Chapter Summaries

Astoria brought Jon and Fawkes to Greengrass Manor, where a House-elf insulted Jon for being a Muggle-born before Fawkes frightened her away. Astoria apologized, and the chapter ended with Daphne recognizing Jon and reacting in shock that he was alive.

• Astoria introduced Jon and Fawkes at Greengrass Manor's gate, and the bronze elk welcomed them inside.
• Emily greeted Astoria, then insulted Jon as a Muggle-born and hurt herself while defying Astoria's order to stop.
• Fawkes confronted Emily at Jon's command, and the frightened House-elf fled the corridor.
• Astoria apologized to Jon and insisted that her mother was not like Emily.
• Daphne Greengrass saw Jon and exclaimed in shock that he was alive.

Jon revealed to Daphne that he had faked his death and impersonated Kristoff Patrick, leaving Daphne furious with Astoria for keeping the truth from her. After the sisters ran off, Hode, the steward of Greengrass Manor, apologized for his mother and invited Jon to meet Mrs. Diana Greengrass alone.

• Jon explained to Daphne that Dumbledore's plan had involved a Death Eater dying in his place, and admitted he had impersonated Kristoff Patrick.
• Daphne confronted Astoria for hiding that Jon was alive, then fled, with Astoria chasing after her.
• Hode introduced himself to Jon, apologized for his mother's offensive behavior, and said the sisters usually made up after their arguments.
• Hode told Jon that Mrs. Diana Greengrass wanted to see him alone, and Jon agreed to follow him.

Jon Hart met Mrs. Diana Greengrass at her home, where she revealed that she knew he and Christoph Patrick were the same person. She accepted Jon’s relationship with Daphne but asked him to leave Astoria, saying it was for his own good.

• Hode led Jon through the Greengrass home to Mrs. Diana Greengrass’s study.
• Jon greeted Mrs. Greengrass formally, and she studied him while smoking.
• Mrs. Greengrass said Astoria had inadvertently revealed Jon’s secret identity, but she had told no one, not even Daphne.
• Mrs. Greengrass said she understood Astoria’s feelings for Jon and would not oppose him if he liked Daphne.
• Mrs. Greengrass said Astoria’s circumstances were special and asked Jon to leave her for his own good.

Jon asked Diana Greengrass about Astoria’s Blood Curse, and Diana explained the curse’s history and how it had erased her sister Alice from the family’s memory and possessions. With Astoria expected to live only until Christmas, Jon told Diana he had a way to save her.

• Jon asked Diana Greengrass whether Astoria’s condition came from the Blood Curse, and Diana recognized Fawkes as Dumbledore’s phoenix.
• Diana said she believed Astoria could not be saved and told Jon that her younger sister Alice had vanished after succumbing to the same curse.
• Diana explained that the Blood Curse afflicted the Greengrass bloodline, that Astoria might live only until Christmas, and that a past accident had worsened her condition.
• Diana asked Jon to leave Astoria or, if he chose, end her life when the time came.
• Jon told Diana that he had a way to save Astoria, and Diana frowned and demanded to know what he meant.

Jon proposed using Horcrux magic to separate the Blood Curse soul from Astoria’s soul and destroy it, though he admitted the dangerous plan had little chance of success. Diana Greengrass agreed to let him try, but warned him to kill Astoria if she began transforming.

• Jon asked Diana Greengrass to confirm that the Blood Curse grew alongside and eventually devoured its host’s soul.
• Jon proposed separating the Blood Curse soul with Horcrux magic and destroying the vessel containing it.
• Diana read the Horcrux chapter in Secrets of the Advanced Dark Arts and questioned whether Jon knew how to perform the magic or protect Astoria’s soul.
• Jon admitted he did not know the exact method and estimated his chance of success at twenty percent or less.
• Diana agreed to Jon’s proposal and warned him to kill Astoria if she showed signs of Blood Curse transformation.

Diana Greengrass gave Jon a substantial bag of gold to help save Astoria, then hosted him at an elaborate banquet. After the meal, Diana and Daphne left, leaving Jon alone with Astoria in the dining room.

