Chapter Summaries

After Gryffindor’s Quidditch victory, Albert and his friends discussed Lee’s failed charm, the new Minister of Magic, and their studies. Isobel reminded Albert about a changed club meeting, and the group headed to Herbology through the rain under his summoned umbrella.

• Albert watched Lee Jordan’s attempt to mend bitten fruit go wrong, and stopped the black smoke with a counterspell.
• Fred told Albert that Cornelius Fudge had become Minister of Magic, and Albert explained how Fudge used his connection with Dumbledore to build confidence and public support.
• Shanna asked about exams, while Albert and the others discussed the possibility of students repeating a year.
• Isobel told Albert that the next meeting had been moved to three-thirty the following Saturday, and Albert said he expected to earn Transfiguration Today’s Most Promising Newcomer Award someday.
• Albert summoned an umbrella before Herbology, and Fred, George, and Lee crowded beneath it with him as they walked to the greenhouses.

Albert worked on cultivating garlic and Dittany while carving a rune-covered wooden bracelet. When Fred and George discovered that the Snow Fungus they had eaten was extremely valuable, Albert warned them that finding and selling more would be difficult and risky.

• Albert told George that the garlic would be ready to harvest by the end of May and explained why he was growing Dittany.
• Albert carved runes into a wooden bracelet while Fred suddenly cried out that his heart hurt.
• Fred directed George to a description of Snow Fungus in a book, and George and Lee Jordan reacted with dismay after learning how valuable it was.
• Albert read that Snow Fungus could be worth fifty Galleons per ounce and realized the fungus they had roasted and eaten had been valuable.
• Fred, George, and Lee Jordan considered searching the Forbidden Forest for more Snow Fungus, but Albert warned that it was hard to preserve and children would struggle to sell it safely.

Fred and the others failed to find Snow Fungus, earned detention, and abandoned their plans as the snow melted. Albert worked on a Transfiguration paper for Professor McGonagall, then went to the kitchen, where he chatted with the House-elf Kara and explained how to make Garlic Fried Eggs.

• Fred, George, and Lee repeatedly searched the Forbidden Forest for Snow Fungus, but found none and were caught by Hagrid, who took them to Professor McGonagall for detention.
• Albert told Fred to cheer up, then explained to Angelina and the others that he was writing a paper for Transfiguration Today to submit to Professor McGonagall.
• Albert shared his paper with Aylia, packed his books, and headed to the kitchen for afternoon tea while Fred stayed behind to finish his homework.
• Albert met the House-elf Kara in the kitchen, asked about her magic, and began teaching her how to make Garlic Fried Eggs.

Albert tested a wooden protective bracelet he had made, which blocked pillows and rebounded an Obstruction Jinx but failed against a Stunning Spell. Lee Jordan ended the experiment unconscious, while Albert and the Weasley twins decided to let him sleep until dawn.

• Fred, George, and Lee Jordan ate the garlic fried eggs Albert had brought back, then learned he had made the dish using garlic from Fred’s pot.
• Albert showed the others his wooden bracelet and explained that its Shield Charm could repel physical objects, Dark Curses, and Dark Magic creatures.
• George tested the bracelet by throwing pillows at Fred, and it bounced them away.
• Albert cast an Obstruction Jinx at George, but the bracelet rebounded it and sent Lee Jordan flying into a bed.
• Lee Jordan tested the bracelet against Albert’s Stunning Spell, but it failed and left him unconscious.
• Albert and the twins decided to let Lee Jordan sleep until dawn.

Albert learned that his paper on using Transfiguration against enemies had been published in Transfiguration Today, though Professor McGonagall had removed half its contents. His classmates discussed the paper and its risks, and the conversation turned to Katrina McDougal and her older sister Isobel.

• Albert considered ways to make the Shield Charm on his Protective Bracelet last longer and thought about asking Professor Flitwick for advice.
• Field told Albert that his paper had appeared in Transfiguration Today and that Professor McGonagall planned to use it for a Transfiguration Club activity.
• Albert noticed that Professor McGonagall had cut half the paper, while Field explained that some of its content was unsuitable for an academic journal.
• Fred questioned whether Albert's proposed uses for Transfiguration were practical, and Shanna criticized Fred's skill.
• Baker congratulated Albert on publishing a first-year paper and mentioned McDougal's record, prompting Katrina McDougal to join the conversation.

