Chapter Summaries

Andy learned that Animagus Transformation drew on magic in nature and began preparing with a Mandrake leaf, while Hermione became suspicious that Harry and Ron were acting strangely. The chapter ended with Hermione asking Andy whether he had noticed the same odd feeling about them.

• Andy asked Professor McGonagall how Animagus Transformation used nature's magic, and she explained that a potion tuned a wizard's magic to nature's so they could draw on its power.
• Professor McGonagall told Andy to prepare patiently and explained that Animagus forms were influenced by personality and body weight.
• Four nights later, Andy put a Mandrake leaf in his mouth to begin his preparations and struggled with the inconvenience of keeping it there.
• Hermione told Andy that Harry and Ron had seemed strange, so Andy agreed to speak with them.
• Andy and Hermione greeted Harry and Ron after breakfast, then Hermione asked Andy whether he had sensed anything unusual about them.

Andy and Hermione suspected that Ron was being influenced by Voldemort’s Horcrux, and Andy warned Snape about Ron’s strange behavior. Later, a Ravenclaw girl was attacked outside the abandoned Girls' Bathroom, and Professor McGonagall questioned Andy as Harry appeared eager to speak.

• Andy and Hermione discussed whether Harry or Ron had been controlled by the Imperius Curse, and Hermione concluded Ron’s behavior toward Harry seemed unnatural.
• Andy argued that Ron’s strange behavior might be a deliberate trap, and he suspected Voldemort’s Horcrux was acting before the Christmas Holiday.
• Andy informed Snape about Ron’s abnormal behavior and then returned to studying.
• Andy and Hermione heard a scream and found a Ravenclaw third year lying in water outside the abandoned Girls' Bathroom, with Harry and Ron nearby.
• Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey treated the girl, who had suffered life-force loss but was still alive.
• Professor McGonagall asked Andy what he had noticed, and Andy invited Harry to say what he wanted to say.

Andy realized Voldemort’s attack had been aimed at him, while Harry and Ron withheld what they knew from the professors. After another victim was found drained of life force, Harry told Dumbledore he had heard hissing sounds, leaving the investigation focused on what the boys had witnessed.

• Professor McGonagall questioned Harry, but he stammered that he and Ron had found nothing.
• Andy watched Harry and Ron and concluded that Voldemort’s attack had been aimed at him.
• Andy reassured Hermione and decided to wait and see what Voldemort did next.
• Dumbledore and the professors arrived, and Madam Pomfrey warned that the victims might never wake if their life force was not returned.
• Dumbledore asked whether Harry and Ron had noticed anything unusual, and Harry said he had heard hissing sounds.

Andy and Hermione investigated the attack on a Ravenclaw girl, questioning Harry’s claim that he heard hissing and Ron’s strange behavior. Andy concluded that Voldemort’s Dark Arts Item was targeting him while using the attack to spread panic and create a chance to escape Hogwarts.

• Dumbledore questioned Harry about the hissing, connected the attack to Moaning Myrtle’s experience fifty years earlier, and took Harry and Ron with him while McGonagall and Poppy escorted the injured girl to the infirmary.
• Andy and Hermione discussed Harry and Ron’s behavior, and Andy concluded Ron had been used to distract him and influence Harry’s judgment.
• Andy proposed that Voldemort’s Dark Arts Item had learned about him from Justin’s attack and from information it obtained by controlling Ron.
• Andy suggested that the attack at the Girls’ Bathroom was meant to frame him and cause chaos that would help the Dark Arts Item escape Hogwarts and resurrect Voldemort.
• Hermione recalled Dumbledore’s reference to the attack fifty years earlier, and Andy noted with amusement that they had already told Dumbledore where the Chamber of Secrets was.

Harry revealed that Ron had heard the hissing and that he himself could speak Parseltongue, then asked Dumbledore for help after Ron behaved strangely. Dumbledore identified the Imperius Curse and put Ron to sleep, while Harry accused Snape of being behind the attacks.

