#Wizengamot

[hollowed-theory-hall]

do you think it’s strange that the uk monarchy is, as far as i remember, never mentioned in the books? it seems so weird to me since, for better or worse, it’s such an integral part of the concept of “britishness” - even if wizarding society seems pretty removed from muggle society, the monarchy has such a long history that it seems weird for the two societies to not intermingle in it. has wizarding society cut ties with it after the issue of the statute of secrecy? how many of the crown jewels are actually magical items? how *noble* is the house of black, really? were there ever kings or queens who were wizards?

there’s so many questions i have about this! such a world building plot hole!

Ok, so there are a lot of questions here and I'll try to answer them to the best of my ability. I will note there are a bunch of my own headcanons in this post. They are based on what we know about Wizarding History and what I know about irl UK history but they are still headcanons.

So, we know the Ministry of Magic was founded in 1707 after the Statue of Secrecy was enacted in 1692. The ministry was an immediate response to said statute since wizards needed a more uniform government to enforce their secrecy and cover up any slip ups. This means that before the Statue of Secrecy, the muggle government or monarchy earlier was the governing force for wizards as well as muggles. Yes, the Wizengamot already existed, but it seemed to behave differently from how it does in the modern ministry.

I wrote about the Wizengamot and how I believe it works along with some of its history here although I learned more UK history since, so this post is more accurate on the history front.

Now, I hope you won't mind me going into some medieval history of the UK in general, since the monarchy has changed over time, and in the early Middle Ages, the UK was comprised of multiple smaller kingdoms. Wales had 3 big kingdoms, but also a bunch of smaller ones (there were also warlords that took over abandoned Roman fortresses after the Romans left Britain in eastern Wales), England had the Anglo-Saxons settling in after the Romans left and creating multiple Anglo-Saxon kingdoms (like Wessex and Marcia). Scotland and Ireland were similarly divided. There were the biking invasions and a whole Viking kingdom in north-east England that's referred to as "The Dane Law". England did unite under King Aethelstan eventually, but with all these fractured kingdoms and warlords, I'm sure there were some wizards among them. Then, of course, there is the Norman monarchy and nobility established after the Norman conquests, which officially settled in 1066.

My point with all of this history is that like muggle society, wizarding society changed and evolved and that the monarchy in Britain wasn't the same throughout the entirety of history. So, the status of wizards and wizard nobility changed based on the specific time period we are discussing. But let's look at post-normans pre-Statue of Secrecy wizarding high society, and for that the Pottermore article about the Malfoy family is incredibly helpful:

Like many other progenitors of noble English families, the wizard Armand Malfoy arrived in Britain with William the Conqueror as part of the invading Norman army. Having rendered unknown, shady (and almost certainly magical) services to King William I, Malfoy was given a prime piece of land in Wiltshire, seized from local landowners, upon which his descendants have lived for ten consecutive centuries.

(from Pottermore)

Most nobility in England after the conquest were normans close to William who arrived with him and were given muggle noble titles, lands, and status. irl, the first Peverell in England, William Peverell was similarly given lands as he was said to be a son of William the Conqueror. That being said, some Anglo-Saxon nobility (mostly from the south of England since the northern Anglo-Saxon nobility were mostly killed after their rebellion) were kept in place by William as long as they swore fealty to him. Families like the Blacks and Longbottoms (both having Anglo-Saxon surnames) are likely among this leftover Anglo-Saxon nobility.

Now besides the muggle nobility, which is very much aware of wizards and even includes wizards (like the Malfoys, Peverells, Lestranges, and the Gaunts) we have the Wizangamot. The Wizaengamot, which I wrote more about in the post I linked, have likely been around and acted as a council of wizard nobility alongside the muggle one before the Norman invasion since around when Hogwarts was founded (around 990). The Blacks and Longbottoms (and the Notts who also have a Germanic name dating to the Dane Law I referenced earlier and King Knut who ruled that portion of England) were probably in this council.

We also know the Malfoys aren't in the Wizengamot in the books, meaning the circles of nobility for each council were different. This is easily explained by the Wizengamot being there earlier and being Anglo-Saxon rather than Norman. The name Wizangamot is, in itself, from old English which supports this speculation.

Since the Wizengamot continued existing after the conquest, I assume William the Conquerer left it as it is, wanting to ally himself with the local wizarding community rather than going to war with them. Wizards are, after all, really fucking useful, and irl he did keep some of the Anglo-Saxon nobility, so that's in character.

I think, after the conquest the Wizengamot either grew in the number of families there or that the families that opposed William were replaced with Norman wizard nobles that William trusted to represent him in the magical community.

The same Pottermore article about the Malfoy family also notes:

Historically, the Malfoys drew a sharp distinction between poor Muggles and those with wealth and authority. Until the imposition of the Statute of Secrecy in 1692, the Malfoy family was active within high-born Muggle circles, and it is said that their fervent opposition to the imposition of the Statute was due, in part, to the fact that they would have to withdraw from this enjoyable sphere of social life. Though hotly denied by subsequent generations, there is ample evidence to suggest that the first Lucius Malfoy was an unsuccessful aspirant to the hand of Elizabeth I, and some wizarding historians allege that the Queen’s subsequent opposition to marriage was due to a jinx placed upon her by the thwarted Malfoy.

(from Pottermore)

This means the monarchy throughout history was well aware of wizards and that the magical nobility was also muggle nobility and allowed in the same circles, but not vice versa. It seems to me, that the Malfoys had a muggle noble title from William I, and once the Statue of Secrecy was enacted they lost their title since they weren't also Wizarding nobility (Wizengamot members). (The Malfoys did keep all their money though).

Considering what Pottermore implies, it seems to me, there is a high chance of some crown jewels being magical. I mean, Lucius Malfoy I proposed to Queen Elizabeth I, and in my headcanon the aforementioned Willaim Peverell is the father of the three brothers of the Deathly Hallows, and in this headcanon, William Peverell is a half-blood wizard. Point is, yeah, the monarchy was well aware of wizards and seemed to have been in an alliance with the Wizengamot and the magical community. Although, I'm sure attitudes changed over time and differed from monarch to monarch with some being closer to the Wizarding community than others, but in general the Wizengamot and the wizarding community as a whole were under the governance of the muggle monarch.

