Bartemius Crouch Junior

"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."

- Bartemius Crouch Jr's loyalty to Lord Voldemort

Bartemius "Barty" Crouch Junior (c. 1962 - 1995) was a pure-blood or half-blood wizard and the son of Bartemius Crouch Senior. He joined Lord Voldemort to become a Death Eater in his teens. He was the first known escapee of Azkaban prison in its almost 300 year history.

In 1981, shortly after Voldemort's first defeat, Crouch allegedly participated in the capture and torture of Frank and Alice Longbottom along with the Lestranges, using the Cruciatus Curse to drive the two Aurors to insanity. Crouch and his comrades were sentenced to life imprisonment in Azkaban for their crimes by his own father.

Crouch and his parents hatched a plot under which Crouch's mother would take his place in Azkaban, using the Polyjuice Potion to disguise herself. She died and was buried in Azkaban, with the result that the wizarding world believed that Crouch himself was dead. Crouch spent the following years living under his father's Imperius Curse. He eventually broke free with the help of Voldemort, who had learned that Crouch was still alive, and again entered the Dark Lord's service, disguised as Alastor Moody, former Auror and the new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts during the 1994–1995 school year. In this role, Crouch 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 Crouch was given the Dementor's Kiss by a Dementor that Cornelius Fudge had brought along with him.

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... got to know his son"

- Sirius Black on Barty Crouch Senior's relationship with his son

Barty was born in around 1962 or 1963 into the influential pure-blood Crouch family, which had strong connections to the Ministry of Magic. Bartemius Crouch Senior's intent on catching Dark Wizards and becoming Minister for Magic likely played a role in him not paying enough attention to his son. It is very possible that this had an influence on the younger Barty's life choices. His mother, Mrs Crouch, was a "wispy looking witch" who dearly loved him. According to Mr Crouch, young Barty had achieved twelve O.W.L.s, though Crouch was delirious when claiming it.

Allegiance with Death Eaters
"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



Barty took the Dark Mark in his late teens, and after Lord Voldemort's first defeat in 1981, he worked with 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. Barty and the other Death Eaters were brought to trial before the Council of Magical Law, over which his father presided.

Barty was insistent on his innocence, claiming he had merely fallen in with the wrong crowd, and begged his father before the entire assembled Council and witnesses such as Rita Skeeter and his mother to clear him of the charges on the torture crime. Barty's father headed the Department of Magical Law Enforcement at the time and was under extreme pressure to appear to be punishing the terrorism perpetrated by Lord Voldemort's Death Eaters.



Despite the fact that various sources noted later on that there was some doubt about whether Barty was a Death Eater or just in the wrong place at the wrong time, Barty's father chose to make a public example of his son, and sentenced him to a term of life imprisonment in Azkaban at the age of eighteen or nineteen. According to Sirius Black, the trial was no more than an excuse to show how much the father hated the child, as the elder Crouch went as far as to drown out his son's voice by shouting the announcement of sentencing, and 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. Barty already looked in poor health when he was brought in, as Sirius described.

One year later, his mother's health had deteriorated drastically from the stress of her son's imprisonment, as did Barty's own from the severe depression inflicted by the prison. The couple were allowed to visit due to Bartemius Snr's high status in the Ministry and as Mrs Crouch's dying wish. She persuaded her husband to help smuggle their son out of Azkaban by swapping him for his mother. Using Polyjuice Potion, and undetected by the blind Dementors, Mrs Crouch took the place of her son. She died a short time later, and was buried outside the fortress under the guise of her son.

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

Bartemius Snr was overcome with grief and guilt, and opted to control him via the Imperius Curse to protect his son by keeping his existence secret from the public, and to keep the son from continuing the search for Voldemort. He also forced him to hide under an Invisibility cloak at all times, with their house-elf Winky as Barty's carer and keeper.

