Arabella Figg

Mrs. Arabella Doreen Figg was a Squib, a dealer of cross-bred cats and kneazles, and a member of the Order of the Phoenix. She lived on Wisteria Walk in Little Whinging, in a house that smelled strongly of cabbage; she also owned and extensively photographed at least four part-kneazle cats, named Mr. Tibbles, Snowy, Mr. Paws and Tufty. She lived near Harry Potter and the Dursley family, and used to babysit Harry in the 1980s and the early 1990s, mainly to keep an eye on him for Albus Dumbledore. As Dumbledore had believed Harry was too young to understand his place in the wizarding world, Mrs. Figg kept her true identity a secret throughout most of Harry's childhood, and he knew nothing about her affiliation to the wizarding world until after he and Dudley Dursley were attacked by dementors in 1995. Mrs. Figg supported the Order to the best of her abilities, but probably did not fight at the Battle of Hogwarts. She most likely survived the war and continued cross-breeding and trading part-kneazle 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 most notable contribution to the cause was taking up residence in Little Whinging, most probably on Albus Dumbledore's orders, to keep an eye on young Harry Potter. This may have begun prior to the end of the First War, initially in order to watch over the Dursley family.

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 left Harry Potter with Mrs. Figg, who once gave him an ancient chocolate cake as a "treat," but most often bored him senseless with pictures of her part-kneazle cats. She made sure he didn't particularly enjoy his time with her, and took care never to reveal her heritage to either Harry or the Dursleys, to ensure that 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 and despite, as a Squib, being unable to actually see them, she was still able to describe the Dementors in front of the Wizengamot during Harry's trial. Not trusting Mundungus Fletcher to effectively fulfill his duties of following and protecting Harry, she charged Mr. Tibbles with the task, and upon discovering Mundungus had abandoned his post, she eventually tracked Harry and his cousin Dudley down herself, to discover they had just barely survived a dementor attack. As the three walked back to the Dursleys, with Harry half carrying Dudley, she revealed that she was not a Muggle, as previously believed, but a Squib, and moreover, a member of the Order of the Phoenix. Before returning Harry to Privet Drive, she apologised for the way she had been forced to treat him while he was growing up.

Harry Potter's trial
Mrs. Figg was also a witness at Harry's trial before the Wizengamot, regarding his unauthorised use of magic as an underaged wizard. She arrived in her bedroom slippers, and her description of the Dementors was unimpressive, as she described them as "big and wearing cloaks." However, she ultimately managed to convince Amelia Bones and various other unbiased members of the Wizengamot with her accurate description of a Dementor's presence. Despite Cornelius Fudge's attempts to discredit her on the basis of being a Squib, Mrs. Figg, along with Albus Dumbledore, managed to persuade the Ministry to clear Harry of all charges.

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 unknown if she participated in the Battle of Hogwarts, though she may have assisted fighters in some non-magical capacity.

Later life
It is most likely that she survived the Second Wizarding War, and maintained her involvement in the "roaring trade" of cross-bred kneazles and cats.

Physical Appearance
Arabella Figg is described as a batty old woman with grizzled grey fly away hair, wearing a hairnet and tartan carpet slippers.

Personality and traits
In Harry Potter's youth, the Dursleys left him in Mrs. Figg's care at least once a year, and during their time together, she given to making him look endlessly at photos of "all the cats she'd ever owned". In 1995, she admitted that, though she didn't enjoy it, she had intentionally kept Harry bored and miserable, as the Dursleys would never have left him with her if they thought he enjoyed it. Though Harry only thought of her as his "his batty old cat-obsessed neighbour" before discovering she was a Squib, she appeared to be a clever woman with a bit of a temper. She physically attacked Mundungus Fletcher when he left his post of watching Harry Potter, and prior to that, had been quite sarcastic, even slightly insulting, during her conversation with Harry. She appeared nervous, even timid, during Harry's disciplinary hearing, though that was likely due to the stigma surrounding being a Squib, as well as the fact that she had to testify before the entire Wizengamot. Regardless, she was a brave, vigorous woman, who, despite her lack of magical ability, did her best to support the Order of the Phoenix.

Albus Dumbledore
Arabella Figg knew Albus Dumbledore at least since the time of the First Wizarding War. After Lord Voldemort's first downfall, Dumbledore trusted Figg with the task of watching Harry Potter during his time at the Dursleys' house. Figg appeared to respect Dumbledore and consider him a great wizard; when Harry was surprised that she knew Dumbledore, she replied that "everybody knows Dumbledore." Figg and Dumbledore both participated in Harry's trial before the Wizengamot in 1995. She later attended Dumbledore's funeral at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, in 1997.

Harry Potter


Mrs. Figg was tasked with watching over Harry Potter after he was sent to live in Little Whinging, and the Dursleys regularly left Harry with her when they wanted to exclude him from their outings. Though it was difficult for her to have to do so, she made sure to show Harry an incredibly dull time, knowing the Dursleys would otherwise never leave Harry in her care. In 1995, Harry learned that Mrs. Figg was a Squib when Mundungus Fletcher failed to fulfill the duty he was given of following and protecting Harry, leaving Harry and his cousin Dudley to be attacked by dementors. Mrs. Figg also testified in Harry's defence during his trial before the Wizengamot, and later 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 largely unknown, though they evidently thought she was no different from their other neighbours, as they allowed her take care of Harry, assuming he would have a perfectly boring time. It is possible that Figg disliked the Dursleys for their ill-treatment of Harry.

Order of the Phoenix members
"Oh, I'm going to kill Mundungus Fletcher!"

- Mrs. Figg to Harry Potter, in response to Fletcher abandoning his post

Figg knew many members of the Order of the Phoenix. She met Sirius Black in 1995, when he informed her that Albus Dumbledore was re-instating the Order. It is possible that she had previously met other members, such as James and Lily Potter.

She was also quite familiar with Mundungus Fletcher, a petty criminal and member of the Order, who addressed Mrs. Figg as "Figgy." When Mundungus left Little Whinging to purchase stolen cauldrons in favour of watch over Harry Potter, Figg was furious; she both verbally and physically assaulted him, whacking him with a shopping bag full of canned cat food and calling him a "useless, skiving sneak thief".

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, and its flowering signified the end of winter. For Buddhists, this is the tree under which the Buddha received enlightenment.
 * In addition, fig leaves are associated with concept of a "poorly concealed secret," with common usage in classical sculptures and paintings of nudes . This may be a reference to the fact that Mrs. Figg was a Squib concealing herself as a Muggle, which was was arguably poorly done, given her reputation of being quite eccentric.

Behind the scenes

 * Arabella Figg is portrayed by English actress Kathryn Hunter in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
 * In the film version of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Mrs. Figg lives on Privet Drive, across the street from the Dursleys, instead of on Wisteria Walk.
 * 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, making slightly insulting comments to Harry and Dudley, and 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 it had not occured to him that Dumbledore would have him watched after Voldemort's return. 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.
 * While there are no direct references to a "Mr. Figg," the fact that Arabella is consistently referred to as "Mrs. Figg" may indicate that she has a husband who is simply never mentioned, or from whom she is estranged; it's also possible that she is a widow.

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

Notes and references
Arabella Figg Арабелла Фигг Arabella Vaals