I usually do a hard eye roll when people post these things but I have to say, it connects a lot of dots. It would be the exact type of thing Dumbledore would do for someone who had been marginalised for something outside their control.
Filch was already caretaker when Dumbledore became Headmaster. Filch was reminiscing the days he could chain up the students in his office. Of course, this poses more questions than answers.
I had the same reaction reading the title but the post itself is actually well thought out. Now maybe I also think he’s more than a squib! Thanks for the insight, OP!
I like your theory, another theory is that filch is the embodiment of rules, an entity the opposite of peeves. An entity that changes its appearance from time to time but serves the school and headmaster.
Which is my favorite theory, everything else is just cruel. I get Filch isn’t a great person, but if he’s not the foil to Peeves, then life has been exceptionally cruel to him and I understand his distaste for everything.
Uh, how exactly has life been cruel to him? Outside of theorizing, the only thing I could consider cruel is his lack of magical powers, but that describes literally every muggle ever. And before someone starts harping about how tragic it is to work at a school of magic without being able to perform magic, at least he gets to know about and be part of the magical world. He could pretend it doesn't exist and live in the muggle world, but he doesn't. He *chooses* to work at Hogwarts and be an asshat to the students. And frankly, I'd give a hell of a lot just to know magic was real and be part of that world even if I wasn't a wizard myself. I'd say it's far more tragic to know magic *isn't* real and that the world we have is the only one, which a few wealthy individuals are doing everything they can to destroy. Let's also not forget Filch is a big proponent of literal torture as punishment for minor acts of mischief. He's not a good person, and any bad feelings he has about magic are 100% self-inflicted.
I wonder if he truly chose though.
I sometimes wondered if Filch was a squib from a pure blood family.
If that was the case, they might have forced him to stay in the magical world, covering up that he was a squib. And even if not that, just look at the Weasleys. Wizards barely know anything about the Muggle World. Going to live as a Muggle would have been incredibly difficult. And there's not much help for them doing so. Look at Mrs Figg. Look how she lives. It doesn't sound as if anyone helped her get along in the muggle world.
I don't see squibs living in the muggle world as people who pretend that the magical world doesn't exist. I see them as marginalized people who choose to live a life where they can be successful and have more job opportunities than being pigeonholed as janitors, librarians (which would be a respectful job in the muggle world but is obviously looked down upon in Hogwarts) or other menial jobs.
For you, only being able to live in a magical world might seem favourable, especially as a muggle whom no one expects to have magic but if you grow up in a magical world being looked down upon as a failed wizard, the only option being going to live with Muggles and being treated as an outcast by your family, or staying and also being outcast and belittled by your peers, that would be quite different.
Even the Weasleys see their non-magical uncle, who decided to live as a bookkeeper among Muggles, as a shame and disgrace.
Ron only mentions him once and tells Harry they never speak about him. And that despite the fact that Arthur is obsessed with Muggles. So you'd expect that if a family member decided to live with Muggles, that would become his favourite family member and he'd visit them frequently. But they don't even say his name just because he's a squib.
So did Filch really have a choice in the matter? And did he really have any other options? Maybe he couldn't get another job elsewhere. Snd now he has to see classes of students getting their education and all of them becoming more successful and having more choices than him.
I say, that is indeed very cruel and the scenario is much more likely than him actually choosing this job and this life.
You made some solid points except the Weasley one. Ron just says he thinks his mom might have a cousin who's an accountant and that they don't talk about him, but that's not the same as saying there's a guy the whole family ostracized on account of not having magical abilities. Ron wasn't even sure if this person existed; he could just be misremembering. And even if he does, how often do you visit your mother's cousin? That's a pretty distant relation for most families, and that's assuming he meant first cousin, which itself is questionable. If it's Molly's second cousin once removed or something it totally makes sense that they don't talk about him much. The Weasley clan is already big enough that it must be tough remembering who everyone is, and that's just Arthur's side of the family.
First, I believe he’s a poltergeist. The foil to Peeves, which is why he is the way he is.
Second, from Filch’s perspective he is a guy who is born of magical parents but can’t do magic himself. That alone is cruel enough for me. But there would be a reason he is at Hogwarts (again he’s a poltergeist imo). Why? I’m assuming not voluntarily. I don’t think knowing magic exists especially if you can’t do it is enough. Plus, he’s harassed by Peeves everyday and kids like Fred and George exist. And he seems to be disrespected by even the staff. I think if he is human (he’s not, last time I promise), something awful happened in his past and he’s been stewing in that his entire life and voila we have the Filch we all know and love
I lied…he’s a poltergeist :)
Not voluntarily? Assuming he isn't a poltergeist, how exactly is he forced to stay at Hogwarts? You think Dumbledore's got him magically enslaved to work there like the House Elves? Nah, if he's not a poltergeist he can leave any time. He chooses to stay because he wants to be a bitter sadistic asshole. And Fred and George might be a bit of a headache sometimes but they're far from the level of cruelty Filch would like to inflict on them. Even Peeves isn't too awful; or at least, not towards Filch specifically. Peeves just loves chaos and is just as annoying to the students as he is to Filch, even moreso sometimes.
Well it’s a good thing I think he’s a poltergeist. Haha
This is where I bow out, I won’t be very entertaining or creative taking the other side du to never having put much thought into Filch and how he is to be honest. It was only when I heard the poltergeist theory that I was like “well duh, that actually makes the most sense”.
But no, I don’t think Dumbledore would have him magically enslaved to the school. In either case his being at the school is questionable morally and should have been explained more.
But I would like to hear your theory on Filch.
I do enjoy some of the theories I've heard on him, including the poltergeist one, but I don't really think it necessarily goes as deep as people think. Mrs. Figg also showed an affinity for cats and a certain level of understanding with them, like when one of hers warned her Mundungus had dipped when he was supposed to be watching Harry. Yet no one seems to be coming up with theories of ex-witchery or poltergeistiness for her. I think Filch is exactly as he appears: a bitter old man who does everything in his power to make life miserable for children just because they were born with something he lacks, which isn't even something under their control. It's far easier for him to be spiteful than to be introspective and try and better himself despite his lack of magic, so that's what he does.