It's actually possible there were a few wizards who ruled the UK (or any of the earlier kingdoms that eventually united) across the Isles's history. I think it's even likely if we're being honest. Egbert the Egregious, for example, might've been a king of Kent or Wessex (two of the older kingdoms before England united) as kings of the same name are recorded in both.

Once the Statue of Secrecy was enacted the wizards drew away from muggle society and wizards who held muggle noble titles likely lost them. But we know some muggles are aware of wizards' existence. We see at the beginning of HBP that the muggle Prime Minister is informed of wizards' existence and obliviated when they leave office. If I had to bet, the monarch (and perhaps more in the royal family) are similarly aware that wizards exist but aren't really involved. Like, the monarch probably knows but is only informed when something in the Wizarding World spills out to the muggle one. So, the monarch knows wizards exist, but not much more than that.

As for how noble the House of Black really was, I mentioned I believe they were nobles of the Wizengamot and Anglo-Saxon nobility before the Normans. I think all magical families in the Wizengamot that were around before the Normans would be considered: "Noble and Ancient". We see the Blacks being referred to as "The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black" compared to the Gaunts who are just: "House of Gaunt" which is how wizard nobility from after the conquest would be titled in my headcanon.

The name Gaunt is one that arrived in Britain with the Normans as stated in a survey of England's land done by William after the conquest (this survey is known as the "Doomsday Book" and it essentially details which land belongs to which lord. The book names both Norman lords and Anglo-Saxon ones and is a super useful historical document. It occasionally even mentions which Anglo-Saxon lord was deposed for the sake of a new Norman one). Gilbert de Ghent (standardized spelling wasn't a thing yet), named in said survey was the nephew of King William I's wife and as such received lands. A lot of them, actually:

"Few among the Conqueror's companions of arms were so splendidly rewarded as Gilbert de Ghent, who held one hundred and seventy-two English manors."

(Manors refers to actual manors, but also the land surrounding them. Basically, it refers to a family seat)

As the Gaunts were so favored, it's likely William I placed his nephew's family (who I headcanon at least some are wizards) in the Wizengamot. I believe the Slytherins married into the Gaunt family around the same time to add legitimacy to the Gaunts' status in the wizarding community.

The Malfoy Family that doesn't have a magical noble title and lost their muggle one is just referred to as: "Malfoy Family" and never "House of Malfoy" which again, to me, suggests this is how these titles work.

The aforementioned Doomsday Book does mention a William Black with 5 manors in Devon. William Peverell, as a son of King William I is mentioned to have 153 manors given to him and another 75 to Ranulf Peverell (not sure of the familial relationship). Reginald Cnut (older spelling of Nott) is also mentioned in the Doomsday Book to have 26 manors. Malfoy is a name JKR made up and isn't mentioned in the Doomsday Book or any other survey of UK landowners done in the Middle Ages. I did read a legend about one Guy Le Strange who participated in a tournament at Castle Peverell around 1083 and won the hand of Mellette, the niece of William Peverell. Although the Lestranges are not mentioned in the Doomsday Book and this legend likely dates from the 13th century a good 200 years after the supposed events it details.

So, to summarise, wizards don't seem to have or ever had a royal family of their own but there were most likely wizard royals throughout the various kingdoms that existed in history. Some wizards do have a noble status that I headcanon/speculate is connected to their status as members of the Wizengamot. These Wizengamot titles were also muggle titles and there were wizards with muggle titles that weren't part of the Wizengamot. These wizards probably interacted very closely with the muggle nobility and even shared family trees and were all probably considered half-blooded if you asked a Death Eater. After the Statue of Secrecy, the muggle titles became irrelevant and stopped being used leaving only the Wizarding titles behind (I headcanon "Ancient and Noble houses" refers to Anglo-Saxon nobility, and just "noble houses" refers to Norman nobility among wizards). The UK monarch likely is informed about the wizarding world to a similar degree as we see the muggle prime minister is informed. Blood purity probably only became relevant after the Statue of Secrecy as before that we see intermarriages with muggle royalty and nobility being practiced (I talked a bit about the timing of the witch hunts and the Statue of Secrecy here).

Sorry for the nerdy history talk, but, I answered this after a few weeks of medieval UK research and I have so many thoughts about medieval wizarding society in Britain.

[thescarleteagle]

Barty Crouch Jr. and Evan Roiser is a ship that really makes sense because at Karkoff’s trial in Goblet of Fire, Karkoff said Evans name, and in my own professional opinion, that’s what makes Barty get progressively more angry and ultimately leads to lash out even more then he might’ve even when Karkoff told Winzengamot that he helped torture Frank and Alice. I also think Barty liking Evan made Barty’s relationship with his dad more difficult, which leads Barty to kill him later.

[letstrythisout4]

Thinking about Victorie (Tori) Weasley

First things first I dont fuck with the approximated ages of this generation. I just- no. Like the math isn’t mathing for me, so in my head this is how it goes. I think Victorie is the eldest of the entire generation, I think she was born in 1998. That is not canonical but I like it so much more yk. I like to think that she’s older than Teddy by a couple months. I don’t think she was a planned baby (much like Teddy) but yk. Bill and Fleur were young and dumb and shit happens idk. I just don’t like the…let's say canonical implications of Teddy and Tori dating at such a young age, AND if Tori is born sometime during the war it's a little moral boost or whatever, this is what we're fighting for type shit, much like Teddy. (But this will also play into a headcanon that ill get into later in this post about like politics, social standings yadda yadda, so stay tuned)

I like to think that wizard genetics are weird, right. So in the case of the topic for this post, Victorie Weasley, this would mean that Tori and all of her siblings have Veela traits despite being like what an eighth (im dumb and bad at math so dont bully me if thats wrong) Veela. I like to think that Tori is the most Veela-like; where all of her siblings have the classic red Weasley hair she was born platinum blonde and just in general looks way more like her great-grandmother than anyone else in the family.

I think that she is kind of deemed precious by the entire family, I mean she was born in such a moment of darkness and provided so much hope for regrowth after the war and that never left.

That girl was spoiled, heavily.

I mean the first grandbaby and she’s a girl. Molly adores her like no other and definitely hovers a lot.

I think Tori being born is a major part in fixing the relationship between Molly and Fleur.

ALSO imagine being Tori and learning the lore behind your mother and your grandmothers relationship before your birth. I feel like most people have a point where after youve grown up, maybe when you’re a teenager or an young adult, where you get to know like the family drama; imagine just ONE (because the weasleys have other shit to that i can get into later) piece of your family drama/lore is that your grandmother used to have beef with your mom and straight up used to hate her. Like the grandmother that you adore used to talk shit about your mom. (That’s not an uncommon thing at all, I know that something that people go through but its still crazy yk)

You know that trend where its people photos as adults and then as kids with the Megan song where its like “Knowin' nothin' in life, but I gotta get rich · You could check the throwback pics, I been that bitch” THAT IS TORI

I like to think that Tori and Teddy grew up like two peas in a pod. If they went more than like three days without each other when they would finally be reunited -especially as little toddlers- they were so dramatic, refusing to be more than 5 steps from each other.

I like to think George is the one who gave Victorie the nickname Tori and she just loved it so much that after the age of like eight she stopped answering to her full name unless her mom or grandmother (on her mothers side) was the one calling her.

Tori and Teddy are like the heads of the Next Gen. Way before they even became a couple they were the older cousins, they were respected and looked up to by the rest of the Next Gen, their just a power duo.

(I think Tori has like a two to three year distance between her and Dominique, and then I think that Dominique is kind of like the eldest of all the kids. So basically the next gen is Tori and Teddy, no kids born for the next 3 years, then Dominique then everyone else)

Tori and Dominique both grew up heavily in Veela culture. I can’t remember if I’ve said it on the blog or just thought about it alot but I think that they both were sent to Beauxbaton for a couple years for the equivalent of muggle elementary and then transferred to Hogwarts.

I think Tori ( because she is so Veela-like) perhaps got bullied and harassed. I’ve seen a lot of people dive into the implications of being Veela or part-Veela so I won’t get into it too much but Idefinitely think that she had her fair share of just straight bullying. 

Now a little bit of a switch up but stick with me. Imagine with me, that the Weasley family is a fallen noble house (maybe even ancient).

The house fell maybe during the first war or a little prior due to blood supremacy; they were clipped out the pureblood scene when they were just a little too loud. 

Now the house has fallen and post-secondary wars the Wizarding World in Europe is trying to rebuild itself. 

Tori (in my head) would take advantage of that. 

Listen, we've seen the Weasley family kind of get treated like shit because of their relationship with muggleborns and their financial situation and their lack of political influence. In theory if they were to rebuild the house there would be no better time than postsecondary war.

But I don't think that they do. Molly and Arthur are happy just to be with their family. All of the Weasley siblings we know of , except for Percy, are (for lack of a better word) free spirited non-socially conforming people yk. Bill is a curse-breaker, Charlie works with fucking dragons, the twins opened a joke shop and Ginny is a quidditch icon. I doubt they give a fuck about social status in the sense of regaining former political power. Especially because they all seem to have had it kind of easy. I mean yes we know they get comments about their finances and whatever but like…Weasleys are tough as shit, they'll just beat the shit out of you and call it a day.

Percy though is an exception, Percy did want to be in the Ministry. He was attempting to climb the ranks but I think after the war…after Fred’s death, he does not care, at least for the next few years.

I think Tori does care. I can see a world where Tori is getting harassed because she is part-Veela and I mean lets be real there must still be Death eater sympathisers at Hogwarts and Ican only imagine he fucking target the next gen had on their backs. I don't think that it's an issue for the other kids because well they have each other to rely on and the older cousins aka Tori and Teddy who as the eldest set the standard of like hey we are not meant to be fucked with. 

I think Tori and Teddy both faced heavy harassment for being half-blood and fought back. I think the two of them were perpetually in detention simply because they refused to sit there and take it.

I think Tori is bitter because of course this harassment isn’t just little kid petty ignorant bullshit, this expands into the grander political/social scene. Her family is beloved by half the Wizarding community sure, but they are seen as Harry Potter's sidekicks. The other half would kill them if they could get away with it. 

I think Tori looks around and sees that yes the war is over but ignorant purebloods still hold power. They still have their elite clubs and balls and still shoot down laws that could make change, I mean yeah a lot of people died or went to Azkaban but that was just Death Eaters, they are plenty of blood supremacists that couldn’t be convicted because well they haven’t done anything. They just refuse to let half-breeds into any important position of power *shrugs* voting against something isn’t illegal.

In theory the Weasley House could be great and as the eldest Tori is in a position to make it great. 

Tori Weasley looks at the snobby pureblood society and decides I am going to get in there and change it for the better or die trying.

Give me Tori Weasley who in her 5th year walks into Flitwick's office for her consultation on her future career paths with notebooks filled with information on Wizengamot, all the pureblood families, pureblood customs, etiquette, niche traditions, clubs, events, everything. Information on every level and subsection of the Ministry. 

Tori Weasley who works her ass off to be the top student of her year, before because she simply was competitive but as she gets older she is intentionally trying to stomp on every highly-tutored pureblood who thinks they have an advantage. She wants to be the best with no room for discussion and she is.

Give me Percy Weasley who is watching his niece grow up to be a mini him. She always had his tendencies even when she was at Beauxbaton, obsessed with rules and wanting to know everything. She looked up to him. But now, Christmas of her 6th year, 16 year old Tori was like looking in a slightly distorted mirror. She rallied her cousins and siblings, yelling at them if they were too loud or bumped into her, messing up what she was writing.

Percy warned Tori of greed and ambition and how blinding it could be. But Tori just had to respectfully shut him down. Greed? Ambition? Yes, yes she could admit she could find satisfaction in always being right but at the end of the day this wasn’t about her, this wasn’t for her.

This was for the family.

Tori didn’t want a position of power for herself.

She wants to rebuild the House of Weasley into a respectable name, politically, socially, and financially. She wanted to form allies with other like minded Houses like the Abbots, and wanted to formally politically oppose blood supremacy. 

She wanted their seat back in Wizengamot.

As the eldest she had much to gain from this, yes, she would be the head of the family… but she’s always been the head of the family. She gave the generation before her something to fight for during the war, she gave them something to live for after the war, she gave her generation a reputation to use for when they were at Hogwarts so that their years could be easier. And she would be giving all of her success to the next generation as well.

