Chapter Summaries

Albert and his friends made a garlic-scented cross and tested it on a Grindylow, discovering that it could repel some creatures but was overwhelmingly unpleasant. Albert decided to turn it into a supposed legendary treasure for a prank on another Hogwarts student.

• Albert and Lee Jordan, Fred, and George crushed garlic, soaked it in alcohol with Protego Tree crosses, and began preparing the Garlic Crucifix.
• The friends boiled the garlic mixture with beeswax and olive oil by the lakeshore, then Albert warned Fred and George to wait until after the end-of-year feast before smearing leftover garlic-scented beeswax in Filch's office.
• Albert and his friends visited Hagrid to find a Dark Creature for testing, and Hagrid led them to Professor Kettleburn, who lent them a Grindylow.
• Professor Kettleburn said the garlic cross might repel Vampires and some other creatures, and the Grindylow moved away from it when Albert took it out of the jar.
• Albert named the cross Vampire Repellent and planned to hide it as treasure with a map in the library, while Fred, George, and Lee Jordan eagerly joined the prank.

Albert and his friends celebrated Gryffindor winning the House Cup, then the Weasley twins got revenge on Filch with garlic-scented beeswax. After the school year ended, Albert left for the summer and learned his family was taking him to France while Tom stayed with Grandpa Luke.

• Dumbledore announced that Gryffindor won the House Cup by five points, with Ravenclaw second and Slytherin fourth.
• Fred and George used Albert’s Disillusionment Charm to distract Filch while George smeared garlic-scented beeswax in Filch’s office.
• Albert learned that he had placed first in his year and explained to his friends how the underage magic pledge and Trace worked.
• Filch confronted Albert, Fred, George, and Lee about the garlic smell, but they denied knowing anything as they boarded the Hogwarts Express.
• Albert reunited with Herb, Daisy, and Nia at King’s Cross and learned that Tom would stay with Grandpa Luke while the family went to France for the summer.

Albert enjoyed a family holiday in France, where he practiced French, surfed, and visited famous attractions with Herb, Daisy, and Nia. Herb booked the family tickets to the Bastille Opera House for their final days before they returned home.

• Herb and Daisy took the family to France because Albert could speak French, and he impressed customs officers by translating for them.
• The Anderson Family visited the Champs-Élysées, the Arc de Triomphe, and the Seine River before relaxing at Basque Beach.
• Albert surfed with French locals, improved his French, and helped Nia apply sunscreen while telling her about Europe's three magic schools.
• Albert told a young couple he planned to write a story about magic, while Herb proudly praised his French.
• Herb booked tickets to the Bastille Opera House, and Albert objected that they should see a film instead.

The Anderson family watched Romeo and Juliet at the Bastille Opera House, where Albert noticed a missing audience member had left behind a magical gold card. When a wizard tried to summon it with Accio, Albert blocked the spell and decided to keep the card until he could return it safely.

• Herb took the family to the Bastille Opera House, where Albert translated the French program and explained the opera between acts.
• The family watched Romeo and Juliet end in tragedy, and Albert later answered Nia's questions about the lovers' fate.
• After the performance, Nia found a gold card and gave it to Herb, who recognized its design but could not read its writing.
• Albert took the card and used his Protective Bracelet's Shield Charm to block a wizard's Accio spell.
• Albert identified the card as belonging to the Extraordinary Apothecary Association and decided to keep it until he could return it without being blamed.

Hertok Dagworth used divination to discover that Albert had his missing Gold Card, but he failed to catch him before the Anderson Family left France. Back in England, Albert received a Ministry warning blaming him for Hertok’s Accio, and he wrote a reply challenging the Ministry’s unreliable Trace.

• Hertok Dagworth asked Nicholas to use a Crystal Ball to find his missing Gold Card, and the vision showed it in Albert’s hand.
• Hertok searched for Albert with help from the French Ministry of Magic, but the Anderson Family’s plane had already returned to England.
• Albert studied Hertok’s Gold Card during the flight and reassured his family when turbulence shook the plane.
• The Anderson Family visited Luke’s home to collect Tom and Shira, where an exhausted owl dropped a Ministry warning letter onto Albert’s cake.
• Albert wrote to the Ministry denying that he had used Accio and wrote to Professor Bludger asking about the apothecary association and complaining about the Trace.

