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Days That Were | Mod Journal (dtw_mods) wrote,
@ 2011-11-08 18:05:00

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ministry of magic

Ministry of Magic

The Ministry of Magic is the governmental authority for the Wizarding world in Britain. The basic mission of the Ministry is to keep the Muggles from finding out about an entire culture of magical folk.

The Ministry has its headquarters in London. The actual structure is all underground, although magical windows show whatever weather Magical Maintenance has chosen for the day, from bright sunshine to hurricanes. It consists of numerous Departments, Committees, Boards, and Offices whose job it is to make and enforce laws and regulations. Besides keeping the activities of Witches and Wizards hidden from the Muggles (and swooping in with Memory Charms when things get out of hand), the Ministry also handles commerce and international relations.

The Ministry of Magic, headed by the Minister for Magic, came into being in the late 1600s. The Ministry was involved in the International Confederation of Wizards' decision to create the Code of Secrecy and still today takes the responsibility to enforce the Code. The Ministry evolved over the first half of the 1700s; in 1750, the Department of Magical Games and Sports was created and the Ministries of Magic in every country took full responsibility for the control of the various magical species of plans and animals in their territories. (From here.)

MINISTER OF MAGIC: Millicent Bagnold
Since the untimely disappearance of the previous Minister, Ms. Bagnold now finds herself in the position of Supreme Executive Power of the Ministry of Magic. She has been the Minister since 1 February, 1980. She is generally liked by citizens.

Undersecretary to the Minister: ~~Gwendolyn Dobbs~~ Rodolphus Lestrange

Junior Undersecretary to the Minister: Carolyn Abbott

ADVISER TO THE MINISTRY: essentially a Vice President equivalent, this role is filled by Abraxas Malfoy. Lucius Malfoy’s father is known for a sharp wit and a frequent disregard for tact, but also for a stunning ability to get things done. He took up this role after serving as Chief Warlock for the past two years, and has been doing quite a lot to increase confidence in the Ministry’s ability to keep its people safe. The voices of those who argue that he’s been pushing through discriminatory legislation at the same time are being heard less and less.

PUBLIC RELATIONS

Public Relations Specialist: Stuart Ernshaw

HUMAN RESOURCES

Auditors: Apollo Cooper

THE MINISTRY COUNCIL: Drawn from the ranks of the Wizengamot and the top tiers of department management, these officials act as a team of advisors to the Minister. They are appointed by the Minister, and their term of power lasts as long as the Minister’s does. Thus far, Ms. Bagnold has not seen fit to replace any of her predecessor’s appointees.

