Chapter Summaries

Georgiana translated Brother Carloman’s account of Pepin’s coronation for Bonaparte, revealing how Church rites and royal authority became intertwined. The chapter ended with Georgiana witnessing Napoleon and Josephine’s religious wedding ceremony.

• Bonaparte asked Georgiana about the ghost, and she introduced him to Brother Carloman.
• Carloman explained that Pepin had spared him, then described the legend of the holy oil and the Frankish kings’ long hair as their crown.
• Carloman recounted Childeric’s forced tonsure and reenacted the coronation ritual, proclaiming, “Vivat rex.”
• Georgiana reflected on the Church’s authority over marriage and watched Napoleon and Josephine hold their religious wedding ceremony.

Georgiana considered France’s gunpowder needs and the political risks surrounding Napoleon’s ambitions, while James Monroe sought a meeting with her. After finding an anti-polygamy note on her door, she burned it and resolved not to interfere with events beyond her control.

• The chapter explained how the Naples–Spain marriage alliance threatened French gunpowder supplies and how America sought French gunpowder-making equipment through Pierre Du Pont and James Monroe.
• James Monroe requested a meeting with Georgiana through Stephen, and she agreed to see him.
• Georgiana reflected on Napoleon’s desire for an imperial coronation and her difficulty reconciling republican France with returning priests and exiles.
• Georgiana found a note on her door accusing France of needing no polygamy, then burned it without reacting.
• Georgiana decided to let events take their course rather than try to prevent Napoleon’s rise.

Georgiana met James Monroe and Viktor Du Pont, who pressed her to approve French workers for an American gunpowder factory and described America’s political and commercial interests. After they left, she transformed the Thunderbird totem into a living bird that flew over Paris.

• James Monroe gave Georgiana Cherokee-inspired gifts and discussed Viktor Du Pont’s background and the Du Pont family’s plans in America.
• Monroe and Viktor urged Georgiana to sign off on sending French workers to America, citing trade in gunpowder, grain, and Chilean saltpeter.
• Monroe criticized British interference with American ships and sailors, and revealed that he was preparing to become the American minister to Britain.
• Viktor said his father wanted to return to Paris, and Georgiana warned that Americans would still regard the Du Ponts as foreigners.
• After the American guests left, Georgiana used Transfiguration to turn the Thunderbird totem into a bird that flew around Paris.

Georgiana visited the Louvre and encountered a young British painter whose unusual landscapes impressed her. Before leaving with Napoleoni, she learned his name was Joseph Turner and offered him a way to seek her help in Sèvres.

• Georgiana went to the Louvre with Matilda, Fiegel, and Bailier after seeing off two American guests.
• Georgiana watched students copying paintings and noticed a young man painting a misty view of Île de la Cité in an Impressionist style.
• The young man showed Georgiana paintings from his travels in the Alps, and she praised his distinctive use of color and light.
• Georgiana asked the young painter his name, but Napoleoni called her over before he could answer.
• Georgiana told the painter to find her in Sèvres if he needed help, and he identified himself as Joseph Turner.

Georgiana and Bonaparte discussed monarchy, revolution, and the need for order as they reflected on France’s history and their doubts about rulers and popular opinion. After Bonaparte kissed her, he took her by the hand and ran with her into an unopened section of the Louvre, leaving Matilda behind with Denon.

• Napoleoni told Georgiana that the Prince of Wales had called his wife his greatest enemy, then explained the destruction of the Basilica of Saint-Denis during the Revolution.
• Bonaparte described France’s royal banners and Lafayette’s history, revealing that he would not allow Louis XVIII to return because France had embraced the tricolor rather than the fleur-de-lis.
• Georgiana argued that governments needed order and warned that Americans might seize Cherokee land if it became valuable, while Bonaparte questioned her account of Charles V and distrust of rulers.
• Georgiana recounted Louis XV’s fear of being killed and said Severus’s tavern intelligence had led to the death of the woman he loved; Bonaparte asked whether she doubted Severus loved her because others believed he loved Lily.
• Bonaparte asked Georgiana for a kiss and kissed her in public, then invited her to visit Saint-Denis.
• Bonaparte took Georgiana’s hand and ran toward an unopened part of the Louvre as Denon stopped Matilda from following; Matilda felt free in the moment.

Napoleon, Georgiana, and their companions searched the ruined Saint-Denis Church for its treasures, uncovering a shattered glass device that projected Latin and rose-window designs. The crypt held no treasure, so they left with the restored glass and no answer to where Saint-Denis’s relics were hidden.

