Dirk Cresswell

Dirk Cresswell (c. 1961—March, 1998) was a Muggle-born wizard who, in the mid-1990s, took the office of Head of the Goblin Liaison Office, in the Ministry of Magic.

He attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the 1970s, becoming a favourite student of Potions Master Horace Slughorn. One of Dirk's most notable traits was his fluency in Gobbledegook. After graduating, he went to work at the Ministry and eventually became Head of the Goblin Liaison Office, succeeding Cuthbert Mockridge. Many of his colleagues, such as Arthur Weasley, considered him a great wizard. When the Ministry was taken over by Lord Voldemort, Dirk attempted to use a forged family tree in order to claim wizarding heritage, but was discovered by Albert Runcorn. He went on the run to avoid the Muggle-Born Registration Commission, but was eventually caught and killed by Snatchers.

Early life
"And there was Dirk Cresswell in the year after [Lily Evans], too — now Head of the Goblin Liaison Office, of course — another Muggle-born, a very gifted student, and still gives me excellent inside information on the goings-on at Gringotts!"

- Horace Slughorn tells Harry Potter about Cresswell's student years.

Dirk Cresswell was born sometime between September, 1960 and September, 1961, somewhere in the British Isles, into the Muggle Cresswell family. He showed magical abilities and, at the age of eleven, was invited to enroll at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, which he did, having been Sorted on 1 September, 1972.

Professor Horace Slughorn was his Potions Professor, and he considered Cresswell to be an exceptional student, inviting him to join the Slug Club.



Career at the Ministry of Magic
Sometime after graduating from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in 1979, Cresswell joined the Ministry of Magic. He eventually rose to the post of Head of the Goblin Liaison Office, succeeding Cuthbert Mockridge in either 1994, 1995 or 1996.

He remained in contact with Professor Slughorn and passed on news about internal affairs at Gringotts Wizarding Bank to him, something of which the Professor was glad of. Albus Dumbledore also suggested that Slughorn's friendliness with Cresswell sometimes allowed him to make suggestions for possible junior members within the Goblin Liaison Office.

Muggle-Born Registration Commission
"As your new Minister for Magic, I promise to restore this temple of tolerance to its former glory. Therefore, beginning today, each employee will submit themselves… for evaluation. But know this: you have nothing to fear if you have nothing to hide."

- Pius Thicknesse delivers his speech to Ministry employees, while Cresswell is dragged across the Atrium by Snatchers.

During the height of the Second Wizarding War, on 1 August, 1997, the Ministry of Magic was taken over by Lord Voldemort. Shortly after, it began persecuting Muggle-born wizards and witches, beginning with the formation of the Muggle-Born Registration Commission and the Snatchers organisations, in accordance with the Death Eater ideology. Muggle-borns were accused of having stolen magic and sentenced to Azkaban for it.



Cresswell arranged with a wizard to forge a false family tree so that the Ministry believed he was of a different blood status. However, Albert Runcorn, a powerful Ministry official and supporter of the Death Eater regime, tracked the wizard who faked his family tree and Cresswell was arrested. While Death Eater-controlled and newly instated Minister Pius Thicknesse, alongside Dolores Umbridge, Yaxley and Albert Runcorn, delivered a speech to the Ministry employees about the changes in Ministry policy, Snatchers arrived and dragged a battered and bruised Dirk Cresswell across the Atrium.

Auror John Dawlish was charged with transporting Cresswell to Azkaban Fortress in the North Sea, via broomstick. Halfway to the prison, Dirk managed to Stun Dawlish, whom he believed was under the effects of the Confundus Charm, and stole the Auror's broomstick, using it to escape.

On the run
Dirk then went on the run, eventually meeting up with fellow fugitives Ted Tonks and Dean Thomas, as well as goblins Griphook and Gornuk. The group proceeded to stay on the move along the countryside.

One night, in the autumn of 1997, they set camp on a riverbank in Wales, where they could Summon some salmon to eat. Unbeknownst to any of them, Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger were sitting in a tent concealed by sight by a number of protective enchantments. The group started talking. Dirk told them of his escape. The subject of conversation turned into war and Harry Potter. Dirk told the group he had doubts Severus Snape had really killed Albus Dumbledore, as the Daily Prophet, which he had been reading, made such a strong case against Harry. Tonks told Cresswell to start reading The Quibbler, an independent publication not under the control of the Ministry, to know the facts. Cresswell exploded into laughter, swallowing a fish bone and expressing scorn at what he called "that lunatic rag of Xeno Lovegood's". They told Cresswell The Quibbler was not so lunatic any more, and Dean voiced his trust on Harry.

The conversation soon enough turned into a discussion of whether they should sleep there or back up a wooded slope whence they came. Deciding the trees would give better cover, they extinguished their fire and clambered back up the incline.

Death
"But before we hear from Royal and Romulus let's take a moment to report those deaths that the Wizarding Wireless Network News and Daily Prophet don't think important enough to mention. It is with great regret that we inform our listeners of the murders of Ted Tonks and Dirk Cresswell. A goblin by the name of Gornuk was also killed. It is believed that Muggle-born Dean Thomas and a second goblin, both believed to have been travelling with Tonks, Cresswell, and Gornuk, may have escaped."

- Lee Jordan announces Cresswell's murder in Potterwatch.

Eventually, the group was caught by a gang of Snatchers, and Cresswell, Ted Tonks and Gornuk were killed while resisting capture. Griphook and Dean Thomas managed to escape relatively unscathed.

Post-mortem
The death of Dirk Cresswell and his comrades was omitted from the Daily Prophet and the Wizarding Wireless Network News, which were under the control of the Death Eater regime and ceased reporting deaths caused by Voldemort's regime. It was, however, announced in a March, 1998, broadcast of Potterwatch. Dirk left behind a wife and at least two sons.

Etymology
The name "Dirk" is the short form of Diederik. The name was popularised in the English-speaking world by actor Dirk Bogarde (1921-1999), who had some Dutch ancestry. This is also the Scots word for a type of dagger.

Behind the scenes

 * Dirk Cresswell was played by Ricky Wilson, lead singer of the Kaiser Chiefs. His role was uncredited, and he was never identified in the film, but the character of Dirk Cresswell took on his appearance in LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7.
 * Like Ted Tonks and Gornuk, Dirk Cresswell's on the run part was cut from the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, although all three are briefly mentioned on radio to have been killed.

Appearances

 * Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (video game)
 * LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7

Notes and references
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