Early the next morning, as Harry and his companions made their way to Hogwarts Hall for breakfast, they encountered Wentworth, who had also come for a meal.

“Good morning, Wentworth. How are you?” Harry was the first one to greet.

“There is no way Wentworth would have a bad day in his life. Looking at him up early this morning awaiting for us, seems like he is going to deliver some good news!” Draco continued with a wide grin on his face.

Wentworth smiled, showing what Draco just speculated might indeed be a truth, “Good morning, Harry, and rightfully, what Draco just said is true.”

“What’s the good news, senior?” Ron asked.

Hermione closed in on him, eager to hear his response, “Have you actually found the love of your life, senior?”

Everyone looked at Hermione and gave her a disapproving stare, “What? It might be possible!” Hermione yelled in disagreement.

Wentworth laughed before patting Hermione’s curly hair.

After exchanging greetings, Wentworth casually remarked, “I’ve completed the task you assigned to me. You can rest assured.”

Harry and the others were taken aback by Wentworth’s statement, prompting Harry to inquire urgently, “That… basilisk, have you taken care of it completely? Is it dead?”

“See? I told you we can tr—” Draco was cut short upon seeing Wentworth’s expression, after he tried to answer Harry’s question.

Wentworth shook his head slowly in response to Harry’s question. Before Harry could press for more details, Wentworth clarified, “The basilisk is still present, but I have addressed the individual responsible for releasing it.”

Just as the group pondered Wentworth’s words, a familiar voice rang out nearby, causing Harry’s expression to shift and Hermione and the others to sigh in resignation.

“Harry, Harry! Over here!”

Turning their attention to the source of the voice, they spotted Harry’s enthusiastic admirer, Colin, racing towards them with a camera in hand.

“Can we get a proper photo this time?” Colin asked loudly with a face full of excitement.

Hermione voiced their collective exasperation, “Why is he here again?!”

“How would I know?! I thought after a series of rejections he would learn his lesson,” Harry yelled in a way he could suppress it for Colin not hear.

In the blink of an eye, Colin dashed up to Harry, snapping a photo with lightning speed before launching into a rapid-fire conversation.

Meanwhile, Hermione sighed, opting to head into the Hogwarts Great Hall, while Draco hurried forward in an attempt to extricate Colin from Harry’s side.

“Listen here, you dolt! You need to stop clinging to Harry like a hamster and start doing something else meaningful with that camera of yours!” Draco remarked, still trying his best to put Colin away from Harry.

Unnoticed by the others, Ron stood silently, observing the scene before him with an expression that belied his true feelings.

If anyone were to catch a glimpse of Ron’s eyes, they’d be taken aback by the intense loathing directed at Colin, who had thrown himself at Harry as though he were about to draw his wand at any moment.

Meanwhile, unaffected by the commotion, Wentworth cast a fleeting glance at the scene before losing interest and making his way briskly into the auditorium, trailed by Cedric and Green.

As they distanced themselves from Harry and the others, Cedric couldn’t contain his curiosity any longer. “Wentworth, what exactly did they do for you?”

Seated at his desk, Wentworth shrugged nonchalantly. “It’s nothing, just a matter concerning the rumor about the secret room. Supposedly, Salazar Slytherin left a basilisk in there. The catch is, the room requires a key to unlock. I managed to obtain the key yesterday and stashed it away.”

Upon hearing Wentworth’s explanation, Cedric and Green had a sudden realization, though neither deemed it a significant event.

However, just one day later, while Wentworth and Cedric were engrossed in studying ancient magical inscriptions in the library, they were startled to see Harry, Hermione, and the others rushing towards them in a frenzy.

Their abrupt appearance disrupted Wentworth’s train of thought, prompting him to cast a displeased glance at the sweaty group before him. “You lot had better come up with a better reason this time,” he admonished.

Gasping for breath, Harry approached Wentworth with a look of horror etched on his face. “Wentworth, didn’t you assure us that the matter in the secret room had been resolved?”

Taken aback by Harry’s question, Wentworth hesitated for a moment before nodding, his expression tinged with doubt. “Yes, the matter was indeed resolved. But what’s happened now?”

Despite his panic, Harry managed to articulate, “Just now, Colin was petrified!”

Cedric exchanged a surprised glance with Wentworth, who, rising abruptly from his seat, exclaimed incredulously, “That’s impossible!”

Yet, observing the distressed expressions of Harry, Hermione, and the others, Wentworth couldn’t shake the conviction that they wouldn’t dare deceive him about such a matter.

As Wentworth, led by Harry and the others, approached the site of Colin’s accident, they encountered Colin being carried out stiffly on a stretcher en route to Hogwarts’ infirmary. Behind them trailed Dumbledore, Snape, and several others, their expressions grave.

Observing this scene, Wentworth’s countenance darkened almost to the point of dripping. Soon after, Cassandra and Green arrived, but the somber atmosphere led them to refrain from further inquiry.

After a moment of silence, Wentworth turned to Harry and the group, instructing, “Return to safety. Be cautious, and remember to protect yourselves. I’ll investigate this matter further. Remember to travel in groups if you have to so you will have a better chance of surviving..”

With that, Wentworth departed, trailed by Cedric, Cassandra, and Green, leaving Harry, Draco, Hermione, and Ron to exchange uncertain glances.

“Take care of yourself, Wentworth!” Draco shouted as he watched Wentworth’s back, leaving them.

Upon reaching the Room of Requirement, Wentworth discovered the hidden diary missing. Gritting his teeth in frustration, he muttered, “He managed to slip away, unexpectedly!”

Witnessing Wentworth’s expression, Cassandra and the others could infer what had transpired.

As Cedric contemplated stepping forward to console him, they heard Wentworth’s intriguing declaration, “Very well, this is interesting! Originally, I only agreed to assist Harry and the others to avoid their constant pestering, but now… You’ve caused me considerable embarrassment. This has become personal!”

Hearing Wentworth’s resolute words, Cedric’s eagerness to intervene suddenly seemed redundant.

Meanwhile, Cassandra interjected softly, “If he can’t handle this, then his tenure as the new leader of the Alliance has been in vain!”

Turning to Cassandra, Wentworth issued a directive, “Cassandra, attempt to establish rapport with Ginny Weasley and ascertain if the diary remains in her possession. I suspect that Tom Riddle may have left something on Ginny’s person. Even if he’s no longer with her, he could still exert influence over her thoughts and actions. Determine whether Ginny returned here after my departure and retrieved the diary.”

Without hesitation, Cassandra acquiesced. Although typically somewhat haughty, she yielded to Wentworth’s commanding tone, offering a terse response, “Understood.”

Wentworth then instructed Green and Cedric, “Our objective is to monitor all Hogwarts students, particularly those exhibiting unusual behavior as of late. Tom Riddle must have someone aiding him!”

“You can count on me!” Green proudly slapped his chest.

Cedric offered a smile, “Roger that!”