Chapter Summaries

Cheng Quandao and Vaughn arranged to begin studying Eastern Magic after Fleur’s attempt to join their exchange was rejected. In Gryffindor Tower, Hermione concealed her role in the assessment while Harry and Ron decided to investigate Snape, and Ron began a scheme to profit from knowing the selection exam.

• Fleur entered Vaughn’s laboratory, was overwhelmed by the Flesh Polyhedron’s information explosion, and learned that Vaughn planned to study China’s Magic with Cheng Quandao.
• Vaughn agreed with Fleur’s suggestion of deeper exchanges but left it to Cheng Quandao, who said they could begin immediately if Li Nanyu approved.
• Harry and Ron confronted Hermione, and she admitted she had deliberately made a mistake in the assessment, while concealing that Vaughn’s Persona Armor helped her lie.
• After Ron described Umbridge’s behavior, Harry and Ron decided to investigate Snape themselves because they believed he was working with the Death Eaters.
• Hermione restored Ron and Harry from their transformations, and Ron rushed to the Great Hall and announced that he knew the selection exam’s content.

Ron sold parchment listing likely potion exam topics in the Great Hall, earning money but costing Gryffindor fifty points after Snape changed the exams. Vaughn demonstrated Qimen Dunjia to Dumbledore and Snape, then secured Dumbledore’s agreement to his final condition by invoking their ongoing dealings.

• Ron claimed his parchment predicted the afternoon exams, sold looks at it for a Gold Galleon, and watched the students pass it around until it was torn apart.
• Ron told Harry and Hermione that the parchment listed potions Vaughn had revealed in his Essays, and Snape later deducted fifty points from Gryffindor for the commotion.
• Ron’s predicted topics helped many Fourth Years pass, while Snape changed the other exams and gave the Sixth Years N.E.W.T. questions.
• Vaughn used Qimen Dunjia to seal Snape’s office against surveillance, and Dumbledore praised how quickly he had learned the magic.
• Vaughn reminded Dumbledore that he had not agreed to Vaughn’s final condition, and Dumbledore finally accepted after Vaughn warned him not to delay.

Vaughn revealed that Peter Pettigrew was alive and explained how he had betrayed the Potters and framed Sirius, then discussed using Peter to earn Voldemort’s trust. Fleur found Maxime and learned that Vaughn rejected her because she had offered no magical knowledge or other price in exchange for access to him.

• Vaughn showed Dumbledore and Snape the Marauder’s Map, which revealed Peter Pettigrew’s name and proved he was alive.
• Vaughn explained Peter’s betrayal of the Potters, his murder of Muggles, and his framing of Sirius, prompting Dumbledore to confirm Sirius was not the traitor.
• Dumbledore proposed using Peter as an assistant who could earn Voldemort’s trust, but Snape objected to involving the traitor.
• Vaughn said Peter would know what to do if released, and he continued discussing the plan with Dumbledore and Snape before leaving as a mouse wandered through the castle.
• Fleur found Maxime with Hagrid near the Forbidden Forest and told her that Vaughn had rejected her while accepting Cheng Quandao.
• Maxime explained that China had offered Chinese Magic in exchange for access to Vaughn, while Fleur had offered no tuition, and said other schools would need to provide something comparable.

Hogwarts finalized its Potion Exchange delegation while Vaughn planned to turn the Painted World into a venue that could build support for the Eight-Wizard Tournament. The chapter ends with Fleur giving Vaughn an ancient book that could reveal the secret of creating the Philosopher's Stone.

• Ron’s exam predictions won praise from the fourth-years, while older students blamed Snape for their difficult exams.
• Vaughn asked Dumbledore to transform the Painted World into a battlefield for visiting Young Wizards, and Dumbledore stayed behind to oversee the renovations.
• Vaughn noticed Isabella’s burn scar and worried that Voldemort’s Curse was beginning to affect her.
• Vaughn kept Magic Protein secret during the Potion Exchange as he traveled between his laboratory, the Painted World, and the Quidditch Pitch.
• Hermione saw Fleur waiting outside Vaughn’s laboratory, where Vaughn had been explaining the Magic Extraction Method to Cheng Quandao.
• Fleur gave Vaughn the Book of Abraham the Jew, and Vaughn recognized it as a text that recorded the secret to creating the Philosopher’s Stone.

