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Harry Potter: 7 Things That Still Don’t Make Sense About Hagrid
Hagrid is one of the most lovable adult characters in the Harry Potter series, but there are several things that don’t make sense about his character. Of all the staff at Hogwarts, he’s one of the characters who gets the most attention over the course of the Harry Potter movies and books — an inevitable effect of him becoming so close to Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
Unfortunately, getting to know Hagrid means we’re made privy to all the details of his backstory. And there’s a lot that doesn’t add up, from Hagrid’s childhood through his arc in Harry’s story. It’s easy to overlook these things at first glance, but upon closer inspection, they don’t really hold up.
7) That He Can Stay at Hogwarts After the Chamber of Secrets Scandal
The Wizarding World has different rules than the Muggle one, but it seems unlikely Hagrid would be allowed to live on the premises of a school after the Chamber of Secrets scandal either way. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets reveals that Tom Riddle framed Hagrid for the original opening of the titular chamber, which eventually led to Myrtle’s death. Hagrid’s wand was broken, and he was expelled…but somehow, he continues residing at Hogwarts as its gamekeeper. It’d be difficult to keep an incident like that quiet, which means parents would likely be unhappy with the decision. Even with Dumbledore having so much sway, the reality of this seems questionable.
6) That No One Ever Caught Him Doing Illegal Magic
Despite being expelled, Hagrid continues to do small acts of illegal magic in the early Harry Potter films. And it’s truly a wonder he’s never caught or punished for it because, well, he doesn’t do a very impressive job of hiding it. Harry picks up on it right away, and to be fair, Dumbledore gives him permission to use magic to get Harry his letter. But it seems unlikely the Ministry of Magic would be on board, and considering they can track magic — and just about anyone can report Hagrid — it’s shocking they never step in. It’s even more surprising when you consider that Hagrid leaves Dudley with a pig’s tail he later goes to the hospital for. And really, why would the Ministry even let expelled students keep the pieces of their wand in the first place?
5) His Care of Magical Creatures Teaching Job
After Hagrid’s name is cleared in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, he’s given a job as Hogwarts’ Care of Magical Creatures teacher. And although his love of animals makes this the ideal profession for him on the surface, he doesn’t have any credentials that make sense of Dumbledore hiring him. It’s unclear how the Wizarding World prepares people to be teachers, so it’s possible there’s an explanation for this. However, considering how frequently Hagrid puts his students in harm’s way, it’s hard to comprehend how he keeps this job.
4) How Trusting He Still Is
Hagrid goes through a lot both before and during the Harry Potter series, and it’s somewhat surprising he’s still so trusting. It adds to his charm as a character, but after being framed by Tom, seeing Lily and James’ get betrayed, and witnessing the many horrors brought about by Voldemort, there’s no way he should be so optimistic — both when it comes to other people and creatures like the centaurs and Aragog’s fellow spiders. He’s so open with the former, and he doesn’t anticipate the latter attempting to eat Harry and Ron. He’s far too naive after seeing some of the worst parts of humanity and the Wizarding World.
3) The Fact That Dumbledore Still Trusts Him With Secrets
Look, I get that Dumbledore trusts Hagrid with his life — but after so many mishaps, I have to question how he’s still entrusting him with important information. Hagrid has a habit of saying too much, and we see the consequences of this firsthand in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. After Hagrid inadvertently helps the man with Voldemort on the back of his head, you’d think that Dumbledore would keep quieter around him. Yet Hagrid remains in the know when it comes to some of the most important developments of the series.
2) Hagrid’s Relationship With Madame Maxime
Hagrid’s relationship with Madame Maxime is sweet, and he deserves love as much as the next Harry Potter character. However, it’s difficult to understand what, exactly, these two see in one another. They don’t seem to have much in common, apart from the fact that they’re both half-giants. I suppose that’s enough to fuel a connection when they so rarely find another person with a similar background. But Harry Potter doesn’t have much time to build this relationship, so it feels a bit jarring all the same.
1) His Entire Half-Giant Backstory
Speaking of Hagrid being half-giant, his entire parentage and backstory don’t really hold up to scrutiny. For one, the mechanics of a human and a giant procreating are mind-boggling — but there’s also the question of how they even meet or start up a relationship, as giants are difficult to come by and keep to themselves in the Wizarding World. On top of that, most of them don’t communicate in the same way as witches and wizards. And even if you can get past all the holes in Hagrid’s parentage, you have to admit: it’s hard to believe that Hagrid and his father kept his giant side hidden for so long.
What’s something you’ve never understood about Hagrid? Leave a comment and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
