Upon hearing Wentworth mentioning Quirrell’s name, Harry and the others were left with gaping mouths, displaying expressions of shock and disbelief on their faces.

“It can’t be!” Ron gasped.

They recalled the moment when they were asking for help from him when Harry was invited to a duel against Draco.

Feeling lucky that they returned alive from meeting him, they looked at each other before releasing a collective sigh of relief.

Wentworth continued, adding, “By the way, one more thing: he was the one who released the troll into Hogwarts on Halloween!”

Hermione then looked at Wentworth with a stern expression, remembering the scene when the troll attacked her. “I… is it true? Did Professor Quirell do all those?”

Wentworth nodded in reply, “Yes, all of the misdeeds you’ve been experiencing up to this point in Hogwarts have been caused by him.”

The revelation hung in the air, and a heavy silence enveloped the scene. It seemed like everyone needed a moment to absorb the shocking news.

An eerie silence prevailed outside Hogwarts Castle, accompanied by the strengthening winds.

After a while, Harry spoke in a hoarse voice, “So, Professor Quirrell, like Professor Snape, is actually a Death Eater?”

Wentworth nodded and replied, “Professor Snape falls under a different case that needs an explanation, but Professor Quirell, although he is not a Death Eater, is someone directly correlated to the one pulling the strings behind the scenes!”

Everyone was confused with what Wentworth just said, but for now, they decided to move on rather than ask Wentworth about the context.

After that, Hermione interjected, her voice filled with incredulity, “Wait a minute, so we’re going to confront Professor Quirrell tonight, our Defence Against the Dark Arts professor?”

Wentworth glanced at Hermione with a meaningful expression and said, “Not only that, maybe there will even be a windfall that’s going to explain our current problem to you guys!”

Hermione persisted, “Then why don’t we inform Professor Dumbledore about this? I believe this is something that we should handle with care while getting all the help we could get.”

When Harry preemptively spoke up, Wentworth was about to respond, “No, if what Wentworth said is true, then I’d rather take revenge for my parents myself.”

Hearing Harry’s resolute words, Hermione hesitated for a moment.

Her face showed concern, but she couldn’t find the words to dissuade Harry.

In the meantime, Ron, who had been observing quietly, stood up and voiced his concerns, “Harry, it’s not that I want to discourage you, and it’s not that I want to stop you from avenging your parents either, but with your strength, if Professor Quirrell is indeed a Death Eater, you could be in great danger!”

Wentworth looked at Ron in surprise, not expecting such a tactful statement from him.

Harry understood the implication behind Ron’s words. After a moment of silence, Harry redirected his gaze to Wentworth and asked, “You called me here, and I came with the assumption that you would help me. What should I do?”

Upon hearing Harry’s question, Wentworth fixed his gaze on him, and their eyes connected.

Wentworth responded deliberately, “Of course, I would help you, but I have one condition—you must put your trust in me completely. You can’t doubt any single thing I am going to ask you to do.”

Harry nodded emphatically and replied, “Certainly, Wentworth. You brought me to Hogwarts. In my heart, you, Professor Dumbledore, and Hagrid are the people I trust the most. If listening to your words will get me the result I want, then I would be glad to do so!”

Wentworth placed a reassuring pat on Harry’s shoulder, a smile playing on his lips as he remarked, “You better remember what you said!”

As Wentworth beckoned Harry to join him, deep within the forbidden forest, a cloaked figure strolled amidst the dense trees.

Accompanying this mysterious figure was another person—a girl adorned in a dark green robe with curly blond hair, seemingly tethered by invisible bonds, drifting alongside the figure in the forest.

If an observer could glimpse into the girl’s eyes, they would discern a blend of anger, anxiety, and self-blame beneath those green pupils, yet no trace of fear.

As the cloaked man traversed the forbidden forest and reached an open clearing, he surveyed the surroundings with evident satisfaction.

Waving at the girl trailing behind him, he signaled for her to descend. With a snap of his fingers, the unseen restraints binding the girl were lifted.

The girl is revealed to be Cassandra. She didn’t hastily attempt an escape.

Instead, she calmly flexed her limbs and joints after the release of the bindings.

Observing her composed demeanor, the cloaked man smiled and remarked, “No wonder the heir of the Grindelwald family cherishes her; she is truly a sagacious individual.”

Rolling her eyes in exasperation, Cassandra retorted, “Professor Quirrell, it’s just the two of us here. What’s the point of you wearing a cloak?”

The man hesitated for a moment before gently raising his cloak, unveiling Quirrell’s smiling countenance.

Looking at Quirrell’s feigned smile, Cassandra couldn’t help but feel a sense of disappointment.

After this afternoon’s Defense Against the Dark Arts class, Quirrell unexpectedly detained Cassandra, citing her recent commendable performance as grounds for a reward—specifically, the demonstration of a new spell.

Eagerly anticipating her personalized lesson, Cassandra was met with a sudden “Silencio!” silencing her completely.

Recognizing the severity of the situation, Cassandra swiftly attempted to draw her wand, only to realize that the silencing charm extended to inhibiting her magical abilities.

Frustrated by her helplessness, she was effortlessly apprehended by Quirrell and brought to her current location.

Initially puzzled about Quirrell’s motives, Cassandra’s clarity dawned upon hearing his recent revelation.

It became apparent that Quirrell’s true target was Wentworth.

As Quirrell continued, he disclosed, “Cassandra, I’ve left a note for Wentworth, informing him that you’re in my custody. If he wishes to rescue you, he’ll need to exchange Harry for your freedom. Care to wager whether Wentworth will take the bait?”

Upon hearing Quirrell’s words, Cassandra furrowed her brow and remarked, “Professor Quirrell, had you not disclosed Wentworth’s identity, I might have assumed your target was Harry Potter. However, since you’re aware of Wentworth’s identity, employing me as leverage against him implies that Harry is merely a facade. Your true objective is the Alliance led by Wentworth, isn’t it?”

Quirrell, momentarily taken aback by Cassandra’s astuteness, hadn’t anticipated her sudden revelation of his underlying motives.

Meanwhile, an unexpected third party interjected within the secluded confines of the Forbidden Forest.

Laughter echoed through the air, catching Cassandra off guard.

Unable to pinpoint the source of the laughter, Cassandra inquired, “Who are you?”

The unseen figure responded with an air of arrogance, “My name is hardly worth remembering. Some call me the Dark Lord, others refer to me as the You-Know-Who, but I find Voldemort to be the most fitting.”