Chapter 118: The Lucky Bracelet
Chapter 118: The Lucky Bracelet
It was the weekend, a clear and crisp day perfect for a Quidditch match.
At half-past ten in the morning, Albert and his friends set out from the castle, making their way through the snowy path to the stadium stands. A large crowd of students had already gathered, everyone eagerly discussing the upcoming match.
"Good morning, Hagrid," Albert greeted Hagrid, who was holding a pair of binoculars.
"Thank you for the hat," Hagrid said, giving his new woolen hat a gentle pat. "I never expected to receive a gift at Christmas."
"You can think of it as a return gift," Albert replied with a smile.
"A return gift?" Hagrid asked, puzzled. "For what?"
"For the tree branch and unicorn hair," Albert said, lifting his wrist to reveal a delicate white bracelet.
"What's that?"
"It's a lucky bracelet," Albert explained with a grin. "I made it using the unicorn hair and wood from the Whomping Willow that you gave me. It's supposed to bring good luck to the wearer."
"Good luck to the wearer?" Hagrid muttered under his breath. "I've never heard of unicorn hair and the Whomping Willow bringing luck to anyone."
Fred, George, and Lee Jordan, standing beside them, couldn't help but chuckle.
Serves you right for always trying to pull a fast one on others! "Well, you've braided the rope nicely, at least," Hagrid said, clearing his throat.
"I'm talking about the runes," Albert clarified, holding up the two pendants made from polished Whomping Willow wood, intricately carved with Runes that he had shown them recently.
"You actually went through with carving those strange runes," George said doubtfully. "Are you sure this thing works?"
Albert shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe it will bring good luck, and then it would be a profitable endeavor."
Initially, Albert had intended to create a protective bracelet. However, after breaking several beads one after another, he had temporarily given up on that idea and opted for the simpler good luck charm.
As for whether this trinket would bring him any luck, Albert wasn't sure. When he had tried to activate the Runes with his blood, he hadn't felt anything special, so he assumed he had failed. Nonetheless, he wore the bracelet anyway, figuring it wouldn't hurt to test if the Runes were effective.
"Who wants to place a bet on the Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff match?" At that moment, several older students approached with wooden boxes for placing bets, their shouts interrupting Albert's thoughts.
The twins seemed ready to bet, and Lee Jordan had already taken out a Sickle.
"Who are you betting on?" they asked in unison, turning to Albert.
"I bet Gryffindor will catch the Snitch and win," Albert said, placing a Sickle in the box.
"We'll do the same," the three friends said in unison, handing over their money.
"A lot of people are betting on that," the older student commented. "The odds aren't high. If you bet on Hufflepuff winning, we'll give you triple the payout."
"No, I'll stick with Gryffindor," Albert replied.
He wasn't concerned about winning money; he was just joining in for the fun of it, to add to the atmosphere.
"What's your name?" the older student asked, notebook and quill in hand.
"His name is Albert Anderson," Fred replied on Albert's behalf.
"Albert Anderson," the older student scribbled something down hastily and handed the slip of paper to Fred. "We'll be at the exit after the match. If you win, bring this slip to collect your winnings."
Albert turned to his roommates, speechless. "You guys aren't afraid of losing money, are you?"
"We believe in your luck," they chorused. Since Albert had placed a bet, despite the low probability of winning, they were willing to take a chance and join him.
"My luck?" Albert rolled his eyes. "Don't blame me if we lose."
"We won't," Fred assured him. "We don't think Gryffindor will lose to Hufflepuff, not after all their hard practice."
"Gambling isn't a good habit," Hagrid remarked, raising an eyebrow.
"It's just for fun," Albert said, "and I have my lucky bracelet. My luck is pretty good."
Albert said confidently.
"I thought you would bet 10 Galleons just now," Hagrid said.
"Do you take me for a fool?" Albert rolled his eyes. "These private betting rings are never reliable. If I had bet 10 Galleons and won, do you think they'd be able to pay me back?"
"Probably not," Fred replied after a moment's thought.
"Well, it seems you know what you're doing." Hagrid nodded. "A little gambling now and then isn't a problem."
"Last time, he bet 100 Galleons on who the Minister of Magic was and won," Lee Jordan explained. "This guy's luck is scary good."
Hagrid's eyes widened in surprise, and he discarded the thoughts he'd been forming in his mind.
"Ahem, Hagrid, who do you think will win?" Albert asked.
"Of course, it'll be Gryffindor," Hagrid said irritably. "It's best not to gamble. No one can keep winning forever."
"Ahem, I'm well aware of that," Albert said.
In fact, Albert did win his bet. Gryffindor ultimately defeated Hufflepuff.
The exciting match lasted only an hour, with Charlie catching the Golden Snitch to secure victory for his team.
"We won!"
"We won!"
"Ah, the slip... the slip flew away!" George screamed.
In the end, it was Hagrid who reached out and retrieved the parchment for them. Thankfully, there was no wind today.
"Give the parchment to Albert, you unreliable guy," Lee Jordan snatched the parchment from Fred and handed it to Albert.
"It was just an accident," Fred smiled awkwardly. He had been nervous as well; that slip was worth eight Sickles.
"Thank you, Hagrid," Albert expressed his gratitude.
"You're welcome."
Albert and his friends found the two older students at the entrance and collected their winnings of eight Sickles.
"See, my lucky bracelet did bring me luck," Albert blinked. "Those Runes are useful after all."
"Your luck is pretty good!" Fred rolled his eyes. The fact that their bet had paid off put everyone in a good mood.
"By the way, didn't you guys enter the forest from this side last time?" Albert suddenly asked as he glanced at the nearby forest.
Fred and George's expressions froze. Damn, Hagrid was right there! Don't bring that up! "Enter the forest?" Hagrid stared at the four of them warily.
"Hagrid, can you take us into the forest to broaden our horizons?" Albert asked, looking in the direction of the Forbidden Forest.
"That's out of the question," Hagrid flatly refused.
Albert didn't betray Fred and George's embarrassment at all. "They sneaked into the forest before and said that the forest next to the school is very ordinary."
"So you guys did..."
"You!" The twins glared at Albert, furious that he had sold them out so readily.
"Ahem, I heard that the Forbidden Forest hides many secrets. If you take us for a tour, it will satisfy our curiosity." Albert winked at Hagrid. "After that, we won't be curious about what's in that forest anymore."
Hagrid remained silent for a moment, as if pondering something, but ultimately shook his head in refusal.
"Can't you even guarantee our safety?"
"School rules forbid students from entering the forest," Hagrid said.
"Actually, I think Dumbledore's prohibition on entering the forest will only spark students' curiosity," Albert said. "As far as I know, many people have already secretly entered the forest."
"Many people?" Hagrid glared at the Weasley brothers.
"Ahem, they're just one example," Albert explained. "We just want to satisfy our curiosity, and you often enter the forest too."
"Alright, just this once, but never again," Hagrid agreed. "Follow me, and don't wander off."
"See! The lucky charm works!" Albert winked at the trio, who were stunned.
Fred, George, and Lee never imagined that Albert would be able to persuade Hagrid to take them into the forest.
(End of Chapter)
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