Pius Thicknesse

Pius Thicknesse was a high-ranking Ministry of Magic official who served as the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. During the height of the Second Wizarding War, he was placed under the Imperius Curse by the Death Eater Yaxley and installed as a puppet Minister for Magic following the fall of the Ministry to Lord Voldemort. As Minister, Thicknesse was the public face of Voldemort's totalitarian regime, overseeing the persecution of Muggle-born witches and wizards until his defeat during the Battle of Hogwarts.

Prior to the Death Eaters' coup, Pius Thicknesse held the prestigious and powerful position of Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. In the summer of 1997, Lord Voldemort devised a plan to infiltrate and seize control of the Ministry of Magic from within. The plan hinged on placing a high-level official under the Imperius Curse, and Thicknesse was chosen as the target. The Death Eater Yaxley successfully cursed Thicknesse, giving Voldemort's forces a crucial asset inside the Ministry. On 1 August 1997, the Death Eaters staged their coup. With Thicknesse's cooperation, they were able to assassinate Minister for Magic Rufus Scrimgeour and cause the collapse of the legitimate government. Pius Thicknesse was immediately installed as the new Minister for Magic, though he was merely a figurehead acting on Lord Voldemort's orders. Under Thicknesse's puppet leadership, the Ministry underwent a dark transformation. He publicly declared Harry Potter “Undesirable Number One” and presided over the creation of the Muggle-Born Registration Commission, headed by Dolores Umbridge. This new body systematically persecuted witches and wizards of non-magical descent, falsely accusing them of stealing magic and sentencing them to Azkaban. Thicknesse's controlled administration effectively made the Ministry an extension of Voldemort's will, spreading fear and pure-blood propaganda throughout the wizarding community. Thicknesse remained in his post until the Battle of Hogwarts on 2 May 1998. Fighting on the side of the Death Eaters while still under the Imperius Curse, he was seen duelling Percy Weasley. When Percy was distracted by the death of his brother, Fred Weasley, Thicknesse was engaged by Arthur Weasley. He was ultimately defeated and stunned by Percy. His fate after Voldemort's downfall is not explicitly stated, but it is presumed he was removed from the Imperius Curse and likely interrogated for his role in the war, though without his own volition.

Pius Thicknesse is described as a man with long hair and a beard, which were mostly black but streaked with grey. He had a prominent, overhanging forehead and glinting eyes. When under the influence of the Imperius Curse, his voice is described as cold and ringing, and his movements are puppet-like, reflecting his complete lack of free will. His true personality is largely unknown, as he is almost exclusively portrayed while under Yaxley's control. To have risen to the position of Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, he was likely an ambitious, intelligent, and powerful wizard. However, as Minister, he was nothing more than a hollow shell, carrying out the Death Eaters' commands without question or emotion.

As the former Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Thicknesse was undoubtedly a highly skilled and proficient wizard. His position required exceptional magical talent and a deep understanding of magical law. During the Battle of Hogwarts, he demonstrated considerable duelling ability, capably fighting against both Arthur Weasley and Percy Weasley. His primary weakness was his susceptibility to a powerful Imperius Curse from Yaxley, which stripped him of his will for nearly a year.

• Wand: Thicknesse owned and used a wand, but no details regarding its wood, core, or length are mentioned in the books.

• Lord Voldemort and Death Eaters: Thicknesse was an unwilling pawn to Voldemort and his followers. He was controlled directly by Yaxley and served as the public face of their regime. Voldemort held him in no regard, viewing him simply as a tool for manipulating the wizarding world.
• Order of the Phoenix: As a combatant on the side of the Death Eaters during the final battle, he was an enemy of the Order of the Phoenix. He fought directly against Weasley family members before his defeat.

• Pius: A Latin name meaning “pious” or “dutiful.” This is highly ironic, as his “duty” as Minister was not to the wizarding people but was forcibly imposed upon him by Lord Voldemort through Dark Magic.
• Thicknesse: An English surname that may be a deliberate play on the word “thick,” alluding to his lack of independent thought and agency while under the Imperius Curse.

• In the film adaptations, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 and Part 2, Pius Thicknesse was portrayed by actor Guy Henry.
• The film depicts his fate differently from the book. During the final confrontation at Hogwarts, when Lord Voldemort casts a Killing Curse at Harry Potter with the Elder Wand, the curse rebounds. In the film, the rebounding magic strikes and kills Thicknesse, who is standing with the Death Eaters, before it hits Voldemort himself. In the novel, Thicknesse is simply stunned by Percy Weasley and survives the battle (film).