This is why I have high blood pressure…

Mr. Worley found himself burdened by troubles he could not easily voice. Something had been gnawing at him, a discomfort that began when his daughter, Cassandra, returned home. She had grown distant, and her once-affectionate demeanour toward him had shifted into something colder, more detached. Adding to his unease, his wife had noticed the peculiar sunflower Cassandra had brought back. After a whispered conversation with their daughter, even she began to look at him in an unsettling way.

Over the three days of Cassandra's vacation, Mr. Worley had felt more stress than he cared to admit. Through bits of conversation with his wife, he finally pieced together the source of the tension. The answer lay in Blake, the talented young wizard who had captured Cassandra's interest. Apparently, when they'd arrived at the station, Cassandra had invited Blake to visit their home. Blake had been about to accept, but a single glare from Mr. Worley had stopped him in his tracks. Cassandra had confided this to her mother, who promptly shared it with Mr. Worley—along with her disappointment.

Mrs. Worley was not subtle in her critique. "Blake is not just any boy," she had emphasized. "He's brilliant. He's cultivated a magical plant with limitless potential, and he's clearly interested in Cassandra. And yet, your attitude may drive him away. Do you realize what a mistake that would be?"

Now, under immense pressure from his wife, Mr. Worley had no choice but to make amends. He resolved to speak to Blake and perhaps even apologize. However, the thought of doing so left him sweaty and nervous. Meanwhile, Blake, who had already gleaned the entire story through Legilimency, decided to have some fun with the situation.

When Mr. Worley approached him, Blake adopted a look of exaggerated sorrow. "Uncle, I understand what you mean," Blake said, his voice thick with feigned emotion. "I'll stay away from Cassandra. I know a poor boy like me isn't worthy of the Woley family. You don't have to say it—I'll take the hint." He paused dramatically, as though choking back tears. "The magical plant I developed and everything else I've shared with your family—consider them gifts. Goodbye, Uncle."

Before Mr. Worley could even respond, Blake bowed deeply, sighed dramatically, and bolted. He ran so quickly that not even a spell could have caught him.

"Wait!" Mr. Worley shouted, his voice echoing in the air. "That's not what I meant! Come back here!"

But Blake was already gone, leaving Mr. Worley standing there, bewildered and disheveled. "What… what just happened?" he muttered to himself. "I was trying to apologize! Now he thinks I hate him?" Panic set in. If Blake truly stayed away from Cassandra and the Worley family, the consequences would be dire. Cassandra would blame him, Mrs. Worley would be furious, and the entire situation would spiral out of control.

Determined to fix things, Mr. Worley began running after Blake, huffing and puffing as he tried to keep up. "You brat!" he yelled. "Stop! Listen to me! You misunderstood!" But Blake was too fast. Mr. Worley, out of breath and defeated, eventually came to a halt, despair washing over him. "How am I supposed to fix this now?"

Meanwhile, Blake had run far enough to feel safe and decided to reward himself for his theatrics. He settled into a cozy dessert shop, ordered a strawberry sundae, and smirked to himself. "It's not my fault," he mused. "The treasure chest opportunities practically fell into my lap. Besides, this is just a little misunderstanding. Mr. Worley will get over it." As he dug into his sundae, he chuckled softly. "We're all family, right? A little mischief never hurt anyone."

Unbeknownst to Blake, Cassandra and Mrs. Worley had been observing the entire scene from a distance. They hadn't intended to pressure Mr. Worley into apologizing; they had only hoped he would treat Blake with a bit more kindness. Cassandra, in particular, couldn't believe what she had just witnessed.

"Mom, what did Dad say to Blake? Why did Blake look so upset?"

Mrs. Worley hesitated, her confidence wavering. "I… I'm not sure. But I hope it wasn't anything too harsh."

When Blake turned and ran, Cassandra's eyes widened in disbelief. "Why did he leave? What could Dad have said to make him run like that?"

Mrs. Worley could only watch helplessly as her husband took off after Blake, shouting and flailing. "This is bad," she muttered. "He's going to make everything worse."

Cassandra's frustration boiled over. "Dad doesn't understand anything! Blake has done so much for us. He's saved me, helped our family business, and shared his innovations. And now Dad is driving him away!"

By the time Mr. Worley returned, disheveled and out of breath, it was clear he had not succeeded in catching up to Blake. His wife and daughter were waiting for him, their arms crossed and their expressions severe.

"What happened?" Mrs. Worley demanded.

Mr. Worley threw up his hands in frustration. "I don't know! I tried to apologize, but he misunderstood me completely. He ran off before I could explain!"

Mrs. Worley and Cassandra exchanged a skeptical glance. "You expect us to believe that?" Cassandra asked.

"It's true!" Mr. Worley insisted. "All I did was praise him and… somehow he thought I was insulting him."

The Hogwarts Express whistle blew, signaling its imminent departure. Cassandra's panic returned. "Blake isn't on the train! What if he doesn't make it to Hogwarts?"

Mrs. Worley placed a calming hand on her daughter's shoulder. "Don't worry, dear. I'll write to Professor Dumbledore and explain everything. For now, you need to get on the train."

Reluctantly, Cassandra boarded, her worried gaze lingering on her parents as the train pulled away. Once it disappeared around the bend, Mrs. Worley turned to her husband with a knowing look.

"You were outplayed," she said matter-of-factly.

Mr. Worley blinked. "Outplayed? By whom?"

"By Blake, of course," she replied. "Think about it. He's planted a seed in Cassandra's mind that you're prejudiced against him. From now on, she'll side with him no matter what. And you won't be able to say a single bad thing about him without her doubting you."

Realization dawned on Mr. Worley. "That little scoundrel! He tricked me! And now I'll have to treat him like royalty just to keep the peace in this family!"

Mrs. Worley's emerald-green eyes sparkled with amusement. "Exactly. And the sooner you accept it, the better."

Mr. Worley groaned, his head in his hands. "This is why I have high blood pressure…"

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