Chapter 204 "The Time Is Night"

Upon witnessing his past life in the Mirror of Erised, Wentworth's initial instinct was to shield his exposed secret.

Subconsciously, he drew his wand, contemplating the idea of shattering the revealing mirror before him.

However, a moment of clarity struck, and Wentworth realized that the mirror's visions seemed exclusive to him alone. Thus, he hesitated.

Uncovering even the deepest secrets was possible in the magical world filled with wonders, despite one's proficiency in Occlumency.

After much contemplation, Wentworth resolved to leave the Mirror of Erised untouched. The abrupt destruction of the mirror would raise suspicions, and Wentworth aimed to avoid unnecessary attention.

Nonetheless, the revelation of his long-buried secret left Wentworth far from tranquil. Throughout the return journey, he maintained a contemplative silence.

Observing Wentworth's demeanor, Cedric and Green wisely refrained from pressing him with questions. The trio silently made their way back to Hufflepuff's common room, each lost in their own thoughts.

However, as soon as he settled into bed, Green, exhausted from the day's events, was on the verge of drifting into restful slumber. Despite it being the second day of Halloween, an unexpected surge of warmth emanated from his chest, stirring him awake.

Perplexed, Green's mind raced as he attempted to make sense of the sensation. In a sudden revelation, he recalled something crucial.

Springing out of bed, he retrieved a playing card from his chest—the special card gifted to him by Cassandra. As he unveiled the card, the stars on its back had shifted, ultimately aligning to form letters that conveyed a message to Green: "At nine o'clock tonight, the Room of Requirement!"

Studying the playing card in his hands, Green mused, "It seems the investment was well worth it."

In the early morning of the following day, Cedric also discovered a message on his star card, waking from his slumber and dressing for the day.

Later, in the Hufflepuff common room, before Wentworth arrived and with no one else paying attention, Green eagerly approached Cedric, urgently inquiring, "Have you received the message from the playing cards?"

Cedric acknowledged with a nod, expressing, "I got it; this deck of cards is truly remarkable! I must say Cassandra's investment on this one is truly worthwhile!"

Just as Cedric and Green shared their excitement, Wentworth approached from his dormitory.

Catching sight of him, Cedric and Green promptly ceased their conversation.

Wentworth joined them, preempting any inquiry by stating, "I have something to attend to today, so I won't be going to dinner with you guys."

Though Cedric and Green were momentarily surprised, they refrained from probing into Wentworth's plans. Instead, they simply nodded and left the Hufflepuff common room ahead of him.

After a brief wait, noticing that most Hufflepuff students had already headed to the Hogwarts auditorium for dinner, Wentworth exited the common room and directed his steps toward the Forbidden Forest.

However, he bypassed the forest entrance and proceeded straight to the Whomping Willow. Accessing the secret passage beneath the tree, Wentworth reached the Shrieking Shack in Hogsmeade Village.

Continuing on, he entered Hogsmeade and navigated through the village along an unfamiliar path until he reached a dwelling, where he came to a halt.

Wentworth confidently approached and rapped on the wooden door. After a brief pause, the door swung open, revealing Rosier.

"Grandma Rosier!" Wentworth greeted with a beaming smile, immediately embracing Rosier.

Abernathy also emerged from the doorway, offering a warm smile. "Good to see you again, Wentworth."

"Wentworth, it's been a while. You've grown taller again! How have you been?" Rosier remarked with a chuckle.

The trio entered the house and settled down.

Abernathy poured a cup of tea for Wentworth, and Rosier, eager for answers, inquired, "Wentworth, we received an owl letter early this morning and hurried over. You were quite late yesterday, and you seemed anxious to write to me. What happened?"

Wentworth took a sip of the tea, then retrieved a box from his belongings. "Grandma Rosier, I brought something from Hogwarts."

Observing Wentworth's actions, Rosier accepted the box and carefully opened it, revealing a single stone.

Recognizing the significance, Rosier asked, "What is this stone?"

Wentworth grinned and explained, "This stone is the legendary Philosopher's Stone!"

Upon hearing Wentworth's revelation, Rosier, despite having weathered numerous challenges, couldn't help but tremble.

The stone nearly slipped from her grasp, and Abernathy, standing beside her, widened his eyes in disbelief.

Wentworth emphasized, "It's the Philosopher's Stone crafted by Nicolas Flamel himself!"

Astonished, Abernathy exclaimed, "My God, how did you manage to acquire such a thing from Hogwarts, right under Dumbledore's nose?"

Wentworth furrowed his brow and retorted, "This can't be considered stealing. In the wizarding world, can it truly be called stealing? I simply couldn't bear to see Dumbledore using such a valuable item as bait."

Abernanthy's expression remained puzzled, but Rosier, brimming with excitement, interjected, "Wentworth, undertaking such a perilous mission to secure the Philosopher's Stone, do you believe..."

Sensing Rosier's hesitation, Wentworth nodded and affirmed, "You're right, Grandma Rosier. Find a way to deliver this Philosopher's Stone to my grandfather. I believe he needs it. We, the Alliance, could also make use of it!"

Hearing Wentworth's revelation, Rosier, Abernathy, and Wentworth engaged in an animated conversation.

Abernathy, displaying sudden excitement, exclaimed, "Yes! Why didn't I think of it? Now that we possess the Philosopher's Stone, we can create the Elixir of Life! If our Lord and the wizards of our Alliance have an ample supply of the elixir, then we..."

Abernathy abruptly halted his speech, allowing the unspoken implications to linger in the air as all three individuals comprehended the unspoken plan.

Rosier continued, "Not only that, with the Philosopher's Stone in our possession, the allure of the Elixir of Life will serve as a powerful incentive for our Alliance to attract more wizards. No one can resist the temptation of immortality!"

Subsequently, they discussed their current situation.

Rosier briefed Wentworth on the recent activities of the Alliance members.

Wentworth didn't return to Hogwarts until evening.

Upon Wentworth's departure, Abernathy eagerly asked, " When will we visit the former Lord?"

Rosier smiled faintly and responded, "Not yet, Abernathy. I believe even when the time we've gotten ourselves self the Philosopher's Stone was already seen by him," Taking a pause as she examined the Philosopher's Stone, "Under the surveillance of the Aurors and even Dumbledore himself, it would be quite a task to get him out of Azkaban even with this stone on our possession. For now, let's see how our Young Lord fares in the current situation."

Abernathy nodded upon hearing Rosier's response; although the plans were laid out before them and the time was nigh for them to reunite with Gellert Grindelwald, alas, they must wait for the perfect time so minimum casualties can be ensured.

"We got news from Christine on the other hand," Abernathy informed.