Chapter Summaries

Severus asked Tom for permission to brew potions, but Tom refused until he had a wand and instead told him about Eileen’s life at Hogwarts. Severus left eager to search the school for traces of his mother.

• Lucius watched the white peacock in the garden after Severus followed Tom away.
• Severus asked Tom to let him practice brewing potions, and Tom reminded him that he had recently blown up a cauldron and had no wand.
• Tom reassured Severus that he recognized his talent but advised him not to brew potions yet.
• Tom told Severus that Eileen had been Slytherin’s Quidditch Captain, favored an abandoned fifth-floor classroom, and could brew exceptional potions.
• Tom said Severus could search Hogwarts for Eileen’s traces, though he might find parchment where she had cursed or insulted people.

Tom told Severus that Hogwarts House placement was not determined by bloodline and urged him to investigate his mother’s family. Severus’s reading revealed the history of House of Prince and left him wondering about its missing last heir, his grandmother.

• Severus asked Tom whether he was qualified to enter Slytherin as a half-blood, and Tom said birth did not determine who he would become.
• Tom told Severus to study his mother’s family and learn why she had left the wizarding world.
• Severus searched books on magical history and found that House of Prince was an ancient pure-blood family famous for potion-making.
• Severus read that Scarbor Prince, the family’s last Potions Master, lost the ability to make potions around 1940.
• Severus learned that Scarbor Prince’s granddaughter was the last Prince and that no one had known her whereabouts since 1947.

Lucius explained that Severus’s mother left the wizarding world because the Prince family’s enemies coveted her inheritance, then told Severus that whether he became an accessory to the Malfoys was his choice. Severus was left questioning Lucius’s anger and remembering that others had called him a servant, while Lucius brooded over advice from his grandfather.

• Severus questioned why his mother had left the wizarding world, and Lucius explained that other families had waited for Old Mr. Prince to die so they could exploit her.
• Severus asked whether he had become the Malfoys’ accessory, and Lucius said that was for him to decide.
• After Lucius left, Severus wondered why he seemed angry and insisted to himself that he would not apologize.
• Severus remembered people at House of Potter calling him young Malfoy’s lackey and a servant.
• Lucius returned to the living room, sat down with a dark expression, and recalled something his grandfather had told him.

Lucius gave Severus photographs of his parents, including a still picture of them together with him as a baby, and Severus thanked him. After Lucius fell asleep, Abraxas returned to the manor furious that Lucius had secretly traveled alone to the Muggle world.

• Lucius retrieved an envelope of photographs and gave it to Severus, saying he had found them through his father's connections.
• Severus studied the pictures and became emotional when he saw a photograph of his parents holding him as a baby.
• Lucius explained that he had secretly gone to the Muggle world and found the photographs in the house where Tobia Snape had once lived.
• Severus thanked Lucius, who later went to bed pleased with himself but regretted the trouble his search had caused.
• Abraxas returned to the manor and told Tom that Mr. Milkovich had revealed Lucius had traveled alone to the Muggle world before the holiday, putting himself in danger.

Abraxas learned that Lucius had secretly gone into the Muggle world, and he punished him for the reckless act. Lucius was left kneeling beneath the Malfoy family tree under Dobby’s watch.

• Tom learned from Abraxas that Lucius had gone into the Muggle world and faced Abraxas’s anger over his failure to notice.
• Tom agreed that Abraxas could punish Lucius the next day.
• Severus worried that Lucius’s actions might have been connected to him, but Tom assured him Lucius would survive the punishment.
• Abraxas struck Lucius with a cane and ordered him to kneel beneath the family tree in the Chamber of Secrets.
• Abraxas summoned Dobby and ordered him to keep Lucius from getting up before the punishment ended.

Abraxas punished Lucius for failing to protect Harry, then worried that he had been too harsh and sought comfort from Tom. Severus brought Lucius potions to ease his pain, and Lucius asked him to invent better-tasting ones.

• Abraxas healed Lucius's wounds after ordering Dobby to help him, then left the study.
• Abraxas told Tom how he had punished Lucius and asked whether he had been too harsh; Tom comforted him and gave him a stamina restoration potion.
• Lucius endured his punishment until Dobby returned him to his bedroom, where he collapsed onto the bed.
• Severus brought Lucius potions for his numb legs, back wounds, and stamina.
• Lucius complained about the potions' taste, and Severus agreed to invent one that tasted better.

Lucius returned to Hogwarts after the holiday as Dumbledore brought back a Whomping Willow sapling. Dumbledore then questioned Tom about his and Mr. Malfoy’s involvement with the Squibs, and Tom insisted they only wanted to help them claim their rights.

