To Muggles, the stories of King Arthur (including
Merlin) are thought to be a myth. Muggles believe that Merlin was only granted
the gift of magic because his mother was raped by a demon while still a virgin.
The Muggles’ legend continues that Merlin found himself to be King Uther
Pendragon’s personal sorcerer. Uther desired Igraine, the wife of his enemy,
with whom he was attempting to create peace. Uther desired the woman so much,
that he persuaded Merlin to enchant him so that he sounded and looked like her
husband King Gorlois, in order to have one night with her. This happened to be
the night Arthur was conceived. After he was born, Merlin rushed Arthur away to
a village where he secretly entrusted the child to another family. Arthur grew
up without knowledge of his heritage, until Uther was killed by his daughter
Morgan Le Fey. She grew bitter and evil towards her father, because now that
her mother and Gorlois were both dead, Uther was able to marry Igraine and take
Gorlois’ land for his own. Morgana, as she was sometimes known, desired the
kingdom and power for herself. Unfortunately she knew nothing about Uther’s
illegitimate son. After Uther was killed, Merlin rushed to the village where he
had placed Arthur in the care of Sir Ector. Arthur, now a grown man, followed
Merlin back to take his rightful place as king and to rid his evil half-sister
of power. This proved to be harder than anticipated because Morgan Le Fey had
magic.



Merlin eventually became Arthur’s greatest advisor
and helped him become king. The kingdom, though, was torn between loyalty to
Morgana and loyatly to Arthur. Merlin, many years previously, enchanted a
sword, Excalibur, to be stuck in a stone until the rightful owner tried to take
it for his own. People did not know it was Merlin’s doing, but instead that the
sword was placed in the stone by the Gods. Arthur manages to pull Excalibur
from the stone. People all around the different kingdoms hear about this and
they flock to him for leadership. Arthur is quickly thereafter crowned as king
of all of England, with his throne in the castle of Camelot.



Later, barons and knights suggested it was time
for Arthur to get a wife and Arthur chooses a woman by the name of Guinevere.
However, Merlin foresees that Guinevere will betray Arthur, because one of
Arthur’s own knight’s, Sir Lancelot, will fall in love with her. But Arthur
would not listen and soon the two of them were married. Merlin’s prediction
would become a reality later on.



One day, King Pellinor, brings a lady to King Arthur’s
court. A lady, by the name of Nimue. She is today known as the Damsel of the
Lake. Merlin falls in love with Nimue, and he doesn’t leave her side at any
time possible. Nimue is interested in Merlin’s magical gift and Merlin teaches
her all the magic he knows. Nimue later accommodates him to the land of Benwick
were Merlin saw Lancelot, and predicted, that he would one day be known as the
most honourable and noble knights in all of England. On their travels, Nimue
realises the affections Merlin has for her and she sees the potential in this.
They came to a cave were she saw her great chance to be rid of Merlin. She uses
his own magic against him, and trapped him inside the cave, never to see the
brightness of the sun ever again.



However, we as witches and wizards, knows the true
story of mighty Merlin:



Wizard Version



It is true that Merlin had magic, but the Muggles
just didn’t know to what extent. Merlin was accepted to Hogwarts School of
Witchcraft and Wizardry when he was young, just like many other witches and
wizards. Muggles in the Middle Ages believed magic was something that one was
taught, and surely enough one could be taught certain types like potions.
However, there also exists a certain kind of magic that comes from within, some
kind of magic that cannot be taught. Merlin was one of a kind.



He was sorted into Slytherin, and it soon became
apparent that Merlin was meant for something great.



Merlin’s mother was no virgin, nor was she raped
by a demon. His mother was actually a witch, who fell in love with a Muggle. In
order not to implicate her love or herself, she lied about Merlin’s origins.



Merlin did extraordinary things at Hogwarts, and
he would soon be acknowledged as the greatest and most talented wizard Hogwarts
had ever seen. Not much is known about Merlin’s school years, but there are a
few things we do know.



Merlin’s wand is said to have been made of oak,
although this cannot be proven because neither his wand nor his grave has ever
been found.



Supposedly, Merlin became the trusted
advisor/sorcerer to Uther Pendragon because a dragon had revealed parts of the
future to Merlin. Uther had captured this dragon as a young man, and kept it
prisoner deep in the underground of his castle.



Only dragonlords can speak with and understand dragons,
and Merlin was fortunate to have this special gift. The dragon told him that
one day Uther Pendragon would become the father of a boy who would be named
Arthur, and together Arthur and he would build a world called Albion, where
magic would once again flourish throughout the land. Uther had previously
forbidden magic in his kingdom because he was afraid that if magic was
permitted, he would lose his power to a warlock or witch. Only Merlin was
permitted to use his magic, in order to help Uther in every way possible.



Merlin indeed helped Uther to change his
appearance so he could steal a night with the married Igraine. This is the
first known usage of what later came to be called the Polyjuice Potion.



