The Hikawa shrine was a place steeped in magic, older and more sacred than the spells taught in wizarding schools. Its wooden beams groaned softly in the evening wind, and the flickering candles on its altar cast jagged shadows that seemed to shift and move on their own. The air was thick with incense, the scent heady and calming, though it did little to dispel the cold tension that had taken root within the room.

Kaori Hikawa stood in its center, her back straight despite the years weighing on her. In her hands, she clutched a talisman carved from bone and threaded with silver—a sacred object passed down through generations. But even its power felt insignificant as she faced what was before her: her granddaughter, Kuri.

Kuri stood unnaturally still, her head tilted just a fraction too far to the side. Her normally warm blue eyes were cold and distant, her expression twisted into something unrecognizable.

"You should have known it wouldn't work, Kaori," Kuri said, her voice low and venomous. But it wasn't Kuri's voice—it belonged to the shadow that had taken hold of her. Sadako.

Sadako's voice was sharp and cold, like the scrape of steel against glass. "Did you think you could banish me with your little charms and prayers? I am far more powerful than you."

Kaori tightened her grip on the talisman, refusing to flinch. "You're not powerful, Sadako. You're a shadow, clinging to a life that no longer exists. Your grief destroyed you long ago, and now you seek to destroy everything else."

Sadako's laugh was sharp and cruel, filling the room like shattering glass. "Grief? You think you understand grief, old woman? I lost everything. My husband, my cause, my power—all of it was torn away by that accursed boy."

"Lord Voldemort was no hero," Kaori said evenly, though her heart ached for Kuri, trapped in this battle of wills. "He brought death and suffering to countless lives. And you, Sadako, chose to follow him into the abyss. Your devotion was your undoing."

Sadako's twisted smile grew wider, her possession of Kuri's young face making the sight all the more grotesque. "You think this child can stop me? She isn't as strong as her mother, and she's certainly no match for me. Soon, I'll be strong enough to reclaim what I lost. To build what Tom and I dreamed of—a world where our power reigns supreme."

"You're wrong," Kaori said firmly, her voice steady despite the cold fear gripping her. "Kuri carries the blood of the Divine Feminine. Her light is stronger than your darkness. You are nothing but a relic of hatred and despair. And she will destroy you."

For a brief moment, Sadako faltered, her cruel sneer flickering into something uncertain. Then her voice dropped, colder than ever.

"She's awake in here, you know," Sadako said, her tone dripping with malice. "Watching everything. I'll let her see as I tear this family apart, starting with you. One by one, I'll break every last one of you."

Kaori's heart ached, but she held firm. "You think you've won, but you underestimate her. And even if you could defeat her, you'll never escape the memory of what Harry Potter did to Voldemort."

The name hit like a curse. Sadako's expression twisted into one of pure rage, and for the first time, her confidence faltered. In that moment of weakness, Kuri's voice broke through.

"Stop it!" Kuri screamed, her body convulsing as she fought against the spirit within her. She fell to her knees, clutching her head as the war inside her raged.

Kaori dropped to her granddaughter's side, whispering incantations as the candles flickered wildly. After a moment that felt like an eternity, Sadako's presence began to retreat, and the unnatural chill in the room lifted.

Kuri let out a shuddering breath, tears streaming down her face as she collapsed into Kaori's arms.

"I told you to be careful," Kaori whispered, holding her tightly. "You're letting her slip through."

"I'm sorry," Kuri said, her voice trembling. "It's getting harder to keep her down. She gets stronger every time something happens."

Kaori pulled back to look her in the eyes. "Were you fighting again?"

Kuri hesitated before nodding. "They were bullying Reiko," she admitted. "I couldn't just stand by."

"And did you manage to keep yourself from using magic?"

"Of course I did," Kuri said, though her tone wavered. "But… I decked them. Got the drop on one, but the others…" She touched the bruise forming on her temple.

Kaori sighed, her expression softening. "You have to be more careful. You can't afford to draw attention to yourself, not when she's still inside you."

"I know," Kuri said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Kaori straightened, her tone turning firm. "That's why I've made a decision. You and your sisters are going to Hogwarts."

"Hogwarts?" Kuri repeated, blinking in surprise.

"Yes. Your stepfather has already sent Krystal ahead, and your cousins Ava and Billie are professors there. It's the best place for you to learn control—and to stay safe."

Kuri frowned. "But Sadako—"

Kaori interrupted her. "You'll have help, Kuri. More help than you realize. There's a boy—Harry Potter. He defeated Voldemort, and by extension, weakened Sadako. If anyone can help you, it's him."

Kuri's heart skipped a beat at the mention of his name. She had heard stories of Harry Potter, the boy who lived. A boy who, like her, carried a heavy burden.

"But I don't know him," Kuri said hesitantly.

"You will," Kaori said with quiet certainty. "And when you do, you'll understand why this is necessary."

XXX

That night, Kuri lay in bed, her thoughts churning. The name Harry Potter echoed in her mind, stirring a strange mix of curiosity and apprehension. She wondered what he was like. Would he see her as an ally? Or as a reminder of Voldemort's legacy?

Her eyelids grew heavy, but before sleep could claim her, a familiar darkness crept into her mind.

