Chapter Summaries

Vincent arrived at Snape’s Defense Against the Dark Arts class by floating down from the Headmaster’s Office, then left to meet Nicolas Flamel. Meanwhile, Higgs remained hidden at Hogwarts and watched Ron defeat George at Gwent using cards Vincent had given him.

• Dumbledore lowered Vincent through a window into Snape’s classroom, where Snape scolded him for the stunt.
• Snape questioned Harry about curses used by Flint, then awarded Slytherin points as Draco answered questions about defense against Dark Magic.
• Vincent brushed off Draco and Blaise before leaving for an invitation from Nicolas Flamel.
• Daphne worried that Higgs had not reported back, while Higgs hid under a table with a Disillusionment Charm and avoided discovery.
• Ron used Vincent’s Gwent cards to weaken George’s dragons and summon the Headless Horseman, leaving both George and Higgs trembling.

Vincent watched the hearing against Lockhart steer toward a conviction while the Ministry refused to recognize Tom Riddle as Voldemort. After the hearing was postponed, Vincent left with Dumbledore and was approached by Rita for an interview.

• Bones questioned Lockhart and witnesses, including Snape, whose testimony linked the Chamber of Secrets creature to a Basilisk and placed Lockhart in a duel with Wayne.
• Lockhart could not prove that the soul in evidence belonged to Tom Riddle, and Ogden postponed the formal trial until the twentieth of next month.
• Vincent concluded that Lockhart was destined to serve as a scapegoat while the Ministry kept the truth about Voldemort and the Horcruxes secret.
• Lucius invited Snape and Vincent to his manor, and Vincent anticipated Lucius's reaction to the upcoming launch of Gwent and Wizard Cards.
• Rita approached Vincent outside the Ministry and asked to interview him, while Dumbledore declined to join them.

After becoming Hogwarts' Champion, Draco Malfoy dressed up and visited Snape, only to learn he would have to undergo Wayne's training. He faced a mocking Gryffindor banner in the Great Hall, while Pheobe discovered that Vincent was training Hogwarts' Champions and reacted with dismay.

• Draco dressed Crabbe and Goyle in fine clothes before leading them out of the Slytherin dormitory.
• Snape told Draco he would have to undergo Wayne's training, leaving Draco furious and shaken.
• Draco found a Gryffindor banner congratulating him on becoming Champion, with a puppy pictured at its center.
• The Weasley twins prepared to prank Draco but stopped when Madame Maxime and the Beauxbatons students arrived.
• Hermione explained the banner to Pheobe and revealed that Vincent had taken on training the Champions.
• Pheobe looked pleadingly toward Vincent, while James mistakenly thought she was looking at him.

Harry practiced dancing with Ginny until they could complete a dance without mistakes, while Draco returned to Hogwarts after recovering from the Hungarian Horntail attack. The Champions reunited as Nobili launched its magical appliances, and Sirius Black and Lucius avoided open conflict amid suspicions that Death Eaters were stirring trouble between their families.

• Harry awkwardly practiced dancing with Ginny, while Vincent and Hermione watched before leaving.
• Harry and Ginny practiced every evening, and by Christmas break their steps had fallen into sync.
• Draco returned to Hogwarts after nearly a month at St. Mungo's and vowed not to admit defeat.
• Pansy embraced Draco, and Fred and George teased him before he joined the Slytherin table.
• Nobili released advertisements for its magical appliances as news coverage celebrated the Champions' return.
• Sirius Black and Lucius suspected Death Eaters were provoking conflict and stopped confronting each other openly.

Rita Skeeter’s new broadcast mocked the four Triwizard Champions and hinted that an accident might occur during the final task. The Champions met their visiting relatives and toured Hogwarts as final exams began.

• Rita Skeeter criticized Krum, Pheobe, Malfoy, and Harry in her broadcast, calling Harry naive and asking viewers to speculate about an accident during the final task.
• The Gryffindors watched Rita’s broadcast, and Harry reacted painfully to her remarks about him.
• McGonagall summoned the Champions to meet their relatives, where Sirius Black and Lucius argued about their brands.
• The Champions introduced their relatives to one another and then toured Hogwarts with them.
• Harry showed Sirius and the Dursleys around the castle and explained that Champions did not have to take exams.

