Arabella Figg

Mrs. Arabella Doreen Figg was a Squib, breeder of four cats which were part-kneazle, and member of the Order of the Phoenix. She lived on Wisteria Walk in Little Whinging in a house that smells strongly of cabbage. She was the neighbour of Harry Potter and the Dursley family. She used to babysit Harry in the 1980s and kept an eye on him for Albus Dumbledore, but Dumbledore didn't want her to tell her knowledge of the wizarding world to Harry, something that he discovered in 1995. Mrs. Figg supported the order and did anything she could to help them, but probably did not fight at the Battle of Hogwarts. She possibly survived the war and continued breeding her cats.

First Wizarding War
It is possible that she became a member of the Order of the Phoenix in the First Wizarding War, although her true usefulness only came about once she took up residence in Little Whinging, most probably on Albus Dumbledore's orders. This may have been during the First Wizarding War, initially in order to watch over the Dursley family. During the war, she was a friend of Albus Dumbledore, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Mundungus Fletcher, and possibly James Potter, Lily Evans and Peter Pettigrew.

Between the wars
Arabella Figg lived in a Muggle community working undercover for the Order of the Phoenix. Most of her job involved watching Harry Potter and ensuring that no harm came to him from Lord Voldemort. During times when the Dursley family took vacations, they leave Harry with Arabella, who once gave him an ancient chocolate cake as a "treat", and bores him senseless with pictures of her Kneazles in her sitting room, making sure he did not have a good time, as well as him not finding out her heritage. This was done to ensure the Dursleys would not withdraw Harry from her care.

Dementors in Little Whinging
In 1995, Harry and his cousin Dudley were attacked by Dementors in Little Whinging. Figg sensed the distinct presence of the Dementors, despite her being a Squib, she was still able to describe the Dementors in front of the Wizengamot during Harry's trial. Realising that Mundungus Fletcher was not at his watch where he should have been, she herself tracked down Harry and Dudley. As the walked back to the Dursleys with Harry half carrying Dudley, she revealed to Harry for the first time that she was not a Muggle, as previously believed, but a Squib, and moreover, a member of the Order of the Phoenix. She had been placed in the area by Albus Dumbledore, and had been watching over Harry ever since he was brought there as an infant. Before returning Harry to Privet Drive, she apologised for the way she treated him while he was growing up.

Harry Potter's trial
Figg was also a witness at Harry's trial before the Wizengamot regarding unauthorised use of magic by a minor. She arrived in her bedroom slippers, and her description of the Dementors was not so impressive, as she described them as "tall with black cloaks". However, in the end, she managed to impress Amelia Bones with her accurate description of a Dementor's presence, by describing her feelings when the Dementors appeared. Despite Cornelius Fudge not intending to take her seriously due to her being a Squib and insulting her, as if she were a muggle, Mrs. Figg, along with Albus Dumbledore managed to persauade the most of the Ministry employees.

Albus Dumbledore's funeral
During the Battle of the Astronomy Tower in 1997, Albus Dumbledore was killed by Severus Snape, who sided with the Death Eaters. Figg attended Dumbledore's funeral in 1997 at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Battle of Hogwarts
As she could not fight due to her lack of magic, it is possible that she assisted the Order in the Second Wizarding War in other ways, or withdrew from it sometime in between.

It is unknown if she participated in the Battle of Hogwarts. It is possible that she helped the fighters by another way. During the battle, many members of the order, such as Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks and Fred Weasley were killed. However, the Death Eaters were defeated and Lord Voldemort himself was killed by Harry Potter.

Later Life
It is most likely that she survived the Second Wizarding War, and she continued breeding her Kneazles. She possibly remained on contact with Harry Potter and his children.

Physical Appearance
Arabella Figg is described as being a batty old woman with grizzled grey hair which escaped from her hairnet. She carries a shopping bag and wears tartan slippers.

