Hogwarts: Harry Returns from Water Margin

Chapter 182 Gambler, Veela, and Harry

Chapter 183 (6k long chapter) Gambling addict Veela lewd Harry

Picking up where we left off, Harry saw a scantily clad woman in front of the camp, which drew the attention of all the wizards around him, who all sighed in admiration.

The situation had already alarmed two patrolling officials from the Ministry of Magic, who rushed over to offer advice.

One person said, "No Muggle would dress like that," while another claimed, "It would definitely expose my wizard identity."

After going on and on, he finally got the witch to change into proper clothes.

The witch's eyebrows shot up, and she retorted, "Nonsense! These are clearly Muggle clothes!"

"I've seen it on those Muggle gadgets called computers! That's what female Muggles wear!"

Hermione, who was listening to this, pondered for a moment, and her cheeks flushed red, just like peach blossoms in March.

The two inspecting officials looked at each other, neither of them believing it.

"I'm sorry, miss. I've never seen a Muggle dressed like this in the non-magical world."

The other nodded in agreement, saying, "Please change into normal clothes and show your ticket before I can let you in."

Upon hearing this, the witch became enraged and cracked her leather whip so loudly it sounded like firecrackers during the New Year.

"Do you think I'm lying? I saw it clearly!"

"First, a symbol appeared that believed the number eighteen was a curse, and then—"

"That means those under 18 cannot watch it!"

Before he could finish speaking, a loud shout was heard from afar. A short, stocky man strode over, with short, golden hair in clumps and a round belly like a wine jar.

He yelled, "I've had enough of you bunch of self-proclaimed Muggle experts! Haven't you seen those illegal live photos sold in Diagon Alley?!"

Upon hearing this, the witch suddenly realized her mistake. She was ashamed that her attire was inappropriate, and her face flushed crimson. She hastily threw away the whip in her hand.

The short, stout man grew impatient and shouted, "You two! Hurry up and let this young lady into the camp!"

"Is she really going to change clothes in front of so many people?"

Upon hearing this, the two patrolmen hurriedly fetched a tent and a map for the witch, and made no further mention of ticket checks or inspections, stepping aside to make way.

After the witch hurriedly left, the man straightened his clothes, turned around and looked at Arthur, his face now beaming with a warm smile.

"Ah! Arthur! Old friend, it's been a long time!"

Arthur smiled and said, "Good afternoon, Ludo. Let me introduce you—"

"Ah! Harry Potter!"

Ludo Bagman exclaimed joyfully, "The savior of the wizarding world, the infamous Scarface of Hogwarts!"

As the saying goes, one doesn't hit a smiling face. Harry quickly straightened his clothes and bowed, asking in surprise, "Does the Director also know of my undeserved reputation?"

Ludo laughed loudly, "I didn't know at first, but there are many Hogwarts students in the camp, and they've all been talking about whether you'll come to the World Cup."

After saying this, he affectionately took Harry's arm and led the group straight into the depths of the camp.

Ludo was indeed a talkative man, and he talked incessantly about the vastness of the sea and sky along the way, as if the river were flowing endlessly.

While he paused to drink tea, Arthur hurriedly interjected, "By the way, Ludo, has Jorgins been found? I have a feeling something's not quite right about this—"

"Hey Arthur, it's not a good idea to talk about other women while Molly is around."

Ludo winked and said nonchalantly, "It's not the first time she's gone missing. Maybe she's confused Albania with Australia."

"I guess she'll be back in a few months."

Arthur was still thinking about what he had heard at Harry's birthday party. Before he could ask again, Ludo turned around and put his arm around Harry's shoulder, as if they were old friends reunited, leaving Arthur aside.

"Harry, wanna play a round?"

Who do you think will win, Bulgaria or Ireland?

Before Harry could even speak, Fred and George, unable to contain themselves any longer, turned all their pockets inside out, piling up the jingling gold and silver.

Fred shouted, "Let's bet thirty-seven Galleons, fifteen Sickles, and three Nats on Ireland winning!"

"But Krum will catch the Golden Snitch."

