Chapter Summaries

Meiko dressed the girls in individual kimonos for New Year's, and the group joined Hayahiko and Meiko in the lively streets of Shibamata. Vincent discovered that children found him frightening, while Hermione and Daphne teased him about his intimidating first impression and followed him around the festivities.

• Meiko dressed Cho, Marietta, Jennifer, Daphne, Hermione, and Rinne in kimonos suited to each of them.
• The boys admired the girls when they joined them in the living room, and Vincent praised them all equally.
• Hayahiko and Meiko led the group out to Shibamata Old Street, where local children gathered to greet them.
• Hermione translated that the children thought Vincent looked scary, and she and Daphne laughed at his attempts to seem friendly.
• Hermione and Daphne trailed Vincent through the festival as he won prizes and gave them away, then each won a bag of goldfish.

Vincent and his companions watched as Fudge, Dumbledore, and Ministry officials arrived to investigate Lucius Malfoy's Wizard Card House. The Aurors began assessing the cards' materials and workmanship, leaving the question of the cards' enormous buyback value unresolved.

• Vincent brought Sam and his disguised companions to watch the Wizard Card House from the Gwent flagship store.
• Fudge, Dumbledore, Umbridge, and a group of Aurors arrived at the Black Swan Wizard Card House as reporters gathered outside.
• Umbridge presented a search warrant, and the Aurors entered the shop while the reporters stayed outside.
• The Aurors dismantled the gemstone-decorated card pool and sorted the Wizard Cards while Lucius and his allies pretended that missing card types were a factory mistake.
• Umbridge clarified that the Ministry was investigating the cards' materials and workmanship, including what justified their 500,000-Galleon buyback price.

Vincent and Hermione attended Transfiguration after Burbage’s Muggle Studies lesson, where a tabby transformed by McGonagall taught the class to notice small details. The class ended with the students unsettled by Trelawney’s predictions, including one about someone leaving forever.

• Burbage introduced Muggle Studies and told the students that she would begin teaching Muggle history the next day.
• Vincent and Hermione reached McGonagall’s classroom and spotted a tabby on the lectern that resembled her Animagus form.
• Vincent offered the tabby dried fish and teased it, prompting the students to realize that it was not McGonagall.
• Hermione apologized to Harry and Ron, and they accepted her apology.
• McGonagall revealed that the tabby was a textbook transformed by her and reminded the students to notice small details.
• The students recalled Trelawney’s predictions as McGonagall began the lesson.

Vincent opened the Alchemy Shop in Knockturn Alley before a crowd of Ministry officials, Alchemists, and business partners. He revealed that an assembly-line Alchemy Factory could mass-produce items at drastically reduced costs, alarming the Alchemical Association representatives.

• Vincent asked Dumbledore for help, and Dumbledore agreed before they traveled by Fawkes to Knockturn Alley.
• Dumbledore warned Vincent not to let his honors cloud his judgment, and Vincent promised to remember.
• Vincent greeted Fudge, Hafra, and his business partners outside the Alchemy Shop, hinting that he had prepared a surprise.
• Vincent explained that his Muggle family's automobile factory had inspired him to build an assembly-line Alchemy Factory that increased production and cut costs.
• Hafra and the other Alchemical Association representatives realized Vincent's factory threatened the world of alchemy.

After Umbridge arrived to investigate the Dementor attack, McGonagall kept the students safe and the professors planned to stand watch until Dumbledore returned. At two in the morning, Fred and George worried that Snape was guarding the Gryffindor common room door and failed to persuade Vincent to scout outside.

• Umbridge accused McGonagall of overreacting and blamed Dumbledore for being absent, then assured her that the Dementors would not return.
• McGonagall sent the students back to their dormitories and gathered the professors to arrange watches around the castle.
• Snape suggested guarding the Seventh Floor, and McGonagall approved the plan while Hagrid and Lupin struggled to contain their amusement.
• Fred and George asked Vincent to climb out a window and check whether professors were guarding the door, but Vincent refused.
• Hermione pointed out that the students would have nowhere safe to go even if they got out, leaving Fred and George despairing.

