Author's Note: I apologise that this chapter has been a while in coming. I had a couple of shorter 'plot bunnies' bite me and a lot of half written stuff. This whole story itself was originally planned as a short 'one shot' based on what I hoped was a fairly novel idea. However expanding it has been irresistible, since there is so much that could happen in such a situation. It has 'growed like Topsy' and continues to do so. For instance this combined Royal Visit/shopping trip is in the process of going from one chapter to at least three, more probably four. I will try and get more of it written soon, but I also have some other multi-chapter stories awaiting new sections and to readers of those I also apologise. I promise to do my best to get back to those other stories as soon as possible, but for now I am so enjoying the Royal company I find myself in and have become very fond of the young Princess. So for the time being I will try and concentrate mainly upon getting the Royal Visit finished, Victoria Jane Windsor sorted out with her school things and on her way to Hogwarts. Bear with me, we'll get there. For now, 'on with the motley' Let's go and have...
A Pint in the Pub.
The Royal party appeared with a triple crack! and a rush of air in The Leaky Cauldron, exactly on schedule. Both the Royal parents seemed a bit shocked by their novel means of transport and staggered a little upon arrival, needing to be supported momentarily by their 'escorts'. However the young Princess squealed in delight as she arrived and said to Hermione "Whee, that was brilliant! Can we do it again Hermione?"
Hermione beamed at her young charge, happy to see she had so readily adapted to the sometimes traumatic first effects of apparition and said, "Not right now Princess Victoria, but we'll be going back to Windsor the same way later." Then Hermione bent down and whispered, so only the child could hear her, saying, "Sorry about the 'Princess bit' Victoria Jane, but today has to be a bit formal as we're on an official visit."
Her face looking a little more serious and formal for a moment the young Princess replied, "Oh, it's okay Hermione, I understand that, it's fine, as long as you only use the silly title when we're out in public." Then she smiled, shrugging off the serious moment and looked around her, taking in her novel surroundings.
Hermione herself was surprised at how much 'smarter' than usual The Leaky Cauldron looked. Obviously Hannah and her staff had worked hard to tidy the place up but to Hermione's eyes it had lost some of it's comfortable 'lived in' feel in the process. The pub was always clean under Hannah's 'regime', but she felt that the recently painted walls and ceilings were a little over the top. The cosy, intimate feeling in the once darker, slightly grubbier corners of the place had been lost and she hoped that after the visit the pub would be returned to nearer it's former state. At least the same old mismatched furniture was still there, although some of it was newly re-varnished, thankfully however the ancient bar counter itself was untouched, the centuries of history it had seen there were ingrained into it's very wood.
Hannah, as the owner, with her husband Neville by her side, plus a select few people were waiting in the pub as a small 'greeting committee', mostly consisting of a few veterans of the 'Final Battle', several senior aurors, wands drawn, and a couple of other dignitaries and Ministry officials. There was also a solitary photographer from the Daily Prophet, who had been permitted to be present to document the Royal's arrival.
Hannah Longbottom was the first to greet the royal party, bravely stepping up to them, curtseying and saying, "Welcome Your Majesties to The Leaky Cauldron, I feel greatly honoured that the first place you've set foot in magical territory is my little pub. Thank you for coming, can I offer you a drink? On the house of course." She smiled.
The King and Queen both smiled back in return, shook Hannah's hand and the King replied, "Why not, we have a little time to spend here built into our schedule and it would be rude to come to the most famous pub in the Wizarding World without stopping for a drink. I'd like to try some of your famous Butterbeer, that Minister Weasley here has told me about."
The Queen then said, "Yes, I'd like to try one as well, the Minister informs us it's delicious." Then turning to her daughter she asked her, "And what would you like Victoria Jane."
The young Princess had been reading several books about the Wizarding World and it's culture, which Hermione had given her. Indeed since finding out she was a witch Victoria Jane had been gulping down all the information she could get, like an out of control vacuum cleaner! Answering her mother's question she smiled up at Hannah and said, "I'd like to try some pumpkin juice please, I understand I'll be getting through quite a lot of it at Hogwarts."
