Chapter Summaries

Luke provoked Voldemort into attacking him, then fought him and the Death Eaters in the tavern. As their duel continued, Luke realized Voldemort had fewer options than he had expected and gained confidence in his advantage.

• Luke asked Gemma about the preparations in the valley and said it was time for him to take the stage.
• Rumors about the Elder Wand spread through the British Wizarding World, drawing the attention of Wizards who hoped to wield it.
• Luke told Voldemort that he had uncovered how one of Voldemort’s Soul Fragments hired Doris to attack Hogwarts with dangerous Magical Creatures.
• Voldemort attacked Luke with the Killing Curse, and Luke dodged while provoking his anger.
• Death Eaters joined the fight, but Luke’s exploding Magic Shield blasted many of them away.
• Voldemort unleashed Fiendfyre, and Luke countered with ghostly blue flames as he recognized Voldemort’s limited options in the duel.

Luke confronted Voldemort while Gemma and Taylor faced the Death Eaters, each seeking revenge for past suffering. Gemma weakened Randolph with her words, while Taylor transformed two Three-Headed Dogs into formidable opponents for Bellatrix.

• Voldemort accused Luke of taking what he had, but Luke argued that he surpassed Voldemort in every way and that Voldemort's followers had turned away from him.
• Gemma and Taylor arrived from the tavern fireplace, and Luke assigned Gemma to fight Randolph and Taylor to fight Bellatrix.
• Gemma reminded Randolph that he had chosen to become a Death Eater and blamed him for benefiting from the group responsible for her parents' deaths, undermining his resolve.
• Bellatrix attacked Taylor with the Killing Curse, but Taylor dodged it and used potions to summon and enlarge two Three-Headed Dogs.
• Taylor's potions gave the Three-Headed Dogs Fire Dragon-like scales and leaner, more agile bodies, leaving Bellatrix wary of facing them.

Taylor used experimental biological magic to defeat Bellatrix, while Luke fought Voldemort and killed or helped him kill the Death Eaters. Voldemort transformed himself with altered creature bloodlines, and Luke prepared to answer with the same move.

• Taylor summoned two giant dogs, used healing magic and pollen-covered vines to weaken Bellatrix, and left her unable to withstand the dogs’ next attack.
• Luke killed Death Eaters while mocking Voldemort for trying to interfere in Taylor and Bellatrix’s duel.
• Voldemort attacked Luke with a giant Fire Snake, but Luke trapped him in a Water Prison and badly wounded him.
• Voldemort stabbed his own heart with his wand and transformed through Bloodline Transformation, combining multiple Magical Creature bloodlines.
• Gemma and Taylor worried about Luke as he sensed another surge of magic and said he could use the same move.

Luke Gaunt defeated Voldemort after exposing the costs of Voldemort’s altered Snake Transformation and overpowering his attacks. Voldemort tried to self-destruct rather than face judgment, but Luke suppressed his magic and kept him alive as a prisoner.

• Luke transformed with his own Snake Transformation and explained that Voldemort’s modified spell had awakened unruly bloodlines and eroded his sanity.
• Voldemort attacked Luke with conjured snakes and an enormous Killing Curse, but Luke turned the curse into Fiendfyre and forced Voldemort to flee its flames.
• Luke rejected Voldemort’s claims of unfairness, argued that Voldemort had denied others a fair chance, and demanded that he surrender for judgment by Dumbledore.
• Luke struck Voldemort down and took his wand as Voldemort’s transformation collapsed and his magic ran out.
• Voldemort tried to destroy himself, but Luke stopped him from using magic and declared that his life belonged to Luke; Voldemort called them alike, and Luke said he had won.

Jonah Rohan and his family learned that Luke Gaunt had captured Voldemort alive, and the news brought the wizarding public joy and Jonah long-suppressed grief. Luke then urged Dumbledore to support his next political steps, and Dumbledore agreed to stand with him for now.

• Jonah prepared breakfast for Charlotte while waiting for the newspaper, then froze when he read that Luke Gaunt had captured Voldemort alive.
• Charlotte showed Martha the headline, and the family began to believe the report as neighbors celebrated outside.
• Jonah broke down in tears as Martha comforted him, and she said Luke had saved them and many others.
• Luke told Dumbledore he had captured Voldemort and eliminated the group Dumbledore feared, then asked him to help carry out the plan.
• Luke said Crouch would formulate new policies and asked Dumbledore to stand with him, and Dumbledore agreed for now.

