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"If there's something I hate more than any other, it's a Death Eater who walked free. They turned their backs on my master when he needed them most. I expected him to punish them. I expected him to torture them. Tell me he hurt them, Harry.... Tell me he told them that I, I alone remained faithful... Prepared to risk everything to deliver to him the one thing he wanted above all... You."
— Barty Crouch Jr., in disguise of Alastor Moody, to Harry Potter in 1995[src]

Bartemius "Barty" Crouch Junior (born c. 1962 - received the Dementor's Kiss on June 24, 1995) was a pure-blood wizard and the son of Bartemius Crouch Sr. and Mrs. Crouch. He left school at the height of Lord Voldemort's first reign of power and became a Death Eater. In 1981, shortly after Voldemort's first defeat, Barty attacked Alice and Frank Longbottom with the Lestranges, using the Cruciatus Curse to drive the two Aurors into insanity. Barty and his comrades were sentenced to life imprisonment in Azkaban for their crimes by Barty's own father. However, his mother plotted to switch places with him, and Barty spent years living under his father's Imperius Curse. He eventually broke free and again entered Voldemort's service, posing as Alastor Moody, the new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts during the 1994–1995 school year. In this role, Barty manipulated the Triwizard Tournament so that Harry Potter was chosen as a champion, and turned the Triwizard Cup into a Portkey that transported Harry and Cedric Diggory to Voldemort. Shortly afterwards, his identity was exposed, and Barty was given the Dementor's Kiss by a Dementor Cornelius Fudge brought.

Biography

Early life

"Should have spent a bit more time at home with his family, shouldn't he? Ought to have left the office early once in a while...gotten to know his own son."
Sirius Black on Barty Crouch Sr.[src]

Barty was born in 1962 into the influential pure-blood Crouch family, which had strong connections to the Ministry of Magic. His father, intent on catching Dark Wizards and becoming Minister for Magic, failed to pay any attention to his son. It is very possible that this had an influence on the younger Crouch's life choices.[2] According to his father, Barty Jr. has achieved twelve O.W.L.s.

Allegiance with Death Eaters

BartyCouchjr

Barty before being arrested in 1981.

"Father, I didn't! I didn't, I swear it, Father, don't send me back to the Dementors... No! Mother, no! I didn't do it, I didn't do it, I didn't do it, I didn't know! Don't send me there, don't let him! I'm your son! I'm your son!"
— Barty pleading with his father at his trial.[src]

Barty took the Dark Mark shortly after his graduation from Hogwarts School, and after Lord Voldemort's first defeat in 1981, he fell in with some Death Eaters searching for their fallen master. He was captured with Bellatrix, Rodolphus, and Rabastan Lestrange after they tortured the Aurors Alice and Frank Longbottom with the Cruciatus Curse. He and the other Death Eaters were brought to trial before the Wizengamot, over which his father presided.

Bartycrouchjr1

Barty being arrested.

Barty was insistent on his innocence, claiming he had merely fallen in with the wrong crowd, and begged his father before the entire assembled Wizengamot and witnesses such as Rita Skeeter and Albus Dumbledore to clear him of any wrongdoing. Crouch Sr. at the time headed the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and was under extreme pressure to bring anyone to justice over the terrorism caused by Lord Voldemort's Death Eaters. Despite the fact that there was apparently only sufficient evidence to suspect Barty of involvement with the Death Eaters rather than any definite proof, Crouch chose to make a public example of his son, and sentenced him to a term of life imprisonment in Azkaban at the age of nineteen. According to Sirius Black, Barty was screaming inside his cell for his mother for the first few days, but then quieted down from the extreme depressive influence of the Dementors, as did many other prisoners.[3]

One year later, Barty's mother's health had deteriorated drastically from the stress of her son's imprisonment, and she was near death. The family formed a plan to smuggle Barty out of Azkaban by swapping him for his mother, Crouch agreeing to his wife's request owing to his love for his wife despite his relative disdain for his son. Using Polyjuice Potion, and undetected by the Dementors, Mrs. Crouch took the place of her son. She died just days later, and was buried outside the fortress under the guise of her son.[2]

