Voldemort’s loyal followers, the Death Eaters, remained in the shadows for thirteen years after the First Wizarding War. Most of them were captured and sentenced to prison.
However, a few remained.
What sprung them to launch an attack during the 422nd Quidditch World Cup? Here’s what you need to know.
Why did the Death Eaters attack the Quidditch World Cup?
The Quidditch World Cup was a big deal in the Wizarding World across all countries. It attracted a lot of attention from wizards and witches from all walks of life. This means that when the Death Eaters attacked, they gained a lot of attention.
You can find out how the Death Eaters got their name here.
After the match was over, the Irish fans were celebrating the victory of their team. It was a festive night, with everyone enjoying the successful end of a grand event. Out of nowhere, a riot broke out. The Death Eaters tortured a Muggle family and also attacked the tents of wizards and witches, lighting fires as they staggered around. This changed the whole mood, causing people to scatter away in fear.
The riots came to an end when Bartemius Crouch Junior fired the Dark Mark into the sky. When the Death Eaters saw the Dark Mark in the sky, they Apparated out of fear of the Dark Lord.
Let us explore the real reason behind the attacks by the Death Eaters at the Quidditch World Cup:
#1 They wanted the world to know that the Death Eaters still existed
The Death Eaters wanted to make their presence known. They wanted to tell the world that not all of them were in Azkaban. It was their show of power.
What better place to make a statement than the Quidditch World Cup where they would get maximum attention from the Wizarding World?
“The point?” said Mr. Weasley with a hollow laugh.
“Harry, that’s their idea of fun. Half the Muggle killings back when You-Know-Who was in power were done for fun. I suppose they had a few drinks tonight and couldn’t resist reminding us all that lots of them are still at large. A nice little reunion for them,” he finished disgustedly.
― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
However, these attacks were poorly executed and rather cowardly. The Death Eaters were doing it out of fun rather than any serious commitment to Voldemort. This is why once the Dark Mark went off, they all got scared and fled. This was because they realised that Voldemort may have returned, which was something they did not expect.
They were scared as they knew they would face their master’s wrath for not attempting to find him at all!
#2 They were drunk and acting like hooligans
Much like in sports events all over the world, it is possible that the Death Eaters had too much to drink and were just behaving like hooligans, with no significant motive. They had been living normal lives since Voldemort left thirteen years ago.
Most of the Death Eaters were thugs and bullies back in the day. They were just reliving their ‘good old days’ by torturing the Muggles and Muggle-borns after getting drunk. These were wizards who believed in Pure-Blood supremacy and enjoyed tormenting all those who they felt had impure blood.
At the World Cup, there were lots of Muggles and Muggle-borns. It allowed the Death Eaters to bully them, and simultaneously terrorize the rest of the wizards and witches (their idea of a good time).
Hence, the World Cup attack by the Death Eaters was a stupid stunt powered by lots of alcohol. They were behaving like hooligans, trying to intimidate the crowds. The end goal was to make their presence as Death Eaters felt.
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