Bertha Jorkins, a Ministry of Magic employee, accidentally discovered the truth when she came unannounced to the Crouch home and discovered their secret. Bartemius Snr rectified this with a Memory Charm so powerful that she suffered permanent brain damage. Shortly thereafter, Peter Pettigrew ran into Bertha while searching for Voldemort. In the hopes that she would prove useful to him, Peter tricked her into going with him. She ended up proving very useful to Voldemort; not only did he extract the whereabouts of his loyal servant, but also gathered information on the Triwizard Tournament, which was to be held at Hogwarts. Voldemort murdered Bertha, and the Ministry deemed her "missing" for months.

Quidditch World Cup
"Wormtail, I need somebody with brains, somebody whose loyalty has never been wavered, and you, unfortunately, fulfil neither requirement."

- Lord Voldemort discussing his plans with Peter Pettigrew

Barty was sent to the 1994 Quidditch World Cup under cover of the Invisibility Cloak along with their elf, Winky. Winky knew that Barty had always loved Quidditch and persuaded his father to allow him to go out and have some fresh air. Barty's mother, after all, wanted him to have freedom. Barty's seat, by chance, was in the top box directly behind the seats of Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. During the Quidditch match, Barty broke free of the Imperius Curse his father had placed on him. Denied of free will and magic for so long, he stole Harry's wand, which was in view poking out of the boy's back pocket. Winky did not see this, as she was so afraid of heights in the sky box that she covered her eyes for the entire Quidditch match.



After the World Cup was through, Barty launched the Dark Mark into the sky over the campgrounds in reaction to the free Death Eaters making sport of muggles. His anger stemmed from their lack of initiative in finding their master, which he yearned to do and yet was unable. Ministry officials' multiple Stunning Spells cast through the woods, crisscrossing the area where Barty and Winky had been, rendering them both unconscious and breaking the spell Winky had used to bind Barty to her in the chaos. Winky was dismissed for being found with Harry's wand, which was proven to have produced the Dark Mark, as well as her guardianship being proven unreliable due to Barty Jr acquiring a wand and nearly escaping. Bartemius Snr found his son's unconscious body behind the bushes, and replaced the Imperius Curse on him after the other officials left, and the two 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 suddenly appeared at the home. Voldemort needed a loyal follower to help him regain power, and easily managed to free Barty from his father's imprisonment. They put Bartemius Snr under the Imperius Curse and forced him to keep working at the Ministry as he usually would.

Disguised as Alastor Moody
"'Marvellous creatures, dragons, aren't they?' Do you think that miserable oaf would've sent you into the woods if I hadn't suggested it? Do you think Cedric Diggory would've told you to open the egg underwater if I hadn't told him first myself? Do you think Neville Longbottom, the witless wonder, could've provided you with gillyweed if I hadn't given him the book that led him straight to it? Huh?!?"

- Barty reveals to Harry Potter his role in the tournament



As part of his servitude as a Death Eater, Barty was charged with infiltrating Hogwarts Castle, entering Harry's name into the Goblet of Fire and guiding him through the Triwizard Tournament without having appeared to do so. Barty accomplished this by breaking into former Auror Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody's home and kidnapping him. He created Polyjuice Potion from Alastor's hair and concealed the Auror in his own magical trunk. He then proceeded to take over Alastor'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 this was due to intense paranoia. He kept Moody alive under the Imperius Curse to continue harvesting hair for the Polyjuice Potion, and to question him about his personality, behaviour and knowledge, in order to make the act more convincing.



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 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 (under the guise as Alastor) was actually quite effective. Despite his ulterior motives, his teaching of how to overcome curses such as the Imperius was valuable with Harry Potter, who gained the ability to resist even Lord Voldemort himself as a result of this training. He was also a strict teacher, as he kept his students working until the end of the classes despite most of them being distracted by the Christmas festivities.

While an effective and popular teacher, Barty was not at Hogwarts to mould future wizards. He 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 under a fourth school, ensuring he would be chosen as he was the only entry for said school. Barty subtly helped Harry throughout the three phases of the tournament. He nudged Rubeus 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.



