Chapter Summaries

Albert struggled to teach Nia to ski until Daisy helped her learn, and the family celebrated over lunch. There, Louise and her father Mr. Delacour greeted Albert, who learned that Mr. Dagworth and Mr. Damocles had made a bet and guessed that Mr. Dagworth was helping Damocles earn an Order of Merlin.

• Albert tried to teach Nia to ski, but she kept falling and he began to suspect he was a poor teacher.
• Daisy taught Nia to ski in half an hour, and Herb took the family to a French restaurant to celebrate.
• Louise greeted Albert at the restaurant, and her father Mr. Delacour came over to speak with him.
• Mr. Delacour praised Albert's papers, mentioned Hertok's research into a potion for Werewolves, and asked about the bet between Hertok and Mr. Damocles.
• Albert guessed that Mr. Dagworth had made the bet to help Mr. Damocles earn an Order of Merlin.

Albert received an invitation from Mr. Dagworth to help improve the Wolfsbane Potion, but he could not leave his family during their French vacation. Mr. Dagworth sent him a Two-way Mirror so they could discuss the potion remotely, leaving open the possibility that Albert would contribute to the research.

• Mr. Delacour gave Albert a note from Hertok asking him to help and explained that Hertok would contact him later.
• Albert told his family about Werewolves and Beauty Potions, while Herb warned Daisy about drinking unfamiliar mixtures.
• Mr. Dagworth sent Albert a Two-way Mirror and invited him to help improve Damocles's Wolfsbane Potion.
• Albert declined to travel to Mr. Dagworth and Damocles, but agreed they could communicate through the mirror.
• Mr. Dagworth told Damocles that Albert had a gift for improving potions and might help solve the Wolfsbane Potion's problems.

The Andersons returned to England, where Nia anxiously awaited word about attending Hogwarts. Professor McGonagall’s reply confirmed that Nia had not been admitted, and Albert comforted her by reminding her of their promise that she would help him manage things in the future.

• The Delacour and Anderson families grew closer at the resort, while Nia grew jealous of Louise spending time with Albert.
• The Andersons returned to England at the end of July, and Nia became increasingly anxious about whether Hogwarts would admit her.
• Albert wrote to Professor McGonagall at Nia’s request, hoping to ease her worries while they waited for a reply.
• Professor McGonagall’s response arrived with Hogwarts’ letter, confirming that Nia had not been admitted.
• Nia cried over losing her chance to learn magic, and Albert comforted her by asking whether she remembered their promise.

Quirrell disguised himself to infiltrate Gringotts and steal the Philosopher's Stone, but discovered the vault was empty after breaking in. He fled toward the upper levels, fearing the goblins would catch him and the Dark Lord would punish his failure.

• Quirrell met Harry Potter at The Leaky Cauldron, then bought a vampire book and visited a travel agency to preserve his alibi.
• Quirrell used Polyjuice Potion to impersonate his former roommate and Imperius-controlled goblins to enter Gringotts.
• Quirrell ordered a goblin to open Vault 713, but the goblin became trapped in the door because opening it required goblin magic.
• Quirrell burned through the vault door with Fiendfyre and found the vault empty, with no Philosopher's Stone inside.
• Quirrell realized the goblins might know about the break-in and hurried back toward the upper levels.

Albert read that Quirrell had failed to steal the Philosopher’s Stone and considered how to stay safe at Hogwarts while dealing with several new invitations. The chapter ended with Nia reacting unhappily to a letter from Albert’s pen pal, Izabel Macdougal.

• Albert read the report about the break-in at Gringotts and noted that Quirrell had failed to steal the Philosopher’s Stone.
• Fred and George invited Albert to visit, Professor Bludger wrote that he was ready to explain matters, and Sera Harishis invited Albert to meet master alchemists.
• Tom stole Shira’s owl nuts and later scared off another owl before Albert read Sera Harishis’s letter.
• Albert photographed Nia in her new school uniform after she returned from shopping.
• Nia read Izabel Macdougal’s letter asking whether Albert had bought the latest Complete Guide to Ancient Runes, and Albert hid that he had lied about its contents.

