Rubeus Hagrid

Rubeus Hagrid is a half-giant wizard, a staunch member of the Order of the Phoenix, and a loyal friend and confidant to Albus Dumbledore. He serves Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as the Keeper of Keys and Grounds and later as the Professor of Care of Magical Creatures. Hagrid is one of the most significant figures in Harry Potter's life, acting as his initial guide to the Wizarding World and a constant, protective presence throughout his school years. Despite a tragic past and limited formal magical education, his immense loyalty, kindness, and superhuman strength make him a formidable ally.

Rubeus Hagrid was born on 6 December 1928 to a human wizard father and the giantess Fridwulfa. His mother abandoned the family when Hagrid was three years old, finding his small size a disappointment. Hagrid was raised solely by his father, a kind but diminutive wizard whom Hagrid could pick up and place on a dresser by the age of six. He grew to a tremendous size due to his giant blood. His father was heartbroken by Fridwulfa's departure but raised his son with love until he passed away during Hagrid's second year at Hogwarts.

Hagrid began attending Hogwarts in 1940 and was Sorted into Gryffindor house. During his third year, in 1943, a fifth-year student named Tom Riddle opened the Chamber of Secrets, releasing the Basilisk which killed a student, Myrtle Warren. Riddle, needing a scapegoat to prevent the school's closure, framed Hagrid and his pet Acromantula, Aragog, for the attacks. As Hagrid had a known interest in raising dangerous creatures, the accusation was readily believed by the Headmaster of the time, Armando Dippet. Hagrid was expelled, and the Ministry of Magic snapped his wand in two. However, Albus Dumbledore, then the Transfiguration professor, believed in Hagrid's innocence and convinced Dippet to allow Hagrid to stay on the Hogwarts grounds as the gamekeeper-in-training.

Hagrid joined the original Order of the Phoenix to fight against Lord Voldemort. After Voldemort murdered James and Lily Potter, Dumbledore dispatched Hagrid to rescue the infant Harry Potter from the ruins of their house in Godric's Hollow. Hagrid, borrowing Sirius Black's enchanted motorbike, delivered Harry safely to Dumbledore and Minerva McGonagall at Number Four, Privet Drive.

Hagrid was tasked with reintroducing Harry Potter to the Wizarding World on his eleventh birthday, revealing his magical heritage and taking him to Diagon Alley to shop for school supplies. Throughout Harry's time at Hogwarts, Hagrid remained a steadfast friend and protector. In Harry's third year, Hagrid was promoted to Professor of Care of Magical Creatures. During the war's resurgence, Hagrid rejoined the Order of the Phoenix. He and Olympe Maxime undertook a dangerous mission to the mountains to persuade the giants to ally with Dumbledore, though they were ultimately unsuccessful due to the Death Eaters' interference. He fought in several key battles, including the Battle of the Seven Potters and the Battle of the Astronomy Tower. During the final Battle of Hogwarts, he was captured by Voldemort's forces in the Forbidden Forest. He was forced to carry what he believed to be Harry's dead body back to the castle, his grief-stricken cries echoing across the grounds. He survived the battle.

According to J.K. Rowling, Hagrid continued to work at Hogwarts for many more years, and invited Harry's son, Albus Severus Potter, to his hut for tea, just as he had with Harry. Hagrid never married nor had children of his own. (J.K. Rowling interview).

Hagrid is a man of immense stature, described as being “twice as tall as a normal man and at least five times as wide.” He has a great, wild tangle of long black hair and a beard that completely hides his face. His hands are the size of dustbin lids, and his feet in their leather boots are like baby dolphins. His eyes are described as “crinkled” and “beetle-black.” Despite his intimidating appearance, Hagrid is exceptionally kind-hearted, loyal, and highly emotional, often bursting into tears at moments of high feeling. His greatest character flaw is his profound and dangerous love for monstrous creatures, which he naively sees as harmless pets. This leads him to acquire a dragon (Norberta), an Acromantula (Aragog), a three-headed dog (Fluffy), and Blast-Ended Skrewts. He can be careless with secrets but is fiercely protective of his friends, especially Harry, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger, and is unbreakably loyal to Albus Dumbledore.

