Bagman as Loyal Death Eater and Big Blond

[gav_fiji]

No: HPFGUIDX 141482

JK Rowling, endlessly misleading in her books, however the careful 
and diligent reader can decipher the text and show to others what is 
hidden.

Recently, and quite sadly, I have devoted considerable time to a 
close read of the Harry Potter books, including the two companion 
books and a trawl through almost every interview published with JKR 
and some newspaper articles regarding her to attempt to put together 
some thoughts on outstanding questions and possible upcoming events.

My first article will put forth my view that the Big Blond Death 
Eater (BBDE)is none other than Ludovic Bagman with supporting 
material.

The relevant known facts first: -

(i)  Bagman was accused of being a Death Eater and it is clear he 
was one.

(ii) He played Beater for Wimbourne Wasps and England.

(ii) He disappeared after the third task in Goblet of Fire and has 
not been seen again.

We first meet the head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports 
at the Quidditch World Cup in Goblet of Fire. He is mentioned during 
the discussion regarding Bertha Jorkins's disappearance in Chapter 5 
(Weasley's Wizard Wheezes) by Percy who says "Oh, Bagman's likeable 
enough, of course." (page 58, Bloomsbury hardback edition)

Bagman is put across as unconcerend about Bertha's disappearance, 
however in light of this article I contend that Bagman knew all 
about the plot to kidnap and kill Harry throughout the fourth book 
and the references to his problems with the Goblins, while 
undoubtedly genuine, are misdirection on Ms. Rowling's part to cast 
suspicion away from Bagman.

The relevant quotation at this point is: "Mr. Crouch has taken a 
personal interest – she worked in our department at one time, you 
know, and I think Mr. Crouch was quite fond of her – but Bagman just 
keeps laughing and saying she probably misread the map and ended up 
in Australia instead of Albania." This is said by Percy in Chapter 5 
on page 58 of the Bloomsbury hardback edition. Now of course Bagman 
would try to delay anybody's attempts to locate Bertha, or at least 
her remains, until after the plot was carried out. Bagman does 
eventually send a search party, but reluctantly and no doubt he 
would be able to send the searchers to the wrong location anyway.

The first descriptive material that is to hand regarding Bagman 
comes in Chapter 7 (Bagman and Crouch). In full it is: 

"He had the look of a powerfully built man gone to seed; the robes 
were stretched tightly across a large belly he surely had not had in 
the days when he played Quidditch for England. His nose was squashed 
(probably broken by a stray bludger, Harry thought), but is round 
blue eyes, short blond hair and rosy complexion made him look like a 
very overgrown schoolboy." (Page 80, Bloomsbury hardback edition)

This bears some close inspection in light of the description of the 
BBDE in Half-Blood Prince. Bagman is powerfully built and he has 
blond hair. QED? Not quite as there is plenty more to come.

In Chapter 10 (The Dark Mark) Bagman is encountered emerging from 
the tress close to where the Dark Mark is conjured and again we are 
supposed to believe that he is hiding from the Goblins. The relevant 
passage is:

'The words were hardly out of his mouth, when 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 each other, surprised.
"Well – there's a sort of riot going on," said Ron.
Bagman stared at him. "What?"
"On 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 with a small pop.
"Not exactly on top of things, Mr. Bagman, is he?" said Hermione, 
frowning.
"He was a great beater, though," said Ron, leading the way off the 
path into a small clearing, and sitting down on a patch of dry grass 
at the foot of a tree. "The Wimbourne Wasps won the league three 
times in a row while he was with them."' (Page 114, Bloomsbury 
hardback edition)

Shortly after this the Dark Mark appears and as we later find out 
Barty Crouch Jnr. had conjured it. I contend that Bagman was meeting 
Crouch Jnr. either in furthereance of the plot or to have it 
explained to him and to warn him off from having Bertha Jorkins 
searched for too closely.

When Bagman says "Damn them!" he is referring to his fellow muggle-
baiting Death Eaters. It is likely that he is upset because he does 
not wish attention to be drawn to his Dark Lord's return until the 
time is right knowing about the events that have been set in motion 
already for Voldemort's return.

The next relevant matter regarding Bagman is when he is present 
during the choosing of the Triwizard Tournament champions, which 
actually turns into a Quatriwizard Tournament. He is described as 
having a boyish face (page 243, Bloomsbury hardback edition, Chapter 
14 - The Four Champions) and as looking rather excited when Harry is 
chosen as the fourth champion. Now obviously we are supposed to 
think that this is because Bagman foresees getting good odds on 
Harry so he could pay off the Goblins, and this may be partly true, 
however it also fits that he would be excited because the plam is 
now beginning to work and he knows that if he is able to guide Harry 
through the taskk successfully he would not only please Voldemort 
but also be able to clear his gambling debts.