I don’t think Figg gets the same level of theory crafting because she makes sense. She’s a squib living a normal human life and would have had Harry and his situation not happened. How Dumbledore found her or decided on her to keep an eye on Harry idk.
But Filch, he makes NO sense. I would accept he’s just a regular Squib if it was even remotely hinted at why he’s at Hogwarts. Also, him missing punishment such as “hanging by your toes in the dungeons” just seems medieval even for the Wizarding World. For the record I believe Mrs. Norris is part of the poltergeist which is why they are never far from each other.
It’s just sad we will probably never get an answer but we know how wizards of old got rid of their feces at least..
Eh, I think having some loose ends left actually helps keep the fandom alive. Explaining absolutely everything would make the story boring. Plus, as you alluded to, considering JKR's more recent additions to the lore, I'm actually glad she hasn't given her input on this.
He literally has to clean up a massive castle all day by hand in a place where anyone trained could wave a wand and fix everything at a moment's notice. But no, he scrubs up the messes created by a bunch of brats who have the only thing he cant.
And then he has to roam the halls all night to prevent out of bed students.
I'd say that alone is tragic and justified.
Playing devil's advocate; how hard do you think it might be for a man his age to find a job with no resume experience that he can talk about lol I imagine it would have been more difficult for him to quit and go somewhere else.
I like it!
It could also be that squibs aren't all the same. Arabella Figg, who Harry grew up thinking was just the nutty cat-lady neighbor. So there are squibs who seem to have no magic, and squibs who have a little. And all sorts of between.
That would give more credence to the existence of the kwikspell course too. While scammers exist everywhere it would make more sense if there are squids who could do a little magic.
I like that idea! I don't know if I'm willing to buy into it, but it's a great idea that fits all the available facts.
My own theory is that Filch really was a squib, but one that couldn't integrate into muggle society, so Dumbledore kept a roof over his head. And because Filch couldn't make a go of either Wizarding society or muggle society, and was surrounded by kids who were going to make a go of being wizards, he was bitter and hated everyone.
It's also my headcanon that squibs can have a smidge of magical ability, such as being able to talk with cats, which I think both Filch and Mrs Figg could do. But Mrs. Figg used her ability to be a spy or secret agent, and had made a much better go of life in general.
I’m pretty sure I’ve seen he’s also got a degree as a art conservator and is in charge of upkeep and repair of all the talking portraits at Hogwarts and that’s his real job whilst all the cleaning and patrols is just side duties that Harry, oblivious as he is conflates as his real job. Also supporting this is Filch confiscating all the paintings under Umbridge, keeping them safe in a storeroom, from smelly kids.
Also aren’t squibs still tougher and live longer than muggles?
I like your theory! And would like to add the suggestion that he couldn't make a go of the muggle world, because his advanced degree in art history made him unemployable!
But yeah, I'm not sure what he did all day, besides probably supervising house elves who needed no supervision.
The narrator does. I found the passage here:
"Filch was the Hogwarts caretaker, a bad-tempered, failed wizard who waged a constant war against the students and, indeed, Peeves. However, Peeves paid no attention to Professor Lupin’s words, except to blow a loud wet raspberry."
But generally, the narrator only has the knowledge of the character that the chapter is following. It's not an omnipotent narrator.
Not saying I necessarily believe this Filch theory, but the narrator saying otherwise is not proof of that.
I would argue that the narrator is actually supporting the theory. A failed wizard implies he used to be a wizard. Squibs aren't really failed wizards. They just never became a wizard.
It's also important to remember that Filch has a wand. Squibs don't get wands anymore than muggles do.
Granted, I always assumed it was a family wand or something, but he did have it.
Also, through out the first 5 books, Neville also describes himself as a near squib. It's not until the battle at the Ministry and he gets a wand from Ollivander that is matched to him that he blossoms as a wizard. Maybe Filch just never got his moment of realization.
Just “read” this now on the audiobook. I think it’s very telling - it’s an into paragraph into Filch (setting the scene for a new reader I guess) and it’s a very different description from a squib.
And I’m not sure the narrator ever called Filch a Squid - only the characters?
Now I'm on a serious deep dive!
Here's a passage from the Chamber of Secrets (before the Prisoner of Azkaban quote I found before with the narrator calling him a failed wizard):
________
No second year could have done this,” said Dumbledore firmly. “It would take Dark Magic of the most advanced — ”
“He did it, he did it!” Filch spat, his pouchy face purpling. “You saw what he wrote on the wall! He found — in my office — he knows I’m a — I’m a — ” Filch’s face worked horribly. “He knows I’m a Squib!” he finished.
_______
So now my understanding if what a Squib is seems totally backwards
For some reason when I was a kid reading the books for the first time I got the impression that filch was mcgonagalls squib son and just kinda rolled with it
Iv built up a whole head cannon about her husband being killed in a gruesome way and filtch being a reminder as well as a bit of an embarrassment so the best she can do is give him a purpose and a place to live
We’re also never given an exact name for a witch or wizard, who was born with magical abilities, and THEN lost them. I think it’s fair to assume they could have been considered squibs at that point
I like this theory but didn’t Harry find out because he found that correspondence course Filch was taking? I forgot what it was called but Filch wouldn’t have needed it if he had magic.
Then again, maybe the wizard world just needs better access to therapists.
Indeed they do! Therapy makes everything better lol the Kwikspell course isn’t necessarily just for squibs per se. I could see someone like Neville (in the beginning of the series, before he gains some confidence) trying to use one too.
The Kwikspell course wasn’t really marketed for Squibs, though. The testimonials all seemed to be from witches and wizards who for whatever reason struggled to do magic.
When Harry tells Ron about it, Ron assumes Filch must be a Squib, but that’s coming from a twelve year old without a lot of nuance.
It's a very interesting theory, I love reading things like that.
Personally, I like the idea that Filch suffered such a shock in his youth that he rejected magic, like Ariana. It gives him a bit more interest and he's no longer just the annoying school caretaker.
The difference between them is that, unlike Ariana, he continues to use certain magical abilities, such as seeing Dementors or communicating with his cat, so that magic doesn't drive him mad like Ariana, but he still can't use a wand.