Arthur was born and hidden by Merlin in a nearby
town so that he would later become the king that the dragon had prophesized.



As told in the Muggle myths of Merlin and Arthur,
Uther was killed by his daughter Morgan Le Fey (sometimes known as Morgana),
mainly because she wanted the kingdom and power for herself. (Morgana also
attended Hogwarts as a child, but it is unknown to what house she belonged.)
Merlin brought Arthur back to claim his rightful place on the throne, but in
the process gained an enemy in Morgana forever.



Merlin did indeed place the sword Excalibur in the
stone for the rightful king of England to claim, and when Arthur pulled the
sword from the stone, he won the trust of the citizens of England. They
answered to his leadership rather than Morgana’s.



When Uther died, Merlin released the dragon from
its prison, but kept a close friendship with the creature. Merlin was no seer,
like the Muggles believed him to be. It was the dragon who told Merlin about
Guinevere’s eventual fleshly betrayal of Arthur with Sir Lancelot. However, as
in the Muggle legend, Arthur would not listen to Merlin and decided to marry
Guinevere after all. It was true that both Sir Lancelot and Guinevere betrayed
King Arthur. However, this was primarily due to a spell that Morgana cast on
Guinevere. She was drawn to Sir Lancelot and ended up kissing him. King Arthur
found out and almost had burned Guinevere at the stake and Sir Lancelot exiled,
but Merlin discovered the truth and explained everything to Arthur. Merlin was
able to undo the spell and everything remained in peace at Camelot. Arthur’s
and Guinevere’s relationship was never the same though. After the episode, Sir
Lancelot did everything he could to restore his honour and was later known as
the greatest and noblest knight of Arthur’s court.



It is also true that King Pellinor once brought a
young woman to court named Nimue, known as the Damsel of the Lake. Merlin was
an old man by then, but he was besotted with her. She was also born with the
gift of magic, but had never attended Hogwarts. It is not known why. She sought
to learn magic from Merlin, and he taught her everything she knew. They even
travelled to find a wand for her. When they finally found the right quality for
her wand, Nimue believed that she did not need Merlin any more. She realised
that she could be even greater than him and did not want him around. Nimue
tricked Merlin into a cave, broke his wand in half, used his own magic against
him and forced him to die a merciless death in the cave.

Nimue later bragged of her accomplishment against the greatest wizard in
history, but she never did reveal the location of the cave.



There are stories that claim that Merlin escaped
the cave and returned to Arthur’s court, albeit wandless and unable to perform
magic anymore. However, these are believed to be just rumour.



Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is both the
oldest and most accomplished wizarding school ever established. Built around
990 A.D., it set a precedent that then the rest of the world would soon follow.
Other prominent European schools such as Beauxbaton’s Academy of Magic and
Durmstrang Institute were not established until after Hogwarts’ initial
success.





Godric
Gryffindor



Along with Hogwarts’ three other founders, Godric
Gryffindor is considered to be one of the most talented wizards of all time,
known especially for his duelling prowess. Of all the founders, Godric was closest to Salazar Slytherin. However, by
the time that Salazar had fully formulated his intention to ban Muggle-born
wizards to Hogwarts, their friendship had been severed. Born in a moor village
(now known as Godric’s Hollow) to Muggle parents, Godric’s sensitivity towards
Muggle-borns were certainly understandable, and, even though he had never told
Salazar of his heritage, their break over this issue was inevitable.



Godric was known for his
admirable bravery and loyalty. Those who duelled him found him to be a
fearless, if slightly reckless, opponent. In early years, he often duelled to
defend Salazar when he found a witch or wizard foolish enough to slander his
friend. When Godric with the remaining two founders ejected Salazar from any
further association with Hogwarts, Godric was devastated. During the rest of
his years serving at Hogwarts, he held particular favour for students who would
stand up to their friends, combining his two favourite qualities of bravery and
loyalty with a bit of his own personal experience.



Rowena
Ravenclaw



Rowena
was born in Scotland in 976 A.D. From her youth, she possessed an innate
proclivity for knowledge. She was skilled in all areas of scholastic magic and
dabbled in other areas such as magical architecture. As a young witch, Rowena
studied wandlore extensively before designing and creating her own wand.



Throughout
her youth and early adulthood, Rowena dedicated herself to learning as much
about everything as she could. Her home, the ruins of which are now a popular
Scottish tour site, was covered wall to ceiling in books spanning every subject
imaginable. Those who came into contact with her, Muggle, witch, and wizard
alike, often shied away from both her undeniable beauty and daunting
vocabulary. As such, Rowena formed very few relationships in her lifetime. At
age twenty, nevertheless, Rowena met Jares Ravenclaw, a magical philosopher ten
years her senior. While Rowena did her best to discourage him, love-struck
Jares was persistent and eventually won her over.



