Chapter Summaries

Key plot points and events

• Blue Tit’s calls wake Li Wei, who briefly forgets that his Pokémon are back at the castle while he is outside Moscow for the Wizard Duelling Tournament.
• At the British qualifiers, referee Madam Kalyana assigns Li Wei competitor number seven and urges him to concede if he is in danger.
• Hermione gives Li Wei a booklet of British competitors and their specialties, which she compiled overnight. He appreciates her effort, though he believes he could advance without it.
• Professor Flitwick is absent from the British group because he has been appointed referee for the French matches. Li Wei suspects this is meant to help the tournament seem impartial.
• While they wait, an exhausted Hermione falls asleep on Li Wei’s shoulder. He covers her with a cloak made by transforming a leaf, then conjures a large teddy bear from the air to cradle her when he is called to compete.
• After watching two British wizards demonstrate fast, varied duelling, Li Wei is summoned to face competitor fourteen. His opponent initially assumes the young-looking Li Wei will be easy to beat, but is startled by his advanced Transfiguration and recognizes him as a recent celebrity.
• The opponent, Mr. Keynes, says he will fight seriously. Li Wei welcomes the challenge and confidently prepares to defeat him in a memorable way.

Character developments and interactions

• Li Wei remains self-assured and powerful, but shows affection and consideration toward Hermione by valuing her work and taking care of her as she sleeps. He is also willing to display his abilities openly.
• Hermione demonstrates diligence and loyalty by sacrificing sleep to research Li Wei’s opponents. Her exhaustion makes her lean on him, revealing their comfortable closeness.
• Madam Kalyana maintains an aloof manner but shows genuine concern for Li Wei’s safety.
• Mr. Keynes shifts from confidence to surprise when he sees Li Wei’s skill, then resolves to fight at full strength.
• Li Wei and Hermione also discuss Flitwick’s reassignment; Hermione cynically remarks that adults are always scheming.

Significant themes

• Preparation and care: Hermione’s research reflects her devotion, while Li Wei’s thoughtful response emphasizes mutual consideration.
• Hidden ability and appearances: Li Wei’s youth leads Keynes to underestimate him, but his extraordinary magic quickly challenges that assumption.
• Competition and fairness: Flitwick’s assignment as a referee for another country’s group suggests organizers are trying to prevent accusations of favoritism.
• Confidence and spectacle: Li Wei intends not merely to win, but to make an impressive display of his power.

Plot points

• Li Wei defeats wizard No. 14 in a one-sided duel, deflecting an immediate Disarming Charm and using powerful defensive magic and inventive Transfiguration to control the arena.
• He turns the ground into waves, transforms debris into attacking birds, then cages and drags his airborne opponent back down. A final spell strips away No. 14’s wand, securing the win.
• Li Wei restores the damaged arena, and his opponent praises his Transfiguration. The audience applauds enthusiastically.
• Over the following days, Li Wei wins the England group and qualifies for the final thirty-two as its top contestant. His silent, wandless magic and creative use of Transfiguration make him difficult to counter, though he keeps his deadlier abilities out of the tournament.
• With the group stage over, Li Wei invites Hermione to explore central Moscow. They plan to visit Old Arbat Street and buy souvenirs. Professor Flitwick approves, advises caution, and suggests using Li Wei’s Hero King Game Console to contact him in an emergency.

Character developments and interactions

• Li Wei displays calm confidence and overwhelming skill in the duel. He is pleased to share the victory with Hermione and notices how much she has grown since they first met.
• Wizard No. 14 begins aggressively but is outmatched; afterward, he accepts defeat, praises Li Wei, and teases him for being neither adorable nor modest.
• Hermione has supported Li Wei throughout the tournament and is excited to plan their outing, showing her curiosity and enthusiasm.
• Professor Flitwick acts as a protective mentor, combining practical safety advice with reassurance that the console can summon help.

Significant themes

• Skill and creativity: Li Wei wins not just through force but by turning his surroundings into tools and weapons.
• Restraint and responsibility: He deliberately avoids using lethal magic in a competition.
• Companionship and growing affection: The tournament gives way to time together, as Li Wei and Hermione celebrate their friendship and make plans.
• Changing times: The console reflects how new inventions are reshaping communication and wizarding life.