Personality and traits
Figg is an old woman who breeds Kneazles. Harry Potter did not like her, because she often showed him photos of her Kneazles. He was also very bored at her house. This became clear in 1995; if Harry had a good time at her house, the Dursleys would not let him go there. She appeared to be a clever woman. She could also sometimes have a bad temper, as she physically attacked Mundungus Fletcher when he left his post of watching Harry Potter. During Harry's trial, she was very nervous and unconfident, probably because she was a Squib. However, she is a good and fair woman who supported the Order of the Phoenix

Albus Dumbledore
Arabella Figg knew Albus Dumbledore since the First Wizarding War. After Lord Voldemort's first downfall, Dumbledore trusted Figg with the mission to watch Harry Potter during his time at the Dursleys' house. Figg respected Dumbledore and thought he was a great wizard. When Harry was surprised that she knew Dumbledore, she said "everybody knows Dumbledore". She also wished Dumbledore punished Mundungus Fletcher when the latter left his mission to watch Harry, and the boy was attacked by Dementors. Figg and Dumbledore also participated in Harry's trial. She later attended Dumbledore's funeral.

Harry Potter
Mrs. Figg had a mission to watch Harry Potter during his time at the Dursleys' home. She did not tell Harry that she was a Squib, because she knew that, if Harry had a good time at her home, the Dursleys would not let him visit her again. Harry did not like her, because she usually showed him pictures of her Kneazles. In 1995, Harry learned about Figg, and he started to like her. When Mundungus Fletcher left his mission to watch Harry, she physically attacked him. Figg also participated in Harry's trial as a witness and attended Albus Dumbledore's funeral. It is possible that Harry and Figg remained in contact after the Second Wizarding War.

Dursley family
Mrs. Figg's relationship with the Dursley family is unknown. The Dursleys used Arabella Figg as a babysitter for Harry Potter, when they went out and didn't want to take Harry with them, too. It is possible that Vernon and Petunia Dursley treated her as a normal neighbour, and one of the main reasons why they wanted Figg to take care of Harry, was that he didn't have a good time with her, which is something they want (although Figg knew it and thus made Harry bored on purpose). It is possible that Figg disliked the Dursleys for their bad treatment towards Harry.

Order of the Phoenix members
Figg knew many members of the Order of the Phoenix. She met Sirius Black in 1995, when he told her that Dumbledore would lead the second Order. It is possible that she knew more members, such as James and Lily Potter.

She also knew Mundungus Fletcher, a criminal and member of the Order. When Mundungus abandoned his mission to watch Harry Potter, Figg got very angry with him. She insulted him and attacked him physically. It is unknown what kind of relationship Figg and Mundungus had after the Second Wizarding War.

Several of the Order members were killed in battles. It is unknown how Figg reacted when she learned about their deaths.

Behind the scenes

 * The tent that Mr. Weasley borrowed for the 1994 Quidditch World Cup reminded Harry of Mrs. Figg's house: crocheted covers on mismatched chairs and a strong smell of cats.
 * In the book, Mrs. Figg is depicted as bitter, such as making slightly insulting comments to Harry and Dudley, or even going as far as to physically attack Mundungus Fletcher with bags full of canned cat food. In the movie however, she only makes one somewhat insulting comment towards Harry, questioning his intelligence when asking why it had not occured to him that Dumbledore would have him watched after Voldemort returned. She also hardly shows any sign of rage toward Mundungus, while in the book she goes into a fierce tirade about him.
 * Although Figg makes her first true appearance in both the book and film versions of Order of the Phoenix, the omission of earlier references to her in the films makes the revelation of her being a Squib working for Dumbledore somewhat sudden.

Etymology

 * Figg may be variation of fig, a fruit-bearing tree. In Biblical times, the fig tree was important to Roman and Hebrew cultures as a valuable source of food and medicinal ingredients. Its flowering meant winter was over. For Buddhists, this is the tree under which the Buddha received enlightenment.

Appearances

 * Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
 * Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Arabella Figg Арабелла Фигг