McGonagall.

[rainylondonight]

Yesterday I was linked to a very interesting essay on Kia/serraasuka's journal theorising Minerva McGonagall as a Death Eater. I sort of instantly dismissed it in my mind - said something like 'the word useless is relative, rah rah rah' which I STILL do believe. I mean, almost anything is relative is it not

Comments

[rainylondonight]

Mmm... the collation between the two certainly appears to be more about Snape's character than McGonagall's, true. A lot of people seem to think that McGonagall is rather reserved in her emotions, but I think she's covered in them. How could Harry respect her if she wasn't somewhat emotionally open? Harry seems to like people like that. Juxtapose that to Snape, who is internally emotional - one of my favourite parts of COS is when he gripped the back of the chair when he heard that a girl had been taken into the Chamber - signs of distress in such a subtle way touch me much more than if he were to start... crying... or something (like McGonagall often does!) - and there we have that inverse mirror again.

Like I said, I know it sounds strange but a part of me hopes that it's true. Because I thought about it, flicked through the books to the parts in which she is present... and she really... doesn't do anything most of the time. It may not mean she's a Death Eater, of course, perhaps it means that there is something she is yet to fulfill, whether it be "good" or "bad".

I'd to be convinced, by the seventh book, on exactly what she did for the Order, what she's taught Harry (apart from turning matches into pins) and what she's... figured out at all. I mean come on - Snape is the one who figures everything out, surely McGonagall would have at least a couple of her own revelations? I honest to God can't even see why people suspect Snape at this stage; he's been so incredibly useful and invaluable to Dumbledore's side that I just can't see how people are so stupid to suspect him. Granted, that's his purpose, to have everyone suspect him & hate him as he tricks them all by secretly helping them, but the rate in which most readers (and indeed the characters in the HP world itself) take everything at face value is astounding!

I'm sure there shall be more on this as my brain cannot for the life of me shut the god damn hell up. Stay tuned ;)

[satonthefence]

i've always loved, loved, loved that sentence. Snape, I think, is more emotional than you think. At least in temper. But I do essentially agree with you, especially in McGonagall's case. She's a very professional, old fashioned teacher - but emotional within that role. She's emotional when it comes to Quiddich, her student's well being, her teaching methods being questioned...etc, but we know very little about her private life&thoughts - which is why I think people get that impression.

hrm, unlike you - I think that apart from her loyalty to Dumbledore (and :. the order) she's mainly a civilian character, like Molly&Arthur. I do love her to bits, but I don't think she has any stunning role to come.

[rainylondonight]

The ways Snape expresses his emotion (other than anger) is beautifully compelling to me. The staff-room scene in COS is probably my favourite, where he shows signs of distress rather than fury; one that possibly equals that is when Harry sees the memory of Snape's parents and when he's pulled back into the office Snape is white and shaking slightly. It's true what they say... it's the little things. I'm not a big fan of Lupin, but I also really liked the part where he made to reach out to Harry but stopped.

I don't know about that though - she is a part of the Order, and I'd like to know what it is that she's done exactly. And I'd like to think she was smarter than canon currently makes her out to be, oh well, it's an interesting thing to think about.

[satonthefence]

Yeah :] and when Draco's flattering him. I know he obviously knows what Draco's up to, (piss off Harry, something to do with Deatheaters) but it's sweet.

You don't think she's portrayed as smart? I can see her having done something awesome in the last war, maybe having some close relative that died also but not a lot, to be honest.

[rainylondonight]

On the surface yes, and I suppose if she's a civillian character then she really can't figure out such intricate knowledge about major plot points but I don't know... a lot of things just seem to fly over her head and I'm just a naturally suspcious person anyway, so I automaticaly assume she has an alterior motive... when she probably... just doesn't.