Chapter Summaries

Albert met Rita Skeeter to stop fabricated stories about him and forced her to agree to clear up the rumors and handle future news about him responsibly. After giving her his account of his friendships and travels, he left her to write an article and required her to send him a draft first.

• Albert met Rita Skeeter at Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop and warned her that he knew she was an illegal Animagus who turned into a beetle.
• Albert offered Rita money and an interview in exchange for correcting rumors about him and consulting him before publishing future stories.
• Albert explained how he had met Louise Delacour and Catherine, denying that their greetings showed romantic relationships.
• Albert described his dispute with an American Ministry of Magic employee as a misunderstanding and criticized the country's strict laws and lack of guidance for visitors.
• Rita agreed to write an article, and Albert told her to send him a draft before it was published before leaving for Diagon Alley.

George and Fred guessed that Albert had forced Rita Skeeter to correct her reporting, while her interview stirred anger toward the American Magical Congress. After Harry received a warning for using magic in front of Muggles, Ron, Fred, and George flew the Weasleys’ car to rescue him.

• George and Fred discussed how Albert had persuaded Rita Skeeter to publish an interview correcting rumors about him.
• Mr. Weasley explained that Rita Skeeter’s account of Albert’s trip to the United States had caused outrage and risked an international dispute.
• Ron told Mr. Weasley that Harry had not answered his twelve letters, and Mr. Weasley said he would fetch Harry if he remained unreachable.
• Mr. Weasley learned that Harry had used magic in front of Muggles and received a Ministry warning.
• Fred and George proposed using their father’s modified car to reach Harry, and Ron agreed to go with them.
• Fred summoned the car keys, and the three boys drove the invisible Ford out of the garage and flew off.

Albert and Isobel discussed introducing each other to their families, and Isobel invited him to dinner at her home the following week. After reading Hermione’s letter about Harry’s rescue and the House-elf intercepting his mail, Albert suspected the elf was protecting its master and decided to warn Hermione while keeping the coming Chamber of Secrets events in mind.

• Albert and Isobel discussed their families, and Isobel said her mother had invited him to dinner at their home.
• Shera delivered a letter from Hermione saying Ron, George, and Fred had rescued Harry from his uncle’s house and that a House-elf had intercepted Harry’s letters.
• Albert recalled that the House-elf belonged to the Malfoy family and suspected it was protecting its master, but he chose not to interfere with the coming Chamber of Secrets events.
• Albert wrote Hermione that the House-elf’s behavior suggested its master was involved and warned her that Harry should be careful.
• Albert put the letter away and told Shera she could deliver it after she had recovered her strength.

Rita Skeeter defended her reporting on the American magical world as tensions grew between the British and American Ministries. At Barty Crouch’s home, Bertha Jorkins discovered that his supposedly dead son was there, and Crouch used a powerful Memory Charm on her.

• Rita Skeeter told Bertha Jorkins that her report had conveyed Albert’s words and said she planned to write more about the American magical world.
• Rita’s article provoked a flood of angry letters to the Department of International Magical Cooperation, and Bertha submitted a report confirming much of the article’s claims.
• Ludo Bagman asked Bertha to get a document signed by Barty Crouch, so she brought it to Crouch’s home after work.
• Bertha heard the House-elf speaking to someone invisible in the kitchen and suspected the hidden person was Little Barty Crouch.
• Barty Crouch admitted that his son was there and cast a powerful Memory Charm on Bertha, warning that it might permanently damage her memory.

Albert took the Knight Bus to Dingworth Village to visit his girlfriend, Isobel. He met her at last and left with her after confronting a hostile young man.

• Nia asked where Albert was going, and Daisy told her he had been invited somewhere for his future.
• Albert boarded the Knight Bus, where conductor James Joyce recognized him as the International Wizard's Chess Champion.
• Albert paid Joyce a Galleon to avoid a detour, endured the bus's jolting journey, and arrived in Dingworth Village.
• Albert spotted Isobel waiting with a hostile young man and introduced himself as her boyfriend.
• Albert took Isobel's hand and walked away with her, leaving the young man behind.

Albert visited Isobel’s home in Dingworth and went with her and Katrina to a secluded beach, where the sisters gathered seafood and Albert prepared a beach barbecue. The chapter ended with Isobel tasting his butter-fried crab and marveling at how good it was.

