Coming from the elevators you are greeted by long, tiled corridors with identical, arched walls on either side. The closest corridor leads off into a stairwell that descends into Level 10 and the Courtrooms below. Most of the other corridors are interconnecting passages which leads into themselves. If one doesn’t work on this level they would most often find themselves confused and ending up back to where they started—which is usually by the elevators or the nearby the ominous black door that takes your to the Entrance Chamber of the Department of Mysteries.

Since this level houses a highly confidential department of the Ministry the entire area has been charmed to safeguard its security. Point-Me, Alohamora, magical lock-picking penknives and most other spells and devices will not work here. Anti-apparition spells are also set in place preventing anybody apparating in or out freely. Only during emergency cases does the Department Head (or select staff of the Ministry) lift the protection spells around this level.