• Harry admitted that Ron, not he, had heard the hissing and explained that he and Andy could speak Parseltongue.
• Harry told Dumbledore that Ron had been acting strangely and pleaded for help when Ron failed to respond to him.
• Dumbledore explained the Unforgivable Curses and said Ron had been placed under the Imperius Curse, which he could remove.
• Harry recounted how Ron had suspected Andy of attacking the girl, and Dumbledore put Ron into a deep sleep.
• Harry accused Snape of colluding with people outside the school, being a Death Eater, and attacking Azkaban.

Harry remained convinced that Snape had cast the Imperius Curse on Ron, despite Dumbledore urging him not to suspect people without evidence. Ron woke in Dumbledore’s office with no memory of being controlled, and Andy later explained that Ron’s lack of actions meant the caster had given him no command.

• Dumbledore told Harry that the Weasley twins had testified in Filch’s defense despite disliking him, and Harry kept his suspicions about Snape to himself.
• Ron woke in Dumbledore’s office, drank honey water, and said his mind had been blank since the previous afternoon.
• Dumbledore explained the effects of the Imperius Curse and sent Harry and Ron away to rest and eat.
• Harry and Ron ran into Snape outside the Headmaster’s Office, but he passed them without deducting points.
• Andy and Hermione met Harry and Ron at the Great Hall, where Andy explained that Ron had not acted because the caster had given him no command.

Andy questioned Ron about the commands he had received and realized Voldemort’s Horcrux might be using Ron to maneuver him toward a hidden goal rather than simply attack him. Andy and Hermione left to investigate the suspicious plan, unsure what the Horcrux had heard about Andy that made him useful.

• Andy asked Ron to recount the voice’s commands, including waiting for Andy on the Eighth Floor and taking Harry to the Girls’ Bathroom.
• Andy deduced that the culprit had been among the onlookers when Ron heard a vague, non-commanding voice.
• Harry offered to help catch the culprit, but Andy declined and left with Hermione.
• Hermione and Andy reasoned that the culprit had planned to target Andy on the Eighth Floor and had deliberately made Ron expose himself.
• Andy concluded that the Horcrux wanted to use him for some purpose, and he and Hermione considered what it might have heard about Andy.

Andy and Hermione tested the Imperius Curse in the Room of Requirement, with Andy controlling Hermione and Hermione examining how well she could resist. Hermione planned to keep practicing and joked that she would send Andy to Azkaban once she became Minister of Magic.

• Andy and Hermione speculated about Voldemort's purpose before reaching the Eighth Floor and opening the Room of Requirement's Practice Room.
• Hermione proposed testing the Imperius Curse to check whether Ron had told them the truth about its effects.
• Andy cast the Imperius Curse on Hermione and ordered her to dance, hop, run, and march before lifting the spell.
• Hermione recalled hearing Andy's commands while feeling blank and happy, but said the spell's enjoyment felt hollow and claimed she had resisted it.
• Hermione demanded another round so she could practice resisting the curse, and Andy cast the Imperius Curse again.

After another attack at Hogwarts, Andy’s roommates debated whether to leave school while rumors about the victims and Snape spread. Andy realized the Horcrux had likely identified him as someone who could help it escape, but he could not understand why it saw him that way.

• Michael, Terry, and Anthony discussed taking leave after Madam Pomfrey warned that the victims might never wake up, and Andy decided to stay.
• The roommates shared rumors, including that Harry suspected Snape and that Snape had been injured and once left Hogwarts.
• Andy recalled the Horcrux’s likely movements and considered what it knew about his discovery of the Chamber of Secrets and the Basilisk’s death.
• Andy concluded that the Horcrux might believe he could help it escape Hogwarts, then wondered what kind of person others thought he was.

Andy asked his dormmates how they viewed him and realized Voldemort might see him as a potential ally. Voldemort sent Andy an offer of power and immortality, leaving Andy unsure whether to draw him out or avoid a deadly confrontation.

• Andy asked Anthony, Michael, and Terry what kind of person they thought he was, and Anthony called him arrogant and said he seemed to consider only Hermione a friend.
• Andy wondered whether Voldemort's Horcrux had targeted him because it saw him as a gifted, power-seeking person who distrusted Dumbledore.
• An anonymous owl delivered Voldemort's letter to Andy in the Great Hall, offering him power and immortality in exchange for help and sharing information about Magical Transformation.
• Andy burned Voldemort's letter, dismissed his promises as untrustworthy, and considered whether to lure Voldemort out of hiding.
• Andy hesitated over the possibility of a life-or-death fight, recognizing that he lacked the nerve and experience to risk his life.

