6 characters we’d definitely invite to Christmas dinner...
Mrs Weasley
She’s an excellent cook, would be guaranteed to get stuck in and help and she might even knit you a Weasley jumper for your trouble. Molly is more than welcome as far as we’re concerned. You may have to listen to Celestina Warbeck once the plates are magically cleared away, but it would be worth it.
Professor McGonagall
Yes, she can be stern but Minerva McGonagall has been known to let her hair down after a glass or two of eggnog and even let out a girlish giggle, much to Harry’s surprise. Witnessing such a rare spectacle would make Christmas dinner extra special.
Albus Dumbledore
A very busy wizard, but if there were any possible way to have him sat at our table at Christmas, we’d make it so. Purely so he could start the meal with a few of his most excellent words, such as ‘Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!’
The Weasley twins
Their presence would make dinner quite nerve-wracking – could you trust anything on your plate not to turn you into a canary? As long as they left the Ton-Tongue Toffee at home, they’d liven up the evening with their high jinks. They could also be relied upon to put on a fabulous firework display at the end of the night. In fact, let’s just invite the whole Weasley family and be done with it.
Rubeus Hagrid
If you’ve forgotten anything, Hagrid will probably have it squirrelled away in one of the pockets of his moleskin coat. He’s also pretty handy with the Christmas decorations, but he’d have to be kept out of the kitchen.
Luna Lovegood
As Ron Weasley once said, she’s ‘good value’ is Luna. Her aura of ‘distinct dottiness’ would likely make some of the guests feel slightly uncomfortable, and she’d spend most of the time looking out for Nargles, but her perceptive outlook on life would definitely make the conversation more interesting.
6 characters who would have to make other plans...
Professor Trelawney
There’s something quite fascinating about Sybill Trelawney. She must have some interesting, if not wholly accurate, stories to tell and sitting next to her at a Christmas dinner would definitely be an experience. But it’s also extremely likely that she’d make ominous predictions of death and destruction which would really spoil the festive atmosphere.
Fleur Delacour
She may have softened after marrying Bill Weasley, but Fleur is bound to have an opinion about how well-cooked the meat is. After an afternoon slaving over a hot stove, this might not be an opinion you care to hear.
Professor Slughorn
He’s a funny old bean, Horace Slughorn. He’s generally well-meaning when he’s not trying to conceal shameful memories or helping himself to Acromantula venom, yet he’d probably just park himself in the most comfortable armchair and scoff all your crystallised pineapple before washing it down with your finest mead.
Lucius Malfoy
Or any of the Death Eaters in fact, for obvious reasons, but especially Lucius. Christmas is no time for Dark magic, scheming or sneering.
Mundungus Fletcher
There’s ‘lovable rogue’, and then there’s light-fingered Mundungus. All the silverware and goblets would have mysteriously vanished by the end of the meal, and that just wouldn’t do.
Dolores Umbridge
There are many reasons Dolores wouldn’t make the cut, not least her despotic desire for power. She’d probably try to take over carving the turkey and rearrange your seating plan. Imagine for a moment, her signature fake cough during a toast. No, thank you.
Rita Skeeter
No dinner conversation would be left unpublished if the wizarding world’s least favourite journalist was at the table. Her Quick-Quotes Quill would be out faster than you could say ‘juicy news’ and you’d find yourself the unwitting source in a controversial article or biography.
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