"Alright, lower your wands!"
At that moment, Wentworth suddenly spoke, addressing Carrow and the others.
Hearing Wentworth's command, Rosier, Abernathy, and the rest hesitated briefly but ultimately complied, lowering their wands as instructed.
Carrow, however, was reluctant and called out, "Master!"
It was only when he saw Wentworth furrow his brow in displeasure that Carrow begrudgingly withdrew his wand.
In truth, everyone present understood that the few wizards of the Pureblood Party gathered here stood no chance of detaining Dumbledore.
After all, just last term, Dumbledore had single-handedly faced off against over a dozen elite wizard hunters while protecting a young and inexperienced Wentworth—without even breaking a sweat.
Seeing that everyone had lowered their wands, Wentworth opened the door with a smile and said to Dumbledore, "My apologies, Headmaster Dumbledore. They are my family's guards, responsible for ensuring my safety. Please, come in!"
Wentworth was well aware that Dumbledore knew his true identity, but as long as it remained unspoken, some things were best left unsaid.
Welcoming Dumbledore and Hagrid inside, Wentworth gestured for Rosier and the others to leave. When they hesitated, he gave them a reassuring glance, and only then did they exchange looks before vanishing into the night.
Returning to the room, Wentworth quickly poured tea for both Dumbledore and Hagrid. As he set the cups down, Dumbledore spoke.
"Wentworth, we've actually been here for a while. We saw the light in your room turn on, so we decided to knock."
Wentworth sat down across from Dumbledore, grinning. "Headmaster, I had only gotten up for a drink of water. If you hadn't knocked, I would already be back in bed by now!"
Though Wentworth had no idea why Dumbledore was visiting at this hour, he was certain it wouldn't be for anything he particularly wanted to do.
Sure enough, without preamble, Dumbledore continued, "There's something I need you and Hagrid to take care of."
A large question mark seemed to float above Wentworth's head. Seeing his confusion, Dumbledore explained, "I need you and Hagrid to help escort a new Hogwarts student."
Wentworth's heart skipped a beat. Before he could respond, Dumbledore elaborated, "This student's circumstances are… unique. His parents passed away in an accident when he was very young, and he has been living with Muggle relatives who are, unfortunately, not very welcoming to our world. We have sent his Hogwarts acceptance letter multiple times, but his relatives keep refusing to acknowledge it. That's why I need you and Hagrid to personally deliver the message and bring him to Diagon Alley to get his school supplies."
Upon hearing Dumbledore's explanation, Wentworth immediately understood who he was talking about—there could be no doubt that this student was none other than the famous Harry Potter.
However, Wentworth had no desire to get entangled with Harry Potter's affairs. He already had enough troubles of his own and certainly didn't need to add more. He quickly protested, "Headmaster Dumbledore, I only just got home last night. Hogwarts starts tomorrow, and I am completely exhausted. I'm still just a twelve-year-old kid! I think I deserve some rest."
Dumbledore listened to Wentworth's response with a calm gaze, his piercing blue eyes locking onto Wentworth's. Alarmed, Wentworth immediately strengthened his Occlumency defenses.
After a moment, Dumbledore asked, "Wentworth, you already know who I'm talking about, don't you?"
Wentworth sighed, realizing he couldn't hide anything from Dumbledore. With a wry smile, he admitted, "Of course. It has to be the Boy Who Lived, Harry Potter. It's certainly not Neville Longbottom, is it?"
Dumbledore chuckled, his eyes twinkling. "Excellent. That means you already know a bit about him—how fortunate! Your task is to accompany Hagrid, collect Harry, help him buy his school supplies, and ensure he boards the Hogwarts Express."
Wentworth balked at Dumbledore's assumption. "Wait, wait, wait! Headmaster, I don't recall agreeing to this. You can't just decide for me!"
Dumbledore paused, then turned his gaze to Wentworth's coat pocket. With a knowing look, he mused, "Newt wrote to me, mentioning that you 'borrowed' a Bowtruckle from him. He asked me to help retrieve it. Wentworth, you wouldn't be planning to take that Bowtruckle to Hogwarts, would you? I recall that Bowtruckles are not on the approved list of pets for students."
Immediately, Wentworth's expression changed to one of exaggerated sincerity. With a resolute tone, he declared, "Headmaster Dumbledore, as a senior student at Hogwarts, it is my duty to assist and support younger students in need. I, Wentworth, shall accept this mission without hesitation!"
Dumbledore smiled in satisfaction, patting Wentworth on the shoulder as he stood up. "I knew you would agree. You are an excellent student, Wentworth—I have no doubt you won't disappoint me. I shall take my leave now. The rest is up to Hagrid."
Just as he reached the door, Dumbledore turned back and added, "By the way, your tea is rather weak—reminds me of the tea I once had in the East. I much prefer sweet tea."
Once Dumbledore had departed, Wentworth slumped in his seat, his face filled with resignation. Turning to Hagrid, he asked, "So, Hagrid, what now?"
Hagrid looked slightly sheepish. "Sorry, Wentworth, but could I borrow your oven? Tomorrow is Harry's birthday, and I wanted to bake him a cake. I left in such a hurry this morning that I didn't get the chance. We can all share it with him once we pick him up!"
Hearing this, Wentworth's mind immediately recalled the description of Hagrid's baking skills from the books—particularly his infamous rock-hard rock cakes. He shuddered involuntarily.
Hurriedly, Wentworth ushered Hagrid to sit down and assured him, "You're a guest in my home, Hagrid. How could I possibly let you do the work?"
With that, Wentworth stepped outside and called over Rosier and Abernathy. "Grandpa Abernathy, could you fetch me a birthday cake? The best one available! Or, if possible, have the house-elves make one."
After Abernathy left to handle the request, Wentworth turned back to Hagrid and said, "Just wait a little while, Hagrid. Soon, we'll be off to fetch Harry Potter!"
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