Silver-white magical light rippled like flowing water across the Great Hall, drawing gasps of astonishment from the four House tables.
Hermione stood tall, a confident smile on her face as she gently waved her wand.
The radiant light coalesced into a shimmering mist—and from within it came a clear, melodic call.
A heartbeat later, her Patronus leapt forth: a silver dolphin, graceful and glimmering, twisting through the air with effortless elegance.
"Wow! Cool!" Ron shouted, his voice full of awe.
Harry's eyes shone. That dolphin wasn't just a spell—it was their friend's Patronus.
Pride welled in their hearts.
At the staff table, Professor McGonagall watched the scene, her lips parted in surprise. Then a look of profound pride settled across her face.
Beside her, Professor Flitwick's eyes were wide with excitement. He nudged her shoulder gleefully.
"As Charms Professor, I must say—I didn't expect this from you, Minerva! Keeping secrets from me, are we? You taught her that, didn't you?"
McGonagall gave a wry smile and shook her head.
"I didn't."
"You didn't?" Flitwick blinked. "But… I never teach Patronus Charm to underclassmen—far too advanced for them!"
"Precisely."
Flitwick frowned in confusion. "Then who…?"
McGonagall said nothing. But her eyes slowly drifted to Dumbledore, who stood beside Minister Fudge, hands calmly folded.
She had worked with him for decades. She knew his patterns, his secrets, and his silences.
She knew, for example, that his history with the first Dark Lord, Gellert Grindelwald, was far more tangled than most dared speculate.
And she knew the truth about the boy sitting at the Gryffindor table.
The boy Grindelwald had sent to Hogwarts—Kai Adler.
Though she had reservations, Dumbledore had been insistent: Kai was a good boy and needed proper guidance, not suspicion.
McGonagall had watched him closely since his arrival.
She also knew Dumbledore had been tutoring both him and Hermione privately—bending a few rules, perhaps, but… they were in Gryffindor, after all.
And if there was one thing McGonagall valued as much as fairness, it was protecting her own.
She narrowed her eyes at Kai, sitting so serenely among the sea of red and gold.
So it was you… wasn't it?
Whatever the case, this boy was even more remarkable than she had expected.
Kai, for his part, hadn't expected to escape notice. Even as he allowed the spotlight to fall entirely on Hermione, the attention still found its way back to him.
But he didn't care.
His gaze remained fixed on the girl bathed in silver light—never once blinking.
He didn't need applause. He only wanted to lift her up.
Hermione Granger was an exceptional witch, and she didn't belong in anyone's shadow—not even his.
His girl would shine.
With the appearance of the full-bodied dolphin Patronus, all the doubt in the Great Hall evaporated.
No one questioned her right to the Order of Merlin anymore.
Even Fudge's eyes widened. For a moment, his usual bluster gave way to genuine awe.
A second-year casting a corporeal Patronus?
Unprecedented.
As for Kai…
Fudge glanced briefly at him—then quickly away.
That overwhelming, ocean-deep magic he had felt during their last encounter still haunted him. He hadn't forgotten.
That boy… is not just a student.
Hermione slowly lowered her wand as the dolphin dissipated into silver mist. Her chest rose and fell with exertion—casting the Patronus still demanded much of her, despite the magical boost she received through her Weissenbund connection with Kai.
But she had proven herself.
At that moment, she looked like a queen—radiant, dignified, and proud.
Fudge recovered and stepped forward, beaming.
From within his robes, he produced a medal, adorned with a white ribbon: the Order of Merlin, Third Class.
"By the authority of the Ministry of Magic," Fudge declared, "I hereby award Miss Hermione Granger the Order of Merlin, Third Class."
He pinned the medal to her chest with practiced ceremony.
"I do hope you'll consider a future at the Ministry, Miss Granger," he added with a politician's smile. "The Ministry would be lucky to have such a gifted witch among its ranks."
Hermione nodded gracefully. "I'll consider it."
No one could guess what the girl was truly thinking in that moment.
They only saw her turn, radiant and proud, and cast a smile toward the boy watching her from the Gryffindor table.
Amidst the roaring applause, Hermione walked back to Kai's side.
Harry and Ron were clapping so hard their palms turned red.
"That was brilliant, Hermione!" Ron's voice cracked. "I think you're the youngest ever to get the Order of Merlin!"
Hermione smiled—but as soon as she sat down, she unpinned the medal and shoved it into Kai's hands.
"Alright. Talk. Now."
Her eyes made it clear: The girl's curiosity had returned with full force.
Kai merely shrugged and reached forward to pin the medal back on her chest.
Hermione blushed, but didn't pull away.
Once the medal was secured again, Kai leaned back, satisfied.
"Didn't you hear the Minister? Exceptional talent. Extraordinary strength. Casting the Patronus Charm at a young age… that's our Miss Granger."
Hermione rolled her eyes at the teasing in his voice.
"But that was clearly—" She stopped herself, realizing she was speaking too loudly, and leaned in closer.
Her lips brushed his ear as she whispered:
"—it should've been your medal."
Kai smiled faintly.
"It's the same, whether it's you or me."
He paused, then added softly, "You know my identity… and how complicated it is. If I made a scene and attracted attention from certain people unfriendly with… my father, it could be dangerous."
Hermione nodded slowly, understanding dawning in her eyes.
Though she didn't know everything about his past, she knew enough.
She didn't press further.
Kai, of course, was also just lazy.
But if he ever said that out loud, she might drag him to a monastery herself.
Across from them, Harry and Ron leaned forward, trying to hear what the pair were whispering.
But they were quickly met with two simultaneous glares.
"What are you two doing?"
"Uhh…"
Harry and Ron exchanged guilty glances and quickly looked away, grinning sheepishly.
"Nothing. Nothing at all."