Recaps

After the faction contest, Harry learned that Vaughn was leaving with the Beauxbatons delegation to visit Nicolas Flamel and hoped to find him or Dumbledore at the Headmaster’s Office. Vaughn, Dumbledore, Hagrid, Madame Maxime, and the Beauxbatons students traveled to the Flamels’ home, where Dumbledore called out to Nicolas and Perenelle.

• At lunch, Ginny told Ron, Harry, and their friends that Vaughn had supplied her with provisions and Cedric had assigned her to brew potions during the contest.
• Hagrid told Harry, Hermione, and Ron that Vaughn was visiting Nicolas Flamel with the Beauxbatons team, and Harry decided to look for Dumbledore in the Headmaster’s Office.
• At Hagrid’s Hut, Hagrid joined Vaughn, Dumbledore, Madame Maxime, and three Beauxbatons students, bringing a parcel of Rock Cakes as gifts.
• Vaughn opened a Dimensional Gate, and the group traveled through it before Dumbledore led them on foot to the Flamels’ home.
• At the door, Dumbledore called out to Nicolas and Perenelle and announced that he had brought old friends.

Dumbledore brought Vaughn, Hagrid, and the Beauxbatons delegation to visit Nicolas and Perenelle Flamel, where Nicolas promised his estate to Beauxbatons and agreed to speak privately with Vaughn. Dumbledore accepted that Vaughn would pursue alchemy, despite his concerns about the upheaval Vaughn’s plans could bring.

• Dumbledore introduced the visitors to Nicolas and Perenelle Flamel, and Nicolas recognized Vaughn’s recovered mental body.
• Perenelle welcomed the group, while Hagrid presented the Flamels with a parcel of Rock Cakes.
• Nicolas told Madame Maxime he intended to leave his estate to Beauxbatons and reassured her that he had changed his mind about destroying the Philosopher’s Stone.
• Nicolas asked to speak privately with Vaughn, and Hagrid left with Madame Maxime while Dumbledore stayed to discuss his position.
• Dumbledore acknowledged that Vaughn wanted to study alchemy and decided to let him meet Nicolas, though he feared Vaughn’s reforms could cause chaos and war.

Nicolas Flamel agreed to teach Vaughn alchemy and protect him from roaming the aether until he became a Legendary Wizard. Meanwhile, Corban confronted the Pure-blood Alliance over Sirius Black’s attack and the possibility that someone had betrayed their meeting, leaving Jacob distrustful of the alliance.

• Nicolas praised Vaughn’s insight into the Philosopher’s Stone and the Elixir of Life, then agreed to teach him alchemy.
• Nicolas made Vaughn promise not to roam the aether before becoming a Legendary Wizard and offered to explore it in Vaughn’s place.
• Vaughn accepted Nicolas as his teacher and received a ring that would let him enter Nicolas’s protected home.
• At a Secret Alliance Meeting, Corban rebuked Jacob and explained why he had not publicly contradicted Rita Skeeter’s report.
• Corban said Sirius Black had attacked him after their gathering and demanded to know who had revealed its time and location.
• Jacob found no clear suspect among the alliance members and worried that their once-solid group was riddled with distrust.

Jacob reorganized the Pure-blood Alliance after an attack exposed its internal distrust, unaware that Corban was secretly working for Vaughn. Meanwhile, Harry and Ron sneaked into the Headmaster's Office to investigate their suspicions about Vaughn and Dumbledore, but found it empty.

• Jacob proposed that he, Lucius, and Corban would make plans and privately assign tasks to the other six Alliance members, who reluctantly agreed.
• Jacob, Lucius, and Corban met alone and settled on a preliminary response to the Weasley Faction and plans to find Voldemort.
• Corban's thoughts revealed that he was Vaughn's hidden ally and had joined the Pure-blood Alliance undercover for the Yaxley Family.
• Harry and Ron went to the Headmaster's Office without Hermione because Harry thought she would try to stop them.
• Harry guessed that "Rock Cakes" was the password, and the Gargoyles eventually opened the way.
• Harry and Ron entered the office but found neither Vaughn nor Dumbledore inside.

Harry and Ron broke into Dumbledore's office, where Harry discovered the Pensieve and entered a memory of Dumbledore and Vaughn discussing Voldemort. The memory revealed that Harry was a Horcrux carrying a fragment of Voldemort's soul, and Harry was pulled away before he could learn more.

• Harry and Ron found the Headmaster's Office empty, but Phineas's portrait caught them and insulted Ron.
• Harry found a Pensieve and, despite Ron's warning, put his head into it to investigate Dumbledore's memories.
• Harry entered a memory of Dumbledore and Vaughn discussing why Voldemort had survived, and Vaughn answered that Horcruxes were involved.
• Vaughn revealed that Harry was also a Horcrux, with a fragment of Voldemort's soul and a connection that let them share perspectives, thoughts, emotions, and memories.
• Vaughn told Dumbledore that Harry might be able to find Voldemort through their connection, but that they should protect Harry with Occlumency; the memory then ended.

Harry and Ron interpreted a planted Pensieve memory as evidence that Voldemort survived through Horcruxes and that Harry himself was one. Meanwhile, Peter Pettigrew regained his memories and planned to flee Hogwarts with Voldemort’s Diary, while Vaughn warned Snape to stay out of the coming danger.

• Harry and Ron escaped the Headmaster’s Office after Phineas pretended to threaten them, unaware that Vaughn and Dumbledore had set the whole encounter up.
• Harry told Ron that Voldemort had survived through Horcruxes, that a fragment of Voldemort’s soul was inside Harry, and that he might be able to enter Voldemort’s thoughts.
• Peter Pettigrew saw Sirius in a newspaper photograph, regained his memories, and transformed back into human form before fleeing Filch’s office.
• Peter remembered Voldemort’s Diary at the Weasley home and decided to leave Hogwarts to find his master, but he was too frightened to enter Gryffindor Tower.
• Vaughn told Snape that Peter was the poisoned bait and warned him to stay out of the plan because his opponents were the lords of pure-blood families.

Vaughn offered the visiting school representatives the chance to remain at Hogwarts as exchange students and join his research projects, while Cheng Quandao asked for more places in exchange for arranging Vaughn’s trip to China. The chapter ended with Hermione learning that Dumbledore would likely oppose the trip.

• Vaughn taught the representatives wizarding theories on the Magic Extraction Method and magic protein, with Hermione helping explain difficult concepts.
• Vaughn invited the representatives to consider staying at Hogwarts next term as exchange students and joining his research groups.
• Cheng Quandao asked Vaughn to increase the number of exchange places, and Vaughn agreed on the condition that he could visit China through the Central Qi Training Academy.
• After the representatives left, Hermione confronted Vaughn about his China plans, and Vaughn explained that he expected Dumbledore to oppose the trip.

Vaughn discussed the exchange program and his plans with Hermione before secretly meeting Dumbledore, where they reviewed Harry, Voldemort, and the Pure-blood Alliance. Dumbledore reported that the International Confederation of Wizards had approved the proposal, while Vaughn was left to consider his agreement with Akinbade.

• Vaughn reassured Hermione that he would remain in England and said the Board of Governors would approve the exchange students, though he had not finalized which Hogwarts students would travel abroad.
• Vaughn spent the afternoon with Hermione in the Laboratory, then secretly entered Dumbledore's Office after she returned to Gryffindor Tower.
• Vaughn and Dumbledore discussed Dumbledore's Twilight, the dangers of prophecies, and whether Harry was prepared for the troubles ahead.
• Vaughn warned Dumbledore that Voldemort might seek DeSantis's help after losing patience with Peter and Harry, and suggested Dumbledore gather information through the Pure-blood Alliance.
• Dumbledore said Akinbade and Nicolas had helped secure the Confederation's approval of the proposal and reminded Vaughn to honor his agreement with Akinbade.

Vaughn and Akinbade agreed to cooperate on reviving the Eight-School Tournament and establishing an International Werewolf Association, which Vaughn viewed as a useful outward expansion for C. The chapter ended with Isabella telling Vaughn that an unknown wizard had attacked her with the Killing Curse, leaving him unable to identify the attacker among Hogwarts’ many visitors.