George reached into his pocket again, pulled out a fake wand, and tossed it to the crowd. "Oh, and we need to add another fake wand."

Percy frowned and said in a low voice, "Do you want to show that junk to Mr. Bagman? I suggest you two put it away quickly."

To his surprise, Ludo ignored it completely and took the fake wand to examine it closely. Suddenly, the thing let out a strange "quack" and turned into a rubber duck, which trembled wildly in his palm.

Ludo clapped his hands and laughed, "No problem! This fake wand is worth at least two—five Galleons!"

Percy was stunned when he saw that he truly appreciated these ingenious skills.

Arthur gazed at the jingling pile of gold and silver, his heart trembling, and he quickly advised:

"Children, this is all your savings, you really should think this through—"

"Don't spoil the fun, Arthur!" Ludo took out a pen and paper from his pocket and hastily wrote down the names of Fred and George.

"I can offer them very high odds, like six times, how about that?"

Upon hearing the odds, Harry frowned and exclaimed, "Wait!"

He snatched the notebook from Ludo's hand, glanced at it, and then sneered.

"Chief, your calculations are completely illogical! Krum capturing the Golden Snitch is a 1 to 2 odds, while Ireland winning is a 1 to 4 odds."

"Based on the bets placed by my two older brothers, the probability combined is less than 10%, no more than 80%!"

His fingers flew across the page like beads on an abacus, and he continued, "After deducting your five-tenths cut, the payout should be elevenfold. Now you're only offering sixfold? Are you taking advantage of our youth and inability to count?"

These words were absolutely correct and resounding.

Fred and George stared in disbelief, while Arthur was utterly astonished. Naruto, on the other hand, stood with his mouth agape, unable to utter a single word.

Lu Duo was stunned for a long time before stammering, "Draw...draw water? What does that mean?"

Seeing his bewildered expression, Harry couldn't help but furrow his brows, turning them into tight knots.

"Director, are you running a gambling den or doing charity? If gambling dens were all as muddle-headed as you back in the day, I would have amassed mountains of gold and silver long ago!"

He then explained the intricacies of the water-drawing scheme in detail. Upon hearing that the bookmaker would receive a share of the profits regardless of victory or defeat, Lu Duo felt as if a ray of light had pierced through the chaos. His eyes widened, his soul seemed to leave his body, and he murmured:

"Oh... Merlin's money bag... Harry, I've been gambling for nothing for the past ten years or so before I met you."

Black, who was listening intently and seeing how logically Harry was speaking, exclaimed in surprise, "Harry, you weren't gambling at school, were you?!"

"That's not a good habit!"

Harry laughed heartily, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said, "Father, I was merely playing around with a few brothers back then, like a gentle breeze crossing a mountain ridge or the bright moon shining on a river—we weren't obsessed. How could I be such a foolish gambler?"

Do you think he's referring to as a brother? It's none other than Bai Sheng, the White-Day Rat from Liangshan, who's known for his scheming!

Bai Sheng was a gambler who had honed his skills in gambling. Back then, he had gambled away money from the birthday tribute, which exposed his actions, and the authorities seized the money.

He was given a severe beating in court, which nearly swayed his spirit, but the gambler's gambling addiction remained unchanged.

He also frequently set up gambling dens in Liangshan Village. Harry had tricked him a few times, teaching him how to swindle dozens of taels of silver.

Knowing that the scarred man was ruthless and skilled, Bai Sheng feared he might lash out, so at night he summoned Wu Xingzhe and his friend, the fat monk, to invite him for a beating.

Therefore, he became very attentive and explained the ins and outs of gambling to Harry in detail, saying that it was "a way to get to know someone by spending money".

Hermione just pursed her lips when she heard Harry say something about brothers again.

Again.

Where did he get so many brothers from?!

Poems as proof:

In the martial arts world, he was known as Scarface, and he was sworn brothers at the Loyalty Hall of Water Margin.

A seven-foot frame bears the weight of clubs, while brothers from all directions bestow swords and spears upon him.

The fist techniques came from the Martial Wanderer, and the magic was passed down from the Cloud Dragon.

