Turning around, Kai saw Professor Snape striding toward him, black robes billowing like wings behind him, giving the impression of a giant bat swooping in.
Harry and Ron immediately stepped back, lowering their heads as if their feigned invisibility might somehow spare them from Snape's notice.
But Snape barely spared them a glance before stopping in front of Kai Adler.
Kai met the professor's cold, unreadable gaze without flinching.
"I was simply asking Draco a question," he said coolly.
Draco's face was pale with panic. Just moments ago, it had felt as though something had stabbed into his mind—violently and deeply.
"He… he…" Draco stammered.
Snape's expression tightened with disdain. The boy's trembling voice clearly tested his patience.
"Stand up straight, Draco! What did Mr. Adler do to you?"
"I—I don't know… but it felt like…"
He looked at Kai in fear—and caught the faintly amused glint in the young man's eye.
Snape saw it too. He noted how Draco recoiled from that one glance and how badly he was trembling. The disdain in Snape's face turned to something colder—disappointment.
"I am your Head of House, Draco. You have no reason to fear anyone," he said sharply.
Draco, emboldened by the reminder, shut his eyes tightly and shouted, "He—he used Legilimency on me!"
He wasn't certain. He didn't even truly believe the other boy could perform such a complex, invasive spell without a wand. But whatever Kai Adler had done had reached into his head—and Legilimency was the first thing that came to mind.
And by chance, it was exactly right.
Snape's eyebrows twitched upward.
Harry and Ron gawked. Hermione's lips parted in alarm.
All eyes turned to Kai.
But Kai only chuckled softly. He turned slightly and looked back at Draco—not with anger, but something worse: calm detachment.
Though they were similar in height, Draco felt dwarfed by the presence looming before him.
"That's quite the serious accusation, Draco Malfoy," Kai said smoothly. "As you know, casting such a dark spell on a fellow student would result in immediate expulsion."
His voice was steady, his expression untouched—as though discussing the fate of someone else entirely.
Then his tone shifted, sharpening like steel.
"Draco Lucius Malfoy," he said with quiet authority.
Draco stiffened. Hearing his full name spoken like that sent a jolt down his spine—it felt like being reprimanded by his father.
"Do you have evidence? Proof that I used Legilimency on you? I didn't even draw my wand."
He spread his hands innocently.
Draco's already pale complexion went ashen, and he stammered incoherently.
Kai's smile widened just slightly before turning his gaze toward Snape.
"Professor Snape, it seems our dear Draco is simply too frightened of me—so much so that he's started hallucinating."
Snape's expression darkened, now thoroughly unimpressed with Draco.
"Clearly, you've done something shameful to cause this fear," he said sharply to his student. "What exactly did you do?"
Kai tilted his head slightly. "Perhaps you should ask him yourself. For instance—just a few days ago, I seem to recall, under your direction, the Slytherin Quidditch team interrupted Gryffindor's practice session…"
"That's correct," Snape said flatly.
"Indeed. But did you also instruct him to speak vilely to Hermione Granger—insulting her parentage?"
Gasps echoed nearby.
Ron and Harry glanced at each other—they remembered that day clearly. Malfoy hadn't actually said the word "Mudblood" aloud… but Kai had slapped him before he had the chance to.
The term "Muggle" alone carried a heavy weight with Snape.
His gaze turned thunderous.
If there was one moment in his life he regretted bitterly, it was using that slur on the one person who had mattered to him.
And now, a student in his House had done the same.
"Draco!" Snape barked. "Is this the behavior you were raised with? Get to my office. Now."
Draco visibly flinched.
Snape's office—cold, damp, and lined with unsettling magical specimens—was not a place any student willingly visited.
As he trudged off, head bowed and shoulders trembling, Harry and Ron couldn't help but smirk at his misfortune.
But Kai was watching Draco's back with narrowed eyes, gaze thoughtful.
Once the boy disappeared, Snape turned back.
"And now we come to your conduct, Mr. Adler."
Kai met his gaze again, impassive.
"What conduct, Professor? Surely you don't believe his claim?"
Snape studied him closely. "Of course not. After all, even He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named couldn't cast Legilimency without a wand at your age… could he?"
The statement dropped like a stone into silence.
Harry's jaw tightened. Ron clenched his fists.
Hermione's eyes flicked with concern.
Kai blinked, then tilted his head. "He-Who… who?"
Snape's brows drew together, clearly unimpressed.
"Lord Voldemort," he said, voice like ice.
Kai frowned. "Why not just say Voldemort?"
Snape narrowed his eyes, then muttered, "Lockhart's been looking for you. Something about this afternoon's event."
"Ah. Thank you for reminding me, Professor. I nearly forgot."
Kai nodded politely, tone calm as ever.
Snape sneered, cloak billowing as he turned and swept away.
The moment he was gone, the three students immediately surrounded Kai.
"Did he really just compare you to Voldemort?" Ron exclaimed, voice rising. "That greasy bat! What's wrong with him?!"
Harry frowned. "He said it like it was a compliment—but also a warning."
Kai lifted an eyebrow. "Who is Voldemort, anyway?"
The three stared.
"You're serious?" Hermione said slowly. "You really don't know?"
Kai shrugged. "Should I?"
"He was the last Dark Lord," Hermione explained quickly. "He hated Muggle-borns and believed in blood purity. He did horrible things… murdered countless people."
"He gave me this."
Harry lifted his fringe, revealing the lightning-shaped scar.
"Voldemort tried to kill Harry with the Killing Curse," Ron added. "No one knows how, but the spell backfired—and he vanished. Ever since then, Harry's been famous. They call him the Boy Who Lived."
Kai looked at Harry with new interest. "Then the world owes you a debt. You were the turning point. That makes the title well-deserved."
Harry flushed red, scratching the back of his head bashfully.
Hermione glanced sideways at the two boys—then quickly looked away, cheeks pink.
"But why does everyone call him Lord Voldemort?" Kai asked.
"Old superstition," Ron answered. "He cursed his name—anyone who said it could be tracked, unless you were one of his followers. Even now, most wizards avoid saying it."
Kai nodded thoughtfully.
He turned to Harry. "Is that why they call you the 'Savior' of the Wizarding World?"
"I guess so…" Harry mumbled. "But I was just a baby."
Kai patted him on the shoulder. "Sometimes, fate chooses its heroes young."
Hermione looked away again. Her heart was doing something peculiar in her chest.
Ron, however, had another question: "Back there… with Malfoy… did you really use Legilimency?"
Kai gave him a blank look. "Are you serious? I didn't even have my wand out. I just put a hand on his shoulder. What could I possibly cast?"
"Oh. Right."
"So… you were really just going to ask him?" Harry asked.
Kai nodded. "Yes."
"But he was never going to answer!"
"True," Kai said with a shrug. "But if you don't ask, how will you know?"
Ron looked as though he couldn't decide whether that was wise or insane.
Kai chuckled at his expression.
Hermione, meanwhile, leaned closer, brows furrowed.
"Just now, Snape said Lockhart was looking for you. What's that about?"
Kai's lips quirked.
"You'll find out at lunch."