• Magical Proficiency: Having been expelled in his third year, Hagrid's ability to perform formal, complex magic is very limited. He himself admits he's “a bit of a duffer” when it comes to spell-casting. He primarily uses magic for simple tasks.
• Wand: His wand was made of oak, sixteen inches long, and “rather bendy.” After it was snapped, he secretly embedded the pieces into his pink umbrella, allowing him to perform rudimentary spells like creating a fire or giving Dudley Dursley a pig's tail.
• Giant Heritage: His half-giant blood grants him superhuman strength and a high degree of resistance to physical attacks and stunning spells. During the confrontation with Ministry officials in his fifth year, he easily repelled multiple Stunning Spells.
• Creature Expertise: Hagrid possesses an encyclopedic knowledge of magical creatures, particularly the more dangerous varieties. He is skilled at handling and domesticating creatures that other wizards would not dare approach, such as Hippogriffs and Thestrals.
• Patronus Charm: Hagrid is unable to cast the Patronus Charm, as it is considered a very advanced piece of magic that is beyond his abilities. (J.K. Rowling interview).

• Hagrid's Hut: His small wooden house located on the edge of the Forbidden Forest on the Hogwarts grounds.
• Pink Umbrella: A seemingly ordinary umbrella that secretly contains the fragments of his broken wand, allowing him to perform simple magic.
• Sirius Black's Motorbike: A flying motorbike originally belonging to Sirius Black, which Hagrid used to transport baby Harry and later participated in the Battle of the Seven Potters with.
• Crossbow: His primary tool and weapon as gamekeeper.
• Pets: Hagrid has owned numerous creatures, including Fang the boarhound, Fluffy the three-headed dog, Aragog the Acromantula, Norberta the Norwegian Ridgeback dragon, and Buckbeak the Hippogriff.

• Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger: Hagrid is a quasi-parental figure and one of their most loyal friends. He introduces Harry to the magical world and remains a source of comfort, albeit sometimes chaotic help, throughout their adventures.
• Albus Dumbledore: Hagrid's loyalty to Dumbledore is absolute. He trusts Dumbledore completely, having been saved by him after his expulsion. In turn, Dumbledore entrusted Hagrid with some of his most important tasks, including the protection of Harry and the Philosopher's Stone.
• Olympe Maxime: The half-giantess Headmistress of Beauxbatons Academy of Magic. Hagrid developed a romantic relationship with her during the Triwizard Tournament and their subsequent mission to the giants.
• Grawp: Hagrid's full-giant, younger half-brother. Hagrid rescued him from other giants and took on the immense responsibility of trying to “civilize” him in the Forbidden Forest.
• Lord Voldemort: Hagrid harbors a deep animosity towards Voldemort, who, as Tom Riddle, was responsible for his expulsion and the ruin of his name.

• Rubeus: This name likely derives from the Latin rubeus, meaning “red” or “ruddy.” This could be a reference to Hagrid's often flushed, emotional face or his good-natured, “rubicund” disposition.
• Hagrid: J.K. Rowling has stated that “Hagrid” is an old English dialect word. If you were “hag-rid,” it meant you had a bad night, often full of nightmares. Rowling explained, “Hagrid's a big drinker. He has a lot of bad nights.”

• In the film series, Hagrid is portrayed by Scottish actor Robbie Coltrane.
• J.K. Rowling has said that the character of Hagrid was one of the very first she created. She has also stated that from the beginning, she always planned for Hagrid to be the one to carry Harry's body out of the Forbidden Forest in the final book, as it provided a powerful symbolic bookend to the story, with Hagrid carrying Harry into the Wizarding World at the beginning and seemingly out of it at the end. (J.K. Rowling interview).
• The inspiration for Hagrid's character came from a large, intimidating-looking Hells Angel biker the author once met in a pub in the West Country of England, who turned out to be a gentle soul who discussed his petunias. (J.K. Rowling interview).