Late at night, Cedric Diggory finally returned to the outskirts of Hogwarts Castle, accompanied by his father, Amos Diggory. Waiting for them there was Albus Dumbledore, standing in the shadowy glow of the castle's entrance.
Before their arrival, Amos had sent a letter to Dumbledore, explaining that Cedric had left Hogwarts out of concern for his father. He expressed hope that the Headmaster would overlook his son's transgression.
While the two approached the castle, Cassandra opened her eyes in her dormitory within the Slytherin common room. Silently, she dressed and slipped out, unseen, into the dimly lit corridors of Hogwarts.
She navigated her way to the fourth floor and stopped in front of a large mirror. Whispering softly, she triggered the mirror to rotate, revealing a secret passage behind it. After a quick glance to ensure she wasn't being followed, Cassandra entered the hidden passage and disappeared.
At the same time, Amos handed Cedric over to Dumbledore, bowing slightly with an apologetic smile.
"I'm terribly sorry for the trouble, Professor Dumbledore."
Dumbledore, ever kind, patted Cedric gently on the head and smiled warmly.
"It's quite alright, Amos. Cedric is an exemplary Hufflepuff—a shining example of Hufflepuff courage and loyalty."
Hearing Dumbledore's praise, Amos's smile brightened even further. The two men exchanged a few words about Amos's own school days at Hogwarts before Amos bid farewell to the Headmaster and left.
With Amos gone, Dumbledore held Cedric's hand and led him back toward the castle.
Meanwhile, not far from Hogwarts, in the quiet village of Hogsmeade, Cassandra stood nervously in front of a house adorned with crimson lanterns. After a moment of hesitation, she took a deep breath and knocked on the door.
A faint light spilled out as the door creaked open. The moment Cassandra saw the interior, she pushed aside her uncertainty and stepped inside with determination.
As Cedric walked through the familiar grounds of Hogwarts, his initial apprehension began to fade. However, Dumbledore's calm voice suddenly cut through the silence:
"Cedric, did you join the Pureblood Party?"
The unexpected question startled Cedric, and he instinctively blurted out, "How did you know?"
The realization of what he'd just admitted hit him immediately, and he let out a bitter laugh.
Dumbledore, still holding Cedric's hand, continued leading him toward the castle. His voice was steady and kind.
"It's quite simple. I can't think of any other reason why they would allow you to return."
Cedric fell silent for a moment, then replied apologetically, "I'm sorry, Headmaster. I swore not to reveal anything I saw or heard. But I've never done anything to betray Hogwarts."
Dumbledore didn't respond immediately, leaving Cedric with a growing sense of unease. As they neared the castle's entrance, Cedric couldn't help but ask, "Professor Dumbledore, are you going to send me to Azkaban?"
Dumbledore stopped abruptly and looked at Cedric with mild surprise.
"Why? Have you committed a crime?"
Cedric quickly shook his head. "Of course not! I haven't!"
Dumbledore chuckled softly. "Then why would I send you to Azkaban, Cedric? Joining the party was your choice. Everyone has the right to choose their own path. As long as you don't harm others, I will always be your Headmaster."
Back in Hogsmeade, inside an unassuming house, a woman named Christine led Cassandra to a closed door. Pushing it open, she revealed a disheveled middle-aged man bound to a chair.
The sight of the man shattered Cassandra's composure. Tears streamed down her face as she cried out, "Father!" and rushed toward him.
From the doorway, Christine called out coldly, "Thomas Vole, I've brought your daughter. You know what to say to convince her." With that, Christine shut the door behind her, leaving them alone.
Cassandra knelt before her father, her face streaked with tears. "Father, what's going on? Why is this happening?"
Thomas Vole looked at his daughter, clearly pained. He tried to reach out to touch her hair but remembered he was bound. His hands dropped uselessly back to his sides.
Instead of answering her question, he asked, "Do you know who your classmate really is now?"
Cassandra nodded tearfully. Earlier, Christine had revealed Wentworth's true identity to her.
At the same time, Cedric was asking Dumbledore a similar question.
"Professor, did you know Wentworth's identity all along?"
Dumbledore nodded without hesitation, even winking playfully. "Of course, Cedric. I'm the Headmaster of Hogwarts."
Cedric paused, then asked, "Then... is it true that no one at Hogwarts ever thinks to ask Wentworth's surname? Was that your doing as well?"
Dumbledore nodded again, this time with a faint smile. "Not just mine."
Meanwhile, Cassandra asked her father, "Why didn't I ever realize that everyone ignored Wentworth's surname?"
Thomas Vole thought for a moment before replying, "Tell me everything that happened from the moment you boarded the Hogwarts Express until the start-of-term feast."
As Cassandra recounted her memories, she mentioned Professor McGonagall personally meeting the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at the station. Thomas's expression darkened.
"Hogwarts doesn't have a tradition of the Deputy Headmaster meeting new professors at the station. This was Dumbledore's plan from the beginning."
Seeing Cassandra's confusion, Thomas continued, "In the outside world, making people subconsciously forget someone's surname would be difficult. But in a controlled environment like Hogwarts, especially with Dumbledore there, it's much easier.
"Spells like the Confundus Charm can accomplish this, or perhaps Dumbledore developed a spell of his own."
At the castle's entrance, Dumbledore explained to Cedric, "With a few modifications to the Confundus Charm, it's entirely possible. However, it only works within Hogwarts. That's why, whenever Wentworth leaves the castle, I accompany him to ensure the spell remains effective."
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