Mrs. Figg as babysitter

[fgcjnk at btinternet.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 15298

 
> My guess is that Mrs. Figg *offered* to take care of Harry in the 
> beginning -- for free. 

I think Dumbledore may have offered her services to the Dursleys in 
the 'letter that explained everything'.  

> 2. She had to be able to drop her life and go do this. The poor 
witch 
> has spent how many years as a Muggle? 

I still think she's a squib and had to live like this anyway.


> 
> And by the way . . . why *couldn't* she let him in on anything? 

The Dursleys asked her not to?  And only used her once a year just in 
case.

 
> if she was communicating with Dumbledore all this time, why on Earth 
> didn't Hagrid know that Harry was completely clueless about his 
> parentage? 

Dumbledore guessed, but only hinted to Hagrid that there might be 
trouble - after all the Dursleys may have been waiting until nearer 
the time to tell him.


You'd think that around Harry's ninth birthday or so, 
Mrs. 
> Figg might have owled Dumbledore and said something like, "You 
> know . . . the Potter boy really has no idea about what he is. The 
> invitation from Hogwarts will probably be a bit of a shock. Do you 
> think I should whip out the *real* photo albums and have a chat with 
> him next time the Muggles send him over?" 

I expect she did, but Dumbledore had to respect the Dursleys choices 
here or they might have refused to contine to look after him.  Of 
course Mrs Figg may have been going to talk to Harry on Dudleys 
birthday just before the Hogwarts invite, but couldn't because she 
broke her leg.  (If she IS a witch why didn't she get this fixed up 
magically?)

Florence