All Slytherin students are suspects?
The young wizards were momentarily startled by such a sweeping statement, but upon reflection, it didn't seem entirely unreasonable.
If Harry Potter was being accused merely for sharing a trait with Salazar Slytherin, namely Parseltongue, then didn't the entirety of Slytherin House—handpicked by the very founder himself—have even more in common with him?
Otherwise, how else were they Sorted into that House?
The Hufflepuff boy's eyes widened. "I… no… you…"
He'd just been intimidated by Kai Adler. Although he sensed something was off about the logic, the lingering fear from that hovering quill—suspended inches from his eye—clouded his thoughts.
His courage faltered under Kai's gaze.
Behind him, Hermione Granger pursed her lips tightly, trying not to laugh. From a bystander's perspective—and having become quite familiar with Kai—she knew exactly what he had done.
In polite terms, it was "conceptual redirection." In blunt terms, it was misdirection and pressure—highly effective and just short of manipulation.
First, Kai had used a show of magical prowess to unbalance the boy mentally. Then, with the boy still reeling, he smoothly substituted the original accusation—"Harry and Slytherin are both Parselmouths"—with a broader and more abstract phrasing: "Harry and Slytherin have common ground."
The boy, too stunned to challenge the shift, agreed without realizing the trap. And once he said "yes," the rest was already out of his control.
Kai had guided everyone's train of thought away from Parseltongue and into far more ambiguous waters: if sharing any trait with Salazar Slytherin made you suspect, well… every Slytherin student was suddenly under scrutiny.
And in that moment, suspicion quietly turned its head elsewhere.
Rumours are wind; people follow whichever direction makes the most sense in the moment. The Hufflepuff boy had just hammered Harry with confident rhetoric. Kai Adler, with a flick of his fingers and a twist of logic, had turned it around with elegance and precision.
Of course, Hermione thought, part of it might be because Kai was the Defense Professor's assistant.
Except…
She frowned slightly.
His professor was Gilderoy Lockhart.
And everyone—everyone—knew by now that Lockhart was a pompous fraud.
So why had the room listened so intently to Kai?
That was the part Hermione hadn't pieced together.
In truth, she was only half-right. Yes, Kai had used concept substitution with skill. But his influence came not from his title, nor from Lockhart's shadow—it came from something far older.
Kai Adler was Grindelwald's apprentice.
And unlike Voldemort, whose followers were cowed into loyalty, Grindelwald had enthralled his with ideas, eloquence, and a touch of magic—just enough charm and persuasion to make listeners forget how they came to agree with him.
It was the same subtle spellwork now layered in Kai's words. He hadn't cast anything, not explicitly, but when he spoke—truly spoke—people listened.
And believed.
In fact, if he'd added just a little more weight behind his words, he might have had half the Hufflepuffs offering to carry his books or scrub the dungeon floors.
Of course, that would've earned him a long, silent conversation with Dumbledore…
Kai folded his arms behind his back, surveying the silent room.
"Our Harry Potter is from Gryffindor. The one who opened the Chamber of Secrets was Slytherin. Tell me, has the Sorting Hat ever placed someone incorrectly?"
The students exchanged hesitant glances. There were rumours, of course, but no official case had ever been acknowledged.
"And," Kai continued, voice calm and deliberate, "you've all heard the legend—the heir of the Chamber of Secrets targets Muggle-borns."
He gestured to Harry, still standing awkwardly at the end of the bench.
"Harry Potter grew up in the Muggle world. That's his home, his life, his upbringing. Why would he attack people like him?"
Harry pressed his lips together. He thought briefly of Privet Drive, of his cupboard, of Dudley's fists—but wisely, he said nothing.
Now wasn't the time for personal nuance.
Seeing the crowd slowly shift in posture, Kai clapped his hands lightly—two soft snaps that broke the room's tension, like a magician concluding a spell.
"Now," he said, "do you still think Harry Potter is the heir of the Chamber of Secrets?"
The boy from Hufflepuff hesitated, opened his mouth, then closed it. Finally, with a guilty expression, he stepped toward Harry.
"I'm… I'm sorry."
Then he returned to his seat and didn't look up again.
A ripple of quiet agreement passed through the others. Heads nodded. Guilt flickered in a few eyes. The cold judgment from earlier had melted into something uncertain and ashamed.
Kai smiled faintly. These young witches and wizards were still innocent at heart. At least they could reflect and correct themselves.
He turned, placing a hand on Harry's shoulder.
"All settled, then. No need to 'flee' to the common room anymore."
Harry looked at him, stunned—and deeply moved.
"Thank you, Kai. I… I didn't expect you to stand up for me."
Kai gave him a wink. "We're friends, aren't we?"
Harry's throat tightened. Lately, no matter where he went, he was eyed like a criminal—whispers behind his back, suspicion clinging to him like a shadow. Even with Ron and Hermione by his side, no one else believed him. Until now.
In Harry's heart, Kai Adler had just joined a very short list: people he trusted without question.
Kai, of course, wasn't particularly sentimental about the moment. He acted on principle—and, perhaps, a bit of personal irritation.
He simply didn't like seeing his roommate take the blame for his attacker.
And that attacker still hadn't been found.
Filch had combed the castle top to bottom, spurred by rage over Mrs. Norris's fate and by Kai's quiet suggestions, but so far his efforts had only made the students more irritable. No results. No progress.
Kai frowned faintly.
It seemed—as usual—he'd have to take matters into his own hands.
He recalled something from the night of the Obscurus surge… flashes of memory, stolen from Draco Malfoy's thoughts during their encounter.
That black notebook. The one Draco brought to Hogwarts.
Was it connected to the Chamber of Secrets?
More importantly… Draco seemed to be plotting something.
Kai had vanished for three days. By now, Malfoy was probably in full-blown panic.
He let the thought hang in the back of his mind, eyes distant, already planning.