He advised Cedric Diggory into telling Harry how to work out the golden egg clue, knowing that he would repay Harry for telling about the dragons. He also planted the book Magical Mediterranean Water Plants and Their Properties onto Neville Longbottom early on, hoping that Neville would tell him about gillyweed for the underwater task. With Harry's own pride and independent streak standing in the way of the plan, Barty had to improvise. Remembering that Harry mentioned having an elf friend named Dobby who gave him socks for Christmas, Barty called Dobby into the staffroom and staged a loud discussion with Professor McGonagall about gillyweed, right in front of Dobby. The house-elf responded by stealing the plant from Severus Snape's personal stores and giving it to Harry on the day of the task.

During the events surrounding the Tournament, Bartemius Snr 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 immediately sent an owl to Hogwarts warning Barty Jr that his father would likely show up at Hogwarts. Bartemius Snr came upon Harry and Viktor Krum, but by then, he was so delusional and insane that he was unable to clearly convey anything beyond what appeared to be ramblings about his son and Bertha. The former went to the castle to fetch Albus. Barty Jr, having kept an eye on the Marauder's Map he borrowed from Potter, arrived at the scene before anyone else, and waited for Harry to leave before he stunned Viktor, and killed his father. He transfigured his father's body into a bone and buried it in front of Rubeus' cabin.



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 Viktor to get rid of Cedric, but Viktor was stunned by Harry. Nonetheless, Harry got to the Cup, along with Cedric, transporting them to the Little Hangleton graveyard when they grasped it together. It was at this time that Peter performed the ritual to restore Lord Voldemort's physical body, using Harry's blood, Peter's own hand, and Tom Riddle Snr's bone from the grave.

Exposure and the Dementor's Kiss
"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 attempting to murder Harry Potter



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; he put his name in the Goblet of Fire, got Hagrid to show the dragons, explained the Golden egg to Cedric knowing he would tell Harry, bewitched Viktor Krum and stunned Fleur Delacour. Barty then planned on killing Harry and being honoured above the rest of Voldemort's followers. But before he could, Albus, accompanied by Minerva and Severus, fired a Stunner at him, having realised that he was not Alastor when he removed Harry from his sight, his one slip-up. After the Polyjuice Potion wore off, Barty confessed everything to Albus under the influence of Veritaserum, a strong truth potion.

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. Cornelius regarded Barty as a raving lunatic, believing that he merely thought that he was acting for Voldemort and thus was not convinced that the Dark Lord was back. What happened to Barty Jr's empty body is unknown, although it is possible that Crouch died sometime in the mid-1990s.

Physical appearance


In his youth, Barty was described as being a pale young man with straw-coloured hair and freckles. In his early thirties, he still had pale, slightly freckled skin and a "mop of fair hair", but his face was lined, and was much older-looking. During his confession under Veritaserum, Barty's face would alight with diabolical mania. Prior to his capture and arrest, he often sported a pocket watch, though unlike his father's, his was golden in colour. Being a Death Eater, he bears the Dark Mark on his inner left forearm.

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

Personality and traits
"...decent people are so easy to manipulate."

- Barty to Harry Potter

Barty appeared to have been diabolical, extremely intelligent, very arrogant, cunning, and intensely hateful. He was obviously a quite powerful wizard, having 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. Barty was also perceptively observant and exceptionally manipulative; his keen attention to the habits and motivations of others enabled him to impersonate Alastor Moody so accurately that he even managed to fool Albus Dumbledore. Dangerously clever and fearsomely determined, Bartemius proved capable of orchestrating the events of the Triwizard Tournament so that Harry Potter would be transported to Voldemort, in order to ensure his master's return. Barty's high intelligence also made him bitingly cynical and he remarked how easy some people were to manipulate - he was capable of concern for his plans, and expressed his fear that Harry would have failed the Second Task. He also expressed frustration for how slowly Harry progressed in Barty's plans, citing Harry's weakness of pride as the reason.

