Infinite Magic (Male Reader x Harry Potter)

Exposition Dump

Once we had paid for all our sweets, the five of us left Honeydukes for the blizzard outside.  Hogsmeade looked like a Christmas card.  The little thatched cottages and shops were all covered in a layer of crisp snow.  There were holly wreaths on the doors and strings of enchanted candles hanging in the trees.  Harry was shivering from the cold, so I handed him my jacket.  He thanked me and put it on.

Harry: Always forget the cold doesn't affect you.

We headed up the street, heads bowed against the wind, shouting through our scarves.

Hermione: That's the post office!

Ron: Zonko's is up there!

Ava: We could go up to the Shrieking Shack!

YN: You know what?  Let's go get butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks.

The others were more than willing.  We crossed the road, and in a few minutes were entering the tinyinn.It was extremely crowded, noisy, warm, and smoky.  A curvy sort of woman with a pretty face was serving a bunch of rowdy warlocks up at the bar.

Ron: That's Madam Rosmerta.  I'll get the drinks, shall I?

Without waiting for an answer, he headed towards the bar.  I snorted.

YN: Ron has a massive crush on her.

The others laughed as we made their way to the back of the room, where there was a small, vacant table between the window and a Christmas tree, which stood next to the fireplace.  Ron came back five minutes later, carrying three foaming tankards of hot butterbeer.

Ron: Merry Christmas!

It was the most delicious thing any of us had ever tasted.  Suddenly, the door of the Three Broomsticks had opened again.  Harry looked over the rim of his tankard and choked.  Professors McGonagall and Flitwick had just entered the pub with a flurry of snowflakes, shortly followed by Hagrid, who was deep in conversation with a portly man in a lime green bowler hat and a pinstriped cloak.  Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic.  In an instant, I grabbed the top of Harry's head and shoved him off his stool and under the table.  We watched the teachers and Fudge move toward the bar, pause, then turn and walk right toward us.

Hermione: Mobiliarbus!

The Christmas tree beside our table rose a few inches off the ground, drifted sideways, and landed with a soft thump right in front of our table, hiding us from view.  The teachers and Fudge sat down, and Madam Rosmerta walked over.

Rosmerta: A small gillywater?

McGonagall: Mine.

Rosmerta: Four pints of mulled mead?

Hagrid: Ta, Rosmerta.

Rosmerta: A cherry syrup and soda with ice and umbrella?

Flitwick: Mmm!

Rosmerta: So you'll be the red currant rum, Minister?

Fudge: Thank you, Rosmerta, m'dear.  Lovely to see you again, I must say.  Have one yourself, won't you?  Come and join us.

Rosmerta: Well, thank you very much, Minister.

She walked off, before returning a few moments later.  How long were they going to sit there?  Harry needed time to sneak back into Honeydukes if he wanted to return to school tonight.  Ava looked at me nervously.

Ava: Should we do something?

YN: What can we do?  We'll just have to wait.  If it gets too late, I'll cause a distraction.

Rosmerta: So, what brings you to this neck of the woods, Minister?

Fudge: What else, m'dear, but Sirius Black?  I daresay you heard what happened up at the school at Halloween?