Why Can't Hagrid Do Magic?

[erisedstraeh2002]

No: HPFGUIDX 43955

Eloise wrote:
 
> I personally don't think there is anything particularly benevolent 
> in forbidding someone who can only live in the WW from using magic. 
> I've often tried to imagine what it would be like living in the WW 
> as a Muggle and I think it would be incredibly hard. You would be 
> reduced to using essentially medieval technology in a society where 
> everyone else had magical means doing things, or leaving to live 
> life as a Muggle. 

Now me:

While I know Hagrid tells Harry in PS/SS that he's not allowed to do 
magic, I think there's evidence in canon that he does quite a bit of 
magic anyway (whether it's legal or not is a different issue!).

For example, in PS/SS:

"Harry had never been to London before.  Although Hagrid seemed to 
know where he was going, he was obviously not used to getting there 
in an *ordinary way*.  He got stuck in the ticket barrier on the 
Underground and complained loudly that the seats were too small and 
the trains too slow.  '*I don't know how the Muggles manage without 
magic,*' he said" (Ch 5., UK ed., p. 53, my emphases).

This snip suggests to me that Hagrid doesn't ordinarily take Muggle 
transportation to get places.  And if Hagrid "doesn't know how 
Muggles manage without magic," it suggests to me that Hagrid normally 
doesn't manage without magic either.

And in Ch. 7 of CoS, when Hagrid shows them the enormous pumpkins:

"'What've you been feeding them?' said Harry.
Hagrid looked over his shoulder to check that they were alone.
'Well, I've bin givin' them - you know - a bit o' help.'
Harry noticed Hagrid's flowery pink umbrella leaning against the back 
wall of the cabin.  Harry had had reason to believe before now that 
this umbrella was not all it looked; in fact, he had the strong 
impression that Hagrid's old school wand was concealed inside. Hagrid 
wasn't supposed to use magic...
'An Engorgement Charm, I suppose?' said Hermione" (UK ed., p. 90).

In addition, you can't get into Diagon Alley without using magic to 
open the archway.  And while Hagrid was allowed to do some magic to 
deliver Harry's letter in PS/SS and get his school supplies, we see 
Hagrid in Diagon Alley again in CoS.

~Phyllis