Imprisonment with his father

"I was under my father's control. I was forced to wear an invisibility cloak day and night. I was always with the house-elf. She was my keeper and caretaker. She pitied me. She persuaded my father to give me occasional treats. Rewards for my good behaviour."
— Barty on his years under his father's control[src]

Barty's father was overcome with grief and guilt, and opted to control him via the Imperius Curse to keep the horrible ordeal a secret (also to prevent him from returning to Voldemort's service). He also forced Barty to hide under an Invisibility cloak at all times. Throughout his time in hiding, Barty was nursed back to health by Winky, the family house-elf.

Bertha Jorkins, a Ministry of Magic employee, discovered the truth accidentally when she came unannounced to the Crouch home. Crouch Sr. rectified this with a powerful Memory Charm. Too powerful, in fact, as she suffered permanent brain damage.

Years later, Peter Pettigrew, under orders from Lord Voldemort, extracted this information from her while looking for information on the Triwizard Tournament, which was to be held at Hogwarts. Voldemort murdered Jorkins, and the Ministry deemed her "missing" for months.[2]

Quidditch World Cup

Bartycrouchjr

Barty at the Quidditch World Cup campsite.

"Wormtail, I need somebody with brains, somebody whose loyalty has never been wavered, and you, unfortunately, fulfil neither requirement."
Lord Voldemort to Peter Pettigrew in 1994[src]

Barty was sent to the 1994 Quidditch World Cup under cover of the Invisibility Cloak along with Winky — Winky reasoning that Barty had always loved Quidditch and wishing for him to be allowed out on occasion for the sake of his mother's wishes — where by chance he sat in a skybox alongside Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. During the Quidditch match, Barty broke free of the Imperius Curse his father had placed on him. Sickened by his father's actions, Barty decided to get revenge, and stole Harry's wand, which was in view. He then escaped Winky's watch over him, as she was so afraid of heights in the skybox that she covered her eyes for the entire Quidditch match.

Bcj

Barty before Lord Voldemort in 1994.

After the World Cup was through, Barty added to the havoc and chaos being caused by a gaggle of Death Eaters by casting Morsmordre in the sky over the campsite grounds. The binding spell that Winky used to bind herself with Barty to prevent him from escape was broken when the two were struck by Ministry officials' multiple Stunning Spells. Because he used Harry's wand to cast the spell, during the course of the investigation of the appearance of the Dark Mark, Harry was considered a suspect. However, the only individual punished that night was Winky, stemming from the rage Crouch Sr. felt over losing control of his son. Finding his son still under the Invisibility Cloak, Crouch Sr. placed a fresh Imperius Curse on his son, and returned home.

Left alone in the house with only father and son, one night shortly after the Dark Mark incident, Peter Pettigrew and Lord Voldemort, who needed a loyal follower to help him regain power, managed to free Barty from his father's imprisonment. They put Crouch Sr. under the Imperius Curse and forced him to keep working at the Ministry as he usually would.[2]

Disguised as Alastor Moody

"Who put your name in the Goblet of Fire, under the name of a different school? I did. Who frightened off every person I thought might try to hurt you to prevent you from winning the tournament? I did. Who nudged Hagrid into showing you the dragons? I did. Who helped you see the only way you could beat the dragon? I did."
— Barty to Harry Potter[src]
Engorgio

Barty, disguised as Alastor Moody, enlarging a spider for a class.

As part of his servitude as a Death Eater, Barty was charged with infiltrating Hogwarts Castle and bringing Harry to Lord Voldemort. Barty accomplished this by breaking into former Auror Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody's home and kidnapping him. He created Polyjuice Potion from Moody's hair and concealed the Auror in his own magical trunk. He then proceeded to take over Moody's job at Hogwarts, teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts. He was able to maintain his disguise for months undetected by consistently sipping the potion from a hip flask; he did so in plain view of students and staff, and it was generally assumed that he was due to intense paranoia.

