Hagrid's Competence

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 34032

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "jenny_ravenclaw" <meboriqua at a...> 
wrote:
 In GoF, he goes right back to the 
> same old same old: he sets up his students with the 
Blast-Ended  Skrewts, not knowing what the Skrewts are 
capable of, and possibly  after having, uh, developed them 
illegally.  Hagrid was interested in  the Skrewts, so he added 
them to the curriculum.<<

The fact that a skrewt was used in the Third Task suggests to 
me that Hagrid must have had permission from the 
Ministry of Magic to breed the creatures and to allow his class to 
study them. He couldn't admit it to Draco or Rita because it was 
to be kept secret for the Tournament: a different matter from the 
dragons, which were a secret, but not *his* secret. (It would be 
an unfair advantage for Harry, but Hagrid couldn't have known 
that any fourth years would be contestants) So he is developing 
some discretion, but Rita takes advantage of his silence to 
insinuate that he must have broken the law.

>>His students end up having to run away from them for fear of 
getting burned, dragged along 
> the ground, or who knows what else.  Tsk, tsk, Hagrid<<

 It is an elective class. Apparently those who deal with Magical 
Creatures are expected to develop a high tolerance for injury: 
Charley Weasley sports burns on his arms and Hagrid's 
predecessor Professor Kettleburn had "remaining limbs." 

Hagrid does improve significantly after he returns to teaching 
after the Skeeter article. I like to think he got some coaching from 
Madame Maxime.

Pippin