Broderick Bode

Broderick Bode (1947 - 10 January, 1996 ) was an Unspeakable working in the Ministry of Magic's Department of Mysteries, partnered with Croaker and a friend of Arthur Weasley. Bode is described as being "a sallow-skinned wizard with a very mournful face", and due to his strange nature spoke in a "sepulchral" type of voice and had an unfaltering gaze that made anyone he looked at uncomfortable.

Summers of 1994 and 1995
In 1994, Bode attended the Quidditch World Cup with fellow Unspeakable Croaker. The following summer, he ran into colleague Arthur Weasley, who was in a rush to reach Courtroom Ten with Harry Potter, who had a hearing with the Wizengamot.

That same year, Bode became a target of the Death Eaters, as Lord Voldemort was seeking a prophecy pertaining to himself and Harry, a record of which was stored in the Hall of Prophecies in the Department of Mysteries. Death Eater Avery informed the Dark Lord that an Unspeakable would be able to fetch the prophecy for him, after an attempt to force Sturgis Podmore to steal it while under the Imperius Curse failed.

Attempt at theft and injury
Lucius Malfoy, one of Voldemort's spies at the Ministry, placed Bode under the Imperius Curse to force him to attempt the same theft. Lucius Malfoy noted that Bode showed unusual resistance to the Imperius curse, which Augustus Rookwood suggested may have been because the Unspeakable knew what would happen if he tried to remove one of the Prophecies. The moment he touched the orb, the defensive spells around it were triggered, as prophecies can only be obtained by those about which they are made. Bode suffered spell damage that affected his mind, causing him to believe he was a teapot.

Believing Bode had simply been injured in a workplace accident, he was taken to St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries for treatment, but was his injuries seemed irreperable, and as such was moved to the Spell Damage ward, left lying in his hospital bed, comatose most of the time, and what times he was awake, he was mumbling and staring at the ceiling.

Murder
Eventually, Bode's condition took an upturn, and his health began to steadily improve. Upon learning of this, the Death Eaters, unable to risk Bode getting better and exposing their plan, sent him an anonymous "Christmas present" — a potted plant and a calender. The Healer in charge of the ward at the time, Miriam Strout, was busy over the Christmas period, delivering other presents, looking after patients, seeing to visitations from family and friends etc. and as such overlooked the plant's dangers, in direct contradiction of St Mungo's strict guidelines on decorations permitted in wards, and left it on Bode's bedside cabinet table. Over the next few weeks during the Christmas holidays, Healer Strout, noticing Bode's improving speech and mobility, encouraged Bode to look after the plant himself, unaware that that the "rather ugly plant with long, swaying tentacles" Strout had mistook for a Flitterbloom, was instead a disguised cutting of Devil's Snare. One night, the plant, touched by the convalescent Bode, throttled him instantly, causing Bode to asphyxiate.

Bode was discovered dead in his bed the next morning, and Healers were immediately called to the scene, though were unable to revive Bode. St Mungo's, as a result, promised a full inquiry, though were unable to account for the presence of the plant on the ward, and Healer Strout herself was suspended on full pay.

Voldemort also severely punished Avery for his bad advice, especially after hearing a true account of what would have happened from former Unspeakable and spy Augustus Rookwood.

The death of Bode was ruled as a "tragic accident" and the Daily Prophet reported it as "Tragic Demise of Ministry of Magic Worker," though Harry realised the truth during the Battle of the Department of Mysteries. Aside from Harry and his friends, there seemed to be nobody in Hogwarts who knew or cared about Bode's death.

Etymology
The meaning of the word "bode" is to be an omen. Also, a stop or delay.

Behind the scenes

 * On the lift scene at the Ministry of Magic, as seen in film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, there is a wizard who, given his resemblance with Bode's description in the novel, may be him. However, this is as of yet unconfirmed.

Appearances

 * Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game)