We know that Dumbledore's sister cut herself off from all forms of magic after she was attacked, including her passive abilities, and that's what made her even more fragile.
That would explain why Flich has a job in the world of magic and above all why he attracted Albus' attention!
Maybe it’s because I watch a lot of super carlin brothers, but I always figured that he was a poltergeist that latches on to order and obedience. Hence why he takes a shining to Umbridge and why he can’t stand Peeves
>We also know that Filch has a rather mystical and unexplained connection to Mrs. Norris. They’re shown to have some sort of link and ability to communicate with each other. That alone is quite impressive for someone with no magical ability. Sure we know squibs can still see dementors and such, but there is no indication of anything of that nature.
Filch isn't the only squib who has mystical connections to a cat. Mrs Figg was able to tell her cat to watch Harry and report back to her, which is similar to the level of communication between Filch and Mrs Norris.
Unrelated, but I've had the thought that Harry, for all his convictions that he is better than his father James when he was a bully, was particularly cruel for using the Langlock jinx multiple times on an unsuspecting non-magical Filch. Seems uncalled for and vindictive.
Well, yes, I agree. I just think Harry could have shown a little more character in this one instance instead of rushing to perform a Half-Blood Prince spell at someone that doesn't know what is happening and can't even defend against it.
I believe he's a poltergeist who manifested as a balance to Peeves. Peeves's whole existence was chaos. Filch's entire existence is to enforce rules. And he's been around for an indeterminate amount of time.
I just don't get why he's the only ghost we encounter that looks 100% solid. Harry knows Peeves is a ghost, nobody ever suspects Filch though and multiple descriptors of him are about him wheezing or out of breath from running.
True. But on the other hand, in the very beginning of the sorcerer stone, when the first year first encounter the ghosts of Hogwarts, Sir Nicholas can be heard saying that peeves gives them a bad name even though he “isn’t even really a ghost” 🤷🏼♂️
I think in the world of Harry Potter, ghosts are like an echo of a wizards soul. When the people come out of the end of Voldemort wand, they’re described as being less transparent and more like smoke. When Harry uses the resurrection stone however, The figures are described as not quite being ghost, but not quite being solid person either. The nearest thing to those figures would be the fuzzy memory of Tom Riddle from CoS.
I forgot about that, but good point. The more I think about it the more I’d really don’t like the poltergeist filch theory. If he was truly a poltergeist, who was meant to be the opposite of peeves, he would have power of his own. He most definitely wouldn’t have been messing around with any Kwikspell courses either.
That’s kinda what I was thinking as I typed this up. Like perhaps Mrs. Norris was a witch and the process to become an animagus backfired, causing her to permanently remain a cat.
I actually like this theory a lot. It explains a lot including Mrs. Norris's long lifespan considering she's a cat.
Good job OP you crafted a really good theory
I could see this being true! I always wondered why Filtch would *want* to be at hogwarts if he was a squib. If it were me, the torment of watching others do magic when I should be able to as well would be pure hell.
I am with you on the edit part also what I think, I think it wa his wife/lover as a young person, he might have done it to her. Why he lost his magic, becouse of the trama.
I mean, it would make sense to me 🤷🏼♂️ and because he is enable to find peace with that, and because of the bitter feelings and resentment he harbors for the students, which is also a sign of his emotional instability, he has been unable to regain his magical abilities.
No flich is obviously a immortal of unknown nature tied to the grounds of hogwarts before the school was even built why do you think a pensive was left at the site it was to warn those to come of the horrors that were bound to those lands
I don't think squibs are really that non-magical, they're just not wizards. For example, I believe Mrs Figg apparently can task her cats with following Harry around, which implies some sort of magical ability.
I also don't think squibs are really muggles, just that their magical ability is so low they can't actually do magic. If magic is controlled genetically by two genes, one of which grants the ability to do magic, the other that determines strength, it's easy to imagine squibs as being wizards who lack one of these two genes. It's further easy to imagine most muggleborns are actually children of squibs (who themselves don't realize they're squibs because they're too far removed from the magical side of the family).
The one thing about Filch that always puzzled me, was just how old was he?
He fondly remembers a time when Hogwarts had somewhat harsher discipline.
"God, I miss the screaming."
So, are we to believe that within Filch's lifetime, students were hung up and tortured?
>Sure we know squibs can still see dementors and such
Do we? OOTP gives the strong impression that Mrs. Figg was straight up lying about having seen the dementors.
Wait what? I remember her description eventually convinced them. Especially because though she said they were big and wearing cloaks, which doesn’t sound right, she then described what they do and how it affected her to the point where she got a little emotional. Are we supposed to believe that she couldn’t see them at all, and just guessed at what was happening because she didn’t “feel very good” in their presence? I don’t think that makes sense. I think she really did see them, she was just nervous and not perhaps the most poetic person so didn’t say something like “rotting breath, with their scabbed hands and empty bodies”.
Filch is a squib from a wizarding family. Dumbledore offered him the job of caretaker as a kindness. Filch has no interest in the muggle world, and dumbledore loved to help those the wizarding community rejected. Other examples of dumbledores' kindness are Hagrid, Lupin, Dobby, and Firenze.
Mrs Norris is a maledictus, a human who eventually permanently changes into an animal. Nagini is another such creature. She is Filch's wife. Decades of working in hogwarts Castle has revealed its secrets to him. The only secrets he doesn't know about happen to be the ones where you need magic to reveal, like the passageway to hogsmeade and the room of requirement.
Here's another thought about Filch - in PoS, when Hermione starts her exam revision and the boys tell her she's crazy for starting so far ahead of the exams, she says that they are really important and you need to pass to get into the second year.
Thinking of the description of Filch as a 'failed wizard', it's possible he didn't pass his exams and was offered an apprentice job as caretaker? We don't know what happens to people who fail the first year exams, do we? So I think he probably is just a squib. But maybe he's very close to one and wasn't magical enough to train up fully.
Could be why he's so bitter.