Vincent and Hermione wondered why the professors had ordered them to keep the werewolf attack secret, then began suspecting Professor Lupin was a werewolf. Vincent connected Snape’s gift of a Wolfsbane Potion formula to Lupin and concluded that the professors were hiding his identity to protect him.

• Vincent and Hermione returned to their dormitory after promising not to reveal what happened during the werewolf attack.
• Vincent went to the Hospital Wing to find the skinny werewolf, but discovered only bloodied bandages; Hermione joined him, and they saw Snape angrily arguing with Lupin.
• Vincent and Hermione wondered whether Lupin had been the werewolf, noting his possible motive against Snape and his fear of the moon.
• Vincent recalled that Snape had given him an advanced Wolfsbane Potion formula and realized it could explain why Lupin was at Hogwarts and why the attack had to remain secret.
• Lupin caught Vincent and Hermione together in the corridor, mistook their closeness for a romantic moment, and walked away without learning their suspicion.

Vincent blinded and restrained a werewolf, but its howls alerted others nearby as he and Hermione fled. After Hermione sprained her ankle and treated it with a Healing Charm, Vincent resolved that he needed to become stronger.

• Vincent cast Ultimate Lumos to blind the werewolf, then transformed the black spikes into chains and bound it.
• Hermione helped the exhausted Vincent and gave him an Invigoration Draught to restore his strength.
• When the werewolf howled, Hermione cast a Silencing Charm, and she and Vincent hurried away.
• Several howls answered from behind them, and Hermione tripped, spraining her ankle as she fell beneath Vincent.
• Hermione used a Healing Charm on her ankle while Vincent helped her stand and thought that he needed to become stronger.

Vincent and Hermione gathered McGonagall, Lupin, and Snape to intercept Sirius Black as he escaped from Hogwarts. Snape lost control when the group caught a small black figure, and Lupin tackled him before he could finish casting Sectumsempra.

• Vincent and Hermione told Phineas that Sirius Black was likely among the intruders and left the Headmaster's Office to prepare for the escape.
• Vincent gave Hermione the Gunblade, and they woke McGonagall, Lupin, and Snape before heading for the school gates.
• Vincent used the Serpent Staff to locate a small black shadow near the gates, and Snape charged at it with Diffindo.
• McGonagall trapped the shadow in a cage and moved it aside, while Snape attacked Lupin and began casting Sectumsempra.
• Lupin tackled Snape and pinned his hands down as Snape appeared to remember something.

Hermione confronted Draco after he insulted Vincent, then threw him to the floor when he tried to shove her. Vincent arrived, and after Draco blamed him for the humiliation, he reassured Hermione that she was pretty.

• Students returned to the Great Hall with their Hogsmeade purchases, and Hermione heard Lavender and Parvati gossip about dating.
• Hermione found Vincent warming up on the fifth floor and overheard Draco mocking him.
• Draco tried to shove Hermione, but she grabbed his arm and threw him over her shoulder onto the marble floor.
• Vincent came out to investigate, checked that Hermione was all right, and watched Crabbe and Goyle lead Draco away.
• Vincent told Hermione she was not ugly, and she laughed at his explanation that Draco's aesthetic standards were warped.

Vincent infiltrated Plymouth Naval Base with Eric and Hunter and used nearly all his magic to dismantle and restore HMS Trenchant, leaving him exhausted. After recovering at home, he and Eric prepared to travel to Italy and pursue Wayne Enterprises' plans across Europe.

• Hunter led Vincent and Eric into Plymouth Naval Base, where Vincent examined two Trafalgar-class submarines.
• Vincent dismantled HMS Trenchant component by component, carefully leaving its nuclear reactor intact, then restored the submarine and collapsed from exhaustion.
• Eric carried the sleeping Vincent home while Hunter reflected on his estrangement from his father.
• Vincent woke at midday and told Eric he had recovered after a long sleep.
• Vincent and Eric discussed their preparations to visit European Ministries of Magic and pursue cooperation to broadcast the Quidditch World Cup.

Vincent and Hermione met with Minister Astrid to discuss broadcasting the Quidditch World Cup and partnering with the Greek Ministry of Magic on Magical Base Stations. They demonstrated how Magical Projections could help control restless Fantastic Beasts, and the two sides signed a magical contract.

• Astrid worked through a mountain of Ministry documents while Vincent and Hermione waited in her cluttered office.
• Hermione presented a proposal for broadcasting the Quidditch World Cup and collaborating on Magical Base Stations, but Astrid said Greece lacked staff and Alchemists for the work.
• Hermione and Vincent demonstrated a clear, smooth Magical Projection of Gu Gu and explained how projections could help pacify Fantastic Beasts.
• Astrid grew enthusiastic about the technology, and Hermione drafted a cooperation agreement that Astrid and the visitors signed as a magical contract.

Moody taught the students about the three Unforgivable Curses and how to defend themselves against them, while Harry struggled with memories of the Killing Curse and Neville remained furious about the Cruciatus Curse. After class, Neville asked Vincent to help him become stronger, and Vincent agreed.

• Moody explained that the Imperius Curse could be resisted with strong willpower, advised students to fight back against the Cruciatus Curse, and told them to run from the Killing Curse.
• Moody warned the class that using any Unforgivable Curse on a person meant imprisonment in Azkaban and dismissed the students after the lesson.
• Harry gave Ron a bitter smile and said he needed time to sort out his emotions, while Vincent invited Neville to practice in the activity room.
• Neville attacked Vincent with wild punches but was repeatedly knocked down and pinned to the mat.
• Neville told Vincent he wanted to become stronger, and Vincent agreed to help him.

Harry and Draco were portrayed in opposite ways by The Daily Prophet, prompting Vincent to suspect someone was trying to turn Sirius against the Malfoys. Sirius went to the Ministry’s Magical News Department to investigate the coverage.

• Ron read an article praising Draco and another criticizing Harry, then blamed the Malfoys for both reports.
• Vincent reasoned that Lucius was unlikely to risk smearing Harry and warned Sirius that someone might be driving a wedge between him and the Malfoys.
• Sirius suspected the person who had tampered with the Goblet of Fire might be targeting Harry and ended the call.
• Sirius went to the Ministry’s Magical News Department, where Gerry welcomed him.

Vincent’s wand demonstration ended as the Ministry prepared to interview the Triwizard Champions, and he ran into Snape, who intended to bother Harry before his interview. Vincent later told his friends about the wandmakers and the Ministry’s performance, while Hermione worried that Harry’s unseen enemy would act; the chapter ended with James and Alfred slipping away as Vincent and Hermione discussed their bad luck.

• Gregorovitch and Merovingian examined Harry’s Holly Wand and praised its performance and craftsmanship.
• Dumbledore announced that Bagman and Barty Crouch would interview the Champions, and Vincent left the classroom.
• Vincent met Snape on the stairs and warned him that Harry and Malfoy had physical training after dinner; Snape went upstairs.
• James, Hermione, and Alfred asked Vincent why the Ministry had summoned him, and he told them the wandmakers had gathered at Hogwarts.
• Hermione worried that Harry’s enemy would escalate after seeing the Ministry’s preparations, but Vincent reassured her that the headmasters had taken precautions.
• James and Alfred quietly left Vincent and Hermione alone in the corridor.

Fudge summoned Lucius to discuss the smear article against Harry and the demand to prove where the donations had gone, then investigated the Ministry’s Magical News Department. He left furious after Gerry bluntly listed its problems and demanded better pay and benefits.

• Lucius told Fudge that he had not written the smear article and suspected someone wanted Malfoy and Black to fight.
• Fudge asked Lucius to find a way to account for the donations and promised to identify the mastermind behind the article.
• Fudge discovered that Umbridge had changed newspaper suppliers, preventing the Magical News Department from correcting the article promptly.
• Gerry told Fudge that the department lacked staff, had poor management and review procedures, and needed higher overtime pay and better benefits.
• Fudge promised to consider Gerry’s suggestions, then left the department angry at how bluntly Gerry had spoken.

Sirius Black investigated a newspaper article smearing Harry and discovered that Senior Deputy Minister Umbridge had blocked an inquiry into its publication. He resolved the accident at the Ministry, then sent a message and Apparated away.

