Improper Use of Magic Office

"But if the Improper Use of Magic lot get their hands on Mad-Eye, he’s had it — think of his record."

- Alastor Moody's track record

The Improper Use of Magic Office was a division of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement at the Ministry of Magic. It dealt with the misuse of magic, particularly in cases where Muggles was involved, be it by Hogwarts students, or by fully qualified wizards.

Functions
The office was charged with investigating incidents of magical activity that constituted a direct violation of the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy, such as blatant and deliberate use of magic in the presence of Muggles or in Muggle-inhabited areas, or failure to conform to the strictures laid down to uphold said law. To this end, it was also tasked with enforcing the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery. It also maintained a list of people with the ability to turn into an animal at will in order to prevent any misuse of their talent, with there being heavy penalties for those who failed to register. Likewise, it can be assumed that unauthorised portkeys, unlicensed Apparition and other criminal activities posing a risk to wizarding secrecy also fell under their purview for the same reason.

Upon receiving intelligence of a transgression, a note would be sent to the offender detailing actions that would be taken by the office. In cases where infringement was severe, the office could dispatch Ministry representatives to take legal affair, and in the absolutely worst cases, they were allowed to immediately destroy the accused's wand, or the offender could be referred to the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement for an official disciplinary hearing to reach an official decision as to imprisonment and destruction of the accused's wand was warranted — and although high-profile cases are known to have taken place before the whole Wizengamot, this was highly unusual. A notable example on their daily work was how the Office was tasked with taking action against the activist Carlotta Pinkstone, who deliberately used magic indiscriminately in public places, in full sight of Muggles, and as a result, she was subject of a long series of convictions and imprisonments in the wizarding prison of Azkaban. While focusing on breaches of the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery, it kept a particular focus on witches or wizards living in areas that were inhabited by Muggles. In these cases, first-time offenders were usually let off with a warning, while extreme cases could require them to take legal action against the person in question.

History
The inventor of the Mending Charm, Orabella Nuttley, worked by day in the Improper Use of Magic Office during the 18th century.

Dolores Umbridge started her career as a lowly intern in this office right after leaving Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry at 17 years old, and due to her tyrannical methodologies underneath her sweet attitude, along with taking credit for other people's work, she became Head of the division before 30 years old. She eventually left the department when she was promoted to Senior Undersecretary to the Minister for Magic.

Rufus Fudge joined this office in February 1999, but was suspended when he caused a scandal by making a Muggle tube train vanish as a bet on a Friday evening.

The Improper Use of Magic Office came into contact with Harry Potter repeatedly during his childhood. He received a warning letter from them when Dobby, a house-elf, used a Hover Charm to smash a pudding on the floor at 4 Privet Drive when Muggles were present in the house. It was assumed that Harry levitated the pudding, which constituted a breach of both the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery and, even more importantly, the International Confederation of Wizards' Statute of Secrecy. Given his youth, however, then Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge let him off with a warning. One year later, Harry caused his Aunt Marge to float like a balloon, but Fudge let him go because he felt pity for Harry, believing Sirius Black to be on the hunt for him.

This pity turned to malice when, two years later, Harry received notice of expulsion from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from the Improper Use of Magic Office after he used a Patronus Charm against threatening Dementors in his Muggle hometown of Little Whinging. The letter informed him that his wand would be destroyed by Ministry officials and he would be detained until Court notice; this appeared to be the standard procedure. Through the intervention of Albus Dumbledore, punishment and wand destruction was delayed until a hearing could be held for Harry.

Harry was indeed tried before the entire Wizengamot, however, it was highly unusual procedure for a simple case of underage use of magic. The hearing was held in Courtroom Ten below the Department of Mysteries at the Ministry of Magic.

Known employees

 * Travers (Head)
 * Dolores Umbridge (Head sometime before 1995)
 * Mafalda Hopkirk (assistant)
 * Honoria's fiancé
 * Mafalda Hopkirk's Ministerial Superior
 * Rufus Fudge (suspended)
 * Orabella Nuttley
 * Chester Davies