LogFAQs > #824731

Molly can't participate, because someone needs to be stationed at the Burrow. (Also, Molly's not really a fighter. The final scene with her and Bellatrix is so surprising partially because we expect her to act like a stay-at-home mom who never gets out.)

And someone probably needs to be stationed at Hogwarts.

Good point about people putting their faith in Dumbledore and thus making Harry their top priority...so why doesn't McGonnigal do the same? If Kingsley is willing to abandon the Prime Minister, why isn't McGonnigal willing to...leave the school when there aren't even any students at the school?

Maybe she was willing to, but they only needed 7 protectors. They probably couldn't get an 8th Harry. I also partly believe that the MAGIC NUMBER 7 was -- wow Fridge Brilliance. Voldemort wants to split himself into 7 parts, Harry effectively has 6 of him around during the escape. WOW. -- important. The protectors you have:

Moody - Ex Auror, paranoid as all get out, and the one Voldemort will know to come after first.
Kingsley - Auror. Highly skilled.
Tonks - Auror. Highly skilled. Great at flying.
Lupin - Former Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.
Arthur - Father of THREE of the Harry's. Probably wanted to protect at least one of his sons.
Bill -- Husband to one of the Harry's. Probably wanted involved in some way too.

the only one I could see her replacing is -- Hagrid. And since the plan was not to put Harry on a broom, I'd say that he probably knew the most about Sirius's motorbike. Not to mention Hagrid was probably the least skilled, and thus the least likely for Voldemort to go after until harry used his Trademark* spell.

At the very least, I'd say it's important for them to have at least one Order member at Hogwarts over the year. And... if she died, there'd be no members of the order at the school.

Her age is... difficult to know what rowling was thinking in regards to that. For the most part, she never really gives us much hints to when any of the characters attended Hogwarts, though we're getting more information through pottermore. Mcgonogall really shouldn't have retired by the time Albus Potter started to Hogwarts, but that's another issue, and I don't think it's even said in the books.

--
See You In Another Life, Brother.
New York Giants - The Patriot Slayers