• Albert and Isobel arrived at the McDougal family home, where Katrina reacted awkwardly to Albert’s visit.
• Katrina joined Albert and Isobel and led them to a hidden beach below the cliffs.
• Katrina and Isobel gathered fish while Albert found two large Bread Crabs among the rocks.
• Albert unpacked cooking equipment and fried the crabs with butter and seasonings.
• Isobel tasted the crab and praised how delicious it was.

Albert and Isobel spent a day at the beach, where Isobel told him that Katrina probably liked him and they discussed Katrina’s future. The couple talked about marriage and researching a potion to preserve beauty, then returned to the McDougal family villa without seeing Katrina.

• Katrina left the beach alone after Albert and Isobel’s affection became too much for her.
• Isobel told Albert that Katrina probably liked him, and Albert suggested letting time run its course.
• Albert and Isobel joked about marrying and discussed the goblin-made engagement rings Bard Broad had prepared.
• Albert told Isobel he had been invited to research a beauty-preserving potion, and Isobel agreed to work on it with him.
• Isobel guessed Miss Catherine had invited Albert to research the potion, then asked him to invite her to their wedding.
• Albert and Isobel returned to the McDougal family villa, where Katrina stayed in her room.

Albert returned home after dinner at Isobel’s, where the families got along well and Mrs. McDougal agreed to help research Beauty Potions. Afterward, Mrs. McDougal questioned Isobel about Albert’s remarkable connections and their relationship, and Isobel confirmed that they planned to get engaged when he came of age.

• Mrs. McDougal hosted Albert for dinner, then arranged for him to return home through the Floo Network before ten o’clock.
• Albert told Daisy and Herb that Mrs. McDougal had agreed to help research Beauty Potions, and they discussed the Philosopher’s Stone being destroyed.
• Mrs. McDougal told Isobel that Albert seemed unusually accomplished and well connected for a Muggle-born wizard.
• Isobel explained her relationship with Albert, leaving Katrina to realize that the sisters had both misled her about when they began dating.
• Mrs. McDougal asked whether Katrina liked Albert, and Isobel said she had no chance because Albert intended to get engaged to her when he came of age.
• Mrs. McDougal connected Albert’s support from Morg and famous wizards to the help Isobel’s father had once received, while Isobel said nothing.

Gilderoy Lockhart hesitated to accept Dumbledore’s offer to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts because he feared the post’s curse, but he accepted after learning he could resign early and deciding the job could boost his fame. At a Flourish and Blotts signing, he met Harry Potter and tried to use Harry’s celebrity to promote himself, though Harry disliked him.

• Lockhart declined Dumbledore’s offer to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts, citing the post’s danger and his writing career.
• Dumbledore visited Lockhart and reassured him that he could resign early, mentioning that Bard had left the job safely.
• Dumbledore told Lockhart that Albert Anderson and Harry Potter would be at Hogwarts, and Lockhart became interested in gaining fame through teaching Harry.
• Lockhart accepted the position on the condition that he could resign early, and he planned to make students buy his books as textbooks.
• At Flourish and Blotts, Lockhart met Harry, took photographs with him, announced his new post, and gave him his books, unaware that Harry disliked him.

Albert left Fat Cat Tom with his grandparents to keep him safe from the Basilisk and returned to Hogwarts, where his fame as an International Wizard's Chess Champion drew unwanted attention. On the train, he told Lee Jordan that he suspected trouble would involve Harry Potter and discussed the costly new Defence Against the Dark Arts textbook by Gilderoy Lockhart.

• Albert said goodbye to his family at King's Cross and left Fat Cat Tom with Grandpa Luke and his grandmother.
• Albert crossed onto Platform 9 3/4 but could not find the Malfoy family's hidden House-elf, and he attracted stares from the crowd.
• Albert refused a girl who tried to join him in his compartment, and Lee Jordan arrived to join him.
• Albert told Lee Jordan he had left Tom behind because something unpleasant might happen at school, possibly involving Potter.
• Lee Jordan complained about the price of Gadding with Ghouls, and Albert suggested Dumbledore had limited options for filling the cursed Defence Against the Dark Arts post.

Albert and Lee Jordan waited aboard the Hogwarts Express while Fred and George arrived just before departure, but Harry and Ron were nowhere to be found. Albert suspected they had missed the train, and the others began to wonder whether Harry and Ron planned to drive the Ford car to school.

• Lee Jordan asked Albert whether Gilderoy Lockhart was qualified to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts, and Albert said they would find out in class.
• Fred, George, and Ginny hurried aboard just as the train began moving, then Fred and George left to look for Ron.
• Fred and George returned without finding Harry or Ron, and Hermione and Percy reported that the two boys were missing.
• Albert suggested Harry and Ron might have missed the train and asked what they would do if they were stranded without their families.
• Lee Jordan proposed that Harry and Ron had deliberately missed the train, and Fred and George guessed they planned to take the Ford car to school.

Percy and the Weasleys learned that Harry and Ron had taken the enchanted Ford Anglia, while Albert predicted they would face punishment after Muggles spotted the flying car. Harry and Ron reached Hogwarts only to crash into the Whomping Willow, leaving them shaken and unaware of what awaited them.

• Percy sent his family an owl saying Harry and Ron had disappeared, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley realized the boys had taken their missing Ford Anglia.
• Albert told Fred, George, Lee Jordan, and Hermione that Harry and Ron had probably flown the car and would likely lose points and receive detention.
• The Hogwarts Express arrived at Hogsmeade, where students whispered about the car and the first-years prepared to cross the lake.
• Harry and Ron flew the Ford Anglia over the Hogwarts grounds and crashed into the Whomping Willow, which battered the car and its occupants.

At the start of term, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley crashed their flying Ford Anglia into the Whomping Willow, while Albert endured attention over his chess championship and watched Gilderoy Lockhart become the new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor. The feast ended with Harry and Ron returning to Gryffindor Tower, easing some of the attention on Albert.

• Percy told Professor McGonagall that a flying Ford Anglia had headed toward the Forbidden Forest, and Dumbledore sent Snape to find Harry Potter and Ron Weasley.
• Snape found Harry and Ron unharmed after their car crashed into the Whomping Willow, then secretly followed them back to the castle.
• Albert joined the Gryffindor students for the feast, where they discussed his championship, Lockhart, and the flying car.
• Snape brought Harry and Ron to his Potions Office, and Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall went to deal with them.
• Dumbledore announced Lockhart as the new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, and Albert told Fred and George that he distrusted him.
• Harry and Ron returned to the Gryffindor Common Room to cheers while Albert went upstairs to bed.

Albert retrieved his Time-Turner from Professor McGonagall and tried to mend his strained friendship with Katrina. He then helped Professor Sprout treat the Whomping Willow and learned that every part of the plant had medicinal value.

• Albert ran into Katrina on his way to Professor McGonagall's office, and they each collected a Time-Turner.
• Albert invited Katrina for a walk and asked whether she was upset about his relationship with Isobel, but Katrina left without answering whether they were still friends.
• Albert met Professor Sprout and accompanied her to treat the Whomping Willow's injuries from Harry Potter's car crash.
• Professor Sprout showed Albert how to subdue the Whomping Willow using the knot on its trunk and explained the medicinal value of its parts.

Albert watched Lockhart get struck by the Whomping Willow and took him to the School Hospital, where he privately encouraged Lockhart to fear the Defence Against the Dark Arts curse. At breakfast, Lockhart’s mishap became school gossip, and Ron received a Howler from Mrs. Weasley for stealing the car.

• Professor Sprout treated the Whomping Willow, and Lockhart arrived and began cutting away its damaged branches.
• The Whomping Willow attacked Lockhart, and Albert stopped it before it could crush him.
• Albert took Lockhart to the School Hospital and warned him that the Defence Against the Dark Arts position might be cursed.
• At breakfast, Albert told the Gryffindors how Lockhart had been injured, and Professor McGonagall awarded him five points.
• Mrs. Weasley’s Howler roared through the Great Hall, scolding Ron for stealing the car.

After Lockhart’s disastrous first lesson, Albert studied the professor’s quiz questions and planned to get his signature for a Restricted Section book while investigating his secrets. He left with Fred, George, and Lee Jordan for Defense Against the Dark Arts, as Ron complained about Lockhart’s class and his damaged wand.

