Ludo Bagman

[probonoprobono]

No: HPFGUIDX 53240

Stacey wrote:
> I don't know if this has been discussed before, but I am just into 
my 
> third read of the series and something about Ludo Bagman stuck out 
at 
> me in GoF.  Earlier in the book after the Quidditch match, in the 
> midst of the confusion when the muggles are being tormented, but 
> before the dark mark is released, the trio are in the woods hiding 
> per Mr. Weasley's instructions.  It's on pages 126-127 in the 
> hardcover American version:  
> 
> "...Ludo Bagman emerged from behind a tree right ahead of them.  
Even 
> by the feeble light of the two wands, Harry could see that a great 
> change had come over Bagman.  He no longer looked buoyant and rosy-
> faced; there was no more spring in his step.  He looked very white 
> and strained.  "Who's that?" he said, blinking down at them, 
trying 
> to make out their faces.  "What are you doing in here, all 
alone?"  
> They looked at one another, surprised.  "Well - there's a sort of 
> riot going on," said Ron.  Bagman stared at him.  "What?"  "At the 
> campsite... some people have got hold of a family of muggles..."  
> Bagman swore loudly.  "Damn them!" he said, looking quite 
distracted, 
> and without another word, he Disapparated witha small pop!  "Not 
> exactly on top of things, Mr. Bagman, is he?" said Hermione, 
> frowning."
> 
> To my recollection, this bizarre behavior was never accounted for 
was 
> it?  Why did Bagman emerge appearing haggard and disoriented if he 
> didn't know that anything was wrong?  For that matter, why was he 
in 
> the woods at all if he didn't know what was wrong?  (at this point 
> the trio are in the woods, not near the tents)  Who is he 
referring 
> to when he says "Damn them!"?  If he were just frustrated that 
random 
> unknown people were tormenting muggles, he would have said "Damn 
it" 
> in frustration, not "Damn them" almost as if he knew who it was.  
> Then JKR makes a point again to say he still looks quite 
distracted 
> and Hermione goes on to point this out too.  It gets even more 
> interesting because after a decent amount of time has passed (the 
> dark mark has been displayed, Diggory is already questioning 
Winky), 
> Bagman appears again, out of breath, and in the same exact spot he 
> had Disapparated from while talking to the trio some time before.  
He 
> is completely unaware of the mark.  Had he been tending to the 
muggle 
> situation, he would have seen the mark.  So where was he and why 
is 
> he still clueless?  
> 
> "Just then there was another pop, and Ludo Bagman Apparated right 
> next to Mr. Weasley.  Looking breathless and disoriented, he spun 
on 
> the spot, goggling upward at the emerald-green skull.  "The Dark 
> Mark!" he panted, almost trampling Winky as he turned inquiringly 
to 
> his colleagues.  "Who did it?  Did you get them?  Barty!  What's 
> going on?..."  (pages 132-133 of hardcover GoF)
> 
> He goes on to ask Crouch why he never showed up to his box - an 
odd 
> question considering THE DARK MARK IS ABOVE HIS HEAD.  I can't 
> believe none of this struck me as odd on my first two read-
throughs, 
> but for some reason this really stands out as bizarre behavior to 
me 
> and I don't recall it ever being explained (though i could be 
wrong, 
> I haven't finished GoF this time yet and it's been awhile since my 
> last readthrough).  Anyone have any thoughts to what Bagman was up 
> to?  Has this been discussed before?  

Me:

It is accounted for at the end of GoF Chp 37. George says "Turns out 
he's in big trouble with the goblins. Borrowed loads of gold off 
them. A gang of them cornered him in the woods after the World Cup 
and took all the gold he had, and it still wasn't enough to cover 
his debts."

But all of this Ludo gambling stuff could just be a smokescreen. 
Remember Winky says Mr. Bagman is a "Bad wizard! A very bad wizard! 
Her master (Mr. Crouch) wasn't liking him at all." And Skeeter 
comments that she knows things about Bagman that would "make your 
hair curl."

Hope that helps!
-Tanya