Hogwarts: Third Dark Lord

Rufus's words caused Dumbledore to pause momentarily, as though frozen in place. Meanwhile, Rufus simply stood silently, observing both Dumbledore and Wentworth. For a brief moment, an uneasy silence hung over the scene.

At that very instant, the rustling sound of footsteps emanated from a nearby dense forest.

The faint "shh-shh-shh" noise immediately drew the attention of every wizard present. Rufus, Dumbledore, and Wentworth all turned toward the direction of the sound simultaneously. Some of the Aurors even raised their wands, pointing them toward the origin of the noise.

Suddenly, a loud "pop" was accompanied by a dazzling flash of white light. Against the backdrop of the dark night, it stood out starkly. Emerging from the woods was a woman with exaggerated curls, holding a notebook and a quill. Behind her trailed a man with a camera slung around his neck.

Upon seeing the woman, a flicker of displeasure crossed Rufus's face, while Dumbledore's expression grew darker.

"Well, well, fancy meeting so many prominent figures here at such a late hour. Tell me, Mr. Rufus, our Ministry of Magic's new Head of the Auror Office, and Mr. Dumbledore, esteemed Headmaster of Hogwarts, what brings you here at this ungodly hour?"

The woman with glasses scanned Rufus and Dumbledore with a curious gaze as she spoke. To Wentworth's astonishment, the quill in the woman's hand began writing automatically in the notebook.

Witnessing this strange sight, a name abruptly popped into Wentworth's mind—Rita Skeeter.

When her gaze shifted from Rufus and Dumbledore to Wentworth, her eyes lit up as if she had stumbled upon something extraordinary.

She suddenly snatched the camera from the man behind her and snapped several pictures of Wentworth and Dumbledore. The bright flashes were so intense that Wentworth had to turn away, squinting his eyes.

"Rita Skeeter? What are you doing here? The Ministry of Magic is conducting an official operation, so I must ask you to leave!"

Before Dumbledore could respond, Rufus stepped forward and addressed Rita Skeeter sharply.

Hearing Rufus address the woman by name, Wentworth confirmed his suspicions and inwardly thought, This is bad.

As expected, Rita Skeeter appeared unfazed by Rufus's authority. She, the notorious reporter, did not even bother responding to his questions. Instead, her attention remained fixed on Dumbledore and Wentworth.

Rita Skeeter approached Wentworth with a brisk trot, her expression alight with curiosity, and asked with a saccharine smile, "I know you, child. You're a student at Hogwarts. Not long ago, Dumbledore took you to the Quidditch World Cup finals. So here's the question: why did Dumbledore choose you out of all the Hogwarts students? Is there something... special about your relationship with him?"

Wentworth put on an innocent, confused expression and responded, "Auntie, I don't understand what you mean."

Rita Skeeter's face twitched at his response, and she gritted her teeth. "Auntie?!"

Dumbledore took a step forward, positioning himself between Wentworth and Rita Skeeter. His gaze sharpened as he addressed her in a firm tone, "Rita, I advise you to stay away from my student."

Unperturbed, Rita Skeeter maintained her overly saccharine smile and retorted, her voice dripping with insinuation, "Of course, Headmaster Dumbledore. But tell me, what could possibly bring you and a student to such a place at this late hour, causing such a commotion? Surely there's no secret you wouldn't want to share?"

Dumbledore frowned and replied curtly, "I don't believe I owe you an explanation for my whereabouts."

Rita Skeeter raised an eyebrow and replied in an exaggerated tone, "So, Headmaster Dumbledore, are you saying that whatever you're doing in the middle of the forest with a student is too secret to reveal? What a fascinating response! I'm sure the readers will be absolutely intrigued!"

Hearing this, Wentworth finally understood why Hermione and her friends in the original stories despised Rita Skeeter so much.

Before Wentworth could speak, Dumbledore grabbed his arm and turned to Rufus. "Rufus, I'll take Wentworth back to Hogwarts now. If there are any updates, please let me know when it's convenient."

Rufus nodded promptly. "Of course, Headmaster Dumbledore. Additionally, if I require your assistance in the investigation, I trust you'll cooperate."

Dumbledore nodded slowly in response.

Meanwhile, Rita Skeeter's interest piqued upon overhearing their exchange. However, perhaps realizing she wouldn't extract any useful information from Dumbledore or feeling some trepidation toward his authority, she turned her attention back to Rufus.

Rufus, however, ignored her completely, walking away to oversee the Aurors at work.

Taking advantage of Rita Skeeter's distraction, Dumbledore wasted no time in whisking Wentworth away via Apparition.

When they reappeared in front of the gates of Hogwarts Castle, Wentworth immediately spotted Professor Ilona waiting for them.

"Professor Ilona, you're here?"

Seeing her standing in the cold wind, Wentworth was touched and momentarily at a loss for words.

Professor Ilona hurried toward him, scrutinizing him carefully. Once she confirmed he was unharmed, she breathed a sigh of relief.

"I told you, Professor Ilona, I would ensure Wentworth's safety," Dumbledore said gently.

Still visibly upset, Professor Ilona replied stiffly, "Headmaster Dumbledore, I have never doubted your abilities. However, my students' lives are precious, and I cannot bear to see them in harm's way!"

Dumbledore gave no direct response to her words, merely nudging Wentworth lightly. "Go on to your dormitory, Wentworth. I imagine your friends must be worried about you."

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