Was Crouch Junior a DE? (was Re: ESE!Fudge)

[Hannah]

No: HPFGUIDX 113606

> Bookworm wrote:
> Since reading GoF, I've thought that the Karkaroff/Snape/Crouch 
> triumvirate was too easy to assume.  At the time, I argued Bagman 
> was the cowardly one (because of the way he was running from his 
> debts to the goblins), but reading this thread makes me think he 
> might have been the faithful DE and his cowardice is a cover.
> 
> Canon against Crouch Junior being the third missing DE:
> If Junior was the `most faithful servant' would he have
> shrieked during his trial: "I didn't, I swear it Father,
> don't send me back to the dementors - " and "Mother, stop
> him, Mother, I didn't do it, it wasn't me!" [GoF, Ch30]
> 
> This doesn't sound very faithful.  Bellatrix was standing right
> next to him, so it is probable she reported it to Voldemort.  
Fudge, OTOH, was very quick to have him `kissed' so that he
> couldn't tell anything more.  Was it so he couldn't name
> Fudge?  Or so that no one would realize that he [Junior] *wasn't* 
> guilty of earlier crimes?
<snip>
> The Lestranges were `faithful' and didn't renounce
> Voldemort.  It doesn't make sense that Junior would also be 
> described as `the faithful servant' even though he calls
> himself that. [GoF, Ch35]
> 
Hannah now: But he didn't renounce LV.  He only said he didn't do it 
(torture the Longbottoms).  OK, that's a subtle difference, but 
maybe he genuinely believed he could better serve LV by not getting 
thrown in Azkaban.  It would also explain why he 're-enters' LV's 
service.  Also, his confession at the end of GoF is made under 
Veritaserum, under which he cannot lie.  Therefore he must have done 
the things that he's claiming.  

> Hannah originally: 
> 'It was through his efforts that our young friend arrived here 
> tonight.' What actions led to Harry being at the graveyard? First, 
> putting his name in the goblet (Crouch Jr.)
> 
> Bookworm continued:
> Before Harry's name could go into the goblet, there had to be a 
> tournament.
<snip of quotes>
> Who was Bertha's boss who refused to search when she went
> missing? Bagman.
> <snip>
>  the Tournament was being planned before Bertha ran into 
Voldemort. 

Hannah now: An event of that size was probably planned for at least 
a year beforehand (I would imagine).  I don't think the whole 
tournament was brought back to get at Harry.  LV found out about it 
and it and *he* decided to use the event to deliver Potter to him.  
The lack of a search for Bertha is a bit worrying, but I don't think 
that it means Bagman was acting out of loyalty to LV at that point.  

I agree that it is quite possible that Bagman may turn out to have 
been/ still be a DE.  I suppose he may even have been acting in 
league with Crouch Jr.  But I really don't think that he can get the 
credit for orchestrating everything and for being the loyalist DE.  
Though you make a good case for it :-)
Hannah