Chapter Summaries

After reflecting on his duel with Flitwick, Manus learned that Gryffindor and Slytherin students had fought and been hung upside down near the Whomping Willow. He found Severus among them as Professor Hicks questioned him with Veritaserum.

• Manus worried that the magical strength he had shown against Flitwick might have seemed suspicious, then heard that Professor Hicks had hung students involved in a fight upside down.
• Manus saw Lily climbing down the outside of the staircases and learned she was going to rescue Severus, who she had spotted among the suspended students.
• Manus used the Mental World to reach the Whomping Willow, where he found Severus and more than twenty other students hanging upside down.
• Professor Hicks asked Severus why he had been fighting, and Severus said he had been passing by and asked whether he could keep the Veritaserum after taking a drop.
• Professor Hicks agreed, gave Severus a drop of Veritaserum, and watched as he evaluated its quality.

Severus answered Professor Staky’s questions under Veritaserum and learned that she would teach Defense Against the Dark Arts temporarily before returning as Hogwarts’ Potions professor. After McGonagall confronted Staky about her treatment of students, Manus caught up with Severus and told him Lily had tried to rescue him.

• Professor Staky questioned Severus under Veritaserum, concluded he was uninvolved, and gave him the potion while offering help with Potions.
• Staky introduced herself as a future Potions professor who would teach Defense Against the Dark Arts for a few months before returning to Hogwarts years later.
• McGonagall objected to Staky punishing students with spells, but Staky defended her methods and threatened detention and potion testing if they misbehaved again.
• McGonagall released the students and dispersed the onlookers as Staky left for the castle.
• Manus told Severus he had been attending Flitwick’s dueling remedial class and that Lily had scrambled down the walls to save him.
• Manus advised Severus to keep the Veritaserum safe.

Severus agreed to leave his Veritaserum with Professor Slughorn and, after learning he had Saturdays free, chose to study rather than relax because he feared for his future. Manus reviewed his duel with Flitwick and began analyzing how wizard combat differed from the magic system he remembered.

• Severus said he would store his Veritaserum with Professor Slughorn and study it when needed.
• Manus explained that Saturday dueling practice with Flitwick made their usual training unsuitable, so the students could arrange their own Saturdays.
• Severus eagerly told Lily about the new free time, but later worried about the Death Eaters and his family and returned to his studies.
• Manus compared Flitwick's dueling style to fencing, noting how wizards probed for openings and exchanged spells.
• Manus identified the lack of non-offensive support magic in combat as one reason wizard battles differed from the battles in his memories.

Manus reconsidered how wizards’ combat magic differed from the magic he knew and wondered whether he could defeat Voldemort in an unprepared fight. He tempered his confidence by reflecting on the long path of magical growth, then regretted that he had missed June’s total solar eclipse.

• Manus compared this world’s limited combat spells, magic-item use, and approach to casting with the more varied techniques of his former world.
• Manus wondered whether Dumbledore and Voldemort fought by trading attacks and defenses, and whether he might already be among the world’s strongest.
• Manus cautioned himself that Voldemort and Dumbledore could possess abilities he did not know about, and that Flitwick had not used his full strength in their sparring match.
• Manus recalled the Magic God’s words about standing at the foot of magic’s mountain and resolved to keep learning without becoming complacent.
• Manus noted that he had missed the total solar eclipse in June and would have to wait at least another year for the next one.

Manus considered how to use one celestial body's power to shield another, then tested a hypothesis about how the Time-Turner affected his identity and Mental World. Lily contacted him after a demanding stretch of study, and Manus noted that she and Severus seemed in better spirits.

• Manus connected the total solar eclipse to a possible Star Magic spell that could make observing celestial bodies safer, and reflected on the Starry Sky Guidance Spell's limited but safe effects.
• Manus used the Time-Turner to return two hours and merged with his earlier self, then examined his Mental World and prepared a risky test of his hypothesis.
• Manus altered his sitting position in the correct timeline, waited through the start of class without any abnormality, and concluded that only one final test remained.
• Lily contacted Manus and said she felt unusually relaxed despite her packed third-year schedule, though his lessons had left her worn down from studying.
• Manus replied that it had been a long time and observed that Lily and Severus both seemed in better spirits.

