Chapter Summaries

Murphy Darkholme failed to find work in Diagon Alley, then used his Essence of Dittany to save an injured girl after a car accident. At the Ministry of Magic, he argued with Director Dolfe over the delay in restoring his Floo Network access before spotting Director Scrimgeour.

• Murphy was rejected by several Diagon Alley businesses, which dismissed his qualifications and potion-making methods.
• Murphy used Essence of Dittany to heal Lisa's severe leg wound and gave the remaining potion to a nurse.
• The Ferrari's owner, a director at Jelida Pharmaceuticals, offered to pay Murphy for the potion formula, but Murphy refused and left.
• Murphy entered the Ministry of Magic and demanded an update from Director Dolfe about his delayed Floo Network application.
• Murphy cursed Dolfe in Chinese and walked away, then noticed Director Scrimgeour.

Murphy was rejected from the Auror Office because of his personality assessment and his Dark wizard parents, then returned to his miserable job at the Pest Advisory Office. After learning the Ministry would withhold salaries, he accepted Oden Fores's invitation to get a drink at the Three Broomsticks.

• Murphy asked Rufus Scrimgeour about joining the Aurors, but Scrimgeour rejected him because of his assessment results and family background.
• Murphy recalled that his parents, Sanders Darkholm and Natalie Darkholm, had been Dark wizards who died in Azkaban, leaving him a dilapidated house and debt.
• Murphy returned to the Pest Advisory Office, where Belinda Pound marked him late and Staff Moore flattered her while Murphy faced a pile of pest-advice letters.
• Murphy found David Stick's business card in his pocket and continued replying to letters with terse, careless advice.
• Millicent Bagnold announced that Ministry salaries would be temporarily withheld, and Murphy agreed to go for a drink with Oden Fores.

After a drunken confrontation at the Three Broomsticks, Murphy attacked Belinda and her companions, then left the tavern with his Ministry career effectively over. In London, he resolved to pursue David Stick and make money, dismissing the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy.

• Murphy drank with Oden at the Three Broomsticks until Oden passed out, then decided to leave.
• Frez Shafiq, Moore, Belinda, and Dolfe confronted Murphy, and Belinda insulted his parents and mocked his Chinese speech.
• Murphy turned Belinda into a balloon, punched Moore, knocked Frez down, and hoisted Dolfe to the rafters.
• Murphy paid Madam Rosmerta his last Galleon and Apparated to Charing Cross Road, realizing he had likely lost his Ministry job and had almost no money.
• Murphy gripped David Stick's business card, tossed three Knuts to a tramp, and called David to arrange a meeting.

Murphy negotiated with David Stick and Jim Stick over investment in his healing medicine, then discovered Jim intended to steal the formula by force. When Jim threatened him in a bankrupt factory, Murphy drew his wand.

• Murphy showed David Stick the medicine’s rapid healing effect and refused to reveal its formula.
• Murphy offered David a share of the business in exchange for investment, but David could not agree to the terms himself.
• Jim Stick offered Murphy a factory for eight percent, then lured him to an empty, bankrupt factory and offered him a two-million-pound check for the formula.
• Jim threatened Murphy and claimed no one would investigate if he killed him, while several armed men blocked the exits.
• Murphy drew his wand in response to Jim’s threat.

After quickly making a fortune in the Muggle world, Murphy questioned his identity and returned to Darkholm Manor, where he rediscovered his passion for magic and research. His experiments with producing Essence of Dittany through non-magical means showed him that he wanted to combine Muggle technology and magic to discover magic’s limits.

• Murphy cashed Jim Stick’s check using Polyjuice Potion, deposited the money anonymously, and sold the damaged Rolls-Royce for a Porsche 959.
• Murphy spent time with Silvia, then used a spell to make her fall asleep, left her money and the car, and Disapparated to Darkholm Manor.
• At the manor, Murphy practiced spells and brewed potions in his basement laboratory, which lifted his mood.
• Murphy reflected on how wizards neglected to explore magic and admitted he wanted longevity, immortality, omniscience, and omnipotence.
• Murphy reviewed his research into producing Essence of Dittany without magic and realized he wanted to use Muggle technology to investigate magic and reach its limits.