Helga
Hufflepuff, Jares’ cousin, met Rowena shortly thereafter, and the two formed a
close friendship that led to Rowena’s introduction into the project that became
Hogwarts. As a founder, Rowena threw her entire self into the school, designing
several key portions of the castle, most notably the innovative enchanted
staircases that contain magic that still baffles witches and wizards today. The
witch also taught the most varied subjects of the founders to her young
students, encompassing everything from Transfiguration to Herbology (although
she steadfastly refused to teach Divination).



Rowena
was widowed when a wizard’s misfired spell killed her husband. Rowena then
moved into the castle with her young daughter Helena and threw herself even
further into her work. As Helena grew older, she resented her mother and
eventually fled the castle, taking with her the fabled diadem of wisdom.
Although Godric and Helga both knew the truth, Rowena denied that her daughter
had run away. Often, Rowena left the castle to search for her daughter, always
under the guise of doing something else. Her friends and co-founders allowed
Rowena her pride and soon hired another two full-time professors to cover
Rowena’s frequent absences.



After
years of searching to no avail, Rowena’s health declined rapidly until she was
bedridden. Desperate, Rowena instructed Baron Rasmus, a man who had long loved
her daughter, to find Helena. The Baron soon located his love, who in turn
rejected him. In anger, he killed her and, full of remorse, then killed
himself. Almost luckily, Rowena died of her illness and a broken heart before
she could hear the news.



Upon her death, Rowena’s
extensive library was donated to Hogwarts and even still comprises over half of
the school’s total book count.



Helga
Hufflepuff



Helga
Hufflepuff, while also one of the most talented witches of her time, used her
magic in mostly maternal ways. Considered by many to have cared more about the
mental well-being of her students than any of the other founders, Helga was
known to take many students under her wing every year. Because of this, Helga
was very seldom alone.



Born
in Wales to low-class, magical parents, her parents were unable to have any
children after Helga was born, but they adopted a Muggle boy and girl as well
as a young wizard. This diversity and wide collection of different ideas helped
build Helga into the legendarily tolerant witch that she became.



Helga
was the only one of the founders who was significantly immersed in Muggle
culture, as Godric’s magical abilities were discovered early on, and he then
spent most of his time learning from the wizard who ‘discovered’ him. Helga
attended school for young Muggles with her adopted siblings until the age of
thirteen. She and her wizard brother often received extremely low marks in
school because they spent most of their time outside of school practicing
magic. As Helga’s magical talents became more apparent, her parents scrimped
and saved to pay for her to study with some of the most clever witches and
wizards of the time. She worked her hardest to learn everything that they knew
and eventually surpassed them all.



She
met Godric and Salazar when they were travelling together in search of
adventure. Being several years older than the wizards, she provided a maternal,
caring figure that both the young men craved. She kept in close contact with
the two wizards as they grew older, and through her experiences watching them
grow had the idea to create a wizarding school. With her discovery of Godric
and Salazar and inclusion of Rowena, her project had all the components it
needed to begin.



Salazar
Slytherin



Salazar
Slytherin had many unusual magical talents. As a young boy, his friendship with
Godric began when Salazar challenged Godric to a duel, then used Legilimency to
anticipate the other boy’s move and quickly disarm him. Too impressed to be
offended, Godric offered friendship on the condition that Salazar never read
his mind again. To even Salazar’s own surprise, it was a promise that he kept
for the entire time that they were on good terms.



Growing
up, Salazar’s wealthy parents kept him segregated from Muggles, never quite
explaining to Salazar why they did so. One day, a Muggle boy was bullying a
Muggle girl whom Salazar found quite beautiful. Seeing a serpent nearby,
Salazar used Parseltongue to set the snake on the boy. The frightened girl ran
back to her village to fetch adults, who returned to find the boy dead from the
snake’s venom. The girl implicated Salazar, and the boy’s father went in search
of the young wizard. When found, Salazar was nearly murdered in a brutal
beating administered by the boy’s father, but Salazar’s own parents discovered
the scene and killed the man.



This
experience planted seeds of distrust and hatred in Salazar that later defined him.
When he told Helga, Godric, and Rowena of his plan to bar Muggle-borns from
Hogwarts, he was genuinely surprised at Godric’s and Rowena’s adamant refusals.
Salazar had expected Helga to strongly disapprove, but hoped that with the
support of the others he could convince her otherwise.



As
Salazar had kept his promise to stay out of Godric’s mind, he had no idea that
his friend was Muggle-born. As for Rowena, she had never considered the idea
that Muggle-borns were any different than pure-bloods, and when asked to
consider the concept, she was able to quickly decide that she liked them both
equally.



Full
of bitterness and still hoping to ‘cleanse’ the school, Salazar created the
Chamber of Secrets and placed a basilisk within that mirrored the hate in his
heart. Godric, sensing that Salazar was practicing a very Dark magic, attempted
to use Legilimency against him. Betrayed, Salazar pushed Godric out of
his mind and with that contact finally discovered Godric’s heritage. That push,
along with the continued and ever-growing hostility of the other founders,
convinced Salazar to leave Hogwarts, but not before preparing the Chamber.


