Arabella Doreen Figg

Arabella Doreen Figg was a Squib who lived in Little Whinging near Harry Potter. Posing as a batty, cat-obsessed old woman, she was secretly a trusted contact of Albus Dumbledore and a member of the reconstituted Order of the Phoenix, tasked with watching over Harry during his childhood with the Dursley family. Her role was crucial in protecting Harry and validating his encounter with Dementors, which saved him from expulsion from Hogwarts.

Mrs. Figg was placed in Wisteria Walk, Little Whinging, by Albus Dumbledore shortly after Harry was left on the Dursleys' doorstep. Her mission was to live as a Muggle and keep a discreet watch over the boy. For ten years, she played the part of an eccentric neighbor. The Dursley family often left Harry in her care when they went out, believing the experience to be a suitable punishment for him. Harry dreaded these visits, which involved looking at endless photographs of her cats and enduring the smell of cabbage. Mrs. Figg deliberately made her home unappealing to Harry to ensure the Dursleys would continue to use her as a babysitter. Her true identity and purpose were dramatically revealed after Harry and Dudley Dursley were attacked by two Dementors in the summer before Harry's fifth year. Mrs. Figg arrived at the scene, displaying a surprising knowledge of the magical world. She furiously berated Mundungus Fletcher, who had been assigned by the Order of the Phoenix to guard Harry but had abandoned his post. She helped a shaken Harry back to Number Four, Privet Drive and explained her role as his guardian. Following the attack, Mrs. Figg provided essential testimony at Harry's disciplinary hearing at the Ministry of Magic. Despite being a Squib and unable to see the Dementors herself, she could feel their chilling effect and was able to accurately describe the feeling of their presence. Her witness account corroborated Harry's story, proving that he had used the Patronus Charm in a life-threatening situation and leading to the clearing of all charges against him. Mrs. Figg later attended the funeral of Albus Dumbledore at Hogwarts, showing her respect for the wizard who had entrusted her with such a vital task.

Mrs. Figg is described as a “batty old lady” with grey, flyaway hair, often worn in a hairnet. She typically dressed in old cardigans and tartan carpet slippers, presenting a frail and eccentric appearance which served as an effective cover. Her personality is twofold. To the Dursleys and, for many years, to Harry, she appeared dotty, slightly senile, and utterly obsessed with her cats. However, her true nature is sharp, responsible, and fiercely loyal to Dumbledore's cause. When her cover is dropped, she is shown to be direct, irritable, and brave, willing to confront both Mundungus Fletcher for his cowardice and the entire Wizengamot to defend Harry.

As a Squib, Arabella Figg was born to at least one magical parent but possesses no magical ability herself. She cannot perform magic or see magical creatures that are invisible to Muggles, such as Dementors. Despite this, she is deeply integrated into the wizarding world. Her primary skill was espionage and surveillance, successfully maintaining her cover for over a decade while protecting Harry. She is also a known and respected breeder of part-Kneazle cats, a business which served as her main link to the magical community and a plausible reason for her unusual correspondence via owl post. Her cats, particularly Mr. Tibbles, also acted as her lookouts.

• Cats: Mrs. Figg's most notable possessions were her numerous cats, which were a crossbreed of regular cats and Kneazles. Known cats include Mr. Tibbles, Snowy, Mr. Paws, and Tufty. Mr. Tibbles played an active role in surveillance, stationing himself under cars to watch the neighborhood and alerting Mrs. Figg to unusual events, such as the Dementor attack.
• String Shopping Bag: She was often seen carrying a string shopping bag, which she once used to trip Harry to get his attention after the Dementor attack.

• Harry Potter: For most of his childhood, Harry disliked Mrs. Figg, viewing her as a boring and slightly weird babysitter. His opinion changed to one of immense gratitude and respect after she revealed her true role and saved him from expulsion.
• Albus Dumbledore: Mrs. Figg was exceptionally loyal to Dumbledore, who trusted her implicitly with the monumental task of watching over Harry.
• Order of the Phoenix: She was a member of the Order during the Second Wizarding War and worked with other members like Mundungus Fletcher, for whom she held deep contempt due to his unreliability.
• The Dursley family: The Dursleys saw Mrs. Figg as a convenient, if eccentric, solution to their “Harry problem.” They remained completely oblivious to her connection to the magical world.

• Arabella: A Latin name meaning “yielding to prayer.” This could allude to her steadfast and prayer-like devotion to her duty of watching over Harry.
• Doreen: An Irish name that can mean “sullen,” reflecting the grumpy, no-nonsense personality she reveals after dropping her cover.
• Figg: The word “fig” can refer to something of little value (as in the phrase “I don't care a fig”), which could be a subtle nod to her status as a Squib, who are often looked down upon in the wizarding world. Additionally, a “fig leaf” is a term for a flimsy or inadequate concealment of something embarrassing or shameful. This perfectly describes her cover persona as a batty old lady, which concealed her true, vital purpose.

• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Mrs. Figg is portrayed by actress Kathryn Hunter.
• J.K. Rowling clarified on Pottermore that while Mrs. Figg was an essential part of Dumbledore's intelligence network during the First Wizarding War, she was not an official member of the original Order of the Phoenix. She was enlisted to move to Little Whinging specifically after the Potters were killed (Pottermore).