Tori is greedy and ambitious, yes, I mean you definitely won’t see her handing over the position as Head of the family to just anyone but so long as it benefits the family…

She starts her plan the second that she leaves HogwartsI think Tori is someone who becomes incredibly famous because of her efforts. I mean incredibly intelligent, beautiful, witty, and well known through coming from families that fought in both wars, I think she is set up to become a media darling. 

Photos of her arguing passionately in Wizengamot make it on the front page and that is where she gets her start. 

I think she grows into a name that is so well known that before she gets a seat in Wizengamot she’s already building connections.

I like to think that Tori is incredibly successful, that she reestablishes the House of Weasley and garners more respect for the House of Prewett. Tori is making political moves shutting down underhanded oppression and advocating for different communities. Tori is at every event, every ball, every club. And I mean even the ones whose crowds are primarily made up of blood supremacists. Why does she go? Because you never know what you’ll overhear. Why is she even invited? Because her name is too big in the Wizarding World to not be invited. 

I think Tori Weasley is the youngest member of Wizengaot ever, becoming the official representative of the family and taking up the seat for the family at age 22.

I think everyone is incredibly proud but I think Arthur is the most proud. I think he never held a passion for politics or House matters but I would imagine that he is old enough to remember what it was like when the Weasley name was respected and we know that he lived through the disrespect that the Ministry put them through after the first war. 

I imagine a seat in Wizengamot pre-first war used to be a symbol of status and respect because you have to fight your way to be an option to fill the seat and you have to be elected by your fellow Wizengamot members to actually take up the seat. Losing your seat in Wizengamot must feel devastating so to see it be regained, not only is personally satisfactory but also feels like a symbol of true progress.

(lemme know if yall want my opinions or headcanons on literally any character of any era because I have many, also if yall want elaboration on anything)

[thatshakespeareanfool]

I really wish the Harry Potter books were more for adult audience because from the things I find the most fascinating we get so little.

I would love to read more about the political system, how the wizengemot works in practice in daily basis or the clashed between the inherited and elected seat owners.

We know so little of the purebloods lifestyle except that it's more similar to what we may call english victorian aristocraticy. Also so many fans forget that while blood purity is important to most of the families, classism is very much there as well. Pureblood or not there are many families at the bottom of the food chain purely based on the fact that they don't rotate the money or political scene.

The allure of the Black family was always their own supposed self importance and ten generations of traditions were for me. I don't want to see Narcissa running around in muggle attire in fanfic because that ice queen who kills you with her gaze and elegant silence would never do that. Her imagine is just as much her weapon as her wand.

I wish we have gotten more of Dumbledore's and Voldemort's political chess play. Rather than only obscure notes from the first wizarding war. I want to believe that these two people are important to their followers not because the book said so but because they are indeed strategic geniuses.

I want to see the light and dark side blurred into grey, certainly more than "good" and "bad" people. I don't the author to tell me whom should I judge just write them as humans, someone being a blood purist doesn't mean they are rotten 24/7 they can have families, hobbies just as someone who doesn't believe in blood purity can be a nasty price of work in other parts of their lives. I want to see the consequences of war on both sides, because there are no winners in wars only survivors.

[rhaeblack66]

the hp fics where they go in depth into world building like wizarding politics or rituals or dark magic will always be superior

[ladiesofhpfest]

Follow Me by mimisays

We extended our Character Chic period for a couple more days to get the last submissions in! Our next work is Susan Bones-centric - she's following in her aunt's footsteps! Snippet and link below!

“Come.” Amelia’s hand was cold; it always was, but the Ministry had a chill in its stone walls that seemed to seep into their very bodies, freezing everything further. But cold didn’t mean unwelcome. Cold was bracing, cold sharpened the senses. Created a stiff bolt that strengthened the spine.

Susan always took her Aunt Amelia’s hand without hesitation.

Amelia tapped on the door with her holly wand, and it sprung open, allowing her to enter the Wizengamot’s largest chamber from the justice’s entrance. Coming in here was a gift, even more so than a weekend at Amelia’s, spending time in the plushly appointed office of the Magical Law Enforcement head before they left early for a posh afternoon tea. Susan had an idea why Amelia was spoiling her so this visit, but--this, this was a real treat. And the one thing Susan had hungered for.

[zazzander]

Made a little graphic of how I imagine the Ministry of Magic working in terms of structure.

This works slightly differently to how I’ve seen some fanfics do it – specifically around the Wizengamot, but I definitely drew influence from them. See below cut for more explanation!

(If anyone has ideas on how a Mugwump is chosen, please comment them)

At the top of everything is the ICW, which Dumbledore is the leader of as the Supreme Mugwump. The ICW makes international wizarding laws in the form of Decrees and Statutes. Examples are: the Statute of Secrecy and Decree for Justifiable Confiscation.

The Ministry of Magic upholds these laws in Britain + makes their own regulations. As we all know, the Minister of Magic is the head of the Ministry.

There is no set term for a Minister. They can leave office in three ways: death, resignation, or removal. In the third case, it is the Wizengamot that removes the Minister. This comes from the court’s roots as an elite, advisory body to the Council Chief (of the Wizards’ Council). The Wizengamot gathers for a vote of no-confidence and if it succeeds, the Minister is deposed.

The members of the Wizengamot are either high ranking members of the Ministry or they are recipients of the Order of Merlin. In part, this is why you get so many posthumous recipients – to limit the number of members. I opted for 2nd Class being the threshold because that ribbon’s colour is purple, the same colour members of the Wizengamot wear. This leaves the 3rd Class as a purely honorary award. While attending the court, Order awardees are known as “Elders”.

The Wizengamot is not part of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, but that Department does have a subdivision that handles its administration – such as providing a Court Scribe to record the proceedings (an occupation Percy Weasley fills at one point).

Now, the Wizengamot votes on those who receive an Order of Merlin, which runs the risk of corruption. However, certain criteria must be met before issuing the award (I imagine there is some ancient magic involved). Corruption does seep into the court when it comes to deciding the Class the recipient has earned (which was a later invention). Those who, perhaps, only did enough to be awarded with a Third Class ribbon, might use their wealth and power to lift that to Second or even First Class (such as the case with Arcturus Black). Overall, the Wizengamot does avoid becoming a total Old Boys’ Club, though it is not without its biases.

You might have noticed the Wizards’ Council on this graphic. In the old days, before the Ministry, this was an aristocratic council which met whenever important decisions needed to be made for all wizards in the UK. When not meeting, they carried out the will of the Council Chief.

Not so anymore. With the establishment of the Ministry of Magic, the Wizards’ Council was mostly disbanded. It’s only duty now is to choose a new Minister of Magic. Whenever a Minister dies, resigns, or is removed, the Council is called to meet.

When the Ministry was first established, the 100 or so members of the Council retained their seats. These were set to be inherited by their heirs. Thus, the Council was occupied entirely by pure-bloods who used their influence to control the Ministry.

However, not all of these old families cared much about blood purity and several would eventually become half-bloods. Furthermore, the fact that the Council cannot remove a wizard they have elected from office did have the new Ministers some wriggle room. Thus, over time, the Council was expanded – reducing the influence of the Old Families.

These days, there are 300 seats and the vast majority are held by half-bloods or so-called blood-traitors. Some Old Families hold several seats inherited from the original 100 while others have only managed to cling to one. The unluckiest of all, such as the Weasleys, have lost them entirely. It’s important to note that a single person cannot hold more than one seat, so pure-blood families with only a few members will find it difficult to retain much influence.

[tiredwriter2003]

Old drafts

Ok so I was going through my google docs and found what looks to be the beginnings of a fic idea for Harry Potter, but I have no memories of writing this and no idea where I was going with it. I'm not reading HP fics right now but will probably bounce back soon enough. I thougt why not put it here and see what happens.

It is listed as Potter vs DoM

Potters know they’re Peverell, have been claiming the Lordship for centuries, have not announced it. Have also been claiming the Gryffindor and pranking the DoM

People have 3 names in magical world, magical, formal and common

How Wizengamot chamber chairs work. If the seat is present but dark it means they’re dormant, meaning the bloodline is still around but no one has claimed the lordship. If the seat is on a glowing platform then lordship has been claimed. If it is a glowing platform and the chair is glowing gold then the lord is present in the chamber. Potters have three lordships and claim them so the platform glows. They go in to vote so the seat glows. They don’t tell anyone so everyone panics and thinks the magic is broken. The Peverells were paranoid so put protections in place, no-one can link them to the chairs unless they announce it, spells don’t work. Potters know the DoM is looking into it, don’t tell them cause they think it's funny. DoM don’t know who's behind it but hate them, the grudge gets passed down. 

James dies before he can claim his lordship, only claims the Potter so seats fade before the Potter one does. DoM are ecstatic because they think they finally fixed it. Then Harry shows up at the bank. He claims his lordships and finds out about the prank. Decides to roll with it and make it better, has slytherin by conquest. Claims it 3 months after the others to f with them. All start glowing. Makes sure to claim them after he claims potter, as is tradition, so no one puts it together that they belong to him. Goes to meeting, bad Dumbles. 3 months after joining claims Peverell and Gryffindor. DoM breaks down. Then, later, claims Slytherin. Another melt down. Figure out its a person or family who are doing this to them. Decide to hunt them down, not to attack but out of spite, and reveal them. Harry decides game on. All this is a subplot.

Harry finds out about his Lordship through the Library accidentally. Is studying for potions and finds out Sleakeazy hair was invented by “Lord Fleamont Potter and his brother Charlus.” Looks into it. Charlus and Dorea had kid, James, whereas Fleamont and Euphemia cursed barren. All helped raise him/adopted him so all are his parents. Harry finds out about Lordships, looks it up, tada Gringotts visit. Harry also has black lordship, doesn’t claim it but gets heir ring so Draco can’t. Don’t want the Malfoys getting his stuff.

This is what was in the document and it made me laugh at least. Anyone have any ideas?

[chaoticmultifandom28]

Behind the scenes of my fanfic #16

Everything that’s happening in this fanfic, scenes including the adults and not having any of the main cast, Or just seemingly bizarre little facts is something I’ve always wanted to see in fanfic but never did so I decided to do it myself. Like I want to look into the inner politics of the wizard in the world and yeah you get it in Harry Potter stories were Harry becomes Lord Potter and goes and gets his seats and does politics, but I wanted to see it as adults doing it and not a 16-year-old doing it. I wanna see Arcturus black getting in an argument with someone about laws, I want to see Fleamont Potter (because in my story the potters are part of that) slaying someone with his words over the legality of a potion. I want some random lady or Lord to gossip about Walburga’s sanity while others are trying to listen to a law and decide if it should be enacted.

Or I wanna hear tidbit conversation between Walburga and her “Friends” just to show she’s just as terrible person as she is in private. I created a whole wand shop in Nocturn alley and a character I’m never probably gonna use again because I was wanted another one shop to compete and that dark wizards would go to because I don’t know world building I guess.

Basically I want Extremely detailed fanfics that explores not just the world of the main characters they put themselves in or I put them in but also the outside world in that fic. I want Effie and Monty to not just be James’ parents Who we only hear about in the summer. I want Them to be fully develop characters. I wanna know more about the black family outside of what Orion and Walburga are like. Or the fact that the family is full of incest which I thought was researching they married outside of the family a lot, the only ones that didn’t seem to be not married outside the family were Orion and Walburga.

I also wanted to include Dorea and Charlus Potter because Before we knew James’ parents were Effie and Monty, a lot of fanfics had that Dorea and Charlus were his parents. And when we found out Effie and Monty were his parents we never saw Dorea or Charlus ever mentioned again in relation to any of the Potters

[haldirs-melda]

‘Even now, that is all that matters to you?’ Severus finally turned to look at Lucius. ‘Are you even capable of caring Lucius? Is love so foreign to you?’ ‘I don’t know what you mean, Severus. You really do have the heart of a poet. Perhaps your calling is not in the noble art of potions?’ ‘You never deserved her.’ Both their hands triggered for the wands they no longer had.

Chapter 29 now added to Ruby Red!

Ao3

Wattpad

[theenchantedecho]

MINISTRY MELEE: BARTY CROUCH SR. BEWITCHES THE WIZENGAMOT!

Steeped in scandal and simmering speculation, the usually staid corridors of the Ministry of Magic are a veritable cauldron of whispers and wonderment. The Minister of Magic, Barty Crouch Sr., whose political manoeuvres hold more surprises than a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans, has unrolled a parchment of shocking revelations. His latest spell of audacity? An ambitious expansion of the Wizengamot, our time-honoured court of law and legislative body. This bold move has left the wizarding world more stirred up than a perturbed nest of Puffskeins.