Murphy sought advice on selling potion-based medicine to Muggles and decided to recruit pharmaceutical sales specialist Patrick Duncan to help promote his work. After a series of failed attempts to meet Patrick, Murphy finally confronted him with a bottle of Essence of Dittany and asked if he wanted to witness a miracle.

• Murphy went to the Medicines Safety Committee for advice but, frustrated by the long queue, found an article about pharmaceutical sales specialist Patrick Duncan and decided to recruit him.
• Murphy called Patrick's employer, Blue Mountain Pharmaceuticals, and pretended to be settling a debt to get the company's address after the receptionist grew suspicious of his first approach.
• Murphy visited the company and used Legilimency on receptionist Pani to learn that Patrick was at a pharmaceutical factory, then Obliviated her memory of their encounter.
• Murphy went to the factory but learned Patrick had returned to his office, so he Apparated back to Blue Mountain Pharmaceuticals.
• Murphy followed Patrick into the building under a Disillusionment Charm, entered his office ahead of him, and presented Essence of Dittany, asking whether he wanted to witness a miracle.

Murphy convinced pharmaceutical salesman Patrick that White Medicine could heal wounds within seconds, then recruited him to help launch a pharmaceutical business. Patrick began planning clinical trials, factory production, and registration while Murphy retained control of the medicine’s essential raw material.

• Patrick questioned Murphy about the medicine, then watched him use Essence of Dittany to heal a cut on his wrist in seconds.
• Patrick and his assistant tested the medicine on themselves, and Patrick became convinced of its potential.
• Patrick agreed to work with Murphy and discussed funding, company ownership, drug registration, and mass production.
• Murphy explained how he extracted Essence of Dittany and told Patrick that only he could currently supply its key raw material.
• Patrick selected several herbal product manufacturers for inspection and told Murphy to name and register a company and prepare to guarantee the raw-material supply.

Murphy returned to Diagon Alley and exchanged gold for Galleons at Gringotts, losing much of its value to fees and unfavorable rates. He then visited Slug & Jiggers Apothecary, where he met Alex Wood and demanded to buy all the dittany in stock.

• Murphy disguised himself and tried to exchange pounds at Gringotts, but the goblins limited the transaction to forty Galleons.
• Murphy bought gold from a Muggle shop, transformed it into gold bars, and brought it to Gringotts under his real name.
• The goblins restricted Murphy's exchange because his family vault had debts, and he eventually received 6,572 Galleons for ten pounds of gold after paying a penalty.
• Murphy visited Slug & Jiggers Apothecary and advised Alex Wood on brewing a Shrinking Solution.
• Murphy introduced himself to Alex Wood and told him to fetch the boss so he could buy all the dittany in stock.

Murphy prepared concealed ingredients for Essence of Dittany and worked with Patrick to launch a pharmaceutical company to produce Cloud White Medicine. The company’s purchase of a factory and drug approval remained ahead, while Murphy recognized that he needed to recruit professionals to advance his ambitions.

• Murphy mixed magical dittany with Muggle herbs into a powder, divided it among bags, and stored them in an Undetectable Extension bag.
• Murphy met Patrick, who reported that Isis Pharmaceuticals might be bought for around nine hundred thousand pounds but that a Blue Mountain shareholder was obstructing drug approval by demanding the formula.
• Patrick refused to provide the formula and planned to seek a temporary production license by working with other companies.
• Murphy gave Patrick the experimental production steps and the financial seal for Umbrella Industries, whose account held one million pounds.
• Murphy named the product Cloud White Medicine, and Patrick planned to contact Isis Pharmaceuticals and recruit graduate students to design its industrial production process.
• Murphy concluded that he needed professional talent from the Muggle world and considered giving Patrick equity.

Umbrella Corporation completed its first industrial production of Cloud White Medicine, but Murphy and Patrick faced a shortage of dittany that left them unable to fill all their orders. Patrick proposed selling diluted, single-use doses, and he accepted a five-percent share in the company as he and Murphy celebrated the prospect of bringing the medicine to the world.

• Umbrella Corporation produced 2,600 bottles of Cloud White Medicine before Murphy ran out of raw materials and questioned how he could fulfill the orders.
• Patrick proposed diluting the medicine and selling small, single-use doses, while Murphy calculated that the change would sharply reduce production costs.
• Murphy and Patrick discussed individual packaging, product designs, and Umbrella Corporation’s red-and-white umbrella logo.
• Murphy gave Patrick five percent of Umbrella Corporation, and Patrick said the honor of introducing Cloud White Medicine mattered more to him than the money.
• Patrick kept the share certificate after Murphy teased him about taking it back, and the two declared that all glory belonged to Umbrella and Murphy.

