At the same time, upon hearing Mrs. Weasley's words, Auston Greengrass, who stood nearby, seemed as though he wanted to speak. However, before he could say anything, Rosier shot him a sharp glare, prompting Auston to fall silent immediately.
Meanwhile, Wentworth remained calm and unhurried, shaking his head slightly as he turned to Bill, enunciating each word carefully:
"This time, our Alliance truly needs Mr. Weasley's help!"
Seeing Wentworth's insistence, Mrs. Weasley looked as though she wanted to say something more. However, before she could, Bill Weasley spoke up first:
"And what exactly do you need my help with? If it's something within my power, for the sake of Hogwarts and Headmaster Dumbledore, I wouldn't mind lending a hand. However, if it's—"
Before Bill could finish, Wentworth interrupted him, saying:
"Rest assured, we are asking for your assistance, not plotting against you or the Weasley family. So, it is certainly something within your capabilities."
At this point, Wentworth paused briefly, then smiled slightly before continuing:
"If we truly meant harm to you and the Weasley family, we wouldn't need to go to such trouble."
Hearing Wentworth's words, both Mrs. Weasley and Bill Weasley fell silent.
A year ago, during the Battle at the Ministry of Magic, Arthur Weasley had been present. He had recounted the event in vivid detail—the day when black veils shrouded London, leaving an indelible mark on the minds of the British Ministry's officials.
Thinking of this, Bill Weasley let out a bitter chuckle before asking:
"Let's get to the point, Mr. Grindelwald. What exactly do you need my help with?"
At this moment, Bill Weasley no longer regarded the young Wentworth as an ordinary child and instead addressed him with respect.
Upon hearing Bill's words, Wentworth responded first with a gentle smile:
"Bill, no need to be so formal. I would much prefer you call me Wentworth rather than 'Mr. Grindelwald.'"
Seeing Bill nod in agreement, Wentworth finally continued:
"I want to make use of your connections at Gringotts, particularly among the Curse-Breakers, to help me track down someone."
As Wentworth spoke, Auston Greengrass took out two photographs from his robe and handed them to him.
Wentworth first held up a photo of Abernathy, pointing at the man in the picture as he explained:
"This man is a key member of our Alliance and someone I deeply respect. Recently, for certain reasons, he used Transfiguration to enter Gringotts."
At this, Wentworth took out the second photograph, which showed a middle-aged man with a hooked nose. He then continued:
"This was his assumed identity when he applied to Gringotts as a Curse-Breaker. However, not long after he entered under the alias 'Alterta,' he mysteriously disappeared without a trace."
"What's most baffling is that on the very day he vanished, we had at least three of our own wizards patrolling in and around Gringotts, yet they noticed nothing out of the ordinary."
Wentworth paused for a moment, then looked at Bill Weasley and stated:
"You know as well as I do that the only entity capable of making someone disappear so seamlessly inside Gringotts… is Gringotts itself."
Bill Weasley nodded in acknowledgment of Wentworth's reasoning before responding:
"So, you want me to find out what happened to this wizard?"
Wentworth nodded with a smile. "Precisely."
However, to Wentworth's surprise, Bill Weasley immediately shook his head and refused, replying:
"I'm sorry, Wentworth, but I can't do that. I am a Gringotts employee. I receive my wages from Gringotts. No matter what happened to your associate within its walls, I cannot betray my employer."
As he spoke, Bill noticed Wentworth's face remained expressionless, but Auston Greengrass was already visibly furious. Bill sighed before adding:
"Wentworth, believe me when I say that money is not easily earned at Gringotts. You have no idea how strict their security measures truly are."
Hearing this, Wentworth was momentarily stunned, then burst into laughter. After a long moment, he finally stopped and snapped his fingers. Immediately, Auston Greengrass reached into his cloak and pulled out a cloth bundle.
As Auston unwrapped the bundle, the sound of coins clinking together echoed through the Burrow. A large stack of Galleons spilled onto the table, their golden sheen illuminating the entire room.
Wentworth gestured toward the pile of gold and spoke:
"Bill, if you can uncover any information about Abernathy, all of this is yours."
Bill stared at the Galleons, swallowing involuntarily. But after a brief hesitation, he still shook his head and said:
"I'm sorry, Wentworth, but I can't…"
Before Bill could finish, Wentworth interjected:
"This is just the deposit. Once we successfully retrieve our comrade, you'll receive twice as much!"
Hearing Wentworth's offer, Bill had to admit he was tempted. But before he could respond, Wentworth continued:
"Besides, do you really think we would offer such a vast sum just for information? Do you believe the Alliance is short on money? We have no interest in the Galleons inside Gringotts!"
"Money? We have plenty!"
Bill looked at Wentworth with a puzzled expression and asked:
"Then what exactly are you after?"
However, Wentworth merely shook his head and did not answer. Instead, he said indifferently:
"That is a secret. Trust me, Bill, I'm keeping this from you for your own good. Now, tell me your answer. Just nod, and all these Galleons are yours!"
As Wentworth's words hung in the air, Bill found himself thinking about his family's financial struggles. Just as he was about to nod, he heard his mother's voice:
"I'm sorry, Wentworth, but could you wait a moment? Before we agree to anything, we need to consult someone. We need to hear his opinion."
Wentworth didn't seem to mind and simply nodded. However, as Mrs. Weasley took out parchment and a quill to write a letter, Bill couldn't help but interject:
"Mum, Dad should be back soon. You don't have to—"
Before he could finish, Mrs. Weasley cut him off:
"Who said I was asking your father?"
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