- "The Three Broomsticks and I go way back, further than I care to admit. I can remember when it was One Broomstick!"
- — Horace Slughorn joking with Harry Potter[src]
The Three Broomsticks is a popular inn and pub in the all wizarding village of Hogsmeade and is often frequented by students from the neighbouring Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The inn is often warm, crowded, and a bit smoky, but clean and welcoming. A mirror behind the bar reflects the cosy atmosphere, and drinks such as Butterbeer and Firewhiskey are served in glasses and in foaming pewter tankards, as well as gillywater, mulled mead, red currant rum, and even cherry syrup and soda with ice and an umbrella. The Three Broomsticks is owned and operated by Madam Rosmerta.
History
Early history
The interior of the pub (According to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter)
The Three Broomsticks was allegedly as old as Hogsmeade itself; popular rumour suggested that the village founder, Hengist of Woodcroft, lived there during medieval times.[1]
The proprietor of this establishment was Madam Rosmerta. She managed the Three Broomsticks for at least twenty years, since Harry Potter's father, James was a student at Hogwarts.
Recent history
1993-1994 school year
The pub full of customers in the 1990s
Harry and his friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger enjoyed drinking butterbeer at the inn, where they frequently encountered Rubeus Hagrid and other regulars as well. During the 1993–1994 school year, Harry was unable to go to Hogsmeade because of the events surrounding Sirius Black's escape from Azkaban. However, Harry sneaked into Hogsmeade to have butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks with Ron and Hermione. There they overheard a group of Hogwarts professors talking with Cornelius Fudge about Sirius Black, thus unknowingly revealing to Harry the secret that Sirius was his godfather while Harry hid under their table to avoid being seen.
During the 1993 school year, owing to the escape of Sirius Black from Azkaban, a number of Dementors were assigned to patrol Hogsmeade Village. This caused a certain amount of trouble for Madam Rosmerta, as it discouraged visitors due to the grim atmosphere that follows Dementors.
1994-1995 school year
During the 1994-1995 school year, it was in this pub that Harry is invited by Hagrid to come and see the dragons that will make up the First Task of the Triwizard Tournament; at the same time, it was learned that Alastor Moody's magical eye can see through Harry's Invisibility Cloak. Later in the same year, Harry was offered information on beating the Second Task by Ludo Bagman, which he refused, and Hermione told off Rita Skeeter, an action that resulted in Rita writing a scurrilous story for Witch Weekly about Hermione.
1995-1996 school year
In the 1995-1996 school year, Harry's fifth year, needing a place to meet with other students who would later form Dumbledore's Army, Hermione chose to meet at the Hog's Head, rather than the Three Broomsticks, believing it would provide more privacy. This hope proved illusory, which may be why Hermione chose the Three Broomsticks for a later meeting with Harry, Luna Lovegood, and Rita Skeeter. At this meeting, Harry talked briefly with a morose Hagrid, who was thinking about his family, then was interviewed by Rita for The Quibbler about his experience the previous year when Voldemort had returned; the main wizarding newspaper, the Daily Prophet, was heavily influenced by the Ministry of Magic and refused to print the truth about Voldemort's return.
1996-1997 school year
The Trio in the Three Broomsticks during the winter of 1996
While Harry, Hermione, and Ron do visit the Three Broomsticks in the 1996-1997 school year, Harry's sixth year, it is a cheerless visit, and culminates in the Trio seeing Katie Bell being jinxed by a package she had apparently received there. As a result, Hogsmeade Weekends are cancelled for the rest of the year.
Harry does pass the Three Broomsticks later in the year, with Professor Dumbledore, but they do not enter: Dumbledore tells Madam Rosmerta that he fancies a quieter drink and heads towards the Hog's Head. Returning from that trip, which had been cover for retrieval of one of Voldemort's Horcruxes from a mysterious cave, Harry and a greatly weakened Dumbledore return to Hogsmeade, where they are met by Madam Rosmerta who warns them of the Dark Mark floating over Hogwarts. She loans them brooms, and Harry and Dumbledore fly to the school, where the Battle of the Astronomy Tower soon begins.
Hogwarts students fill the pub during a trip to Hogsmeade
It turns out that Draco Malfoy, who has been given the mission of killing Dumbledore by Voldemort, has placed Madam Rosmerta under the Imperius Curse, and thus has been aware of Dumbledore's absences. It had been Madam Rosmerta, under Draco's control, who had given the jinxed necklace to Katie Bell.
1997-1998 school year
Harry does not attend Hogwarts for his seventh year in the 1997-1998 school year, but he does return there to hunt down a final Horcrux. Apparating into Hogsmeade, Harry triggers the Caterwauling Charm which brings Death Eaters out of the Three Broomsticks hunting him. Luckily, they are given sanctuary from Aberforth Dumbledore, the barman of the Hog's Head and Albus's brother.
Known customers
Behind the scenes
The Shrunken Heads
- According to Hermione Granger, in Sites of Historical Sorcery it is mentioned that the inn at Hogsmeade served as human headquarters for the 1612 goblin rebellion[2]. It is unknown if the inn mentioned in the book is The Three Broomsticks.
- In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, several Shrunken Heads rudely tell Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley that underage wizards weren't allowed in the pub that day. This may or may not be standard limitation, but is never mentioned in the books.
- Because Ron and Hermione were forbidden to enter that day in the Prisoner of Azkaban film, Harry, who had his Invisibility Cloak with him, was the only one to overhear Fudge's conversation with the Hogwart's Professors about Sirius Black. Also for the film their conversation was moved to a private room with both Rubeus Hagrid and Filius Flitwick being absent.
- In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince we learn that Madam Rosmerta kept broomsticks behind her bar.
- In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Madam Rosmerta had hired a waiter and a barman.
- Also, in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Horace Slughorn mentioned that he remembered when the inn was once called "One Broomstick," although it is implied that he was intoxicated while he said this and may have intended the statement as a joke.
- There is a recreation of Three Broomsticks located in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The set of Three Broomsticks that appeared in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is actually based on that part of the park.
Appearances
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film) (Exterior only)
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film)
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (video game) (DS version only)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (video game) (Mentioned only)
- LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
- LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
- The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
Notes and references
- ↑ Hengist's Chocolate Frog Card in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game)
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 5 (The Dementor)