Don't say that the stars of Liangshan have scattered; just watch as Harry gathers a group of heroes!

After being enlightened by Harry's words, Ludo naturally listened to him without question.

He quickly changed the odds to eleven, beaming, "Well then, Harry, why don't you try your luck? Since you know so much about gambling, you're sure to make a fortune!"

Fred and George, those two mischievous fellows, also came to persuade him, saying they wanted to have some fun.

Harry thought to himself: Since all the brothers are gathered here today, how can I spoil the fun? I might as well add some firewood.

Thinking of this, he took out a bag of Galleons from his pocket and tossed it to Ludo, saying, "I'm betting five hundred Galleons, standing with my two brothers!"

Upon hearing the amount, Arthur's hands and legs immediately went weak.

five hundred?!

Such a large sum of money!

Is this something a first-time gambler would do?!

He was anxious but didn't know how to comfort Harry, so he quickly looked at Black and said, "Mr. Black, you have to say something to Harry!"

Black paused for a moment, scratched his head, and said, "Harry didn't bet that much, just five hundred Galleons."

Arthur fell silent upon hearing this, his anxiety fading, and he said nothing more.

Five hundred Galleons isn't much... I'm just too poor.

Naruto was overjoyed, weighing the money bag in his hand several times, then turned to Arthur and said loudly:

"Come on, Arthur, set a good example for the children!"

Upon hearing this, Arthur felt a lump in his throat.

Is gambling considered a model of conduct?

He carefully examined his clothes inside and out before pulling out a Galleon and tossing it over, saying in a muffled voice:

"Just like Harry."

Ludo looked somewhat disappointed when he saw that Arthur had only bet one Galleon. But then he picked up Harry's heavy money bag and his face lit up with a smile.

"Great! Just wait and you'll make a fortune!"

Having said that, he pocketed the money and staggered away.

After he had gone some distance, Arthur sighed, clicked his tongue, and called Blake to help set up the camp.

Fred and George then approached Harry, one pounding his chest and the other stamping his feet.

Fred said with great distress, "Our boss is addicted to gambling. I think the Boxer Rebellion is probably doomed."

"Yes, the decay of a dynasty usually begins at the top."

George rubbed his eyes and forced out a few tears. "If only he could put those five hundred Galleons into our Magic Tricks Studio, that would be a great thing that could promote the development of the magical world."

Hearing their conversation, Harry couldn't help but chuckle and asked, "What kind of business does this Magic Tricks Shop run? I was just about to ask, when did you two brothers accumulate so much money?"

Fred and George immediately opened their wallets to show Harry the dazzling array of items, including the Exploding Magic Box, Fat Tongue Toffee, and Spell Storage Paper.

He picked up a bowl of emerald green liquid and examined it closely, asking, "What are the wondrous uses of this?"

"This is Hidden Lens," Fred whispered in Harry's ear. "Just a drop on the living photograph."

George chuckled, "That can make the content in the live photos healthy and harmless, which is very helpful for the physical and mental development of teenagers."

Harry examined these ingeniously crafted objects, thinking to himself:

The two elder brothers possess such ingenuity, much like the Thunderclap Cannon in that pond that specializes in making cannons of all sizes. If they are properly nurtured, why worry about not forging divine weapons in the future?

He immediately raised his sleeves and shouted, "Brothers, don't worry! The magic trick shop can manage its business. I'll give you two thousand Galleons to use first."

"If you ever need money again, just come and talk to me!"

Harry's words delighted Fred and George so much they scratched their heads in delight. The two of them, like monkeys who had just received their fruit, jumped around Harry incessantly, making shouts and sounds, as if they had returned to their roots and revived the demeanor of their ancestors.

As the old saying goes, even close brothers should keep clear accounts. Since Harry is willing to invest his money, the profits from the Magic Tricks House must be clearly defined.

After much deliberation, the three agreed on a deal: each of the twins would receive 15% as a share, while the remaining 70% would be managed by Harry. Indeed, clear separation of finances fosters stronger bonds of loyalty.

Enough of this rambling. The next morning at dawn, everyone got ready and headed straight for the Quidditch arena.

