- "The Ministry of Magic is undertaking a survey of so-called "Muggle-borns," the better to understand how they came to possess magical secrets. Recent research undertaken by the Department of Mysteries reveals that magic can only be passed from person to person when Wizards reproduce. Where no proven Wizarding ancestry exists, therefore, the so-called Muggle-born is likely to have obtained magical power by theft or force. The Ministry is determined to root out such usurpers of magical power, and to this end has issued an invitation to every so-called Muggle-born to present themselves for interview by the newly appointed Muggle-born Registration Commission"
- — Daily Prophet discussing the Commission[src]
The Muggle-Born Registration Commission was set up by the Ministry of Magic following Lord Voldemort's takeover on 1 August 1997. The public goal of the Commission was to force all Muggle-born wizards and witches to register with the Ministry, then undergo interrogation as to how they "stole" their magical power from "real" wizards and witches.
In truth, the Commission was a deeply prejudicial institution that focused its resources on degradation and imprisonment of Muggle-borns. Dolores Umbridge was the head of the commission.
History[]
Founding[]
- Ron Weasley: "People won't let this happen."
- Remus Lupin: "It is happening, Ron. Muggle-borns are being rounded up as we speak."
- — The commission's actions during the height of the war[src]
The Muggle-Born signup was set up within a month[1] of Lord Voldemort taking over the Ministry of Magic, supposedly because the Department of Mysteries conducted research which found that magic could only be inherited and thus any "so-called Muggle-born" must have obtained magic by thievery. The Commission was then set up, ostensibly, in order to investigate this. This news was reported by the Daily Prophet.[2]
In reality, the Commission was an instrument of discrimination against Muggle-borns in line with Death Eater ideology. Although they claimed to have "issued an invitation" for Muggle-borns to meet with the Commission, the Commission in fact forced Muggle-borns to turn themselves in, sending Snatchers against any who tried to avoid them. Some people pursued by Snatchers, such as Dirk Cresswell and Ted Tonks, did not survive the encounter.[3] Furthermore, their "interviews" were shams, fully intent on sending innocent Muggle-borns to Azkaban, or stripping them of their wands and jobs, leaving them impoverished. Despite Ronald Weasley believing the claims within the news to be too ludicrous for people to accept, let alone permit, the community nevertheless accepted the Commission's foundation and Muggle-borns were arrested.[4]
Furthermore, pure-bloods who had pro-Muggle ideals were kept on constant surveillance by the Commission, as they were blood traitors, which the Ministry's new regime considered unacceptable. Arthur Weasley, being both a Muggle enthusiast and a member of the Order of the Phoenix, was marked in his file as tracked.[4] Luckily, half-bloods, despite being against the Death Eaters' ideology of purity, were allowed to remain as citizens within the community, as they had technically "legally inherited" magic, though they were treated with less respect due to dilution.
Actions[]
- "Harry felt sickened and angry: At this moment, excited eleven-year-olds would be poring over stacks of newly purchased spell-books, unaware that they would never see Hogwarts, perhaps never see their families again either."
- — Harry Potter's reaction to hearing what would happen to Muggle-born children[src]
The Commission had Muggle-borns who registered fill out questionnaires about their family history and then wait for their trial behind bars in the Ministry of Magic. While awaiting trial, they were guarded by Dementors and threatened with the Dementor's Kiss if they resisted. Trials were held by Commission head Dolores Umbridge, who was assisted by Death Eater and head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement Yaxley at times.
Travers, another Death Eater, may also have been involved, as Umbridge once mentioned him sending someone to record-keep for her. Those who could not prove that they had magical heritage — in other words, any Muggle-born and potentially some half-bloods — were sentenced to Azkaban for having "stolen" magic.[4] Some, however, were apparently released after being stripped of their wands and their jobs, and ended up homeless[5].
This led some Muggle-borns to fake their family trees, such as Dirk Cresswell;[4] others to refuse to register and go on the run, such as Ted Tonks.[6] These individuals were pursued by Snatchers, sometimes fatally. Their deaths were not reported by news outlets such as the Daily Prophet, only by the rebellious radio programme Potterwatch.[3]
Also, attendance at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry became mandatory for the first time. Part of the reason for this was to weed out Muggle-borns, as all students were required to prove blood status. Thus, children who could not prove that they had magical ancestry — such as Dean Thomas, whose mother was a Muggle and whose father was a wizard, but had left when Dean was younger, making it impossible to prove — were rounded up as well, or forced to go on the run. This held true even for Muggle-borns who were invited (or rather, forced) to attend first year at Hogwarts, only to be taken away for imprisonment.
