The exams were over, which meant the students were free to play on the grounds, and that's exactly what they did. While waiting for results to be posted, many students avoided the castle entirely, staying outside until dusk. Kyle and Cedric were among them.
After lunch, they gathered by the Black Lake, chatting about their plans for the summer break.
"Are you all going to the Quidditch World Cup this year?" Cedric asked, a bit excited. "I can't believe they chose this place for the final... and it's been thirty years since we last hosted the tournament."
"Of course we're going," Fred replied, equally enthusiastic. A month of study had left him restless, and the Quidditch World Cup was the perfect escape.
"Dad should be able to get tickets," George added. "If there are any extra, I'll save them for you, so you won't have to pay."
Quidditch World Cup tickets were notoriously pricey. Cedric had attended a match once before his second year and managed to snag two far-off seats for a hundred Galleons each. From that distance, they'd needed binoculars just to see the players, but even so, tickets were in short supply.
Fortunately, with the World Cup being held locally, Ministry staff could take advantage of certain perks.
"My dad should be able to get tickets too," Cedric said. "He knows a few people in the Department of Magical Games and Sports, so I'll see if he can get a few extra. Kyle, do you want one as well?" He paused, noticing Kyle's distracted expression. "What are you thinking about?"
"What?" Kyle looked up, hearing his name. "Oh, never mind. Give the extra tickets to Kanna and Cho; I'm all set."
"What's on your mind?" Cedric asked.
"Ways to make money," Kyle replied, scratching his chin. He was about to elaborate when he suddenly spotted Professor Lupin walking towards them. Lupin seemed to have just returned from somewhere, and he looked preoccupied, so much so that he didn't notice the students sitting nearby.
"Professor Lupin!" Kyle called.
Lupin jumped slightly, snapping out of his thoughts. He quickly looked down, realizing he'd almost tripped over Cedric, who was just inches in front of him.
"Sorry, Mr. Diggory," Professor Lupin said hastily. "I was deep in thought and didn't see you all here."
"No worries, Professor," Cedric replied easily. "Are you taking a stroll by the Black Lake too?"
"Huh?" Professor Lupin blinked, then noticed he'd wandered down the wrong path, away from the castle. "Oh... yes, yes, just taking a stroll," he stammered, though he sounded distracted. "But I have to head back now. There's still much to do..."
With that, he quickly turned and headed back toward the castle.
"That's strange..." Cedric muttered. "I feel like there's something off with Professor Lupin. He wasn't before."
"Who knows? Maybe he's just a little spooked," Fred shrugged. "Don't forget the curse on the Defense Against the Dark Arts post. Now that the school year's ending, he's probably a bit nervous."
The others nodded, agreeing not to dwell on it.
As soon as Lupin was out of sight, George leaned in eagerly. "By the way, Kyle, tell us your plan. How are we going to make money?"
"Well..." Kyle shifted his gaze back from the castle and continued, "Remember those cheering props we sold to fans from the different houses?"
"Of course!" Fred grinned. "Those made us a fair bit of Galleons."
"That's what I'm talking about," Kyle said. "The Quidditch World Cup—there'll be way more people there than here at Hogwarts. If we make fireworks that explode into clovers, Irish flags, badges, and other stuff in advance..."
"They'd sell like hotcakes!" Fred and George's eyes lit up, and they pounded the grass in excitement. They'd been so caught up looking forward to the match, they hadn't even thought of this.
The Quidditch World Cup was one of the wizarding world's biggest events, and no one attending was likely to skimp on souvenirs. With eye-catching products, selling would be as easy as picking up Galleons off the ground. Fred and George practically had Galleon signs in their eyes at the thought.
"What ideas do you have?" Cedric asked, as Cho and Kanna leaned in with interest.
"Let's start with simple ones, like sequential fireworks and moving flags," Kyle said. "We've only got about a month until the World Cup, so we'll need to make as many as possible."
"Leave the fireworks to us," George said, thumping his chest. "We're pros at those."
"Badges that amplify sound would be good too," Fred added. "We learned the magic rune formula for it last month in Runes class, so we can use that."
Cedric nodded; they'd studied it together.
"Go for it, but keep it simple," Kyle advised. "Too much detail will slow us down."
"How about hair clips and hats?" Kanna suggested. "They're easy to make, but flashy enough to sell well."
The group continued brainstorming by the lake, discussing ideas with growing excitement and losing track of time.
Then, a splash of water came down on their heads out of nowhere.
"Is it raining?" George jumped up, noticing his damp hair. But when he looked up, he saw a clear sky, dark but full of stars. There was no sign of rain.
Kyle spotted a long tentacle slipping back into the lake. It seemed the giant squid was giving them a reminder that it was time to head back.
"Oh no, is it that late?" Cho said with a start. "Did we miss dinner...?"
"Didn't even notice the time..." Kanna murmured as they quickly stood up, brushing themselves off.
Hurrying back, they arrived just as dinner had begun. The Great Hall was brightly lit and packed with students. The buzz of conversation and laughter filled the air as everyone celebrated the start of the holiday season.