Azkaban
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Azkaban is the fictional wizard prison in the Harry Potter series of books by J. K. Rowling. Wizards who violate the laws of the British wizarding community are sent here. (It is not clear whether there are other prisons for wizards in other countries, but this is probably so.) By the start of the series, Azkaban is guarded by the foul dementors working under the British Ministry of Magic. Generally, only very severe crimes are punished with a term in Azkaban. Many of the prisoners were supporters of Lord Voldemort.
According to Half-Blood Prince, Azkaban is located "somewhere north of the North Sea," which may place it somewhere around the Shetland Islands. The extremently remote, now uninhabited island of North Rona, many miles off the North-West coast of Scotland, has been occasionally suggested as an alternaltive location, on the grounds of it having been offered for use as a Penal Colony in the 19th Century. Other fans cite Heligoland, in the North Sea, as the perfect match for the island.
Azkaban is probably not found on Muggle maps, as wizard land is often made hidden or Unplottable (therefore keeping it secret from Muggles and even sometimes from other wizards) and as a wizard prison, Azkaban would probably be especially secretive.
Azkaban has a justifiably horrible reputation. Its remote location is more of a precaution than a safety measure— the mass presence of dementors renders the inmates incapable of happiness and forces them to relive their worst memories, as they become gradually helpless and very often severely insane. According to Sirius Black, many inmates simply stop eating and eventually die of starvation. As dementors are extremely difficult even to injure—the only spell effective against them is the Patronus Charm, which only repels them—Azkaban was long considered escape-proof.
Performing any of the Unforgivable Curses (the Imperius Curse, the Cruciatus Curse, or Avada Kedavra (the Killing Curse)) on a human is punishable by an automatic life sentence at Azkaban. Other crimes which merit imprisonment here include assaulting the Ministry (for example, the Death Eaters detained in Order of the Phoenix) and impersonating an Inferius.
Azkaban has not played a direct part in the series, but lurks in the shadows. In Chamber of Secrets, Hagrid is placed under temporary imprisonment there, an experience so traumatic that he refuses to talk about it after being released. Sirius Black becomes the first wizard known to escape (Prisoner of Azkaban), although it is later discovered that Barty Crouch Jr. escaped with the help of his parents while Sirius was still imprisoned (Goblet of Fire). Albus Dumbledore once declared in front of the then Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge, that he could easily break out of Azkaban. However, this remark should be seen in the light of who made it - Dumbledore was probably the most powerful European wizard alive, and the only wizard Lord Voldemort ever feared. What is impossible for most wizards would usually be easy for him.
At the present moment Azkaban has been severely compromised; Professor Dumbledore has always been vocal in declaring that it was a mistake to guard Voldemort's greatest supporters with those creatures who have the most to gain if Voldemort returned to power. In Order of the Phoenix he's proven right as the Dementors leave their posts at Azkaban and join ranks with Voldemort. The prison is still in use, but greatly weakened by the revolt of its wardens. Presumably Aurors are the only ones who stand between the convicts and their freedom.
Known prisoners
| Prisoner | Current status | Crime |
|---|---|---|
| Avery | Imprisoned | Attacking the Ministry |
| Sirius Black | Escaped (only actual escape from Azkaban while the Dementors were guarding it); now deceased | Murdering Peter Pettigrew and a dozen Muggles (falsely accused) |
| Crabbe | Imprisoned | Attacking the Ministry |
| Barty Crouch Jr. | Smuggled out by his parents; now soulless | Torturing Frank and Alice Longbottom |
| Mrs. Crouch | Died while imprisoned, disguised as Barty Crouch Jr. | Served time in place of her son, Barty Crouch Jr. She disguised herself as him by drinking Polyjuice Potion |
| Antonin Dolohov | Re-imprisoned after mass breakout in 1996 | Murdering Gideon and Fabian Prewett; re-imprisoned for attacking the Ministry |
| Mundungus Fletcher | Imprisoned | Impersonating an Inferius during a robbery |
| Marvolo Gaunt | Released after serving at least one term. | Assult on Ministry of Magic officials. six months. |
| Morfin Gaunt | Died in prison while serving what was at least his second term. | 1st term: improper use of magic on a muggle and assult on ministry officials, three years. 2nd term: Murder of the Riddle family, life. |
| Rubeus Hagrid | Set free | Believed to have re-opened the Chamber of Secrets |
| Jugson | Imprisoned | Attacking the Ministry |
| Bellatrix Lestrange | At large following mass breakout in 1996 | Torturing Frank and Alice Longbottom |
| Igor Karkaroff | Set free; now deceased | Membership in the Death Eaters; released in exchange for the names of other Death Eaters |
| Rabastan Lestrange | Re-imprisoned after mass breakout in 1996 | Torturing Frank and Alice Longbottom; re-imprisoned for attacking the Ministry |
| Rodolphus Lestrange | Re-imprisoned after mass breakout in 1996 | Torturing Frank and Alice Longbottom; re-imprisoned for attacking the Ministry |
| Lucius Malfoy | Imprisoned | Attacking the Ministry |
| Walden Macnair | Imprisoned | Attacking the Ministry |
| Mulciber | Re-imprisoned after mass breakout in 1996 | Originally imprisoned in the first war; re-imprisoned for attacking the Ministry |
| Nott | Imprisoned | Attacking the Ministry |
| Stan Shunpike | Imprisoned | Arrested on suspicion of Death Eater activity. |
| Augustus Rookwood | Re-imprisoned after mass breakout in 1996 | Spying on the Ministry; re-imprisoned for attacking the Ministry |
Inspiration
Prisons are often put on islands because escape is made more difficult. It has been often suggested that Azkaban is based on Alcatraz Island in San Francisco, as one of the most famous island prisons. Similarities include:
- The names are similar
- They are both located on an island
- Both were believed escape-proof, until it was proved otherwise (though it is still believed that no one has escaped from Alcatraz and lived)
- Both are/were for high offenders, such as those who have committed murder
The place may also be inspired partially by Angband, the fortress of Morgoth found in the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, as well as Devil's Island, the horrendous French prison. (Alcatraz has been called "America's Devil's Island".)
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