Hogwarts has not always been the seven-story
castle it is today. While proper documentation has never been found, popular
theory claims that the founders originally built a structure that resembled a
mansion, or a schoolhouse. However, the founders optimistically believed that
Hogwarts would grow to the point where students would no longer fit within its
walls. With this in mind, they enchanted the building to grow along with the
number of students. While Godric Gryffindor, Salazar Slytherin, and Helga Hufflepuff
did most of the collaborative spellwork, Rowena Ravenclaw designed and then
inserted most of the architecture of the castle into the original building on a
theoretical basis. Small features of the original structure were later
magnified into more magnificent structures as Hogwarts grew into a castle. In
order to keep students constantly on their toes, Rowena enchanted the different
rooms on each floor to occasionally change position. This ability was gradually
adopted by other parts of the castle, manifesting itself in features such as
the changing staircases.



Over the course of his time at Hogwarts, Salazar
filled nearly every wall space with moving portraits and photographs. While
some historians (who believe Salazar’s eventual dismissal from the castle
stemmed from a gradual mental breakdown) insist it was because of a growing
paranoia, most believe that he was at full mental capacity at his departure,
and used the portraits to spy on his fellow founders in order to learn titbits
of information he could later use against them.



The portraits are not strictly a part of shady
business, however, as their allegiances change often. Many a witch and wizard
who spend genuine time with a portrait or two have received timely token
favours.



Common
Rooms



At the time of Hogwarts’ creation, only a few
rooms were reserved for each founder’s students, but like many other features,
each set of rooms eventually expanded and gathered into separate wings
displaying trademark characteristics of each of their patrons.



Location



The location of Hogwarts is somewhat vague, though
it is known to be in the Scottish Highlands, near the all-wizard village of
Hogsmeade. Hogwarts provides many learning opportunities for its students.
Behind the castle lies the Black Lake, approximately a half mile in diameter.
The lake houses several other species, including grindylows, an enormous giant
squid, and a colony of mer-people.



The Black Lake has commonly been given a negative
reputation. This belief may stem from the fact that Slytherin house has been
tied to its depths in more than one way. Not only is the Slytherin common room
located beneath the lake itself, but prevailing rumours insist that Salazar’s
Chamber of Secrets was also created somewhere nearby.



To the right of the main castle is a dense forest,
known by students as “The Forbidden Forest.” With few exceptions are students
allowed to enter, although the forest offers supplies and educational tools for
many classes such as Care of Magical Creatures and Herbology. The forest has
not been explored thoroughly by any witch or wizard, but many creatures have
been found within, from centaurs to unicorns to thestrals. A small hut lies on
the outskirts of the forest that serves as either a supply building or the
Gamekeeper’s house, depending largely on the amount of fear each Hogwarts
Gamekeeper has held for The Forbidden Forest. The current Hogwarts Gamekeeper,
Rubeus Hagrid, has dedicated a large amount of time to unearthing the mysteries
of the Forbidden Forest. Through his research, Hagrid has discovered many
surprising facts about various Magical Beasts, including the Acromantula.



Hogwarts’ Quidditch pitch lies to the left of the
castle, and is very large for the time in which it was built. By today’s
standards, the Hogwarts pitch houses minimal seating, even though portions of
it have been rebuilt numerous times. Unruly bludgers and other forms of
destruction constantly require rebuilding of the outer walls and stands, but
Hogwarts staff remains determined that the structure should remain the same.



The remainder of the grounds are largely empty, with the exception of the
Whomping Willow. Recently grown and from unknown origins, the tree has become a
sort of school symbol. While few (if any) would claim any affection for the
tree, its quirkiness seamlessly adds to the many mysteries of Hogwarts.



Britain has given birth to a myriad of wizards and
witches, all having contributed to the progress of the wizard community in some
way. Each wizard and witch that turns 17 comes of age and lays the foundation
for a progressive wizard community. They will become the future wand makers,
potion masters, seers, aurors and the like, and each bears a responsibility to
pass on something new to include in the knowledge tree of the different
branches of magic.

Throughout the course of history, there have been
a few individuals who have particularly stepped up and were recognized for
their contribution to wizard kind. They have created something that will
benefit future generations of wizards, or have sparked controversy that led to
a possible shift in the decision-making process. These wizards are to be
honored for they spent their lives shaping and re-forming wizarding society
into what we see today.



There are a total of 593 brilliant British wizards
honoured in the British Hall of Fame located in the Museum of Magic, Oxford.
They have made a significant contribution in a variety of ways, ranging from
the invention of the self-stirring cauldron, to the revision of Magical Rights
and Privileges. Noted wizards who are considered experts in their line of work
are honoured with the Order of Merlin. A dinner banquet is held at the end of
each year to recognize new and rising personalities, and to unveil their
painting in the British Hall of Fame. Paintings of their likeness are also
often hung in institutions where they once held office.



