Chapter Summaries

Andy agreed to ask his family about Fred and George's request for money and chatted with Cho Chang about China and traveling after graduation. He then realized Cedric liked Cho and offered to help them meet, leaving Cedric grateful and eager to prepare.

• George and Fred asked Andy to write home about Uncle Kyle's new Flying Broom, hoping to borrow money for the Quidditch finals, and Andy reluctantly agreed.
• Cho Chang spoke with Andy about whether there were Wizards in China, and Andy and Hermione discussed traveling abroad after graduation.
• Andy asked Cho to buy things for him if she visited China over the summer, and she agreed to let him know.
• Cedric approached Andy and Hermione, revealed his interest in Cho, and asked Andy to introduce them.
• Andy suggested topics Cedric could use to talk to Cho and offered to arrange a group outing; Cedric thanked him and offered to treat him after Andy mentioned a secret passage to Hogsmeade.

Andy and Hermione planned a summer visit to a Muggle amusement park and a future graduation trip while Andy developed a theory about Ravenclaw’s magical path through mastery and combination of spells. At lunch, Andy saw that Malfoy remembered the ordeal involving Quirrell and Voldemort, and he reflected on Malfoy’s innocence as a child.

• Cedric told Andy and Hermione that Hufflepuff was practicing Quidditch ahead of its match against Slytherin, and Andy wished him luck without enthusiasm.
• Hermione planned a round-the-world graduation trip, and Andy arranged to visit a Muggle amusement park with her and Isha during summer vacation.
• Andy studied Magical Theory and concluded that Ravenclaw’s path involved accumulating knowledge of spells and applying it through Combination Magic.
• Andy speculated that advanced magic could let a wizard transcend dimensions, then reminded himself to focus on learning magic step by step.
• Andy saw a pale, quiet Malfoy in the Great Hall and inferred that Malfoy remembered how Quirrell and Voldemort had used him.

Andy confronted Malfoy about whether he remembered his original life after Quirrell altered his memories, then used threats and a staged display of magical fanaticism to frighten him into answering. Malfoy had not yet revealed what he remembered when the chapter ended.

• Andy left the Great Hall with Malfoy and asked whether Quirrell had altered his memories.
• Malfoy accused Andy of deliberately using him to drive Quirrell away, and Andy admitted he had planned for Malfoy to confront him.
• Andy cast Petrificus Totalus on Malfoy and threatened him with future attacks and magical experiments.
• Andy released Malfoy with a Stunning Spell and demanded that he answer questions about the memory alteration.
• Malfoy backed away in fear but had not yet answered Andy.

Andy intimidated Malfoy with a display of Dark Arts and secured his silence, then learned about Malfoy’s altered memories and shared knowledge of their families’ secrets. Malfoy was left shaken as Andy returned to the castle, confident he would not report him.

• Andy used Disease Affliction on the grass and burned away its effects, frightening Malfoy into backing down.
• Malfoy realized Andy secretly studied the Dark Arts and agreed to keep Andy’s abilities a secret.
• Andy identified Quirrell as Voldemort’s man and dismissed Voldemort while praising Grindelwald.
• Andy revealed he had seen Malfoy enter the Fourth Floor Forbidden Area and questioned him about his memories of the past few months.
• Andy told Malfoy that he knew Lucius was a Death Eater and had a Dark Mark, then left Malfoy shaken.

After Andy checked on Malfoy, Malfoy decided to treat him as a potential future Dark Lord and called him a friend, while Andy believed they had severed ties. At an evening banquet, Dumbledore revealed that Quirrell had carried out the attacks and coveted the Philosopher’s Stone, leaving Malfoy reflecting on how appearances could deceive.

• After Andy entered the castle, Malfoy worried that telling his father about being bullied might provoke Andy’s revenge, then convinced himself that being bullied by a future Dark Lord could be an honor.
• When Pansy Parkinson urged Malfoy to avoid Andy, Malfoy surprised her by saying that he and Andy were friends.
• Hermione questioned why Andy had sought out Malfoy, and Andy explained that he had checked on him because Malfoy had been caught up in the attacks.
• At the evening banquet, Dumbledore told the students and professors that Quirrell had attacked Malfoy and Professor Don while seeking the Philosopher’s Stone, and had also attacked Gringotts the previous summer.
• After hearing Dumbledore warn that dark wizards hid behind appearances, Malfoy thought about how he had been deceived.

