The Leaky Cauldron

The Leaky Cauldron was a popular wizarding pub and inn located in London. It was the entrance to Diagon Alley and indirectly Knockturn Alley. The rear of the pub opened up onto a chilly courtyard that contains the entrance to both alley ways.

The pub was built by Daisy Dodderidge, the first landlady, in the early 1500s "to serve as a gateway between the non-wizarding world and Diagon Alley." It had a bar, several private parlour rooms, and a large dining room.

To Muggles, the pub appears to be a broken-down old shop front on Charing Cross Road. This, however, was not the case prior to the imposition of the Statute of Secrecy and, in fact, prior to this, Muggle visitors were neither turned away, nor made to feel unwelcome.

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Early history (1500s-1692)
"Some people argue that the oldest pub in London is the White Hart on Drury Lane; others that it is the Angel on Bermondsey Wall, or the Lamb and Flag on Rose Street. All of these people are Muggles, and all of them are wrong. The oldest pub in London, as any wizard will tell you, is the Leaky Cauldron on Charing Cross Road."

—The pub is the oldest in London

Leaky Cauldron sign detailed with symbols of stories from The Tales of Beedle the Bard

The Leaky Cauldron was built in the 1500s by Daisy Dodderidge.[2]The Leaky Cauldron was there long before Charing Cross Road was even planned; its true address is number one Diagon Alley, and it is believed to have been built along with the rest of the wizarding street. Created some two centuries before the imposition of the International Statute of Secrecy, the Leaky Cauldron was initially visible to Muggle eyes. While the pub was, from the first, a place for witches and wizards to congregate — whether Londoners or out-of-towners up for the day to shop for the latest magical ingredients or devices — Muggles were not turned away or made to feel unwelcome, even though some of the conversations, not to mention pets, caused many an unwary drinker to leave without finishing his or her mead

In 1692 with the imposition of the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy, Minister Ulick Gamp permitted the pub to continue its existence as a safe haven and refuge for members of the magical community. Though insistent on numerous concealment spells and good behaviour from all who used the pub, Gamp was sympathetic to the need of wizards to let off steam during this difficult time, and further agreed to give the landlord permission to let people into Diagon Alley from his backyard, because the shops behind the Leaky Cauldron were now also in need of protection.[1] Out of gratitude, the landlord created a new brand of beer, Gamp's Old Gregarious, which tasted so disgusting that even with a one-hundred-Galleon incentive, nobody could finish a pint.

Recent history (1900-2014)
"This is it — the Leaky Cauldron. It's a famous place."

—Rubeus Hagrid introducing the Leaky Cauldron

The Leaky Cauldron has changed little over the years; it is small, dingy and welcoming, with a few bedrooms above the public bar for travellers who live a long way from London. It is the ideal spot to catch up with wizarding gossip if you happen to live a long way from the nearest magical neighbour

One of the most difficult times for the Leaky Cauldron was the creation of Charing Cross Road, which, had it gone the way it was initially planned to, would have flattened the pub. The Minister at that time, Faris Spavin, was certain that this was the end of the pub, and that it could not be saved. By the time he finished his seven-hour speech declaring this, however, he received a note from his secretary revealing that wizards had rallied, and through the mass use of Memory Charms had altered the entire route of the new road, leaving the architects confused as to why there was a blank space on the design, and why said space did not appear to the naked eye.

Harry Potter's first encounter with Quirrell in the Leaky Cauldron

In the summer of 1899, Albus Dumbledore and Elphias Doge stayed at the Leaky Cauldron, in preparation to depart for Greece, when Albus received word of his mother's death.[5]

In 1991, Harry Potter and Rubeus Hagrid passed through the pub on their way to Diagon Alley. Tom, the innkeeper, greeted Hagrid there like an old friend. This made it seem that Hagrid was something of a regular. Some other witches and wizards who were there at the time were Doris Crockford, Dedalus Diggle, and Quirinus Quirrell and they took a great interest in Harry, queuing to shake his hand.

In 1992, Harry Potter and the Weasley family travelled to Diagon Alley by Floo Powder. Harry mispronounced "Diagonally", and therefore travelled to Knockturn Alley instead. After doing their shopping, Harry and the Weasleys departed through the Leaky Cauldron's fireplace to the Burrow.[7]

Molly greeting Harry Potter in the Leaky Cauldron

In 1993, as well as stopping there for drinks, Harry Potter stayed at the inn for a time, having accidentally blown up his Aunt Marge. He also met Cornelius Fudge in a private room for the first time.

While the Leaky Cauldron was a favourite hangout for the magical community, its patronage took a turn for the worse in the summer of 1996, during the beginning of the Second Wizarding War. With Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters moving in the open, many witches and wizards avoided public places as much as possible, including the Leaky Cauldron. When Harry Potter, Rubeus Hagrid, and the Weasley family passed through the Leaky Cauldron that summer on his way to Diagon Alley, they noticed that the bar was empty with the exception of Tom.

On 1 May 1998, at the height of the war, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger, with the assistance of Griphook the goblin, staged a break-in of Gringotts Wizarding Bank. While passing through the Leaky Cauldron on the way to the bank, they noted that it was nearly empty. Tom bowed in fear at the sight of Hermione, who was disguised as Bellatrix Lestrange at the time.

At some point after the end of the Second Wizarding War, Tom either retired or passed away. Hannah Abbott then became the new landlady.