New Ownership

Neville flicked his wand to flip over all the bar stools. Tonight he was going to be announcing that he is now the new owner of the Leaky Cauldron. He knew this was going to be a long road but it would a good chance of pace with his life. He felt that he was doing a good thing by taking ownership of the Leaky Cauldron though he had no idea what he was doing. He wasn’t even sure if he has employees.

He shook his head and chuckled when he saw that the place was decorated. Leave it to Hannah to sneak in her at night and decorated it. Sometimes he wondered how after so many years they still acted like they were when they first fell in love. He had seen what happened to Ernie and Susan and swore it wouldn’t happen to him. He had to listen to Hannah complain about the whole thing for the past few weeks. It was hard for Hannah given both Susan and Ernie were her best friends.

Tonight none of that mattered. He knew that Diagon Alley was still a mess and everyone needed a place and that place was going to be the Leaky Cauldron. He also planned to announced that he planned to set something up for anyone who needs a place to stay and couldn’t afford to stay here before will be able to stay here. He knew a few people were probably displaced by the attack in Diagon Alley.

For now all he could do is to wait.

James slumped into the Leaky Cauldron, wearied from his evening practice. He had almost bypassed the Cauldron that night, envisioning a quiet drink at home, but he had heard a rumor that tonight would be a good night to be at the Cauldron. It was soon apparent to James why that was.

"Neville!" James cried jovially, stepping forward to shake the man's hand, "When did you get back into town? Last I heard, you were hunting some rare plant down in Brazil. Speaking of rare plants, thank you for the Everlasting Rose. Susan loved it, and was sorry that you wouldn't be able to make it to the wake."

James slumped into the Leaky Cauldron, wearied from his evening practice. He had almost bypassed the Cauldron that night, envisioning a quiet drink at home, but he had heard a rumor that tonight would be a good night to be at the Cauldron. It was soon apparent to James why that was.

"Neville!" James cried jovially, stepping forward to shake the man's hand, "When did you get back into town? Last I heard, you were hunting some rare plant down in Brazil. Speaking of rare plants, thank you for the Everlasting Rose. Susan loved it, and was sorry that you wouldn't be able to make it to the wake."

Neville couldn’t help smiling when he saw James. He shook his hand which was odd for Neville since he remembers when James was barely even talking. He had been so busy with his own children and work he had often forgotten about Harry’s kids, which he wasn’t proud of doing. He felt quite guilty about it, after everything Harry had done for him he should have been there for his kids but he supposed he could make up for it now.

“James, nice to you,” Neville chuckled, he couldn’t help the memories of Harry that flooded him when he saw any of the Potter kids, which was part of the reason he didn’t visit much that and every time he saw Ginny so lost it killed him. “Three weeks ago, just after the Macmillan wake. I was stuck in Brazil, it’s really hard to tell someone you need a portkey when they don’t speak English and you don’t speak good Spanish. That’s good that she loved it, I felt bad for not being able to get there,” sighed Neville.

“So how are Albus and Lily? It’s been while since we last talk. I suppose I can get you a drink since you are old enough,” said Neville walking behind the bar.

“Hannah, honey, I know you’re here! If you don’t mind I would like to know where they key is to the liquor is so I can stock the bar!” called Neville.

“The key is on the counter next to the sink!” called Hannah from the kitchen.

Neville found the key and unlocked the large liquor cabinet. “Found it dear!” called Neville. He listened to James while stocking the bar.

James laughed appreciatively at Neville's story on finding a Portkey. He could only imagine how bumbling one would be trying to catch a ride out of Brazil when no one knew English and your Spanish was shaky. He was glad to see that Neville had returned unscathed.

"Lily's as feisty as ever," James replied, sitting at the bar, "Final year at Hogwarts. Be damned if I know what she intends to do when she graduates. She has a habit of being obstinate. Albus is his same old self, though, James added. Working as an assistant in the Ministry. Hasn't quite gotten over his shyness yet.

How about you? How is the wife and kids?"

“In time he will. People rise to the occasion when needed. Look at me. I was probably one of the shyest and most clumsy kid in my year; well I’m still a bit clumsy,” said Neville as he put the key back where he found it so he would be able to find it again when he needed it.

