Random Ministry Of Magic Details Most Harry Potter Fans Don't Know About (14 items)

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  (#11) The Ministry Set The First Official Rules For Quidditch In 1750

  Before Quidditch became the No. 1 sport in the wizarding world, a series of similar games fed into its creation. The sport's creators cribbed from numerous local broom-based events to build their version.

  Even though Muggle sporting leagues have their own overseers, the official rules of Quidditch were set by the Ministry of Magic in 1750. Once the sport went international, the British Ministry removed itself from overseeing the sport and left its governing up to the International Confederation of Wizards Quidditch Committee.

  Even though the rules are out of the hands of the British Ministry in the modern era, it's interesting to note that very little about the basics of the game have changed since the 18th century.
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  (#7) The Ministry Communicates News To The Muggle Prime Minister Through An Enchanted Painting

  When it comes to communication between the Minister for Magic and the UK prime minister (their equivalent in the Muggle world), chitchat and diplomatic photo opportunities are out, but the two do meet under important or troubling circumstances. Each new British prime minister learns about the wizarding world after a visit from the Minister for Magic, who explains that if the Ministry needs to reach out to them with important news, they will.

  Communication takes place through a portrait of Ulick Gamp, the first Minister for Magic, that's stuck to the wall of the prime minister's Downing Street office with a Permanent Sticking Charm. If the Minister for Magic needs to tell the prime minister something, the painting's subject makes an announcement and the Minister for Magic pops into the prime minister's office. For example, when Voldemort and his followers return to wreak havoc in both the Muggle and wizarding world, Rufus Scrimgeour visits the prime minister to explain what is happening. 

  No prime minister has ever paid a visit to the Ministry of Magic, however, simply because the prime minister probably just couldn't handle it. 
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  (#8) There Are Ministries Of Magic Across The World

  More often than not, when someone in the Harry Potter series is speaking about the Ministry of Magic, they're talking about the British Ministry, but that's just one of many ministries throughout the wizarding world. Just as there are multiple schools for young wizards in different countries and communities, many ministries exist, as well.

  Europe and Asia have the largest number of ministries, at nine and seven, respectively. Africa, Oceania, and South America each have one. In North America, the only known magical government body is the Magical Congress of the United States of America (MACUSA). One of the oldest ministries is the Japanese Ministry, which has been around since at least the 17th century.
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  (#14) Ministry Departments Communicate Via Enchanted Paper Airplanes Because Owls Poop Too Much

  In the modern office, magical or otherwise, bird waste is not welcome. Rather than use a complex phone system, inter-office envelopes, or an enchanted wizards' version of Slack, the Ministry sends out its interdepartmental memos on pale-violet paper airplanes.

  Before the paper missives, everyone in the Ministry used owls to send their messages. Unfortunately, the owls were incredibly messy. They left feathers and droppings all over the building, which must have been a pain for the custodians, even if they could use magic to clean it up.
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  (#13) Albus Dumbledore Repeatedly Turned Down The Minister For Magic Position

  The Minster for Magic in Harry Potter is kind of like the wizarding equivalent of a British prime minister. Hogwarts Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, who was an exceptional student and leader at school and in the years beyond, seemed like a natural candidate for a higher wizarding office. Although he was offered the position of Minister for Magic multiple times, Dumbledore turned it down because he didn't believe he should be given that much power.

  At Hogwarts, he was able to mentor and guide Harry, but it's likely that if he had accepted the minister position instead of Cornelius Fudge during the time period covered in the series, the latter's massive ball-drop on the whole Voldemort thing might not have happened. Dumbledore still willingly helped the Ministry of Magic whenever he was asked, but it's interesting to think about the possibilities if he had been in charge of more than just Hogwarts.
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  (#10) Nearly Every Other Department Answers To The Department Of Magical Law Enforcement

  Seven departments exist within the Ministry of Magic: Magical Law Enforcement, Magical Accidents and Catastrophes, Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, International Magical Cooperation, Magical Transportation, Magical Games and Sports, and Department of Mysteries.

  Although they're mostly autonomous, all except the Department of Mysteries answer to the large Department of Magical Law Enforcement, which also polices the outside wizarding world. As with many bureacracies, each department has numerous sub-offices.

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