Vindictus was the first to emerge from the Forbidden Forest. The path up to the Castle was lit by the full moon overhead. "Merlin's Beard! Have you ever seen such a bright moon?" he asked William and Dash who were lagging behind him. "This would have been a perfect night for midnight Quidditch! There's a special charm you put on the equipment for obvious safety reasons but it's pretty cool to watch it from the stands. My kids think its better than fireworks."

He went on and on about midnight Quidditch until they reached the steps leading into the Castle. Max lept onto the first step and unbeknownst to him (and the others), the orb fell out of his pocket. It landed on the grass, where it bounced twice before rolling away from view.