SECRETARY OF MAGICAL LAW: Augustus Macmillan – came up through the ranks of the Ministry Prosecutors before his election to the Wizengamot. As a prosecutor, magistrate, and Wizengamot justice he has always held a reputation for fair, strict interpretation of the law. He has always advocated both for high standards of proof of wrongdoing and for strict sentencing for proven offenders. He is also known for keeping mum on his own political beliefs, stating that politics is incongruous with fairly enacting the law.
- Department of Magical Law Enforcement
  - Departmental Head: Bartemius Crouch Sr.
    - Interns: Barty Crouch, Jr
- Improper Use of Magic Office (IMO) - Danielle Vimes just recently took the helm of this office. She is unfailingly prompt, thorough, and detail-oriented. There are rumours put about that she has a sense of humour, but evidence in favour of the suggestion is hard to find.
  - Mafalda Hopkirk
- Invisibility Task Force (ITF) - Led by Trudy Venable, this group keeps a registry of invisibility-inducing magical items and devices, develops spells and items for invisibility, ensures that invisibility is used responsibly, and consults with Aurors and Hitwizards on crimes suspected to involve invisibility. But good luck finding Ms. Venable. She never seems to be in her office - or anywhere else, for that matter.
  - Louis Harper
- Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office (MAO) - With Robert “Rab” McTavish at the helm, this department develops and enacts the regulations regarding the sale, possession, and enchantment of Muggle-made objects.
- Wizengamot
- Office of Ministry Prosecution - Jack Jones is Chief Ministry Prosecutor. He grew up poor, and though he wears expensive robes now he always looks a bit contemptuous of them. His tireless pursuit of wrongdoers, regardless of their political affiliations, has made him some good friends but also some very powerful enemies. There are rumours that he won’t be allowed to keep the office much longer.
  - Prosecutors (5): Amelia Bones
  - Defense Barristers (4): Jocelyn Yaxley
  - Wizengamot Administrative Services: Provides court security officers, administrative assistants who manage filing and forms, and paralegals who support the work of prosecutors and defense barristers and wizengamot justices.
SECRETARY OF HEALTH: Gaius Higgs – He was always a good Healer, but never a great healer. He is, however, a great administrator. Higgs’ attention to detail and ability to play politics has made him ideal for the position he currently holds.
- St. Mungo’s - Wizarding Britain’s primary hospital falls under the auspices of the Department of Health. Chief of Staff is presently Healer Ravi Patil, a Traumatic Spell Damage healer who thinks that if you’re not bleeding out, whatever your problem is can wait ‘til he’s damn well good and ready to deal with it.
- Department of Public Health (DPH) – manages disease control and prevention, wellness initiatives, epidemic/pandemic preparedness, workplace safety, and other public health issues. Headed by former Mediwizard Charles Jones, who does not seem to understand the concept of “TMI” when it comes to medical issues and will happily show you fascinating photos of weird/unusual/dramatic trauma cases.
- Department of Medimagic – Ambulance and emergency service regulatory and licensing department, training and licensure of mediwizards. Department Head is Sheila Bernard, a transplant from Australia who ran an isolated clinic in the middle of nowhere that half the time didn’t have a Healer on staff and is therefore extremely accomplished, medically speaking. Advocates for rural medicine and for mediwizards/mediwitches as skilled professionals (not just “people who couldn’t get into Healer training”).
- Midwives’ Guild – body which governs training and employment of midwives. Guildmistress is Mediwitch-Midwife Hyacinth (Cindy) Pomfrey. She’s an older witch, and the trade of midwifery has been passed down through her family for generations. Her daughter Poppy has recently taken to another branch of “the family business,” serving as School Mediwitch for Hogwarts.
- Division of Family Services (DFS) - This department is perpetually overworked and underpaid, but extremely dedicated. Wherever there are magical children without families who are able to take care of them, DFS sees that they’re taken care of by someone - whether in foster care, adopted, or staying in the Cardiff Home for Magical Children. If children are being abused, DFS gets them to safety. If parents need help caring for their children - because they lack education, or their children have special needs, or because they’re very poor, or for any other reason - DFS connects them with the services they need to keep their family together. Maggie Hopkins, a middle-aged witch who keeps her frustration with the terrible situations she witnesses daily tightly under wraps, heads the department.
  - Social Workers:
SECRETARY OF FINANCE: Carolus Meliflua - Meliflua leads the Department of Finance, which manages the wizarding government’s relationship with Gringotts, budgetary concerns, taxes and tariffs, matters of financial law and currency exchange. Their relationship with the Department of International Magical Cooperation waxes and wanes from allies to enemies on a regular basis. This department employs accountants, economists, traders, and other financial experts in addition to support staff.
SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION: Hermes Fleet - Since 1972, Mr. Fleet has overseen all matters of transportation regulation. It’s one of the most thankless jobs in the Ministry – like the DMLE, everyone in Britain becomes one of their customers at some point, but there’s none of the glamour that goes with catching bad guys. Fleet’s a master of the customer service smile, though, and it’s served him well in the position.
- Department of Transportation
  - Floo Regulatory Office (FRO): Managed by Liam McKinnon, a highlander who is as stereotypical a Ravenclaw as they come. Very concerned with statistics and metrics, and fond of reminding his staff that “if you can’t measure it, it doesn’t exist.”
    - Assistant: Cecily Mulciber
    - Employees: Evangeline Proudfoot
  - Portkey Regulatory Office (PRO): Managed by Athanasius Rumleigh, a quiet man of imposing stature who nonetheless has a flair for colorful robes. Staff who have been in the Portkey office for less than a year report that they have never seen him wear the same thing twice.
  - Office of Apparition (OffApp): Managed by Octavian Crabbe, who is just short of thirty years old but extremely ambitious and hard-working. He fully intends to advance to Secretary of Transportation one day, and hopefully take that to a seat on the Wizengamot...and maybe even Minister of Magic.
    - Apparition Test Center
  - Broom Regulatory Control (BRC): Rufus Bulstrode, an enthusiastic racing fan, runs this office. He has an encyclopedic knowledge of brooms, can recite stats and specs from memory, and knows more about broom racing and broom racers than anyone you’ve ever met.
  - Owl Post Regulatory Office (OPRO): Managed by Iris Blishwick, this office is responsible for certifying owl breeders and owls, keeping a registry of addresses, management of public post offices, and preventing unsolicited mailings. Ms. Blishwick also volunteers with owl rehabilitation, helping owls who have been injured or abused, and sometimes keeps birds which cannot be adequately rehabilitated
SECRETARY OF ENVIRONMENT: William Goyle – This businessman was considered by many an unusual choice for Secretary of Environment. His record on environmental issues has generally been more expansionist, less focused on protection. But at the moment, magical people are by and large more concerned with their own protection than with that of the world or its creatures.
- Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures (DMC): ~~Led by Hamish Ferguson, a Scotsman who is super health-conscious and loves hunting and fishing.~~ After Hamish's murder, he was replaced by Melody Perks, a driven and incredibly diplomatic Muggleborn who was second to Malcolm Selwyn for several years. Not much is known about her personal life as she keeps it quiet, but people do know that she has a young daughter, Sally-Anne. No talk of who the father is, though.
  - Beings Division: Headed by the high-profile and media-friendly Malcolm Selwyn. He likes to hold press conferences, and does not like to clear them with Ferguson ahead of time. This has caused friction...and may one day cost him job. The only reason it hasn’t so far is that he tends to be good at making things go her way in the press, and therefore go the way of the DMC.
    - Interpreter:
  - Department of Vampiric Services (DVS) - run by Aloysius "Al" Max, an Irishman who appears to be perpetually eating something. The primary function of this department is to prevent the creation of new vampires, to coordinate with the DMLE to help track and subdue evil vampires, and to educate the public on avoiding, preventing, and thwarting vampiric attacks. It also serves to regulate the production and marketing of synthetic, animal, and human blood and blood products, and to attempt to keep a registry of vampires currently living in Britain as accurate as possible.
  - Beasts Division - Beast Division Director Abdul Malik Anwar came to this post from the Office of Dangerous Beasts and is an expert in Hippogriffs. He’s an outgoing, laid-back sort, and while very knowledgeable and good with people, he is not a model of efficiency.
    - Office of Dangerous Beasts - Headed by Sheldon Umbridge, who came into his rank due to his diligent, ground-breaking work in getting more werewolves than ever officially registered with the Ministry. This office handles the regulation, protection of, and protection from dangerous magical beasts.
      - Division of Werewolf Services - manages the British Werewolf Registry, serves in a consulting role to Hitwizards when they are dealing with crimes perpetrated by or against werewolves, helps law-abiding werewolves establish secure full moon lodgings, and conducts continuing research on a cure for lycanthropy. However, this should not be interpreted to mean that the department is necessarily werewolf-friendly. This division is headed by Sebastian Bagnold, son to the Minister of Magic.
    - Office of Friendly Beasts - This office handles the regulation and protection of friendly magical beasts, those known to be good with humans. It is managed by David Sinclair, who is not nearly as warm and fuzzy as one would expect from the Friendly division. If there were an Office of Cold and Standoffish Beasts, Sinclair would excel there.
    - Office of Boring Beasts - Manager Marvin Nutley is every bit as boring as one would expect from this department. He wears tweed robes with leather patches on the sleeves, and is seldom found anywhere but his desk. Some have theorized that he is in fact stored in the filing cabinet next to it overnight.
    - Office of Pests - Dalton Hill, manager of the Office of Pests, is feared by wizard-harassing critters all across the kingdom. If it bothers wizards, he knows how to eradicate it or move it to a habitat where it can go about its business without harming anyone. And it’s not just his job. No, pest control is a CALLING for Dalton Hill. Never forget that as a member of his staff, you are part of a NOBLE profession that SERVES the PEOPLE and the ENVIRONMENT - NAY, THE VERY WORLD! Constantly wears a cowboy hat.
    - Spirit Division: Run by Lillian Parkinson, a Ministry Certified Medium. That means she can even communicate with ghosts other people can’t see. Most of her work is with the visible ones, though - either protecting their rights or getting rid of them.
      - Office of Exorcism: Head Exorcist Sean McClaggen is a fat, happy man. He’s very easygoing while nonetheless being very Serious Business about getting dangerous or harassing or otherwise not law-abiding ghosts and spirits out of corporeally-occupied areas. You can wear whatever you want to work in his department, but you’d better get the ghosts out.
        Exorcists: Gideon Prewett
    - Administration of Non-corporeal Human Rights (ANCHR, pronounced “anchor”): Frequently at odds with their counterparts in the Office of Exorcism, and with their beneficiaries, and the public, and pretty much everyone ever, ANCHR staffers are charged with advocating for law-abiding spirits, mediating disputes between spirits and the living, and mediating disputes between spirits. This office is managed by Sadie Winslow, a much put-upon woman who didn’t smoke or drink before she started working here. Then she started working here.
    - Office of Astral Monitoring (OAM): Headed by Philip Quimby, this office is responsible for keeping a working database of all non-corporeal entities currently interacting with the wizarding world, and for coordinating with Exorcists or ANCHR as necessary when complaints are registered. Quimby has worked in both the Exorcists and ANCHR offices, and seems likely next in line for Director of the Spirit Division.
- Department of Environmental Protection (DEP): Lucretia Rabnott, well-known environmental activist and author, manages this department, which is responsible for keeping undue magical influence out of the natural environment and protecting the habitats of magical species.
  - Ecologist: Charles Longbottom
  - Agricultural Division: regulates magical farming and animal husbandry, sets standards for labeling and marketing of food products. Run by Paul “Old” MacDonald, a longtime consumer safety advocate.
- Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes (DMAC): Virgil Doge, a former Muggle Liaison Officer, is head of this department. He is known for being endlessly patient and flustered by virtually nothing.
  - Accidental Magic Reversal Squad (AMRS): Captain Icarus Warwick leads the squad, with all the meticulous planning and rapid action required. Procedure, he will be happy to remind you, exists for a REASON.
    - Elizabeth Ketteridge
  - Office of Obliviation (O3): Obliviation takes great care to do correctly, and therefore it follows that the manager of this office would be accordingly thoughtful and quiet. Martin Davies, a former Ravenclaw, is both skilled in the trade and in management of the office.
    - Obliviators: Phillipa Longbottom, Maximilian Wilkes
  - Muggle Liaison Office (MLO): Chief Muggle Liaison John Smith is very ordinary. With regular features, simple dress, no unusual mannerisms, brown hair, average height, and the world’s most common names, no person could possibly be less threatening to either wizards or muggles - and in this job, that works really well.
    - Officers: Quirinus Quirrell
  - Muggle-Worthy Excuse Committee (M-WEC): Chaired by Beatrice Davis, a writer by trade, who truly loves the art of crafting excuses that are both outrageous and believable.
  - Office of Misinformation (OffMis): Theodosius Brown heads up this office, spreading enticing misinformation about wizards, magic, and magical creatures to help keep Muggles from figuring out wizards. Though a relatively tame family man now, Mr. Brown has some wild stories from his younger days.
  - Division of Children and Families (DCF): Gareth Weasley runs the office that manages the integration of Muggleborn children and their families into wizarding society. This is a very busy, perpetually understaffed department, and the people in it have a true passion for their work as Muggleborn Family Liaisons.
    - Muggleborn Family Liaisons: Saoirse Finnigan

