Chapter Summaries

Andy studied the nature of the World of the Dead and became more determined to steal Death’s magic to strengthen his soul. After brewing a potion from Death’s magic merged with Riddle’s blood, Andy made Riddle drink it, and the transformation began with a soul-deep cold that left Riddle frozen in agony.

• Andy considered that the World of the Dead might feel comfortable to the dead even though it seemed terrifying to the living.
• On December 14, Andy completed a month-long potion that extracted Death’s magic from the Resurrection Stone and merged it with Riddle’s blood.
• Andy chained Riddle in the laboratory, made him drink the potion, and released him from the Imperius Curse.
• Riddle screamed as his body, soul, and thoughts grew cold and froze, while Andy also felt the chill slowing his physical responses and thinking.

After Riddle died during the first Dark Arts Transformation experiment, Andy concluded the method could work and decided to risk using the magic of death himself. He returned to Hogwarts resolved to begin the ritual the next day, hoping the transformation would let his body contain the power of the Obscurus.

• Andy found that Riddle had died after enduring the magic of death for about twenty minutes, though the power had transformed his body and strengthened his magic.
• Andy reasoned that Riddle's poor physical and mental condition contributed to the failure, and that his own willpower and prior exposure to the Veil might help him survive.
• Andy decided to undergo Dark Arts Transformation with the magic of death, accepting the danger because he wanted its connection to the soul.
• Andy buried Riddle, checked his ritual materials, and decided one Magical Transformation would be enough, though he might attempt another after adapting to the power.
• Andy Apparated back to the Forbidden Forest, secretly returned to Hogwarts Castle, and went to bed excited to begin the transformation the next day.

Andy secretly began a seven-part Dark Arts Transformation Ritual, burying a prepared Crystal Bottle in Godric's Hollow and planning to wait for the first ritual. He then considered his next goals, including another Department of Mysteries infiltration and finding a way to become an Obscurial.

• Andy used a Time-Turner to travel back an hour, collected his blood, placed the Resurrection Stone and potion ingredients in a Crystal Bottle, and buried it in Godric's Hollow.
• Andy returned to Hogwarts and waited until the next morning, when Hermione teased him for abandoning his brief attempt to wake early.
• Andy planned to finish the Dark Arts Transformation by April and later explore the Department of Death, steal a Time-Turner, and locate the Department of Mysteries' Records Room.
• Andy considered becoming an Obscurial during summer vacation but struggled to identify how he could create the required magical trauma and suppress magic near eruption.
• Andy questioned Sirius's claim that an Obscurus left its host because it could not adapt to stable magic.

Andy and Hermione theorized that an Obscurus formed when a young wizard suppressed unstable magic after being hurt for it, and Andy decided the theory might be worth testing. Hermione realized Andy had been considering this since before school began.

• Andy speculated that an Obscurus was a magical lifeform created from suppressed hatred of one's own magic.
• Hermione suggested comparing the Obscurus with Andy's Patronus, which fused happy emotion with magic power.
• Andy concluded that a magical outburst followed by suppressing unstable magic could create an Obscurus.
• Hermione agreed that a young wizard hurt for their magic might experience the conditions needed for an Obscurus to form.
• Andy considered testing his theory, and Hermione confronted him about how long he had been researching Obscuruses.
• Andy admitted that he had researched Obscuruses before he started school.

Andy struggled to find a way to trigger the Magic Outburst needed to create a Controllable Obscurus, while Hermione warned that his steady emotions and strong control made the process especially difficult. As Christmas break began, Andy and Hermione left Hogwarts, and Andy remained unsure how to proceed with his planned research.

• Andy explained that creating an Obscurus required Magical Transformation and unstable magic, but he could not figure out how to trigger a Magic Outburst.
• Hermione said becoming an Obscurial usually required outstanding magical talent, sensitive emotions, stubbornness, timidity, and external stimulation, traits that did not fit Andy.
• Andy postponed the attempt and waited for another idea to come to him.
• On December 21st, Andy and Hermione left Hogwarts for Christmas break by Thestral Carriage and train.
• Hermione remarked that the school year had been mostly peaceful apart from Peter Pettigrew’s intrusion and the Minister of Magic’s replacement.
• Andy recalled that books, Snape, and Professor Flitwick all linked Magic Outbursts to emotional eruptions or life-threatening crises, leaving him with no practical method.

