Yet another September 1st has passed. As J.K. Rowling wished good luck to James Sirius Potter on his first day this year, the #BackToHogwarts trend only reminded me again of how I never received my Hogwarts acceptance letter. I swear the Ministry of Magic lost my birth record during the Second Wizarding War.
While I will always dream of dining in the Great Hall or drinking butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks, I thought it’d be fun to switch it up and imagine where Harry Potter characters would eat in our Muggle world of Gainesville.
Harry Potter: Fork and Pasta
GIF Courtesy of giphy.com
Harry was the toughest one to come up with, but ultimately, Fork and Pasta’s “choose your own” pasta menu fits with his mischievous personality. Trouble won’t have to come looking for him here–he can break whatever (food) rules he wants because different combinations of pasta and toppings would be perfectly acceptable. He also needs the carbs for Quidditch (or soccer?).
Ron Weasley: Adam’s Rib Co.
GIF Courtesy of giphy.com
After looking at this GIF, who wouldn’t imagine Ron anywhere but at a BBQ place? The food wouldn’t be much different than what he’s used to in the UK. Chicken, turkey, pork…just with a Southern twist. Bonus, he has breakfast, lunch and dinner options, so there’s no question where he’d pig out (pun definitely intended).
Hermione Granger: Pascal’s Coffeehouse
GIF Courtesy of giphy.com
Pascal’s is the perfect coffee shop and study spot for Hermione. Conveniently located across the street from Lib West and a quick walk from the Florida Bookstore, she would have easy access to textbook heaven.
She would most likely be seen on the second floor, diligently completing homework assignments or doing some *light* reading while sipping on a cup of cappuccino every afternoon.
Ginny Weasley: The Swamp Restaurant
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Ginny, aka the badass Quidditch player, would feel right at home at The Swamp. As much as she loves playing in a game, she would also celebrate Gator football victories at this iconic sports bar. Being the brave Gryffindor that she is, she wouldn’t miss out on an opportunity of having alligator tacos.
Luna Lovegood: Satchel’s Pizza
GIF Courtesy of giphy.com
The quirkiest character is only best suited for Gainesville’s quirkiest restaurant. She could probably spend a few hours in the store just looking at all the knickknacks, and her favorite place to eat would be in the van.
Because she loves magical creatures, she wouldn’t dare eat a meat lover’s pizza, instead, she would order carrots, broccoli and tempeh as toppings or opt for the Satch Salad.
Neville Longbottom: Daily Green
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If Neville’s knack for Herbology has any influence on what he’d eat, then this organic vegetarian restaurant would be his favorite spot in town. Heck, he would probably work there if he could. Even if he forgets where he is in Gainesville, he wouldn’t need a Remembrall to remind him how tasty those savory waffle cones are.
Draco Malfoy: Dragonfly
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Draco would show off his Galleons, or I guess in this case, his Benjamin Franklins, and pure blood status at Dragonfly. He’ll bring his entire Slytherin crew to enjoy sushi galore. Plus, the fact that “draco” means “dragon” (shoutout to my high school Latin teacher) makes this pairing even more appropriate.