Hagrid always took on life with a positive attitude, even when dark times approached. Here’s a look at some of the times when Hagrid saw the best in things.

When he refused to see Norbert as anything other than his adorable pet

Hagrid’s views on what constitutes a good pet were perhaps, at times, slightly misguided. After all, he bestowed the name ‘Fluffy’ on a huge, three-headed dog. One such pet was, of course, Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback. Hagrid had always wanted a dragon, so acquire a dragon he did.

‘Bless him, look, he knows his mummy!’
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

When he stood by Aragog against all accusations

Hagrid’s faith in this furry friend was perhaps hard to understand, and he overestimated Aragog when he told Harry and Ron to ‘follow the spiders’ directly into the Acromantula’s hollow. But when Tom Riddle tried to frame Aragog for being Slytherin’s monster, Hagrid stood by his pal, certain that Aragog would not kill anybody.

‘Come on, Rubeus,’ said Riddle, moving yet closer. ‘The dead girl’s parents will be here tomorrow. The least Hogwarts can do is make sure that the thing that killed their daughter is slaughtered ...’
‘It wasn’ him!’ roared the boy, his voice echoing in the dark passage. ‘He wouldn’! He never!’
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

When he didn’t sweat Ron’s slug regurgitation problem

Harry and Hermione supported Ron over the threshold, into the one-roomed cabin, which had an enormous bed in one corner, a fire crackling merrily in another. Hagrid didn’t seem perturbed by Ron’s slug problem, which Harry hastily explained as he lowered Ron into a chair.
‘Better out than in,’ he said cheerfully, plonking a large copper basin in front of him. ‘Get ’em all up, Ron.’
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

When he showed us the power of brotherly love

When Hagrid found that his half-brother Grawp was being bullied by other giants, a combination of sentimentality and brotherly protectiveness lead Hagrid to take Grawp, albeit against his will, to live in the Forbidden Forest.

‘I knew if I jus’ got him back,’ said Hagrid, sounding close to tears himself, ‘an’ – an’ taught him a few manners – I’d be able ter take him outside an’ show ev’ryone he’s harmless!’
‘Harmless!’ said Hermione shrilly, and Hagrid made frantic hushing noises with his hands as the enormous creature before them grunted loudly and shifted in its sleep. ‘He’s been hurting you all this time, hasn’t he? That’s why you’ve had all these injuries!’
‘He don’ know his own strength!’ said Hagrid earnestly. ‘An’ he’s gettin’ better, he’s not fightin’ so much any more –’
‘So, this is why it took you two months to get home!’ said Hermione distractedly. ‘Oh, Hagrid, why did you bring him back if he didn’t want to come? Wouldn’t he have been happier with his own people?’
‘They were all bullyin’ him, Hermione, ’cause he’s so small!’ said Hagrid.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

When his faith in Snape didn’t waver

Hagrid’s positive attitude meant he always saw the best in people until given a firm reason not to. He was also unshakeably loyal to Albus Dumbledore, and those he trusted.

‘Snape?’
‘Yeah – yer not still on abou’ that, are yeh? Look, Snape helped protect the Stone, he’s not about ter steal it.’
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

When he wanted Harry to win the Triwizard Tournament for all the right reasons

Naturally when Harry’s name emerged from the Goblet of Fire, there was only one champion Hagrid would be, well, championing. Hagrid wanted Harry to show the wizarding world that heroism and success have nothing to do with how ‘pure’ or otherwise your blood is.

‘Yeh know what I’d love, Harry? I’d love yeh ter win, I really would. It’d show ’em all ... yeh don’ have ter be pure-blood ter do it. Yeh don’ have ter be ashamed of what yeh are. It’d show ’em Dumbledore’s the one who’s got it righ’, lettin’ anyone in as long as they can do magic.’
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

When he tried to ease Harry’s grief

Harry was heartbroken and riddled with guilt after the death of his godfather, Sirius Black. Hagrid was on hand to remind Harry that Sirius would have wanted to die fighting.

‘I knew Sirius longer ’n yeh did ... he died in battle, an’ tha’s the way he’d’ve wanted ter go ... But still, Harry ... he was never one ter sit aroun’ at home an’ let other people do the fightin’. He couldn’ have lived with himself if he hadn’ gone ter help —’
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

When he encouraged Hermione to ignore her hate mail

Hermione got a lot of hatred thrown her way thanks to the poison pen of Rita Skeeter, and the negativity threatened to take over. Hagrid advised Hermione not to let it get to her.

‘What yeh done ter your hands, Hermione?’ said Hagrid, looking concerned.
Hermione told him about the hate mail she had received that morning, and the envelope full of Bubotuber pus.
‘Aaah, don’ worry,’ said Hagrid gently, looking down at her. ‘I got some o’ those letters an’ all, after Rita Skeeter wrote abou’ me mum. “Yeh’re a monster an’ yeh should be put down.” “Yer mother killed innocent people an’ if you had any decency you’d jump in a lake.”’
‘No!’ said Hermione, looking shocked.
‘Yeah,’ said Hagrid, heaving the Niffler crates over by his cabin wall. ‘They’re jus’ nutters, Hermione. Don’ open ’em if yeh get any more. Chuck ‘em straigh’ in the fire.’
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

When he put on the bravest of faces

Dumbledore said that he would only truly have left Hogwarts when none there were loyal to him. After his death, when the school’s future was in doubt, Hagrid declared he wasn’t going anywhere.

‘Hagrid, you haven’t said anything,’ said Professor McGonagall. ‘What are your views, ought Hogwarts to remain open?’
Hagrid, who had been weeping silently into his large spotted handkerchief throughout this conversation, now raised puffy red eyes and croaked, ‘I dunno, Professor ... that’s fer the Heads of House an’ the Headmistress ter decide ...’
‘Professor Dumbledore always valued your views,’ said Professor McGonagall kindly, ‘and so do I.’
‘Well, I’m stayin’,’ said Hagrid, fat tears still leaking out of the corners of his eyes and trickling down into his tangled beard. ‘It’s me home, it’s bin me home since I was thirteen. An’ if there’s kids who wan’ me ter teach ’em, I’ll do it.’
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Hagrid taught us true loyalty and to keep our chins up in the face of dark times.

‘No good sittin’ worryin’ abou’ it. What’s comin’ will come, an’ we’ll meet it when it does.’
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire