Weasley Cousins (Mafalda) was Filch was Squib

[career advisor]

No: HPFGUIDX 180954

<< snip from Beatrice, emphasis mine>>
The character of Filch is also important to the plot of the novel. 
Filch is an obstacle to the night time wanderings of the trio, he is 
the anthesis and nemesis of the Weasley twins (with whom he is 
frequently at odds) in addition to introducing us to "squibs" who 
are an important class (if you will) in the wizarding world. Thus 
JKR can introduce the idea of squibs early on to Harry and the 
reader. The idea of Squibs is important when we think about Gran's 
initial treatment of Neville and how she supects he "might not be 
magic enough to attend Hogwarts." (SS/PS). Also, Mrs. Figg is a 
squib and Merlop is a kind of squib by default. Merlop may have 
magical ablilities, but she is religated to a squib like state by the 
abuse that she suffers. Also JKR indicated that she originally 
intended to have a cousin of the Weasleys (who would be the daughter 
of a Weasley squib cousin) in the novels. I believe that she was 
supposed to be introduced in GoF? >>

Da Jones here: 

That last bit gave me a brainstorm Beatrice. Does anyone remember when JKR said something to the effect that someone would attempt magic late in life. This was said in an interview by JKR sometime around POA. At this time she still intended to include the Weasley Cousin Mafalda in GOF. A lot of us speculated before DH that this person would be Filch or Figg; but as we all know this didn't happen and later JKR said she changed her mind. 

I expect that this 'change' happened during her rewrite of GOF in which she cut the Mafalda story line and instead created Rita Skeeter. Where do you think the Mafalda story line was orignally planned to go? I think this is all pure spect mainly based on my impressions from the other eventual story lines in the novel and the fact that in retrospect all her romances were pretty transparent. 

1) Mafalda's father the accountant squib was the planned squib who would have performed magic late in life in a desperate attempt to either save his daughter and muggle family from a Death Eater attack in book 7. Or possibly in an effort to save his cousin Arthur who we know was planned to be killed in book 5.    

2)  Mafalda over the course of the series would have gradually become estranged from the Slytherins of her house and gradually come over to the Wealsey's side. She might have sort of made friends with Nott and a few other less rabid Slytherins though. But she would have maintained a whip smart nasty wit throughout and largely sidelined Pansy except as a competitor for Malfoy (see 4 below). She also would have been a member of the inquistorial squad or been a DA member and have been the traitor instead of Marietta.

3) The short but emotional scene in DH where Ginny is trying to comfort the possible dying little girl during the final battle in DH (she seems even younger then Ginny to me), might have been a scrap left over from a scene in which Ginny was trying to comfort her dyiing cousin, who proved her Weasley genes by refusing to leave just like Ginny. 

(A side point: My other theory on this is that it is another tribute by JKR to Natalie MacDonald as the dialogue to me sadly sounds to me like the words of a cancer patient at their last.).

4) She wouldn't have died though as the epilogue would have had be Mafalda Malfoy. Her name is a dead give away that this would have been the case I think. JKR likes to do that with names. 

5) By cutting Mafalda JKR greatly cut the 'Slytherins who fight for Harry' angle and made it much more difficulkt to believe her assertions that Slytherins came back.

6) Conclusion: Although Rita Skeeter is an interesting character inspired by rue events in JKR life, the  series overall greatly suffered due to the lack of the Mafalda storyline. Although like JKR saids Mafalda probably wasn't beleivable in her planned role in GOF because she was to young for the part, this was due I think to JKR not introducing her early enough. The idea was probably sound. Ideally JKR should have brought in her in during COS. and thus made her the same age as Ginny and only one year younger then Malfoy. This would also allow the romance with Malfoy.

It would have been interesting to see Mafalda's reactions to Ginny dispaering. JKR talks about Mafalda being a rival to Hermione, but she would have been much more interesting as a rival to Ginny. Maybe even for a time for Harry affections and Ginny could have perhaps tried to steal Malfoy in revenge. But that'sa ll fan fiction speculation. 

Unless JKR ever does a rewrite of the series (HP 2.0) and she finds a way to work in Mafalda this is all futile spec, but I think Ginny as a character really siffered for the lack of a foil, which Mafalda couild have been. At the conclusion of the novel Ginny seems half complete to me, as even does Draco(he's missing his other half).

Taking out Mafalda might not have been a mistake within GOF due to the circumstances as JKR described them, but I think it was for the overall series. I would love to see JKR post some of Mafalda's deleted scenes on her website. For all her careful planning JKR might have slipped up here. Mopsy on the other hand was a good cut.


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