Rubeus Hagrid

"I would trust Hagrid with my life."

- Albus Dumbledore discussing his trust of Hagrid

Rubeus Hagrid (born December 6, 1928), familiarly known by only his surname, "Hagrid," is the groundskeeper for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and also the Care of Magical Creatures professor. He is a passionate supporter of Albus Dumbledore, a member of the Order of the Phoenix, and also a friend of Harry Potter. He is one of the first characters to imply that the idea of thinking of wizards as "pure-bloods" and "half-bloods" is a dated concept, as a half-human half-giant he faces the very same kind of prejudices.

Hagrid's Childhood - A Secret
Hagrid is of mixed human and giant parentage, his mother is the giantess Fridwulfa and his father who was a tiny wizard. When Hagrid was about 3 his mother left him and his father. Hagrid could pick up and carry his father by the age of 6. Since giants have a reputation for being horribly brutal, and were once allies of Lord Voldemort, Hagrid keeps his parentage secret and allows people to imagine other reasons for his great size. But once, blinded by love, he revealed his secret to Madame Maxime, who though a part giantess herself, hid the fact by saying that she had big bones. At this time, Rita Skeeter(illegally), Harry Potter and Ron Weasley(hiding behind a bush), overheard him.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Hagrid started at Hogwarts in 1940 and was sorted into Gryffindor. During Hagrid's second year his father died. During his third year, he kept a pet Acromantula, naming the creature Aragog. During this year, the Chamber of Secrets was opened, resulting in the death of one student. Tom Marvolo Riddle, who was a prefect at the time, found Hagrid with Aragog and caused the blame of the mysterious death to fall on the innocent half-giant (even though Riddle himself was the guilty person). Hagrid protected Aragog, helping him flee to the Forbidden Forest, but was shortly thereafter expelled from Hogwarts. Following his expulsion, the Ministry of Magic forbade Hagrid to practice magic and destroyed his wand. Albus Dumbledore nonetheless convinced the Headmaster, Armando Dippet, to give Hagrid the job of grounds keeper, including the magical creatures residing there. Hagrid subsequently reconstructed and continued to use his wand by incorporating it into an inconspicuous pink umbrella. It is also possible that Dumbledore reconstructed his wand via the Elder Wand as Harry Potter does to his broken wand.

The First Wizarding War
Sometime after being expelled from Hogwarts, Hagrid joined the Order of the Phoenix and helped Dumbledore on important missions. During the First Wizarding War, Hagrid rescued Harry from his parents' house, after Lord Voldemort killed both James and Lily Potter in 1981 when Harry was one year old. Using Sirius Black's motorcycle he brought Harry to Dumbledore and Minerva McGonagall and then brought him to Harry's only remaining family - the Dursleys.

1991-1992
Once Harry was accepted into Hogwarts, Hagrid was given the task of locating Harry, as Vernon Dursley continually attempted to intercept and destroy Harry's school acceptance letters. On Harry's eleventh birthday, he found Harry on the Hut-on-the-Rock and convinced/threatened the Dursleys to allow Harry to go to Hogwarts. This included having Harry's cousin, Dudley grow a pig tail. In addition, he brought Harry a birthday cake - something he had never had before. Once it was decided that Harry would be attending Hogwarts, he helped Harry to find his bearings in the magical world by taking him to the Leaky Cauldron and Diagon Alley to buy his school necessities. While in Diagon Alley, Harry and Hagrid went to Gringotts Wizarding Bank in order to take money out for Harry and one other small errand. Hagrid was retrieving the Philosopher's Stone from a high-security vault and taking it back to Hogwarts for safe keeping. In addition, Hagrid purchased Hedwig, a snowy white owl, for Harry's eleventh birthday. Sometime in 1991, a hooded person (now known as Quirinus Quirrell in disguise) got Hagrid drunk in the Hog's Head. Hagrid is given a dragon egg to elicit details about Fluffy, the three-headed dog Hagrid has lent to Dumbledore to help guard the Philosopher's Stone. Hagrid again lets slip, this time to Harry, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger, about how to calm Fluffy: one simply plays music and Fluffy will fall asleep. This allows the trio to pursue the potential thief. Once the dragon egg hatches, Hagrid lovingly names the hatchling Norbert, Harry, Ron, and Hermione, convince him to allow Norbert to be taken to a dragon sanctuary by friends of Charlie Weasley, who works with dragons.

