The purpose of this article is to describe the function of Aurors in the Harry Potter universe and how they apply to our store on Catch the Snitch.
What is an Auror?
An Auror is a highly trained witch or wizard that operate out of the Auror’s Office within the Department of Magical Law Enforcement of the Ministry of Magic. Their main purpose is to investigate crimes related to the Dark Arts and to detain the perpetrators. Roughly, they are comparable to the FBI in the United States or MI5 and MI6 in Great Britain.
Auror Hierarchy
* The Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement reports to the Minister for Magic.
What are the base requirements for becoming an Auror?
Below is a list of general requirements of a witch or wizard seeking the position.
- A minimum of five N.E.W.T.s in subjects such as Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, Potions, and Transfigurations with a grade no lower than an E (Exceeds Expectations). Some subjects may be substituted for others based on the person’s aptitude.
- Participation in (and passing of) a rigorous, three-year training program involving classes mentioned later in this text.
- A stringent series of character and aptitude tests
- A clean criminal record, though there have been some noted exceptions at the discretion of the Head Auror.
Auror Training Program
Each applicant who was accepted into the role is required to participate in a three-year training program in which additional courses are taught, including those listed below.
- Concealment and Disguise – Instructs trainees in the art of hiding their identity from others.
- Stealth and Tracking – Instructs trainees on how to remain undetectable while tracking down their targets.
- Battle Instinct – a participatory tactical exercise in which the participant must navigate a maze of extremely sensitive traps to teach how to deal with difficult terrains and obstacles as found in the field.
- Best-Laid Plans – A training exercise centered on preparing and reacting to various combat situations.
- Dueling in the Dark – An exercise in which participants must duel one another in pitch black with no lighting source other than that which is emitted from spells cast.
- Field Training – a learn-by-doing training class in which trainees worked alongside regular Aurors.
- History of the Dark Arts – A seminar which covered unpleasant historical accounts on the overall development and practice of the Dark Arts.
- Method in the Made-Eye – A more recently-created endurance program developed by the late Alastor Moody in which participants were required to defend themselves on their feet for over an hour to help increase their endurance to damage from adversaries in a duel.
- Resilience Training – A lecture on different ways to recover from non-fatal injuries during combat situations.
- The Auror Advantage – A mandatory discussion with five veterans to teach the trainee best practices on protection in combat situations and finding when the adversary is at their weakest.
Passing the Auror Training Program resulted in the Trainee being Qualified as a Regular Auror.
Job of an Auror
The primary function of an Auror is to investigate crimes involving the Dark Arts and to apprehend some of the most elite Dark Witches and Wizards. This can involve duels between the Auror and their culprit. Because these duels are against practitioners of the Dark Arts, it is very likely that jinxes, hexes, poisons, and curses, particularly the Unforgivable Curses, may be used against them, resulting in a very dangerous line of work. From their resilience training, Aurors have a decent skillset in Curse-Breaking and fixing non-lethal ailments.
Aurors and Hogwarts
In 1999 the Minister for Magic, Athena Ward, agreed to reopen Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry following a long, drawn out scan of the castle and its surrounding lands for any remnant of the Dark Lord’s followers. She decreed that Aurors would be stationed at Hogwarts for the following years to ensure the safety of its students and to prevent any mishaps like those in the nineties.
Ward, who served as an Auror for twenty years, understood the nature of the job and that it wasn’t for everyone. To add incentive for dedicating time at the school, she offered the following:
- Aurors could enlist in full-time, part-time, or rotating assignments.
- A bonus of 50 Galleons would be granted per week of service to full-time assignments and 25 Galleons for part-time assignments equal to no less than half of their weekly scheduled hours. Rotation bonuses would be granted for weeks served based on full-time or part-time scheduling.
- A dedicated team of Hogwarts House Elves would provide stationed Aurors with three meals per day and any additional sustenance needed outside of those, so long as the requests did not hinder the base daily meals. Additionally, Aurors were to be designated sleeping quarters within the castle at the discretion of the Headteacher. Those that wished to reside off campus were given a stipend for rent in Hogsmeade, subject to the village’s availability.
- When not stationed, Aurors were free to leave the grounds with the understanding that they would report for duty on time for their next assignment.
- Assignments to/from Hogwarts could be modified at will with a minimum of two weeks’ notice.
Auror vs. Hit Witch/Wizard
Another position within the Department of Magical Law Enforcement is that of the Hit Witch/Wizard. While both groups go through extensive trainings, a Hit Witch/Wizard specializes in highly dangerous combat situations such as high-risk arrests and riots. They often serve as backup to the Aurors and are called in to assist frequently This team is often compared to the Muggle’s S.W.A.T. team in the United States.
Aurors are more of an elite force whose abilities go beyond simple arrests and include concealment, stealth, and disguise. Hit Wizards are primarily a fighting and controlling force who do not investigate crime.
The author of this article would like to thank the Harry Potter Fandom (Harry Potter Fandom) for their collection of information from the source material.