Chapter Summaries

After the battle, Dumbledore explained how Voldemort had used Ravenclaw's Diadem to bewitch Percy, and Andy warned that the other Dark Arts Items might be similarly tempting. As Andy and Harry recounted the night's events, Andy grew suspicious that Dumbledore had subtly influenced his attitude toward Harry.

• Dumbledore told Harry that Percy had suffered a mental wound after Voldemort used Ravenclaw's Diadem to win his trust.
• Andy admitted that he too might have been tempted by the diadem and warned Dumbledore to be cautious about Voldemort's other Dark Arts Items.
• Dumbledore sent Ron and Filch to the School Infirmary, where Madam Pomfrey examined them and reported that Ron's condition was serious.
• Andy and Harry recounted the night's events to Dumbledore, while Andy hid that he had knocked Ron out and given him Veritaserum.
• Andy reviewed Dumbledore's words about Harry's trust and suspected that Dumbledore had deliberately nudged him into changing his attitude toward Harry.

After helping Harry fight Voldemort's Horcrux, Andy suspected Dumbledore had guided them into the confrontation while making it seem like their own choice. Back in Ravenclaw Tower, Andy celebrated his improved Willpower and decided to explore Combination Magic as a way to build his combat strength.

• Andy reflected on how Dumbledore guided people by understanding their motives, while Dumbledore privately regarded Andy as an unpredictable chess piece.
• Andy and Harry explained the night's events to Dumbledore, then Andy returned to Ravenclaw Tower and went to bed.
• Andy checked his System Panel, saw that his Willpower had risen to 3, and resolved to raise it to 4.
• Andy considered how to grow stronger before Voldemort's return and realized his Charms talent might let him master Combination Magic.
• Andy imagined combining spells to create enormous, duplicating golden birds that exploded on impact like a barrage of missiles.

Andy told Hermione how Voldemort’s Ravenclaw’s Diadem had controlled Percy and reassured her that the Dark Arts Item was destroyed. He then investigated how magical power became magic, abandoning the idea of directly controlling stable magical power and focusing on understanding and combining spells.

• Andy told Hermione that the Ravenclaw’s Diadem had controlled Percy and that they had destroyed it, leaving Hogwarts safe.
• After breakfast, Andy visited Ron in the School Infirmary and left soon afterward for class.
• Andy and Hermione practiced in the Room of Requirement, where Andy tried to make his spells more powerful and cast two spells at once.
• Andy reasoned that adult wizards could not directly control stable magical power and that spells worked through fixed procedures powered by magic.
• Andy adjusted his expectations and repeatedly practiced to understand how magical power became magic and how spells could be combined.

Andy completed the preparations to become an Animagus and began the twice-daily spell practice while waiting for a thunderstorm. He also spent four Potential Points to raise his Will to level four, making his Fat Cat Patronus more solid.

• Andy gathered dew, a Death's-head Hawkmoth pupa, and other ingredients, then buried the prepared Animagus mixture beneath a tree in the Forbidden Forest.
• Andy began reciting the Animagus spell at every sunrise and sunset and told Hermione to complete her preparations early while waiting for a thunderstorm.
• Andy studied how magic power transformed into magic and used four Potential Points to raise his Will attribute to level four.
• Andy summoned the Fat Cat Patronus and noticed that it had become much more solid, then prepared to test its attacking power.

Andy advanced his research into Combination Magic after realizing stronger thought and will could help him study the Dark Arts. He discovered a way to combine two spells by casting a weakened first spell and using Mind Power to apply a second, achieving an initial success with Multishot Curse and Engorgement Charm.

• Andy strengthened his Fat Cat Patronus with thought, and it destroyed a humanoid target with a more powerful Crushing Curse.
• Andy decided to focus his future points on thought, will, and the Dark Arts, though he continued researching Combination Magic first.
• Andy studied how Mind Power mobilized magic power and learned that incantations shaped it into a state suited to a particular spell.
• Andy concluded that he could combine spells by weakening the first and applying a second spell to it with Mind Power.
• Andy silently cast Multishot Curse, then used Engorgement Charm to make the six golden birds slightly larger.