Professor McGonagall demonstrated advanced Transfiguration magic to the Transfiguration Club, challenging its members to analyze how she performed it and what they could achieve themselves. Afterward, she encouraged Albert to learn from experts, while Baker and Field reflected on the gap between their abilities and hers.

• Professor McGonagall transformed water, fire, earth, and other materials into creatures and restraints to demonstrate how Transfiguration could be used in dangerous situations.
• Professor McGonagall challenged the club members to identify the magic she had used and consider how much of it they could perform.
• Field compared notes with Albert and realized he had understood the demonstration well, while Baker admitted he had learned little from it.
• After the meeting, Baker and Field discussed how difficult the demonstration had been, and Isobel asked Albert how much he could do.
• Professor McGonagall praised Albert’s essay and advised him to speak with experts to improve his abilities.
• Baker told Albert that others considered him Professor McGonagall’s favorite student, and Albert said he had not heard the rumor.

Albert received a letter from Ed Fosco, who agreed to correspond with him and asked for his views on Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration. The reply triggered a task to befriend five famous wizards, and Albert later planned to brew Developing Potion while preparing to play Wizard's Chess with Professor Bard Broad.

• Albert received Ed Fosco's reply, gained one of the five wizard friends required by a new task, and sent his answer by Shera.
• Albert told Angelina about the letter, then heard from Lee Jordan that Apparition lessons would begin in the Great Hall that afternoon for eligible students.
• Albert borrowed Aylia's owl so he could order ingredients for Developing Potion, which he hoped would make photographs move and help him obtain Alchemy.
• Albert declined Fred and George's invitation to search the woods because he planned to play Wizard's Chess with Professor Bard Broad.

Albert visited Professor Broad, played Wizard’s Chess against him, and discussed Ancient Runes. The conversation ended with Professor Broad explaining that Hogwarts taught the runes mainly to preserve knowledge of the ancient writing.

• Albert entered Professor Broad’s office, where the professor congratulated him on his article in Transfiguration Today.
• Albert played two Wizard’s Chess games against Professor Broad and lost both, but learned from the matches.
• Professor Broad explained that the International Wizard’s Chess Competition was open to adult wizards and that its competitors were generally not highly trained.
• Albert and Professor Broad discussed Ancient Runes, their rumored power, and Dumbledore’s expertise in the subject.
• Albert revealed that he had taught himself Runic Script, and Professor Broad said few wizards researched it deeply because it was rarely used.
• Professor Broad told Albert that Hogwarts offered Ancient Runes to keep the ancient writing from being forgotten.

Albert examined a fragmentary Runic Script parchment in Professor Broad’s office and deciphered it as verses about the origins of Runic Script. Professor Broad was astonished by Albert’s skill, while Katrina watched and played chess with him.

• Albert examined Professor Broad’s parchment and noticed that its runes had been mixed up and needed to be studied individually.
• Katrina McDougal entered the office, and Professor Broad invited her to play chess while Albert continued deciphering the parchment.
• Albert translated most of the runes and concluded that the parchment contained verses from Words of the Gods about Odin and the origins of Runic Script.
• Professor Broad questioned whether Albert had only recently begun studying Runic Script and suggested that Professor Bathsheda would be pleased by his interest.

Katrina challenged Albert to Wizard’s Chess after realizing how far his magical achievements surpassed hers. Their three games ended with one win each and a draw, and Albert left the contest unresolved as Katrina planned to challenge him again.

• Katrina reflected on how Albert’s talent had eclipsed hers and decided to challenge him at Wizard’s Chess.
• Albert accepted Katrina’s challenge, and she hurried off to deliver Professor Bathsheda’s notes to Professor Broad.
• Katrina defeated Albert in the first game, but Albert narrowly won the second.
• Albert and Katrina drew the third game after exchanging all their pieces, and Albert declined to play a fourth.
• Isobel explained that Katrina was under pressure and wanted to beat Albert using her strength at chess, prompting Albert to think of Nia.

