Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ======Bartemius Crouch Jr.====== =====Introduction===== Bartemius "Barty" Crouch Jr. was a wizard and a fanatically devoted [[Death Eater]] loyal to [[Lord Voldemort]]. Despite his brilliance and prestigious family background as the son of [[Ministry of Magic]] official [[Bartemius Crouch Sr.]], he chose to serve the [[Dark Lord]]. His capture and imprisonment for torturing [[Frank Longbottom]] and [[Alice Longbottom]] led to a complex series of events, culminating in his escape from [[Azkaban]] and his pivotal role in the [[Second Wizarding War]]. As the primary antagonist in //[[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire]]//, Crouch Jr. masterminded the plot to restore [[Voldemort]] to a physical body by impersonating the Auror [[Alastor Moody]] at [[Hogwarts]] and manipulating the [[Triwizard Tournament]]. =====Biography===== ====Early Life and First Wizarding War==== Born to the influential [[Bartemius Crouch Sr.]] and his wife, Barty Crouch Jr. was a highly gifted student at [[Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry]], achieving twelve O.W.L.s. After graduating, he joined [[Lord Voldemort]] as a [[Death Eater]]. Following [[Voldemort]]'s first downfall, Crouch Jr., along with [[Bellatrix Lestrange]], [[Rodolphus Lestrange]], and [[Rabastan Lestrange]], captured the Aurors [[Frank Longbottom]] and [[Alice Longbottom]] and tortured them with the [[Cruciatus Curse]] in an attempt to learn [[Voldemort]]'s whereabouts. They were caught and brought to trial before the [[Council of Magical Law]], presided over by Crouch Jr.'s own father. To save his reputation, Crouch Sr. publicly disowned his son and sentenced him to a life sentence in [[Azkaban]]. ====Escape and Confinement==== Crouch Jr.'s dying mother persuaded his father to arrange an escape. During a visit, Mrs. Crouch used [[Polyjuice Potion]] to switch places with her son. She died shortly thereafter and was buried outside [[Azkaban]] under his name, while the real Crouch Jr. was smuggled home. For over a decade, Crouch Sr. kept his son hidden under an [[Invisibility Cloak]] and controlled him with the [[Imperius Curse]]. The family's [[house-elf]], [[Winky]], was tasked with caring for him. During the 1994 [[Quidditch World Cup]], which he attended under the [[Invisibility Cloak]], Crouch Jr. managed to fight off his father's [[Imperius Curse]]. He stole [[Harry Potter]]'s wand from his pocket and later used it to cast the [[Dark Mark]] into the sky, causing mass panic. This act led his father to dismiss [[Winky]], whom he blamed for the incident. ====Return to Voldemort's Service==== Acting on information from [[Bertha Jorkins]], [[Lord Voldemort]] and [[Peter Pettigrew]] traveled to the Crouch home. They overpowered Crouch Sr., placing him under the [[Imperius Curse]], and freed Crouch Jr. He immediately reaffirmed his loyalty to [[Voldemort]], who tasked him with a crucial mission: to ensure [[Harry Potter]] would reach the [[Triwizard Cup]], which would be turned into a [[Portkey]] to transport [[Harry]] to [[Voldemort]]. To carry out this plan, Crouch Jr. attacked the renowned Auror [[Alastor Moody]], who was due to teach [[Defence Against the Dark Arts]] at [[Hogwarts]]. He subdued [[Moody]] with the help of [[Pettigrew]] and imprisoned him in his own seven-locked magical trunk. Using a constant supply of [[Polyjuice Potion]], Crouch Jr. assumed [[Moody]]'s identity for the entire school year. ====Impersonating Alastor Moody==== As 'Moody', Crouch Jr. proved to be a surprisingly effective, if unorthodox, teacher. He successfully fooled everyone, including [[Albus Dumbledore]]. He manipulated events to ensure [[Harry]]'s participation and success in the [[Triwizard Tournament]]. He put [[Harry]]'s name into the [[Goblet of Fire]], provided hints for the first task, guided [[Harry]] on how to solve the riddle of the golden egg, and arranged for [[Harry]] to learn about [[Gillyweed]] for the second task. For the final task, he stunned [[Fleur Delacour]] and used the [[Imperius Curse]] on [[Viktor Krum]] to clear a path for [[Harry]] to reach the [[Triwizard Cup]]. During this time, his father briefly escaped and attempted to warn [[Dumbledore]], but Crouch Jr. murdered him on the [[Hogwarts]] grounds, transfigured his body into a bone, and buried it in the [[Forbidden Forest]]. ====Downfall and Fate==== After [[Harry]] returned from the [[graveyard]] in [[Little Hangleton]], Crouch Jr. brought him to his office, planning to kill him and be hailed as a hero by [[Voldemort]]. However, his [[Polyjuice Potion]] wore off, and his true identity was exposed by the timely arrival of [[Dumbledore]], [[Minerva McGonagall]], and [[Severus Snape]]. Under the influence of the truth potion [[Veritaserum]], he confessed the entire plot. Before he could repeat his testimony to the [[Wizengamot]], the [[Minister for Magic]], [[Cornelius Fudge]], arrived at [[Hogwarts]] with a [[Dementor]] as a bodyguard. The [[Dementor]] administered the [[Dementor's Kiss]] to Crouch Jr., sucking out his soul and leaving him in a permanent, vegetative