Mrs. Figg - witch, squib, portal guardian, kneazle keeper, none of the above?

[Haggridd]

No: HPFGUIDX 16770

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Neil Ward" <neilward at d...> wrote:
> Mrs Figg 'sort of confirmed' as being the same as Arabella Figg of 
the old
> crowd...
> 
> Haggridd then said:
> 
> >>> If that is now proved to everyone's satisfaction, then can 
anyone out
> there tie in the "getting Magic in later life" rumor to this issue?
> 
> Hmmmm.  I don't think Mrs Figg is a likely candidate for
discovering 
magic
> later in life.  
> When it comes to Mrs Figg, if she is a squib, as JKR apparently 
confirmed, I
> see her as the guardian of a portal to the wizarding world, acting 
as a sort
> of liaison officer with the Muggle world.  It must be difficult for 
squibs
> to fit in in the wizarding world, so the ideal role for them would 
be in
> some kind of limbo area between the two worlds.  Perhaps Mrs Figg's 
house is
> a bit like the Leaky Cauldron and offers a route - an escape route
- 
into
> the wizarding world?  It would be a good place of protection for 
Harry if
> the Dursleys had to leave him anywhere.  It's interesting that when 
they
> couldn't leave him with Mrs Figg, they felt obliged to take him
with 
them to
> the zoo.  It's almost as if they were physically unable to leave
him 
behind
> if he couldn't stay with her...
> 
> I also love the idea, previously suggested, that all (maybe some?) 
of Mrs
> Figgs cats are actually Kneazles.  Perhaps her job is to train 
Kneazles and
> maybe that accounts for the cabbage smell in her house - it's 
Kneazle pee!!
> I also think Mrs Norris sounds like a pure Kneazle, whereas 
Crookshanks
> could be half and half... pure guessing, of course.  Surely the 
students
> would have commented on Kneazles being like cats before now?
> 
> The fact that Mrs Figg is called Mrs indicates that there was a Mr 
Figg on
> the scene at some point.  It would be interesting to know whether
he 
was a
> wizard or a Muggle.  It would also be interesting to know Mrs
Figg's 
maiden
> name.
> 
> This Figg woman is intriguing, no doubt about it...
> 
> Neil
> ________________________________________

I love the way that this reconciles both the various mentionings of 
Mrs. Figg in the book with JKR's comment about her being a squib.  
Purely on a personal note, I would find it satisfying if Petunia 
Dursely were to become magical; I would hate it if it turned out to
be Dudley.

Haggridd