Manus reflected on how Lily and Severus had become more independent in their magical studies, and he was pleased to let them take responsibility for their own progress. At Hogwarts, Potter wondered whether Lily was secretly paying attention to him, despite insisting that he had given up pursuing her.

• Manus considered how his lessons had prepared Lily and Severus to study magic independently, and he accepted that their future progress was up to them.
• Lily complained that Hogwarts students in the third year and above seemed too busy to get into as many fights as younger students.
• Potter called the Marauders together and told them that he thought Lily had been watching him.
• Black questioned whether Potter was imagining Lily's attention, and Pettigrew silently agreed that Potter had already been rejected.
• Lupin recalled Lily's brutal kick against Flint and worried about what might happen if the Marauders provoked her.
• Potter claimed he had given up pursuing Lily, prompting Black to ask why he had brought her up.

Black tried to convince James that he was idealizing Evans, but James insisted she was different and refused to give up on her. Meanwhile, Manus prepared to test what would happen if he broke the Time-Turner’s closed loop by not traveling back in time.

• James speculated that Evans might have rejected him out of pride after developing feelings for him, while Black and Lupin suspected he had imagined her interest.
• Black advised James to calm down and stop idealizing Evans, but James defended her looks, kindness, and fighting ability.
• After class, Black told James that he should meet other girls, but James insisted Evans was different.
• Black forbade Lupin and Pettigrew from trying to dissuade James from pursuing Evans, and Lupin urged Pettigrew to let James learn from experience.
• Manus returned to his research after Divination and considered testing what would happen if he did not use the Time-Turner to complete the time loop.

Manus watched a Time-Turner disintegrate after he chose not to use it, then developed the hypothesis that his own time remained linear even when he traveled into the past. He concluded that this trait let him avoid temporal backlash, though objects and events he changed could still pay the price.

• Manus threw the Time-Turner away and watched temporal power alter its runes and reduce it to dust.
• Manus checked his pocket watch and realized the Time-Turner had vanished at the moment he was supposed to use it.
• Manus memorized the changing runes but avoided writing them down, then confirmed that he himself had suffered no changes.
• Manus hypothesized that his time was linear because the soul system made his past and present selves one person.
• Manus reasoned that changing the past could still destroy things that should not exist, even if he personally escaped the consequences.

Manus considered the dangers of time travel and decided to focus on Alchemy while keeping up his studies in other fields. The chapter ended with Kettleburn teaching about Fire Crabs as Lily and Manus discussed gemstones.

• Manus suspected that many temporal changes went unnoticed, considered whether other lives in his Soul System shared his immunity, and decided not to test the idea.
• Manus adjusted his schedule to study Alchemy, Star Magic, and Qi Magic while reducing how often he absorbed new magical systems.
• On Wednesday, Kettleburn taught Care of Magical Creatures despite his injuries and introduced the class to Fire Crabs.
• Bellows questioned whether Fire Crabs could really be adorable, while Lily said their gemstones made them appealing.
• Manus considered giving Lily jewelry and explained that his knowledge of Alchemy let him make gemstones, but Lily said any girl would like beautiful, sparkling gems.

Manus attended Kettleburn’s lesson on Magical Creatures, then received a parchment from Barty Jr. and arranged to read it during lunch. In Charms, Flitwick taught the Cheering Charm and warned the class about the dangers of using it excessively.

• Manus and Lily discussed gemstones, and Lily decided to earn money for her own first piece of jewelry.
• Manus listened to Kettleburn’s practical advice about Magical Creatures and noted questions to check with his Fire Crabs.
• Barty Jr. gave Manus a parchment and said he had written it seriously; Manus agreed to read it and suggested they meet at noon.
• Flitwick taught the class that the Cheering Charm creates only an illusion of happiness and cannot change reality.
• Flitwick warned that excessive use of the Cheering Charm could cause uncontrollable laughter and urged students to practice carefully.