• Napoleon and his companions surveyed Saint-Denis Church’s ruins and discussed its history, Louis IX, and the church’s rumored treasures.
• Napoleon led Georgiana and the Guides into the crypt while Canova and Denon stayed aboveground.
• Napoleoni found a shattered pile of colored glass underground, and Georgiana repaired it with Reparo.
• Georgiana used Lumos to reveal a Latin message and images of rose windows projected onto the ceiling.
• Napoleon and the Guides praised the discovery, then the group searched the looted crypt, found no treasure, and took the restored glass away.

Georgiana and Bonaparte discussed the Verona uprising, the Church’s influence over the countryside, slavery, and whether she could trust him. As they left the ruined church together, Georgiana said she would stay with him if Severus did not come for her.

• Georgiana prayed in the church while Canova watched her.
• Bonaparte recounted how the Verona uprising ended after the rebels surrendered, and explained why he had suspected Georgiana might incite a peasant revolt.
• Georgiana argued that the Church could mobilize rural people and challenged Bonaparte over slavery and the limits he placed on action.
• Georgiana admitted she remained curious about Bonaparte despite wanting to save her marriage to Severus, and Bonaparte urged her to believe that Severus loved her.
• Georgiana called after Bonaparte that she would keep him company if Severus did not come for her, then took his hand and walked with him.

Georgiana weighed the dangers of neutrality and considered spreading a rumor about gold in South Carolina as she faced choosing a side. At Saint-Denis, Severus discussed Napoleon, death, and his doubts about Pomona before leaving for St. Mark's Square.

• Georgiana reflected on how neutrality had failed Hufflepuff and Venice, then considered using the true discovery of South Carolina gold to spread a rumor.
• Severus told Gong Saiyi and Felix Yang that he wanted to use a Requiem Mass and the Book of the Dead to identify the dead and test whether Napoleon was really buried in his tomb.
• Severus said Napoleon had sought an empress and power, and worried that Pomona might be dead, imagining him, or caught in a dream.
• Severus revealed that Lucius Malfoy knew he was alive and recalled his betrayal of the Death Eaters and the scar on his neck.
• Gong Saiyi rejected Severus's theories about Napoleon and urged him to leave Saint-Denis, then Apparated away with Felix Yang for St. Mark's Square.
• Severus mocked Napoleon's ambitions for a crown and Apparated after them.

Georgiana considered using Louisiana as a destination for smugglers and a way to move money to Wellington, while weighing her personal happiness against political responsibility. Bonaparte put his bracelet on her wrist and asked her to stay and share his burdens, leaving her uncertain as she prepared for a dangerous journey north.

• Georgiana reflected on the Mississippi Bubble and devised a plan to exile grain smugglers to Louisiana while spreading rumors of gold, with the aim of moving money through Rothschild's network to Wellington.
• Georgiana considered Louverture's independence plans, the upheaval in Parma, and her own responsibility to protect the future of Italy.
• Bonaparte found Georgiana by the tower window, placed his hair bracelet on her wrist, and urged her to choose between personal happiness and public duty.
• Georgiana led Bonaparte to the sofa, let him rest in her lap, and sang to him while they discussed danger and bad luck.
• Georgiana thought about snipers, wizards, and the need to preserve the International Statute of Secrecy, then noted that October 29, 1802, was a full-moon night.

Severus explained to Gong Saiyi and Felix how Napoleon sought prestige and control through military victories, political marriages, and public support. He then corrected Felix’s idea about Poland’s role in Napoleon’s retreat and Apparated them away to meet a manuscript collector.

• Severus argued that Napoleon needed victory and its spoils to secure his legitimacy and public prestige.
• Severus said Napoleon sought unconditional love and control, and compared his political marriages with Pomona’s former belief that witches should bear children for their community.
• Severus described how Walewska could have used Poland’s position to benefit both the French and Russians, then explained that Napoleon sent her to Vienna to keep Metternich neutral and protect his retreat.
• Severus told Gong Saiyi that John had once aimed a cannon at Napoleon’s carriage before Pomona saved him, and compared Napoleon to a horse whose master chose its destination.
• Severus took Gong Saiyi and Felix and Apparated away to meet someone who collected manuscripts.

Georgiana visited Davout’s headquarters at Versailles before setting out, while reflecting on Napoleon’s rule, military loyalty, and the political forces shaping France and Portugal. The chapter ended with her recalling the betrayal that shattered Minerva’s and Pomona’s hearts and questioning who had caused the continuing curse.