Key plot points and events

• Li Wei and Hermione walk through the countryside near Moscow, hoping to find transport to the remote village of Borodino.
• Hermione initially rejects Li Wei’s suggestion to Apparate, worried that using magic abroad could attract trouble. Li Wei reminds her that he has disabled their Trace and that the British Ministry has no authority there.
• They reach a road just as a pale-yellow Volga taxi appears. Hermione senses something unsettling about the driver and car; Li Wei recognizes that something is unusual but deliberately gets in, treating the encounter as an adventure.
• The driver, assuming the young foreigners would make easy victims, plans to exploit them. Li Wei abruptly pulls the handbrake, throwing the driver through the windshield.
• The driver survives without injury. Li Wei pretends to be concerned and apologetic, then helps him back into the taxi.
• The shattered windshield repairs itself. Li Wei jokingly suggests it might be old Soviet technology, while Hermione realizes the taxi is no ordinary vehicle.

Character developments and interactions

• Li Wei is curious, confident, and mischievous. He knowingly boards a potentially dangerous taxi, then tests the driver by pulling the handbrake and conceals his amusement behind a false apology.
• Hermione is cautious and alert. She worries about magical authorities and senses that the driver and taxi are wrong, but she follows Li Wei into the car.
• The driver appears gruff and predatory, believing the children are vulnerable. His apparent invulnerability and the taxi’s self-repair reveal that he is more than an ordinary driver.
• Li Wei and Hermione’s easy companionship is emphasized: Hermione finds the walk more enjoyable because Li Wei is with her, while Li Wei’s risk-taking contrasts with her caution.

Significant themes

• Curiosity versus caution: Li Wei’s appetite for adventure overrides the obvious warning signs, while Hermione remains wary.
• Appearance and deception: The taxi seems ordinary, but both its driver and its impossible self-repair suggest a supernatural nature.
• Power and vulnerability: The driver assumes the children are easy targets, but Li Wei quickly turns the situation against him.

Key plot points

• Li Wei and Hermione ride in a taxi on a long, rough journey. The driver tries to pass off the taxi’s uncanny self-repair as advanced technology, and Li Wei pretends to accept the explanation.
• As ominous music plays, the driver begins a dramatic story about his wife. Li Wei repeatedly interrupts with jokes, while Hermione becomes amused and joins in.
• The driver reveals that his wife cheated on him, then starts to disclose what he did to her and her lover. At that moment, he drops his human disguise and reveals himself as a murderous ghost.
• Li Wei summons a corporeal Silver Dragon Patronus. Its light exposes the taxi as a rusted wreck and causes the ghost intense pain. Hermione draws her wand, while Li Wei calmly threatens the driver.
• The driver panics and agrees to explain how he died and returned to life.

Character developments and interactions

• Li Wei remains irreverent and composed, using teasing humor even in a dangerous situation. Once the driver’s threat becomes clear, he demonstrates powerful magic and takes control.
• Hermione shifts from confusion and amusement to alarm when the taxi’s true nature is revealed. She responds decisively by aiming her wand at the driver.
• The driver moves from awkward deception and frustrated storytelling to openly threatening them, then quickly becomes fearful and submissive under the Patronus’s power.
• Li Wei and Hermione share a playful rapport: she laughs at his interruptions and lightly punches him, but they quickly coordinate when danger emerges.

Significant themes

• Appearance versus reality: The ordinary-looking taxi and driver are revealed as a decayed vehicle and a murderous ghost.
• Humor amid danger: Li Wei’s jokes puncture the driver’s attempted horror-story atmosphere.
• Power and intimidation: The Silver Dragon Patronus transforms the encounter, forcing the ghost to surrender and tell the truth.

Plot points and events

• The Evil Ghost Driver recounts how, during the Soviet Union’s economic decline, he killed his wife and her lover after discovering her affair. He was executed, but returned as a ghost fused with his taxi and began killing passengers.
• Li Wei recognizes that this contradicts established magical rules: ordinary people should not become ghosts, and even wizard ghosts cannot harm the living. Though Legilimency confirms the driver is telling the truth, Li Wei cannot explain how it is possible.
• Rather than destroy the ghost, Li Wei traps him in a bottle with Imprison. He plans to hand him over to Mrs. Kalyana, a Russian Ministry of Magic official.
• Li Wei and Hermione Apparate to Moscow. They explore Red Square and GUM, buying Russian souvenirs, then walk along Old Arbat Street.
• Hermione searches the street paintings for a possible bargain, hoping to discover an undervalued masterpiece. Li Wei suspects tourists are more likely to be cheated, but lets her enjoy browsing.
• As evening falls, Hermione asks whether they should return to camp. Li Wei decides they will stay in Moscow overnight and reveals that he has a house there.

