Can anyone think of a logical reason as to why the Department of Mysteries was so empty of magical protection and people at the end of the fifth HP book? I mean, Voldemort can only do so much to empty it out and clear the magical protections without alerting the Unspeakables who work there. So, how did this happen?

I can't think of any reason, other than that Rookwood (the only Death Eater Unspeakable we know) did something. But what? How many Unspeakables are there? Are they really uber-wizards/witches, or researchers? How protected is the Department normally?

Any ideas would be welcome. This has something very important to do with the next chapter of my story, and I'm stuck until I have something in hand.

 

I've been thinking about that on and off... Here are the scenarious I've found so far.

1) What we saw is just sort of a museum/show for visitors/warehouse and the real department is on a level above/below. I think this was used in some fic and I found the explanation very reasonable.

2) Death eaters activated some sort of a 'danger of contamination' alarm. In these situations, all the unspeakables would immedietely congregate in one of the rooms and/or apparate/portkey away. After all, considering the type of things they are working on down there, you never know when a flesh-eating virus or a time singularity sphere might start spreading around.

3) Unspeakables were simply locked in one of the rooms.

4) Unspeakables were home, sleeping; After all, why would DOM work 24/7? Would Wizarding world really finance three shift of such an elite unit when one is enough?

As for the wards, I suppose both the death eaters and the Order had enough time to find holes in them.

Hell, I'm not sure if there are wards at all; after all, why would a group of weekend vigilantes have to guard an entrance to a top-secret Ministry facility? This only confirms the theory that this was not the true DOM, just some sort of museum to show off to the visitors.

 

your first point could be right IP why no guard's?, in cannon Malfoy said " only people who are permitted to retrieve a prophecy from the DOM are those about whom it was made",why guard them if the whole place is secret to the point where people don't know what's in there, why have guard's keeping people out when those named on the prophecy's can just walk in and get them so I think that part of the DOM could be a public area and the real DOM is elsewhere.

But I hate to say it but if I'am right then anybody can go in and see those brains and what about the veil?

 

Yeah. I did like IP's first explanation, about the DoM putting up a false front--but the Veil and brains would be hard to explain away.

But the idea about the contamination alarm has a lot of merit. In fact, I was thinking somewhere along the lines, but the idea didn't really form until I read what you wrote. Yes, I think I'll use that idea--if you don't mind me using it, of course. I could add a line in my A/N about the idea being yours. ^^

Great! I can finally begin to write about the DoM.

Though, I do still wonder--how many Unspeakables could there reasonably be? A dozen? Two dozen? More? I remember Rowling saying once that the magical population of Britain was at about 10,000. But I really don't like that number... too limiting, I'd say.

Well, anyways, thanks!

EDIT: Hmm... still, I wonder about the lack of any magical protection. I mean, surely there were some at least around the Veil!

 

Ahh, but really the veil is a portal that takes you to the real department of mysteries. They spread rumors, calling it the veil of death to keep people from going through it. As soon as Sirius went through he was disected for a study of what effects being an animagus has on wizards.

 

Magical population of Britain should be 40-50,000 by my very optimistic estimate. Number of Unspeakables? Let's say 6-7 researchers for each area of magic times 3 (for apprentices and assistants) and add some 10 field agents and 5 in administration... 30-40 Unspeakables. Yes, that sounds about right.

And yes, of course you can use my... idea I guess.

EDIT

Lord Xantam: That's an interesting idea. The problem is:
- There are rows of seats in front of Veil, like a theater
- Someone would notice people going in and out of the Veil.

Besides, why would there have to be an entrance in the first place? Just an underground chamber where unspeakables apparate/portkey at will (as long as they know where it is).

 

Yeah, the idea of unspeakables as uber-wizards is pretty much fanon. Researchers into dangerous magic, intelligent Ravenclaw types. By no means necessarily duelist or fighters though.

There should have been protection, but I think it was all taken care of beforehand by Death Eaters (and to a degree Voldemort). Even in the prophecy room there had to have been protection. True only Harry or Voldemort could take a prophecy, but obviously the others could destroy them. Think how many prophecies have gone lost because of Harry's brilliant 'aim for the shelves' escape plan.

