Eric Munch

Eric Munch was a watchwizard at the Ministry of Magic. He was poorly-shaven and wore peacock blue robes when on duty.

During the day, Munch sat at the security desk on the left side of the Atrium, checking visitors with a Probity Probe and registering their wands before giving them clearance to enter. Munch seemed to find this portion of his job very tedious. When Harry Potter stopped by the security desk on the way to a hearing in 1995, Munch went through the check-in protocols mechanically, only noticing the famous lightning-bolt scar when he had finished. Realising who Harry was, Munch asked him to wait, but Arthur Weasley dragged Harry away from the security desk.

Munch apparently also worked the night shift on occasion. He caught Sturgis Podmore trying to break into Department of Mysteries at one o'clock in the morning on 31 August, 1995 and arrested him on charges of trespass and attempted robbery. It is not known if Eric was still a watchwizard when Voldemort took over the Ministry.

Behind the scenes

 * Munch was featured on a conceptual art for the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. He was not, however, featured in the actual film.

Etymology
The name "Eric" comes from the Old Norse name Eiríkr, derived from the elements ei "ever" and ríkr "ruler". A notable bearer was Eiríkr inn Rauda (Eric the Red in English), a 10th-century navigator and explorer who discovered Greenland. This was also the name of several early kings of Sweden, Denmark and Norway.

Appearances

 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix