[HPforGrownups] Filch, Muggle-borns and Squibs

[rosie]

No: HPFGUIDX 40011

E.G. Smurf said:
  "While browsing through a site about British slang, I found out 
  that "filch" is UK slang for stealing. This got me wondering about 
  the background of JKR's Filch. Could he have been a thief? And if he 
  was, how did he end up at Hogwarts?"



  In particular, "filching" is petty theft. You'd filch some stamps from the office stationary cupboard but you wouldn't filch a huge bag of diamonds.. so it fits in with Filch's petty nature. I wonder if it could be linked to him confiscating e.g. the Marauder's Map - we learn he has a whole drawer-full of similar items. Where do you draw the line between confiscating and stealing? Maybe Filch likes to pinch things like that off students because he is jealous of their ability to work magical items.

  Since Muggle-born witches and wizards seem to enter the WW pretty thoroughly when they discover they are wizards, e.g. Hermione seems to be planning her future career in the WW, not as a dentist (from her insistence on the important of which subjects to choose)..and leave behind their Muggle background... do squibs, like Filch, just hang around in the WW and do menial tasks? It would be entertaining if they had a letter and had to attend a special Squib school. Can you imagine loads of postmen shooting down the chimney of Filch's office, hiding letters in Mrs Norris' collar, etc, in the way the owls had to get through to Harry? :)

"rosie"