As soon as Cassandra finished speaking, the person she was addressing pointed at her, seemingly at a loss for words. After a long pause, they could do nothing but storm off in anger. Meanwhile, Cassandra remained composed, leisurely savoring the Hogwarts feast.
As the evening banquet drew to a close and Headmaster Dumbledore, along with the other professors, had already left, Cassandra made her way directly toward the Hufflepuff table.
Wentworth watched, utterly bewildered, as Cassandra approached him. His face was filled with confusion, not knowing what to expect.
Once she stood before him, Cassandra pointed at Cedric and Kirk, who were seated beside Wentworth, and said boldly,
"Wentworth, I want to be like them. I want to become your… mmmph!"
Before she could finish her sentence, Wentworth's expression changed drastically. He shot up from his seat and quickly covered Cassandra's mouth with his hand.
His sudden movement startled the surrounding students, and curious whispers began to spread.
"Wentworth, what did Cassandra just say? What does she want to become?"
Forcing an awkward smile, Wentworth responded hastily,
"She said she wants to be my friend! Cassandra, we've always been friends, haven't we?"
As he spoke, he grabbed Cassandra's wrist and hurriedly led her out of the Great Hall.
Once they reached a deserted corridor, away from prying eyes, Wentworth finally let go of Cassandra. She wasted no time and immediately declared,
"Wentworth, that's not what I meant! I don't just want to be your friend—I want to be your follower! Just like Cedric and Kirk. They've already joined the Pureblood Party, haven't they? I want to join too!"
Wentworth shot her an exasperated look and snapped,
"Could you keep your voice down? Do you want the whole school to know who I really am?!"
But Cassandra only smiled knowingly and countered,
"If you don't want them to know, then let me join your Pureblood Party."
Without hesitation, Wentworth refused outright, "No way! Don't even think about it!"
Cassandra furrowed her brows, clearly frustrated. "Why not? Is it because I'm not good enough? I don't think I'm any less capable than Cedric or Kirk! We're in the same year, and anything they can do, I can do too! Or… is it because I'm a girl?"
Hearing this, Wentworth immediately pointed at Cassandra and warned, "I'm telling you now—that's not it at all! Don't start throwing punches at me over this!"
With a sigh, he began to explain, "Cassandra, think for a second. Where do you think we are? This is Hogwarts! And the headmaster here is Albus Dumbledore!"
"Dumbledore may allow me to study at Hogwarts, but he would never allow me to establish the Pureblood Party here!"
"If he ever found out that I was recruiting his students, right under his nose, in his own school… what do you think would happen to me?!"
Cassandra frowned at his words and questioned, "Then what about Cedric and Kirk?"
Seeing her unwavering determination, Wentworth sighed and continued,
"Their situation is different. Ever since I first arrived at Hogwarts, the three of us have always been together. Every professor and student knows that. So, them joining the Pureblood Party doesn't draw much suspicion."
"But you're different. If you suddenly started following us everywhere, it would be impossible not to attract attention. And don't forget—you're a Slytherin! A proud Slytherin!"
Cassandra's determination wavered for a moment, replaced by a wave of disappointment. She had never expected that even when she willingly pledged her loyalty, she would be turned away.
But after a brief silence, she straightened her posture, her eyes once again filled with resolve. Looking directly into Wentworth's gaze, she declared,
"Wentworth, I won't give up. Even if you refuse me now, I will continue following in your footsteps, without hesitation!"
Wentworth blinked. "…??? Suit yourself."
When he finally returned to the Hufflepuff common room, Cedric and Kirk were already waiting for him. The moment Wentworth stepped inside, they both rushed up to him.
"What did you and Cassandra talk about?" Cedric asked, intrigued.
Wentworth recounted the conversation he had just had with Cassandra.
When he got to the part where she declared her desire to join the Pureblood Party, Cedric immediately stretched out his hand toward Kirk. With a resigned sigh, Kirk shook his head, pulled a Galleon from his pocket, and placed it in Cedric's palm.
Wentworth looked at them, stunned. "??? Were you two betting on me?!"
Cedric chuckled awkwardly, slipping the coin into his pocket before explaining,
"It was Kirk—he was convinced Cassandra wanted to confess her love to you. I said there was no way that was the case, so we made a little bet."
Hearing this, Wentworth's face darkened. He looked at Cedric furiously and snapped,
"And why exactly do you think that's impossible? Am I not handsome enough? Or not talented enough?!"
Cedric: "???"
The three of them bickered for a while before finally heading off to their dormitories to rest after a long day of traveling.
But after Cedric and Wentworth had gone their separate ways, Kirk lingered outside his dormitory for a moment, then abruptly turned and walked out of the Hufflepuff common room.
Without hesitation, he made his way straight to the entrance of the Slytherin common room. As he stood before the entrance, a sharp glint flashed in his eyes.
Then, stopping a passing Slytherin student, he said,
"Could you fetch Cassandra Vole for me? Tell her Kirk from Hufflepuff wishes to speak with her."
A few moments later, Cassandra stepped out of the Slytherin common room, looking puzzled.
"Kirk? What brings you here?"
Kirk gave her a sly smile and asked, "Cassandra, I heard everything you said to Wentworth tonight. Do you truly want to follow in his footsteps?"
Without hesitation, Cassandra nodded firmly.
Seeing her resolve, Kirk grinned and said, "In that case, I have a suggestion for you…"
After hearing Kirk's idea, Cassandra frowned, hesitation flickering across her face. "Are you sure this will work?"
Kirk nodded enthusiastically, radiating confidence.
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