- "Grogan Stump created the three divisions of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures that exist today: the Beast Division, the Being Division, and the Spirit Division."
- —Creation of the some of the department's divisions[src]
The Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures is the second largest department in the Ministry of Magic. It is divided into three divisions named after the three categorisations of magical creatures: Being, Beast and Spirit. It also houses the liaison offices for Goblins and Centaurs.
After leaving Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Hermione Granger briefly worked in this department before transferring to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.
Function
In 1750, Clause 73 was inserted in the International Code of Wizarding Secrecy, which states: Each wizarding governing body will be responsible for the concealment, care, and control of all magical beasts, beings, and spirits dwelling within its territory's borders. Should any such creature cause harm to, or draw the notice of, the Muggle community, that nation's wizarding governing body will be subject to discipline by the International Confederation of Wizards.[1]
Because of this, the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures works very hard to hide the magical creatures living in Britain. They do this by establishing safe habitats, guarded by Muggle-Repelling Charms and other magical means. Some areas are patrolled and guarded by wizards (e.g. dragon reservations). The department also strictly controls the breeding and sale of magical creatures and requires that wizards use Disillusionment Charms to conceal creatures that they own.[1]
When a magical creature is seen by Muggles, various methods are used to cover up the incident, including: memory charms cast by Obliviators, spells cast by the Invisibility Task-force[2], and alibis and non-magical explanations concocted by the Office of Misinformation.
This department issues licences for the ownership of crups, fwoopers, fire crabs, and kneazles.[1]
History
Werewolves have been shunted between the Beast and Being Divisions of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures for years, because nobody could make up their minds whether werewolves should be classified as Being or Beast. At one point, the Werewolf Registry and Werewolf Capture Unit were both in the Beast Division while an office for Werewolf Support Services was established in the Being Division. Nobody ever presented themselves for Support Services, for the same reasons that very few ever signed the Registry, and it was eventually closed down.[1]
Law Fifteen “B," passed by the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, states in part that “any attack by a magical creature who is deemed to have near-human intelligence, and therefore considered responsible for its actions–” but Dolores Umbridge could not finish reciting this law to the Centaurs she was insulting because Magorian cut her off.[3]
Another rule of the department requires that the Minister for Magic inform the Muggle Prime Minister when dangerous magical creatures are to be brought into Britain. Prior to the Triwizard Tournament, Fudge blithely informed his counterpart that they would be importing three dragons and a sphinx.[4]
Goblins are none too pleased with the way they're treated by this Department.[2]
A special squad sent out by this Department captured and killed the rampaging, murderous vampire Sir Herbert Varney in 1889 in London.[5]
After leaving Hogwarts, Hermione Granger spent some years working in this Department, "where she was instrumental in greatly improving life for house-elves and their ilk."
Divisions
The department is located on the fourth level of the Ministry of Magic, and includes the following divisions:
Beast Division
The Beast Division is one of three divisions under the control of the department. It deals with all duties and problems concerning those magical creatures classified as a "Beast" by the Ministry.
Being Division
The Being Division is one of three divisions under the control of the this department. It deals with all duties and problems concerning those magical creatures classified as a "Being" by the Ministry.
Spirit Division
The Spirit Division is one of three divisions under the control of the this department. It deals with all duties and problems concerning those magical creatures classified as a "Spirit" by the Ministry. The reason why the Ministry created this division is because it doesn't fit if spirits categorised as "beings", when they are in state of "dead".
Goblin Liaison Office
The Goblin Liaison Office is the section of the department which takes care of the magic economy and to improve relations between goblins and wizards.
Centaur Liaison Office
The Centaur Liaison Office is the section of the department dealing with relations between wizards and centaurs. Since its inception, no centaur has even used the Office. In the Ministry, the phrase "being sent to the Centaur Office" is an in-joke meaning that the employee in question is about to be sacked.
Pest Advisory Board
The Pest Advisory Board provides assistance with serious Bundimun infestations of wizarding homes, deals with serious infestations of Chizpurfles, takes responsibility for the Ghoul Task Force (possibly), and maintains a pack of a dozen albino bloodhounds, to deal with Nogtails.
Office of Misinformation
The Office of Misinformation is a section of the department that becomes involved with only the worst magical-Muggle collisions, when an incident is so obviously magical in nature that Muggles have a hard time explaining it. In such cases, the Office of Misinformation will contact the Muggle Prime Minister to provide a non-magical explanation for the event.
Classification of Magical Creatures
The Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures classifies magical creatures on a scale from 1 (X) to 5 (XXXXX) as follows:
- XXXXX: Known wizard killer / impossible to train or domesticate
- XXXX: Dangerous / requires specialist knowledge / skilled wizard may handle
- XXX: Competent wizards should cope
- XX: Harmless / may be domesticated
- X: Boring
Known employees
.jpg "Jeff Rawle as Amos Diggory (GoF-promo-03).jpg (1.01 MB)")
Add a photo to this galleryAppearances
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game) (Mentioned only in Chocolate Frog Card)
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Mentioned only)
- Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
- Fantastic Beasts: Cases from the Wizarding World
Notes and references
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Daily Prophet
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 33 (Fight and Flight)
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 1 (The Other Minister)
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game) (see video)
