Action figures of Fang, Hagrid, and Norbert the dragon
Hagrid keeps and has kept a variety of pets, including some which the Wizarding community considers impossible to domesticate.
They are not always wrong. Rowling has said that Hagrid has little interest in tamer magical creatures because of the lack of a challenge, although he has a large but cowardly dog, a boarhound named Fang. Hagrid's love of dangerous magical creatures is relatively central to the plot of several books of the series.
Aragog
Aragog was an Acromantula—an enormous, sentient spider capable of speech—who made a unique clicking noise as he moved in search of prey. Hagrid raised him from an egg as a Hogwarts student, keeping him inside a cupboard. In his third year at Hogwarts, Hagrid was caught talking to Aragog in the dungeons by Tom Riddle, who alleged that Aragog was the "Monster of Slytherin," and that Hagrid had opened the Chamber of Secrets. In fact, it was Riddle who had opened the Chamber, and the monster was actually a basilisk.
After Hagrid was expelled, Aragog lived in the Forbidden Forest. Hagrid found him a mate, Mosag, with whom Aragog bore an entire colony of giant spiders. He remained grateful to Hagrid for his entire life, and kept his carnivorous children from attacking him when he came to visit. However, he did not extend this courtesy to other creatures and people; he allowed his children to attack Harry, Ron, and Fang when they encountered him in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Hagrid led them to Aragog by giving them the cryptic advice, "follow the spiders." It was Aragog who told Harry and Ron that he was not the Monster of Slytherin, but another creature, that unlike Aragog, was born in the castle, and which spiders so fear above all others that they never speak of it or give its name, despite Hagrid's numerous inquiries. Though Aragog allowed his children to attack Harry, Ron, and Fang, they were saved at the last minute by Mr. Weasley's flying car, which had been lost in the forest months before.
Aragog remained in the Forbidden Forest for the rest of his life, but eventually died of old age in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Hagrid retrieved Aragog's body from the forest so that he could give him a proper burial, fearing that his children would devour his body. From that point on, the spider colony was the only part of the Forbidden Forest that Hagrid could not enter safely.
Aragog's children returned in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows during the Battle at Hogwarts; having been driven from the forest, they began attacking Death Eaters and Hogwarts' inhabitants indiscriminately. Hagrid's love of the spiders endangered himself and others because he tried to protect them; the spiders thanked Hagrid by capturing him and taking him to Voldemort.
Aragog was voiced by Julian Glover in the film adaptation of the Chamber of Secrets.
Buckbeak
Buckbeak, along with eleven other hippogriffs, is introduced during one of Hagrid's Care of Magical Creatures classes. Hagrid explains that hippogriffs are very calm, powerful creatures, but are sensitive creatures and demand respect. Harry successfully approaches Buckbeak, who allows him to ride him around the paddock.
Draco Malfoy, in an arrogant attempt to show up his school nemesis, endeavours to approach Buckbeak as well. It becomes obvious that Draco neither listens to nor cares about Hagrid's warnings about the hippogriffs' sensitivity, as he makes contemptuous remarks about Buckbeak. Quickly angered, Buckbeak slashes Draco's arm with his claws.
Pretending to be injured much more severely than he truly is, Draco persuades his father, Lucius Malfoy, to use his political power to sentence Buckbeak to death. Hagrid's numerous appeals fail, and members of the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures come to Hogwarts to execute Buckbeak. With the use of a Time-Turner, Hermione and Harry free Buckbeak (they believed him earlier to have been executed, but it was revealed the executioner only swung his axe into the fence in anger, in the film he does this to a pumpkin) and rescue Sirius Black from the tower in which he is being held before being handed over to the Dementors. Sirius escapes with Buckbeak and flies to safety. During most of Harry's fourth year, Sirius and Buckbeak hide in a cave in the mountains above Hogsmeade. After this, they move to Number 12 Grimmauld Place, whereupon Buckbeak stays in Sirius' mother's former room. When Kreacher wants to lure Sirius away briefly, he wounds Buckbeak.
In Half-Blood Prince, Harry inherits Buckbeak, and allows Hagrid to look after him again. To avoid suspicion from the Ministry of Magic, he is given the alias "Witherwings". A fiercely loyal creature, Buckbeak chases Severus Snape away from Harry by slashing his claws at the end of the book. Buckbeak also features in the Battle of Hogwarts at the end of the Deathly Hallows leading the Hogwarts' Thestrals against Voldemort's giants.
Fang
Fang is a large boarhound (portrayed in the films by a Neapolitan Mastiff) that, aside from his enormous size, appears to be an entirely ordinary dog. While Fang's appearance is intimidating, he is, in Hagrid's words, "a bloody coward." Boisterous and loving with people he knows, he seems to enjoy licking Harry, Ron, or Hermione around the face or ears.
