In the small, cluttered office, Kai Adler calmly poured tea for Hermione, who was quietly listening to the unfolding story.
Uncle Leon narrowed his eyes at him, clearing his throat loudly. "Ahem!"
Kai caught the pointed look, his Blue eyes glinting with amusement.
"Of course I wouldn't forget you, Uncle."
With a casual flick of his finger, a teacup lifted smoothly from the tray, gliding through the air before settling gently in front of Leon.
But Leon froze, staring at Kai in stunned disbelief.
Where was the wand? Where was the incantation?
Where was the elaborate theatrics British Wizards always insisted upon?
All he'd done was flick his finger—and yet, perfect, silent, wandless magic flowed from the boy like it was second nature.
Leon's gaze sharpened, wary. "Remind me… you're twelve this year?"
Kai nodded, taking a slow sip of his tea. "That's correct."
Leon leaned back, rubbing his temples. "A terrifying prodigy… If I didn't know better, I'd suspect you weren't Matthias Adler's son at all—but some thousand-year-old entity wearing a child's skin to stir up trouble."
Kai chuckled lightly. "Appreciate the vote of confidence."
Leon grunted, straightening. His gaze drifted upward, finally settling on the octagonal bronze mirror hanging above them, its intricate carvings and faint inscriptions gleaming under the lamplight.
"Demon-Revealing Mirror," Leon explained, tapping the air beneath it. "A relic, as old as the Black Forest legends. Sees through illusions, suppresses dark forces—reveals corruption, hidden curses, or worse."
Kai's eyes flicked toward the mirror, his curiosity piqued.
No wonder he'd felt that faint probing pressure when they first entered—the artifact had scanned him instantly.
Leon snapped his fingers, and the bronze mirror drifted into his hand.
"Want a demonstration?"
Kai exchanged a look with Hermione, then smiled serenely. "Of course."
Leon's brow furrowed. A twelve-year-old, casting magic so freely—silent, wandless, precise—it was unnatural, even by British standards.
His suspicion clear, Leon muttered under his breath, drawing a series of runes in the air.
"Light of the Verdant Sun, break deception, reveal the hidden, cleanse the darkness—manifest!"
A beam of golden light burst from the mirror, engulfing Kai in radiant brilliance.
Instantly, the Obscurus within Kai stirred restlessly, the parasitic shadow within him reacting to the purifying magic—but he clenched down, suppressing it with sheer force of will.
No threat. Only inspection.
The golden glow surrounded him, but Kai's appearance remained unchanged—except for the faint, nearly imperceptible tendrils of black mist curling around him beneath the light.
Leon's pupils contracted sharply.
"A… heart demon?"
Kai met his gaze, unwavering. "Is there a problem, Uncle Leon?"
Leon's lips parted, but the words caught in his throat. His expression twisted with quiet, pained understanding. The golden glow faded, the mirror settling onto the table with a dull clink.
"You…" Leon exhaled, shoulders heavy with regret. His eyes glistened with paternal sorrow.
Heart demons—born from suppressed magic in early childhood, festering in those who suffered under impossible circumstances. A curse of their own making.
And considering Kai's upbringing…
Leon's throat tightened. "Matthias wronged you far more than I realized."
But Kai only smiled softly, shaking his head.
The suffering belonged to the boy before—the original Kai Adler. What remained now was different. The monthly flare-ups from the Obscurus were all that lingered—a reminder, but manageable.
Leon studied his calm expression, the ache in his chest deepening. After a moment's hesitation, he slid the bronze mirror across the table.
"Take this. It'll help suppress your heart demon—it's the least I can do."
"Thank you, Uncle Leon."
Leon waved him off. "No thanks needed. You're Matthias' blood—you're family."
Kai turned the mirror over in his hand, feeling the faint warmth pulsing from its runes. Indeed, the Obscurus stirred less violently with the artifact nearby—the sensation eerily similar to facing a Patronus charm.
The corner of his mouth curled with amusement. I'll let Hermione play with this later, he thought, noticing the way her eyes sparkled with curiosity.
Leon, blissfully unaware of Kai's intentions to immediately pass the artifact along, picked up his teacup and took a long sip, savoring the warmth.
"Hmph—decent brew." He smacked his lips appreciatively, but his gaze narrowed again. "Your magic—this level of control. Who taught you?"
Kai's eyes twinkled mischievously. "That's a secret."
Leon huffed, accepting the deflection. "Fine, keep your mysteries. Where were we?"
Hermione perked up, quick to jump in. "You said Kai's parents lived quietly for years, until his birth. His father was fifty-six at the time."
Leon nodded. "Right."
"Matthias and Mintz had waited over thirty years for a child—you. Their joy was immeasurable."
His tone sobered as he set the teacup down.
"But the peace didn't last."
Leon's eyes darkened with memory.
"You had your first magical outburst shortly after your second birthday. Everything—every object in the house—rose into the air, then shattered."
He stared at Kai, voice tinged with quiet awe.
"Matthias was ecstatic. Claimed your magical root—what you British call 'innate affinity'—was remarkable. He himself barely levitated a vase at your age, and here you were, turning the house upside down."
Leon's smile faded, replaced by a grim expression.
"But that's when everything changed."
"Mintz became… withdrawn. She stopped leaving the house entirely. No walks, no errands. Only I was allowed inside, no other visitors."
"Matthias too—he became distant, anxious, distracted constantly."
Leon's fingers drummed against the table as he recounted the memory.
"Then… your fourth birthday. I visited, took that family photo of the three of you…"
His voice faltered, a shadow passing over his face.
"The next day—your home was destroyed. Torn apart like a storm swept through it. And you… all three of you… vanished."
Silence fell across the room.
Hermione's wide, worried eyes drifted to Kai, but he was quiet, his gaze fixed on the faded photograph in his hands.
The only proof left of the life he never truly remembered.
"And you never saw them again?" Kai finally asked, voice low.
Leon shook his head, the regret plain on his face.
"Never. It was as if the earth swallowed them whole."
The weight of those words settled over them, and for a moment, only the faint hum of the mirror's dormant magic filled the air.
Kai's golden eyes glinted with determination.
"Then it's time to find them."