Trust Me, You Don't Want to be an Auror
Elite. Masterful. Temptingly dangerous. Be warned: The work of an Auror isn't as glamorous as so many novels and rumours make it out to be.
Imagine showing up for work every morning with the imminent threat of death looming over your head. On a typical day, you might make up to five life or death decisions in the blink of an eye. Hesitate for even a split second and your best mate could be murdered. Just. Like. That. React too slowly and you could lose a leg. Or an arm. Maybe even your life. The pay is low, the hours are long, and the paperwork never ends.
Are you still reading? Then maybe this job really is for you.
Our Mission
Aurors are a division of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement of the Ministry of Magic. Our primary objectives are to investigate crimes related to the Dark Arts and apprehend and detain Dark wizards or witches. We provide for the safety of the Wizarding population and fight for the justice deserved by all criminals that pose a threat to society.
Besides fighting the Dark Arts, Aurors are also entrusted with security for high-profile figures such as the Minister of Magic. During peacetime, Aurors may also lead projects in other division of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.
Salary and Benefits
An Auror-in-training receives a salary of roughly five hundred Galleons a month, or six thousand a year. Pay increases over time, and raises are sometimes awarded for significant achievements. An experienced Auror of ten years can have a salary as large as ten thousand a year.
Aurors are also given priority at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries and have a certain degree of authority in the Ministry of Magic. Most Aurors are well respected in the Wizarding community. Notable examples are Kingsley Shacklebolt, Harry Potter, and Alastor Moody.
Requirements
All prospective Aurors must have a minimum of five N.E.W.T.s, with nothing under "Exceeds Expectations"; one of these N.E.W.T.s must be Defence Against the Dark Arts. Other recommended N.E.W.T.s are Charms, Potions, and Transfiguration.
Training
Following Hogwarts, applicants will be subjected to a rigorous, three-year training program. The course starts out with a series of character and aptitude tests that measure current skills, knowledge, and dedication. Failure to pass these tests will result in elimination. Past criminal records are examined, and any past crimes, no matter how small, also earn a one-way ticket out of the program.
The real training begins after the initial tests. From sunup to sundown, applicants practice dueling and memorize lists of jinxes, hexes, and curses. They also become proficient in concealment, disguise, stealth, tracking, and other elements of criminal investigation. Field exercises can occur at any time, including the dead of night.
After the three-year regimen, only half of the original applicants remain. Most will quit, others will die or be too injured to continue. The remaining few become full-fledged Aurors and start work immediately.
This pamphlet has been approved by:
The Auror Office
Department of Magical Law Enforcement
Ministry of Magic, Level Two
London, England