Table of Contents

St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries

Location Information

Description and History

St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries is the primary medical facility for the wizarding community in Great Britain. Founded in the 17th century by the celebrated Healer Mungo Bonham, it treats a wide range of magical ailments, from spell damage to creature-induced injuries. The hospital is hidden from Muggle view in London, behind the shabby exterior of a closed-down department store named Purge and Dowse, Ltd. To gain entry, a witch or wizard must address a mannequin in the front window, which will then permit them to walk through the glass as if it were water. The reception area is often chaotic and crowded, a stark contrast to the sterile orderliness of Muggle hospitals. A “Welcome Witch” sits at a large desk to direct patients and visitors. The atmosphere is bustling, with Healers in their lime-green robes hurrying to and fro.

Role in the Story

St. Mungo's features most prominently in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Arthur Weasley is brought here for emergency treatment after being viciously attacked by Voldemort's snake, Nagini. During their Christmas visit to Mr. Weasley, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Ginny Weasley encounter several notable individuals. They see their former Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Gilderoy Lockhart, who remains a permanent patient suffering from the effects of his own backfired Memory Charm. Most significantly, they witness Neville Longbottom visiting his parents, Frank Longbottom and Alice Longbottom. Frank and Alice are also permanent residents, having been tortured into insanity with the Cruciatus Curse by Death Eaters, including Bellatrix Lestrange. This encounter provides Harry with a profound understanding of Neville's tragic past and deepens the reader's insight into the true cost of the First Wizarding War. Later in the school year, Minerva McGonagall is admitted to St. Mungo's to recover after being hit with four simultaneous Stunning Spells while defending Rubeus Hagrid from Dolores Umbridge. In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Katie Bell is treated at St. Mungo's for several months after she is cursed by a bewitched opal necklace intended for Albus Dumbledore.

Known Areas Within

St. Mungo's is organized into several floors, each dedicated to a specific category of magical malady.

Behind the Scenes