Character developments and interactions

• Li Wei is intrigued and unsettled by the ghost’s impossible nature, but prioritizes not letting the mystery disrupt their trip. He reassures Hermione, gently teases her about bargain-hunting, and quietly lets her enjoy the search.
• Hermione shares Li Wei’s shock at the ghost’s existence and accepts his plan to turn the case over to an authority. During the outing, she is practical about money but becomes excited by the possibility of finding valuable art.
• Their easy affection and cooperation are evident as they travel hand in hand, discuss what to do with the ghost, shop together, and decide how to spend the evening.

Significant themes

• The limits of established knowledge: The Evil Ghost Driver’s existence challenges the magical world’s supposedly firm rules about ghosts.
• Responsibility versus personal enjoyment: Li Wei chooses to preserve the trip while arranging for the ghost to be handled by an official.
• Travel and discovery: Moscow’s streets, landmarks, and shops offer the couple a chance to explore and enjoy ordinary life together.

Plot points and events

• Li Wei spends a sleepless night wondering how the murderous, physically dangerous ghost driver could exist. He speculates that an “eerie resurgence” might be underway, linking the ghost, Grindelwald’s second Precognitive Dream, visitors from beyond the world, and Hogwarts’s unusually large incoming class. He ultimately decides he may be overthinking an isolated case and focuses on preparing for what lies ahead.
• Li Wei and Hermione spend three days exploring Moscow. Li Wei arranges for two of his shops to be rented and appoints Valentin to run the remaining, wizard-serving shop as a Russian branch of the Hero King Game Company.
• With the Dueling Tournament group stage over, the pair return to the venue. Hermione shows pride in her growing household-magic skills and eagerness to improve enough to compete in a future tournament. Li Wei promises to enter her after he wins the championship.
• They visit Professor Flitwick and Madam Kalyana, the tournament organizer, and report their encounter with the ghost driver. Li Wei produces the bottle containing the captured ghost. The officials are astonished: the ghost is said to be the soul of a Muggle and able to harm people—both contrary to accepted magical understanding.

Character developments and interactions

• Li Wei shifts from anxious speculation to practical resolve. He is confident about winning the tournament and takes responsibility for expanding his business in Russia.
• Hermione appears more domestic and capable, but also reveals her competitive Gryffindor spirit. Her excitement about Li Wei’s promised victory is partly anticipation of celebrating with him.
• Flitwick is relieved when the two return, then becomes deeply concerned by their account.
• Kalyana and Flitwick share disbelief at the ghost’s reported nature, while Yekaterina is present during their discussion.
• Li Wei and Hermione share an affectionate, supportive rapport, returning hand in hand and discussing Hermione’s future in the arena.

Significant themes

• The unknown and changing rules of magic: The ghost challenges established beliefs about souls, ghosts, and the limits of physical influence.
• Foreshadowing and uncertainty: Li Wei’s eerie-resurgence theory connects several strange developments, but remains unconfirmed.
• Growth and ambition: Hermione wants to master more spells and compete, while Li Wei’s confidence and business ventures point to broader goals.

Key plot points

• Professor Flitwick and Madam Kalyana suspect the Evil Ghost Driver may be under the Imperius Curse and used to disrupt the Wizard Duelling Convention. Madam Kalyana takes the case over for the Russian Ministry and orders Li Wei and Hermione to stay out of it.
• The group turns to the tournament. Li Wei is England’s top qualifier; Yekaterina Volotova places third for Russia. Flitwick warns Li Wei not to underestimate experienced competitors, but Li Wei confidently predicts he will win.
• In the round of thirty-two, Li Wei faces Bulgarian star and Durmstrang graduate Viktor Krum. Krum opens with a fast series of attacks, but Li Wei blocks them and uses powerful Transfiguration to create a stone serpent and an eagle that trap Krum.
• Krum risks an imperfect Apparition to escape, briefly leaving him dizzy and his robe behind. Li Wei waits until he recovers rather than exploiting his vulnerability.
• Krum tries to concede, but Li Wei insists on continuing and sends the creatures after him again. After a prolonged chase, Krum collapses and finally surrenders.