• Akinbade secured Confederation oversight of Vaughn’s international initiatives and proposed an International Werewolf Association, and Vaughn accepted the conditions.
• Vaughn went to the Forbidden Forest and summoned C’s core members to discuss establishing the International Werewolf Association.
• Vaughn returned to the Laboratory, where Isabella was waiting, and learned that her Trial Battlefield duties were proceeding smoothly.
• Isabella told Vaughn that an unknown wizard had attacked her with the Killing Curse while she was returning from inspecting the Trial Battlefield.
• Vaughn considered the possible attackers among Hogwarts’ staff and visiting delegations but could not determine who had attacked Isabella.

Vaughn investigated who had attacked Isabella and suspected an adult from one of the visiting school delegations. He visited Xenophilius Lovegood, who welcomed him and called Pandora downstairs.

• Vaughn suspected the attacker was either DeSantis, a Hogwarts staff member, or an adult from a visiting school delegation, then focused on the visitors after clearing Hogwarts staff.
• Vaughn proposed combining Isabella's Defence Against the Dark Arts lessons with the Dueling Club in the Great Hall, and she eagerly agreed.
• Vaughn told Isabella to pause her Trial Battlefield duties and focus on teaching and staying safe while he continued investigating the attacker and Voldemort's curse.
• Vaughn went through the Dimensional Gate to the Lovegood home and told Xenophilius that the magic protein research was progressing and that Rita's report about Peter Pettigrew was true.
• Xenophilius welcomed Vaughn and called Pandora downstairs to see him.

Vaughn visited Xenophilius and Pandora Lovegood to recruit Pandora as Hogwarts’s new Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor and enlist The Quibbler to publicize Voldemort’s curse. He returned to the Burrow, reunited with Molly and Arthur, and heard that C was planning something while werewolves poured into England.

• Vaughn reassured Xenophilius and Pandora that Luna was doing well at Hogwarts and agreed to a possible summer get-together between their families.
• Vaughn explained Voldemort’s curse to the Lovegoods and proposed that Pandora take over the Defence Against the Dark Arts post from Isa while joining his research team.
• Pandora eagerly accepted the plan, and Xenophilius received Vaughn’s permission to write about the curse for The Quibbler.
• Vaughn left the Lovegoods’ home after one in the morning and used the Dimensional Gate to return to the Burrow.
• Molly and Arthur suspected Vaughn was an impostor until he summoned his blue-and-white Maine Coon Patronus, then welcomed him home.
• Arthur told Vaughn that C appeared to be planning something big and that many werewolves had recently come into England.

Vaughn convened C’s executive committee and announced that C would establish the International Werewolf Association with backing from Akinbade and the International Confederation of Wizards. The meeting ended with Vaughn firmly in control of the initiative, and he asked Lupin how things were progressing with Tonks.

• Arthur told Vaughn that news of the meeting had spread through the Ministry of Magic, apparently from C’s Executive Bureau, and Vaughn considered calling a general assembly to purge the organization.
• Vaughn went to C Headquarters, where Chevalier told him the committee members had arrived and then explained the association’s planned structure and powers.
• Vaughn announced that the International Werewolf Association would be established with Akinbade’s support, and he made Chevalier’s presentation of its arrangements the meeting’s sole agenda.
• Chevalier described the association’s branches, committees, and Round Table Conference, whose seat allocation gave Vaughn’s allies decisive influence.
• After the meeting, Lupin worried that the Ministry of Magic would target Vaughn, but Vaughn reassured him and then asked how things were progressing between him and Tonks.

Vaughn prepared to reshape C’s leadership at its second general assembly while keeping his political plans concealed from Voldemort and the Pure-blood Alliance. At Hogwarts, he discussed exchange students and the Defence Against the Dark Arts curse with Dumbledore, who remained uncertain whether replacing the professor would weaken it.

