Rubeus Hagrid

"*I am what I am, an' I'm not ashamed. 'Never be ashamed,' my ol' dad used ter say, 'there's some who'll hold it against you, but they're not worth botherin' with.' An' he was right.*"
— Hagrid to Harry Potter

**Rubeus Hagrid** is a character in the *Harry Potter book series*. He is a half-giant wizard, the Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and later Care of Magical Creatures Professor. He is a prominent friend of Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger.

## Biography

### Early life

Hagrid was born on 6 December, 1928 to Mr Hagrid, a wizard and Fridwulfa, a giantess. He was raised near the Forest of Dean. Fridwulfa abandoned her family when Hagrid was aged three, and Mr Hagrid raised him as a single father.

Hagrid could barely remember Fridwulfa but knew enough to know she was not a very good parent. However, he could remember Mr Hagrid very fondly. By the age of six he was taller than his father, and eventually grew to a height of eleven and a half feet. Mr Hagrid found it amusing when Hagrid picked him up and put him on his shoulders.

In September 1940, Hagrid started Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Mr Hagrid was very proud of him. However, he passed away when Hagrid was in the second-year at Hogwarts. He was two years below Tom Riddle.

In June 1943, Hagrid kept an Acromantula called Aragog in a dungeon. Tom opened the Chamber of Secrets for the first time, and unleashed a Basilisk that killed another student. Professor Dippet was going to close down the school unless the person responsible was caught, and Tom wanted to frame Hagrid and Aragog for it.

He tracked Hagrid through the dungeons, who wanted to put Aragog in a box to sneak it out of Hogwarts for good. Tom teased Hagrid, telling him he thought it was time he turned Hagrid in. Hagrid tried to tell Tom he was innocent, but Tom argued back and used a spell to open a door to Aragog. Aragog began running and Tom used a spell to try and subdue Aragog, but Hagrid intervened and Aragog escaped.

Tom told Professor Dippet and Hagrid was expelled from Hogwarts. Tom was shocked it worked because he thought everyone should have known Hagrid was too unintelligent to find the Chamber of Secrets. Professor Dumbledore argued in defence of Hagrid and failed, but he persuaded Professor Dippet to keep Hagrid at the school and train him to be a gamekeeper. Because Dippet want to cover everything up, Hagrid was spared Azkaban and the wizarding world didn't find out why he was expelled. Hagrid's wand was snapped, but he put the broken pieces into a pink umbrella.

### First Wizarding War

"*I trust Hagrid with my life.*"
— Dumbledore's support for Hagrid when he was dropping Harry off at Privet Drive[src]

Hagrid was asked by Albus Dumbledore to collected Harry Potter at Godric's Hollow and take him to 4 Privet Drive. When he went to pick up Harry, he found Sirius Black there who wanted to keep Harry. Howeber, he eventually let Hagrid take Harry, and borrow a motorbike. Hagrid departed in time before the Muggle villagers arrived. Hagrid had let Minerva McGonagall know where Albus was heading that evening, but didn't tell her about Harry. When he arrived, he found her and Dumbledore waiting. Hagrid said goodbye to Harry while howling in grief. Minerva had to tell him to shut up because she worried about waking the Muggle neighbours. Hagrid then went to find Sirius to give him the motorcycle back.

Hagrid was fond of Charlie Weasley when he attended Hogwarts because he loved animals too. At one point in 1990, Hagrid purchased Fluffy, a three-headed dog, in a pub from a Greek chap. During the first years of their education, Hagrid had to keep Fred and George Weasley from running into the Forbidden Forest. At one point, he adopted a boarhound he named Fang.

### Philosopher's Stone

"*Harry, yer a wizard.*"
— Hagrid telling Harry the truth[src]

Hagrid was sent by Professor Dumbledore to the Hut-on-the-Rock to find out why Harry didn't get an acceptance letter for Hogwarts. He knocked on the door twice and received no answer, so he knocked the door down. Petunia and Vernon run in the room, and he asked for a cup of tea. Vernon demanded Hagrid leave at once, but Hagrid took Vernon's gun and snapped it.

