| “ | The Ministry of Magic is undertaking a survey of so-called "Muggle-borns," the better to understand how they came to possess magical secrets. 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, and to this end has issued an invitation to every so-called Muggle-born to present themselves for interview by the newly appointed Muggle-born Registration Commission. | „ |
| ~ The Daily Prophet about the MBRC |
The Muggle-Born Registration Commission are supporting antagonists in the book Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and the first part of the film of the same name. They are a sub-department of the Ministry of Magic headed by Dolores Umbridge that arrest and imprison Muggle-born wizards for "stealing" magic.
History[]
The Commission was set up in 1997 by the new, Lord Voldemort-run Ministry of Magic to enforce Voldermort's pure-blood supremacy, upon the apparent discovery by the Department of Mysteries that magic cannot manifest within someone without any magical bloodline being present. Therefore, the Ministry concluded that Muggle-born individuals had obtained their magic through theft or force (something pointed out as ludicrous by Ron) and campaigned for Muggle-borns to be rounded up for unfair acquisition of magic. In reality, the Unspeakables were forced to lie about this apparent discovery and the persecution of Muggle-borns was supported by corrupt and prejudiced Ministry officials.
The commission's function was to deceive unsuspecting Muggle-borns into registering with the Ministry, then arrest them and put them through unfair trials before imprisoning them. Alternatively, they could simply send Snatchers after them to arrest them without their being registered. Such was the case for Dirk Cresswell, who was exposed as having faked his family tree and forced to go on the run after his escape from Azkaban. Those who could not prove they were of magical parentage or bloodline were sentenced to Azkaban for possessing "stolen" magic, being threatened with the Dementor's Kiss should they resist. Other witches and wizards were released, but not before being relieved of their wands and jobs, causing them to end up homeless.
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 — such as Dean Thomas, whose mother was a Muggle and whose father was a wizard, but had left when Dean was younger, making it impossible to prove — were rounded up as well, or forced to go on the run. This held true even for Muggle-born children who were invited (or rather, forced) to attend their first years at Hogwarts, only to be taken away for imprisonment.
The commission was led by Dolores Umbridge. Albert Runcorn was also a high-ranking member, as was Travers.
In 1997, Harry Potter and Hermione Granger attacked and locked away two members of the Commission in order to infiltrate the Ministry. During the trial of a witch named Mary Cattermole, who was wrongly accused of stealing a wand, they attacked Umbridge and Corban Yaxley and freed several prisoners.
After Voldemort's death, the Muggle-Born Registration Committee was disbanded. Umbridge was arrested and imprisoned for life in Azkaban, along with probably the rest of the Commission.
Members[]
Dolores Umbridge[]
- Main article: Dolores Umbridge
The head of the Commission who is in charge of trying and imprisoning suspected Muggle-borns. She also appears to be in charge of distributing propaganda, as she published a book entitled Mudbloods and the Dangers They Pose to a Peaceful Pure-Blood Society, which the Commission distributes. She convicts a half-blood named Alderton of being a Muggle-born and then puts Mary Cattermole on trial, but is Stunned by Harry. Following the disbanding of the Commission, she is imprisoned for her crimes.
Corban Yaxley[]
- Main article: Corban Yaxley
Yaxley appears to serve some function in the Commission as head of the Department for Magical Law Enforcement (this, presumably, would make him superior to Umbridge). He is present during the interrogation of Mary Cattermole, which he uses to blackmail her husband Reginald into doing a job for him, and is Stunned when he pulls out his wand after the attack on Umbridge. He pursues his attackers through the Ministry and grabs Hermione's leg when she Disapparates out of the building. She got rid of him, but not before revealing the location of 10 Grimmauld Place, a hideout they had been using, and he brought Death Eaters to the location. He later took part in the Battle of Hogwarts and was presumably arrested afterwards,
Albert Runcorn[]
- Main article: Albert Runcorn
Runcorn is a high-ranking agent of the Commission, who uncovered the Muggle heritage of Dirk Cresswell and had him arrested. He is knocked out and locked away by Harry Potter so Harry can impersonate him, and is presumably arrested after the fall of the Ministry.
Mafalda Hopkirk[]
Hopkirk is an official of the Improper Use of Magic Office, but is called upon sometimes as a stenographer for the Commission, as in the trial of Mary Cattermole. She is knocked out and locked away by Hermione Granger so Hermione can impersonate her.
Travers[]
Travers appears to be a high-ranking member of the Commission, as Umbridge mentions that he sends Ministry employees to the courtroom to act as stenographers. Travers escaped from Azkaban after Lord Voldemort's return in 1995 and fought in several battles of the Second Wizarding War, including the Battle of the Seven Potters, the Ambush at the Lovegood House and the Battle of Hogwarts.
