As the Granger family enjoyed their warm, festive dinner together, a sudden knock echoed from the front door.
Mr. and Mrs. Granger exchanged surprised glances. It was Christmas Eve—who would be visiting at this hour?
"Maybe it's a neighbor?" Mrs. Granger guessed, wiping her hands on her apron as she stood.
"I'll get it~" Hermione offered brightly, already rising from her seat.
But Kai Adler reached out and gently pulled her back.
Hermione blinked, confused, and looked up at him.
Kai's lips were pressed into a tight line, his body tense. A faint shimmer pulsed around him—only noticeable if you knew to look—and Hermione felt a sudden chill, not from the snow outside, but from the change in his demeanor.
He could feel it. The aura outside the door was unnatural. His Obscurus stirred in warning, restless and hostile.
"You stay seated," he said softly, eyes focused ahead.
Hermione hesitated, then nodded, swallowing hard. Something was wrong.
Kai stepped forward slightly, placing himself directly between Hermione and the front door. He didn't move to open it by hand—he merely lifted a finger, and with a whisper of magic, the door creaked open on its own.
A rush of frigid air swept into the room, scattering snowflakes across the entryway. Beyond the threshold stood a tall figure—impeccably dressed in a black butler's uniform, gloved hands folded before him.
Snow swirled around him, yet not a flake seemed to land on his coat.
The man's crimson eyes flickered with polite amusement when he noticed no one at the door, only Kai standing calmly in the hall.
Though the man smiled gently, his very presence sent a ripple through the room—a dark, inhuman aura that prickled at the edges of Kai's magic like iron scraping against glass.
This was the source of the Obscurus's agitation.
And Kai recognized him.
The last time they met was months ago—after the incident in London, when Kai had unleashed his fury upon two men who had dared to take Hermione. The stranger had appeared in the alley behind him, emerging from the shadows like a ghost. He had taken a direct blast of Kai's wrathful magic and remained completely unharmed.
Not only had he survived, but he'd returned Kai's trunk afterward. No scolding. No threats.
That left an impression.
Now, standing just beyond the door, the man bowed elegantly, hand over heart.
"A pleasure to see you again, Mr. Adler."
Hermione tensed. She didn't recognize the stranger, but she recognized Kai's wariness.
Kai touched her shoulder briefly, reassuringly, and walked forward alone to face the man.
"Sebastian, wasn't it?" he said quietly. "Visiting on Christmas Eve… I assume this isn't just a social call."
Sebastian—ever courteous—replied without blinking, "I am but a simple servant. My young master asked me to deliver this."
He reached into the inside of his coat and withdrew a neatly sealed envelope, embossed with ornate silver filigree. The handwriting on the front read, "To the Wizard – Personally."
Kai took the letter silently.
Sebastian bowed once more. "Message delivered. I shall not intrude further on your Christmas evening."
And with that—he vanished.
No sound, no shimmer—just gone. The falling snow at the doorstep settled, and the wind stilled. The snow-covered ground was perfectly smooth—untouched. No footprints. As though no one had been there at all.
Kai closed the door with a flick of his fingers, shutting out the cold.
At the table, Mr. and Mrs. Granger were still murmuring in awe. Despite having been to Diagon Alley and witnessed magic before, the elegance—and the quiet tension—of that moment had caught them off guard.
Only Hermione continued watching Kai closely.
He opened the envelope and began reading.
"Who was that?" she asked quietly.
"A friend of sorts," Kai said without looking up.
Hermione narrowed her eyes. "That didn't feel like a friend."
Mr. Granger, curious, set his fork down. "From the way he was dressed, he must be from an old noble house. A butler like that doesn't come from just anywhere."
Mrs. Granger rolled her eyes. "Honestly, what do you know about magical nobility?"
Kai, eyes still on the letter, answered casually, "He said he's the butler of the Vandenhyme family."
"The Vandenhyme family?" Mr. Granger exclaimed, startling everyone.
Hermione leaned forward. "You know them?"
"Of course I do." Mr. Granger puffed up slightly. "I may be a dentist, but I follow important events—business, politics, trade. It's good to stay informed."
Hermione and Kai nodded politely.
Mrs. Granger wasn't so generous. "Oh, just tell them, dear, no need for a whole lecture."
"Ahem," Mr. Granger cleared his throat. "The Vandenhyme family is one of the oldest industrial families in Britain. They own the largest children's toy manufacturing company in the country—hugely influential. Their designs are everywhere. Christmas, birthdays—you name it."
Kai's brow rose slightly. So that's who they are…
Mr. Granger continued in a quieter tone, leaning in, "But there are rumors—going all the way back to Queen Victoria—that the Vandenhymes secretly served the Crown. Not just as businessmen, but as… problem-solvers. Handling incidents too strange for the public eye."
He paused, glancing at Hermione and Kai.
"But they're just rumors," he added quickly. "Toys and titles, that's all."
Kai, however, was no longer listening to the speculation.
He had finished the letter.
He looked at Hermione with a raised brow. "Care to join me tomorrow? I've been invited to the Vandenhyme estate for their Christmas ball."
"What?!"
All three Grangers said it in unison.
Kai shrugged, lifting his fork again. "The head of the family extended a personal invitation. Said I could bring a guest."
He took a bite of the turkey—and immediately regretted it, his face composed only by sheer willpower.
Hermione slammed her hands on the table, eyes bright. "Of course I'm going! Why wouldn't I go?!"
Kai chuckled softly as he reached for the nearest glass.
Across from him, Mrs. Granger smiled faintly, whispering to her husband, "That girl's completely gone for him."
Mr. Granger sighed. "He did take a whole turkey for the team. I suppose he's earned it."