He gave Harry a chocolate cake, on which he put "Happy Birthday Harry" in green icing. Harry wanted to say thank you, but he was frightened and he asked Hagrid who he was. He explained who he was and he shook Harry's hand. Hagrid started cooking food and chuckled when Vernon told Dudley not to eat the food. Hagrid was angry at Vernon when he found out Harry know about the wizarding world, or what happened to James and Lily, and that they stopped Harry opening Dumbledore's letter. Vernon warned Hagrid not to tell Harry everything, but he did and gave Harry the acceptance letter. Vernon called Dumbledore a lunatic, causing Hagrid to snap and give Dudley a pig's tail.

Hagrid took Harry to Diagon Alley the next day, collecting Harry's money in Gringotts and an unidentified object for Dumbledore. Hagrid was very proud to know that Dumbledore trusted him. During their shopping, Hagrid purchased Hedwig to give to Harry.

 File:HarryandHagrid.jpeg

"*I know you get Friday afternoons off, so would you like to come and have a cup of tea with me around three?*"
— Hagrid's letter to Harry[src]

Before the start of the school year, Hagrid let Dumbledore borrow Fluffy in order to guard the trapdoor to the underground chambers. In September, Hagrid greeted first-year students at Hogsmeade Station and took them over the Great Lake in boats. He joined the students and staff at the High Table in the Great Hall. A few days later, he invited Harry over for afternoon tea. He brought Ron too, and Hagrid served them rock cakes and tea. Harry saw a newspaper article sayinv that the Gringotts vault that Hagrid collected an object was broken into. Hagrid didn't tell Harry anything, but he thought Hagrid knew more than he let on.

Hagrid thought about watching the first Inter-House Quidditch Cup game at home, but then decided to go. He found a seat by Ron and Hermione, bringing a pair of binoculars and keeping an eye on Harry. Harry's broom began bucking, which Hagrid thought could only be caused by the Dark Arts. Hermione sprinted off to find out who was cursing Harry, and saved him. They thought Professor Snape was cursing Harry, but Hagrid thought Snape would never hurt Harry.

"*You forget that dog, an' you forget what it's guardin', that's between Professor Dumbledore an' Nicolas Flamel -*"
— Hagrid slips up and tells people about Nicolas Flamel[src]

Hagrid was shocked when he found out they knew about Fluffy, and warned them to forget about it, but without thinking, he let slip that Fluffy was guarding a secret known only to Dumbledore and Nicolas Flamel. In December, Hagrid nursed owls and brought fir trees to the Great Hall for Professor Flitwick to decorate. Hagrid was annoyed to find out that Harry, Ron and Hermione were trying to find out about Nicolas Flamel, telling them they needed to forget about it.

On Christmas Day, he sent Harry a handmade wooden flute. At dinner later that same day, he drank too much wine and kissed Professor McGonagall on the cheek, which made her blush. In January, Hagrid invited Harry, Ron and Hermione to the Hut when he found out they knew about the Philosopher's Stone. They found out that he been given a dragon's egg, and he wanted to illegally bring it up in the Hut.

"*I've decided to call him Norbert. He knows me now, watch. Norbert! Norbert! Where's Mummy?*"
— Hagrid's bond with Norbert[src]

Hermione pointed out he lived in a wooden hut, but he had wanted a dragon's egg for years and didn't want to hear her out. Hagrid later sent a letter when the egg was hatching, and he, Harry, Ron and Hermione watched it happen. He called the dragon Norbert. Draco saw what was happening through the window, so Harry wanted to persuade Hagrid to let the dragon go before Draco snitched. Hagrid soon agreed to send Norbert to Charlie.

Up until they could send her to Charlie, Norbert kept growing and getting dangerous. He bit Hagrid's boot, hurt Fang, the windows shook when she banged her tail, and she bit Ron. Hagrid was very upset and sobbed when he had to say goodbye to her, and he packed her a bag of rats, brandy and her teddy bear, telling her that "Mummy will never forget you!".