Mafalda Hopkirk forwarded Albert Anderson’s letter disputing the Ministry’s Accio accusation, but her superior dismissed it as a small matter. At home, Albert received similarly unconcerned replies from his correspondents, considered the value of Hertok Dagworth’s gold card, and went to bed before a family trip to Diagon Alley.

• Mafalda Hopkirk considered discarding Albert Anderson’s letter but forwarded it after remembering the trouble caused by an earlier Trace blunder.
• Hopkirk’s superior ignored Albert’s letter and left it beside his desk, where it was eventually thrown away.
• Albert read Fred and George Weasley’s reply, which relayed Mr. Weasley’s advice to write to the head of the Office for the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts.
• Albert read Professor Bludger’s letter and wondered whether Hertok Dagworth would care about losing his gold card.
• Albert read Rowena Smith’s letter, returned to his summer homework, and learned from Nia that the family would visit Diagon Alley the next day.
• Albert stopped working after half an hour and went to bed.

Albert took the Anderson Family to Diagon Alley to shop for his school supplies and introduce them to the wizarding world. After meeting acquaintances and buying what they needed, the family headed home, where they discussed Albert’s reluctance to train for Quidditch.

• Albert warned his family that some wizards looked down on ordinary people and vetoed Nia’s idea of bringing a camera to Diagon Alley.
• Albert led Herb, Daisy, and Nia into the Leaky Cauldron and opened the hidden entrance to Diagon Alley.
• The family bought Albert’s Grade 2 Charms book, potion ingredients, new robes, and other supplies, while Nia admired a costly model of the Solar System.
• Albert encountered the McDougal family at Madam Malkin’s and later met Wood, who reminded him to buy a broomstick for Quidditch.
• Albert declined to buy a broomstick before making the team and told Herb that he disliked the time Quidditch training took.

Hertok met Bade Blod to learn who had found his lost gold membership card, and Blod urged him to resolve the trouble he had caused the boy rather than offer compensation. After Hertok left to seek out Anderson, Blod and McDougal discussed Rowena’s plans for Hogwarts and went to question Gerber about the inheritance.

• Hertok received an owl letter from Bade Blod offering help and traveled to the Lake House to meet him.
• Blod hinted that his young friend Anderson had found Hertok’s gold membership card and asked how Hertok planned to handle the matter.
• After reading Anderson’s letter, Hertok agreed to clean up the trouble he had caused and left to negotiate with the boy.
• McDougal joined Blod and learned that Blod expected Hertok to fail if he tried to settle the matter with compensation.
• McDougal told Blod that Rowena intended to become Hogwarts’ Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor, and they decided to question Gerber about her suspicions regarding the inheritance.

Albert returned to Platform Nine and Three-Quarters for the new school year and confronted Hertok about the Ministry of Magic’s warning over the Golden Membership Card. He refused to return it until Hertok secured a personal apology from the Ministry, leaving Hertok to decide how to resolve the dispute.

• Albert left his family at King’s Cross and boarded the Hogwarts Express after arriving late because of a traffic jam.
• Hertok approached Albert and offered him twenty Galleons to return the Golden Membership Card.
• Albert showed Hertok the Ministry’s warning letter and demanded that he obtain a personal apology from the head of the Office for the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts.
• Hertok tried to summon the card, but Albert revealed that he had left it elsewhere and warned Hertok not to use underhanded methods.
• Albert boarded the train, while Hertok reflected on the difficult task of getting the Ministry to apologize and then Apparated away.

On the Hogwarts Express, Albert reunited with Lee Jordan and the Weasley twins, discussed his Ministry of Magic trouble with them, and declined to join the Quidditch team for now. He suspected Hertok Dagworth was trying to avoid resolving the matter properly, and Lee Jordan agreed that Hertok’s offer of twenty Galleons was suspicious.

• Albert told Lee Jordan that Hertok Dagworth had demanded the membership card and tried to take it by magic, but Albert had refused to return it unless Hertok fixed his Ministry problem.
• Fred and George arrived with Cleansweep Five brooms, and Albert congratulated them but said he had not bought a broom or planned to join the Quidditch team unless Charlie needed him.
• Albert told Charlie he was focused on his studies and hoped to learn from Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor Rowena Smith, though he agreed to help the team if needed.
• Fred and George asked about the rubber duck Albert had sent them, and Albert explained that Muggles used it as a bath toy.
• Albert revealed Hertok had offered him twenty Galleons instead of resolving the Ministry issue, and Lee Jordan agreed that the offer seemed suspicious.

