18

In the movie Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, during the 422 Quidditch World Cup Final, an image of the Dark Mark in the sky was cast by Barty Crouch Jr:

A hand holding a wand points to a glowing greenish image of a ghostly skull

Then Harry escapes from Barty, and meets Hermione and Ron.

Why did Barty cast this spell in the sky?

0

3 Answers 3

43

The book explains it in more depth than the movie, which cut a lot of content.

"I asked you," said Moody quietly, "whether he forgave the scum who never even went to look for him. Those treacherous cowards who wouldn't even brave Azkaban for him. The faithless, worthless bits of filth who were brave enough to cavort in masks at the Quidditch World Cup, but fled at the sight of the Dark Mark when I fired it into the sky. "

"You fired... What are you talking about... ?"

"I told you. Harry... I told you. If there's one thing I hate more than any other, it's a Death Eater who walked free. They turned their backs on my master when he needed them most. I expected him to punish them. I expected him to torture them. Tell me he hurt them, Harry..." Moody's face was suddenly lit with an insane smile. "Tell me he told them that I, I alone remained faithful... prepared to risk everything to deliver to him the one thing he wanted above all... you. "

He felt the free Death Eaters like Malfoy turned their back on Voldemort while he faced prison and imprisonment for remaining true, and so he wanted to scare them with Lord Voldemort's symbol.

1
  • which cut a lot of content - understatement of the year? :)
    – Joe
    Aug 25, 2021 at 16:12
17

In the book, Barty Crouch Jr. tells Dumbledore under the influence of Veritaserum

My father had left the tent; he had gone to free the Muggles. Winky was afraid to see me so angry. She used her own brand of magic to bind me to her. She pulled me from the tent, pulled me into the forest, away from the Death Eaters. I tried to hold her back. I wanted to return to the campsite. I wanted to show those Death Eaters what loyalty to the Dark Lord meant, and to punish them for their lack of it. I used the stolen wand to cast the Dark Mark into the sky.

He was disgusted by the behavior of the "free" death eaters who had not bothered to look for their master when their own powers were intact. He wanted to frighten them & remind them that their sole purpose should be search of dark lord and not idle time pass of muggle torture.

Voldemort himself mentions it during his rebirth

“Lucius, my slippery friend,” he whispered, halting before him. “I am told that you have not renounced the old ways, though to the world you present a respectable face. You are still ready to take the lead in a spot of Muggle-torture, I believe? Yet you never tried to find me, Lucius...Your exploits at the Quidditch World Cup were fun, I daresay... but might not your energies have been better directed toward finding and aiding your master?”

..

“And yet you ran from my Mark, when a faithful Death Eater sent it into the sky last summer?” said Voldemort lazily, and Mr. Malfoy stopped talking abruptly. “Yes, I know all about that, Lucius... You have disappointed me... I expect more faithful service in the future.”

7

Barty Crouch Jr. wanted to either shame or shock the other Death Eaters into showing their true colours.

'I asked you,' said Moody quietly, 'whether he forgave the scum who never even went to look for him. Those treacherous cowards who wouldn't even brave Azkaban for him. The faithless, worthless bits of filth who were brave enough to cavort in masks at the Quidditch World Cup, but fled at the sight of the Dark Mark when I fired it into the sky.'

Barty's disgust with the other Death Eaters is obvious from this quote, I think. He wanted to remind them of their discarded allegiance; whether he was really disappointed by their reaction or rather grimly satisfied, is unclear.

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge that you have read and understand our privacy policy and code of conduct.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.