The bewitching question on everyone's lips is, why the sudden expansion? When cornered by my trusty Quick-Quotes Quill, Crouch, in a torrent of grandiloquent rhetoric, avowed his intent "to bring in a fresh perspective and fortify the institution's ability to maintain peace and order in these trying times." Now isn't that a charmingly altruistic sentiment? One can't help but sniff the faint but unmistakable scent of political manipulation wafting from such noble intent.

To fully appreciate this unfolding drama, let's take a moment to delve into the depths of Wizengamot's illustrious history. Predating even the Ministry of Magic itself, the Wizengamot's roots dig deep into the heart of the medieval Wizards' Council. Its ceremonial robes of plum and silver, bearing an ornate W, are as much a symbol of our tradition as the Sorting Hat itself.

The Wizengamot, more than just a court of law, is our legislative body. With about fifty members, whose selection process remains as elusive as the secrets of the Chamber, it's an intriguing institution, to say the least. Trials are swift and final, offering no room for appeal, making the identities of these new prospective members all the more significant.

The Ministry's marble halls buzz louder than a hive of enchanted bees as rumours dart around like mischievous Nifflers. My sources, as shadowy as the Forbidden Forest and equally as tantalizing, suggest that the new appointees may have closer ties to our Minister than a Hippogriff to its nest. Could this be the beginning of a Crouch dynasty? Or a simple refresh of perspectives? Only time, and Rita Skeeter, will tell.

Sensing the urgency of my relentless pursuit of the truth, an anonymous Ministry official (yes, Cornelius Fudge, we see through your cloak of anonymity), whispered in my ear, "It's a dangerous game of Gobstones being played in the Wizengamot. Keep your eyes peeled and your wits about you." In the echoes of the Minister's office, the Sorting Hat's chilling words resonate: "Those cunning folks use any means, to achieve their ends." Could this be prophecy taking shape?

Meanwhile, for our passionate puzzle aficionados, keep your Spectrespecs ready! Tomorrow's Daily Prophet features a special Wizengamot-themed crossword. Can you, through a labyrinth of cryptic clues, discern the identities of the future members of our esteemed court? Gird your wands, dear readers, the game is afoot!

For the symbol savants amongst you, we present a magical game based on court emblems and Wizengamot seals. These, my fabulous readers, are the heralds of change and innovation.

Stay tuned, dear readers. I, Rita Skeeter, your audacious correspondent, am on the case. I promise to delve deeper, to push past the obscurity, to reveal the truth, the intrigue, the pure

scandal hidden beneath the surface of this Ministry maelstroöm. Brace yourselves, for the best version of the truth is yet to come. It's juicier, it's wickedly fascinating, and it's the only truth that you won't want to put down.

Until our quills meet again, I will continue to lift the veil of secrecy on the world's most enthralling mysteries. The wizarding world turns, and with it, the Daily Prophet, offering you the first, the last, the only word on the enchanting and enigmatic world of magic. Keep the magic alive, my spellbinding readers! Stay curious, stay vigilant, and above all, stay enchanted.

[hollowed-theory-hall]

The Ministry of Magic: Part 2/?

(Part 1, Part 3)

The Wizengamot

So, I always got super curious whenever anything was mentioned about the Wizengamot because I love fictional governments and it seems like the most influential group of people in Wizarding Britain... politically, that is.

So, here is how I believe the Wizengamot functions and who are its members according to book quotes, a few Pottermore articles, and some of my reading about the real-life UK Parliament and House of Lords. This one is honestly fascinating and I really wanted to write about it. So here it is, a little longer than the last one.

Some History

So, like everything in Harry Potter meta, let's start with etymology (yay!):

So, Wizengamot is a play on the term Witengamot — coming from the Old English "witen", meaning wise men, and "gamot", meaning assembly. So, basically the name "Wizengamot" literally means: "assembly of wise wizards".

Now, the Witengamot is a term argued about among historians, since it probably wasn't used contemporarily for the council it refers to. But that council is the King's Council in England. This council, occasionally referred to as the Witengamot, was a council of advisors to the king of England and acted as a cross between a parliament (legislature) and a supreme court. This council existed from sometime before the 7th century and until the 11th century.

In the early 11th century (not far from when Hogwarts was founded), this Witengamot council changed its name to become the House of Lords, which is still part of the UK parliament today.

Because of this history, and the fact we know the Wizengamot acts as both a supreme court and parliament, I expect its history, functions, and members to resemble these older real institutions in British history.

With this in mind, all we know about the founding of the Wizengamot is that it happened pre-1544, but I kind of assume it happened in the 10th century around the same time Hogwarts was founded. It fits with the House of Lords coming into being in the muggle government not long after. Additionally, Hogwarts was founded due to unrest of wizards living among muggles, to create a space and community for wizards to come together, a council like the Wizengamot is likely to be established as a result of these same environmental factors.

This pre-ministry Wizengamot was led by a Chief Warlock who was a member chosen from within the council. This position before the ministry was probably similar to that of the old Lord Chancellor position in the House of Lords. The Chief Warlock was, back then, the speaker and formal leader of the Wizengamot. Not only governing the proceedings but actually holding power over the council.

After the Ministry of Magic was founded, like the House of Lords changed, so did the Wizengamot. The Minister of Magic, along with: the Senior Undersecretary to the Minister and the Special Advisor to the Wizengamot were added to the Wizengamot members.

The Senior Undersecretary to the Minister is implied to be chosen by the minister himself.

The Special Advisor to the Wizengamot during the books, is Elphias Doge, a member of the Order of the Phoenix and a close friend of Dumbledore. This leads me to believe that Chief Warlock selects the person in this position.

The other change to the membership the ministry brought in is a change in the position of Chief Warlock, as now the Minister of Magic has a say in who is selected for the spot, hence why he could remove Dumbledore from the post easily. Additionally, the Chief Warlock doesn't have to be from within the Wizengamot anymore and can be an external person (Dumbledore wasn't a member before his appointment as he wasn't present in Harry's trial as a member of the Wizengamot). So the Chief Warlock post-Ministry of Magic, is less of a Lord Chancellor and more like the modern-day Lord Speaker of the House of Lords. This position is essentially being the main chairman presiding over meetings and making sure to follow formalities along with representing the House of Lords internationally, which is what Dumbledore does as a member of the International Confederation of Wizards.

