Professor McGonagall Character Analysis in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

The Gryffindor Head of House and the Transfiguration professor at Hogwarts. She's an exacting teacher and authority figure, though she also cares deeply for her students and their wellbeing. She acts as a voice of reason for Harry early in the school year, as she shares with her class that Professor Trelawney predicts every year that a student will die and nobody has died yet. Later in the year, Harry becomes very angry with her, as she confiscates his Firebolt broomstick to test it for jinxes. Harry discovers at the end of the school year that McGonagall wrote the letters to get Hermione a Time-Turner so that she could take a double course load. McGonagall is also an Animagus and can turn into a cat with markings around the eyes that mimic the glasses she wears in her human form.

Professor McGonagall Character Timeline in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

The timeline below shows where the character Professor McGonagall appears in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...he can't go since the Dursleys didn't sign his permission form. Ron says that if McGonagall won't sign it, Fred and George probably know a secret passage to sneak Harry out.... (full context)

Responsibility, Morality, and Time Theme Icon

...but before they can go into the Great Hall for the feast, they hear Professor McGonagall calling for Harry and Hermione. Ron goes to the feast alone as Harry and Hermione... (full context)

...table, Harry notices that people are pointing at him. Before he can tell Ron what McGonagall wanted, Professor Dumbledore stands to address the school. He explains that the dementors of Azkaban... (full context)

Harry, Ron, and Hermione head for their Transfiguration lesson with McGonagall. Harry sits in the back of the room and feels as though everyone is looking... (full context)

...outing on Halloween and Harry throws himself into a chair. Ron suggests that Harry ask McGonagall for permission, while Hermione disapprovingly tells Harry to stay at school. Crookshanks interrupts the conversation... (full context)

At the end of Transfiguration, McGonagall reminds the class to hand in their Hogsmeade permission forms. Harry approaches her desk and... (full context)

...Harry tea and, with a twinkle, suggests that Harry has probably had enough of tealeaves. McGonagall informed him of Trelawney's prediction and he asks Harry if he's worried. Harry tells Lupin... (full context)

...Harry finally sees that the Fat Lady's portrait has been destroyed. Just as Dumbledore asks McGonagall to find Filch, Peeves floats overhead and cackles with delight. He says that the Fat... (full context)

...start to walk with him in the corridors and Percy trails him as well. Then, McGonagall summons Harry to tell him first that Black is after him, and second that she... (full context)

...back next to a Christmas tree. Just as Ron returns with the butterbeer, they see McGonagall, Flitwick, Hagrid, and Fudge walk through the door. Hermione and Ron shove Harry under the... (full context)

...town because of Sirius Black and assures Rosmerta that the dementors are a necessary precaution. McGonagall and Flitwick both express anger that they want to get inside the school, but Fudge... (full context)

McGonagall, Flitwick, and Fudge tell Rosmerta that James trusted Sirius—Sirius was his best man and is... (full context)

...for her, but Trelawney refuses to sit down since she'd be the thirteenth guest. With McGonagall's prodding, Trelawney finally sits, looking as though she expects something to go wrong. She and... (full context)

...the table at the same time. Trelawney shrieks and asks who stood up first, but McGonagall drily says that the boys will be fine unless there's a murderer in the hallway.... (full context)

...his progress on the dementors and on ordering a new broom. When he learns that McGonagall confiscated Harry's brand new Firebolt, Oliver isn't at all concerned that Black is out to... (full context)

...her classes, but she hasn't missed one. Oliver interrupts to say that he's spoken to McGonagall about the Firebolt, and that she took great offense when he asked if Harry could... (full context)

McGonagall continues to refuse to give Harry the Firebolt. To make things worse, the dementor lessons... (full context)

On his way back upstairs, Harry runs into McGonagall and is surprised when she gives him his Firebolt. She tells him to try to... (full context)

...and kick off. Lee Jordan's commentary focuses mostly on the Firebolt and its qualities, though McGonagall tries to keep him on track. Cho tails Harry and, as he dives for the... (full context)

...Crabbe, Goyle, and the Slytherin Quidditch captain are struggling to crawl out of black robes. McGonagall shouts at them as Ron laughs. (full context)

The party ends after midnight when McGonagall tells everyone to go to bed. A scream interrupts Harry's dream, so he sits up,... (full context)

The next day, Harry sees teachers putting security measures in place. McGonagall fires Sir Cadogan and the Fat Lady returns with security trolls to guard her. Harry... (full context)

...the passage isn't blocked up yet, but Hermione appears behind them and threatens to tell McGonagall about the Marauder's Map if he goes to Hogsmeade again. Ron tells Hermione to leave... (full context)

...until she gets to the boggart. She bursts out of the trunk screaming—her boggart was McGonagall, telling her that she'd failed everything. (full context)

...to Hagrid's hut under the Invisibility Cloak and explains that her necklace is a Time-Turner. McGonagall gave it to her so she could attend her classes, but she had to promise... (full context)