"You can't escape me," Sadako's voice hissed, her tone sharp and cruel. "No one can."

Kuri's body convulsed as Sadako seized control, dragging her into the shadows of her own mind.

XXX

Kaori Hikawa stood in the center of the main room, her hands shaking as she clutched a sacred talisman. The flickering candles on the altar cast long, jagged shadows across the room, shadows that seemed to twist and move with a life of their own.

"You've grown reckless, Kaori," a voice hissed from the darkness.

Kaori's breath hitched. She turned slowly, her heart pounding in her chest. At the far end of the room stood her granddaughter, Kuri—or rather, what was left of her.

Sadako, the shadow that had taken root within Kuri, wore her granddaughter's face like a mask. Her head tilted unnaturally to the side, her blue eyes gleaming with malice.

"You think you can stop me with your little talismans and chants?" Sadako sneered, her voice deep and guttural, like the scrape of metal against stone. She took a step forward, her presence suffocating. "You're wasting your time, old woman."

Kaori tightened her grip on the talisman, forcing herself to stand her ground. "You are not Kuri," she said, her voice steady despite the tremor in her hands. "You are a shadow. A parasite. And I will not let you destroy my family."

Sadako laughed, the sound sharp and cold. "Your family?" she mocked. "Do you mean the same family that abandoned me? The same family that whispered about how 'dangerous' I was, how 'broken' I'd become after Tom's death? They feared me, Kaori, just as they will fear Kuri. Your precious granddaughter will follow in my footsteps, whether you like it or not."

Kaori's jaw tightened. "I won't let you drag her into your darkness. I will protect my grandchildren—even if it means protecting them from themselves."

Sadako's smile widened, her possession of Kuri's face making the expression grotesque. "Protect them? You mean strip them of their power? I know what you're really planning, Kaori. Hogwarts was just a lie. I can feel it—your desperation. That little potion you're brewing in secret… You think taking their magic will save them?"

Kaori flinched but did not respond.

Sadako advanced, her voice dropping to a venomous whisper. "You're a fool. You think turning them into Muggles will save them from me? From the world? You're wrong, Kaori. You'll only leave them defenseless. Powerless."

Kaori's hands trembled. "Better they live as Muggles than become pawns in your twisted games," she said firmly.

Sadako's eyes narrowed, and for the first time, her mocking tone turned deadly. "You won't live to see it done."

Before Kaori could react, Sadako lunged forward, her movements unnaturally fast. A wave of dark energy erupted from Kuri's outstretched hand, slamming into Kaori's chest. The force threw her across the room, and she crashed into the altar, knocking candles and talismans to the ground.

Kaori gasped, clutching her chest as she struggled to rise. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth, and the talisman slipped from her fingers.

Sadako loomed over her, smiling cruelly. "Your time is up, Kaori. I'll take my time with your precious grandchildren. And you? You'll die knowing you failed them."

Kaori's vision blurred, but even as her strength waned, she forced herself to look up at Sadako. "You're wrong," she whispered. "I didn't fail them. They'll find their way… without me."

With a guttural cry, Sadako unleashed another wave of energy. The light in Kaori's eyes faded, and she slumped to the ground, lifeless.

XXX

When Kuri awoke, she found herself on the floor, her hands trembling and stained with blood. She blinked in confusion, her memories of the past few minutes a jumbled haze. "Grams?" she called weakly, her voice hoarse.

Across the room, Reiko and Mana burst in, their faces pale with panic.

"What happened?" Reiko cried, rushing to Kaori's side. But it was too late. The old woman's body lay still, her lifeless eyes staring at the ceiling.

"No!" Mana screamed, dropping to her knees beside her grandmother. She shook Kaori's shoulders, as if willing her to wake up. "No, no, no!"

Kuri stumbled to her feet, her chest tightening as the realization hit her. "She's… gone," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Reiko's hands trembled as she picked up a small vial that had rolled from Kaori's hand. She uncorked it and sniffed, her expression twisting in shock. "This… this is a power-stripping potion," she said, her voice shaking. "She was going to take away our magic."

"What?" Mana snapped, her grief turning into anger. "Why would she—?"

Reiko's face crumpled, tears streaming down her cheeks. "She thought it was the only way to protect us. She didn't trust us to handle Sadako, so she—she thought we'd be better off as Muggles."

Mana's fists clenched, her voice breaking. "Even Grams thought we were better off powerless. Better off as Muggles."

Her words hung heavy in the air, a bitter truth none of them could escape.

Kuri sank to the ground, tears spilling over her cheeks. "She didn't trust me," she whispered. "She didn't think I was strong enough to fight her. She thought I'd fail."

Reiko placed a trembling hand on Kuri's shoulder. "She did what she thought was best," she said softly, though her voice was thick with grief. "She loved us. She just… didn't know another way."

Mana buried her face in her hands, her sobs muffled but raw. The sisters sat together in the flickering candlelight, their world forever changed.

"What have I done?" Kuri whispered, tears streaming down her face.

Sadako's laughter echoed in her mind, cruel and triumphant. "This is only the beginning, child. And not even Harry Potter will save you from me."

But beneath the fear, a quiet voice whispered back: He will.