Chapter Summaries

After Harry destroyed Voldemort in his Mental World, the world turned blood-red and a curse was discovered affecting him. Mr. LeMay determined that it magnified negative emotions, but believed Harry’s calm nature would keep it from becoming dangerous.

• Harry crushed Voldemort’s black-mist form, after which the Mental World shook and its sky turned blood-red.
• Harry told Veratia and Dumbledore what had happened, and Dumbledore brought Mr. LeMay from his alchemy laboratory to examine him.
• Mr. LeMay used a strange helmet to detect a curse that could amplify Harry’s negative emotions until he became consumed by the urge to kill.
• Harry said he felt fine and no longer had anyone worth hating, and Mr. LeMay judged that his disposition made the curse unlikely to trouble him.
• Veratia told Harry not to use Unforgivable Curses again, and Harry agreed.

Veratia worried that Harry’s curse might make his lust flare up, and Cassandra suggested a solution before sending him back to Hogwarts. Harry reunited with his friends as news of Voldemort’s return spread, and the chapter ended with the students enjoying their post-exam break and Anne recalling Headmaster Phineas Black’s role in uniting the Houses.

• Veratia summoned Cassandra to discuss the curse’s effect on Harry, and Cassandra teased her before whispering a practical solution.
• Cassandra stayed in Vienna for several more days, confirmed the curse had no other effects, and sent Harry back to Hogwarts.
• Harry reunited with Ron, who asked about the exams, and Ron, Seamus, Neville, and Hermione discussed the History of Magic test.
• The Daily Prophet reported Voldemort’s return, and Sirius announced Ministry precautions while Dumbledore confirmed Harry was the Dark Lord’s nemesis.
• Harry, Anne, Ron, and Hermione wandered through the quiet castle, reflecting on their first year and the passing of time.
• Anne told Hermione that Headmaster Phineas Black had united the four Houses in her time.

Harry and his friends finished the school year, then boarded the train for the holidays, where Ginny revealed she had chosen to date Dean Thomas. At King's Cross, Harry learned that Sirius had invited the Weasleys, Dumbledore, and others to Grimmauld Place, and Lupin said Snape had accepted too.

• Fred and George returned to Hogwarts to promote their magical-gadget shop and said Molly and Arthur had approved their plans.
• At the end-of-term feast, Dumbledore praised Gryffindor, whose House had won by a wide margin.
• On the train, Neville mourned Trevor's disappearance into the Black Lake while Hermione criticized The Quibbler and Ron played Wizard Chess with Harry.
• Ginny said she had stopped seeing Michael Corner and chosen Dean Thomas, prompting Ron to erupt and knock over the chessboard.
• At King's Cross, Harry found Moody, Tonks, Lupin, and the Weasleys waiting to take him and the others to Grimmauld Place, where Sirius had invited several guests.
• Lupin told Harry and the Weasleys that Snape had accepted Sirius's invitation.

Harry and the others gathered at Grimmauld Place, Number 12 for Sirius's dinner, where Snape and Sirius traded barbed remarks about their romantic pasts. The guests eventually joined Sirius and Miss Farley for dinner, while the tense gathering left Harry planning to tell Veratia what had happened later.

• Harry, the Weasleys, the Grangers, Hermione, and Ron traveled to Grimmauld Place, Number 12 in Mr. Weasley's enchanted car.
• Draco greeted the visitors, and Snape quizzed Ron on the Shrinking Potion before insulting him as a little troll.
• Sirius arrived late, turned Walburga's portrait around, and revealed that he was Minister for Magic.
• Sirius said Veratia and Gemma Farley were coming, and he and Snape exchanged insults about their love lives, prompting Mr. Weasley to defuse the tension.
• Veratia and Miss Farley arrived, and Harry quietly told Veratia he would explain the awkward atmosphere later.
• Miss Farley joined Sirius in the kitchen, and they returned to announce that dinner was ready.

Sirius hosted a dinner before Percy summoned him to meet Muggle Prime Minister John Roy Major, and he brought Harry along. At the meeting, Sirius introduced himself as Minister for Magic and began explaining Azkaban, revealing that Cornelius Fudge had concealed information from Major.

• Sirius invited his friends to dinner and offered Lupin a Ministry job, while suggesting Snape could take over as Hogwarts's Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor.
• Harry mentioned Slughorn after Sirius asked about Hogwarts's Potions Class, and Veratia and Cassandra teased Harry about his knowledge and plans.
• Percy told Sirius that Prime Minister John Roy Major wanted to meet him, so Sirius took Harry back to the Ministry and then traveled with him to 10 Downing Street.
• Major met Sirius and Harry, called in his chief secretary Bernard to record the meeting, and asked why Fudge had left office.
• Sirius told Major that Azkaban was the wizarding prison for serious criminals and realized that Fudge had concealed its existence from him.

