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
Muldoon struggled to find a working legal definition for “beast” and “being” during a summit on the subject. His simplistic idea for calling anything that walked on two legs a “being” and therefore to be given full rights backfired spectacularly when goblins introduced trolls, hags, and a number of other… Read More
In the 14th century, two ill-fated summits were called to determine which of the many types of magical creatures were actually to be considered as sentient and therefore worthy of representation on the Wizards’ Council. In each case, the summits appear to have been intentionally disrupted by goblins, who… Read More
She succeeds Burdock Muldoon (FB) and declares the Golden Snidget to be a protected species, forbidding its use in Quidditch (QA4). Clagg also tries to establish a standard by which creatures will be given legal rights as “beings”, but her attempt fails (FB). Read More
The Wizard’s Council is concerned about anti-Muggle precautions and issues this decree to try to curtail the exuberance of fans and players. The rule proves ineffective and further rulings over the next decades demonstrate the Council’s frustration over the issue. Read More
The Wizards’ Council declares that Quidditch should not be played “anywhere near anyplace where there is the slightest chance that a Muggle might be watching or we’ll see how well you can play whilst chained to a dungeon wall” (QA5). Read More
After the extremely violent final match of the first Quidditch World Cup in 1473, seven hundred fouls were identified and listed. Most of these violent fouls were the result of players using wands to curse opposing players, which led in 1538 to an outright ban on using a… Read More
The Goblin Rebellion of 1612 takes place at least partially in Scotland, since the inn at Hogsmeade serves as headquarters during this rebellion (PS5). The goblins object to the rules against goblin ownership of wands which are set down by the Wizarding community. Read More
The Wand Ban of 1631 is the First Article of the Wizards’ Convention. It makes it illegal for any non-human magical being to carry a wand (JKR-W3). Read More
A summit meeting of the International Confederation of Wizards takes place. The discussion about magical creatures lasts seven weeks and includes delegations of goblins, centaurs, and merpeople. The result of this summit is the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy, which effectively hid the Wizarding community away from the Muggles (Pm). Read More
The Ministry is formed as part of the massive transition in the Wizarding world which followed the passage of the International Statute of Secrecy in 1692. UIick Gamp is chosen to be the first Minister for Magic. The initial task of the Ministry, led by Gamp, was calming… Read More
He had been working on plans to build a wizarding prison on a remote Hebridean island when he is replaced by Damocles Rowle, who wins election on a platform of getting “tough on Muggles.” The plans for building a prison are scrapped by Rowle in favor of using Azkaban (Pm). Read More
Rowle, the second Minister for Magic, ignores the warnings of experts about the terrible effects of Dementors and of the evil permeating the fortress. He begins bringing prisoners to Azkaban and allows the Dementors to torment them (Pm). Read More
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
Clause 73 is added to the code, making it the responsibility of each nation’s Ministry of Magic to work to conceal the magical creatures living within their borders. The text of the Clause reads as follows: Each wizarding governing body will be responsible for the concealment, care, and control of… Read More
One of a number of Goblin rebellions throughout the history of the Wizarding community in Britain. This particular rebellion was handled poorly by two successive Ministers for Magic, Albert Boot and Basil Flack, both of whom resigned in 1752. As the tumultuous year progressed, werewolves joined the goblins in rebellion. Read More
His tenure as Minister was marked by growing bureaucracy — several new Departments were added to the Ministry during his time — but he proved ineffective at managing a genuine crisis and resigned (Pm). Read More
Gore’s 18 years as Minister were marked with conflict, but he managed to suppress the bloody rebellion which started in 1752, the year he took office. He also supported the use of Azkaban as a prison. He had no sympathy for the werewolves who joined the rebellion and refused to… Read More
He soon comes up with several important improvements to the governance of the Wizarding World, including a workable definition of “Beast” and “Being” and and creating separate divisions for them in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures (FB). Read More
After a match against the Appleby Arrows in 1814, the Bangers attempted to capture a Hebridean Black dragon as their team mascot. Their foolishness led to their being banned from playing ever again (QA5). Read More
Logistical difficulties plague efforts to get students to and from Hogwarts while adhering to the Statute of Secrecy. Minister for Magic Ottaline Gambol, who appreciates Muggle innovation, comes up with the idea of using a steam engine. The exact origin of the Hogwarts Express is uncertain, but it is rumoured… Read More
The Department of Magical Games and Sports introduces a new rule that only one Chaser at a time may be within the scoring area. This new rule provokes a strong response from fans who loved seeing opposing Keepers roughed up. The Ministry representative announces the rule this way:… Read More
Spavin is the Minister for Magic and had been for almost forty years. He is 145 years old at this point and his behavior is becoming a little erratic. He attends the funeral dressed in an admiral’s hat and spats. The Wizengamot decides after that incident that he should retire,… Read More
World War I was a vast military conflict fought between the Allies, a group of nations including Britain, France, and the United States, and the Central Powers, which consisted principally of Germany and Austria-Hungary. The war originated in Europe due to a web of alliances and treaties which drew in… Read More