I always thought the idea of Dept. of Mysteries autonomy from the Ministry (is that a fanon idea too? Can't remember...) was for both sides benefit. They gain extra security so that they are able to work on the unknown dangerous stuff, while the Ministry isn't as threatened when a dangerous artifact takes over the entire department and devours their souls. Also I know Unspeakables work in the Dept. of Mysteries, but I'm not sure everyone in the Dept. of Mysteries is necessarily an Unspeakable.

Besides, if all of Hogwarts vaunted protections can be overcome by an old cabinet that Peeves likes to juggle, how hard would it be to subdue the geek squad? Or at least ensure they're out of the office for the weekend? Imperious a boss, suggest a mandatory togetherness weekend for the whole department with rules on no magic allowed. Presto, no one's alerted to their wards being triggered. This is the magical world. As creative and interesting as bits of it are, there will always be terribly obvious simple ways to overcome everything.

No one's ever broken into Gringotts. No one's ever located the Chamber of Secrets. No one's ever escaped from Azkaban. No one can see through invisibility cloaks at the supposedly dead Azkaban escapee who still gets to go to Quidditch matches. Of course a reporter sneaks around with a terribly rare form of magic that half the characters pull out of their arses. And with time turners common enough that Hermione uses one for schoolwork, how could anyone ever have an alibi for any crime?

Frankly if someone had mentioned no one's ever broken into the Dept of Mysteries it would have made the scene at the end of OotP far more likely. Of course the fact that it wasn't said, indicates break-ins and complete failures of protection are probably pretty common. I mean Rookwood did get a job there.

 

As interesting as the DOM makes the fifth book, it also leaves a large number of us going "WTF?" I wish that Rowling had explored the whole idea of the Dept of Mysteries, it would have fleshed out the series a bit more. But then again Ootp was weighty enough.

 

For your first point; Perhaps the public were led to believe that people were being executed, but it was really part of an initiation. A way of making people no longer care about someone, maybe?

For your second point; As long as people weren't always in the DoM it wouldn't be a problem. Invisibility spells or cloaks could be used.

And as for why not just apparating or portkeying in, maybe the location is kept secret from everyone for security purposes. Or maybe the wards don't allow it.

I think that would account for almost everything.

 

I like the idea about it being an initiation, but what does that make folk like Bode and Croaker? Front men? Public "spokesmen", the department rubbish haulers? What?

I personally like thediea that the majority of the DoM is hidden behind the door that wouldn't open. I also personally think, that it is not a department of elite soldiers, but simply a department of elite researchers, who are quite possibly the magical equivalent of mensa.

 

yah, i like the idea of them being elite, but i think all jk meant them to be was a bunch of geeks w/ a department that they could go to.

also for xantams theory, what if it was just an emergency escape in case there were portckey and apperation wards up, the seats were all for show to explain the veil and theyd occasionaly send ppl that needed protection through there, kind of like a witness protection program.

 

I think there is more to the DOM than what occured in OOTP. If the Unspeakeables are researching dangerous stuff in the DOM, Why would the Order Members (Arthur Weasley and Sturgis Podmore) need to guard the Prophecy?

I think the dangerous stuff are in another location or deep down in the Ministry. The Hall of Prophecies, though important, contains a bunch of prophecies that may or may not come to pass. I'm not saying its not protected, but as i quote from OOtp.

// "'When Bode tried to steal this weapon, something funny happened to him. I think there must be defensive spells on it, or around it, to stop people touching it. That's why he was in St Mungo's, his brain had gone all funny and he couldn't talk. "//

Although the Unspeakeables need to protect the prophecies, they are not of utmost importance to heavily guard.

 

Or, if you can use magic to conjure bunch of cool stuff and live with a style, you wouldn't want to waste your life away sitting in some god-forsaken warehouse, looking after a bunch of prophecies no one needs or cares about.

 

I don’t think the orders guards were there to protect the prophecy so much as to see if any DE’s or anyone suss was about. I do like the idea about what we saw only being part of the DoM since we hear Luna talking about a room which was obviously a model of our solar system but we (We being Harry’s perspective) never saw that room.