Andy discussed seeking help for his Obscurus problem from Hogwarts ghosts, Dumbledore, and Gellert Grindelwald, then traveled home for Christmas and reunited with his family in Godric's Hollow. Exhausted from his overloaded term, he settled in and went upstairs to sleep.

• Hermione encouraged Andy to seek advice from the Lady Grey or Dumbledore, and Andy also considered contacting Gellert Grindelwald with a Two-Way Mirror.
• Andy and Hermione discussed their Christmas plans, and Hermione asked Andy to take her to a Muggle library after the holidays to look for ideas in science.
• Andy and Hermione left the train at the station, where Andy said goodbye to Hermione and Mister Granger before Apparating away.
• Andy arrived at his grandfather Norman's house in Godric's Hollow, where Helen welcomed him and Isabel pounced on him hoping for snacks.
• Andy warmed himself by the fireplace, told Helen he was tired from staying up with his roommates, and went upstairs to sleep.

Andy performed his first Dark Arts Transformation ritual in the Godric's Hollow cemetery, using his blood to draw out and merge the Resurrection Stone's magic. After concluding that the ritual had succeeded and that Riddle's failure stemmed from his condition and circumstances, Andy grew confident about completing his transformation and exploring the magic of the Dimension of the Dead and the Obscurus.

• After recovering from months of exhaustion, Andy went to the Godric's Hollow cemetery to conduct his first Dark Arts Transformation ritual.
• Andy protected the cemetery with a magical barrier, chanted the transformation incantation, and cut his wrist so his blood could seep into the soil above the buried Crystal Bottle.
• After the ritual, Andy treated his wound and concluded that his body had been subtly altered and the Resurrection Stone's magic was merging with his blood.
• Andy reviewed the ritual's principles and decided that Riddle had failed because of his poor physical and mental state and the Imperius Curse, not because Dark Arts Transformation was impossible.
• Andy became confident that he could finish the transformation in just over three months and hoped to learn about the Dimension of the Dead's magic and the Obscurus.

Andy visited Harry and Sirius at Grimmauld Place, then secretly used Soul Extraction to send Kreacher to Nurmengard Castle with a Two-Way Mirror and a letter for Grindelwald. He waited at the Black Family's old house, hoping to contact Grindelwald without Harry or Sirius discovering what he had done.

• Andy arrived at Grimmauld Place and found Harry and Sirius happy together during Christmas break.
• Sirius told Andy that he was training Harry because the Mysterious Man might target him, and Harry vowed to fight back.
• Andy asked to borrow books, then left Harry and Sirius to continue their training.
• Andy used Soul Extraction on Kreacher and ordered him to deliver a Two-Way Mirror and a letter to someone in Nurmengard Castle.
• Andy took two books to the study and planned to use the mirror to contact Grindelwald once Kreacher delivered it.

Andy sent Kreacher to deliver an item to Grindelwald, then used a Two-Way Mirror to contact him from Hogwarts. Andy explained his research into souls, death, Magical Transformation, and Obscuruses, and asked Grindelwald for guidance.

• Kreacher returned after delivering Andy’s item to Grindelwald, whom he described as terrifying.
• Andy Obliviated Kreacher, arranged for him to wake up and resume working, and then returned to his study.
• Andy contacted Grindelwald through a Two-Way Mirror and introduced himself as a Hogwarts student favored by Dumbledore.
• Grindelwald asked why Dumbledore liked Andy, and Andy replied that they were the same kind of person.
• Andy described his research into souls, the Resurrection Stone, and Magical Transformation, then proposed that a magically transformed body might contain an Obscurus.
• Andy asked Grindelwald whether he had studied Obscuruses.

Andy asked Grindelwald for help becoming an Obscurial, hoping to unite an Obscurus with magic through Magical Transformation. Grindelwald described an Obscurus’s immense power but doubted Andy’s theory, leaving their exchange unresolved.

• Andy told Grindelwald he wanted to become an Obscurial and asked him for help finding a way to create an Obscurus.
• Grindelwald asked what Andy would offer in exchange, and Andy proposed keeping him company, then suggested Grindelwald name a condition.
• Grindelwald recalled an Obscurial shattering half a mountain with one spell before ultimately losing to Dumbledore.
• Andy argued that Credence might have fused perfectly with an Obscurus if he had used phoenix magic for Magical Transformation.
• Grindelwald took Andy’s idea seriously but doubted that Magical Transformation and an Obscurus could be perfectly compatible.

