Ludo Bagman Is Ever So Evil (WAS Cutting Characters Slack / Ludo)

[cindysphynx]

No: HPFGUIDX 34170

Brenda W. wrote:

> On Bagman:  I don't believe he'll be found 
> to be a DE.  He's also too proud of his former greatness as a 
quidditch star 
> to destroy his rep.  

Alexander added:

>   Personally I find it unlikely. After all he was not
> accused of being a DE, but only of passing important intel
> to one of DE's. Did he know who is getting that intel is
> another matter.
>   Bot even more important, Bagman's actions (not behavior,
> it's simulated too easily) don't give a hint that he might
> be one of those hideous evil guys in masks.


Oh, I was really going to sit this Bagman discussion out, but 
Alexander provoked me with his comment that there's no hint that 
Bagman is a DE.  :-)  So here we go again!

As I said before, I'm convinced that Bagman will turn out to be an 
evil DE after all.  Caroline is on board, ::waves to Caroline:: but 
maybe a few others can be persuaded to see Bagman as the Longstanding 
Devoted Servant of the Dark Lord that he really is.  We can start 
with the really obvious evidence, and then move to the more subtle 
points.

First, Bagman may have been among the DEs in the graveyard.  He was 
present at the start of the third task, but not when Harry returned.

Second, he doesn't search for Bertha Jorkins -- possibly because he 
knew she was dead.  If he knows she is dead, then why not search 
anyway just to avoid looking suspicious?  Because Wormtail kidnapped 
Bertha, and instigating an investigation might uncover a witness who 
saw something.

Third, Rita Skeeter and Winky both think Bagman is bad news, and both 
have access to inside information on the issue.  Rita covered the 
trial, and Winky was privy to the doings at Crouch's home.  Crouch 
Sr., who is devoted to catching dark wizards, also delivers a rather 
chilling line:  "The day Ludo Bagman joins us will be a sad day 
indeed for the Ministry . . ."

I know what you're thinking -- it's all misdirection to make us 
suspect Bagman instead of Crouch/Moody.  But consider the following 
less obvious clues that don't fit the misdirection JKR set up:

First, there is the Goblet of Fire scene.  Bagman was not 
sufficiently concerned when Harry's name came out of the goblet.  If 
he's the head of magical games, you'd think he would be frantic, 
shell-shocked, or speechless that things were so very messed up.  
Instead, he is depicted as being delighted:  "smiling" at 
Harry, "beaming" as though the matter were now closed, 
looking "rather excited."  None of this can be explained by Bagman's 
alleged gambling motive for helping Harry -- at this point, he had 
not placed a bet on Harry.  No, it is more likely that Bagman is 
thrilled because the first phase of the plan to restore Voldemort 
worked perfectly.

Second, at Hogsmead, Bagman asks Harry to keep quiet about Crouch's 
illness.  Why would Bagman care?  Crouch Sr. is not in Bagman's 
department.  There's no reason for Bagman's concern unless Bagman 
knows Crouch Sr. has been overpowered.

Third, early in GoF, JKR spends time establishing that Bagman, this 
minor character, can apparate.  He apparates in "Bagman and Crouch" 
and again in the "Dark Mark" chapter when he comes across the trio in 
the woods.  The book is really long; why use any space to discuss a 
minor character who apparates other than to establish a foundation 
that Bagman left the Hogwarts grounds and then apparated to the 
graveyard?  

Fourth, there's no reason to believe Fred and George's explanation 
for Bagman's absence after the third task.  They state (Ch. 37) that 
Bagman had a bet on Harry, and Bagman ran from the goblins.  The 
twins imply that they learn this from Lee Jordan's dad, to whom 
Bagman also owes money. 

This doesn't add up.  How would Fred and George know 
Bagman bet on Harry?  Well, Bagman could have told them or told Lee 
Jordan's dad.  But why would Bagman do that?  He was always careful 
to conceal his efforts to help Harry (lowering his voice to a 
whisper, etc).  And it isn't logical that the Head of Magical Games, 
who is also a judge, would up and tell the twins (or anyone else) 
that he is not impartial.  Nobody is that dumb, not even Bagman.  
This suggests that Fred and George have simply guessed (or heard) 
incorrectly -- Bagman really helped Harry for the same reason 
Crouch/Moody did.

But let's say the twins heard this information some other way, and 
Bagman really did bet on Harry.  The second problem is the twins say 
the goblins play dirty and considered the result of the tournament a 
tie and refused to pay Bagman, so that's why he fled.  (They offer no 
explanation for how they know this.)  But Bagman couldn't possibly 
know who won or how the goblins would view things when he fled, which 
was during or right after the third task.  Fred and George's 
statements are supposition -- it is more plausible that Bagman left 
when he did to apparate to the graveyard.

Next, when Harry has a dream, it usually means something important.  
Harry had a dream (beginning of Ch. 9) in which Bagman 
appears and delivers the following line:  "I give you . . . Potter!"  
Why is this little dream in the book if not to show that Bagman 
worked with Crouch/Moody to give Potter to Voldemort.  

Finally, the reason Bagman bet his few remaining galleons on Harry is 
because he knew of the plot for Harry to win and Crouch/Moody's 
efforts.  It was a "sure thing."  Otherwise, with so much at stake, 
why on earth would Bagman bet on the one underage and undereducated 
contestant when it was so important that Bagman be correct?  In fact, 
there's a chance that Bagman is the means of communication between 
Voldemort and Crouch/Moody.  That would explain why he's in Hogsmeade 
when there's no judging, and it would help Crouch/Moody learn of 
details about the Tournament without pestering Dumbledore and 
arousing suspicion.

::insert scary music here::

Now, if Bagman is in fact a DE, things are going to get interesting 
in OoP in a hurry.  Let's say something unfortunate happens to Fudge, 
like he is assassinated.  MoM would have to select a new Minister of 
Magic.  Bagman is a celebrity and (assuming he gets his goblin 
problem sorted out) high up in the Ministry.  Crouch Sr. is dead; 
Percy Weasley has no hope of being selected to run MoM.  Diggory 
heads Magical Creatures, and Arthur Weasley heads Muggle Artifacts; 
neither appears to be on the fast track to the top job.  Bagman would 
get the top job on the strength of his celebrity, which would leave 
Voldemort with a closeted DE running MoM.  Bwahahahaha!

Cindy