Vaughn acquired the Book of Abraham the Jew and began reading it with Hermione after his attempt to teach Pheobe and Cheng Quandao the Magic Extraction Method faltered. Meanwhile, Lupin met Kingsley and Tonks at the Leaky Cauldron, where Kingsley realized Lupin’s blunt response could convey WAC’s hard-line stance to the Ministry.

• Pheobe told Vaughn that Nicholas LeMe had destroyed the book’s two pages about the Philosopher’s Stone, and Vaughn thanked her and began explaining the Magic Extraction Method to her and Cheng Quandao.
• Vaughn ended the lesson when Pheobe and Cheng Quandao struggled to understand his explanations, then reminded Pheobe to learn the Clairvoyance Charm.
• Hermione arrived with Guoguo Tea, recognized the Book of Abraham the Jew, and joined Vaughn in secretly reading it before curfew.
• Lupin met Kingsley and Tonks at the Leaky Cauldron to discuss the fallout from the Werewolf Parade Incident and WAC’s demand for a Werewolf Class.
• Lupin said he did not know what WAC would do if Fudge rejected Vaughn’s conditions, and Kingsley realized Vaughn may have sent him to communicate a hard-line position through Kingsley.

Scrimgeour reopened the Werewolf Parade Case to find leverage against Vaughn and WAC, but Vaughn had maneuvered him into pressuring the Pure-blood Family over the Werewolf Class proposal. The plan remained underway as Tonks and Lupin investigated the incident, while Ron lamented Scabbers and Hermione hid her night in the laboratory with Vaughn.

• Kingsley told Scrimgeour that WAC would drop its lawsuit if the Ministry approved the Werewolf Class proposal, while Tonks went with Lupin to investigate the Werewolf Parade Incident.
• Scrimgeour decided to reopen the case, hoping to uncover evidence that would weaken Vaughn’s bargaining position.
• Dumbledore told Vaughn that Amelia had approved Scrimgeour’s request, and Vaughn explained how the investigation would mislead the Pure-blood Family and pressure them to concede.
• Dumbledore recognized that Vaughn had used Scrimgeour as a weapon and that Amelia was a key messenger in the plan.
• At breakfast, Harry questioned Hermione about her dark circles, while Ron complained that Scabbers had left him without food.

Vaughn returned to The Burrow, where Arthur warned him about photographs linking Kingsley and Kreacher, then went back to Hogwarts and received a letter from Japan. He suspected he knew who had sent the photographs and burned the Japanese letter, leaving its contents unknown.

• Ron told Harry and Hermione that he still suspected Vaughn or Guoguo Tea had taken Scabbers, and admitted a nightmare had reminded him of the missing rat.
• Vaughn reunited with Molly at The Burrow, and Arthur showed him photographs of Kingsley meeting Kreacher that had been mailed to the Ministry of Magic.
• Vaughn told Arthur he thought he knew who had sent the photographs, then visited Pandora and discussed Isabella losing the Defense Against the Dark Arts position because of Voldemort's curse.
• Vaughn returned to Hogwarts, where Ginny excitedly embraced him and handed him an envelope from someone in Japan.
• Vaughn told Ginny to wear his protective necklace and promised she could join his research group if she earned two O's; after she left, he warned Dumbledore against interfering with her and burned the envelope.

Vaughn and Dumbledore examined photographs that threatened their plans for the Werewolf Class and concluded the North American Wizards had sent them to stir up trouble. After Arthur relayed Amelia’s plans for an Azkaban inspection, Vaughn watched Fred and George demonstrate God's Eye, a memory-powered flying eyeball that showed promise as a magical form of artificial intelligence.

