"Don't rush. Isn't this already being done…" "Are you stalling for time? Planning something?!" "No—how could I? You're just so... urgent…" L
"Don't rush. Isn't this already being done…"
"Are you stalling for time? Planning something?!"
"No—how could I? You're just so... urgent…"
Looking deeply troubled, Mr. Worley raised his wand, drawing wisps of white mist from his temple. This was the only way left—to prove his innocence through memory.
He handed the final silvery strand to his wife, sealing it in a glass bottle with trembling fingers. The effort left him shaken, near a nervous collapse. Mrs. Worley, still watching him intently with those large emerald eyes, took it and warned:
"You'd better not be lying to me."
"How could I lie? My dear… don't you trust me anymore? I've always trusted you—"
"Stop! You brought this on yourself."
Turning away, Mrs. Worley addressed Cassandra, who stood nearby, still a bit dazed.
"Baby, take me home. I need the meditation disk to view this."
"Oh… okay," Cassandra said, raising her hand and using the ring on her finger to draw a glowing circle in the air.
"Stab it!"
A shimmering portal appeared in the camp, revealing a bedroom on the other side. Mrs. Worley stepped through and floated to a wardrobe, opening a box to retrieve a small meditation disk.
"Baby, open the door again in ten minutes."
"Alright," Cassandra replied, then dismissed the portal.
She turned back to her father, who looked completely deflated, and helped him sit down.
"Baby… Blake, he—"
"Dad, I know everything. But…" She trailed off, unsure how to finish the sentence.
She frowned, face turning red with suppressed emotion.
Mr. Worley, watching his daughter struggle, sighed. "I couldn't do anything against your mother then, and now, I can't do anything against you either."
"Dad… if Mom was so tough on you, why stay with her?" Cassandra finally asked, clearly puzzled.
She wasn't wishing for a divorce—just trying to understand.
"If you were unhappy, why not leave?"
A smile slowly returned to Mr. Worley's face.
"Unhappy? No, no. Sometimes, it's better to be cared for too much than not at all. And your mother—she's extraordinary. Do you know how lucky I felt to marry her? So many men chased her, but she chose me. How could I ever complain?"
His face lit up at the memory.
"She had top grades, amazing looks—she was dazzling. Of course, boys swarmed around her!"
"Then… did Mom just want to be friends with you?" Cassandra asked curiously.
Mr. Worley chuckled nervously. "Well… she didn't like me much at first. Something happened later that changed things…"
He left it at that, as though unwilling to revisit the full story.
"But yes, she had many friends. I was lucky to stand out among them."
Cassandra's expression turned thoughtful. "Dazzling, huh? I get it now, Dad."
Mr. Worley blinked. Something felt off.
Cassandra murmured, "Isn't Blake… just like that? Too outstanding, too dazzling…"
His eyes widened in horror. No, this wasn't the point! He wanted her to see how her mother's brilliance attracted him—not to compare Blake to that!
He wanted Cassandra to follow in her mother's footsteps—be the one chased, not the one doing the chasing!
Why was his daughter taking his old script instead?
He was speechless.
Two weeks before term began, the magical zoo finally opened.
Thanks to Dumbledore's connections, Newt had a full team to handle logistics. Now freed from paperwork, he could enjoy his semi-retirement, spending time with the animals he loved.
The Daily Prophet and The Quibbler heavily promoted the opening, publishing stunning photos of the zoo's magical creatures. The result?
The place was packed on day one.
Who wouldn't want to feed a chimera by hand?
Who could resist flying on a fire dragon?
Horned camel races? Yes, please.
The entry line stretched for kilometers.
The zoo's port entrance, on England's western coast, was warded with powerful enchantments to keep Muggles away. Visitors had to buy tickets there before boarding enchanted cruise ships bound for the unnamed island.
Meanwhile, Blake had already funded the creation of a wizarding town near the port. Souvenir shops, magical creature-themed merchandise, hotels, pubs, restaurants, cafés, and candy shops—it was all there.
All Blake's property.
The influx of tourists turned the once-empty streets into a bustling hub overnight. He became rich just as quickly.
With hotels booked solid, many wizards resorted to camping—creating a scene that rivaled the World Cup grounds. The Ministry of Magic eventually had to ban further camping to avoid exposure.
One week later, Newt stared at the profit ledger with wide eyes.
"100,000 Galleons?" he gasped. "I thought 1,000 a week was generous!"
He read it three times before accepting it was real.
And that was just from the zoo.
As for Blake's town?
Who knew how much it was pulling in.
A spectacled assistant reported, "We charge 500 Lilong per fire-dragon ride around the island. Wealthy wizards love it. That poor black dragon is nearly worn out!"
Newt was floored. A month ago, he'd worried about how to feed the creatures. Now, money wasn't a problem.
"Blake's a genius," Newt whispered. "Feeding magical beasts with money earned from magical beasts…"
Meanwhile, the man himself was giving his friends a tour of the island.
"Ginny, having fun?" Blake asked.
"Yeah! That was amazing!"
Ginny had just landed from a fire dragon ride and was buzzing with excitement. She loved flying—but this was next-level.
The Weasleys, invited as friends, got in for free. Tickets alone would've been a stretch for them, and the zoo's attractions would've been out of reach.
Even Harry, currently staying with the Weasleys, got a hands-on experience with hippogriffs.
Nearby, Blake was chatting with Mr. Weasley about Muggle electricity. "Electricity works like magic for them. It powers their devices…"
Under a tree, Cassandra and Hermione stood watching Blake.
"Why did you call me here?" Hermione asked warily.
She'd come to the zoo with her parents, only to be pulled aside by Cassandra—who was alone.
"This is important," Cassandra said.
Hermione frowned. "What is it?"
Cassandra turned to her, face flushed. "I… I like Blake."
Hermione froze, panic flickering in her eyes. "You… why are you telling me?"
"Because at Hogwarts, I think you're my biggest rival."
Cassandra's tone grew steadier, her mind made up.
"I learned something from my father recently—if you don't fight for something, miracles don't happen."
(Mr. Worley: No! I didn't say that!)
Hermione stiffened. "What are you getting at?"
"I remember you said, 'He'll grow up eventually, so no rush.' But I am in a rush. I'm not waiting. I'm taking action."
Hermione's heart raced. Cassandra was suddenly bold and unstoppable.
"Do you like him?" Cassandra asked bluntly.
"I—I don't…" Hermione's face flushed crimson.
"You don't? Then he's mine," Cassandra said, confidently marching toward Blake.
Hermione grabbed her. "What are you doing?!"
"Confessing."
"You're crazy!"
"Didn't you say you don't like him? Then why stop me?"
Hermione hesitated, still gripping Cassandra's arm. "I… I like him too…"
"Perfect. Let's both confess and see who he picks," Cassandra said, smirking.
"You're insane!"
"I'm not sleepy!"
Hermione bit her lip. "What if… he chooses neither of us?"
Cassandra blinked, momentarily thrown.
"What makes you think he can only pick one of us? You think we're the best girls around?"
Her confidence wavered just slightly.
After a pause, she looked back at Hermione, sly smile returning.
"Alright then… how about we make a bet?"
=============
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