Chapter Text
GRINGOTTS WIZARD BANK
SPECIAL ARBITRATION RECORD
Subject: Resolution of Informal Wagering Pool
Event: Romantic Acknowledgement Between Hogwarts Professors
Participants: Numerous
Due to the extraordinary number of wagers placed across multiple magical communities, Gringotts Wizarding Bank has compiled the following final ledger for the purposes of payout verification.
Currency includes gold, Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans, and several additional barter equivalents.
Rats have been converted to a standardised monetary value.
Report 1: Hogwarts Staff Betting Pool
|
Participant |
Wager |
Prediction |
|
Minerva McGonagall |
10 galleons |
“They will eventually behave like adults.” |
|
Filius Flitwick |
5 galleons |
“Accidental magical mishap leads to confession.” |
|
Hermione Granger & Ron Weasley |
8 galleons |
“Something dramatic will happen during travel.” |
|
Rolanda Hooch |
3 galleons |
“Public argument leading to sudden realisation.” |
|
Poppy Pomfrey |
6 galleons |
“One of them will be injured and forced to talk.” |
|
Aurora Sinistra |
4 galleons |
“Late night Astronomy Tower conversation.” |
|
Argus Filch |
1 galleon |
“Corridor shouting match.” |
|
The Giant Squid |
15 galleons equivalent (pearls) |
“They will stop being ridiculous eventually.” |
Winning prediction: Hermione Granger & Ron Weasley
Closest to actual event involving international travel. Winnings will be put into a savings account for future use.
The Giant Squid has requested his winnings be delivered in floating containers.
(written beside the Staff Betting Pool)
Audit Observation:
Hogwarts faculty appear to have approached this wagering exercise with unusual patience and long term confidence in the eventual outcome.
The aquatic entity listed as “Giant Squid” is recognised as a legitimate participant following confirmation that it possesses independent financial assets.
Report #2: Hogsmead and Diagon Alley Betting Pool
|
Business |
Wager |
Prediction |
|
Honeydukes |
50 galleons and assorted sweets |
“Holiday incident.” |
|
The Three Broomsticks |
12 galleons |
“Butterbeer confession.” |
|
Zonko’s Joke Shop |
7 galleons |
“Magical prank gone wrong.” |
|
Ollivanders |
5 galleons |
“Unexpected wand resonance.” |
|
Flourish and Blotts |
4 galleons |
“Library argument turning romantic.” |
|
Madam Puddifoot’s Tea Shop |
9 galleons |
“Public tea date.” |
Winning prediction: Honeydukes
Prize bonus: One year of complimentary Honeydukes sweets for the student winner.
(written beside the Hogsmeade / Diagon Alley pool)
Accounting Clarification:
The high volume purchase of Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans recorded over the previous six months is now understood to have been connected to this betting pool.
Honeydukes has cooperated fully with the investigation and appears to find the entire situation extremely amusing.
Report #3: Hogwarts Student Betting Pool
|
Student |
House |
Wager |
Prediction |
|
Name omitted |
Ravenclaw |
3 galleons |
“They already know. They’re just nervous.” |
|
Name omitted |
Gryffindor |
4 galleons |
“Harry will panic first.” |
|
Name omitted |
Gryffindor |
2 galleons |
“Somewhere unexpected.” |
|
Name omitted |
Ravenclaw |
1 galleon |
“Statistically inevitable.” |
|
Name omitted |
Slytherin |
3 galleons |
“Snape will pretend he planned it.” |
|
Name omitted |
Hufflepuff |
2 galleons |
“Public emotional breakthrough.” |
Winning prediction: Luna Lovegood (after request her name be made public)
Official reasoning: “They already know.”
(written beside the Student Betting Pool)
Compliance Note:
Hogwarts students are technically below the legal gambling age.
The school administration has requested that these wagers be categorised as “educational probability exercises”.
Names have been omitted due to their age. Honeydukes will be in touch with the winner.
Report #4: Hogwarts House Elf Betting Pool
|
House Elf |
Wager |
Prediction |
|
Dobby |
5 socks |
“Harry Potter will choose happiness.” |
|
Winky |
3 butterbeer bottles |
“Very emotional moment.” |
|
Hokey |
2 silver spoons |
“Quiet conversation.” |
|
Tilly |
1 cake |
“Everyone else will notice first.” |
|
Brimble |
7 tea cups |
“Eventually.” |
Winning prediction: Dobby
House elves have celebrated with cake.
(written beside the House Elf Pool)
Operational Note:
The house elf betting pool appears to have been organised with remarkable efficiency.
Investigators believe the elves identified the outcome considerably earlier than the human participants.
Report #5: International Owls Council
|
Owl |
Wager |
Prediction |
|
Hedwig |
12 shiny objects |
“Travel will resolve it.” |
|
Collective Barn Owl Representative |
3 field mice |
“Nighttime conversation.” |
|
Collective Tawny Owl Representative |
2 polished stones |
“Long overdue.” |
|
Italian Owls Representative |
4 feathers |
“Humans are slow.” |
Winning prediction: Hedwig
Additional recognition: Hedwig chaired the International Owls Council meeting confirming the result.
(written beside the Owl Council Pool)
Unusual Participant Notice:
The Hogwarts Owl Council and the International Owls Council both claim jurisdiction over this betting pool.
While owls are not recognised as formal banking clients, the Bank has elected to honour the wagers due to the significant role owls play in magical communications infrastructure.
Report #6: International Magical Community Betting Pool
|
Community |
Wager |
Prediction |
|
Italian Potions Guild |
40 galleons |
“Romantic development during research travel.” |
|
French Magical Society |
15 galleons |
“Moment of dramatic tension.” |
|
Bulgarian Auror Association |
9 galleons |
“Near death experience.” |
|
Swedish Alchemical Circle |
6 galleons |
“Intellectual disagreement.” |
|
International Potions Assembly |
20 galleons |
“Professional admiration becomes personal.” |
Winning prediction: Italian Potions Guild
Anton Volkov of the Italian Potions Guild, and member of the International Potions Assembly, has declined his personal share of winnings and instead requested additional wine deliveries.
(written beside the International Pool)
Financial Concern:
Several international magical organisations placed bets despite possessing no direct connection to Hogwarts.
This indicates the situation has been widely observed within the global magical community.
Final Gringotts Accounting Summary
Total gold in circulation: alarming
Total beans required: unacceptable
Rat equivalent conversion: ongoing
Official conclusion:
The romantic acknowledgement between Professors Snape and Potter represents the most widely wagered interpersonal event in recent magical history.
Further betting markets are already forming regarding:
- Possible marriage
- Proposal timing
- Location of ceremony
- Probability of dramatic interruption
Gringotts advises all involved parties to prepare accordingly.
Final notes:
(written written at the bottom of the ledger)
Forward Risk Assessment:
Secondary betting markets have already emerged regarding future developments.
These include:
- Possible engagement
- Proposal timing
- Wedding location
- Probability of dramatic interruption
Recommendation: continue monitoring Professors Snape and Potter for further financially disruptive events. Liaise with Headmistress Minerva McGonagall and Professor Hermione Granger.
=====End of Ledger=====
A goblin clerk had just finished putting together the lengthy ledger when a new owl arrived carrying the first category of the next chaotic betting pool. On it was written: WHO PROPOSES FIRST?
The goblin just stared at it and wrote a note on the memo he was attaching to it before sending it onwards to the newly set-up department responsible for all things relating to Hogwarts: “Not again...”