Honeydukes and Three Broomsticks

Harry heard the man moving boxes on the opposite wall.

Maybe he wouldn't have another opportunity, so the boy quickly and quietly left the hiding spot and ascended the stairs, crouching.

Harry reached the door on the landing, slipped through it, and found himself behind the Honeydukes counter.

He crouched, slipped out quietly sideways, and finally straightened up.

The shop was filled with Hogwarts students, so nobody paid Harry a second glance.

He maneuvered among them, glancing around and stifling a laugh just thinking about the expression that would appear on his cousin Dudley's piggy face if he could see where Harry was now. There were shelves upon shelves of the most enticing-looking sweets imaginable. Bars of nougat, pink coconut ice squares, honey-colored toffees, there could be hundreds of types of candies neatly arranged in rows.

Harry squeezed between the sixth-year students who filled the store and saw a sign hanging in the far corner of the room.

Ron and Hermione were right below it, examining a tray of blood-flavored lollipops. Harry stealthily ended up behind the two.

"Ew, no, Harry wouldn't want these, they're for vampires, I assume," said Hermione.

"And these?" asked Ron, poking a jar.

"Definitely not," said Harry.

Ron almost dropped the jar in surprise.

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed.

"What are you doing here? How did you...?" exclaimed Ron, looking very impressed.

Harry, now happy to be reunited with his friends, replied, "Fred and George helped me," showing them the map.

"How come Fred and George never gave me this map?" indignant, Ron asked. "I'm their brother!"

After a few moments of discussion where Hermione wanted Harry to hand the map over to a professor, Ron waved to signal something and pointed to a notice pinned inside the sweetshop.

BY ORDER OF THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC

We remind our customers that until further notice, Dementors will be patrolling the streets of Hogsmeade every evening after sunset. The measure is to ensure the safety of Hogsmeade residents and will be revoked when Sirius Black is recaptured. It is, therefore, advisable for customers to conclude their purchases well before nightfall.

Happy Christmas!

"See that?" Ron spoke in a low voice. "I'd like to see Black try to get into Honeydukes with Dementors swarming the whole village."

In a quick moment, Hermione pulled Harry behind her to hide him.

"What?" Harry, caught off guard, asked.

"Quiet... I don't know about Sirius Black, but our professors can come in here... don't say anything more, Ron, you might jinx it further," Hermione said irritably to the red-haired boy.

Professors McGonagall and WinterHeart had just entered the bar amidst a flurry of snowflakes, closely followed by Hagrid, who was engrossed in conversation with a stout man wearing a lime-green bowler hat and cloak, Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic.

The boys crouched down and soon found a way out of the place.

"I think you should visit old friends more often. Isn't that right, Nat?" A beautiful woman came to attend to the new customers and seemed to have some familiarity with Nathaniel since she called him by his nickname.

Nathaniel nearly lost his composure on this occasion; this childhood nickname was known to few, and the few who knew it used it to annoy him.

"How have you been, Rosmerta?" regaining composure, he greeted her back.

"Dealing with the crowd," she replied after seeing her friend was unaffected. "What will you have?" she asked, returning to her service.

McGonagall was curious about their interaction, but kept her composure and responded, "A small Gillywater."

"A tankard o' mulled mead," said Hagrid.

"Blackcurrant rum," said Minister Fudge, still slightly apprehensive due to the man who had walked alongside him in the street not long ago. He knew he was now a professor at Hogwarts, but he didn't imagine he would see such a man face to face so soon.

"And you, Naaaat?" This time, Rosmerta emphasized Nathaniel's nickname.

He nearly fell off the chair he was sitting on but replied, "Dragon Whisky," ordering a strong drink.

"Hmm... Still fond of the same, I see... I'll be right back with the orders," she said and left to prepare the drinks.

Hagrid and McGonagall were curious about the two and their looks prompted him to speak. "A few years ago, I used to visit Hogsmeade after a few duels I took part in," he explained. However, still not dispelling their curiosity, while Fudge tried to remain as inconspicuous as he could around the man.

"Here you go, my dears," said Rosmerta upon returning with the drinks. "And what's the reason for your visit?" she asked.

"Who else but Sirius Black?" said the Minister.

"I suppose you must have heard about what happened at Hogwarts on Halloween?" Nathaniel said.

"To tell the truth, I heard a rumor," admitted Madam Rosmerta.

"You told the whole bar, Hagrid?" asked Professor Minerva, indignant.

"Do you think Black is still around, Minister?" she asked.

"I'm sure," replied Fudge, melancholic.

"Those creatures have already searched my bar twice," Madame Rosmerta said, with a slight irritation in her voice. "They scared off all my customers... This is very bad for business."

"It's a necessary precaution... unfortunately, but look... I've just met some. They're furious with Dumbledore because he won't let them onto the school grounds," and with a slight fear in his eyes continued, "and with Professor WinterHeart because of the damage they suffered from his spell," he concluded without raising his head this time.

"Of course not," said Professor Minerva, sharply. "How are we supposed to teach with those horrors all over the place?"

"I only attacked because they injured young Potter," Nathaniel said while savoring his whisky. "If they're weak, unfortunately, it's not my fault," his icy gaze was directed at Cornelius.

"Of course... of course..." the Minister agreed while wiping the sweat from his brow with his handkerchief.