Having scoured the castle without finding any signs of him in the castle, nor any other intruder for that matter, Minerva, upon seeing that the Fat Friar remained adamant that the exchange had indeed taken place, nevertheless decided to increase patrols around the castle before she went to the Ministry of Magic to notify the rest of the Calamity Management Team. [12] Shortly before the battle, Minerva ordered Neville Longbottom with the aid of Seamus Finnigan and other students to destroy the Wooden Bridge so that the Snatchers could not sneak into the school grounds. The couple would later become Head Boy and Head Girl; neither appointment would have happened if their Head of House had not approved, which means she trusted them. Birthday December 28, 1934. Nonetheless, Minerva continued to fight when the battle resumed after the attack by the Centaurs on Voldemort and the Death Eaters. Ignoring Snape's frustrated questioning of Dumbledore's whereabouts, Minerva and Snape used the Fire-Making Spell to successfully free Ben from the Cursed Ice, taking care to target as further as possible from his body. [26], When the time came for the annual Sorting Ceremony, however, which saw the sorting of among others Kevin Farrell, Robyn Thistlethwaite, Cassandra Vole, Fischer and Colby Frey, Daniel Page and Lottie Turner into their respective houses, when the time came for the last of the newcomers on the list to come up to try on the Sorting Hat, however, Ivy Warrington, the Headmistress was surprised to find that they were one student short. [3], Towards the end of the year, McGonagall and the other teachers' protective enchantments down in the Philosopher's Stone chambers would come to test when Quirrell attempted to steal the Philosopher's Stone. Title(s) At one point, Minerva's owl had been delayed by bad weather. She gave Hermione one of her "rare smiles". Having caught them red-handed, the Headmistress brought them all back up to the castle and asked them to explain themselves. In 2011, she voiced the animated character of "Lady Bluebury" in Gnomeo & Juliet, and reprised the role in its 2018 sequel, Sherlock Gnomes. comments sorted by Best Top New Controversial Q&A Add a Comment . Years active Having been on the case and monitored Jakub Gorski's movements closely for several months in order to ferret out the evil-doer, Minerva was informed that Ministry agents would arrive before long to secure the castle. Minerva took a shine to Hermione Granger since the younger witch successfully transfigured a match into a needle early on in her first Transfiguration lesson, before any other student. While McGonagall received Ginny's distraught parents in her office, along with a returned Albus Dumbledore, she was astonished to see Ginny herself walk in, accompanied by a slime-covered Harry, Ron and Lockhart, the ragged old Sorting Hat, Dumbledore's pet phoenix and the silver Sword of Godric Gryffindor. They were loyal Death Eaters, and befitting their status, they taught Dark Arts rather than Defence Against the Dark Arts, devoted Muggle Studies to explaining how Muggles were filthy animals, and often took delight in punishing students with the Cruciatus Curse. Maggie Smith is considered one of the top greatest British actresses of all time. She was very close to her Muggle father, whom in temperament she resembled more than her mother. Minerva liked James Potter (an intelligent and talented wizard), despite the fact that he could sometimes be a bit of a bully and was not above bending the rules. [68], Upon arriving at their underground headquarters in London, Minerva found the Minister for Magic in the middle of overseeing the efforts that went into stamping out the ongoing surge. [22] Apparently, she shared this temper with her father. The son of the fallen war heroes and one-time friends, allies and fellow members of Minerva's in the Order of the Phoenix, Remus and Nymphadora Lupin, he was sorted into Hufflepuff.[42]. [63], Other items on the list included a school crest, her Order of Merlin, First Class, which she had framed and kept in her office, and an old photo of Dougal McGregor, about whom she refused to comment when Pickering asked about the man's identity, saying only that he was "a man [she} once knew" and that that was all she was prepared to say on the matter. However, he was captured by Barty Crouch Jnr and Peter Pettigrew; Barty Crouch was disguised as Moody and became the professor, as he wanted to send Harry Potter to Voldemort. [23], The Dark Mark symbolising the invasion over the Astronomy Tower, On 30 June, 1997, Minerva and the other teachers was informed by Professor Dumbledore that he would be leaving the school for a few hours, and instructed them to patrol the corridors as a safety precaution, and that they would