Skip to main content

harry potter - Are there police in the Wizarding World?


In the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, courts exist (such as the one that Harry went to for his trial during Order of the Phoenix) and there are Aurors who are specifically tasked with tracking down dark wizards.


However, I don't recall any mention of more general police in the world that might catch criminals for crimes of lesser importance, such as shoplifting in Diagon Alley or vandalism in Hogsmeade. Surely such law enforcement must exist for a functioning society, but is there any explicit evidence that such police exist?



Answer



Yes.


Arthur Weasley and Harry discussing the regurgitating public toilets:



'Will it be Aurors who catch them?'


'Oh no, this is too trivial for Aurors, it'll be the ordinary Magical Law Enforcement Patrol - ah, Harry, this is Perkins.'



Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - p.123 - Bloomsbury - Chapter 7, The Ministry of Magic



Also in The Half-Blood Prince, Arthur heads up the Office for the Detection and Confiscation of Counterfeit Defensive Spells and Protective Objects, which seems to have an element of law enforcement behind it. Also, in his role in the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office he had the power to conduct raids. Plainly there is a Magical Law Enforcement Patrol, but, also, general law enforcement seems to be spread across departments at the Ministry of Magic, rather than being entirely under one crime-fighting arm. Thus, Arthur's Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office is a small part of level two at the Ministry of Magic:



'Level Two, Department of Magical Law Enforcement, including the Improper Use of Magic Office, Auror Headquarters and Wizengamot Administration Services.'


Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - p.120 - Bloomsbury - Chapter 7, The Ministry of Magic



I also find it interesting that Level Four is the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, which - again - seems to have some law enforcement powers, such as punishing people who breed experimentally and ordering and carrying out the execution of dangerous animals.


One thing we can say, though, is that nobody in the wizarding world is called a policeman. Amos Diggory on the break-in to Mad-Eye Moody's house.




'... Muggle neighbours heard bangs and shouting, so they went and called those what-d'you-call-'ems - please-men.'


Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - p.141 - Bloomsbury - Chapter 11, Aboard the Hogwarts Express



Interestingly, in this case, it seems to be "the Improper Use of Magic lot" who set off for Moody's house (GoF, p.142).


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

futurama - How much time is lost in 'Time Keeps on Slippin''

In time Keeps on Slippin' , Farnsworth creates a basketball team which he matures by abusing Chronitons. This leads to time skipping forward by random, but ever increasing amounts. How much time was skipped in this way? Answer Unfortunately, I don't think a good estimate can be made for this, for two reasons: Many of the time skips move forward by an indeterminate amount of time. At one point, the Professor mentions localized regions of space skipping forward much more than others. We then see two young boys on the street below complaining about having to pay social security, only to suddenly become senior citizens and start complaining about wanting their money. Thus, each individual could have experienced a different amount of time skippage.
Post a Comment
Read more

harry potter - Did Dolores Umbridge Have Any Association with Voldemort (or Death Eaters) before His Return?

I noticed that Dolores Umbridge was born during the first Wizarding War, so it's very likely she wasn't a Death Eater then (but she is pretty evil -- who knows?). After that Voldemort was not around in a way that could affect many people, and most wouldn't know he was planning to rise again. During that time, and up through Voldemort's return (in Goblet of Fire ), did Umbridge have any connection with the Death Eaters or with Voldemort? Was she doing what she did on her own, or was it because of an association with Voldemort or his allies? Answer Dolores Umbridge was definitely not a good person. However, as Sirius points out, "the world isn't split into good people and Death Eaters". Remember that he also says that he doesn't believe Umbridge to be a Death Eater, but that she's evil enough (or something like that). I think there are two strong reasons to believe that: Umbridge was proud to do everything according to the law, except when she trie...
Post a Comment
Read more

aliens - Interstellar Zoo story

I vaguely remember this story from my childhood: it was about an interstellar zoo that came to Earth with lots of bizarre and unusual species, and humans would file through and gape at all the crazy looking creatures from other planets. The twist came at the end when the perspective shifted to the other side of the bars and we discovered that the "creatures" were traveling through space on a kind of safari. They thought they were the visitors and we were the animals. Neither side knew that the other side thought they were the zoo creatures. Answer Got it. Zoo, by Edward D. Hoch. Published in 1958. Link to Publication History Link to PDF
Post a Comment
Read more

harry potter - Does Animagus transformation alter the level of intelligence?

I found this quote: No spell yet devised enables wizards to fly unaided in human form. Those few Animagi who transform into winged creatures may enjoy flight, but they are a rarity. The witch or wizard who finds him- or herself transfigured into a bat may take to the air, but, having a bat’s brain, they are sure to forget where they want to go the moment they take flight. Quidditch Through the Ages - Page 1 - Scholastic Edition at this place: https://scifi.stackexchange.com/a/7783/13716 Since it is from a reputable user I doubt the quote is wrong However, this raises the question, does changing into an animal also change one's level of intelligence into that animal? The way the Animagi in the books act in their animal form sort of indicates that they keep their human level intelligence (for example, Rita Skeeter, in terms of intelligence, should have been on the lowest end of the scale when transformed, but still she is able to find out information as a beetle, as well as remember...
Post a Comment
Read more