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harry potter - Why Was Hagrid's Wand Snapped?


Why was Hagrid's wand snapped in two when he was expelled from Hogwarts? Why was he banned from performing magic? Yes, he was expelled from Hogwarts after being framed by Tom Riddle as being responsible for Moaning Myrtle's death via Aragog the Acromantula. But why did he receive this punishment?



‘What’ve you been feeding [the pumpkins]?’ said Harry.

Hagrid looked over his shoulder to check that they were alone. ‘Well, I’ve bin givin’ them – you know – a bit o’ help.’

Harry noticed Hagrid’s flowery pink umbrella leaning against the back wall of the cabin. Harry had had reason to believe before now that this umbrella was not all it looked; in fact, he had the strong impression that Hagrid’s old school wand was concealed inside it. Hagrid wasn’t supposed to use magic. He had been expelled from Hogwarts in his third year[...]

Chamber of Secrets - page 90 - Bloomsbury - chapter 7, Mudbloods and Murmurs



Why would Hagrid's wand be snapped in two and he not be allowed to do magic when:



  • Attendance and completion of an education at Hogwarts was not compulsory by wizarding law¹; homeschooled children were allowed to do magic for their lessons, and then do magic fully when they turned 17.

  • The Weasley twins dropped out of Hogwarts after practically destroying parts of the castle with fireworks (and conjuring an awesome swamp on the fifth floor), yet were allowed to do magic despite not completing Hogwarts or any kind of homeschooling curriculum (that we know of).

  • No Death Eater character that we know off was banned from using magic, despite their crimes and devotion to Voldemort. I don't recall any Death Eater wands being snapped and the owner banned from performing magic after being convicted of Death Eater crimes (Please do correct me if I'm wrong.). For example, Bellatrix Lestrange's wand was not snapped in Goblet of Fire when she received a life sentence in Azkaban and, as we know, her wand played a fairly significant part in Deathly Hallows.



¹I realize in Deathly Hallows Voldemort made attendance at Hogwarts compulsory; however, by that time, Hagrid had been cleared of the charges of being responsible for Myrtle's death and was allowed to use magic again.



Answer




Why Was Hagrid's Wand Snapped?



And



Why was he banned from performing magic?




Because Hagrid, apparently, commited murder. This is very logical, I mean: you don't want to leave a murderer with a wand nor do any magic.


In fact, it surprises me that he didn't end up in Azkaban (for Myrtle's murder) as well. It is very likely that Dumbledore fought against this imprisonment (or was he actually sent and I just forgot? Perhaps...)



Attendance and completion of an education at Hogwarts was not compulsory by wizarding law¹; homeschooled children were allowed to do magic for their lessons, and then do magic fully when they turned 17.



That is okay, because the children won't go out murdering people.



The Weasley twins dropped out of Hogwarts after practically destroying parts of the castle with fireworks (and conjuring an awesome swamp on the fifth floor), yet were allowed to do magic despite not completing Hogwarts or any kind of homeschooling curriculum (that we know of).



Yeah, but they did not commit murder. Also note that when they did that, Hogwarts was under a very... unusual administration. Clearly Umbridge could have tried to charge them, but shortly the administration returned to Dumbledore, who would, very likely, remove any charges from Hogwarts to the twins.




No Death Eater character that we know off was banned from using magic, despite their crimes and devotion to Voldemort.



All Death Eaters that the ministry recognizes as Death Eaters were actually sent to Azkaban. The Death Eaters that were not sent (and thus kept their wands) like Lucius are those who lied to the ministry saying they were under the imperius curse or something like that.


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