Barty used his time at Hogwarts to gain the trust of the students and staff at Hogwarts. During his first lesson for a group of Fourth year students, he demonstrated all three Unforgivable Curses on three different spiders[4] and, controversially, later also the Imperius Curse on the students themselves, although he claimed to have had permission to do so, in order to teach them how to overcome it. As a teacher, Barty-as-Moody was actually quite effective, and despite his ulterior motives, his teaching of how to overcome curses such as the Imperius was valuable.

Gof moody

Barty teaching at Hogwarts.

However, Barty was not at Hogwarts to mould future wizards. Barty entered Harry Potter's name under a fourth school into the Goblet of Fire, confusing it with a powerful Confundus Charm to ensure Harry's placement for Lord Voldemort's gain. Barty then subtly helped Harry on the three Tasks; for the First Task, he nudged Hagrid into showing Harry the dragons, later suggesting that Harry play to his strengths to pass the task and thus giving Harry the idea of using a broomstick to accomplish it. For the Second Task, he advised Cedric Diggory into telling Harry how to to work out the golden egg clue, knowing that he would repay Harry for telling about the dragons. However, Potter spend aimless hours in the library searching for a way to breathe underwater for the Second Task. He did not look at Magical Mediterranean Water Plants and Their Properties, a book Barty gave Neville Longbottom early on, which could have told him all about Gillyweed. With Harry's own pride and arrogance standing in the way of the plan, Barty had to improvise. Remembering that Potter mentioned a house-elf named Dobby gave him socks for Christmas, Barty entered into a loud discussion with Professor McGonagall about the hostages for the Second Task and whether Harry should think to use Gillyweed, right in front of Dobby, who was called by Barty to pick up laundry. The house-elf responded by stealing Gillyweed from Severus Snape's personal stores and gave it to Harry on the day of the Second Task. He would also frighten away anyone who would mean Potter harm, like Draco Malfoy, son of Lucius Malfoy, whom Barty disliked for abandoning Voldemort, whom he Transfigured into a ferret — his public explanation being that he disdained Malfoy's attempt to attack Harry from behind — until McGonagall reprimanded him and turned Malfoy back.

During the events surrounding the Tournament, Crouch Sr. escaped from his home and Apparated near Hogwarts, where he wandered in his confusion in search of Dumbledore, planning on confessing about how he smuggled his son from Azkaban. Voldemort alerted Barty about his father's intentions. He came upon Harry Potter and Viktor Krum while they were talking after recently learning the nature of the third task, but was so delusional from the time spent under the curse that he was unable to clearly convey anything beyond what appeared to be ramblings that his wife and son were still alive. The former went to the castle to fetch Dumbledore. Barty arrived at the scene before anyone else, stunned Viktor Krum, and killed his father. He transfigured his father's body into a bone and buried in front of Rubeus Hagrid's hut.

Before the third and final task of the Tournament, Barty volunteered to place the Triwizard Cup in a maze through which the contestants were to navigate. He took advantage of this opportunity to turn the Triwizard Cup into a Portkey. As he patrolled around the labyrinth hedge, he Stunned Fleur Delacour and used the Imperius Curse on Krum to get rid of Diggory, but his puppet was stunned by Harry. Nonetheless, Potter got to the Cup, along with Diggory, transporting them to the Little Hangleton Graveyard when they grasped it together. It was at this time that Peter Pettigrew performed the horrible ritual to restore Lord Voldemort's physical body, using Harry Potter's blood, Pettigrew's own hand, and Tom Riddle Sr.'s bone from the grave.[2]

Exposure and Dementor's kiss

File:Bartycrouchjr2.jpg

Barty getting interrogated by Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall and Severus Snape.

