Chief Warlock

Warning!

At least some content in this article is derived from information featured in Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery. Spoilers will be present within the article.

Albus Dumbledore presiding over Wizengamot trial as Chief Warlock HM732 — Albus Dumbledore, a former Chief Warlock

The Chief Warlock was the title given to the wizard that presided over the Wizengamot, overseeing parliamentary affairs and court procedures.

History[]

There were three successive heads of the Wizengamot who possessed chestnut and unicorn wands, the combination, as Garrick Ollivander noted, showing a predilection for those concerned with matters of justice and law.^[1]

In 1544, Jarleth Hobart invited the Chief Warlock to witness his demonstration of the Levitation Charm, but the demonstration was a failure because he was attempting flight, but the Levitation Charm was not a flight spell. Once Hobart realised the true nature of the Levitation Charm, he scheduled another demonstration, which went a lot better until as a grand finale he levitated off the Chief Warlock's hat, only for it to be revealed the Chief Warlock was also wearing a wig. Hobart survived the subsequent duel only by levitating the Chief's robes over his head and then making a break for it.^[2]

In 1707, Ulick Gamp, previously Chief Warlock, became the first Minister for Magic.^[3]

Albus Dumbledore had held this title since at least 1988.^[4] In the 1990–1991 school year, he presided over the Wizengamot trial of Kazuhiro Shiratori.^[5] In 1995, a discrediting campaign was carried out by the British Ministry of Magic and the Daily Prophet, which caused him to lose the position. Dumbledore was reinstated when the Ministry was forced to acknowledge Lord Voldemort's return to power, and presumably held the title until his death.

Given that the Wizengamot was presided over by the Minister for Magic in the disciplinary of Harry Potter in 1995, the period in which Dumbledore had lost this title, Cornelius Fudge had seemingly taken on the role of Chief Warlock himself.

In his obituary for Dumbledore, Elphias Doge praised the wisdom the late Chief Warlock had displayed in several judgments while he had occupied that position.