• Vaughn burned the Magic Institute’s letter because its representatives had targeted Ginny, then showed Dumbledore photographs Arthur had intercepted from the Ministry of Magic.
• Vaughn and Dumbledore suspected DeSantis and the North American Wizards had sent the photographs to Scrimgeour to disrupt their plans and cause trouble while advancing their own aims.
• Dumbledore told Vaughn the Werewolf Class was progressing, and they decided not to give the photographs to Scrimgeour and instead to keep the North American Wizards occupied.
• Amelia assigned Arthur to assist Scrimgeour while she accompanied Fudge on an inspection of Azkaban, and Arthur wrote Vaughn about the plan.
• At the Shrieking Shack, Fred and George demonstrated God's Eye, a flying, talking eyeball containing part of George’s memory, while Vaughn assessed its potential and heard about their other inventions.

Vaughn asked Fred and George to develop anti-interference substances and mass-produce Fake Wands loaded with attack spells, then went to the Forbidden Forest to recruit Magical Creatures as supervisors for the Painted World's practical class. After meeting with the creatures, he greeted Firenze and Magorian and asked to speak with them about the Centaur Tribe.

• Vaughn commissioned Fred and George to find a substance that blocked magical interference and make Fake Wands that permanently stored attack spells, offering five hundred Gold Galleons.
• Vaughn went to the Forbidden Forest to gather the employees who would become supervisors for the Painted World's practical class, where new test subjects would be monitored.
• Hagrid finished expanding the Abraxans' paddock and led Vaughn to the Magical Creatures after calling them with a horn.
• Vaughn greeted the gathered creatures, including Freya, and explained their new supervisory roles in the Painted World.
• Ilya returned with Firenze and Magorian, and Vaughn asked the two Centaur leaders to speak with him about the Centaur Tribe.

Vaughn discussed the Centaurs’ changing prophecies with Firenze and Magorian, then arranged WAC assistance for their community. After forcing Dumbledore to accept Hagrid’s Rock Cakes, Vaughn looked ahead to the Ministry delegation’s visit to Azkaban, where he had prepared a surprise for Fudge.

• Vaughn learned from Firenze that the Centaurs’ vision of a world reborn through war had changed to one of widespread war and destruction, and Firenze believed Vaughn might be the cause.
• Vaughn urged Firenze to stop relying on unstable star readings and offered to connect the Centaurs with WAC’s Forbidden Forest office for assistance.
• Vaughn suggested the Centaurs use him as the center of their future readings, then left with Firenze and Magorian after discussing the Centaur Revolution.
• Vaughn took Hagrid’s parcel of Rock Cakes to Dumbledore and pressured him into promising to eat them.
• Vaughn reflected on the prophecies and his plans to visit China, then anticipated the Ministry delegation’s inspection of Azkaban and his surprise for Fudge.

Jacob Rosier and Lucius Malfoy convinced seven other Pure-blood representatives to form an alliance against Vaughn and swear an Unbreakable Vow, with Lucius revealing his Dark Mark as witness. Dumbledore and Vaughn discussed how Vaughn’s moves had helped push the families together, while Vaughn revealed he already had a list of the nine attendees.

• Jacob Rosier urged the Pure-blood representatives to unite against Vaughn, while Selwyn objected to following Voldemort.
• Lucius Malfoy and Jacob claimed Amelia’s plans, the Potion Exchange changes, and the proposed Triwizard Tournament showed that Vaughn threatened the Pure-blood Families.
• Jacob said he and Lucius had partnered with North American wizards, including a Legendary Wizard, and called for an Unbreakable Vow.
• Yaxley agreed to take the vow, and Lucius revealed his activated Dark Mark as its witness.
• Dumbledore questioned Vaughn about the meeting, and Vaughn showed him a parchment listing the nine attendees.

Vaughn arranged a sudden Wizengamot Inquiry Meeting to challenge Azkaban’s management and security after Fudge excluded Amelia and Rita Skeeter from his prison inspection. He presented records of serious failures at the prison, leaving the assembled members to consider his accusations.

• Sirius woke in his Azkaban cell after dreaming about Arthur and Molly's son, trembling with excitement.
• Fudge rejected Amelia's demand that officials surrender their wands before inspecting Azkaban, and Amelia left with Rita Skeeter.
• Vaughn told Arthur that he had asked Dumbledore to convene a Wizengamot Session, then headed to the Court of Law.
• Dumbledore announced that Vaughn had initiated an Inquiry Meeting, and Vaughn said he would question Azkaban's management and security.
• Vaughn presented his records from a previous visit to Azkaban, and Ogden reacted angrily to their allegations of negligence and loopholes.

