Ministry of Magic

Ministry of Magic
UniverseHarry Potter
Founded1707
LocationMinistry of Magic Headquarters
Whitehall, London
LeaderMinister for Magic
Key people
PurposePreservation of magical law
PowersGovernment of UK's Magical Community
AffiliationsInternational Confederation of Wizards

The Ministry of Magic is the government of the British wizarding community in the fictional universe of Harry Potter. It is led by an official called the Minister for Magic, and is first mentioned in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Throughout the novels, it is regularly depicted as corrupt, elitist and completely incompetent, with its high-ranking officials blind to ominous events and unwilling to take action against threats to wizard society. In Order of the Phoenix, Dolores Umbridge was placed at Hogwarts to observe the happenings within the school (acting as a ministry plant), and prevent the spread of news concerning the return of Lord Voldemort. It reaches a zenith of corruption, before being effectively taken over by Voldemort. At the end of the final book, following Voldemort's death, Kingsley Shacklebolt is revealed to have become the Minister for Magic.