Chapter Summaries

Sean accompanied Dumbledore to recruit Horace Slughorn, who agreed to return to Hogwarts after learning about Sean’s achievements. Before Sean’s first private Transfiguration lesson, Dumbledore tasked him with investigating Slughorn’s memory to help uncover Voldemort’s final unknown Horcrux.

• Sean and Dumbledore visited Slughorn at his home, where Slughorn initially mistook Sean for Harry Potter.
• Slughorn recognized Sean as the wizard in charge of a bookstore and grew eager to recruit him after Dumbledore described his accomplishments.
• Slughorn showed Sean his collection of former students’ photographs and revealed a blank frame he hoped to fill with a future prized student.
• Dumbledore left without asking Slughorn to return, prompting Slughorn to angrily agree to teach at Hogwarts and demand a raise.
• Dumbledore told Sean that his Transfiguration progress was slow and arranged their first private lesson.
• Dumbledore tasked Sean with investigating Slughorn’s memory about Voldemort’s past, and Sean agreed.

Dumbledore taught Sean to improve his Transfiguration by concentrating his belief on a specific change, and Sean quickly applied the lesson to Elemental Animation. At the welcome banquet for Professor Slughorn, Trelawney’s predictions delayed the gathering until the new professor appeared at the Great Hall entrance.

• Dumbledore gave Sean the Elder Wand to examine, then demonstrated an elaborate transformation with a Kneazle.
• Dumbledore explained that Transfiguration required precise control, and Sean realized he should limit a spell’s duration and scope.
• Sean practiced Elemental Animation with those limits and achieved Expert-level Transfiguration practice.
• Sean joined Hogwarts’s professors for Professor Slughorn’s welcome banquet, where Trelawney warned that thirteen diners would bring misfortune.
• Professor Slughorn appeared at the Great Hall entrance as the gathering awaited the new professor.

Sean practiced Elemental Animation in Hope Cottage after Slughorn returned as Potions Professor and Snape took over Defense Against the Dark Arts. When Justin told Sean that Bruce wanted him at his first Quidditch match, Sean agreed to go.

• Dumbledore announced that Slughorn had resumed teaching Potions and Snape had become the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, prompting Harry to protest Lupin's departure.
• Slughorn greeted Sean warmly, praised his talent as a Potions Teaching Assistant, and reminisced with Snape about their time together.
• Sean used Dumbledore's notes to practice Elemental Animation, animating objects in Hope Cottage and frightening Ron and Harry with a fiery pumpkin-headed wooden monster.
• Ron asked Sean to perform Elemental Animation again, and Sean's proficiency increased through practice.
• As the Ravenclaw-Hufflepuff Quidditch match approached in freezing weather, Justin told Sean that Bruce wanted him at his first match, and Sean agreed to go.

Sean upgraded the Magic Hand Mirrors with a Local Magic Net that could connect Hogwarts and let users exchange text messages. As students began using it, Ron renamed the channel, leaving Hermione baffled.

• Professor Quirrell arrived through the fireplace to remind Sean that an urgent batch of Magic Hand Mirrors for Wagadu needed delivery soon.
• Sean modified Justin’s and the others’ mirrors with the third-generation Local Magic Net, explaining its messaging and channel features.
• Justin carried the upgraded mirrors away, eager to share them with the other students.
• Sean checked his alchemy progress and estimated that the Wizard Book would need two more weeks before he could expand it again.
• As Sean headed toward the Quidditch match, messages appeared on his mirror, and Ron renamed the Hogwarts channel to “Know-It-All,” prompting Hermione to send a question mark.

Sean used his portable Anywhere Door to take Harry to Sirius's home and retrieve a broom for him just before the Quidditch match. Harry returned to the stands with a Firebolt, leaving his friends amazed as the match was about to begin.

• Ron repeatedly changed the Magic Net channel name and feared he was in trouble after changing it from “Know-It-All” to “Hogwarts.”
• Wood told Harry that Ravenclaw's Seeker was Cho Chang and worried that Harry had no broom after his old one was destroyed.
• Sean remembered Sirius's request and offered to take Harry to collect a broom from Sirius's home.
• Sean opened the Anywhere Door, a portable fireplace connected to the Floo Network, and Harry traveled through it with him.
• Harry returned to the stands carrying a package and revealed that his godfather had arranged for Sean to get him a broom.
• Harry unwrapped a gleaming Firebolt, which hovered at mounting height while Ron and the other little wizards admired it.