SECRETARY OF INTERNATIONAL MAGICAL COOPERATION: Roger Burke - He is a busy, busy man. International Magical Cooperation is not always easy to secure, and he works long hours and travels frequently to help make it happen. His calendar is perpetually packed, and it is rumoured that his wife has to go through his assistant to see him for dinner.

Department of International Magical Cooperation (IMC)
- International Magical Trading Standards Body: Governs the exchange of magical goods and services or exchange of goods and services by citizens of magical governments across international borders. The British Ministry of Magic (like most other magical governments) sends one representative from IMC to this international organization.
  - Senior Seat: Pollux Black
    - Personal Assistant: Grace Burke
  - Junior Seat: Harrison Greengrass
- International Magical Office of Law: This office, composed of barristers and solicitors and paralegals and other support staff, deals in the enforcement of international law. (Examples of international law cases include the Nuremberg trials and the creation of the Geneva Convention.)
  - Barristers: Edward Yaxley
- International Confederation of Wizards (ICW): Like most other countries (outside of the few who do not recognize the ICW), Britain sends two representatives elected by the Wizengamot along with the Minister of Magic to meetings of the Confederation. ICW meetings occur quarterly at the headquarters in New York City.
  - British Representative, Senior Seat: Francis Longbottom Sr.
  - British Representative, Junior Seat: Edmund Nott
- Department of State (foreign policy and diplomacy): This department is responsible for enacting British foreign policy as set by the Minister and the Wizengamot. State Department employees include ambassadors and diplomats, customs officials, immigration officials, and other support staff.
  - Ambassador to the USSR: Quentin Yaxley
  - Translators: Lydia MacDougal

