As Kirk questioned the second-year Slytherin, Cedric took advantage of Wentworth's momentary distraction, quietly pulling out his Stars identification badge and sending a discreet message to Cassandra. However, there was no response.
Once Jace had left, Kirk turned to face Wentworth.
At that moment, Wentworth radiated an aura that warned others to stay away.
This was the first time Cedric and Kirk had ever seen Wentworth like this. The two exchanged glances before Cedric stepped forward and tentatively suggested, "Wentworth, perhaps you should gather our Alliance wizards first. Together, we can…"
Before Cedric could finish, Wentworth waved his hand dismissively.
"No. No matter what, Quirrell is still the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts—he's not without real skill. Besides, he has that... thing with him. A large-scale mobilization would never escape their notice."
"No matter what happens, our priority is ensuring Cassandra's safety."
Hearing this, Cedric sighed, but his gaze softened as he looked at Wentworth.
After a moment of thought, Kirk spoke up. "Wentworth, wouldn't it be best if we reported this to Headmaster Dumbledore first? Let him handle it?"
Cedric immediately nodded in agreement, slapping his knee as he did so.
But Wentworth shook his head again. As Kirk and Cedric looked at him in confusion, he finally spoke.
"In the past, whenever something happened, I would go to a professor or the Headmaster because I wanted to send them a message: that at Hogwarts, I was willing to be their good student. But now…"
Wentworth trailed off, taking the slip of paper in his hand and giving it one last glance before slowly crumpling it into a ball. Gritting his teeth, he said,
"This time, it's personal."
With that, Wentworth turned and strode out of the Hogwarts library. Seeing this, Cedric and Kirk exchanged another look before quickly following after him.
The moment they stepped outside, Wentworth turned to them and ordered, "Get Harry Potter for me. I'll be waiting outside the castle. Ask him if he wants to start collecting a little interest… on behalf of his parents."
Cedric and Kirk both froze at his words. Then, without hesitation, Kirk spun on his heel and headed straight for Gryffindor Tower.
To Kirk, Harry Potter—the so-called Boy Who Lived—had nothing to do with him. They weren't even acquaintances.
If using Harry Potter could help them safely rescue Cassandra, Kirk had no qualms about it. In his mind, they could always find a way to save Harry afterward. And if that failed? Well, they could avenge him later.
Meanwhile, Cedric hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but couldn't find the right words.
Noticing this, Wentworth reassured him, "Don't worry. Harry will be fine."
Only then did Cedric relax, silently following Wentworth as they made their way outside the castle.
On the other side of the castle, Kirk had reached the Gryffindor common room, only to be told that Harry wasn't there. He eventually found him still eating in the Great Hall.
Running out of time, Kirk wasted no words. He clapped a hand on Harry's shoulder and said quietly, "Come with me. Wentworth wants to see you."
Harry looked up in surprise. "Wentworth? What does he want with me?"
Standing at the Gryffindor table in his Hufflepuff robes, Kirk had already drawn plenty of curious stares. Leaning closer, he whispered into Harry's ear,
"Wentworth wants to know if you'd like to collect a little interest… on behalf of your parents."
The moment the words left Kirk's lips, Harry shot up from his seat, staring at him in disbelief. Without hesitation, he followed Kirk out of the hall, not even sparing a word for Ron or Hermione.
Seeing Harry rush off, Ron and Hermione shared a concerned glance before throwing down their food and hurrying after him.
At the Slytherin table, Draco Malfoy watched them pass, utterly bewildered. After a moment of hesitation, he, too, decided to follow.
Leading the way, Kirk was aware of the extra people trailing behind him, but he didn't care. He figured that once they learned the purpose of this meeting, they'd likely bow out on their own.
Before long, they reached the castle grounds. The sky was overcast, and the setting sun cast an ominous gloom over the landscape.
Even in the dim light, Harry immediately spotted Wentworth in the distance. He hurried over, his voice filled with urgency. "Wentworth, what do you mean by 'collecting interest' for my parents?"
Instead of answering right away, Wentworth took his time, speaking calmly. "Harry, I know you've always believed that Professor Snape is not a good person—that he's been trying to harm you."
Harry nodded without hesitation.
By now, Ron, Hermione, and Draco had caught up, standing beside Kirk as they listened.
But Wentworth shook his head firmly. "No, you're wrong."
Ron immediately interjected, "But during the Quidditch match against Slytherin, Snape was cursing Harry!"
Wentworth remained unfazed. "Are you certain Snape was attacking Harry?"
Hermione spoke up, "Of course! He was staring right at Harry, muttering under his breath. He was clearly casting a spell!"
This time, Wentworth nodded. "You're right—Snape was casting a spell. But he wasn't cursing Harry's broom. He was counteracting the curse. He was trying to stabilize it."
Hermione froze, while Harry looked at Wentworth in shock. "So… Snape was actually trying to save me?"
Wentworth nodded resolutely.
Draco couldn't hold back his curiosity. "Then who was really cursing Harry's broom?"
Wentworth clenched his fists, his voice dripping with venom. "That would be our target tonight. Our dear Professor Quirrell."
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