Andy decided to confront the danger posed by Voldemort’s Horcrux and went to Dumbledore to discuss the letter it had sent him. Dumbledore recognized that Voldemort likely wanted to learn Harry’s secret before leaving Hogwarts, and the chapter left their response undecided.

• Andy resolved to overcome his fear of life-or-death danger, then asked Hermione to cover for him while he visited Dumbledore.
• Hermione sent her Otter Patronus to announce Andy’s arrival, and Dumbledore welcomed him to the Headmaster’s Office.
• Andy told Dumbledore that Voldemort’s Horcrux had offered him Magical Transformation materials in exchange for kidnapping someone and taking them to the Shrieking Shack.
• Dumbledore said Voldemort would not share power or immortality and reasoned that the kidnapping plan could be meant to divert attention from the Horcrux.
• Andy and Dumbledore considered how the Horcrux could leave Hogwarts, and Dumbledore suggested Voldemort first wanted to uncover Harry’s secret.

Andy learned that Voldemort’s Horcrux could not trust him and was being watched, but it might become desperate as Christmas approached. After telling Hermione that Voldemort wanted to recruit him, Andy went to Charms class and watched Harry and Ron, wondering why the Horcrux had targeted Ron.

• Andy reasoned that Dumbledore and his brother were watching Hogwarts and Hogsmeade, and Dumbledore explained that Voldemort’s Horcrux could not trust Andy or freely leave the castle.
• Dumbledore warned that the Horcrux’s restraint might end as Christmas approached, and Andy realized he could wait for it to become desperate.
• Hermione asked Andy how his meeting went, and Andy whispered that Voldemort wanted to recruit him.
• Andy and Hermione went to Charms class, where Andy watched Harry and Ron and wondered whether the Horcrux controlled Ron to uncover Harry’s secret.

Andy suspected that the person investigating his magic practice was seeking fame and considered whether someone was targeting Ron, while Harry remained focused on Snape and Malfoy. In Defense Against the Dark Arts, Malfoy asked to learn protective magic, and Professor Ledi demonstrated Protego with Hermione.

• Andy reasoned that a fame-seeker might be investigating him and suspected the culprit was probably in Gryffindor.
• Andy exchanged notes with Harry, who said he and Ron had found no clues and asked Andy to question Malfoy about the attacks on Justin and the others.
• Malfoy asked Professor Ledi to teach the class defensive magic, and the other students agreed.
• Professor Ledi chose Hermione to demonstrate Protego, while Andy jokingly told her to use the Killing Curse.
• Hermione cast Expelliarmus, and Professor Ledi blocked it with Protego before explaining how the spell could protect others.
• Professor Ledi asked for two students to demonstrate Protego protecting someone else, and Andy silently raised his hand.

As Hogwarts enjoyed a brief calm, Andy worried about Voldemort’s hidden Horcrux and struggled with whether to risk himself for the chance to gain combat experience. During a late-night walk, he found Ron wandering under someone’s control and tried to question him.

• Andy considered using his three Potential Points to raise his Will but chose to face his fears without spending them.
• Andy left the dormitory at night and concealed himself when he heard footsteps in the corridor.
• Andy recognized Ron as the figure walking through the castle and suspected he was being controlled or used as a pawn.
• Andy stunned Ron, dragged him into an empty classroom, and gave him Veritaserum before waking and binding him.
• Andy asked Ron who was controlling him, and Ron said he did not know.

Andy discovered that Ron had been wandering Hogwarts under Voldemort’s influence and suspected he was being used to draw Harry out. The next night Andy followed Ron and Harry through the castle, but Harry loudly chased Ron through the corridors, risking Filch’s attention.

