The Today Network - 1/11/17( The November Issue)
written by Account Terminated
The most widely loved daily newspaper is the The Today Network which comes just after the The Daily Prophet. There's always specific sections for each of your favorite topics and we are so glad to welcome back the Today Network with it's mouth full of news. We were never so much pleased to inform you that from now there'll be a specific section for Mrs. Annebella Sofia who has agreed to write Travel Guides in our highly regarded newspaper. The Celebrity Chit Chat has also returned and the magics of ' Kitchen of Erica' is still waiting out there for you to take a peep. Date- 1st of November, Wednesday, 2017
Last Updated
05/31/21
Chapters
9
Reads
650
Wizarding crimes : Shouldn't you think?
Chapter 4
I'm researching for a fic which heavily features the Wizarding justice system, (I apologise if this has already been brought up, but if it has I haven't seen this topic on the list, so could someone point me there?), but I've found very few references to Wizarding law apart from its appearances in the books and the lack of information has only given me more to question!
Up until HBP, we've had a few minor* insights into the Wizarding judicial system, mainly Harry's letters of warning from Mafalda Hopkirk, (from the Improper Use of Magic Office), in CoS (magic is detected in front of the Dursleys, although Dobby is the culprit) and OotP (when Harry casts a Patronus Charm to defend himself and Dudley from a pair of Dementors) and also Harry's appearance before the Wizengamot, (OotP again, due to Harry's Patronus Charm). We also see a Wizengamot trial from Dumbledore's perspective in GoF.
However, I used to always been curious about how crimes and punishments are a)detected, b)chosen and c)enforced. The only punishment we are aware of, at this point in the series, is a sentence in Azkaban prison and the snapping of the wizard/witch's wand, however, this seems an extreme punishment for some Wizarding crimes. In the Muggle world people aren't given a prison sentence for graffiti, for example. It were all so weird thoughts in my muggle mind those days.
"The simple answer to a) would be 'they detect it by magic', and whilst that would be true, it's too easy to explain it away like that. The canon-thirsty fangirl in me wants to know how underage magic, for example, is detected. Are charms placed on wands to alert the Ministry if the user is underage and out of school whilst using it? Is it simply magic in the air that alerts the Ministry?"
All these waved around my mind when I was in Hogwarts, in my second year.
And, to elaborate on b) how does the Wizengamot/Improper Use of Magic Office decide on a punishment to fit the crime? A routine sentence to Azkaban seems to be overly harsh im my opinion and to snap someone's wand for something as minor as being drunk in charge of a broomstick, again, seems very harsh. I thought that the first letter Harry recieves from Madam Hopkirk in OotP, with reference to the snapping of his wand, is very harsh compared to the 'crime' he actually committed. Does this mean that in the Wizarding world, the highest crimes are those dealing with the Unforgivable Curses and magical exposure to Muggles?
With regards to c) do the Aurors enforce punishments? Do they function as Wizarding police, or are they specifically there to catch Dark Wizards and nothing else? Are they responsible for guarding Azkaban now that the Dementors have joined Voldemort?
As for occupations within Wizarding justice, positions on the Wizengamot appear to be given to respected elders of the Magical community, rather than people who have been trained exclusively in Magical Law. When Harry has his careers interview in OotP, there is no mention of being able to study Magical Law after school (although, McGonagall may have thought Harry would not have made a good Magical law-maker/law-enforcer). Harry is not represented by a lawyer when he is in front of the Wizengamot, he is expected to defend himself and had Dumbledore not arrived, could Harry have talked his way into Azkaban? We all know how he is prone to outbursts when he is frustrated...if he had shouted at the Wizengamot, could he have been held in contempt of court and sent to Azkaban?
The whole area of Wizarding law seems to have been left alone, I can't find many references dealing with it directly or even theories about it, which only makes me more eager to learn about it!
*I call them minor because Harry has either only had a letter notifying him about it or we have seen the wizarding court and not been given a lot of information about the way it works. Barty Crouch Jnr's and Bellatrix Lestrange's trials weren't minor for them and the sentences were not minor, however, we aren't shown much about the way Magical law works - they admitted to their crimes and were duly sent to Azkaban, there was barely a trial to watch.)
But all I knews one day. Let's see other people's views on crimes.
Curzon88- I don't mean like Voldemort and his deatheaters with whole world domination thing. I mean like organised crime or something. There would have to be otherwise what the hell are aurors for, it can't be exclusively for dark wizards.
Harry Adams- Definitely, that's why Mundungus Fletcher was such an asset. He was a criminal and in with other criminals but not evil.
Eva Bones- Knockturn Alley seemed like a dodgy place with dodgy people.
They need to put the tightest security on Gringrotts because criminal types will try and rob it.
Ludo Bagman was deeply involved in gambling which usually has an organised criminal element associated with it.
Mr Weasley regularly broke wizarding law with his muggle artifacts, though he wasn't doing it malevolently obviously. Which also reminds me they talk about how Mr Weasley deals with wizards who dupe muggles out of their money by selling them shrinking keys and such.
Hagrid or one of the kids suggest that maybe the guy Hagrid won Norbert from could have been an illegal dragon egg dealer. (I think)
Corruption at the Ministry should be considered criminal.
Honestly I'm surprised that they aren't all too high on cheering charms and love potions to be waging a wizarding war. So I think a huge drug problem/crime would be guaranteed.
Sunny Carass- There is also the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.
Such a large department must imply the presence of fairly prevalent magical crimes.