The Royal party were served their drinks by Hannah and all pronounced them excellent. The King in particular seemed to enjoy his Butterbeer a lot and smacking his lips and smiling said, "I've been looking forward to that, and it doesn't disappoint does it! We must get some of it for our Royal Cellars."
Hermione then formally introduced the small 'greeting party' and with the Daily Prophet's photographer discretely snapping away the King and Queen first met Neville Longbottom, Hannah's husband, who had been Hogwarts' Headmaster for some years, ever since Professor McGonagall had retired. The Royal Couple obviously were very interested to meet him and on briefly chatting and 'sizing him up' it was obvious that they both liked what they saw. Victoria Jane also was introduced to Neville, as he would be her new School Head. Oddly, given her outgoing nature, she seemed a bit overawed by him.
Once she'd met him she shyly went over to Hermione and in a quiet, awestruck voice said, "That's him isn't it? He's the one who did it, killed the big snake I mean. He chopped it's head off with the Sword of Gryffindor, that's so cool! I mean, what Harry Potter did was amazing, but he seems the hero type. But what Neville Longbottom did was so brave, standing up to Lord Voldermort like that, just marching up to him and chopping his snake's head off, right in front of his eyes! I read about it in your book, Hogwarts, A Recent History, the one you gave me that you wrote a few years after the war, it's my favourite book now. I can't believe it, He's going to be my new Headmaster! Victoria Jane's face beamed up at Hermione.
Hermione smiled at the young Princess and replied, "Yes, that's our friend Neville Longbottom alright, a true Gryffindor if ever there was one, but he's not just a war hero, he's a nice man and a very good Headmaster as well, as you'll soon find out. Plus he's a genius in the study of Herbology, one of the world's greatest experts in fact, he's actually written more books than me. He still takes some advanced classes for the NEWT level Herbology students at Hogwarts, to 'keep his hand in'. Never happier than when he's wrist deep in potting compost is our Neville. He's really gentle though and doesn't do much Snakeslaying these days, he prefers tending his Tentacular plants, although they can give you a nasty nip too, come to think of it."
Hermione had been torn as to whether or not to let the Royal Family know the details of the magical war that had occurred many years earlier, and particularly if the young Princess ought to be told what had happened. However, as it was now history and the Wizarding World had long been at peace she decided to give them all the information. With her parent's permission Hermione even let the Princess have a copy of her own book on the subject as, having seen so much of her younger self in the child, she knew she would be mature and intelligent enough to absorb the knowledge, without becoming frightened.
Next the Royal Party 'formally' met the current head of the Auror Office, who was responsible for having organised the event's security. But as this official was Harry Potter himself in fact they had already met, since he'd been one of those to bring them there. So this meeting was just a brief formality, a handshake carried out for the press camera.
Harry's wife Ginny however had not yet met the Royal family and was delighted to be introduced to them next, along with her brother Ron. Victoria Jane also insisted on joining in this meeting, as she had read what a heroine and inspiration to Harry Potter the then Ginnevra Weasley had had been in the war, also how Ron had saved Harry's life and destroyed one of Voldermort's horcruxes. Because of this she really wanted to get to know them both. Then the three Royals along with Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione were photographed together, a picture which would, of course, become the next day's Daily Prophet front page.
The Royal Party finally met some of the other Departmental Heads of Hermione's Ministry and the head of the Diagon Alley Guild of Shopkeepers and Small Businesses. They had their photo taken with them, as well as another with Kingsley Shacklebolt, who had taken on the organisation of virtually the whole event, leaving Hermione more or less free to carry on with her regular Ministerial duties.
Kingsley then suggested it was time for the party to move on and led the three Royals, plus Hermione, Ron, Harry and Ginny, plus several of their close protection squad of aurors out into the small rear courtyard of The Leaky Cauldron. The space was barely big enough to hold them all and the King and Queen seemed puzzled, not sure why they were there exactly. However Kingsley walked up to the special spot on the brick wall, tapped it with his wand and the magical archway began to form, astonishing the King and Queen, but not Victoria Jane, who had already read about it and knew what to expect.
As the view beyond the wall opened up to them and the crowds lining the route began to cheer Hermione formally said, "Welcome Your Majesties. Welcome to Diagon Alley! Her voice barely carrying above the enthusiastic noise of the throng."