After Quirrell’s defeat, Dumbledore announced that Snape would teach the first- and second-years, and the students debated Quirrell’s attacks and the Philosopher’s Stone. Andy considered his plans for next year and tried to strengthen his connection with Zhang Qiu, while Hermione reacted suspiciously to their conversation.

• Dumbledore announced that Snape would teach the first- and second-years, upsetting the Gryffindor students, and cleared Harry and Ron of suspicion.
• The students discussed Quirrell’s attacks, while Malfoy boasted to the Slytherins that he had driven Quirrell away.
• Andy thought about next year’s dangers and decided that learning about the China Wizarding World through Zhang Qiu would be important.
• Andy ran into Harry and Ron but avoided speaking with them, then joined Zhang Qiu and Hermione.
• Zhang Qiu asked Andy how Quirrell had attacked Hogwarts, and Andy suggested that Quirrell had prepared in advance.
• After Zhang Qiu gave Andy a knowing look about Hermione, Andy claimed he had face blindness toward foreigners and told Hermione he was interested in the China Wizarding World.

Andy encouraged Hermione to make her Chinese-born acquaintance curious about the China Wizarding World, then joined Hermione in the library, where his affectionate praise embarrassed her into fleeing. In the Headmaster's Office, Dumbledore and Snape discussed Voldemort's likely retreat to Albania and the difficulty of preparing Harry and keeping Snape informed.

• Andy encouraged Hermione to find a way to make her acquaintance return to China, and Hermione promised to try.
• Andy accompanied Hermione to the library, where she researched the China Wizarding World as she had promised.
• Andy called Hermione his little angel in front of the other readers, and Hermione blushed, shut her book, and hurried to the Girls' Dormitory.
• Dumbledore read Fudge's letter and discussed the Minister's refusal to reveal Quirrell's crimes with Snape.
• Dumbledore reasoned that Voldemort had gone to the forests of Albania, and Snape said he was confident Voldemort would not contact him while he remained at Hogwarts.

Dumbledore explained his plans to Snape for confronting Voldemort, investigating the secret of his immortality, and watching Lucius Malfoy for evidence. He also discussed his concerns about Andy Collins studying Dark Arts, leaving Snape wary but without a clear reason to intervene.

• Dumbledore told Snape that Harry was their only hope against Voldemort and that he intended to let events take their natural course as he aged.
• Dumbledore asked Snape to watch Draco and Lucius Malfoy while the Ministry searched for Dark Arts Items and illegally modified Muggle items.
• Dumbledore admitted he did not know what evidence Snape should seek, but suspected it was a Dark Arts Item that could beguile people.
• Dumbledore asked Snape about Andy Collins after learning Andy had read part of Unveiling the Secrets of Cutting-Edge Dark Arts in the Headmaster's Office.
• Snape questioned why Dumbledore was troubled about Andy's reading, then suggested Dumbledore would be less worried if the prophecy had named Collins instead.

After Dumbledore and Snape discussed Andy Collins’s interest in the Dark Arts, Hogwarts settled back into peace following the Quirrell incident. Andy weighed his relationships with Cedric and Zhang Qiu, and ended by inviting Cedric to duel him.

• Dumbledore told Snape he would handle Andy, comparing Andy’s wand and indifference to Voldemort while noting that Andy cared about his family and girlfriend.
• After Quirrell’s defeat, Andy continued studying magic and coordinating with Hermione, who was building a friendship with Zhang Qiu.
• Andy tested Cedric’s magical ability and decided they were too different to become close friends, though he considered recruiting Slytherins instead.
• Cedric gave Andy his notes and asked whether he would hold a birthday party where Cedric might meet Zhang Qiu, but Andy said he would not invite her.
• Andy suggested Cedric write Zhang Qiu a love letter, then invited Cedric to have a real magical fight with him, which tempted Cedric.

Andy and Cedric secretly practiced dueling in an empty classroom, where Andy defeated Cedric twice with stronger spells and clever tactics. Afterward, Andy told Cedric he wanted to explore magic’s mysteries rather than become an Auror, leaving Cedric to consider Andy’s ambitions.