Albert brewed a Developing Potion in the Room of Requirement and used it to make moving magical photographs, completing a task. He raised his Alchemy skill but realized he lacked the theory to improve his magical items, so he recorded ideas for later and returned to the Gryffindor Common Room.

• Albert gathered the Developing Potion ingredients and brewed the potion in the Room of Requirement.
• Albert tested the potion on a photograph, made moving magical photographs, and completed the "Moving Magic Photos" task.
• Albert claimed the task reward and raised Alchemy to Level 2 using experience.
• Albert realized his Alchemy theory was too limited to guide his work on the Protective Bracelet and noted his ideas in his notebook.
• Albert cleaned up, checked the Marauder's Map, and returned to the Gryffindor Common Room.

Albert gave Shanna Developing Potion, then joined George, Fred, and Lee Jordan as they investigated a parchment labeled “Gryffindor's Secret Treasure.” The group suspected it was a prank, and they planned to hide the damaged library book from Mrs. Pince.

• Albert gave Shanna a bottle of Developing Potion and explained that he had brewed it a few days earlier.
• George and Fred pulled Albert from the Great Hall and showed him a parchment titled “Gryffindor's Secret Treasure,” which Lee Jordan said they had found inside a book.
• Albert interpreted the parchment’s symbols as pointing toward the centaurs’ camp in the Forbidden Forest, but warned the others that the treasure was probably a prank.
• Filch caught the four whispering in a corner and sent them away.
• George and Fred showed Albert the damaged copy of The Biography of Uric, and Albert told them to hide it and investigate the parchment later in the dormitory.

Albert failed to repair The Biography of Uric with the Mending Charm and briefly tested the mysterious parchment, which changed after he left. He went to meet Professor Broad and learned that Morg McDougal wanted his help with Ancient Runes.

• Albert warned Fred, George, and Lee Jordan not to return the damaged book if they could not repair it, then reminded them their History of Magic homework was due.
• Albert discovered that his Mending Charm worked on other paper but not on The Biography of Uric, and he put the book away.
• Albert tapped the parchment with his wand, saw no response, and left it inside the book; after he left, the parchment subtly changed.
• Cragg delivered Professor Broad's message asking Albert to visit before eight, and Erin teased him about Cragg before Albert hurried to the office.
• Albert met Morg McDougal, who said Professor Broad had gone to the library and that Morg wanted Albert's help with Ancient Runes because of his translations.

Albert met renowned Ancient Runes expert Morg McDougal, who invited him to help compile a book based on Ravenclaw’s legacy. After examining Albert’s rune-inscribed bracelet and discussing its limitations, McDougal began working with Albert and Professor Broad, leaving Albert overwhelmed by what he had learned.

• Albert met Morg McDougal and was surprised that the renowned wizard was older than he had imagined.
• McDougal invited Albert to help compile an advanced book on Ancient Runes, and Professor Broad explained that Albert would do much of the writing.
• McDougal examined Albert’s wooden bracelet, identified it as a prototype for using Runic Script, and advised him about its materials and limitations.
• Professor Broad revealed that the runes they were studying came from a legacy left by Ravenclaw.
• Albert worked with McDougal and Professor Broad, then returned to the Gryffindor Common Room overwhelmed by the knowledge and fell asleep.

Albert’s intense study of Ancient Runes left him exhausted, but his skill advanced quickly as he neared McDougal’s true method of using them. At breakfast, he discussed Apparition lessons and the Ministry’s Trace with his friends, and Shanna questioned whether wizarding self-discipline could replace laws.

• Albert reflected on his rapid progress in Runes and decided not to spend experience points to raise the skill level yet.
• George noticed Albert’s exhaustion, and Albert talked with his friends about watching Wilkie Twycross’s Apparition Class.
• Albert explained that George and Fred had returned a damaged book after tearing out its ruined page, and the twins asked whether he had inspired Truman’s earlier actions.
• Albert said he wanted to learn Apparition but could not practice as a first-year, and he dismissed Fred’s suggestion to sneak into the lesson with the Disillusionment Charm.
• Percy and Albert explained that the Ministry’s Trace monitored underage magic in Muggle areas, prompting Shanna to criticize the idea that self-discipline could make laws unnecessary.

