Snape, Hagrid and Animals

[va32h]

No: HPFGUIDX 143723

AllieS426  wrote:
>  I  honestly don't know why Dumbledore allows Hagrid to continue 
> teaching.  On the other hand, Harry and his friends all achieved OWL 
> in Care of Magical Creatures, so they must be learning something, 
> even if Hagrid is completely irresponsible.  

va32h: 
When Dumbledore introduces Hagrid as the new CoMC teacher, he 
remarks that the previous teacher, Professor Kettleburn, has 
retired "to enjoy the use of his remaining limbs". PoA pg 93.

This suggest to me that Care of Magical Creatures has always been a 
dangerous class, and interacting with magical creatures inherently 
risky. Or perhaps all CoMC instructors are careless about safety. Or 
safety isn't too much of a concern in a magical world where injuries 
are healed rather quickly and painlessly. 

Quidditch is extremely dangerous too - why didn't Madam Hooch do 
something about the rogue bludger that was chasing after Harry? 
Students have been engorged in Potions class, and been Imperius'd in 
DADA (Which Dumbledore assented to, even when he thought Crouch!Moody 
was Real!Moody). Students curse each other repeatedly, and cruelly. 

My own young daughter pointed out that Hogwarts was an extremely 
dangerous school to attend, since the Trio seem to round out every 
year with a nice long visit in the hospital wing. 

Applying real-life standards of safety to the magical world is always 
going to be frustrating. For me, it really reduces my enjoyment of the 
story to sidetrack myself with all the reasons this or that couldn't 
or shouldn't really happen. (I strictly speaking of my own experience 
here, to each his own). 

To bring this back to Hagrid - all of his misadventures with magical 
creatures either advance the plot, or provide humourous interludes. 
(although granted, the humorous effect may vary according to the 
reader). The Buckbeak trial and execution were essential to carrying 
off the plot of PoA. Aragog was vital for CoS. The Blast-Ended Skrewts 
seemed to me to be intended for humor's sake, the dragon had plot uses 
in PS as well as showing Hagrid's maternal side, and providing humor, 
and Grawp had his plot uses in OoTP, and may well be further useful in 
book 7. 
va32h