be joined by Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks and Bill Weasley. Harry Potter Minerva then intervened on his behalf after he told her that Alecto wasn't responding. She has recently received several awards and honors for the Downton Abbey series. McGonagall comforting Harry after refusing to allow him to go to Hogsmeade. Smiths droll delivery and expressive gestures made her a shoo-in for satire and comedy roles in variety shows, and her early career was characterized by dynamic musical performances in revuesthough Smith is self-deprecating about her own singing ability. Upon learning this, Minerva tried to track down to make some further inquiries, only to discover that she had apparently gone missing as well. But so was to the shock of everyone in attendance Albus. [66], Headmistress McGonagall, along with the rest of the Statute of Secrecy Task Force, subsequently received a letter about this from Constance Pickering, informing them about their suspicions about the cabal of said and instructed them all to report any anomalities they saw in the Calamity's behaviour. The relationship between Professor McGonagall and Professor Sprout dates back to when both attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Her temperament was not improved by the arrival of the hated Gilderoy Lockhart, who was completely oblivious to the worry of his fellow staff members, and immediately joined Professors Snape, Flitwick and Sprout in forcing him into a corner by recalling all of his boasts that he could deal with the monster easily. This particularly strong concern for Harry, clearly above what Minerva felt for most other individual students, was later shown in his third year: She proved she cared far more for Harry than winning the Quidditch Cup for Gryffindor, ensuring he was kept in maximum security and limiting his time to practise and even not hesitating to confiscate the Firebolt he was given to out of concern it was sent by Sirius Black and instantly lost her temper when Oliver Wood suggested Harry be allowed to fall off his broom as long as he caught the Snitch, intimidating Wood into submission. As part of the Order of Phoenix's new resistance movement, Minerva fought in several battles of both wars, including the Battle of the Astronomy Tower and the Battle of Hogwarts, where she led the resistance against Lord Voldemort. Born Being born on 28 December 1934, Maggie Smith is 88 years old as of todays date 1st May 2023. Gryffindor[3] She's quite something, yes. She would come and go from 12 Grimmauld Place wearing a Muggle dress rather than her robes, which Harry thought made her look odd. Minerva showed her care for Harry Potter ever since she, Dumbledore and Hagrid left him in the care of the Dursleys, in part because she had been quite fond of Harry's late parents. When Headmistress McGonagall inquired as to why the girl had not been taken into custody, Hermione admitted that Delphini, who had last been seen with the two missing boys near the Owlery by Professor Longbottom and were the prime suspect in Craig Bowker's murder, had "hidden herself in time" through the use of the very time-turner that Scorpous Malfoy had sworn he had lost. The next items on the list was the memory of a hornbill that she once owned, which she had used as a teaching aid during her career as a Transfiguration professor, and remembered it fondly as "a good bird", although she had not viewed it as a pet, as she was more partial to cats. She did this after having walked in on them practising so many times around the school. She may be the elderly matriarch of the Crawley family, but how old is Maggie Smith in real life, and will she be retiring soon? This was a period of great fulfilment for Minerva. [1], Sometime in the 1910s, among her first students were Newt Scamander and Leta Lestrange, the latter of whom was frequently in trouble with Minerva for magically retaliating against vicious gossip about her half-brother's death by hexing her peers. Thinking about her future, she realised that wedding a Muggle who didn't know that she was a witch would mean Minerva would follow her mother's footsteps and live unhappily with her wand locked away, shredding all of her ambitions. In Hermione's third year, Minerva went to the effort to arrange for Hermione to be given permission to use a Time-Turner to take additional classes. [21], Harry receives a Firebolt for Christmas that is soon confiscated by McGonagall, When Harry received a Firebolt following the destruction of his Nimbus 2000, McGonagall had it confiscated to be "examined" because she believed it to have been sent by Black (and correctly so), and therefore lethally cursed (which was incorrect). Have just heard that James S Potter has been Sorted (to nobody's surprise) into