Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Grawp

Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter - Character
Grawp
Gender Male
Hair color
Eye color muddy greenish brown
Related Family Rubeus Hagrid
Loyalty

Overview edit

Grawp is the Giant half-brother of Rubeus Hagrid. His mother was the giant Fridwulfa.

Role in the Books edit

Beginner warning: Details follow which you may not wish to read at your current level.

Order of the Phoenix edit

The half-wild Grawp is introduced to Harry and Hermione by Hagrid, who has hidden him in the Forbidden Forest. Hagrid is on probation at this point and is greatly afraid of being sacked by Dolores Umbridge; he charges Harry and Hermione with Grawp's care should he be sent away from the school. When they tell Ron about this the next day, Ron is utterly incredulous.

Harry and Hermione trick Professor Umbridge into going into the forest to look for a non-existent weapon, where they are stopped by a herd of Centaurs; Umbridge promptly manages to antagonize them by referring to them as having "nearly-human intelligence". Grawp crashes onto the scene, looking for the recently-sacked Hagrid, just as the Centaurs are about to sentence Harry and Hermione to the same fate that they have decided for Umbridge. Grawp recognizes Hermione (calling her "Hermy"), and demands Hagrid ("HAGGER!"). The Centaurs try to defend themselves from Grawp's clumsiness with arrows, but finding that their weapons are ineffective, serving only to enrage him, scatter into the woods, carrying off Umbridge.

Half-Blood Prince edit

According to Hagrid, Grawp is now living in a nice cave; this must be similar to the mountains where he was living when Hagrid first met him.

He is present at Albus Dumbledore's funeral, acting much more civilized, and trying, in his ham-fisted way, to console Hagrid.

Deathly Hallows edit

We are re-introduced to Grawp when Hagrid comes crashing into the school through a window, with his boarhound Fang. He tells us that when Voldemort had started his attack on the school, Hagrid had been up in the mountains visiting Grawp. They had headed down to the school together and Grawp had helpfully put Hagrid down inside the school (by tossing him through the window). Grawp is involved in battling the two Giants that Voldemort has brought along to attack Hogwarts, and does not seem to be badly injured in the process – after the battle, survivors in the Great Hall are throwing food to him out the windows.

Strengths edit

He is a giant, so therefore, very strong. We have seen that Hagrid is largely immune to Stunning spells, and we are told that this is because of his Giant heritage. Because of this, it is safe to assume that Grawp will likely not even notice a Stunning spell.

In his encounter with the Centaurs, we see that arrows, too, only annoy him, rather than injuring him.

Weaknesses edit

He doesn't seem very intelligent, although he is certainly improving through the books.

Relationships with Other Characters edit

Grawp eventually grows to at least like his half-brother Hagrid, although the process seems to be quite extended; we see, from Hagrid's return to the school in November right up to possibly May when Hagrid introduces Grawp to Harry and Hermione that Hagrid is suffering from repeated injuries inflicted, we're led to believe, by Grawp. We don't know how Hagrid managed to convince Grawp to return to Hogwarts, but there must have been some feeling for Hagrid, else Grawp, being far stronger and larger than Hagrid, would have simply struck out on his own.

Grawp does seem to be attracted to Hermione; when Hagrid is dismissed, and Grawp breaks loose, it is "Hermy" that he's calling for as he wanders the Forbidden Forest. We don't know what the attraction is.

Analysis edit

It is interesting to see a character who is as much stronger than Hagrid, as Hagrid is stronger than the regular wizards. It's hard to tell the effect that Grawp's heavy affection is having on Hagrid, but one can see that Hagrid is being as pummeled by Grawp's great strength, as Harry and Ron are by Hagrid's.

By the beginning of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, we know that at least one giant is roaming Britain, and we Muggles are being led to believe it is a tornado. We have not as yet seen anything, except another giant, that can defeat a giant; is this why Grawp has been civilized? So that he can be an unstoppable force on the side of the Wizards?

Questions edit

Study questions are meant to be left for each student to answer; please don't answer them here.

  1. Hagrid, we're told, is largely immune to Stun spells because of his giant heritage. Presumably Grawp is even more so. Are there any non-fatal spells that can stop a giant?

Greater Picture edit

Intermediate warning: Details follow which you may not wish to read at your current level.