Chapter Summaries

Professor McGonagall announced the Yule Ball and told Su Er and Harry that Hogwarts’s Champions had to open it with dance partners. Harry worried about finding a partner, while Hermione hinted that she hoped someone would ask her, and Su Er left the invitation unspoken.

• During Transfiguration, Professor McGonagall scolded Harry and Ron for neglecting their work while puzzling over the Golden Egg.
• Professor McGonagall announced that the Yule Ball was open to fourth-years and above, with younger students allowed as guests.
• Professor McGonagall kept Su Er and Harry behind and explained that the Hogwarts Champions had to wear dress robes and open the ball with partners.
• Harry worried to Ron, Hermione, and Su Er that he could not dance and had no partner, while Su Er said he already had one.
• Hermione hinted to Su Er that she wondered who would ask her to dance, but Su Er did not invite her, and he hurried after her when she walked ahead.

Su Er delayed inviting Hermione to the Christmas ball while preparing a gift to match her dress, leaving Hermione unsure whether he intended to ask her. When Hannah pressed him about Hermione’s doubts, Su Er had not yet explained his plan.

• Ron teased Harry about finding a dance partner and asked Hermione whether she would dance with Su Er, upsetting her.
• Emily asked Su Er to the ball, but he politely declined because he already had someone in mind; Hermione overheard Emily’s friends speculating about her.
• Su Er learned Hermione had left the Great Hall and told Harry he was still waiting before inviting his intended partner.
• Su Er received a rose-patterned box containing the gift he had ordered for Hermione, which had cost 500 Galleons.
• Hannah told Su Er that Hermione doubted he planned to invite her, and he realized her question about his partner had been a pretext to raise the issue.

Su Er publicly asked Hermione Granger to be his dance partner for the Christmas ball, while Hermione helped Neville gather the courage to invite Hannah. Hermione accepted Su Er’s invitation and opened the wooden box he had prepared for her.

• Neville practiced asking Hannah to the ball with Hermione, and Hermione encouraged him while Su Er mistakenly thought Neville was asking Hermione.
• Hannah arrived, and Hermione urged Neville to ask her; Su Er made Neville think a Ravenclaw boy was about to invite Hannah, prompting Neville to act.
• Neville finally set off to ask Hannah, while Hermione confronted Su Er about whether he had already chosen another dance partner.
• Su Er presented Hermione with a wooden box and publicly asked her to attend the Christmas ball with him.
• Hermione accepted, and Su Er explained that he had prepared the box for the ball; Hermione opened it as the students watched.

As Christmas approached, Su Er and Hermione visited the Owlery and then witnessed Ron ask Pheobe to the Yule Ball while under the influence of her uncontrolled Veela magic. Ron fled in embarrassment, and Harry learned that Ginny had stopped him from doing the same before deciding to check on Ron.

• Hermione admired Su Er's gift, while Neville returned with news that Hannah had accepted his invitation to the Yule Ball.
• Su Er and Hermione sent letters and gifts home, then encountered Pheobe speaking with Cedric near the Entrance Hall.
• Pheobe's Veela magic affected the boys nearby, and Ginny held Harry back while Ron approached Pheobe.
• Ron loudly asked Pheobe to attend the Yule Ball with him, then realized what he had done and ran away in embarrassment.
• Su Er explained the Veela magic to Harry, who decided to go find Ron.

Su Er encouraged Harry to ask Ginny to the Yule Ball and helped Harry realize he also needed to learn to dance. As Christmas approached, Harry and Ron found partners, while Su Er and Hermione continued practicing the waltz.

• Su Er suggested Ginny as Harry's dance partner, and Ginny hurried off shyly when Harry considered the idea.
• Su Er reminded Harry that Christmas was near and asked whether he could dance; Harry admitted he could not.
• Su Er and Hermione learned the waltz from Professor Sprout and practiced in the Room of Requirement, where Su Er repeatedly stepped on Hermione's feet.
• Harry later announced that Ginny had agreed to be his Yule Ball partner.
• After Lavender Brown defended Ron for publicly asking Fleur Delacour, Ron invited Lavender to the ball and she accepted.
• Krum accepted an invitation from a Ravenclaw girl, while Fleur Delacour's partner remained unknown as Christmas drew near.