Muggle Relations: Sir Nicholas Weasley



Sir Weasley is an avid Muggle supporter and
confidante to the reigning Muggle monarch. He was born in Linconshire in 1901.
He was born a pureblood and was part of the only wizarding family in a Muggle
community. At the time, pureblood fanaticism was just a rumour, and his parents
allowed him to mingle with the Muggle children before he began studying at
Hogwarts. His friendship with Muggles lasted even as he spent his seven years
at Hogwarts. Every summer, he would return and immerse himself in the Muggle
way of life. He took up classes in Circuitry, the use of wires to transfer
‘electricity’, and Car Repair, to learn how to mend a certain form of Muggle
contraption used for travelling. He also studied Muggle Law and took up courses
at Oxford University where he received a degree in Legal Management. At the
time, Muggle relations were kept to a minimum, owing to the fact that Muggles
considered wizards to be dodgy characters. Upon his graduation, Sir Weasley
served as an advocate for Muggle relations as well as Muggle-born wizard
equality; wizards from Muggle families were considered a lower class to the
purebloods. Rallies and picket lines swept the country and he was often charged
and imprisoned for his cause. In 1954, a bill was passed that allowed all
Muggle-born wizards to be granted the same rights as pureblood wizards. An
office was set up in the Ministry of Magic to cater to all forms of
Muggle-related activities including: Muggle relations to the Prime Minister,
Misuse of Muggle Artefacts, Muggle-worthy Excuse Committee and the like.



Sir Weasley is also a very famous horticulturist
in the Muggle world. His contributions are often found unbelievable by many,
but his extensive knowledge in plant care has earned him the right to visit the
Royal gardens as he wishes. He was knighted in 1960 following his brave act of
rescuing Queen Elizabeth II from a very nasty encounter with the Devil’s Snare
plant. He was also awarded the Order of Merlin First Class.



He currently consults for the Ministry of Magic
Muggle Relations division. He is the Director of the Wizard Herbologist Society
and a speaker at many Muggle conventions. He still resides in Linconshire
within an unplottable area surrounded by a forest of Bubotubers.



Beasts and Beings: Newton Artemis Fido Scamander



‘Newt’ Scamander is a very influential wizard in
the field of beast research. A graduate of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and
Wizardry, Mr. Scamander was already showing promise in the subject Care For
Magical Creatures at a young age. He excelled greatly in his N.E.W.T. exams
(perhaps because it shares the same letters as his nickname) which gave him the
opportunity to work for the Department for the Control and Regulation of
Magical Creatures. During his stay in the Ministry, he created the Werewolf
Register Act in 1947, and the Ban on Experimental Breeding Act in 1965. He used his contacts and experience during
his stay in the department as his references for the creation of his famous
book Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find It, currently in its fifty-second
edition. Mr. Scamander also takes frequent trips abroad to hone his knowledge
of magical beasts. He was awarded the Order of Merlin, Second Class in 1979.



Arts and Letters: Leonard Mauricio Ogden



A brilliant artist skilled in the use of the Tripophone,
Mr. Ogden ensured that the magic of music never left the hearts of wizards. As
lead Tripophone player of the hot band sensation Three’s a Crowded Inn, Mr.
Ogden and his band members created music that spoke of life experiences. His
influence began during the mid-1920s at the same time that wizards began
obsessing over the power that wands were able to produce. Three’s a Crowded Inn
produced songs that spoke of socio-political issues such as ‘Let the Mudblood
Do His Stuff’, which gave very explicit details regarding the social statuses
of Muggle-born wizards. Their songs often sparked controversy, especially from
parents of impressionable children who considered their music ‘a doppelganger
of the dark arts’. The band was forced into hiding when a group of wizards
declared that they would hex them during their next public appearance.



Mr. Ogden can currently be found discussing social
issues and writing songs independently. His wireless show “The Word of the Owl”
is a highly acclaimed segment on independent news correspondence. Mr. Ogden has
no home because even now the parents who objected to his music- who probably
have grandchildren by now- still hold a vendetta against him. You can catch him
on the wireless whenever a controversy sparks. His most recent episode was
about the sacking of Cornelius Fudge, which he favoured greatly.



Defence Against the Dark Arts: Augusta Peverell



She is the tenth generation of a great wizarding
family: the Peverells. She is a direct descendant of Ignotus Peverell, one of
the first occupants of the wizard community of Godric’s Hollow.



This surname is often associated with the classic
‘The Tale of the Three Brothers’ by Beedle the Bard. Ignotus is thought to be
the brother who asks for a Cloak of Invisibility from Death. Augusta Peverell,
along with her strong line of ancestors has been fighting the Dark Arts from the
very beginning. Little is known about the Peverell family, except that their
lineage has produced many great wizards who fought against the Dark Arts. Paradoxically,
Lord Voldemort’s lineage may also be traced back to the Peverells. Augusta is
famous for ridding the Forest of Dean of a large group of Dementors. Her
actions, however dangerous at a time when the Patronus spell has yet to be
invented, are honoured by the wizards in the area who suffered from long-term
depression. A statue in her likeness was built deep in the forest and has
become a travel destination for tourists.