Andy practiced Combination Magic and discussed the Room of Requirement with Hermione, who planned to investigate its original form. After Lady Grey explained that the room had first been used by Ravenclaw for magical research, Andy and Hermione were left with clues suggesting it might connect to Ravenclaw's Library.

• Andy practiced the Engorgement Charm and Multishot Curse combination, growing golden birds larger and improving his Combination Magic.
• Andy met Hermione in the Great Hall, where she proposed finding out what the Room of Requirement looked like originally and investigating whether it connected to Ravenclaw's Library.
• Andy and Hermione agreed to explore the Room of Requirement after nightfall, then borrowed books and read in the Ravenclaw Library.
• Lady Grey thanked Andy for destroying the Diadem and told him that the Dark Arts were evil in every age, though standards for judging them changed.
• Lady Grey told Hermione that the Room of Requirement had begun as a room where Ravenclaw researched magic, then disappeared after Andy asked whether each founder had a dedicated research room.

Andy and Hermione entered the Room of Requirement’s original room and found it resembled a study rather than a place hiding an obvious secret. Andy theorized that Ravenclaw’s impossible magical ambitions and personal regrets had led to her early death, then the two began searching for spellbooks and manuscripts.

• Andy told Hermione he would investigate the Founders’ secrets only if he found clues.
• After waiting until night, Andy and Hermione left the Ravenclaw Common Room and went to the Room of Requirement.
• Andy asked for the Room of Requirement’s original room, and he and Hermione entered the study that appeared.
• Andy suggested Ravenclaw had been mischievous and privately wanted peace, while Hermione insisted the room might be a test.
• Andy theorized that Ravenclaw had pursued an unattainable magical dream through Combination Magic, neglected her daughter, and died after her daughter stole her diadem.
• Hermione questioned Andy about his own ambitious dream, and Andy replied that he had cheats before suggesting they search the room for rare spellbooks or manuscripts.

Andy reflected on the founders’ and Voldemort’s unreachable ambitions, then wondered whether ghosts and immortal souls offered a path beyond mortal limits. He left the chapter considering how soul-based immortality might work, while recognizing that no one had overcome the aging of the body.

• Andy compared Ravenclaw, Slytherin, Dumbledore, and Voldemort’s pursuits and judged each dream difficult or impossible to attain.
• Hermione noticed the books were written in Modern English and suggested the Room of Requirement might have changed to suit them.
• Andy and Hermione sorted the magical books Ravenclaw had read onto one bookshelf before leaving the room for the night.
• Andy worried that Magical Transformation might increase a wizard’s power without breaking the limits of humanity.
• Andy considered Horcruxes, the Philosopher’s Stone, and ghosts, then wondered whether immortal souls could transcend mortal limits.

Andy connected ghosts, Horcruxes, and Dimensional Gods through the secrets of souls and life, then threw himself into magical research with Hermione. At the Christmas banquet, he invited Hermione to visit Godric's Hollow and offered her a choice of travel methods.

• Andy reasoned that ghosts and Horcruxes demonstrated forms of soul immortality, and decided to research Dark Arts related to life and souls.
• Andy and Hermione studied Fusion Magic in the Room of Requirement, and Hermione defeated Cho and fought Cedric to a standstill at the Duel Club.
• At the Christmas banquet, Harry asked Andy to take photos of Godric's Hollow for him, and Andy agreed.
• Andy invited Hermione to visit Godric's Hollow during the holiday, suggesting the Knight Bus or the Floo Network from the Leaky Cauldron.

At the Christmas feast, Andy noticed Snape was troubled because he expected to spend the holiday with Voldemort. Later, Snape and Dumbledore planned how to exploit Voldemort’s need for allies, but Dumbledore warned that Voldemort might ask Snape to bring Harry out of Hogwarts, threatening his cover.