"Mad, am I? We'll see! We'll see who's mad, now that the Dark Lord has returned, with me at his side! He is back, Harry Potter, you did not conquer him -- and now -- I conquer you!"
— Barty before trying to kill Harry Potter[src]

When Harry escaped the graveyard and returned to Hogwarts, Barty ushered him away from the panicking crowd to interrogate him about Voldemort's return. He revealed to Harry that it was he all along who guided him through the Tournament. Barty then planned on killing Harry and be honoured above the rest of Voldemort's followers. But before he could, Dumbledore, accompanied by McGonagall and Snape, fired a Stunner at him, having realized that he was not Moody when he removed Harry from his sight, his one slip up. The Polyjuice potion then wore off, just as Snape brought Winky in. Under the influence of Severus Snape's Veritaserum, Barty confessed everything.[5]

However, before he could testify before the Wizengamot, Barty suffered a fate worse than death, receiving the Dementor's Kiss by a Dementor that Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge brought with him. Fudge regarded Crouch as a raving lunatic, believing that he was thinking that he was acting for Voldemort and thus wasn't convinced that he was back.[6] What happened to Barty's empty body is unknown.

Physical appearance

BartyCrouchJrInterrogation

Barty Crouch Jr., in his mid-thirties.

In his youth, Barty was described as being a pale young man with straw-coloured hair and freckles.[3] In his early thirties, he still had pale, slightly freckled skin and a "mop of fair hair".[5] During his confession under Veritaserum, Barty's face would be contorted with a twisted smile, making it look absolutely violent and insane.

For eight months, Barty has disguised himself as Alastor Moody through the usage of Polyjuice Potion. During this time, his face would be covered with scars, with missing chunks of his nose, and dark grey grizzled hair. He also took Moody's prosthetic, the magical eye and wooden leg, for his own.

Personality and traits

"I will be honoured beyond all other Death Eaters. I will be his dearest, his closest supporter... Closer than a son..."
— Barty to Harry Potter about Lord Voldemort[src]

Barty appears to have been highly intelligent, albeit in a rather diabolical way. It has been implied that he may have achieved twelve O.W.L.s while in Hogwarts (Although this information is suspect as it was revealed by his father in a rambling delusion), and demonstrated sufficient magical ability to Confound the Goblet of Fire into believing that four schools participated in the Triwizard Tournament in order for Harry to participate in the contest despite the object's power. He also successfully impersonated Alastor Moody for eight months even around accomplished Legilimens Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape, taught Defence Against the Dark Arts in this role, and managed to manipulate the Triwizard Tournament to manoeuvre Harry Potter to win it.[2] Thus, Barty was skilled at manipulating and mimicking others.

Barty Crouch Jr

Barty during the trial of Igor Karkaroff.

He was also highly ruthless and fanatically devoted to Lord Voldemort, whom he seems to have regarded as a father figure. Barty also seems to be sadistic as well, given his participation in the extensive torture of the Longbottoms and his eagerness to hear that other Death Eaters had been punished for their lack of loyalty to Voldemort.[5] His loyalty (and insanity) is matched only by fellow Death Eater Bellatrix Lestrange. He also seems to know much of Voldemort's father, comparing with his own father. This may imply that Barty is aware of Voldemort's status of being half-blood, but does not care, in contradiction to the Death Eaters' belief of pure-blood supremacy. However, Barty's immense loyalty to Voldemort blinded him to those who truly loved him, namely his mother and the family's devoted house-elf Winky. Both sacrificed much to give him a second chance at a happy life, but Barty was only interested in returning to Voldemort.

One reason for Barty's behaviour may be the fact that his father neglected him during his childhood, and later forced him to spend years under the Imperius Curse and in relative isolation, possibly affecting his mental stability. The year he spent in Azkaban might also have furthered his mental decline, due to the effects of the Dementors.

Barty also loved Quidditch in his youth. Winky used this reason to persuade Barty Sr. to let his son attend the 1994 Quidditch World Cup, as a treat for his good behaviour (under the Imperius Curse). Barty Jr., on the other hand, used this as a chance to launch the Dark Mark into the air to frighten disloyal Death Eaters, which showed how ungrateful he is to Winky, since he probably knew his father would dismiss the house elf for her carelessness.

Magical abilities and skills

Barty was a very talented Dark Wizard, who was an academically strong student in his youth and became accomplished in the Dark Arts. It is most likely that he was among the most powerful Death Eaters of Voldemort. Barty Sr. has also stated that Barty Jr. has earned twelve O.W.L.s.