During Charms practice, Manus demonstrated how different sources of happiness changed the Cheering Charm’s effect, making Bellows, Quirinus, and Jasper feel genuine joy. He explained that the charm worked best when its happiness suited the recipient, though beginners should first learn to cast it by drawing on their own happiness.

• Jasper tried the Cheering Charm on Quirinus, but Quirinus felt little effect and was relieved that nothing went wrong.
• Manus cast the charm on Bellows, who immediately felt genuine happiness, and explained how personal happiness could feel unnatural when projected onto someone else.
• Manus used quiet, familiar pleasures as a source for the charm, making Quirinus and Jasper smile as they recalled their own relaxing moments.
• Bellows noticed that the spell reminded him of Amortentia, and Manus explained how the potion’s blank love reflected what each person found attractive.
• Manus said the ideal Cheering Charm would tailor happiness to its recipient, but advised beginners to start by making themselves happy.

Manus and his classmates finished their first Charms lesson, then found Filch cleaning vomit outside the Great Hall. At lunch, Manus warned the others that Death Eaters had been active in Hogsmeade Village, while his classmates debated whether to visit and how to bring Butterbeer into Hogwarts.

• Flitwick praised Manus's explanation of advanced spellwork and awarded Ravenclaw ten points.
• Manus and his classmates discovered Filch mopping vomit outside the Great Hall, and Manus decided not to help him with magic.
• At lunch, Manus complained about Hogwarts's repetitive meals and warned his classmates to avoid Hogsmeade Village because Death Eaters had been active there.
• Bellows, Jasper, and the others debated visiting Hogsmeade for treats and bringing Butterbeer into the school, while Manus changed his drink into fruit juice.

Manus discussed Barty Jr.'s essay on the Banishing Charm and showed him how the spell could be used in combat by throwing a Mandrake. He left Barty Jr. reconsidering what real battle involved.

• Manus sent Minerva a letter for Dumbledore arguing that Filch was unsuited to working at Hogwarts as a Squib.
• Barty Jr. met Manus, who praised his essay's analysis of spellcasting but challenged his conclusion that the Banishing Charm was unsuitable for combat.
• Manus transformed draft paper into a Mandrake and used the Banishing Charm to send it flying into Barty Jr.'s arms.
• Manus explained that the Banishing Charm's controlled force and fixed destination could make it more effective than a Knockback Jinx for throwing a Mandrake at an opponent.
• Manus told Barty Jr. that real battle was not a magical duel or schoolyard brawl, because everyone had only one life and could afford only one mistake.

Manus taught Barty Jr. how Banishing Charm and Knockback Jinx could be used creatively in combat and offered to recommend his paper to British Oak Wand. When Barty Jr. asked why Manus did not publish Charms papers himself, Manus said publishing was not necessary for his own goal.

• Manus used Transfiguration to demonstrate how Banishing Charm and Knockback Jinx could help in a chaotic battle, and Barty Jr. recognized new applications for both spells.
• Manus said Barty Jr.'s completed paper could be submitted to British Oak Wand, though acceptance depended on its quality.
• Barty Jr. welcomed the chance to publish in British Oak Wand, hoping it would prove his ability to his father.
• Manus told Barty Jr. to call him Manus and encouraged him to keep working toward publication.
• Barty Jr. asked why Manus had never published a Charms paper, and Manus replied that his goal did not require him to publish papers.

Barty Jr. wrestled with Manus’s question about his life’s ultimate goal while Elizabeth rejected Pandora’s invitation to find one of her own. Gryffindors rushed to McGonagall’s office after discovering the Quidditch recruitment notice, and McGonagall tried to silence the chaotic crowd.

• Manus’s question about a lifelong goal kept echoing in Barty Jr.’s mind as he wondered whether earning his father’s approval was truly his purpose.
• Elizabeth told Pandora that she preferred uncertainty and wanted to live each day well, while Pandora considered whether going with the flow could be a valid goal.
• A first-year learned that Gryffindor had enough players to fill its Quidditch vacancies without tryouts, and an upperclassman explained that Ravenclaw itself was formidable.
• A Gryffindor saw the recruitment notice and ran to sign up, prompting a crowd to stampede toward McGonagall’s office.
• The crowd crashed into the office door, and McGonagall broke her quill before shouting for the Gryffindors to be quiet.

