A Royal Visit
On the Wednesday of the week following Kingsley Shacklebolt and Minister for Magic, Hermione Weasley's visit to the Royal Family at their Sandringham Estate the Ministry received a message from them requesting a Royal Visit be arranged to Diagon Alley, to celebrate the acceptance at Hogwarts and into wizarding society of the young Royal Princess, Victoria Jane Windsor.
This would be the first time such a visit had occurred and arrangements were duly made. Security and crowd control would be provided by the Auror Office, as the normal Royal Protection Officers would be of little use during the King and Queen's planned 'Royal walkabout' in Diagon Alley. However, in the now peaceful wizarding world no trouble, other than over-enthusiasm, was anticipated.
There were many practical problems to solve, not the least the fact that Diagon Alley itself was a very narrow thoroughfare and nearly every single member of the country's magical community, plus many magical tourists would want to attend the unique event. It was decided that the crowds in the Alley itself would have to be limited to a manageable number, drawn by lots, as a 'ticket only event'. However, to satisfy the huge demand there was bound to be, a magically created space the size of a Quidditch World Cup arena would be directly linked by magic to the Alley, to permit all who wanted to come along to see the Royal Family to do so.
Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Weasley, the original 'golden trio', (a Daily Prophet newspaper phrase which they all hated, but had become stuck with ever since the war), would provide close escort, along with a squad of Senior Aurors for the 'Royal Walkabout' and also transport by apparition to The Leaky Cauldron.
The rest of the plan was that in the evening, after the general magical populace had been cleared from the area, a small party of escorts would take Princess Victoria Jane and her parents on her necessary 'school shopping spree', in the Alley, the shops would all stay open specially into the evenings, to allow her to get her Hogwarts school things, books and wand etcetera in peace.
All these details had to be worked out in a very short time, as the September 1st deadline of the new school term was rapidly approaching. However, despite the near impossibility of such a task and thanks in no small part to ex-Minister Kingsley Shacklebolt's organisational genius and invaluable assistance to Minister Weasley, plus the goodwill of the whole of magical society, only three weeks later the visit would go ahead. It would happen just a week before the Hogwarts Express was due to leave and carry Victoria Jane and her fellow first years to her new school.
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The 'magical transportation party' appeared with a triple 'crack', by apparition into a designated area in the grounds of Windsor Castle, where the Royal Family were currently staying. Harry Potter and her husband Ronald Weasley, much to Hermione's amusement, immediately went into 'security auror mode', their eye's darting around the area in a fair imitation of their old friend Alastor 'Mad Eye' Moody's famed magical optical accessory, as they followed his exhortations to 'Constant Vigilance', seeking out any possible threats in the vicinity of their arrival.
Hermione giggled, her old girlish humour returning. "Honestly Harry, Ron! She said, "We're in a bloody Royal Castle with walls ten feet thick, surrounded by heavily armed soldiers, muggle Royal Protection Officers who are also armed to the teeth and probably muggle Security Service 'spooks' as well. I really think you two should relax a bit, nobody's going to attack the Royal Party here! All the remaining Death Eaters were rounded up long since, thanks to you two and the other aurors. Plus we do also always have some covert magical people here anyway. They guard the Royal family against the outside chance of possible magical threats, in addition to their muggle protection. But no magical person that I can think of would wish harm to them anyway. As to muggle threats, well the Royals are incredibly popular nowadays, but there will always be the odd disaffected 'nutter' around. But you should leave them to the muggle guards, they're better at dealing with any such threats. Relax a bit boys and enjoy the day." Hermione said, smiling at her husband and her other old school friend.
Harry and Ron did seem to 'dial it down a notch or two' at her words, but no matter what Hermione said they were never going to completely relax whilst bearing such a responsibility.
The area of their arrival had been kept clear of all muggles, but one of the covert magical security personnel came out of a building to greet them, along with the three Royals themselves. The King was dressed in a smart, lightweight Saville Row suit and the Queen in a beautiful blue summer dress with a matching lightweight summer jacket covering her shoulders, plus a fairly 'sensible' small matching hat. Princess Victoria Jane was beaming with excitement and skipped alongside her parents. In contrast to their slightly more 'formal' dress she wore a pretty, but informal, embroidered denim knee length skirt and a lightweight muggle sweat shirt proclaiming Hello Kitty in the graphics printed on the front, since it was a warm summer's day. Her mother had insisted she dress comfortably, as it would be a long day for her daughter and this outfit had been the girl's choice.
Hermione, Harry and Ronald were greeted by the Royal Party and Hermione then asked them if there was anything they didn't understand about the arrangements for the day, about which they had been previously briefed.
The King replied, "Thank you Minister, I think it was all covered earlier, it's just this 'side-along apparition' business. I must confess to being a bit nervous about it, as is my wife. Victoria Jane is utterly fearless though, of course, and looking forward to it, but then that's kids for you." He smiled.
"It's nothing to worry about I assure you your Majesties, although it can be a bit dizzying and disorienting the first few times a person travels this way, even for witches and wizards. However it's over in an instant and all should be well, as long as you took the anti nausea potion St. Mungo's supplied. Dissapparating can have initial effects a bit like sea sickness. However, it is just about the most secure and safe way for us to get you there and the most practical. After all, we couldn't have a large Royal motorcade drawing up unannounced in Charing Cross Road and a Royal Party all then traipsing into an invisible pub. It might alarm your loyal muggle subjects." Hermione smiled at the King and Queen.
Hermione's joke struck home with the Royal couple and they both laughed in agreement with what she had said.
"Well, Your Majesties, if you will take our arms we'd best be off." Hermione smiled in reassurance
Not without some remaining trepidation the King took Harry's arm, the Queen Ronald's, whilst Princess Victoria Jane eagerly hugged Hermione's arm tightly in hers. The Royal visit to Diagon Alley then commenced, with a triple Crack! as they all dissapparated en-mass.