Chapter Summaries

Andy prepared to capture Sirius Black, hoping to use his knowledge of Dementors and his identity to infiltrate the Ministry of Magic’s Department of Mysteries. After receiving the Resurrection Stone, Andy found he could not test it on anyone he knew and began planning a break-in that could also make Sirius more valuable as a captive.

• Andy concluded that Sirius Black, whom Kyle and Helen had described, was a Death Eater and decided to capture him for information about Dementors.
• Andy built a laboratory and prison near Godric's Hollow, then set his fat cat Patronus to watch Number 4, Privet Drive for Sirius Black.
• Fawkes delivered the Resurrection Stone to Andy, who tried and failed to summon Quirrell’s apparition with it.
• Andy considered using the Resurrection Stone in the Department of Death and planned to infiltrate the Department of Mysteries by impersonating a Ministry employee.
• Andy planned to use Polyjuice Potion, Sirius Black’s identity, and a Black Family House Elf to escape if discovered, while causing enough trouble to raise Sirius’s value as a captive.

Andy prepared Polyjuice Potion and gathered information at the Ministry of Magic while planning how to obtain details about the Auror Office. He entered Knockturn Alley to acquire a wand, where he incapacitated an Old Witch and then faced a filthy middle-aged wizard.

• Andy brewed the preliminary stages of Polyjuice Potion and planned to let it mature for a month.
• Andy visited the Ministry of Magic, memorized its floor plan and night-shift roster, and decided he would need another way to obtain the Auror Office's guard information.
• Andy considered defeating Deloris and using Veritaserum to question him, but postponed the plan until after Sirius was captured.
• Andy entered Knockturn Alley to acquire a wand, used Obliviate on an Old Witch, and took her wand.
• A filthy middle-aged wizard caught Andy searching the Old Witch, and Andy raised his wand and cast Obliviate.

Andy obtained two wands, then learned that a Big Black Dog was watching Harry Potter’s home and suspected it was Sirius. He went to Privet Drive in his Animagus form, preparing to confront the dog with help from the Fat Cat Patronus.

• Andy hid the two wands in his laboratory near Godric’s Hollow and returned to St. Catchpole Village to wait for Sirius.
• The Daily Prophet reported Sirius’s escape from Azkaban and offered a ten-thousand-Galleon reward for his capture.
• Sirius reached Britain in his dog form, learned the Weasley family was away, and began watching Number 4, Privet Drive from a distance so he could see Harry.
• The Fat Cat Patronus spotted the Big Black Dog near Privet Drive and sent Andy a memory of it.
• Andy concluded the dog was likely Sirius, ordered the Fat Cat Patronus to hide and attack from behind if needed, and transformed into an orange cat.

Andy captured Sirius near Privet Drive after Sirius tried to flee and then attack him. He took Sirius to a prison cell near Godric's Hollow, where Sirius woke in chains and saw Andy outside the bars.

• Andy watched Sirius near Number 4, Privet Drive and decided to capture him before learning the truth about his motives.
• Sirius recognized Andy and tried to scare him away, but Andy followed as he ran through secluded alleys.
• Sirius turned to attack Andy, but Andy's Fat Cat Patronus struck him with a Stunning Spell and knocked him unconscious.
• Andy bound Sirius, Apparated with him to the laboratory near Godric's Hollow, and locked him in a prison cell with iron shackles and chains.
• Sirius regained consciousness in the cell and saw Andy standing outside the bars.

Andy questioned Sirius about his escape from Azkaban and why he had watched Privet Drive without attacking Harry Potter. Sirius revealed that Harry was his godson and insisted he would never harm him, while keeping the truth about his own conviction to himself.

• Andy showed Sirius newspapers portraying him as a dangerous Death Eater and mentioned the reward for capturing him.
• Andy questioned why Sirius had escaped Azkaban only recently and suggested his Gryffindor upbringing had clouded his judgment.
• Andy threatened to use Veritaserum or Legilimency, but Sirius decided he needed evidence and hoped to escape and find the rat who had betrayed him.
• Andy asked why Sirius had lingered near Privet Drive without attacking Harry Potter.
• Sirius angrily declared that Harry was his godson and the son of his best friend, and that he would never kill him.