In fact it makes perfect sense that Bagman would be happy for Harry 
to win the Tornament and help him with the tasks, as he subsequently 
attempts to do, in order that he fulfil his duty to the Dark Lord. 
If the plan is known to Bagman, as I believe it was, then he would 
consider that the bet could not lose as he would know that Harry 
must win for the plan to succeed and Bagman is obviously confident 
that it will.

Further description of Bagman follows in Chapter 20 (The First Task) 
where the text states that: "Bagman looked somehow like a slightly 
overblown cartoon figure, standing amid all the pale-faced 
champions." This is indicative of his being substantially larger 
than the Champiosn, all of whom, apart from Harry, are adults in the 
wizarding world and have to be assumed to be fully grown as I myself 
was at that age. This lends further support to Bagman as the BBDE in 
Half-Blood Prince.

At this point I state that for those of you who seem doubtful of the 
foregoing consider that when the BBDE is come across in Half-Blood 
Prince Harry does not see his face at all. He (BBDE) is certainly 
not, as The Harry Potter Lexicon speculates, the brutal-faced Death 
Eater (who I believe to be Yaxley). This will be addressed in a 
later article.

Barty Crouch Snr.'s opinion of people must also be considered and 
further supports this article. In Chapter 21 (The House-Elf 
Liberation Front) Winky says: "Mr. Bagman is a bad wizard! My master 
isn't liking him, oh no, not at all!" Crouch Snr.'s suspicions seem 
to be correct as he is correct about his own son. As the head of the 
Department of Magical law Enforcement during Voldwar I he is in a 
prime position to know the culpability of the Death Eaters. From 
this statement of Winky's it is taken that Crouch Snr. is far from 
believing Bagman was a dupe, which is confirmed by his reaction 
during Bagman's trial in the Pensieve. 

There is more significance in Winky's statement than may first 
appear. I contend that Bagman in some way was closely linked to 
Crouch Jnr., hence Crouch Snr's intense dislike of Bagman. This also 
links back to Bagman in the woods at the Quidditch World Cup. If I 
am right, and I believe I am, at least about Bagman being involved 
in the plot in book 4, then it would make sense that Crouch Jnr. and 
Bagman were closely associated and meeting prior to Bagman emerging 
from the woods at almost exactly the same spot Crouch Jnr. conjured 
the dark Mark.

Throughout the Triwizard Tournament Bagman tries to assist Harry so 
noticeably that Harry wonders why he is not trying to assist the 
other champions. Bagman would do this because he wants Harry to win 
and go to Voldemort. He also disappears before the Death eaters 
congregate, as George tells us in Chapter 37 (The Beginning)on page 
635 of the Bloomsbury hardback edition: "So Bagman had to run for 
it. Right after the third task."  This would give him time to get 
outside the Hogwarts grounds and Apparate to the Little Hangleton 
graveyard with the other Death Eaters. Misdirection is given in that 
George speculates that Bagman ran because of the Goblins, whereas it 
is more plausible that he did not want to miss his master's return.

Back to description of Bagman, and yes, the article is not far from 
its end, we find that during Chapter 30 (The Pensieve) during his 
trial Bagman is described as: "tall and lean and muscly" (page 514, 
Bloomsbury hardback edition). This description again lends weight to 
my view that Bagman is the BBDE in Half-Blood Prince. Another 
thought is that during the period from Bagman's disappearance to his 
re-emergence in Half-Blood Prince is a lapse of close to two years. 
He would have been living on the run and had plenty of time to lose 
the excess weight he had picked up and regain his muscularity and 
stature. If he were really either the coward or oathbreaker then 
surely he would have been located and killed and his demise 
commented upon somewhere in the wizarding world. It never is, which 
reinforces me in my belief that Bagman is a loyal Death Eater 
through and through.

One final piece of fun evidence regarding Bagman as the BBDE is 
contained in Quidditch Through the Ages by Kennilworthy Wisp (page 
52, Bloomsbury hardback edition) where the Bludger Backbeat is 
described thus:

"A move by which the Beater strikes the Bludger with a backhanded 
club swing, sending it behind him or her rather than in front. 
Difficult to bring off with precision but excellent for confusing 
opponents."

This fits in well with the BBDE's actions during the fight at 
Hogwarts where he is firing off spells all over the place, and 
including I contend behind him so that his aim is not necessarily 
perfect.

For completeness sake the first reference to the BBDE is on page 558 
of the Bloomsbury hardback edition of Half-Blood Prince in Chapter 
28 (Flight of the Prince)

Many further articles are planned and when I have a free and clear 
few hours I will write and post another. These will include articles 
on the DADA position, the brutal-faced Death Eater (which will be 
short) and the missing 24 hours, amongst several others.

Comments would be welcome.


gav_fiji.