The Leaky Cauldron was deserted as usual in the early morning.
But once August arrived, this pub adjacent to Diagon Alley entered its busiest season of the year.
Every day, parents of young wizards and witches preparing to start school this year brought their children through the Leaky Cauldron to enter Diagon Alley, shopping for essential school supplies like wands and textbooks.
Along the way, many inevitably stopped for breakfast or lunch… especially those Muggle parents who were experiencing the Wizarding World for the first ti, having gained access to Diagon Alley only because their child had been accepted to Hogwarts. They were eager to try the unique wizarding delicacies at the Leaky Cauldron.
Unfortunately, Tom, the proprietor of the Leaky Cauldron, wasn't much of a businessman. After all these years of running the place, his nu remained the sa few items.
It was either Butterbeer or pumpkin juice, with the rest being ordinary drinks like apple wine or rum… things that could easily be found in any Muggle liquor store.
This left the Muggle parents, who were trying wizarding food for the first ti, sorely disappointed. It was clear that if they ever had the chance to return, they wouldn't be spending much ti, or money, in this pub again.
"You should stock up on sweets like Chocolate Frogs or Pepper Imps from Honeydukes in Hogsade."
Severus suggested to Tom as he ate breakfast at the bar with Harry. He had just overheard another table of Muggle parents complaining to their child that Wizarding World's food wasn't anything special.
But Tom thought it was a terrible idea.
"Do you want those Muggles chasing a Chocolate Frog all over the pub? Or watching their kids scream in panic after eating Pepper Imps and breathing fire from their noses and ears?"
As he spoke, he picked up a milk carton and refilled Harry's milk.
"The Ministry doesn't allow us to sell anything too exciting to Muggles. It would undo all the effort Hogwarts professors put into convincing those parents to let their children attend a magical school in the first place."
Harry raised his sandwich and complained to Tom.
"You put one less slice of bacon in today!"
"Hey, kid! That extra slice yesterday was a freebie… courtesy of your teacher! You don't get three slices of bacon every day without paying!"
After hearing Tom's explanation, Severus nodded in agreent.
"The Ministry isn't wrong. It's better not to overwhelm these Muggle parents right away. Once they're scared off, it's not easy to win them back."
"Your room's only paid up through today. Are you planning to stay longer?" Tom asked at just the right mont.
Severus waved his hand.
"We'll be leaving by noon today. We've already packed everything. Lupin went to Diagon Alley early this morning to finish up so last-minute shopping."
"Then the pub's going to feel a lot emptier." Tom mused, clicking his tongue, "Plenty of folks have been stopping by just to catch a glimpse of you these past few days."
Severus rolled his eyes at him.
"And yet I don't see you giving any discount on the room rate. You threw in an extra slice of bacon… for one day."
"Business is business!" Tom replied, his face thick with shalessness, "No discount this ti, but from now on, anyti you co by, I'll give you 20% off everything. How's that?"
Severus grabbed an empty glass from the bar.
"To show your sincerity, why not pour a Butterbeer right now… and fry up an extra slice of bacon for Dudley while you're at it?"
Tom sighed and reluctantly took the glass from Severus.
"Fine, fine. Can't argue with the man who's as good as Nicolas Flal's Philosopher's Stone when it cos to drawing in custors. A Butterbeer and so fried bacon… on the house!"
"On the house? Does that an we can get in on this free al too?"
Suddenly, the fireplace in the Leaky Cauldron burst into erald flas, and Arthur Weasley, dressed in his signature wine-red robes, stepped out. The mont his feet touched the ground, he caught Tom's grumbling about being forced to give away free drinks and food.
Behind him, one redheaded head after another popped out of the flas.
Charlie, Percy, Fred, George, Ron, Ginny… and finally, Molly.
The arrival of the entire Weasley family instantly made the previously quiet and spacious Leaky Cauldron feel cramped.
It also turned what had been a peaceful breakfast into a lively, chaotic affair.
"Free? What's free?" Ron's eyes lit up.
"Is the Leaky Cauldron running so kind of promotion today? Tom's never this generous!"
"Ha! Maybe a rat chewed through his beer barrels and he's got no choice but to give it all away!"
George and Fred chid in together in perfect unison.
Charlie flexed his strong, muscular arms.
"If there's free steak, I wouldn't say no."
Percy adjusted his glasses and subtly distanced himself from his four ridiculous brothers, while little Ginny blushed furiously, embarrassed by her family's shaless enthusiasm for anything free.
Tom roared in frustration.
"Even if rats had chewed through my beer barrels, which they haven't, I still wouldn't be giving anything away to you two troublemakers!"
Then, he slamd a full bottle of Butterbeer down in front of Severus and said grumpily to Arthur.
"You're too late. The free promotion ended right after Mr. Snape here."
The kids groaned in disappointnt, while Molly scolded them… after all, they'd just had breakfast at ho before leaving!
Arthur didn't mind. His attention was fully on Severus and Harry sitting at the bar.
"What a coincidence, running into you two here!" he greeted them cheerfully. "I saw all the news in the papers! Back when we went to Nottingham together, you were already investigating those werewolves, weren't you?"
Severus discreetly slid a gold Galleon across the counter, giving Tom a aningful look, before turning back to Arthur with a smile.
"If you'd co tomorrow, you would've missed us. And yes, our trip to Nottingham was about the werewolves, but the details had to stay confidential at the ti. I hope you'll forgive for not explaining back then."
"There's nothing to apologize for. The fact that you were able to successfully rescue seven children is more important than anything else!"
Then, as if suddenly rembering, Arthur introduced his family to Severus.
"We're here today to buy schoolbooks, robes, and wands for George and Fred. This is my youngest daughter, Ginny, and my youngest son, Ronald, though we usually call him Ron. You already know George, Fred, Percy, and Charlie. And this is my wife, Molly."
George and Fred enthusiastically waved at Severus, Percy gave a polite bow, and Charlie just stared, still trying to reconcile the man in front of him with the stern Potions Professor he'd known for years.
Ron and Ginny looked at him with open curiosity, while Molly remained reserved, offering only a polite nod when introduced.
"Alright! Butterbeer for the adults and older kids, pumpkin juice for the little ones… here you go!"
Tom deadpanned as he set the drinks on the counter, making the Weasley twins, who had been eagerly asking Harry about his werewolf case, stare at him in shock.
"I thought you said you wouldn't give us free drinks even if rats did chew through your barrels?"
"Mr. Snape is treating you!" Tom snapped, clearly no stranger to the twins' mischief.
"That's very kind of you, Severus." Arthur said, a little embarrassed but not refusing the gesture.
The Weasley kids cheered, and with Molly's reluctant approval, they all settled around the bar.
George and Fred, along with the younger ones, clustered around Harry, eager to hear his firsthand account of the werewolf case.
anwhile, Charlie and Percy lingered closer to where Arthur and Severus sat side by side, listening in on their conversation about the Ministry's latest asures following Barty Crouch Jr.'s escape.
They hadn't been talking long when-
A pale, blond-haired boy with grey eyes, his face still bearing faint bruises and his eyes red-rimd as if he'd been crying not long ago, walked into the Leaky Cauldron, led by a house-elf.
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