Hagrid's Tale (was:Re: What would dissapoint you about HBP? -- Grawp)

[amiabledorsai]

No: HPFGUIDX 127713



--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "elady25" <imamommy at s...> wrote:

<Snip> ...I almost 
> always skip the chapter "Hagrrid's Tale" in my rereads.  I can't
say 
> why, exactly; maybe because it seems to slow the action up, maybe 
> because after the whole thing, Hagrid doesn't really have anything 
> much to report...

I had just the opposite reaction to "Hagrid's Tale"--I've gone back to
the book just to reread that chapter.  OotP is full of scenes wherein
Harry learns about a darker side of most of the people in his
life--most notably his father's cruel streak and Dumbledore's terrible
error--but Hagrid finally gets a chance to shine.  Up until now,
Hagrid has been presented to us as a lovable oaf, well meaning,
certainly, but sort of silly.  Then we heard his story, and began to
understand why Dumbledore would trust this man with his life, why he
would send Hagrid to retrieve baby Harry from the rubble of his
parent's hiding place and guard him for the "missing 24 hours".  Best
of all, there were little hints throughout the other books that this
new, improved Hagrid has been there all along--starting with
Dumbledore's declaration of trust in book 1--just waiting for us to
realize their significance.

> If she brings Grawp 
> back, I do hope he's made better use of.

I think the Grawp business is a lit fuse for a plot bomb in book 6 or
7.  I expect, uhm, big things from him.
 
Amiable Dorsai