Albert and Herb went to Diagon Alley, where Albert met the Weasley family and stocked up on school supplies and magical goods. He bought an extra wand for his interest in Wand Studies, while the goblins’ reward notices remained posted after the Gringotts break-in.

• Albert and Herb arrived at The Leaky Cauldron, exchanged Pound Sterling for Galleons at Gringotts, and noticed the goblins’ reward notices and increased security.
• Fred introduced Albert and Herb to Mr. Weasley, Mrs. Weasley, Percy, and Ron, and Mr. Weasley took Herb to The Leaky Cauldron for a drink.
• Albert congratulated Percy on becoming a prefect and gave Mrs. Weasley his book list and Galleons to buy his books.
• Albert toured Diagon Alley with Fred and George, bought fireworks for Nia, reordered robes, replenished potion ingredients, and purchased a Crystal Ball.
• Albert visited an old shop and bought an extra wand for one Galleon because he was interested in Wand Studies.

Albert joined the Weasleys at The Burrow after discussing the Gringotts break-in with Mr. Weasley, then inspected Fred and George’s unfinished magical toffee. The twins asked Albert to help improve it, and he wanted to see the gnomes they planned to test it on.

• Albert told Mr. Weasley that the Gringotts thief must have known what was in the vault and that the item’s owner might know who broke in.
• Mrs. Weasley returned with Ron, and the family used Floo Powder to travel to The Burrow with Albert.
• Albert met Ginny and learned that Charlie was in Romania studying dragons.
• Fred and George showed Albert their toffee made with an inflating agent and asked him to help perfect it.
• Albert asked where the gnomes were that Fred and George planned to test the candy on.

Albert spent the day at the Weasley home, experimenting with the twins, learning about wizarding life, and playing Wizard Cards. After Mr. Brode’s letter said someone would collect him before dinner, Albert asked to be picked up afterward so he could stay longer, still curious about Isabelle’s surprise and the prospect of becoming her heir.

• Fred, George, and Albert tested Swelling Solution on a gnome, and Albert restored it with magic while discussing the twins’ potion experiments.
• Albert spoke with Mr. Weasley and Percy about Muggles, wizarding radio, and Divination, then played Wizard Cards with Fred, George, Ron, and Ginny.
• Fred and George invited Albert to play Quidditch, but he declined because of his heavy course load and praised Ginny’s flying.
• Mr. Brode wrote that he would send someone to collect Albert before dinner, so Albert asked to be picked up after dinner instead.

Albert left the Weasleys’ home and joined Isabelle and Katrina at the manor, where he discussed magical theory and study plans with Isabelle. Mr. Brode then explained that Albert and Isabelle were being considered to inherit the Will de Smith Family surname, but he left the family’s full story untold.

• Mrs. Weasley gave Albert extra helpings before Noel took him to Mr. Brode’s manor that evening.
• Albert reunited with Isabelle, then greeted Katrina, who was surprised to find him there.
• Albert discussed an outdated Charms theory and Chadwick’s Magic with Isabelle, leaving Katrina confused.
• Albert and Isabelle discussed managing their twelve classes for the coming term, with Isabelle also advising Katrina.
• Mr. Brode told Albert that he and Isabelle were suitable candidates to inherit the Will de Smith Family surname and offered to explain its history if Albert agreed.
• Albert questioned Mr. Brode’s claim that the candidates were selected from among the very best.

Albert learned that inheriting the Will de Smith surname would give him access to centuries of accumulated knowledge, and he agreed to the responsibilities. Mr. Brode gave him a gold-and-silver book containing the life’s work of Brel Bosted, including instructions for making Two-way Mirrors.

• Mr. Brode explained the benefits and duties of inheriting the Will de Smith surname, and Albert agreed.
• Mr. Brode revealed that Will de Smith Castle was hidden by the Fidelius Charm and that the heirs were descendants of Ignatia Wilder Smith’s father, Will de Smith.
• Mr. Brode explained that Rowena Smith had been rejected because of his character, while Brear had been judged unsuitable for lack of talent.
• Mr. Brode showed Albert a metal book made mostly of gold and silver, and Albert found instructions for making Two-way Mirrors inside.
• Albert read Brel Bosted’s note saying he had left behind his life’s knowledge and hoped future readers would find happiness in it.

Albert discussed inheriting the manor and the Golden Book with Isabelle, then chatted with her and Katrina about Beauty Potion and his trip to France. Mog delivered a letter from Sera Harishis, leaving Albert curious about its contents.

• Albert recalled Mr. Brode telling him that the manor would someday belong to him and wondered how the family had acquired its wealth.
• Albert joined Isabelle for breakfast, learned she had refused the inheritance, and said he planned to ask Dumbledore about taking a Hogwarts house-elf after graduation.
• Albert and Isabelle discussed the difficulty of mastering the Golden Book’s alchemy and the craft of making Two-way Mirrors.
• Katrina joined Albert and Isabelle, and Albert told them about meeting the beautiful, Veela-descended Miss Louise in France.
• Mog delivered a letter from Sera Harishis to Albert, who claimed it was nothing when Katrina asked about it.

Dumbledore approved Albert Anderson and Katrina McDougal's Time-Turner applications while defending his decision to keep the Philosopher's Stone at Hogwarts. Quirrell and Voldemort recognized that Dumbledore's protections were a trap and began looking for a way around them.

• Professor McGonagall gave Dumbledore the completed Time-Turner applications, and he signed them.
• Professor McGonagall questioned keeping the Philosopher's Stone at Hogwarts, but Dumbledore insisted the school was safe.
• Snape warned that the professors' mechanisms would not stop a skilled dark wizard and objected to Quirrell hiring a troll guard.
• Dumbledore privately considered how to trap Tom if he came for the Philosopher's Stone.
• Voldemort told Quirrell to wait for a suitable opportunity and explained that the mechanisms were bait for Dumbledore's trap.
• Quirrell, whose body was weakening after Voldemort parasitized him, decided he had to learn what mechanisms the other professors had created.

Dumbledore brought Albert and Sera Harishis to a hidden apartment to visit Nicol and Perenal LeMay, who had been in trouble. The group discussed their safety and Albert’s talent, while Nicol and Perenal welcomed their guests.

• Dumbledore visited Sera Harishis and told Albert that Nicol LeMay was alive but had run into trouble.
• Harishis showed Dumbledore and Albert a working Vanishing Cabinet and used it to reach an underground location where they could Apparate.
• Dumbledore Apparated with Albert and Harishis to a city and led them through a hidden entrance to Twelve Tulip Street Apartment.
• Dumbledore told Nicol and Perenal that no one was watching their previous location anymore, but warned them to remain careful.
• Nicol and Perenal welcomed Albert and Harishis with tea and pastries, and Perenal compared Albert to the talented young Dumbledore.

Albert spoke with Nicholas and Perenal about Dumbledore, the history of magic and alchemy, and his own Protective Bracelet. Nicholas recognized Albert’s remarkable talent, and Albert stayed with the couple after Mr. Harishis left.

• Albert praised Perenal’s tea and listened as Nicholas and Perenal recalled meeting Dumbledore and discussed the truth behind his discovery of Dragon’s Blood’s uses.
• Nicholas described the Dark Middle Ages, explaining that knowledge had been fragmented and many spells had been discarded, while Mr. Harishis said secrecy had helped make the wizarding world easier to manage.
• Albert asked about alchemy and the Philosopher’s Stone, and Nicholas explained that the Stone could not produce real gold.
• Albert showed Nicholas his Protective Bracelet and discussed many subjects with him, impressing Nicholas with his talent.
• After lunch, Perenal told Albert that he could stay there until Mr. Harishis returned in a few days to take him home.

Albert considered whether to inherit Nicolas Flamel’s knowledge, then spent another day talking with him about magic. Nicolas showed Albert Ravenclaw’s damaged diadem, which he had failed to repair, and described Dumbledore as an exceptionally powerful wizard.

• Albert found a new quest to become Nicolas Flamel’s heir but decided to let their relationship develop naturally.
• Albert woke from a dream about creating and discarding the Philosopher’s Stone, then joined the Le Me Couple for breakfast.
• Nicolas discussed old spells and amulets with Albert and suggested using garnets to make them.
• Nicolas showed Albert Ravenclaw’s Diadem and said he could not repair its damaged enchantment or identify Ravenclaw’s lost magic.
• Nicolas told Albert that Dumbledore’s age, experience, and wisdom made him nearly unmatched, perhaps even more formidable than Merlin.