Barty was extremely devoted to Voldemort and regarded him as a father figure. His loyalty was matched only by fellow Death Eater Bellatrix Lestrange. He also seemed to know much of Voldemort's father, comparing him with his own father. This may imply that Barty was aware of Voldemort's status of being half-blood, but did not care, in contradiction to the Death Eaters' belief of pure-blood supremacy, or that Voldemort simply superseded the blood status. 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. They sacrificed much to give him a second chance at a happy life, which Barty tragically wasted in his obsession to reunite with Voldemort. As with many other Death Eaters, Barty had deluded himself into believing that he alone understood Voldemort, and that they were closest to each other due to their commons, to which was in fact not true as Voldemort never desired a friend nor understood human affections.

One reason for Barty's behaviour may be the fact that his father neglected him during his childhood and/or teenage years, and later forced him to spend years under the Imperius Curse in relative isolation, possibly affecting his mental stability. The year he spent in Azkaban also furthered his mental decline, due to the effects of the Dementors. He was also possibly very sadistic, continuing with his Cruciatus Curse on a spider before Neville Longbottom despite the latter's bizarre and panicked response. Despite this evidence of sadism, this could have been what the real Moody would have done himself, and possibly it was indeed to teach the students the harsh truths about the Curses.

Crouch also loved Quidditch in his youth, a fact mentioned by Winky. Also, as a young man, he was extremely emotional, weeping and screaming before he was sent to the Dementors and pleading violently with his father to grant him leniency. He screamed constantly in Azkaban - but this can be supremely expected among the prisoners of Dementors. He was prominently hypocritical, and snarled at the Death Eaters for hiding and refusing to brave Azkaban in Voldemort's name, when this is exactly what he can be accused of also.

Barty was one of the only known wizards to call Voldemort by his name 'Voldemort' instead of using 'the Dark Lord' or a different version of it, saying his name while talking to Harry after the Third Task. He was also the only known Death Eater to do so; even defectors such as Severus Snape and Regulus Black referred to Voldemort as "the Dark Lord", while fellow fanatically loyal Death Eater Bellatrix saw it as a sign of respect not to speak the name.

Magical abilities and skills
Barty Crouch was an immensely gifted whose potential as a wizard could be matched by only a select few. Armed with only the magical skills he had acquired throughout seven years of Hogwarts education, he successfully demonstrated sufficient magical ability to fool a whole school of learned academicians into believing him to be a seasoned Auror, speaking for his considerable skills.
 * Duelling: Crouch, along with Peter Pettigrew, was capable of capturing Alastor Moody, who was a very powerful wizard and had defeated several powerful Death Eaters during his time as an Auror. He used Moody's hair to take the form of Alastor Moody through Polyjuice potion.
 * Dark Arts: As a Death Eater, Crouch was taught to launch the Dark Mark into the sky by Voldemort. This was usually used to signify the Death Eaters' works, but Barty used it to scare his unfaithful colleagues. His knowledge and mastery of the Dark Arts made his lessons at Hogwarts very informative and engaging.
 * Unforgivable Curses: Crouch was able to perform all three Unforgivable Curses successfully and from a young age, considering that he used the Cruciatus Curse to devastating effect when he was only nineteen. While masquerading as professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts, he demonstrated all three Unforgivable Curses on a spider. Barty also kept the real Moody under control via the Imperius Curse for a whole year.
 * Potioneer: Crouch was a skilled potioneer, as he was capable of brewing the complicated Polyjuice Potion.
 * Charms: Crouch 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's name had been entered under a fourth school.
 * Transfiguration: Crouch showed strong skills in Transfiguration, turning Draco Malfoy into a ferret when Draco was trying to attack Harry Potter when his back was turned, and his father's corpse into a single bone.
 * Non-verbal magic: Crouch could cast many very advanced spells Non-verbally, such as when he transfigured Malfoy into a ferret, removed the desks in his classroom and cast a charm on the ceiling in the Great Hall to stop it from raining.
 * Wand versatility: Crouch was able to use wands other than his own, including Harry Potter's and Alastor Moody's, even performing difficult spells such as the Unforgivable Curses with them.
 * Resistance to the Imperius Curse: Around 1981, Crouch was placed under the Imperius Curse by his father. After years, he managed to break free from the curse at certain times.
 * Occlumency: Crouch was presumably skilled in Occlumency, having successfully hidden his true identity as a Death Eater from Albus Dumbledore for nine months. 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.
 * Defence Against the Dark Arts: Although it was only part of his cover as Moody, Crouch was a convincingly compelling teacher of Defence Against the Dark Arts. During his time at Hogwarts, his personal experience with the Dark Arts allowing him to make his lessons very engaging for the year he taught. Even after his true allegiance and identity were exposed, students such as Dean Thomas noted that he had taught them a great deal even if he was a "maniac".
 * Actor: As with Voldemort, young Crouch has proven himself to be a very consummate actor. During his trial, Barty feigned innocence by crying for his parents, hiding his loyalty to Voldemort, and even maintaining such an act during his first days in prison. This affected public opinion later, when they pitied the boy for his father's harsh and uncaring treatment. During his infiltration of Hogwarts, he put on the role of Alastor Moody to such an effect that he managed to deceive everyone around him, including Albus Dumbledore, earning their trust and putting them into good use. He also abstained himself from attack any former Death Eaters, such as Severus Snape and Igor Karkaroff, within his range, instead using Moody's reputation as an accomplished Auror to intimidate them.