On the train, Albert discussed ways to make money with Fred, George, and Lee Jordan, then came up with the idea for a wizard card game based on famous witches and wizards, historical events, and spells. The four began shaping Wizard Cards, which they hoped would spread throughout the wizarding world.

• Albert offered to invest in Fred and George's joke shop and suggested ways to earn money from Acromantulas, Snow Mushrooms, and Protective Bracelets.
• Albert explained that he had used his Protective Bracelet to keep Hertok's gold card from being summoned, avoiding suspicion from the Ministry of Magic.
• Albert suggested that George try the Daily Prophet's Galleon Grand Prize draw, then shrugged off the idea as a joke.
• After seeing a Chocolate Frog card, Albert proposed creating a wizard card game based on famous wizards, magical objects, history, and spells.
• Albert, Fred, George, and Lee Jordan planned their own cards and discussed promoting the game.

Albert and his friends returned to Hogwarts in heavy rain, where they attended the Sorting Ceremony and welcomed the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Rowena Smith. After Dumbledore announced a ban on garlic, Albert settled into his familiar Gryffindor dormitory for the night.

• Albert refined the rules for Wizard Cards with Fred, George, and Lee Jordan during the train journey.
• At Hogsmeade Station, Albert conjured an umbrella and copied Lee Jordan's umbrella with Fred's wand so the twins could stay dry.
• Albert rode to Hogwarts with his friends, helped a student who had slipped, and noticed the first-years crossing the Black Lake.
• At the feast, the Sorting Hat sorted Zacharias Smith into Hufflepuff and Katie Bell into Gryffindor, while Dumbledore introduced Rowena Smith as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.
• Dumbledore announced that students could not grow or bring garlic into the castle, and Fred and George struggled not to laugh at Filch's rule.
• Albert returned to the Gryffindor dormitory, changed into his pajamas, and went to bed as rain fell outside.

Albert hid Hertok’s gold membership card in the Room of Requirement and began designing a Wizard Card game with Fred, George, and Lee Jordan. He also learned Charlie had chosen him as Gryffindor’s Seeker, while the group started making cards for the Hogwarts Card Set.

• Albert and Shanna discussed the Copy Charm on their way to breakfast, where Charlie told Albert to try out for Quidditch as Gryffindor’s Seeker.
• Albert received Hertok’s gold membership card from Shira and hid it beside Ravenclaw’s Diadem in the Room of Requirement.
• Albert returned to the dormitory and explained to Fred, George, and Lee Jordan that the cards would form factions within the Hogwarts Card Set.
• Albert drafted cards for the Weasley twins, Lee Jordan, and himself, giving each character different stats and effects.
• Albert said a deck would contain thirty cards and could include no more than three copies of any card.

Albert and the Gryffindors played his homemade Wizard Cards, testing character abilities and discussing new factions and rules. The game left George repeatedly defeated, while Snape’s card effect made everyone laugh about the Potions professor’s watchful gaze.

• Albert explained a new Avada Kedavra rule and outlined possible factions for future cards.
• Angelina joined the game, received her own Quidditch-themed card, and lost to Albert and then George.
• Charlie brought a Quidditch tryout notice, and the group showed him and Wood their cards.
• Angelina read Snape’s Gaze from Behind card effect, and Lee Jordan imitated Snape as everyone laughed.

Hertok Dagworth failed to persuade the Ministry to apologize over the Trace and could not recover his missing Gold Card from Albert. Brode warned him against confronting Albert and advised him to seek help from the Ministry, while Hertok decided to write to Dumbledore.

• Rufus learned from Hopkirk that Hertok Dagworth and the Ministry department head had argued over a problem with the Trace, and their talks had ended badly.
• Hertok went to the Lake House but could not find it until a house-elf Apparated him to Brode.
• Hertok told Brode that the department head had denied any problem with the Trace and refused his request for an apology.
• Hertok admitted that Albert had hidden the Gold Card and planned to melt it down and sell it in the Muggle world.
• Brode warned Hertok not to pressure Albert, explaining that Albert was more capable than he appeared.
• Hertok decided to write to Dumbledore and ask the Hogwarts headmaster for help getting the Gold Card back.

