Harry Potter Theory Gives Argus Filch A Heartbreaking Twist
The "Harry Potter" franchise has many characters with tragic backstories, including Severus Snape (Alan Rickman), Neville Longbottom (Matthew Lewis), and even the titular wizard himself (Daniel Radcliffe). However, a fan theory puts Hogwarts caretaker Argus Filch (David Bradley) and his feline companion, Mrs. Norris, up there with the rest.
Posted on MuggleNet.com, the theory suggests that Mrs. Norris isn't an ordinary cat, or even a magical one, but Filch's wife trapped in a feline body. Questions surrounded the characters from their introduction in "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," which described the man and the cat as having the same eyes. However, the theory gained traction after, in a tweet, J.K. Rowling said Crookshanks' Kneazle ancestry would give her the edge in a fight against Mrs. Norris, suggesting that Filch's cat didn't come from the same breed of magical cat-like beasts as Hermione's (Emma Watson) pet. The theory then dives into Filch's reaction when the Basilisk petrifies Mrs. Norris in "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets," pointing out that the attack left Filch hysterical and riddled with grief, suggesting that Mrs. Norris is more to him than just an average cat.
The most compelling evidence comes from the Marauder's Map, which shows the residents of Hogwarts but not animals. However, when Harry reads the map in "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," he notices Mrs. Norris on the castle's second floor, meaning there's more to the cat than meets the eye. The theory suggests Mrs. Norris could either be a hidden Animagus or the result of a transfiguration spell gone wrong, trapping Filch's wife in a cat's body.
The Marauder's Map is key
It turns out that "Harry Potter" fans have been obsessed with cracking the code surrounding Argus Filch and Mrs. Norris for quite some time, with countless fan theories striving to figure out what secrets the duo hold. While they range from Mrs. Norris being an Animagus, Maledictus, or just a normal cat, they all have one thing in common: the Marauder's Map.
For all intents and purposes, Mrs. Norris should not show up on the Marauder's Map. Although the "Harry Potter" series never outright states that animals don't appear on the magical artifact, Mrs. Norris is the only one Harry mentions seeing on the map roaming the halls. If it were common to see animals on it, then some of Hogwarts' biggest secrets, like Fluffly, Aragog, and the Basilisk, wouldn't be secrets to whoever held the Marauder's Map. Not to mention the countless owls constantly flying through the castle, who would likely make it a nightmare to find a specific person on it.
Unfortunately, J.K. Rowling has never commented on fan theories surrounding Filch and Mrs. Norris, leaving "Harry Potter" fans' minds wandering about what the caretaking duo is hiding. Could the cat really be Filch's wife trapped in a feline form? Maybe she's cursed, much like Voldemort's (Ralph Fiennes) snake Nagini? Without an official confirmation, fans are left alone with their imaginations, but with Warner Bros. Discovery rebooting "Harry Potter" into a streaming series, maybe fans will finally get the answers they've desired for so long.