Andy discussed Grindelwald’s theory that opposing kinds of magic might explain why Dumbledore family Obscurials lived longer, but the idea left him uneasy. After Harry and Sirius arrived, Sirius described their wartime dueling club, then outlined an intensive afternoon training plan for Harry.

• Andy questioned Grindelwald’s theory that a host’s magic became an Obscurus while magic gained through Magical Transformation remained unchanged and might restrain it.
• Andy ended the mirror conversation when the Fat Cat Patronus warned him that Harry and Sirius were coming upstairs.
• Harry and Sirius entered the study, and Sirius said Harry was improving quickly in their training.
• Sirius told Harry that he and James had formed a dueling club at Hogwarts during Voldemort’s rise and had been its strongest members.
• Sirius said the afternoon training would focus on intensive practice with a few spells instead of trying to master many spells.

Andy questioned Sirius about the Black Family’s ancient Obscurus experiments, then organized what he knew to investigate how an Obscurus could be kept from leaving its host. He decided to keep consulting Grindelwald, who was meanwhile furious that someone had hung up on him.

• Andy asked Sirius whether the Black Family had tried to cure Obscurials, and Sirius said their experiments seven or eight hundred years ago had failed.
• Sirius shared what he remembered about the experiments, and Andy borrowed books before leaving.
• Andy compiled information from books and conversations with Sirius, Grindelwald, Dumbledore, and others, noting that Obscurus research remained contradictory and poorly understood.
• Andy considered Grindelwald’s theory that an Obscurus formed only from its host’s own magical power and wondered how his experiments might interact inside his body.
• Andy decided to stay in contact with Grindelwald and set himself the goal of learning everything he could from him before fourth year.
• Grindelwald fumed because a third-year wizard had hung up on him.

At Nurmengard, Grindelwald reflected on Credence’s controlled Obscurus before Andy contacted him to ask whether Magical Transformation could restrain an Obscurus and whether taking magic from nature was safe. Their conversation revealed Andy’s ambition to master magic rather than reform the Wizarding World, and ended with Andy confirming he planned to undergo Magical Transformation the following April.

• Grindelwald revisited the ruined mountain Credence had destroyed and recalled how difficult it was to control an Obscurus.
• Andy contacted Grindelwald through a Two-Way Mirror and asked for his views on Magical Transformation and its risks.
• Grindelwald lamented that he had no wand, and Andy offered to give him one.
• Andy told Grindelwald that he cared only about learning magic and becoming a god through it, not changing the Wizarding World.
• Grindelwald recognized that Andy was preparing for Magical Transformation, and Andy confirmed it was scheduled for April next year.

Andy asked Grindelwald whether Magical Transformation would cause lasting hidden dangers, and Grindelwald reassured him that surviving the process would leave no further risks. Their discussion of magic left Grindelwald anticipating what Andy would do with the power he gained.

• Andy told Grindelwald he was nervous about how Magical Transformation might affect his future.
• Grindelwald explained that Magical Transformation was dangerous but would leave no hidden dangers if Andy survived, comparing it to Animagus transformation.
• Andy thanked Grindelwald and discussed magical theory with him, and they both gained insights from the conversation.
• Grindelwald reflected on Andy’s unusual relationship with magic and felt anticipation for his coming Magical Transformation.

After Christmas, Andy deepened his knowledge of the Dark Arts through conversations with Grindelwald and completed two more Dark Arts Transformations. As Hogwarts reopened, Hermione noticed Andy seemed less anxious about his Obscurus research, though he admitted he had not solved the problem.

• Andy reflected on Grindelwald's warning that the Dark Arts could strengthen harmful emotions and corrupt the mind, and decided he could study them cautiously with Grindelwald's guidance.
• Andy completed his second Dark Arts Transformation on December 29 and his third on January 5, while recording his conversations with Grindelwald about magic and the Wizarding World.
• Andy spent part of the holiday meeting Hermione twice, including a date, and broadened his magical knowledge through his talks with Grindelwald.
• On January 6, Andy returned to Hogwarts by train and demonstrated wandless-looking magic as he stowed his luggage in a compartment with Hermione.
• Hermione said Andy seemed more natural than before Christmas and told him she had dreamed he died from an Obscurus backlash; Andy joked that the dream meant he would eventually control it.

