Hogwarts: I Am Such a Model Wizard

Chapter 456: Direction-Guiding Fireworks

Kyle was well-practiced in Portkey travel, and when they landed, he was standing firmly on the ground. Harry and Ron, however, stumbled and nearly face-planted into the nearby undergrowth.

“Five minutes and seven seconds from Stoatshead Hill,” announced a voice.

Ahead of them stood two weary-looking wizards with dark circles under their eyes, likely in charge of registration.

“Good morning, Basil,” said Mr. Weasley, picking up the battered boot and handing it over. Basil tossed it into a large suitcase beside him filled with used Portkeys—discarded items like old newspapers, empty cans, and broken light bulbs.

“Hello, Arthur,” Basil replied, looking drained. “Lucky you’re not on duty… But you’d better move aside; there’s a big group arriving from the Black Forest at a quarter past five. Weasley’s camp… here it is, quarter of a mile ahead, in the first field. Caretaker’s name is Mr. Roberts…”

“Excuse me,” Kyle interjected. “Do you know if Kanna Prince has arrived yet?”

Basil glanced at his thick parchment. “She arrived about ten minutes before you. She’s also in the first field.”

“Thanks.”

Mr. Weasley noticed Basil’s exhaustion and beckoned the others to move along. “Looks like they’ve been here all night, and there are still at least ten hours to go. Not an easy job.”

“Are they the only ones on duty?” Harry asked.

“I believe so,” Mr. Weasley replied. “The Ministry doesn’t have enough staff…”

They walked through the deserted marsh for about twenty minutes, until a door appeared ahead, along with a small stone building. Beyond it, hundreds of oddly shaped tents stretched across the fields.

When they reached the stone house, they saw a man at the door speaking to a wizard in strange attire—a rubber overshoe on one foot and a South American-style cloak. The man looked perplexed as he tried to explain that he needed British pounds, not Galleons or Sickles.

In frustration, the wizard impatiently shoved a handful of Galleons at him, advising him to exchange them at Gringotts. Mr. Roberts, clearly a genuine Muggle, stared at the coins in disbelief.

Just then, a wizard in bloomers appeared out of nowhere, seemingly dropping from the sky.

“Obliviate!” he said, waving his wand.

Mr. Roberts’s eyes went unfocused, and a dazed look crossed his face. The Galleons in his hand were replaced with British pounds.

“Here’s a map of the campsite,” Mr. Roberts said calmly, handing it to the wizard in front of him.

“Memory Charm…” Harry murmured with a frown. “Why not just let a wizard be the campsite manager?”

“I don’t know either,” Mr. Weasley said, lowering his voice. “But I suspect someone wants to make a show of it, as if to prove that wizards and muggles get along well. Especially since there are so many foreign wizards here this time.”

Mr. Weasley gave a small shrug, showing he wasn’t thrilled with the arrangement himself. But as it was the Minister’s decision, there was little he could do to change it.

After the wizard left, it was Mr. Weasley’s turn in line. Meanwhile, at the back, Fred shot Kyle a wink and slipped away.

“Dad, we’re going to explore the campsite—see you later!” Fred called, and he and George dashed toward the campsite. Kyle, Cedric, and Cho immediately followed suit.

“Remember, no wandering off too far or getting into trouble!” Mr. Weasley shouted after them, “or I’ll be telling your mothers when we get back!”

The boys waved back in acknowledgment and kept going until they reached the bustling campsite. Fred and George turned back, grinning.

“How about here? Plenty of people around already,” Fred said, surveying the crowd.

Kyle took a look. Indeed, two rows of tents were packed close by, and groups of wizards were mingling, greeting old friends.

“This should work,” Kyle nodded.

Cedric pointed his wand at a nearby stone, which transformed into a small cart with a bucket. Kyle then pulled out several suitcases that had been enchanted with the Undetectable Extension Charm, opening the lids and neatly arranging the merchandise on the cart. He picked up a firework and launched it into the air.

“Boom!”

The firework burst, forming a giant shamrock pattern that lit up the sky. The display quickly caught the attention of passersby.

“Oh… brilliant!” said a young man, clearly an Irish supporter. He ran over, pointing at the fireworks. “How much are these?”

“Two Sickles each,” Kyle replied, “or one Galleon for ten.”

“I’ll take ten.” The man handed over a Galleon. “Oh, and that hat—it dances! I’ll have an Irish one… and a flag… and a poster showing Ivanova’s signature move!”

The man left happily, five Galleons lighter and with an armful of souvenirs. Fred and George grinned widely, thrilled to have such a generous customer right off the bat.

“These are fantastic…” A middle-aged wizard stepped forward, eyeing the merchandise. “But I’m rooting for Bulgaria. Got anything for their fans?”

“Of course!” Fred said, setting off another firework, which exploded into the shape of a red lion.

“I’ll take ten of those—same price, right?” the man asked. “And give me a hat and a badge too, all Bulgaria.”

“Coming right up…”

Soon, a small crowd gathered, drawn by the display. With prices reasonable and items festive, most people were happy to splurge a little. Watching the game decked out in team gear was all part of the experience, and most wizards who could afford tickets didn’t mind spending a few Sickles on a memorable souvenir.

Just then, someone else approached the cart. “Hello, I’d like a badge.” The voice sounded familiar, and Kyle looked up, surprised.

“Kanna!” Cho exclaimed. “How did you know we were here?”

“I saw those.” Kanna pointed at the team symbols glowing in the air. “I figured it had to be you guys.”

“No wonder you kept setting off those fireworks!” Fred said, giving Kyle a suspicious look. “Was this your plan all along, to signal Kanna?”

“Ah, so that’s why!” George said. “I was wondering why you insisted on more fireworks even though we already had a crowd.”

“Well, it worked, didn’t it?” Kyle shrugged.

“That’s true,” Fred admitted. “With a camp this size, finding anyone would’ve been tricky.”

“Master Kyle…” A shrill voice piped up nearby. Everyone turned to see that Kanna was accompanied by an elderly, grim-looking House-elf.

“Kreacher?” Kyle asked in surprise. “What are you doing here?”

“Mr. Snape ordered Kreacher to watch over Miss Kanna,” the House-elf replied. “He does not believe it’s safe here.”

Kyle got the distinct feeling Kreacher was hiding something.