[HPforGrownups] Re: Barty Crouch Jr. (was More thoughts on the Cloak)

[Magpie]

No: HPFGUIDX 158909


> Abergoat responds:
>
> It all comes down to trusting Dumbledore's judgement. He was at the
> trial and when asked if Barty Jr was innocent by Harry he said he
> didn't know.
>
> Harry, GoF Ch 30:
> Then Mr. Crouch's son might not have been involved?
>
> Dumbledore, GoF Ch 30:
> As to that, I have no idea.
>
> So the evidence was not sufficient to remove Dumbledore's doubts as to
> Barty's innocence. JKR has said she speaks through Dumbledore and
> Hermione. Ergo I still it is still possible that 19 year old Barty Jr
> was innocent of crimes against the Longbottoms - whatever his other
> crimes may have been.

Magpie:
But Dumbledore is saying that before we get the reveal that Barty has been 
posing as Moody and is a fanatical follower of Voldemort's.  Of course 
before that JKR has to leave it open to the idea that Barty was an innocent 
boy and his father's imprisoning him was only cruel.  When she says she 
speaks through Dumbledore and Hermione she doesn't mean everything they say 
is her speaking through them, or that they can't be wrong or lack 
information.  If Dumbledore here had had a real, correct opinon of Barty's 
crime it would take away some of the surprise.  If she had told us through 
Dumbledore that Barty was innocent an explanation of how his imprisonment 
led him to become the most loyal DE ever would have to be part of Barty's 
ending confession.  That's not necessary if the guy who's now showing 
himself to be one of Voldemort's most loyal was back then one of Voldemort's 
most loyal who went searching for him.

During GoF JKR, imo, uses both Dumbledore and Sirius to subtly encourage us 
to see Barty as an innocent victim, drumming up sympathy for Barty and 
disapproval of Crouch Sr. that tricks us into assuming Barty was innocent 
and Crouch Sr. guilty.  Then she pulls a neat reversal: his father may have 
been power mad, but Barty was guilty--and he did get special treatment from 
his father.  It's Crouch Sr. who's the victim (nicely laid out when Harry 
sees Barty Crouch on the map in Snape's office and suspects the father).

-m