White Council

Wikipedia:
The White Council is the governing body of the Wizard community in the world. They primarily protect humanity from abuses of magic, but also shield this world from the Sidhe and other creatures that wish humanity harm. It is also a political and democratic organization seeking to unite wizards throughout the world, and can make or break treaties with the other supernatural powers as necessary. Due to the multitude of nationalities present, meetings of the Council are traditionally conducted in Latin, a procedural point which has, not coincidentally, served to keep younger wizards from gaining too much standing or momentum by making it very difficult for them to speak eloquently or even coherently to the rest of the Council. The council meetings' dress code imposes wizards to wear robes.[2] Wizards and apprentices are differentiated by the color of their robes: black and brown respectively. In addition, full wizards wear a stole.

The Council is governed by a Senior Council of seven wizards, with the leader referred to as the Merlin. Beyond the Senior Council, which constitutes the executive branch, there are the actual wizards of the council that contribute to the legislative branch. The Judicial branch belongs to the Wardens, a combination police force and military.

The Senior Council

The Senior Council is the executive branch of the White Council. It consists of seven wizards, selected by their peers among the most senior wizards. Its chair is entitled the Merlin; traditionally regarded as the most powerful wizard in the world, though the politicking required to secure the position may suggest that factors other than raw power are equally important.

The Senior Council arrives at its decisions through majority vote, but the Merlin has proxy authority to cast the vote of any Senior Council member not present at a Senior Council meeting who has not designated a substitute; politicking at this level often turns simply on who does and does not arrive at a meeting before a vote is concluded. The Senior Council can reserve certain matters to the Senior Council only, not involving a vote of the White Council as a whole.

The Wardens

The Wardens are the White Council's enforcers. Their primary role is to enforce the Seven Laws of Magic, and they are empowered to deliver summary judgment when confronting a violator of the Laws. This can be anything from advising new practitioners of the Laws, to delivering suspects to trial in front of the Senior Council, to simply beheading criminals in the field. During times of war (such as the current conflict with the Red Court), Wardens also serve as the White Council's primary military force. The two "badges" of the office of Warden are their gray cloaks (which, according to Harry, blood cannot stain) and silver swords (the type of sword varies from Warden to Warden as they are made custom for said Warden) with the ability to break enchantments.

There are three ranks, or grades, of Wardens.

- Captain: commands the entire force of Wardens. Reference: Dead Beat

- Commander: commands significant forces of Wardens, such as a whole continent or part of a continent. Specific assignment may be established by the Captain. Commanders report to the Captain. Reference: Dead Beat

- Warden: all other members of this force who are not Commanders or the Captain.

It would appear that Warden rank nomenclature is more related to Navy grade nomenclature than Army.

Morgan is not only a Warden, but a Commander as well; in the event that the Captain is incapacitated, Morgan becomes acting Captain. Morgan also appears to be of a higher rank than Dresden, however this may simply be due to seniority. Reference: Dead Beat; however Morgan's rank is also mentioned in other books such as Storm Front.

The Blackstaff

In addition to the Wardens, the Council also secretly appoints one wizard to serve as its Blackstaff. The Blackstaff is given unique authority to violate the Seven Laws of Magic at his or her sole discretion without penalty—to be, as Harry phrases it in Blood Rites, the Council's "wetwork man", their covert assassin and counteragent. This was implemented as a last-ditch solution in situations where the Laws are being exploited to prevent the Council from taking necessary action against its enemies. This is currently Ebenezar McCoy (Harry Dresden's teacher after he killed his adopted father, Justin DuMourne with black magic). It was shown in Changes that The Blackstaff is not only the position held by McCoy, but also an object that he wields, an unmarked, unadorned staff of twisted black wood. The Blackstaff seems alive and tendrils from it creep up Ebenezar's arm as he uses it in battle.