Murphy exchanged another large quantity of gold at Gringotts, where the goblins’ suspicions and fees made it unsafe for him to return. After ambushing and questioning Locke, a half-blood goblin broker, Murphy learned he could secretly convert the gold into Galleons through an anonymous account.

• Murphy argued with the goblin supervisor over a five-percent fee, then exchanged his gold despite Gringotts’ suspicions about its source.
• Murphy sensed he was being followed, hid under a Disillusionment Charm, and attacked the goblin who entered the alley.
• Murphy used Legilimency on the immobilized goblin and discovered that he was Locke, a broker who had recently secured a job at Gringotts.
• Locke warned Murphy that Bogrod suspected his gold came from Gringotts’ mine and might involve the Aurors, while recognizing its Muggle origin.
• Locke offered to launder Murphy’s gold into Galleons through an anonymous Gringotts vault in exchange for a commission.
• Murphy remained wary, and Locke gave him a coin that could summon him if Murphy decided to accept the offer.

Murphy expanded Cloud White Medicine production by planning a secret soilless dittany farm and arranging for Alex Wood to help with potion work. As Umbrella’s sales surged and Patrick drew public attention, a mysterious pale-haired man ordered Slug brought to him.

• Murphy hired an owl to send Alex Wood a letter inviting him to work for him, then asked Patrick to obtain land for growing medicinal herbs.
• Patrick proposed a confidential soilless cultivation facility, and Murphy approved a proposal for a dittany research farm.
• Patrick told Murphy that Cloud White Medicine orders were backed up for months, while the available stock solution could supply about a month of shipments.
• Murphy read glowing newspaper coverage of Cloud White Medicine and confirmed that Patrick had not revealed his identity as Murphys Anon.
• A pale-haired man in a hidden old mansion read a letter and ordered someone to bring Slug to him immediately.

Slug warned Lucius Malfoy that someone was buying large quantities of potion ingredients, prompting Lucius to investigate a possible competitor. Murphy arranged a Gringotts vault under the alias Stephen Cumberbatch and discussed plans for Umbrella Corporation’s research institute, leaving with a brick phone from Patrick.

• Slug told Lucius Malfoy that unidentified buyers had repeatedly purchased large quantities of potion ingredients, and Lucius ordered him to investigate their identities and plans.
• Lucius told Slug to keep selling ingredients to the buyers at a higher price while reserving enough stock for the shop’s needs.
• Murphy gave Locke £150,000 and chose the alias Stephen Cumberbatch for his Gringotts vault, then agreed to become Locke’s ally.
• Murphy asked Patrick when they could build a research institute, and Patrick explained that Umbrella Corporation lacked the staff and funds but could begin outsourced planning and site selection.
• Patrick gave Murphy a brick phone so he could contact him when needed.

Murphy chose Beauty Potion as his next product to sell and tested Alex Wood's potion-making skills at a farm outside London. Alex successfully brewed the potion, and Murphy hired him as his assistant.

• Murphy decided to develop Beauty Potion products for the Muggle cosmetics market.
• Murphy remembered Alex Wood, a wizard he had recruited, and arranged a potion-making test at a farm.
• Alex arrived at the farm and followed Murphy's instructions to brew Beauty Potion.
• Alex drank the potion and transformed into a strikingly handsome man with a lean, muscular body.
• Murphy praised Alex's skill, declared that he had passed, and began discussing the job.

Murphy hired Alex to process large quantities of potion ingredients and arranged a Portkey for him, then went to see Patrick at the company’s new office. Patrick told Murphy that the company was nearly bankrupt.

• Murphy explained Alex’s duties: producing Beauty Potion and repeatedly crushing, mixing, packing, and buying medicinal ingredients, and raised his salary to eighty Galleons a month.
• Murphy warned Alex to keep the operation secret and to take precautions while buying ingredients, then left his phone number before going to meet Patrick.
• Alex emptied Murphy’s bag and found himself facing a huge mountain of herbs to process.
• Murphy arrived at Lloyd’s Building, praised the company’s futuristic-looking office, and urged Patrick to keep building despite its costs.
• Patrick told Murphy that the company had run out of money and was almost bankrupt.

