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"Level Six, Department of Magical Transportation, incorporating the Floo Network Authority, Broom Regulatory Control, Portkey Office and Apparition Test Centre."
Voice of lift at the British Ministry of Magic[src]

The Department of Magical Transportation was responsible for various aspects of magical transport. Madam Edgecombe was an employee of this department. The last known department head was Percy Weasley.

The seal of this department featured a Biohazard symbol, maybe in a nod to the dangers entailing each of the four main types of magical transportation (broomstick, Floo powder, Apparition and Portkey).

Both the Hogwarts Express and the Knight Bus were the result of creative ideas from the Minister for Magic of the day. The British Ministry of Magic was most likely involved in bringing said ideas to life, meaning both of them would be likely to have their own subdivision at the Department of Magical Transportation, or at the very least subject to its authority.[1]

Location[]

The Department of Magical Transportation was located on the sixth level of the British Ministry of Magic. This department contains may different divisions and offices. Some of these offices include the: Apparition Test Centre, Broom Regulatory Control, Floo Network Authority, Floo Regulation Panel,[2] and Portkey Office.

Functions[]

"We have to be very careful about how we travel at the best of times."
— The importance of this department[src]

A department of the Ministry of Magic which had responsibility for wizard transportation and travel methods. They oversaw the use of brooms, when and where Portkeys are created and how many.

They were also responsible for connecting homes and businesses to the Floo Network. The department could temporarily set up a connection between a wizarding building and a Muggle building. One such temporary connection was once put in place between 4 Privet Drive and The Burrow.

They also issued licences to Apparate, which was required to practise Apparition legally, at least in Great Britain.[3] Licences were required since at least the 1920s.[4] The department also issued fines if a wizard or witch were caught breaking the Department of Magical Transportation's laws and regulations. For example, the department issued fines to witches or wizards that would Apparate without a licence.[5]

The department also handed out various leaflet such as, Common Apparition Mistakes and How to Avoid Them.[6]

History[]

In 1827, Ottaline Gambol rose to the office of Minister for Magic, and she made a daring and controversial suggestion to solve the ages-old problem of how to transport hundreds of students to and from Hogwarts Castle. This solution was the Hogwarts Express. The Minister most likely worked with the Department of Magical Transportation to make this idea a reality.[7]

The Knight Bus was commissioned in 1865. The Department of Magical Transportation most likely helped with its creation. The bus is a triple-decker, "violently purple" bus which provides emergency transportation for the stranded witch or wizard.[8]

The Department of Magical Transportation handled the complicated problems of transporting people to the 1994 Quidditch World Cup, this included setting up a network of Portkeys all over Britain and working out where it was safe to Apparate into the area without being seen.[5]

During the 1996–1997 school year, this department sent Willkie Twycross to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardy. He instructed the sixth-year students Apparition classes in the Great Hall.[9]

Divisions[]

Floo Network Authority[]

The Floo Network Authority was responsible for setting up and maintaining the Floo Network. They also regulated the distribution of Floo Powder.

The network was composed of the fireplaces of all the wizarding buildings, which were interconnected, and it allowed the user, or "passenger", to transport themselves to any other fireplace on the network.

The Floo Network was subject to intense scrutiny by the Ministry. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry's fireplaces were at one time closely monitored for any "questionable activity".

Broom Regulatory Control[]

The Broom Regulatory Control had the authority to determine what factors allowed an individual to use and ride a broom. If a broom had been determined to be dangerous or tampered with to cause damage, this office would confiscate the broom.

The broomstick regulations were presumably relevant to the work of this office.

Portkey Office[]

Main article: Portkey Office
HM Portkey Office

The Portkey Office was a division of the Department of Magical Transportation in charge of managing the usage and maintenance of Portkeys.[10] They organised events were a large number of Portkeys were involved.

Consequently, it seems like a reasonable deduction that the Portkey Office was responsible for authorising the creation of Portkeys[11] (and possibly regulated their use once they had been created, as well).[12]

Apparition Test Centre[]

The Apparition Test Centre granted Apparition licences to qualified witches and wizards. Training was required to prevent the likelihood of splinching. In Great Britain at least, one had to be at least seventeen years old to obtain such a licence, though other countries such as Denmark made underage Apparition legal.

One was usually taught and tested by a qualified Ministry employee, such as is the case at Hogwarts.[9] However, in the case of Side-Along Apparition, the accomplice did not require a licence, provided they were taken by a licenced wizard.

Personnel[]

Job Wizard(s) Notes
Heads of department Percy Weasley Became head of the department in 2014 after the Second Wizarding War.
Employees Basil Worked the Portkey terminus for the 1994 Quidditch World Cup.[13]
Unknown A wizard in a tweed suit and galoshes, also at the Portkey terminus with Basil.[13]
Madam Edgecombe Floo Regulator[14]
Wilkie Twycross Apparition Instructor[9]

Appearances[]

Notes and references[]

  1. Pottermore
  2. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 4 (Back to The Burrow)
  3. Scholastic Glossary
  4. LEGO Dimensions
  5. 5.0 5.1 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 6 (The Portkey)
  6. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 22 (After the Burial)
  7. Writing by J. K. Rowling: "The Hogwarts Express" at Wizarding World (transcription available here)
  8. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 18 (Birthday Surprises)
  10. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 7 (The Ministry of Magic)
  11. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 36 (The Only One He Ever Feared)
  12. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 20 (Hagrid's Tale)
  13. 13.0 13.1 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 7 (Bagman and Crouch)
  14. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 27 (The Centaur and the Sneak)
British Ministry of Magic Departments
Department of International Magical Cooperation Ministry of Magic Latin Logo Department of Magical Education logo Department of Magical Law Enforcement logo MinistryOfMagicLogo - Cursed Child DMAC clear MBRC clear Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures logo DMT clear
Level 1 Level 2
Minister for Magic and Support Staff Department of Magical Law Enforcement
Office of the Minister for Magic · Office of the Advisor to the Minister for Magic · Office of the Senior Undersecretary to the Minister for Magic · Office of the Junior Assistant to the Minister for Magic Auror Office · Department of Intoxicating Substances · Improper Use of Magic Office · Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office · Office for the Detection and Confiscation of Counterfeit Defensive Spells and Protective Objects · Wizengamot Administration Services
Level 3 Level 4
Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures
Accidental Magic Reversal Squad · Invisibility Task Force · Muggle Liaison Office · Muggle-Worthy Excuse Committee · Obliviator Headquarters Beast Division · Being Division · Centaur Liaison Office · Goblin Liaison Office · Office for House-Elf Relocation · Office of Misinformation · Pest Advisory Board · Spirit Division
Level 5 Level 6
Department of International Magical Co-operation Department of Magical Transportation
International Confederation of Wizards, British Seats · International Magical Office of Law · International Magical Trading Standards Body Apparition Test Centre · Broom Regulatory Control · Floo Network Authority · Portkey Office
Level 7 Level 8
Department of Magical Games and Sports The Atrium
British and Irish Quidditch League Headquarters · Official Gobstones Club · Ludicrous Patents Office Lobby and Reception Area · Fountain of Magical Brethren · Magic is Might monument · Ministry Munchies · Security Desk · Lifts · Magical Maintenance Office
Level 9 Level 10
Department of Mysteries Wizengamot Courtrooms
Hall of Prophecy · Death Chamber · Brain Room · Time Chamber · Space Chamber · Love Chamber Courtroom Ten
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