Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Arabella Figg
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| Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter - Character | |
| Arabella Figg | |
|---|---|
| Gender | Female |
| Hair color | |
| Eye color | |
| Related Family | |
| Loyalty | Order of the Phoenix |
Contents |
[edit] Overview
Arabella Doreen Figg is Harry Potter's neighbor on Privet Drive, who often watches him when the Dursleys are on some fun outing or other, such as Dudley's birthday parties. She is a classic old lady with too many cats.
[edit] Role in the Books
[edit] Philosopher's Stone
Harry dreads Dudley's birthday because it means he will be sent to Mrs. Figg's, where he will spend the entire day being told, again, about the life histories of the cats in her photo album. As it turns out, however, she has broken her leg and so Harry has to go to the zoo with Dudley, much to Dudley's displeasure. After the events at the zoo, Harry is locked, once again, in the cupboard under the stairs; by the time he has been released, Dudley has knocked over Mrs Figg, on her crutches, with his new racing bike.
When he has to visit her later, she is not quite so keen to tell him about all her cats; it seems that she broke her leg tripping over one of them... so he gets to watch television instead.
[edit] Chamber of Secrets
As the book starts the day before Harry is locked in his room, there is no time for us to encounter Mrs. Figg before Harry is spirited away to The Burrow.
[edit] Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry spends all his available at Privet Drive time dealing with his Aunt Marge, and as a result we hear nothing about Mrs. Figg in this book.
[edit] Goblet of Fire
Harry's time at home at the beginning of this book is very limited, and he does not get a chance to speak with Mrs. Figg before the Weasleys arrive to take him to the Quidditch World Cup.
At the very end of the book, when Professor Dumbledore is sending people off on missions, he tells Sirius Black to get in touch with "the old crowd", and explicitly mentions Arabella Figg as one of that group. The reader doesn't notice the name going by, as who would connect batty old Mrs. Figg with her cats to the world of magic?
[edit] Order of the Phoenix
Much to Harry's surprise, it is revealed that Mrs. Figg is a Squib and a member of the Order of the Phoenix. Apparently, she was stationed to live next to Harry in order to keep an eye on him and the Dursleys. With the re-creation of the Order of the Phoenix, she was formally brought into that order to assist in guarding Harry; she sees the attack on him and Dudley by Dementors; and she is a witness at the Wizengamot when Harry is tried for using magic on that occasion. Although she does testify that Harry was attacked by Dementors, the author has stated that she never actually saw the Dementors, but recognized them by their effects.
[edit] Half-Blood Prince
Harry spends so little time on Privet Drive in this book that there is no time to mention Mrs. Figg or the other members of the Order who are likely still present and keeping an eye on Harry. However, it is mentioned in passing that she attends Dumbledore's funeral, along with many other Order members.
[edit] Deathly Hallows
Harry is concerned with preparations for his departure, and does not leave the house until the Order is there to take him away. Thus, again we do not get to meet Mrs. Figg in this book.
[edit] Strengths
Arabella is a squib and as such is not tracked or noticed by the Ministry of Magic. Thus she is able to assist Dumbledore in keeping a eye on Harry without the knowledge of the Ministry.
[edit] Weaknesses
Arabella is unable to use magic to defend herself or Harry. Without a wizard to assist, her guardian capabilities are limited.
[edit] Relationships with Other Characters
Arabella Figg is a Squib, and as such her relationships with the rest of the Wizarding world are of a very uneven sort; most pity her because she is part of their world, yet unable to partake, being unable to do any sort of magic. The author has said that Arabella does have a "roaring business" breeding cat-Kneazle hybrids like Crookshanks; it is possible that Crookshanks came from Mrs. Figg originally, but that cannot be certain.
[edit] Analysis
[edit] Questions
- Someone has to be placed near the Dursleys' to watch over Harry while he is growing up – the prophecy makes it clear that he will be an important wizard. Why a Squib?
[edit] Greater Picture
A popular theory for why Mrs. Figg is selected as guard for Harry is that no one could detect their magical power because Arabella is a Squib and Harry is underage. Harry's being underage would, of course, be no bar to the detection of his use of magic, as is amply demonstrated when the Ministry for Magic warns him about the use of magic in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Perhaps a better explanation is Dumbledore's sympathy for the non-magical. It is likely Dumbledore who managed to get Argus Filch a job as caretaker of the castle at Hogwarts, a job which is one of the few in the Wizarding world of which he is capable; likewise, this watchman job is one suited to Mrs. Figg's lack of Magical ability.
