Category:Squibs

From UnknowableWiki

Squibs are individuals born into wizarding families who are unable to perform magic (CS9). They are the opposte of Muggle-borns, and are often considered to be a shame on the family into which they are born, particularly in pure-blooded families. Squibs are quite rare, and those few who are born are often hushed up and hidden away (DH8).

Squibs born in pure-blood families often have the hardest time; one of the greatest fears of wizarding parents is that they will give birth to a Squib. Marius Black was burned off the Black Family Tree (BFT); Marvolo Gaunt abused Merope Gaunt terribly, suspecting she was a Squib and therefore treating her like dirt (her magical abilities had, however, merely been suppressed by her terrible treatment at her father's hands) (HBP10). It was suspected that Ariana Dumbledore was a Squib, as no one ever saw her, and she was said to have been confined to the house around the age of seven, by which magical abilities have usually become evident (DH11); however, she had been tormented by Muggle boys for performing magic, and became scared of the ability, bottling it up and losing all hope of controlling it (DH28). Neville Longbottom's family feared he was a Squib for a long time, and tried to get him to show signs of magic; when he finally did, his grandmother cried (PS8).

The Basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets targets Squibs as well as Muggle-borns, both of which, according to Salazar Slytherin's creed, are not fit to attend Hogwarts (CS17).

Squibs cannot see Dementors, though Arabella Figg told the Wizengamot they could (JKRW, OP8).

Of all members of the magical community, Squibs are one of the most deserving of pity, as they have been exposed to a world to which they can never truly belong. Some, such as Argus Filch, try to find a way to develop some magic through the use of something such as the Kwikspell Course, a correspondence course which claims to teach its students magic easily and quickly (CS8). Others live in the Muggle world while maintaining contacts in the Wizarding World, as Arabella Figg does (OP2). Many have no choice, however, and are sent off to Muggle schools and "encouraged to integrate into the Muggle community" (DH8). Squibs may often be jealous of those who can perform magic, as in the case of Argus Filch, who probably hates the students of Hogwarts so much because they can perform magic when he cannot.