Hogwarts celebrated Christmas amid elaborate decorations, and Su Er opened his presents before heading to practice the waltz with Hermione for the Yule Ball. Hermione’s affectionate gift delighted him, while Ariana remained mysteriously out of reach.

• Hogwarts welcomed Christmas with lavish decorations as students and visiting Beauxbatons and Durmstrang guests filled the Castle.
• Su Er sensed Ariana faintly through his daily Patronus but could not reach or understand her presence.
• Su Er opened his presents, including a sweater from Mrs. Ellison, a protective potion from Snape, and a bow tie from Hermione.
• Su Er drank Snape’s potion, shared perishable gifts with his roommates, and left the dormitory for the lively common room.
• Su Er set off to practice the waltz with Hermione before the Yule Ball.

As Hogwarts prepared for the Christmas ball, Su Er waited eagerly for Hermione while helping Ron fix his dress robes. The crowd fell silent as Hermione finally appeared, and Su Er turned to look.

• Hermione complained to Su Er about Ron and Lavender’s public affection while they practiced dancing.
• Su Er and the Weasley Brothers led a snowball fight that grew into a chaotic battle against Harry and his reinforcements.
• Su Er waited outside the Great Hall for Hermione and complimented Harry and Ginny on their dress robes.
• Ron arrived in crumpled dress robes and explained that Peeves had ruined them, so Su Er used a spell to smooth them out.
• Fleur arrived with Roger Davies, Malfoy appeared with Pansy Parkinson, and Krum arrived with Emily as Su Er waited for Hermione.
• The crowd fell silent, and someone pointed out Hermione’s arrival to Su Er.

Su Er and Hermione attended the Yule banquet as partners, joining the other Triwizard Champions at the High Table. The feast began with Percy boasting about his promotion and Su Er feeding Hermione a bite of steak, leaving her blushing under the guests’ amused stares.

• Hermione arrived in pale periwinkle dress robes wearing the crown Su Er had made, and she and Su Er complimented each other before walking together to join Harry and the others.
• Professor McGonagall gathered the Champions and their partners, then led them into the decorated Great Hall for the opening of the banquet.
• Dumbledore welcomed the group at the High Table, where Percy announced that he had become Madam Umbridge’s personal assistant and offered an explanation for her absence.
• Su Er and the others chose dishes from their menus by naming them aloud, while Hermione worried that the unusual arrangement would burden the house-elves.
• Su Er offered Hermione a bite of his steak, and Hermione blushed when she noticed the guests watching them.

The guests enjoyed the feast before Dumbledore opened the Yule Ball with a performance by the Weird Sisters. Su Er danced with Hermione as Harry and Ginny joined the champions on the floor, leaving Hermione relaxed and happy in Su Er’s arms.

• Karkaroff stopped Krum from revealing Durmstrang’s secrets, and Dumbledore defused the tension with a story about the Room of Requirement.
• Fleur compared Beauxbatons with Hogwarts while Roger Davies fawned over her, and Hagrid exchanged greetings with Madame Maxime.
• Hermione and Su Er shared French desserts, and Su Er resolved to warn Hagrid not to jeopardize his budding romance with Madame Maxime.
• Dumbledore cleared the Great Hall’s tables, introduced the Weird Sisters, and invited the champions to begin the ball.
• Su Er danced gracefully with Hermione, while Hermione relaxed into their closeness; Harry and Ginny also took to the floor.

Su Er and Hermione enjoyed the Yule Ball, watched their friends dance, and joined the crowd as the Weird Sisters energized the Great Hall. When he spotted Hagrid leaving beside Madame Maxime, Su Er remembered his mission to help Hagrid's love life and asked Hermione to go outside with him.