• Sirius questioned Gerry about the article and learned that someone had replaced it and that the newspaper could no longer update stories in real time.
• Sirius offered Gerry payment and a new job, and Gerry named Senior Deputy Minister Umbridge as the official who had refused Director Crouch's investigation.
• Sirius went to Umbridge's office and resolved the newspaper accident.
• Sirius left the Ministry, sent a scheduled message on his Magical Communicator, and Apparated away.

Vincent treated the injured Special Squad after the Death Eaters escaped, then reported Peter Pettigrew’s involvement to the Ministry. Back at the camp, he finally admitted how badly the Reductor Curse had hurt him and was forced to rest while Evelyn and Hermione treated his wounds.

• Vincent treated the Special Squad, and Wales was sent to St. Mungo’s for a poison curse that had left a charred mark on his chest.
• Dumbledore told Vincent that the camp had united after watching the replayed footage and rescued the injured.
• Vincent told Fudge and the Ministry officials that Peter Pettigrew had been among the Death Eaters and that they had disguised themselves as him.
• Vincent reunited with his friends and family, then admitted to Evelyn and Hermione that his whole body still hurt from the Reductor Curse.
• Evelyn wrapped Vincent’s injured arm, and Hermione continued healing him while Eric urged Evelyn to leave them alone together.

After rumors about Vincent spread, Gabrielle was hurt by Beauxbatons students’ insults, and Pheobe retaliated. Back at Hogwarts, Hermione rejected a challenge to Vincent’s dance partners by defeating the girls who confronted her, then left with Vincent as Daphne teased them.

• Beauxbatons boys insulted Vincent and Gabrielle’s sister, and Pheobe punished them after Gabrielle returned to their room in tears.
• A Slytherin upperclassman invited Vincent to the dance, but he politely refused because he already had four partners.
• Hermione challenged the hostile girls in the activity room and defeated the upperclassman and successive challengers, using physical skills and her wand.
• After an hour, Hermione told the girls to return the next day for more exercise, then met Vincent in the corridor.
• Daphne teased Vincent and Hermione for embracing in public, and Vincent admitted the moment was his fault.

Lucius accepted that Voldemort had returned and struggled with guilt over Draco’s trauma, while the Ministry of Magic issued an apology and downplayed the Triwizard Tournament dragon accident. Vincent and his friends visited the recovering Pheobe in the Hospital Wing, where Karkaroff took the badly injured Krum away.

• Smethwyck advised Lucius to move Draco to the Spell Damage Ward, but Lucius worried about the stigma and returned to Malfoy Manor with Narcissa.
• Lucius acknowledged Voldemort’s return, recalled his own role in discarding the diary, and wondered whether Draco’s injuries were retribution.
• The Daily Prophet printed Cornelius Fudge’s apology and the Ministry’s account of the dragon accident, while giving Harry most of the coverage.
• Vincent and his friends visited Pheobe, whose burned arm had mostly healed but still looked damaged.
• George and Fred teased Vincent about Krum’s apparent interest in Hermione, and Madam Pomfrey warned them to be quiet.
• Karkaroff entered the Hospital Wing and took the severely injured Krum away.

After Pheobe learned that Voldemort had returned, Vincent and Hermione secretly investigated the castle with the Marauder's Map and found no hidden Death Eaters among its students and teachers. Vincent brought the map to Sirius Black and Lupin for help improving it, but their reaction left their next move uncertain.

• Pheobe questioned Vincent and Hermione about the dragons' rampage, and they told her Voldemort had returned and that they had faced him before.
• Cedric and Daphne separately noticed that Vincent and Hermione were hiding something, so the two revealed only a little of the truth.
• Hermione borrowed the Marauder's Map from Astoria, and she and Vincent checked the castle's students and teachers for impostors.
• Vincent and Hermione recognized that the map could not cover places outside the castle and had loopholes that Peter Pettigrew could exploit.
• Vincent met Sirius Black and Lupin at the Hog's Head Pub and asked them to help expand and repair the map.
• Sirius Black and Lupin understood Vincent's request but exchanged a silent, troubled look.