Albert made Bubble Tea for Nia and discussed taking the overweight Tom to Hogwarts, then practiced Crystal Ball Divination. When the Crystal Ball stirred, a new skill appeared on his panel, and he glimpsed a hand writing numbers on parchment.

• Albert gave Nia Bubble Tea and explained that he had put Tom on a weight-loss plan before taking him to Hogwarts.
• Albert showed Nia the custom Cat Tag Nicolas had made and demonstrated how a compass could track it.
• Albert told Nia and Daisy he was learning Crystal Ball Divination, though his attempts showed only mist.
• The Crystal Ball’s mist began to swirl, and Albert discovered the Crystal Ball Divination skill on his panel.
• Albert raised the skill to level two and glimpsed a hand writing a string of numbers on parchment.

Albert used his notebook prediction to win a small lottery prize, then spent the rest of summer preparing for Hogwarts and giving Nia a protective amulet before she started Casterton Middle School. He boarded the Hogwarts Express with Tom and Shira, where the pets’ feud ended in chaos.

• Albert won a few hundred pounds by predicting what he would write in his notebook and used the money for a family dinner celebrating Nia’s admission to Casterton Middle School.
• Albert gave Nia a garnet phoenix amulet and warned her to keep magic secret and protect herself.
• Albert said goodbye to his family, passed through the barrier at King’s Cross, and boarded the Hogwarts Express with Tom and Shira.
• Albert let Tom out of his cage and watched the pets provoke each other while he searched the platform for Harry Potter.
• Shira opened her cage, escaped, and pecked Tom, sending the compartment into chaos.

Albert and Lee Jordan discussed their pets aboard the Hogwarts Express, then Albert claimed Harry Potter had arrived with the Weasley family. The twins went to confirm it, while Albert and Lee stayed behind, expecting to see Harry at the Sorting.

• Lee Jordan showed Albert a venomous Bag Spider, and Albert warned him to keep it from biting anyone.
• Albert explained that he had brought cat food for Tom and suggested Lee get an owl instead of keeping the spider.
• Albert falsely told Lee that Fred and George had arrived, then claimed he had predicted Harry Potter’s arrival with a Crystal Ball.
• Fred and George entered the compartment, heard Albert’s claim, and George recalled seeing a black-haired boy beside them.
• The twins hurried off to look for Harry, while Albert told Lee they would see him at the Sorting.

On the Hogwarts train, Albert, Fred, George, and Lee Jordan discussed Harry Potter, Lee’s costly Bag Spider, and Albert’s cat, Tom. Fred and George tested a Fat-Tongue Toffee on Lee, and Albert advised them to develop more products before trying to sell them at school.

• Fred and George returned to the compartment and told Albert and Lee Jordan that Harry Potter was on the train.
• Lee Jordan considered giving up his Bag Spider because he could not afford to feed it, while Fred and George teased the spider and Tom.
• Albert fed dried fish to Tom and the Bag Spider, showing Lee that the spider would eat it and explaining that pet food cost money.
• Fred gave Lee a Fat-Tongue Toffee that made his tongue swell, and Albert restored it with his wand.
• Albert ate a Fat-Tongue Toffee without triggering its effect and explained how it worked to Fred, George, and Lee.
• Albert advised Fred and George to invent more products and build a range before selling their sweets at school.

On the Hogwarts Express, Albert and his friends shared lunch and discussed where Neville and Hermione might be sorted. When Neville and Hermione returned asking for help, Albert summoned Neville’s toad with Accio, leaving Neville relieved and Hermione puzzled.

• Fred and George told Albert about their summer experiments, and he warned them that their plans exceeded their knowledge and resources.
• Albert, the twins, and Lee Jordan shared food while traveling, and Neville asked if they had seen his missing toad.
• The group guessed Neville would be sorted into Hufflepuff or Gryffindor and Hermione into Ravenclaw.
• Hermione returned with Neville to ask for help, and Albert told them to seek the Head Boy, then discussed the students’ house preferences with his friends.
• Neville and Hermione came back when they could not find the Head Boy, so Albert summoned Trevor with Accio and advised Neville to keep the toad in a cage.