  • Morsmordre: As a Death Eater, Barty is taught to launch the Dark Mark into the sky by Voldemort. This is usually used to signify the Death Eaters' works, but Barty used it to scare his unfaithful colleagues.
  • Confundus Charm: Barty was talented enough to hoodwink the very powerful Goblet of Fire, a magical object that is extremely difficult to deceive. He did so to make the Goblet mistake that Harry was a champion under a fourth school.
Draco transfigured by Moody into a ferret

Barty, as Moody, transfiguring Draco Malfoy into a ferret.

  • Transfiguration expert: Barty showed great skills in transfiguration, turning Draco Malfoy into a ferret, and his father's corpse into a bone, both cases being Human Transfiguration.
  • Resistance to the Imperius Curse: Around 1981, Barty was placed under the Imperius Curse by his father. After years, he managed to break free from the curse at certain times.
  • Occlumens: He was skilled in Occlumency as well. Had he not been weakened and groggy from having been attacked in 1995, he would have been able to use Occlumency to protect himself from the effects of Veritaserum.[7]

Relationships

Parents

Crouch2

Bartemius Crouch Sr.

"Should have spent a bit more time at home with his family, shouldn't he? Ought to have left the office early once in a while... gotten to known his own son."
Sirius Black on Barty's father.[src]

Barty's father, as a high-ranking Ministry official, spent his entire life dedicated to eradicating the dark forces, and as such, never paid any attention to his own son. When Barty Jr. was caught with other Death Eaters in the act of torturing Alice and Frank Longbottom to insanity, his father's parental affection extended to as much as giving him a trial, something he did not always give other suspects. In the end, the trial was merely to make an example out of his own son, and to publicly show how much he hated the boy and to disown him. Barty Sr. mercilessly sentenced his own son to Azkaban for life, but as a favour from his dying wife, smuggled him out of prison and kept him under control with the Imperius Curse for years to come. It was this sentence that cost Barty Sr. his chance to become Minister for Magic, his position as Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement's office, and his wife to suffer her last few days in Azkaban. It was also this sentence that caused Barty Sr. to be demoted to the Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation. The sentencing also further intensified his hatred for the boy.

Barty Jr., in return, hated his father just as much. As his father never paid him any attention, it may have been what affected Barty's life choices. Being sent to Azkaban for one year and imprisoned in his own mind for twelve only increased the friction between father and son. Barty also claimed that he suffered the indignity of being named after his father, and showed intense sadistic glee of killing his father, as well as relishing in reliving the moment.

"No! Mother, no! I didn't do it, I didn't do it, I didn't do it, I didn't know! Don't send me there, don't let him! I'm your son! I'm your son!"
— Barty during his imprisonment in Azkaban.[src]

However, Barty's mother loved him very much, and persuaded her husband to help him escape Azkaban. She was about to die when her son was imprisoned, so she was disguised as him and took his place at Azkaban. She died a few months later, and buried outside Azkaban. However, Barty was not exactly grateful, as he used this second chance that his mother died for to search for Lord Voldemort, rather than start afresh and repent for his crimes, going as far as to risk the life his mother died to set free.

Winky

Winky 2

Winky.

"I was always with the house-elf. She was my keeper and caretaker. She pitied me. She persuaded my father to give me occasional treats. Rewards for my good behaviour."
— Barty on his years under his father's control.[src]

Winky the house-elf was extremely loyal to the Crouch family, to the point of surpassing the mere house-elf's magical binding. She took care of Barty Jr. when he was smuggled out of Azkaban, and became his carer and keeper. She was extremely devoted to this duty, and was very motherly towards him, asking his father to reward him occasionally for good behaviour (even though it was no more than a byproduct of the Imperius Curse). Winky spent months to persuade Barty Sr. to let his son attend the 1994 Quidditch World Cup, and tried to suppress her acrophobia in order to keep an eye on the hidden convict. This all proved how much she loved him, despite his crimes. She was devastated when she was dismissed for failure, and became horrified when she heard of how Barty Jr. killed his father.