• Andy and Hermione discussed Christmas gifts and noticed Snape looked unusually grave at the feast.
• Snape considered telling Voldemort that two Horcruxes had been destroyed, but feared Voldemort would rush to resurrect himself and kill him.
• Snape met Dumbledore in the Headmaster’s Office, where they agreed Snape could tell Voldemort that Lucius Malfoy remained loyal while Dumbledore sabotaged the resurrection attempt.
• Dumbledore showed Snape the destroyed diary and diadem and explained that Voldemort might ask him to bring Harry out of Hogwarts to reshape his body.
• Snape realized that refusing Voldemort’s request could expose his loyalty, while obeying could blow his cover with Dumbledore.

Dumbledore told Snape to help lure Voldemort into a plan that would also undermine Lucius Malfoy and bring him under Dumbledore’s control. Before Christmas break, Andy visited Snape with Basilisk blood, asked whether Hogwarts would remain safe, and left with Snape’s old Potions textbook.

• Dumbledore explained that Lucius Malfoy was trying to have him removed and that the situation could help sabotage Voldemort’s plans and force Lucius to side with Dumbledore.
• Snape left Dumbledore’s office, then found Andy waiting outside his own office to offer him a Christmas gift.
• Andy gave Snape a bottle of genuine Millennial Basilisk blood, which Snape accepted.
• Andy asked Snape whether anything would happen at Hogwarts next term, and Snape reassured him that it would not.
• As Andy left, Snape summoned his battered old Potions textbook and tossed it to him.

Andy read Snape’s annotated Potions textbook and discovered the spells and improvements it contained. On the train home, Hermione insisted she wanted to help confront Voldemort, and Andy agreed they should first strengthen their magic.

• Andy found that Snape’s old Potions textbook contained advanced potion notes and spells he had invented.
• Andy put the book away when Terry reminded him that it was past lights-out.
• Andy and Hermione boarded the train home and discussed what Snape had told him about events outside Hogwarts.
• Hermione said she wanted to help oppose Voldemort because his return would endanger both the Wizarding and Muggle worlds.
• Andy cautioned Hermione that she needed to improve her magical ability first and said he might have to drive away another Defense Against the Dark Arts professor next term.
• Hermione wondered whether they would eventually have to face Voldemort unless they ran away, leaving Andy to consider that escape might be a good idea.

On the train, Andy and Hermione discussed Muggle legends of magic, leading Andy to wonder whether ancient wizards had gained powers by combining magical bloodlines or taking power from gods. After arriving at King's Cross, Andy reunited with Helen and Isabel, who greeted Hermione.

• Andy reassured Hermione that Voldemort was destined to fail, then asked her about Muggle legends of magic.
• Hermione told Andy about Nicolas Flamel's fame among Muggles, and Andy explained that Grindelwald had unleashed Fiendfyre in Paris in 1929.
• Andy and Hermione discussed legends of Merlin and other figures, prompting Andy to consider how ancient wizards might have acquired magical abilities from creatures or gods.
• Andy and Hermione arrived at King's Cross and stepped off the train.
• Andy found Helen and Isabel waiting on the platform, and they greeted Hermione.

Andy returned to Godric's Hollow with Helen and Isabel, where his family scolded him over the Basilisk and he explained how he had found and killed it in the Chamber of Secrets. His grandfather gave him the key to a Gringotts vault holding more than fifty thousand Galleons from the Basilisk sale, but Helen wanted to keep the key for him.

• Helen teased Andy and Hermione, then invited Hermione to visit during the Christmas holiday.
• On the Knight Bus, Helen confronted Andy about the Basilisk, while Isabel defended him and bargained for snacks.
• At the Collins home, Andy's family scolded him, and he promised not to take dangerous risks again.
• Andy explained how he had discovered the Chamber of Secrets, prepared to face the Basilisk, and killed it.
• Norman gave Andy a key to his new Gringotts vault, which held the proceeds from selling the Basilisk for more than fifty thousand Galleons.
• Helen told Andy to hand over the key so she could keep the money safe until he was grown.

Andy’s family discussed the recent attacks at Hogwarts and Azkaban, and Andy warned them that Voldemort might still be alive. The Collins family silently agreed to prepare an escape plan, and Helen agreed to teach Andy Apparition over the holidays.