The Commission also seemed to distribute propaganda against Muggle-borns, such as a pamphlet entitled "Mudbloods and the Dangers They Pose to a Peaceful Pure-Blood Society".[4]
Infiltration of the Ministry[]
- Dolores Umbridge: "Could you please tell us from which witch or wizard you took that wand?"
- Mrs Cattermole: "T-took? I didn't t-take it from anybody. I bought it when I was eleven years old. It — it — it — chose me."
- Dolores Umbridge: "No, no, I don't think so, Mrs Cattermole. Wands only choose witches or wizards. You are not a witch."
- — Umbridge interrogating Mary Cattermole[src]
Harry Potter and Hermione Granger encountered the Commission when they, along with Ron Weasley, entered the Ministry of Magic in 1997 to take Salazar Slytherin's locket from Dolores Umbridge. Before they could decide what to do, Hermione, disguised as Mafalda Hopkirk with Polyjuice Potion, was sent down to the courtrooms with Umbrige to witness the trial of Mary Cattermole and Ron, disguised as Reginald Cattermole, was forced to stop it raining in Yaxley's office.
Harry, disguised as Albert Runcorn, went to level one of the Ministry to search Umbridge's office for the Horcrux locket, and found himself faced in an open area where employees were assembling anti-"Mudblood" pamphlets. Harry spotted Moody's magical eye affixed to the door of Umbridge's office and to create a diversion, set a Decoy Detonator.
During the confusion, Harry entered Umbridge's office. He found it decorated exactly like her Hogwarts office, with the horribly cute kitten plates on the wall and the lace doilies on the desks. Also everything in the office was in various shaded of pink. Looking through the small telescope on the door, he saw that everyone was gathered around the Decoy Detonator's remains. He then removed Moody's eye and pocketed it, then tried unsuccessfully to summon the locket. Harry found a file on Arthur Weasley, who was noted as a pure-blood likely to be contacted by "Undesirable Number 1", Harry himself. Mr Weasley was also being tracked. Harry deemed it unlikely the locket was here and Harry exited unseen, returning to the lift. He must now find Ron and collect Hermione from the courtroom.
Covered under the invisibility cloak, Harry headed for the courtrooms to extract Hermione while Ron was busy with Yaxley's office. Harry recognised an unnatural chill: Dementors were guarding Muggle-born witches and wizards waiting to be interrogated. Mary Cattermole was called and Harry followed her into the courtroom. Inside, two Dementors were kept at bay by a cat Patronus and Umbridge, Hermione (as Mafalda), and Yaxley, were interrogating Cattermole, demanding to know whose wand she had stolen. Seeing the locket around Umbridge's neck, Hermione complimented her about it: Umbridge claimed the S initial was for Selwyn, an old pure-blood wizarding family she was honoured to be related to. This lie proved too much for Harry, who furiously stunned Umbridge, as well as, before the Death Eater could react, Yaxley.
With Umbridge's Patronus no longer holding the Dementors at bay, Harry quickly cast his own just in time to save Mary from receiving the Dementor's Kiss. Harry released the chains binding Mary, while Hermione created a duplicate locket to replace the real one. Escorted by Harry and Hermione's Patronuses, the three exited the courtrooms. Gathering the other Muggle-borns, Harry said the new official position was to disguise themselves and leave the country or at least avoid the Ministry. Meeting Ron at the lifts, Mary Cattermole hugged him, believing he was her husband, Reg. Ron warned them that the Ministry knew they were there and was closing off the fireplaces: they must hurry to escape. At the Atrium, Harry sent the Muggle-borns through the remaining open fireplaces.
