The Atrium

• Type: Main hall of the Ministry of Magic
• Location: Ministry of Magic, London, England
• Owner/Residents: The Ministry of Magic
• Key Features: Polished dark wood floors, peacock-blue ceiling with moving golden symbols, fireplaces for Floo Network travel, a central fountain or statue, golden gates leading to lifts.

The Atrium is an exceptionally long and lofty hall that serves as the main entrance and reception area for the Ministry of Magic. The floor is made of highly polished dark wood, and the peacock-blue ceiling is inlaid with shimmering golden symbols that are in constant motion, resembling a “heavenly noticeboard.” Lining both sides of the hall are numerous fireplaces, which serve as the primary mode of transportation to and from the Ministry of Magic for employees via the Floo Network. Witches and wizards arrive in a rush of green flames, while golden badges are dispensed from a machine for visitors. Interdepartmental memos, enchanted to fly like pale violet paper airplanes, crisscross the hall high above the heads of the crowd. Originally, the centerpiece of the Atrium was the Fountain of Magical Brethren. This golden fountain featured statues of a noble-looking wizard, a beautiful witch, a centaur, a goblin, and a house-elf. The water from the fountain was collected in a pool where passersby could toss coins for “good luck,” with the proceeds donated to St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. Following the Ministry's fall to Lord Voldemort in 1997, the fountain was destroyed and replaced with a grim, imposing black stone monument known as the Magic is Might Statue. This statue depicted a massive witch and wizard sitting on thrones constructed from the contorted bodies of naked Muggles, with the inscription Magic is Might carved at its base. This change served as a powerful symbol of the new regime's pure-blood supremacist ideology. At the far end of the Atrium, a set of golden gates provides access to a smaller hall containing the lifts that lead to the Ministry's various departments. A security desk is positioned nearby, where a security wizard, such as Eric Munch, registers visitors and inspects their wands.

The Atrium is the site of several significant events in the series. In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter first visits the Atrium with Arthur Weasley on his way to his disciplinary hearing. He is awed by the scale and activity of the hall and observes the Fountain of Magical Brethren. Later, the Atrium becomes the stage for the climactic duel between Albus Dumbledore and Lord Voldemort following the Battle of the Department of Mysteries. During the fight, Dumbledore animates the fountain's golden statues to protect Harry and trap Bellatrix Lestrange, and the fountain itself is ultimately destroyed. It is here that Minister Cornelius Fudge and other Ministry officials finally witness Voldemort's return, forcing them to accept the truth. In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Harry, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger infiltrate the Ministry using Polyjuice Potion. They are horrified to find the Fountain of Magical Brethren replaced by the “Magic is Might” statue. The Atrium is crowded with Ministry workers and witches and wizards being persecuted by the Muggle-Born Registration Commission. The trio's escape from the Ministry culminates in a chaotic chase through the Atrium as they flee with the locket Horcrux, pursued by Yaxley and other Death Eaters.

• Security Desk: A station where visitors must register and submit their wands for inspection.
• Fountain of Magical Brethren: The original golden fountain that stood in the center of the hall before Voldemort's takeover.
• Magic is Might Statue: The dark monument that replaced the fountain during the Second Wizarding War.
• Fireplaces: A series of fireplaces along the walls used for arrival and departure via the Floo Network.
• Golden Gates: The entrance to the lift lobby, providing access to all other Ministry departments.

In the film adaptations, the primary public entrance to the Ministry of Magic is a red telephone box in London, which functions as a lift that descends directly into the Atrium (film). This differs from the books, where the main method of entry for employees is the Floo Network and visitors use a designated telephone box that requires a password. The film sets for the Atrium are vast and visually striking, capturing the immense scale described in the novels. The destruction of the Fountain of Magical Brethren during the duel in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and the imposing presence of the “Magic is Might” statue in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 are both key visual moments in the films (film).