Keitch

Mr. Keitch is a minor character mentioned in the series who works for the Ministry of Magic. His brief, indirect role highlights the interconnectedness of the wizarding world's bureaucracy and its consequences. His absence from his duties at a critical moment inadvertently contributed to the death of Broderick Bode at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries.

Mr. Keitch's only mention occurs during the Second Wizarding War. On Christmas Day in 1995, a potted Devil's Snare, disguised as a harmless flitterbloom, was sent to Broderick Bode, who was recovering at St. Mungo's from spell damage sustained while guarding the Department of Mysteries. Healer Damocles, who was attending to Arthur Weasley, mentioned that the hospital was waiting for `Mr. Keitch` from the `Magical Lawns and Gardens` department to come and deal with the dangerous plant. However, Keitch was off work with a case of lumbago. This delay proved fatal; before Keitch could arrive to remove it, the Devil's Snare strangled and killed Broderick Bode. It is unknown if Keitch ever learned of the consequences of his absence due to illness.

There is no description of Mr. Keitch's physical appearance or personality in the novels.

As an employee of the `Magical Lawns and Gardens` department within the Ministry of Magic, Mr. Keitch would presumably be highly skilled in Herbology. His specific job involved identifying and handling dangerous magical plants, a task that required specialized knowledge and practical magical ability.

No possessions of Mr. Keitch are mentioned in the books. It is likely he owned a wand, as is standard for most wizards.

Mr. Keitch is a colleague of other Ministry of Magic employees. His services were known and expected by the staff at St. Mungo's, as indicated by Healer Damocles's comment, suggesting a professional relationship between the hospital and Keitch's department.

The surname Keitch is an English surname, possibly a variant of “Keech.” Historically, “keech” was a term for a lump of animal fat, and was sometimes used as a nickname for a butcher. There is no obvious connection between this origin and the character's role in the story.

Mr. Keitch is a book-only character. The entire subplot involving Broderick Bode's stay at St. Mungo's and his subsequent murder by Devil's Snare was omitted from the film adaptation, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film).