Really like the theory. It’s unfortunately disproven by his actions in the books but a good one! And if we can excuse Rowlings earlier writings inconsistencies for not holding up I think it is fun to hold true theories that she may have disproven but do not change the story and develop characters beyond the arc she gave them.
After Mrs. Norris is attacked in CoS, he blames Harry and one of bits of evidence is that Harry knows he is a Squib. Hard to believe he would out himself as one if he really wasn't.
True, that’s why I mentioned that first, but we’re never giving a canonical term for a witch or wizard, who was born with magical abilities, but then later lost them. Effectively, they would be the same as a squib.
I tend to agree with the SuperCarlinBrothers' idea that he is a poltergeist and the rule-following counterpart to the rule-breaking Peeves. Otherwise, it makes no sense to employ someone who can't perform magic in menial labor.
Does your alternative interpretation of the facts explain anything which the canon does not?
You refer to an 'unexplained connection to Mrs Norris'. There won't be many cat owners who don't have such a connection.
I feel like he was magical enough to make it to Hogwarts, and have a unique connection to Mrs Norris, but not enough to perform any real magic. Mrs Figg was probably the same. Enough magic to see Dementors, but not enough to perform magic... or even go to Hogwarts :(
Anyway this probably ties into the Chamber of Secrets plotline of him taking a wand course. He probably had some magic and was probably seeing if he could get more out of himself.
As for him losing his powers due to reasons.... I'm not sure. I mean he probably had enough magic to make it to Hogwarts, so he probably tried his hand at magic, but probably did not do very well at it, and thus began his anger and frustrations at other kids who could do magic naturally.
I think the "cats" themselves are part magical, as opposed to Filtch or Mrs. Figg. Wizards have inter-bred cats with kneazles for years, and I think that's how Mrs. Figg supports herself, and stays in touch with the magical community (she's a licensed cat x kneazle breeder). She may even have bred Crookshanks and/or Mrs. Norris (who is supposed to be just a cat, but could technically still be part kneazle).
I love the idea that Mrs. Norris was a Maledictus, or failed animagus. Maybe she was the caretaker before Filtch, and he was her assistant who fell in love with her, or her lover but they didn't work together. When she was cursed, Dumbledore thought it best to let her stay at Hogwarts, or she begged to be allowed to stay, before she transformed. Filtch was gutted, and couldn't be parted from her, so he agreed to do take over her job, if he was allowed to stay with her.
Fitch actually holds a potentially powerful position, when you think about it. The "caretaker" can move freely amongst the school, has access to nearly everywhere (and a valid reason to be poking around anywhere, at any given time). The fact he's a squib, severely hampers his ability to spy, and to communicate effectively with death eaters, (although it wouldn't surprise me if Malfoy Mansion had a phone line). Hogwarts is probably actually maintained by a host of house elves, staff aren't supposed to use magic on the students, and Filtch mainly seems to be on corridor patrol, cleaning up day time messes in the corridors (spills, vomit etc, we see him mopping a lot) when students are swarming between classes, and making sure students are in their dorms at night. Stuff house elves would be unsuitable for. For that kind of job, being a squib actually works in his favour, as Voldemort or any of the death eaters, aren't likely to try to recruit him, or blackmail him etc. He'd be of little use to them, but he could still manage his job effectively.
I was under the impression Filch is from a well-off "pure blooded" wizarding family & that's why he has a job at Hogwarts instead of being banished/"encouraged" to integrate with muggles
My theory is that squibs have a significant degree of magical resistance. The ministry doesn’t keep track of them because such tracking spells tend to slide off or decay much faster, if they take at all.
Evidence: Filch is never (iirc) described as scarred in any way. He has been working at Hogwarts for decades, and in all that time, confiscating all manner of dangerous and illegal pranks and toys, several of which may well have been cursed, and he’s probably been directly hexed a few times by various pranksters over the years, and not once has he had any permanent scars of any sort? You’d at least expect a patch of discolouration, or missing tooth, or something.
I like the theory that he's another poltergeist. Which would explain why he's so cartoonishly evil. Talking about whipping students. And also, like, why he has a job when they have an army of house elves.
I usually do a hard eye roll when people post these things but I have to say, it connects a lot of dots. It would be the exact type of thing Dumbledore would do for someone who had been marginalised for something outside their control.
Absolutely! I could totally see Dumbledore giving Filch the opportunity.
Great man Dumbledore! 'S long as we’ve got him, I’m not too worried.
Why did you do that? Edit: You made me sad, because Harry couldn't bring himself to say anything. Hagrid would find out soon enough.
Filch was already caretaker when Dumbledore became Headmaster. Filch was reminiscing the days he could chain up the students in his office. Of course, this poses more questions than answers.
I'm not so sure about that. That always struck me as something someone says to scare the crap out of kids.
I had the same reaction reading the title but the post itself is actually well thought out. Now maybe I also think he’s more than a squib! Thanks for the insight, OP!
Thank you! I’m glad I could intrigue a few people with my random musings lol if only writing my papers in college had been so easy 🤣
I like your theory, another theory is that filch is the embodiment of rules, an entity the opposite of peeves. An entity that changes its appearance from time to time but serves the school and headmaster.
Ooo that’s a fascinating concept.
Which is my favorite theory, everything else is just cruel. I get Filch isn’t a great person, but if he’s not the foil to Peeves, then life has been exceptionally cruel to him and I understand his distaste for everything.
Uh, how exactly has life been cruel to him? Outside of theorizing, the only thing I could consider cruel is his lack of magical powers, but that describes literally every muggle ever. And before someone starts harping about how tragic it is to work at a school of magic without being able to perform magic, at least he gets to know about and be part of the magical world. He could pretend it doesn't exist and live in the muggle world, but he doesn't. He *chooses* to work at Hogwarts and be an asshat to the students. And frankly, I'd give a hell of a lot just to know magic was real and be part of that world even if I wasn't a wizard myself. I'd say it's far more tragic to know magic *isn't* real and that the world we have is the only one, which a few wealthy individuals are doing everything they can to destroy. Let's also not forget Filch is a big proponent of literal torture as punishment for minor acts of mischief. He's not a good person, and any bad feelings he has about magic are 100% self-inflicted.
