Chapter 552 "Souvenir"

Ten minutes later, everyone emerged from the magic tent, having invested all their savings in the most unlikely and unpopular option.

Their determination appeared unconventional, especially when compared to Arthur, who had only wagered two gold Galleons on the safest choice with the lowest odds.

Despite the difference in their styles, Arthur refrained from further comments, as he saw this as an opportunity to make some easy money.

"Are you sure you all want to bet on the unpopular options with the highest odds of twenty times?" Ludo asked, clearly surprised by their choice.

After seeing how they only stared at Ludo without answering any further, he brushed the question aside.

Witnessing all the Galleons before him made him think twice about actually asking whether they were right in their mind or not when they decided to bet their fortunes on such a choice.

"Well, another man's suffering is another man's Heaven!" Ludo mumbled.

Ludo quickly recorded everyone's names and bets on a parchment, providing them with certificates for their future winnings.

He hesitated briefly when he thought about the masked Jerry, considering his real identity, but ultimately decided not to dwell on it.

It was not uncommon for Quidditch players to place bets on themselves, and Ludo wasn't entirely convinced he would win, viewing the bet as motivation rather than a guarantee.

His only concern was the unexpected mass participation led by Jerry and the Weasley family in the unpopular bet.

Their entire fortune was on the line, and any mishap could lead to complications.

"Jerry, we leave everything up to you now!" The twins commented while putting their arm around Jerry's neck.

The group now pinned their hopes on Jerry, who displayed an unwavering confidence, further demonstrated by the thousand gold Galleons he had just thrown down.

To Jerry, money was of little consequence.

With the significant publishing fees from his magic book and his proficiency in Transfiguration spells, he could even transform ordinary Galleons.

Yet, he refrained from gifting money directly to the Weasleys and Hermione, understanding that their pride would prevent them from accepting such a generous gesture.

This form of assistance proved to be the most acceptable option. Following Ludo's departure, other Ministry of Magic officials engaged Arthur in conversation, hinting at important events to be held at Hogwarts.

When the Weasley brothers inquired further, they were met with secrecy and the promise of revelations when the school year commenced.

Nevertheless, it was evident that Arthur's good rapport with most Ministry officials, despite his family's financial constraints, was partly attributed to his Weasley name.

As dusk began to settle over the camp, Percy, who had been absent for a while, finally reappeared.

He had been busy dealing with the occasional misuse of magic by some wizards in the camp.

The lead-up to every Quidditch World Cup was far from peaceful.

Excitement often led to reckless magical displays before the games, which had to be curbed to avoid accidents.

Throughout the tournament's history, there were instances of chaos and danger.

In 1809, a dark wizard had cast a powerful curse on the surrounding forest, causing the trees to come to life and attack the attending wizards.

The resulting battle had lasted seven hours, and many had lost their lives.

In 1877, an event known as "the game no one remembers" had occurred when someone used a massive memory-modifying spell, leaving all the participants oblivious to the events of the game.

These were just a few examples from the 421 World Cup finals in Wizarding history, each having its unique challenges.

With the official game commencement nearing, the Ministry of Magic had to loosen its strict management, allowing Percy and the vigilance staff to take a break.

The atmosphere was charged with excitement, and vendors prepared for the event had already begun selling various items and souvenirs in front of the magical tents.

These items included accessories related to the competing teams, such as green-lighting Irish Shamrocks and red-lighting England Crosses and even personalized team member nametags.

Additionally, there were hats with dancing clovers, ribbons with roaring lions, models of the little Firebolt broomstick, and miniature replicas of the players, which could be magically controlled.

Jerry noticed that they even had many models of him, but he couldn't claim any royalties since wizarding portraiture rights didn't apply.

Otherwise, these merchants would have certainly used his image for profit-sharing.

Moreover, the indispensable panoramic telescopes were available, which allowed spectators to see every detail of the arena and included features like replay, slow motion, and real-time game analysis.

Hermione suddenly exclaimed, "Oops, we spent all our money on Mr. Bagman!" A sudden realization swept over the group as they remembered that they had impulsively bet all their money, leaving them penniless.

Even Harry, who wasn't short of money, wanted to seize the opportunity to increase his wealth.

Who wants to miss out on easy money?

The prospects of having more money on the side besides the inheritance from his parents finally gave Harry the last push to bet on Jerry, hoping fully he will live his old life with Galleons to spend easily.

Now, they all faced a dilemma. The fun gadgets and souvenirs they longed for would be out of reach.

Jerry saved the day by producing a bag of gold Galleons from his backpack.

The sight of his wealth surprised everyone.

"Seriously, just how much money do you have?" Ron inquired with a surprised look on his face.

The sound of Galleons clanking inside the bag made the Weasley twins, even the other have their eyes shine with golden sparks.

Earlier, he had placed a thousand Galleons on bets, and yet, he still had plenty left.

Ron, however, was the first to object, his face flushed with embarrassment, "Forget it, Jerry, don't do it!"

Even when Jerry is about to treat them, they still have their high pride.

When Ron said such things, as if being snapped out of a state of delusion.

They shook their heads and nodded as well, agreeing to Ron's piece of mind.

Instead of letting Jerry treat them, they would rather wait for the part of their fortune soon to come, which they have betted on.