Pius Thicknesse

Pius Thicknesse was the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement who was placed under the Imperius Curse by the Death Eaters during the Second Wizarding War. He was subsequently installed as the puppet Minister for Magic following the death of Rufus Scrimgeour. In this capacity, Thicknesse served as the public face of Lord Voldemort's regime, lending a veneer of legitimacy to the Death Eaters' control over the Ministry of Magic and implementing their anti-Muggle-born policies.

At the outset of Lord Voldemort's return to power in mid-1997, Pius Thicknesse was the respected Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. During a meeting of Death Eaters at Malfoy Manor, the Death Eater Yaxley reported that he had successfully placed Thicknesse under the Imperius Curse. This was a crucial step in Voldemort's plan to take over the Ministry of Magic from within, as Thicknesse's high-ranking position allowed Yaxley to use him to subvert other key department heads. On 1 August 1997, the Ministry fell. Rufus Scrimgeour was murdered, and Pius Thicknesse was immediately named the new Minister for Magic. As Minister, Thicknesse was a mere puppet, his every action dictated by Voldemort and his followers. He presided over a transformed Ministry, which now openly persecuted Muggle-born witches and wizards through the newly formed Muggle-Born Registration Commission, headed by Dolores Umbridge. Under Thicknesse's puppet leadership, Harry Potter was declared “Undesirable Number One,” and official Ministry propaganda, often broadcast on the Wizarding Wireless Network, vilified him and the Order of the Phoenix. Thicknesse participated directly in the Battle of Hogwarts on 2 May 1998, fighting alongside the Death Eaters. He was seen dueling with both Arthur Weasley and his son, Percy Weasley. During the final stages of the battle, Percy Weasley defeated Thicknesse, transfiguring him into a sea urchin-like creature with spikes erupting from his body. Following Voldemort's defeat, it is presumed he was removed from the Imperius Curse's influence and likely imprisoned in Azkaban for his actions while under the Death Eaters' control.

Pius Thicknesse is described as having long black hair and a beard, both heavily streaked with silver. He had a great, overhanging forehead and glinting eyes. When Harry Potter observed him at the Ministry of Magic, he thought Thicknesse resembled “a crab peering from beneath a rock.” His true personality is unknown, as he is only ever seen while under the effects of the Imperius Curse. In this state, he appeared cold, authoritative, and utterly loyal to Voldemort's cause. He spoke with a cold, ringing voice that carried an air of absolute, albeit false, authority.

As the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Thicknesse would have been a highly skilled and powerful wizard. His magical proficiency was demonstrated during the Battle of Hogwarts, where he was a formidable duelist, capable of holding his own against two opponents, Arthur Weasley and Percy Weasley, simultaneously before being bested.

• Wand: Thicknesse owned a wand, though its specifications of wood, core, and length are unknown. He used it to fight during the Battle of Hogwarts.

• Lord Voldemort and Death Eaters: Thicknesse was an unwilling servant to Voldemort and a key asset to the Death Eaters. Controlled by Yaxley via the Imperius Curse, he was the instrument through which they seized and ran the Ministry of Magic.
• Ministry of Magic: Before the coup, he was a high-ranking official. After, he was the puppet Minister who gave their oppressive regime a false stamp of officialdom.
• Order of the Phoenix: As Voldemort's puppet, he was an enemy of the Order of the Phoenix and fought directly against its members during the final battle.

• Pius: A Latin name meaning “pious,” “dutiful,” or “devout.” This is deeply ironic, as Thicknesse's “piety” is not to the law or justice, but is an enforced, artificial devotion to Lord Voldemort. The name may also be an allusion to historical figures of authority, such as popes, reflecting his position as the figurehead of a corrupt regime.
• Thicknesse: This surname may suggest a “thickness” of mind or being “thick-headed,” implying he was easily controlled or manipulated. Alternatively, it could refer to being in the “thick” of the action, at the very center of Voldemort's plot. It could also hint at the mental fog or “thickness” brought on by the Imperius Curse.

• In the film adaptations, Pius Thicknesse was portrayed by actor Guy Henry.
• The films depict Thicknesse's story with some significant changes. He is shown attending the Death Eater meeting at Malfoy Manor at the start of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1, implying he was already under the Imperius Curse at that point (film).
• In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, Thicknesse is killed by Lord Voldemort in a fit of rage when the protective enchantments around Hogwarts are broken. This is a departure from the novel, where he is non-lethally defeated by Percy Weasley (film).