It was the weekend—a bright, crisp day, perfect for watching Quidditch.
At half past ten, Albert and his friends left the castle, trudging through the snow toward the stadium stands. Crowds of students had already gathered, loudly debating the outcome of the match.
"Good morning, Hagrid," Albert greeted, spotting the gamekeeper with a pair of binoculars.
"Thank you for the hat." Hagrid patted the wool cap on his head. "Never thought I'd get a Christmas gift."
"Consider it a return gift," Albert said with a smile.
"A return gift?" Hagrid asked, puzzled. "What gift?"
"Guardian tree branches, unicorn tail hair." Albert lifted his wrist, revealing a delicate white bracelet.
"What's this?"
"A lucky bracelet. I made it using the unicorn hair and guardian tree you gave me," Albert explained. "It's supposed to bring good luck to the wearer."
"Good luck?" Hagrid muttered. "Never heard of unicorn hair and guardian tree doing that."
Fred, George, and Lee Jordan snickered nearby. Caught in your own bluff, Albert.
"But the weaving's beautiful," Hagrid admitted.
"I mean the runes." Albert showed them two pendants carved from guardian tree wood, engraved with runes he had demonstrated before.
"You really carved those strange runes. Are you sure it works?" George asked skeptically.
"Who knows?" Albert shrugged. "If it does, it's worth it."
Originally, Albert had planned a protective bracelet. But after ruining several beads, he settled for simple good luck runes. He wasn't sure they worked—when he tried to activate them with blood, nothing happened. Still, he wore the bracelet to test its effect.
"Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff! Place your bets!" Older students appeared with wooden boxes, shouting.
The twins perked up, and Lee Jordan had already pulled out a silver sickle.
"Who'll win?" they asked Albert together.
"Gryffindor, by catching the Snitch." Albert placed his silver sickle.
"Same here," the three echoed, handing over their coins.
"Odds aren't high. Bet on Hufflepuff and you'll get triple," the student offered.
"No, Gryffindor," Albert said. He wasn't concerned about winning money—just enjoying the atmosphere.
"What's your name?" the student asked, quill poised.
"Albert Anderson," Fred answered.
The student scribbled it down and handed Fred a slip. "Bring this after the match if you win."
Albert eyed his roommates. "Aren't you afraid of losing?"
"We trust your luck," they said in unison.
"My luck?" Albert rolled his eyes. "Don't blame me if you lose."
"We won't," Fred said. "Gryffindor's been training hard. They won't lose to Hufflepuff."
"Gambling's not a good habit," Hagrid warned.
"It's just for fun. Besides, I've got my lucky bracelet," Albert said confidently.
"I thought you'd bet ten Galleons."
"Do you take me for a fool?" Albert retorted. "These private pools aren't reliable. If I bet ten and win, would they really pay me?"
"Probably not," Fred admitted.
"Seems you know what you're doing," Hagrid nodded. "Small bets are fine."
"Last time he bet on the Minister of Magic and won a hundred Galleons," Lee Jordan added. "His luck's terrifying."
Hagrid's jaw dropped.
"Ahem, Hagrid, who do you think will win?" Albert asked.
"Gryffindor, of course," Hagrid said gruffly. "But don't gamble. No one wins forever."
Albert smiled. "I know."
And indeed, Gryffindor won. The match lasted only an hour, with Charlie catching the Snitch to secure victory.
"We won!"
"We won!"
"Ah—the slip! It's flying away!" George shrieked.
Hagrid reached out and caught it before the wind carried it off.
"Give it to Albert, you unreliable fool!" Lee Jordan snatched it from Fred and shoved it into Albert's hand.
"Accident, just an accident," Fred chuckled nervously. The slip was worth eight sickles.
"Thanks, Hagrid," Albert said.
"You're welcome."
At the entrance, they found the older students and collected their winnings.
"See? My lucky bracelet worked," Albert winked. "Runes are useful after all."
"Your luck's always good," Fred muttered, though winning put them all in high spirits.
"By the way, did you enter the forest from this side last time?" Albert asked suddenly, glancing toward the trees.
Fred and George stiffened. "Don't mention that—Hagrid's right here!"
"Enter the forest?" Hagrid eyed them sharply.
"Hagrid, could you take us in? Just to broaden our horizons," Albert asked innocently.
"That's not allowed," Hagrid said firmly.
Albert betrayed the twins without hesitation. "They snuck in and said it was ordinary."
"You—!" The twins glared at him furiously.
"Ahem, I heard the forest hides many secrets. If you take us once, it'll satisfy our curiosity," Albert pressed. "Then we won't sneak in ourselves."
Hagrid hesitated, frowning. "School rules forbid it."
"Actually, forbidding it only makes students more curious," Albert argued. "Many have already gone in secretly."
"Many?" Hagrid glared at the twins.
"They're just one example," Albert said smoothly. "We only want to satisfy our curiosity. And you go in often yourself."
Hagrid sighed. "Alright. Just this once. Don't let it happen again. Stay close."
Albert winked at his stunned friends. "See? The lucky charm works."
Fred, George, and Lee Jordan could hardly believe it—Albert had persuaded Hagrid to take them into the Forbidden Forest.