• Andy questioned Ron under Veritaserum, learned he had wandered the castle nightly for three days, and stunned him before leaving him in a classroom.
• Andy reasoned that Ron’s obvious nightly outings were likely a decoy meant to draw Harry out, though he could not work out the Horcrux’s plan.
• The following night Andy hid near Gryffindor Tower and watched Ron leave, followed by Harry under his Invisibility Cloak.
• Andy tracked Harry’s footprints through the castle and saw him uncover the cloak and shout after Ron as Ron ran downstairs.
• Harry chased Ron through the corridors while shouting, and Andy realized they could alert Filch.

Andy followed Ron and Harry toward the Forbidden Forest and realized Voldemort might be using Ron to draw attention while secretly moving the Horcrux. He rushed to stop Ron before he reached the forest, then blasted him with an Exploding Charm.

• Harry pulled on the Invisibility Cloak and followed Ron out of the castle through a first-floor window, with Andy behind them.
• Andy reasoned that Voldemort could be using Ron to lure Harry and Dumbledore’s attention away while moving the Horcrux into the Forbidden Forest.
• Filch chased Ron from the castle, and Andy hurried after them, determined to destroy the Horcrux because it knew his identity.
• Andy raised his wand and hit Ron with an Exploding Charm, sending him flying.

Andy restrained Ron and discovered that Voldemort’s Horcrux was controlling him, while Harry struggled to understand what was happening. Voldemort revealed that he had lured Dumbledore away, but Andy’s quick actions had foiled his plan to take Ron into the Forbidden Forest.

• Andy attacked Ron from a distance and bound him with transformed branches after Ron appeared to be controlled.
• Filch arrived and threatened to take Harry, Ron, and Andy to Dumbledore, then tried to untie Ron.
• Andy blasted Filch unconscious and told Harry that staying quiet would keep anyone from finding out.
• Voldemort’s soul fragment revealed itself through Ron and said it had lured Dumbledore away while Andy’s arrival freed Dumbledore to focus elsewhere.
• Andy explained that Voldemort had miscalculated because Andy acted quickly and used Filch to test whether Ron was controlled by a curse or a Horcrux.

Voldemort tried to recruit Andy by claiming they shared the same nature and could conquer the world together, but Andy rejected him and explained that his own goal was to become a god through magic. Andy left Voldemort with the knowledge that his fragmented soul had disqualified him from that path.

• Voldemort argued that Dumbledore would become Andy’s enemy if Andy’s magical research was exposed, then offered to share power and eternal life with him.
• Harry warned Andy not to trust Voldemort, who urged Andy to kill Harry and conquer the world together.
• Andy dismissed Voldemort’s ambition to rule the world and said he wanted to become a god by sending his soul into a higher dimension.
• Andy told Voldemort that his soul was no longer whole and that he was therefore unqualified to cooperate with Andy.

Andy and Harry fought Voldemort’s soul fragment as it drained Ron’s life force and tried to force Andy into an alliance. Andy’s strengthened Patronus opened a path to Ron, but Harry collapsed in pain before he could search him for the Dark Arts Item.

• Andy told Harry to search Ron for Dark Arts Items while he kept watch, and Voldemort panicked as Harry approached.
• Voldemort emerged as black mist, threatened Harry, and drained Ron’s life force until Ron became a shriveled corpse.
• Andy used his Fat Cat Patronus to disperse the mist and rejected Voldemort’s offer to join forces.
• Andy’s Will rose from 2 to 3, strengthening his Patronus and allowing it to blast open a path to Ron.
• Harry rushed toward Ron but collapsed, clutching his head in agony, then struggled to crawl forward.

Harry resisted Voldemort’s influence, found Ravenclaw’s Diadem on Ron, and helped Andy destroy the Horcrux with Fiendfyre. Dumbledore arrived afterward and revealed that Percy Weasley had been the one responsible for the attacks.

• Andy admired Harry’s determination as Harry crawled toward Ron despite the pain.
• Harry found Ravenclaw’s Diadem on Ron and threw it to Andy despite Voldemort’s warning.
• Andy burned the diadem with Fiendfyre, destroying the Horcrux and Voldemort’s soul fragment.
• Andy checked Ron and said he appeared to be recovering, while Harry confirmed he was all right.
• Dumbledore arrived, praised Andy and Harry, and revealed that Percy Weasley had been responsible.