Parents
"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 regarding Barty's father

Crouch Jr's father, as a high-ranking Ministry official, spent his entire life dedicated to eradicating the Dark forces, and as such, didn't pay enough attention to his own son. When Crouch Jr was caught with other Death Eaters at the crime scene of torture of 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 disown him, making clear he had nothing to do with anyone who would even remotely be connected to the committing of such a horrible crime. Crouch Snr mercilessly sentenced his own son to Azkaban for life. A little over a year later, the father, as a favour for his dying wife, smuggled him out of prison and kept him under control with the Imperius Curse for years to come. What the father's motives really were was not revealed, but it is likely he too loved his son as he was able to sacrifice his wife into spending her last days in a place like Azkaban in order to save the son. Contradicting to this, however, Barty Jr claimed that his father loved his mother but not him. It was this sentence that cost Crouch Snr his chance to become Minister for Magic, his position as Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, and his wife to suffer her last few days in Azkaban. It was also this sentence that caused Barty Snr to be demoted to the Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation.

Crouch Jr, in turn, hated his father. Being sent to Azkaban for one year and imprisoned in his own mind for twelve only increased the friction between father and son. Crouch also claimed that he suffered the indignity of being named after his father and had the "great pleasure" of finally murdering him. Adding insult to injury, he transfigured his father's body into a bone and buried it, showing callous, but understandable disrespect for the corpse with a crude method of disposing it.

"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

His mother loved him very much, and persuaded her husband to help him escape Azkaban. He also apparently had some affection for his mother as it is revealed that he was "screaming for his mother" during his early days in Azkaban. She was about to die when her son was imprisoned, so she drank polyjuice potion and was disguised as him and took his place at Azkaban. She died a short time later, and was buried outside Azkaban. However, rather than start afresh and repent for his crimes, he tried to use the opportunity to look for Lord Voldemort and help bring him back to power, apparently his year in prison and hatred for his father caused him to forget his love for his mother.

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.



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 Crouch 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 by-product of the Imperius Curse). Winky spent months to persuade Crouch Snr 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 Crouch Jr killed his father.

