Chapter 549 "Jerry's Face Value"

Rita, however, was not about to miss out on this prime interview opportunity.

She was well aware that she wasn't the only reporter seeking an exclusive interview with Jerry at the Quidditch World Cup camp.

Numerous reporters from different newspapers across various countries had joined her in the pursuit of Jerry, all eager to be the first to interview him and break the story.

Rita was not going to let this chance slip through her fingers.

After all, Jerry was now the most sought-after player in the Quidditch finals, and as the innovator of the new portal magic, he was the darling of the press.

So, as Rita and her cameraman made a stand at the entrance to the magical tent, Jerry felt like he was being hounded by a swarm of Bludgers.

He'd do almost anything to avoid her relentless questioning.

"Mr. Carmen, how did you come up with the idea for such a brilliant form of magic? Did your invention stem from a desire to contribute to the wizarding world?" Rita once more poised her Quick-Quotes Quill, making it clear she wasn't going to let him go without an answer.

As Jerry contemplated his response, he realized he had an opportunity to provide an answer that would capture everyone's attention.

"Well, actually, it's not about wanting to contribute," Jerry began, looking contemplative. "You see, I'm not allowed to use Apparition at my age, so I created the Portal for the sole purpose of facilitating long-distance travel during the summer."

"Huh? Is that the only reason I wonder? Sounds too ordinary..." Rita blinked, momentarily caught off guard by his unusual response.

But then her eyes gleamed with excitement as she realized that this unexpected answer was even more attention-grabbing and sensational.

Meanwhile, the photographer accompanying her promptly raised his enchanted camera, eager to capture Jerry in the act.

"So, Mr. Carmen, as mentioned earlier, you've successfully mastered the use of these portals?" Rita inquired, getting back to the crux of the matter.

Jerry gave a faint, confident smile, "Of course, and I can show you."

With that, he drew a ring of fire behind him. "Just step through this circle of fire, and you'll find yourself in the African savannah. You can test it, Mr. Photographer, take a photo there, and we'll run it in tomorrow's paper as proof."

Rita's eyes practically sparkled with delight as she could already envision the headline for tomorrow's Daily Prophet: "The Portal from England to Africa."

The story was bound to be a hit.

Thinking ahead, she couldn't resist yanking the photographer into the portal. "It's a real African savannah. Quick, take a picture! And get a shot of the portal, too."

However, their excitement soon turned into panic.

Jerry's anxious voice rang out from the other side of the portal, "Oh, something's not right! The portal's unstable. It's about to collapse! Quick, get back!"

Before Rita and the photographer could fully comprehend the situation, the ring of fire vanished, leaving them disoriented.

To make matters worse, a large group of scavenging hyenas surrounded them, their gleaming teeth and hungry eyes leaving no doubt about their intentions.

Rita quickly retrieved her wand, and the photographer followed her lead, knowing they were in a perilous situation.

***

"I'll send you away, thousands of miles away... Well, no one should disturb us all day today. We can go!" After dissolving the ring of fire, Jerry turned to his companions with a playful grin, leaving Hermione and the others in a state of astonishment.

The Weasley twins enthusiastically gave him a thumbs-up.

Upon their return, they had decided to purchase a couple of Jerry's magic books from the Flourish and Blotts Bookstore in Diagon Alley, eager to learn this captivating portal magic.

Amid laughter, they continued their journey.

To avoid the kind of chaos they had just experienced, Jerry wore a half-mask to conceal his identity.

As the celebrated Seeker of the English Quidditch team, he had amassed a large fan following within the wizarding world, making anonymity a necessity.

Upon exiting the tent, they found the sun had risen, illuminating the coastline and lending vibrancy to the camp.

The early bird wizards had already started their day, engaging in various activities.

Nearby, a toddler attempted to hex a slug, which had swollen to the size of a sausage, while a group of young witches, aged three or four, playfully flew toy broomsticks just half a meter above the ground.

"Look out, everyone! I'm the fastest Seeker—Jerry, you'll never catch me!" The leading young witch proclaimed gleefully, her friends in pursuit.

Around them, wizards in tents used their wands to conjure breakfast, African wizards wore white robes, and Salem witches displayed glittering banners.

Ron, however, expressed his bewilderment when he noticed the overwhelmingly green surroundings.

"Why's everything green? Am I seeing things?" Ron asked, rubbing his eyes.

They discovered a substantial tent adorned with an outer layer of clover decorations.

Initially, it gave the impression of an oddly sculpted green hill.

A wizened wizard approached, offering green clover decorations. "The Irish team's emblem, the lucky shamrock! Get one for your tent for five silver Sickles!"

Hermione, representing the English team, refused the offer with a simple "Sorry, we support England."

Harry, his curiosity piqued, wondered aloud, "I wonder what kind of tents the England team supporters have?"

As the elderly wizard departed, Jerry smiled and gestured towards a prominent tent adorned with the English Red Cross flag in the distance, saying, "Let's go check it out."

Upon crossing from the Irish supporters' area to the English supporters' tents, everyone, Jerry included, was taken aback by what they encountered.

What did they see?

Every single tent sported a common emblem.

The emblem depicted a congenial and dashing visage with chestnut hair, angular features, and an occasional winking smile.

And the face belonged to none other than Jerry.

Enchanted by the sight, Hermione exclaimed, "This... looks fantastic! Let's get one and put it on our tent!"

She gazed at the tent, where countless Jerrys blinked and grinned at her, small stars twinkling in their eyes.

Jerry found himself in disbelief and could only shake his head in reply to Hermione's suggestion.

"This is going to be a long day..." Jerry mumbled while covering his eyes.

Ron and Harry laughed while putting their arms around Jerry's shoulder.