https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-214-The-Past-is-the-Past-the-Present-is-the-Present/13458424/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-216-None-Can-Compare-to-Your-Beauty/13458426/
Chapter 215: Unlucky in Gambling
Chapter 215: Unlucky in Gambling
Soon, Harry and the others sneaked up and surrounded Sherlock.
Sherlock put down the carrot he was holding and glanced at them, clearly sensing their ill intent.
"Is there something you need?"
Ron, the most enthusiastic and eager of the three, chuckled and rubbed his hands together.
"Professor, what do you think about the upcoming Quidditch World Cup Final?"
Sherlock deftly sliced the carrot into thin pieces with a few swift cuts and placed them on the plate Silke had brought over, replying somewhat irritably.
"I'll see it with my own eyes."
Hermione, the most honest of the three, blinked her bright eyes and pleaded.
"Please share your thoughts, Professor. Which team do you think is stronger?"
Teachers tend to be more patient with good students, but Sherlock still rolled his eyes in exasperation.
"I know less about these Quidditch teams than any one of you. You'd do better to make your own judgments."
"We just want to hear your analysis", Harry chimed in, looking at him with eager eyes. "After all, you're our most trusted professor."
Well, although Sherlock knew it was flattery, nice words always made a person feel better.
Sherlock's expression softened, and he shrugged.
"Since you put it that way, I'd say the Bulgarian team has a good chance. They seem to have a star player."
At that moment, Harry and the others' breathing grew heavy, and their eyes lit up as if they were looking at a walking Atm!
"What about the score?" Harry stammered, trying to calm himself down. "What do you think the final score will be?"
Sherlock blinked and casually guessed a few numbers.
"Bulgarian team 170, Irish team 160. I'm just guessing. Both teams made it to the final, so the difference shouldn't be too big."
"Yay!!"
Harry, Ron, and Hermione immediately cheered and, without a second thought, rushed out of the tent. Each of them took out all the money they had and handed it to Balkman.
Of course, they didn't bet according to Sherlock's prediction. Instead, they wagered on the Irish team winning 170 to 160.
Balkman stared at them, trying to confirm their decision. Betting on the exact score was extremely risky. Although the three of them weren't betting much, even a hundredfold or thousandfold return would only be a few hundred galleons (Harry only bet the money he had on him).
But it was still pocket money, and he couldn't help but worry that if they lost it all, Harry and the others would cry and complain to their parents.
However, Harry and the others were full of confidence. They handed over the money to Balkman, cleverly avoiding any promises of winning. They just said they were betting for fun and that any winnings would be a pleasant surprise.
After Harry and the others ran out, Sherlock shook his head in confusion and returned his attention to chopping vegetables.
Silke, who had watched the entire scene, asked Sherlock with a meaningful look.
"Do your students often ask you questions like this?"
Sherlock had no reason to hide anything from Silke.
"Yes, they started by asking me about the weather, whether Harry would find money, or if Seamus would accidentally cause an explosion in class. Later, they said I had a jinxed mouth, believing that whatever I predicted would always go the opposite way. I just played along with the children, and we did some tests. As expected, it was all nonsense, neither magical nor scientific."
Silke listened to his words seriously and did not join in the laughter. Instead, she remained silent, lost in thought.
It wasn't until Sherlock had completely forgotten about the matter and was skewering sausages, chicken wings, and drumsticks under Mrs. Weasley's direction that Silke suddenly said, seemingly out of the blue,
"Never bet with anyone in the future."
Sherlock didn't notice the seriousness in her tone and waved his hand dismissively.
"I've always been immune to gambling. I never place bets with anyone."
Silke quietly stared at Sherlock's back.
In her golden eyes, hidden behind the black ribbon, the reflection of a figure was visible, entangled in countless invisible threads.
The ends of those threads vanished into the air, as if connecting to something inexplicable.
The Quidditch World Cup Final was scheduled to begin at night.
As the darkness deepened, a deep, resonant gong sounded from somewhere in the distant forest. Immediately, thousands of colorful lanterns lit up the trees, illuminating the path to the stadium.
Mr. Weasley rounded up the children who had been wandering around the stalls.
Harry, Ron, Hermione, and the Weasley Twins all returned empty-handed, which made Mrs. Weasley look at them suspiciously.
"Didn't you buy any souvenirs?"
They certainly didn't dare tell her about the betting. George and Fred chuckled and said,
"We're trying to save some money, Mum. Who knew you'd confiscate all the joke magic items we were planning to sell."
Harry, Ron, and Hermione nodded in agreement, looking convincingly like they were trying to save money.
Mrs. Weasley, though still suspicious, didn't press the matter further.
After all, their pocket money was their own, and she couldn't control how they spent it.
Mr. Weasley led the way, and everyone, except for Harry and the others who were empty-handed, clutched their purchases as they walked quickly through the forest, following the lantern-lit path.
Sherlock had bought Silke a dancing Shamrock Hat. The hat wasn't particularly attractive, but it danced continuously on Silke's head, which was quite amusing.
Silke didn't seem particularly interested in the hat but didn't take it off. Both she and Sherlock had an Omnioculars hanging around their necks.
Not just them, but every Weasley child and Harry and Hermione also had the same magical binoculars.
Sherlock had paid for them, saying with a smile that it was an early Christmas gift for everyone.
The sound of hundreds, if not thousands, of people moving about could be heard, along with shouts, laughter, and intermittent singing.
This enthusiastic excitement was contagious, and the children couldn't help but grin from ear to ear. They walked through the forest for twenty minutes, laughing and joking loudly, and eventually emerged on the other side to find themselves in the shadow of a massive stadium.
Sherlock could only see a part of the grand golden walls surrounding the stadium, but he could tell that it could easily fit ten cathedrals.
(End of Chapter)
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