If you trace Augusta’s ancestry, you will see that
her descendants include James Potter, member of the Order of the Phoenix, and
his son Harry Potter, the Boy who Lived.



Education: Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore



Also known as Professor Dumbledore, a man
well-loved by students, staff members and political figures alike throughout
Britain. The eldest son of Percival and Kendra Dumbledore, his life would shine
with all the fame and success any wizard can dream of before being tarnished by
an ugly past.



Dumbledore was born in Mould-on-the-Wold in 1881
but later moved to Godric’s Hollow after a tragic accident involving his
younger sister Ariana and the imprisonment of his father. A gifted Gryffindor,
he was rewarded for his wit and dedication by winning the Barnabus Finkely
Prize for Exceptional Spell-Casting in his 7th year. He also became the British
Youth Representative to the Wizengamot, and received the gold medal for Ground-Breaking
Contribution to the International Alchemical Conference in Cairo.



Dumbledore’s secret anti-Muggle sentiments were
unleashed after meeting the wizard Grindelwald. However, due to a disagreement
with Gridelwald which lead to a duel that killed his beloved sister Ariana, his
sentiments changed and he stopped speaking to Grindelwald. He would not see him again until their later
duel in 1945 at Grindelwald’s height of power.
Dumbledore came out victorious, earning more admirers and opportunities
for power.



He was asked to succeed as Minister of Magic
several times during his lifetime but declined them all. He was a modest man
and preferred to teach Transfiguration at Hogwarts, although he soon became
Headmaster (a post he held at the time of the 1st and 2nd Wizarding Wars). He
was the founder of the Order of the Phoenix, a society that rallied and fought
against the dark forces headed by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. The Order was a
rallying point for all who opposed the Dark Arts.



Dumbledore often made acquaintances with very
prominent wizards and witches throughout his life. He worked on alchemy with
renowned alchemist Nicolas Flamel, discussed history with Bathilda Bagshot, and
astounded Griselda Marchbanks with his extraordinary wand work.



Dumbledore served as Supreme Mugwump of the
International Confederation of Wizards, and as Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot
at various points in his life. He also discovered the Twelve Uses of Dragon’s
Blood. He is a fan of chamber music and ten pin bowling as stated on the
Dumbledore collectible card found in packs of Chocolate Frogs.

Before the creation of any official wizarding
governing body in Britain, witches and wizards lived among Muggles in plain
sight. While they certainly did not publicize their existence, Muggles knew of
them and, to a certain extent, tolerated them. When it became apparent in the
turn of the first millennium that Muggles were incapable of interfering in
wizarding affairs, a brief (if not reluctant) understanding arose between
wizards and Muggles. However, this was not enough to keep wizards from
interfering in Muggle affairs. Early Muggle sporting events were rigged for the
benefit of the occasional gambler, and the results of these events were
tampered with for reasons ranging from petty revenge to mere amusement. It was
eventually a game of Cuaditch (pre-Quidditch) in which the Bludgers escaped the
confines of the pitch and caused 29 Muggle casualties that spurred the creation
of the Wizards’ Council in the following year, 1269.

The Wizards’ Council’s first acts were to establish
rules and regulations in regards to wizard sporting events. This goal was
theoretically meant to detract from wizard involvement in Muggle sports and to
prevent further harm on the Muggle population. The Wizards’ Council’s first
Chief Warlock was Barberus Bragge, best known for his release of a Golden
Snidget onto the field of a Cuaditch match and offering 150 galleons for its
capture. Bragge was primarily ruled by his fondness for hunting, his tendency
to look down on Muggles as inferior beings, and a love for fruit ganache. Thus
began the rocky road of British wizarding politics.



For the majority of his
four year term as Chief Warlock, Bragge’s advisor Eadlac Earl worked behind the
scenes to establish the first British Wizard Census, an official compilation of
English spells and enchantments that was based off of the Standard Book of
Spells written in the year 132 AD, and The Wizarding Entities’ Decree of
Unlawful Magic in 1273, or WEDUM. WEDUM was the first British document to
outline a system of punishments and fines for using magic that would harm,
endanger, or kill other humans. The decree was later revised to include goblins
in 1285 (though this was later revoked during the goblin rebellions), merpeople
in 1294, and other human-like creatures (including vampires and hags) in 1301.
Efforts were made to include centaurs and leprechauns, though none were
successful, namely because centaurs thought themselves too intelligent for
wizards, and leprechauns wouldn’t stop laughing long enough to sign anything.
Eadlac Earl went on to become Chief Warlock for twenty years (from 1273 to
1293) after Bragge’s accidental death, in which he was pecked to death by a
flock of Golden Snidgets when his wand snapped on a hunting excursion.