"*Don' worry, it can't've gone far if it's badly hurt an' then we'll be able ter - GET BEHIND THAT TREE!*"
— Hagrid noticing odd movement when searching for an injured unicorn

In the spring, he found a dead unicorn. Hagrid had Harry, Ron, Neville and Draco serve their detention helping him find a second unicorn in the Forbidden Forest. Draco didn't want to go, so Hagrid gave him a warning that he could be expelled if he didn't. He had found unicorn blood, and thought they might need to put the unicorn down.

He took Fang too, and split them up into groups. Draco and Neville wanted to take Fang, so Hagrid pointed out that Fang was a coward. Hagrid took Harry and Hermione, telling them that a werewolf couldn't be responsible for killing the unicorn. Hagrid heard a sound, and he threw Harry and Hermione behind a tree. He pointed a crossbow at the sound, which was a cloak slithering nearby. Hagrid knew there was something in the woods which wasn't supposed to be there.

Hagrid had befriended centaurs in the forest, so Ronan and Bane spoke to Hagrid. Hagrid kept asking if they had noticed anything odd, but they only vaguely stated that there were many secrets. When he saw red sparks, Hagrid run to help Draco and Neville and he was upset to find out Draco had scared Neville on purpose. He then put Harry and Draco together. They found the unicorn, which was dead and it's blood was being drunk by a cloaked figure they found. Draco run away and Hagrid run to save Harry who had been helped by Firenze.

Harry worked out it was odd that Hagrid wanted a dragon, and then a stranger gave him one. He asked Hagrid about the stranger and he admitted that he was drunk and the person kept a hood on and he never saw their face. He asked about Fluffy and he let him how to put Fluffy to sleep. Hagrid then deduced he was probably wrong for doing that. Harry, Ron and Hermione run away to tell Dumbledore.

Later on, when Harry was in hospital having saved the Philosopher's Stone, Hagrid kept saying sorry and that he will never drink again. He gave Harry a present. He had sent letters to old friends of James and Lily Potter who had pictures of them, and created a book for him. Harry was speechless.

### Chamber of Secrets

In the summer of 1992, Hagrid had to purchase Flesh-Eating Slug Repellent to save the cabbages at the school from being eaten. He found Harry when he ended up in Borgin and Burkes rather than Diagon Alley, and took him to Gringotts where the Weasley family were conducting a search. Later that day, he saw Arthur Weasley and Lucius Malfoy fighting at Flourish and Blotts and he broke up the fight by separating the two.

In September, Ginny Weasley spoke to Hagrid at the Hut, telling him he had done a good job growing pumpkins. Later, Professor Lockhart popped by the Hut to tell Hagrid how to capture a Kelpie but Hagrid found him condescending. Then Harry, Ron and Hermione dropped by for help because Ron was struck by a Slug-vomiting Charm and Hagrid advised him to keep throwing up until it stopped. He told them that he thought Lockhart was a fraud, and Harry thought it was the first time Hagrid ever spoke ill of a teacher.

They told Hagrid what happened: Ron had wanted to curse Draco when he called Hermione a "Mudblood" and it bounced back. Hagrid helped tell Harry and Hermione what the word meant, but said it was a good thing it bounced back because Draco's father would have had him punished. Hagrid was growing pumpkins and used the Engorgement Charm to enlarge them, even though he shouldn't have. Harry, Ron and Hermione found it amusing.

Hagrid's past came back to haunt him that school year when Tom Riddle's Diary possessed Ginny to open the Chamber of Secrets for a second time. Hagrid was a prime suspect for it because Tom Riddle had framed him fifty years earlier for opening it the first time. In December, Hagrid noticed that the roosters were being killed and when the second rooster in the winter term was killed, he asked Dumbledore for permission to put defensive spells round a hen-house. He saw Harry and if he was feeling fine because he looked upset, but Harry told him he was fine and that he had to go to Transfiguration.