Vaughn used records from his inspection of Azkaban to argue before the Wizengamot that Ministry negligence and the Dementors’ lack of control created serious risks. Meanwhile, Sirius escaped the prison and set out to find Peter.

• Ogden and the Wizengamot members read Vaughn’s records documenting lax security and neglected rules at Azkaban.
• A Ministry official challenged Vaughn’s authority and the reliability of his memories, but Vaughn explained that he had conducted a formal inspection as a Wizengamot Member with Dumbledore’s support.
• Vaughn argued that Ministry loopholes and the Dementors’ dependence on prisoners could enable escapes or threaten the mainland, and Crouch proposed examining both issues separately.
• Sirius left Azkaban with a Wand taken from the Ministry delegation and used Mobiliabrus to disappear, vowing that Peter’s death was near.

After Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban during Fudge’s inspection, Scrimgeour accused Amelia Bones of colluding with him, while Vaughn accused Fudge of abusing his authority and neglecting his duties. The Wizengamot hearing against Amelia began with injured witnesses brought from St. Mungo’s through Vaughn’s Dimension Gate.

• Kingsley reported that Sirius Black had escaped Azkaban with the Minister’s Wand and knocked out the Aurors and Ministry delegation, and that Scrimgeour had filed suit against Amelia.
• Vaughn gave Kingsley Potions for the injured and accused Fudge of responsibility for the escape, while Dumbledore postponed that case until the hearing against Amelia was resolved.
• Dumbledore opened the Court of Law to Ministry officials and reporters as the Ministry descended into chaos and Umbridge returned to take charge.
• Scrimgeour accused Amelia of helping Sirius escape, and the Wizengamot arranged for injured witnesses to travel from St. Mungo’s through Vaughn’s Dimension Gate.
• The witnesses entered the Court of Law, and Dumbledore opened Scrimgeour’s hearing against Amelia.

At Amelia’s trial, Scrimgeour accused her of helping Sirius escape, but witnesses and Newt Scamander established that she had spent the afternoon in her office. Scrimgeour realized Vaughn had used his accusations to set up Fudge, and the hearing turned toward the argument that had driven Amelia from Azkaban.

• Scrimgeour accused Amelia of being Sirius’s accomplice and questioned her alibi.
• Amelia called Hopkirk and several Department of Magical Law Enforcement officials, who testified that Amelia had returned to the Ministry and stayed in her office.
• Amelia named Newt Scamander as the person she had interviewed; Newt confirmed their afternoon interview through the fireplace.
• An injured official confirmed that Fudge and Amelia had argued before the inspection delegation left Azkaban, prompting Scrimgeour to realize Vaughn had used him.
• Amelia asked the court to reveal why she and Fudge had argued, and an official said she had demanded that the delegation surrender their wands while Fudge refused.

Vaughn’s Azkaban inquiry and Sirius’s escape left Fudge facing a hearing and a likely political downfall. After the Court of Law emptied, Vaughn revealed to Dumbledore how he had arranged events without prophecy, then prepared to take him to The Burrow for dinner.

• Vaughn renewed his accusation against Fudge and demanded a hearing after the Minister left the hospital, while the Wizengamot considered the political fallout from Sirius’s escape.
• Arthur left the Court of Law, and Travers needed Crouch’s help to stand after the hearing’s political reversals had unnerved him.
• Vaughn enclosed the Court of Law in the Mystic Gate Field and told Dumbledore he had left Persona Armor on Sirius to pass him information and preserve his positive emotions.
• Vaughn explained that he had provoked Fudge by exploiting his concern for appearances, while Amelia’s objection and departure had led Fudge to dismiss the inspection team.
• Dumbledore learned that Vaughn’s inquiry had focused attention on Ministry failures and that Vaughn had coordinated the plan with Amelia.
• Vaughn agreed to take Dumbledore to The Burrow for dinner and summoned a Strange Sphere.

