Writer’s Block:
Hi, I’m Michael. I’ve been a member of Absit Omen since its inception, though for much of that time I was inactive. I currently play the following primary characters: Minerva McGonagall, Tempest Sage, Elysia Hughes, Elijah Grimlish, Mathieu Vaillancourt, Pandora Puddifoot, Chadwick Blish, and Jacqueline Devereux. My secondary characters are Maxen Whitman and Tipper the House-elf. A few of my characters are deceased: Gawain Robards, Charlie Robards, and William Smythe. I have retired Paetyn Harper and Henry MacLeod. I've also retired Corby Gent, who may be up for adoption if the character creator is interested. I am over 13 years of age and have read the code of conduct (numerous times, actually). Minerva is a primary character.
Minerva Gail McGonagall
Character's Birthday and Age: October 4, 1935// 74 years of age
City/Country of Birth: Caithness, Scotland
Blood Purity: Halfblood
Alma Mater: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry//Gryffindor House//Class of 1952
Job/Position:
Minerva is ‘retired’, though she holds a spot on the Hogwarts Board of Governors and is an honorary Wizengamot Elder.
addendum Minerva is now currently Headmistress of Hogwarts School
[1] and the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot
[2]Wand:
The wood of Minerva’s wand is Fir, the length 9 ½ inches. Minerva’s wand has a core of Dragon heartstring and is very stiff.
Physical Description:
Minerva was a very striking witch in her youth, but Minerva is a youth no longer. Her once black hair has slowly turned gray and her full lips have drawn thin and taut. She stands at a tall 5’9; a fact that age has not changed. And her eyes, though bespectacled, are a vivacious green. Her skin, like the skin of most elderly witches, has lost most of its elasticity, causing wrinkles. Years of harsh stress and an even harsher demeanor has left the witch with what appears to be a permanent scowl on her face.
She wears her hair in a tight bun, usually adorned with a pointed witch’s hat. She enjoys tartan clothing, preferring to show off her heritage and history. Normally her robes are a dark color, and her accessories are minimal. She wears sensible flat shoes, and makes little noise as she walks. Her hands and feet are long and spindly. She walks with a long stride, and because of her advanced age and health problems onset from her many years of harsh battle, she walks with the aid of a walking stick.
Her Animagus form
[3] is that of a tabby cat, with markings around its eyes that resemble her spectacles. The cat’s hair has also grayed.
Personality Description:
Minerva has always been a very powerful witch with very little patience for folly. She has very little patience for a lot of things actually, like procrastination and frauds. She is fiercely loyal and extremely talented. She is a stern witch with a no-nonsense attitude, and has no semblance of favoritism. She treats everyone fairly and justly until they give her reason to act otherwise.
She is a master at the art of Transfiguration and is extremely intelligent. She is a logical individual and has little use for impractical branches of magic, such as divination. She is extremely caring and takes great pride in Gryffindor house, a trait that has carried over to all of Hogwarts School since her inception as Headmistress. She is a phenomenal leader and has no prejudices against anyone.
Like the cat her Patronus and Animagus personifies, she’s a cunning witch, and despite her age, she’s still amazingly stealthy. She is a very good judge of character and can read most people like a book.
History:
The following excerpt taken from Notable Witches of the Age by Bitherty BromsteinMinerva Gail McGonagall was born on October 4, 1935. Most notably known for her role in the reconstruction of Hogwarts School and Witchcraft and Wizardry after the fall of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, the retired Headmistress has lived a robust, interesting life.
She was born a halfblooded witch to a muggle minister and a witch that had cast aside her abilities in the Scottish countryside. She started displaying magical abilities at a young age, an obvious foreshadowing to the vast amount of power she would possess in her upcoming years. As the eldest of three children, McGonagall had a very active childhood, helping her mother to protect their secret from the rest of the muggle village in which they lived.
