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"... and that's Bode and Croaker ... they're Unspeakables.... From the Department of Mysteries, top secret, no idea what they get up to..."
Arthur Weasley[src]

Broderick Bode (1946[1]January 1996[2]) was a British wizard and Unspeakable working in the British Ministry of Magic's Department of Mysteries, partnered with Professor Saul Croaker and a friend of Arthur Weasley. Bode was described as being "a sallow-skinned wizard with a very mournful face", and due to his strange nature spoke in a "sepulchral" type of voice and had an unfaltering gaze that made anyone he looked at uncomfortable.[3]

Biography[]

Summers of 1994 and 1995[]

In 1994, Bode attended the 1994 Quidditch World Cup with fellow Unspeakable Saul Croaker.[4] The following summer, he ran into colleague Arthur Weasley, who was in a rush to reach Courtroom Ten with Harry Potter, who had a hearing with the Wizengamot.[3]

That same year, Bode became a target of the Death Eaters, as Lord Voldemort was seeking a prophecy pertaining to himself and Harry, a record of which was stored in the Hall of Prophecies in the Department of Mysteries. Death Eater Avery informed the Dark Lord that an Unspeakable would be able to fetch the prophecy for him, after an attempt to force Sturgis Podmore to steal it while under the Imperius Curse failed.[5]

Attempt at theft and injury[]

Lucius Malfoy, one of Voldemort's spies at the Ministry, placed Bode under the Imperius Curse to force him to attempt the same theft. Lucius Malfoy noted that Bode showed unusual resistance to the Imperius curse, which Augustus Rookwood suggested may have been because Bode, being an Unspeakable, knew what would happen if he tried to remove one of the Prophecies. The moment he touched the orb, the defensive spells around it were triggered, as prophecies can only be obtained by those about whom they are made. Bode suffered spell damage that affected his mind, causing him to believe he was a teapot. However, the shock of it lifted the Imperius Curse.[6]

Believing Bode had simply been injured in a workplace accident, he was taken to St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries for treatment, but his injuries seemed irreparable, and as such was moved to the Spell Damage ward, left lying in his hospital bed, comatose most of the time, and those times he was awake, he was mumbling and staring at the ceiling.[7]

Murder[]

Broderick Bode St Mungo's

Broderick Bode in convalescence at St Mungo's, on Christmas 1995 (Note the "rather ugly plant with long, swaying tentacles" on his bedside table)

Eventually, Bode's condition took an upturn, and his health began to steadily improve. Upon learning of this, the Death Eaters, unable to risk the no-longer-Imperiused Bode getting better and exposing their plan, sent him an anonymous "Christmas present" — a potted plant and a calendar.

The Healer in charge of the ward at the time, Miriam Strout, was busy over the Christmas period, delivering other presents, looking after patients, seeing to visitations from family and friends etc. and as such overlooked the plant's potential dangers.

In direct contradiction of St Mungo's strict guidelines on decorations permitted in wards she left it on Bode's bedside cabinet table, believing it to be a harmless Flitterbloom. Over the next few weeks during the Christmas holidays, Healer Strout, noticing Bode's improving speech and mobility, encouraged Bode to look after the plant himself, unaware that the "rather ugly plant with long, swaying tentacles" was instead a disguised cutting of Devil's Snare. One night, Bode touched the plant and it reacted, instantly throttling him and causing Bode to asphyxiate.[7][8]

Legacy[]

Broderick Bode was discovered dead in his bed the next morning, and Healers were immediately called to the scene, though were unable to revive Bode. St Mungo's, as a result, promised a full inquiry, though they were unable to account for the presence of the plant on the ward, and Healer Strout herself was suspended on full pay.[8]

Voldemort also severely punished Avery for his bad advice, especially after hearing a true account of what would have happened from former Unspeakable and spy Augustus Rookwood.[5]

The death of Bode was ruled as a "tragic accident" and the Daily Prophet reported it as "Tragic Demise of Ministry of Magic Worker," though Harry realised the truth during the Battle of the Department of Mysteries.[6] Aside from Harry and his friends, there seemed to be nobody in Hogwarts who knew or cared about Bode's death.[8]

Etymology[]

The meaning of the word "bode" is to be an omen. Also, a stop or delay.