Andy questioned Sirius about betraying Harry's parents, and Sirius claimed Peter Pettigrew had been the real traitor and was hiding as Ron Weasley's rat, Scabbers. Andy knocked Sirius unconscious and began revising his plans, leaving the investigation and his next move unresolved.

• Andy challenged Sirius to explain why he had been the Secret Keeper and never defended himself after his capture.
• Sirius said he had arranged for Peter Pettigrew to become the Secret Keeper, and accused Peter of betraying James and Lily and disguising himself as Scabbers.
• Sirius explained that he had suspected Remus Lupin of being a traitor and believed his own imprisonment could atone for his mistake.
• Andy said he partly believed Sirius and planned to investigate, then stunned him before he could escape.
• Andy considered replacing Sirius for his experiments and Department of Mysteries plans, sent Dumbledore a letter from Godric's Hollow, and told his Fat Cat Patronus to bring Dumbledore to him.

After securing the laboratory, Andy questioned Sirius about Dementors while waiting for Dumbledore, hoping to learn more about the creatures. Sirius also offered Andy access to the Black Family’s books and agreed to a duel after his name was cleared.

• Andy tidied the laboratory to hide the wands, Polyjuice Potion equipment, and Magical Transformation materials from Dumbledore.
• Andy woke Sirius and questioned him about Dementors, learning that they could communicate, were invisible to Muggles, and seemed to identify people by scent and emotion.
• Andy speculated that Dementors were magical beings formed from souls and emotions, then asked Sirius about their lifespans and reproduction, which Sirius knew nothing about.
• Sirius invited Andy to take any books he wanted from the Black Family’s library at Grimmauld Place Number Twelve and offered to compensate him for the reward money.
• Andy and Sirius agreed to have at least five hundred duels after Sirius cleared his name.

Dumbledore came to meet Sirius after receiving Andy’s account of the truth behind his imprisonment, and Andy left them to talk. Sirius recounted Snape’s attempt to free him during the Azkaban riot, leaving Dumbledore with another revelation to investigate.

• Dumbledore visited Godric's Hollow and followed Andy’s Fat Cat Patronus to the cave where Sirius was held.
• Dumbledore apologized for Sirius’s wrongful imprisonment, and Sirius insisted he had accepted the punishment because he had trusted the wrong person.
• Andy left to go home for dinner, and Dumbledore freed Sirius from his cell and embraced him.
• Dumbledore told Sirius they could catch Peter Pettigrew and prove his innocence after the Weasleys returned from their trip.
• Sirius told Dumbledore that Snape had tried to free him during the Azkaban riot, but Sirius had recognized him and stayed behind.

Sirius told Dumbledore how Peter Pettigrew had betrayed the Potters and how Andy Collins had captured him after his escape from Azkaban. Dumbledore focused on Andy’s dangerous magical experiments and left Sirius’s innocence to be proven once Peter was found.

• Dumbledore told Sirius that he would investigate Snape while they focused on proving Sirius’s innocence.
• Sirius recounted becoming the Fidelius Charm’s Secret Keeper, choosing Peter Pettigrew to replace him, and being framed after Peter escaped by blowing up a street.
• Sirius explained that he had escaped Azkaban after learning Peter might be alive, then went to Privet Drive, where Andy Collins captured him with a Patronus and a Stunning Spell.
• Sirius described how Andy questioned his story and summoned Dumbledore, while Dumbledore realized the cave had been prepared for Magical Transformation experiments on Sirius.
• Sirius told Dumbledore that he and Andy had discussed magic, agreed to let Andy see the Black Family’s books, and arranged five hundred duels.

Andy visited Grimmauld Place No. 12, where Sirius was staying, and used the Imperius Curse on Kreacher after meeting the House Elf. He planned to return every other day while the Polyjuice Potion brewed and to read the Black Family’s books.

