Michał: And this is probably the best summary of the whole Snape theme, Mateusz! And since we have already exhausted its topic, I would like to ask you about one more hero, who was definitely not spared by fate (although, unlike all the characters discussed so far, he survived the Second Wizarding War). What do you think Hagrid’s fate would have been if he had not been framed by Tom Riddle and completed his education at Hogwarts? Was it even right to throw him out of school?
Mateusz: On this matter we will probably agree that Hagrid did it for good. Let’s face it, he had no potential for an Auror, much less a teacher at Hogwarts (we could find out later). He would have ended up as a drunk in an inn, and so Dumbledore found him a job for which he was (relatively) fit. I would also agree with the theory that he deserved to be thrown out because he was irresponsibly and illegally detaining a dangerous animal. I guess that’s what he left school for? Nobody, as far as I remember, ultimately judged him for Martha’s death.
Krzysztof: Just when it comes to Hagrid, I’m not really able to come up with any spectacular and unexpected career path for him. We know very well that he has a hand for animals and, in fact, he cares about them the most in life, so even if he graduated and everything went according to his plan, he would most likely become a teacher of the Care of Magical Creatures. Or possibly some other creature and monster explorer like Charlie Weasley.
However, about throwing him out, I have mixed feelings. Keeping a huge spider in school is clearly not a good idea, and Hagrid has proven many times that he is not very capable of realistically assessing the murderous tendencies and destructive potential of his students. Technically, Riddle was under a duty to report him, and the punishment was due to him. But would Rubeus have been punished so severely – expulsion from school and the destruction of the wand, and therefore exclusion from the wizarding community – if it were not for the insidious and untrue connection of Aragog with the murders and the Chamber of Secrets? Probably not. So, in my opinion, the punishment was neither fair nor fair – had it not been for Riddle’s tricks, the matter would have certainly been solved better.
Eliza: Hagrid was kicked out of school in the third grade, so I wouldn’t be too quick to prejudge that he wouldn’t be an Auror. Many of his magical abilities may not be revealed yet. Neville, for example, also initially seemed to be useless, but later discovered an extraordinary talent for herbalism. I agree with you, Mateusz, that if Dumbledore had not got him a job at Hogwarts after he was removed from school, he would have probably ended up miserably without education and prospects. But only in the version of events presented in the books. If he had graduated, passed the exams, etc., he might have had a lot to do. Most likely, because of his love of dangerous creatures, he would have taken this type of job. Could be of use to the Ministry to tame dangerous creatures, and maybe even to tame them for defensive purposes against Voldemort and the Death Eaters. After all, probably no one in the entire series has had such an approach to animals as Hagrid – not even Charlie Weasley. Anyway, the relationship was mutual – these creatures also respected Hagrid. This is a unique skill that could be a powerful weapon in the wizarding world.
Hagrid of Hogwarts was kicked out for opening the Chamber of Secrets. His monster, Aragog, was accused of killing Martha. Riddle saw him as a sacrifice to blame for what he had done. Because he was breeding a giant spider in the castle, Hagrid was to blame for himself. Although he did nothing that he was accused of and for which he was eventually fired, he posed a threat to others and that was what Tom used. But, if this was the first such incident, he could be punished otherwise, rather than taking his only opportunity to develop. If his offense were merely to breed a monstrous creature, it might serve as a warning to him that he must protect others from the dangers of magical animals, even if Hagrid himself believes they are not dangerous. In fact, he couldn’t properly judge it. He had no chance to learn it, because he was kicked out for a monster who hadn’t done anything to anyone – unfairly. That might have convinced him that the creatures weren’t really that bad. That’s why I believe he was thrown out wrongly. Unfortunately, he never regained his lost years. After all, he was fine on the Hogwarts grounds, but I think he had a lot more potential that he didn’t have a chance to reveal.
Michael:I have always considered Hagrid to be the most disadvantaged character in the entire series. Wrongly accused (along with Aragog) of a murder he did not commit, he was expelled from Hogwarts, which certainly changed his life forever. And although on the one hand I am not sure if, had it not been for Tom Riddle’s trick, Hagrid would have shone in the wizarding world (after all, let’s be honest, he was quite a simple person, although of course he cannot be denied kindness), on the other I think, that he could have achieved much more if he had actually completed his education. I am inclined to Eliza’s vision that she would most likely be of use to the Ministry to tame magical creatures, and that would be a concrete achievement and a more meaningful career. But would his and Harry’s paths cross then? I think Riddle’s act could, paradoxically, influence his and Harry’s relationship in a positive way – otherwise, their relationship might have been completely different (if only because they would have met under completely different circumstances), and Hagrid would not have become one of Harry’s closest friends. In the end, our half-giant was at his job well – after all, he did what he loves, and that’s probably the most important thing in life, right?
More discussion to come soon!
