[HPforGrownups] Where is our Prince? (And Where Did Those Wizards Get Their Titles?)

[manawydan]

No: HPFGUIDX 111713

Debbie wrote:
>Presumably, the Wizard's Council evolved (perhaps with knowledge
>and/or consent of the crown) to deal with magical issues that would
>not be a priority for the muggle government.  Though I have not
>found the date when the Wizards Council was succeeded by the MoM, I
>believe it most likely occurred after wizards went into hiding.

I've always assumed that the foundation of the Ministry and the Statute of
Secrecy came about at the same time, the MoM supplanted the Council to
ensure that secrecy was enforced.

I would surmise (on very little canon evidence) that the Council was a loose
body of wizards, mostly from the Houses with a few eminent scholars, who
kept a fairly loose hand on things, whereas the changeover the the Ministry
was the defining political moment in the WW, the change from an oligarchy to
a bureaucracy. In turn, the new Ministry enforced the Statute of Secrecy in
draconian terms and needed a large staff to do this: suddenly there were
opportunities for able young wizards and witches of no lineage at all to get
on and become powerful while the Houses were no longer so important.

Given the length of wizarding generations, a number of the "purista" (love
that word) conspirators could well have had grandparents who used to grumble
about how things are now and how wizards of lineage used to be respected in
the world.

Cheers

Ffred

O Benryn wleth hyd Luch Reon
Cymru yn unfryd gerhyd Wrion
Gwret dy Cymry yghymeiri