Ministry of Magic Headquarters
The headquarters of the Ministry of Magic are located deep underground below wikipedia:Whitehall, in wikipedia:London. They are comprised of a very large, ten-story building housing several offices, departments and courtrooms. Although all the structure is underground, magical windows show whatever weather the Magical Maintenance Department has chosen for the day, from bright sunshine to hurricanes. Lifts provide access to every level, except Level Ten, the Wizengamot Courtrooms, which is only accessible via a set of stairs from Level Nine, the Department of Mysteries.
This article was originally edited from the Harry Potter Wiki:British Ministry of Magic Headquarters article.
Entrance to the Headquarters
The visitor's entrance of the Ministry of Magic is an abandoned red telephone phone booth; one enters the Ministry by dialing "62442" ("magic"). Following the prompts of the operator, passes are issued and the telephone box will descend through the ground into the Atrium (Level Eight). More than twenty service lifts stop at all floors, Levels One through Nine. Stairways provide access to all ten levels in the Ministry and must be used to access Level Ten.
As the entire Ministry is underground, the higher floor number indicates levels deeper into the ground.
Levels
Level 1 - Minister for Magic and Support Staff
This Level contains the offices of the highest-ranking Ministry officials. This Level's floor is covered in thick purple carpets and all the offices within contain a gleaming mahogany door, each bearing a small plaque with the owner's name and occupation upon it. It contains the offices of the Minister for Magic and other administrative personnel.
Level 2 - Department of Magical Law Enforcement
The Department of Magical Law Enforcement is the largest department at the Ministry of Magic. Arguably the most important of the various departments, it houses a combination of police and justice facilities. Around the corner from the access lift and past a set of heavy oak doors lies the Auror Headquarters: a large open area divided into small cubicles, one for each Auror. Pictures of known Dark Wizards, maps, clippings from the Daily Prophet, and various other things line the cubicles.
After another set of double doors and another passage, one finds himself in a dimly lit and distinctly shabby corridor at the end of which lies a broom cupboard to the left and opposite it the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office, in a room of almost the same size as the cupboard; two desks and overflowing filing cabinets crammed inside.
Layout of Level Two.
Level 3 - Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes
Level Three houses the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes whose employees hold the responsability for repairing accidental magical damage.
Level 4 - Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures
The Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures is the second largest Department in the Ministry and is located on level four..
Level 5 - Department of International Magical Cooperation
On level five is the Department of International Magical Cooperation which is an agency concerned in foreign affairs that attempts to get wizards from different countries to cooperate in wizarding actions both political and public.
Level 6 - Department of Magical Transportation
Level six houses the Department of Magical Transportation is responsible for various aspects of magical transport.
Level 7 - Department of Magical Games and Sports
Level Seven houses the Department of Magical Games and Sports, which is responsible for organizing sports events the likes of the Quidditch World Cup and the Triwizard Tournament, as well as enforcing game-related laws and regulations. The Department has a very relaxed ambiance, the corridor off the access lift being somewhat "untidy-looking" in comparison to the other Ministerial Departments: various posters of Quidditch teams are tacked lopsidedly on the walls.
Level 8 - The Atrium
On Level Eight one finds the Atrium, an area that serves as lobby and reception room to the visitors and employees. The Atrium is a very long hall with a highly polished dark wood floor. The ceiling is peacock blue and is filled with golden symbols that keep moving like a notice board. The walls on each side are covered in gilded fireplaces: the left-hand side ones serving for arrivals and the right-hand side ones for departures. On the far end of the hall one can find the Security Desk, the Ministry Munchies café, and a set of double golden gates leading to the at least twenty access lifts.In a room off the Atrium, one finds the Security Office, a room containing spare keys to the offices and lift information.
Level 9 - Department of Mysteries
The Department of Mysteries is a section of the Ministry of Magic that carries out confidential research. Most of its operations are carried out in total secrecy. Few employees within the Ministry actually know what is located within this department. Those wizards who work in the Department of Mysteries are known as Unspeakables because of the confidential nature of their work.
This Level bears a striking difference to those above: the black-tiled walls are bare with no windows and no doors apart from a plain black one at the end of the corridor that leads into the Department proper. Light is provided only by torches. A small flight of steps to the left leads to Level Ten. Upon entering the Department, one finds themselves in a circular hall of dark marble floor, lit by candles emmiting a cool blue light. The door holds several doors leading to different offices and chambers.
Level 10 - Courtrooms
Level Ten hosts about half a score of courtrooms, which are used by the Wizengamot and the Council of Magical Law in full-scale criminal trials. This level is accessible via a flight of steps leading down from Level Nine. The corridors here have rough stone walls and torches in brackets. The doors leading to the courtrooms proper are heavy and made of wood, with large iron bolts and keyholes.