• Kyle told the family that another attack at Hogwarts had injured two students, and the adults worried about the growing unrest in the Wizarding World.
• Andy said a dark wizard had bewitched a student with a Dark Arts Item, then suggested the attacks might be connected to Death Eaters seeking influence.
• Andy warned his family that Voldemort might not be dead, prompting the Collins family to silently agree to prepare to flee.
• Helen agreed to teach Andy Apparition during the holidays, while Kyle warned him not to use it in front of others.
• Helen asked Andy to show the family how his Patronus could use magic.

Helen taught Andy the Three D’s of Apparition, and Andy successfully Apparated without being Splinched on his first attempt. Helen expected him to master the spell by Christmas, while Isabel lamented losing future rides on the Knight Bus.

• After dinner, Andy showed Norman and Kyle his Patronus Charm, impressing his family.
• Helen explained the Three D’s of Apparition and demonstrated the spell in the yard.
• Helen took Andy through his first Apparition, and he described the crushing pressure he felt while traveling.
• Andy Apparated to the center of the target circle without losing any part of himself or his clothes.
• Helen told Andy to practice only with permission and predicted he could master Apparition by Christmas.
• Isabel complained that Andy would no longer need a ride home on the Knight Bus during summer vacation.

After mastering Apparition and learning Sectumsempra, Andy considered whether Apparition could be adapted for combat. Helen told him it was too slow to use in a fight, but Andy began analyzing how to shorten its casting, especially by eliminating the turn.

• Andy gave Helen Snape’s Advanced Potion Making textbook, and she recognized the value of his improved brewing instructions.
• Andy practiced magic at home, learning Sectumsempra and becoming more proficient at Apparition.
• After Andy completed a long-distance Apparition, Helen declared that he had graduated from his training.
• Andy asked whether Apparition had ever been used in combat, and Helen warned that an opponent could attack while he cast it.
• Andy reasoned that the turning motion might be unnecessary and began investigating how Apparition worked through magical theory.

Andy tested how imagining a movement affected Apparition, then took Isabel to buy snacks in the Muggle village. He returned home considering the sensation of Apparating with another person and planned to study spatial magic in the Restricted Section.

• Andy discovered that imagining himself turning around made Apparition faster, and Isabel confirmed the second casting was quicker.
• Andy asked Isabel to photograph his Apparition so he could compare the castings, then decided he needed to study spatial magic in the Restricted Section.
• Andy took Isabel to the Muggle village by Apparition and warned her not to go there alone.
• Andy bought snacks with pounds and used the Confundus Charm on a shopkeeper who tried to talk to them.
• Andy Apparated back to Grandfather's yard with Isabel and reflected on the experience of Apparating with another person.

Andy analyzed Apparition as turning the body into a phantom and moving rapidly, then modified his casting and tested it in the courtyard. He successfully dodged Isabel’s snowballs and began considering how to use Apparition in combat.

• Andy concluded that Apparition transformed the body into an insubstantial phantom rather than sending it through a spatial tunnel.
• Andy practiced his revised Apparition and managed to cast it twice in quick succession.
• Andy asked Isabel to throw snowballs at him so he could test whether Apparition could dodge attacks.
• Andy Apparated just before the snowballs hit and confirmed they flew past instead of moving with him.
• Andy noticed that his Apparition seemed faster and explained that he was using a fixed thought pattern to begin the transformation and movement.

Andy refined his Apparition technique and visited Madam Bathat, where he learned about mixed magical bloodlines and the history of Ancient Greek magic. He left considering how wandless spellcasting had changed over time and asked about Andros’s expertise with the Patronus Charm.

• Andy used his eyes and subconscious to Apparate faster by skipping a step, relying on his high Charms skill and the fusion of his mind and magic.
• As Christmas approached, Andy brought a gift to Madam Bathat and visited her at home.
• Andy asked Madam Bathat about Merlin’s ancestry, and she explained that magical creature blood could pass on abilities such as Veela charm and wandless magic.
• Madam Bathat described Ancient Greek spellcasting as difficult, wandless, and dependent on precise control, while Andy considered how wands had advanced magical civilization.
• Andy thanked Madam Bathat and asked about Andros of Ancient Greece, whom he had heard was an expert on the Patronus Charm.