Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Magic/Auror

Overview
An Auror is "a Dark wizard catcher". They are an elite group of witches and wizards, loyal to the Ministry of Magic, whose mission is to fight against and capture the forces of the Dark Arts. The requirements for becoming an Auror are, of necessity, quite stringent. By their fifth year at Hogwarts, Harry and Ron both want to be Aurors.

Extended Description
The Aurors are like a police force, and sometimes work as intelligence agents. They have the authority to arrest malefactors like Death Eaters, and at times have been given authority to use deadly force against Death Eaters in particular.

When we are first introduced to the office, Death Eaters are already gaining force in the Wizarding world, so the Aurors' mission is clearly defined. It is not as clear what the Auror department does when there is no center of Dark forces to fight; one gets the impression, however, that they continue to work as sort of an elite police group, a magical SWAT team of sorts perhaps.

Analysis
We learn very little about the types of work available to adult Wizards. There is of course the bureaucracy of the Ministry of Magic, of which we see more than a little; but of the actual work done by the Ministry there is not much on display. We have poor overworked Arthur Weasley's two-man department in its converted broom closet, trying to keep magical artifacts out of Muggle perception; we have, at one point, the Department of Games and Sports managing the Quidditch World Cup and reviving the Triwizard Tournament, and we have the Auror's department which seems to be the only group who actively go out and do stuff.

The Aurors, of course, have the most exciting and dangerous job, hunting other wizards. The skills required mean that the Auror must be capable of high levels of magical ability, and must be willing to face significant personal danger, increasing the attractiveness of the job. This does mean that Aurors receive significantly more training than is required for most other fields, and require higher grades in more subjects in order to apply; neither of these barriers to entry seems to make the job less attractive, however.

Training
It takes three years to become an Auror after attending Hogwarts. A candidate to become an Auror should meet the following requirements:


 * minimum of five N.E.W.T.s with no grade under "Exceeds Expectations"
 * recommended N.E.W.T. subjects are:
 * Defence Against the Dark Arts
 * Charms
 * Potions
 * Transfiguration

The fifth N.E.W.T. subject is left open to the candidate, but Harry evidently selects Herbology as his fifth. One would assume that Muggle Studies or Arithmancy would equally be acceptable.

If the candidate meets the above requirements he or she must also pass the following requirements:
 * background check for criminal record
 * "a stringent series of character and aptitude tests at the Auror office."

When accepted, the candidate continues on training. Once one becomes an "Auror trainee" they will be taught one of the following:
 * Concealment and Disguise
 * Stealth and Tracking

Known Aurors

 * Dawlish
 * Alice Longbottom (insanity due to Cruciatus Curse)
 * Frank Longbottom (insanity due to Cruciatus Curse)
 * Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody (retired)
 * Proudfoot
 * Gawain Robbards
 * Savage
 * Rufus Scrimgeour
 * Kingsley Shacklebolt
 * Nymphadora Tonks
 * Williamson