Conflict

Seeing Green admit so cleanly that he was no match for Vane, Wentworth didn't know what expression to wear for a moment.

Green himself seemed a bit embarrassed, but still explained in a low voice:

"Wentworth, although I also hate these Slytherin guys, I have to admit one thing: most of these fellows from pure-blood wizarding families do have higher talent, and some even possess magic unique to their families. I am indeed no match for Vane."

Hearing Green's explanation and seeing Vane, who had become arrogant again and was about to escort Cassandra away, Wentworth stepped forward regardless.

"Stop! Do you intend to just leave like this?"

Vane's attention had been entirely on Green, so Wentworth's sudden appearance gave him quite a start. But when Vane saw clearly that the person stepping out was just a first-year student who had only been at Hogwarts for a few days, he laughed with disdain.

"Little guy, what do you want?"

Wentworth walked to the very front of the Hufflepuff camp and said, neither humble nor pushy:

"That is a question I should be asking you, Senior Vane. You blocked my path with your people; what is your intention? To slap my face? To slap my face is to slap the face of Hufflepuff! It is to slap the face of Hufflepuff's thousand-year legacy!"

Seeing Wentworth, a mere first-year student, dare to stand up and provoke him, causing him to lose face in front of Cassandra, Vane roared with uncontrollable rage:

"I am slapping your Hufflepuff faces! What can you do about it? A bunch of mud... half-blood born fellows, I am a noble pure-blood wizard!"

Vane's roar echoed through the corridor outside the Hogwarts Great Hall, but he wasn't beyond saving yet; the word "mudblood" ultimately didn't pass his lips. Wentworth felt a tinge of regret at this, but it was enough.

The heavy breathing behind him told Wentworth that the fury of Hufflepuff was about to be ignited.

Wentworth gently raised a finger and waved it at Vane, saying:

"Senior Vane, I think there is one thing you haven't made clear! Regardless of what families we come from in the outside world, once we enter Hogwarts and pick up our wands, we are all wizards! There is no difference between a Slytherin spell and a Hufflepuff spell! They both hurt when they hit someone!"

At this point, Wentworth's voice suddenly rose:

"We are the friendly Hufflepuffs, but we are also the Hufflepuffs who do not fear hardship. If we let you leave just like this, I fear we would have no face to look at the statue of Helga Hufflepuff in the future!"

Hearing Wentworth's words, Green and the others behind him let out a cheer, and a clamor began to rise.

Vane, however, still said dismissively:

"I'm leaving, what can you do? You think you can stop me? Have you even attended a Charms class? Can you cast even a single spell?"

Wentworth spread his hands nonchalantly and said with feigned helplessness:

"I certainly cannot stop you, Senior Vane, but as I said, the face you are slapping belongs to the entire Hufflepuff house!"

Just then, Vane felt someone tugging gently at the corner of his robe.

"What?"

Vane roared in a low, impatient voice.

But immediately, when Vane followed the finger of the person behind him and looked around, he realized that, without him noticing, his group had been surrounded by Hufflepuff students.

On the other side, Wentworth whispered to Green and Cedric:

"Since we can't win in a one-on-one fight, we can always gang up! Don't forget, we Hufflepuffs have the largest number of students! Sometimes, quantity is more useful than quality!"

Cedric seemed a bit embarrassed and wanted to say something, but held back, while Green listened with great interest, occasionally taking out paper and a pen to jot down a few notes.

Just then, seeing that the situation was exceeding her plans, Cassandra couldn't help but step forward and say:

"Wentworth, are you trying to declare war on us Slytherins on behalf of Hufflepuff?!"

It had to be said that Cassandra was much smarter than Vane; with one sentence, she shifted the blame for inciting the conflict onto Wentworth!

If Wentworth said yes, then when the school investigated later, it would be Hufflepuff actively looking for trouble with Slytherin. If Wentworth said no, then all his previous efforts would have been in vain.

But Wentworth did not answer Cassandra's question directly; instead, he said with feigned surprise:

"Cassandra, what are you saying? How did this become a declaration of war between Hufflepuff and Slytherin? Just a moment ago, Vane called the Gryffindors fools, and the Gryffindor students haven't even declared war on you yet!"

As soon as Wentworth finished speaking, the scene went instantly quiet. The Gryffindor students had been happily watching the drama, never expecting the seeds of conflict to be thrown at them.

"You're lying! I didn't!"

Vane hurriedly denied it. After all, he had already offended one Hufflepuff today; if he added Gryffindor to the mix, he feared he wouldn't be able to walk out of here.

"You say you didn't? Then do you dare swear on the name of Merlin? Or the name of Slytherin will do! You had better think clearly; you represent not just yourself, but the face of Slytherin!"

Wentworth said leisurely from the side.

Seeing that Vane dared not swear, the Gryffindor students finally believed that Vane had indeed said those things!

Now, the Gryffindor students were equally enraged; one had to know that the temper of Gryffindor was far more volatile than that of Hufflepuff.

Led by the Weasley brothers, many Gryffindors rushed forward instantly. Meanwhile, the Hufflepuffs who had originally surrounded Vane, at a signal from Wentworth, once again demonstrated the friendly house spirit of Hufflepuff by smoothly clearing a path for the Gryffindor students.

Although everyone remained somewhat restrained and did not use magic, the shoving between them was inevitable. Thus, surrounded by the two houses of Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, Vane and his group felt as if they were in a precarious storm.

Vane, who had never suffered such grievances, saw Wentworth looking at him with a playful expression through the gaps in the crowd and could no longer endure the humiliation.

Driven by anger, Vane suddenly pushed aside the people in front of him, took a few quick steps toward Wentworth, and extended his wand, aiming it directly at him!

By the time Wentworth reacted, Vane had already reached him, and Cedric and Coke were so stunned by this sudden turn of events that they failed to react in time.

Just then, a roar came from not far away:

"Stop! Expe... Expelliarmus!"

A spell flew over and struck Vane squarely, sending his wand flying instantly! But Vane himself did not lose his momentum, lunging forward and crashing into Wentworth's arms, embracing him in a collision.