• Lucius boarded the train alone and refused to watch the others say goodbye to their families.
• Bella teased Lucius, while Narcissa tried to soften her sister’s remarks.
• Dumbledore showed Tom and Professor McGonagall a Whomping Willow sapling and asked Professor McGonagall to have Professor Sprout plant it.
• Professor McGonagall left after admiring Tom’s appearance, and Dumbledore asked Tom what he and Mr. Malfoy intended to do about the Squibs gathering.
• Tom said they wanted to help the Squibs fight for their rights and asked whether Dumbledore thought they should remain in the wizarding world.

Tom discussed his plans to deal with the pure-bloods’ disdain with Dumbledore, then left the feast without revealing his intentions. Ian arrived at a gathering of Squibs who were debating whether to march against their mistreatment by wizards.

• Tom reminded Dumbledore that they should keep some secrets from each other, frustrating Dumbledore’s attempts to learn his plans.
• Dumbledore gave an unusually brief speech at the start-of-term feast and privately demanded that Tom explain himself.
• Tom said the pure-bloods’ arrogance and supremacist beliefs were unpleasant despite their loyalty to him, then left the Great Hall.
• Squibs argued in a London pub about whether to march against their treatment by wizards, while Glen worried about how pure-bloods might retaliate.
• Ian entered the pub, heard his name, and joined the arguing Squibs.

Ian rallied a group of squibs to fight for their rights, using his brother Lip’s experiences and Tom Riddle’s promised support to win them over. After the gathering, Ian met Tom in Knockturn Alley and asked him to heal his tongue.

• Ian urged Filch and Glen to stop arguing, then described Lip’s suffering as a squib to gain the others’ sympathy.
• Ian declared he would lead the squibs’ fight for fair treatment and that they would show wizards squibs belonged in the wizarding world.
• Ian claimed Tom Riddle had promised to help their cause, and the squibs toasted Mr. Riddle.
• After the gathering, Ian met Tom in Knockturn Alley and asked him to heal his bitten tongue.
• Tom joked that Lip would laugh if he learned Ian had used him as a victim, and Ian replied that he had merely left out the whole truth.

Tom visited Borgin and Burkes with Ian, who bought gifts, then returned to Hogwarts and prepared to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts. The next morning, Tom began class by telling the students to take out their wands.

• Ian asked Tom to help choose a gift for Mickey and eagerly browsed the shelves at Borgin and Burkes.
• Tom spoke with Carcattacus Burke, who explained that the price of their deal was the loss of his hair.
• After Ian finished shopping, he and Tom had drinks at a Hogsmeade pub before Tom returned to Hogwarts.
• Tom arrived early for his first class the next day, and the students quietly took their seats.
• Tom closed the classroom doors, drew his wand, and told the students to take out their wands.

Corban forced Minister Nobby Leach to sign documents and attend the Quidditch World Cup, after which Leach contracted a mysterious illness and resigned. As Squibs protested for their rights and pure-blood supporters demanded their expulsion, Abraxas asked acting Minister Eugenia Jenkins how the Ministry should respond.

• Corban made Nobby Leach sign pre-drafted documents and pressured him into accepting a Quidditch World Cup ticket.
• Leach attended the 1966 Quidditch World Cup, later contracted a mysterious illness, and resigned as Minister for Magic.
• Eugenia Jenkins became acting minister after Leach's departure.
• Squibs began holding rights marches, and two years later pure-blood supporters demanded that the Ministry drive them out of the wizarding world.
• Abraxas asked Eugenia Jenkins how the Ministry should handle the conflict, and she argued against forceful suppression and for giving Squibs suitable work.

Abraxas approved Eugenia’s plan to deal with the pure-blood conservatives and told her to prepare for his succession ceremony. At Hogwarts, Dumbledore offered Tom a letter appointing Argus Filch as Appollon’s replacement.

• Eugenia explained that the conservatives had lost their government posts and that the Ministry could send those who resisted the Squib order to Azkaban.
• Abraxas approved Eugenia’s plan and told her to prepare for the succession ceremony.
• Eugenia recalled how Rich had been left terrified after Abraxas visited him, and feared becoming the next person to fall ill if she abused her position.
• Tom read a newspaper praising the new Minister while Dumbledore teased him about Lucius’s powerful elders.
• Dumbledore told Tom that Appollon had caught a Wipt witch and a Weasley out at dawn, and proposed appointing Argus Filch as Appollon’s replacement.

Tom agreed to warn Peeves in exchange for Dumbledore bringing him the Philosopher’s Stone. Back in his office, Tom ordered the Resurrection Stone’s mischievous soul form to clean ink from his desk, and it asked him for a name.

• Dumbledore asked Tom to warn Peeves so Hogwarts would not face closure again.
• Tom agreed to help Peeves behave in exchange for the Philosopher’s Stone.
• Tom returned to his office and found the Resurrection Stone’s soul form floating over his desk.
• Tom made the soul form clean the spilled ink, and it asked him to give it a name.

Tom threatened Vidi and questioned what love meant to it before Professor Sprout asked him to help the Whomping Willow grow. He used his wand to channel life force into the stunted sapling.

