Chapter Summaries

Will took Draco and Crabbe to the Hospital Wing after a Potions accident, then arranged for Draco to remain at Hogwarts over Christmas. When the holiday began, Will said goodbye to Sylvia and the High Tower members before leaving Hogwarts with Terry Brown for Malfoy Manor.

• Snape ordered Will to take Draco and Crabbe to the Hospital Wing after their cauldron exploded, and Will secretly gave Draco a potion that prolonged his recovery.
• Madam Pomfrey determined that Draco needed to stay in the Hospital Wing, and Will later used his Prefect authority to put Draco on the list of students remaining at Hogwarts over Christmas.
• Pansy objected to Will making the decision for Draco, but Draco rebuked her for insulting Will and reflected on how his views had changed.
• Will embraced Sylvia in the Room of Requirement before leaving for the Christmas holiday, while Sylvia stayed at Hogwarts.
• Will left his Book Trunk behind and departed Hogwarts with Terry Brown as the High Tower members, including Astoria, said goodbye.

Will Behrens arrived at Malfoy Manor, where Lucius Malfoy explained the Death Eaters’ plan to storm Azkaban and free their imprisoned comrades. Lucius introduced Will to the manor’s Death Eaters, and one of them eyed him as a potential meal.

• Rock Rowle met Will at King’s Cross and escorted him to Lucius Malfoy, who took him through Diagon Alley and the Floo Network to Malfoy Manor.
• Lucius told Will that Voldemort was occupied and described the plan to attack Azkaban around Christmas to rescue the imprisoned Death Eaters.
• Lucius explained that the manor’s southwest quarters housed capable Death Eaters and said Will could choose some to form his own team.
• Lucius brought Will into a hall of more than twenty Death Eaters, where a wizard eating raw meat grinned and said Will looked delicious.

Will established himself among the Death Eaters by brutally injuring Callum and revealing himself as Voldemort’s student. Voldemort warned Will that he lacked leadership, then praised his plan to obtain the Lestrange fortune; by December 23, the Death Eaters had gathered to begin their operation.

• Will used his Bone-Growing Curse to maim Callum and kept him alive as an experimental subject.
• Lucius introduced Will Behrens to the Death Eaters as Voldemort’s student, and Will’s laboratory made them wary of him.
• Voldemort told Will that he needed to learn to lead the Death Eaters and heard Will’s plan to explore the Lestrange vault and give him the family fortune.
• Will stayed at Malfoy Manor until December 23, when the Death Eaters gathered to put their plan into action.

Death Eaters led by Lucius and Will flew toward Azkaban while the Ministry learned that the Dementors were helping dark wizards and rushed Aurors to the island. The Aurors set out to confront them as Will planned to find a chance to dispose of Bellatrix.

• Lucius and Will led the Death Eaters across the freezing sea toward Azkaban, where Will planned to dispose of Bellatrix during the battle.
• Scrimgeour burst into Fudge’s office and warned him that Dementors were aiding dark wizards heading for Azkaban.
• Fudge ordered Alaric to issue travel permits so the Aurors could reach Azkaban.
• Lucius led the Death Eaters ashore, while Will noticed that no Ministry wizards were nearby.
• Scrimgeour gathered the Aurors at the transit station, ordered them to prepare for battle, and led them toward Azkaban.

Will joined the Death Eaters’ assault on Azkaban, where they began breaking prisoners out as Aurors arrived to stop them. The two sides fought through the prison corridors, and Will realized the Aurors had become much more capable.

• Voldemort’s Death Eaters entered Azkaban in teams using artifacts that seemed to keep the Dementors from detecting them.
• Scrimgeour led Aurors to the prison, and a distant explosion alerted them to the Death Eaters’ attack.
• Will’s team broke open cells, while the Death Eaters offered prisoners a chance to join them and killed those who refused.
• Will searched for Bellatrix but encountered Aurors blocking the corridor and hid behind the other Death Eaters.
• The Aurors and Death Eaters exchanged spells through open cells, and Will saw an Auror kill a Death Eater with a Confringo.

