The next morning, as Wentworth stepped out of his dormitory, he saw Cedric waiting for him. Their eyes met briefly, and they both exchanged a knowing smile.
Cedric solemnly handed back the pendant that Wentworth had lent him and leaned in to whisper, "Thank you."
Hearing Cedric's gratitude, Wentworth smiled and asked, "You met them?"
Cedric nodded firmly.
"They're actually good people," Wentworth added, emphasizing the point.
Though Wentworth wasn't entirely sure what had transpired, he could only imagine that the "old folks" at home must have used some dark magic to rescue Cedric from the battlefield. That thought was why he spoke with such certainty.
However, Cedric's smile froze momentarily at Wentworth's comment. Before either could say more, Kirk approached from a distance.
"Cedric, you're back! That's a relief. When Wentworth told me what happened yesterday, I was scared out of my wits! Oh, by the way, is your father alright?" Kirk exclaimed, pulling Cedric into a heavy hug before stepping back to ask.
As they chatted, the three of them made their way to the Great Hall for breakfast.
Once seated, Kirk couldn't contain his curiosity and asked, "Cedric, tell me—what really happened yesterday?"
The atmosphere in the Great Hall that morning was filled with hushed whispers. Many students were already aware of the events that had unfolded in London the previous day.
Wentworth, his curiosity piqued, leaned in eagerly. Just imagining the scene from yesterday was enough to stir excitement.
Cedric, prepared to share the carefully crafted explanation he had thought through, was interrupted by the sound of countless owls screeching as they swooped into the Great Hall.
"I think the answer you're looking for has already arrived," Cedric said with a bitter smile, gesturing to the owls now delivering the morning mail.
Sure enough, along with letters from parents, the latest issue of the Daily Prophet arrived.
The headline on the front page screamed: "A Battle to the Death!"
The article was lengthy, but its summary was straightforward:
The article reported that the Grindelwald supporters, who had once terrorized Europe and the Americas, had returned, only to be met with fierce resistance from the British Ministry of Magic. Under the leadership of Minister Cornelius Fudge, the Ministry heroically stood its ground and fought valiantly.
In the end, the enraged followers of Grindelwald resorted to kidnapping a Hogwarts student in an attempt to force the Ministry into submission. But Minister Fudge, demonstrating exceptional political acumen, negotiated the student's release by exchanging a few insignificant Dark wizards.
What followed was a lengthy tribute to the Ministry of Magic and Fudge, complete with a photograph of Fudge smiling smugly during an interview.
Around the Great Hall, students were abuzz with discussion about the article. But Wentworth and Kirk sat frozen, staring at Cedric with stunned expressions.
"The student mentioned in the article... that's not you, is it?" Kirk asked, pointing at Cedric and then at the paper, disbelief written all over his face.
Cedric blushed deeply and nodded.
"...Hsss..."
Both Kirk and Wentworth sucked in a sharp breath simultaneously.
Before they could respond, a few shrill voices from nearby called out:
"Look at the latest issue of The Quibbler!"
Thanks to Kirk's status as Hufflepuff prefect and a bit of rule-bending, a copy of The Quibbler quickly found its way to their table.
Unlike the Daily Prophet, The Quibbler's front page featured only a single photograph.
In the photo, under a dark, oppressive sky, two distinct groups of wizards stood in a tense standoff on a London street.
Though there were no words on the front page, the photo alone radiated a suffocating sense of tension, as if the storm of battle was about to break.
Turning to the second page, the article detailed the events leading up to, during, and following the battle. The closing remarks, however, were what truly stood out:
"I believe we must face an undeniable truth—legend has now become reality."
The article ended with another photograph, this one of the wreckage-strewn streets of London, showing the devastation left in the battle's wake. The ruins told a stark story, painting a picture far more harrowing than the Daily Prophet's sanitized version.
Wentworth stared at the photo and then at Cedric. Placing a hand over his chest dramatically, he exclaimed, "By Merlin, I can't believe I'm sitting here having breakfast with you at Hogwarts! Thank Merlin for this!"
He raised his goblet of pumpkin juice in mock salute before downing it in one gulp.
Kirk, equally shaken, added, "Yeah, surviving an encounter with the followers of the first Dark Lord, Gellert Grindelwald, is nothing short of a miracle. You really should thank Merlin!"
"Pfft!"
The moment Kirk's words left his mouth, Wentworth sprayed his pumpkin juice everywhere, drenching Kirk's face.
The entire Hufflepuff table erupted into exclamations.
"Oh, heavens! What's gotten into you two?"
Cedric jumped to his feet instinctively. But when he turned to look at Kirk and Wentworth, he found them both frozen in identical expressions of shock.
"Scourgify!"
Thankfully, they were at Hogwarts, and with the help of some nearby students, Kirk no longer had to walk around with pumpkin juice all over his face.
"I'm going back to take a shower!" Kirk declared before storming out of the Great Hall.
After helping clean up, Cedric turned back to Wentworth, only to find him still sitting there, dazed.
Green's words echoed relentlessly in Wentworth's mind.
The first Dark Lord, Gellert Grindelwald?
The first Dark Lord, Gellert Grindelwald!
Grindelwald. That name sounded awfully familiar. Wasn't that... his own surname?
Who was he, then?
Faced with this ultimate philosophical question, Wentworth suddenly felt his mind spiraling into chaos.
Could it be? Was he... the heir to darkness?
"Wentworth?" Cedric's voice broke through his thoughts.
Wentworth turned to Cedric with a strained, almost tearful smile and said, "I think I need to visit the library."
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