historical notes : Hagrid, Azkaban, Dumbledore, Ogg

[catherine at cator-manor.demon.co.uk]

No: HPFGUIDX 18712

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., lea.macleod at g... wrote:
> --- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Steve Vander Ark" <vderark at b...> wrote:
> > 
> > > > Arthur and Molly were at Hogwarts before Hagrid became 
> > > > the groundskeeper. I believe she mentioned the old 
> > > > groundskeeper in GoF.  
> > > > 
> > > 
> > > Actually, a small nit to pick here: Molly mentioned the 
caretaker, 
> > Apollyon
> > > Pringle. I believe this gentleman occupies the same position as 
> > >Argus Filch,
> > 
> > Molly mentions Pringle as Caretaker and also mentions Ogg as 
> > groudskeeper. So Hagrid wasn't the groudskeeper when Molly was at 
> > Hogwarts, although he may have been an assistant or something 
like 
> > that. He certainly didn't take over as groundskeeper at age 13 
with 
> > no training.
> 
> Ah, a trained Hit-Wizard from the Nitpickers´ Canon Enforcement 
Squad 
> has been here already...
> 
> Is it just me or didn´t Hagrid maybe go off to live with the giants 
> for a while after he left Hogwarts?
>
I can't think of anything in canon to support this.  When talking to 
Madame Maxine, he says:
"Course, can't remember her too well... she left, see.  When I was 
abou' three. <snip> Dunno what happened to her...might be dead fer 
all I know..."

I could be wrong, but I think this implies quite strongly that Hagrid 
hasn't had any contact with the giants since his mother left.  It is 
of course possible that he went on some kind of quest to find her and 
was unsuccessful, but I think it unlikely, as he is very accepting of 
the fact that she is not in the slightest bit maternal, and would not 
see any reason to find her - particularly when you consider his 
regard for Dumbledore.

> I have no idea whether his father was still alive when he left (I 
> remember him saying something like "good for him he didn´t see me 
> kicked out of Hogwarts", but I may be wrong), but if he wasn´t, 
where 
> did he go?

His father died the year before he was expelled - his second year - 
he tells the trio when they finally manage to speak to him after 
Rita's scoop.  As to where he went, Hagrid says "Dumbledore let me 
stay on as gamekeeper." (PS/Ch.4).  I thought from this that he 
didn't go anywhere else.

> Dumbledore sending him to the giants at the end of GoF suggests 
that 
> Hagrid knows where to find them and how to handle them. 
> 
> It would also explain his strange living habits, table manners etc. 
I 
> also think JKR let us know suspiciously little about giants in 
> FBAWTFT. 
> 
> But Hagrid was never really happy among the giants, so he realised 
he 
> had to go back to the wizarding world some time, and was glad that 
> Dumbledore offered him the gamekeeper´s job, since he wouldn´t have 
> found anything else.

Again, I don't think that Hagrid did go to the giants at any time.  
As for his strange living habits etc (what is wrong with his table 
manners?  I know he has odd tastes in food, but can't remember any 
mention of bad table manners).  if since the age of 13/14 he has been 
living in a hut in the grounds (with or without his predecessor) and 
has fended for himself, it is not surprising that he has some strange 
ideas and is a little rough and ready.

Catherine