• Headlines and advertisements Is Anyone Safe? is a headline from the magical newspaper The New York Ghost in 1926, referring to the dangerous criminal Gellert Grindelwald being on the loose in Europe (WFT). Read More
• Character Professor Saul Croaker was an “Unspeakable” who specialised in time-magic (Pm). Arthur Weasley identifies Croaker and Bode as both working in the Department of Mysteries in the campsite during the 1994 Quidditch World Cup (GF7). He developed Professor Croaker’s Law, which states that “the furthest someone… Read More
• Character Savage was an auror who was stationed at Hogwarts during Harry Potter’s sixth year along with colleagues Tonks, Dawlish, and Proudfoot (HBP8). Read More
• Character Theseus Scamander was the older brother of Newt Scamander, a well-known hero of World War One, and an Auror for the Ministry of Magic in the 1920s. When Newt Scamander appeared before MACUSA in 1926 after creatures escaped from his case, the British Envoy recognized his last name, as did… Read More
• Character Rufus Scrimgeour was head of the Auror Office of the Ministry of Magic when he was tapped to replace Cornelius Fudge as Minister of Magic. Scrimgeour took over at a dangerous time, when the return of Voldemort had been revealed and the Wizarding world was in turmoil. Read More
• Source The script for the film “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore,” written by J.K. Rowling and Steve Kloves… Read More
• Occupations Security Trolls and Security Warlocks (wizards and/or witches) provide protection services in the Wizarding world. Security Trolls After the Fat Lady’s portrait was slashed by Sirius Black (who later was let into Gryffindor Tower by Sir Cadogan upon producing the passwords), she agreed to return if she… Read More
• Security Ministry watchwizard Eric Munch used a thin, golden rod to scan over Harry’s body before admitting him further into Ministry headquarters. What exactly he was scanning for is unclear (OP7). Read More
• Character An extremely influential figure in the Ministry of Magic during the late eighteenth century, during Unctuous Osbert’s time in office, although Malfoy was not an elected government official. Many believe that Osbert was controlled by Malfoy during his term as Minister. Read More
• Character Kingsley Shacklebolt was a highly capable Auror and a member of the Order of the Phoenix. He resisted Voldemort’s takeover of the Ministry in 1997, even appearing on the Potterwatch radio program, and was made Minister of Magic in 1998 after Voldemort’s demise. Kingsley was a tall, bald black wizard who… Read More
• Magical objects Shrinking keys are an example of a mundane object enchanted by unscrupulous wizards for “muggle-baiting.” The keys are sold to unsuspecting Muggles, who then can’t find them anywhere (CS3). Read More
• Character Sir Herbert Varney was a famous Victorian vampire who preyed upon exclusively on the women in the 1880’s in London. He met his death when he was captured and then killed by a special squad from the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures (FW). Read More
• Event During the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, Bellatrix hits Sirius Black with a spell in the chest. His body, still smiling, falls through the veil in the Death Chamber (OP35). Read More
• Historical events In 1777, MACUSA President Elizabeth McGilliguddy presided over the “Country or Kind” debate during which North American wizardry decided not to officially interfere in the Revolutionary War between Britain and the thirteen colonies. However, many witches and wizards secretly helped protected their No-Maj neighbors (Pm). McGillicuddy sent a message to the… Read More
• Occupations The Snatchers were roaming mercenary groups of wizards during the second rise of Voldemort (circa 1997-1998) who earned gold from the Ministry of Magic (or Voldemort) for rounding up Muggle-borns and blood traitors (DH19). Read More
• Event At a Quidditch match, Chief Barberus Bragge of the Wizards’ Council releases a Golden Snidget and offers 150 Galleons to whichever player catches it first; this eventually proves so popular that a new position is added to Quidditch teams, the “Hunter,” whose sole task is to catch a Golden Snidget… Read More
• Character Faris “Spout-hole” Spavin was the longest-serving Minister for Magic, from 1865-1903. Spavin was asked to leave office at the advanced age of 147 because of his eccentric behavior (Pm). Read More
• Creature A Sphinx has the head of a human and the body of a lion, the capacity for human speech, and an innate love of puzzles and riddles, but due to its violent tendencies it has been placed in the ‘beast’ rather than the ‘being’ category (FB).  … Read More
• Character In 1927, Auror Rudolph Spielman arrived at MACUSA Headquarters in New York City to take charge of prisoner Gellert Grindelwald so he could be brought back to Europe to answer for his crimes there. As Spielman and other Aurors were escorting the prisoner in a Thestral-drawn carriage across… Read More
• Ministry of Magic A division of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures with responsibility for ghosts… Read More
• Character Phyllida Spore was a famous herbologist and the author of One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi (PS5). Read More
• Magical identities A Squib is a non-magical person born to at least one magical parent (Pm). They are much rarer than Muggle-born witches and wizards (CS9). Read More
• Event The international agreement is breached in an incident involving vampires. Legislation follows to make another such breach less likely. There was a question about this incident on Harry’s History of Magic O.W.L. exam. Read More
• Character Stebbins was an auror who briefly tailed Newt Scamander for the British Ministry of Magic at some point after Newt refused to take on the task of hunting down Credence. After an hour, Newt was able to shake Stebbins after impeding him by conjuring a strong magical wind (CG). Read More
• Books and Literature A Study into Muggle Suspicions About Magic is a Ministry of Magic report warning against the dangers of underestimating how much magic Muggles notice (DP1). Professor Phoebus Penrose headed a committee which produced this report about Muggle suspicions about magic. Among other magical examples, it notes that… Read More
• Character Grogan Stump was a popular Minister for Magic who served from 1811 to 1819 (Pm). Read More
• Character Square-jawed wizard with thick straw-colored hair. Member of the Order of the Phoenix and part of the Advance Guard that helped Harry escape from number four Privet Drive (OP3). Podmore was on guard duty at entrance of the Department of Mysteries on August 31, 1995 when he was apprehended… Read More
• Event He can’t explain to Eric Munch, the Ministry guard on duty, why he’s sneaking around the Ministry of Magic headquarters at 1 am and is arrested. He had been ordered by the Order of the Phoenix to guard the Hall of Prophecy from any attempt by Death Eaters to steal… Read More
• Publications The Sunday Prophet is a weekend edition of the Daily Prophet, the newspaper of the wizarding world. Read More
• Titles, nicknames, and honorifics The Supreme Mugwump is the title held by the head of the International Confederation of Wizards (ICW). History Pierre Bonaccord was the first Supreme Mugwump of the ICW. His appointment was contested by wizards from Liechtenstein because of his views on troll hunting (OP31). Albus Dumbledore… Read More