pretty girl diggory- R.Weasley

3:8

        After showing Harry around Hogsmeade they decided to go to the Three Broomsticks.  

    "That's Madam Rosmerta," Ron said. "I'll get the drinks, shall I?" he added, going slightly red.

   Harry, Celeste, and Hermione made their way to the back of the room, where there was a small, vacant table between the window and a handsome Christmas tree which stood next to the fireplace. Ron came back five minutes later, carrying four tankards of hot Butterbeer.

   "Happy Christmas!" He said happily, raising his tankard.

   A sudden breeze ruffle Celestes hair. The door of the Three Broomsticks had opened again. Celeste looked over the rim of her tankard and choked.

    Professor McGonagall and Flitwick had just entered the pub in 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, Minister of Magic.

   In an instant, Ron and Celeste hand both placed hands on top of Harry's head and forced him off his stool and under the table. 

    "Mobiliarbus!" Hermione whispered.   

    The Christmas tree beside their table rose a few inches off the ground, drifted sideways and landed with a soft thump right in front of their table, hiding them from view. 

   "A small Gillywater--" 

   "Mine," Professor McGonagall's voice.

     "Four pints of mulled mead--"

   "Ta, Rosmerta," Hagrid said.

    "A cherry syrup and soda with  ice and umbrella--"

    "Mmm!" Professor Flitwick said, smacking his lips.

     "So you'll be the redcurrant rum, Minister."

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

    "Well, thank you very much, Minister."

    After getting a drink and sitting down, Madam Rosmerta's voice came, "So, what brings you to this neck of the woods, Minister?"

   "What else, m'dear, but Sirius Black? I daresay you heard what happened up at the school at Halloween?" Fudge said in a quiet voice.

    "I did hear a rumour," Madam Rosmerta admitted.

   "Did you tell the whole pub, Hagrid?" Professor McGonagall said exasperatedly.

   "Do you think Black's still in the area, Minister?" Madam Rosmerta whispered.

 "I'm sure of it," Fudge said shortly.

  "You know that the Dementors have searched my pub twice?" Madam Rosmerta said, a slight edge to her voice. "Scared all my customers away... it's very bad for business, Minister."

   "Rosmerta, m'dear, I don't like them any more than you do," Fudge said uncomfortably. "Necessary precaution ... unfortunate, but there you are ... I've just met some of them. They're in fury against Dumbledore -- he won't let them inside the castle grounds."

   " I should think not," Professor McGonagall said sharply. "How are we supposed to teach with those horrors floating around?"

    "Hear, hear!" Professor Flitwick squeaked.

      "All the same," Fudge demurred. "they are here to protect you all from something much worse ... we all know what Black's capable of..."

   "Do you know, I still have trouble believing it," Madam Rosmerta said thoughtfully. "Of all the people to go over to the Dark Side, Sirius Black was the last I'd have thought ... I mean, I remember him when he was a boy at Hogwarts. If you'd told me then what he was going to become, I'd have said you'd had too much mead."