15 underappreciated ladies of Harry Potter

Arabella Figg

Oh, Mrs. Figg. We truly do not deserve you. Arabella Figg is an undercover member of the Order of the Phoenix who watches over Harry whenever his abhorrent aunt and uncle need a babysitter. She has several cats and her house smells of cabbage; Harry describes his afternoons with her as being filled with albums upon albums of cat photos that she insists upon showing him.

Mrs. Figg looks after Harry as a favor for Albus Dumbledore, who placed him in an abusive home to “keep him safe” from Lord Voldemort (sigh). She has no magic herself but wants to help however she can in the war. Thus, she does what she can to make Harry uncomfortable, but not miserable, so that his aunt and uncle will know he doesn’t like staying with her and send him there whenever necessary.

It’s … distressing that Mrs. Figg went along with Dumbledore’s frankly abusive plan for keeping Harry safe. However, the fact that she tried to check on him while he was with the Dursleys when Dumbledore couldn’t be bothered makes her worthy of some (tentative) praise. Besides which, she helps Harry and Dudley after they’re attacked by a Dementor in Little Whinging, and is as open about things as she can be from that point.

Mrs. Figg is one of many underappreciated ladies in the Potter-verse. The narrative shoves her into a box. However, seeing her become more involved — even if only briefly — in the war effort during Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix felt really good as a reader. The gross “crazy cat lady” stereotype is old and ableist and it’s great to see Mrs. Figg break that mold. I only wish we had gotten to see more of her.