[HPforGrownups] Re: Mrs Figg (possible spoilers)

[Neil Ward]

No: HPFGUIDX 1557

"Flying Ford Anglia" wrote:

>>>> I agree that he probably meant Harry's "only living relatives", but 
>>>> his use of the word "family" left a sliver of a glimmer of a 
>>>> possibility that there might be another living relative who is, 
>>>> perhaps, completely mad, totally unsuitable for parenting and
>>>>living in a cave on Easter Island... or who is Mrs Figg.  No?  Okay then.

Catlady replied:

>>Actually, I thought you might be hinting at a blood relative who had 
>>gone over to Voldemort and thus divorced his/her family.

>>As for Mrs. Figg, it is not clear that she is less suitable for 
>>parenting than the Dursleys. 

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Spoiler space, just in case
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I suppose I could have been hinting at that rather intriguing 'divorced
relative' theory, but I wasn't. I was, originally, getting excited about Mrs
Figg possibly being ne Potter, and then trying to imagine how the Dursleys
could be thought to be Harry's only "family" if a Potter-born relative was
living virtually next door to them.  I got onto Easter Island somehow.

There's clearly some reason for Harry being sent to Mrs Figg's house,
especially as she's been revealed as being more than just an old lady in the
'hood with a few cats and limited baking skills. It would be interesting to
know why the Dursleys tend to deposit Harry with Mrs Figg when they need a
child-sitter.  Did Dumbledore suggest they do that in his letter or did he
charm them into doing it?  Did the Dursleys know Mrs Figg before Harry was
left on their doorstep?  Was Mrs Figg even living in Privet Drive before
Harry arrived there?

Neil  


            Flying-Ford-Anglia

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   "Then, dented, scratched and steaming, 
   the car rumbled off into the darkness, 
   its rear lights blazing angrily"

 [Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets]

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