Vaughn and Dumbledore visited the Weasley family, where they shared dinner and discussed the danger posed by Azkaban's Dementors. Vaughn said Amelia would take countermeasures after taking office, but warned that politicians would not recognize the threat until they faced fear themselves.

• Vaughn and Dumbledore arrived at the Burrow, where Hermione and Ginny welcomed Vaughn and Ginny brought Dumbledore sweets.
• Dumbledore learned that Ron had not been invited and realized Arthur had served him green tea taken from the Headmaster's office.
• Ginny asked Vaughn whether he planned to abolish Azkaban's Dementor system, and Vaughn said he and Dumbledore had held an Inquiry Meeting about Azkaban.
• After dinner, Vaughn sent Hermione and Ginny back to Hogwarts, then walked with Dumbledore through Ottery St. Catchpole.
• Dumbledore asked Vaughn how he would resolve the Azkaban issue, and Vaughn said Amelia would take countermeasures after taking office.

Hermione, Harry, and Ron compared conflicting reports about Sirius Black’s escape and concluded that the Daily Prophet was trying to protect Fudge, while Vaughn hosted representatives from major Magic Institutes and demonstrated the Magic Extraction Method. The chapter ended with Cheng Quandao hesitating to speak to Vaughn after the other students had left.

• Ron showed Hermione and Harry a Daily Prophet article blaming Vaughn and Amelia Bones for Sirius Black’s escape, while Harry focused on Sirius’s photograph.
• Neville gave Hermione The Quibbler, whose article described Fudge’s role in Sirius’s escape and reported that Vaughn had brought charges against him.
• Hermione compared the two articles and concluded that the Daily Prophet distorted the facts, while Ron wondered whether Fudge was finished.
• Vaughn demonstrated the Magic Extraction Method to representatives from major Magic Institutes, whose schools had provided information, manuscripts, and other resources in exchange for places studying with him.
• Vaughn told the students he would try to make his lessons easier to understand, then asked Cheng Quandao and Pheobe what they wanted after the others left.
• Cheng Quandao glanced at Pheobe and swallowed the words he had been about to say to Vaughn.

Vaughn received Beauxbatons' support for reviving the Triwizard Tournament and discussed possible Chinese assistance with Cheng Quandao. He examined his system quests, realizing that building ties between Hogwarts and China's Central Alchemy Academy remained unresolved and that Beauxbatons' apparent acceptance had not advanced the Eight-Wizard Tournament quest.

• Pheobe told Vaughn that Beauxbatons would support his and Dumbledore's decision and seek help from its alumni to pressure the Confederation.
• Cheng Quandao offered China's help with pressuring Fudge, but Vaughn said Fudge could not be removed completely yet.
• Vaughn considered the competition among magical schools for places in the proposed worldwide Eight-Wizard Tournament and noted that the Magic Institute had been weakened by its own actions.
• Vaughn checked his System Panel and found that his diplomacy quest involving Hogwarts and China's Central Alchemy Academy was still incomplete.
• Vaughn saw that the Eight-Wizard Tournament quest remained at 0/8 despite Pheobe's statement, leaving him to consider why Beauxbatons' support had not counted.

Vaughn spent Reputation Points to complete the Essence Charm and the Thousand Illusion Spell, then tested his ability to transform at will. He warned Hermione that the spell could cause chaos if released, but hinted that he might reveal it someday, before taking her to Dumbledore's office for a late-night snack.

• Vaughn used 49 Reputation Points to complete the Essence Charm and spent more to complete the Thousand Illusion Spell.
• Vaughn tested the Thousand Illusion Spell by changing into an ant, Cheng Quandao, and a black cat, discovering that transformations could have different magic costs.
• Hermione mistook Vaughn for an unregistered Animagus, then learned about the Thousand Illusion Spell and urged him to keep it secret because it could endanger the Wizarding world.
• Vaughn told Hermione she was the spell's only witness for now, while privately considering that he might make it public later.
• Vaughn and Hermione went to Dumbledore's office for a late-night snack, where Vaughn invited Li Nanyu to join them.