Bartemius Crouch, Jr.

[Elf]

The Ferret incident in GoF shows that Barty hates cowardice. However you could argue that he was acting as he felt Moody would act at the time. There is still his hatred of the Death Eaters who avoided Azakaban and did not try to help Voldemort (that could be an argument for Hufflepuff though). He did deny the charges but he is still one of the few people who tried to find Voldemort after his downfall. So Gryffindor or Hufflepuff as his house, though i would not object to Slytherin.

[jadoreluna]

I see the whole family in slytherin. If BCsnr was in slytherin, he probably wouldn't marry someone out of that house. BCjr he was definetly slytherin...I've never heard of a hufflepuff/ravenclaw/gryfinndor death eater

[Karaley Dargen]

I see the whole family in slytherin. If BCsnr was in slytherin, he probably wouldn't marry someone out of that house. BCjr he was definetly slytherin...I've never heard of a hufflepuff/ravenclaw/gryfinndor death eater

What about Peter Pettigrew? I really don't think that we can see his being a Death Eater as a reason for him to be in Slytherin... He could well have been a Ravenclaw.

[hestiajones]

Hmm...but Barty Crouch Jr. believed in Voldemort's ideals - ethnic cleansing and all that. I always saw him as a pureblood extremist, and most of the pure-blood extremists in the books are in Slytherin. At least those we know...

[abovelevel]

Firstly I'm personally placing Bartimius Crouch snr in Gryffindor because of his strong Percy-esque sense of justice, his ambition and intelligence. In many ways he's like Percy Weasley. His wife, I'm not so sure about. Also do we actually know her first name?
Her first name isn't canon, so you can make up whatever you want. Mum, we know, traded places with her son and willingly went to Azkaban...so we can assume she was very dedicated to her son (though plenty of mother's are) and loyal as well as very brave. We also see intelligence and creativity coming up with that plan, though it is also sneaky. As you can see, from the limited information we have, I think you can justify pretty much any of the four houses. Depends on how you characterize her in the story.

Secondly I've always found the idea of naming a son after a father whose STILL ALIVE a bit weird. I mean they can't all call him Barty so what nickname/ abbreviation would you think credible?
It's very common among people I know to name a son after their Dad even if Dad's still alive. Sometimes they get called "Junior," or sometimes they just called the same name. I dunno haha, I know a lot of people who do that and it's totally normal.

Thirdly how do you think the Death Eaters coerced him into joining? I see the Barty snr as being a slightly absent parent which may have influenced him but there must be other reasons.
Yes, I remember Sirius saying something like "maybe Barty should have come home early once in a while" or something...so maybe a sense of wanting to be a part of something big and important? Craving attention? And then just the aggresive and tough personality of his dad must have affected him, making him possibly more like to fall to the Dark Lord easily, like Peter Pettigrew.

Also why do you think the Death Eaters wanted him in the first place? He would have been useful in terms of his father but why did they recruit him when he was so young?
We don't know anything about his magical ability, so he may have had some kind of talent. Also, I think at the time the DEs were probably looking to recruit a lot of young, impressionable souls who would become unfailingly loyal to their cause.


Hope that helps! Best of luck in your story.

[welshdevondragon]

I don't have much to add to this discussion. But since he had, somewhat surprisingly, become a character on a fic (or rather his mother has but I need to know him to know his mother) I'm writing rather than my term essay (ooops) I thought I'd ask some more questions.

Firstly I'm personally placing Bartimius Crouch snr in Gryffindor because of his strong Percy-esque sense of justice, his ambition and intelligence. In many ways he's like Percy Weasley. His wife, I'm not so sure about. Also do we actually know her first name?

Secondly I've always found the idea of naming a son after a father whose STILL ALIVE a bit weird. I mean they can't all call him Barty so what nickname/ abbreviation would you think credible?

Thirdly how do you think the Death Eaters coerced him into joining? I see the Barty snr as being a slightly absent parent which may have influenced him but there must be other reasons.

Also why do you think the Death Eaters wanted him in the first place? He would have been useful in terms of his father but why did they recruit him when he was so young?

Any answers would be very helpful!!

[Equinox Chick]

Firstly I'm personally placing Bartimius Crouch snr in Gryffindor because of his strong Percy-esque sense of justice, his ambition and intelligence. In many ways he's like Percy Weasley. His wife, I'm not so sure about. Also do we actually know her first name?
Oh, I don;t think Barty snr was a Gryff. I seriously think he was either a Slyth or a Claw. He is very good at dealing with Dark Wizards but has no sense of fair play at all - he sends Sirius to Azkaban with no trial, and will do anything to protect himself - even denoncing his son. He only saves his son because he makes a promise to his wife. Even then, he never attempts to help his son, just keeps him imprisoned at home. Slyth all the way. I only put Claw because he does seem to be very intelligent.
I knda think Percy is Gryffindor despite his love of rules and regulations.