Burdock Muldoon, Chief
Warlock from 1388 to 1402 was the first to attempt to establish an official
electoral process, and the majority of his two year term was spent establishing
which magical creatures would be responsible for governing the beings of the
wizarding world. This first required that the Wizards’ Council define ‘being.’
Muldoon initially defined it as anything or anyone who walked on two legs. On
14 September 1391, Muldoon extended an invitation to all magical ‘beings’ to
gather in Stockport, a village just to the south east of Manchester. The
goblins–with whom there was already increased hostility–took advantage of this
definition and took it upon themselves to invite every imaginable two-legged
creature, from trolls to pixies to diricrawls and the only Occamy at the time
residing in Great Britain. The entire village was closed off for three weeks
and its residents evacuated until such a time that the Occamy could be
relocated back to its nest. Muldoon’s successor, Elfrida Clagg attempted
several times to convene another meeting of magical beings, this time altering
the definition of ‘being’ to include anyone or anything which could speak in
human languages. As an added precaution the meeting was held in a magically
closed off area in northern Britain, in Cove Bay, Aberdeen on 2 July 1404.
However, with the revised definition, creatures such as Jarveys attended, causing
equal mayhem.



Around the late 15th
to early 16th century, animosity between Muggle and wizarding
populations grew at an alarming rate. Witch burnings, while relatively
harmless, became increasingly frequent, and in the Muggle’s quest to eradicate
magic from their lands, many non-magical Muggles were also executed. Elfrida
Clagg, who remained Chieftainess of the Wizards’ Council from 1402 to 1433, was
the first in British wizarding history to implement the Wizarding Entities’
Decree for Magic in the Presence of Muggles (WEDMPM). The wizarding census,
which up until that point had been voluntary, was now lawful and enforced.
Witches and wizards who lived among Muggles were forced to pass
Muggle-Authentication Exams (MAE), in which they had to prove that they could
live among Muggles without arousing suspicion. This method for establishing
secrecy was rather ineffective, especially given that no one knew exactly what
it was that made Muggles suspicious of magic. As such, examining the MAE’s was
a very subjective process.



While WEDMPM explicitly
prohibited magic in the presence of a Muggle, catching and prosecuting those
who went against the decree was extremely difficult. The Wizards’ Council did
not have the manpower to actively supervise Muggle locations, nor were there
spells at the time that could identify magic-users in Muggle territory. For a
period of approximately six months the Wizards’ Council attempted to limit the
use of all magic to only certain pre-approved areas in Britain, though this was
met with massive resistance. Ironically, the struggle to hide magic from
Muggles led to approximately two centuries (from the end of Clagg’s term as
Chieftainess to the late 1600s) where magic was as prominent as ever in Muggle
territory.



The bloody 1612 goblin
rebellion left the wizarding Britain reeling, and concessions made to the
goblins following the truce in Hogsmeade did not sit well with the majority of
wizarding Britain, who were outraged by the actions of the goblins in the
Scottish town. Goblin hate-groups continued to exist, though the Wizards’
Council officially promised the goblins security and recognized the opinions of
the Brotherhood of Goblins. A few members of the Wizards’ Council even resigned
over the recognition of the Brotherhood of Goblins, though most stayed on ‘to
fight the problem where we can,’ as one Council member wrote in his private
journals.



Dissatisfied
with the Wizard Council’s ‘capitulation’ to the goblins, the wizarding
population of Britain began to grumble about the government’s ‘failure to
protect the wizards,’ already threatened by Muggle witch-hysteria prior to the
goblins’ uprising. Dissatisfied wizards refrained from acting against the
government, however, and eventual change came from within the Council itself.



Darryl Swigart
doomed himself to be the last Chief Warlock of the Wizards’ Council when he
followed the example of Muggle King Charles I, who dissolving Parliament in
March 1629, ruled as no British king had since the thirteenth century without
consulting a council of freemen. Encouraged perhaps by the comparatively wise
and successful rulings of Charles I following the dissolution of Parliament and
seeing many of the Muggle king’s opponents returning to him, Swigart tried to
use his title of Chief to assert sole authority or ‘personal rule’ as the king
had done. This greatly angered other members of the Council, in which decisions
had always been made by debate and vote.



The
Council, perhaps also looking to the Muggle government for inspiration,
presented Swigart with a list of demands and refused to leave Swigarts’ home,
where the Council, in the absence of any public building for the wizarding
government, was then convening. One of these demands was that a number of
formalized advisors to the Chief be elected, each in charge of a specific
department of the government, thereby setting in place a system of checks and
balances to the Chief. From this emerged the Ministry of Magic’s department and
office heads.



The
Council also demanded that Swigart immediately resign from his position as
Chief. Swigart remained on the Council
and sat grumbling in the corner as the wizards sat down to rearrange governing
council of wizarding Britain.



The
Council voted to dismiss several weeks later with an outline for a new governing
system to be known as the Ministry of Magic.