At the hearing, Fudge abandoned his accusation that Dumbledore and Vincent sought to divide the Wizarding World and tried to blame them for conflicts caused by rumors of Voldemort’s return. The hearing ended with Fudge accusing Vincent of ties to the Batman Family based on a Muggle comic, while still avoiding the question of whether Voldemort had returned.

• When Peter Pettigrew and Barty Crouch Jr. could not answer whether Magical Projection could have fabricated the footage, Fudge skipped the question and ordered Delores to take them away.
• Fudge barred further discussion of the Eleventh Decree and withdrew the accusation that Dumbledore and Vincent intended to divide the Wizarding World.
• Fudge presented reports of conflicts and blamed Dumbledore and Vincent for spreading rumors, but Dumbledore argued the conflicts stemmed from Voldemort’s return and urged the Ministry to disclose its evidence.
• Fudge accused Dumbledore of mishandling Hogwarts, and Vincent challenged him to provide evidence linking Vincent to the Ministry’s actions there.
• Fudge claimed a Muggle comic featuring a protagonist named Wayne proved Vincent was connected to the Batman Family, prompting Fred and George to laugh.

Vincent stayed to assist as the three wandmakers gathered at Hogwarts to inspect the Champions’ wands. Pheobe’s wand impressed Gregorovitch, who praised her compatibility with it as the inspection began.

• Vincent remained beside the recording equipment while Ollivander, Gregorovitch, and Merovingian discussed their different wandmaking philosophies.
• Madame Maxime and Karkaroff arrived with their Champions, and Dumbledore brought the judges together after Bagman and Barty Crouch got lost.
• Dumbledore introduced the three wandmakers and explained that they would check the Champions’ wands before the competition.
• Pheobe handed her wand to Ollivander, who admired its balance, ebony construction, and Veela-hair core.
• Gregorovitch tested Pheobe’s wand, conjured an orchid, and praised her compatibility with it before returning it to her.

Tom traded information with Phineas Black, who revealed that the Sword of Gryffindor was not at Hogwarts; Vincent struck Tom from concealment, while the battle against the Basilisk continued elsewhere in the castle. The Basilisk escaped into the Forbidden Forest by shedding its skin, leaving Flitwick and the other professors to contain it there.

• Tom told Phineas that Dorcas Meadowes had killed Regulus Arcturus Black and claimed he had taken vengeance on her.
• Phineas revealed that the Sword of Gryffindor was not at Hogwarts and taunted Tom to find it himself.
• Tom threatened Phineas, but Vincent secretly severed Tom’s wand arm with a sword, and Tom guessed that Harry Potter had attacked him.
• Flitwick drove the Basilisk down the third-floor corridor as Fred and George used smoke bombs to keep its eyes shut.
• McGonagall and Sprout joined Flitwick, but the Basilisk shed its skin and escaped through a hole into the Forbidden Forest.

Doge made Vincent and Draco his little assistants despite their mutual hostility, then taught the class how darkness could make ordinary defensive spells ineffective. He paired them for a friendly spell demonstration, but Draco used a jinx as Vincent began casting.

• Doge questioned Draco and Vincent about their past conflict, and both insisted they had done nothing wrong.
• Doge appointed Vincent and Draco as his assistants and began teaching the class without textbooks.
• Doge darkened the classroom with a spell, immobilized the students, and explained the danger of malicious wizards and dark environments.
• Vincent and Draco went to the platform to demonstrate the light-extinguishing spell, and Doge taught Draco the Clear-Sight Charm.
• Vincent cast Dim Black Sky, and Draco began casting a jinx at him before the classroom went completely dark.

After Lucius blamed Japan for the defective Wizard Cards, the foreign merchants discovered Yamamoto had fled and suffered heavy losses. Vincent and Hermione discussed how the old men planned to revive Wizard Cards with official buybacks, and Vincent considered using Rita Skeeter to expose the scheme.

• Lucius ended the cooperation contract with Japan and claimed Japanese commercial spies had sabotaged Wizard Cards, stabilizing the cards’ falling price.
• Bastien and the other merchants returned to find Yamamoto’s shop wrecked and Yamamoto missing, then realized they had lost much of their money.
• Vincent read reports about the scandal while Hermione concluded that the old men planned to restore confidence through official high-priced buybacks.
• Daphne told Vincent that Wizard Cards’ prize money and scheduled matches had been sharply reduced, and Hermione said Draco was furious about the news and his family taking back his prize money.
• Vincent asked whether Rita Skeeter could be prompted to publish the truth, and Hermione and Daphne recognized that he wanted to spread word of the scheme before the old men revived the market.

Vincent brought Hermione and Daphne back to London, where they shopped before visiting his home and confronting Sam. After Evelyn welcomed the girls and reminded Vincent to look after them, the three returned to Hogwarts through the Honeydukes passage.

• Vincent used a window to bring Hermione and Daphne down from the abbey tower, then took them by taxi to Oxford Street.
• Hermione and Daphne bought toys and other small items before arriving at Vincent's house, where two suited guards greeted him as Young Master Wayne.
• Vincent went upstairs and scolded Sam for leaving them on the tower, then brought him downstairs.
• Evelyn warmly talked with Hermione and Daphne and reminded Vincent to take care of his classmates on their way back to school.
• Vincent, Hermione, and Daphne entered the secret passage from Honeydukes and hurried toward Hogwarts before curfew.

During Potions Class, Snape humiliated Neville, Ron, and Hermione while Vincent challenged his treatment of the Gryffindors. Vincent, Fred, and George considered boycotting class, and the students later discussed Professor Lupin before Defense Against the Dark Arts began.

• Snape criticized Neville's failed Shrinking Potion, then mocked Ron's poisonous batch and blamed Hermione for not stopping him.
• Hermione said she had followed classroom rules, while Snape took ten points from Gryffindor and ordered Ron to prepare ingredients after class.
• Vincent met Fred and George at the Great Hall, and they discussed boycotting Snape's Potions Class with Hermione.
• Before Defense Against the Dark Arts, James speculated about Lupin, while Vincent defended him as a capable professor based on what he had done on the train.
• Seamus wondered whether Lupin would make the class study vampires and zombies again.

Vincent attended a chaotic Owl Court fireworks party while Draco weighed how to respond to Daphne’s departure from Black Swan. In Potions class, Snape treated Harry more gently than usual but punished Seamus for ruining his Swelling Solution.

• Fred and George distributed fireworks at Owl Court, where Luna and Ginny appeared to have conjured a fire dragon that quickly shrank to palm size.
• Draco considered the Malfoy family rules and agreed not to target Daphne, but Pansy paid older Slytherin students to intimidate Hermione.
• Daphne noticed that many Slytherins were avoiding her and reflected on changing the environment rather than changing herself.
• Snape handed back Potions essays, gave Hermione an O and Daphne an E, and warned the class that unfinished Swelling Solution brews would keep everyone behind.
• Seamus overbrewed his potion, so Snape hurled the cauldron into the corridor and ordered him to clean it before leaving.

Vincent and Hermione finished a graffiti mural in Bristol depicting memories from their first year at Hogwarts and promised to stay together. They protected the artwork before leaving to ride in a hot-air balloon.

• Rinne drove toward Bristol city center and decided to visit Graffiti Street.
• Hermione painted a scene of Vincent, Gu Gu, and herself while Vincent helped with the mural.
• Hermione thanked Vincent for entering her life, and they shared an affectionate moment.
• Vincent and Hermione each signed the finished mural with an overlapping question mark and promised to always stay together.
• Vincent and Hermione protected the graffiti with permanent spells, packed their supplies, and set off for a hot-air balloon ride.

Hermione used Vincent’s Gunblade to hold off the werewolves while they waited for the Time-Turner to cool, but the pack eventually overwhelmed them. Snape arrived just as they were knocked down and saved them with a blinding spell.

• Vincent explained the Gunblade to Hermione, who fired at the werewolves to keep them at a distance.
• When the werewolves began to regroup, Hermione fired repeatedly while Vincent helped her hold up the Gunblade, driving the pack back.
• Hermione and Vincent guarded their sides as the Time-Turner’s hourglass continued to empty, until a Wand-Lighting Charm appeared in the forest.
• The werewolves charged, knocked Hermione and Vincent down, and kicked the Gunblade away.
• A beam of light exploded above them, and they recognized Snape as the person who had come to their rescue.

