Hogwarts: Don't call me Wandmaker

Chapter 343 Do me a favor, Mr. Bagman
The group arrived at the stairs, and Harry and Ron, who were at the front of the line, went up first.

Siren deliberately slowed his pace, and after Hermione followed the others up the stairs, he suddenly patted his pocket and exclaimed, "Oh no, I might have left something in the Great Hall. You guys go ahead, I have to go back and look for it."

Without waiting for their reaction, he immediately turned and ran towards the auditorium.

Harry and his friends wanted to help, but there were too many people around and the stairs were narrow, so they could only be pushed forward by the crowd.

On the other side, Xiren, who had left the crowd, did not rush back to the auditorium. Instead, he waited for a while in the foyer, near the entrance.

About twenty minutes later, he heard footsteps approaching from a distance.

Ludo Bagman and Barty Crouch hurried over from another direction.

It seems I guessed right… Xilun raised an eyebrow.

As he left the Great Hall, he noticed the two of them following Dumbledore out through a side door, and Sirius guessed they probably had something else to discuss.

Now it seems that is indeed the case.

As the two approached, Xiren immediately pulled a parchment and a quill from his pocket and jumped out from the corner.

"Mr. Ludo Bagman, I'm a big fan of yours, could you please sign an autograph?"

Ludo Bagman didn't pay attention at first, but after seeing what Xiren looked like, he immediately froze in place.

As for Buddy Crouch, he didn't linger at all, merely glancing at Siron before walking straight out the door.

The two had worked together during the Quidditch World Cup, and he often encountered this kind of thing, so he wasn't surprised at all.

“Get back to the Ministry of Magic as soon as possible, Ludo. We still have a lot of things to settle,” Crouch said.

Before Ludo Bagman could say anything, he had already disappeared into the darkness outside the castle.

Now, only two people were left in the auditorium.

Ludo Bagman's expression kept changing, and finally he looked at Xilen with a stern face.

“I know what you’re trying to say, but you’re wrong.” He took a deep breath. “Krum didn’t actually perform either of the two Lansky feints. In the end, they were both trying to catch the Golden Snitch. It can’t be considered a feint at all. You’re wrong. I have no reason to pay you!”

"So you're going to back out, is that it?" Xiren took out a piece of parchment. "You should remember, this letter you gave me didn't say that."

“That’s because you threatened to tell Rita Skeeter!” Ludo Bagman said through gritted teeth.

“But you admit I guessed right, don’t you?” Siron waved the parchment. “And you promised to pay me the corresponding Galleons.”

“Oh, really?” Ludo Bagman said, his expression surprisingly calm.

"Or rather..." Looking at his expression, Xiren suddenly laughed, "Did you think I didn't notice you used the prank ink?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Ludo Bagman, who had been calm just moments before, immediately panicked.

“I have two friends who frequently buy Joko’s products, and the disappearing ink is one of their favorites. I’m all too familiar with your little tricks,” Siren said calmly.
"Just by the way, with just a little nettle juice, disappearing ink can turn back into real ink."

"Oh?" Ludo Bagman feigned nonchalance. "And who can prove that I wrote it?"

“It doesn’t matter.” Siren shook his finger. “Rita Skeeter can always find evidence.”

Upon hearing this name, Ludo Bagman's face paled even further... That woman, indeed, didn't need any evidence.

"You need to be reasonable!"

“I’m very reasonable.” Xiren looked at him. “The panoramic telescope’s motion analysis revealed that it was Langsky’s feint, and even Krum, he only managed to catch the Golden Snitch without any interference after his opponent had crashed to the ground.”

"In other words, Langsky's feint was already established before the match ended. Or we could just ask Krum, who happens to be here."

Ludo Bagman's expression became unpredictable again.

He knew, of course, that Siren was right, but… “I have no money,” he said bluntly. “I only have five Galleons on me. Take them if you want.”

“That’s not right,” Xiren said with a smile. “According to the agreement, you should have paid me five thousand seven hundred Galleons.”

“I’ve already said I don’t have any money,” Ludo Bagman said again. “If you’re willing to wait, perhaps I can give it to you after the Triwizard Tournament is over.”

"Go find the fairies to bet on again?" Xilun sneered.

As far as he knew, during the Quidditch World Cup, Ludo Bagman took money from others and bet it all on Bulgaria to win.

In the end, Ireland won the game, and he lost all his money.

“You, how could you…” Ludo Bagman stammered, glancing around nervously, afraid that someone might pass by at that moment.

“How would I know?” Xilun shrugged. “Fairies aren’t very tight-lipped. If there’s gold, they can tell you anything.”

"Oh, by the way, I'll tell Rita Skeeter about this too."

“Then I’m finished!” Bagman said, his face pale.

He needs this Triwizard Tournament to turn his fortunes around. If news of his unpaid debts is published in the Daily Prophet at this time, he could very well be stripped of his refereeing qualifications.

Especially since he owes money to Ollivander, even if the Ministry of Magic can disregard Siren, it still has to consider Garrick's attitude.

Losing his referee status meant losing his chance to turn things around, something Ludo Bagman couldn't accept.

“Sirlen, child, I beg you… I’ve always had a good relationship with your grandfather, and I even gave you your votes… Just wait until the Triwizard Tournament is over, and I…”

“Oh, so you know my grandfather,” Xilun said in surprise.

“Yes, yes.” Bagman grasped at a straw. “We not only know each other, but we’ve always had a good relationship. He often mentions you to me.”

“Oh?” Xiren almost laughed; he had never heard his grandfather mention Ludo Bagman before.

“Since that’s the case…” Xilun paused for a moment and said, “How about this, as long as you do me a favor, this matter can be dropped.”

“Of course, no problem.” Bagman patted his chest and said, “Just tell me, I’ll help with anything.”

"I want to be a champion of Hogwarts."

“I didn’t ask…” Bagman’s voice suddenly paused. “What did you say?”

“I want to be a champion of Hogwarts,” Siron said again.

"That's impossible!" Bagman screamed. "You're not even seventeen yet, you don't meet the requirements to be a warrior at all. And the selection of warriors isn't something I can decide!"

“So that’s why it’s worth 5,700 Galleons, isn’t it?” Siren smiled and handed him a piece of parchment with his name on it.

"Besides, this might not be so difficult. If you just put it in the Goblet of Fire, what if it works? Isn't that simple?"

"But Dumbledore..."

“The principal only said that students under seventeen cannot cross the age limit,” Celen interrupted him. “But you’re definitely over seventeen, aren’t you?”

"And what if not?" Bagman asked instinctively, "What if the Goblet of Fire doesn't choose you?"

“Then I’ll tell Rita Skeeter all my secrets,” Celen said, completely unconcerned about Ludo Bagman’s unpleasant expression.

“I only care about the results, Mr. Bagman. I want to be a warrior… As for how to do it, that’s your problem.”

……

(End of this chapter)