Passing through the market, Harry bought a panoramic telescope and some food. Carrying large and small bags in his hands, the group, with their tickets, went straight to the top-floor box.

Several people were already seated inside, with the Minister of Magic, Fudge, at the head, flanked by foreign officials.

Harry stepped into the box and his eyes met Fudge's. In an instant, their eyes met like lightning, as if a thunderbolt was about to strike, as if sparks were about to fly.

Just as the two were about to erupt, the Bulgarian Minister of Magic standing next to Fudge suddenly stood up, pointed at the scar on Harry's forehead, and began to speak in a vulgar language, his voice booming like a boiling pot.

Although Fudge and Harry didn't get along very well, with so many foreign figures around, he had to suppress his displeasure, put on a smiling face, and enthusiastically introduced Harry.

Unfortunately, those foreigners didn't understand the English language, and all they could see was him talking non-stop.

Harry, too lazy to socialize, took his ticket and found a seat.

As soon as he sat down, he was startled to see a house-elf sitting not far away. He asked, "..."

"You house elf, whose servant are you?"

When the house-elf heard Harry's question, he hurriedly stepped forward, bowed deeply, and replied:

"Greetings to the great Mr. Harry Potter! I'm reserving a seat for my master, Mr. Crouch."

The moment the name "Crouch" was uttered, Percy's eyes lit up, and he rushed forward, bombarding him with questions.

"Will Mr. Crouch come too?"

Where is he?

"Is he also busy working from home?"

His relentless questioning made Ron frown, cover his ears with his hands, and say resentfully:

"He must be really hating himself for having that extra thing between his legs right now."

No sooner had everyone been seated than a large number of people entered the first-class compartment. Lucius, with his family, strolled in as well.

When the family looked up and saw seven or eight bright red heads, their faces immediately turned ashen, as if they had swallowed flies and lice.

When he turned his head again, he saw Harry sitting in the middle with his arms crossed, and his expression changed drastically, as if he had stepped into a cesspool.

Draco turned pale and quickly darted behind Lucius.

At that moment, Fudge saw Lucius, his eyes lit up, and he exclaimed happily, "Good morning, Lucius!"

"On behalf of all the patients at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Injuries, I would like to express my gratitude once again for your donation."

Upon hearing this, Lucius's face turned increasingly pale and purplish.

Harry, who was standing nearby, had already perked up his ears upon hearing the mention of "donations." He turned his head and gave Lucius a look that wasn't quite a smile, saying:

"Ha! Master Lu, you certainly have a large and prosperous estate! The other time I went to your manor for a banquet, why did you make all sorts of excuses? Could it be that you think I, Harry, am just a poor, lowly relative, someone you can't afford to associate with?"

Upon hearing this, Lucius's eyelids twitched incessantly, like drums beating. In an instant, however, his face broke into a wide smile, as gentle as a spring breeze.

"Oh, Harry, it's an honor that you're willing to acknowledge me as a relative."

"But I must clarify that the donation to St. Mungo's Hospital was raised by the entire Malfoy family."

"You know, noble wizards should take the initiative to set an example for the magical world."

Black, who was listening nearby, felt extremely displeased as Lucius took advantage of the situation.

He narrowed his eyes, two cold glints shooting directly at Lucius, and sneered:

"We're not that close, Lucius. We'll talk about family ties when you're willing to lend your wife and son to us."

Narcissa looked alarmed, glanced at Harry, and hurriedly gripped Lucius's arm.

Lucius's face twitched even more violently, but he still forced a smile. "Alright, let's talk about this later."

The ambiguous nature of their exchange left Fudge feeling completely lost, his mind filled with unanswered questions.

When did Potter become related to the Malfoy family?

And what does it mean to pool money for donations?

Will I have to ask for the money back someday?

He couldn't help but interject, "Mr. Lucius, you were the only one who came to the hospital to deliver checks back then—"

"Can I watch the game in peace for a while, Minister Fouché?"

Fuki was caught off guard and remained stunned for a long time, feeling a surge of suffocating anger in his chest.

The Bulgarian minister took in everyone's expressions and suddenly burst into laughter.

