Chapter Summaries

Albert and Isobel visited Hogsmeade, where Hermione noticed Ron’s interest in Mrs. Rosmerta and wondered about Albert’s knowledge of Sirius Black. Albert later told Isobel that Black would infiltrate Hogwarts, but left his motives unclear.

• Albert and Isobel went to the Three Broomsticks and joined Hermione and Ron at a table.
• Isobel pointed out that Ron seemed attracted to Mrs. Rosmerta, and Hermione grew curious about Ron’s feelings.
• Hermione asked Albert about Black, and Albert said news about him would come soon; Ron overheard and was surprised.
• Ron ran out of money while buying Butterbeer for Harry, so Hermione lent him several Sickles.
• After leaving the pub, Albert told Isobel that Black would infiltrate Hogwarts and that Harry was probably not his target.

During the Halloween feast, Albert learned that Black had broken into Hogwarts and damaged the Fat Lady’s portrait. As students spent the night in the Great Hall while the castle was searched, Albert assured Shanna that Black had already escaped and guessed that he had no wand.

• Albert checked the Venomous Tentacula seeds Fred and George had bought and told them to store the seeds without planting them.
• At the Halloween feast, Albert discussed inventions with Fred, George, and Lee while deciding not to help catch Black because Black’s capture would cost him a future benefit.
• After the feast, Albert saw Dumbledore hurry toward the Gryffindor Common Room and learned that Black had destroyed the Fat Lady’s portrait.
• Dumbledore ordered the students to sleep in the Great Hall while the castle was searched, and Percy assigned Albert and Shanna to patrol and maintain order.
• Albert told Shanna that Black had likely escaped through a secret passage and reasoned that he had no wand because he had cut the portrait with a knife.

After the search for Black found nothing, Albert dealt with the chaos caused by Sir Cadogan changing the Gryffindor password and learned he would leave for the Magical School Potions Tournament the next morning. He suspected Black had entered through a secret passage and advised Fred and George to look for footprints there.

• The professors searched Hogwarts until three in the morning but found no sign of Black, and the exhausted students were allowed to sleep after dawn.
• Albert found Gryffindor students locked out because Sir Cadogan had changed the password without informing the Prefects, and Percy made him reveal the new password, “Pony.”
• Professor McGonagall told Albert that Professor Slughorn would take him to the Potions Championship the next morning.
• Albert told Lee Jordan he thought Black had entered through a secret passage, then learned Fred and George had searched the passages without finding anything.
• Albert suggested Fred and George scatter chalk dust in the secret passages to reveal any footprints Black might leave if he tried to enter again.

Albert and Isobel traveled with Professor Slughorn to the Magical School Potions Tournament, where Albert drove off Dementors pursuing their carriage. They discussed the competition and agreed that Albert would compete for the Golden Cauldron.

• Albert and Isobel met Professor Slughorn in Professor McGonagall's office before leaving Hogwarts with him and Hagrid.
• Dementors surrounded the Thestral Carriage, so Albert and Isobel used their Patronuses to protect Hagrid and scatter them.
• Albert blamed the Dementors for mistreating students, while Professor Slughorn praised Albert's talent and predicted a brilliant future for him.
• Professor Slughorn explained that the tournament would last about a week and that each school would send one student to the finals.
• Isobel told Albert to compete and bring home the Golden Cauldron, and Albert promised he would.

Albert and the Hogwarts team traveled to Beauxbatons to join the other schools before taking a Portkey to the hidden Magical Garden. They arrived at what looked like a village, where two wizards welcomed them to the tournament grounds.

• Professor Slughorn brought the Hogwarts team to Beauxbatons, where Madame Maxime greeted them and explained that the Portkey would depart at nine that night.
• At dinner, Albert attracted the attention of the students, while Isobel noticed Alice trying to charm him and warned him of trouble.
• Mary told Albert that Alice used her allure to ensnare boys, and the group toured Beauxbatons, including the fountain funded by the LeMay Couple.
• Madame Maxime led the teams to the Portkey, which transported them to the entrance of a village.
• Two wizards welcomed the Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang teams to the Magical Garden.

Albert and Isobel arrived at the Magical Garden village, settled into their lodgings, and toured its greenhouses ahead of the Potions Championship. The tour ended with a Uagadou student being rushed to the Medical Room after falling under a Veela girl's charm and mishandling a dangerous plant.