“I’m doing well. Finally bought the Leaky Cauldron, which is a lot of work since I don’t have much staff. Nothing I can’t handle though. Hannah’s doing fine; I think she’s in the kitchen doing something. I’m not sure what Frank is up to right now, I suppose still brooding over Edgar. The boys were close when they were younger. Alice is same as she always has been; she has no idea what she wants to do either. She’s only fourteen though she has time,” said Neville getting out two beer glasses. He poured himself a bit of firewhisky. “What anything to drink?” he asked.

James spun around on his bar stool, surveying the place, his neck craned back to look at the ceiling. There were changes already. He stopped suddenly, slapping his hand down on the bar top to stop his centrifugal force.

"Ah, I'd love a firewhiskey!" James replied, meeting Neville's eyes.

He had never been able to speak much with either Frank or Alice, so he had been unable to keep up with them. He was glad to hear that they were doing well. He hoped to see Hannah soon. He knew that she had went to school with his mom and dad, and always enjoyed visiting with their old school friends. They were always the type to treat James as just another person, and didn't view the man in awe. Made James feel relaxed when around wizards who had fought along his father in the first battle of Hogwarts.

"So, what changes do you foresee for the ol' Cauldron?" James asked as he waited for the requested drink.

Neville poured the glass with firewhisky. There was a loud boom that shook the building. “Hannah, dear are you alright!” he called. “I am but I don’t think our oven is. I was just trying to figure out how to turn it on and it blew up!” Hannah called back. “Just another damn thing to fix here,” he sighed.

“Obviously the place has fallen apart over the past few years. I plan on fixing up the floors so I don’t have customers falling into the basement. The ceilings were leaking but I fixed that a few days ago. I had to pretty burn all the mattresses, sheets and pillows because of bed bugs. Replaced all of those, today. Now I need to get a new oven,” he said with a sigh. It was a lot of work but it would be worth it. He was use to hard work.

“After all that is done I need to get working on hiring more people. In the future I plan on working on creating a program where witches and wizards with no homes can stay here with a payment program that isn’t overpriced. I’m thinking of offering anyone that stays here for a while and doesn’t have a lot of money to work here instead of paying me,” he said. He was quite excited to get everything running.

There was a blast of cold air as a cloaked figure swept into the tavern and stood motionless, theatrically outlined against the night while the doors slammed shut behind it.

Damon didn't usually go in for theatricality, but tonight he had little choice so startled was he by the interior of a place that ought to have been familiar. For time out of mind, The Leaky Cauldron had been a dingy, run-down inn; perpetually in a state of disrepair. That was what made it so comfortable. Entering the pub now to see that patches of floor which ought to have been gaping holes had been hastily covered with plywood and worse, bunting stretching across the ceiling was no small shock.

He had entered, however. In fact, he had even made an entrance. He could hardly turn back now.

"Ah hem."

Damon cleared his throat and moved further into the eye-searingly bright room. Obviously the Cauldron's old custom of discreetly serving creatures who put some witches and wizards on edge had been abolished. Damon would have to pass as human here just as he did everywhere else.

It was almost too inconvenient for it to be worth lingering. Yet, the decoration hanging from the rafters had piqued his curiosity. He approached the two men at the bar. Hopefully, he would be able to learn something of why the pub had been desecrated while the bartender fetched his drink.

"Wine, please," he ordered.

“Alright, sir,” said Neville leaving James for a few minutes. He was able to find a wine glass and unlocked the liqueur cabinet again. Being the pureblood wizard he was he had no idea which bottle was wine.

“Red or white?” he asked quickly. “Hannah dear, can you come here?” he asked a bit loudly. Only a few seconds later Hannah walked in. She looked like she always did. She had her hair pulled up into a bun but her hair was falling out of it. She was wearing a long sleeved burnt orange shirt that was rather long on her and then a pair of blue jeans. “I don’t know which bottles are wines,” he said a bit embarrassed he didn’t know. “It’s not that hard to tell the difference,” said Hannah pulling out a bottle of white and red wine not knowing which one it was that Neville was looking for.

"Surprise me," Damon said, turning his back to the bar in order to rest his elbows upon it.

He looked at the child the bartender had been in conversation with just moments ago. He was even younger than Damon had been when he'd been turned, and likely just as naive.

"David Emrys," he introduced himself, offering his hand.