• Su Er and Hermione danced several songs together before taking a break and watching Ron and Lavender kiss on the dance floor.
• Ginny used Su Er's Recording Crystal Ball while Harry accepted her invitation to dance again.
• Ron and Lavender left the dance floor together, and Su Er and Hermione escaped their cloying conversation.
• The Weird Sisters launched into an energetic song, and students and professors, including Dumbledore and McGonagall, danced enthusiastically.
• Su Er spotted Hagrid leaving the Great Hall beside Madame Maxime and invited Hermione outside so he could pursue his mission to help Hagrid.

Su Er and Hermione explored the Christmas garden, where Snape caught students sneaking around the bushes and demanded Su Er explain his shampoo gift later. They spotted Hagrid and Madame Maxime talking near a marked beetle, which Su Er recognized as significant, though the chapter ended before he identified it.

• Hermione and Su Er admired the enchanted Christmas garden outside the Great Hall.
• Snape emerged from the bushes with Karkaroff after docking points from Fawcett and Stebbins for sneaking off together.
• Snape told Su Er to meet with him after the celebration to explain the shampoo he had given as a Christmas present.
• Su Er and Hermione discussed Snape's connection to Karkaroff and whether Snape had been a Death Eater.
• Su Er spotted Hagrid and Madame Maxime talking near a marked beetle on a reindeer statue and realized it was important.

Su Er trapped a winter beetle that he suspected was Rita Skeeter, the Daily Prophet reporter, while she spied on Hagrid and Madame Maxime. Before leaving, he secretly warned Hagrid not to discuss bloodlines with Madame Maxime, leaving their romance in Hagrid’s hands.

• Su Er turned a stone into a glass bottle and trapped the beetle perched on the stag statue.
• Su Er told Hagrid and Madame Maxime he had caught the beetle to study it, while Rita Skeeter struggled inside the bottle.
• Su Er used Sound Threading to privately warn Hagrid that Madame Maxime was sensitive about bloodlines.
• Hagrid nodded, and Su Er left with Hermione, hoping Hagrid and Madame Maxime would become a couple.

Su Er explained to Hermione that the beetle was Rita Skeeter, an unregistered Animagus, and planned to warn her before turning her over to Dumbledore. After sharing a brief kiss, Su Er escorted Hermione back toward the Great Hall.

• Su Er put the beetle Hermione had caught into his pocket and found a secluded bench with her.
• Su Er explained that the beetle was Rita Skeeter and planned to warn her and hand her over to Dumbledore.
• Hermione reasoned out that Rita was an unregistered Animagus after Su Er explained how he recognized her.
• Hermione kissed Su Er, calling it a reward for his performance in the First Task.
• Su Er offered to escort Hermione back to the Great Hall, and she called him her knight.

Su Er and Hermione shared the ball’s final dance before spending Christmas Day catching up on homework. Afterward, Su Er released Rita Skeeter from the bottle where he had kept her overnight and greeted her.

• Su Er and Hermione danced to the Weird Sisters’ final song, “Hedwig’s Theme,” while Harry and Ginny danced nearby.
• The next day, Su Er and Hermione ate breakfast together and worked through their holiday homework in the Room of Requirement.
• Su Er took the beetle-shaped Rita Skeeter from his pocket and threatened to test a curse on her, prompting her to struggle inside the bottle.
• Su Er released Rita Skeeter from the bottle, and she transformed back into a disheveled woman on the carpet.
• Su Er greeted Rita Skeeter and asked whether she had enjoyed her night in the bottle.

Su Er caught Rita Skeeter spying in her Animagus form and used recorded evidence of her illegal transformation and attack to force her into an Unbreakable Vow. Rita left bound to stay away from Hogwarts and publish future articles at Su Er’s instructions.

• Su Er revealed that the crystal ball had recorded Rita Skeeter’s transformation and threatened her with Azkaban over her illegal Animagus status and reports.
• Rita tried to seize the crystal ball, but Su Er disarmed and knocked her down, adding trespassing and attacking students to the charges.
• Su Er demanded that Rita stay away from Hogwarts and publish articles at his instructions, and Rita agreed to both conditions.
• Hermione witnessed an Unbreakable Vow binding Rita to those promises, after which Su Er let her leave.

