The Atrium of the Ministry of Magic

• Type: Central Hub and Main Entrance of a Government Building
• Location: Underground beneath Whitehall, London, England
• Owner/Residents: The British Ministry of Magic
• Key Features: Floo Network-connected fireplaces, a magical ceiling, a central statuary fountain, and lifts to all departments.

The Atrium is a very long and splendid hall that serves as the main entrance and central hub for the British Ministry of Magic. The floor is made of highly polished, dark wood, so shiny that it reflects the occupants like a dark lake. The ceiling is a peacock-blue color, inlaid with shimmering golden symbols that constantly move and change, resembling a celestial noticeboard. Set into the left-hand wall are numerous gilded fireplaces, which allow witches and wizards to travel directly into the Atrium using the Floo Network; green flames signify an arrival. The right-hand wall contains an equal number of fireplaces for departures. Halfway down the hall is a security desk, where visitors must present themselves to guards like Eric Munch and have their wand weighed and registered before proceeding. The centerpiece of the Atrium has changed according to the political climate:

• The Fountain of Magical Brethren: Initially, the center of the hall was dominated by this large, circular pool and fountain. It featured a group of golden statues representing different magical beings: a noble-looking wizard, a beautiful witch, a centaur, a goblin, and a house-elf. Water spouted from the tips of the wands, the tip of the arrow, the top of the goblin's hat, and from each of the house-elf's ears. A small plaque invited visitors to make a donation to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries.
• The Magic is Might Monument: Following Lord Voldemort's successful coup of the Ministry of Magic in 1997, the Fountain of Magical Brethren was destroyed. It was replaced by a colossal monument of black stone depicting a massive, throne-like carving of a witch and wizard seated upon a mass of writhing, crushed Muggles. An inscription on its base read, “Magic Is Might,” reflecting the new regime's pure-blood supremacist ideology.

At the far end of the Atrium, a set of golden gates provides access to a hall containing at least twenty golden-gated lifts, which transport employees and visitors to the various departments on the levels below.

The Atrium is the setting for several pivotal events in the series. In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter visits the Atrium for the first time on his way to his disciplinary hearing, accompanied by Arthur Weasley. The hall serves as the backdrop for the climactic duel between Albus Dumbledore and Lord Voldemort. During the battle, Dumbledore magically animates the golden statues of the Fountain of Magical Brethren to shield Harry and attack Voldemort. The fountain is ultimately destroyed by a powerful curse from Voldemort just before he is seen by Cornelius Fudge and other Ministry officials, forcing them to finally accept his return. In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger infiltrate the Ministry under the influence of Polyjuice Potion. They arrive in the Atrium to find it transformed by the “Magic Is Might” monument, a chilling symbol of the new world order. Their escape from the Ministry is complicated when Corban Yaxley grabs onto Hermione as she Disapparates from the Atrium, thereby compromising the secret location of Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place.

• Fountain of Magical Brethren: The original centerpiece of the Atrium, a golden statue group representing a hopeful vision of harmony between magical beings. It also served as a collection point for donations to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries.
• Magic Is Might Monument: A dark stone statue that replaced the fountain during Lord Voldemort's control of the Ministry, symbolizing pure-blood supremacy over Muggles.
• Security Desk: A checkpoint located midway down the hall where visitors must submit to a security check and have their wand inspected and registered.
• Golden Gates and Lifts: A set of golden gates at the far end of the hall that lead to the lifts, providing access to all ten levels of the Ministry of Magic.

• The primary visitor's entrance to the Atrium described in the novels is through a disused red telephone box in London, which acts as a lift that descends into the Atrium. However, Ministry employees primarily use the Floo Network. An alternate, less dignified entrance involves flushing oneself into the Ministry via a specific public toilet, a method used by the Trio during their infiltration (Pottermore).
• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the Atrium set was one of the largest and most expensive built for the entire series. The set was over 200 feet long, requiring 22 weeks to construct, and featured tens of thousands of black and green tiles to create its grand, imposing appearance (film).