Crouch Jr, on the other hand, thought that Winky's motherly nature was only out of pity and magic-bound duty. He launched the Dark Mark in the camp-site in order to scare disloyal Death Eaters, ignoring her efforts to keep him safe and hidden. He also showed no reciprocating affection for her as he ungratefully used her affections to achieve his goal of serving the Dark Lord, and gave a maniacal smile during his interrogation while she was there, the latter terrifying her.

Lord Voldemort
"The Dark Lord and I have much in common. Both of us, for instance, had very disappointing fathers... very disappointing indeed. Both of us suffered the indignity, Harry, of being named after those fathers. And both of us had the pleasure... the very great pleasure... of killing our fathers! ... 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



In contrast with his real father, Crouch saw Lord Voldemort as a father figure of sorts, and after having been disowned by his own father, was fanatically devoted to him. In fact, at that point, Crouch 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.

Crouch's loyalty has led him to know many things about Lord Voldemort that even other loyal Death Eaters, such as Bellatrix, presumably 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. These three common threads helped to fuel Barty's 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. It could very well be that Voldemort told Barty these similarities between the two and used them as a way to get Barty to join him. Voldemort could have simply told Barty about his father being disappointing while neglecting to reveal that Tom Riddle Snr was a muggle. Voldemort seems to have acknowledged Barty's worth, something his own father failed to do, referring to Barty as "his most faithful servant." However, for all of Voldemort's public claims, he never truly cared for Barty any more than as a useful servant who is as easily disposable as any other, as Voldemort never wanted a friend.

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 regarding Death Eaters



Eventually Barty held a violent hatred towards the 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—apparently having completely forgotten that he was once like that himself as he screamed his innocence in the courtroom. So, after the drastic change in him, 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.

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, relishing 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 knew 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


Although Harry Potter was Voldemort's most hated enemy, Barty never showed open hatred for him, though this is assumed to have been an act. 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 plotted to murder 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 (besides Voldemort murdering Lily). 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. It could be the only reason Barty desired Harry's death was to appease his master, and held no personal grudge. In fact, Barty seemed delighted when Harry proved to be able to throw off the Imperius curse in class.

Barty helped Harry with the Tasks of the Triwizard Tournament, because he had turned the Triwizard Cup into a Portkey in order to finalise the plan to resurrect Voldemort and eliminate Harry once and for all. When Harry and Cedric Diggory touched it, they were transported to the Little Hangleton graveyard. Cedric was murdered by Peter Pettigrew immediately, but Harry fought Voldemort and escaped. After that, Barty attempted to murder 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, which gave Harry a chill in the stomach at the thought.

Longbottom family


Barty was one of the Death Eaters who tortured the Aurors Alice and Frank Longbottom into insanity in order to make them tell where the Dark Lord was 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 interest. He also performed the Cruciatus Curse on a spider, in front of Neville, who was shocked and 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 room-mate, to help him 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
"Who are you? Where is the real Alastor Moody?"

- Albus Dumbledore to Barty in 1995



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 to Azkaban forever. He was also shocked by what Barty did to the Longbottoms in 1981. Barty was disguised as Moody and went to 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 prevent Dumbledore from 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, despite the latter's insistence that he not. 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 having been told not to, and ran at Barty's office. Dumbledore stunned Barty just as he was going to kill Harry. Harry noted that Dumbledore was in such a fury, that his eyes seemed like having a blue flame, and Harry realised why Dumbledore was considered the one wizard Voldemort always feared. Dumbledore was disgusted by Barty's patricide, as well as abusing and ignoring the love his mother and Winky gave him, and bound him up for it. After Barty's exposure, Dumbledore learned that he was given the Dementor's Kiss, and noted to the Minister that this was a poor move due to the destruction of a valuable piece of evidence.

Etymology

 * The name Bartemius originates from the Biblical name Bartimaeus, who was permanently blind all his life, until Jesus healed him. Being named after his father, the reasons for naming after a blind man may be due to the fact Bartemius was quite oblivious to his mother's and house-elf's love. It may also reflect his blind devotion to Voldemort.
 * The name "Bartimaeus" means "son of honour"; a fitting name for the son of a man who placed his own honour before his son's life.
 * The surname Crouch is a variation of the English surname Cross.