• Vaughn teased Lupin about Tonks, then offered him responsibility for overseeing the International Werewolf Association’s affairs in C; Lupin agreed to put his personal feelings aside.
• Vaughn instructed Lupin to notify Amelia, Tonks, Umbridge, and Barty Crouch Sr. about C’s upcoming second general assembly as part of his plan to build political momentum and rebalance its leadership.
• Vaughn spent the afternoon resolving Executive Bureau disputes and planned to expand the bureau and divide the werewolves into factions, with Lupin as his intended spokesman.
• Vaughn returned to Hogwarts after Fawkes summoned him, and Dumbledore confronted him for arranging an exchange-student program without informing the headmaster.
• Vaughn and Dumbledore discussed using Akinbade and the International Confederation of Wizards to support the exchange program, then considered whether appointing a new Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor and making Isa an assistant could reduce the curse’s influence.

Vaughn challenged Dumbledore’s plan to sacrifice himself to defeat Voldemort, warning that his death would leave Wizarding Britain vulnerable to DeSantis. He persuaded Dumbledore to wait while Vaughn pursued soul magic, and agreed to consider becoming Hogwarts headmaster if Dumbledore survived their troubles.

• Dumbledore and Vaughn discussed whether appointing Pandora as Defence Against the Dark Arts professor could help shoulder Isabella’s curse, and Vaughn argued that Pandora’s teaching approach would prepare students for danger.
• Vaughn confronted Dumbledore about Voldemort, DeSantis, and the consequences of Dumbledore’s plan to die after making Harry master of the Elder Wand.
• Dumbledore considered relying on Li Nanyu to protect Vaughn and Wizarding Britain after his death, but Vaughn questioned whether that arrangement was enough.
• Vaughn proposed that advanced soul magic might let him separate Voldemort’s soul fragment from Harry, and Dumbledore agreed to reconsider his plan.
• Vaughn promised to consider succeeding Dumbledore as headmaster if Dumbledore lived through the crisis, then joked that Snape could take the position if Dumbledore died.

Vaughn and Dumbledore agreed on plans for the next Defence Against the Dark Arts professors and Vaughn's summer visit to China, while Dumbledore approved C's second general assembly proposal. The next morning, Hogwarts students learned that Voldemort had cursed the Defence Against the Dark Arts post, and Isabella confirmed she had been attacked at Hogwarts.

• Vaughn proposed Remus as the next Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, and Dumbledore approved the choice.
• Vaughn told Dumbledore he planned to visit China for an educational exchange and the Grand Celestial Rite, and Dumbledore agreed to accompany him after learning Li had welcomed Vaughn.
• Vaughn gave Dumbledore C's proposal for its second general assembly, and Dumbledore took it to submit to the Wizengamot.
• Newspapers reported that Voldemort had cursed the Defence Against the Dark Arts post after Hogwarts rejected his application to teach.
• Isabella confirmed to the students that a Dark wizard had attacked her at Hogwarts and said she and Dumbledore were looking for a way to break the curse.

Hermione worried that public attacks had left Vaughn isolated ahead of C's second plenary assembly, while Harry decided to risk opening his mind to Voldemort. Harry entered a memory and discovered Voldemort with Peter Pettigrew, but he had not yet learned where they were.

• Hermione discussed the political backlash against Vaughn with Harry and Ron, then worried about Harry's safety as the boys returned to Gryffindor Tower.
• Harry told Ron he would drop his Occlumency to connect with Voldemort, and Ron agreed to guard him and fetch a professor if anything went wrong.
• Harry opened his mind and glimpsed a brief, blurred memory of a woman crying before darkness overtook him.
• Harry entered a clearer memory of a corridor and saw Peter Pettigrew speaking with Voldemort in a room beyond a partially open door.
• Voldemort told Peter to feed Nagini and said he needed to observe things longer, while Harry tried to learn where they were.

Harry dreamed through his connection with Voldemort and saw Peter Pettigrew serving him, then promised Ron he would not risk entering Voldemort’s mind again. As anti-C sentiment surged across Britain, Vaughn revealed to Li Nanyu that the uproar was a deliberate performance meant to draw out his opponents, and Li Nanyu prepared to give him a gift.

• Harry saw Voldemort question Peter’s loyalty and warn that Vaughan Weasley and DeSantis deserved attention before the vision ended.
• Harry told Ron he had seen Peter alive with Voldemort, and Ron urged him to restore his Occlumency and never take the same risk again.
• Ron stayed close to Harry for two days as Hermione worried about Vaughn amid a growing Anti-C Wave fueled by accusations in the Daily Prophet.
• Vaughn told Li Nanyu that Hogwarts should not be pulled into his political struggle, even though he believed success was certain.
• Vaughn explained that the public uproar was staged to make his opponents believe he was isolated and encourage them to act.
• Li Nanyu said he had prepared a gift for Vaughn and trusted him to handle matters without Dumbledore.

Li Nanyu showed Vaughn a reconstructed memory of Isabella surviving a Killing Curse attack by a disguised wizard whose face resembled Igor Karkaroff. Vaughn ruled out Karkaroff as the real attacker and began investigating the visiting delegations, narrowing his suspicions to wizards from Ilvermorny, Uagadou, and Mahoutokoro.

• Li Nanyu showed Vaughn a magical reconstruction of Isabella dodging a Killing Curse in a Hogwarts corridor.
• Li Nanyu revealed that the attacker’s face resembled Igor Karkaroff and explained how he had reconstructed the scene.
• Vaughn told Li Nanyu he believed someone had impersonated Karkaroff and said he would keep investigating.
• Vaughn reviewed Karkaroff’s motives and concluded that Karkaroff had no reason to attack Isabella or serve Voldemort.
• Vaughn examined the visiting delegations’ records and focused his suspicions on wizards from Ilvermorny, Uagadou, and Mahoutokoro.

Vaughn failed to identify the disguised attacker and shared Li Nanyu’s memory of the incident with Dumbledore, while they continued to consider their suspects. At Malfoy Manor, Lucius told Jacob and Corban that his family had found Voldemort and that they would all meet him.

• Vaughn considered Mahoutokoro and Uagadou as possible sources of the attack but could not confirm the attacker’s identity from Li Nanyu’s recording.
• Dumbledore arrived at Vaughn’s office, viewed the memory Vaughn shared, and agreed that Karkaroff seemed unlikely to have returned to Voldemort willingly.
• Fudge learned from Umbridge that Roberts had been threatened and celebrated his chance to regain influence by presenting himself as a friend to his allies.
• At Malfoy Manor, Lucius, Jacob, and Corban discussed helping Fudge oppose Weasley’s proposal for C’s second general assembly.
• Lucius announced that his family had found Voldemort in an old house in Little Hangleton and said Voldemort was willing to accept Jacob as a servant.

Jacob agreed to meet Voldemort, knowing he would likely have to become a Death Eater, while Harry secretly kept trying to reach Voldemort through their soul connection. As Vaughn advanced his work with Nicolas Flamel and the Confederation, he appeared at C’s public assembly as the Confederation branch moved to intervene in the Ministry’s dispute with C.

• Jacob left Malfoy Manor determined to cooperate with Voldemort despite his reluctance to become a Death Eater.
• Harry secretly released his Occlumency each night to seek Voldemort through their connection, but fell asleep without reaching him.
• Vaughn and Dumbledore worked with Akinbade at the Confederation headquarters, while Vaughn rapidly advanced his practical alchemy lessons with Nicolas Flamel.
• Vaughn faced mounting criticism in Britain, but Amelia pushed through plans for C’s public second general assembly and invited the Confederation’s England Branch.
• Barty Crouch Sr. secured approval for the branch to attend, and Vaughn arrived at the Ministry with reporters as the Confederation stepped into the dispute.

Vaughn attended the Second C General Assembly, where the Wizengamot expanded participation and framed the meeting as a Council of Wizarding Sages. As the assembly began debating Vaughn’s plan to expand C’s Executive Bureau, a Confederation representative defended the need for werewolf and wizard members.

• Vaughn met Kingsley Shacklebolt and Tonks at the Ministry, learned Kingsley had become deputy head of the Auror Office, and promised Tonks an effort to shorten her Auror training.
• Kingsley told Vaughn that the Wizengamot had invited every Ministry department and representatives of distinguished wizards to attend and vote.
• Vaughn entered the crowded courtroom and took the reserved seat between Amelia and Dumbledore, noting that the invited guests could help turn opposition to C into a public controversy.
• Amelia opened the Second C General Assembly as a Council of Wizarding Sages and declared that its decisions would represent Wizarding Britain.
• Vaughn proposed replacing some Executive Bureau members and adding five seats, including three for werewolves and two for wizards.
• After an objector challenged the expansion, a Confederation branch representative argued that C needed more members because it hosted the International Werewolf Association and coordinated international werewolf affairs.

