Ludo Bagman

[Racing Co]

I didn't see a character thread for poor Ludo Bagman, so here we go. It's convenient that Ludo just starred in the QWC a few weeks ago; hopefully, he's still on people's minds.

First off, how old do you think Ludo is when Harry first meets him?
All we know is that he's a few years removed from his playing days when Harry meets him at the Quidditch World Cup. He was probably in the height of his playing career during his trial in 1980 for passing information to Death Eaters, but the question is this: what's the prime career time for a Quidditch player? Do careers last from about age 20 to 40? I imagine it would depend on the amount of injuries.

All told, I'm guessing his Goblet of Fire age to be about 45. What do you think?

What house was he in?
For this I have no clue, and it's probably my most important question.

What do you think he was like in school? Are his underhanded dealings during the Quidditch World Cup a reflection on his Hogwarts-age personality?
I've imagined Ludo to be fairly innocent — or oblivious — to things like gambling when he was younger. Being a professional athlete probably exposed him do those sorts of "revenue streams" later in life.

[Equinox Chick]

I love Ludo Bagman, I think the comic potential with his brother, Otto, is immense.

First off, how old do you think Ludo is when Harry first meets him?

Okay, it's worth remembering that Sirius says he never knew Bagman. To me that means Bagman's older. He's in his prime at the trials we see in the Pensieve - so 28-30 ish They were 1981-82 - Sirius would have been 21 ish at that time so Bagman is 7-8 years older. That puts him at 42 ish at the QWC.

What house was he in?
Right he's not brave - so cancel Gryffindor
He's not very clever - so cancel Ravenclaw
He is quite cunning, (cheating the twins, dealing with Goblins, trying to cheat with Harry)
- so possibly a Slytherin.
But, I think Hufflepuff could beckon, he's not loyal or at all hardworking, but he could be the 'Puff that doesn't fit anywhere else - so ends up a badger.

Of course, Rita Skeeter told Hermione she knew things about Bagman that would make her hair curl. Harry saw a fairly mild trial in the Pensieve, but maybe Rita had some other dirt on the guy.

What do you think he was like in school? Are his underhanded dealings during the Quidditch World Cup a reflection on his Hogwarts-age personality?
In one of my fics I have his brother running a book on how the DADA teachers will leave that year. I would have had Ludo run the book but he was the wrong age. I think he's always been up for a rislk (hmmm, perhaps he is a Gryff?) but I imagine that at school, as an amazing Quidditch player and supposedly good looking, he wouldn't have had to resort to underhandedness. I think he would have been popular due to his sporting prowess. He certainly had charm. No one at the Wizangamot voted against him.

Carole

[Racing Co]

Thanks for your help, Carole. I had completely forgotten about what Sirius had said about him. I really like the Ludo too. He's very underrated; he's a little like the Lockhart of GoF in terms of humor possibilities. I think for story purposes I'll have him in Hufflepuff because he can fit in there without continuity or character problems.

It's fair to assume Ludo was a Quidditch captain at school, considering how talented he was. Here's my new question: What kind of captain would Ludo be? Considering how lax he was with his own Ministry department, I think he would have been a much more successful player than captain. I could also see him putting his friends on the team.

Also, I guess it's fun to delve into the realm of sheer improbability...

When reading what Rita says about Ludo in GoF, I've always wondered if Rita and Ludo could have had some romantic relationship sometime earlier. Like maybe Ludo starts taking Rita, probably an underpaid lowly reporter at the time, out to dinners to cover up some sort of secret. Mainly, I think this is an interesting idea because it could be both funny and scandalous. While improbable, it is not entirely unlikely considering how close they are in age, ect.