Ogden is investigating an attack on a Muggle by Morfin Gaunt late the previous evening. In the yard outside the hovel, Ogden is attacked by Morfin, then he encounters the irate Marvolo Gaunt who, along with his son Morfin, refuse to admit Morfin has done anything wrong, either in attacking the… Read More
Fifteen minutes after fleeing from Morfin Gaunt’s attack on him (for physically restraining Morfin from attacking Merope) and apparating back to the Ministry of Magic, Bob Ogden returns to the Gaunt cottage – this time with reinforcements who succeeded in overpowering the Gaunt men, although several are injured by Marvolo. Read More
Leach contracts a mysterious illness and steps down. His illness has been the subject of conspiracy theories ever since. Abraxas Malfoy is widely believed to have been part of the plot to get rid of the first Muggle-born Minister. Read More
In the late sixties, civic unrest in the Wizarding community took the form of pure-blood riots in response to Squib Rights marches (Pm, JKR-W3). It is likely that Idris Oakby, the famous campaigner for squib rights, would have been involved in some way. She would have been nearly 100 years old… Read More
The pure-blood riots were in response to Squib Rights marches in the late 1960s. The crisis was handled well by newly-appointed Minister for Magic Eugenia Jenkins. Read More
Dobby’s use of a Hover Charm at Number 4 Privet Drive prompts Mafalda Hopkirk of the Improper Use of Magic Office to send a letter reminding Harry that underage magic outside of school and magic that is noticed by Muggles are not allowed and letting him know that he could… Read More
As part of a bet, Cornelius Fudge’s nephew causes a Muggle “tube train” to disappear. Muggle travellers wait an hour and a half for their train before figuring out that it has vanished. As results of the event, Rufus is suspended from his job at the Improper Use of Magic… Read More
The riot broke out in Chipping Clodbury, where talks regarding the Goblin Bill of Rights were occurring between the Brotherhood of Goblins and the British Ministry of Magic, when Goblins who had acquired wands started using them to wreak havoc. The rioting Goblins caused some items in the… Read More
Tonks completes her three years of training and qualifies as an Auror. As a Metamorphmagus, she excelled at Concealment and Disguise training, but she noted that her natural clumsiness made Stealth difficult (OP3). Read More
Hagrid takes Buckbeak on the Knight Bus to appear before the Committee of the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures. Hermione helps Hagrid prepare a defense but it’s not enough. Lucius Malfoy bullies the Committee into condemning Buckbeak to be executed. Hagrid writes a tear-stained letter back to Hermione at… Read More
Harry and Hermione lead the hippogriff away while the execution party – an elderly member of the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures, Walden Macnair (the executioner), Dumbledore, and Hagrid – is busy inside Hagrid’s hut. Prompted by Dumbledore, Harry and Hermione used Hermione’s Time-Turner to return to the time… Read More
Sometime after the end of the Quidditch World Cup final, the carousing in the campground turns malicious. A crowd of Death Eaters magically hoists the Muggle Roberts family high into the air and tosses them about. Other witches and wizards, perhaps drunk or merely overcome by a mob mentality, happily… Read More
Mascots have been a problem at several Quidditch matches. An attempt by the International Confederation of Wizards Quidditch Committee (ICWQC) to restrict the size and nature of mascots to “herbivores, creatures smaller than a cow and nothing that breathes fire” was defeated in 1995 (Pm). Currently… Read More
Barty Crouch Sr. is found staggering out of the forest on the Hogwarts grounds, acting like a madman. Harry leaves him with Krum while going for help, but on return Crouch is gone and Krum’s unconscious body is discovered. On subsequent search, Crouch cannot be located. Read More
Mrs. Figg reveals her identity to Harry; Mundungus Fletcher arrives and is sent to report to Dumbledore. The Improper Use of Magic Office atttempts to expel Harry from Hogwarts, but Dumbledore arrives at the Ministry and forces them to comply with the letter of the law. Read More
The Minister of Magic, Rufus Scrimgeour, is tortured and murdered. Pius Thicknesse, who was put under the Imperius Curse a week or two before, is installed as the new Minister. With the power of the Ministry behind them, Death Eaters openly attack Order of the Phoenix… Read More
Umbridge sits high above the accused Muggle-born witches and wizards, condemning them the Azkaban on the charge that they “stole magic.” Umbridge protects herself from the Dementors in the room by allowing her cat Patronus to pace back and forth in front of her. Read More
May 1-2, 1998 The climactic final showdown between the side of good and the side of evil. Hogwarts Castle was damaged in this battle and fifty people died defending it, including Fred Weasley, Tonks, Remus Lupin, and Colin Creevey. The Death Eaters enlisted… Read More
As the new Minister for Magic, Shacklebolt takes on the dangerous task of removing the Dementors from the ancient, evil fortress of Azkaban (BLC). They had been serving as guards there for hundreds of years, a function which allowed the Ministry to maintain some measure of control… Read More
By the time that the Hogwarts Express is leaving King’s Cross for the start of her daughter Rose’s fourth year, Hermione Granger has become the Minister for Magic (CC1.5). This had been predicted by Rita Skeeter during her commentary at the 2014 Quidditch World Cup final (Pm). Read More
By the time that the Hogwarts Express is leaving King’s Cross for the start of his son Albus’s fourth year, Harry Potter has become the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement (CC1.5). This would be a promotion to the post from within the Ministry, as he… Read More