The rain continued to cascade down in the Forbidden Forest, and the wall of fire blocking Wentworth’s path still stubbornly persisted.

Wentworth’s attempts to dispel Quirrell’s spell proved futile, leaving both him and Quirrell momentarily taken aback. Suddenly, Quirrell burst into triumphant laughter:

“Hahaha! Wentworth, I didn’t expect this! After all, I am a Hogwarts professor, and you are just an ordinary Hogwarts student! This is a creation of mine using ancient runes. An ordinary dispelling spell won’t undo this spell of mine!” Quirell exclaimed.

“Don’t you dare turn your face away from us, Quirell!” Cedric exclaimed after casting another spell.

Green, who was trying his best to prepare for another attack, couldn’t help but look at Cedric with an exasperated expression, “Oh, come on, Cedric! That’s our best chance to take him out while his attention is on someone else!”

Quirrell’s revelation dawned on Wentworth, realizing that the wall of fire differed significantly from the protective circle of flames he had conjured before.

It seemed more akin to Snape’s intricate Sectumsempra, requiring a specific counter-curse that Wentworth was not familiar with.

Wentworth couldn’t suppress a sense of urgency as this realization sank in.

He lacked knowledge of ancient runes, making it impossible to identify the counter-curse for this intricate spell swiftly.

To compound matters, Green’s spellcasting pace began to wane, signaling a depletion in his magical reserves.

The situation grew increasingly precarious as Green tried his best to cheer himself, “Is that all you got, Quirell? Kinda disappointing…”

“Senior, save your energy for when it matters!” Cedric commented on his taunt.

While Green exhibited commendable magical prowess as the Hufflepuff prefect and an esteemed scholar at Hogwarts, the comparison with Cedric’s innate magical strength and Voldemort’s exceptionally high soul strength left Green’s excellence somewhat overshadowed.

In the ongoing confrontation, Green bravely held his ground, yet the strain on his magical reserves became increasingly apparent as time went by.

Despite his proficiency, Green’s abilities appeared less formidable compared to Cedric’s natural aptitude. Quirrell astutely recognized this and shifted his focus towards exploiting Green’s vulnerabilities.

As a result, the initially balanced skirmish began tilting in Quirrell’s favor, with Green struggling to mount a substantial counteroffensive.

Observing this turning tide, Wentworth started to feel a bit anxious; he was preparing to intervene and join the fray before he felt a firm grip on his arm—Hermione had seized his arm.

An impatient glance from Wentworth prompted Hermione to suggest an alternative approach.

“Wentworth, perhaps there’s another way to breach this wall of fire!” Hermione proposed.

Upon hearing Hermione’s suggestion, Wentworth experienced a moment of bewilderment, eagerly awaiting an explanation of the proposed method.

However, before he could seek clarification, Hermione took matters into her own hands, pointing her wand at herself and casting the spell.

“Flame-Freezing Charm!” she declared confidently.

Initially stunned by the unfamiliar incantation, Wentworth quickly transitioned to a state of joy as he comprehended the significance of Hermione’s spell.

Meanwhile, Harry, curious about the newly cast charm, voiced his inquiry cautiously, “Hermione, what kind of spell did you cast on Wentworth? Is it reliable? Don’t try to harm him!”

After responding to Harry’s skepticism with an exasperated glare, Hermione provided a detailed explanation “The Flame-Freezing Charm, found in Chapter 3 of ‘The Standard Spell,’ serves to shield wizards from harm caused by fire. In the distant past, when Muggles harbored a fear of wizardry, capturing and restraining wizards was not uncommon. They would tie wizards to crosses and ignite bonfires beneath them.”

“Anticipating such scenarios, wizards devised this spell as a contingency measure. Even though its application has diminished over time, the knowledge of this charm has endured the passage of time,” Hermione elucidated.

While Harry absorbed Hermione’s explanation, Wentworth had already positioned himself in front of the fiery barrier conjured by Quirrell.

Gritting his teeth, he cautiously extended his left hand into the flames. To his relief, the rising temperature on his arm was bearable and did not inflict any harm.

Determined, Wentworth closed his eyes, disregarded the searing heat, and charged through the wall of fire. Reaching Cassandra, he met her radiant gaze.

Though feeling a bit embarrassed, Wentworth softly apologized, “Sorry, I am late.”

Cassandra shook her head, reassuring him that there was no need for apologies. “No need for it, Wentworth. If anything, I should be the one saying sorry…”

Just as Wentworth contemplated how to undo the enchantment binding Cassandra, a sudden exclamation jolted him.

“No, Green!” Cedric shouted.

Swiftly turning around, they witnessed Green soaring backward in a parabolic trajectory.

Uncertain of the events leading to this, Wentworth understood that both Green and Cedric were in jeopardy.

Seeing this, Wentworth urgently called out, “Harry, come out, let’s go first!”

Hearing Wentworth’s call, Harry, who had been watching Green with concern, was taken aback.

He was about to shake his head to refuse but was gently pulled by Hermione beside him.

Hermione again pointed her wand at Harry Potter and exclaimed, “Flame-Freezing Charm!”

Then, Hermione pushed Harry, speaking loudly to ensure she was heard, “Go! Get out of here! Leave them be, and leave with Wentworth!”

On the other side, Quirrell realized that Wentworth had managed to escape his spell.

Just as Quirrell was grappling with how Wentworth had eluded him while his spell remained intact, he witnessed Hermione casting a spell on Harry.

Suddenly, everything became clear on how they managed to run away.

With this revelation, Quirrell felt a twinge of frustration. He wanted to shout at the students before him: “Are you toying with me?!”

While he was fighting with both Green and Cedric, he couldn’t help but admit that their talents were undeniable.

In doing so, he might have forgotten to look after Wentworth and Cassandra, who are trying to escape right now.

“How could a first-year girl, who had just emerged, possess knowledge of an obscure spell like the Flame-Freezing Charm?” Quirell lamented.

However, Quirrell understood that now was not the time to dwell on these matters.

Before Voldemort could express his anger again, Quirrell took the initiative and shouted, “Where do you think you’re going? Stay right here!”

Subsequently, a potent spell surged towards Cedric.

Despite Cedric’s defenses, his fate remained uncertain as Green was sent flying backward.

Without Green’s restraining influence, Cedric could only hastily counter the spell. Although he successfully disrupted the curse, Cedric was still pushed back by its force, taking a few steps before regaining his balance.

At this moment, Quirrell had already soared in the direction of Wentworth and Harry.

Simultaneously, relying on Hermione’s Flame-Freezing Charm, Harry and Hermione bypassed Quirrell’s spell and reached Wentworth’s side.

“Senior Wentworth, Quirrell is coming at us!” Harry urgently warned.

At that moment, Wentworth was engrossed in unraveling the curses afflicting Cassandra one by one.

Upon hearing Harry’s alert, Wentworth swiftly pushed Cassandra, still under the influence of the curses, onto Hermione’s shoulders, instructing, “Take her away quickly!”

Understanding the urgency, Hermione seized Cassandra and stepped back.

Now, only Wentworth and Harry remained, facing the oncoming Quirrell.

“I won’t show any mercy on you, Quirell!” Wentworth exclaimed furiously.