1992-1993
In 1993 Hagrid was sent to the wizarding prison, Azkaban, when the Chamber of Secrets was opened. It was assumed he was the one who reopened the Chamber because of his prior expulsion. He was later exonerated and released when the real culprit was found. He was able to help Harry and Ron in their quest to solve the mystery of the Chamber of Secrets by telling them to "follow the spiders." This lead them to Aragog; the giant spider which Hagrid had kept as a pet while a student at Hogwarts and was blamed for the original attacks. After Harry killed the Basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets, Hagrid came back immediately for the midnight in celebration of the closure of the Chamber, arriving back at Hogwarts at 3 o'clock in the morning.

1993-1994
"S'all my fault. Got all tongue-tied. They was all sittin' there in black robes an' I kep' droppin' me notes and forgettin' all them dates yeh looked up fer me, Hermione. An' then Lucius Malfoy stood up an' said his bit, and the Committee jus' did exac'ly what he told 'em...."

- Hagrid lamenting over his defence at Buckbeak's trial

In the 1993-1994 school year, Hagrid became a professor of the Care of Magical Creatures. On the first day of class, while Hagrid was teaching his third year students about Hippogriffs, after explaining the proper way to greet a Hippogriff and choosing Harry to demonstrate, Draco Malfoy caused trouble by insulting Buckbeak, one of the Hippogriffs. Buckbeak attacked Draco, and the Ministry of Magic issued an order for Buckbeak's execution, much to Hagrid's dismay. Harry and Hermione were able to save the hippogriff by going back in time by means of Hermione's Time-Turner.

After the disastrous first lesson, Hagrid taught the students about flobberworms, which thrive just fine if left to their own devices.

1994-1995
During the 1994-1995 school year, the Triwizard Tournament was held at Hogwarts. Students from Durmstrang Institute and Beauxbatons Academy of Magic attended Hogwarts starting in October and Hagrid was tasked with taking care of the the Beauxbatons' Abraxans who drink only single malt whiskey and require a forceful handling. Throughout the year Hagrid and Olympe Maxime, the headmistress of Beauxbatons and a half-giantess, had a budding romantic relationship including dancing during the Yule Ball. Hagrid confided in her his life story, revealing to her that he is a half-giant, assuming her to be one as well because of her massive size. She is offended by the insinuations that she is a half-giant and leaves him heartbroken.

Hagrid was also tasked with helping Charlie Weasley and others to handle the dragons used during the first task of the tournament. Rita Skeeter interviewed Hagrid for an article in the Daily Prophet. Rita Skeeter's twisted article caused Hagrid to not wish to be Professor of the Care of Magical Creatures any longer, Professor Wilhelmina Grubbly-Plank substituted for Hagrid during his absence from work. After the ordeal was over, Hagrid had to be convinced to come back and teach by Dumbledore, Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

After the school year, Hagrid and Madame Maxime set out as an envoy to the giants in the north. They wished to keep the giants from joining Lord Voldemort's side in the coming war. Despite early promise, the mission was unsuccessful.

1995-1996
"Great man, Dumbledore. 'S long as we've got him, I'm not too worried."

- Hagrid discussing his trust in Dumbledore.

About halfway through the school year Hagrid returned from his mission for Dumbledore with his half-brother, Grawp. In 1995, Dolores Umbridge was brought in as the new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor. The students, namely Harry, Ron and Hermione, formed Dumbledore's Army in order to learn true defence. He resumed his teaching lessons, teaching the students about Thestrals, which Hermione surprisingly found more useful than Hagrid's typical lessons, despite most of the other students being revolted by them, and few of the students being able to see the creatures. Early in 1996, Dumbledore was able to keep Umbridge from firing Hagrid, but his lessons soon became close-watched, however as Professor Umbridge put him on probation after finding his lessons inadequate, though her judgments were harsh because of her biases against Half-breeds. Firenze told Harry to warn Hagrid about Grawp. Once Dumbledore was asked to step down as Headmaster and flees; Hagrid fears, correctly, that he will be driven out by Umbridge, who became Headmistress of Hogwarts. In preparation for this, he introduced Harry, Ron and Hermione to Grawp. Grawp took an immediate liking to Hermione, whom he called "Hermy." Hagrid asked Harry and Hermione to take care of Grawp while he is absent. Hagrid was fired by Umbridge near the end of the school year. He didn't go quietly, however, and got into a fight with her and several Ministry of Magic employees, before leaving. Once Dumbledore was reinstated as the Headmaster of Hogwarts, Hagrid was welcomed back to his post.