• Andy and Cedric entered an empty classroom to practice dueling, and Andy cast Protego before attacking Cedric with a Stunning Spell.
• Andy overpowered Cedric’s Protego and stunned him, then agreed to duel again after Cedric recovered.
• Andy defeated Cedric a second time with a Petrification Curse, and Cedric asked whether Andy had trained in dueling before.
• Andy praised Cedric’s quick reactions and explained that dueling depended on more than magical skill.
• Cedric asked whether Andy planned to become an Auror, and Andy said he wanted to study magic’s mysteries and advance magical knowledge instead.

Andy and Cedric practiced dueling, and Andy considered how to master a more powerful form of the Patronus Charm. After deciding not to form a Duelling Club, Andy chose to pursue magic and power on his own while continuing to practice with Cedric.

• Andy and Cedric fought a third practice duel, adapting to each other's tactics until neither could land a decisive blow.
• After resting, Andy checked his system and considered how raising his Mind attribute could help him master the Patronus Charm.
• Andy theorized that the true Patronus Charm fused positive emotion with magic and planned to learn it once his Mind attribute reached five.
• Andy proposed forming a Duelling Club, but he and Cedric realized the other students were unlikely to join.
• Andy abandoned the club idea and resolved to pursue immortality and power through magic, while Cedric suggested that Cho Chang and Hermione could practice with them.

Andy brought Cedric to the library to meet Hermione and Zhang Qiu, where they discussed Chinese myths as possible accounts of ancient wizardry. Their magical explanations grew increasingly speculative as they examined the legend of Jingwei Filling the Sea.

• Andy convinced Cedric to join him in the library by saying they could discuss Chinese wizarding culture with Hermione and Zhang Qiu.
• Andy introduced Cedric to Hermione and Zhang Qiu, and Cedric impressed Zhang Qiu by recounting the legend of Nüwa Mends the Heavens.
• Hermione, Cedric, and Zhang Qiu proposed that ancient Chinese myths reflected wizard magic and discussed whether wizards had separated from Muggles after the Investiture of the Gods.
• Andy read a book of Chinese legends while Hermione suggested Jingwei might have been a failed Animagus.
• Zhang Qiu recalled that Animagus Transformation required waiting for stormy weather and asked whether Jingwei had drowned in the sea.

Andy, Cedric, Hermione, and Zhang Qiu formed a Duel Club to practice magic and learn to protect themselves. Afterward, Andy and Hermione discussed friendship and how people used their strengths, leaving Hermione uneasy with Andy’s blunt view that magic was a form of power.

• Hermione explained that Jingwei may have been an Animagus whose transformation failed.
• Andy and Cedric described their dueling practice and agreed to start a Duel Club with Hermione and Zhang Qiu.
• The four friends agreed to meet on Saturday and Sunday afternoons and went to the Great Hall together.
• Cedric and Zhang Qiu left Andy and Hermione to sit together, and they discussed their relationships with classmates and roommates.
• Andy told Hermione that people used their advantages in relationships and said that magic was power, which made her uncomfortable.

Andy reflected on his growing power and tried to advance his understanding of the Patronus Charm, but after two months he could only summon a small silver-white cat. With exams a week away, Hermione made him set aside his research and study, leaving his questions about the Patronus Charm and Obscuruses unresolved.

• Andy raised his Mind Power talent to Level 5 and discovered that extreme emotions could trigger Burst Mode, letting him overpower Cedric in a duel.
• Andy studied the Patronus Charm for over two months and managed to summon a small silver-white cat, but could not improve the magic beyond that.
• Hermione brought Andy a stack of books and told him to review for the Final Exams, which were only a week away.
• Andy considered whether the Patronus Charm was a fusion of positive emotions and magic, and wondered about the nature of Obscuruses.
• Hermione scolded Andy for daydreaming, so he began reading her History of Magic notes.

Andy reviewed for and completed his first-year exams, then waited at Hogwarts for the results while discussing House Cup points with Hermione. In the library, he found no new insight into the Patronus Charm and wondered why Harry had not become an Obscurial despite his abusive childhood.

• Andy studied for his exams and completed the practical tests in Charms, Transfiguration, and Potions with ease, though Herbology gave him trouble.
• While the students waited for their results, George and Fred sold talismans that they claimed would improve exam scores.
• Hermione predicted Ravenclaw would win the House Cup, and Andy realized Snape might be displeased because Slytherin was competing for a seventh consecutive title.
• Andy and Hermione went to the library, where Andy continued researching the Patronus Charm but found the books unhelpful.
• Andy read about Obscurials and wondered why Harry had not developed one after suffering abuse at his uncle's house.

