HP Ficlet: An Education Worthwhile

[catsintheattic]

This is for jaelle_n_gilla's request on the drabble meme.

Rating: PG-13
Category: Ficlet
Era: Pre Hogwarts
Main Characters: Bartemius Crouch Senior and Barty Crouch Junior
Ship(s): none
Keywords: father-son-relationship, family life
Summary: When your father works so hard to make you happy, there's nothing much you can do about it.
Author's notes: Thanks to mikabird

Comments

[mereol]

Nice insight into Barty's childhood; makes one understand how a child like Barty could grow to be a Death Eater. Looking, searching, needing to do anything to get his father's attention, no matter what the cost.

Thanks for sharing!

[catsintheattic]

Thank you for your kind feedback. *beams*

I don't know why, but I always return to that issue of child abuse in my stories. IMO, neglect is just another form of abuse. And wouldn't it be fitting for such a child to grow into a man who would keep his own father under Imperio for a prolonged time, feeding the subconscious need to finally have control over his father's actions?

Now I feel the nibbling of a new creepy plot bunny at my left ankle...

[mereol]

There are so many types of abuse, aren't there?

I can see the grim satisfaction at him finally getting to pull the strings.

[catsintheattic]

I can see the grim satisfaction at him finally getting to pull the strings.

That's the way the plot bunny is hoping along; and added to the grim satisfaction is a desperate urge to finally feel safe in his father's arms.

"Crunch" - and the bunny is nibbling away his carrots. ;-)

[jaelle_n_gilla]

Thanks a lot for that one! Sounds like you had that same experience :-) I did for sure.
How cute to think of "little Barty". Barty is really a boy's name, isn't it?

The one thing that didn't work for me was Barty's mother saying he's greedy. Wouldn't that keep a boy from becoming more greedy? I'd rather write him to "get greedy", want more and more and not be stopped by his mother. A little "only-child" who gets presents instead of attention and love.

But the attention deprieved boy sure works for a Death Eater. It would be a strong motive.

[catsintheattic]

I'm so glad that you like it! :-) *bounces*

I will always remember my father coming home from work and telling me off for wanting to hug him, just because he needed his own space for some time, until he was truly home and willing to have my attention. It was not that he never had time, but I remember being sad.

The one thing that didn't work for me was Barty's mother saying he's greedy.I imagined his mom scolding him from time to time, when he was asking his father to play with him. She told him that his father is doing it all for Barty's good. If this happens often enough, the message gets ingrained, and he will think of himself as being too greedy. She didn't have to use the word, that's his own conclusion. (Maybe I left this too open in the text.) Yet he is still too young to control himself enough to not ask his father if he would play with him

[mordyn4]

If this happens often enough, the message gets ingrained, and he will think of himself as being too greedy. She didn't have to use the word, that's his own conclusion. (Maybe I left this too open in the text.)

No, I agree. I understood it as his perception. Painful, but true.

I also think that both his parents must have been guilt ridden more than enough to free him out of Azkaban. Now why would they do that? They think that their doing put him there.

I quite agree.

His father's voice covered the distance between himself and his son, while the boy desperately tried to finish what he had come to do.

This is a great line - says so much with so little.

But he couldn't let his father down. Not when there was so much sadness in his eyes, reflecting the heavy feeling in Barty's chest.

Ouch, parents really fool themselves into thinking their kids don't see it all.

"I love you, too, Barty. Now go to your mum to get you changed into some ink free robes." His father gave him a brief smile, before he turned his attention back to his

[catsintheattic]

Thank you so much for your lovely comment. I'm very glad that the interaction between Barty and his father worked for you. Neither is Bartemius senior a bad person, nor doesn't he love his son, and yet he fails as a parent.

parents really fool themselves into thinking their kids don't see it all.*nods

[blonde_cecile]

Oh, wow. This was great. I've never read a fic about the Crouches before. I love how you string your words together so neatly - it keeps me completely enthralled by poor little Barty and his good intentions. *hugs little Barty* ^-^

Fantastic job, darling. :)

[catsintheattic]

Thank you so much for your kind words! &hearts I'm so happy that Barty's story worked for you. :-)

This drabble might develop into a kind of series, with glimpses on Barty's life. I have started a second drabble about Barty and his father, when Crouch Senior is already under the Imperius Curse.

I just need another life to write it all down. ;-)