• Hode announced that the banquet was ready, and Diana gave Jon a bag of several thousand Gold Galleons to support his efforts to save Astoria.
• Jon followed Diana into the dining room, where Daphne and Astoria were seated together after making up.
• Hode served Jon and the Greengrass family an elaborate meal, while Diana told Jon to make himself at home.
• After the banquet, Diana said she was tired and left with Daphne, leaving Jon and Astoria alone.

Jon visited Astoria’s bedroom, where she told him about seeing a snake in a mirror at Malfoy Manor and feared that she was a monster destined to die. Jon promised to cure her and protect her, then left after she fell asleep.

• Astoria invited Jon to rest in her bedroom, where they looked at her belongings and a photograph of themselves as children.
• Astoria asked whether her mother had told him about her, and Jon said he knew everything.
• Astoria recounted seeing a snake in an ancestral mirror at Malfoy Manor when she was five and said the memory made her believe she was a monster.
• Astoria feared she would die like Aunt Alice and Great-Aunt Annie and worried she might hurt Jon.
• Jon promised to cure Astoria and said she would live to be a hundred; Astoria said she believed him and asked him not to let her hurt him.
• After Astoria fell asleep, Jon covered her with a blanket and left the bedroom with a grave expression.

After leaving Astoria asleep, Jon arranged to leave Greengrass Manor with Diana Greengrass to seek out Horace Slughorn for information about creating Horcruxes. Diana agreed to take him to Slughorn, who was preparing to return to Hogwarts.

• Jon found Fawkes waiting hungrily outside the Great Hall and promised to feed her once they returned.
• Jon told Diana that Astoria was asleep and emotionally stable, and Diana agreed to keep supporting her.
• Jon explained that he wanted to find Hogwarts' new Potions professor, Horace Slughorn, to learn the complete method for creating Horcruxes.
• Diana said Slughorn had recently contacted her about returning to Hogwarts and offering to look after her daughters, so visiting him would not be abrupt.
• Diana offered Jon her arm so she could Apparate with him to see Slughorn.

Jon Hart and Diana Greengrass found Horace Slughorn in Budleigh Babberton, where he had been living in borrowed Muggle homes because he could not afford to maintain his family castle. Slughorn welcomed Jon after recognizing his name, and Jon hinted that he had brought him a gift.

• Diana Greengrass Apparated with Jon Hart to Budleigh Babberton and led him through the village to Slughorn's home.
• Diana explained that Slughorn had spent years reclaiming his family castle but could not afford its upkeep after retiring.
• Slughorn came out to greet Diana and discussed her expected reinstatement at the Ministry.
• Slughorn recognized Jon Hart as the Triwizard Tournament champion and praised his Potions talent after recalling Dumbledore's remarks.
• Jon told Slughorn he might have brought him a gift, and Slughorn invited them inside to talk.

Jon Hart visited Professor Slughorn with a restored-looking locket that he claimed to have bought from Tom Gaunt, then tested Slughorn’s reaction by hinting it might be a valuable Slytherin relic. The chapter ended with Slughorn staring greedily at Jon’s pocket as Jon asked whether he was interested in the locket.

• Jon Hart visited Slughorn and told him he was no longer a Hogwarts student, while Mrs. Greengrass followed them into Slughorn’s cottage.
• Jon took a golden locket bearing a snake-shaped S from his suitcase and offered it to Slughorn as a possible Slughorn family heirloom.
• Slughorn recognized the locket as a relic of Salazar Slytherin, and Mrs. Greengrass said it could be worth at least fifty thousand Galleons.
• Jon claimed he had bought the locket from a boy named Tom Gaunt for ten Knuts, then pretended it was probably fake and put it away.
• Slughorn stared greedily at Jon’s pocket, and Jon asked whether he was interested in the locket.

Jon Hart persuaded Horace Slughorn to agree to a potion-brewing contest, using a Slytherin relic as the wager and a promised academic answer as his prize. Diana Greengrass witnessed their Unbreakable Vow, leaving Jon bound to the contest and Slughorn obligated to answer one question if he lost.

