Mrs. Figg the Guardian (was: Re: McGonagall and Mrs Figg)

[KathyK]

No: HPFGUIDX 78078

Hickengruendler:

>>>This is IMO a very interesting point. I wondered about this, too. 
Or better, I wondered why it was a squib at all. Mrs Figg might be 
loyal to Dumbledore, but she isn't much of a help, if Harry is 
attacked. 
Why not plant a witch or a wizard instead to watch over Harry 
(okay, some, like Mundungus are there. But it is Mrs Figg, who is 
there all the time).<<<

Allen:

>>Dumbledore's selection of a squib to be the long-term protector 
makes more sense than a witch or wizard.  The use of magic to handle 
routine tasks such as preparing meals or cleaning the house appears 
to be firmly ingrained onto most magical persons that very few 
witches or wizards would be able to adapt to a muggle lifestyle.  Mrs 
Figg, as a squib, would have a much easier time converting to the 
muggle way of doing things.<<  

A squib, unlike a muggle, would also be able to have some type of
enchanted communications device.  Mrs Figg is able to receive
directions from the Order, and can presumably send information also.
 
Susan:

>I think that Mrs. Figg being the one to watch over Harry was very 
appropriate for the reasons that Allen stated.  However, until the 
Dark Lord returned to his body, no one (even DD) felt he needed a 
full witch or wizard looking over him.  Hence the Guard Duty of the 
Order with the invisibility cloaks.<


KathyK jumps in with:

>From OOP chapter 8 (on US edition p 143): 

"We have no record of any witch or wizard living in Little Whinging 
other than Harry Potter," said Madam Bones at once.  "That situation 
has always been closely monitored, given...given past events."

That seems a good enough reason right there not to have a wizard or 
witch watching over Harry.  If the Ministry is monitoring the area 
that closely, why would Dumbledore risk using a wizard or witch and 
alerting the Ministry that he was also watching, outside their scope 
of power?  He's much too smart for that.

Arabella Figg is a very important member of Dumbledore's network in 
that respect.  She can keep an eye on Harry and the neighborhood for 
anything unusual.  As a squib not monitored by the ministry, she can 
get so close to Harry that she's babysat him on occasion.  Also as a 
squib, she has knowledge of the WW and the means it uses to 
communicate.  

I believe she's kept in touch with Dumbledore over the years, 
reporting on Harry's condition from the times she sees him.  But I 
don't think she's communicated with him through conventional magical 
means such as owl post or the Floo Network.  If the Ministry was 
keeping an eye on Harry's neighborhood, that probably meant watching 
the skies, too, for suspiciously acting owls.  And the Floo network 
is controlled by the Ministry, so Mrs. Figg's house couldn't possibly 
be connected.  The Ministry would have to notice that.

OOP, chapter 37 (US p 830) Dumbledore says: "I should explain that 
members of the Order of the Phoenix have more reliable methods of 
communicating than the fire in Dolores Umbridge's office."

Mrs. Figg is probably using one of these "more reliable methods" to 
keep Dumbledore apprised of what is going on in Little Whinging.  
Perhaps he (or other trusted people like McGonagall) even visited her 
once in a while.  Or maybe she met them somewhere.  

In response to Allen's message that squibs are better equipped at 
managing the muggle world:

I agree with you, generally.  But what about muggle born witches and 
wizards?  Surely they could dig back into the past to remember the 
muggle ways they grew up with.  They may not like it, but I'll bet 
they could manage.  But they'd be noticed by the Ministry as magical 
folks living in close proximity to Harry Potter.

To reply to Susan's comment that not even Dumbledore believed Harry 
needed full protection while LV was not in his right body: 

I disagree.  Dumbledore always knew that Voldemort would find a way 
to return one day (OOP, US p 835).  He didn't know when that would 
be.  Plus he says in the same paragraph that he needed to keep Harry 
safe from Voldemort's "angry, desperate, and violent" Death Eaters 
right after the attack in Godric's Hollow.  

So he chose to put Harry with the Dursley's and used Lily's sacrifice 
to create that blood protection between Harry and Petunia.  Voldemort 
couldn't hurt Harry there is my understanding of it.  Until Harry 
came to Hogwarts he just dropped off the general WW radar, more safe 
from both Voldemort and his supporters, who would find Harry easier 
if he'd been given to a wizarding family.  So I believe the Dursleys' 
home was as safe as Harry could get.  Having wizards guarding Harry 
at that point would be an unnecessary risk.

As far as the guard duty in OOP, at that point Voldemort's rising was 
a certainty as Harry saw it himself.  Additionally, the Order had to 
be wary of the Ministry that spent the majority of the book doing 
everything possible to make Harry and Dumbledore look like unhinged 
fools.  Indeed, they were quite right to be watching out for the 
Ministry as Dolores Umbridge sent Dementors after Harry.  In that 
instance the Ministry was a more imminent threat than LV or his DEs.


A little aside here, I always equated those few wizards and witches 
who bowed to Harry and stared at him pre-Hogwarts with Elvis 
sightings.  Excited fans think they've seen the King, but who knows?  
I wonder how many witches and wizards think they spotted Harry but 
were mistaken.  Actually probably not many as they would all be 
looking for the scar but I do like the idea of Harry sightings.  Just 
thought I'd share. <g>

KathyK