Andy considered how powerful emotions might improve the Patronus Charm, then learned he had placed first in the first-year exams. After Harry and Ron apologized, Andy arranged to visit Hermione during the summer vacation.

• Andy wondered whether the Patronus Charm could be strengthened by harnessing more positive emotions and thought Dumbledore's unusual phoenix Patronus might show that the spell could be improved.
• The school announced the examination results, and Andy took first place despite earning E grades in Herbology and History of Magic; the Defense Against the Dark Arts exam had been canceled.
• Harry and Ron apologized to Andy for what they had said, and Andy forgave them while recognizing their friendship would not return to how it had been.
• Andy told Hermione he would visit her in London on July 10th, and he offered to travel with Isha on the Knight Bus if Hermione gave him her address.

Andy and Hermione asked Zhang Qiu to bring them magic books from the China Wizarding World during her summer visit, and Andy looked forward to learning about its magical traditions. At the end-of-year feast, Ravenclaw’s House Cup victory left Professor McGonagall and Gryffindor disappointed, while Andy reflected on how Hermione’s absence had weakened Harry and Ron’s team.

• Zhang Qiu told Andy and Hermione she planned to visit the China Wizarding World, and they asked her to bring back magic books.
• Andy and Hermione gave Zhang Qiu their spending money, and Andy said he would learn Chinese before the holidays.
• At the pre-holiday feast, Dumbledore gave a sentimental speech as Ravenclaw celebrated winning the House Cup.
• Dumbledore announced Gryffindor had finished fourth with 223 points, and Professor McGonagall looked upset.
• Andy thought Dumbledore’s plan to build Harry’s prestige had failed and that Harry and Ron lacked knowledge, experience, and common sense without Hermione.

After the end-of-year feast, Andy suspected Dumbledore had changed his plans concerning Harry and Voldemort, then boarded the train with Hermione for the summer break. During the trip, Andy explained his theory that the Patronus Charm was created as the opposite of an Obscurus, hoping to persuade Hermione of his ideas.

• Andy suspected Dumbledore had arranged for Snape to stop Harry and Ron from confronting Voldemort, and Dumbledore winked at him.
• Terry invited Andy to visit his house in August, while Anthony and Michael teased Andy about visiting Hermione's home.
• Andy and Hermione discussed their possible summer travel plans after the farewell feast.
• Hagrid led the first-year Little Wizards to Hogsmeade Station, where Andy and Hermione found a private train compartment.
• Andy summoned his silver-white Patronus and asked Hermione about Obscuruses and the Patronus Charm.
• Andy told Hermione he believed Ancient Wizards had invented the Patronus Charm as the opposite of an Obscurus.

Andy and Hermione discussed the similarities between Patronuses and Obscuruses, then considered how Dumbledore’s unusual phoenix Patronus might have been created. Andy realized that Patronus memories carried different underlying positive emotions and wondered whether extreme emotions and unstable magic had shaped Dumbledore’s Patronus.

• Andy and Hermione compared Patronuses with Obscuruses and considered researching Dumbledore’s deep-blue phoenix Patronus in the Restricted Section.
• Hermione suggested asking Professor Flitwick for permission to enter the Restricted Section next term, and Andy realized he could use the proper route instead of sneaking in.
• Hermione asked Andy what memory he used to cast the Patronus Charm, and he said it was a memory of being with his family.
• Andy tested the charm with several memories and noticed that different memories produced Patronuses with different strengths.
• Andy reasoned that happy memories contained deeper positive emotions and wondered whether Dumbledore’s painful youth had made his magic unstable enough to shape his phoenix Patronus.

Andy considered making his magic unstable to improve his Patronus Charm and decided to raise his magic attribute during the holidays. After the school year ended, he said goodbye to Hermione at King's Cross and reunited with his family.

• Andy reasoned that unstable magic combined with happy emotions might strengthen the Patronus Charm, and decided to spend 3 Potential Points to raise his magic attribute to 3 over the holidays.
• Andy summoned his Fat Cat Patronus and thought of it as his future.
• The Hogwarts Express arrived at Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, and Andy and Hermione used Levitation Charms to move their trunks.
• Hermione reminded Andy to write to her and keep their July 10th appointment before they parted at King's Cross.
• Andy joined Helen Collins and Isabel, while Ron left with his mother and Harry was taken away by Mr. Dursley.