Summary
- Hagrid's return to Hogwarts is celebrated by everyone except Draco and a few Slytherins, highlighting his importance to the school community.
- Draco's insult to Hermione reveals his belief in pure-blood supremacy, while Hagrid challenges such prejudices and praises Hermione's talents.
- Hagrid was falsely accused and framed by Tom Riddle for opening the Chamber of Secrets, leading to his expulsion and imprisonment in Azkaban.
At the end of the second Harry Potter movie - The Chamber of Secrets, Dumbledore asks Azkaban to release the Hogwarts' gamekeeper, Rubeus Hagrid. His return is a joyous moment for Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Professor Dumbledore, Harry Potter, and almost everyone except Draco Malfoy and a few Slytherins. Hagrid opens the door to the Great Hall amid claps and roars of students who have just been informed that all exams have been canceled. He enters and excuses himself, saying, "Sorry, I am late."
Hagrid walks straight to the Golden Trio, and thanks them for the part they played in securing his release. Ron and Hermione smile back at him, while Harry embraces him and says, "There's no Hogwarts without you, Hagrid." At the end of the second Harry Potter movie, Hagrid takes his rightful place at Hogwarts. Nearly everyone is happy to have him back, but why was he taken to Azkaban in the first place?
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Draco Insults Hermione
As seen in The Chamber of Secrets, Draco embraces the pure-blood supremacy belief, thanks to his father, Lucius. Early on in the movie, he unveils himself as Slytherin's new Seeker and when Hermione takes a jibe at him for buying his way in, he calls her a "filthy little Mudblood" in response. The brains in the Trio, Hermione is well aware that the word "Mudblood" is a grave insult meant for a witch/ wizard born to non-magic parents:
It means dirty blood. Mudblood is a foul name for someone who is Muggle-born. Someone with non-magic parents. Someone like me.
Hagrid also provides some context into the increasing polarization that's inflamed division among young minds. He says some families, like the Malfoys, have a superiority complex, in that, they think they are better than everyone because they are "pure-blooded." It is Hagrid who has an open and honest conversation with the Trio and tells Harry that there isn't a witch or a wizard alive who's not half-blood or less. To him, the pure-blood supremacy is "Codswallop." In the end, he praises Hermione's talents and tells her not to waste a breath on the likes of Draco Malfoy.
Don't you think on it, Hermione. Don't you think on it for one minute. Aye?
Thus, in The Chamber of Secrets, Hagrid proves that he is the exact kind of mentor that Dumbledore would want around students of Hogwarts.
The Re-opening Of The Chamber Of Secrets
In The Chamber of Secrets, Harry hears an ominous, sinister voice, first while serving detention in Gilderoy Lockhart's office and later, in Ron and Hermione's presence. While Lockhart, Ron, and Hermione cannot hear it, the second time, Harry runs past the corridor, following the voice. Shortly after, the Trio sees a threatening message written in blood on the wall ahead:
The Chamber Of Secrets Has Been opened. Enemies Of The Heir... Beware
They also see Argus Filch's cat, Mrs. Norris, cursed and hanging dead. In the next moments, Dumbledore explains Mrs. Norris has been petrified and recommends caution to all.
Tom Riddle Framed Hagrid
As explained by Professor Minerva McGonagall in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, one of the four founders of Hogwarts, Salazar Slytherin, a pure-blood supremacist broke bad and decided to leave Hogwarts because the rest didn't concur with his views on magical learning. However, before leaving, Salazar built a hidden chamber, known as the Chamber of Secrets, in Hogwarts Castle that's home to a Basilisk. He sealed the Chamber so no one would be able to open it until his true heir arrived at the school. The heir alone would be able to control and unleash the Basilisk within. While Minerva said the hidden chamber and the "monster" were the stuff of legend, the truth is, that the Chamber was opened by Slytherin's heir, Tom Riddle (who eventually became Voldemort) 50 years ago.
The Basilisk attacked several students and killed Myrtle Warren. Tom Riddle was able to frame Rubeus Hagrid, a third-year student back then, and blame the attacks on his hidden pet Acromantula, Aragog. Believing Hagrid had opened the Chamber of Secrets and set Aragog on Muggle-borns, he was expelled from Hogwarts, and his wand was destroyed. The then Transfiguration teacher, Dumbledore persuaded Headmaster Armando Dippet to let Hagrid stay and train as gamekeeper. Dumbledore kept an eye on Tom and saw right through him, while the rest continued to believe Hagrid was the culprit.
Hagrid Is Released From Azkaban
Though there was zero evidence that suggested Hagrid had opened the Chamber of Secrets, the Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge took him away to Azkaban citing that the record was against him. He promised to release him if someone else was caught. In The Chamber of Secrets, Harry saved the day by entering the chamber, killing the Basilisk within, and destroying, Tom Riddle's Diary. But before that, Tom Riddle's ghostly memory, preserved in the Diary, confessed to framing Hagrid and an enchanted Ginny's opening of the Chamber. At the end of the second Harry Potter movie, Dumbledore was brought back as Hogwarts' Headmaster, and he entrusted Ron to have an owl deliver Hagrid's release papers to Azkaban. Hagrid joined the end-of-the-year feast a bit late, but everyone was happy to have him back. Harry's words,
"There's no Hogwarts without you, Hagrid" reflect how much the gamekeeper mattered to Hogwarts. Not only did he perform his duties to the best of his abilities, but he had formed meaningful connections with students. Everyone at the High Table cheered and applauded for him, while he made sure to thank the Trio at the Gryffindor table.