Census

by Stonecreek

A brief overview of the Harry Potter universe's canon cast. 100-word, character-centric drabbles, each day in 2021. Content favors book canon, with introspective, dark and/or humor writes. Final chapter: Hogwarts, much more than stones and artefacts and a gathering of beings. She carries within her the memories of ages. Full list of characters not in the site's tags in chapter 1.

277. Minerva McGonagall

A.N. — Like yesterday, all this woman's early life backstory comes from Pottermore/Wizarding World. Unlike yesterday, she's one of the central adult figures in the books. She also gives me a chance to touch upon a branch of magic I haven't since very early in this story. Happy birthday, Minerva McGonagall.

277. Minerva McGonagall

For Minerva McGonagall, animagus equaled escape.

Letting go of the little details was hard for the exacting transfiguration professor... except in cat form. A feline's mind felt human hurts with less intensity, and base instincts reigned. Spending time as an animal dulled the pain of her dead husband and the memory of young love scuttled. Minerva felt her coping mechanism was far healthier than quaffing whisky or casting spells in anger to let off steam. She could wander the castle in peace, or curl up in her quarters and sleep her sorrows away.

The hairballs, though, Minerva could do without.