[HPforGrownups] Ludo Bagman: missing DE?

[Carol Bainbridge]

No: HPFGUIDX 47624

I'm sorry to be coming in late on this thread, but I must have missed it 
and searching for this topic led me to this very recent discussion.

On 11/23/2002 theresnothingtoit suggested that Ludo Bagman could be the 
missing Death Eater at the graveyard scene in GoF:
>Someone else who is slightly
>suspect, who *would* be fool enough not to turn up when his tattoo
>burned.  Ludo Bagman.

Ashfae responded:
>I was under the impression that Bagman never was a Death Eater. He
>passed on Ministry secrets to a confirmed Death Eater...<snip>
>His jabbering about how he
>didn't realize he was giving info to the evil side instead of the good
>side seemed pretty authentic, particularly given what a dunce he is
><snip>

I would say that this is exactly the impression that we are supposed to 
have.  I have been doing some thinking about Bagman and taking a look at 
what he does and says and what Voldemort says.  I agree with Penny R who says:

Ashfae:
>I do find Bagman's character suspicious for several reasons.  First,
>there is the accusation of being a Death Eater.  He was found to be
>passing on information to Voldemort's supporters.  He claimed
>ignorance, and was let off.

Not only did he claim ignorance, but people at his trial were so impressed 
with his sports status that they didn't even want to think about his being 
a bad wizard.  In fact, they applauded him.  He never really had to deny 
much of anything.  He played dumb and what he said really didn't make any 
sense.  He was accused of *passing* information to Voldemort's supporters, 
but he says he thought he was *collecting* information for "our side."  Now 
how can you mistake the direction information is flowing?  If I tell 
someone something, how can I confuse it with them telling me something?  No 
one, though, wanted to hear of it, and when Crouch wanted to give him 
prison time, witches and wizards grew angry.

Ashfae:
>Add to this Winky's assertion that
>Bagman is "A very bad wizard!" Gof pg 333.

Absolutely.  One more clue.

Ashfae:
>I also find Bagman secretly offering to help Harry win the tournament
>highly suspect.  <snip> So
>to me, while it seems a red herring on the surface, and is easily
>explained by his gambling problems with the goblins, I have found
>myself wondering if there was possibly more to it.  If in fact the
>goblins and the money problems were a kind of 'smoke screen' to
>Bagman's real motive... of helping Lord Voldemort.

This is exactly what I think. To add to this discussion, I will go a step 
further and say that I think that Ludo Bagman is actually, not the missing 
DE, but the most faithful servant.  Many people think that Crouch Jr. is 
this servant.  Some of the clues I think are subtle, but they are there, 
including the ones already covered above.

In the graveyard scene Voldemort says to Lucius, "...you ran from my mark, 
when a faithful Death Eater sent it into the sky last summer."  Okay, we 
know the DE that sent that mark into the sky was definitely Crouch 
Jr.  However, Voldemort calls him *a* faithful servant.  Not *my* faithful 
servant, not *my most faithful* servant.

When Barty Jr. is telling all under the veritasserum, he says, "My master 
knew that I was still his faithful servant -- perhaps his most faithful of 
all."  This is simply what Barty Jr. thinks.  Nowhere does Voldemort 
confirm this idea.  Not specifically.  Barty Jr. goes on to say that 
Voldemort told him that he needed to place *a* faithful servant at 
Hogwarts.  Again, it's not a specific one.  It's not *the* most faithful 
servant.  It makes us think that Barty Jr. is that most faithful servant.

Back to the graveyard scene, Voldemort says of the last of the three 
missing DEs, "one, who remains my most faithful servant, and who has 
already entered my service...He is at Hogwarts, that faithful servant, and 
it was through his efforts that our young friend arrived here tonight."

Again, people think this refers to Barty Jr. because we know he is working 
for Voldemort at this point and he is definitely considered by Voldie to be 
*a* faithful servant.  We also know that it is through Barty Jr. that 
Harry's name is entered in the Tri-Wizard Tournament.  However, Bagman is 
the Head of the Department of Games and Sports at the Ministry of Magic and 
it was here that the idea to bring the tournament back that year 
originated.  I would say that Ludo had certainly already re-entered 
Voldie's service by the time of the graveyard scene and most likely had 
re-entered long before that.  It is also for Bagman that Bertha Jorkins 
worked.  And he steadfastly refused to send someone out to look for her.

There is one other passage, which, I think, has rather ambiguous 
references.  Voldemort is explaining to his gathered DEs his plan for 
getting Harry away from Dumbledore.  He says:
"How could I take him?
"Why...by using Bertha Jorkins's information, of course.  Use my one 
faithful Death Eater, stationed at Hogwarts, to ensure that the boy's name 
was entered into the Goblet of Fire.  Use my Death Eater to ensure the boy 
won the tournament ..."

I had assumed that it was Barty Jr. who put Harry's name in the goblet, but 
I can't find where he actually admits he did it.  Voldemort's comment could 
just as easily mean that Bagman put Harry's name in. He was certainly 
present at Hogwarts.  Even if Barty Jr. is the one who did put Harry's name 
in the goblet, Voldemort says his faithful Death Eater will "ensure that 
the boy's name was entered."  That doesn't necessary mean that person will 
*put* the name in the goblet.

When Harry survives and returns to Hogwarts, Bagman would have a very good 
reason to take off.  I agree with Ashfae when she says the gambling is just 
a smoke screen.  And do we really know that Bagman had trouble with the 
goblins and debts or is that possibly hearsay?

Carol