Ch. 1741My Own Weapon, My Own Rules

Wizet and Dumbledore realized that North American Muggle leaders hoped to exploit the wizard-goblin conflict and use goblin forging as leverage. Wizet proposed offering Muggles a safer magical forging method under a Magical Contract, shifting control of the arrangement to wizards.

  • Dumbledore explained that North American Muggle leaders expected to profit by entering the conflict after wizards and goblins had weakened each other.
  • Wizet concluded that the Muggles were treating the goblins as a disposable weapon and that wizards should avoid following their plan.
  • Wizet proposed giving Muggles a sense of security and control through a safer alternative, while letting wizards set the rules.
  • Wizet offered to provide his Magical Forging technique in exchange for a Magical Contract.
  • Dumbledore recognized that Muggles had previously accepted Magical Contracts and said the safer solution could make goblin forging unnecessary, even if some Muggle leaders opposed it.

Ch. 1742We'll have to trouble Mr. Tom Riddle

Wizet and Dumbledore planned to exploit Voldemort’s search for Hufflepuff’s Cup to create a crisis at Gringotts, while using Limbo and the Eye of Heaven’s surveillance to mislead Calchas. Dumbledore left Limbo planning to visit Gringotts and retrieve the cup, while Wizet agreed to help him and considered inviting Snape to Limbo.

  • Wizet decided that a Magical Contract could establish rules and prevent future conflict from disrupting his life.
  • Wizet and Dumbledore reasoned that Voldemort would have to go to Gringotts to find Hufflepuff’s Cup, and planned to use his actions to create a lapse that could undermine goblin trust.
  • Dumbledore proposed bringing selected people to Limbo so Calchas would infer false weaknesses from what the Eye of Heaven observed, and Wizet asked to invite Professor Snape.
  • Dumbledore warned that Snape might refuse Wizet’s invitation, then left Limbo and thanked Wizet for his help.
  • Dumbledore said he would go to Gringotts to press the goblins to return Hufflepuff’s Cup to Hogwarts.

Ch. 1743What Else Could He Say?

Voldemort learned that Dumbledore was pursuing Hufflepuff’s Cup and secretly planned to retrieve it from Gringotts before Dumbledore could. He kept his true intentions hidden from Herpo while Herpo continued making preparations at Durmstrang.

  • Voldemort questioned Calchas about his account of Dumbledore’s words, then killed him with the Cruciatus Curse.
  • Herpo used magic to select a student and began tracing a magic circle around them as a replacement body for Calchas.
  • Voldemort concluded that Dumbledore knew about his Horcruxes and planned to negotiate with Gringotts for Hufflepuff’s Cup.
  • Voldemort decided to travel to England that night and use the Imperius Curse on goblins to recover the Cup before Dumbledore could obtain it.
  • Voldemort challenged Herpo about continuing to monitor Dumbledore, while Herpo defended his confidence in the goblins’ forging skills.

Ch. 1744Satisfy Your Curiosity!

Voldemort ordered Herpo to use Calchas and the Eye of Heaven to monitor Wizet, while the possession took longer than expected because the student’s body was unsuitable. The surveillance confirmed Wizet was in Snape’s office, and Voldemort turned his attention to Dumbledore’s negotiations with the goblins.

  • Herpo told Voldemort that influential Muggles had begun contacting the goblins, so Voldemort changed his plans and ordered Calchas to monitor Wizet instead of Dumbledore.
  • Voldemort expected Wizet to spend the afternoon learning potion-making in Severus’s office, while Herpo and the black mist agreed to watch him.
  • Voldemort noticed that Barty Crouch Jr. had grown unusually quiet and considered, then dismissed, the idea of helping him recover from the potion’s effects.
  • Herpo explained that Calchas’s possession was taking longer because the student’s body was unsuitable, and Voldemort pressed him to finish before the private lesson began.
  • Calchas completed the possession and aimed the Eye of Heaven at Snape’s office, confirming that Wizet was there; Voldemort ordered Herpo to keep watching.
  • Voldemort looked toward the window and hoped Dumbledore’s negotiations with the goblins would not succeed too quickly.

Ch. 1745The Ever-Present Fred and George

Hogwarts students developed different ways to practice the Disarming Charm, while Fred and George profited by selling advice for their fake Courage Badge challenge. Their scheme brought repeated detentions from Snape, but they turned those into chances to observe Wizet’s private lessons and devise more advice.

  • Students from each Hogwarts house adopted their own methods for practicing the Disarming Charm, while Gryffindors embraced the challenge of facing Snape.
  • Fred and George buried real prank Courage Badges near the Forbidden Forest and sold younger students advice on facing Snape.
  • The challenge caused Gryffindor’s house points to plummet, and Snape punished participating students with point deductions and detentions.
  • Fred and George repeatedly joined Wizet’s private lessons as part of their detentions and used what they observed to improve their advice.
  • When Fred and George greeted Wizet at Snape’s office and asked what he would learn, Snape cast Muffliato on them.

Ch. 1746Of Course, There's No One I Want to See!

Wizet told Snape about Limbo, a place where people could see the dead person they most wanted to see. Snape denied wanting to enter, but after Wizet left, he remained alone in the dark, reaching for a remembered smile before stopping himself.

  • Fred and George teased Snape during detention and were assigned another detention for the next day.
  • Wizet told Snape that Limbo let people see deceased loved ones in their consciousness.
  • Snape reacted strongly to the possibility and briefly imagined a smiling woman with green eyes and red hair.
  • Snape condemned Limbo as a false projection that desecrated the dead and warned Wizet against seeking comfort from it.
  • Snape dismissed Wizet, then stayed alone in the dark and reached toward the woman's remembered face before clenching his fist.

Ch. 1747Tormented by the Potion

Calchas abandoned watching Wizet’s Potions lesson and used the Eye of Heaven to locate Dumbledore at the Ministry of Magic. Barty Crouch Jr. showed signs of strange behavior, and Herpo asked Voldemort what he thought of Severus Snape’s performance at Hogwarts.

  • Calchas agreed with Voldemort that monitoring Dumbledore would be more useful than watching Wizet and Snape make Potions.
  • Voldemort asked Calchas to locate Dumbledore, and Barty Crouch Jr. urged him to search the Ministry of Magic after Gringotts.
  • Calchas found Dumbledore in the Minister’s Office with Amelia Bones, then reported that Dumbledore had left.
  • Barty Crouch Jr. wondered why his father, Barty Crouch Sr., had not become Minister for Magic, then rejected the thought and blamed himself for his father’s decline.
  • Voldemort interpreted Barty Crouch Jr.’s behavior as an effect of the potion and considered finding another servant if he could no longer rely on him.
  • Herpo asked Voldemort what he thought of Severus Snape’s performance at Hogwarts.

Ch. 1748The Temptation Just Wasn't Big Enough

Voldemort punished Herpo for probing into Snape’s past, then praised Snape for refusing Wizet’s offer of Limbo. Herpo suggested the temptation may simply have been too weak, while Voldemort insisted that Snape needed only to obey.

  • Voldemort remembered how Snape’s plea for Lily Potter had led to his downfall and struck Herpo with the Cruciatus Curse.
  • Herpo collapsed and screamed as Calchas stayed alert and Barty Crouch Jr. felt sorrow over his own past actions.
  • Voldemort warned Herpo that only he could judge his servants and forbade him from prying into their pasts.
  • Herpo apologized, and Voldemort explained that Snape had overcome his former weakness by refusing Wizet and Limbo.
  • Herpo suggested that Limbo might not have tempted Snape enough, while Voldemort replied that Snape needed no temptation and only had to obey.

Ch. 1749The Real Reward

Herpo proposed enticing Severus with the promise of a tangible reward to secure his loyalty in banishing the Guardian. Voldemort agreed to use Circe to imitate the dead Mudblood Severus once loved, and they planned to move quickly.

  • Herpo argued that Severus distrusted Limbo because past failures had taught him that the dead could not return, so Voldemort should offer him a concrete reward.
  • Herpo suggested promising Severus a real dead person he could control, and Voldemort considered the idea.
  • Herpo explained that the promise itself could bind Severus even if he could not yet prove the reward was possible.
  • Herpo offered to introduce Circe, and Barty Crouch Jr. described her abilities in Transfiguration, Potions, and Herbology.
  • Voldemort revealed that Severus had once loved a Mudblood skilled in Potions, and Herpo proposed having Circe imitate her using Severus's memories.
  • Voldemort approved the plan and urged them to hurry.

Ch. 1750The Greedy Hand of the Goblin

Wizet created magical contracts that let people safely enter Limbo without him and handed them to Dumbledore. After nearly a week of quiet, Hogwarts students reacted to a Daily Prophet story claiming the Lestrange family vault had been robbed at Gringotts.

  • Wizet combined goblin contracts with his research into life magic, soul connections, and blood magic to create parchment anchors for safe Limbo travel.
  • Wizet gave the stack of magical parchment to Dumbledore and returned to his everyday life.
  • As Easter approached, Hogwarts students worried over the revision homework assigned for their O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. examinations.
  • Anthony Goldstein read the Daily Prophet headline accusing Gringotts of betraying its customers and reporting that the Lestrange family vault had been emptied.
  • Michael Corner, Terry Boot, and Chris Moen gathered around as Anthony read the article aloud.

Ch. 1751Who Will Be Next?

Anthony, Chris, Terry, and Michael discussed Rita Skeeter’s report accusing Gringotts goblins of stealing from vaults and hinting at a possible new Goblin Rebellion. They feared the story would prompt wizarding families and other magical governments to distrust Gringotts, and students began hurrying out to protect their money.

  • Anthony read Rita Skeeter’s report claiming goblin employees had stolen from wizarding vaults and that Gringotts managers had met suspicious Muggle clients.
  • Michael asked whether the theft could mean another Goblin Rebellion, and Anthony warned that the situation might be worse than past rebellions.
  • Chris explained that the Ministry and the goblins had offered evasive responses, then read the article’s warning that the Lestrange Vault might only be the first target.
  • Terry pointed out that anxious students were already leaving the Great Hall, many of them Slytherins heading to Gringotts.
  • Anthony argued that Skeeter had encouraged readers to connect goblins with Muggles and predicted that officials in other magical worlds would also lose trust in Gringotts.

Ch. 1752Xenophilius's Foresight

Anthony, Terry, Michael, and Chris worried that the Gringotts crisis could leave wizarding money worthless, then realized Wizet might know how events would unfold. Wizet read Xenophilius Lovegood’s confident predictions in The Quibbler and wondered whether Xenophilius and Luna possessed an undiscovered talent for foresight.

  • Chris Moen pointed out that Gold Galleons and Silver Sickles were meant to resist magical counterfeiting, leaving the group unsure what they could spend if the crisis continued.
  • Terry Boot connected the Gringotts situation to the reported theft at Inktact and speculated that the two events might develop in similar ways.
  • Terry suggested asking Wizet what would happen next, and Anthony recalled that Wizet had previously revealed the Disarming Charm before it appeared in the newspaper.
  • Wizet lowered The Quibbler and saw that Xenophilius Lovegood had written an article predicting the Ministry would use the Gringotts incident to eliminate the goblin threat.
  • Wizet admired Xenophilius’s apparent foresight and looked thoughtfully at Luna, wondering whether they shared an undiscovered magical talent.

Ch. 1753Mr. Tom Riddle's Help

Wizet reassured Anthony, Chris, Michael, and Terry about the Gringotts theft and explained that a new currency was being planned to replace Gold Galleons. The group turned their attention back to their upcoming O.W.L. examinations and joked about their future careers.

  • Anthony and the others asked Wizet whether he knew anything about the Gringotts theft and the safety of Gold Galleons.
  • Wizet said a new system of value exchange was being planned and that the theft could speed up its progress, but he could not confirm whether Voldemort was behind it.
  • Chris and the others relaxed and discussed the O.W.L. examinations, which would be held at the Ministry of Magic rather than Hogwarts Castle.
  • Michael worried that poor results might lead to uncomfortable career counseling, and the group discussed possible jobs after school.
  • Anthony ended the conversation and urged everyone to finish breakfast and prepare for class.

Ch. 1754Who is the Greatest Wizard in the World

Filch recalled how Wizet had helped him use a Fake Wand and establish a magical connection with Mrs Norris, giving him a taste of spellcasting. He believed Wizet would soon transform Squibs into wizards, as he had already cured lycanthropy.

  • Filch remembered how he had abandoned hope of learning magic after years of working at Hogwarts as a Squib.
  • Wizet gave Filch a Fake Wand, which let him clean the castle with a wave of his hand.
  • Wizet gave Filch a potion that connected him magically to Mrs Norris, enabling him to cast the Four-Point Spell silently and without a wand.
  • Filch decided Wizet was the greatest wizard in the world and believed he would make Squibs into wizards.
  • Filch trusted Wizet to succeed because Wizet had already cured lycanthropy.

Ch. 1755A Different Purge and Dowse Ltd.

Filch prepared to undergo Wizet’s transformation process, carrying an Emotion Collector that had produced a creature tied to his soul. He arrived at St. Mungo’s through Purge and Dowse Ltd. and found a large crowd gathered for the event.

  • Filch spent the night patrolling Hogwarts, comforted by Mrs Norris as he worried and hoped that Wizet’s process could make him a wizard.
  • At dawn, Filch examined the Emotion Collector’s miniature Peeves-like creature and felt a bond with it, while Mrs Norris hissed at it.
  • Filch put on Hogwarts robes, took Mrs Norris, and left for his scheduled meeting with Wizet at St. Mungo’s.
  • Filch reached Purge and Dowse Ltd. and found witches, wizards, and Ministry employees gathered outside the entrance to St. Mungo’s.

Ch. 1756I Actually Think the Spectacle Isn't Grand Enough

Filch arrived at St. Mungo’s for the Ritual Magic that would transform Squibs into wizards and was overwhelmed by the crowd gathered to witness it. As Jason Samuels described Wizet’s past achievements, Filch became certain that Mr. Lovegood would succeed.

  • Jason Samuels recognized Filch outside St. Mungo’s and escorted him inside while recalling their Hogwarts days and Wizet’s achievements.
  • Jason explained that the Ministry and the International Confederation of Wizards had arranged for representatives from the magical world to attend the Ritual Magic.
  • Filch saw the crowded waiting hall and worried about the scale of the gathering.
  • Jason said Wizet would do everything possible to make the ritual succeed, and Filch firmly declared that Mr. Lovegood could not fail.

Ch. 1757Proving He Isn't As Powerful As Imagined

Jason Samuels brought Filch to the ritual hall and explained that some onlookers hoped Wizet’s Ritual Magic would fail to prove he was not as extraordinary as people believed. Filch and Arabella Figg watched Wizet prepare the ritual and resolved that it had to succeed.

  • Jason Samuels escorted Filch upstairs and told him that some powerful Muggles wanted Wizet’s ritual to fail so they could see him discredited.
  • Jason urged Filch not to let the onlookers get their wish, and Filch thanked him before entering the lounge.
  • Filch saw Dumbledore, Minister Amelia Bones, Madame Maxime, and Wizet preparing the ritual in a vast hall filled with spectators.
  • Arabella Figg joined Filch and spotted the Muggle Prime Minister speaking with Dumbledore.
  • Filch explained the Muggles’ hopes to Figg, and they both resolved that the ritual must succeed.

Ch. 1758Morgana's Ritual Magic Circle

After Voldemort learned that Hufflepuff's cup was missing from the Lestrange family vault, Calchas observed Dumbledore at St. Mungo's, where the Guardian was preparing a ritual to turn Squibs into wizards. Calchas recognized the ritual circle as Morgana's and wondered what the Guardian intended.

  • Herpo raged about the Gringotts break-in while Voldemort remained weighed down by the discovery that his Horcrux was gone from the Lestrange family vault.
  • Calchas reported that Dumbledore had arrived at St. Mungo's and was meeting with wizards and Muggles about the ritual to turn Squibs into wizards.
  • Calchas described Dumbledore meeting Olympe Maxime and entering a spacious circular hall where the Guardian had set up a magic circle.
  • Calchas recognized the Guardian's ritual circle as Morgana's and questioned why it had appeared at St. Mungo's.

Ch. 1759Wasn't she your companion?

Herpo and Calchas identified the ritual array at St. Mungo’s as an altered version of Morgana’s design, while Voldemort questioned its purpose and mocked Wizet’s work. At St. Mungo’s, Dumbledore reassured Madame Maxime as attendees gathered to witness Wizet attempt to cure Squibs.

  • Calchas told Herpo that the ritual array at St. Mungo’s used Morgana’s design and some of the materials they had used before.
  • Voldemort criticized Wizet for sharing magical knowledge, while Barty Crouch Jr. privately felt admiration for Wizet’s efforts.
  • Herpo asked whether Calchas knew what the Guardian planned, and Voldemort suggested asking or resurrecting Morgana.
  • Calchas reported that Dumbledore had stopped moving and was speaking with Madame Maxime as the ritual was about to begin.
  • Madame Maxime voiced concern about Wizet’s plan to turn Squibs into wizards, but Dumbledore reassured her that Healers were present to help.
  • Robert Bonham called the proposed cure a potential breakthrough, and the gathered guests quieted as the Great Hall doors opened.

Ch. 1760Ignition

Wizet explained the principles behind Ritual Magic, arguing that Squibs had a curable magical disease that prevented the magical outburst needed to cast spells. He introduced Filch and Mrs. Figg to the gathered crowd as the subjects of the ritual.

  • Wizet addressed the packed hall and said wizards had long ignored Squibs and failed to study them.
  • Wizet compared Squib Disease to Lycanthropy and said Squibs could become wizards again through treatment.
  • Wizet explained that Squibs could not trigger the childhood magical outburst he called “ignition.”
  • Filch and Mrs. Figg entered the hall and looked visibly frightened by the watching crowd.
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