Wizarding Pubs

• Type: Social Establishment / Inn
• Location: Various, found in wizarding communities such as Hogsmeade and in mixed areas like London.
• Owner/Residents: Varies by establishment. Notable proprietors include Tom (The Leaky Cauldron), Madam Rosmerta (The Three Broomsticks), and Aberforth Dumbledore (The Hog's Head Inn).
• Key Features: Serve a range of magical beverages, function as social gathering places, and sometimes offer rooms for lodging.

A pub, or public house, in the wizarding world serves a function similar to its Muggle counterpart: it is a central hub for socialising, recreation, and lodging. These establishments are cornerstones of wizarding community life, offering a place for witches and wizards to gather, exchange news, and relax. Wizarding pubs serve a unique variety of drinks not found in the Muggle world, including the popular Butterbeer, warming Firewhisky, Gillywater, and Red Currant Rum. The atmosphere of these pubs can vary significantly, from the warm, bustling, and respectable environment of The Three Broomsticks to the dark, grimy, and clandestine nature of The Hog's Head Inn. Some pubs, like The Leaky Cauldron, are magically concealed and act as gateways between the magical and Muggle worlds.

Pubs are pivotal locations throughout the series, serving as settings for crucial plot developments and information exchanges. They are often places where characters can secretly meet or inadvertently overhear vital information. For example, The Leaky Cauldron provides Harry Potter with a safe haven before his third year and serves as his first re-entry point into the wizarding world. At The Three Broomsticks, Harry first overhears the (misleading) story of Sirius Black's betrayal of his parents. The much shadier Hog's Head Inn is the birthplace of Dumbledore's Army, the site where Sybill Trelawney made the Prophecy about Harry and Lord Voldemort, and later, a secret passage into Hogwarts via a portrait of Ariana Dumbledore during the final battle. These locations are not merely backdrops but active catalysts for the story's progression.

• The Leaky Cauldron: A dark, shabby-looking pub located on Charing Cross Road in London. It is invisible to Muggles and serves as the primary entrance to Diagon Alley.
• The Three Broomsticks: A large, clean, and popular pub in the village of Hogsmeade. It is known for its warm atmosphere and is a favourite haunt of Hogwarts students and staff.
• The Hog's Head Inn: A small, dirty, and disreputable pub, also in Hogsmeade, known for attracting a more secretive and unusual clientele. It is owned and operated by Albus Dumbledore's brother, Aberforth Dumbledore.

• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, the design and location of The Leaky Cauldron were significantly altered from its appearance in the first film, now situated under a railway bridge. (film)
• The moving sign for The Hog's Head Inn in the films features a severed boar's head that magically drips blood onto a white cloth, emphasizing its grim reputation. (film)
• On the Pottermore website, it is revealed that Butterbeer can be served cold in bottles or hot in “foaming tankards,” and it has a slight, almost negligible, alcoholic content that can affect creatures like House-Elves. (Pottermore)