How Stupid IS Hagrid (was: Prank, etc.)

[Bart Lidofsky]

No: HPFGUIDX 169784

From: Dana <ida3 at planet.nl>
>Hagrid was tricked into telling the secret on how to get passed 
>Fluffy. 

Bart:
Was he, now?

Or, was he under orders to give up the secret?

OK, here's the thing. Either, for the purpose of moving the stories along, JKR has made Hagrid TOO stupid, or it is part of an undercurrent, where Hagrid knows far more than he pretends to know. For example, he is clearly familiar with many of the lower elements of society; he shops at Nokturn Alley, goes to the worst bars, etc. He is quite expert at handling magickal creatures (although I do believe that his unfortunate expectations of others to be almost as capable are real), able to create new breeds (and, as the blast-ended Skrewts WERE approved, in advance, for the tri-Wizard tournament, I believe that he DID have authorization, although it may have been part of a more blanket authorization under some sort of Hogwarts Research allowance). 

The key to all of this is Dumbledore's reaction to Harry when Harry comes to in PS/SS (and, I apologize, I don't have the exact quote in front of me, although I've used it before). I will look it up again, but it is on the order of, "I knew you could do it!" That, plus the fact that Harry's friends were the perfect group to solve the puzzle (note that they left Neville behind; they were lucky to know the Herbology question). So, here are the possibilities: 

1) The faculty at Hogwarts are composed of a bunch of incompetents.
2) JKR is a lousy writer.
3) The perp was intended to get through the traps.

We can discuss other possibilities as people come up with them, but I think we can discount #1 and #2. Now, the fact that the traps matched the expertise of Harry and his friends, combined with DD's reaction, implies to me these:

1) DD intended Harry to get through.
2) Tommy Q came closer to winning than DD had intended by luring DD away.
3) This was designed as a training exercise for Harry.
4) Getting more controversial: Harry's friends were picked for him in advance. I think Hermione was in on it (and have given reasons in the past for this belief); the meeting with the Weasleys (and Ron in particular) was arranged without their knowledge.
5) Dumbledore did not interfere with Harry's upbringing, because he saw that it created a "hero complex" within him. (JKR would call it character strengthening, probably). 

Hagrid was TOLD to let Fluffy's secret out at the appropriate times. The dragon rescue was set up as another "character building" exercise. 

There are far too many coincidences in PS/SS; I would like to think that most of them are NOT coincidences. If Hagrid had been confined to Hogwarts the whole time, I might believe his shown naivety. But he has been in the real world, and the lowest parts of it at that. 

So, how stupid IS Hagrid?

Bart

P.S. Longshot prediction of the day. Everybody who knew Lily says that Harry has Lily's eyes. Harry remembers a blinding flash of green. What if it was a LITERALLY blinding flash of green? What are the implications of Harry not having eyes LIKE Lily's, but Harry having Lily's eyes?

Bart