Hagrid the animal abuser (was:Hagrid and Draco WAS:Re: Dumbledore...

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 166179

> >>Katie: 
> I think you're taking a hard line against Hagrid.
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
I *am* taking a hard line, I agree.  Is it too hard for the books?  
As Magpie and houyhnhnm pointed out, it's hard to tell.  Which is 
actually fairly normal when it comes to Hagrid, honestly.  At least, 
IMO.  On the one hand, kids absolutely love his character, and he's 
totally loyal to Harry.  On the other hand, he's a bigot, a pretty 
hard drinker (how often do the Trio come across him while he's in his 
cups?), and as per RL standards anyway a menace to the very creatures 
he claims to love.  And yes, that includes his brother.

Of course, I absolutely reject the idea that Hagrid was doing just 
fine and Draco screwed everything up for him.  The insanity of 
bringing *twelve* highly dangerous beasts to intermingle with 
children (and the children were all intermingling with the 
hippogriffs at once) was mind-boggling to me. 

> >>Bart:
> <snip>
> I grew up a city kid, and I learned how to handle a horse when I   
> was 7 years old. First thing I learned: Never walk behind a horse   
> within kicking range.
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
Me too.  I'm curious as to how you were taught that particular 
lesson?  For me, a group of us kids (about 6 or so) were taken inside 
a stable, our teacher stood with the horse and told us all the finer 
points, and then, one by one, we were encouraged to pet and brush the 
horse.  Over time we were left more and more unsupervised, in that 
we'd each care for the horse we rode, but there were always at least 
two responsible adults around.  Oh, and the horses used were calm 
friendly sorts that were used to children.

If Hagrid had been in charge, there'd have been about 20 children 
(not all of them thrilled to be there) given a quick run down on how 
to handle horses, and then he'd have scattered twelve highly strung 
thoroughbreds amongst the children and left them to it while he 
chatted with the three kids he really liked.  No wonder no ones takes 
CoMC unless they absolutely have to.  (Including Harry, Ron and 
Hermione.)

Betsy Hp