[HPforGrownups] Re: The Keeper of the Keys.

[caesian]

No: HPFGUIDX 114043


On Sep 18, 2004, at 10:12 AM, Barry Arrowsmith wrote:

> I don't know about you, but after his introduction in PS/SS  I expected
>  Hagrid to play a more central role in the HP story than he has. Still
>  time for a stellar appearance and I have a sneaking suspicion... no,
>  not quite - more a hope that his moment will come.

> <snipped by Caesian>

>  I wonder more about his title - Keeper of Keys...  What keys? He has
>  been seen with exactly one key - the one to the Potter bank vault. 
> Keys
>  to the school? Wouldn't Filch have those? Hagrid hardly ever has 
> reason
>  to enter the school buildings and I wouldn't expect Filch to allow
>  Hagrid to keep the keys to his precious domain. Keys to  the school 
>  gates? Possible. Mind you, Hagrid takes his pride in his official 
>  title, and if he actually had some keys I'd expect them to be
>  flourished on a regular basis.
>
>  There are a number of meanings for the word 'key', one of which is:-
>    "a solution or explanation of  what is unknown, mysterious or 
> obscure".
>  How appropriate for a tale like Harry Potter.

Caesian now:

I've often wondered about the Keys as well.  "Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of 
Key and Grounds at Hogwarts".  The Keeper of the Keys is even the name 
of the chapter in which we first meet him.

I'm also not the first to have noticed a strong underground trend in 
the Dénouement of each book.  Literally underground - i.e., Harry goes 
underground to face the villian in the end.  In PS, the challenges are 
"miles under the school", the CoS is likewise beneath ground, as is the 
tunnel to the Shreiking Shack.  In GoF, Harry enters the figurative 
land of the dead (which is underground in many myths) - the Graveyard.  
In OotP, the MoM.

There is one (and only one, I think) other prominent Underground local 
which has been mentioned thus far, and it is strongly associated with 
Hagrid.  Though odd and fantastical, this place has been completely 
ignored since first mentioned in passing in PS: the underground 
entrance to Hogwarts from the lake.  That little cove in the wall of 
the cliff with the underground staircase that the first years come to 
in the boats.

Does Hagrid have the Keys to that underground place?  (And what happens 
when Grubbly-Plank stands in?) Will the cove play a role in one of 
Harry's underground battles?  Will Harry someday come to hold the Keys 
himself?

I don't know.  Oh well,
Caesian

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