SECRETARY OF CULTURE, MEDIA, AND SPORT: Amy Roberts - This Scot started out as a Public Affairs Officer for the Montrose Magpies, then for the BIL as a whole, then the DMGS, and was appointed Secretary in 2003. She is a blustery, loud, friendly sort of woman, and a huge favorite of the DMGS. The Arts portion of her department is not as fond, because they feel she doesn’t understand what they do or value it sufficiently. Since the diversion of funding for the Arts and the suspension of the Quidditch season, the efforts of this department and its sub-departments are almost all focused on organizing charity for the war effort.

Department of Magical Games and Sport (DMGS): Headed by Zebulon Magee, an old friend of Roberts’ and similarly loud and outgoing. DMGS is responsible for regulation, safety, and official organization in all magical games and sports.
- British and Irish Quidditch League: The organizing body of Quidditch in England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Current League President (elected every two years by the team managers) is Gabriel Flint, retired team manager of the Falmouth Falcons. He’s a character, for certain, but an effective one.
- British and Irish Dueling League: Responsible for overseeing all Ministry sanctioned dueling tournaments, this department sets guidelines and coordinates locations, staff, participants, and judges. The present Chair of the organization is Horatio Tripe.
- Official Gobstones Club: Governing body of official gobstones tournament play and national rankings. Current Club President is retired Gobstones Champion Catullus Wetherby, a very old man even by wizarding standards, who is hugely respected in the Gobstones world but extremely hard of hearing.
- Ludicrous Patents Office: Do you have a crazy idea? An idea so crazy...that it just...might...work? Then the LPO is the place you go. This office should really be over in Finance, or maybe in Environment, but they like where they are - nobody bothers about them here, so they can carry on wearing bermuda shorts and flipflops to work and approving or denying ludicrous patents as they see fit. They do tend to be a smart bunch, though - not necessarily timely, or organized, but they can conduct research like nobody’s business. Headed by Jessica Dubcek, who likes to sing in the hallways and really wishes life were more like a musical.
  - Patent Clerks: Noah Burbage