Now, that we have a basic grasp of the Wizengamot History, what the Chief Warlock does, and the ministry-appointed members, let's talk about the other members and more detailed functions of this council.

Members

Harry describes the Wizengamot during his trial has about 50 members:

There were about fifty of them, all, as far as he could see, wearing plum-colored robes with an elaborately worked silver W on the lefthand side of the chest and all staring down their noses at him, some with very austere expressions, others looks of frank curiosity.

(OotP, 138)

Something I want to note about Harry's trial in book 5 in addition to this, is that Dumbledore was just removed from his post as Chief Warlock, and Fudge is leading the trial. As such, it seems that for Wizengamot meetings and trials before a new Chief Warlock is appointed, the Minister of Magic acts as temporary Chief Warlock for the proceedings.

So, who are these other almost 50 witches and wizards that haven't been mentioned so far?

Well, it was mentioned by Rita Skeeter in her book about Dumbledore in Deathly Hallows, that Dumbledore, at 17, with his graduation from Hogwarts got the temporary position of "British Youth Representative to the Wizengamot". This is a position that probably a student in their 7th year or a recent graduate gets recommended by the headmaster of Hogwarts to the Wizengamot. I don't believe the youth representative has a real vote or say regarding court cases and is more there in the capacity of an advisor.

The other majority of the representatives are probably, as the name House of Lords suggests, lords.

Membership in the House of Lords is usually not achieved by election and up until 1999, membership in the House of Lords was hereditary. Meaning, the membership passed from father to son. I believe the same thing is going on in the Wizengamot.

We know there are Wizarding families that have a history of nobility, Like the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, or House of Gaunt. The fact an "Heir of Slytherin" exists suggests a title that is passed down hereditarily otherwise the word "heir" has no meaning.

Now, we know that by the time we see the Gaunts in the pensive memories from the 1920s, they lost all their influence and are living in a hovel. This suggests the Wizengamot can vote out or vote in family memberships.

Also, the number of members in the House of Lords can vary for various reasons. I believe even families that have a Wizengamot membership don't have to send in a representative to the meetings, but they're allowed to. Membership in the House of Lords used to be for the duration of the Lord's life, which explains why there are so many elder Wizangamot members. This explains this joke from the WOMBATs about the average Wizengamot member age being above 87 (untrue).

So, which families have a Wizengamot membership?

1. Well, the Blacks, for one. With their title and wealth, I assume they are members.

2. We know the Malfoys don't have a membership. Lucius Malfoy is specifically mentioned to not have been present in Harry's trial.

“The Minister was just telling me about your lucky escape, Potter,” drawled Mr. Malfoy. “Quite astonishing, the way you continue to wriggle out of very tight holes. . . . Snakelike, in fact . . .”

(OotP, 154)

Fudge had to tell Lucius about the trial since Lucius wasn't there.

3. The Potters are probably there.

It was mentioned on Pottermore that at least two Potters sat in on Wizengamot meetings:

Occasionally, a Potter made it all the way to London, and a member of the family has twice sat on the Wizengamot: Ralston Potter, who was a member from 1612-1652, and who was a great supporter of the Statute of Secrecy (as opposed to declaring war on the Muggles, as more militant members wished to do) and Henry Potter (Harry to his intimates), who was a direct descendant of Hardwin and Iolanthe, and served on the Wizengamot from 1913-1921.

(from Pottermore)

This is part of why I believe a family can have a member representing them if they are members of the Wizengamot, but they don't have to send anyone.

4. Ogden family and Marchbanks family (or Griselda's maiden name if this is her husband's name)

They are mentioned to be members in the Daily Prophet and Slughorn mentioned Ogden in HBP as well:

“Wizengamot elders Griselda Marchbanks and Tiberius Ogden have resigned in protest at the introduction of the post of Inquisitor to Hogwarts.

(OotP, 308)

4. Bones family

Amalia Bones is present in Harry's trial, yes, she is there as Head of the DMLE, but the fact she is head of the DMLE suggests she is part of the Wizengamot (I'll cover this in the next section).

5. Crouch family

Same explanation as with Bones.

6. Smith family

As decedents of Helga Hufflepuff, they act very self-important and spoiled, along with an apparent wealth (both Hepzibah and Zacarias), I believe their family has a Wizengamot membership.

Other likely candidates but that I don't have specific proof for:

Longbottom, MacMillan, Flint, Bulstrode, and most other families that were allowed to marry into the Black family (it's just likely for the Blacks to marry in other Wizengamot families).

Functions

So, as I mentioned, the Wizengamot has two hats: The parliament, and the supreme court. Both of these are hats the real Hosue of Lords had up until very recently.

As a Legislature:

In the irl UK, the House of Lords has some limitations regarding the laws and votes it can pass since the UK parliament has a second house, the House of Commons. For example, the House of Commons is the only house allowed to make or change laws regarding taxation. They are also the ones allowed to vote non-confidence in the prime minister to remove him from office.

As the Ministry of Magic only has the Wizengamot, I assume no such limitations are imposed. It means taxation is within the laws and regulations the wizengamot has vote over.

Additionally, this implies the Wizengamot has a final say on who can or can't be Minister of Magic.

As I mentioned in the first post of this series, the main purpose of the Wizengamot as a legislature is to meet up and vote on the bills offered by any office in the ministry. These meetings are called a "Warlock Conventions":

“But it’s against our laws,” said Ron. “Dragon breeding was outlawed by the Warlocks’ Convention of 1709, everyone knows that...”

(PS, 167)

"Warlock", in general, seems to be a term used to refer to any wizard with a professional position in the ministry (Perkins, Bones, etc.). So essentially "Warlock" seems to mean "Government Wizard".

As a Supreme Court:

So, this is going to be a little bit about the Wizarding legal system and the Wizengamot's part in it.

Until 2009, the House of Lords was still the Court of Last Resort in the UK, meaning if the lower courts couldn't resolve the issue it went to them. In the Wizarding World it's a little bit different, but there are some similarities with the old functions of the House of Lords.

Essentially, the House of Lords had a group of lords known as "Lords of Appeal in Ordinary", these Law Lords would hear legal appeals, but had quite a few limitations on them.

