The Crimes of Grindelwald, the Harry Potter universe sequel to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, has been released in cinemas, which means that Potter fans everywhere are getting excited about diving back into the wizarding world. Indeed, it's an absolute joy for us to be able to jump back into the world of magic and learn even more about it. Plus, the movie is a prequel to the main Harry Potter storyline, which means that we'll be able to meet younger versions of famous witches and wizards, such as Dumbledore, Grindelwald, and even Professor McGonagall.
Yes, the head of Gryffindor house, Professor McGonagall (famously portrayed by Dame Maggie Smith in the movies) will be appearing in this film, which is set in the year 1927. However, eagle-eyed fans have pointed out that this is a rather glaring continuity error, one that contradicts lore already established in Pottermore.
Indeed, the idea that McGonagall is working as a Hogwarts instructor appears to be impossible, since her Pottermore biography explicitly states that she wasn't even alive in 1927. Instead, it stated: "Minerva McGonagall was born on the outskirts of Caithness in the Scottish Highlands, on 4 October, 1935 to Robert McGonagall, a Muggle Presbyterian minister, and his wife, Isobel Ross, a witch. She was the couple's first child, and was named after her mother's grandmother, a very talented witch."
The plot hole was first pointed out by a Twitter user named Rohita, who tweeted: "Fantastic Beasts 2 takes place in 1927 and features a 20-something Minerva McGonagall teaching at Hogwarts. BUT according to Pottermore, Professor McGonagall was born on October 4, 1935 making her an 8-year-old Professor. Impressive. [sic]"
Soon other Potter fans were also expressing their confusion over the bizarre continuity error, and advanced theories of their own to explain the discrepancy. Some wondered if this McGonagall was actually Minerva's mother or a relative with the same name. Others thought that her appearance had something to do with a time turner. One Twitter-user wrote: "It’s killing me. I need answers to the McGonagall thing. I feel like @jk_rowling wouldn’t make that big of a mistake. How is that Minerva when she wasn’t born until the 30s? Or is that just a fan estimation? I NEED ANSWERS. [sic]"
The official synopsis for the new movie states: "In an effort to thwart Grindelwald's plans of raising pure-blood wizards to rule over all non-magical beings, Albus Dumbledore enlists his former student Newt Scamander, who agrees to help, unaware of the dangers that lie ahead. Lines are drawn as love and loyalty are tested, even among the truest friends and family, in an increasingly divided wizarding world."
Who knows - maybe there's a reason that Professor McGonagall made an early cameo, or maybe it was a mistake after all. I guess we'll just have to wait for Rowling to tell us what the hell is going on.