Cinder Bell- Auror's are for dark wizards but they handle probably other stuff too. But there is magical law enforcement separately and probably for minor crimes and stuff. I don't know about common but love potions are a thing and no one seems to think twice about the obviously sinister things that could be accomplished with them. For one, Voldemort was essentially conceived from a forced relationship (rape, shame on you Merope).
Gagarina Jhaluka- Wizards are people, so some of them would definitely be part of organized crime, just like muggles. I wished if there are drugs specifically for wizards, it would be pretty interesting to see a Wizarding drug ring.
I leave you to wonder. ;)
Phillip Ronn
WRITER OF THE WIZARDING CRIMES
Up until HBP, we've had a few minor* insights into the Wizarding judicial system, mainly Harry's letters of warning from Mafalda Hopkirk, (from the Improper Use of Magic Office), in CoS (magic is detected in front of the Dursleys, although Dobby is the culprit) and OotP (when Harry casts a Patronus Charm to defend himself and Dudley from a pair of Dementors) and also Harry's appearance before the Wizengamot, (OotP again, due to Harry's Patronus Charm). We also see a Wizengamot trial from Dumbledore's perspective in GoF.
However, I used to always been curious about how crimes and punishments are a)detected, b)chosen and c)enforced. The only punishment we are aware of, at this point in the series, is a sentence in Azkaban prison and the snapping of the wizard/witch's wand, however, this seems an extreme punishment for some Wizarding crimes. In the Muggle world people aren't given a prison sentence for graffiti, for example. It were all so weird thoughts in my muggle mind those days.
"The simple answer to a) would be 'they detect it by magic', and whilst that would be true, it's too easy to explain it away like that. The canon-thirsty fangirl in me wants to know how underage magic, for example, is detected. Are charms placed on wands to alert the Ministry if the user is underage and out of school whilst using it? Is it simply magic in the air that alerts the Ministry?"
All these waved around my mind when I was in Hogwarts, in my second year.
And, to elaborate on b) how does the Wizengamot/Improper Use of Magic Office decide on a punishment to fit the crime? A routine sentence to Azkaban seems to be overly harsh im my opinion and to snap someone's wand for something as minor as being drunk in charge of a broomstick, again, seems very harsh. I thought that the first letter Harry recieves from Madam Hopkirk in OotP, with reference to the snapping of his wand, is very harsh compared to the 'crime' he actually committed. Does this mean that in the Wizarding world, the highest crimes are those dealing with the Unforgivable Curses and magical exposure to Muggles?
With regards to c) do the Aurors enforce punishments? Do they function as Wizarding police, or are they specifically there to catch Dark Wizards and nothing else? Are they responsible for guarding Azkaban now that the Dementors have joined Voldemort?
As for occupations within Wizarding justice, positions on the Wizengamot appear to be given to respected elders of the Magical community, rather than people who have been trained exclusively in Magical Law. When Harry has his careers interview in OotP, there is no mention of being able to study Magical Law after school (although, McGonagall may have thought Harry would not have made a good Magical law-maker/law-enforcer). Harry is not represented by a lawyer when he is in front of the Wizengamot, he is expected to defend himself and had Dumbledore not arrived, could Harry have talked his way into Azkaban? We all know how he is prone to outbursts when he is frustrated...if he had shouted at the Wizengamot, could he have been held in contempt of court and sent to Azkaban?
The whole area of Wizarding law seems to have been left alone, I can't find many references dealing with it directly or even theories about it, which only makes me more eager to learn about it!
*I call them minor because Harry has either only had a letter notifying him about it or we have seen the wizarding court and not been given a lot of information about the way it works. Barty Crouch Jnr's and Bellatrix Lestrange's trials weren't minor for them and the sentences were not minor, however, we aren't shown much about the way Magical law works - they admitted to their crimes and were duly sent to Azkaban, there was barely a trial to watch.)
But all I knews one day. Let's see other people's views on crimes.
Curzon88- I don't mean like Voldemort and his deatheaters with whole world domination thing. I mean like organised crime or something. There would have to be otherwise what the hell are aurors for, it can't be exclusively for dark wizards.
Harry Adams- Definitely, that's why Mundungus Fletcher was such an asset. He was a criminal and in with other criminals but not evil.
Eva Bones- Knockturn Alley seemed like a dodgy place with dodgy people.
They need to put the tightest security on Gringrotts because criminal types will try and rob it.
Ludo Bagman was deeply involved in gambling which usually has an organised criminal element associated with it.
Mr Weasley regularly broke wizarding law with his muggle artifacts, though he wasn't doing it malevolently obviously. Which also reminds me they talk about how Mr Weasley deals with wizards who dupe muggles out of their money by selling them shrinking keys and such.
Hagrid or one of the kids suggest that maybe the guy Hagrid won Norbert from could have been an illegal dragon egg dealer. (I think)
Corruption at the Ministry should be considered criminal.
Honestly I'm surprised that they aren't all too high on cheering charms and love potions to be waging a wizarding war. So I think a huge drug problem/crime would be guaranteed.
Sunny Carass- There is also the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.
Such a large department must imply the presence of fairly prevalent magical crimes.
Cinder Bell- Auror's are for dark wizards but they handle probably other stuff too. But there is magical law enforcement separately and probably for minor crimes and stuff. I don't know about common but love potions are a thing and no one seems to think twice about the obviously sinister things that could be accomplished with them. For one, Voldemort was essentially conceived from a forced relationship (rape, shame on you Merope).
Gagarina Jhaluka- Wizards are people, so some of them would definitely be part of organized crime, just like muggles. I wished if there are drugs specifically for wizards, it would be pretty interesting to see a Wizarding drug ring.
I leave you to wonder. ;)
Phillip Ronn
WRITER OF THE WIZARDING CRIMES