Secondly I've always found the idea of naming a son after a father whose STILL ALIVE a bit weird. I mean they can't all call him Barty so what nickname/ abbreviation would you think credible?
My husband was named after his Dad and Granddad who were both still alive. They all have the same middle name as well. If Snr was known as Bartemius (except to Ludo) and jnr known as Barty, then that's not too weird.

Thirdly how do you think the Death Eaters coerced him into joining? I see the Barty snr as being a slightly absent parent which may have influenced him but there must be other reasons.
Coercion implies force. I think persuasion is a better word. He was probably looking to rebel against his strong and overbearing father, and that would be noticed by people like Snape (who has a bad relationship with his father). He's about 19 in 1981 (when Sirius sees him in Azkaban) so he's probably a year younger than Regulus. I think he's a Slytherin, and would be far more influenced by his peer group than his parents. At that time, he'll come under the sway of people like Mulciber, Avery, Snape and Regulus.

Also why do you think the Death Eaters wanted him in the first place? He would have been useful in terms of his father but why did they recruit him when he was so young?
Precisely because of his father - no one would suspect him, but also because Voldemort probably sussed that he was searching for something/someone to believe him. His father supposedly neglected him - it's classic teenage rebellion and then he actually believed in it all.

~Carole~

[fizzingwizzbee]

[B]
Oh, I don;t think Barty snr was a Gryff. I seriously think he was either a Slyth or a Claw. He is very good at dealing with Dark Wizards but has no sense of fair play at all - he sends Sirius to Azkaban with no trial, and will do anything to protect himself - even denoncing his son. He only saves his son because he makes a promise to his wife. Even then, he never attempts to help his son, just keeps him imprisoned at home. Slyth all the way. I only put Claw because he does seem to be very intelligent.
I knda think Percy is Gryffindor despite his love of rules and regulations.


~Carole~

But then we have to remember just being in Gryffindor does not mean they're a good person. Gryffindor is about bravery. Although Crouch was responsible for allowing aurors to use unforgivable curses and sent Sirius to azkaban without trial. He was no doubt ruthless. We do have to remember though that his last act before he died was attempting to warn Dumbledore about what was about to happen to Harry.

Of course Peter Pettigrew was a Gryffindor and he was a Death Eater who sold out his best friends. Only his dying act was a brave one.
I don't think Barty Sr is a slytherin. I think gryffindor or ravenclaw. I can imagine him being very very academic whilst he was in Hogwarts. A genuine hard worker.

[Equinox Chick]

But then we have to remember just being in Gryffindor does not mean they're a good person.

Yes, I know that, but the one thing the Gryffindors have in common - even Hermione -is a streak of recklessness. Crouch Snr has none of that. I really don't think he was necessarily being brave when he tried to warn Dumbledore - it was in his own interests, and it was also the right 'intelligent' thing to do.

Of course Peter Pettigrew was a Gryffindor and he was a Death Eater who sold out his best friends. Only his dying act was a brave one.

Hmm, this probably isn't the right place to debate this, but Peter's dying act wasn't brave at all. he had a momentary hesitation about killing Harry because Harry reminded him that he 'owed' him. The hand realised there was hesitation and strangled him. Right until he died, Peter was desperately trying to stop strangling himself. It wasn't bravery that stopped him killing Harry, it was a flicker of conscience.

I agree that Crouch is a genuine hard worker - perhaps he's a Hufflepuff.

~Carole~

[fizzingwizzbee]

I would definately place him in Ravenclaw before I'd put him in Gryffindor.
That said Crouch has done reckless things, such as helping his wife and son switch places in Azkaban.

I think the best place to head to for the answer is the first sorting hat song Harry heard which sums things up very nicely:
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;

Well Crouch had the nerve to switch his wife and son around in azkaban and help fight in the first war with Voldemort. He also made his last act going against his son and risking his life to try and tell Dumbledore that Harry was in danger. There is cause to place him in this house.

You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil;

The only thing I can see him being loyal to is his wife and the ministry. He doesn't seem patient. This doesn't strike me as the house for him

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
if you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;

Well to get as high up in the ministry as he was, he must have been clever and worked very hard indeed. To pull off the switch between his wife and son must have taken a great deal of intelligence. Most of this however is speculation into his character


Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folks use any means
To achieve their ends.

Well here's where I go against my previous statments alot. We have seen Crouch use desperate methods to reach his means on several occasion. No trial for Sirius. Sending his own son to Azkaban. Permitting aurors to use unforgivable curses. I should imagine he is pure blood aswell. There is alot of cause to put him in this house

So in conclusion I actually believe he has potential to belong in any house except Hufflepuff. The question is, which way do you think he would have swayed? And which of his acts define who he is the most?

(As for Pettigrew's actions we'll have to agree to disagree cos you're right, not the right thred to debate it but I disagree lol )