Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Chapters Twelve–Thirteen Summary & Analysis

The next day, the three friends break into the Ministry of Magic by bringing Polyjuice Potion with them, waylaying employees before they enter the building, incapacitating them, taking hair samples, then using the potion mixed with the hair samples to impersonate the employees. Hermione assumes the identity of Mafalda Hopkirk, an assistant, whom they stun. Ron steals the identity of a man named Cattermole, a lowly support services employee who for some reason wants very much to go to work that day, even after Hermione makes him vomit uncontrollably by giving him an enchanted pastille to eat. Harry becomes a wizard named Runcorn, a senior member of the Ministry whom the Death Eaters at the Ministry respect and most normal people seem to fear.

Following the procedures they’ve learned in the days before, they use magic portals in public restrooms to teleport into the Ministry. Almost as soon as they arrive and get into the elevator, the Death Eater Yaxley sends Ron (disguised as Cattermole) on a maintenance job, telling him to make the enchanted rain in Yaxley’s office stop. Yaxley threatens Ron/Cattermole, alluding to the fact that Cattermole’s wife has been accused of being a Mudblood and has her hearing that very day.

Summary: Chapter Thirteen: The Muggle-Born Registration Commission

Harry and Hermione continue on in the elevator to Level One, where they see Dolores Umbridge. Umbridge commandeers Hermione (disguised as Mafalda) to take notes at Umbridge’s Muggle-Born Registration Commission.

The new Minister of Magic, Pius Thicknesse, greets Harry (disguised as Runcorn). Harry says that he’s looking for Arthur Weasley, then, when he’s alone, he puts on the Invisibility Cloak and heads toward Umbridge’s office.

Outside Umbridge’s office is a room where employees are producing pamphlets warning of the dangers to wizarding society posed by Mudbloods. On the door to Umbridge’s office, Mad-Eye Moody’s magic eye looks out at the employees, watching them. Harry distracts these people with a Decoy Detonator and enters the office.

Once inside, Harry removes Moody’s eye and puts it in his pocket. As he searches the office, he comes upon Arthur Weasley’s file and notes that Weasley is being watched. He sees his own photograph on a poster above the words “Undesirable Number One,” on which Umbridge has written “to punish.” He sees a copy of the new Rita Skeeter book about Dumbledore. The locket is nowhere to be found.

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