"Why is Albert back so soon!"
"Where's Lee Jordan?"
"Forget him. Come help us haul this thing out."
Albert's return caught the Weasley twins, who had been planning to surprise him, completely off guard. After packing up their things, they hurried outside the spectator area and struggled to pull a cannon-shaped firework from a suitcase, aiming it at the sky—
"One, two, three."
Fred silently counted to three, raised his wand to light the firework, then covered his ears with both hands.
—BANG!
Brilliant fireworks exploded overhead, forming a winged Hippogriff. The massive beast raised its head and let out a lion's roar, spread its wings, and circled through the sky before finally dissolving into a dazzling shower of fireworks.
It would definitely have looked even better at night.
The two had just come ashore when they heard a loud bang from the stands. Looking up at the fireworks overhead, the girl asked curiously, "Was that something you prepared?"
"Definitely not, or it would have gone off earlier." Albert looked toward the stands and smiled. "But I can probably guess who prepared the surprise for me."
Beneath the banner proclaiming Hogwarts' inevitable victory, Lee Jordan was organizing the crowd to cheer for Albert. The scattered cheers and applause gradually merged into one chant: "Albert will win! Hogwarts will win!"
Smiling, Albert waved an arm toward his supporters in the stands in thanks.
Isabelle looped her arm through Albert's and smiled. "You really are popular."
"Being too popular isn't always a good thing. Come on, let's rest for a while and get you something hot to drink. You need looking after right now, so you don't accidentally catch a cold." Albert led Isabelle toward Madam Pomfrey, who was hurrying over. The witch was muttering something under her breath as she firmly