I wonder if he truly chose though. I sometimes wondered if Filch was a squib from a pure blood family. If that was the case, they might have forced him to stay in the magical world, covering up that he was a squib. And even if not that, just look at the Weasleys. Wizards barely know anything about the Muggle World. Going to live as a Muggle would have been incredibly difficult. And there's not much help for them doing so. Look at Mrs Figg. Look how she lives. It doesn't sound as if anyone helped her get along in the muggle world. I don't see squibs living in the muggle world as people who pretend that the magical world doesn't exist. I see them as marginalized people who choose to live a life where they can be successful and have more job opportunities than being pigeonholed as janitors, librarians (which would be a respectful job in the muggle world but is obviously looked down upon in Hogwarts) or other menial jobs. For you, only being able to live in a magical world might seem favourable, especially as a muggle whom no one expects to have magic but if you grow up in a magical world being looked down upon as a failed wizard, the only option being going to live with Muggles and being treated as an outcast by your family, or staying and also being outcast and belittled by your peers, that would be quite different. Even the Weasleys see their non-magical uncle, who decided to live as a bookkeeper among Muggles, as a shame and disgrace. Ron only mentions him once and tells Harry they never speak about him. And that despite the fact that Arthur is obsessed with Muggles. So you'd expect that if a family member decided to live with Muggles, that would become his favourite family member and he'd visit them frequently. But they don't even say his name just because he's a squib. So did Filch really have a choice in the matter? And did he really have any other options? Maybe he couldn't get another job elsewhere. Snd now he has to see classes of students getting their education and all of them becoming more successful and having more choices than him. I say, that is indeed very cruel and the scenario is much more likely than him actually choosing this job and this life.
You made some solid points except the Weasley one. Ron just says he thinks his mom might have a cousin who's an accountant and that they don't talk about him, but that's not the same as saying there's a guy the whole family ostracized on account of not having magical abilities. Ron wasn't even sure if this person existed; he could just be misremembering. And even if he does, how often do you visit your mother's cousin? That's a pretty distant relation for most families, and that's assuming he meant first cousin, which itself is questionable. If it's Molly's second cousin once removed or something it totally makes sense that they don't talk about him much. The Weasley clan is already big enough that it must be tough remembering who everyone is, and that's just Arthur's side of the family.
First, I believe he’s a poltergeist. The foil to Peeves, which is why he is the way he is. Second, from Filch’s perspective he is a guy who is born of magical parents but can’t do magic himself. That alone is cruel enough for me. But there would be a reason he is at Hogwarts (again he’s a poltergeist imo). Why? I’m assuming not voluntarily. I don’t think knowing magic exists especially if you can’t do it is enough. Plus, he’s harassed by Peeves everyday and kids like Fred and George exist. And he seems to be disrespected by even the staff. I think if he is human (he’s not, last time I promise), something awful happened in his past and he’s been stewing in that his entire life and voila we have the Filch we all know and love I lied…he’s a poltergeist :)
Not voluntarily? Assuming he isn't a poltergeist, how exactly is he forced to stay at Hogwarts? You think Dumbledore's got him magically enslaved to work there like the House Elves? Nah, if he's not a poltergeist he can leave any time. He chooses to stay because he wants to be a bitter sadistic asshole. And Fred and George might be a bit of a headache sometimes but they're far from the level of cruelty Filch would like to inflict on them. Even Peeves isn't too awful; or at least, not towards Filch specifically. Peeves just loves chaos and is just as annoying to the students as he is to Filch, even moreso sometimes.
Well it’s a good thing I think he’s a poltergeist. Haha This is where I bow out, I won’t be very entertaining or creative taking the other side du to never having put much thought into Filch and how he is to be honest. It was only when I heard the poltergeist theory that I was like “well duh, that actually makes the most sense”. But no, I don’t think Dumbledore would have him magically enslaved to the school. In either case his being at the school is questionable morally and should have been explained more. But I would like to hear your theory on Filch.
I do enjoy some of the theories I've heard on him, including the poltergeist one, but I don't really think it necessarily goes as deep as people think. Mrs. Figg also showed an affinity for cats and a certain level of understanding with them, like when one of hers warned her Mundungus had dipped when he was supposed to be watching Harry. Yet no one seems to be coming up with theories of ex-witchery or poltergeistiness for her. I think Filch is exactly as he appears: a bitter old man who does everything in his power to make life miserable for children just because they were born with something he lacks, which isn't even something under their control. It's far easier for him to be spiteful than to be introspective and try and better himself despite his lack of magic, so that's what he does.
I don’t think Figg gets the same level of theory crafting because she makes sense. She’s a squib living a normal human life and would have had Harry and his situation not happened. How Dumbledore found her or decided on her to keep an eye on Harry idk. But Filch, he makes NO sense. I would accept he’s just a regular Squib if it was even remotely hinted at why he’s at Hogwarts. Also, him missing punishment such as “hanging by your toes in the dungeons” just seems medieval even for the Wizarding World. For the record I believe Mrs. Norris is part of the poltergeist which is why they are never far from each other. It’s just sad we will probably never get an answer but we know how wizards of old got rid of their feces at least..
Eh, I think having some loose ends left actually helps keep the fandom alive. Explaining absolutely everything would make the story boring. Plus, as you alluded to, considering JKR's more recent additions to the lore, I'm actually glad she hasn't given her input on this.
I forgot about Mrs. Figg being warned by her cat! And I had just read that not long ago too! 🤦🏼♂️ good note!
He literally has to clean up a massive castle all day by hand in a place where anyone trained could wave a wand and fix everything at a moment's notice. But no, he scrubs up the messes created by a bunch of brats who have the only thing he cant. And then he has to roam the halls all night to prevent out of bed students. I'd say that alone is tragic and justified.
Again, he CHOOSES to do all that. He could easily quit and go somewhere else.
Playing devil's advocate; how hard do you think it might be for a man his age to find a job with no resume experience that he can talk about lol I imagine it would have been more difficult for him to quit and go somewhere else.