Character developments and interactions

• Li Wei is confident in his ability and shows both formidable magical power and a sense of fairness: he gives Krum time to recover, though he also refuses to let him end the match early. His inexhaustible magic lets him sustain the creatures until Krum is exhausted.
• Krum proves daring and skilled, but his risky Apparition nearly costs him the match. His determination turns to frustration as Li Wei keeps pursuing him; ultimately, he accepts defeat.
• Flitwick supports Li Wei while cautioning him about veteran opponents. Madam Kalyana acts protectively by taking charge of the suspected plot and keeping the young wizards away from it.
• Hermione shares Li Wei’s concern about the possible interference but follows Madam Kalyana’s decision.

Significant themes

• Fairness and sportsmanship: Li Wei refuses to take advantage of Krum while he is disoriented.
• Power and stamina: Li Wei’s Transfiguration and magical reserves overwhelm Krum despite Krum’s skill and courage.
• Protection and responsibility: Madam Kalyana separates the young competitors from a potentially dangerous investigation.
• Confidence versus caution: Li Wei’s assurance contrasts with Flitwick’s reminder that tournament opponents may be unpredictable.

Chapter summary

• Key events: After defeating Viktor Krum, Li Wei faces Pheobe Delacour in the round of sixteen. He wins without seriously overwhelming her, and Pheobe concedes when she recognizes she cannot beat him. She urges him to carry the young competitors’ hopes forward and win the tournament. Li Wei then fights with greater spectacle, using powerful fire and ice magic. He defeats every remaining opponent without speaking an incantation or taking damage, and claims the championship at the Borodino Battlefield.
• Character developments: Pheobe shifts from anxious resignation to admiration and encouragement, trusting Li Wei to prove that age does not determine a wizard’s strength. Li Wei, who had not realized how little confidence others placed in the young contestants, becomes determined to change their minds. His victory establishes him as an exceptional young wizard, though he keeps his still more dangerous abilities hidden.
• Character interactions: Pheobe challenges Li Wei’s confidence but ultimately becomes one of his supporters. He treats her more gently than he did Krum, and the two speak candidly after the match. At the awards ceremony, Hermione applauds with excitement, while Pheobe and Krum watch Li Wei with admiration.
• Significant themes: The chapter challenges assumptions that youth means weakness and argues that skill and power—not age—decide a contest. It also explores reputation: Li Wei’s spectacular victory transforms public doubt into recognition, while his concealed abilities suggest that even this new reputation reveals only part of his strength.

Key plot points and events

• After winning the Wizard Duelling Tournament, Li Wei unlocks the Ranking MOD and appears third on the Combat Power Rankings, behind Dumbledore and Grindelwald. He receives a 10% increase in magic power.
• Li Wei wonders whether the ranking reward is temporary or whether the other ranked wizards receive similar boosts. He also notices that the list is limited to “extraordinary combat power within the current worldview.”
• This wording makes him question whether the Harry Potter world is only one part of a larger reality, where other fictional worlds or supernatural systems—such as superheroes or Chinese cultivation—might exist. He resolves to learn more about the wider world rather than focus solely on wizarding affairs.
• The tournament ends, and the celebratory bonfire begins. Li Wei rejoins Hermione, Professor Flitwick, and the others. Flitwick congratulates him and asks whether he and Hermione plan to stay in Moscow or return to England, offering to accompany them.

Character developments

• Li Wei gains a modest but meaningful power boost and, more importantly, becomes unsettled by the possibility that his understanding of reality is incomplete. His ambition grows: he wants to be involved in major world events, not simply wait for danger to arrive.
• Professor Flitwick is delighted and proud of Li Wei, especially as his student has joined him as a tournament champion. He remains attentive to his students’ safety even while hoping to reconnect with an old friend.
• Hermione is present with Li Wei and Flitwick, though she has little direct involvement in the chapter’s events.

Character interactions

• Li Wei credits Flitwick’s teaching for his victory. Flitwick modestly rejects the praise, though he is plainly pleased.
• Flitwick exchanges a smug look with Madam Kalyana. She responds coldly, takes Yekaterina Volotova by the arm, and walks away.
• Flitwick asks Li Wei and Hermione about their travel plans, balancing his wish to spend time with Kalyana against his responsibility to protect the students.

Significant themes

• The limits of one’s worldview: The ranking’s wording prompts Li Wei to consider whether powerful forces exist beyond the magical world he knows.
• Ambition and vigilance: Li Wei wants to stay informed and prepared, rather than remain isolated until a threat appears.
• Recognition and mentorship: His victory brings Flitwick pride, while their exchange highlights the role of teaching and student effort in achievement.

