Hearing Dumbledore’s explanation, Cedric nodded in understanding.

However, he still had questions and asked with a puzzled expression, “Professor, why are you doing this? If you are concerned that Wentworth’s surname might cause trouble at Hogwarts, why not simply prevent him from entering the school?”

Dumbledore didn’t provide a direct answer to Cedric’s question. Instead, he posed one of his own, asking, “Cedric, what kind of person do you believe Wentworth to be?”

Cedric paused for a moment, then wore a wry smile and shook his head, saying, “I honestly don’t know, Professor. Until today, I would have said Wentworth is a true Hufflepuff—kind, honest, and sincere. But now, I’m not so sure. Is that all an act?”

Dumbledore blinked as he heard Cedric’s response and then explained, “Cedric, that’s precisely why I’m doing this.”

Seeing Cedric still looking perplexed, Dumbledore continued, “Cedric, you and Wentworth are good friends. If you have doubts about him now, others might too.”

Cedric suddenly realized what Dumbledore meant, but the headmaster wasn’t finished yet.

“As students of Hogwarts, I hope that each one of you will grow into an outstanding wizard or witch in your own right. But it should never be because of your surname.”

In Hogsmeade village, Cassandra directed the same question at her father, but received a different answer.

“Professor, why are you doing this?” Cassandra inquired.

Thomas pondered for a moment before speaking seriously, “Cassandra, you haven’t lived through that era; you won’t understand what the Grindelwald surname represents in the entire wizarding world.”

“Headmaster Dumbledore placed him nearby to take better care of him. After all, Headmaster Dumbledore couldn’t simply harm an innocent young wizard.”

“However, if the other young wizards at Hogwarts, along with their influential families, were to discover that the heirs of the Grindelwald family were at Hogwarts, there’s no guarantee they wouldn’t harbor ill intentions.”

After Thomas finished explaining, the room fell silent once more.

After a long pause, Cassandra asked with a bitter tone, “Father, they asked me to lure Wentworth out of Hogwarts. They promised to release you if I bring him to them. What should I do?”

Thomas sighed and then spoke, “When I realized we were in Hogsmeade, I had already suspected. They had a well-thought-out plan, but they underestimated me! Your father is a supervisor at the Auror Office of the British Ministry of Magic; they took me for a fool.”

“Cassandra, if Wentworth were to perish here, you and I would be next. They won’t allow us to leave alive.”

“Cassandra, if Wentworth dies here, the next ones to meet their fate will be your father and you! They won’t spare us!”

Hearing Thomas’s ominous words, Cassandra’s face tightened, and she nervously inquired, “Father, what should we do then?”

Thomas smiled, but in the dim room, Cassandra failed to notice the trace of coldness in his expression.

“Of course, I’ll make them a deal.”

Cassandra gazed at her father, her eyes filled with surprise, prompting him to explain further, “I promise to bring Wentworth here, but before you do that, you must convey everything that’s about to happen to the British Ministry of Magic. With so many dark wizards involved, along with a young master from the shamanist party, this act should earn your father recognition in the Ministry of Magic.”

Cassandra met her father’s intense gaze and inexplicably shifted her eyes away with a hint of guilt.

As dawn broke, Cedric lay on his dormitory bed, contemplating the day’s events. It replayed vividly in his mind, and he couldn’t shake the feeling of unreality, as if it had been a dream.

But he extended his hand to touch his chest and found the Deathly Hallows pendant silently resting there.

Cedric hadn’t even noticed when Professor Ilona had returned it to his pocket.

Yet, the pendant, originally borrowed by Ilona, had somehow ended up in his possession.

Cedric traced the pendant with his fingers, lost in thought. After some time, a warm smile graced his face.

“Wentworth, you’ve given me something so precious. It’s more than enough.”

Meanwhile, Wentworth, who was asleep, let out another sneeze.

In the Slytherin common room, Cassandra lay awake on her bed, her mind in turmoil.

The words of the witch named Christine still echoed in Cassandra’s ears, haunting her thoughts.

“I don’t care how you do it, but you must ensure Wentworth appears in Hogsmeade!”

Christine’s words lingered in Cassandra’s mind. However, Cassandra attempted to explain her predicament.

“Among Hogwarts students, only those in their third year or higher are allowed to visit Hogsmeade Village. A letter of parental consent is required.”

But Christine dismissed her explanation with a wave of her hand, impatience in her voice.

“You managed to come here, and if you can do it, so can Wentworth.”

Cassandra quickly clarified, “I’m here because I know a secret passage within Hogwarts. However, I have no reason to persuade Wentworth to break the school rules and join me in Hogsmeade via the secret passage.”

Christine fell silent for a moment, then scrutinized Cassandra with a sly smile and said slowly, “Miss Cassandra is exceptionally beautiful. I believe it would be difficult for any wizard to resist spending a delightful evening with you.”

Cassandra’s eyes widened in disbelief at Christine’s proposition, and she sternly declared, her anger apparent, “You want me to seduce Wentworth? Absolutely not! I would never stoop to such actions! I won’t betray him!”

Cassandra protested with determination, her face flushed with anger.

But Christine responded casually, “He’s merely an eleven or twelve-year-old child. He’s incapable of truly harming you. Besides, you won’t die, will you? What if it’s not you who faces dire consequences?”

Christine turned her attention to the room behind Cassandra, where her father was still bound to a chair.

Faced with Christine’s brazen threats, Cassandra fell into silence.

“Hatchoo!!”

At that moment, Wentworth sneezed again in his sleep, gradually awakening.

“What’s happening tonight? Catching a cold, perhaps? Never mind sleeping. I’ll visit Professor Snape in the morning and get some preventive medicine!”