Andy reunited with Harry and Ron on the train to Hogwarts, where he warned them that Voldemort’s patience suggested a larger plan. The chapter left Andy suspecting Voldemort might infiltrate Hogwarts and cautioning Ron that the second half of the term would be especially dangerous for him.

• Harry and Ron joined Andy and Hermione in their compartment, where Andy and Hermione argued about magic before settling down to read.
• Harry told Andy he had spent the break training with Sirius and had not gone out, and Andy warned that Voldemort’s inaction could mean he was planning something bigger.
• Hermione explained that Voldemort’s emotions were unstable and that his confidence in a plan might explain his patience.
• Andy warned that Voldemort might use an Imperius Curse to infiltrate Hogwarts and demonstrated that his pocket could hold ten people with a Space Extension Charm.
• Andy said the second half of the term would be dangerous and singled out Ron, explaining that Voldemort needed Harry alive but had little reason to spare Ron.

Andy warned Harry and Ron to be cautious because Voldemort might target them, then returned to Hogwarts with Hermione and the others. Harry’s scar hurt when he saw Snape at the entrance, leading Andy to suspect Voldemort had sent Snape to Hogwarts as a disposable pawn or decoy.

• Andy told Harry and Ron that Voldemort might use the crowded return to Hogwarts to target Harry, and Harry promised to be careful.
• Andy and Hermione rested on the train while Hermione worried that they were powerless to stop Voldemort’s plans.
• Andy and Hermione arrived at Hogwarts and spoke with Snape, who warned Andy to be careful if he knew something.
• Harry’s scar hurt when he saw Snape, and Andy suspected Voldemort had sent Snape to draw attention while making his move.
• Andy, Hermione, Harry, and Ron hurried past Snape and headed for the Great Hall.

Andy realized that Dumbledore was allowing Voldemort to attempt resurrection again, and warned Harry to seek Dumbledore and stay around other people. Andy and Hermione discussed the coming war and took heart from the three Horcruxes they had already destroyed.

• Andy concluded that Dumbledore would not stop Voldemort's next resurrection attempt because Snape's undercover mission depended on it succeeding.
• Andy told Harry to speak with Dumbledore after the feast and to stay where there were plenty of people.
• Harry suspected Snape had contacted Voldemort and began imagining a plan to expose Snape with Sirius's help.
• Andy and Hermione returned to the Great Hall and discussed whether Voldemort would really be resurrected.
• Andy told Hermione they had destroyed the diary, the diadem, and the ring, and believed they could defeat Voldemort within two or three years.

Andy discussed his plans to challenge Voldemort and pursue Magical Transformation, while Hermione worried about the risks and encouraged him to prepare carefully. The chapter ended with Hermione agreeing to help him research transformation and Slytherin in the Restricted Section.

• Andy told Hermione he hoped to become powerful enough to challenge Voldemort and explained that he believed Dumbledore would handle the danger surrounding Harry.
• Hermione complained that Cedric’s athletic ability and Andy’s talent had left her behind despite her hard work, and Andy encouraged her by praising her skill with Fusion Magic.
• Andy explained his research into Magical Transformation and said it could let wizards absorb natural magic without necessarily changing their appearance.
• Hermione realized Andy might undergo Magical Transformation and warned him that it was dangerous.
• Andy promised to prepare thoroughly, and Hermione proposed that they study Magical Transformation and Slytherin together in the Restricted Section.

Andy and Hermione studied Magical Transformation and worked out its basic principles as Andy prepared for his seventh Dark Arts Transformation Ritual. Grindelwald reassured Andy that his chances of surviving the transformation depended largely on his willpower, and Andy was left confident as the ritual began.

• Andy realized Dumbledore's plan to monitor Snape was helping steer Voldemort, Snape, Harry, and Sirius toward the outcome Dumbledore wanted.
• Andy devoted himself to studying magic while he and Hermione researched Magical Transformation in the Restricted Section.
• Andy and Hermione combined their research with Slytherin's writings and Grandpa's help to summarize Magical Transformation as a combination of potions and natural magic.
• Grindelwald told Andy that his earlier transformation experiment had been crude and that a subject's willing cooperation made such experiments safer.
• On February 2nd, Andy asked Grindelwald whether he could succeed at his seventh Dark Arts Transformation Ritual, and Grindelwald explained that willpower could resist magic's negative effects.