Hagrid later run Dumbledore to support Harry's innocence when two new people were Petrified by a Basilisk, totalling it up to four. The roosters were being killed because of the second opening of the Chamber of Secrets. The cry of a rooster was fatal to a Basilisk, causing a possessed Ginny to kill them to protect it. In February, Harry found Tom Riddle's Diary and it showed him what happened the evening Tom "revealed" Hagrid was responsible. Harry, Ron and Hermione found it awkward to be round Hagrid, but decided to keep their knowledge of it secret.

In April, two students including Hermione were Petrified. Hagrid was told Cornelius Fudge was going to speak to him at the Hut that evening and he was very nervous. Harry and Ron happened to go to the Hut to speak Hagrid at the same time and had to hide under the Cloak when Fudge and Dumbledore showed up. Fudge explained he had to take Hagrid to Azkaban, upsetting Hagrid. Dumbledore vouched in favour of Hagrid's innocence, telling Fudge he had full confidence in Hagrid but Fudge had to take him anyway.

Lucius Malfoy then showed up at the Hut searching for Dumbledore, angering Hagrid because he was unwelcome. Lucius was unkind and began insulting Hagrid by saying it was a sign he had a bad temper. He was there to tell Dumbledore how the Board of Governors had voted to suspend him for incompetency. Hagrid and Fudge objected and Hagrid deduced Lucius had threatened people into signing an Order of Suspension. But the decision was final and when Fudge was leading Hagrid to Azkaban, he shouted to Harry and Ron how they should follow the spiders to find out things.

In May, Harry found the Chamber of Secrets and proved Hagrid's innocence. Dumbledore was reinstated and he sent a letter to Azkaban demanding Hagrid be sent home. That evening, Hagrid showed up at a celebration feast at 3am in the Great Hall and knocked Harry and Ron on their shoulders and into their desserts.

### Prisoner of Azkaban

In July, Hagrid sent a copy of The Monster Book of Monsters to Harry Potter on his birthday with a card. He wouldn't tell Harry why he sent it but he did say there was a great reason for it. In September, Dumbledore announced at the Start-of-Term feast that Hagrid was taking over the teaching of Care of Magical Creatures. He was very emotional when everyone started applausing. At the end of the feast, he received congratulations off Harry, Ron and Hermione where he told them it is what he always wanted.

## Appearance

Hagrid has glinting, beetle-black eyes which crinkle when he smiles. He has a tangled beard. His face is nearly hidden behind a long, shaggy mane of hair. Being a half-giant, he is very tall.

## Behind the scenes

* Even though Hagrid is a big lover of animals, he is not fond of cats because they make him sneeze.
* Hagrid loves making rock cakes and gives them to guests at the Hut.
* In the *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*, Tom Riddle tells Harry lies about Hagrid to slander him during their talk in the Chamber of Secrets. He tells Harry it was easy to frame Hagrid because he is a blundering fool who has a tendency to care too much for animals. He lies that Hagrid kept werewolf cubs under a bed and once sneaked into the Forbidden Forest to fight trolls.

## Notes and sources

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 *Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone*, Chapter 5
2. ↑ Goring, Rosemary. "Harry's Fame," Scotland on Sunday, 17 January 1999
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 *Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire*, Chapter 23
4. ↑ *Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire*, Chapter 24
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*, Chapter 13
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*, Chapter 17
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 *Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone*, Chapter 4
8. ↑ *Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone*, Chapter 1
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 *Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone*, Chapter 8
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 *Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone*, Chapter 11
11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 *Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone*, Chapter 14
12. ↑ *Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone*, Chapter 7
13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 *Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone*, Chapter 12
14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 *Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone*, Chapter 15
15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 *Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone*, Chapter 16
16. ↑ *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*, Chapter 4
17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*, Chapter 7
18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*, Chapter 14
19. ↑ *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*, Chapter 12
20. ↑ *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*, Chapter 11
21. ↑ *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*, Chapter 18
22. ↑ *Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban*, Chapter 1
23. ↑ *Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban*, Chapter 5
24. ↑ *Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban*, Chapter 6
25. ↑ Barnes and Noble & Yahoo! chat with J.K. Rowling