcile with her daughter before their untimely deaths. Rowena's diadem ends up being one of the Horcruxes of Lord Voldemort and is destroyed in a Fiendfyre spell gone wrong in the Room of Requirement.

Strengths
She was known for her wisdom and intellectual power; presumably, this made her capable of devising strategies to prevail over her enemies.

Weaknesses
Rowena's unwillingness to accept people with a somewhat lower intellect could be considered her main weakness.

Relationships with Other Characters
Rowena Ravenclaw was Helena Ravenclaw's mother. As we find out in the final book, Helena Ravenclaw became the Ravenclaw house ghost, the Grey Lady.

Questions

 * 1) Why do you think Rowena Ravenclaw prefer students with high intellect?
 * 2) Do you think Rowena Ravenclaw would have liked Hermione Granger in her house? Explain your reasoning.