1996-1997
Hagrid found out that none of his sixth-year Gryffindor students chose to continue past their O.W.L. level of Care of Magical Creatures. Hagrid misinterpreted this as the students not liking him, instead of his poorly taught classes. In 1997, Hagrid's once pet spider, Aragog, died and Hagrid was distraught. Hagrid, along with Harry and Horace Slughorn buried Aragog. Near the end of the school year, Death Eaters burned Hagrid's house down during the first battle of Hogwarts. In the aftermath of Dumbledore's death, Hagrid was grief-stricken, having been his strongest supporter. Hagrid carried Dumbledore's body to be interred at Dumbledore's funeral. Later Hagrid and Madame Maxime were seen comforting one another.

The Second Wizarding War
At some point Hagrid's house was repaired since he hosted a "Support Harry Potter" party there.

Hagrid was among the thirteen members of the Order of the Phoenix, led by Alastor Moody, to go to the Dursley house to retrieve Harry Potter before his seventeenth birthday, and was given the task of having Harry ride with him in Sirius Black's motorcycle. Arthur Weasley had helped Hagrid make several adjustments to the bike, including a button that produced dragon's fire, one that produced a net, and another that produced a solid wall, all behind the bike. The plan included six of Harry's friends and other Order of the Phoenix members (Ron, Hermione, Fleur Delacour, Fred Weasley, George Weasley, and Mundungus Fletcher) taking Polyjuice Potion to confuse any Death Eaters that tried to follow. Hagrid was chosen to carry the true Harry Potter. He was able to keep the Death Eaters at bay, with the help of Harry's wandwork, but Lord Voldemort found him upon the discovery that Hagrid's Harry was the real one. In the struggle that followed, the motorcycle was torn apart and Hagrid had to dive from the bike at a Death Eater, falling a great distance to the ground. He survived however, as did Harry, successfully completing the task. Since Hagrid has a history of having trouble keeping secrets, Harry Potter and others including, evidently, Fleur Delacour, suspected Hagrid was the one who had unintentionally informed the Death Eaters of the plan to take him out of his aunt and uncle's house, although this was later revealed to not be the case.



During the summer of 1997, Hagrid was present at Harry's seventeenth birthday party, Hagrid gave him a mokeskin bag which will hold objects retrievable only by the owner. Hagrid also attended Bill Weasley's marriage to Fleur Delacour, accidentally sitting in the wrong spot (and destroying a number of chairs) before finding the correct place to sit.

Once back at Hogwarts, Hagrid continued his jobs of gamekeeper and teacher. He narrowly escaped arrest for holding a "Support Harry Potter" party in his hut by fleeing into the nearby mountains and going into hiding. He returned with Grawp for the Battle of Hogwarts, in which they fought. During the battle, he ran out onto the grounds and was surrounded by a swarm of giant spiders. He was taken as a captive by the Death Eaters. After Harry's apparent death at the Dark Lord's hands, Hagrid was forced to carry Harry back to the castle. Despite the situation, Hagrid rebuked Voldemort for Harry's death as they approached the castle and sobbed over the loss of Harry. When battle resumed, he threw Walden Macnair against the wall of the Great Hall (this may be in part because he recognized him as the person who tried to kill Buckbeak). Hagrid was among the first to approach Harry in congratulations after he killed Voldemort.

Beyond
Little is known of Hagrid in the nineteen years after the Second Wizarding War. It is known that Hagrid is still working at Hogwarts at 88 years old, although it is unknown whether this is as a professor, gameskeeper or a previously unheld position, possibly Head of Gryffindor House. He invites Harry and Ginny's youngest son Albus to his hut for tea once he arrives at Hogwarts, just as he had done during Harry's first year. He also never married.

Physical Description
Hagrid was born to a wizard father and a giant mother, making him a Half-Giant. As a half-giant, Hagrid possesses great physical strength and endurance, including a resilience against some spells, though his ability to withstand spells is not as great as that of full giants. He is about twice as tall as an average man (too big for an ordinary-sized broomstick) and five times as wide, and has a long mane of shaggy black hair and a beard that covers most of his face. Hagrid's hands are as big as dust bin lids and his feet in their boots were like baby dolphins. He has light skin and dark eyes that glint like black beetles.