Barty Jr., on the other hand, thought that Winky's motherly nature was only out of pity and magic-bound duty, and didn't think twice before betraying her. He launched the Dark Mark in the campsite in order to scare disloyal Death Eaters, despite her efforts to keep him safe and hidden. When Barty was forced to confess to Dumbledore, he sadistically revealed that he committed patricide, plunging Winky into great depression. This proved that despite her love and kindness, Barty was ungrateful and uncaring towards Winky.

Lord Voldemort

Lord Voldemort

Lord Voldemort.

"I will be honoured beyond all other Death Eaters. I will be his dearest, his closest supporter... Closer than a son..."
— Barty to Harry Potter about Lord Voldemort[src]

In contrast with his real father, Barty Jr. saw Lord Voldemort as a father figure, and was fanatically devoted to him. In fact, Barty was willing to sacrifice and give absolutely everything to serve the Dark Lord. He also believed that if he finished off Harry Potter, he would be welcomed back, closer than a real son. In essence, Barty's loyalty is only matched by fellow Death Eater Bellatrix Lestrange.

Barty's loyalty has led him to know many things about Lord Voldemort that even other loyal Death Eaters, such as Bellatrix, do not. Barty knows that Voldemort had a disappointing father, that he suffered the indignity of being named after that father, and that he had the great pleasure of killing said father to ensure the rise of the dark order.[2] These three attributes are what Barty has in common with Voldemort, and what fueled his loyalty. This also implies that Barty is aware of Voldemort's blood status as a half-blood, but doesn't care about it, in contradiction to the Death Eaters' belief of pure-blood supremacy.

Death Eaters

File:250px-Death eaters worldcup.jpg

Death Eaters

"If there's something I hate more than any other, it's a Death Eater who walked free. They turned their backs on my master when he needed them most. I expected him to punish them. I expected him to torture them. Tell me he hurt them, Harry. Tell me he told them that I, only I remained faithful..."
— Barty Crouch about Death Eaters[src]

Barty held a violent hatred towards Death Eaters who had abandoned faith in Lord Voldemort. He believed that those who would not brave Azkaban for him, and denied their affiliation with him, were unforgivable. As such, Barty practically begged Harry to tell him that Voldemort punished the Death Eaters for their thirteen years of disloyalty, to hurt them for their lack of faith. An odd irony is that Barty himself once claimed that he had nothing to do with the Death Eaters, and begged his father not to incarcerate him. However, this may be because he felt that by denying his association to the Death Eaters he could escape Azkaban to locate Voldemort.

Due to this fanatical loyalty held by Barty, he launched the Dark Mark into the 1994 Quidditch World Cup to frighten the Death Eaters who were levitating the Roberts family for fun, in retribution for their faithlessness, despite the risk of being caught. Also, during the year he was disguised as Alastor Moody, he spent a great deal of time intimidating former Death Eaters, Igor Karkaroff and Severus Snape, and relished the thought of being alone with them to kill them. This intimidation extended to Draco Malfoy, the son of another disloyal Death Eater, Lucius Malfoy.

Despite his hatred towards them, Barty knows how to control his temper when necessary, and prevented himself from attacking them during his disguise as Moody. He even set aside his differences with Peter Pettigrew, one of the most disloyal Death Eaters, and the one responsible for Voldemort's initial downfall due to the information given about the whereabouts of the Potter family, in order to work together to revive the Dark Lord.

Harry Potter

HarryPOA

Harry Potter

Harry: "You're mad!"
Barty: "Mad, am I? We'll see who's mad, now that the Dark Lord has returned, with me at his side! He's back, Harry Potter, you did not conquer him - and now - I conquer you!"
— Harry Potter with Barty, after Lord Voldemort's return.

As Harry Potter was Voldemort's most hated enemy, Barty hated him too. After Barty became more paranoid and fanatically loyal to Voldemort, Voldemort and Peter Pettigrew found Barty at his house. Voldemort freed Barty from the Imperius Curse and they planned to kill Harry. Barty was the one who put Harry's name into the Goblet of Fire, while disguised as Alastor Moody. However, Barty didn't show that he was a Death Eater, and played the role of a friendly teacher towards Harry, giving him useful information about how to succeed in the first task of the Triwizard Tournament. He was also the one who taught the Unforgivable Curses to Harry, and the first person Harry saw performing the Killing Curse. Over the year Barty taught Harry, he kept the boy safe from harm, and chased away other people who would threaten or get in the boy's way, all for him to serve Voldemort's plan. Harry also saw Barty's trial in the Pensieve, and was told by Albus Dumbledore that it was unknown if Barty was guilty or innocent.

