Ready for the Weekend (Three Broomsticks)

[Jacob King]

// Jacob's outfit, Carrie's outfit, Freya's outfit //

"Mum, Daddy, look!" a blonde haired 9-year old girl exclaimed, sounding amused as she pointed at a large lush Christmas tree near the Three Broomstick Inn. It was beautifully decorated with a great vatiety of glittery and magically enhanced items in blue, gold, and silver. A gas powered street lamp along with several nearby lanterns cast a cosy light on it.
"Oh my," said the father as  they kept walking along the street and he watched a group of nifflers of all ages climbing all over it and stuffing their pouches full of so-called treasures. "I hope no one decided to decorate that the muggle way as it'll all soon be gone," he added. You never knew about folks living here where magic could be used freely, they might not appreciate the fun in doing some things without it.
"This must be their favourite time of the year," the mother stated as she spotted one baby niffler attempting to tear off the star at the top despite of it being much larger than the animal itself, and another unwrapping a tinfoil covered piece of chocolate, then disgarding the sweet down onto the snowy ground.
"We would need two Christmas trees if we ha a niffler, wouldn't we?" the girl chuckled at the marauding furballs.
"I think they would still treat both as their own," Jacob guessed, "which is one of the many many reasons why we will never give into your brother's pestering about adopting a niffler."

"How about a cat?" the child took every chance to ask for a pet herself as well.
"No, Freya, not even a cat. At least not yet," Carrie answered, giving her a little half-hug as they walked. "Your wish is more reasonable, but we are still too busy for any pets to be happy in our home."
"Oh..." Freya síghed, but could not stay disappointed for more than a second in this magical little village.

The winter in London had so far been frosty but rather snowless, as usual. Unlike a year ago when it had been unusually very cold and had even inconvininetly massive snowfall at one point. This year Jacob had arranged himself a very long Christmas holiday by taking annual leave and some of the remaining parental leave at the same time, so he could have a little family vacation to Hogsmeade. Here was lots and lots of snow and above all a chance for also his youngest child to enjoy spending a longer time in the wizarding society. All autumn she had felt sad that her brother got to live at Hogwarts whilst she was stuck in a muggle school, though she'd tried not to show it much. Sure next week was still a school week but as all academic parts of the term were over her teacher had okayed her missing that week.
"There'll be lots of wonderful things under the tree on Christmas," Jacob still offered a cheerful reminder.
"And Hunter will be home!" Freya added fondly, hugging her father.
"And Hunter will be home, that is indeed the best of all," the man confirmed as he gently wrapped an arm around her and patted her beanie covered head.
"And didn't he say hes made a gifts for us at Hogwarts?" Carrie pondered, thinking back on all the letters the boy had sent home during the autumn term.
"Yeh, so this Christmas morning ought to be especially memorable," Jacob stated. "But now, how about some warm drinks at Three Broomsticks?"

The young family left the cold behind and as the women folk approached the bar, Jacob took a quick glance around and frowned. The place did seem somewhat calm and there were still many empty tables and one empty booth but clearly the direction was undesireable.
"Should we go to a coffee house instead?" he questioned as he too arrived at the bar. The question was posed more at his spouce who also now looked around, but answered by the Inn owner behind the bar.
"Oh, don't worry. It usually doesn't get too restless until a bit later in the evening," Madame Rosmerta assured with a warm smile at the man, then looked down at Freya who'd been completely focused on the drink and snack options written on the chalk board, listing the most popular ones. "Any specific cravings, little lady?"
"Do you have any muggle drinks at all?" Freya asked, looking up at the woman, "All those sound strange."
"Certainly we do. Almost anything. How about tea or hot cocoa?" Rosmerta suggested, "We can still add some magical joy into it," she winkd at the child.

Jacob took anothe look around, still considering. It had been a very long time since he last visited this particular business, and he couldn't be sure if the woman just wanted to make a sale to obvious non-locals. After all day in a crowded train, it would be nice to enjoy a family moment with good food and drinks. But he gave in as Freya was already happily and curiously accepting Rosmerta's hot chocolate suggestion.
"Okay then," Jacob spoke up. "We'll have that...and a slice of Treacle tart?" he looked down at Freya who nodded eagerly in response. "As for me...A slice of the same for me, with a cup of peach-mango tea."
"For me the same tea, and a couple of cinnamon doughnuts," Carrie finished.
As Jacob paid for the order, Freya rushed to find in her opinion the best seating, heading straight to the only free booth. Carrie followed her, distracted by her purse from where she dug out some hand wipes.