Dumbledore brought Doge back to Hogwarts and tried to persuade him to help with future Defense Against the Dark Arts staffing. In the Headmaster’s Office, Vincent revealed that Harry had not been born a Parselmouth, raising the possibility that Harry was a Horcrux.

• Doge and Dumbledore left the Hog’s Head after agreeing to speak with Aberforth again when they had the chance.
• On the journey to Hogwarts, Dumbledore told Doge he hoped a magically gifted child could become Defense Against the Dark Arts professor in five to seven years, then persuaded Doge to help with the staffing plan.
• Dumbledore and Doge entered the Headmaster’s Office and found Hagrid and six children had seen Slughorn’s memory about Voldemort’s immortality.
• Vincent told Dumbledore that Harry had not been born a Parselmouth and suggested Harry might be a Horcrux.
• Dumbledore thanked Vincent, introduced Doge to the group, and indicated Doge was only substituting as a teacher.

Hermione spent the morning preparing for her first date with Vincent, agonizing over her outfit before settling on a look she felt confident wearing. Vincent arrived at her home with white tulips, and the two set off to begin their date.

• Hermione woke early after a sleepless night and hurried to get ready while Chris and Jane left for the clinic.
• Vincent drove his Bugatti to the Granger home with a carefully chosen bouquet of white tulips.
• Hermione used magic to apply her makeup and style her hair, then chose a black tulle skirt, a white sleeveless blouse, and lace-up heels.
• At ten o'clock, Hermione went outside, and Vincent complimented her appearance and gave her the tulips.
• Vincent opened the car door for Hermione, and she joined him as their first date began.

Vincent and Hermione shared a candlelit dinner at Eggplant Restaurant, enjoying the chef’s dishes and red wine. After Hermione said she felt like the happiest person in the world, she moved beside Vincent and curled into his arms, leaving them together at the restaurant.

• Vincent met Hermione at the car and escorted her to their table at Eggplant Restaurant, where he asked the waiter to replace the red wine with champagne, but Hermione chose to try the wine.
• Lobby manager John Phillip prepared scallops tableside and told the couple two jokes before leaving them to enjoy their meal.
• Vincent and Hermione tasted the wine and ate Thai fried shrimp, rosemary-roasted lamb chops, foie gras, and Beef Wellington.
• Hermione, slightly flushed after two glasses of wine, told Vincent she was the happiest person in the world, and he teased her about it.
• Hermione claimed she was drunk, moved her chair beside Vincent, leaned into his arms, and traced the letters I, a heart, and U on his chest; Vincent pulled her closer.

Vincent and Hermione spent the day exploring Greece before teasing each other at the Theatre of Epidaurus and heading to Mykonos. They watched the sunset together and remained embraced and kissing as night fell.

• Vincent and Hermione visited the Theatre of Epidaurus, where they shared strawberry ice cream and Hermione secretly photographed him.
• Vincent revealed that he had noticed Hermione taking pictures, then openly photographed her and teased her about the images.
• Hermione pushed Vincent onto the stone steps, took his Magical Communicator, and teased him before he chased and caught her.
• Vincent explained that he had worried Hermione might fall on the uneven steps, and Hermione kissed his cheek and returned his communicator.
• Vincent and Hermione Apparated to Mykonos, walked barefoot along the shore, and kissed as the sun set.

Vincent discussed alchemy and the Sorcerer’s Stone with his friends at the Hog’s Head before Dumbledore arrived with news that the Dark Mark’s return had thrown the Ministry into disarray. As Dumbledore began preparing for the coming crisis, Vincent proposed undermining Fudge’s reputation and hinted at a future surprise.

• Vincent explained that the Sorcerer’s Stone was a universal conversion device and admitted that he was not yet skilled enough in alchemy to create one.
• Vincent dismissed the International Alchemists Association as stagnant, leaving the others impressed by his confidence.
• Dumbledore told the group that the Dark Mark’s return had caused widespread panic and that the Ministry could not be relied upon to capture Peter Pettigrew.
• Vincent asked Dumbledore whether he had decided to act, and Dumbledore said he was preparing for an approaching crisis.
• Vincent suggested removing Fudge or ruining his reputation, while Dumbledore remained amused and noncommittal.