• Bobby guided Albert, Isobel, and Professor Slughorn to their lodgings and introduced them to Serena, who explained the tournament schedule and the village's hidden entrance to the Magical Garden.
• Albert and Isobel spent the evening playing Wizard's Chess and talking before returning to their rooms to sleep.
• Bobby and two wizards led the contestants on a greenhouse tour, while Professor Slughorn explained that three schools had withdrawn from the championship.
• A Herbalist warned the contestants about dangerous plants and described a contestant who had died after a Venomous Tentacula bite.
• A Uagadou student collapsed beside a golden trumpet-shaped flower and was carried to the Medical Room after Isobel told Albert that a Veela girl's charm had muddled his mind.

Albert prepared for the Magical School Potions Tournament’s first round and learned that contestants already knew they would brew Cheering Draught. He finished his potion first, while Isobel neared completion, and Catherine Nicholas’s arrival left him wary.

• Albert used Divination to predict the first round and drank Dreamless Sleep Potion before bed.
• Isobel told Albert that several schools already knew the first round would be Cheering Draught, and Professor Slughorn confirmed the task at breakfast.
• At the tournament venue, Albert recognized Catherine Nicholas among the spectators and spotted Damocles among the judges.
• President Bernard announced that contestants had one hour to brew Cheering Draught, with eight advancing to the next round.
• Albert completed his Cheering Draught first and joined Professor Slughorn, while Isobel continued brewing.
• Catherine sat beside Albert and greeted him, making him feel that danger was approaching.

Albert reunited with Catherine at the Potions Championship, where she discussed his Beauty Potion research and warned him about the Veela girl. The first round ended with Albert earning an overwhelming 99 points, while Isobel was left out of the scoring under rules intended to ensure each school was represented.

• Catherine greeted Albert and Isobel, explained that she was leading Ilvermorny’s team and working as a Potions Assistant Teacher, and warned Albert to avoid the Veela girl.
• Catherine asked about the Beauty Potion research, and Albert had Isobel describe their essential-oil approach before the competition ended.
• The judges announced the scores, giving Albert 99 points and Gai Bernard 94, while the remaining contestants placed below them.
• Isobel was not scored because the judges selected only one potion from each table under the revised school-representation rules.
• Catherine told Isobel she deserved a top-three finish, but Isobel said she had entered for fun and expected Albert to win the championship.

After winning the first round, Albert learned that the second round would require contestants to gather ingredients in the Magical Garden and brew a potion before time ran out. He toured the Garden’s greenhouses with the other contestants, where the herbalists showed them protected rare plants, and left eager to learn more but unable to use most of the plants he had seen.

• Albert learned from Professor Slughorn that the second round would involve gathering ingredients in the Magical Garden and brewing a potion within ten hours.
• Damocles Belby praised Albert’s performance and encouraged him to explore the Magical Garden’s library.
• Catherine asked Albert whether Damocles Belby was the inventor of the Wolfsbane Potion, and Albert confirmed it.
• An herbalist warned the contestants not to pick Niffler Grass, explaining that it was protected and used to brew Potential Potion.
• Albert saw other rare plants, including the Longevity Herb, and learned that most were endangered and unavailable for use.

Albert questioned Mrs. Serena about the village library and the Magical Garden, learning that the library’s restricted books required permanent residency or Potions Master status. Mrs. Serena urged him to focus on the tournament before exploring the Garden, and Isobel invited him for a walk.

• Albert asked Mrs. Serena where the village library was and drank her strange health drink to learn that outsiders could borrow only limited books.
• Mrs. Serena explained that the library’s best books were reserved for residents and recognized Potions Masters, while Albert’s task panel offered a library card and Herbal Mastery as a reward.
• Albert asked about the Magical Garden and its Fountain of Fair Fortune, and Mrs. Serena confirmed the fountain existed but its water was ordinary.
• Mrs. Serena told Albert to focus on winning the Magical School Potions Tournament before exploring the Garden, and Albert agreed while keeping his interest in the fountain.
• Isobel approached Albert and invited him to go for a walk.

Albert discovered that Catherine had used Polyjuice Potion to impersonate Isobel, while Isobel and Valeria revealed their pen-pal connections. Valeria asked Albert to help with their Beauty Potion research, and he agreed to offer assistance without promising much.