Sources say that once she arrived at Hogwarts, the Sorting Hat was supremely stumped as to where to put her, arguing quite loudly with itself between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor, finally choosing the latter. Records show that she was an exemplary student, receiving top marks in all her classes for her entire school career, but showing an exceptional interest in Transfiguration, taught at the time by the late Albus Dumbledore. During her third year at Hogwarts, she was awarded the spot of Keeper on the Gryffindor Quidditch Team, a role she is said to have enjoyed greatly.
She struck up a fast friendship with Pomona Sprout, who would later become a fellow colleague, that has grown stronger through their lives. Records indicate that she achieved ‘Outstanding’ level on all of her O.W.L.s as well as her N.E.W.T.s, while still maintaining the title of Prefect, which would later evolve to Head Girl. By her seventh and final year, she had mastered the difficulties of Animagus magic, the youngest witch to have ever mastered the skill (according to the Animagus Registry maintained by the Ministry of Magic). She had also been given the award of ‘Most Promising Newcomer’ by
Transfiguration Today.
Upon graduation from Hogwarts (as the top of her class), she was immediately offered a position within the Ministry of Magic’s Department of Magical Law Enforcement, which she gratefully accepted. Though fiercely loyal to the Ministry, McGonagall found the work to be unchallenging and unfulfilling, so after being in the position for only three short years (just shy of becoming a fulltime Auror) she left the Ministry to find work that made her feel accomplished.
When current Headmaster Armando Dippet retired in 1956, McGonagall’s mentor and close personal friend, Albus Dumbledore, ascended to the post. McGonagall was hired for the open Transfiguration professor, as well as the post of Head of Gryffindor House. She taught as the Transfiguration professor for the following fourteen years without incident, taking on the position as Deputy Headmistress in 1964.
In 1970, during He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named’s first rise to power, McGonagall joined several others (including previous students: James Potter, Lily Evans, Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew, and Remus Lupin) in the original Order of the Phoenix, a vigilante group founded by Albus Dumbledore to thwart the Dark Lord and his followers. Though many of her cohorts lost limb and life, McGonagall survived unscathed; a true testament to her innate power.
It’s no secret that McGonagall had a special interest in Harry Potter, the Chosen One, and was charged with watching him grow to adulthood, along with several other members of the Order of the Phoenix. It should come as no surprise then, when Potter arrived at Hogwarts, McGonagall was proud to have Potter in her very own house.
Promptly upon the Dark Lord’s return, Dumbledore, along with the assistance of McGonagall, reconstituted the Order of the Phoenix. She greatly opposed the instillation of the Hogwarts High Inquisitor Dolores Umbridge, and worked valiantly to depose Ministry infiltration from the school. During the attempted arrest of co-worker Rubeus Hagrid, McGonagall took four stunning spells to the chest and was sent to St. Mungo’s for recuperation.
She was present and active in the Battle of the Astronomy Tower where Headmaster Albus Dumbledore lost his life. She served as Headmistress through her mentor and close friend’s funeral and until the hostile Death Eater takeover preceding the following school year. She stayed with the school, however, to protect the students as best she could, and passed secrets to the remaining members of the Order of the Phoenix.
McGonagall, along with the other professors of Hogwarts, overthrew Headmaster Severus Snape and fortified the school for the Battle of Hogwarts. McGonagall personally led the assault by organizing evacuations, assigning battle stations and duties, and securing the safety of the school. During the battle, she dueled with the Dark Lord himself, before the famous duel in which Potter defeated He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named for good.
McGonagall is most notably known, however, for her actions after the great battle. As reinstated Headmistress, she organized the reconstruction of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and was a prominent community figure in the reconstitution of the Ministry of Magic. For her services, she was awarded the Order of Merlin, 1st Class
[4]. She led the school as Headmistress from 1997 until she retired in 2005, leaving the school in the capable hands of Knox Greyfriar.