• Tom warned Vidi that it had to become a worthy heir or he would kill it, and Vidi said it wanted to protect the Malfoy family.
• Professor Sprout asked Tom to improve the growth stimulant for the Whomping Willow, which was still only a sapling.
• Tom went with Sprout to the Whomping Willow near the Forbidden Forest and channeled life force from his snakewood wand.
• Sprout marveled at the power of Tom's Slytherin wand.

Tom considered the aftermath of the Whomping Willow incident and reviewed the Ministry of Magic arrangements, deciding to deal with the conservatives next. The following day, Greengrass Avery learned that Orion would receive the larger share of the families he had expected to handle, though he still had a few left.

• Tom and Professor Sprout discussed the likely injuries among Gryffindors and the burden on Professor McGonagall.
• Tom reviewed Ministry of Magic officials and reflected on the unfinished Whomping Willow arrangements and the task of cleaning up after the conservatives.
• Tom thought of Orion and planned to confront Avery’s associates.
• Greengrass Avery received a letter from his boss and discovered Orion had been given the larger share of the families.
• Greengrass Avery accepted the outcome, took comfort in the families left to him, and anticipated that trouble would keep the Aurors busy.

Moody and Augustus Rookwood investigated attacks on Squibs, while Parkinson was found torturing one under the Imperius Curse. After meeting Moody, Augustus returned to his manor and secretly met with Yaxley and Avery, revealing that he had been deceiving Moody for years.

• Moody and Augustus arrived to find Parkinson torturing a Squib with the Cruciatus Curse, and Gadwin took the victim to St. Mungo's.
• Augustus accused Parkinson of using the Cruciatus Curse, but Moody realized Parkinson was under the Imperius Curse and bound him.
• Moody told Augustus to take Parkinson to the Ministry while he went to Knockturn Alley to investigate a magical eye at Borgin and Burkes.
• Augustus returned to his manor, dropped his foolish manner, and learned from Shana that Yaxley and Avery were waiting.
• Augustus asked Avery whether he had left evidence behind, and Avery said he had spent years making Moody lower his guard.

Corban planned to make the ancient noble families pay for opposing the boss, while Tom trained Lucius in magic at Malfoy Manor. The next afternoon, Severus waited an hour for Lucius to arrive before Lucius finally showed up and apologized.

• Corban explained that Parkinson could escape punishment after the Imperius Curse wore off, but the Ministry would demand a price from him and the noble families that opposed the boss.
• Avery and Augustus realized Corban intended to help the heirs force their old fathers to step down as family heads.
• Tom received Corban’s letter, privately admired his ruthless plan, and told Lucius he needed to learn the Patronus Charm for his Defense Against the Dark Arts exam.
• Tom took Lucius somewhere suitable to practice the Patronus Charm after Lucius asked him to demonstrate it.
• Severus waited an hour for Lucius to join him for their trip to Diagon Alley, and Lucius finally arrived and apologized.

Severus and Lucius finished shopping for school supplies, with Lucius arranging for an extravagant order of formal robes. Severus went into Ollivander's wand shop alone, while Lucius wondered whether Severus would still see him as someone close after entering Slytherin.

• Lucius reluctantly prepared to practice the Patronus Charm after telling Severus that his godfather had taken him somewhere suitable for it.
• Severus fed Lucius cake and a biscuit, then agreed to leave with him.
• Madam Malkin measured Severus for robes, and Lucius ordered a large selection of formal robes to be sent to Malfoy Manor.
• Lucius told Severus that he should buy a wand and waited outside Ollivander's shop.
• Severus hurried into the wand shop after nearly asking Lucius whether he was an outsider, and Lucius wondered how Slytherin would change their relationship.

Severus was embarrassed by Lucius and stormed away after punching him, while Lucius chose a pet as a gift. Abraxas reminded Lucius that he would announce his engagement to House of Black at the next birthday banquet, but Lucius still hesitated.

• Severus realized Mr. Ollivander had pranked him about his cedar wand and punched Lucius before storming away.
• Lucius recovered, decided to choose Severus's gift himself, and left the pet shop with a small caged animal.
• Abraxas warned Lucius to stop teasing Severus because he might become a Potions Master.
• Abraxas asked whether Lucius had decided about announcing his engagement to House of Black at the next birthday banquet.
• Lucius hesitated, wanting to wait until he could see what was hidden behind the veil, and Abraxas sent him to deliver his gift.

Severus received a black kitten from Lucius before preparing to leave for Hogwarts. At King's Cross, Brutus tearfully released Severus from a crushing hug and promised to protect him from afar.

• Severus inspected new books and complained when Lucius brought him a black kitten as a gift.
• Abraxas and Tom discussed Lucius's guarded nature and the Malfoys' powerful position before sharing an intimate moment.
• At King's Cross, Lucius watched as Brutus hugged Severus and reluctantly let him go.
• Brutus warned Severus to write if anyone bullied him and told him he had bought a house in Hogsmeade with a secret passage.