Squib

Arabella Figg, a Squib, at Harry Potter's hearing, unable to describe the appearance of a Dementor

Squib is a name given to person born into a wizarding family but has no magical powers. They are very rare and unusual. They are not generally accepted in the wizarding world, especially by pure-bloods and half-bloods who support blood purity. The concept is introduced in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

Squibs usually choose to live and work in the Muggle world because not having magic means they are not very useful to the wizarding world where they are shunned. Another term for them is a "wizard-born Muggle". Every Muggle-born is descended from a Squib.

About

Squibs are born to at least one wizarding parent but for unknown reasons, they do not inherit the active magic gene and don't possess magic of their own. They are incredibly rare, with Muggle-borns being a much more common occurrence. Children born to wizarding parents should show they have magical talent by the time they are seven years old.

It is impossible for them to learn magic or awaken the gene and because of that, many immerse themselves into the Muggle world. They cannot see Dementors and only feel the effect of them. They are the opposite of Muggle-born wizards. The very few roles a Squib can have in the wizarding world are ones where magic is not necessary. Argus Filch, caretaker at Hogwarts, attempted to learn magic using a Kwikspell course to no success. Arabella Figg was useful by working for the Order of the Phoenix to keep an eye on Harry Potter.

The wizarding society does not generally care for Squibs. They do not record their existence at the Ministry of Magic but they do mention it in a record of their wizarding parent(s). Certain wizarding families do not want a Squib family member and will disown them to take them off their family tree. Even in a tolerant family, they are disappointed to learn their child isn't a witch or wizard. Squibs tend to be bitter about not being part of the wizarding world.

Known Squibs

• Argus Filch
• Arabella Figg
• Marius Black
• Dolores Umbridge's brother

Trivia

• It is possible that any spells that prevent Muggles from seeing things will also effect Squibs. However it is unclear why Filch is able to see Hogwarts even though it is a ruin to Muggles, or why the Muggle parents of Myrtle Warren were able to visit the school. It is possible that the wizarding world can amend a spell to let specific individuals see their world in certain situations.
• In early drafts of the Harry Potter book series, J. K. Rowling intended for the Weasley family to have a distant cousin who is a Squib. In Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 6, Harry Potter is told about their distant cousin who is an accountant in the Muggle world that they do not speak to. He never reappears in the story.
  • Rowling further intended for the Squib cousin to have a child who turns out to be a witch, and she was going to appear in later books when she started attending Hogwarts in Slytherin house. Her role was to convey information she heard other Slytherin students talking about. Rowling realised her character is unnecessary when she decided it is easier for Rita Skeeter to take her planned role instead because she can discover much more than a child.