Sirius warned Prime Minister Major that thirteen Dark Wizards had escaped Azkaban and were likely serving Voldemort, then discussed the threat and arranged Auror protection. The chapter ended as masked wizards descended on 10 Downing Street.

• Sirius told Major that thirteen Dark Wizards had escaped Azkaban and that Voldemort might be behind their return.
• Sirius showed Major and Bernard photographs of the escaped wizards, while Major learned that Dark Wizards had caused the recent disasters blamed on accidents and a hurricane.
• Sirius promised to station Aurors in Major's cabinet and explained that Dementors had refused Voldemort's offer because of Harry.
• The living-room window vanished, the lights went out, and black smoke swept toward 10 Downing Street before transforming into masked wizards.

Bellatrix and the Death Eaters attacked the Prime Minister’s residence, where they found Sirius and Harry. Harry defeated the attackers, but Voldemort escaped; Harry sensed that Voldemort was in the Forbidden Forest at Hogwarts.

• Mr. Major sounded the alarm as Bellatrix and the Death Eaters entered Number 10 and revealed their plan to control him with the Imperius Curse.
• Bellatrix tried to recruit Harry into the Death Eaters, then Voldemort arrived and recognized him.
• Dolohov and the other Death Eaters attacked Harry, who blocked their spells and bound them all.
• Voldemort claimed he was not there in his true body, escaped as black smoke, and left the Prime Minister asking Harry to keep him away.
• Harry told Sirius that he had marked Voldemort with a curse and sensed that he was in the Forbidden Forest at Hogwarts.

Sirius arranged protection for 10 Downing Street after Death Eaters attacked it, then Harry visited Privet Drive and reunited with Dudley. The chapter ended with Harry teasing Dudley about feeling bored despite his comfortable life.

• Mr. Major asked Sirius about the escaped Death Eaters, and Sirius explained that six had been captured while seven remained at large.
• Sirius contacted Percy to send Aurors to protect 10 Downing Street and Buckingham Palace, and he showed Mr. Major a Communication Crystal Ball made by Nicolas Flamel.
• The Aurors took Antonin Dolohov, Bellatrix Lestrange, RABASTAN Lestrange, Rodolphus Lestrange, August Luke Wood, and Walden Macnair into custody.
• Sirius left a team of Aurors with Mr. Major before taking Harry away and telling him to return to Grimmauld Place, Number 12.
• Harry went to Privet Drive and found Dudley at Number Four, where Dudley said he felt unhappy despite his family's wealth.
• Harry joked that Dudley was bored because he had too much food and nothing to do.

Harry visited Dudley, told Veratia about Voldemort’s raid on Downing Street, and informed Neville that Bellatrix Lestrange had been captured. After learning Dumbledore was away and Voldemort was fleeing, Harry went to Snape’s home to collect potions for McGonagall, hoping to learn about Lily.

• Harry visited Dudley, who described how boxing had helped him change and admitted he now stood up to bullies; Harry revealed he had four girlfriends, leaving Dudley infuriated.
• Harry told Veratia that Voldemort had attacked 10 Downing Street and that Sirius had taken six captured Death Eaters, including Bellatrix Lestrange, to the Ministry.
• Harry called Neville to tell him Bellatrix had been captured and would face the Dementor’s Kiss, and Neville said he wanted to witness it with his grandmother.
• Harry went to Hogwarts to speak with Dumbledore, but McGonagall told him the headmaster was vacationing in Vienna; Harry learned Voldemort was fleeing toward Egypt and could not be tracked precisely.
• McGonagall asked Harry to collect potions from Snape’s home, so Harry traveled to Spinner’s End and entered after Snape warned him not to snoop.

Harry delivered Animagus potion ingredients to Professor McGonagall, but Snape refused to explain Lily and Petunia’s strained relationship. Veratia showed Harry Lily’s memories, where he watched young Lily, Petunia, and Snape meet in a playground and began to understand Snape’s resentment toward Petunia.

• Snape gave Harry bottles containing Death's-head Hawkmoth pupae and became angry when Harry asked about Petunia and Lily.
• Harry returned to Grimmauld Place, Number 12, and told Veratia that he wanted Petunia to see Lily using the Resurrection Stone.
• Veratia produced a Pensieve containing Lily’s memories, and she and Harry entered it together.
• Harry and Veratia watched young Lily display her accidental magic to Petunia while Snape secretly watched from behind a bush.
• Snape revealed himself and told Lily she was a witch, while Petunia recognized him as the boy from Spinner's End and led Lily away.
• Harry realized that the memory explained why Snape reacted so unpleasantly whenever Petunia was mentioned.