As the Wizengamot does not share these limitations and a much smaller population, I assume the "Law Warlocks" in the Wizengamot are the only judges to exist in the Wizarding World.

That being said, not all magical cases require a full Wizengamot trial. There is the Council of Magical Law for smaller trials:

“You have been brought here before the Council of Magical Law,” he said clearly, “so that we may pass judgment on you, for a crime so heinous —” “Father,” said the boy with the straw-colored hair. “Father . . . please . . .” “— that we have rarely heard the like of it within this court,”

(GoF, 594)

A council like this actually existed in the House of Lords. After World War II, cases were heard by panels known as Appellate Committees, the minimum number of Law Lords per committee was four, but seven could be present for very important cases.

I believe the same is true for the Wizengamot, even down to the number of how many Law Warlocks you need to run a court.

The fact the trials we see in GoF were run by a Council of Magical Law and not the full Wizengamot explains why they are run by Crouch Sr, Head of the DMLE and a Law Warlock, but not the Chief Warlock who should head Wizengamot proceedings when all members are in attendance.

I'm not sure how many of these "Law Warlocks" there are in the Wizengamot or how many are actually needed for a Council of Magical Law. The numbers here are a bit of an assumption based of the real Hosue of Lords.

Other Functions:

All UK ministers come from the House of Commons, and more rarely the Hosue of Lords. As such, I believe in the Ministry, the heads of all the big 9 departments are chosen by the Wizengamot and the minister from within the Wizengamot. So Bones and Crouch being department heads, makes me believe their families are Wizengamot members.

The big 9 departments are:

Department of Magical Education

Department of Magical Law Enforcement

Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes

Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures,

Department of International Magical Co-operation

Department of Magical Transportation

Department of Magical Games and Sports

Department of Mysteries

(This is not the order of influence of these departments, that's a different discussion of inter-department ministry politics)

This also explains why it's so hard for muggleborns to gain good positions in the ministry and why it's so rare for muggleborn ministers of magic to exist. Because the Wizengamot has a say in these appointments and picks their own members over others for the departments, and has the right to vote non-confidence in an elected minister (how the minister is elected is another matter).

This also creates the inherent problem for representation of creatures and mugglebors legally we see in the books, since, well, they aren't part of these old wizarding families, so they won't have a membership.

[epthebookdragon]

HP Wizengamot Trials Information Part 2

So Pansy... I feel like she is a good person. Granted she did ask to sacrifice Harry, but it could be considered for the greater good. Besides, a lot of fics put her as a friend of Hermione's and I think that's an awesome dynamic.

Charges would be illegal uses of the unforgivable curses Illegal Uses of the Cruciatus curse against lower year students, attempted murder?

Anything else?

And please see Part 1 and Prologue for more information. It may be viatle.

[midnightstargazer]

So how much of a role does the Minister of Magic have in wizarding Britain's justice system? Because ...

Harold Minchum was "a hard-liner" who increased the number of dementors around Azkaban

Cornelius Fudge personally arrests Hagrid in Chamber of Secrets and presides over Harry's trial in Order of the Phoenix

Rufus Scrimgeour is directly held responsible for sending Stan Shunpike to Azkaban without sufficient evidence

Kingsley Shacklebolt is given credit for making reforms such as removing the dementors from Azkaban

But Millicent Bagnold is "a highly able Minister" who is never criticized in any way, despite being in power during the Death Eater trials of the early 80s.

It looks to me like the Minister has a huge amount of authority over the whole criminal justice process. For the first war against Voldemort and its aftermath, Barty Crouch Sr. is given a lot of the blame for what went wrong. He's the one who hypocritically helped his own son escape from Azkaban, who condemned Sirius without a trial, who allowed Aurors to use the Unforgivable Curses against their suspects, etc. Okay, sure.

But is he also the one who was so quick to believe obvious Death Eaters had really been under the Imperius Curse?

He's portrayed as too harsh, not too lenient. But someone let the Malfoys et. al. get away with claiming to have been mind-controlled. That seems totally contradictory to Crouch Sr.'s characterization, so it seems more likely it came from higher up. AKA from the Minister of Magic herself, Mrs. "I assert our inalienable right to party."

Besides that, there's something weird going on when only the wealthy or influential have the opportunity to defend themselves. Sirius claims he wasn't the only person sent to Azkaban without a trial, and even though they were guilty, the Lestranges' trial comes across as mostly just an exhibition of the Ministry's power and an excuse for Crouch Sr. to publicly disown his son, not an actual examination of evidence in an attempt to get to the truth. How did the so-called Imperius victims (or any genuine ones who managed to get their names cleared) even manage to be listened to?

The answer has got to be either bribery or unequal treatment based on social status. Or both.

And who's in charge during all this, at best turning a blind eye and at quite possibly playing an active role?

Millicent Bagnold.

I do realize she's an insignificant backstory character who isn't even given a name in the books, but wow. "A highly able Minister" and a generally cool person? Maybe not so much.

[sri-fanfic]

Random HP Fanfic Idea

92. due to short-sightedness or something enough "lords" of the wizengamot ended up in prison to make the body defunct until they die or abdicate and a new lord takes up their seat.

It would appear that there's a law preventing them from being unseated even while in prison and removing that law would require a full vote which can't happen because they're in prison.

Play it straight; the wizengamot can only sit for judicial matters: hearings, trials, etc... But can't enact legislation due to lacking a quorum or whatever... On the other hand, they also can't reign in the ministry, so the ministry has been abusing the lame-duck-decade to do whatever the minister thinks he can get away with.

a.) Silly addon from CmptrWz: There's an existing law on the books that mandates that they burn down Azkaban if it isn't voted down every twenty years. Specifically because if they reach "can't do anything because too many 'Lords' are in prison" then they need an out. Normally they vote it down every five years to stay ahead of it.

"How did that become law?" "...it was preferred over stripping power from those in prison, for some reason." "Seriously?" "Of course, this was also before the unlocking charm became commonplace and prisoners were mandated to not have wands with which they could cast flame-freezing charms. Before then, the prison being burned down counted as freeing all the prisoners that were intelligent enough to survive the building burning down."

[goodboylupin]

🍬💕 please for @wizengamot

I give my great big box of candy hearts a shake...

I open it up to pull one out for @wizengamot and see the inscription...

UR KIND