Arabella Figg & cabbage

[corinthum <kkearney@students.miami.edu>]

No: HPFGUIDX 49821

bboy_mn wrote:

> Who thinks Mrs. Figg is just a nice old lady, and believes that she
is
> more likely to be Sirius's maternal grandmother or great aunt than
she
> is to be a beautiful young woman who spent 13 years as an old lady
> just so she could babysite Harry 2 or 3 times a year. Also, remember
> she doesn' live next door or 2 house down or across the alley; she
> lives two streets away. 

Me:

Who says she spent 13 years as an old lady?  Polyjuice lasts an hour. 
I believe in the Polyjuiced Arabella Figg theory, but I think she only
used it when necessary.  Whenever she had to babysit Harry, to make an
occasional public appearance walking down the street, etc.  After all,
like you say, she lived two streets away.  How often did Harry and the
Dursleys see her?  Appearing once a week or so would probably be more
than enough to convince most Muggles that she was just an ordinary old
lady.

My personal theory: Arabella Figg is the "director of operations" of
whatever is protecting Harry.  Monitoring surveillance, updating
spells, what have you.  Of course, this theory doesn't require the
polyjuice at all.  But the members of the Old Crowd, thus far, have
all been about the same age, and therefore I believe Arabella Figg
fits into the same age category as the Marauders.

-Corinth