OOP: Is Umbridge a Squib?

[Fred Waldrop]

No: HPFGUIDX 67433


Hello all, Fred Waldrop here. I wanted to try to answer some of the 
questions that <ymsgr:sendIM?mt3t3l1> "mt3t3l1" posted in message 
66730. So, here goes: 
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This sounds outrageous at first, but think about the evidence:
1. Squibs like Arabella Figg and Argus Filch have a very strong 
interest in cats. JKR makes frequent reference to the plates with 
pictures of kittens decorating Umbridge's office.

<me>Where you miss the point is, Umbridge has pictures of cats on her 
wall, which squib in the entire series has ONLY pictures of cats 
around them? Also, Professor McGonagall can turn into a cat, but this 
does not mean she is the ultimate squib in disguise as a witch.
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2. When Umbridge teaches Defense of the Dark Arts, she makes sure 
that no spells are actually performed. This makes sense if she 
herself is unable to perform spells.

<me>It also makes sense as seeing Fudge does not want any of the 
students that DD teaches to be able to fight well enough to threaten 
him. After all, Fudge does think DD is after him abnd his position at 
the MoM.
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3. Although Umbridge has lots of authority, she has very little 
magical power. For example:
a. She was unable to keep nifflers out of her own office.

<me>She thought they were coming in through the door, didn't she. We 
all know that witches and Wizards are not known as being very 
logical. So, while it would be very logical for someone to enter her 
office in some other way than through her office door, by way of 
window, she just could not figure out how that was possible.
As for the rest of you thoughts on why Umbridge might be a squib, 
seeing she gets others to do things for her,  it seems quite simple 
enough to me that she likes to deligate authority rather than take up 
her most valuable time doing such trivial things.
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It appears that Umbridge was able to use a stunning charm to set off 
Fred and George's fireworks. 

<me>Then she can do magic. As a squib, how would she be able to? 
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However, when Umbridge wanted to capture Hagrid, JKR makes a point of 
telling us that Umbridge took five people with her. One of these 
stunned Fang, and Hagrid threw him to the ground so forcefully he 
didn't get up again. When McGonagall came out to defend Hagrid, JKR 
mentions two times that McGonagall was shot with four stunners 
straight in the chest. If the group was united in its purpose, we 
would have expected five stunners. Was this a clue that Umbridge's 
stunning charm was basically ineffectual?

<me>You say McgGonagall was stunned by 4 stunners, this is true. But 
what you do not mention is:
 (page 720, OotP, US Hardcover) "Hagrid's door had burst open and by 
the light flooding out of the cabin they saw him quite clearly, a 
massive figure roaring and brandishing his fist, surrounded by six 
people, ALL OF WHOM, judging by the tiny threads of red light they 
were casting in his direction, seemed to be attempting to Stun him."

So, unless you think canon is not something we can believe, it seems 
that Umbridge can use a Stunning spell. (Canon states very clearly 
that six people went to Hagrid's to expel him, six people were 
standing around Hagrid casting stunning spell. So, unless in Potter 
world six really means seven, Umbridge can cast a stunning spell) And 
if she can preform a stunning spell, how can she be a squib?
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When Umbridge wanted to get information from Harry about why he had 
been in her office, it became evident that Umbridge didn't understand 
the proper dosage of Veritaserum nor how long it takes to make 
Veritaserum. Had she forgotten that lesson from her Potions class? 
When she realized that there was no more Veritaserum available, she 
made a big production of threatening to use the Cruciatus curse on 
Harry but never actually used it. Is it possible that this was only a 
very convincing bluff?

<me>  Actully, she does know how to use Veritaserum, or at least 
canon states she knows how to use it:
(page 744 OotP, US hardcover) "Ah, Professor Snape" said Umbridge, 
smiling widely and standing up again. "Yes, I would like another 
bottle of Veritaserum, as quick as you can, please."
"You took my last bottle to interrogate Potter", he said, surveying 
her coolly through his greasy curtians of black hair. "Surly you did 
not use it all? I told you that three drops would be sufficient."

So, you see , Umbridge did know how to use Veritaserum, she just did 
not care if she killed Harry with an overedose, she just wanted to 
know who he was talking to. This does not make her a squib or someone 
who forgets her potion lessons, but someone that does ANYTHING to get 
what she wants.
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Finally, we can be certain that Umbridge did do one spell properly. 
When she was in the forest and surrounded by centaurs, Umbridge 
successfully performed the Incarcerous spell against the centaur 
Magorian. I would suggest that this is the instance JKR was referring 
to when she said, "There is a character who does manage in desperate 
circumstances to do magic quite late in life, but that is very rare 
in the world I am writing about."

<me>You already have admitted she has preformed other spells when she 
was not "in desperate circumstances", so what is your rational for 
bringing up the "in desperate circumstances" part? Unless you are 
suggesting that the fire works Fred and George set off were life 
threatening in some way to her, are you?
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So...what do you think?

<me> That your assumption that Umbridge is a squib, is wrong. Very, 
very wrong.

Fred Waldrop