Barty helped Harry with the Tasks of the Triwizard Tournament, because he had turned the Triwizard Cup into a Portkey in order to finalize the plan to resurrect Voldemort and eliminate Harry once and for all. When Harry and Cedric Diggory touched it, they were transferred at Little Hangleton Graveyard. Cedric was killed by Peter Pettigrew, while Harry fought Voldemort and escaped. After that, Barty attempted to kill Harry, but failed, being caught by Albus Dumbledore, Severus Snape and Minerva McGonagall. Barty told them the story of his imprisonment, his escape and his return to Lord Voldemort(he was under veritaserum at the time). He also told them that Voldemort would honour him as none other Death Eater. After that, Harry learned that Barty was given the Dementor's Kiss.

Longbottom family

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Neville Longbottom.

Longbottoms

Alice and Frank Longbottom.

Barty was one of the Death Eaters who tortured the Aurors Alice and Frank Longbottom into insanity, in order to make them tell where was the Dark Lord hidden. After that, the Longbottoms were permanently sent to St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, and Barty was imprisoned in Azkaban along with the Lestranges.

In 1994, Barty met Neville Longbottom, the son of Frank and Alice, while he was disguised as Alastor Moody. When he read the name of Neville in a list, he showed much interest. He also performed the Cruciatus Curse on a spider, in front of Neville, who was shocked and frightened. However, Barty was stopped by Hermione Granger, who noted that Neville was very frightened. After that, Barty invited Neville to his office for a cup of tea, and gave him a book about plants. In fact, Barty gave the book to Neville in order to help Harry Potter, who was Neville's roommate, to win in the Second Task of the Triwizard Tournament.

It is unknown how Neville reacted after he learned that his Defence Against the Dark Arts professor was in fact one of the wizards who tortured his parents into insanity.

Albus Dumbledore

Dumbledore and Elder Wand

Albus Dumbledore.

"Who are you? Where is the real Alastor Moody?"
Albus Dumbledore to Barty in 1995.[src]

Albus Dumbledore was one of the participants in Barty's trial. Dumbledore, like all of the participants, agreed to send Barty and his fellow Death Eaters in Azkaban forever. He was also shocked by what Barty had done to the Longbottoms. In 1994, Barty and Dumbledore met again, as Barty accepted the offer Dumbledore had made to Alastor Moody, to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts. Barty was disguised as Moody and went at Hogwarts, while planning to send Harry Potter to Voldemort. During the time Barty lived at Hogwarts along with Dumbledore, Barty used Occlumency, in order to protect himself from Dumbledore learning who Moody really was.

In 1995, after Harry Potter returned to Hogwarts from the Little Hangleton graveyard, Barty told Dumbledore that he would go along with Harry in his office, to help him relax. In fact, Barty wanted to kill Harry and learn what had happened at the Graveyard. Dumbledore realised that he wasn't the real Moody, knowing that the genuine Moody would never have removed Harry from Dumbledore's sight after recent events, and ran at Barty's office. Dumbledore stunned Barty at the time the latter was going to kill Harry. Harry noted that Dumbledore's eyes seemed like having a blue flame, and Harry realised why Dumbledore was considered at the greatest wizard of all time. Dumbledore was disgusted by Barty's patricide, and bound him up for it. After Barty's exposure, Dumbledore learned that he was given the Dementor's Kiss.