The idea of the researchers in the DoM being uber wizards that can take on hit wizard’s can go either way IMO. While not necessarily trained for combat like others they would have almost defiantly been top of the classes at Hogwarts or what ever school they went to and would have trained and researched some pretty nasty stuff so I would say there would be quite a few unspeakables who could kick some serious ass. The only problem I see with that is they are probably not used to fighting and dueling and like almost all nerds are probably cowards.

 

Theories:

-Veil Room was an execution room, as seen by the observation area. Modern day Execution rooms have observation areas as well.

-The veil probably predates the DOM, as seen by the tattered condition of the curtain and the newer condition of the DOM.

-The DOM was not DOM originally, and was built specifically to study the veil. Either this, or when the veil was put out of service, the entire floor was given to a research team to study it, which eventually evolved into the DOM.

-The area Harry and Co entered was storage. Nothing reactive is stored there. There is also no mention of work areas for testing. The actual work area is probably much better protected.

-Lord Voldemort, being the most powerful Dark Wizard alive, would have no problem breaking into a werehouse and breaking its wards/protections. The ministry is on low alert, and there were supposed to be guards guarding the ministry itself. Due to low alert, this was thought to be all that's required to protect the werehouse. Undoubtably, had LV's return become widely believed, it would be almost impossible to break in.

-While the unspeakables aren't uberwizards, they are pretty skilled. Not for fighting though, but for wards/passive defense/rituals. There must be, however, at least one or two really powerful unspeakables. Researching magic at that level must help at being a better wizard.

-Timeturners are limited, and are not manufactured. I don't believe anyone knows how to make them. If they did, then they wouldn't be researched. The creator would have spilled his research.

 

My theory:

1. It was after-hours, so that accounts for there being few security officers nor workers. Harry heard the clink of dinner forks as Umbridge led him out to the forest; the thestral ride took several hours. It was probably fairly late. The Death Eaters had already entered stealthily, so it is possible they disabled defensive charms.

2. The whole Ministry of Magic building is not a highly-classified area. There is no extra barrier other than the spinning room designed to keep out visitors. Instead, the room seems to serve more as a distraction than anything.

3. The Hall of Prophecies is largely a rumor. In the Daily Prophet clipping from the start of HBP, it's revealed that many people do not know whether there is or is not a prophecy. The Prophet itself speculates. This keeps most people out of the place.

4. If someone were to stumble upon the Hall of Prophecies accidentally, there are protective spells on each prophecy. That alone would deter all but those who a) know there was a prophecy made about them - in which case, if they gave the prophecy to the Record Keeper, they'd know about the hall, and b) those who have guessed there is a prophecy regarding them. In this case, LV knew, thanks to Snape. Presumably, all the other objects are capable of causing serious harm to an individual who does not know what's going on and how to study them.

5. The Ministry, in typical ministry fashion, has only a few elderly guards. One reports to Fudge that he saw Lord Voldemort there. It's unlikely that Grandpa would find them snooping around in this little obscure hallway when he has to use a cane anyways to get around.


Not nearly as exciting

 

Hmm... wasn't there a mention of some drab looking guard (or a pair of them) standing in front of DOM door during Harry's first visit to the ministry or one of his dreams?

 

Quote from OOTP

//'You were guarding it, weren't you?' said George quietly. The weapon? The thing
You-Know-Who's after?'//

Arthur Weasley was guarding the Prophecy when he was bitten by Nagini.

///Sturgis Podmore -' said Hermione breathlessly, 'arrested for trying to get through a door! Lucius Malfoy must have got him too! I bet he did it the day you saw him there, Harry. Sturgis had Moody's Invisibility Cloak, right? So, what if he was standing guard by the door, invisible, and Malfoy heard him move - or guessed someone was there - or just did the Imperius Curse on the off-chance there'd be a guard there? So, when Sturgis next had an
opportunity - probably when it was his turn on guard duty again - he tried to get into the Department to steal the weapon for Voldemort - Ron, be quiet - but he got caught and sent to Azkaban…"///

Sturgis Podmore was also guarding it.