Muggle-Born Registration Commission
From Harry Potter Wiki
| The Muggle-Born Registration Commission | |
|---|---|
| Organisation information | |
| Founder(s) |
Ministry of Magic (under Lord Voldemort's control) |
| Founded | |
| Dissolved | |
| Leader(s) |
Dolores Umbridge (head) |
| Intentions |
To imprison Muggle-born witches and wizards |
| Affiliation | |
| Enemies | |
| Behind the scenes | |
| First appearance | |
- Dolores Umbridge: "Could you please tell us from which witch or wizard you took that wand?"
- Mary Cattermole: "T-took? I didn’t t-take it from anybody. I b-bought it when I was eleven years old. It – it – it – chose me."
- Dolores Umbridge: "No. No, I don’t think so, Mrs. Cattermole. Wands only choose witches or wizards. You are not a witch."
- — Trial of Mary Cattermole[src]
The Muggle-Born Registration Commission was set up by the Ministry of Magic following Lord Voldemort's takeover on August 1, 1997. The public goal of the Commission was to force all Muggle-born Wizards and witches to register with the Ministry, then undergo interrogation as to how they "stole" their magical power from "real" wizards and witches. The true purpose of the Muggle-Born Registration Commission was to imprison and degrade Muggle-borns. Dolores Umbridge was the head of the commission.
Contents |
[edit] History
[edit] Founding
- "Recent research undertaken by the Department of Mysteries reveals that magic can only be passed from person to person when Wizards reproduce. Where no proven Wizarding ancestry exists, therefore, the so-called Muggle-born is likely to have obtained magical power by theft or force. The Ministry is determined to root out such usurpers of magical power..."
- —1997 Daily Prophet article[src]
The Muggle-Born Registration was set up within a month of Voldemort taking over the Ministry of Magic, supposedly because the Department of Mysteries conducted research which found that magic could only be inherited, and thus that any "so-called Muggle-born" must have obtained magic by force. The Commission was then set up, ostensibly, in order to investigate this. This news was reported by the Daily Prophet.[1]
In reality, the Commission was an instrument of discrimination against Muggle-borns in line with Death Eater ideology. Although they claimed to have "issued an invitation" for Muggle-borns to meet with the Commission, the Commission in fact forced Muggle-borns to turn themselves in, sending Snatchers against any who tried to avoid them. Some people pursued by Snatchers, such as Dirk Cresswell and Ted Tonks, did not survive the encounter[2]. Furthermore, their "interviews" were shams, fully intent on sending innocent Muggle-borns to Azkaban, or stripping them of their wands and jobs, leaving them to be beggars.[3]
[edit] Actions
- Ron Weasley: "People won’t let this happen."
- Remus Lupin: "It is happening, Ron. Muggle-borns are being rounded up as we speak."
- Ron Weasley: "But how are they supposed to have ‘stolen’ magic? It’s mental, if you could steal magic there wouldn’t be any Squibs, would there?"
- Remus Lupin: "I know. Nevertheless, unless you can prove that you have at least one close Wizarding relative, you are now deemed to have obtained your magical power illegally and must suffer the punishment."
- — Remus Lupin on the Commission's actions[src]
The Commission had Muggle-borns who registered fill out questionnaires about their family history, and then wait for their trial behind bars in the Ministry of Magic. While awaiting trial, they were guarded by Dementors, and threatened with the Dementor's Kiss if they resisted. Trials were held by Commission head Dolores Umbridge, who was assisted by Death Eater and head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement Yaxley at times. Travers, another Death Eater, may also have been involved, as Umbridge once mentioned him sending someone to record-keep for her. Those who could not prove that they had magical heritage — in other words, any Muggle-born and potentially some half-bloods — were sentenced to Azkaban for having "stolen" magic.[3] Some, however, were apparently released after being stripped of their wands and their jobs, and ended up beggars on street[4].
This led some Muggle-borns to fake their family trees, such as Dirk Cresswell[3], and others to refuse to register and go on the run, such as Ted Tonks[5]. These individuals were pursued by Snatchers, sometimes fatally. Their deaths were not reported by news outlets such as the Daily Prophet, only by the rebellious radio program Potterwatch.[2]
- "Harry felt sickened and angry: At this moment, excited 11-year-olds would be poring over stacks of newly purchased spell-books, unaware that they would never see Hogwarts, perhaps never see their families again either."
- —Harry Potter's reaction to hearing what would happen to Muggle-born children[src]
Also, attendance at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry became mandatory for the first time. Part of the reason for this was to weed out Muggle-borns, as all students were required to prove blood status. Thus, children who could not prove that they had magical ancestry were rounded up as well.
The Commission also seemed to distribute propaganda against Muggle-borns, such as a pamphlet entitled "Mudbloods and the Dangers They Pose to a Peaceful Pure-Blood Society".[3]
[edit] Harry Potter's Confrontation with the Commission
Harry Potter and Hermione Granger encountered the Commission when they, along with Ron Weasley, entered the Ministry of Magic in 1997 to take Salazar Slytherin's locket from Dolores Umbridge. Hermione, disguised as Mafalda Hopkirk with Polyjuice Potion, was forced to watch the trial of Mary Cattermole. She and Harry, disguised as Albert Runcorn, interceded to free Mrs. Cattermole and the other Muggle-borns after taking Slytherin's locket. Yaxley attempted to stop them, grabbing onto Hermione as the trio Disapparated to 12 Grimmauld Place, their hide-out. Having broken the Fidelius Charm by bringing Yaxley within the limits of the spell while disapparating, the trio had to abandon the house.[3]
[edit] Disbandment
The Muggle-Born Registration Commission was disbanded after Lord Voldemort's defeat when Kingsley Shacklebolt became Minister for Magic in 1998. Umbridge was sentenced to Azkaban herself for her crimes against Muggle-borns as head of the Commission[6].
[edit] Known Victims
- Alderton — sentenced to Azkaban for "stealing magic"[3]
- Mary Cattermole — subjected to a biased trial[3]
- Dirk Cresswell — forced to forge his family tree and go on the run when this was discovered; eventually killed by Snatchers[2]
- Dean Thomas — forced to go on the run[5]; eventually captured and briefly imprisoned in the dungeons of Malfoy Manor
- Ted Tonks — forced to go on the run; eventually killed by Snatchers[2]
- Various people reduced to being beggars on the streets[4]
