Which Harry Potter character is J.K. Rowling’s favourite Hogwarts teacher?

Minerva McGonagall is J.K. Rowling’s favourite Hogwarts teacher.

McGonagall teaches Transfiguration at Hogwarts and belongs to Gryffindor House as its head. She is strict, principled, and protective, combining high academic standards with courage and compassion.

The character is especially important during the school’s crises. She supports Harry and his friends, challenges unfair authority, and takes part in the defence of Hogwarts during the Battle of Hogwarts. Her animagus form is a tabby cat marked by distinctive spectacles around the eyes.

Readers sometimes choose Albus Dumbledore or Remus Lupin when asked about Rowling’s preferred teacher, because both are influential mentors. Rowling has specifically identified McGonagall as her favourite Hogwarts teacher, making the answer a statement about author preference rather than a ranking established within the novels.