Hagrid *Will* Mess Up (a bit long)

[jenny_ravenclaw]

No: HPFGUIDX 39704

Hello everyone!

Last night I wrote this up and it was promptly swallowed by Yahoomort. 
Let's hope I have more success with this post.

Hagrid - I don't think he's evil now or will be at any time in the 
next three books.  I also don't think he will be the cause of 
Dumbledore's death.  However, I think there is evidence aplenty that 
he is a prime candidate for someone who will cause major problems for 
Harry and company.  Here's why:

*In SS, Hagrid is directly responsible for Harry's unpleasant 
confrontation with Voldemort.  If Hagrid hadn't so blindly trusted a 
stranger in the Leaky Cauldron and fessed up about Fluffy, Quirrel and 
mini-Voldy would never have been waiting for Hagrid by the mirror.  
Hagrid has a big mouth and too much of a blind spot when it comes to 
"interestin' creatures".  He was so eager to raise a baby dragon, he 
didn't stop to think about the odd circumstances of being given one.  
His Norbert escapades also caused Harry and friends to get in trouble, 
while Hagrid himself got off scot-free.

*In SS again, Hagrid, while responsible for Harry in Diagon Alley, 
goes to get a drink when Harry goes to try on robes.  Call me crazy, 
but a man who is supposed to be watching a ten year old boy shouldn't 
go off and have a drink - or two.  More on this later.

*In CoS Hagrid nearly gets Harry and Ron killed when he advised them 
to speak to Aragog.  What they found was a pack of giant hairy spiders 
who did not have the loyalty to Hagrid that he had towards them.  
Harry and Ron were both injured and poor Ron developed a permanent 
terror of all things eight-legged.

*In PoA Hagrid was ill-equipped to deal with the Buckbeak situation.  
Granted, he couldn't have predicted that Draco Malfoy would be such a 
bad student, but all teachers should be prepared for the worst 
scenario.  As exciting as he thought it would be to introduce his 
students to a hippogriff, it was way too much for a first lesson.  
Afterwards, Hagrid was so shaken that he taught the class nothing for 
the rest of the term.

*In PoA Hagrid is seen drunk (drinking, anyway) more than once - first 
when Buckbeak attacked Draco and later when Buckbeak "escaped".  He 
shouldn't ever be drinking on the schoolgrounds of Hogwarts, 
especially in a position where he seems to be on call 24 hours a day.  
Hagrid turns to alcohol far too often.  This is definitely a dangerous 
weakness to have.

*In GoF Hagrid opens up to Rita Skeeter, even though he knows very 
well that she has been banned from Hogwarts and writes nothing but 
smut about anyone and everyone in the WW.  Because of this, more 
slanderous things about Harry are published for all the WW to read.

All in all, Hagrid has a good heart, but he does not know who to trust 
or when to keep his mouth shut.  I know that even Dumbledore has made 
mistakes in the trust department, but Hagrid seems to have no sense of 
trustworthiness at all.  His blindness for dangerous creatures also 
keeps him from seeing straight a good deal of the time.  These things 
to me seem to be a recipe for disaster.  Exactly how this disaster 
will come about I am not sure, but I feel it looming just the same.

What do you all think?  Is Hagrid just a loveable half-giant or a 
walking time bomb?  I'm going with the time bomb.

--jenny from ravenclaw ****