Key plot points and events

• After the Wizard Duelling Tournament, Li Wei and Hermione plan to return to Li Wei’s Castle Estate. Professor Flitwick insists on accompanying them, believing it is his responsibility to keep them safe.
• Hermione proposes they remain in Moscow and help Madam Kalyana investigate the unresolved Evil Ghost Driver incident. Kalyana agrees, and Hermione jokingly names their group the “Evil Ghost Driver Incident Investigation Team.”
• The group celebrates the tournament’s end, then sets out the next day. Kalyana says she can gather information herself and encourages the younger wizards to enjoy the trip rather than worry about helping.
• As they walk through the forest, Li Wei and Hermione relax and flirt, while Yekaterina Volotova remains silent and detached.
• Kalyana explains that Yekaterina lost her parents young and has been isolated and unresponsive since childhood. Bringing her to the tournament was meant to help her make friends, but it has not worked. Flitwick is concerned, and Kalyana admits she does not know how to reach the girl.

Character developments and interactions

• Li Wei is eager to investigate the Evil Ghost Driver, especially whether it was an isolated tragedy or a sign of a wider supernatural threat. He also accepts that Flitwick’s protectiveness comes from concern, even though he feels capable of handling himself.
• Hermione takes initiative by finding a reason for the group to stay together, showing both curiosity about the case and a willingness to support Kalyana. She and Li Wei share a playful, affectionate moment when he makes her a flower wreath.
• Professor Flitwick remains protective of his students and shows compassion toward Yekaterina.
• Madam Kalyana is confident in her investigative abilities but deeply troubled by her inability to help Yekaterina.
• Yekaterina is presented as profoundly withdrawn, with her grief and isolation setting her apart from the others.

Significant themes

• Protection versus independence: Li Wei feels grown and capable, while Flitwick still sees safeguarding him as a teacher’s duty.
• Curiosity and responsibility: The group’s interest in the Evil Ghost Driver reflects concern about the possibility of a larger threat.
• Grief and isolation: Yekaterina’s loss has left her cut off from others, and the adults recognize that simply placing her among peers may not be enough to help.
• Care and connection: Hermione’s suggestion keeps the group together, while the contrast between her warmth with Li Wei and Yekaterina’s solitude highlights the importance—and difficulty—of forming bonds.

Key plot points and events

• Professor Flitwick and Madam Kalyana discuss how to help Yekaterina, whose silence is rooted in childhood trauma. Flitwick worries that a friendship formed for the purpose of “fixing” her would not be genuine.
• Li Wei overhears their conversation thanks to his enhanced hearing. He tells Hermione what he has learned and encourages her to approach Yekaterina.
• Hermione tries to break the ice by asking Yekaterina about exchanging knowledge, but Yekaterina responds only with a nod and then remains largely silent.
• Meanwhile, Madam Kalyana leads the group into the Meshchora Region, a magical forest, rather than pursuing the Evil Ghost Driver through a large Auror search or seeking a seer. Li Wei wonders what clues she expects to find there.
• Hermione continues trying different conversation topics as they travel, but Yekaterina is more captivated by the forest’s plants, streams, and wildlife. Frustrated but determined, Hermione decides to consult Li Wei and try again.

Character developments

• Li Wei learns that Yekaterina’s silence may come from trauma, not simple disinterest. He wants to help but recognizes that Hermione is better placed to approach her.
• Hermione shows compassion and initiative, though repeated one-sided conversations test her patience. She refuses to give up and remains determined to find a way to connect.
• Yekaterina remains reserved and unresponsive to conversation, but her sustained attention to the natural world suggests a strong interest in her surroundings.
• Professor Flitwick is concerned for Yekaterina but understands that friendship cannot be forced or used merely as a means to change her.
• Madam Kalyana appears confident in her decision to search the Meshchora forest for answers about the Evil Ghost Driver.

Significant themes

• Genuine friendship versus ulterior motives: Helping someone requires sincere connection, not treating friendship as a tool.
• Patience and persistence: Hermione struggles to reach Yekaterina but keeps looking for a better approach.
• Understanding the causes of isolation: Yekaterina’s silence is presented as connected to past trauma.
• Attunement to nature: Yekaterina’s interest in the forest contrasts with her lack of engagement in social conversation.

