The Mastermind Behind the Scenes

The Gryffindor students were still immersed in the excitement of winning the Quidditch Cup. The Common Room was filled with a cheerful atmosphere as everyone talked about the amusing things that had happened during the match.

But what excited them even more was that they had won their bets.

Yes, they had made money.

And they had made it from the bookies on the Slytherin side. Nothing could have made them happier than that.

Of course, the money had not been easy to win.

They could only be considered winners if Gryffindor scored first, Harry successfully caught the Golden Snitch, the Gryffindor team defeated the Slytherin team, and they ultimately won this year's Quidditch Cup. Only by meeting all four conditions would the Slytherin bookies have to pay out at double odds.

"How did it go?"

The moment Kenneth returned to the Common Room, he was surrounded by a crowd. Everyone bombarded him with questions about whether Slytherin had paid up as promised.

"Unfortunately, they don't have enough Galleons to repay all our debts for now. But I've already gotten everyone's stakes back. Slytherin will pay off the rest before the school holiday."

"How can they do that?"

Everyone was dissatisfied with the Slytherin students' refusal to pay what they owed, and they were worried that they might never pay up.

"They really don't have the money. They lost too badly. Students from all three Houses won, while they were the only ones who lost. Don't push them too hard. Give them some time." Kenneth was surprisingly understanding.

There was no helping it. The Slytherin bookies had lost so badly that even stripping off their trousers would not be enough to cover it.

Kenneth estimated that Slytherin needed to pay at least several hundred Galleons. Split among those bookies, it