OOP: Is Umbridge a Squib?

[mt3t3l1]

No: HPFGUIDX 66810

Just to be argumentative:

"Also in her speech she says something like "it's so good to be back 
(at Hogwarts)", which implies she was at Hogwarts before. I think 
it's safe to assume she was at Hogwarts before as a student, as I 
can't really picture her there as a cleaning lady."

Could she have been there previously as some sort of inspector for 
the MoM?


"Also, it was mentioned that to work in the MoM (I think in PoA), you 
needed top grades on your O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s. There's no way she 
could have taken those tests and passed them with the grades required 
for the MoM if she were a Squib." "...It doesn't mean she's a great 
witch, it just means she's not a Squib."

Which witch? "Top grades", or "not great"?


"She threatens to use the Cruciatus Curse on Harry, and there's no 
way she could perform that if she were a Squib."

Correct, and she didn't perform it.


"Also, in her very first class she's able to make letters appear on 
the blackboard by tapping it with her wand."

In the wizarding world, is it normal in spells that the wand must 
touch the object it affects? In Snape's case, he made the recipe for 
the Draught of Peace appear on the blackboard by flicking his wand. 
Umbridge had to rap the blackboard to make writing appear. It's 
possible that her blackboard was a magical device, like her "special" 
quill.


"It appears that Umbridge was able to use a stunning charm to set off
Fred and George's fireworks." We see her...attempt to stun 
Hagrid (but miss). If she were a Squib she wouldn't have been able to 
Stun anything at all, not even miss! "

Actually, all we know for sure is that she is able to make red sparks 
come out of the end of her wand.


"You're assuming she went to a Potions class though, but to do that 
she would have had to attend Hogwarts."

No, I'm guessing that she *didn't* attend Hogwarts, and that's why 
she was so clueless about Veritaserum potion. 

 
"I don't think it's consistent with her characterization to make 
empty threats. Besides, what would her being a Squib explain that 
isn't already explained by her being a witch doing the MoM's bidding?"

Generally, she doesn't make empty threats. She is backed by the full 
authority of Cornelius Fudge and the MoM. In this case, she was 
backed into a corner and had to think fast.

Her being a Squib explains why she hates students so much. It 
explains why she gets along with Filch so well. And most importantly, 
it is further evidence that Cornelius Fudge is an officious, self-
serving, power-hungry, incompetent bureaucrat. It makes sense that he 
would choose a Squib as the ideal person to carry out his wishes. She 
can be no threat to him personally, but at the same time she will be 
quite happy to be his perfect bureaucratic representative because in 
so doing she amplifies her own importance.