Character interactions

• Li Wei shares what he overheard with Hermione, who accepts the challenge of approaching Yekaterina.
• Hermione makes several attempts to converse, while Yekaterina responds minimally and focuses on the forest.
• Flitwick and Madam Kalyana discuss the difficulty of helping Yekaterina without compromising the sincerity of any friendship.
• Li Wei observes Hermione’s efforts from a distance, then turns his attention to Madam Kalyana’s mysterious investigative plans.

Key plot points and events

• Hermione and Li Wei struggle to find a way to befriend Yekaterina. They learn almost nothing about her interests, and Li Wei’s attempt to connect through his game console fails.
• The group wanders through the forest until Madam Kalyana announces they have reached the Birch Tree Elder, an old acquaintance she hopes to question.
• The Elder reacts angrily to the visitors, raising a powerful wind. Li Wei’s ability to communicate with magical creatures has no effect.
• Yekaterina steps forward, sings a Russian nursery rhyme, and offers bread and salt according to an ancient custom. The Elder accepts the gifts and calms down.
• The Birch Tree Elder emerges from a huge birch tree, then magically shrinks. Li Wei explains that Forest Elders are nature spirits found only in ancient, undisturbed forests.

Character developments and interactions

• Li Wei and Hermione are stumped by Yekaterina’s silence and decide to observe her rather than press her with more questions. Li Wei becomes intrigued by her unexpected knowledge and considers whether the Elder might help him pursue a Druid class.
• Yekaterina remains reserved, but reveals cultural knowledge and initiative by soothing the Elder when the others cannot. The Elder praises her politeness and accepts her offering.
• Madam Kalyana tries to approach her old friend respectfully, but her visit initially provokes the Elder’s anger.
• Professor Flitwick and the others are startled by the Elder’s power and appearance.

Significant themes

• Custom and respect: Yekaterina’s traditional offering succeeds where force, familiarity, and Li Wei’s special talent fail.
• Limits of knowledge and ability: Li Wei’s affinity does not work on every magical being, and the group cannot understand Yekaterina simply by asking about her interests.
• Nature and ancient magic: The Forest Elder embodies the power of old-growth forests and a form of magic distinct from ordinary creatures or plants.

Plot points and events

• The Birch Tree Elder changes size, then agrees to perform a divination for Madam Kalyana about the Evil Ghost Driver—whether the ghost arose naturally or was created.
• He releases the ghost and inhales a wisp of smoke from it. After an alarming pause in which he pretends to forget everyone, he reveals that nature gave him the name Baba Yaga.
• Madam Kalyana and Yekaterina recognize the name with alarm. Hermione explains that Baba Yaga is an ancient Slavic witch and that the name belongs to a continuing witch lineage, not necessarily one immortal person.
• The Elder clarifies that Baba Yaga did not necessarily create the ghost; she is only connected to him. Reassured, the group thanks the Elder and sets off to find her.
• Before they leave, the Elder invites Yekaterina to visit him again.

Character developments and interactions

• Madam Kalyana’s confidence gives way to embarrassment, then gratitude and concern; she is relieved when the Elder says Baba Yaga’s involvement does not prove she created the ghost.
• Li Wei doubts the Elder’s reliability during the strange divination and has to rely on Hermione’s knowledge to understand the revelation.
• Hermione demonstrates her extensive knowledge by explaining Baba Yaga’s lore and the tradition of magical lineages.
• Yekaterina, usually impassive, smiles faintly while talking with the Elder. The others notice and wonder whether nature spirits bring out a warmer side of her.
• The Elder jokes with the group, offers the divination in return for “bread and salt,” and shows particular friendliness toward Yekaterina.

Significant themes

• Knowledge and tradition: Magical identities and practices can persist through lineages rather than through a single person.
• Uncertainty and interpretation: The divination reveals a connection, not a definitive cause, leaving the mystery of the ghost unresolved.
• Nature and affinity: Yekaterina’s unusual warmth around the Birch Tree Elder hints at a special bond between her and nature spirits.