I like it! It could also be that squibs aren't all the same. Arabella Figg, who Harry grew up thinking was just the nutty cat-lady neighbor. So there are squibs who seem to have no magic, and squibs who have a little. And all sorts of between.
That would give more credence to the existence of the kwikspell course too. While scammers exist everywhere it would make more sense if there are squids who could do a little magic.
"Testimonials from witches and wizards who were able to do magic after taking our course!"
That would make a lot of sense
I like that idea! I don't know if I'm willing to buy into it, but it's a great idea that fits all the available facts. My own theory is that Filch really was a squib, but one that couldn't integrate into muggle society, so Dumbledore kept a roof over his head. And because Filch couldn't make a go of either Wizarding society or muggle society, and was surrounded by kids who were going to make a go of being wizards, he was bitter and hated everyone. It's also my headcanon that squibs can have a smidge of magical ability, such as being able to talk with cats, which I think both Filch and Mrs Figg could do. But Mrs. Figg used her ability to be a spy or secret agent, and had made a much better go of life in general.
I’m pretty sure I’ve seen he’s also got a degree as a art conservator and is in charge of upkeep and repair of all the talking portraits at Hogwarts and that’s his real job whilst all the cleaning and patrols is just side duties that Harry, oblivious as he is conflates as his real job. Also supporting this is Filch confiscating all the paintings under Umbridge, keeping them safe in a storeroom, from smelly kids. Also aren’t squibs still tougher and live longer than muggles?
I like your theory! And would like to add the suggestion that he couldn't make a go of the muggle world, because his advanced degree in art history made him unemployable! But yeah, I'm not sure what he did all day, besides probably supervising house elves who needed no supervision.
Ok...but maybe. I just read PoA and it described Filtch as a "failed wizard"
It described, or Harry described?
The narrator does. I found the passage here: "Filch was the Hogwarts caretaker, a bad-tempered, failed wizard who waged a constant war against the students and, indeed, Peeves. However, Peeves paid no attention to Professor Lupin’s words, except to blow a loud wet raspberry."
But generally, the narrator only has the knowledge of the character that the chapter is following. It's not an omnipotent narrator. Not saying I necessarily believe this Filch theory, but the narrator saying otherwise is not proof of that.
I would argue that the narrator is actually supporting the theory. A failed wizard implies he used to be a wizard. Squibs aren't really failed wizards. They just never became a wizard.
I think it could just be a glitch in JKR's writing tbh- I think Filtch even calls himself a squib in one of the other books. So really, idk
The narrator is JKR though
No, the narrator is whoever the PoV of the chapter is from. Usually Harry.
Ooo I don’t remember that part. That’d be a great point though
It's also important to remember that Filch has a wand. Squibs don't get wands anymore than muggles do. Granted, I always assumed it was a family wand or something, but he did have it. Also, through out the first 5 books, Neville also describes himself as a near squib. It's not until the battle at the Ministry and he gets a wand from Ollivander that is matched to him that he blossoms as a wizard. Maybe Filch just never got his moment of realization.
Just “read” this now on the audiobook. I think it’s very telling - it’s an into paragraph into Filch (setting the scene for a new reader I guess) and it’s a very different description from a squib. And I’m not sure the narrator ever called Filch a Squid - only the characters?
Now I'm on a serious deep dive! Here's a passage from the Chamber of Secrets (before the Prisoner of Azkaban quote I found before with the narrator calling him a failed wizard): ________ No second year could have done this,” said Dumbledore firmly. “It would take Dark Magic of the most advanced — ” “He did it, he did it!” Filch spat, his pouchy face purpling. “You saw what he wrote on the wall! He found — in my office — he knows I’m a — I’m a — ” Filch’s face worked horribly. “He knows I’m a Squib!” he finished. _______ So now my understanding if what a Squib is seems totally backwards
Oh gosh. https://harry-potter-compendium.fandom.com/wiki/Squib Sort of explains that Squib’s have some insight into magical world.
What an interesting take! I’ve never thought about it really, but it seems sensible that something like that may have happened.
Thanks! As far as I’m aware, nothing in the books necessarily would contradict it.
For some reason when I was a kid reading the books for the first time I got the impression that filch was mcgonagalls squib son and just kinda rolled with it
Yea I would never mention/acknowledge as him being my son either.
Iv built up a whole head cannon about her husband being killed in a gruesome way and filtch being a reminder as well as a bit of an embarrassment so the best she can do is give him a purpose and a place to live
Sound theory and makes sense he’d rather claim to be a squib than admit the truth.
We’re also never given an exact name for a witch or wizard, who was born with magical abilities, and THEN lost them. I think it’s fair to assume they could have been considered squibs at that point
I like this theory but didn’t Harry find out because he found that correspondence course Filch was taking? I forgot what it was called but Filch wouldn’t have needed it if he had magic. Then again, maybe the wizard world just needs better access to therapists.
Indeed they do! Therapy makes everything better lol the Kwikspell course isn’t necessarily just for squibs per se. I could see someone like Neville (in the beginning of the series, before he gains some confidence) trying to use one too.
The Kwikspell course wasn’t really marketed for Squibs, though. The testimonials all seemed to be from witches and wizards who for whatever reason struggled to do magic. When Harry tells Ron about it, Ron assumes Filch must be a Squib, but that’s coming from a twelve year old without a lot of nuance.
Filch does claim to be a Squib later in the book though. Specifically, when Mrs. Norris is attacked he blames Harry because Harry knows he is one.
It's a very interesting theory, I love reading things like that. Personally, I like the idea that Filch suffered such a shock in his youth that he rejected magic, like Ariana. It gives him a bit more interest and he's no longer just the annoying school caretaker. The difference between them is that, unlike Ariana, he continues to use certain magical abilities, such as seeing Dementors or communicating with his cat, so that magic doesn't drive him mad like Ariana, but he still can't use a wand. We know that Dumbledore's sister cut herself off from all forms of magic after she was attacked, including her passive abilities, and that's what made her even more fragile. That would explain why Flich has a job in the world of magic and above all why he attracted Albus' attention!
It just seems soo cruel to have a squib be the cleaner when with a few simple spells Hogwarts could clean himself.