Albert and his friends discussed their first Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson and the rumors surrounding the position before attending Herbology. Professor Sprout taught the students to repot Mandrakes, and Albert finished the task successfully.

• At breakfast, Albert and his friends talked about Boggarts, the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, and rumors about The Dark Lord.
• Charlie reminded Albert and the others that Quidditch tryouts were that afternoon.
• In Herbology, Professor Sprout explained Mandrakes and showed the class how to repot them safely with earmuffs.
• Fred, George, Lee Jordan, and Albert struggled to repot their Mandrake, and Fred's Mandrake bit his dragon-hide glove.
• Albert forced his Mandrake into a pot, covered it with soil and compost, and completed his first repotting.

After a muddy lesson and a review in Transfiguration, Albert received invitations that forced him to choose between several activities. He arranged to miss Quidditch tryouts for Dumbledore’s tea and the Transfiguration Club, then headed toward an afternoon of classes with his friends.

• Gryffindor arrived late to Transfiguration, where Professor McGonagall docked five points and Albert effortlessly transformed a beetle into a silver button.
• Professor McGonagall told Albert and Katrina McDougal that they had been invited to the Transfiguration Club, and Albert warned Katrina about its chair-making tradition.
• Lee Jordan gave Albert a note inviting him to tea with Albus Dumbledore at seven, and Albert guessed the meeting might concern his Gold Card.
• Albert told Katrina he could not attend Charlie’s Quidditch tryouts because they conflicted with the Transfiguration Club, and Charlie agreed to keep him as a reserve Seeker.
• Albert offered to show Katrina the way to Classroom 21 and joked with Fred, George, and Lee Jordan about clubs, afternoon classes, and the Boggart spell Riddikulus.

Albert guided Katrina to Classroom 21, then attended a Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson where Professor Rowena taught the class how to repel Boggarts. The students began practicing, and Professor Rowena revealed that his Boggart’s corpse form reminded him of a friend who had died in a magical experiment.

• Albert led Katrina to the hidden entrance to Classroom 21 and showed her how to ask the portrait witch to open it.
• Professor Rowena brought the class to an abandoned classroom and explained how Boggarts and the Riddikulus spell worked.
• Albert faced the Boggart, which turned into a thick book; he tried to open it, then stomped on it when it would not open.
• The Boggart became a corpse, and Professor Rowena said it reminded him of a friend who died in a Magic Experiment before inviting the class to practice.
• Fred and George turned their Acromantula Boggart into a helpless skater, while Lee Jordan’s became a box of unpleasant Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans.

Albert confronted Hertok Dagworth in Dumbledore’s office over the Ministry of Magic’s mistake and refused to return the Golden Membership Card until the responsible official apologized. Hertok agreed to secure a handwritten apology, while Albert left uninterested in Hertok’s suggestion that he pursue power at the Ministry.

• Albert arrived at Dumbledore’s office and met Hertok Dagworth to discuss their dispute over the Golden Membership Card.
• Hertok offered Galleons for the card, but Albert demanded that Dagworth resolve the trouble and obtain an apology from the head of the Office for the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts.
• Albert suggested that Hertok publicly shift blame to the Ministry official if she continued refusing to apologize.
• Hertok agreed to obtain a handwritten apology letter, and Albert explained that he wanted the Ministry to take responsibility for its mistake.
• Hertok offered to answer Albert’s questions about potions and suggested he could become Minister for Magic, but Albert said he was not interested.

After Albert left Dumbledore’s office, the headmasters’ portraits discussed his intelligence, magical talent, Smith family ancestry, and anger at the Ministry. Dumbledore predicted that Hertok would apologize, leaving the Ministry dispute poised for its cheapest resolution.

• The portraits discussed Albert’s calmness and his understanding of the Golden Membership Card’s value.
• Dumbledore said Albert was a Muggle Wizard descended from the Smith family and praised his talent, Ancient Runes knowledge, and courage.
• The portraits discussed the Smith family’s mysterious history and the influential circle of wizards that included Dumbledore and Brode.
• The portraits debated Albert’s dislike of the Ministry and his plan concerning the head of the Office for the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts.
• Dumbledore said Albert had only made Hertok state the facts and predicted that she would agree to apologize.