Will helped the Death Eaters retreat by secretly interfering with the Aurors’ attacks and blasting apart the corridor, though the Aurors’ injuries were mostly superficial. The Death Eaters fled toward the far end of the corridor as Will urged them to keep moving.

• The Aurors swiftly subdued or killed prisoners who tried to ambush them, while their disciplined advance overwhelmed the Death Eaters.
• Several Death Eaters attempted to escape through a corridor but were struck down by Auror spells.
• Will secretly tripped a fleeing Death Eater and exposed another Death Eater hiding behind a cell door to the Aurors’ attack.
• Will used an Exploding Charm to obscure the Aurors’ vision and help two Death Eaters escape with a prisoner.
• Will unleashed a chain of explosions with Waddiwasi and Confringo, driving the Aurors back and ordering the Death Eaters to flee.

Lucius and the Death Eaters fled Azkaban after their breakout operation fell apart, while Will stayed behind to find Bellatrix. He trapped her in a looping corridor and confronted her, saying he wanted to borrow her life.

• Lucius ordered the Death Eaters to retreat as their attack collapsed, and the group fled toward the breach.
• Will separated from the escaping Death Eaters and searched Azkaban, intending to keep Bellatrix from returning to Voldemort.
• Will found Bellatrix in an untouched part of the prison and trapped her in a corridor she could not escape.
• Bellatrix asked Will who he was, and he said he wanted to borrow her life before vanishing.

After escaping Azkaban, Will captured Bellatrix and hid her at his home while Lucius reported the failed mission to Voldemort. Voldemort ordered Lucius to find Will alive or bring back his body, just as a bedraggled Will appeared at Malfoy Manor.

• Will left Bellatrix unconscious, restrained, and hidden in a cabinet in his basement.
• Lucius fled with the surviving Death Eaters and suspected an undercover agent had warned the Aurors about the Azkaban operation.
• Will shopped in Diagon Alley, buying Christmas gifts for Hogwarts professors and Harry.
• Lucius reported the mission's failure and Bellatrix's disappearance to Voldemort.
• Voldemort ordered Lucius to find Will alive or bring him his body, and Will appeared at Malfoy Manor looking bedraggled.

After returning from the Azkaban operation, Will reassured Lucius and Voldemort, then persuaded Voldemort to let him investigate the Lestrange vault alone. Back at home, Will reconsidered his future and resolved to adjust his plans so he could reach level 7 without relying on Voldemort’s organization.

• Will returned to Malfoy Manor, where Lucius apologized for leaving him behind, and Will assured him he held no grudge and would not blame Draco.
• Will told Voldemort that he escaped Azkaban by swimming through the sea, and Voldemort praised him for holding off the Aurors.
• Will asked to visit the Lestrange family that day to investigate their vault, and Voldemort approved his request to go alone.
• After leaving Malfoy Manor, Will checked on Bellatrix at his house and reflected on reaching level 7, which he suspected was the limit of the magical world.
• Will decided Voldemort’s organization was too much of a mire to help him achieve his goals and resolved to adjust his plan.

Will visited the Lestranges for Christmas, searched their vaults for the Hufflepuff's Cup, and gave Voldemort control of their medicinal herb business. Voldemort found no Cup but rewarded Will with a share of the business and warned him that a spy was among the Death Eaters.

• Will asked Roy to take him to the Lestrange vaults and told him he would hand the family's medicinal herb business to Voldemort.
• Will and Roy searched the vaults at Gringotts, where Will openly made a show of inspecting them.
• Will spent Christmas at Lestrange Manor with Roy and Victor, discussing business and wizarding-world poaching incidents.
• Will told Voldemort that he had found no items or clues related to the Hufflepuff's Cup in the Lestrange vaults.
• Will gave Voldemort the Lestranges' medicinal herb trade channels and contracts, and Voldemort assigned shares to Lucius, Yaxley, and Will.
• Voldemort told Will that a spy was among the Death Eaters and warned him not to show himself again that year.