Lucius, Arthur Weasley, and Barty Crouch prepared to help Luke reshape the British Wizarding World, while Luke ordered Delilo Happy to intensify the campaign against the Followers. Luke then learned Phoenix and Angell were trapped while investigating the Eternal Life Method and prepared a rescue, believing Grindelwald’s restored youth had not extended his lifespan.

• Lucius, Arthur Weasley, and Barty Crouch discussed how defections had weakened Voldemort and agreed to work on Luke’s strategy.
• Luke ordered Delilo Happy to pressure Trippcard, show no mercy, and contact Alice if Grindelwald became a direct threat.
• Delilo admitted he was struggling to handle the Followers, but Luke urged him to continue leading the campaign.
• Luke told Taylor that Phoenix and Angell had found their target but were trapped, and their note asked to be rescued.
• Luke explained that he had kept the operation small to prevent others from being tempted by eternal life, and said Grindelwald’s regained youth had not extended his lifespan.

Phoenix and Angell were trapped in a river valley by a powerful artificial snake and hoped Luke would rescue them. Luke arrived with Taylor, blasted the snake aside, and reached the two stranded men.

• Phoenix and Angell discussed their dwindling food and their uncertainty that Luke would come to save them.
• Angell suspected the snake was an artificially created Magical Creature combining traits from several known creatures.
• Luke and Taylor confronted the snake, and Luke used Parseltongue to demand that it take him to its master.
• The snake refused and charged Luke, while Phoenix and Angell rushed to help after recognizing him.
• Luke blasted the snake backward, then asked Phoenix and Angell whether they were all right.

Luke brought Phoenix and Angell with him as they followed the trail toward Slytherin, while Slytherin sensed their arrival and reflected on Luke’s bloodline and his old experiment. The group reached a settlement near Slytherin’s home, and he welcomed them with a smile.

• Phoenix and Angell agreed to follow Luke, who wanted their help in case confronting Slytherin turned dangerous.
• Luke led the group deeper into the river valley, where they spotted cooking smoke and a settlement.
• Angell suggested the settlement could help Slytherin blend in, while Luke worried that Slytherin might have descendants from his years without his memories.
• Slytherin sensed Luke’s bloodline and Gryffindor’s talent, recalling that he had created a descendant through Bloodline Fusion and expected a successful child in this generation.
• Slytherin recognized the approaching group, wondered whether Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw were still alive, and waved at Luke with a gentle smile.

Luke introduced Angell and Phoenix to Salazar Slytherin, his ancient ancestor, and learned that Slytherin had finally made progress on his Eternal Life Method. Slytherin chose not to reunite with the other Founders and planned to live one ordinary lifetime before accepting death.

• Luke told Angell and Phoenix that the powerful Wizard greeting them was Salazar Slytherin, one of Hogwarts' Four Founders and Luke's ancestor.
• Luke recalled meeting Slytherin before and warned Angell, Phoenix, and Taylor to listen and observe rather than speak, since he did not know whether Slytherin was a friend or enemy.
• Slytherin explained that Luke's ideas had helped him break through in his research, though he remained dissatisfied with the clumsy method that brought him results.
• Luke told Slytherin that Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were alive and unchanged, and invited him to see them at Hogwarts.
• Slytherin refused to reunite with the other Founders, saying eternal life had brought him grief and that he intended to let his body age and die; Luke accepted his decision.

Luke met Slytherin to receive the Eternal Life Method, agreeing to deliver Slytherin’s message to the other founders. Dragon appeared and revealed his intention to seize the research, leaving Luke and his allies facing a dangerous former friend.

• Luke told Slytherin he wanted to keep the Eternal Life Method out of others’ hands, and Slytherin agreed to give it to him in exchange for a message.
• Slytherin asked Luke to tell the other founders that he had succeeded but was tired, and to tell him to focus on himself.
• Slytherin and Luke sensed Dragon hiding nearby, and Phoenix and Angell warned them that Dragon was powerful and had once appeared as a Water Man.
• Luke told Phoenix and Angell to protect Taylor while he and Slytherin prepared to face Dragon.
• Dragon formed a body from water and said he wanted Slytherin’s Eternal Life Method to rebuild his forces.
• Phoenix told Dragon that he had betrayed him because Dragon was human, and betraying a friend was easier than betraying a Deity or leader.

Luke and Slytherin fought Dragon, whose vast magical power and lack of human emotions made him a dangerous opponent. After Luke helped turn the battle and Slytherin's giant snake reached its full form, Dragon escaped into the river, promising they would meet again.