In the Philosopher's Stone he accompanies Harry, Hagrid, Draco, Hermione and Neville into the Forbidden Forest to look for an injured unicorn. In the following book, the Chamber of Secrets, Harry and Ron take Fang into the forest where he is scared stiff of both the gigantic acromantula and Mr Weasley's flying car. In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, an escaping Death Eater sets fire to Hagrid's hut while Fang is inside; Hagrid enters the flaming hut, slings Fang over his shoulder, and carries him to safety. In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Fang and Hagrid participate in the Battle of Hogwarts; though Fang's exact involvement is not clear. He is last seen running away after a shattered vase frightens him.
Fluffy
Fluffy is a giant three-headed dog provided by Hagrid to guard the trapdoor leading to the underground chamber where the Philosopher's Stone was hidden until the end of Philosopher's Stone. The only known way to get past Fluffy is to lull him to sleep by playing music. Fluffy is based on Cerberus, the three-headed dog from Greek Mythology that guards the gates to the underworld. As with Fluffy, Cerberus was lulled to sleep with music by Orpheus.
In Philosopher's Stone, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville accidentally run into Fluffy whilst hiding from Peeves, who was attempting to give them away to caretaker Argus Filch, who was searching for them. On Halloween, Harry and Ron witness Snape entering the door to Fluffy's chamber, and for the next few days having a pronounced limp.
Harry also overhears him saying "How are you meant to keep your eyes on all three heads at once?" to Filch.
However, it is later revealed that he followed then Hogwarts Defence Against the Dark Arts professor Quirinus Quirrell into the chamber. While Fluffy is guarding the Philosopher's Stone, Professor Quirrell penetrates Fluffy's
defences by playing a harp, in order to access the trapdoor, while Harry uses a flute that had been given to him by Hagrid. Rowling was asked in an interview what happened to Fluffy after he was no longer needed to protect the Stone. Her reply was that Fluffy was released into the Forbidden Forest.
Norberta
Norberta, previously named Norbert, is a Norwegian Ridgeback dragon that Hagrid had acquired as an egg from a mysterious, hooded stranger, who turned out to be Professor Quirrell. Hagrid helps the dragon hatch from the egg.
Norbert becomes very dangerous and much bigger in the weeks following, so Harry, Ron, and Hermione finally persuade Hagrid to give her to Ron's older brother Charlie, who is studying dragons in Romania after she bit Ron's hand causing him to receive medical treatment due to the poison from its fangs. Harry and Hermione take Norbert up in a crate under Harry's Cloak of Invisibility. In the Deathly Hallows, Charlie Weasley revealed to Hagrid that Norbert was actually female, and had been renamed Norberta. Charlie notes that female dragons are more vicious than the males.
Reception
IGN listed Hagrid as their thirteenth top Harry Potter character, saying that Hagrid had become a surrogate for the audience and that the short scene in the Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire film where he recollects memorable moments with Harry, Hermione and Ron gave them a "cherished memory".[25] IGN's Joe Utichi also listed Hagrid as his 7th favourite Harry Potter character.[26]
In popular culture
Hagrid has appeared in various animated and non-animated parodies of Harry Potter. He was featured in US skit comedy Saturday Night Live, portrayed by Horatio Sanz, in the same episode in which Lindsay Lohan played Hermione.[27] In Alistair McGowan's Big Impression show, Hagrid appeared in a sketch called "Louis Potter and the Philosopher's Scone", in which he was portrayed by Robbie Coltrane himself.[28] Hagrid is also parodied in Harry Potter and the Secret Chamberpot of Azerbaijan, a story released by Comic Relief in 2003, and he was played by Ronnie Corbett.[29][30] In the Potter Puppet Pals parodies by Neil Cicierega, Hagrid appeared in the episode "Ron's Disease", in which Harry uses Hagrid's strength to cure Ron from an illness, as well as to beat Hermione and Snape, and to discover Dumbledore's identity as a "gay android".[31] Hagrid also appears in the parody stage production Harry Potter and the Obnoxious Voice, interacting with Draco Malfoy and a dementor.[32] In one episode of the second series of Tracey Ullman's State of the Union, Tracey Ullman parodies Rowling as bossy and very keen on keeping her creations copyrighted, believing a hobo is impersonating Hagrid.