Since retiring, Minerva has taken up needlepoint and has become an avid Montrose Magpies supporter. Always unlucky in love, she lives in a small cottage in Hogsmeade visited frequently by old students and colleagues alike. Ever the busy witch, she stays active with Hogwarts by serving on the Hogwarts School Board of Governors. McGonagall has written several excerpts for Transfiguration Today and witch weekly, and has recently had her portrait put on the face of Chocolate Frog cards for all young witches and wizards to enjoy.
Job Description:
Minerva spends most of her days filling in crosswords from the Daily Prophet and has picked up needlework in her retired state. Never the witch to sit on the sidelines, she avidly supports werewolf rights and has given speeches at many rallies. On a political standpoint, Minerva stands firmly against Minister Zephyr, feeling that the witch puts too much stock in inexactitudes, namely Divination. She claims honorary membership on the Wizengamot, because usually she’s not bothered to attend trials or meetings, though due to her prestige no one is willing to take the title from her. Even though she tries to stay busy, she finds it very hard to be away from the castle, the place she’s called home for most of her life.
What expertise makes your character qualified for their position?:
Minerva has taught at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for 49 years, was Head of Gryffindor House for that entire time, and was given the title of Deputy Headmistress in the year 1964. She served as Acting Headmistress on separate occasions and served as Headmistress from 1998 until 2005.
RP Sample including dialogue, reactions and descriptions of surroundings:
Minerva looked out over the ruins of her beloved school and let out a long, exhausted sigh. It had been only a week since the battle had ensued, causing death and immeasurable suffering. People were still pulling loved ones from the wreckage, and Minerva was hard pressed on what to do. Though her pillow could testify otherwise, she had stayed strong through the ordeal.
She, or rather, the school, had already begun receiving post, some offering condolences, others warning them not to reopen the school. The ones against the reopening were mostly loved ones of the victims, and Minerva had no excuse to give them. On a primitive level, Minerva agreed with them. Hadn’t she been affected as well? Quite a lot of the corpses dug from the rubble were either current or former Gryffindor students, or people that she had grown to respect and care for over their years of friendship. All she could do for those parents was to continue to offer her condolences.
Professor McGonagall knew, however, that she would fight with everything left in her to make sure that Hogwarts would reopen. Not only had it been her home for a countless number of years, but it was the home to hundreds of witches and wizards all over the world, even those that hadn’t set foot in the school since their graduations. Plus, it would be an insult to Albus Dumbledore’s memory to allow the school to close.
As she walked through the ruined halls of the castle, she realized one thing: the school would never be the same. The blight of evil that had laid its slimy hand on her beloved castle would always leave a nasty stain, impossible to remove. The scars of the battle would show forever. Though many would be repulsed by the thought, Minerva smiled. It would be a testament to the people who lost their lives in the hallowed halls, it would be a reminder to future generations what their ancestors died for.
The Board of Governors had yet to reinstate her as Headmistress, though she was sure they would, as soon as the sting of the battle was less fresh in everyone’s mind. Without the title, she was still handling the everyday duties of the Head of Hogwarts. She had ensured that the Hogwarts Express was running for students to return home, she had ensured that the castle’s security measurements were back in place after the battle. She had consulted with the great Heads of the past in the Headmistress’s office and collaborated with the Ministry of Magic and St. Mungo’s to organize and plan 24 hour rescue teams and healing tents. She had also been in charge of notifying families of their loss, and that’s where most of her trusted staff were, out letting the families know that their son or daughter was never coming home.
Minerva had to suppress a sob as her thoughts turned to more morbid affairs, and struggled to maintain the frigid focus she had managed to maintain for the past week. She kept replaying her ‘to-do’ list in her head, putting the good of the school before her own selfish needs, as she had always done. One day, and one day soon, she would crack, and mourn for all that had been lost. Today, however, was not that day.
Provide a short summary of your character:
Minerva is a wonderful leader and a great friend. She is caring, yet stern. Professor McGonagall has a long history with Hogwarts and a sterling reputation within the magical community. She’s an intelligent witch and will accept only the best from everyone, be they student, staff, or anyone else.
Minerva McGonagall: Hogwarts Headmistress, Chief Warlock of The Wizengamot