Behind the scenes

 * Although Barty received the Dementor's Kiss and had his soul removed in 1995, it is unknown when his body 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.
 * His kiss has never been portrayed for an audience to see.
 * In, Barty hides behind a rock and casts the Dark Mark.
 * 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 appearance in the film differs drastically from his looks in the book. In the book, he has sandy hair and is more lined but in the film, he has brown hair, and is not depicted as being a teenager in his trial, as David Tennant plays the role here.
 * Barty's role in the film Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire differs drastically from the book. In the film, he is sentenced for the same crime as the book but, unlike in the book, it was based on Igor Karkaroff's testimony. Unlike in the book, 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 unsuccessfully tries to escape from the court room, but he is stopped by Alastor Moody and arrested by Ministry Police. After being brought in front of his father, he sarcastically greets him 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 in order to capture him, but flees when his father and the Aurors arrive.
 * 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 had ever even worked for him, when he himself did those two things, and ended up screaming for his mother at the first few days of his imprisonment. There are several possible reasons for this apparent discontinuity:
 * Crouch, a manipulative man and clearly a convincing actor (he was able to convincingly pose as Alastor Moody for over nine months), was trying to escape prison to resume searching for Voldemort.
 * Barty, like virtually everyone else in Wizarding Britain, feared Azkaban, and the knowledge of his impending lifetime conviction (not to mention the six Dementors in the room at the time) caused him to lose his nerve.
 * Due to his time in Azkaban, not to mention the years he subsequently spent under the Imperius curse, Barty may have simply gone insane, and disregarded his own actions.
 * It should be noted, however, that at no point during his trial does Barty actually deny being a Death Eater. He simply denied being involved in torturing the Longbottoms (he specifically cries out "I wasn't involved!"), and begged his father not to send him back to the Dementors.
 * 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 habit led to him giving himself away to his father following the second task of the Triwizard Tournament.
 * In the films, anyone who takes Polyjuice Potion has their voice remain the same, the only change being in appearance (to help avoid confusing the audience because of this change). This does not seem to be the case for Barty Crouch Jr when he turns into Alastor Moody, however it does not seem impossible that Barty was imitating Moody's voice the entire time or that the filmmakers decided to make this an exception since his transformation was kept secret (unlike the others that occurred throughout the films) and therefore the audience would not be aware beforehand until his identity was exposed at the end of the film.
 * Barty Crouch Jr was the first person to escape Azkaban, not Sirius Black. Although, Black was the first to do it on his own.
 * Crouch thought that killing Harry would please Voldemort. In fact, Voldemort would have been furious, since he repeatedly stated that only he would kill Harry.
 * Ironically, considering his fanatical loyalty to Voldemort, Crouch's lessons on the Imperius Curse's effects while disguised as Moody are what allowed Harry to ultimately resist Voldemort's attempts at using the imperius curse later on.
 * The snake-like licking of his lips was improvised by David Tennant himself and is followed by Brendan Gleeson, when Barty is disguised as Mad-Eye Moody.
 * Coincidentally, the first episode of Doctor Who in which David Tennant portrays the Tenth Doctor is called "The Parting of the Ways". The last chapter in which Barty appears in the book is called "The Parting of the Ways". The amount of time the characters appear is also very similar. Crouch appears for the first page of the book's chapter, and the Tenth Doctor appears in the final scene of the Doctor Who episode. Furthering the comparison, both scenes feature Tennant appearing after a character changes their appearance, and end with him dressed in a battered leather jacket and black jumper, displaying somewhat maniacal tendencies.
 * Later episode The Shakespeare Code would contain several references to Harry Potter.
 * In, Neville Longbottom gives Harry the gillyweed, instead of Dobby (who is absent in the film).

Notes and references
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