Luchino Caffe Duel

There was a skirmish on Tottenham Court Road in London, England when Death Eaters tracked Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley using the Taboo curse during the height of the Second Wizarding War. It was brief, with no casualties.

Background
"The Ministry has fallen. Scrimgeour is dead. They are coming."

- Kingsley Shacklebolt’s Patronus warning the guests at the Burrow

On August 1, 1997, Lord Voldemort succeeded in taking over the Ministry of Magic. The Death Eaters immediately placed the Taboo curse on Voldemort’s name as a method of tracking their enemies, who were the only ones brave enough to use it. They also moved to attack residences known to be associated the Order of the Phoenix.

Order member and Auror Kingsley Shacklebolt managed to send his Patronus in warning to the Burrow, where the wedding of Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour was being held. Guests starting fleeing the reception as Death Eaters arrived. Hermione Granger, who had been apprehensive about something like this happening, quickly Apparated herself, Harry Potter, and Ron Weasley away to Tottenham Court Road. This marked the beginning of the trio’s quest to locate and destroy Voldemort’s Horcruxes.

Arrival


When Harry, Ron, and Hermione arrived on the Muggle street, Hermione directed them toward an alley, where she revealed that she had been planning – her beaded bag had an Undetectable Extension Charm on it and, inside, she had packed clothes, camping supplies, books, and Harry’s Invisibility Cloak. Ron changed out of his dress robes while Harry put on the Invisibility Cloak.

The trio then headed past some workmen who wolf-whistled at Hermione, and into a café. There, they briefly discussed trying to find out what had happened at the Burrow, but ultimately decided that it was too risky, particularly since it was Harry that the Death Eaters were after. While conversing, Hermione said Voldemort’s name, unwittingly triggering the Taboo curse.

Tracking and Attack
Antonin Dolohov and Thorfinn Rowle, two Death Eaters disguised as workmen, soon entered the café, while the waitress brought Hermione and Ron cappuccinos. The trio planned to try to send a Patronus to get a message to the Order and to head for the countryside, but as Hermione moved to get Muggle money, Harry noticed that the ‘workmen’ were drawing wands. He drew his as well, and Ron lunged forward to push Hermione into her bench just as the Death Eaters’ spells shattered the wall right behind where Ron’s head had been.

Harry, still invisible, stunned Rowle, while Dolohov bound Ron with conjured ropes. Harry’s second stunner missed, and struck the waitress while she was running away screaming. Dolohov cast Expulso in Harry’s direction, and it struck the table in front of him; the force of the explosion slammed Harry in a wall, and made him lose his grip on his wand and the Invisibility Cloak begin to slip off. Hermione then struck Dolohov with a Full Body-Bind Curse from under the collapsed bench.

Cover-Up and Escape
Hermione severed the ropes around Ron, and they identified the two Death Eaters. Harry had Ron use his Deluminator to shut out the lights and Hermione lock the door while they debated what to do with the incapacitated Death Eaters. Although Ron reluctantly suggested killing them, Harry argued that wiping their memories would more effectively “throw them off the scent”. Hermione performed Memory Charms on Dolohov, Rowle, and the waitress while Harry and Ron cleaned up the café, so as to leave no trace of their presence there.

The trio then Disapparated to 12 Grimmauld Place.

Aftermath
Harry, Ron, and Hermione stayed at 12 Grimmauld Place for a month afterwards. While there, Arthur Weasley’s Patronus told them that the members of the Order of the Phoenix at the Burrow were safe and not to contact them, as they were being watched by Death Eaters. Remus Lupin also came to tell them about the Muggle-Born Registration Commission and to offer to accompany them, though Harry angrily turned him down, insisting that he stay with his pregnant wife.

The trio also learned the identity of the mysterious “R.A.B.” from Kreacher and that the locket Horcrux was in the hands of Dolores Umbridge. They then planned to infiltrate the Ministry of Magic to retrieve the locket, which they did on September 2, 1997.

Appearances

 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows