Chapter Summaries

Hermione's parents tried to find out whether she liked a boy, while Hermione avoided their questions by rushing upstairs to read a letter. Her parents recalled how they had mistaken the chocolate she made for a Christmas gift to them, and wondered who it had really been for.

• Hermione's mother asked whether Hermione had made friends at school and liked any boys, but Hermione denied liking anyone.
• Hermione's parents questioned her about homemade chocolate, and Hermione claimed she had thrown it away because it had turned out badly.
• Little Black tapped at the window with a letter, and Hermione grabbed it and hurried upstairs.
• Hermione's parents recalled that she had asked for Christmas gift advice and learned to make chocolate, then secretly prepared a carefully wrapped box.
• Hermione's parents had expected the chocolate to be their gift, but Hermione gave them something else on Christmas morning.
• Hermione's parents realized Hermione might have made the chocolate for someone at school and discussed how to ask her about a boyfriend.

Hermione read Harry’s letter and became suspicious of his mention of Cho Chang. At Malfoy Manor, the Greengrass family arrived to discuss Lucius’s political ambitions, and their daughter Astoria introduced herself to a boy as Nia.

• Hermione locked her bedroom door, read Harry’s letter, and wondered who Cho Chang was.
• The Greengrass parents discussed Lucius’s plan to seek the Minister for Magic position and his wish to ally their families.
• The Greengrass family reached Malfoy Manor, where Astoria ran over to admire a topiary shaped like a steed.
• Astoria greeted the boy who opened the door, curtsied, and introduced herself as Astoria Greengrass, saying he could call her Nia.

Harry visited the Malfoy home for Christmas, where Lucius made Draco accept his greeting and gift despite Draco's resentment and hidden desire for Harry's approval. Later, Harry welcomed a little girl from the Greengrass family and realized she was Astoria.

• Harry arrived at the Malfoy home and wished Draco a merry Christmas, but Draco tried to shut the door on him.
• Lucius intervened, and Draco reluctantly welcomed Harry and accepted his Christmas present before running to his room to vent his anger.
• Draco stomped on the gift and brooded over Harry's opinion of him, unaware that his desire for Harry's approval lay beneath his fear and dislike.
• Lucius had a servant show Harry around the castle, and Harry waited in the entrance hall while enjoying the Malfoys' luxuries.
• Harry answered a knock at the door and welcomed a porcelain-doll-like girl and her two companions, then recognized her Greengrass name and thought of Astoria.

At Lucius Malfoy’s home, Harry introduced himself to Astoria’s parents, who were stunned to meet the famous Boy Who Lived. Astoria eagerly approached Harry, who ruffled her hair and asked what was wrong.

• Astoria’s mother mistook Harry for Draco because of his impeccable manners, despite his black hair.
• Harry introduced himself as Harry Potter, surprising Astoria’s mother and Astoria.
• Astoria’s father recognized Harry and wondered whether Lucius had recruited him, wary of Harry’s reputation and mysterious defeat of Voldemort.
• Astoria hurried over to Harry and examined him with excitement and admiration.
• Harry ruffled Astoria’s hair and asked whether she saw a flower on his face.

Harry met Astoria Greengrass and made her feel comfortable enough to talk freely with him. She shyly asked him to call her Nia and then asked whether she could call him big brother, prompting her father to cough in protest.

• Astoria recognized Harry Potter as the person who defeated Voldemort and told him that she thought he was handsome.
• Astoria told Harry about her sister Daphne and her parents’ disappointment that she was not a boy.
• Harry recognized that Astoria and Daphne’s names came from Greek mythology, and Astoria delighted in his explanation.
• Astoria shared how little freedom she had to speak openly and how happy she was to talk with Harry.
• Astoria asked Harry to call her Nia, then asked if she could call him big brother, and her father finally coughed to interrupt.

Harry comforted Astoria after she thought he had rejected her request to become his little sister, then agreed to be her older brother. Austin and Lucius went upstairs to discuss their business, while Harry and Nia grew closer downstairs.

• Austin confronted Lucius about keeping his guests waiting, and the two men went to a study to discuss business.
• Harry snapped out of an elaborate fantasy about Austin and Lucius and noticed that Astoria was crying.
• Harry asked Astoria why she was upset, and she said she thought he did not like her because he had not called her Nia or agreed to be her older brother.
• Harry called her Nia, reassured her, and agreed to become her older brother.
• Nia smiled, wiped her tears with a handkerchief, and blushed as Harry told her to clean her face.

Harry visited the Malfoy family, where ten-year-old Nia grew attached to him and looked forward to seeing him again at Hogwarts. After Harry left, Nia met Draco Malfoy and treated him coldly because she considered Harry her brother.

• Harry learned that Nia was ten and reassured her that they could see each other at Hogwarts, even though she would be a first-year and he would be a second-year.
• Harry said goodbye to Nia and left the Malfoy home during a blizzard; Nia kissed his cheek before running inside.
• As Harry walked through the snow, he wondered why he had come to like another girl.
• Nia became eager to attend Hogwarts so she could see Harry again.
• Draco Malfoy asked Nia whether she had met Harry, and she told him Harry had left, then coldly refused to treat Draco as a brother.

Harry rode the Knight Bus to Hogwarts and endured its deafening noise before reaching the snowbound castle. He warmed himself in the Gryffindor Common Room, where a sixth-year student noticed Harry had cast a Silencing Charm without an incantation.

• Harry boarded the Knight Bus and asked the conductor to take him to Hogwarts.
• Harry endured the bus's constant, explosive door noises and decided he would never ride it again.
• Harry arrived at Hogwarts and trudged through the snow toward the castle.
• Harry entered the Gryffindor Common Room, warmed himself by the fire, and used magic to summon a quilt and gather Light Element.
• A sixth-year student recognized that Harry had cast a Silencing Charm without an incantation and stared at him in awe.

After falling into the freezing lake, Harry warmed himself by the fire and recovered before heading to the Christmas feast. Peeves watched the students celebrate and, resentful of their happiness, prepared to dump a trash can on a passing student.

• Harry sat by the fire, moaning with contentment as he warmed himself, while the other students listened and blushed.
• Harry went upstairs, bathed, changed clothes, ate Hermione's chocolate, and headed for the Great Hall.
• Harry saw students and ghosts moving through Hogwarts in high spirits for Christmas.
• Peeves watched the students' Christmas feast with envy and wished he could spoil their happiness.
• Peeves frightened younger students and then lifted a metal trash can behind a popular student, preparing to tip it over.

Harry spent Christmas at Hogwarts with Cho after killing Peeves when he threatened her, then fell ill with a fever during the night. The chapter left Harry unconscious as the first part of the story approached its end.

• Harry killed Peeves with a burst of light as Peeves prepared to dump rubbish on Cho Chang.
• Harry told Cho about gaining a little sister, Nia, and they went together to the Christmas banquet.
• Harry and Cho enjoyed the festive decorations and food, and Harry wished her a happy Year of the Monkey.
• Harry dismissed Cho's concern after he sneezed during the banquet, then said good night to her.
• Harry shivered beneath his blankets overnight, struggled to breathe, and lost consciousness with a fever.

Harry slowly regained consciousness in the infirmary but remained disoriented and in pain. Hermione stayed beside his bed as he fell asleep again.

• Harry woke in darkness and called out Hermione's name, causing the person holding his arm to let go.
• Harry complained that his eyes were burning, and the shadow covered them with snow to cool them.
• A plump figure scolded the shadow, examined Harry's eyes, and Harry drifted back to sleep.
• Harry was given bitter medicine while several people visited, then slept as Hermione rested beside his bed.

Harry woke in the school hospital after a life-threatening fever and spoke with Cho Chang, who blamed herself for not bringing him in sooner. After Cho left, Harry discovered his mental strength had doubled, then fell asleep.

• Harry woke in the school hospital and learned from Cho Chang that Madam Pomfrey had treated his severe fever.
• Cho Chang explained that she had found Hagrid carrying Harry to the hospital and blamed herself for not insisting he seek help the day before.
• Cho Chang left after Harry asked if she would visit the next day, and she promised she would come.
• Harry realized his mental strength had doubled and that it had sharpened his vision.
• Harry peacefully fell asleep.

Harry spent another day in the hospital wing, enduring bitter medicine and Cho Chang's distant, courteous company. He realized Cho had returned to her old self and believed their relationship could not go back to how it had been, leaving him feeling heartbroken.

• Harry ate breakfast in the hospital wing and drank a bitter potion Madam Pomfrey gave him.
• Harry asked when he could leave, and Madam Pomfrey told him to stay for three days and drink three bowls of potion each day.
• Cho Chang visited and read quietly while Harry asked her to play Wizard's Chess, but she declined.
• After watching Cho visit throughout the day, Harry realized she treated him as she treated other students and had returned to her former distant nature.
• Harry concluded that it would be difficult for them to return to how they had been and felt that he had been dumped.

Harry ended his relationship with Cho Chang while recovering in the hospital wing, then left with Hagrid and made a magical snow sculpture resembling her. That night, Cho found the snowman, destroyed it, and returned to the book she had been unable to read.