• Albert and the disguised Catherine discussed the Beauty Potion project, Valeria’s interest in him, and his engagement before he realized Catherine was impersonating Isobel.
• Catherine admitted her disguise, and Albert said he had noticed the differences in her clothes, speech, and habits.
• Isobel revealed that she had suspected Catherine after seeing her take one of Isobel’s hairs, while Valeria criticized Catherine for the impersonation.
• Valeria explained that she and Isobel had been pen pals, that she had mistaken Isobel for a man, and that she and Catherine were pen pals too.
• Valeria asked Albert to help with their Beauty Potion research, and he agreed to offer help without promising too much.

Albert entered the Magical Garden for the Potions Championship’s second round, where contestants had ten hours to gather ingredients and brew a potion. After discovering the rules favored Gai Bernard, Albert chose to pursue a Shrinking Potion and spotted an Arioto tree as he considered whether to target Gai first.

• Professor Slughorn urged Albert to eat well before the second round, and Albert questioned the Event Organizer’s claim that the contestants’ new clothes were made for fairness.
• Albert used Isobel to confirm that the clothes were newly made and washed, then joined the contestants as they entered the Magical Garden.
• An elderly wizard explained the ten-hour ingredient-gathering and potion-brewing task, and Albert set off first according to his ranking.
• Albert abandoned his difficult Beauty Potion plan and began gathering ingredients for a Shrinking Potion.
• Albert recalled his prophecy about the changed third-round rules, suspected President Bernard had arranged them to benefit Gai, and spotted a watcher concealed by a Disillusionment Charm.
• Albert wondered whether to eliminate Gai Bernard first and noticed an Arioto tree ahead.

Gai Bernard entered the Magical Garden expecting to win the Potions Championship with his grandfather’s help, but Albert secretly made him laugh uncontrollably and sabotaged his ingredients. President Bernard secured Gai another chance to compete, only for Gai to discover he could no longer brew either potion, while his grandfather vowed to disqualify the culprit.

• Gai Bernard recalled how losing to Albert and learning that his grandfather had helped him cheat shattered his confidence, but he resolved to follow the advice that could win him the championship.
• Gai Bernard collected the ingredients he needed in the Magical Garden, unaware that Albert had secretly put Alioto's Leaves into his mouth.
• A patrol member sent Gai Bernard back for treatment after the Alioto's Leaves made him laugh uncontrollably, eliminating him from the competition.
• President Bernard persuaded the judges to let Gai Bernard brew a potion with his collected ingredients, but Gai discovered that two essential ingredients were missing.
• President Bernard realized Gai could no longer brew either planned potion and vowed to disqualify the person responsible.

Albert used a meeting with Daniela to explain why he believed Gai Bernard had an unfair advantage, then went looking for Shrivelfig. A Uagadou contestant attacked him, but Albert turned the encounter into a staged defeat that left the attacker unconscious and appeared to implicate him in assaulting a patrol member.

• Albert met Daniela Gonzalez after spotting a contestant's distress signal, and they discussed the tournament and Gai Bernard's connections to its judges.
• Daniela pointed Albert toward Shrivelfig, but Albert secretly headed for a patch he had already found.
• A black-haired contestant from Uagadou attacked Albert with wandless magic as he approached the Shrivelfig bushes.
• A patrol member intervened, but the Uagadou contestant stunned him and took his wand before resuming the attack on Albert.
• Albert blocked the contestant's spells and arranged for a rebounded Stunning Spell to knock him unconscious.

Albert helped a patrol member subdue a contestant who had ambushed him, then borrowed the man’s lost broom to search the Magical Garden. He found the Fountain of Fair Fortune and a new task about its mysterious symbols, then returned toward the competition.

• Albert revived the patrol member and explained that the Black Haired Lad had attacked him and been knocked unconscious by a rebounded Stunning Spell.
• The patrol member said the Black Haired Lad would be disqualified for ambushing contestants and attacking a patrol member, then summoned other Patrol Members to take him away.
• Albert summoned the patrol member’s lost Flying Broom, concealed himself with a Disillusionment Charm, and flew toward a mountaintop in search of the Fountain of Fair Fortune.
• Albert found the fountain, examined its symbols, and discovered a task prompting him to uncover its secret after confirming its water seemed ordinary.
• Albert decided to consult Nicolas Flamel later, returned the Flying Broom to the trees, and headed back to the competition.

After returning from the Magical Garden, Albert was accused of attacking Gai Bernard and ordered to submit his wand for inspection. Once the inspection proved his innocence, he forced President Bernard to apologize and declared that he would win the championship.

