March 26, 2009

The Ministry and Us.

One of my reader asked me about the Ministry of Magic and how it works, how to become an Auror etc. So Neel, here is your answer...

The Ministry of Magic is the governmental authority for the wizarding world in Britain. The basic mission of the Ministry is to keep the Muggles from finding out about an entire culture of magical folk. It's a huge, complicated, and inefficient bureaucracy, just like most governmental organizations. The Muggle Prime Minister is aware of the wizarding world. It is because when any top Death Eater escapes from Azkaban, the Minister of Magic informs the Muggle Prime Minister that the escapees is dangerous wizard and so he poses a threat to Muggles as well as magic folk. In extreme cases where a magical creature has been seen by Muggles and the usual interventions won't suffice, the Office of Misinformation works with the Muggle Prime Minister to concoct a believable lie to give to the public

There are seven departments in the Ministry, with the Department of Magical Law Enforcement being the largest and all others more or less answering to it (except the Department of Mysteries)

Each Department has a level of Ministry Headquarters assigned to it, although Law Enforcement has not only level two but also the courtrooms of level ten.


Department of Magical Games and Sports

Head: Bagman, Ludo.


Other Personnel:
  • Bertha Jorkins

  • Hamish Mcfarlen
Main Offices: level seven of Ministry of Magic Headquarters.
  • Organized the Quidditch World Cup final and also the Triwizard Tournament

  • This department is responsible for hiding Quidditch from Muggle eyes.


Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes
(a.k.a. Department of Magical Catastrophes)

Personnel:

  • Fudge was a junior minister.

  • Arnold Peasegood, an Obliviator.

Main Offices: level three of Ministry of Magic Headquarters.
  • Accidental Magic Reversal Squad
    also referred to as the Accidental Magic Reversal Department.

  • Invisibility Task Force
    Although not specifically stated as being in this department, it seems logical, since this group casts various forms of invisibility magic to hide magical places and creatures from Muggle eyes.

_____________________________________________________

Department of International Magical Cooperation

Head: Barty Crouch Senior (until 1995)

Other Personnel: Percy Weasley.

Main Offices: level five of Ministry of Magic Headquarters.

Department of Magical Law Enforcement

Head: Amelia Bones.

Other Personnel:

  • Barty Crouch Senior was head of this department during the Voldemort years.

  • Mafalda Hopkins, Improper Use of Magic Office

  • Perkins, the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office

  • Arthur Weasley, head of the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office

Main Offices: level two of Ministry of Magic Headquarters.Magical Law Enforcement Squad .
Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office
      • keeps enchanted items out of the hands of Muggles

      • participates in raids to keep Dark Magic items out of circulation

      Office for the Detection and Confiscation of
      Counterfeit Defensive Spells and Protective Objects
      Head: Arthur Weasley with a staff of ten.
      Wizengamot and Wizengamot Administra
      tion Services
      Council of Magical Law
      The high Wizard court of law, held in a dungeon; the accused is magically bound to a chair in the center of the room. A jury sits on the right of the prosecutor who states the case against the accused and eventually asks for a verdict. The courtrooms are located on the tenth level of the Ministry of Magic; during the Voldemort years, prisoners are escorted and guarded by groups of Dementors. The members of the Wizengamot, of which there are about fifty, wear plum-covered robes with elaborate silver initials on them (the letter 'W').
      Magical Equipment Control Section.

      Department of Magical Transportation

      Personnel:

      • Basil, worked the Portkey terminus for the World Cup.

      • Madam Edgecombe, Floo Regulation.

      Main Offices: level six of Ministry of Magic He
      adquarters.

      Department for The Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures

      Personnel:

      • Bob.

      • Dirk Cresswell.

      • Amos Diggory.

      • Cuthbert Mockridge.

      • Newt Scamander.

      Main Offices: level four of Ministry of Magic Headquarters.

      Department of Mystries

      Personnel:

      • Bode "Unspeakable".

      • Croaker: "Unspeakable"

      • A former staff- Augustus Rookwood: spied for Voldemort.

      Main Offices: level nine of Ministry of Magic Headquarters.
      • corridor: bare walls, no windows or doors except a plain black door set at the end of the corridor.

      • opening at the end of the corridor near the door, opens to the left, down a flight of steps to the Wizengamot court chamber.


      Miscellaneous Committees etc.
      for which there is no particular department

      Committee On Experimental Charms
      Personnel: Gilbert Wimple.
      Founded by Balfour Blane, who lived in the late 1500s-early 1600s.

      Wizarding Examinations Authority
      Personnel: headed by Griselda Marchbanks, includes Professor Tofty
      Not sure if this is actually a Ministry organization, but since the Ministry clearly holds authority over Hogwarts it seems likely that this body is part of the Ministry of Magic. They administer the O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. exams for students which are given in June every year. Members travel to Hogwarts and test individual students for the practical examinations.



      Now about The Aurors and Hit Wizards-

      Aurors operate in some ways as soldiers but more often as intelligence agents, seeking out Dark wizards and defeating them, often in fierce wizard duels. Aurors are sometimes refered to as Dark Wizard catchers.

      Training

Training to be an Auror takes three years after leaving Hogwarts; the Aurors ask for a minimum of five N.E.W.T.s, with nothing under "Exceeds Expectations" grade. Apart from Defence Against The Dark Arts, the recommended N.E.W.T.s include Charms, Potions (particularly the study of poisons and antidotes), and Transfiguration.

If a candidate for Auror training has the required academic qualifications, he or she must pass a background check for a criminal record, and must pass "a stringent series of character and aptitude tests at the Auror office." These tests assess skill in practical defence, perseverance and dedication, and the ability to react well to stress.

Once accepted into the program, an Auror trainee is taught (among other things):

  • Concealment and Disguise

  • Stealth and Tracking

Hit Wizards
The Department of Magical Law Enforcement maintains squads of trained Hit Wizards whose job it is to capture dangerous wizarding criminals. The Hit Wizards are not the same as Aurors. Hit Wizards, it would seem, are sent primarily against criminals while Aurors track down and capture Dark Wizards.

Training

The Magical Law Enforcement Squad asks for a minimum of five O.W.L.s, requiring Defence Agianst The Dark Arts. They require that applicants be over 17 years of age and "not of a nervous disposition".

Once accepted into the program, a Hit-Witch or Hit-Wizard trainee is taught (among other things):

  • defensive charms and counter-curses

  • how to restrain magical law-breakers without attracting Muggle attention

A trainee has a starting salary of 700 Galleons per month, a Ministry of Magic broomstick, and his or her own regular bed at St. Mungo's.

Now dear, I hope all the information above didn't make you even more confused. *siiiigh*

4 comments:

  1. Lovely that you cared to tell me Lily. Thank you. A marvelous post I would say and definitely not confusing.

    Neel

    ReplyDelete
  2. the ministry are being a bit lax on this whole buisiness with you know- oh who cares it doesnt make a difrence -THE DARK LORD VOLDEMORT
    voldemort !

    ReplyDelete
  3. Well well, Voldemort, correct assumption! No body actually cares about you anymore. Thankfully, you are the one who let the boy live, besides your Death Curse wasn't that powerful; pretty clearly, we all are back from death. *smirks*

    ReplyDelete