• Andy hid the Polyjuice Potion at the Shrieking Shack, returned home, and went to sleep after deciding not to abandon his moral boundaries for magical research.
• The next morning, Andy traveled to Grimmauld Place No. 12 and found Sirius living there without Aurors watching the house.
• Sirius told Andy to use the Fourth Floor study and warned him about Kreacher before leaving to buy breakfast.
• Andy encountered Kreacher muttering insults about Sirius and the stranger in the house.
• Andy cast the Imperius Curse on Kreacher and decided to visit every other day while the Polyjuice Potion brewed.

Andy searched the Black Family study and wondered whether its crest and star-related naming traditions hinted at a lost connection to Magical Transformation. He then talked with Sirius about Harry and his birthday plans before returning to his book.

• Andy found the study and discovered its shelves held rare, advanced magical books, mostly about the Dark Arts.
• Andy examined the Black Family Crest and suspected that its stars, mountain, and dagger might relate to the family's history and Magical Transformation.
• Sirius brought Andy coffee and said he had to remain at home until the escaped rat was caught.
• Andy reminded Sirius that Harry's birthday was coming up and suggested that Harry liked Quidditch.
• Andy shared stories about Harry with Sirius, then returned to reading after Sirius complained that Ravenclaws were difficult to talk to.

Andy discussed Kreacher and pure-blood beliefs with Sirius, building trust as Sirius recounted his family history and challenged Andy’s confidence about Voldemort. Sirius then invited Andy to go out for lunch in disguise.

• Sirius angrily asked whether Kreacher had said anything to Andy, but Andy said Kreacher had been polite and should not be blamed for his rigid beliefs.
• Sirius told Andy that his family had embraced pure-blood ideology and that his mother had disowned him after he joined Gryffindor.
• Andy said the pure-blood theory was nearing its end, and Sirius agreed that his mother refused to accept it.
• Andy said he looked forward to fighting Voldemort, prompting Sirius to warn him about Voldemort’s power.
• Sirius invited Andy to eat out and said Dumbledore had taught him Muggle disguises that could evade the Aurors.

Andy finished his summer homework while preparing to infiltrate the Ministry of Magic by impersonating Deloris. After arranging for Kreacher to be out of Sirius's way, Andy used Polyjuice Potion to disguise himself as a girl and went to Deloris's home.

• Andy borrowed books from Sirius and returned home to nap while Isabel teased him about dating Hermione.
• Over the following month, Andy studied magic, checked on the Polyjuice Potion, and completed his summer homework after Hermione reminded him.
• Andy learned that Deloris would work a night shift at the Ministry and planned to question him about its defenses before taking his place.
• Andy confirmed Kreacher had made Sirius tell him to get out, placed Kreacher in his enchanted pocket, and drank Polyjuice Potion.
• Andy arrived in a wealthy London neighborhood disguised as a girl and knocked on Deloris's door.

Andy stunned Deloris and his wife, stole the Ministry of Magic security plan and Deloris’s identity, then used Polyjuice Potion to infiltrate the Ministry. As she headed toward the Department of Mysteries, a pink-haired witch who knew Deloris stopped her and asked about an investigation.

• Andy posed as a Cambridge student to get Deloris to open his door, then stunned him and his wife.
• Andy used Soul Extraction and Veritaserum to question Deloris, but he resisted; she found the Ministry’s security plan in his pocket.
• Andy tied up Deloris and his wife, injected Deloris with anesthetic, and transformed herself into him with Polyjuice Potion.
• Andy took Deloris’s work badge and Flooed to the Ministry of Magic, then entered the elevator bound for the ninth underground floor.
• A pink-haired woman stopped the elevator and asked Andy how Deloris’s investigation was going.

Andy entered the Ministry of Magic’s Department of Mysteries and found a room containing human brains preserved in a tank. The brains attacked his mind, and Andy wondered whether their memories and thoughts could be transferred into another body.

• Andy spoke with Nymphadora Tonks in the elevator and realized she was an Auror and Sirius Black’s cousin.
• Andy left the elevator for the Department of Mysteries after telling Tonks he was visiting a friend.
• Andy explored the black circular room and opened a door into a brightly lit room with a tank of dark green liquid.
• Andy discovered human brains floating in the tank and prepared to collect a sample for Snape.
• The brains sent mental tentacles into Andy’s mind, and he resisted them with Occlumency while using Legilimency to probe their memories.
• Andy considered whether memories and thoughts could replace a brain and allow someone to live in another body.