• Harry told Cho Chang not to visit him anymore, and later told Madam Pomfrey that their relationship was over.
• Harry spent the next morning outside in the snow before Hagrid came to take him from the hospital wing.
• Harry thanked Madam Pomfrey, then transformed snow into an ice sculpture resembling Cho Chang and left with Hagrid.
• That night, Cho came to the hospital wing after Harry had left and found the snow sculpture.
• Cho destroyed the sculpture with her wand and returned to her dormitory to open History of Medieval Wizards.

Harry wrestled with his feelings for Hermione and sent her a letter suggesting they reconsider their relationship when they were older. After returning to Hogwarts routines, he found Cho Chang had cared for the greenhouse while he was ill, then struggled to focus on potions before Hermione arrived in tears.

• Harry wrote Hermione a letter saying she was too young to judge her feelings and proposing they start over in a few years, then sent it with Little Black.
• Harry rushed to the herb greenhouse and learned Cho Chang had tended the stoves every night while he was sick.
• Harry made mistakes while brewing a Whispering Potion, destroyed the potion, and decided he did not want to keep specializing in Potions.
• Harry returned equipment to the underground classroom and later went to open the Gryffindor common room door.
• Hermione crawled through the doorway with reddened eyes, leaving Harry at a loss for words.

Hermione came to Hogwarts after receiving Harry’s letter and learned that he liked Cho Chang. After Hermione claimed to be Harry’s girlfriend in front of Cho, Harry took her home, but Hermione remained reluctant to let go of his hand.

• Hermione arrived at Hogwarts, bit Harry in anger, and asked whether he liked Cho Chang.
• Harry admitted that he liked Cho, and Hermione ran away crying.
• Hermione secretly watched Cho in the library until Harry found her and said he had come to see her.
• Hermione introduced herself to Cho as Harry’s girlfriend, and Harry confirmed the claim before Cho left.
• Harry took Hermione home, and she held his hand throughout the journey back.

Harry learned from Snape that the Philosopher's Stone could indefinitely delay aging and began studying the potion made with it. After discovering that a Unicorn had been killed and another injured, Harry asked Hagrid to take him into the Forbidden Forest, but Hagrid warned him about the danger.

• Harry asked Snape how the Philosopher's Stone granted immortality, and Snape explained that it could delay aging through an ancient magical potion.
• Harry persuaded Snape to teach him how to make the potion, then spent more than ten days studying its complicated steps in Snape's dungeon.
• Harry visited Hagrid to investigate whether the Three-Headed Dog fell asleep to music, but found Hagrid preparing to go out.
• Hagrid told Harry that a Unicorn had been killed and another badly injured in the Forbidden Forest.
• Harry asked to accompany Hagrid and claimed he could master sixth-year magic, but Hagrid objected that the forest was too dangerous for an elementary schooler.

Harry accompanied Hagrid into the Forbidden Forest to find an injured unicorn, where they discovered a dark figure drinking its blood. Harry struck the figure with an armor-piercing curse, and the wounded intruder fled.

• Harry persuaded Hagrid to let him enter the Forbidden Forest, and Hagrid warned him to stay close.
• Harry and Hagrid followed giant wolf tracks and discovered unicorn blood in the snow.
• Hagrid followed the blood trail until he and Harry found an injured unicorn beneath a tree and a dark figure drinking its blood.
• Harry felt his scar burn and cast what sounded like the Killing Curse at the dark figure.
• The figure raised an Armor Charm, but Harry's armor-piercing curse sent him flying and badly injured him.
• The weakened figure fled, unable to risk staying in the forest.

Harry saved the wounded unicorn after a Centaur revealed its wound carried a curse that ordinary magic could not remove. He told the Centaur that Voldemort was seeking immortality and something hidden at Hogwarts, then left the Forbidden Forest with Hagrid.

• Quirrell fled when Harry pretended to use the Killing Curse, and Hagrid chased after him.
• Harry tried healing the unicorn, but his spells failed to close its cursed wound.
• A Centaur arrived and explained that a curse prevented magic from healing the unicorn, prompting Harry to use the Light Element and restore the wound.
• The Centaur carried the recovering unicorn back to its herd and questioned Harry about unicorn blood and Voldemort’s plans.
• Hagrid returned without catching Quirrell, learned that Firenze had taken the unicorn, and left the Forbidden Forest with Harry.

Harry found a Unicorn among the Hogwarts students, but it left Cho Chang and followed him. He named the Unicorn Little Snow and wondered how its beauty might affect his future travels.

• Harry searched Hogwarts books for clues to the Room of Requirement and found several hints about hidden doors and secret passages.
• Harry saw students gathered around a Unicorn, which walked toward him before approaching Cho Chang.
• Harry became upset when the Unicorn chose to nuzzle Cho Chang, so he turned and walked away.
• The Unicorn left Cho Chang and followed Harry, glancing back at her reluctantly.
• Harry inspected the Unicorn, learned it was female, and named it Little Snow.