Observations and Questions

[caliburncy at yahoo.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 25531

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., cynthiaanncoe at h... wrote:
> In PS/SS, Hagrid does not yet know 
> that Black was the Potters' secret keeper and allegedly betrayed 
> them.  Recall that in PoA, Hagrid learns this in a conversation with 
> Fudge/Rosemerta/McGonnagal, etc.

I'm not so sure about this.  In the conversation in PoA (the 
Marauder's Map chapter), there is nothing to indicate that this was 
the first time Hagrid learned that Black was the secret-keeper.  He 
says he didn't know at the time when he met Black at the Potter's 
house, but that's all.  He probably did know this by the time he 
picked up Harry from the Dursley's eleven years ago.  It seems to me 
his outburst in PoA is not from surprise, but a festering knowledge.  
And Madame Rosmerta is the only one to whom this knowledge appears to 
be brand new.

In any case, for the grander question that's being answered here:
Like Marcus was saying, we can't rely on generalizations that the 
characters make.  This is part of what I call the Authorial Theory of 
Misinformation (maybe I'll write another essay later)--which basically 
means the rules an author sets for themselves about how and when the 
characters are allowed to say things that aren't true.  We know a 
little bit about JKR's theory in that she has clearly stated that some 
characters lie, such as when Tom Riddle said Hagrid raised werewolf 
cubs under his bed, and in an interview JKR said that Riddle was just 
slandering Hagrid and that wasn't really true.  We also have reason to 
 believe that her characters do make sweeping generalizations like 
this one that Hagrid makes and that that doesn't necessarilly 
indicate absolutism.

-Luke