Andy captured a modified brain from the Department of Mysteries and raised his Divination talent before exploring another room. There, surrounded by clocks and a hummingbird trapped in a repeating cycle, he felt an overwhelming terror of time.

• Andy discovered that he could not imitate the brains’ mental attack without a wand, then captured one in a Crystal Bottle along with some of its dark green liquid.
• Andy decided to leave the brain room and seek out the Department of Death, believing the Resurrection Stone might help him uncover its secrets.
• Andy spent three Potential Points raising his Divination talent to Level 3 and planned to improve his Transfiguration and Willpower before attempting Magical Transformation the following year.
• Andy opened another Black Door and entered a room filled with clocks, hourglasses, and a hummingbird that repeatedly changed into an egg and back.
• Andy recognized the room as a place for studying time and felt a profound, inexplicable terror in its presence.

Andy explored the Department of Time, where touching a clock briefly showed him a point in the past and his own presence there. He then entered the Department of Death, recognized its Veil, and wondered whether it was the same Veil described in The Tale of the Three Brothers.

• Andy considered whether the Department of Time studied time magic or higher dimensions and questioned how he had come to live in a world he had once read about.
• Andy touched a clock with his wand, experienced a brief vision of the past, and saw himself there.
• Andy decided that time was too dangerous to investigate without guidance and left the Department of Time.
• Andy opened another Black Door and found an ancient archway with a swaying Veil in a deep stone pit.
• Andy recalled the Veil in The Tale of the Three Brothers and wondered whether it was the Veil before him.

After discovering the veil in the Department of Mysteries, Andy suspected it was the veil from The Tale of the Three Brothers and that the Resurrection Stone could summon the dead. As Andy approached the archway to test his theory, Scrimgeour realized an impostor had infiltrated the Ministry and led Aurors to the Department of Mysteries.

• Andy connected the archway’s veil to the veil in the Resurrection Stone’s tale and reconsidered Dumbledore’s explanation of the stone.
• Andy speculated that the Department of Mysteries studied Death’s power and other forbidden forces, then took out the Resurrection Stone and approached the archway.
• Scrimgeour noticed John Deloris was missing from the Auror Office and questioned the other Aurors about his whereabouts.
• Tonks revealed that Deloris had gone to the Department of Mysteries around six o’clock, and the Aurors realized he might be an impostor.
• Scrimgeour ordered the Aurors to the Department of Mysteries and sent Tonks to seal the Ministry’s exits and fireplaces.

Andy tested his theory that the Resurrection Stone was connected to the Veil and watched it absorb a force from beyond the archway. As the chamber grew unnaturally cold, he used the Fire Curse to protect himself while deciding what to do next.

• Andy speculated that the Veil led to the realm of the dead and that the Resurrection Stone might summon souls, but he feared testing the idea directly.
• Andy levitated the Resurrection Stone before the Veil, which began swaying violently as an unseen force flowed from behind it into the stone.
• Andy concluded that the Deathly Hallows were connected to Death and wondered whether wizards had stolen divine power.
• Andy drank Polyjuice Potion to conceal his identity as the chamber grew colder and frost appeared on its walls.
• Andy backed away from the Veil and cast the Fire Curse in a ring around himself to fight the cold.

Andy survived the Resurrection Stone’s deathly cold and became determined to use the power of death for Magical Transformation to uncover the secrets of the soul. When he left the stone chamber, he encountered Scrimgeour and Ministry forces in the Department of Mysteries.

• Andy was overwhelmed by a supernatural cold that froze his body and thoughts, but eventually recovered as the frost and flames disappeared.
• Andy retrieved the Resurrection Stone, checked that Kreacher remained in his pocket, and disguised himself again with Polyjuice Potion and Transfiguration.
• Andy suspected the cold was the power of death and considered using it with the Resurrection Stone for Magical Transformation and soul research.
• Andy left the stone chamber and returned to the circular room, where Scrimgeour confronted him and demanded to know who he was.