Isle of Dogs

• Type: Muggle District
• Location: London, England
• Owner/Residents: Primarily Muggles; known wizarding visitor: Mundungus Fletcher
• Key Features: A real-world area in London known to be used by some wizards for black-market dealings.

The Isle of Dogs is a large peninsula in East London, bounded on three sides by the River Thames. Within the wizarding world, it is a predominantly Muggle area that also serves as a location for illicit commerce. Its history in the narrative is limited to its connection with the criminal wizard Mundungus Fletcher. The fact that Mundungus felt comfortable arranging a deal for stolen goods there suggests it may be a known, if disreputable, rendezvous point for the wizarding underworld, likely chosen for the anonymity it affords among the dense Muggle population. It exists as a real-world location integrated into the wizarding community's less savoury activities.

The Isle of Dogs is mentioned only once but plays an important, indirect role in the events at the beginning of *Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix*. Its significance is revealed during Harry Potter's disciplinary hearing at the Ministry of Magic. While giving testimony, Arabella Figg explains that Mundungus Fletcher, who was supposed to be guarding Harry, abandoned his post in Little Whinging. He did so to travel to the Isle of Dogs to purchase a batch of stolen cauldrons from a “bloke” he knew, a deal he considered “too good to miss.” Mundungus's dereliction of duty left Harry unprotected, directly leading to the Dementor attack on him and Dudley Dursley. This attack forced Harry to use a Patronus Charm, the very act for which he was on trial. Therefore, Mundungus's trip to the Isle of Dogs is the direct cause of the central conflict that initiates the book's main plot.

• The Isle of Dogs is a real geographical location in East London. J.K. Rowling's use of a real London district adds a layer of authenticity to the setting of the wizarding world in modern Britain.