At a Wizengamot meeting, Lucius Malfoy challenged Vaughn Weasley’s plan to expand C’s Executive Bureau, arguing that non-werewolves must retain control over its membership. Vaughn accepted the Council of Wizarding Sages’ vote restricting the new seats and apologized for his remarks, leaving the meeting’s later votes still to come.

• The Confederation’s branch representative defended Vaughn’s proposal as Amelia chaired the meeting, while Vaughn remained silent.
• Lucius Malfoy supported adding committee members but demanded that two existing seats remain with non-werewolves and all new seats go to non-werewolves.
• Vaughn defended werewolves and accused Lucius of pure-blood arrogance, prompting Lucius to compare Vaughn’s position to pure-blood supremacy and invoke the Werewolf March Incident.
• Lucius’s proposal went to a vote, and enough representatives—including two Aurors—raised their hands for it to pass.
• Vaughn accepted the Council of Wizarding Sages’ decision and publicly apologized for his earlier remarks.

Vaughn secured independent autonomy for C by threatening to move its werewolves abroad, while the Wizengamot also approved a Ministry liaison department led by Scrimgeour. Afterward, Vaughn explained that his apparent loss of composure was a calculated experiment: he planned to gain renown through negative publicity and use the resulting reputation shift to draw Voldemort out.

• Vaughn argued that C needed autonomy and implied he would take its werewolves to another country if the Wizengamot rejected his proposal.
• The Wizengamot approved C's independent autonomy and established a Department of Werewolf Affairs Exchange and Cooperation, appointing Scrimgeour as its head.
• Amelia, Vaughn, and Dumbledore discussed the successful plan over tea, and Amelia warned Vaughn that his reputation would suffer.
• Vaughn revealed that he had deliberately acted irrationally to expose a convincing weakness and draw Voldemort out so he could obtain the Diary.
• Vaughn explained that he was testing whether notoriety and negative renown could increase his system gains, believing he could later restore his reputation.

Harry’s strange drowsiness and Snape’s harsh treatment marked a tense Potions lesson, while Hermione and Ginny discovered that the Daily Prophet had turned public opinion against Vaughn. Hermione decided to seek Vaughn at the Laboratory, and Ginny resolved to become a journalist so she could defend him.

• Harry denied spying on Voldemort when Ron asked about his drowsiness, though he had secretly been trying to form a soul connection with Voldemort.
• Snape caught Harry and Ron talking, quizzed Harry on potion ingredients, and docked Gryffindor twenty points after Neville supplied the complete answer.
• Hermione noticed hostility from students at the Great Hall, and Ginny explained that people were saying horrible things about Vaughn.
• Ginny showed Hermione the Daily Prophet, whose articles attacked Vaughn and C, and decided she would become a reporter or editor to silence his detractors.
• Hermione concluded that Vaughn had angered many people and decided to visit the Laboratory that night until she could speak with him.

Hermione learned that Vaughn had deliberately taken the blame for political maneuvers meant to unite Wizarding Britain against Voldemort, but his rejection of her kiss left her hurt and confused. While Vaughn worked to reshape C, Hermione uncovered the sorrowful meaning behind Snape’s question to Harry.

• Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny found support for Vaughn among their friends and students from several Hogwarts houses, while Ron grew jealous of the trust Vaughn inspired.
• Hermione visited Vaughn in the Laboratory, where he explained that his public infamy was deliberate and meant to strengthen Amelia’s future government against Voldemort.
• Hermione tried to kiss Vaughn, but he turned away because he considered her too young, and she ran from the Laboratory feeling rejected.
• Vaughn attended a closed C assembly to add five non-werewolf committee members while preserving his standing with the werewolves.
• Hermione researched the meanings of asphodel and wormwood and concluded that Snape’s question about the ingredients expressed enduring regret and sorrow, possibly tied to Harry’s mother.