The Witches Of Today: The Badger on Diagon Alley

By Parvati Patil

It is impossible to find a magical being in the whole of England who do not have sweet memories linked to the Leaky Cauldron. This melting pot of wizards and witches has stood witness to the best and the worst times of the wizarding world. Today, it still stands, thriving from day to day, from generation to generation. And our generation, dear readers of the Witch Weekly, owes it mainly to a remarkable businesswoman; a witch who has been holds the strings for several years now: Hannah Longbottom, the landlady of the Leaky Cauldron.

What do we really know about this witch? Married to the famous Neville Longbottom, Professor of Herbology at Hogwarts, she has dug her place at Number 1, Diagon Alley like a real badger. Although having been from two different houses, I still had the chance to fight alongside Hannah during our time at Hogwarts. I learned to recognize in her an incredible ability to overcome her fear and uncertainties to always make the right choice for the common good. Her career is just one of the many surprises of this young witch. Read on for an original on Hannah Longbottom.

P: As we relax with Butterbeer and it's Thursday night, let's start with an easy and fun question. Tell us a fun fact about you?

H: By Helga! If this is your easy question, I'm afraid for the rest [laughing nervously]. Let's see, I love chocolate: muggle or magic, a chocolate bar is my weak point. I bought so many Chocolate Frogs that I think I have all the cards. Ginny [Potter] and I are having fun covering the wall of the stairs [the one leading to the bedrooms of the Leaky Cauldron] with the doubles we have. Is this a suitable answer?

P: That's a beautiful answer I would say! It is adorable what you do and a good tribute to all the great wizards of our world. Why are you so nervous?

H: I admit I do not have many opportunities to relax. I do not have great adventures to tell either.

P: But you run the Leaky Cauldron. It is the best-attended place in the wizarding world.

H: I know. It is an incredible honor to serve our community in this way; to provide them with a warm and safe place to meet and have a good time.

P: You have to meet a lot of people, don't you?

H: Oh yes! Wizards from all over the world and professions; magical creatures of all kinds. I have seen so many things here.

P: Is it a joy to run the pub or a stress?

H: To be honest, both but in a good way. It's stressful and we often work like house elves. However, it's good for business and even if there's never a moment of tranquility here; it's like having a whole family reunited under a roof. On top of that, I get to witness some very precious moments; like the first step of a muggle-born into the wizarding world, those who meet their idols such as a Quidditch player or a War hero. I never get tired of this establishment.

P: So, allow me ask this question: what are the new gossip doing the round?

H: Parvati! I cannot violate the privacy of my clients.

P: Come on, you can share one. What is the latest news on which you can give us an exclusive?

H: Now that I'm thinking about it, there's a project that has had neither the attention nor the support it deserves; the refurbishment of Knockturn Alley. Some investors have given the fund necessary to clean and revive the alley.

There will also be new stores that will open their doors such as a Pansy Parkinson decoration studio, Luna Lovegood is planning to install a first florist shop and your readers will be excited to learn that Fleur Delacour-Weasley was convinced of her open your own ready-to-wear shop.

P: Are you excited to see Diagon Alley prosper as well?

H: Oh yes! After the war, the Leaky Cauldron was the first to open its doors. For Tom [former boss of the pub and inn], it was a question of duty and not a choice. So many people found refuge here; families who were in mourning, orphans who did not know where to go, those who did not know what to do with their lives.

So, finally, after so many years, the proof that our wizarding community has not only found its rhythm back but is also ready to evolve, fills me with joy and pride.

P: As for you, do you intend to stay at the Leaky Cauldron for as long as you can?

H: To be honest, I'm ready for a change. Madame Pomfrey [Hogwarts nurse] has offered me a part-time job as a healer to help her alleviate her duties. I've been considering the offer since it would be more practical for Neville and also, as I will be less busy, I can finally think of having children.

P: Whatever you decide, know that you have accomplished a lot here. But tell us a little bit about how you found yourself at the head of this pub in the first place?

H [a veil of nostalgia covering her eyes]: This goes back to the end of the war. I lived in Hogsmeade. My father volunteered to help rebuild Hogwarts and so I helped Madame Rosemerta at the Three Broomsticks to pay for my room.

One day, Tom came to ask if she would buy the Leaky Cauldron because he did not feel up to it anymore. She accepted the offer but only she sent me to supervise the pub.

Very quickly it started to feel like home. I reconnected with Neville here, we had our first date here, I built a life here. So, little by little, I saved up my sickles, my tips and with the help of Neville, I bought the place.

P: And you've made it in the history of our wizarding world by becoming the youngest landlord of a pub in all of Magical England. In hindsight, what was the biggest challenge for you?

H: To be taken seriously. There were so many men who thought I could not make it; the other landlords of the shops on the Diagon Alley, the wizards accustomed to the Leaky Cauldron, Draco Malfoy since I needed Malfoy Enterprises to invest in the place and help with its renovation. It took me a long time to prove myself but when Draco came around and helped me to truly change the Leaky to reflect my leadership, the men had to accept that I was here to stay.

My main supporter remained Neville though. He believed in me. He supported me without me asking him. He compromised on a lot of things so that I could continue to run the pub even after the wedding. I couldn't have asked for a better partner than him throughout this journey and I would advise every one of your readers to find themselves a man who would support them in achieving their dreams.

P: Well, it certainly looks like he's the perfect man in your eyes.

H: He is. I cannot imagine myself loving anyone other than him.

Strong, enterprising and with a tender heart, Hannah Longbottom has a profile that cannot help but inspire our community. She is yet another proof that marriage does not signify the end of a career for a witch. Moreover, dear readers, the juiciest news of all this is that there will soon be surprises on Diagon Alley. Keep your Galleons close, ladies. On that note, I wish you well until our next interview!