• Word spread through the school about Lockhart’s poor teaching after his first lesson and quiz.
• Albert showed Fred, George, and Lee Jordan Lockhart’s quiz questions and correctly answered a question about his favorite color.
• Albert said he needed Lockhart’s signature to borrow a Restricted Section book, while privately intending to complete a quest and expose Lockhart’s secrets.
• Ron described Lockhart releasing Cornish Pixies in class and resisted Hermione’s suggestion to replace his damaged wand.
• Fred and George refused to lend Ron the Galleons Albert had given them for research, and Albert suggested Ron borrow money from Harry.
• Lee Jordan urged everyone to head to Defense Against the Dark Arts, feeling guilty about once spending some of the research money on snacks and toys.

Albert and his friends attended Lockhart’s first Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson, where his self-promotional quiz and reading aloud disappointed the students. Albert left with Lockhart’s signed permission to borrow books from the Restricted Section to research vampires.

• Albert joked with Fred, George, Shanna, and Lee Jordan about Lockhart’s looks and popularity, while Lorina Karma teased him about becoming his girlfriend and rejected Lee.
• Lockhart introduced himself by listing his awards, gave the class a quiz about his books, and awarded Gryffindor ten points after Albert earned full marks.
• Lockhart spent the rest of the lesson reading aloud, disappointing the class, and Fred and George said they hoped Albert would teach them Defence Against the Dark Arts.
• Albert told Shanna he had obtained Lockhart’s signed note to enter the Restricted Section by claiming he wanted to study how vampires overcame bloodlust and ate only carrots.

Albert maximized his Wizarding Bloodline skill and began preparing to track Ginny Weasley ahead of the Basilisk attacks. He learned the Traces Charm from Professor Flitwick, who also explained the Ministry’s Trace and agreed to teach Albert an advanced Shield Charm application in exchange for a future paper.

• Albert claimed the quest reward and raised Wizarding Bloodline to level six, increasing his spell power and lowering the threshold for Silent Spells and Wandless Magic.
• Albert planned to use the Traces Charm to locate Ginny Weasley and asked Professor Flitwick to teach him the spell.
• Albert learned the Traces Charm from Professor Flitwick and explained that he wanted to use it to find his cat, Tom.
• Professor Flitwick demonstrated that a powerful Shield Charm could block the Traces Charm, but explained that the Ministry’s Trace was a contract that could not easily be blocked.
• Professor Flitwick agreed to teach Albert an advanced application of the Shield Charm in exchange for Albert publishing a paper about it in Charm Innovation.

Albert asked Hagrid about Gilderoy Lockhart’s past at Hogwarts and learned about several incidents that showed Lockhart’s vanity. When Lockhart arrived at Hagrid’s cabin, Albert had disappeared.

• Albert gave Hagrid butterfudge and fed Fang dried fish at the Hunting Cabin.
• Albert asked Hagrid why Dumbledore had chosen Lockhart and what Lockhart had been like as a student.
• Hagrid recalled Lockhart carving his name across the Quidditch Pitch and projecting his portrait into the sky.
• Hagrid described Lockhart sending himself a flock of Valentine’s Day cards and said the professors had been relieved when he graduated.
• Lockhart knocked on Hagrid’s door, and Hagrid found that Albert had vanished.

Hagrid endured Lockhart’s boastful visit before Harry, Ron, and Hermione arrived with Ron suffering from a backfired curse. Albert explained the insult “Mudblood” and argued that pure-blood wizards were pitiful products of inbreeding, leaving the others stunned while Ron continued vomiting slugs.

• Lockhart visited Hagrid and rambled about his books, Harry, and Water Goblins until he left.
• Harry, Ron, and Hermione arrived at Hagrid’s hut, where Ron vomited slugs after his curse rebounded.
• Albert tried to break the curse without success and told Ron’s friends that Ron needed a new wand.
• Albert suggested Harry sign a Wizard Card and told Hagrid he had already made one for him.
• Ron explained that he had tried to curse Malfoy after Malfoy called Hermione a “Mudblood,” and Albert explained the slur.
• Albert claimed pure-blood wizards were pitiful products of inbreeding, stunning Hagrid, Harry, Hermione, and Ron.