Harry worried about deciphering the Golden Egg while Su Er already knew its secret. Hagrid led the Care of Magical Creatures class through the snow to meet Madame Maxime and two creatures hidden beside a tree.

• Hermione told Su Er that Ginny’s noisy attempts to help Harry solve the Golden Egg had driven Gryffindors from their common room.
• Su Er began to reveal the Golden Egg’s secret, but Hagrid arrived and interrupted him.
• Hagrid denied that the class would see dragons and promised a rare lesson with a guest present.
• Hagrid led the students past the Beauxbatons carriage and Abraxans to meet Madame Maxime and a group of Beauxbatons students.
• Madame Maxime moved aside, revealing a large and a small creature that the students admired.

During Hagrid’s Care of Magical Creatures lesson, Su Er noticed that a young unicorn was injured and suspected Barty Crouch Jr. had wounded it to obtain blood for Voldemort. He concluded that Crouch Jr. would strike again and considered disrupting his plans.

• Hagrid introduced the adult unicorn, Tina, and her injured child, explaining that he had found them during patrol and brought them to shelter.
• Hagrid and Madame Maxime supervised the girls as they approached and petted Tina, while Tina kept them away from her child.
• Su Er wondered what had injured the young unicorn and suspected dark magic rather than the snowfall or another creature.
• Su Er connected the injury to Barty Crouch Jr., whom he had encountered disguised as Moody in the Forbidden Forest.
• Su Er reasoned that Crouch Jr. had likely sought unicorn blood to sustain Voldemort’s weak temporary body and decided he could interfere with a future attempt.

After Hagrid’s unicorn lesson, Su Er learned from Hermione that Pheobe had hinted at how to solve the Golden Egg’s secret. Hermione listened to its song and discovered that the second task would take place underwater, and Su Er agreed she could share the clue with Harry.

• Hagrid rewarded the three best assignments with bundles of unicorn tail hair, and the students praised his lesson.
• Hermione told Su Er that Pheobe had advised him to listen to the Golden Egg underwater, and he offered to listen with her in a bathroom, prompting Hermione to punch him and call him a dirty pervert.
• Su Er listened to the egg underwater in the prefects’ bathroom, then lent it to Hermione the next day.
• Hermione returned the egg and recited its song, which revealed that the second task involved merpeople and retrieving a precious object from the Black Lake.
• Hermione asked whether she could tell Harry how to solve the egg’s clue, and Su Er agreed.

Su Er watched Barty Crouch leave Hogwarts at night and followed him into the Forbidden Forest, suspecting he was hunting unicorns for Voldemort. The chapter ended as Barty found two unicorns near a stream.

• Harry thanked Su Er for helping him solve the Golden Egg, then began working out how to stay underwater for an hour.
• Su Er borrowed the Marauder's Map and waited until Barty Crouch left the Defence Against the Dark Arts office at three in the morning.
• Barty cautiously checked the castle doors before heading toward the Forbidden Forest, and Su Er followed in his badger form.
• Barty cast the Killing Curse at a rat he mistook for a pursuer, while Su Er remained hidden above him.
• Barty avoided Hagrid's unicorn stable and traveled deeper into the forest, where he found two unicorns by a stream.

Su Er ambushed Barty Crouch Jr. as he collected blood from two unicorn foals, forcing him to abandon his wand and lose much of the blood. Su Er then stopped attacking and hid after hearing movement from another intelligent race in the Forbidden Forest.

• Barty Crouch Jr. stunned two unicorn foals and began collecting their blood while Su Er watched from hiding.
• Su Er used an Exploding Charm to blast Barty's wand away, then attacked him from different positions among the trees.
• Barty drew Moody's wand and fired a Killing Curse, but Su Er dodged and continued attacking until another spell knocked Barty to the ground and shattered a bottle of unicorn blood.
• Barty set trees ablaze and shouted for his hidden attacker as his Polyjuice Potion wore off, revealing his true appearance.
• Su Er stopped attacking and concealed himself after hearing movement in the nearby woods.