Manus attended Transfiguration class amid Gryffindors gathering early after an incident, then learned Professor Tracey wanted to meet him at the North Tower on Saturday. McGonagall gave detention to students who had smashed her office door, and Manus wondered why Dumbledore would assign students to cleaning instead of replacing Filch.

• Manus arrived at Transfiguration to find the first four rows filled with Gryffindors, and Lily learned that the students had gathered because of an earlier incident.
• Manus and Lily discussed the Broomsticks he had made for Gryffindor and their prospects in Quidditch.
• McGonagall told Manus that Professor Tracey had summoned him to the attic at the top of the North Tower at seven o'clock on Saturday evening.
• McGonagall took several Gryffindors who had smashed her office door away to clean the Hogwarts Main Building's staircases.
• Manus considered whether Dumbledore was using detentions to handle work Filch could not do, and wondered why the school did not hire a new caretaker.

Manus spoke with Professor Staky about Beauty Potions and the dyeing of Magical Textiles, discovering that their discussion could benefit his own research. The chapter left Staky eager to continue their conversation and Manus considering the potential of Beauty Potions.

• Manus wondered what Dumbledore had been thinking and postponed meeting Tracey until Saturday evening.
• Manus met Professor Staky in Defense Against the Dark Arts and exchanged praise about their work in Potions.
• Staky asked Manus whether he was interested in Beauty Potions, and he explained how his research into Magical Textile dyes connected to Hair-Dye Potion.
• Manus and Staky exchanged ideas about Beauty Potions, and Staky recognized his talent for the field.
• Staky suggested arranging a later discussion about dyeing Magical Textiles, while Manus considered the practical potential of Beauty Potions.

Manus brewed a Beauty Potion and tested it on Slimes, discovering that even tiny doses caused severe reactions. He suspected the potion might work through evaporation and began testing an aerosolized drop on a fresh Slime.

• Manus finished brewing a crimson Beauty Potion and decided to test it on a Slime.
• After Manus injected a full vial into a Slime, it turned pink and soft before exploding.
• Manus tested smaller doses and found that even one drop made a Slime twitch before it shriveled up.
• Manus reduced the dose repeatedly until he found that the proper amount was measured in micrograms.
• Manus aerosolized a drop of Beauty Potion with the Cloud Mist Technique and brought it into contact with a newly formed Slime.

Manus tested Beauty Potion on a Slime, a rabbit, and a duplicate of himself but could not determine its effect, and he regretted having no prisoners left to use as test subjects. The next day, he attended overlapping Ancient Runes and History of Magic classes by splitting off another body, while his classmate Black struggled with runes.

• Manus sprayed Beauty Potion on a Slime and confirmed that the method produced an excellent result, though he could not tell what the potion had changed.
• Manus sprayed a rabbit and a duplicate of himself, found no visible effects, and decided to catch Death Eaters for future experiments.
• Manus regretted killing his earlier prisoners and went to sleep, then decided to keep the Time-Turner for further study rather than use it for overlapping classes.
• Manus attended Ancient Runes and History of Magic simultaneously by sending a second body to one of the classes.
• Manus corrected Black's rune translations, and Black angrily pulled his parchment away to finish the assignment alone.

Black asked Manus to check his Ancient Runes assignment, and Manus helped him correct it, changing Black’s opinion of him. Later, Manus spoke with Professor Staky about his overloaded schedule and considered which subjects were worth keeping.

• Babbling announced that students who got questions wrong would have longer essays to write, so Black asked Manus to check his assignment.
• Manus told Black he had ten wrong, then helped him correct the questions; Black left with a perfect assignment and showed it off to Potter, who had to stay and clean.
• Manus reflected on the Black Family’s library and its knowledge of Alchemy while walking through an empty corridor.
• Manus met Professor Staky, who recognized the sign of a Time-Turner and advised him to drop Divination and Muggle Studies.
• Manus told Staky he had already chosen not to take Muggle Studies and wanted to continue observing Divination, then weighed whether to drop Ancient Runes or Arithmancy.