Wizarding Communications Council: This office is responsible for rating plays, books, wireless programs, and other entertainment for public consumption. They maintain the list of Forbidden Words, which if you say on the air, your program will be fined. If your play is ruled indecent, it can be shut down completely and not allowed to be performed. And, if you misuse the journal system (using it for facilitation of prostitution, purchase of illicit substances, exploitation of minors, libel, other illegal activity, or other violations), they will see to your prosecution and fining (and eventual banning from the journal system, for sufficiently serious or repeated violations).
- Wizarding Wireless Network
Foundation for Wizarding Art (FWA): This foundation is responsible for the allocation of public funding for artistic endeavors. Among its funded projects are:
- Junior Associate: Tamsin Nott
- Wizarding Academy of Dramatic Arts (WADA): Teaches acting, stage magic, playwrighting, and dance to aspiring artists.
- Dashiell Musical Conservatory (Dashiell): Named for famed wizard pianist Holden Dashiell, the conservatory teaches vocal and instrumental musical performance in a variety of styles.
  - Deputy Headmistress: Callista Crabbe
- The Edinburgh Opera: Located in Scotland, this opera house is considered one of the finest magical opera houses in the world. They produce multiple operas every year, all of which are well-attended by enthusiasts of the genre and people who just want to look cultured.
- Association of Community Theaters (ACT): Exactly what it sounds like - a coalition of community theaters who have banded together to share resources and ideas and put art in the hands of the people.

SECRETARY OF SECURITY: Frank Zabini – Mr. Zabini began training as an Auror when he left school in 1951. He had a distinguished career as an Auror, and was on the job for fifteen years before being recruited as an agent of the Department of National Security (DNS, colloquially known as Dennis). He worked as a field operative there, and was appointed Secretary of Security by the previous administration. His (much younger) wife has recently borne an heir to his name and fortune, which he appears quite pleased about.

Department of National Security
- Minister’s Guard: Equivalent to the American Secret Service, this group protects the Minister of Magic, former Ministers, and other high-ranking officials. Captain of the Guard is Marius Gamp.
- Office of International Intelligence (I-2): the largest arm of DNS, this office gathers, interprets, and acts as necessary on intelligence around the world. Includes spies, intelligence analysts, linguists, translators, forensic accountants, researchers, and more. It’s well known that, like MI-6 or Mossad or the CIA, this agency conducts secret operations in foreign countries (and sometimes domestically). Office Director is Olivia Selwyn, a calm and collected woman who restricts her words to those that are necessary.
  - Fletcher Avery

SECRETARY OF MYSTERIES: Claire Avery – No one knows how old Miss Avery is, and she’s not telling – because how does she know, after all, that she isn’t simply a figment in the five-year-long dream of a pineapple palm tree somewhere in Oahu? Good luck getting a straight answer from her on anything.
- Department of Mysteries: This department serves to explore the great mysteries of magic, science, body, soul, mind, and anything else that goes unexplained. Anyone who works here will tell you that the point is not so much to solve the mysteries as it is to fully investigate them and learn what can be learned from them. If you haven’t a philosophical bent and a high level of comfort with uncertainty and detail and vagueness, this is not the place for you - you will only be frustrated.
  - Prophecy Division
    - Dedalus Diggle, Broderick Bode
  - Life and Death Division
  - Thought and Mind Division
    - Hugh Li, Winifred Winslow
  - Time and Space Division
    - Division Head: Augustus Rookwood
    - Caleb Croaker, Elphias Doge
  - Division of Love and Hate
    - Division Head: Hubert Derwent
    - Kenton Abercrombie, Mary Brocklehurst
NOTE: Any character listed that isn't linked or grayed out as an NPC is available for play!