Key events

• The group travels through Mezhola Forest, following the Birch Tree Elder’s directions to search for the legendary Baba Yaga.
• Professor Flitwick and Madam Kalyana realize that Yekaterina’s loneliness may partly come from having no animal companion. Kalyana feels guilty for never arranging a pet, while Flitwick reassures her and encourages her to focus on what Yekaterina might like.
• Li Wei and Hermione deliberately talk about their pets, Nami the Purrloin and Mumu the Rowlet, hoping to draw Yekaterina into conversation. Their plan works: Yekaterina turns toward them and quietly asks who the animals are. Hermione shows her a photograph of Nami, and the two friends eagerly tell her more.
• The group then considers how to locate Baba Yaga. Kalyana explains that Baba Yaga is not simply the child-eating figure of Muggle legend, but a school of witches whose treatment of others depends on how they are treated. The frightening stories include a hut on chicken legs and a fence made of human bones.
• Hermione questions the legends and suggests practical ways to find Baba Yaga, such as divination or writing her a letter. The group turns its attention back to the search.

Character developments and interactions

• Yekaterina shows a small but meaningful willingness to connect with others. Her curiosity about Nami and Mumu prompts her first conversation with Li Wei and Hermione.
• Kalyana recognizes that she may have failed to support her great-niece and resolves to find out what kind of animal companion Yekaterina wants.
• Flitwick comforts Kalyana and helps her move from guilt toward taking action.
• Li Wei and Hermione work together to draw Yekaterina out, while Hermione also brings a practical, skeptical perspective to the Baba Yaga mystery.

Significant themes

• Loneliness and companionship: Animal friends may help Yekaterina feel less isolated and offer a path toward human friendship.
• Care and responsibility: Kalyana’s regret highlights how easily a loved one’s needs can be overlooked, even with good intentions.
• Legend versus reality: The group must distinguish frightening folklore about Baba Yaga from the more complex truth.
• Kindness and reciprocity: Baba Yaga’s school is said to respond to others according to how they are treated.

Plot points

• Li Wei’s group fails to locate Baba Yaga’s magical hut. Madam Kalyana explains that ordinary divination and owl post cannot find it, so the group decides to return to Moscow and consult Ministry records or Aurors.
• Li Wei tries divination himself, fails, and resolves to study prophecy and divination. Professor Flitwick offers encouragement, though he doubts Li Wei has a natural talent for it.
• Before they leave Mezhola Forest, the group takes comfort in Yekaterina’s growing interest in Hermione’s pets, Nami and Mumu. Yekaterina arranges to exchange letters and asks for photographs.
• Hermione spots Meowthundercloud, a huge black cat in a tree. Its meow magically puts Madam Kalyana, Flitwick, Yekaterina, and Hermione to sleep.
• Li Wei resists the sleep effect thanks to his Draconic Sorcerer abilities. He shields the others and discovers that Meowthundercloud’s meow is a gentle command to sleep, not an attack meant to injure them.
• The cat is baffled that Li Wei can understand its speech. Their conversation reveals that Meowthundercloud is curious about Li Wei and his apparent dragonlike qualities.

Character developments and interactions

• Li Wei recognizes divination as a weakness and commits to improving, while remaining alert and protective when the group is endangered. He questions Meowthundercloud rather than attacking immediately.
• Yekaterina appears more open and cheerful, bonding with Hermione through their shared interest in Nami and Mumu.
• Professor Flitwick tries to reassure Li Wei, while Madam Kalyana reacts urgently to Meowthundercloud’s danger.
• Meowthundercloud shifts from mysteriously putting the group to sleep to engaging in curious, talkative conversation with Li Wei.

Significant themes

• Limits of magic: Even experienced wizards cannot overcome the hut’s concealment through ordinary divination.
• Growth through failure: Li Wei turns his failed search into motivation to study.
• Unexpected connection: The unsuccessful expedition still helps Yekaterina open up, and Li Wei’s ability to understand Meowthundercloud creates a surprising bridge between species.
• Power and restraint: Li Wei protects his companions and seeks an explanation before resorting to force.

Li Wei and his companions followed Meowthundercloud through the forest to meet Baba Yaga, whose Hut on Chicken Legs appeared in the mist. They entered the hut and heard Baba Yaga ask Hermione how Pomona had been.

• Meowthundercloud explained that Baba Yaga had sent it to bring Li Wei and the others to her, and Li Wei woke Hermione and the others after realizing the cat had put them to sleep by mistake.
• Li Wei told the group what had happened, and they agreed to accept Baba Yaga’s invitation after Hermione and Yekaterina petted Meowthundercloud.
• Meowthundercloud led the group through the forest to Baba Yaga’s Hut on Chicken Legs, which emerged from the mist on enormous chicken feet.
• Hermione encouraged everyone to enter the hut, and Li Wei took her hand as they climbed the steps together.
• Li Wei, Hermione, Madam Kalyana, Professor Flitwick, and Yekaterina entered the expanded hut and found a sunlit garden of magical plants inside.
• An old woman’s voice answered Hermione’s remark about the garden by asking how Pomona had been.

Li Wei, Hermione, and their companions met Baba Yaga, who revealed that she had not created the Evil Ghost Driver and that the threat was tied to Koschei the Deathless. The chapter ended with Li Wei and Hermione asking what made Koschei so powerful and difficult to defeat.

• Hermione and Li Wei discovered that Baba Yaga appeared as a little girl, and she explained that a failed Rejuvenation Potion had changed her appearance without extending her life.
• Baba Yaga confirmed that she knew Professor Sprout, whom she called Pomona, and the women eagerly questioned her about staying young.
• Madam Kalyana showed Baba Yaga the Evil Ghost Driver and asked whether she had any leads, prompting Baba Yaga to reveal that someone had seized part of the Misty Forest and turned it into a ghost.
• Baba Yaga said she had not created the Evil Ghost Driver and identified Koschei the Deathless as the culprit, warning that his power had grown and that he could create wraiths to attack the living.
• Li Wei and Hermione asked who Koschei was and what abilities made him so difficult to defeat.

Li Wei learned that Koschei the Deathless had hidden his death inside a chain of objects on Unknown Island, and that destroying them could make him stronger. After hearing how Prince Ivan had exposed Koschei’s secret but failed to kill him, Li Wei decided he could finish the job.

• Baba Yaga and Madam Kalyana explained that Koschei had hidden his death in a needle protected by an egg, a duck, a rabbit, an iron chest, and an oak tree on Unknown Island.
• Madam Kalyana revealed that destroying Koschei’s hidden objects would release their stored power and strengthen him.
• Hermione questioned how Koschei’s secret became known and asked what Madam Kalyana meant by saying he was back.
• Madam Kalyana explained that Marya Morevna had coaxed Koschei’s secret from him, and Prince Ivan had spread it after defeating Koschei’s body but failing to destroy the needle.
• Li Wei compared Koschei’s layered hiding places to Russian nesting dolls and resolved to find a way to defeat him.

Li Wei and his companions learned that Koschei the Deathless was behind the Evil Ghost Driver and discussed plans to confront him. After visiting Baba Yaga’s Hut on Chicken Legs, they said goodbye to Madam Kalyana and Yekaterina and returned to Scotland, ending their summer trip to Moscow.

• Madam Kalyana explained that Koschei the Deathless had created a Horcrux, and the group discussed seeking help from the International Confederation of Wizards and Professor Dumbledore.
• Baba Yaga promised to contact her old friends and showed Li Wei, Hermione, and the others her hut, its Three Red, White, and Black Knights, and its many rooms.
• Li Wei, Hermione, and Professor Flitwick spent the night in Baba Yaga’s hut, then returned with Madam Kalyana and Yekaterina to the campsite at the Borodino Battlefield.
• Li Wei, Hermione, and Professor Flitwick said goodbye to Madam Kalyana and Yekaterina, who asked them to stay in touch by letter and through the Game Console.
• Li Wei, Hermione, and Professor Flitwick used the Portkey to return to the mine in the Scottish Highlands, ending their Moscow trip.

Li Wei returned to the Castle Estate with Hermione and learned more about Koschei the Deathless, whose nested Horcruxes made him a formidable threat. While Hermione trained, Li Wei spent his accumulated credits to strengthen his silver dragon bloodline and acquire new dragon auras and spells, leaving him better prepared for future dangers.

• Professor Flitwick used Side-Along Apparition to take Li Wei and Hermione to the Castle Estate, then hurried back to Hogwarts to warn Dumbledore about Koschei the Deathless.
• Li Wei reflected on Koschei's nested, repairable Horcruxes and resolved that defeating him would be difficult, though he coveted the chance to study and repeatedly kill such a powerful dark wizard.
• At the Castle Estate, Hermione practiced Ancient Runes and Spell Templates while Li Wei spent 100,000 credits to raise his silver dragon bloodline concentration and gain Freezing Aura.
• Li Wei redeemed Flame Aura, Ice Storm, and Fire Dragon Spell from the Dragon MOD, using the opposing auras to temper his magic, soul, and body.
• Li Wei assessed Ice Storm as an explosive spell that could grow stronger through repeated blasts and learned that Fire Dragon Spell transformed him into an elemental fire dragon.