- Tom: "The usual, Hagrid?"
- Rubeus Hagrid: "Can't, Tom, I'm on Hogwarts business"
- Tom: "Good Lord, is this — can this be —? Bless my soul. Harry Potter… what an honour. Welcome back, Mr. Potter, welcome back."
- — Tom meets Harry Potter in 1991.[src]
Tom (fl. 1938—1990s) was the landlord and barman of the Leaky Cauldron, and was friendly with many wizards and witches that passed through the pub to get to Diagon Alley. He had run the Leaky Cauldron for a long time, and had had the pleasure of meeting Harry Potter and former Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge on more than one occasion. It is likely he had met other celebrities and political figures in the wizarding world, such as Albus Dumbledore, since his pub leads directly into Diagon Alley. He was very old by the time Harry Potter knew him, as he was mentioned by Albus Dumbledore in the late 1930s to Tom Riddle.
Biography[]
Early life[]
Tom was likely a pupil at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and studied there from the age of eleven until he left, and eventually became barman/landlord of the Leaky Cauldron some time before 1938. It is possible that Tom encountered Tom Marvolo Riddle (later to be known as Lord Voldemort) on his way to Diagon Alley for the first time, as Albus Dumbledore had told Tom Riddle to ask for him to get there. Riddle's profound distaste for his given name was, in part, due to it being so common, and meeting the landlord would not have negated this opinion in any way.
1991[]
Tom in 1991.
In 1991, when Harry Potter and Rubeus Hagrid passed through the Leaky Cauldron on their way to Diagon Alley, Tom greeted Hagrid like an old friend, or, at the very least, a regular. Other witches and wizards who were there at the time (including Doris Crockford, Dedalus Diggle, and Quirinus Quirrell) began introducing themselves to Harry, before Hagrid managed to get him away from all of them.
1993[]
In 1993, Cornelius Fudge (then Minister for Magic) asked Tom to keep an eye on Harry Potter while Sirius Black was on the loose until he was due to return to Hogwarts.
1997[]
In 1997, Tom attended the funeral of Albus Dumbledore and watched as his body was encased in the White Tomb.
1998[]
In 1998, Tom was greeted by Bellatrix Lestrange (who was really Hermione Granger using Polyjuice Potion) while on her way to Gringotts in Diagon Alley, and was surprised by how polite she was towards him.
Post-Second Wizarding War[]
Tom passed away or retired during the next 19 years, since Hannah Abbott took over as landlady and lived at the inn with her husband, Neville Longbottom, in 2017.
Physical appearance[]
Tom is described by Harry Potter upon sight as old, "quite bald" and resembling a toothless walnut.
Magical abilities and skills[]
- Wandless Magic: Tom was capable of performing simple wandless spells such as lighting a fireplace. [2]
- Non-Verbal Magic: On 7 August, 1993, Tom was able to turn off a car alarm using non-verbal magic.
Etymology[]
Tom is diminutive of the name "Thomas" which means infidel or unfaithful. It was used as a formal male given name. It also means "twin."
It is also quite likely that J. K. Rowling intentionally gave him the same first name as Tom Riddle, as the fact was commented on by Albus Dumbledore. The similarity annoyed Riddle, who liked being independent.
Behind the scenes[]
- Tom was played by Derek Deadman in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, while he was portrayed by Jim Tavaré in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
- Tom appears in the GameBoy and GBA versions of the video game adaptation of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. In the GBA version when Harry and Ron Weasley missed the train Harry asks him for any Floo Powder so he and Ron could get to the Burrow and take the car.
- There is a sharp difference between the two portrayals: in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Tom appeared quite normal with balding brown hair and regular features and acted quite normal too, but in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, he looks like a hunchback, has gone completely bald and acts very oddly, laughing irrationally loudly at the wrong times and brutally grabbing Harry by the collar. This is likely due to the complete change in styles between the first and third films - while the first film, which had a very regular feel to it, was directed by Chris Columbus, the third film, which had a comparable quirkier feel to it, was directed by Alfonso Cuarón. The same is true for the console versions of both the LEGO games. From the in-universe part of it, one can say that Tom simply got older and his mind was weakened by the ageing.
- In LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4, if one plays as Tom, and jumps while standing still, Tom will stumble upon landing and go forward several steps.
- In the Lego videogame, Tom can be unlocked in the first level of Year 1. First, you have to have unlocked Reducto. Then, in Gringotts, after you unlock the doors in the mainroom, use Reducto on the chest on the right. The one on the left holds Mr. Ollivander.
- In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, when the Death Eaters pass their way from the Leaky Cauldron to Diagon Alley to kidnap Garrick Ollivander, it is unknown if Tom or a different associate was at the Leaky Cauldron.
Appearances[]
- Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (First appearance)
- Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (film)
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game) (Gameboy and GBA versions only)
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game)
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film) (Possible appearance)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
- LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
- LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
Notes and references[]
- ↑ LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - Chapter 3 (The Knight Bus)