"Ha! Fudge, I dare say you're the most approachable minister I've ever met!"

Fudge jumped up in surprise when he heard him suddenly speak English. "You can speak English?! Why didn't you say so before?!"

"Ah~"

The Bulgarian minister, still savoring Fudge's earlier embarrassment, stroked his beard and chuckled, "He was just too lazy to say it."

That damn bastard...

Fudge cursed under his breath, pressed his tongue against his teeth, and a bluish tinge flashed across his face as he finally swallowed his anger.

After a short while, they suddenly heard the tinkling of jade pendants, and saw Ludo swaying as he entered the compartment. His entire body was covered in clattering bells, as if he were carrying a treasury.

Fudge was about to go up and exchange pleasantries when Ludo bypassed him and eagerly rushed to Harry's side.

The Bulgarian minister was about to laugh again when he noticed Fouché's pale face, so he quickly composed himself, lowered his eyes, and forced back his laughter.

Naruto called out cheerfully, "Good morning, Harry! Are you ready?"

Harry cupped his hands and said, "Please make yourself at home, Director."

Ludo nodded, immediately drew his wand, chanted an amplification spell, pointed the tip of the wand at his cheek, and exhaled, shouting:

"Ladies and gentlemen... welcome! Welcome to the 422nd Quidditch World Cup Final!"

"Alright, enough chit-chat, please allow me to introduce... the mascot of the Bulgarian national team!"

As soon as Naruto finished speaking, thunderous cheers erupted from the surrounding stands.

Then, a hundred or so alluring women of striking beauty leaped into the arena, each dressed in red and green, their figures graceful and charming.

Arthur stood on tiptoe to take a look, then hurriedly pulled off his glasses and exclaimed, "Don't look! Children! Those are Veela!"

Ron asked curiously, "What is seduction...?"

The words welled up in his throat, but suddenly vanished like smoke.

As Ron saw Veela dancing gracefully to the music, his eyes widened as if his soul had been stolen, and his feet unconsciously moved forward.

Fortunately, this man had fought Voldemort in the past and had seen a lot of things.

He felt his mind wavering, and in his anxiety he shook his head wildly, biting his tongue until he spat out a mouthful of hot blood before his eyes and mind cleared.

"What is this thing?!"

Ron wiped the blood from his lips and quickly turned to look at Harry, his mind reeling.

"Harry? You weren't affected?!"

Harry stroked his chin, saying with interest, "They're nothing but flirtatious skeletons. Compared to the mirage conjured by my Animagus, they're like fireflies compared to the moon, mere child's play."

"That's probably why I wasn't misled."

As Harry was speaking, the Veela swayed their slender waists and moved with graceful steps, using all their charms on the dignitaries and celebrities in the first-class boxes.

Several intense gazes clung to Harry like glue.

Harry felt uneasy and displeased.

His face immediately darkened, and the bones on his face cracked like waves; his fingernails suddenly grew long and sharp as hooks; his pair of green eyes suddenly contracted, turning into menacing vertical pupils, faintly revealing a mirage.

This supernatural power was revealed, and the Veela, who had been dancing in perfect unison just moments before, immediately lost her footing and bumped around like a headless fly.

Immediately, their bodies swelled up, revealing their true forms as harpies, their wings spread wide, yet they all bowed low towards Harry's direction, appearing extremely submissive.

Harry only stopped using his magic when he saw that they were frightened.

Unexpectedly, at this moment, the baby baboons let out a whistle, flapped their wings in unison, and rushed straight to the top-floor private room like a whirlwind!

The Bulgarian minister, seeing this clearly, knew that these Vesnas had gone out of control. He jumped up in alarm and shouted:

"Fudge! Have your men stop these Veela!"

Before Fudge could respond, Harry had already drawn his wand and with a single wave, summoned an invisible barrier that rose out of thin air.

The group of effeminate women, unable to stop in time, crashed into the flames with a crackling sound, like moths drawn to a flame.

Upon closer inspection, each of them displayed a look of longing and greed, their eyes fixed on Harry.

(End of this chapter)