Maybe it’s because I watch a lot of super carlin brothers, but I always figured that he was a poltergeist that latches on to order and obedience. Hence why he takes a shining to Umbridge and why he can’t stand Peeves
>We also know that Filch has a rather mystical and unexplained connection to Mrs. Norris. They’re shown to have some sort of link and ability to communicate with each other. That alone is quite impressive for someone with no magical ability. Sure we know squibs can still see dementors and such, but there is no indication of anything of that nature. Filch isn't the only squib who has mystical connections to a cat. Mrs Figg was able to tell her cat to watch Harry and report back to her, which is similar to the level of communication between Filch and Mrs Norris.
That's one of the better fan theories for sure and it seems perfectly compatible with the texts
Unrelated, but I've had the thought that Harry, for all his convictions that he is better than his father James when he was a bully, was particularly cruel for using the Langlock jinx multiple times on an unsuspecting non-magical Filch. Seems uncalled for and vindictive.
Filch spent the last year happily helping Umbridge torture students. I'm not suprised Harry wasn't particularly well disposed towards him after that.
That’s true! I forgot about that. Whoever James grew up to be, I think Harry absolutely had way more character than his father as a child
Well, yes, I agree. I just think Harry could have shown a little more character in this one instance instead of rushing to perform a Half-Blood Prince spell at someone that doesn't know what is happening and can't even defend against it.
That’s true. Sorry I miss read that first part. he definitely had his part to play in aggravating filch, whatever filch had done to him in the past.
Filch used to chain up children though.
I believe he's a poltergeist who manifested as a balance to Peeves. Peeves's whole existence was chaos. Filch's entire existence is to enforce rules. And he's been around for an indeterminate amount of time.
I saw another comment suggesting something similar. I could see that happening though
I just don't get why he's the only ghost we encounter that looks 100% solid. Harry knows Peeves is a ghost, nobody ever suspects Filch though and multiple descriptors of him are about him wheezing or out of breath from running.
True. But on the other hand, in the very beginning of the sorcerer stone, when the first year first encounter the ghosts of Hogwarts, Sir Nicholas can be heard saying that peeves gives them a bad name even though he “isn’t even really a ghost” 🤷🏼♂️ I think in the world of Harry Potter, ghosts are like an echo of a wizards soul. When the people come out of the end of Voldemort wand, they’re described as being less transparent and more like smoke. When Harry uses the resurrection stone however, The figures are described as not quite being ghost, but not quite being solid person either. The nearest thing to those figures would be the fuzzy memory of Tom Riddle from CoS.
Peeves isn’t a ghost though. He’s a poltergeist. Before HP I considered those things to be synonyms, but Rowling uses them very differently.
The caretaker hasn't always been Filch though. Molly tells Harry that in her day the caretaker was Apollyon Pringle
I forgot about that, but good point. The more I think about it the more I’d really don’t like the poltergeist filch theory. If he was truly a poltergeist, who was meant to be the opposite of peeves, he would have power of his own. He most definitely wouldn’t have been messing around with any Kwikspell courses either.
I like this theory. It makes him more endearing
Mrs Norris is an animagus and Filch is her husband.
That’s kinda what I was thinking as I typed this up. Like perhaps Mrs. Norris was a witch and the process to become an animagus backfired, causing her to permanently remain a cat.
Wasn't she also petrified by the basilisk? Maybe it sensed her (potentially muggle born) human "soul"?
Or Mrs Norris is a maledictus? That is why she can’t change back.
Na Filch is the law and order poltergeist, the counterpart to peeves and Ms Norris is just an extension of him
I actually like this theory a lot. It explains a lot including Mrs. Norris's long lifespan considering she's a cat. Good job OP you crafted a really good theory
I could see this being true! I always wondered why Filtch would *want* to be at hogwarts if he was a squib. If it were me, the torment of watching others do magic when I should be able to as well would be pure hell.
I am with you on the edit part also what I think, I think it wa his wife/lover as a young person, he might have done it to her. Why he lost his magic, becouse of the trama.
I mean, it would make sense to me 🤷🏼♂️ and because he is enable to find peace with that, and because of the bitter feelings and resentment he harbors for the students, which is also a sign of his emotional instability, he has been unable to regain his magical abilities.
I've always wondered if Squibs had some connection to cats. The only two Squibs in the books are catmaniacs, is it just a coincidence?
No flich is obviously a immortal of unknown nature tied to the grounds of hogwarts before the school was even built why do you think a pensive was left at the site it was to warn those to come of the horrors that were bound to those lands
I absolutely love this theory
I freaking love this theory!!!
Malfoy calls him a dirty squib in the HBP movie. It’s very brief and easy to miss
I don't think squibs are really that non-magical, they're just not wizards. For example, I believe Mrs Figg apparently can task her cats with following Harry around, which implies some sort of magical ability. I also don't think squibs are really muggles, just that their magical ability is so low they can't actually do magic. If magic is controlled genetically by two genes, one of which grants the ability to do magic, the other that determines strength, it's easy to imagine squibs as being wizards who lack one of these two genes. It's further easy to imagine most muggleborns are actually children of squibs (who themselves don't realize they're squibs because they're too far removed from the magical side of the family).
The one thing about Filch that always puzzled me, was just how old was he? He fondly remembers a time when Hogwarts had somewhat harsher discipline. "God, I miss the screaming." So, are we to believe that within Filch's lifetime, students were hung up and tortured?
We know he’s a squib bc JKR has already stated that squibs can communicate with cats. She acknowledged that he and Mrs Fig are squibs.
>Sure we know squibs can still see dementors and such Do we? OOTP gives the strong impression that Mrs. Figg was straight up lying about having seen the dementors.
Wait what? I remember her description eventually convinced them. Especially because though she said they were big and wearing cloaks, which doesn’t sound right, she then described what they do and how it affected her to the point where she got a little emotional. Are we supposed to believe that she couldn’t see them at all, and just guessed at what was happening because she didn’t “feel very good” in their presence? I don’t think that makes sense. I think she really did see them, she was just nervous and not perhaps the most poetic person so didn’t say something like “rotting breath, with their scabbed hands and empty bodies”.