Meetings
of the Wizards’ Council continued till 1631 when the Council agreed to enact
their changes in whole, elected the first Minister for Magic, Damian Muther,
who held the position till 1657, disbanded the Wizards’ Council, and reconvened
as the Ministry of Magic.



One
of the Ministry’s first acts was to pass the so-called Wand Ban, a clause in
the Code of Wand Use that forbade any magical beings apart from wizards,
witches, beings that were half-witch or –wizard, and werewolves from carrying a
wand, striking a blow against the goblins and reassuring the general wizarding
community that the new government would listen to their complaints.



Initially the Ministry only had four departments: The
Department of International Magical Cooperation, the Department for the
Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, the Department of Magical Games
and Sports, and its largest department today, the Department of Magical Law
Enforcement. Soon after its creation the Department of Magical Accidents and
Catastrophes became a necessary addition.



The Department of Magical Law Enforcement, already
busy enforcing the Statue of Secrecy and taking to law those wizards whose
hatred of Muggles boiled over into curses, was made busier in 1717 when
Minister for Magic Larson Mole coined the term ‘Unforgivable Curses,’ and
officially classified the Imperius Curse, the Cruciatus Curse, and Avada Kedavra as unforgivable and worthy
of a lifetime sentence in Azkaban.



Magical transportation had, for the better part of the
18th and 19th century, been overseen by the Department of
Magical Accidents and Catastrophes, what with the constant Splinching
associated with Apparation, but once wizard Quintin Quale discovered how to
connect to Muggle fireplaces using Floo powder in 1902, the workload for the
department simply became too much, and the creation of the Department of
Magical Transportation was added to the Ministry.



Sometime during the
late 1800s the Department of Mysteries also came into being, though it is
unclear exactly when, how, or why it came about. Not even the Minister for
Magic at the time, Faris ‘Spout Hole’ Spavin knew of its existence until
several years into his term.



From its founding in
1631, the early days of the Ministry were dedicated to creating and
implementing wizarding policies. In over 300 years, there have been exactly
twenty-five Ministers for Magic, all of whom were men until the year 1798 when
Artemisia Lufkin, the twelfth Minister, was elected into office. As a result,
several older members of the Wizengamot resigned in protest. Nevertheless,
Lufkin had a successful term in office, and worked alongside the then Head of
the Department of Magical Law Enforcement Torin McTaggart to standardize
training for Aurors and Hit Wizards.



Her successor Grogan
Stump, who served in office from 1811–1819, is credited for the creation of the
three sub-divisions of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical
Creatures: Being, Beast, and later, Spirit Division. Initially, there had only
been two sub-divisions, but a protest float by the British ghost population
caused Stump to create the aforementioned Spirit Division.



The Ministry’s
involvement in British wizarding education was at a minimum until Ottaline Gambol
came into office in 1935. Until that point, transportation to Hogwarts had been
dependent on a number of Portkey collection points. However, the use of
Portkeys caused several problems–approximately a third of students would fail
to arrive every year, and those that did were prone to Portkey sickness.
Previously Head of the Department of Magical Transportation, Gambol’s
fascination with Muggle technology inspired the idea of using a train as a
comfortable, safe alternative to Portkeys. Obtaining the locomotive itself
required a large-scale operation involving one hundred and sixty-seven Memory
Charms, combined with the largest Concealment Charm ever to be performed in
British history.



Ottaline Gambol was
also the first Minister for Magic to introduce herself to the acting Muggle
Prime Minister. On 7 June 1935, the night that Muggle Stanley Baldwin was
elected to his third term as Prime Minister, a portrait of former Minister for
Magic Klaine Rogers was installed in the Prime Minister’s office. This move was
highly criticized at the time, and Gambol was accused of breaking the Statute
of Secrecy. However, her actions were praised by the International
Confederation and allowed for open communication between the two governing
bodies and the occasional influence on Muggle media when it suited the
Ministry. It is now official policy for the acting Minister for Magic to
introduce himself to the acting Muggle Prime Minister and to inform him of all
pertinent incidences in the magical world that risk affecting the Muggle
population.



Following
the fall of Lord Voldemort in the year 1981, Britain was ruled by a succession
of unsuccessful Ministers for Magic. Minister Millicent Bagnold’s retirement in
1990 was followed by the election of the wildly unpopular Minister Cornelius
Fudge, who is best known for his refusal to acknowledge the return of Lord
Voldemort and his fondness for bowler hats. Not long after Lord Voldemort’s
second rise to power, Fudge resigned as a result of public pressure and was
replaced by Minister Rufus Scrimgeour, who was Minister for Magic for little
over a year before his death. Minister Pius Thicknesse then replaced
Scrimgeour, though he too lasted a year only before his arrest for involvement
with Lord Voldemort (doubt remains as to whether or not the Minister was acting
under the Imperius). He was succeeded by the popular Kingsley Shacklebolt, a
known member of the Order of the Phoenix and former Auror. He has been in
office from 1998 to the present day.