Hagrid in Knockturn Alley ( WAS: JKR hints at secret)

[kneazelkid]

No: HPFGUIDX 73957

 Maritza wrote:
I've been reading the "JKR hints at secret thread", and something
kept bothering me. Quite a few people seem to be in agreement the
important scene might have been Hagrid in Knockturn Alley, and
doubting the reason Hagrid gave Harry. Now, my question is, why
would he have lied? 
I guess my point is I can't see another reason for Hagrid being in
Knockturn Alley, as well as it being crucial to the whole series.

Charlie Moody wrote:
This scene seemed to stick out both in the book and in the movie.
<snip> Add to this the fact that, later in the book, H+R call on 
Hagrid and are greeted by him wielding a Hagrid-sized crossbow.  He's 
obviously jittery in the scene, too (this is in book AND film).  
The "crossbow incident" goes unremarked...
 ...But *something* is going on w/ Hagrid.

me:
I'm so glad you pointed this out! It made something click for me: in 
the DVD of SS, when tourning Hagrid's hut, the crossbow is very 
prominent AND the narrator asks you to check it out. I thought it 
would have some special effect, but it doesn't seem to. Perhaps it 
was being reinforced for a reason -- importance in later books? Maybe 
Hagrid will have it used against him to awful ends? This would go 
along with my theory (and could be the theory of others I just havn't 
seen)that Hagrid's drinking has gotten him into gambling debt.

kneazekid