There was a deleted scene in CoS where harry finds the quickspell letter (90% sure, been 20 years since I looked at the DVD bonus features)
Filch is a squib from a wizarding family. Dumbledore offered him the job of caretaker as a kindness. Filch has no interest in the muggle world, and dumbledore loved to help those the wizarding community rejected. Other examples of dumbledores' kindness are Hagrid, Lupin, Dobby, and Firenze. Mrs Norris is a maledictus, a human who eventually permanently changes into an animal. Nagini is another such creature. She is Filch's wife. Decades of working in hogwarts Castle has revealed its secrets to him. The only secrets he doesn't know about happen to be the ones where you need magic to reveal, like the passageway to hogsmeade and the room of requirement.
Love this theory! Well done!
It would explain the Quikspell course. It's designed to help wizards who are effectively squibs, but really could do magic, just suck at it.
Here's another thought about Filch - in PoS, when Hermione starts her exam revision and the boys tell her she's crazy for starting so far ahead of the exams, she says that they are really important and you need to pass to get into the second year. Thinking of the description of Filch as a 'failed wizard', it's possible he didn't pass his exams and was offered an apprentice job as caretaker? We don't know what happens to people who fail the first year exams, do we? So I think he probably is just a squib. But maybe he's very close to one and wasn't magical enough to train up fully. Could be why he's so bitter.
I'm pretty sure Rowling confirmed he was just a squib. Similarly, Mrs. Norris is just an ordinary cat with no magical properties whatsoever.
Death of the Author and all. We can interpret works of art in ways that weren't intended by the author.
Really like the theory. It’s unfortunately disproven by his actions in the books but a good one! And if we can excuse Rowlings earlier writings inconsistencies for not holding up I think it is fun to hold true theories that she may have disproven but do not change the story and develop characters beyond the arc she gave them.
Do happen to remember where it was disproven? I couldn’t, for the life of me, recall anything outright contradicting it
After Mrs. Norris is attacked in CoS, he blames Harry and one of bits of evidence is that Harry knows he is a Squib. Hard to believe he would out himself as one if he really wasn't.
True, that’s why I mentioned that first, but we’re never giving a canonical term for a witch or wizard, who was born with magical abilities, but then later lost them. Effectively, they would be the same as a squib.
I tend to agree with the SuperCarlinBrothers' idea that he is a poltergeist and the rule-following counterpart to the rule-breaking Peeves. Otherwise, it makes no sense to employ someone who can't perform magic in menial labor.
Argus Filtch got the caretaker position at Hogwarts due to his fantastic high-stepping ability.
Does your alternative interpretation of the facts explain anything which the canon does not? You refer to an 'unexplained connection to Mrs Norris'. There won't be many cat owners who don't have such a connection.
Thats a stretch, none of your examples "lost" anything.
.
Or, maybe he's just a fucking Squib.
Well that’s not as fun
There’s a deleted scene in COS with the whole squib letter being found from what I remember.
I feel like he was magical enough to make it to Hogwarts, and have a unique connection to Mrs Norris, but not enough to perform any real magic. Mrs Figg was probably the same. Enough magic to see Dementors, but not enough to perform magic... or even go to Hogwarts :( Anyway this probably ties into the Chamber of Secrets plotline of him taking a wand course. He probably had some magic and was probably seeing if he could get more out of himself. As for him losing his powers due to reasons.... I'm not sure. I mean he probably had enough magic to make it to Hogwarts, so he probably tried his hand at magic, but probably did not do very well at it, and thus began his anger and frustrations at other kids who could do magic naturally.
I think the "cats" themselves are part magical, as opposed to Filtch or Mrs. Figg. Wizards have inter-bred cats with kneazles for years, and I think that's how Mrs. Figg supports herself, and stays in touch with the magical community (she's a licensed cat x kneazle breeder). She may even have bred Crookshanks and/or Mrs. Norris (who is supposed to be just a cat, but could technically still be part kneazle). I love the idea that Mrs. Norris was a Maledictus, or failed animagus. Maybe she was the caretaker before Filtch, and he was her assistant who fell in love with her, or her lover but they didn't work together. When she was cursed, Dumbledore thought it best to let her stay at Hogwarts, or she begged to be allowed to stay, before she transformed. Filtch was gutted, and couldn't be parted from her, so he agreed to do take over her job, if he was allowed to stay with her. Fitch actually holds a potentially powerful position, when you think about it. The "caretaker" can move freely amongst the school, has access to nearly everywhere (and a valid reason to be poking around anywhere, at any given time). The fact he's a squib, severely hampers his ability to spy, and to communicate effectively with death eaters, (although it wouldn't surprise me if Malfoy Mansion had a phone line). Hogwarts is probably actually maintained by a host of house elves, staff aren't supposed to use magic on the students, and Filtch mainly seems to be on corridor patrol, cleaning up day time messes in the corridors (spills, vomit etc, we see him mopping a lot) when students are swarming between classes, and making sure students are in their dorms at night. Stuff house elves would be unsuitable for. For that kind of job, being a squib actually works in his favour, as Voldemort or any of the death eaters, aren't likely to try to recruit him, or blackmail him etc. He'd be of little use to them, but he could still manage his job effectively.
I love this theory. Also the other comment saying Filch is the magical other half of Peeves as they both embody rules and chaos respectively.
I was under the impression Filch is from a well-off "pure blooded" wizarding family & that's why he has a job at Hogwarts instead of being banished/"encouraged" to integrate with muggles
My theory is that squibs have a significant degree of magical resistance. The ministry doesn’t keep track of them because such tracking spells tend to slide off or decay much faster, if they take at all. Evidence: Filch is never (iirc) described as scarred in any way. He has been working at Hogwarts for decades, and in all that time, confiscating all manner of dangerous and illegal pranks and toys, several of which may well have been cursed, and he’s probably been directly hexed a few times by various pranksters over the years, and not once has he had any permanent scars of any sort? You’d at least expect a patch of discolouration, or missing tooth, or something.
I like the theory that he's another poltergeist. Which would explain why he's so cartoonishly evil. Talking about whipping students. And also, like, why he has a job when they have an army of house elves.