• Dragon explained that he imitated human emotions but felt happiness when deceiving and distressing people, while Luke noticed his gray Emotion Dust.
• Slytherin warned Luke that Dragon was stronger than him in his current body, and Luke prepared to support him as Dragon attacked with torrents of water.
• Slytherin summoned and empowered a giant snake, which became the main force against Dragon while Luke and the others fought around them.
• As Slytherin's giant snake neared collapse, Dragon attacked him while he prepared a second one, but Luke's fireballs deflected the water arrows and injured Dragon.
• Slytherin's second giant snake reached its full form, and Dragon escaped by merging into a water bubble that fell into the river.

After Dragon escaped, Luke and Slytherin discussed the mysterious creature, the Deity, and the failed attempt to resurrect Medusa, while Angell suggested Dragon might be the Fountain of Youth. Slytherin gave Luke a potion and a copy of his notes, then asked for help entering the Muggle world, where he planned to grow old.

• Luke’s companions reacted to his concealed strength, and Luke asked Slytherin about Dragon and the person who was interested in him.
• Slytherin explained that the Deity’s realm was not truly forbidden, but that resurrecting the dead crossed a boundary the Deity guarded; he warned Luke to stay cautious around Dragon.
• Angell proposed that Dragon might be the Fountain of Youth itself, based on a similar sensation he had encountered before.
• Slytherin gave Luke a finished potion and a copy of his notes, then asked him for an identity and money so he could travel through the Muggle world.
• Slytherin said he had changed his views on Muggles and believed their science, combined with magic, could produce new miracles.

Luke, Angell, Phoenix, and Taylor left Slytherin’s village and looked ahead to the next stage of their plans. Meanwhile, the Followers held out behind the Dain Family’s Magic Shield as their besiegers struggled to break through, and Grindelwald ordered his people to keep holding on.

• Luke told Angell that leaving Slytherin undisturbed was the greatest form of respect, and Phoenix predicted they would meet another powerful Wizard with close ties to them.
• Grimo’s Wizards failed to damage the Dain Family’s Magic Shield, while Leon and Derrick discussed the lack of manpower needed to break through.
• Benjamin explained that the Followers were attacking administrative agencies across several countries and that the Wizarding Congress’s disputes prevented more Aurors from being sent to the siege.
• Derrick and Grimo acknowledged that the Followers and the Dain Family’s defenses were holding back a force comparable to an entire Ministry of Magic.
• Orson warned Grindelwald that his people needed more supplies and suspected Bater Envy was helping weaken the forces around him, but Grindelwald told him to hold on and trust him.

Luke planned to wear down Grindelwald’s Followers until Grindelwald had to reveal his strength, while Taylor worried about Bater Envy’s schemes. As the Followers neared exhaustion, Grindelwald decided to act personally to protect them.

• Leon asked Derrick whether Luke was waiting for Grindelwald to leave the castle, and Derrick silently judged that Leon had taken too long to understand the plan.
• Luke explained to Taylor that he intended to pressure the Followers into forcing Grindelwald to reveal his trump card, and he rejected compromising with or immediately eliminating Bater Envy.
• Luke told Taylor that Bater Envy could not break the deadlock and urged her not to overextend herself, though she remained determined to keep watching him.
• Orson warned Grindelwald that the Followers would soon lose their ability to fight and vowed to protect him at any cost.
• Grindelwald reassured Orson that he would protect the Followers, then decided to make a move himself and walked toward the door.

Benjamin and the other Aurors debated whether to maintain their cautious pressure on the Followers or risk a renewed sneak attack. McGee convinced them that the attack was needed to test Grindelwald’s strength, and they left to prepare an operation that could bring them face-to-face with death.

• Benjamin argued against another sneak attack, warning McGee that Derrick’s earlier raid had made the Followers more vigilant and that losses could shift the balance against the Aurors.
• Benjamin offered to give McGee credit for a cautious victory, while Grimo and Hector struggled with whether to accept the safer plan.
• McGee said he did not need their earned credit and explained that the Wizarding Congress wanted a more proactive show of force to restore its prestige.
• McGee revealed that Congress leaders feared Grindelwald more than the Followers and would not risk sending more people until someone tested Grindelwald’s strength.
• McGee urged the Aurors to launch a surprise attack to gather intelligence, and Benjamin, Grimo, and Hector left to prepare.

