In the first book and movie of Harry Potter, a beloved character makes the same mistake twice. This has consequences for Hogwarts and the entire wizarding world, but on the other hand, Voldemort can only be stopped because of it.
Which character is it about? Hagrid is one of the first characters we meet in Harry Potter. The half-giant is the Keeper of Keys and Grounds of Hogwarts.
He brings Harry as a baby to the Dursleys and picks him up eleven years later to buy the necessary supplies for school in Diagon Alley.
During this, the two also visit Gringotts bank. Hagrid accepts a secret package there. Inside is the Philosopher’s Stone, which is to be stored at Hogwarts from then on – in close proximity to Dumbledore, who accomplished many great deeds over the years.
It’s unfortunate that while Hagrid is a lovable fellow, he can also be quite clumsy. He has made a fatal mistake, and that twice.
The Secret of the Three-Headed Dog
What kind of mistake is it? It concerns the three-headed dog Fluffy, who protects the Philosopher’s Stone. Specifically, this oversized creature is the first of several hurdles that Hogwarts sets up to protect the stone from theft.
Although Fluffy is not among the most dangerous creatures in Harry Potter, getting past him is still difficult if you don’t know the right trick. It is as follows: Play some music, and Fluffy will fall asleep. Thereafter, you can open the trapdoor in the floor without being disturbed and go down a level.
This secret unfortunately does not remain one for long. Hagrid encounters Professor Quirrell along the way, who, however, is posing as someone else. At this time, Voldemort is already living at the back of the professor’s head. In their conversation, Hagrid rambles on and proudly tells about Fluffy – and the trick to get past him.
This allows Quirrell to get dangerously close to the Philosopher’s Stone by the end of the school year. Hagrid’s mistake could have ended badly; fortunately, he made it a second time and also accidentally told Harry, Ron, and Hermione about the trick with the music.
This way, they succeed in following Quirrell. After the three friends solve some additional puzzles, Harry faces the professor alone, and thereby also Lord Voldemort.
The situation is extremely dangerous for the young Hogwarts student and could have killed him in the worst case. Ultimately, however, he defeats Quirrell, and Voldemort also disappears into obscurity for several years.
Hagrid’s mistake could have had serious consequences if it hadn’t been repeated. In the end, everything turned out well, but the gamekeeper would have been well advised to handle such valuable information more discreetly. In general, Hagrid loves strange creatures, including surely some from the following list: The 10 best creatures from Harry Potter ranked – Which ones enchanted us the most?
