new female DADA teacher

[sallygrist]

No: HPFGUIDX 45669

> Ethanol wrote:
> 
> > JKR said in her last interview that it was indeed Mrs. Figg who 
> >would be the > next DADA teacher.  
> 
Maria wrote:
> 
> In past interviews, JKR has revealed that there will be a female 
DADA teacher in the next books, and also that Mrs Figg is the same
> Arabella Figg mentioned at the end of GoF, and will show up in the
> next books too. Only in the last interview, she said that the female
> DADA teacher will actually be in book 5, The Order of the Phoenix.
> But she has never said that the female teacher was going to be Mrs.
> Figg. 

Sally says:
Yes, thanks very much for clearing that one up Maria, I was under 
exactly the same impression myself. However, I can understand how 
easily the connection can be assumed. 

These are my thoughts on the possibility of Mrs Figg being the next 
DADA teacher. (Please forgive me if this topic has already been 
discussed but I'm new to the group and haven't yet got to grips 
properly with the archive system).

Book 4 has revealed that Arabella Figg has an important role to play 
in the future reformation of PD's 'old crowd'. We know that she is 
the same 'mad old lady' who we met briefly in Book 1, although we 
don't know if she's always lived near Privet Drive, or whether she 
was stationed there by PD after Harry was delivered to the Dursleys.

I can't find the exact quote but I believe PD say's something 
somewhere along the lines of Harry being safer at Privet Drive than 
even he realises. This makes it reasonable to suggest that the close 
proximity of AF is the reason for HP's safety while he's in the 
muggle world.

So if she is HP's guardian, then she would have to have some 
profoundly magical ability for PD to be confident enough to place HP 
in her safe-keeping. What form this magic is, is anyone's guess, but 
surely she would have to be highly skilled in DADA if she's to keep 
HP safe from the most evil wizard in wizard-dom? And at the height of 
his power, PoA tells us that LV was killing muggles too, so he has 
power enough to be a threat in the muggle world as well as the wizard 
world. It would take a highly competent witch or wizard to take on 
the responsibility as HP's personal protector from such dangers.

OTOH, it's possible that something along the lines of a Fidelius 
Charm could have been put to use, in which case she wouldn't need any 
special skill to keep him safe, just the ability to keep a secret. 

But supposing the former is the case, then she would be an obvious 
candidate for the new appointment of DADA teacher. And as LV is once 
more on the loose, it also makes sense that AF will be protecting HP 
at school as well as at home, now that the LV-danger-factor has 
increased.

Two points to note though, if she's a witch, why did she have to use 
crutches after breaking her leg? Surely Madam Pomphrey isn't the only 
witch with a bottle of Skelegrow in her bathroom cabinet?

And secondly, if she does take up the post, what's going to happen to 
Tibbles, Snowy Mr Paws and Tufty (et al)? Will they all be taking up 
residence at Hogwarts? 

Unless.... 
It's the cats who are the protectors of Harry????
Now there's a thought. Its not AF who's guarding Harry, its her cats. 
Could they be Animagi? And if so, who are they in their wizard form, 
or else what special powers might animals have that would keep Harry 
safe from LV? In Book 3 Crookshanks certainly displayed a few extra 
psychic abilities than your average cat, so could AF's pets also be 
harbouring some magical powers?

Any thoughts?