state. This ensured he could not provide evidence of [[Voldemort]]'s return, allowing Fudge to continue denying the truth. =====Physical Appearance and Personality===== In his youth, Barty Crouch Jr. was described as a pale boy with straw-colored hair and a face full of freckles. After his time in [[Azkaban]], he became thin and gaunt, appearing much older than his years. Crouch Jr. was highly intelligent, cunning, and a masterful actor, capable of perfectly impersonating [[Alastor Moody]]'s gruff personality and paranoia for almost a year. His defining trait was his fanatical, obsessive devotion to [[Lord Voldemort]], whom he revered as a father figure. He was deeply resentful of his own father for his coldness and public disownment. He was also exceptionally cruel, arrogant, and ruthless, showing no remorse for torturing the [[Longbottoms]], murdering his own father, or his plot to kill [[Harry Potter]]. =====Magical Abilities and Skills===== * **Exceptional Magical Talent:** Crouch Jr. was an extremely powerful and skilled wizard, having earned twelve O.W.L.s at [[Hogwarts]]. * **Dark Arts:** He was highly proficient in the [[Dark Arts]]. He was a skilled user of the [[Unforgivable Curses]], particularly the [[Cruciatus Curse]] and the [[Imperius Curse]]. As 'Moody', he taught the fourth-year students about all three curses. * **Duelling:** He was a formidable duellist, capable of overpowering the famous Auror [[Alastor Moody]]. * **Potions:** He demonstrated advanced skill in [[Potions]] by successfully brewing the notoriously difficult [[Polyjuice Potion]] repeatedly for an entire year. * **Transfiguration:** He possessed considerable skill in [[Transfiguration]], as shown when he transfigured his father's entire body into a single bone. =====Possessions===== * **Wand:** His original wand was confiscated upon his arrest. He later temporarily used [[Harry Potter]]'s wand to cast the [[Dark Mark]]. While disguised, he used [[Alastor Moody]]'s wand. * **Invisibility Cloak:** A cloak used by his father to keep him hidden after his escape from [[Azkaban]]. * **Moody's Magical Items:** While impersonating [[Moody]], he used Moody's magical trunk to imprison the real Auror, as well as his magical eye, [[Foe-Glass]], and other dark detectors. * **Polyjuice Potion:** He kept a personal flask of [[Polyjuice Potion]] on him at all times to maintain his disguise as [[Moody]]. =====Relationships===== * **Lord Voldemort:** Crouch Jr.'s loyalty to [[Voldemort]] was absolute and fanatical. He saw [[Voldemort]] as a true father who had shown him more "kindness" than Crouch Sr. [[Voldemort]], in turn, valued Crouch Jr. highly, calling him his "most faithful servant." * **Bartemius Crouch Sr.:** His relationship with his father was defined by neglect and resentment. Crouch Sr.'s ambition and coldness alienated his son, and his act of disowning him turned resentment into pure hatred. Crouch Jr. murdered his father without hesitation when he threatened the plan to restore [[Voldemort]]. * **Mrs. Crouch:** His mother loved him dearly, sacrificing her own life to save him from [[Azkaban]]. His feelings for her are not explored in detail, as his actions are driven by his hatred for his father and devotion to [[Voldemort]]. * **Winky:** He held the [[house-elf]] in contempt for her role as his jailer while he was held captive under the [[Imperius Curse]] in his father's house. =====Etymology===== * **Bartemius:** This name may be derived from the biblical figure Bartimaeus, a blind man healed by Jesus. This is potentially ironic, as both Crouch Sr. and Jr. suffered from forms of blindness: ambition and fanaticism, respectively. The name's Aramaic origin, //bar-Tīmay//, means "son of Timaeus," underscoring Barty's identity as his father's son, which is central to his story. * **Crouch:** The English verb "to crouch" means to bend low in fear or servitude. This aptly describes his subservience to [[Voldemort]] and his years spent literally crouching under an [[Invisibility Cloak]]. =====Behind the Scenes===== * In the film adaptation of //[[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire]]//, Barty Crouch Jr. is portrayed by David Tennant. The character of [[Alastor Moody]], who is impersonated by Crouch Jr. for most of the story, is played by Brendan Gleeson. * **Film Differences:** * During his trial scene, shown via [[Dumbledore]]'s [[Pensieve]], the film version of Crouch Jr. hysterically proclaims his innocence and begs his father for help, a stark contrast to his proud, defiant silence in the book. (film) * The film version of Crouch Jr. has a distinctive, snake-like tongue-flick tic, which is not mentioned in the novel. This mannerism is adopted by [[Brendan Gleeson]] while playing the disguised 'Moody'. (film) * The final confrontation differs from the book. Crouch Jr. is not dosed with [[Veritaserum]]; instead, his [[Polyjuice Potion]] simply wears off during a struggle after [[Dumbledore]] becomes suspicious. (film) * The [[Dementor's Kiss]] is not mentioned or shown in the film, leaving his ultimate fate ambiguous to viewers who have not read the book. (film)