Amidst the confusion, Yaxley appeared, ordering workers to seal all fireplaces. As Ron escaped with Mary Cattermole, Yaxley fired a curse at Harry as he exited with Hermione. Back in the lavatory, Yaxley appeared in the cubicle behind Harry. Grabbing Hermione and Ron, Harry Disapparated. He briefly saw Grimmauld Place's front door, then heard a bang and they were soon Apparating away. Having broken the Fidelius Charm by bringing Yaxley within the limits of the spell while Disapparating, the trio had to abandon the house as Hermione Apparated them elsewhere.[4]
Disbandment[]
The Muggle-Born Registration Commission was disbanded after Voldemort's defeat when Kingsley Shacklebolt became Minister for Magic in 1998. Umbridge was sentenced to Azkaban herself for her crimes against Muggle-borns as head of the Commission, as some of her victims who were incarcerated in Azkaban did not survive in the devilish prison.[7] Yaxley was also arrested or killed during the Battle of Hogwarts. It is unknown what happened to the other members of the department.
Impact[]
Once inside the Ministry, the trio saw how extensively Voldemort's corruption and perversion had spread, and the extreme measures being implemented to separate the "racially impure" from "pure-blooded" wizard society. Anyone not directly serving Lord Voldemort was controlled through his minions, mostly with threats and violence. It appeared there was little resistance and as Voldemort gained more power, many wizards feared for themselves or their loved ones who could be branded as "undesirables" and be incarcerated.
There were still many in the general wizarding population who were simply ignorant about what was happening, while others were fearful and/or uncertain what to believe or who to trust. Voldemort deliberately created this confusion by quietly and insidiously seizing control of the Ministry and other key institutions while spreading anti-Muggle propaganda. He remained unseen — though his return had now been public knowledge for a year: by staying concealed he allowed rumour to do his work, spreading fear and doubt, while never providing the public a specific target to rally against.
Meanwhile, the thoroughly corrupt and reprehensible Dolores Umbridge revelled in her position as Head of the Muggle-Born Registration Commission. Bloated with power, she had dedicated herself to purging "impurities" from the wizarding world, much as she did while at Hogwarts, and readily abused her authority to persecute those deemed unworthy. From what could be seen at the hearing Umbridge was presiding over, it appeared that all Muggle-borns were being rounded up, probably to be sent to Azkaban, deported, or exterminated. "Blood traitors", shielded to some extent by their blood status, were nonetheless being watched more closely as well.
Known members[]
Known victims[]
Wizard(s) | Notes |
---|---|
Alderton | Sentenced to Azkaban for "stealing magic". |
Mary Cattermole | Subjected to a biased trial, escaped due to Harry Potter.[4] |
Dirk Cresswell | Forced to forge his family tree and go on the run when this was discovered: eventually killed by Snatchers.[3] |
Dean Thomas | Forced to go on the run:[6] eventually captured and briefly imprisoned in the dungeons of Malfoy Manor. |
Ted Tonks | Forced to go on the run: eventually killed by Snatchers.[3] |
Various others[5] | Various people reduced to being beggars on the streets. |
Substantial number of inmates in Azkaban. | |
Hermione Granger | Highly wanted, due to her Muggle-born status and evading registry with the Commission, but primarily because she was on the run with Harry Potter destroying Horcruxes. Fenrir Greyback discovered her identity when she, Ron Weasley and Harry Potter were caught by a gang of Snatchers despite her lie of being Penelope Clearwater and narrowly escaped being taken to the Ministry when Greyback found out who Harry Potter was and took them to Malfoy Manor resulting in the Skirmish at Malfoy Manor and Hermione's torture. |
Behind the scenes[]
- In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, apart from just Arthur Weasley's file, Dolores Umbridge, as Head of the Commission, maintained another number of files on those of concern to the commission, including Albus Dumbledore's file, Alastor Moody's file, Sirius Black's file and Hermione Granger's file.
Appearances[]
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (First appearance)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
- Harry Potter: The Character Vault (Mentioned only)
- The Art of Harry Potter: Mini Book of Graphic Design
Notes and references[]
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 11 (The Bribe): "[...]by the newly appointed Muggle-born Registration Commission", printed on 1 September ("at this moment excited eleven-year-olds would be poring over newly purchased spellbooks, unaware that they would never see Hogwarts, perhaps never see their families again, either."
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 11 (The Bribe)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 22 (The Deathly Hallows)
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 13 (The Muggle-Born Registration Commission)
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 26 (Gringotts)
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 15 (The Goblin's Revenge)
- ↑ 30 July 2007 Leaky Cauldron Web Chat with J.K. Rowling