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25 Odd Facts About Barty Crouch Sr (Harry Potter Character)

There are many tragic backstories in the Harry Potter universe.

But none of them come close to Barty Crouch Sr’s life.

He used to be a wizard of great ambition.

In fact, he became an influential figure.

And yet it all came crashing down…

Because he neglected his family.

Continue reading to discover:

  • Who from his family killed Barty Crouch.
  • What caused Barty Crouch Sr’s downfall.
  • Why he never became the next Minister for Magic.
  • 25 more facts you didn’t know about Barty Crouch Sr.
  • And so much more…

About Barty Crouch Sr

BornBefore 1942
PurityPure-blood
HouseSlytherin (Likely, but not proven)
Character TraitsSerious, Strict, Ruthless, Selfish
PatronusNon-corporeal
WandUnknown
Zodiac SignUnknown

Barty Crouch Sr background


Barty Crouch Sr was born before 1942.

And he became part of the esteemed Crouch Family. A lineage of pure-blood wizards and witches.

But what made the Crouches so special?

Well, not only were they all capable of magic. Barty’s family was part of the Sacred Twenty-Eight.

So Barty Crouch Sr’s family was among Britain’s last living truly pure-blood heritage.

But did the young Barty Crouch Sr live up to his family’s name?

Yes, he proved himself a successful heir.

And while we don’t know much about his time at Hogwarts…

Barty Crouch Sr had a successful career in the British Ministry of Magic. The main governing branch that oversaw Britain’s magical community.

And you don’t get that far in the wizarding world without hard work.

Barty Crouch Sr’s family

Barty Crouch Sr's Family

He married Mrs. Crouch (her real name’s never mentioned). And the couple had a son, Bartemius Crouch Junior.

Sadly, they never had quite a happy family life…

Because Barty Sr spent all of his time at work.

And this was what Sirius Black had to say about Barty’s actions:

“Should have spent a bit more time at home with his family, shouldn’t he? Ought to have left the office early once in a while… gotten to know his own son.”


Barty Crouch Sr occupation


Barty Crouch Sr had a very successful career. 

In fact, he was the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.

And he was in charge of safety and putting criminals to justice during the height of the 1st Wizarding War. A time when Voldemort first brought terror to the wizarding world.

But did that scare him into doing a bad job?

No, Barty was great at his work.

In fact, he was just as ruthless. 

He even authorized the use of Unforgiveable Curses on criminals. The strongest and most dangerous spells in existence.

You see, Barty Crouch Sr believed in the idea:

“…attack first, ask questions later.”

While extremely unethical…

It proved to be highly effective at fighting Voldemort’s Death Eaters.

Barty’s fall from grace

However, did Barty Sr keep his job?

Sadly, he lost his touch.

And it all came crashing down when it turned out his son, Barty Jr, was also a Death Eater.

So how did he respond?

Well, Barty Sr sent his own son to Azkaban. A maximum-security prison for the worst magical criminals.

And yet even if wizards and witches applauded him for being unbiased…

It slowly destroyed his influence.

Until he got reassigned to the Department of International Magical Co-operation. A branch that focused on international wizard relations.

And he’d soon be replaced by Amelia Bones, a strong, brave, and more fair substitute in his place.

In fact, you should definitely watch the gut-wrenching trial scene again:

Barty Crouch Sr character

Barty Crouch Sr’s an old man who preferred wearing a black suit.

He had grey hair, which was neatly parted to the side. And a small but refined mustache.

On top of that, Barty Sr was a very serious person.

In fact, you’d hardly catch him smiling or even waste a moment away from work.

And even Sirus Black liked to joke about Barty’s work ethic:

“If he’s ever taken a day off work because of illness before this, I’ll eat Buckbeak.”

But the way he was portrayed in the film was quite different:

Barty Sr looked unusual because he was under Voldemort’s control.

As a result, he looked very sick, with dark circles under his eyes.

And while he tried his hardest to fight the curse and warn Dumbledore of Voldemort’s return…

Barty Sr met his end at his son’s own hands.

“Wait, how’d that happen?”

When Barty Crouch Sr stumbled onto Hogwarts fighting mind control…

His son killed him while disguised as a professor.

And to cover the younger Barty’s tracks…

He turned his father’s corpse into a bone and buried it.


More facts about Barty Crouch Sr


#1: He broke his son out of Azkaban

Although we don’t get to see it in the movies, Barty Sr did break his son out of prison.

In fact, Barty’s wife begged him.

She didn’t want to see her son die in Azkaban.

So during 1 of their visits, Mrs. Crouch and Barty Jr switched places.

But at that point, there was no saving Barty Jr.

You see, research shows child neglect can have long-term consequences. 

Not just with emotions and behavior…

But also with life in general.

And Barty Jr was already a loyal follower of Voldemort…

No matter what Barty Sr tried to do.

#2: Nothing could’ve saved his reputation

While sending his own son to prison might’ve seemed like the right call…

It only worked for a little while.

Soon, people started to question Barty Sr’s methods.

And many began to disagree with his ruthlessness.

So whether Barty Sr saved his son or not…

There was nothing he could do to fix his reputation.

Everything was meant to go all downhill from that point forward.

A tragic series of events for a wizard that only wanted to do good.

#3: The Crouch family no longer exists

After Barty Crouch Sr died at the hands of his son…

Barty Crouch Jr eventually paid for his crimes with a Dementor’s Kiss. Or the act of sucking one’s soul out. And a fate considered worse than death.

But we didn’t simply lose 2 wizards.

We also lost the entire Crouch family because Barty Sr and his son were the last living members.

And Mrs. Crouch suffered an equally harsh fate…

Because she passed away in prison disguised as her son, Barty Crouch Jr.

#4: Pretty good at the Dark Arts

While Barty Sr spent most of his life fighting Dark wizards…

He wasn’t too shabby in using the Dark Arts himself.

In fact, he could use the Imperius Curse pretty well. A mind control spell that he used on his own son…

And Barty Jr only managed to break free after 12 years.

Which goes to show experienced Barty Sr. was with Dark magic.

#5: His neglect for family destroyed everything

If Barty Sr spent a little more time at home, he could’ve given Barty Jr the childhood he deserved. .

And if his son didn’t have any reason to turn to the dark side…

It would’ve prevented a lot of bad things from happening. And even changed the course of Barty Sr’s life for good.

Plus, research shows happiness ties closely with a long life.

And if Barty Sr invested a bit more into his family’s love and joy…

The Crouch family might still be alive today.

Bonus: A trial he could never win

While Barty Sr might be extremely serious and often got his way…

There was 1 time when he couldn’t win a trial.

And that’s when Ludo Bagman took the stand. 

You see, Ludo was accused of helping Death Eaters.

So Barty Sr wanted to send him to Azkaban like the rest.

But because of Ludo’s reputation as a Quidditch player…

The other people in the trial were more interested in his sports.

As a result, Ludo got away unpunished. 

And no matter how hard Barty Crouch Sr tried…

Ludo Bagman’s popularity was just a tad bit too strong.

So much so that even Barty’s authority couldn’t put a dent in the trial’s conclusion.