Gryffindor. Harry Potter made analogies to McGonagall looking like she was going to explode, breathe fire and shoot sparks from her nose based on how transparent her anger could appear. One Hogwarts tradition that dated back for hundreds of years was the spirited competition between their own school and some of the other prestigious wizarding institutions around the world. In spite of her well-known loyalty to Professor Dumbledore, Voldemort and his followers believed that Minerva was both too gifted to lose, and too sensible not to join them fully once their victory was assured. Harry Potter raised his hand. This was to be expected, after having now taught and served over three generations of Potters. [68], After the Statute of Secrecy Task Force successfully recovered that which had been lost to the first wave of the surge, the Headmistress came across the ghost of Hufflepuff House, who explained how he had just conversed with Grim Fawley, who had asked him to "mind the portraits". Despite her loyalty to her house, Minerva was a fair-minded person who was known for docking points from students in her own House when she saw it must be done. Main Harry Potter Actor Missing From Return Sadly, Lupin himself died in the Battle of Hogwarts. Flitwick fought alongside McGonagall in the upstart of the Battle of Hogwarts. Then, while recounting the story on The Graham Norton Show, McKellen did a riotously entertaining impression of Smith, which apparently wasnt an isolated incident. Maggie Smith Feels That Her Work In Harry Potter Isn't Really Acting. House [21], At the start of the year, when McGonagall demonstrated her Animagus form to her first class, she notes how quiet they were, as every class she demonstrated it to prior clapped. Given her adoration of her Muggle father and continuing love for Dougal, she deplored these ideas. She supported him unequivocally even though she had never been fully in his confidence. Maggie Smith actually portrays the elder version of Wendy from the original Peter Pan story, and does a fantastic job. [3], McGonagall teaching a second-year Transfiguration class. [47] At a later date, she also invited some of its volunteers to Hogwarts in order to show them the original architect's blueprints for the castle to help them to better understand the transformative powers of magic. This was difficult due to Umbridge's constant interruptions by means Umbridge's soft, girlish cough of "Hem hem". At Hallowe'en, the festive feast was interrupted by the arrival of Professor Quirrell, who came charging in screaming about a troll loose in the dungeons before fainting dead away. Widowed (as of 1985)[1] This last news was a terrible blow to Minerva, who wondered if she would have been able to save him if she had married him.[13]. In 1985, three years into their marriage, Elphinstone died from a Venomous Tentacula bite. She then proceeded to hand over the necklace to Professor Snape, through the Caretaker Argus Filch and questioned the the trio and Leanne on what they witnessed. As a law-abiding citizen, she respected the particular law that all Animagi of Britain must register, insisting that Talbott Winger do so despite understanding his reason of secrecy. [12], On 1 May 1998, Minerva was present when Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley returned to Hogwarts in the middle of the night in search of Rowena Ravenclaw's Diadem. Being born on 28 December 1934, Maggie Smith is 88 years old as of todays date 2nd May 2023. In 2009, during the filming of Deathly Hallows: Part 2 she developed shingles (a painful skin rash), but still continued the film despite the pain. However, she didn't wish to see them expelled. Harry Potter In the final moments of the battle, she duelled Voldemort himself to a stalemate along with Horace Slughorn and Kingsley Shacklebolt. Return to Hogwarts: Critics bemoan Rowling's absence in Harry This incident caused Harry and Hermione to have a row, because Hermione had alerted Minerva about the Firebolt. Minerva, having accepted the invitation to partake as a panel speaker, joined Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley in talking open and honestly about what they had gone through, which resulted in an enlightening and emotional evening from which the agents of the SOS Task Force was later known to have benefited greatly from. Cat[9] This also displayed her own distaste for racial prejudice and sadism. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone 21 years old At some point, students from all the four houses was snatched and dislocated in Muggle world, a number of items and special artefacts from Hogwarts such as portraits became Foundables as well, along with several staff members, including Minerva herself. 