The Mystery of Hagrid Returning the Motorbike to Sirius

[bboy_mn]

No: HPFGUIDX 43342

~Phyllis Said:
--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "erisedstraeh2002" <bdmorrp at b...> wrote:
> I received my adult-version UK Harry Potter paperbacks last night, 
> and started reading PS.  When I got to the part when Hagrid, after 
> delivering Harry to Dumbledore on Privet Dr., is ready to depart, I 
> was surprised that instead of his saying "I've got to get this bike 
> back to Sirius" (as my US copy reads), he instead says "I've got to 
> get this bike put away." 
> 
> I've long wondered about the inconsistency in Hagrid's saying that he 
> has to get the motorbike back to Sirius in SS with Hagrid saying in 
> PoA (at the Three Broomsticks) that Sirius had given him the bike and 
> told him (Hagrid) that he (Sirius) wouldn't need it anymore.  This 
> inconsistency is also noted in the HPfGU FAQs Mysteries section.  
> 
> I checked the page on the Lexicon that shows the differences between 
> the US and UK editions of SS/PS, and this wording change is not 
> noted.  So I'm wondering if this was an error that was noticed after 
> PoA and corrected in later printings of PS.
> 
> Perhaps this wording change is an acknowledgement that this really 
> was an error in the original edition of SS/PS.
> 
> (btw, I checked my new UK CoS and Voldemort is the last remaining 
> *descendant* of Slytherin.)
> 
> ~Phyllis

First, let me say "....AAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!! I hate it when they do that!

Here is my guess-

"I've got to get this bike put away." 

...Sirius had given him the bike and  told him (Hagrid) that he
(Sirius) wouldn't need it anymore...

Doesn't seem that inconsistent to me; that makes sense. Hagrid saying
he needs to put it away, could imply that he didn't take Sirius offer
to keep the bike compelely serious, so for now, he's going to store it
and forget about it. Or it could imply, that since Hagrid isn't a
fully qualified wizard, he needs to get it put away and get back to
his normal not quite wizard life. It was a special wizarding allowance
by Dumbledore and now that it's over, he need to put the bike away. At
any rate, while the details are not crystal clear, the possible
projected logical sequences of events seem reasonable consistent. (By
the way, where is that motorbike now?)

Saying "I've got to get this bike back to Sirius"

Certainly doesn't seem consistent with what Hagrid said later.

OK, now, finally for the actual guess.

I think some copy editor (or whatever they are called) hadn't read PoA
when he made the change, and Yes, I definitely think it was a change
by the American publisher, done independant of J.K.Rowling. In the
limited context he had, it probably seemed like a reasonable
clarification of the text. BUT HE SCREWED IT UP. (pardon my French)

That's why I very seriously hope they stop or extremely minimize the
English to English translations of the book. 

By the way, you might want to email that difference to the HP Lexicon.
I'm sure they will appreciate it. They are frequently seen in this
forum, so they may pick it up anyway.

Just some thoughts.

bboy_mn