References
[1] Conversations with JK Rowling, p.37-8 (http://www.accio-quote.org/themes/hagrid.htm)
[2] WBUR radio interview 12 October, 1999 (http://www.accio-quote.org/articles/1999/1099-connectiontransc2.htm) [3] Goring, Rosemary (17 January 1999), "Harry's Fame", Scotland on Sunday (http://www.accio-quote.org/articles/1999/
0199-scotlandsunday-goring.html)
[4] Barnes and Noble & Yahoo! chat with J.K. Rowling, barnesandnoble.com, 20 October, 2000 (http://www.accio-quote.org/articles/2000/
1000-livechat-barnesnoble.html)
[5] Anelli, Melissa and Emerson Spartz (16 July 2005), "The Leaky Cauldron and MuggleNet interview Joanne Kathleen Rowling: Part Three"
(http://www.quick-quote-quill.org/articles/2005/0705-tlc_mugglenet-anelli-3.htm), The Leaky Cauldron [6] World Exclusive Interview with J K Rowling (http://www.accio-quote.org/articles/2000/0700-swns-alfie.htm) [7] "Rowling: 'I wanted to kill parents' - Wild about Harry" (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20026225/), - MSNBC.com
[8] " New Interview with J.K. Rowling for Release of Dutch Edition of 'Deathly Hallows' (http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/2007/11/19/
new-interview-with-j-k-rowling-for-release-of-dutch-edition-of-deathly-hallows)." (18 November 2007). The Leaky Cauldron. Retrieved 19 November 2007.
[9] Weingarten, Tara. Rowling Says Dumbledore Is Gay (http://www.newsweek.com/id/50787). Newsweek. . Retrieved 20 October 2007
[10] Warner Bros. (16 November 2007). "Casting Is Complete on "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince"" (http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/
cgi/news/release?id=213122). Press release. . Retrieved 16 November 2007.
[11] http://www.neatorama.com/tag/jk-rowling/
[12] They really do look as I'd imagined they would inside my head. (http://www.accio-quote.org/articles/2001/1111-telegraph-alderson.
html)
[13] Harry Potter And The Personal Demons (http://blogs.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/ianwylie/2006/09/harry_potter_and_the_personal.
html)
[14] JK Rowling interview in full (http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/tv_film/newsid_1634000/1634994.stm) CBBC Retrieved on 29 July 2007
[15] http://www.accio-quote.org/articles/2001/1111-telegraph-alderson.html
[16] Martin Bayfield Filmography (http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1809048458)
[17] Rowling, J. K. (2007). Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. London: Bloomsbury/New York City: Scholastic, et al. UK ISBN 1551929767/U.S. ISBN 0545010225., chapter 5
[18] Southbank (http://www.accio-quote.org/articles/2006/0925-southbank.html), Accio Quote 25 September 2006.
[19] Section: Extra Stuff (http://www.jkrowling.com/textonly/en/extrastuff_view.cfm?id=18) [20] JK Rowling's World Book Day Chat (http://www.accio-quote.org/articles/2004/0304-wbd.htm)
[21] Darby Dickerson (2008). "Professor Dumbledore's Advice for Law Deans" (http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.
cfm?abstract_id=1088056). University of Toledo Law Review.
[22] Sharon Waxman (15 October 2006). "Cyberface: New Technology That Captures the Soul" (http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/15/
movies/15waxm.html?th&emc=th). New York Times (The New York Times).
[23] H Tucker (2007). "At the movies" (http://itnow.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/49/5/8). ITNOW (British Computer Society) 49 (5): 8–9. doi:10.1093/itnow/bwm023.
[24] Tony Maudsley as Grawp in 'Order of the Phoenix' (http://www.hpana.com/news.19394.html). HPANA. 26 April 2006.
[25] Brian Linder, Phil Pirrello, Eric Goldman, Matt Fowler (14 July 2009). "Top 25 Harry Potter Characters" (http://uk.movies.ign.com/
articles/100/1002569p3.html). IGN. . Retrieved 3 April 2011.
[26] Joe Utichi (3 November 2010). "The Top 10 Harry Potter Characters" (http://uk.movies.ign.com/articles/113/1132181p1.html). IGN. . Retrieved 3 April 2011.
[27] "Saturday Night Live Transcripts" (http://snltranscripts.jt.org/03/03rpotter.phtml). . Retrieved 27 July 2007.
[28] "BBC One press release" (http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2002/03_march/14/entertainment.pdf) (PDF).
2001. . Retrieved 20 May 2007.
[29] "Harry Potter and the Secret Chamberpot of Azerbaijan" (http://www.tv.com/french-and-saunders/
harry-potter-and-the-secret-chamberpot-of-azerbaijan/episode/255720/summary.html). tv.com. . Retrieved 8 July 2007.
[30] "French and Saunders: Harry Potter and the Secret Chamberpot of Azerbaijan" (http://www.frenchandsaunders.com/rnd03/lineup/
0302192116.shtml). .frenchandsaunders.com. . Retrieved 8 July 2007.
[31] Ron's Disease (http://www.potterpuppetpals.com/pppmain/Channels/Hagred.htm) in Potter Puppet Pals [32] Excerpts (http://www.angelfire.com/scifi/theaterscripts/harrypotter-obnoxiousvoice.html)
External links
• Rubeus Hagrid (http://www.hp-lexicon.org/wizards/hagrid.html) at Harry Potter Lexicon