2010 found her as a regular on the drama Downton Abbey (2010-2015) where she plays the Dowager Countess of Grantham. They got married in 1967, and they got divorced either in 1974 or 1975. [98] It is unlikely, however, that she kept watch over Harry, as she would never go against Dumbledore's actions, no matter how much she disagreed with them. Both Minerva and Horace battled together against Voldemort alongside Kingsley Shacklebolt in the Battle of Hogwarts. As part of its protection duty, it required that the person or persons seeking to get past would have to take the place of a piece on the board and play an actual game of wizard's chess, at great physical risk to themselves. Even so, McGonagall chose to not join the Order of the Phoenix, which was seen as a renegade outfit by the Ministry at the time. [10], Minerva McGonagall was born on 4 October to Robert McGonagall, a Muggle Presbyterian minister, and his wife Isobel Ross, a witch. Species She has been earning her wealth from starring in movies and series for decades. [38], Five years after the final battle, Minerva also wrote a glowing letter of recommendation to the Ministry of Magic's research wing regarding one of their graduating students: Having achieved no less than five 'Outstandings' and one 'Exceeds Expectations' on his N.E.W.T.s, Grim Fawley had been one of the students that were bereft by the Dark Lord's second rise to power; having lost both of his parents to the Death Eaters during the conflict. As of May 2023, The British actress Maggie Smiths net worth is estimated at $20 million, and it is still rising. Apparently, their visiting professor appeared to be spying on them, and right before she had showed up at the inn where she had found them, they had seen him consorting with a cloaked wizard, to whom he seemingly had sold a Basilisk fang. 4 October) was a Scottish half-blood witch, the only daughter of Muggle Robert McGonagall and witch Isobel Ross. During this term, the school also guided those who would have otherwise completed their studies had it not been for the Magic is Might Campaign of Lord Voldemort and his followers, such as Muggle-borns like Hermione Granger, in finishing their N.E.W.T.s. Snape was able to stop the curse from spreading any further, but Katie was taken to St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, where she spent much of that year recovering from the effects of the curse. She later had two brothers, Malcolm and Robert Jnr, who revealed magical ability in due course. The first Harry Potter movie, The Sorcerer's Stone, came out on November 14, 2001. This was most likely to try and make sure as little harm came to the students as possible, and because she could act as an insider so that the Order of the Phoenix was informed on what was going on at Hogwarts. Addressing the students, she held a brief speech about the importance of unity in spite of their individual differences, citing their victory at the Battle of Hogwarts as a prime example of what the castle's residents may accomplish when they work together, and put nervous students at ease by reminding them that even the famous Harry Potter had once stood where they did, having both started out as a student like themselves and looked just as nervous. Despite her formidable rsumand her self-proclaimed love for the stageSmith maintains that the works of Shakespeare simply arent her cup of tea. Hagrid was disgusted and enraged when the Aurors stunned and injured her to the point that he attacked two of her attackers before fleeing, furiously denouncing them as cowards. A Room With a View (1985)The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne (1987)Gosford Park (2001) The first movie, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, was released in November 2001. When Harry became the fourth Triwizard Champion, Minerva adamantly defended Harry from the accusation of Olympe Maxime that Harry had been willing to die for the gold rewarded and even went as far as to try to convince Albus into not letting Harry compete, being utterly mortified by the fact that Snape and Dumbledore were willing to use Harry as a bait and often showed herself to be more protective of Harry than the then Headmaster. Vinyl, Minerva as a LEGO minifigure (old edition), Minerva as a LEGO minifigure (2010 edition), Minerva as a LEGO minifigure (2018 edition), Minerva as a LEGO minifigure (2020 edition), Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2 - McGonagall sends the Slytherin students away (HD), Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2 - ''Boom'' and Piertotum Locomotor scene (HD), The Harry Potter Wiki has 613 images related to, *Disclosure: Some of the links above are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, Fandom will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.