Murphy faced a coordinated effort by major pharmaceutical companies and British regulators to block White Medicine, then sought an influential scientist who could assess the drug. After meeting Nobel laureate Rita Levi-Montalcini at Cambridge, he offered to demonstrate White Medicine’s rapid nerve-repair effects.

• Patrick told Murphy that pharmaceutical giants were pressuring regulators and media to challenge White Medicine, while Zeneca and others hinted at acquiring Umbrella Corporation.
• Murphy told Patrick to seek clinical approval in the United States or France and to donate White Medicine to victims of the London Cross Street Underground fire without exploiting the disaster for publicity.
• Patrick suggested approaching Rita Levi-Montalcini, a Nobel Prize-winning scientist whose research involved growth factors, and Murphy agreed to try to meet her.
• Murphy went to Rita’s lecture at Darwin College and used a Muggle-Repelling Charm to reach the front row and later approach her backstage.
• Murphy claimed White Medicine could repair damaged nerve cells within minutes, and when Rita doubted him, he offered to show her.

Murphys demonstrated Cloud White Medicine’s rapid healing effect to Rita Montalcini and asked her to help explain its mechanism and support the drug. Rita refused to endorse an untested treatment but agreed to consider studying it, and the chapter ended with Wood calling Murphys.

• Murphys used undiluted Essence of Dittany to heal a mouse’s severed leg in seconds, astonishing Rita and the gathered scholars.
• Murphys introduced himself as the founder of Umbrella Corporation and explained that he wanted help understanding Cloud White Medicine’s effects.
• Rita refused to endorse the drug without clinical verification, warning that its unknown mechanism could carry serious risks.
• Rita agreed to consider studying the medicine and suggested Murphys consult other professors and researchers.
• Murphys agreed to provide scholars with diluted samples while keeping the undiluted Essence of Dittany secret.
• Wood called Murphys on his mobile phone.

Murphy went to the barn after Wood called about the Beauty Potion and found him unconscious and a bald wizard waiting. He learned Lucius Malfoy had sent the man to threaten him, then defeated him and discovered the wizard could escape by Portkey.

• Wood called Murphy and asked him to come to the barn to discuss the Beauty Potion.
• Murphy arrived and found Wood unconscious while a bald wizard confronted him, believing he sold potions to dark wizards.
• The bald wizard said Lucius Malfoy wanted Murphy to join forces or face the Aurors and Azkaban.
• Murphy used spells to disarm and subdue the bald wizard, then used Legilimency to learn Lucius was behind the threat.
• Murphy checked that Wood was only unconscious, but the bald wizard activated a Portkey and escaped after warning him that Malfoy would make him pay.

After Papede tortured Alex Wood and forced him to reveal a false name, Murphy moved Alex to Darkholm Manor and urged him to hide in Muggle society. Murphy then considered using Knockturn Alley to buy potion ingredients and open a shop as a cover, leaving Alex behind while he went to investigate.

• Alex told Murphy that Papede had captured and tortured him, then forced him to call Murphy.
• Murphy burned down the barn, took Alex to Darkholm Manor, and warned him to stay away from the wizarding world.
• Murphy offered to protect Alex if he went to live among Muggles, and Alex agreed after learning he might be away for several years.
• Murphy asked Alex where else he could buy potion ingredients, and Alex suggested Knockturn Alley.
• Murphy decided to explore Knockturn Alley and open a potion shop as cover, then told Alex to stay at the manor while he left.

Murphy visited Knockturn Alley to find a storefront and a source for potion ingredients, then met Lisandro Foley at the Siren's Song tavern to gamble for information. The card game revealed that Lisandro was a vampire who used Vasco as a blood thrall, and the chapter ended as they prepared to reveal their hands.

• Murphy rented a large storefront in Knockturn Alley and learned from Halima that Lisandro Foley could obtain any ingredient he wanted.
• Murphy challenged Lisandro to a card game, and the bartender and Vasco watched them play.
• Murphy objected to Lisandro dealing the cards and chose Vasco to deal instead.
• Lisandro bit Vasco, turned him into a blood thrall, and controlled him to draw Lisandro's cards.
• Vasco drew three cards for Murphy, and Lisandro called for them to reveal their hands.