Hogwarts Homecoming

"How much money do you owe to the goblins during this period, Ludo?" Amosta asked with a hint of joking.

"Oh, you're looking down on me, Amosta!"

Hearing the inquiry, Ludo immediately shivered. He opened his mouth in an exaggerated manner, ready to brag for himself, but when his eyes touched Amosta's insightful eyes, Ludo couldn't brag anymore. The ground smiled,

"Only five thousand galleons."

"Only five thousand?"

Amosta smiled coldly,

"This is almost your entire salary for three years, Ludo. Quidditch games don't happen every day, and there aren't that many opportunities for you to make extra money—"

Ludo's oily cheeks turned rosy. With just this sentence, he knew that Amosta had seen him counting the money just now. He took a few guilty breaths and fanned himself with the hat in his hand.

"This is not a simple loan, Amosta, it is an investment, a loan provided by the goblin. Just wait and see, I will be able to earn back my principal with interest in just a short time!"

Amosta's heart moved slightly, but he still looked at Ludo with suspicious eyes.

"The goblins are willing to lend you five thousand galleons to Ludo. Did you mortgage the appointment letter issued to you by the ministry to the goblins?"

Looking at Ludo who was groaning and afraid to speak, Amosta shook his head. If a guy like Ludo could stay in the position of director for so many years, the discipline problem in the department could not get any worse. Yes,

"What makes you dare to make such a bet, Ludo, you should know very well. If you lose such a large investment, let alone the position of Director of the Department of Magical Transportation, you may not be able to stay in the UK. Are you so confident in yourself?"

"You gave me confidence, Amosta--"

Talking about gambling, Ludo was in high spirits,

"Do you still remember the drawing session before the first game of the Triwizard Tournament? You covered Hermione Granger and let her get the gentlest Chinese fireball--"

Amosta immediately raised his eyebrows. It was Dongmu who did the trick at that time, not him. However, Amosta did not correct Ludo's wrong statement, but continued to listen.

"--I immediately realized that you were fully supporting Granger, ah... Of course, you may just want Hogwarts to win the final victory. When I came back that day, I tried to find a way to get a sum of gold to suppress Granger. Can win!”

"Miss Granger would be very touched to know that you support her so much——"

Amosta said in a low voice.

"Oh, I didn't intend to bet big at first, Amosta!"

Ludo said a little annoyed,

"Before the competition started, not many people were optimistic about Miss Granger, and the odds of betting on her to win were very high. But after the first competition, she became the favorite, and Goblin immediately lowered her odds. Even if I win, the income will be unsatisfactory, and I will have to mortgage my house. Ahem, I mean, increase investment."

Amosta pursed her lips.

"But I heard that now, Hermione's odds have become very high again?"

"That was what happened later——"

Ludo said enthusiastically,

"Remember what I told you on the day of the Yule Ball? A group of Germans bet heavily that Granger would not be able to complete the game. That huge sum of money made Granger's winning rate skyrocket again. This is This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Amosta, if I miss it, I will regret it for the rest of my life, so..."

"So you put your career on the line?"

Amosta narrowed his eyes and fixed his sharp gaze on Ludo's face.

"Have you not considered that this is a trap, set by the goblins and the Germans together? Ludo, why are they so confident that Hermione cannot complete the game? You know, even if Hermione fails to win, As long as she persists to the end, a large amount of money will be wasted. There is obviously a problem with the betting method of not being able to complete the game——"

"They probably hope that Hermione will get injured in the second or third round and withdraw from the competition. This is very likely to happen, isn't it?"

Ludo didn't seem to realize the problem and shrugged.

"What if they do something secretly? Aren't you worried about this? Aren't the fairies worried?"

"Oh, ho ho!"

Ludo laughed and patted Amosta on the arm.

"The goblins who told me the news said that they had also worried about this issue before accepting the bet. It's not that this kind of thing has never happened, but they finally agreed to the bet. Amosta, the goblins think--"

Ludo looked at Amosta with admiration;

"No one would dare to persecute the little wizards of Hogwarts under the eyes of Dumbledore and Brian, unless they don't intend to kill themselves!"

Amosta was speechless for a moment.

Indeed, this group of Germans may have encountered good things because of luck, but judging from the current signs, the possibility that these people will have no problems at all is extremely slim.

It's Ludo Bagman.

Amosta looked at this complete gambler, thinking about what Ludo just said about the goblins' views on this bet. It seemed that they were innocent.

"Anyway, this is too suspicious-" Amosta pondered, "I have to meet them and find out where their confidence lies?"

"This won't be easy, Amosta—"

Ludo said,

"You know, these people attract a lot of attention. Many people want to inquire about their details, and they themselves know this, so they hide themselves very well. After placing the bet, they disappear, and the goblins don't even know it. Know where they came from and where they are now--"

"But from whose vault so much gold was extracted, the goblins must know, right?"

"It is said that they settled in cash——"

Ludo said, he looked at Amosta, who frowned slightly, and said with relief,

"You are worrying unfounded, Amosta. According to me, what you should do more is not to miss the opportunity, invest all your wealth in it, and then make sure that Granger can win the game, right, that little girl Find out the secret of the golden egg, have you ever reminded her? Oh, if you are inconvenient to make it too obvious, I can find an opportunity."

Amosta gave Ludo a sidelong look and successfully silenced him.

While they were chatting, all the activities on the Quidditch field below finally came to an end. The wizards left the field one after another. Ludo raised his wrist and looked at the time, and suddenly exclaimed,

"Oh, I'm sorry, Amosta. Although I really want to continue chatting with you, I have to leave and rush back to the ministry. So... what are your plans?"

"Sorry, Ludo, I have other plans and won't go back to London with you--"

Amosta said calmly.

"Well, good luck to you—"

Ludo obviously anticipated what Amosta was going to do. After thinking about it, he said to Amosta,

"By the way, the goblin who told me the news is called Engel. It is responsible for related business at Gringotts' Paris headquarters. I have a good relationship with it. If you make up your mind to find the Germans, you can talk to Engel. Let’s have a chat, maybe it’s hiding some news——”

After saying that, Ludo apparated to the platform below and hurriedly left through the repaired fireplace before the large force of the departing crowd arrived.