Veratia showed Harry memories of Lily and Snape’s childhood friendship, explaining how Lily’s family reacted to her magic and how Petunia’s jealousy grew. She then confessed that seeing Harry as a boy on a broomstick made him her hero and was why she chose to attend Hogwarts.

• Lily told her parents about Snape, then demonstrated her magic with a flower, exciting her parents and leaving Petunia jealous.
• Veratia explained that people with Ancient Magic talent could show magical ability in childhood, and recalled how Gale encouraged her when she was considered a Squib.
• Harry and Veratia watched young Lily and Snape discuss Hogwarts and the letters they expected to receive.
• Veratia explained that Mr. Malfoy Sr. had brought Harry to formal events partly to bring him closer to Cassandra.
• Veratia confessed that Harry’s arrival on a broomstick had made him her hero and that she had chosen Hogwarts because of him.

Harry and Veratia watched memories showing how Lily and Petunia’s relationship deteriorated over Lily’s magic and Petunia’s hidden wish to attend Hogwarts. The chapter ended at King’s Cross, where Lily confronted Petunia about her letter to Dumbledore and Petunia ran to their parents after feeling betrayed.

• Petunia fell and was struck by a branch after she insulted Snape, and Lily wrongly blamed Snape for causing it.
• Lily received her Hogwarts letter, and Snape persuaded her to sneak into Petunia’s room to check whether Dumbledore had answered Petunia’s letters.
• Lily found Dumbledore’s reply, which revealed that Petunia had asked to attend Hogwarts and been refused.
• At King’s Cross, Petunia called Lily and Snape freaks, and Lily confronted her about having begged Dumbledore to accept her.
• Petunia realized Snape knew about her letter, accused Lily of betraying her, and ran to their parents.

Harry and Veratia watched memories of Lily meeting James and the future Marauders on the Hogwarts Express, then saw Lily and James's disastrous attempt to reconcile with Petunia and Vernon. James promised Lily he would try to repair the relationship the next time he saw them.

• Lily boarded the Hogwarts Express alone, where James joined her and then Sirius, Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew gathered in the compartment.
• Snape found Lily, but James and Sirius mocked him, and James tripped him as Lily left with Snape.
• Harry and Veratia watched Lily and James visit Petunia and Vernon before their marriage in an effort to mend the sisters' relationship.
• James provoked Vernon by boasting about the Potter family's wealth and wizarding achievements, and Petunia left with Vernon after accusing Lily of showing off.
• Lily cried over James's behavior, and James promised he would try to repair things with Petunia and Vernon the next time they met.

Harry and his friends helped Seamus arrange a date with Lavender, while Harry continued trying to honor Lily’s wish to repair her relationship with Petunia. Their evening outing ended in conflict when Lavender’s father confronted her for leaving her sick grandmother.

• Veratia explained that Lily had been hurt by Petunia’s silence and that repairing their relationship had been her final wish.
• Snape visited Harry, asked what he wanted to know, and left after Harry said he already knew about Snape and Lily’s childhood memories.
• Seamus admitted he liked Lavender Brown, and Ron, Hermione, and Neville helped him arrange a meeting at Florean’s ice cream shop.
• Seamus met Lavender in Diagon Alley, and the two quickly grew affectionate while Harry, Ron, and Neville watched nearby.
• Mr. Brown arrived, accused Lavender of neglecting her sick grandmother, and shoved Seamus when he tried to take the blame.

Harry learned that Voldemort and the red Fire Dragon Runcorn had appeared in America, while Gellert Grindelwald went to help the American Ministry of Magic. After American wizards ambushed and expelled Gellert, Veratia grew furious and prepared to confront them.

• Mr. Brown took Lavender home from Florean's ice cream shop, leaving Seamus dejected as Ron and Neville tried to comfort him.
• Sirius told Harry that Voldemort and Runcorn were in America and that Verathea had sent Gellert to help locate them.
• Harry returned home and learned from Cassandra that Veratia planned to run for president of the International Confederation of Wizards.
• Harry watched for news of Voldemort, but three days later Gellert shared footage of American wizards attacking and expelling him.
• Veratia decided to go to America, while Gellert urged her on by recounting his mistreatment and claiming the attack insulted her ministry.

Harry entered Nagini’s memories and watched Tom Riddle court Hepzibah Smith to get access to her treasures. Hepzibah showed him Hufflepuff’s Cup and a relic connected to Harry Potter, then began explaining that Harry had vanished during his final battle with Runcorn.

• Veratia condemned the Ministry of Magic for cutting out Gellert’s tongue, and the Greater German Ministry of Magic protested his expulsion.
• Voldemort and Runcorn attacked Chicago and then an American Gringotts branch, freeing prisoners and killing everyone inside.
• Dumbledore brought Nagini to Grimmauld Place, where Harry used Legilimency to enter her memories.
• Harry watched Tom Riddle visit Hepzibah Smith and flatter her while seeking her treasures.
• Hepzibah showed Tom Hufflepuff’s Cup and a crystal relic connected to Harry Potter.
• Hepzibah told Tom that Harry had vanished during his final battle with Runcorn, whose history the Ministry of Magic had concealed.

Harry witnessed Tom Riddle’s memories of Hepzibah Smith’s murder and learned that Runcorn’s remnant soul had allied with Voldemort through the Soul Crystal. Harry extracted the Horcrux from Voldemort and returned with it, while Dumbledore and Gellert discussed the remaining Voldemorts.

• Tom examined Hepzibah’s collection, learned about Runcorn’s fragment, and took an interest in Hufflepuff’s Cup and Slytherin’s Locket.
• Harry returned to Hepzibah’s house two days later and found her dead, while Voldemort searched for the Cup, Locket, and Runcorn’s fragment.
• Harry told Voldemort where Gryffindor’s sword was hidden, revealed his identity, and explained how Ancient Magic awakened.
• Harry used Legiliments to uncover Voldemort’s memories and learned Runcorn had made a Horcrux in the Soul Crystal and strengthened Voldemort by sharing Goblin magic.
• Harry shrank Voldemort’s soul into a ball and brought it back to Dumbledore, while Gellert reminded them that two Voldemorts remained.
• Harry suggested keeping the soul ball in an ornamental tank, and Veratia and Gellert argued over whether Gellert was a villainous Dark Wizard.

Harry told Veratia and Dumbledore that Voldemort had taken two founders’ relics and a Horcrux fragment from Hepzibah Smith, then used Voldemort’s memories to investigate why he cursed Hogwarts’ Defense Against the Dark Arts position. The memory showed Voldemort meeting Dumbledore at Hogwarts, while Veratia realized Voldemort had hidden a Horcrux in the Room of Requirement.

• Harry explained that Voldemort had taken Hufflepuff’s Cup, Slytherin’s locket, and Runcorn’s soul fragment from Hepzibah Smith, and Dumbledore connected her death to Voldemort’s use of scapegoats with altered memories.
• Veratia said she would establish a surveillance network across continental Europe to detect Runcorn and Voldemort, since the American Ministry had barred her allies from entering America.
• Harry pulled a memory from Voldemort’s soul orb and entered the Pensieve with Cassandra and Veratia to learn why Voldemort had cursed the Defense Against the Dark Arts post.
• In the memory, Voldemort visited Dumbledore at Hogwarts and objected when Dumbledore continued to call him Tom Riddle.
• Harry recalled that Voldemort had hidden Ravenclaw’s Diadem in the Room of Requirement, prompting Veratia to rage over the Horcrux’s contamination of a place dear to her.
• Voldemort questioned why Dumbledore had remained at Hogwarts, and Dumbledore said teaching and training young minds mattered more to him than a Ministry career.

Harry, Veratia, and Cassandra discovered that Voldemort cursed the Defense Against the Dark Arts position while applying to teach at Hogwarts, but they still needed to find where the curse was anchored. At the International Confederation of Wizards Congress, Dumbledore narrowly defeated Veratia for president, and Anne suggested that Veratia’s youth had cost her votes.

• Harry, Veratia, and Cassandra watched Voldemort seek a Hogwarts teaching position and realized he had secretly cursed the Defense Against the Dark Arts post.
• Harry and the others returned from Voldemort’s memory and told Dumbledore they needed to locate the curse’s anchor.
• On August 3, Dumbledore narrowly defeated Veratia by 108 votes to 106 to become President of the International Confederation of Wizards again.
• Veratia returned to Grimmauld Place, Number 12, upset by the election result, while Harry stayed beside her and Cassandra led him away to talk.
• Anne told Veratia that voters had probably favored Dumbledore because he was older, helping Veratia recognize her age as a disadvantage.

After the International Wizarding Congress failed to agree on how to deal with Voldemort, Veratia took Harry and their friends on a planned trip to Antarctica. While shopping at Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes, Pabbie and Veratia learned that Ginny had dated several boys and decided to keep her away from Harry.

• The American Ministry of Magic refused to let Harry and others connected to Grindelwald enter America, so Veratia decided to take a week off and travel with Harry.
• Pabbie suggested Antarctica, and Harry invited Ron, Hermione, Neville, Seamus, and Draco to join the trip while Cedric declined.
• Harry and his companions visited Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes in Diagon Alley, where Ron browsed the shop and the twins joked with their customers.
• Fred and George questioned Ginny about her boyfriends, and Ginny revealed that she was dating Dean Thomas after dumping Michael Corner.
• Pabbie and Veratia heard about Ginny's dating history and resolved to keep her away from Harry.