"Tell you what," said Ron, his teeth chattering, "shall we go for a butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks?"

 Harry was more than willing; the wind was fierce and his hands were freezing, so they crossed the road, and in a few minutes were entering the tiny inn. 

It was extremely crowded, noisy, warm, and smoky. A curvy sort of woman with a pretty face was serving a bunch of rowdy warlock' up at the bar. 

"That's Madam Rosmerta," said Ron. "I'll get the drinks, shall I?" he added, going slightly red. 

Harry, Hermione and Amelia made their way to the back of the room, where there was a small, vacant table between the window and a handsome Christmas tree, which stood next to the fireplace. Ron came back five minutes later, carrying four foaming tankards of hot butterbeer.

 "Merry Christmas!" he said happily, raising his tankard. 

Harry drank deeply. It was the most delicious thing he'd ever tasted and seemed to heat every bit of him from the inside. 

"This doesn't have any actual alcohol in it does it?" asked Amelia peering at her tankard suspiciously. "No. But a magical root used to favor it can get house elves drunk. Very drunk."

"Got it," said Amelia before taking a small sip of her butterbeer. "Whoa,"

Hermione chuckled. "I know, it's amazing. I wonder. if there is a way we could recreate it using muggle ingredients." "I sure hope so!"

A sudden breeze ruffled Harry's hair. The door of the Three Broomsticks had opened again. Harry looked over the rim of his tankard and choked. 

Professors McGonagall and Flitwick had just entered the pub with a flurry of snowflakes, shortly followed by Hagrid, who was deep in conversation with a portly man in a lime-green bowler hat and a pinstriped cloak -- Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic.

 In an instant, Ron and Hermione had both placed hands on the top of Harry's head and forced him off his stool and under the table. Dripping with butterbeer and crouching out of sight, Harry clutched his empty tankard and watched the teachers' and Fudge's feet move toward the bar, pause, then turn and walk right toward him. 

Somewhere above him, Hermione whispered, "Mobiliarbus!"