Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ======Ministry of Magic====== =====Location Information===== * **Type:** Governmental Body Headquarters * **Location:** Underground, Whitehall, [[London]], [[England]] * **Owner/Residents:** The British and Irish magical community, headed by the [[Minister for Magic]]. * **Key Features:** Entirely subterranean structure, multiple magically concealed entrances, extensive internal transportation via enchanted [[lift]]s, and a central [[Atrium]] connected to a large number of fireplaces for [[Floo Network]] travel. =====Description and History===== The [[Ministry of Magic]] is the main governing body of the magical community of Great Britain. Established circa 1707, its primary function is to preserve the [[International Statute of Secrecy]], which separates the magical world from the non-magical ([[Muggle]]) world. The [[Ministry]] enforces [[wizarding law]], regulates all aspects of magical life, from transportation to sports, and maintains relations with magical governments of other countries. The headquarters is a vast, sprawling complex located deep beneath the streets of [[London]]. Visitors typically enter through a disused red telephone box, which functions as a [[lift]] to the main [[Atrium]]. Witches and [[wizard]]s who work at the [[Ministry]] often travel via the [[Floo Network]], arriving in a row of fireplaces in the [[Atrium]], or by flushing themselves down special toilets connected to the [[Ministry]]'s plumbing network. The central [[Atrium]] is a long and splendid hall with a dark, polished wood floor and a peacock-blue ceiling inlaid with moving golden symbols. In the center of the hall originally stood the **Fountain of Magical Brethren**, which featured golden statues of a [[wizard]], a [[witch]], a [[centaur]], a [[goblin]], and a [[house-elf]]. After the [[Ministry]] fell to [[Lord Voldemort]] in 1997, this fountain was replaced by a grim monument called **Magic is Might**, depicting a [[witch]] and [[wizard]] enthroned upon a mass of carved [[Muggle]]s. Throughout the Second [[Wizarding War]], the [[Ministry]]'s stance evolved from denial under [[Cornelius Fudge]] to a reactive, hardline approach under [[Rufus Scrimgeour]]. It was ultimately infiltrated and taken over by [[Death Eaters]], with [[Pius Thicknesse]] installed as a puppet [[Minister for Magic]] under the control of the [[Imperius Curse]]. =====Role in the Story===== The [[Ministry of Magic]] plays a central and often antagonistic role throughout the series. Initially, it represents the bureaucratic and sometimes inept face of authority. In //[[Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix]]//, the [[Ministry]], led by [[Cornelius Fudge]], launches a smear campaign against [[Harry Potter]] and [[Albus Dumbledore]] to discredit their claims of [[Lord Voldemort]]'s return. [[Dolores Umbridge]], a [[Ministry]] official, is installed at [[Hogwarts]] to control the school. The story climaxes with the Battle of the [[Department of Mysteries]], where members of the [[Order of the Phoenix]] clash with [[Death Eaters]]. The battle forces the [[Ministry]] to officially acknowledge that [[Lord Voldemort]] has returned. In //[[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows]]//, the [[Ministry]]'s fall to [[Voldemort]]'s forces signifies a major turning point in the war. [[Harry]], [[Ron Weasley]], and [[Hermione Granger]] infiltrate the corrupted [[Ministry]] to retrieve [[Salazar Slytherin's Locket]] from [[Dolores Umbridge]]. During this time, the [[Ministry]] has become an instrument of terror, creating the [[Muggle-Born Registration Commission]] to persecute and imprison [[Muggle-born]] witches and [[wizard]]s. =====Known Areas Within===== The [[Ministry of Magic]] is comprised of ten main levels, each housing different departments and offices. * **Level One:** Office of the [[Minister for Magic]] and support staff. * **Level Two:** [[Department of Magical Law Enforcement]], which includes the [[Auror Office]], the [[Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office]], and the [[Wizengamot]] Administration Services. * **Level Three:** [[Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes]], including the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad and [[Obliviator]] Headquarters. * **Level Four:** [[Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures]], including the [[Beast]], [[Being]], and [[Spirit]] Divisions. * **Level Five:** [[Department of International Magical Cooperation]], which includes the International Magical Trading Standards Body. * **Level Six:** [[Department of Magical Transportation]], including the [[Floo Network]] Authority, [[Broom]] Regulatory Control, [[Portkey]] Office, and [[Apparition]] Test Centre. * **Level Seven:** [[Department of Magical Games and Sports]]. * **Level Eight:** The [[Atrium]], the main entrance hall and reception area. * **Level Nine:** The [[Department of Mysteries]], a top-secret department conducting research into life's greatest mysteries. * **Level Ten:** [[Wizengamot]] Courtrooms, located deep beneath the other departments, where magical trials are held. =====Behind the Scenes===== * While the visitor's entrance is a telephone box in the book, the film adaptation of //[[Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix]]// popularised this entrance for most travel. The book also mentions an entrance for employees via a series of special toilets, which was shown in the film adaptation of //[[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1]]//. (film) * The visual design of the [[Ministry]] in the films, particularly the vast, tile-covered [[Atrium]] and the imposing "Magic is Might" statue, provided a memorable depiction of wizarding bureaucracy and its corruption. (film) * According to Pottermore, the [[Ministry of Magic]] that preceded the current one was a much smaller and more haphazard organization. The move to the current underground headquarters was a direct result of the [[International Statute of Secrecy]] being implemented. (Pottermore)
