Compared to land, the vast ocean holds far more secrets unknown to man, attracting countless adventurers who dream of striking it rich overnight or uncovering lost wonders.
And yet, at sea, where ships remain the sole means of transport, the risks are plentiful: slow speeds, poor maneuverability, vulnerability to interception — all of which have given rise to one of history's oldest professions — pirates.
At this moment, Kai Adler and Hermione sat together in their small inflatable boat, raising their eyebrows as they watched a large vessel approach them from the horizon.
Barely two minutes ago, Luna had sent them a warning — an ordinary ship had appeared in their path. Calmly, Kai, mid-sip of his tea, had dismissed his Patronus, swapped to their inconspicuous inflatable boat, and prepared to quietly circle around the vessel.
After all, two children alone in a magical construct in the middle of the Indian Ocean would raise far more suspicion than an inflatable raft adrift at sea.
But of course, trouble doesn't always wait for an invitation.
The large vessel was now approaching them directly. Seeing this, Kai abandoned any thoughts of avoidance — instead, curiosity sparked within him. He wanted to know exactly what the approaching crew intended.
Especially as he noticed armed sailors on the deck… some wielding rifles… one even shouldering a rocket launcher.
Kai quietly reinforced the protective enchantments on their inflatable boat, his wand flicking subtly.
Onboard the ship, the pirate captain watched the scene unfold with mild surprise.
Two richly dressed children bobbed in a life raft — an odd sight in the middle of the ocean. With his years of experience, the captain concluded that their original vessel had likely suffered some tragic fate, and these two were the only survivors.
But something didn't add up.
The children's clothes were neat, their expressions calm — the boy was even sipping black tea, observing them with unnerving poise. They didn't look like shipwreck survivors — more like aristocrats casually yachting through the tropics.
Still, the pirate captain had seen plenty of oddities at sea, and his instincts rarely failed him. Despite the oddities, he was almost certain these were privileged children from a wealthy background. The boy was strikingly handsome, the girl naturally beautiful — both looked like high-value commodities for the underground markets.
Such children fetched high prices at exclusive auctions: pristine, untouched, rare.
But caution prevailed. If they truly belonged to one of Europe's influential noble families, openly harming or selling them would ignite a firestorm. Ransom, however? That could be neatly disguised as a "rescue operation fee." Nobles were pragmatic — they'd pay handsomely to protect their reputations.
Kai's noble appearance, coupled with his composure, only reinforced this possibility.
The large ship drew closer. The pirate leader, wearing a practiced, charming smile, stood at the bow as his crew readied grappling tools.
Weapons were discreetly lowered — after all, what threat could two children pose?
"Little friends, do you speak English?" the captain called out in a falsely pleasant tone.
Hermione tilted her head, blinking. She glanced at Kai, voice laced with excitement rather than fear, "They're… pirates, aren't they?"
"Most likely," Kai replied, his sharp gaze scanning the ship. The vessel was modified for speed — no merchant ship would be capable of the approach he just witnessed.
But his Black Magic-enhanced raft was faster still.
"Interested in switching ships?" Kai asked lightly.
"But your Obscurus…" Hermione's expression darkened with worry.
He smiled faintly, reassuring her with a calm look. "It's under control."
The Obscurus had two major triggers: reckless overuse of its power, or absorbing the despair and resentment unleashed when killing with Black Magic.
But, of course, death could be delivered by other means — means that didn't aggravate the fragile stability between him and the dark force within.
Like freezing someone inside a magically reinforced ice block and sending it plummeting into the abyssal depths of the ocean.
Yes, the pirate captain's fate was already sealed.
Even the emotions of death wouldn't reach him — Kai had long since learned how to sever those spiritual connections, isolating his Black Magic from the more dangerous side effects.
The final trigger, guilt, held no sway over him. As the secret disciple of Gellert Grindelwald, Europe's most infamous dark sorcerer, Kai Adler had been conditioned to strike decisively — sentimentality was a weakness.
Besides, Kai held to a simple code: he never harmed unless provoked.
And these pirates? They'd already crossed that line.
Feigning politeness, Kai stood up, masking the situation's undercurrent with aristocratic poise.
"We understand English, sir," Kai replied crisply. "Our yacht was lost during our expedition. My fiancée and I are the only survivors. Are you here to rescue us?"
The pirate leader, momentarily startled by Kai's eloquence and mention of noble lineage, quickly masked his reaction with a wide, greedy smile.
Perfect, he thought. Descendants of noble bloodlines fetched the highest ransoms — and if the boy referred to the girl as his "fiancée," their families were undoubtedly intertwined with old European wealth.
An easy fortune.
The ship's hull drifted alongside the inflatable raft. The pirates lowered the gangway, ropes and tools ready to haul the children aboard.
Kai even disabled the boat's protective spells to allow their approach, keeping his wand subtly at his side, shielding Hermione as they ascended onto the vessel.
Once aboard, Kai observed his surroundings — surprisingly tidy for pirates. The deck was scrubbed clean, equipment well-maintained, the crew dressed practically in long shirts and trousers suited for seafaring.
Only the concealed weapons and thinly veiled malice betrayed their profession.
"Welcome aboard The Pearl, I'm Captain Cruise," the pirate leader greeted, extending his hand with forced warmth.
Courtesy dictated reciprocation, so Kai shook it, concealing his disgust beneath a polite smile.
"Kai Adler, of the Ivo Family."
The surrounding pirates leered, some smirking, others sizing them up with greedy eyes. But Kai didn't react to their hostility.
He wasn't the type to lash out without reason.
But when that reason arrived…
They wouldn't see the dawn.