Corban Yaxley

"You realise that I am on my way downstairs to interrogate your wife, Cattermole? In fact, I'm quite surprised you’re not down there holding her hand while she waits. Already given her up as a bad job, have you? Probably wise. Be sure and marry a pure-blood next time... But if my wife were accused of being a Mudblood — not that any woman I married would ever be mistaken for such filth — and the Head of Department of Magical Law Enforcement needed a job doing, I would make it my priority to do this job, Cattermole. Do you understand me?"

- Yaxley intimidating Reginald Cattermole (actually Ronald Weasley in disguise)

Yaxley was a wizard and a Death Eater who fought during the First Wizarding War. Yaxley did not search for Voldemort after his first downfall, but this was forgiven after Voldemort's return in 1995. Yaxley also fought at several battles of the Second Wizarding War, such as the Battle of the Astronomy Tower. When Voldemort was in control of the Ministry of Magic, Yaxley became the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Yaxley went on to fight in the Battle of Hogwarts, where he was subdued by George Weasley and Lee Jordan. His fate after Lord Voldemort's final defeat, however, is uncertain.

First Wizarding War
Yaxley was one of the many Death Eaters who fought in the First Wizarding War. After Lord Voldemort's first downfall, Yaxley managed to avoid imprisonment in Azkaban. Like many others, Yaxley believed Voldemort had been finished and, thus, did not attempt to find him.

Second Wizarding War
Yaxley returned to Voldemort after his rebirth. Yaxley became, once more, an active Death Eater during the Second Wizarding War. In July, 1996, Yaxley participated in the kidnapping of Garrick Ollivander alongside Fenrir Greyback and another Death Eater. He also participated in the destruction of the Millennium Bridge.

Battle of the Astronomy Tower
"We've got orders. Draco's got to do it. Now, Draco, and quickly."

- Yaxley pressures Draco.

In June of 1997, Yaxley was among the group of Death Eaters who led an assault at Hogwarts Castle. Along with Alecto and Amycus Carrow and Fenrir Greyback, he reached the Astronomy Tower, where he pressured Draco Malfoy to do the deed Voldemort ordered him to perform: murder Albus Dumbledore. Yaxley was determined to follow the orders, attacking Greyback when he moved forward to attack Dumbledore. Before Draco could bring himself to kill him, Severus Snape arrived and murdered the Headmaster, blasting the body from the tower.

The Death Eaters proceeded to flee from the Castle, before any of the Order of the Phoenix summoned Ministry of Magic reinforcements. While getting down from the Astronomy Tower, Yaxley was hit with a Full Body-Bind Curse by Harry Potter.

Later, when Ministry of Magic officials searched the Tower, they found Yaxley and he was likely arrested and taken to Azkaban.

Ministry take-over
"Severus, here. Yaxley — beside Dolohov."

- Voldemort to Severus Snape and Yaxley when they almost arrive late to the meeting.

A few weeks later, Yaxley had already broken out of Azkaban. Yaxley attended the Death Eater meeting at Malfoy Manor in July of 1997. During that meeting, he reported that he had placed Pius Thicknesse, then head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, under the Imperius Curse as part of Lord Voldemort's plan to take over the Ministry of Magic. Many of his fellow Death Eaters were impressed, though Voldemort believed Snape's estimate of when Harry Potter would be removed from his relatives' home over Yaxley's. Yaxley fell for the trap set by Alastor Moody on that count, whereas Snape knew the true date, setting the stage for the Battle of the Seven Potters.

As Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement
On 1 August, 1997, Voldemort's plan and Yaxley's efforts succeeded when Minister Rufus Scrimgeour was killed and Pius Thicknesse became the puppet Minister for Magic. The Ministry fell under Voldemort's control and Yaxley, as an inner-circle Death Eater, was made the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. In this role, he participated in at least some of the interrogations and harassment of Muggle-borns, along with Dolores Umbridge, Head of the new Muggle-Born Registration Commission, while using his cruelty and new authority to intimidate lower ranking employees such as Reginald Cattermole. The Ministry also hired a Snatcher group to capture any Muggle-borns on the run and Harry Potter the snatcher group was led by Scabior

The Death Eater led Ministry also took over Hogwarts. Severus Snape was made Headmaster, and Amycus and Alecto Carrow were appointed Professors.