McGee sent Benjamin, Grimo, and Hector to probe Grindelwald despite the danger, while weighing whether to recruit the responsible Aurors into his circle. Benjamin and Grimo chose to lead the raid, Hector stayed back to support them, and the chapter ended as their twelve-person team moved out with intelligence from Leon and Derrick.

• McGee explained that the mission’s sacrifices could strengthen the Wizarding Congress’s standing, and he hoped to bring Benjamin, Grimo, and Hector into his circle.
• Benjamin ordered the Aurors to gather information from Leon and Derrick, then volunteered to lead the operation; Grimo joined him while Hector chose to remain outside and provide support.
• Leon and Derrick discussed what intelligence to share and agreed to exchange their information with Benjamin’s team for the results of the raid.
• Derrick gave Benjamin notes and diagrams about Grindelwald and the Followers, and encouraged the team to believe some of them could escape.
• Benjamin assembled twelve Aurors, including seven volunteers and three Champions selected by lot, and ordered them to move out.

Benjamin and Grimo led a small Auror team through Grindelwald’s defensive array to investigate his strength, while other Aurors infiltrated the castle to attack Followers and locate the array’s controls. As the four-person team approached Grindelwald’s location, Grimo sensed that events had taken an unexpected turn.

• Luke and Taylor concluded that Grindelwald’s strength might require Luke or Dumbledore to intervene.
• Benjamin used a sphere to force his team through the defensive array, suffering severe physical damage, and handed the damaged sphere to Grimo for the return journey.
• Grimo split the Aurors into small groups to investigate Grindelwald, attack the Followers, and search for the defensive array’s control area.
• Derrick explained to Leon that the Aurors’ divided plan likely reflected a compromise and could help more of them survive while gathering information.
• Grindelwald learned that intruders had entered the castle, warned Orson against a direct confrontation, and went to deal with them himself.
• Grimo, Benjamin, and two Aurors headed toward Grindelwald’s last known location, where Grimo stopped and said the situation had exceeded their expectations.

Grindelwald overwhelmed the Aurors sent against him, then discovered a raven combining Wizard Alchemy and Muggle technology. Recognizing that its creators envisioned a future opposed to his own, he accepted that their conflict was inevitable.

• Grindelwald defeated the intruding Aurors, killing Benjamin, Luan Morales, and Joey Karlov with Fiendfyre while Grimo escaped.
• Grindelwald ordered his Followers to gather the Aurors’ remains and show respect for their courage.
• Leon and Derrick watched Grindelwald through a raven’s image feed, but Grindelwald found the raven and destroyed it, cutting off their connection.
• Leon told Derrick the raven had cost around fifteen thousand Golden Galleons and worried that its technology could expose their research; they went to report the loss to Luke.
• Grindelwald examined the fallen raven, recognized its combination of Wizard Alchemy and Muggle technology, and concluded that its creators’ vision of coexistence opposed his own.

Luke learned that Grindelwald had captured a Mechanical Crow and might be stronger than before, so he and Taylor planned to send Troll troops to probe him and deter scheming families. Grindelwald slaughtered the Aurors who had broken in, leaving his Followers in awe as he wondered whether any of them could inherit his ideals.

• Luke told Hermione and Taylor that Grindelwald might have grown stronger and had captured one of their Mechanical Crows.
• Hermione argued that the Mechanical Crow would be difficult for the anti-Muggle Followers to imitate and could divide their ranks.
• Taylor urged Luke to prioritize discovering Grindelwald's strength, and Luke said he had a costly trump card if necessary.
• Taylor proposed sending the Troll legion from the Serpent's Eye Institute to probe Grindelwald and show the families their strength, and Luke agreed.
• Grindelwald turned the invading Aurors into ashes, intensifying his Followers' respect and fear.
• Grindelwald considered whether any of his Followers could inherit his ideals, knowing he did not have much time left.

After Grimo and Benjamin died in the castle, Hector quit the Aurors and left the camp, leaving McGee to face the angry survivors. Derrick and Leon prepared to guide arriving forces, then discovered the newcomers were trolls in black Iron Armor.

• Hector rejected McGee’s demand that he stay, resigned as an Auror, and promised to care for Grimo and Benjamin’s families.
• Hector told the gathered Aurors he had quit, and they erupted in anger at McGee before Hector left the camp.
• Derrick and Leon observed the camp’s collapse and discussed Hector’s resignation and the coming operation.
• Leon told Derrick that reinforcements would arrive at eleven and that the remaining Mechanical Crows had been cleared for expendable use.
• Derrick and Leon reached their rendezvous point and saw a group of armored trolls approaching.