• Georgiana arrived at Davout’s headquarters with Fiegel to discuss the missing six hundred thousand francs and the officers’ conduct.
• Georgiana considered Napoleon’s dependence on the army and the consequences of his death for France’s political stability.
• Georgiana thought through plans for Portugal’s reforms, including selling Church property and rebuilding Lisbon, while weighing the political obstacles.
• Georgiana reflected on how military obedience united Napoleon and his soldiers, and how informers could profit from betraying their comrades.
• Georgiana recalled the green lightning at the observatory and the heartbreak it caused Minerva and Pomona, then wondered who had started the curse.

Georgiana questioned Davout about Toussaint Louverture and learned how slavery and plantation-owner ambitions had shaped the struggle in Saint-Domingue. She left warning Davout not to let Alexandre Dumas approach Louverture, while Davout revealed he would keep Louverture safe unless Napoleon ordered otherwise.

• Georgiana asked Davout where Toussaint Louverture was, and Davout explained how plantation owners had spread ideas of freedom while defending slavery and colonial independence.
• Davout described Alexandre Dumas's mixed heritage, family ties to a Saint-Domingue plantation, and imprisonment in Taranto, while Georgiana questioned his motives and political conflicts.
• Davout told Georgiana that Louverture was safe with him for now, but he would obey Napoleon's orders to transfer him; he also asked whether Viktor could take up his appointment as governor of Louisiana.
• Georgiana warned Davout that Alexandre Dumas should not approach Louverture because his family could benefit from the expedition, and she cautioned that Louverture's death would not extinguish the movement for liberty.
• Georgiana left Davout's office, reflecting on sugar, slavery, and the limits of the West's proclaimed equality and freedom.

Severus discussed the Louvre’s stolen artifacts with Gianluca and proposed that Napoleon had used a Pensieve to experiment with reincarnation. He traded clues about Napoleon’s suspected killer for Gianluca’s French connections, then reassured the others that his wife was safe.

• Gianluca told Severus that The Wedding at Cana in the Louvre was a copy and explained how it might have been switched for the original.
• Severus revealed a Pensieve taken from the Louvre and asked Gianluca to investigate whether the museum had reported it stolen.
• Severus theorized that Napoleon had used the Pensieve in experiments to preserve memories and reincarnate, linking the idea to the Conqueror Yellow Diamond and a future Bonapartist uprising.
• Severus said a French adviser in London had been the real culprit behind the plot against Napoleon, but he demanded Gianluca’s connections in France before naming him.
• Severus told the male nanny that his wife was safe and that the Fidelius Charm would hold while Draco and Astoria lived.

Severus and Gianluca discussed omens, Napoleon, Hogwarts education, and the Dark Lord while sheltering from the rain in Venice. After Gianluca left for another drink, Severus privately rejected the claim that Harry was mediocre.

• Severus conjured a swan Patronus and explained that happiness did not always mean joy.
• Gianluca speculated that Napoleon might be a vampire and connected historical comets, famine, and Napoleon’s campaigns; Severus dismissed the comet as a natural phenomenon.
• Gianluca noted that Napoleon VII descended from the Bonaparte and Bourbon families, and Severus said people still missed the Napoleonic era.
• Severus said he believed Harry was not a Horcrux and criticized Harry’s complaints about fate, then recalled how his school years had failed to prepare him to protect himself.
• Severus explained that the Dark Lord had originally wanted to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts and warned that he would have used the classroom to shape loyal followers.
• Gianluca left to get another drink, and Severus privately thought that Harry was not mediocre.

Georgiana met with Goebel in a poor Paris neighborhood and tasked him with finding Thomas-Alexandre Dumas, delivering him money, and pursuing Fournier. She urged Goebel to serve the Republic honorably as he took on a dangerous role in its intelligence network.

• Georgiana asked Goebel to find Thomas-Alexandre Dumas and learned that he lived near Villers-Cotterêts and was owed two thousand francs.
• Goebel explained that he planned to spend Georgiana’s six hundred thousand francs to buy part of Fouché’s disbanded intelligence network.
• Georgiana warned Goebel against joining a smuggling scheme and told him to get a firearms permit and make Fournier surrender before Royalists or Jacobins recruited him.
• Georgiana ordered Goebel to deliver two thousand francs to Dumas and considered him as a possible judge for cases involving Saint-Domingue.
• Goebel questioned Georgiana’s loyalty and whether she had brought justice to France, and she left the alley laughing at her performance as a spymaster.

Severus planned a trip to Paris to investigate Napoleon’s possible return, while Georgiana’s journey through a dangerous slum ended with an attack on her carriage. The chapter left Severus facing a mysterious Italian’s question about prophecies and Georgiana wary of an unseen sniper.

• Severus arranged to meet Gong Saiyi at Les Invalides and planned to inspect a painting at the Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute for clues about Napoleon.
• An Italian man emerged from a Disillusionment Charm and asked Severus whether he believed in prophecies.
• Georgiana reflected on Fournier’s disappearance and the arrests of Captain Donad and General Kellermann after the confusion at the Battle of Marengo.
• A Gypsy smashed Georgiana’s carriage window and tried to force the door, but she stabbed his arm with her dagger as Fiegel drew his sword.
• Georgiana declined to have the suspected water workers arrested, repaired the window with a spell, and watched the surrounding buildings for danger as the carriage continued.

Severus spoke with a ghost who offered to open a memory-filled world if Severus first acted on his responsibilities as Hogwarts headmaster and helped address France’s conflict with British wizards. Meanwhile, Georgiana received a Pensieve from Bonaparte and discussed trade, secrecy, and military plans with him, leaving her alarmed by what she inferred about his intentions for Portugal.

• A ghost told Severus that Napoleon’s memories and other historical memories were preserved in a magical world, then urged Severus to use his influence to address tensions between the British and French Ministries of Magic before the ghost would open its door.
• Georgiana examined a Pensieve Bonaparte had recovered and showed him a memory of their visit to Rambouillet, then explained how painful memories could sustain someone grieving for his family.
• Bonaparte asked Georgiana about her meetings and warned her not to use a dagger when she encountered danger, while she urged him to oppose trade policies that could harm Portugal and other countries.
• Bonaparte explained that he was mapping northern roads for military purposes and discussed British artillery, while Georgiana connected the wizarding government’s structure to the French political system and reflected on the dangers wizards faced from Muggles.
• Georgiana described Portugal’s economic weakness and asked Bonaparte about his plans for the country; he embraced her and studied the globe with an eerie smile, leaving her troubled by the brutal possibilities she imagined.

Georgiana heard Stephen’s account of the American West and discussed gifts and political proposals from Mr. Monroe, including trade rights and Louisiana. After a maid accidentally singed a fur coat, Georgiana comforted her, then asked Stephen about how naval captains maintained discipline.

• Stephen described bison hunting and how Native Americans used nearly every part of a bison.
• Stephen presented Georgiana with costly fur gifts from Mr. Monroe and relayed proposals involving the Pacific Fur Company, Manhattan land, whisky, and West Indies trade rights.
• Georgiana declined to take part in major political affairs but offered to help Du Pont acquire equipment and workers from France.
• Stephen described differences between French, British, and American naval gunnery practices and told Georgiana about the Cherokee lands west of the Mississippi.
• A maid accidentally singed her fur coat by the fireplace, and Georgiana reassured her and encouraged her to mend it.
• Stephen explained that some naval captains maintained discipline through harsh punishments while others used clever methods he did not know.

Georgiana considered France’s trade and diplomatic problems, including sugar, Portugal, and the risks of British competition, before deciding to seek Napoleon’s advice. The chapter ended with her imagining an island-chain blockade of America and calling it a wonderful dream.

• Georgiana added Stephen to the list of attendants and accepted Monroe’s gift as France and America remained friendly despite sanctions.
• Georgiana reflected on the economic and strategic stakes of Saint-Domingue, sugar production, and the rivalry with Britain.
• Georgiana considered Portugal’s ports, church property, and Talleyrand’s disreputable diplomacy while questioning how France could revive Portuguese industry.
• Georgiana asked Matilda for a black mink cape so she could visit Napoleoni and ask for advice.
• Georgiana reflected on Murat and Caroline’s smuggling, France’s occupation of Valais, and Marmont’s faction before imagining America blockaded by an island chain.

Severus warned Lucius Malfoy that chaos was coming to Europe and urged him to protect his family, while Lucius advised Severus to find a human, pure-blood wife. At the Tuileries Palace, Georgiana sought Bonaparte’s advice about an American offer, but their political discussion became a painful confrontation over her loyalties and feelings, and he led her into the bedroom.

• Severus told Lucius that Europe was nearing chaos and urged him to keep the danger away from Britain and protect Cissy and his son.
• Lucius warned Severus that a Veela was a curse and urged him to marry a human pure-blood aristocrat.
• Georgiana asked Bonaparte how to respond to an American offer of fur-company shares and land, and he explained its political and commercial implications.
• Bonaparte discussed Portugal’s political divisions and questioned Georgiana about her views on justice, England, and her husband Severus.
• Georgiana confessed that she felt guilty and believed Severus had not abandoned her, while Bonaparte challenged her loyalty and took her into the bedroom.