Chapter Summaries

Vincent paid Germany 1.5 billion dollars for the damage in Berlin and challenged the President to treat the Muggle and magical governments as equals. He failed to persuade the President to expose magic or join a special unit, but left him considering the implications of Muggle power.

• Vincent offered the German President a check for 1.5 billion dollars to compensate for the damage in Berlin.
• The President initially refused the payment to avoid upsetting the German Ministry of Magic, but Vincent argued that the Muggle and magical governments were independent equals, and the President accepted the check.
• Vincent asked the President to punish him under Muggle law, seeking to force a public trial that could reveal magic, but the President rejected the idea as too dangerous.
• The President said Germany would explain the incident as aliens or unidentified flying objects, and Vincent accepted that the matter would be handled without his involvement.
• Vincent invited the President to join a magical-affairs unit he planned to establish with the British Army, but the President refused.

Vincent confronted the Slytherins in the Black Swan common room over their attack on Hermione and Daphne, overpowering their group and challenging Marcus. He left Marcus, Draco, Blaise, and Pansy beaten and humiliated, while the wider struggle over Hogwarts remained unresolved.

• Byron and the two other Slytherins returned to the castle with injuries, and Madam Pomfrey reset Byron’s broken arms.
• Vincent met Hermione and Daphne on the stairs, and they insisted on accompanying him to the Black Swan common room.
• Blaise Zabini scattered the Gold Galleons and threatened Vincent, while the other Slytherins backed away and Byron’s group slipped out.
• Pansy attacked Vincent with a Disarming Spell, but he deflected it and stopped her from targeting Daphne.
• Marcus yielded his wand to Vincent, who knocked down Marcus, Draco, and Blaise in a fight without wands while Pansy hid under the table.

Scrimgeour met with Graves to arrange a hunt for Vincent Wayne, unaware that Graves was an infiltrator, while Vincent advanced his fusion project and MAST-MA. Umbridge’s commissioners arrived at Hogwarts, where McGonagall continued teaching despite their presence.

• Scrimgeour met Graves in New York, and Graves promised the Magical Congress would help search for Vincent Wayne.
• After Scrimgeour left, Graves revealed he was Victor D. Brad, the American branch head of the Succession Society.
• William’s researchers upgraded the Tokamak device with graphene-ceramic tritium-blocking technology, while Vincent focused on MAST-MA.
• Vincent learned that China had joined the controlled nuclear fusion program and celebrated with Hunter, who questioned MAST-MA’s name.
• Umbridge and Ministry officials entered McGonagall’s Transfiguration class to observe, but McGonagall continued teaching.

Harry and Ron returned to Hogwarts for the new term without Vincent, and Ron struggled to believe he could serve as a prefect. Hermione learned that Luna’s father had published a report about Vincent and the Succession Society, while Harry and Ron discovered Hagrid was on leave; the students arrived at a strangely dim Hogwarts Castle.

• Harry reassured Ron that Dumbledore had chosen him as prefect because he believed Ron could do the job, though Ron continued to doubt himself.
• Luna showed Hermione an article by Xenophilius claiming Vincent had reorganized the Wizards' Purity Party into the Succession Society and might infiltrate Britain.
• Hermione told Luna that Vincent had returned to Britain only to handle something and would soon leave again.
• Harry and Ron learned from Professor Grubbly-Plank that Hagrid was on leave, then boarded one of the new alchemically modified carriages to Hogwarts.
• Harry and Ron arrived at Hogwarts and saw the castle looking dim and gray beneath the evening sky.

Vincent and his friends discussed the Ministry’s attacks and Umbridge’s arrival at Hogwarts, while Hermione took custody of the twins’ magical prank items. Daphne offered to help Vincent through the Succession Society, but he urged her to protect her future and wait until he asked for help after she graduated.

• Vincent and Hermione left the theater, found a restaurant, and were joined by Fred, George, Cedric, Cho, Daphne, and Astoria.
• George told Vincent that the Malfoy family looked haggard and had donated a large sum to the Ministry of Magic.
• Cedric said Umbridge would arrive at Hogwarts as Special Education Commissioner and Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, while Moody had been reported for teaching the Unforgivable Curses.
• Vincent showed Fred and George a cube of magical items from Hong Kong, but Hermione took it and insisted on making a detailed plan before they used anything.
• Daphne told Vincent she wanted to help him through the Succession Society, but he asked her to focus on her studies and promised to seek her help after graduation.

The Order of the Phoenix gathered to honor Regulus Black, then reunited at the Hog’s Head to respond to Voldemort’s return. Dumbledore began explaining the crisis, revealing that Voldemort had returned through wicked means and that Regulus had died after replacing one of his evil artifacts.

• Sirius Black, Harry, Dumbledore, Vincent, and the other mourners placed white lilies on Regulus’s coffin, and Kreacher joined them after Sirius gave permission.
• Regulus’s coffin sank into the ground, and a gravestone bearing his name and dates appeared; Sirius and Kreacher stayed behind while the others returned to the church.
• The Order of the Phoenix gathered at the Hog’s Head, where Tonks arrived and Moody announced that she was officially joining them.
• Snape arrived late, and he and Sirius exchanged insults until Dumbledore stopped their quarrel.
• Dumbledore told the Order that Voldemort had returned and explained that Regulus had sacrificed himself after switching one of Voldemort’s evil collections.

Vincent read about Gilderoy Lockhart’s fame and books, then played in Gryffindor’s final Quidditch match of the year against Ravenclaw. The match remained close as Vincent and Ravenclaw captain Roger Davies tried to control the game.

• Vincent read that Gilderoy Lockhart had received the Order of Merlin, Third Class, and noted his many adventure books.
• A week later, Vincent met Ravenclaw’s nervous Chaser Egil Bruce before the final match against Gryffindor began.
• Vincent scored the opening goal, while Roger Davies urged Egil to watch his movements and helped Ravenclaw defend against him.
• Davies used close pressure to limit Vincent’s scoring and planned to keep the gap below 160 points so the Seekers could decide the match.
• Vincent passed the Quaffle to Alicia and then swept her return pass out of the pitch with his broom, forcing Davies to recognize his attempt to unsettle Ravenclaw from within.

Umbridge continued attacking Hogwarts staff and used Ministry-controlled press coverage to convince parents that the school was unsafe and poorly taught. As Dumbledore stayed silent and doubts spread among students, Umbridge's screams echoed through the castle again on a dark night.

• Umbridge criticized Snape and blamed Neville for his failed potion while arguing for standardized written procedures.
• On the fourth day, Umbridge berated Filch over his cleaning, duties, and cat, Mrs. Norris, and threatened to report him to the Ministry.
• The Daily Prophet published Umbridge's interview alleging Hogwarts had serious teaching and safety problems, prompting worried parents to send letters and Howlers.
• Mrs. Hopkins questioned her son's account of Umbridge's attacks on Sprout, while other parents and students reacted with varying degrees of doubt and alarm.
• Dumbledore remained silent as his reputation declined and staff felt humiliated, while some students began questioning their professors.
• On a dark, windy night, Umbridge's shrill screams rang through Hogwarts once again.

Moody taught the students about the Imperius Curse and Cruciatus Curse, demonstrating both on spiders and explaining their effects. The chapter ended with Neville watching a spider convulse under the Cruciatus Curse as Moody observed his reaction.

• Moody told the class he would teach them for one year and warned them to stay alert against unknown spells.
• Moody demonstrated the Imperius Curse on a spider, making it perform ridiculous movements before explaining how the curse had harmed wizards.
• Moody explained that the Imperius Curse could be resisted, though doing so required great strength of will.
• Neville named the Cruciatus Curse, and Moody recalled how Death Eaters had tortured Neville’s parents with it.
• Moody enlarged a spider and cast the Cruciatus Curse on it while Neville watched with clenched fists and visible fear and fury.

Pansy and Daphne argued over Vincent and the boundaries of bloodline, ending their friendship when Daphne said she saw hope in him. After Vincent stopped Blaise from attacking Daphne, she joined the Owl Court, leaving its members outnumbering the Black Swan.

• Pansy called Vincent a Mudblood and condemned Daphne for believing in him and Hermione.
• Daphne left Pansy's room, and Blaise grabbed her hand and accused her of betraying the Black Swan.
• Vincent stopped Blaise, kneed him in the stomach, and threw him into the corridor.
• Vincent invited Daphne to join the Owl Court and reassured her that its members would protect her.
• Daphne accepted the invitation, bringing the Owl Court to eight members, or nine counting Nervile.

Vincent reassured Kenny that the Ministry of Magic’s hearing would not intimidate him, then invited Auror Wales to dinner after sensing his hunger. As his friends prepared to attend the supposedly closed hearing, Vincent joked about bribing Fudge to admit Voldemort had returned.

• Kenny and Jennifer called Vincent from America to check that the Ministry of Magic had not brainwashed him, and Vincent reassured them.
• Rinne called from Japan, then Pheobe and Gabrielle joined the group by video call and met Rinne.
• Sirius Black booked a family restaurant for the group, while Wales received orders to bring Vincent to the Ministry’s hearing at eight that evening.
• Vincent noticed Wales watching the restaurant and invited him to join them for dinner.
• Wales joined Vincent and his friends, and Fred and George welcomed him enthusiastically.
• Hermione told Vincent that everyone would attend the hearing, and Vincent joked about bribing Fudge to admit Voldemort had returned.

Peeves celebrated Wayne’s absence as the Sorting Hat warned that Hogwarts faced danger and needed unity. Umbridge accused Dumbledore of letting Vincent Wayne and the Succession Society threaten the school, but Dumbledore defended Wayne before the first-years were sorted and the feast began.

• Peeves checked the arriving students for Wayne, then sang about ruling Hogwarts in his absence.
• The Sorting Hat sang about the founders’ disagreements and warned that Hogwarts was in danger unless its students stood united.
• Umbridge demanded that Dumbledore explain the warning and accused Vincent Wayne and the Succession Society of being the enemies it described.
• Dumbledore denied that Wayne was dangerous or an enemy and said the castle recognized his status as a School Board Member.
• McGonagall sorted the first-years, including Euan Abercrombie into Gryffindor and Rose Zeller into Hufflepuff.
• Dumbledore welcomed the students and invited them to eat.

Seven members of the Batman Family secretly booby-trapped Dolores Umbridge’s pink office while she slept. The next morning, the pranks left Umbridge injured, furious, and unable to write a report, while the culprits returned to bed.

• At 3:20 a.m., Hermione, the twins, Daphne, Astoria, Cho, and Cedric entered Umbridge’s office after Hermione removed its peephole.
• The group planted an unlucky talisman beneath Umbridge’s chair, concealed George’s charm, hid a Mystical Lantern and endless mustard paste, and replaced her ink with ink that revealed swear words.
• Daphne tossed a pink Screaming Sachet by the doorway, and Hermione repaired the peephole before the seven quietly left.
• After dawn, Umbridge picked up the sachet and was frightened by its scream, then caught her finger in a drawer and struck her head on the table.
• Umbridge tried to write a report to Cornelius Fudge, but her ink produced insults instead, and she tore up the parchment.
• Umbridge decided to return to the Ministry, then slipped on a scrap of parchment and fell as torrential rain drowned out her curses.

Umbridge watched Hermione closely, but Vincent secretly visited her and promised to protect her while they planned a trip to the United States for the MTV Video Music Awards. Vincent then arranged for Peeves to be delivered to the girls' dormitory tower, where Peeves greeted him as School Board Member Wayne.

• Umbridge waited outside the girls' dormitory and followed Hermione, hoping to catch her breaking school rules.
• Vincent video-called Hermione, then entered her dormitory through the window and reunited with her.
• Vincent offered to make Umbridge disappear, but Hermione said Umbridge's actions could expose the Ministry of Magic; she promised to put herself first and tell him if anything happened.
• Vincent gave Hermione an invitation to the MTV Video Music Awards and asked her to pack for their trip to the United States.
• Peeves was dragged through the walls and thrown onto the girls' dormitory tower, where he recognized Vincent and greeted him as School Board Member Wayne.

On the first day of term, the fifth-year Gryffindors endured History of Magic before Snape tested their potion-making with a difficult O.W.L. potion. Hermione brewed it correctly, while Harry’s mistake left his cauldron empty as the class ended with an essay assignment.

• Hermione read the Daily Prophet’s report on the search for Vincent and expected the Aurors to take a long time to find him in Britain.
• The Gryffindors attended Binns’s drowsy History of Magic lecture on the Giant Wars.
• Snape warned the class about their O.W.L.s and said he would admit only the finest students to his N.E.W.T.-level Potions Class.
• The students brewed Skelegrow under Snape’s supervision, and Hermione produced the required silvery-white vapor.
• Snape discovered Harry had forgotten the sneezewort syrup, vanished his failed potion, and assigned an essay on moonstone.

