What Jo says about...
The Ministry of Magic ("MoM")
Please note: unless you see quotemarks, these are summaries, and not JKR's word themselves. Please see the linked article for the actual text.
- The MoM does not find out which children are magic. Instead, there is a magic quill in Hogwarts that records the birth of a magical child, and McGonagall checks it every year and sends owls to those magical children who are turning 11. [Read the exact quote from Scholastic chat #1, 2000]
- There will be a new Minister for magic in book 6. [Read the exact quote from World Book Day, 2004]
- "Seventeen is much to young to enter politics." (In response to a rumour that Harry will be asked to be Minister of Magic.). [Read the exact quote from Jo's website]
- Arthur Weasley will not be the new Minister of Magic. [Read the exact quote from Jo's website]
- Umbridge is still at the Ministry; we will see more of her because JK wants to "torture" her a bit more. [Read the whole quote from the Leaky Cauldron, 2005]
- The veil was created hundreds and hundreds of years ago at the same time the Ministry was created. It is only used for the research of death and not for executions. [Read the entire quote from the Leaky Cauldron, 2005]
- JK won’t tell us if there will be another scene in the locked room in the Department of Mysteries. [Read the entire quote from the Leaky Cauldron, 2005]
- The first two chapters of Book 6 were a useful device to show that everybody knows Voldemort is back and that a lot of people are being affected. [Read the whole quote from ITV, 2005]
- Umbridge is "alive and well and working at the Ministry." She did not get arrested because her Ministry contacts are so good. "She is one of those people, and they do exist in real life, who will always side with the established order." "She likes power." [Read the whole quote from ITV, 2005]
- JK "always planned for [Harry] to want to be an auror." [Read the whole quote from ITV, 2005]