Behind the scenes

  • Although Barty received the Dementor's Kiss and had his soul removed in 1995, it is unknown when he actually died.
    • He is also the only character who is known to have suffered the Dementor's Kiss, though it is said there have been other victims as the Kiss was explained to Harry by Remus in The Prisoner of Azkaban, which precedes the Goblet of Fire.
    • His Kiss has never been portrayed for an audience to see.
  • Barty Crouch Jr. was played by actor David Tennant in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. However, Brendan Gleeson plays most of the role, as he is the actor who portrays Moody. David Walliams was offered the role but turned it down due to scheduling conflicts with the third season of Little Britain.
  • Barty's role in the film Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire differs slightly from the book. In the film, he is sentenced for the same crime as the book based on Igor Karkaroff's testimony. Once caught, there is no doubt of his guilt or insanity. He does not attempt to deny his guilt, nor does he beg his father to acquit him, instead he sarcastically greets his father in a show of defiance. He has already been released from his father's control by the beginning of the story and appears in Harry's vision of Voldemort and Wormtail in Little Hangleton. After the Quidditch World Cup, Harry actually sees Barty create the Dark Mark, but does not know who he is. Barty approaches Harry, but flees when his father and the Aurors arrive. When he is unmasked, he does not reveal how he escaped, and there is no mention of him getting the Dementor's Kiss.
  • If he did not receive the Dementor's Kiss, this could cause a paradox, as he would have been able to be tried before or during the fifth movie, proving Harry was not lying about Voldemort's return. Although, the Ministry may simply be too biased to take what Barty would have said into account, as they consider him too deranged to trust, and Veritaserum is resistible.
  • It seems odd that Barty, when disguised as Alastor Moody, asks Harry if Voldemort punished the "cowards who wouldn't even brave Azkaban for him", and those who denied that they'd ever even worked for him,[5] when he himself did those two things,[3] and ended up screaming for his mother at the first few days of his imprisonment. There are several possibilities to his action:
    • Barty was once one of the many Death Eaters who served Voldemort out of fear, rather than loyalty, but after mistreatment from his father, that fear transformed to fanatical loyalty.
    • Barty tried to avoid prison in order to continue his search for Voldemort.
    • Barty feared the Dementors.
    • Barty, being a clever and manipulative wizard, may have known that acting terrified and innocent would later generate sympathy for his treatment, discrediting his father and preventing his ascension to Minister for Magic. However, this would not exactly explain why he continued to scream in prison, as there is no one there to listen to him except criminals and Dementors. However, the Dementor's power, and/or Barty's own insanity (the former possibly causing/aggravating the latter) may explain this.
  • During his lesson on the Unforgivable Curses, Barty takes note of Neville Longbottom's name, looking at it on the register and at Neville intensely. He demonstrated the Cruciatus Curse – the same curse he and the Lestranges used to torture Neville's parents into insanity – on a spider directly in front of Neville, only stopping when Hermione Granger screamed at him to, noticing how much it upset Neville. Afterwards, however, Barty took Neville aside for tea and gave him a Herbology book (which he also does in the book)[4]
  • In the film version, Barty Crouch Jr. has the habit of licking his lips when threatened, in a snake-like way, to which he occasionally shows while under the disguise of Alastor Moody. This action led to him giving himself away to his father following the second task of the Triwizard Tournament.
  • In the most sentences Barty says, while he is not disguised as Alastor Moody, he says the word "I".

Appearances

Notes and references

  1. In Chapter 27 of Goblet of Fire, Sirius Black says of Barty "He can't have been more than nineteen" when he was imprisoned in Azkaban, in late 1981.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Goblet of Fire, Ch. 30
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 Goblet of Fire, Ch. 14
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Goblet of Fire, Ch. 35
  6. Goblet of Fire, Ch. 36
  7. F.A.Q: Veritaserum at J.K. Rowling's Official Site

External links

Study of Ancient Runes
Ancient Runes Made Easy
Professors: Bathsheda Babbling · Clodagh Dromgoole · Elspeth MacGillony
Textbooks: Advanced Rune Translation · Ancient Runes Made Easy · Magical Hieroglyphs and Logograms · Rune Dictionary · Spellman's Syllabary
Known runes: Acromantula · Demiguise · Ehwaz · Eihwaz · Fwooper · Graphorn · Hydra · Quintaped · Runespoor · Salamander · Unicorn · Unknown · Mark of Merlin
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