Arabella Doreen Figg was a Squib who lived in Little Whinging, a member of the original and reconstituted Order of the Phoenix, and a secret guardian to Harry Potter. Tasked by Albus Dumbledore, she posed as an eccentric, cat-loving Muggle neighbour to watch over Harry during his childhood with the Dursleys. Mrs. Figg played a crucial role in Harry's fifth year, revealing her true identity to him after a Dementor attack and providing vital testimony at his subsequent disciplinary hearing at the Ministry of Magic.
Mrs. Figg was born into a wizarding family but possessed no magical ability, making her a Squib. Despite this, she remained deeply connected to the wizarding world. For over a decade, she lived on Wisteria Walk, two streets from Harry Potter's home on Privet Drive, as part of a mission from Albus Dumbledore. To maintain her cover and ensure the Dursleys would continue to use her as a babysitter, she made her home deliberately uninviting to Harry. He remembered his time there as being filled with the smell of cabbage and endless viewings of photographs of all the cats she had ever owned. Her primary role was surveillance, which she carried out with the help of her cats, some of whom were part-`Kneazle` and acted as her spies. Her true allegiance was revealed in 1995 after Harry and Dudley Dursley were attacked by Dementors. Mrs. Figg arrived at the scene, furious with Mundungus Fletcher for abandoning his guard duty. She helped Harry get home and explained her connection to Dumbledore and the magical world. Shortly thereafter, Mrs. Figg served as a key witness for the defence at Harry's hearing before the Wizengamot. Although Cornelius Fudge attempted to dismiss her testimony due to her status as a Squib, her ability to accurately describe the profound chill and despair caused by Dementors provided crucial corroboration for Harry's story, contributing significantly to his acquittal.
To Harry and her Muggle neighbours, Mrs. Figg presented herself as a “batty old lady.” She was often seen wearing tartan slippers, a hairnet over her grizzled grey hair, and tweed coats, and her house perpetually smelled of cabbage. Beneath this eccentric facade, however, Mrs. Figg was a sharp, loyal, and courageous individual. She was fiercely dedicated to Dumbledore and the Order of the Phoenix. She possessed a stern and irritable side, which she directed at Mundungus Fletcher for his dereliction of duty. She later expressed regret to Harry for having to make his childhood visits so unpleasant, explaining it was a necessary part of her cover.
As a Squib, Arabella Figg could not produce magic or wield a wand. However, she possessed several important skills: