Chapter Summaries

Luan traveled with the Great Shamans to the Spirit Tree Tribe, where he learned about its healing herbs and the loss of many medicinal formulas to a curse. He offered his Hemostatic Potion for the tribe to study and test, and the chapter ended with Lang revealing a badly infected shark-bite wound.

• Luan asked the Star Radiance Great Shaman about flying magic and learned that priests could use a Flying Cloak while High Priests could fly unaided.
• Luan rode with the Great Shamans to the Spirit Tree Tribe and saw its winter-blooming Selma Flowers, which the tribe used in healing medicine.
• Great Shaman Lingshu and Great Shaman Hailan explained that a curse had caused the tribe to lose many of its medicinal formulas.
• Luan offered to buy Selma Flowers and showed the Great Shamans a Hemostatic Potion, explaining its ingredients and effects.
• Great Shaman Hailan brought Lang forward to test the potion on his shark-bite injury, and Luan saw that the wounds were deep and festering.

Luan healed Lang with a potion and offered to teach the Tribal Wizards how to brew it and learn new magic. As the wizards accepted him as their leader, Luan planned to use their strength and influence to reshape the magical world, then reached Spirit Tree Valley.

• Luan treated Lang's injuries with a potion, and Lang's wound healed completely in less than half an hour.
• The Spirit Tree Great Shaman offered Luan the Selma Flowers in exchange for enough potion to help the tribe.
• Luan offered to teach the Tribal Wizards how to brew potions and share other magic, and the wizards pledged to follow his commands.
• Lang asked Luan to teach combat magic, and Luan agreed to teach any magic he considered suitable.
• Luan decided the Tribal Wizards could help protect his research and serve as a force to challenge the outside magical world's rotten order.
• The Spirit Tree Great Shaman led Luan into Spirit Tree Valley, where he saw a familiar sight.

Luan found that the Spirit Tree on Star Ember Island was still alive but weakened by a curse and a failing Magic Array, and he asked the Great Shamans about its origins to see whether he could help. He learned that the tree came from one of three saplings taken from the Old Sacred Tree, and that the other tribes had gone into seclusion, but Snow Eagle Mountain held no sign of them.

• Luan saw the Spirit Tree's blackened trunk and learned from Great Shaman Lingshu that a weakening Magic Array had failed to stop the curse.
• The Spirit Tree's branches reached for Luan, and he told Great Shaman Lingshu that it was alive but very weak.
• Great Shaman Lingshu told Luan that the Spirit Tree was one of three saplings carried away after the Old Sacred Tree was destroyed in the Wizarding Wars.
• Star Radiance Great Shaman explained that the seven tribes split into three groups, with Ice Flame and Snow Mist going north, Wind Chant and Mountain Forest going south, and three tribes going out to sea.
• Luan said he had found an identical willow at Snow Eagle Mountain, and Star Radiance Great Shaman revealed that Tribal Champions sent there had disappeared.
• Great Shaman Hailan asked whether Luan had seen Tribal people at Snow Eagle Mountain, and Luan said the desolate area held only a few small animals.

Luan used a Growth Potion to briefly revive the Great Willow Tree, then arranged for the Tribal Wizards to make fertilizer while he prepared to brew more potion. He explained that the spirit tree could provide wand wood and materials for flying tools, leaving the young wizards excited about what the tribe could make.

• Luan explained that the spirit tree’s condition suggested the Tribal people of Snow Eagle Mountain had perished, and declared that the Great Willow Tree had to be saved.
• Luan poured three drops of Growth Potion into the Magic Array, briefly clearing the tree’s black energy and making new branches sprout.
• The Great Shamans offered the tribe’s materials to help Luan brew more Growth Potion, and Luan gave Great Shaman Hailan a recipe for Flame Conch Fertilizer.
• Luan explained that the spirit tree could supply wood for wands and flying tools, and the young Tribal Wizards grew excited at the prospect of each having one.

Luan inspected the Tribal Wizards’ treasury, gathered herbs and learned that hostile wizards were hunting their sorcery legacy. He returned to Starlight Island to prepare defenses, then the story shifted back to three days earlier, when a black crow arrived at an abandoned fortress on Aurem Island.

• The Tribal Wizards showed Luan their hidden treasury, including ores, herbs, and stone carvings preserving their sorcery knowledge.
• Luan took Selma Flowers and small amounts of other herbs, gave the Spirit Tree Great Shaman a Hemostatic Potion formula, and told the tribe to preserve the stone carvings.
• Great Shaman Hailan revealed that red-clad wizards had attacked the tribes to steal their legacies, and Luan agreed to destroy the carvings and prepare traps and an Anti-theft Charm.
• Luan returned to Starlight Island and planned to use Zalan’s help to return to Hogwarts.
• The story moved back three days, when a black crow landed at an abandoned stone fortress on Aurem Island.

Guy Cooper’s Unbelievers seized several cities on Aurem Island with transformed wizards, but Layton Gavin’s arrival forced them into hiding. Layton and Dylan Taft planned to retake Aurem Island cautiously while investigating the force behind the Unbelievers’ transformation magic, as Luan prepared to return to Hogwarts.

• Guy Cooper launched a surprise attack after suspecting Dylan Taft had killed Montoya and the Flame Spine Serpent.
• The Unbelievers captured Brown City, Togro City, and Valon Fortress, then poisoned the drinking water at Cavill Fortress.
• Layton Gavin arrived with reinforcements, reversed the battle, and drove Guy Cooper’s forces into the Mountain Forest on Aurem Island.
• Dylan told Layton that transformed Unbelievers had overwhelmed his defenses, and Layton suspected they had outside support.
• Layton explained that he had come to investigate the Court Mages’ activity near Xilin Town, but he and Dylan could not identify who had aided the Unbelievers.
• Layton urged Dylan to retake Aurem Island first rather than risk a decisive battle, while Luan packed to return to Hogwarts.

Luan continued researching how to adapt Ancient Magic gestures into wand-cast spells while Hermione studied in the Common Room. As Christmas approached, he asked Ron how to learn the Undetectable Extension Charm and learned that the spell involved a law.

• Luan returned to the Hogwarts dormitory with Bouncing and promised it could visit his house again next week.
• Hermione read in the Common Room with her cat-shaped ceramic figurines and Hand Warmer while Luan studied ancient spellcasting gestures.
• Luan analyzed the defensive spell Mirror Tide Reversal and concluded that he could eventually convert it into a wand-cast spell.
• Luan offered to cast Muffliato on Hermione in the Common Room, and she teased him by calling him Mr. Strange.
• Seamus told Luan about Santa Claus, and Harry said Dumbledore reminded him of the gift-bringer.
• Luan asked Ron how to learn the Undetectable Extension Charm, and Ron explained that it involved a law.

Luan sought a way to conceal a large quantity of Galleons after Ron explained the restrictions on the Undetectable Extension Charm, then traded Selma Flower powder to Snape for Growth Potion. The chapter ended with Snape stunned by Luan’s request for a hundred doses.

• Ron explained that the Undetectable Extension Charm was tightly regulated because its misuse could expose magic to Muggles.
• Luan went to Snape’s office with Selma Flower powder, hoping to trade for something useful.
• Snape analyzed the powder and discovered that the Selma Flower could stop blood loss, repair magically damaged tissue, and remove pollution caused by disordered magical energy.
• Snape regretted that Luan had not brought him the herb sooner, but agreed to hear what Luan wanted in exchange.
• Luan asked Snape for Growth Potion to help save the Spirit Tree, and Snape reacted in disbelief when Luan requested a hundred doses.

Luan negotiated with Professor Snape for one hundred doses of Plant Growth Potion to treat a three-thousand-year-old Spirit Tree, paying with Selma Flower powder. Their discussion turned into a test of Luan’s spellcasting and ended with Snape threatening to silence him.

• Snape warned Luan that one hundred doses of Plant Growth Potion could add three thousand years of growth, and Luan revealed that the plant he was growing was likely that old.
• Snape agreed to provide the potions in batches within a month in exchange for one hundred portions of Selma Flower powder.
• Luan retrieved exactly one hundred packets from Bouncing’s pouch and held them aloft with the Levitation Charm.
• Snape reconsidered the price after seeing Luan control the packets, then tested how long he could maintain the spell.
• Luan criticized Snape’s conduct and appearance until Snape lost his temper and threatened him with a Throat-sealing Tongue-locking Spell.

Luan demonstrated his powerful Cutting Curse to Snape and earned his approval. After showing Snape a freshly picked Swamp Lily, he secured permission to learn the Undetectable Extension Charm and Snape’s original spell, Sectumsempra, and received a Growth Potion formula as a bonus.

• Luan silently maintained his Levitation Charm for over ten minutes, then asked Snape to honor his promise to teach him an original spell if he mastered the Cutting Curse.
• Luan cast the Cutting Curse at Snape, who deflected it but damaged a potion cabinet; Snape repaired the cabinet and acknowledged Luan’s skill.
• Luan realized he could use two wands to cast spells with both hands after watching Snape cast with his left hand while holding no wand.
• Luan offered Snape a freshly picked Swamp Lily, and Snape agreed to let him learn the Undetectable Extension Charm.
• Snape gave Luan instructions for Sectumsempra and the Undetectable Extension Charm, along with the formula for Growth Potion.

Luan borrowed a book on the Undetectable Extension Charm and studied how to use it to enlarge a travel trunk. He also practiced Snape’s Sectumsempra, saw its lasting damage, and planned to master it for use against the Unbelievers before discovering Bouncing had prepared an early Christmas present.

• Madam Pince lent Luan a spellbook on the Undetectable Extension Charm and warned him not to open it in the library.
• Luan opened the book in his Spell Practice Classroom, learned its pages expanded, and studied the charm’s use for making a travel trunk.
• Luan practiced Sectumsempra on a clay puppet and saw that it caused damage that did not fully heal.
• Luan repaired the puppet with Episkey and decided to use Sectumsempra sparingly at Hogwarts while practicing it for dangerous encounters in the other world.
• Luan planned to practice on the Giant Squid and discovered that Bouncing had prepared him an early Christmas present.

Luan and Bouncing exchanged Christmas gifts with Mrs. Norris, and Luan received a purchase order for his Flame Conch Fertilizer. He encouraged Cedric after the young wizard’s potion improvement failed, while Cedric continued trying to find the mistake.

• Bouncing gave Mrs. Norris a catnip-like treat, and Luan explained that the cat should not eat too much at once.
• Mrs. Norris later brought Bouncing a large bag, which Bouncing tucked into its pocket and said made it happy to be kind.
• Professor Sprout gave Luan a purchase order from Moriel Flower Shop for his Flame Conch Fertilizer, and he agreed to fulfill it.
• Luan gave Sprout Herbal Flower Tea as a Christmas gift, and she said she would share it with McGonagall.
• Luan encouraged Cedric, who was reviewing his failed potion experiment and wondering whether he had chosen a topic that was too difficult.

Luan tested his Rune Collar on Fluffy, prepared Christmas gifts for Hogwarts professors, and attended an unusually lively Defense Against the Dark Arts class. When Luan asked Quirrell how curses could be broken, Quirrell approached him and began to answer.

• Luan tested the Rune Collar on Fluffy, whose middle head stayed awake while the other two tried unsuccessfully to bite the collar.
• Luan promised Hagrid two more Rune Collars as Christmas gifts and sent presents to Professor Flitwick and Professor McGonagall through Bouncing.
• Professor Quirrell surprised the class by inviting questions and answering them knowledgeably, including questions from Hermione and Ron.
• Luan asked Quirrell how curses could be broken, thinking of Eriphus's Curse, and Quirrell walked over before turning back toward the podium.

Moon and his friends grew suspicious of Quirrell after his lesson on curses and his unusual attitude toward the curse on his post. In private, Quirrell spoke with his hidden master, who ordered him to watch Moon and learn where he would go for Christmas.

• Quirrell explained how ordinary and dangerous curses differed and described ways to counter ordinary curses.
• Ron asked whether the curse on Quirrell's position was a dangerous curse, and Quirrell claimed he planned to leave Hogwarts early to reduce its effects.
• Quirrell assigned fifteen inches of parchment about defending against theft by Dark Wizards and invited Moon to discuss curses in his office, but Moon declined.
• Hermione and Moon voiced their suspicions about Quirrell, while Ron and Harry remained unconvinced; Moon suggested they observe him longer.
• Quirrell offered to capture Moon and use Legilimency, but his master rebuked him and ordered him to watch Moon and find out where he went for Christmas.

Luan investigated Quirrell’s knowledge and learned that Snape already suspected him, then finished the Rune Collars and received a Snowy Owl from Hagrid. He helped bring a fir tree to the Great Hall, where McGonagall and Flitwick were preparing Christmas decorations.

• Luan checked library books on curses and concluded that Quirrell knew far more about magic than he let on.
• Luan found Snape watching the Weasley Twins prank Quirrell, and Snape said Dumbledore had dismissed his suspicions for lack of evidence.
• Luan finished the remaining two Rune Collars and gave them to Hagrid, who told him he had found a Snowy Owl and brought it as a gift.
• Luan used a Levitation Charm to help Hagrid take a fir tree to the Great Hall.
• McGonagall told Flitwick that Scarlett’s magical potted plant had given her renewed energy, and she explained that The Daily Prophet had come to interview Snape about his improved potion.

Hogwarts celebrated its Christmas party, where Luan helped Ron identify potion ingredients and rescued Neville from Peeves. Dumbledore enjoyed the unusual reindeer slippers Luan had given him, and the chapter ended as the students returned to their dormitories on Christmas Eve.

• The Young Wizards opened gifts beneath the Christmas tree, and Ron and Harry received potion ingredient packs containing assignments from Severus Snape.
• Luan identified the uses of Ron’s Mistletoe Berries and ginger root, and Hermione asked how he knew about potion ingredients.
• Luan drove Peeves away from Neville by warning him that the Bloody Baron was coming, and Neville thanked him.
• Professor Flitwick performed with the instrument Luan had given him, while Dumbledore wore the red robe and reindeer slippers Luan had arranged for him.
• Dumbledore ended the feast at midnight, and the Young Wizards returned to their dormitories as Harry wondered who might give him a present and Luan considered where to house his new pet.

Luan and Bouncing tried to care for the little Snowy Owl, who insisted on waiting for its parents at the branch above Bouncing's tree hollow. After the owl's nighttime cries disrupted the other young wizards, Luan promised to help it find its parents after Christmas, and the owl offered to help deliver things in return.

• Bouncing met Hagrid's little Snowy Owl and welcomed it, while the owl explained that it was waiting for its parents and had not been abandoned.
• Luan realized the owl's nest tree had been cut down for the Great Hall's Christmas tree and that its parents had likely gone to deliver presents.
• Bouncing invited the Snowy Owl to stay in its furnished tree hollow, but the owl climbed onto a branch and refused to come down while it waited for its parents.
• The Snowy Owl kept crying at night, disturbing the other young wizards, and Luan promised to take it to find its parents after Christmas if it stopped crying.
• The Snowy Owl agreed to help Luan deliver things in the future if he helped it find its parents.

On Christmas morning, Harry discovered that Dumbledore had returned his father's Invisibility Cloak, while Luan prepared to leave Hogwarts with Seamus and Neville. Luan gave the Weasleys Star Sand and a Christmas gift for Mrs. Weasley before Percy hurried him to the school gates.

• Harry, Ron, and Luan woke early to open their Christmas presents, and Luan explained that several professors and friends had sent him gifts.
• Harry found an Invisibility Cloak among his presents, tried it on, and read a note saying his father had left it behind for him.
• Luan recognized the note as Dumbledore's handwriting and suspected that Dumbledore expected Harry to take on an important task.
• George and Fred arrived, admired their Christmas sweaters, and saw the Star Sand Luan had given Ron for Mrs. Weasley.
• Percy came to the dormitory and urged Luan to leave because everyone was gathering at the school gates.

Luan hurried to the carriage with Hermione, Neville, and Seamus, where he discovered that a Thestral was pulling it and received a tuft of its tail hair. The Thestral took revenge for Neville’s insult by driving them over a rough road before leaving them at Hogsmeade Station.

• Luan rushed out of the dormitory and joined Hermione, Neville, and Seamus in the last carriage.
• Luan spotted the invisible-to-some Thestral pulling their carriage, and Hermione eagerly tried to touch it.
• After Luan flicked its tail, the Thestral gave him a tuft of tail hair and hurried the carriage forward.
• Neville called Thestrals evil omens, and Luan warned him not to say that in front of the creature.
• The Thestral took the rough edges of the road and jolted the Young Wizards before stopping at Hogsmeade Station.

Hermione gave Luan a complete set of wood carving tools in return for the rune-carved bookmarks he had made for her, and they said goodbye after studying together on the Hogwarts Express. Luan took Bouncing and Zhizhi to his former home beneath a bridge in London, where Bouncing protected the young owl from a mouse just as someone approached.

• Hermione gave Luan a set of wood carving tools, and he thanked her for the thoughtful gift.
• Luan and Hermione discussed their Christmas plans, studied together on the train, and parted when they reached the station.
• Luan took Bouncing and Zhizhi through Regent's Park to show Zhizhi the place where he had once lived beneath a bridge.
• Zhizhi approached a Gray Mouse, which bared its teeth and frightened the owl.
• Bouncing struck the Gray Mouse with a golden vase, reassured Zhizhi, and warned that someone was coming.