Behind the scenes[]

Broderick Bode?

A wizard bearing a resemblance to Broderick Bode's description

  • On the lift scene at the Ministry of Magic, as seen in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, there is a wizard who, given his resemblance with Bode's description in the novel, may be him. However, this is as of yet unconfirmed.
  • Bode's attempt on the prophecy, admittance to St Mungo's and assassination were omitted from the film.

Appearances[]

Wiki
The Harry Potter Wiki has 3 images related to Broderick Bode.

Notes and references[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Bode was forty-nine years old in January, 1996 when he died. He was born in 1946 or 1947 (if his birthday was in very early January and he was killed on or shortly after his 49th birthday.)
  2. 2.0 2.1 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 25 (The Beetle at Bay) states that Broderick died the same day the new term started at Hogwarts. The new term started on a Monday in early January, the same day Harry Potter started Occlumency lessons (see Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 24 (Occlumency) - "Six o’clock Monday evening, Potter."). It is stated in the Daily Prophet the next day on a Tuesday, that he died the night before.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 7 (The Ministry of Magic)
  4. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 7 (Bagman and Crouch)
  5. 5.0 5.1 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 26 (Seen and Unforeseen)
  6. 6.0 6.1 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 35 (Beyond the Veil)
  7. 7.0 7.1 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 23 (Christmas on the Closed Ward)
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 25 (The Beetle at Bay)
Department of Mysteries employees
Unspeakables
Broderick Bode · Saul Croaker · Elton Elderberry · Grim Fawley · Dinah Hecat · Olivia Green · Gareth Greengrass · Eloise Mintumble · Levina Monkstanley · Augustus Rookwood · Regina Rowle · Albert Sallow
Other personnel
Keeper of the Hall of Prophecy · Unidentified intern
St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries
Founder: Mungo Bonham
Locations
Alchemy Room · 'Dangerous' Dai Llewellyn Ward: Serious Bites · Entrance dummy · Hospital Ward · Janus Thickey Ward · Poisoning Department · Purge and Dowse, Ltd · St Mungo's Admissions Department · St Mungo's Certified Healer Insignia · St Mungo's student programme
Employees
Positions Healer · Mediwizard · Trainee Healer · Welcome Witch St Mungo's emblem
Healers Astrid Cole · Dilys Derwent · Omar Abasi · Eustace Burke · Ruby Honeysuckle · Lancelot · Chiara Lobosca · Rutherford Poke · Augustus Pye · Hippocrates Smethwyck · Helbert Spleen · Miriam Strout · Portrait of a Healer · Wiggins · Talbott Winger's mother
Patients
Katie Bell · Bilton Bilmes · Bitten St Mungo's patient · Barnabus Blenkinsop · Philbert Chivers · Herbert Chorley · William Dale · John Dawlish · Andre Egwu's sister · Fugitive werewolf · Dorian Fungbury · Grubby-looking St Mungo's patient · Rubeus Hagrid · Penny Haywood · Gordon Horton · Jacob · Tulip Karasu · Cecil Lee · Cassandra Mason's tenants · Minerva McGonagall · Tasmina McLaggen · Eloise Mintumble · Montgomery · Naasz · Esme Page · Miriam Strout · Laura Thorn · Nymphadora Tonks · Unidentified dragonologist · Unidentified St Mungo's patient · Unidentified werewolf · Arthur Weasley · Ginevra Weasley · Winged St Mungo's patient · Winifred Warrington
Long-term residents Agnes · Alice Longbottom · Broderick Bode (deceased) · Frank Longbottom · Gilderoy Lockhart · Zenith Xeep
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