• Diana Greengrass tried to introduce Jon Hart’s request, but Slughorn grew wary when he suspected Jon wanted to discuss his past.
• Jon showed Slughorn a vial of Veritaserum he had brewed, impressing the Potions master and winning his attention with praise.
• Jon proposed a potion-brewing contest, wagering the Slytherin relic for one academic answer from Slughorn if Jon won.
• Slughorn accepted, insisting that Jon’s question could not concern his past or personal privacy.
• Diana Greengrass witnessed Jon and Slughorn make an Unbreakable Vow binding them to the contest’s terms.

Jon challenged Horace Slughorn to a Potions contest and chose Felix Felicis, hoping his knowledge from Headmaster Dippet would give him an advantage. Slughorn accepted and led Jon and Mrs. Greengrass into the miniature Slughorn Castle, where the brewing contest was to begin.

• Slughorn told Jon that he was outmatched in Potions, and Jon respectfully accepted the challenge.
• Jon chose Felix Felicis because its rare, complicated brewing process might give Slughorn less experience and because Dippet had taught Jon its Potion Sequence.
• Slughorn warned Jon that Felix Felicis was dangerous, but Jon declined the offer of a recipe and Slughorn agreed to compete.
• Slughorn led Jon and Mrs. Greengrass to a safe and revealed a miniature castle called Slughorn Castle.
• Slughorn opened the miniature castle gates and entered it, beckoning Jon and Mrs. Greengrass to follow.

Jon entered Slughorn’s magically shrunken castle to wager a Slytherin relic for a chance to make Slughorn speak, then began brewing Felix Felicis with Slughorn’s prepared ingredients. The chapter left Slughorn shrieking as Jon lit the cauldron and appeared to threaten his Potions laboratory.

• Mrs. Greengrass warned Jon about the wager, and he assured her that losing the locket would not matter much.
• Jon followed Slughorn into the castle and shrank to ant-size as he crossed its gates.
• Slughorn drove off an enormous mosquito with a Stunning Spell and led Jon and Mrs. Greengrass through the castle.
• Slughorn showed them his potion-ingredient collection in the Dungeon and gathered prepared ingredients for Felix Felicis.
• Jon accepted Slughorn’s prepared ingredients, lit the cauldron, and prompted Slughorn to shriek in alarm.

Jon and Horace Slughorn continued their Felix Felicis brewing wager, with Slughorn repeatedly correcting Jon’s dangerous mistakes while Jon used the interruptions to distract him. After both reached a stable stage, Jon began following Headmaster Dippet’s potion sequence, alarming Slughorn.

• Jon nearly exposed the treated Ashwinder Egg to an open flame, and Slughorn warned him that it could destroy the castle.
• Slughorn repeatedly guided Jon through the dangerous early brewing steps, while Jon deliberately made apparent mistakes to divide Slughorn’s attention.
• After more than six hours, Jon stabilized his potion by adding Devil’s Snare vine and powdered white sugar.
• Slughorn praised Jon and turned back to his own potion, believing the wager was already decided.
• Jon added thymol and sugar according to a different sequence, and Slughorn recognized it as Headmaster Dippet’s Felix Felicis method and rushed to gather ingredients.

Jon Hart defeated Horace Slughorn in a Felix Felicis brewing contest and used their Unbreakable Vow to ask how to make a Horcrux. After showing Slughorn Slytherin’s locket and revealing his past service under Tom Riddle, Jon pressed him to answer as the vow’s chains began to form.

• Jon Hart and Horace Slughorn finished brewing Felix Felicis, and Slughorn admitted that Jon’s potion was better.
• Jon collected his potion and reminded Slughorn that their wager required him to answer an academic question.
• Jon asked Slughorn for the complete process of making a Horcrux, and Slughorn initially refused.
• Jon showed Slughorn Slytherin’s locket, prompting Slughorn to send Diana Greengrass away.
• Jon revealed that he had served Tom Riddle, and Slughorn recognized the danger as the Unbreakable Vow’s chains appeared.
• Jon warned Slughorn that he would become an Oathbreaker unless he answered, and Slughorn began explaining Horcruxes.

