Whitehall in London was one of the United Kingdom's most famous and important streets.
A series of important government offices, including the Ministry of Defence, the Foreign Office, and the Home Office, stood along this street and nearby. As a result, in the United Kingdom, "Whitehall" was also used as a byword for the national administration.
What few people knew, however, was that the British Ministry of Magic was also located here-underground.
The floor of the British Ministry of Magic's hall was always polished enough to see your reflection in. Although it was made of wood, it was so well maintained that it had acquired a faint, jade-like sheen.
Clearly, the house-elves responsible for its upkeep had their own special techniques for caring for the floor.
The ceiling was peacock blue, inlaid with glittering golden symbols that hung high overhead, constantly flashing and changing, lending life and movement to the otherwise solemn hall.
A row of gilded fireplaces lined each side of the hall. Every few seconds, a wizard or witch emerged from one in a burst of flame.
In front of each fireplace, two or three people queued to use it to leave.
In the center of the entrance hall stood the renowned Fountain of Magical Brethren. The fountain consisted of a round pool with a group of statues in the middle: a wizard, a witch, a centaur, a goblin, and a house-elf.
The statues were golden, life-sized, and lifelike.
At the center stood the tall, handsome wizard. Beside him was the beautiful witch, gazing at him with adoration.
As for the centaur, goblin, and house-elf, they all had their heads tilted up, looking at the wizard and witch with boundless reverence.
It was worth mentioning that centaurs were much taller than wizards. To allow the centaur to look