• Albert returned from the Magical Garden with two sets of ingredients and learned that the other three contestants had been eliminated.
• An Event Organizer wizard demanded to inspect Albert's wand over the attack on Gai Bernard, and Albert challenged the accusation before the judges.
• Albert accused the judges of treating contestants like criminals, and Damocles supported his demand for an apology.
• The wand inspection showed that Albert had not attacked Gai Bernard, and Albert rejected the young wizard's apology until President Bernard apologized on behalf of the Event Organizer.
• Albert criticized the Potions Championship and declared that the championship would belong to him.

After confronting the judges, Albert brewed an excellent Shrinking Potion but received a lower score than Daniela, provoking widespread anger at the panel and the Event Organizer. The championship’s favoritism toward Gai Bernard was exposed, leaving the Magical Garden distancing itself from the scandal and President Bernard’s botched attempt to secure his grandson the title.

• Professor Slughorn warned Albert that confronting the judges could hurt his prospects, but Albert said he would not compromise and did not intend to become a potion maker.
• Albert prepared the ingredients and brewed a perfect cauldron of Shrinking Potion, earning only 73 points.
• The judges gave Daniela a higher score than Albert despite the obvious difference in their potions, prompting the headmaster of Castelobruxo to object.
• Koldovstoretz, Durmstrang, Ilvermorny, and other schools joined the protests after their contestants were eliminated or disadvantaged by the Event Organizer’s rules.
• The contestants learned Albert had been attacked and suspected the judges were favoring Gai Bernard, and their anger toward the panel intensified.
• The Magical Garden rejected responsibility for the scandal and objected to President Bernard’s failed attempt to secure his grandson the championship.

After Albert exposed the Potions Championship’s corruption, the contestants united against President Bernard and the judges, while Isobel inferred that Albert had secretly attacked Gai Bernard. Albert explained that he had acted to clear his path to victory and gain a task reward, then prepared for the third round by choosing an improved Baruffio’s Brain Elixir.

• Serena and Slughorn observed that Albert’s exposure of the championship’s rigging had united the contestants, who condemned President Bernard and his grandson.
• The Uagadou contestant apologized to Albert and Valeria for ambushing a patrol member, but denied attacking Gai Bernard; the identity of the attacker remained unknown.
• At Albert’s suggestion, the contestants toasted the unnamed person who had attacked Gai Bernard, while Isobel suspected Albert was responsible.
• Albert admitted to Isobel that he had worked to unite the contestants and expose the competition’s secrets, partly to remove obstacles to winning and complete a rewarding task.
• Albert told Isobel that the third round required contestants to brew a potion from supplied ingredients and that he planned to make Hertok’s improved Baruffio’s Brain Elixir.

Valeria interrupted Albert and Isobel, then chatted with Isobel about her relationship, Catherine’s plans, and possible futures abroad. Valeria left undecided about whether to join Catherine in the United States and relieved that she would graduate from Koldovstoretz next year.

• Valeria arrived to talk with Isobel, and Albert was ushered out so the girls could speak privately.
• Valeria teased Isobel about having a boyfriend, and Isobel explained that she and Albert had known each other since he was twelve and began dating years later.
• Valeria complained that none of the boys who had confessed to her were suitable and said she had hoped British boys would be romantic like Albert.
• Valeria told Isobel that Catherine had invited her to help open a potion shop in the United States, but she was unsure about going.
• Valeria said she disliked the oppressive atmosphere in the United States and described Ukraine as an increasingly poor place to live.
• Valeria recalled that her family had chosen Koldovstoretz because it was considered a domestic school, and she said she would graduate next year.

Albert submitted ingredients for Baruffio's Brain Elixir, alarming Professor Slughorn and the judges because the dangerous potion was difficult to brew safely. The judges allowed him to proceed, while Catherine suspected Albert had been behind Gai Bernard's elimination and warned Williams not to regret his effort.

• Professor Slughorn urged Albert to choose a safer potion, warning that Baruffio's Brain Elixir was too risky despite Albert's lead.
• President Bernard hurried the proceedings along after overhearing Albert's plan, and the judges questioned whether he should be allowed to brew the prohibited potion.
• Damocles revealed that Hertok had researched an improved Baruffio's Brain Elixir with Albert's involvement, prompting an uproar among the judges.
• Albert confirmed that he intended to brew Baruffio's Brain Elixir and calmly declined to say whether he had brewed it before.
• President Bernard welcomed Albert's choice, hoping the risky potion would cost him the championship, while Catherine suspected Albert had attacked Gai Bernard.
• Catherine told Williams not to pressure himself or leave regrets, leaving him baffled before the competition began.