Beast Division

• Type: Ministry of Magic Department Division
• Location: Level Four, Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, Ministry of Magic, London, Great Britain
• Owner/Residents: Headed by an unnamed official. Notable individuals associated with the division or its committees include Newt Scamander (formerly) and Walden Macnair (as an executioner).
• Key Features: Responsible for the control, welfare, regulation, and study of all magical creatures classified as Beasts.

The Beast Division is one of the three primary divisions within the Ministry of Magic's Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, alongside the Being Division and the Spirit Division. Its core mandate is to manage and legislate for all magical creatures that fall under the official “Beast” classification. This category generally includes magical creatures that lack the intelligence to understand and contribute to wizarding law, though notable exceptions exist where intelligent races like Centaurs and Merpeople have chosen Beast status to avoid political interference. The division's responsibilities are vast, covering everything from the welfare and trade of magical creatures to the containment of dangerous ones. It provides resources for their study, manages habitats, and is responsible for concealing their existence from the Muggle world. Much of its work is defined by the guidelines set out in publications like Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, which classifies creatures based on their perceived danger level.

The Beast Division, primarily through its sub-committees, plays a significant role in several key events. In *Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban*, the division's Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures is central to the plot. Following an incident where the Hippogriff Buckbeak injures Draco Malfoy, the committee, heavily influenced by Lucius Malfoy, holds a hearing. Despite a well-researched defence from Rubeus Hagrid and Hermione Granger, the committee sentences Buckbeak to death, dispatching executioner Walden Macnair to carry out the sentence. In *Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire*, the Dragon Research and Restraint Bureau, a part of the division, is responsible for procuring and managing the four dragons used for the First Task of the Triwizard Tournament. The division's policies also have a profound impact on individuals. Anti-Werewolf legislation, drafted by Dolores Umbridge during her time at the Ministry, was enforced by this department. This included the Werewolf Code of Conduct and the Werewolf Registry, which made it nearly impossible for werewolves like Remus Lupin to find employment. Furthermore, the ineffectiveness of the Centaur Liaison Office highlights the ongoing friction between the Ministry of Magic and the centaur population, a key factor during the Second Wizarding War.

The Beast Division contains several specialized offices and committees to handle its diverse responsibilities:

• Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures: A powerful committee responsible for adjudicating cases involving dangerous magical creatures and ordering their execution if deemed necessary.
• Centaur Liaison Office: An office established for diplomatic relations with Centaurs, though it is famously ineffective as centaurs have collectively refused to engage with it.
• Pest Advisory Bureau: Provides advice and assistance to wizards and witches dealing with minor magical pests like Ghouls and Doxys.
• Werewolf Capture Unit: Tasked with tracking and apprehending dangerous werewolves who violate the Werewolf Code of Conduct.
• Werewolf Registry: Maintains a list of all known werewolves in Great Britain, a measure that leads to significant discrimination.
• Dragon Research and Restraint Bureau: A specialist body that studies, controls, and manages various breeds of Dragons.
• Office of Misinformation: Though its placement is not explicitly confirmed, its function of providing non-magical explanations to Muggles for creature-related incidents aligns perfectly with the Beast Division's mandate.

• Much of the detailed structure of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, including the three-division system (Beast, Being, Spirit), is established in the introduction to the in-universe textbook Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
• According to the “About the Author” section of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Newt Scamander worked in the Beast Division, where his vast knowledge of magical creatures led to the creation of the Fantastic Beasts guide. This was after a two-year stint in the Office for House-Elf Relocation. (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them textbook).