Will received Soul Studies materials from Voldemort and a Gringotts vault key from Lucius before returning to Hogwarts for the new term. After catching up with Sylvia, he went to the Headmaster’s Office, where two people were waiting by the fire.

• Voldemort told Will he could not visit Malfoy Manor until the mole was found, but promised to send Soul Studies materials through Lucius and Rock Rowle.
• Will spent the rest of the Christmas holiday brewing Potions and checking whether Bellatrix was still alive.
• Lucius brought Will books and notes on souls, then gave him a Gringotts vault key as an apology for failing to meet him at Azkaban and asked him to protect Draco.
• Will returned to Hogwarts, reunited with Sylvia, and shared dinner with her in the Room of Requirement.
• Will climbed to the Headmaster’s Office, where two people were already waiting by the fire.

Will told Dumbledore that Voldemort had recovered, was searching for a spy among the Death Eaters, and had given him manuscripts on soul studies. Dumbledore accepted that Will could study the material responsibly, but left his response unfinished as Will considered how to revise his plans.

• Will told Dumbledore that Voldemort had recovered, suspected a spy among the Death Eaters, and had not revealed the snake's whereabouts.
• Will said Voldemort had warned him to stay away from Malfoy Manor and that Snape might already be under suspicion.
• Dumbledore warned Snape to treat incoming messages as possible tests, and Snape told Will to prioritize his safety over gifts.
• Will revealed that Voldemort had given him soul-study materials and manuscripts, and Dumbledore said the knowledge could be valuable if approached without evil intent.
• Will considered the risks of soul research and the changes he might need to make to his plans before Dumbledore began to address the subject.

Will persuaded Dumbledore to let him keep his laboratory so he could develop a Happiness Potion to ease Snape’s suffering, while Dumbledore agreed to monitor his research. Meanwhile, Fudge tasked Percy with driving Dumbledore out of Hogwarts.

• Dumbledore warned Will against reckless soul research and offered to review Tom’s materials, then ordered him to close his laboratory.
• Will said he needed the laboratory to develop a Happiness Potion from the Water of Despair and hoped it would give Snape relief.
• Dumbledore was moved by Will’s concern for Snape and allowed the laboratory to remain open for now, while warning Will not to stray from his path.
• Percy recalled how he had earned Fudge’s trust by serving him during the Christmas holiday.
• Fudge promised Percy a possible deputy director’s post and ordered him to find a way to drive Dumbledore out of Hogwarts.

Percy struggled with Fudge’s demand to undermine Dumbledore but decided to pursue the promised promotion. Meanwhile, Hagrid returned to teaching Care of Magical Creatures and asked Will and the others to help him build a house.

• Percy imagined becoming a department head and proving himself to his father before falling asleep.
• Hagrid invited Will, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville to his hut after returning to teach Care of Magical Creatures.
• Will arrived first and noticed Hagrid was injured, then waited while studying a Potions paper.
• Harry and the others arrived late after Ron nearly fought Percy over Percy’s lecture and Gryffindor point deduction.
• Hagrid explained that he needed their help building a suitable house.

Hagrid led Will, Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Neville into the Forbidden Forest to show them his giant brother, whom he had brought there and hoped to teach better manners. After the giant attacked them, Will put him to sleep, and Hagrid revealed that the giant was his brother.

• Hagrid led the group to a clearing in the Forbidden Forest, where they found a giant digging inside a crude fenced area.
• Hermione explained that giants were dangerous and resistant to magic, while Hagrid insisted that his giant was improving and had been bullied for being too small.
• The giant hurled a tree trunk at the group, and Will destroyed it with Reducto and blocked the debris with a magical barrier.
• The giant charged, and Will knocked him unconscious with a Sleeping Charm despite his resistance to magic.
• Hagrid knelt beside the unconscious giant, cried, and told the others that the giant was his brother.