Vincent discussed recruiting students and the future of wizarding politics with Hermione, while wondering whether he might become a Dark Lord. In New York, Aurors failed to capture Victor D. Brad, who escaped using a blood ritual marked with the Deathly Hallows symbol.

• Hermione suggested recruiting Cho and Daphne Greengrass, and Vincent considered how prejudice and pure-blood politics might shape the wizarding world.
• Hermione joked that Vincent might help her become Minister for Magic, and Vincent reflected on the prophecy that he would become the Dark Lord.
• In New York, Aurors Bradley and Sam pursued Victor D. Brad, whose black mist made ordinary spells pass through him.
• Sam trapped Victor in an Infinite Cage, but Victor's blood corroded it and let him escape through a ritual marked with a triangle, circle, and vertical line.
• Bradley explained that Victor's symbol represented Deathly Hallows followers and vowed to send them to the death prison.

Vincent sneaked into the boys’ dormitory while Hermione slept outside the door, and Draco woke with his face covered in boils. Draco blamed Vincent and told Snape he planned to ally with Harry, whom he called the third Dark Lord.

• Vincent left Fred and George in the kitchen and carefully slipped past Hermione to enter the boys’ dormitory.
• Hermione woke after Vincent had shut the door and decided not to check whether he was inside.
• Draco’s face broke out in boils after he sprayed perfume on his hair, and he suspected Vincent and several other students.
• Draco went to Snape for help and accused Vincent of interfering with his planned alliance with Potter.
• Snape asked what Draco intended to do to Potter, and Draco claimed Hermione was plotting against Potter’s reputation.

After Draco Malfoy was covered in dungbomb mixture, Vincent settled into his Gryffindor dormitory and made friends with his roommates. At breakfast, Draco insulted Neville and challenged Vincent to a wizard’s duel, and Vincent questioned whether Draco would show up.

• Draco woke covered in dungbomb mixture and took repeated showers to clean himself.
• Vincent laughed with Neville, Alfred Johnson, and James Walker, and the four became friends.
• Neville read a Daily Prophet article about Vincent and noticed that Leif was missing.
• Draco entered the Great Hall smelling strongly of perfume and insulted Neville, prompting the Weasley twins to mock his scent.
• Draco offered Harry a place in Slytherin, then challenged Vincent to a wizard’s duel; Vincent said the duel would break school rules and asked whether Draco would attend.

Vincent and the twins searched for Neville’s toad, then showed Cho Chang the Muggle pistol his parents had packed for him. The train journey continued with Hermione suspicious of the twins’ secret plans and Vincent warning his friends to treat the weapon carefully.

• Fred and George warned Vincent not to enter Compartment W, but Neville appeared with Leif, who had returned on his own.
• Hermione promised not to reveal Neville’s secret and decided to watch Vincent and the twins for signs of bullying.
• Vincent and the twins visited Cho Chang in Compartment V, where Gu Gu rested in Cho’s arms.
• Vincent showed the twins and Cho the Browning L9A1, and Cho tried pulling its trigger after Vincent removed the magazine.
• Vincent explained that the pistol was a dangerous weapon and returned it to his suitcase, earning the group’s approval as a potential Gryffindor or Ravenclaw.

The Wayne family exposed Rita Skeeter as an illegal Animagus spying on them and forced her to appear in human form. Rita tried to bargain her way out of trouble, but Eric insisted on a public interview, leaving Rita stuck with the family as Kyle arrived and took an interest in her.

• Vincent, Eric, Evelyn, and the captain battered the beetle and threatened it until Rita Skeeter transformed back into human form.
• Vincent confiscated Rita’s wand, and Rita offered to make the Wayne family famous in exchange for her freedom.
• The Waynes rejected Rita’s attempt to flatter and deceive them, and Eric decided they would settle the matter publicly through an interview.
• Kyle arrived after hearing a gunshot, and Eric introduced Rita as a journalist friend he had just met.
• Kyle praised Vincent for getting into Westminster, but Vincent explained that he had transferred to a school outside London.
• Kyle asked Rita which newspaper she worked for, and she revealed that she worked for The Daily Prophet.