Corban Yaxley

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 British 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. Yaxley later went on to serve under Fenrir Greyback, and participated in the kidnapping of Ollivander. Alongside Greyback and another Death Eater, he 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 over Little Whinging.

As Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement
"You realize 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)

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 a 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.

When Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley infiltrated the Ministry and freed the Muggle-born prisoners, Yaxley attempted to stop them. 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.

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.

Physical appearance
Yaxley was described as having hard, blunt features and an unpleasant smile. He was relatively tall.

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 also was very intimidating: he used his power as Head of the Department 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.

Magical abilities and skills

 * Imperius Curse: Yaxley was a master 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 knockback jinx, possibly Ventus, without speaking an incantation.
 * Expert Duellist: 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

 * Yaxley is portrayed by British actor Johnpaul Castrianni in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and by Peter Mullan in the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 and Part 2. 
 * 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, Potter, and Weasley families, albeit distantly.
 * In the video game adaption of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Yaxley is not seen nor mentioned. 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 Hermione Granger 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
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

Notes and references
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