Hagrid revealed that Grawp was his half-brother and asked Will to help build him a home, while Will warned Hagrid to keep Grawp under control. After attending the Transfiguration Club meeting, Will received a message from Dumbledore asking him to collect more Soul Studies materials.

• Hagrid explained that he had brought Grawp to Hogwarts to protect him from bullying and unrest among the giants.
• Hermione questioned the danger of leaving Grawp in the Forbidden Forest, and Will agreed to build him a concealed home once Hagrid had the materials.
• Will warned Hagrid that Grawp could get them both sent to Azkaban if he hurt anyone, and Hagrid promised to teach him properly.
• Will and Hermione left for the Transfiguration Club meeting, where they studied the Vanishing Spell.
• Will received a Thousand Paper Cranes message from Dumbledore, who had prepared another set of Soul Studies materials for him.

Will began studying the magical structure of the Water of Despair by testing it on Bellatrix in his Laboratory dungeon. He left after recording the structure, with Bellatrix still awake but barely lucid.

• Will reviewed Dumbledore's materials on Soul Studies and considered two ways to develop the Happiness Potion.
• Will visited Bellatrix in the Laboratory dungeon and forced her to drink the Water of Despair.
• Will observed and sketched the magical structure forming in Bellatrix's brain, but it vanished when she passed out.
• Will revived Bellatrix and gave her another dose, leaving her barely lucid when he departed with his notebook.

Will studied the Water of Despair’s magical structure and began working on a Happiness Potion, then agreed to help Hagrid build a home for Grawp. Dumbledore planned to visit Grindelwald at Nurmengard on Saturday, so he arranged to go in the afternoon despite Grindelwald’s growing impatience.

• Will analyzed how the Water of Despair disrupted memories and magical structures, then considered how happiness might repair them.
• Will devoted his free time to experiments aimed at discovering the Happiness Potion’s magical structure.
• Hagrid told Will he had gathered materials for Grawp’s home, and Will agreed to help build it beside Hagrid’s house on Saturday.
• Will agreed to help Hagrid conceal Grawp’s home with an Undetectable Extension Charm, while warning that Grawp needed to stop throwing things.
• Dumbledore told Will he planned to visit Grindelwald at Nurmengard on Saturday and moved the visit to the afternoon to accommodate Will’s plans.

Will built a sturdy warehouse for Hagrid while Ron argued with Hagrid over Percy’s visit and his promise not to reveal how Hagrid bred blast-ended skrewts. The chapter ended with Will inviting everyone inside to see the finished building.

• Will arrived at Hagrid’s cabin and found Percy talking with Hagrid before Percy left carrying a sack of rock cakes.
• Will inspected Hagrid’s timber, stone, and vines, then used magic to build a warehouse in the clearing.
• Harry, Neville, Hermione, and Ron arrived, and Ron argued with Hagrid about Percy and the Ministry of Magic.
• Hagrid revealed that he had told Percy how he crossbred blast-ended skrewts and shown him his notes, prompting Ron to fear Percy would inform the Ministry.
• Will finished enchanting the warehouse and invited the others inside to look.

Will received Hagrid’s Unicorn Hair blanket as a gift for creating a home for Grawp, then went with Dumbledore to meet Grindelwald. Grindelwald began a discussion about the power of the mind and asked Dumbledore to leave them alone shortly.

• Will showed Hagrid the spacious house he had made for Grawp, and Hagrid was delighted that Grawp finally had a home.
• Hagrid gave Will a blanket woven from Unicorn Hair, which Will accepted with thanks.
• Will declined Hagrid’s bag of biscuits and went with Dumbledore to the dark stone Tower.
• Will noticed that Grindelwald’s room had gained furniture, a fireplace, and a tea set.
• Grindelwald poured tea and told Will he wanted to discuss the power of the mind, then asked Dumbledore to give them some space.