Magic late in life

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 161912

---  "justcarol67" <justcarol67 at ...> wrote:

> ...substantiall edited....
>
> > Magpie:
> > My vote goes for Filch. He and Figg are the two 
> > Squibs, but Filch wants it more. I'm hoping it's 
> > Filch, that is, but in general I assume it would 
> > have to be a Squib.
> 
> Carol responds:
> Filch is certainly a possibility since he had magical
> parents, knows what a wand is for, and no doubt knows 
> the incantation for a number of spells. The same is 
> true for Figgy. Since Filch tried and failed to learn 
> elementary magic from the QwikSpell course, I think 
> Figgy is slightly more likely to be able to perform it,
> and as member of the Order, is more likely than Filch
> to have contact with Harry during Book 7. I also prefer
> Figgy to Filch because she's such a feisty character ...

bboyminn:

As you all seem to know by now, JKR said this about
Petunia -

http://www.jkrowling.com/textonly/en/rumours_view.cfm?id=37

Q: Aunt Petunia will start exhibiting magical tendencies

A: No, she won't. Aunt Petunia has never performed magic,
 nor will she ever be able to do so.

That seems pretty clear, though I admit Petunia is a
wonderfully likely candidate and certainly the first
person everyone thought of when the subject first came up,
but it seems the idea had been totally and completely shot
down.

A bit of history - JKR was specifically asked if Petunia 
was a Squib. Well, on the surface we can all see what a
flawed question this is. We know Harry's maternal 
grandparents were muggles, that means there is no way
Petunia could be a Squib. And JKR says Petunia is not a
Squib BUT.... That means there is more to the story.

This statement lead to speculation in this group and 
others that JKR answered the question literally so as not
to give way the secret, which we then speculated was - no
Petunia is not a Squib, she is a witch, a muggle-born 
witch. That is the big 'BUT' she spoke of.

JKR tried to squelch the rumor further by stating that 
Petunia was a 'muggle', but was that the absolute truth,
or a play on words? Some of us speculated it might be a
play on words. That truly Petunia is a muggle born of 
muggles which could imply that in the magical sense she
might be a 'muggle-born', in other words, a witch. We 
are good at twists of logic here in this group.

In making the statement quoted above, JKR seems to end
the rumons that it is Petunia who will do magic. Yet,
it doesn't completely end the speculation that Petunia
could be a witch who simply denied that aspect of herself
and refused to go to Hogwarts. The door is still open but
admittedly, just the tiniest of cracks.

Vernon and Dudley have the potential for HUGE humorous
irony if it turns out to be either one of them. But JKR
has said that Dudley is just Dudley and that there 
really isn't anything there other than the obvious.

Vernon seems so unlikely as a person who does magic. At
least there is some foundation for us to speculate on
Petunia, but there is absolutely nothing to even remotely
imply that it could be Vernon. Though, I admit, that 
perhaps this BIG NOTHING in the books is the very clue
we are looking for.

That narrows the likely field down to Mrs. Figg and Mr.
Filch. A agree that Figg is the move favorable character
and is more likely to be around Harry. But considering
how miserable and depressed Filch is, I think I would
feel a definite sympathetic joy if it were him. Mrs.
Figg seems to have carved a very satisfying nitch for
herself in the wizard world. Filch on the other hand 
while he has a nitch in terms of a job, it is a job that
makes him miserable. It is a job that is a constant 
reminder of his own failings. So, again, I think I would
feel some symapathetic joy if it was Filch.

Now to the real question. To determine which of the two is
more likely to produce magic, we must look at another 
seemingly unrelated aspect of the story. To determine if
it is Filch or Figg, we must ask which is MORE likely to 
occur, and attack on Hogwarts or an attack on Privet 
Drive????? Though admitedly some of us think both, but
one remaining book doesn't seem to leave room for both.

So...attack...Hogwarts or Privet Drive. 

The one that is most likely to be attacked, is the one 
the provides the opportunity for our resident Squib to 
be compelled into performing magic. 


> Carol continues:
>
> ... Also, Filch and Figgy genuinely  qualify as being 
> "late in life," whereas Petunia and Vernon are 
> middle-aged. I know that some people read "late in life"
> as "late in developing magic," but the phrases really 
> aren't equivalent. Just use "late in life" in another 
> context and most people will think you mean at age 
> sixty or later.
>  

bboyminn:

Question: Is it 'LATE in life' or is it 'lateR in life'?
LateR in life covers a huge span of time and could 
equally include anyone from Mark Evans to Aunt Petunia 
to Mrs. Figg to some yet to be introduced ancient Squib. 

Though, if the quote is truly 'LATE in life' then I 
agree with Carol that it has to be someone who is well
past middle age. 

In only a years time, we will know the answer - 
Whoo-Hoo! ...or is that Boo Hoo?

Steve/bboyminn