After winning Slughorn’s wager and securing his truthful account of making a Horcrux, Jon collapsed from exhaustion and woke in Astoria’s room. He gave Astoria a vial of Felix Felicis and left for Austria, then Albania, with no promise of when he would return.

• Jon and Mrs. Greengrass left Slughorn’s house after Jon confirmed that everything was settled, and Jon collapsed from exhaustion.
• Jon recalled that he had expected to lose the potion wager and planned to frighten Slughorn into revealing how to make a Horcrux, but he won and secured Slughorn’s honesty with an Unbreakable Vow.
• Jon woke in Astoria’s room and learned that Astoria had asked for him to stay there while he recovered.
• Jon packed his belongings and gave Astoria a vial of Felix Felicis, telling her to keep it close and drink it if she felt unwell.
• Jon told Astoria he was going to Austria and then Albania, admitted he did not know when he would return, and left.

Jon visited the Ministry of Magic to obtain a Portkey to Nurmengard Tower, using Fawkes’s claw mark as Dumbledore’s seal. After securing the Portkey, he learned that Dumbledore had called Fawkes back, and she left a golden mark on his shoulder before departing.

• Jon traveled with Fawkes to the Ministry of Magic and requested a Portkey to Nurmengard Tower.
• The Key Office wizard told Jon that travel to Nurmengard required a permit approved by Albus Dumbledore.
• Jon used Fawkes’s claw mark on the parchment as Dumbledore’s seal, and the wizard approved the Portkey after consulting the director.
• After Jon left the Ministry with the Portkey, Fawkes received a message recalling her to Dumbledore.
• Jon gave Fawkes the remaining herbs, and she pecked his shoulder, leaving a golden mark before leaving.

Jon traveled by Portkey to Nurmengard Tower and obtained permission from its frail keeper to visit Gellert Grindelwald. He reached the bare cell at the top of the tower, but the chapter ended before he met Grindelwald.

• Jon used a boot Portkey to arrive in a dark forest and hurried away from the howls of dangerous Magical Creatures.
• Jon crossed the desolate wasteland and climbed to Nurmengard Tower, where he knocked on the gate.
• An old wizard opened the gate and checked Jon's authorization letter from the Ministry of Magic.
• The keeper directed Jon to follow the white line and warned him not to stray or touch anything.
• Jon followed the line to the top-floor room and found a stone bed and tattered blanket, but no sign of Gellert Grindelwald.

Jon met Gellert Grindelwald, who revealed that he was both the prison’s warden and its only prisoner. After discussing Grindelwald’s past and his estrangement from Dumbledore, Jon asked why Grindelwald had told Dumbledore about the Prophet Animagus.

• Jon found the cell empty, then watched Grindelwald enter and settle onto the stone bed.
• Grindelwald asked Jon to light a fire, and Jon realized the frail old wizard was the prison’s warden and only prisoner.
• Grindelwald recognized Jon and rejected his pity, describing himself as a notorious murderer and a failure.
• Jon said he respected Grindelwald because he had once been Dumbledore’s closest friend, and Grindelwald invited him to sit.
• Grindelwald explained that he and Dumbledore had become enemies, and Jon said Dumbledore had commuted Grindelwald’s death sentence to life imprisonment.
• Jon asked Grindelwald why he had told Dumbledore about the Prophet Animagus.

Jon discussed Grindelwald’s defeat and imprisonment with him, learning why Grindelwald surrendered and how he viewed his war with Dumbledore. Grindelwald then questioned Jon about the futures he had seen and accused him of lying.

• Grindelwald explained that he had lost his war against Dumbledore across multiple battlefields and chose not to kill him in their final duel.
• Grindelwald said he confessed to his crimes so his followers would recognize their cause was over and the war would end.
• Grindelwald revealed that he had escaped prison repeatedly but could no longer use magic after decades in Nurmengard Tower.
• Jon said he respected Grindelwald without approving of him, and Grindelwald replied that Jon might never have been born if Grindelwald had won.
• Grindelwald asked whether he had died alone in Nurmengard and whether Dumbledore had lived out his life as Hogwarts Headmaster; after Jon confirmed both, Grindelwald accused him of lying.