Infiltration of the Ministry of Magic


Yaxley played a major role in this infiltration alongside Dolores Umbridge. During Umbridge's interrogations of Mary Cattermole as part of the Muggle-Born Registration Commission, Yaxley sat next to her observing the case. When the trio reached the courtroom they saw Umbridge obtained the locket and at that moment they acted. Harry, under the Invisibility Cloak, Stunned Yaxley. When Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ronald Weasleyfreedthe Muggle-born prisoners, Yaxley, out of furiousness, attempted to stop them.

Yaxley madly began to chase the trio as he ordered all Floo Network transportation to be sealed. At the last moments he grabbed Hermione's arm as the trio Disapparated. Hermione managed to evade him by using a Revulsion Jinx, but not before revealing the location of 12 Grimmauld Place. Thus, the house was no longer a safe hideout for the trio while leaving Ron splinched. After this the trio had to go to their tent in the forest.

Battle of Hogwarts
In 2 May, 1998, Yaxley participated in the Battle of Hogwarts. He and Antonin Dolohov stood guard in the Forbidden Forest during the brief interlude that followed Voldemort's ultimatum to Harry Potter. They were followed back to the Death Eater camp by Harry under his Invisibility Cloak. During the final moments of the battle, Yaxley was defeated by Lee Jordan and George Weasley. His ultimate fate is unknown, though if he survived, he was most likely captured and sent to Azkaban along with the rest of the surviving Death Eaters.

Physical appearance
Yaxley was described as having hard, blunt features and an unpleasant smile. He was relatively tall. He has blond hair that he prefers to tie back.

Personality and traits
Yaxley, like many other Death Eaters, was obsessed with blood-purity. In 1997, he became the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, and he, along with Dolores Umbridge, imprisoned muggle-borns in Azkaban. During one of such Yaxley laughed at Mary Cattermole, who was afraid of what would happen to her children, saying that "the brats of Mudbloods [did] not stir [his] sympathies", indicating that he despises even half-bloods, despite Voldemort permitting them to continue living in the Wizarding community.

Yaxley is a proud and ambitious person, as he described in detail on how he subdued Thicknesse, as well as eagerly speaking of the plan to move Harry, in hopes of attracting more praise from Voldemort and fellow Death Eaters. He can also be rather harsh with his fellow Death Eaters when they overturn the Dark Lord's orders, as he violently blasted Fenrir Greyback aside for trying to kill Dumbledore without letting Draco a chance, though he did step aside when Snape stepped silently forward to accomplish the deed, showing that Yaxley may have a certain level of feared respect for him. During his tenure as the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, he was very intimidating to the lower-ranked employees: he used his authority to intimidate Ron Weasley, disguised as Reginald Cattermole, to get his office dried in time, while ignoring a greeting from another wizard, showing his lack of manners; though he did nod approvingly at Harry, disguised as Albert Runcorn, showing he still has a level of respect for who he considers to be a fellow pure-blood supremacist, However, he is not completely loyal to Voldemort, as he did not attempt to find him after his first downfall.

Magical abilities and skills

 * Imperius Curse: Yaxley was skilled in the use of the Imperius Curse, being able to keep Pius Thicknesse under his control throughout the entire war. However, Yaxley did claim that he had a difficult time in subduing Thicknesse.
 * Nonverbal magic: Yaxley hit Greyback with a powerful knock-back jinx, possibly Ventus, without speaking an incantation.
 * Duelling: Yaxley was a very proficient duellist, able to hold his own extremely well against former duelling champion Filius Flitwick and fight him to a stalemate while Antonin Dolohov, one of Voldemort's most powerful Death Eaters, was defeated by Flitwick. Yaxley was amongst the Death Eaters who managed to last until the end of the Battle of Hogwarts and it took George Weasley and Lee Jordan to finally take him down.

Behind the scenes

 * LEGO_Yaxley.pngy is portrayed by Scottish actor Peter Mullan in the Deathly Hallows: Part 1.
 * It is likely that Yaxley is related to Lysandra Black (née Yaxley), wife of Arcturus Black II and maternal grandmother of Arthur Weasley, and thus to the Black, Crouch, Longbottom, and Weasley families, albeit distantly.
 * In the video game adaptation of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows he is mentioned by a passing ministry official muttering about him being promoted again, although he is not seen. His role during the Infiltration of the Ministry of Magic is taken instead by a senior Ministry official (who takes "Reginald Cattermole" and "Mafalda Hopkirk" into a meeting) and by a Death Eater (who grabs Ron Weasley at one of the fireplaces).

Appearances

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

Notes and references
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