He wears an exceptionally large moleskin overcoat with many pockets that hold many things, though he sometimes has to spend time looking for objects he possesses. Objects within the pockets have included many things, such as moldy dog biscuits, the key to Harry Potter's Gringotts vault, peppermint humbugs, a copper kettle, and slug pellets.

Personality and Traits
"Dear, dear, you know, that temper of yours will lead you into trouble one of these days, Hagrid."

- Lucius Malfoy provoking Hagrid.

Hagrid is very friendly, and will often forget his exceptional size and strength when patting people on the back. Another of Hagrid's greatest traits is his courage, and he is a very capable fighter against wizards even without a properly-working wand or a good knowledge of spells.

"NEVER-INSULT-ALBUS-DUMBLEDORE-IN-FRONT-OF-ME!"

- Rubeus Hagrid to Vernon Dursley He is also very loyal to his friends, ready to defend and even fight for them if need be.

Hagrid is not a great spellcaster, though he does have magical ability, and he is able to produce a Patronus. It is unknown if his lacking skill with spells is because of his lack of education, his once-broken wand, or it he is simply a poor spellcaster. He is believed to have the ability to fly, as he reached the Hut-on-the-Rock without physical means, saying he flew there.

He has a great love of magical creatures, including cross-breeds such as the Blast-Ended Skrewt, and has a better relationship with most of the inhabitants of the Forbidden Forest than most people, including the centaurs that live therein. J. K. Rowling has said that Hagrid has little interest in tame magical creatures because of the lack of a challenge. Despite this, he does show a good understanding of such creatures when he returns to his post as Care of Magical Creatures teacher, continuing lessons on unicorns after Professor Wilhelmina Grubbly-Plank. Unfortunately for Hagrid, he tends to overlook the dangers behind certain magical creatures, such as his dragon Norbert, and his pet giant spider Aragog, which was mistaken as the monster of Slytherin during his third year, causing Hagrid's expulsion from the school.

He has a fondness for a drink, and also has a quick temper which can often cause him to act without thinking but is rarely genuinely angry. Hagrid is very sensitive which is why in 1995, he insisted on keeping his little half brother Grawp in the forest, even though he was being injured by him.

Albus Dumbledore
"I would trust Hagrid with my life."

- Albus Dumbledore

Albus Dumbledore displays an innate trust of Hagrid in every situation starting from when Hagrid attended Hogwarts. Dumbledore believes that Hagrid did not open the Chamber of Secrets and asks the former Headmaster Armando Dippet to train Hagrid as the groundskeeper so he could stay. Since that time Dumbledore has shown many examples of his faith in Hagrid. For example, Hagrid is the one tasked to protect Harry as he is brought to live with the Dursleys, in addition he is asked to bring the Philosopher's Stone back from Gringotts. Dumbledore also sends Hagrid on other important missions, such as attempting to persuade the giants to join the side of the Order of the Phoenix.

Harry Potter
"Never wondered how you got that mark on yer forehead? That was no ordinary cut. That's what yeh get when a powerful, evil curse touches yeh -- took care of yer mum an' dad an' yer house, even -- but it didn't work on you, an' that's why yer famous, Harry."

- Hagrid explaining why Harry Potter is famous.

Harry Potter and Hagrid have a special relationship. Hagrid is one of the first people (if not the first) to be nice to Harry and truly care for him, in addition he is the one who introduces him to the Wizarding world and sees both of them as orphans left to fend for themselves. Hagrid is Harry's first true friend and a sort of mentor/father figure throughout Harry's time at Hogwarts. Hagrid and Harry help each other get through difficult situations and look out for one another. Hagrid meets Hermione and Ron through Harry, and he develops a friendship with them, although not as close as with Harry.

Hagrid and Harry do not always see eye-to-eye, however. In particular they disagree on Hagrid keeping dangerous, and often illegal, creatures in his house. This is first seen with Norbert, a dragon, whom Harry feels Hagrid is unable to handle.

Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley
As stated above, Hermione and Ron did not have quite the same connection to Hagrid as Harry did, but they still see him as a good friend and try to spend time with him whenever they can. Ron is more openly incredulous of Hagrid's love of dangerous cretures than either of the other two, while Hermione is better at salvaging Hagrid's feelings in the face of his monster-mania. Hermione in particular tried desperately to help Hagrid through two of his more serious struggles; His attempt to save Buckbeak the hippogriff's life through normal legal channels, and her attempt to keep him from being sacked during the half-breed hating Dolores Umbridge's tenure at the school.

Hagrid, in turn, had also come to help Hermione, and came to her defence during her third year. Hagrid was able to convince Harry and Ron of how their arguments against her was foolish, despite the problems she unknowingly caused towards Scabbers and Harry's Firebolt broom, and for trying to put them above their friendship with Hermione. Hagrid was successfully able to get the two to reconcile with Hermione.

Hermione's tolerance did have it's breaking point with Hagrid, however, notably concerning his half-brother Grawp. Upon meeting the giant, she displayed one of the few bouts of outright sarcasm in Hagrid's presence, mainly due to the fact she was terrified. Ron was just as frightened with their new role as Grawp's potential English teachers when Harry and Hermione told him about it later, stating that Hagrid was completely mental for expecting them to tramp through the Forbidden Forest to teach English to a giant.

Despite all this, Ron and Hermione still support Hagrid and show concern when he is in trouble or emotionally distraught. During their fourth year, journalist Rita Skeeter revealed to the wizarding world that Hagrid was a half-giant. This lead to Hagrid receiving much hate mail as well as his self-imposed seclusion in his hut. Through the efforts of Harry, Ron, Hermione and Albus Dumbledore, Hagrid became convinced that people still loved him and wanted him around. This was largely thanks to Hermione banging on his door and demanding that they speak to him. Hagrid was on the point of resigning, according to Dumbledore, but thanks to his favorite students, Hagrid remained at Hogwarts and continued teaching.



Madame Olympe Maxime
During the Triwizard Tournament, Hagrid and Madame Olympe Maxime have a romantic relationship. They are often together, talking and walking the grounds and were a couple during the Yule Ball. After the school year was over, they left together and traveled to visit the giants in the North. It is unknown exactly what may have transpired during that trip, but Olympe Maxime returned to Beauxbatons in the fall to resume her position as Headmistress. Olympe Maxime was seen comforting Hagrid during the funeral of Albus Dumbledore. The current status of their relationship is unknown, but since JK Rowling has said that Hagrid never married, it can be assumed that their relationship didn't work out.



Grawp
"Hermione, I couldn't leave him. See -- he's my brother!"

- Rubeus Hagrid

Grawp was Hagrid's younger half-brother; they both have the same mother, Fridwulfa. Hagrid and Grawp meet when he travels north to visit the giants. There Grawp is being picked on, since he is a small giant, and Hagrid decides to take him back to Hogwarts with him. Hagrid attempts to civilise Grawp, but his first attempts do not make much progress since Grawp is a slow learner and does not know much English. Once back at Hogwarts, Hagrid keeps Grawp tied to a tree in the Forbidden Forest. When Harry and Hermione are saved by Grawp in the Forbidden Forest he is upset that he has not seen Hagrid recently. By the time of Dumbledore's funeral, Grawp is calm and dressed nicely and attempts to comfort Hagrid by patting him on the head. He engages in the Battle of Hogwarts and wrestles with the giants brought to the battle by Voldemort.

Behind the scenes

 * Robbie Coltrane was the first person to be cast in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and plays Hagrid in the first six films.
 * Martin Bayfield plays Hagrid as a teenager during the film of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in addition to being cast as Hagrid when his height must be exaggerated. Robbie, however, voices the character, as his face is not seen.
 * Throughout the series, it is implied that Hagrid has been the Hogwarts gamekeeper since his expulsion from school in 1943. But at one point in Goblet of Fire, Molly Weasley reminisces about Hagrid's predecessor, Ogg; since Hagrid's tenure as gamekeeper appears to overlap the years Molly was in school, it seems unlikely that she remembers a previous gamekeeper. However, it's possible that Hagrid did not become a gamekeeper immediately after being expelled, but rather started out as Ogg's assistant.  This is plausible given that when Harry thinks he will be expelled for flying on the broomstick without permission in his first year, he wonders if he would be allowed to stay on as Hagrid's assistant.

Appearances

 * Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
 * Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
 * Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
 * Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
 * Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
 * Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (film)