Yes, that's right—the note had been discreetly placed on Professor McGonagall's desk by Wentworth's pet, a Bowtruckle, under his instructions.
The reason for this, of course, stemmed from his agreement with Dumbledore, part of which involved uncovering the mysterious figure lurking in the Forbidden Forest at Hogwarts, hunting unicorns.
Wentworth knew perfectly well that it was none other than Voldemort, possessing Professor Quirrell.
In fact, he suspected that if nothing unexpected happened, Dumbledore likely knew as well.
And so, the scene that had just played out had come to pass.
Watching the events unfold behind him, Wentworth curled his lips into a silent smile.
"Sorry, Harry Potter, but I have no interest in strolling through the dark, eerie Forbidden Forest. I'll just have to let you take my place! Besides, you and Voldemort are destined to face each other—this isn't me using you; it's me doing you a favor!"
With that thought, Wentworth suddenly felt like an exceptionally kind-hearted person.
As expected, things proceeded just as he had predicted. The next day, he learned that Professor McGonagall had punished Harry and the others.
Fifty points deducted per person, plus they were to accompany Hagrid on a patrol of the Forbidden Forest—exactly as it had played out in the original timeline.
Wentworth wasted no time. That very afternoon, he followed Hagrid to the Hog's Head Inn in Hogsmeade.
Hogsmeade, still reeling from recent disturbances, had an air of desolation. When Wentworth and Hagrid entered the Hog's Head, the place was nearly deserted, save for a lone witch in a veil seated in the corner.
The only other presence was the barman, polishing a glass at the counter.
Hagrid clutched a wooden crate in his arms, from which strange noises occasionally emanated.
Distracted, he mumbled a greeting to the barman before, under Wentworth's guidance, heading toward the tavern's sole patron.
"Hagrid, it's been a while."
The veiled witch spoke his name as soon as he approached.
As Hagrid hesitated in surprise, the woman slowly lifted her veil, revealing a familiar face.
Hagrid blinked in astonishment before exclaiming in delight, "Professor Ilona! It's you!"
It was Rosier—once again using her abilities to take on Ilona's appearance—who had come to the Hog's Head.
"Professor, what are you doing here? I heard you resigned as the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts due to health reasons. That was such a shame!"
Hearing this, Rosier smiled and replied, "No need to call me professor anymore—I'm no longer teaching at Hogwarts. Wentworth has filled me in on the details, and as it happens, I have an old connection with his mentor. If you trust me, you can leave that little one with me. I'll take it to Austria."
Hagrid nodded eagerly, beaming. "Of course, Professor! If you're willing to help, that's absolutely wonderful!"
With that, he gently stroked the crate in his arms, his face filled with reluctant affection, before finally handing it over to Rosier.
Seeing Hagrid's downcast expression, Wentworth patted his shoulder reassuringly.
"Don't worry, Hagrid. I can promise you—this little one will be well taken care of!"
At Wentworth's words, Hagrid forced a strained smile, though his eyes were still filled with sorrow.
After exchanging a brief glance with Wentworth, Rosier departed, taking with her the Norwegian Ridgeback hidden inside the crate.
Wentworth, meanwhile, stayed behind with Hagrid, sharing a couple of drinks—though he stuck to pumpkin juice. It wasn't until nightfall that they finally left the Hog's Head.
Just as they returned to Hagrid's hut, still wrapped in a gloomy silence, the sound of footsteps approached. Filch, carrying a lantern, was leading Harry, Draco, and the others toward them.
As Wentworth and Hagrid stepped outside, Filch spotted Wentworth and froze for a moment before his face lit up with glee.
"Ah-ha! Look who we have here! Wentworth—the finest student at Hogwarts, out after curfew! Well, well, well!"
He eyed Wentworth greedily, as if he had just stumbled upon a rare delicacy, practically salivating at the thought of handing out a punishment.
"Wentworth, no matter how much the professors favor you, rules are rules! Breaking curfew means punishment, and no exceptions! I suppose you—"
Before Filch could finish his gloating speech, Wentworth calmly pulled a note from his pocket and pressed it against Filch's forehead.
Initially, Wentworth had planned to let Filch revel in his little moment of triumph before shutting him down with a crushing blow. Unfortunately, Filch's smug expression was so repulsive that Wentworth felt an uncontrollable shiver of discomfort and decided to end the farce immediately.
The moment Filch laid eyes on the note—signed by none other than Dumbledore himself, granting Wentworth permission to move freely through the castle after curfew, including entry into the Forbidden Forest—his face fell.
Disappointment washed over him, his victorious smirk vanishing in an instant.
Filch, who had been poised to mock Harry and Draco next, turned on his heel in frustration and stormed off, lantern swinging violently.
The moment he disappeared from view, Harry and the others erupted into laughter. Draco, in particular, rushed up to Wentworth and declared, "Wentworth, that was brilliant! I've never seen Filch make a face like that before!"
Harry, however, frowned in curiosity and asked, "Wentworth, what are you doing out here so late?"
Wentworth gave Harry an approving look. A perfect setup, he thought.
Feigning concern, he replied, "I heard about Professor McGonagall's punishment for you lot. Honestly, I think it's too harsh! The Forbidden Forest is dangerous, you know! There are werewolves that transform under the full moon, Acromantulas that can swallow people whole, and—"
As Wentworth continued, fear crept onto the faces of Harry and his friends. Ron, in particular, was visibly shaking, on the verge of bolting.
Finally, Wentworth paused, his tone shifting to one of noble resolve.
"Luckily for you, Headmaster Dumbledore's permission allows me to move freely after curfew—even into the Forbidden Forest. So, I've decided to go with you, just in case anything happens!"
Hearing this, the group was overcome with gratitude. Draco even attempted to hug Wentworth, only to be promptly shoved away.
Unbothered, Draco muttered darkly, "Whoever ratted us out to McGonagall… If I find out who left that note, I swear I'll have my father send them straight to Azkaban!"
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