Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures

### Locations

Beast Division, Department for the Care and Regulation of Magical Creatures, Ministry of Magic

## Book information

### First appearance

*Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban* (only appearance)

The **Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures** is a committee in the Beast Division at the Department for the Care and Regulation of Magical Creatures in the Ministry of Magic. It appears in *Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban*.

## About

"*It is the decision of the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures that the Hippogriff Buckbeak, hereafter called the condemned, shall be executed on the sixth of June at sundown –*"
— Buckbeak's official notice

The Committee investigates creatures in the wizarding world who are considered dangerous. They have hearings to determine their fate. Rubeus Hagrid thought they didn't really care for creatures and just like to get rid of them. At the hearings, they hear cases for and against the disposal and determine the sentence. If they vote for a disposal, they decide when and how that will happen, e.g. beheading. In these cases, there will likely be an appeal hearing. A hearing is attended by an official, executioner and a witness. If an execution is to go ahead, an official notice is read to and signed by the executioner and the owner of the creature.

## History

In December 1993, the Committee received a complaint through the Ministry of Magic about a Hippogriff, Buckbeak who had attacked a student during a Care of Magical Creatures lesson. They found the owner, Rubeus Hagrid innocent of wrongdoing but he was sent a letter informing him that the Committee intended to uphold Lucius Malfoy's complaint against Buckbeak, who should now be kept tethered and isolated. Hagrid was told to attend a hearing in April, and thought he had no chance because the Committee was in Lucius's pocket.

The hearing was brought forward to February. The judging panel were a "bunch of doddery old fools" who were frightened by Lucius and voted for Buckbeak to be disposed of by beheading. A date for an appeal and if that failed, the beheading, was later determined to be 6 June. In June, an elderly committee official and the executioner, Walden Macnair headed to Hogwarts for the appeal and beheading. They needed a witness, which Cornelius Fudge agreed to be because he wanted to check in at the school during their search for Sirius Black. The way they were acting before the appeal confused Ron because they were preparing for the beheading and not the appeal hearing like it was already decided. Hagrid defended Buckbeak at a two o'clock appeal hearing, and Professor Dumbledore supported his description that Buckbeak was friendly, but they lost the appeal and Buckbeak was to be beheaded at sunset.

A few hours later, Dumbledore sent Harry Potter and Hermione Granger back in time using a Time-Turner to save Buckbeak and Sirius. They had to wait until the Committee had seen Buckbeak outside Hagrid's hut so they would know he hadn't let Buckbeak escape on purpose. Hagrid and Macnair signed an official notice in the hut and headed back outside to behead Buckbeak. However, Harry and Hermione had led Buckbeak away and he had gone. Macnair was angry but he didn't have any evidence Hagrid was involved and they considered searching the skies.

## Notes and sources

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 *Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban*, Chapter 11
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 *Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban*, Chapter 15
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 *Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban*, Chapter 16
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 *Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban*, Chapter 21
5. ↑ *Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban*, Chapter 14