Albert met Professor Broad to review Morg’s draft of a book about Ancient Runes, while Isobel learned that she might help with the project. Albert concluded the difficult text was intended to raise the overall standard of Ancient Runes, even if few people could understand it.

• Fred, George, and Lee planned to visit the library, while Albert left breakfast to meet Professor Broad.
• Baker asked the others to remind Albert to submit his overdue Transfiguration Club paper by that evening.
• Albert ran into Isobel outside Professor Broad’s office and discovered he had forgotten the paper assignment.
• Professor Broad gave Albert Morg’s partial book draft and invited Isobel to help with the project.
• Albert judged that the book was too difficult for ordinary readers, and Professor Broad explained that Morg meant it to raise the overall standard of Ancient Runes.

Albert revised Morg McDougal’s Ancient Runes manuscript while Isobel struggled to understand it, then questioned Morg about Ministry laws and possible consequences for young wizards. Morg offered to help Albert with minor legal trouble if he helped complete the book, and the group returned to work with the second manuscript.

• Isobel could not decipher Morg McDougal’s parchment without a Rune Dictionary, while Albert revised it and discussed Ancient Runes with Professor Broad.
• Morg arrived from the Wizengamot and told Professor Broad that Carlotta Pinkstone had been sentenced to ten years in prison and forbidden from using a wand.
• Albert asked Morg about penalties under the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery Act and whether repeated violations could get a Muggle-born wizard expelled.
• Morg offered to settle minor trouble for Albert if he helped finish the book, and Albert said he was interested in learning Apparition.
• Professor Broad warned that Apparition was too difficult for Albert for now, and Morg produced the second manuscript.

Albert helped McDougal revise the second part of his book on Ancient Runes, then attended Apparition Class and tried to Apparate himself. After failing and finding no Apparition skill on his Panel, he decided to seek help experiencing Apparition firsthand.

• Albert reviewed McDougal's manuscript with McDougal and Professor Broad while Isobel struggled to follow their Ancient Runes discussion.
• McDougal gave Albert a small black notebook before Albert left for Apparition Class.
• Tycroes taught the students the three Ds, and a Hufflepuff boy was Splinched during practice before the Heads of House reattached him.
• Albert secretly attempted Apparition but remained in place, then checked his Panel and found no Apparition skill.
• Albert decided to ask someone to help him experience Apparition and headed for the Defence Against the Dark Arts office.

Albert asked Professor Broad to let him experience Apparition, and Broad took him outside Hogwarts for a Side-Along Apparition. Albert suffered nausea but gained the Apparition skill, then heard warnings about the dangers of the Forbidden Forest and its Acromantulas.

• Albert asked Professor Broad and McDougal to let him experience Apparition, and promised not to practise it alone.
• Professor Broad explained Apparition and took Albert into the Forbidden Forest for a Side-Along Apparition.
• Albert felt intense pressure and nausea during the journey, but discovered that the Skill Panel had displayed Apparition.
• Hagrid caught Albert leaving the forest and asked him to warn the Weasley Twins against venturing into its depths.
• Professor Broad told Albert that an Acromantula breeding ground might be in the Forbidden Forest, and Albert recognized that Hagrid was responsible.

Albert read McDougal’s notebook about Ancient Runes and learned that mastering ancient magic required rune skill, strong Magical Power, and experience with ancient spells. McDougal urged Professor Brood to trust Albert’s potential, while Albert left with permission to borrow Ancient Runes books from the Restricted Section.

• Albert declined to join Fred, George, and Lee Jordan on a trip into the Forbidden Forest and warned them about the Acromantulas.
• Albert read McDougal’s notebook, which described his studies of Ancient Runes, ancient magic, and correspondence with Dumbledore.
• Albert asked McDougal about sensing what made Runic Script special, and McDougal outlined the three stages he had undergone to use ancient spells.
• Professor Brood granted Albert permission to borrow Ancient Runes books from the Restricted Section.
• McDougal told Professor Brood that Albert was a genius and advised him to trust his own judgment.