<P> Minerva McGonagall is deputy Headmistress, head of Gryffindor House, Transfiguration professor, and later Headmistress at Hogwarts, where she began teaching in December 1956 . She is first introduced in the opening chapter of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, when she meets Dumbledore at Number 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey (the home of Harry's aunt and uncle, Vernon and Petunia Dursley). McGonagall is described as a tall, rather severe - looking woman, with black hair typically drawn into a tight bun . She wears emerald green robes, a pointed hat, and always has a very prim expression . She speaks with a slight Scottish accent . She is, according to Rowling, a sprightly 70 - year - old . McGonagall wears square spectacles that match the markings around the eyes of her Animagus form of a British Shorthair silver tabby cat; she has the distinction of being the first Animagus introduced in the series and being one of the few registered Animagi of the century, though she was rarely seen using the ability . Harry's immediate impression of her is of someone who is not to be crossed . She has a fondness for tartan, and her handkerchief, at least one hat, dressing gown, and dress robes are patterned with it . In the films, McGonagall often wears a Scottish brooch of a specific Scots style set with Cairngorm citrines and Scottish agate . </P> <P> In the first book, after seeing Harry fly masterfully his very first time on a broom, she recommends him to fill the position of Seeker on the Gryffindor Quidditch team and sends him a broom, even though first - year students are normally prohibited from playing the sport or owning brooms . Despite the fact that she can often be heard to caution Lee Jordan's biased remarks while commenting Hogwart's Quidditch matches, it is often indirectly revealed that McGonagall herself is an avid Quidditch fan, resulting in a few occasions of her dropping her usual demeanour . Furthermore, although a rigorous disciplinarian, she often assists Harry indirectly with activities that are not strictly within the rules of Hogwarts; for example, she allows Harry and his friends to use the Transfiguration classroom to practice for tasks in the Triwizard Tournament . She promises Harry she would do everything in her power to help him to achieve his goal of becoming an auror, and she keeps her promise . Despite her stern front, McGonagall is shown to have good intentions at heart and has been known to display a range of emotions, which can often be a shock to her colleagues and students . </P> <P> It is revealed in Order of the Phoenix that McGonagall is a member of the Order of the Phoenix . She and Umbridge seem to have a mutual dislike for each other, as Umbridge continuously usurps more and more power from the staff and from Dumbledore and McGonagall in particular . McGonagall quietly resists, vowing to assist Harry's lukewarm desire to become an auror primarily to spite Umbridge, and ignoring and even quietly aiding Peeves and the students in their destructive pranks . When McGonagall attempts to stop Umbridge and her fellow Ministry cronies from unjustly taking Hagrid away by force, she is hit by four stunning spells without warning, before she can draw her wand, but Hagrid manages to escape due to his giant heritage . In an unconscious state, she is rushed to St Mungo's, where she recovers for a while . McGonagall returns to the school towards the end of the book, though she temporarily uses a walking stick . After the death of Dumbledore in Half - Blood Prince, she becomes the acting Headmistress of Hogwarts . </P> <P> However, in the series finale, she does not become headmistress at the start of term as expected; Snape is appointed by the new Minister for Magic Thicknesse, who is actually under the Imperius Curse and acting for Voldemort . Death eater Alecto Carrow replaces McGonagall as deputy headmistress . Despite the many changes, she is retained as head of Gryffindor House . Before the Battle of Hogwarts, she goes to the Ravenclaw tower and finds Alecto stunned by Luna and Amycus Carrow searching for Harry . She's surprised when Amycus tells her Voldemort warned them Harry would try to break into the Ravenclaw Tower, proudly telling him Harry has no business on the Ravenclaw Tower, for Harry is in her House, Gryffindor . When Amycus suggests blaming the students to compensate for his sister's state, McGonagall immediately intervenes . In response, Amycus spits in her face . Harry, who is present and hidden under his invisibility cloak, reveals himself and uses the Cruciatus Curse on Amycus . Harry then informs McGonagall that Voldemort is on his way and after tying up both the Carrows and placing them in a net, she sends three Patronuses--which manifest into a cat - to warn the other three Heads of House . When on her way to meet the Heads of House, she meets Snape, who questions her about Harry's whereabouts . Not realising that Snape is a re-doubled agent acting for the good side and not knowing that he has important information for Harry, she attacks him, engaging in a fierce duel . With help from Professors Sprout and Flitwick, she succeeds in driving Snape away . McGonagall then takes charge of the school again and proceeds to secure it against Voldemort to ensure Harry can fulfil his mission from Dumbledore . She also organises the evacuation of the school's under - age students to ensure their safety . She then leads the remaining students, the staff of Hogwarts, and members of the Order of the Phoenix in the fight against Voldemort . She is seen during the battle with a large gash on her cheek and commanding a herd of charmed desks to charge at Death Eaters . When Harry has been apparently killed, she screams, causing Bellatrix Lestrange to laugh . Finally, McGonagall ends up duelling Voldemort alongside Kingsley Shacklebolt and Professor Slughorn . As is confirmed in The Tales of Beedle the Bard, McGonagall becomes Headmistress of Hogwarts after the Battle of Hogwarts and Snape's death; however, in an interview Rowling said McGonagall would be retired by the time of the Deathly Hallows epilogue (19 years after the main events of Deathly Hallows), as she is "getting on in years". </P>

Who is the new headmaster after dumbledore died