"What were you just thinking about?"
Professor Dumbledore's voice was calm, but curious.
Kai Adler's eyes drifted to the girl beside him—Hermione Granger. His gaze paused for a fleeting moment on her cherry-pink lips.
"It was the moment I first met Hermione," he replied.
Hermione's face flushed pink, and the usually confident girl turned her head away, avoiding his gaze. Her eyes darted nervously, clearly trying to redirect the conversation.
"Um… Professor, what just happened to Kai? Did the spell fail?" she asked, hoping to move things along.
Dumbledore's expression was unusually pensive, his brows furrowed. "Actually… in this case, I wouldn't say he failed. Rather…" He paused thoughtfully. "Perhaps he succeeded."
"Succeeded?" Hermione blinked, her embarrassment momentarily forgotten. She turned to Kai with wide eyes.
"Could it be…" she hesitated, then blurted, "Kai's Patronus… is a maggot?"
Dumbledore's eyes crinkled as he shook his head with a soft chuckle. "Certainly not, Miss Granger."
"Kai did manage to summon the rudimentary form of a Patronus. But what we witnessed… was a reaction. His Patronus began to form—but then turned against him."
"Backfired?" Kai's brow lifted, puzzled.
"Yes," Dumbledore confirmed gravely. "This isn't without precedent. There was a Dark wizard, centuries ago—Rachidian, a cruel man. He fancied a young witch from a small Bavarian village. When he attacked the village, he attempted to use the Patronus Charm… but instead, his wand spewed forth maggots. They consumed him alive."
Kai frowned, a chill crawling up his spine.
Was it because Rachidian had dark intent toward the witch? Or… was it because he was a Dark wizard?
Hermione, her voice soft and unsure, added, "But Professor, I also thought of our first meeting just now. My Patronus didn't attack me. Is it because the memory I chose was wrong?"
"No," Dumbledore said gently, smiling. "I believe that moment was truly meaningful for both of you. And the fact that you managed to summon a mist form confirms the memory is indeed valid."
"But… I didn't succeed," Hermione murmured.
"You did," Dumbledore said kindly. "You simply need more practice."
She smiled faintly, then glanced at Kai, who stood deep in thought. "I believe in you, Kai," she said. "Just like Professor Dumbledore said—you were almost there. Something just interfered."
Kai returned her smile, grateful for her confidence.
"Try again, Kai," Dumbledore encouraged, his tone warm. "Calm your mind. Feel your magic. And let no stray thought take hold."
Kai took a slow breath.
Since the memory of their first meeting didn't work, he tried another. There were many moments—quiet afternoons in the library, walking beside her near the Black Lake, even arguing over spell theory. All of them were beautiful in their own way.
"Expecto Patronum!"
Whoosh!
A burst of light—and then, writhing maggots spilled forth once more.
Dumbledore acted instantly, sweeping his wand through the air. A wave of flame incinerated the creatures before they could reach Kai.
Again.
Kai exhaled sharply, and realization began to sink in.
It wasn't the memory. It was the feeling that came with it.
The Obscurus inside him reacted—when he harbored feelings he couldn't control.
"Professor," he said, voice calm but clipped. "One more try."
"Very well," Dumbledore said, eyes glinting with subtle concern.
Kai shut his eyes and summoned another memory. One less personal, less emotional. He forced himself to be calm, detached.
"Expecto Patronum!"
No maggots.
No chaos.
But no Patronus either.
The tip of his wand merely flickered. The spell fizzled out.
He pursed his lips. Failure. He hadn't struggled with a spell this much since arriving in this world.
Dumbledore, watching him closely, finally asked, "Kai… All your attempts so far—did they involve memories connected to Miss Granger?"
The question made Hermione blush furiously.
Kai answered without hesitation. "Yes."
Hermione crossed her arms, her face still red.
Seeing this, Kai quickly stepped forward. "Hermione—listen to me. Since I came to this world, the moments I've spent with you have been the only truly beautiful ones I've known. I'm not ashamed to admit that."
She looked at him—surprised, touched—and let out a soft laugh despite herself.
"I believe you," she said quietly. "But… if even your best memories can't summon a Patronus, maybe… the problem isn't the memory."
Dumbledore's voice finished the thought. "Exactly. It's how you feel during the memory. The spell is pure. It won't tolerate… distortion."
Kai frowned. "Professor, about that Dark wizard—was it the evil feelings that caused the backlash, or the fact that he was a Dark wizard?"
Dumbledore shook his head. "Being a Dark wizard doesn't disqualify someone from casting a Patronus. There are records of several doing so. The magic doesn't judge by classification—it judges by intent. By emotion."
He fixed his gaze on Kai. "You, Kai, are not a Dark wizard. You are someone who knows Dark Magic—but that is not the same thing."
Kai hesitated, then raised his hand. A wisp of black mist rose from his palm.
The Obscurus.
"Then… is it because of this?" he asked softly.
Dumbledore studied the mist, then shook his head again. "No. The Patronus Charm is drawn solely from your most positive emotions. The Obscurus may be within you, but it does not define your heart."
Kai wasn't sure he believed him.
But he tried again.
This time, he left a portion of his mind watching the Obscurus, monitoring it as he summoned Hermione's image—her laughing at his bad jokes, her scolding him when he was too harsh with first-years, her falling asleep during a long reading session.
Expecto Patronum!
White light—then chaos.
The Obscurus reacted violently, and again the swarm of maggots burst forth.
Kai didn't hesitate. Flames erupted from his wand and turned the creatures to ash.
He exhaled, eyes narrowing. "You were wrong this time, Professor. The Obscurus did interfere."
Dumbledore's expression turned grave.
Kai's jaw tightened. He hated this parasite—this thing inside him that threatened not only his life, but now stood in the way of learning the one spell that could keep it at bay.
He didn't even realize it, but wisps of black mist were now trailing from his sleeves, coiling at his feet.
"Kai!"
Dumbledore's voice snapped like a whip. Kai looked up, and the mist instantly retracted.
He hadn't noticed how close he'd come to losing control.
Dumbledore stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Don't think of Miss Granger for the moment. Try recalling something… else."
A faint glint of amusement sparked in his eyes. "For example—what just happened this morning?"
Kai tilted his head. "You mean… when I publicly humiliated Malfoy?"
Dumbledore gave a shrug that somehow managed to be both scholarly and mischievous. "Not my preferred method of discipline—but I imagine your mood was quite good."
That memory didn't exactly count as "beautiful," but…
He decided to try it anyway.
"Expecto Patronum."
No backlash.
The Obscurus, if anything, recoiled.
And from his wand—a faint mist. Wispy, but real.
Hermione blinked, uncertain whether to laugh or sigh.
"The memory involving me caused a magical disaster," she muttered, "but the one with Malfoy works just fine?"
She gave Kai a long, incredulous look.
"You are not normal."
Kai just smiled helplessly.