Chapter Summaries

Harry prepared to leave the Dursleys and move in with Sirius for the summer, while Dudley initially tried to stop him because he had forgotten about the move. Sirius and Lupin arrived, and Sirius took Harry and his suitcase away, beginning their holiday together.

• Harry enjoyed the morning and teased Dudley into asking politely for more bacon.
• Dudley discovered Harry’s suitcase, locked the front door, and tried to prevent him from leaving until he remembered his parents had told him about the move.
• Harry insisted he would never leave Hogwarts, and Dudley argued that magic had ruined him.
• Sirius opened the locked door and arrived with Lupin, frightening Dudley into fleeing upstairs.
• Sirius put an arm around Harry, took his suitcase, and led him out of the Dursleys’ house with Lupin.

Brian completed his training with Valentin at the Romanian Dragon Sanctuary and prepared to leave with his new control over his Magic Coating. He said goodbye to his companions, while Hagrid was allowed to take a dragon egg that turned out to be a chocolate-filled souvenir.

• Brian thanked Valentin for teaching him to control the properties, strength, and reflection of his Magic Coating, and Valentin promised to help him if he ever needed it.
• Targaryen and Charlie tried to hit Brian with harmless spells to win their bet, but Brian's Magic Coating combined their attacks into a clown hat and he claimed the Silver Sickle.
• Charlie discovered Hagrid hiding an egg under his robe and let him take it from the sanctuary, believing Hagrid would care for it.
• Brian recognized the egg as a liqueur-chocolate souvenir, while Hagrid tucked it away, convinced it was a dragon egg.
• Brian joked to Targaryen that he would work at the sanctuary if Hogwarts ever sacked him, and she recorded his words with a modified voice recorder.

Hermione returned home with a dragon hat from Professor Brian and chatted with her mother about dragons, Ron, and Harry. Brian came home to find Sirius waiting, who explained that Harry had been devastated after seeing Cho Chang blush with another boy while trying a broom in Diagon Alley.

• Hermione came home wearing a fragrant Romanian Longhorn dragon hat that Professor Brian had given her, and Mrs. Granger guessed where it came from.
• Hermione told Mrs. Granger stories about dragons and insisted that she and Ron were only good friends.
• Sirius found Brian at home and asked for help locating Cho Chang because he believed she was connected to an important event in Harry's life.
• Sirius recounted taking Harry to Diagon Alley to see a Nimbus 2001 at Quality Quidditch Supplies.
• Harry became distraught and hurried Sirius away from the shop after seeing Cho Chang blush while a handsome boy helped her off the broom.

Brian persuaded Sirius to let Harry spend time with Ron at the Burrow, using a fabricated Hogwarts Family Visit as an excuse. Harry drew the Burrow’s address and prepared to go, unaware that every slip in Brian’s box had been identical.

• Sirius worried about Harry’s heartbreak over Cho Chang, and Brian suggested sending him to visit Ron.
• Brian agreed to accompany Sirius after Sirius offered him room and board at 12 Grimmauld Place, and Brian gave Sirius a dragon-dog ornament.
• Brian and Sirius visited the Burrow, where Molly welcomed Harry to stay and called for Ginny to clear the sofa.
• Back at 12 Grimmauld Place, Brian and Sirius found Harry withdrawn in his room, while Kreacher served Brian coffee with his preferred sugar and milk foam.
• Brian told Harry that Hogwarts was holding student Family Visits and had him draw an address from a magically expanded box of slips.
• Harry drew the Burrow’s address in Ottery St Catchpole and recognized it as Ron’s home, while Brian concealed that every slip had the same address.

Harry visited the Burrow with Brian and Sirius, where the Weasleys welcomed him and prepared a garden dinner. Harry resolved to stop moping and take better care of himself, while Molly described the Ministry conflict over Arthur's proposed bill; Arthur arrived home carrying a book about managing emotions.

• Molly asked Harry to fetch a tablecloth, and Ron tried to join him to escape weeding before Molly sent him back to work.
• Harry recognized that the visit was meant to cheer him up and decided to exercise, eat more, and keep practicing Quidditch.
• Brian and Sirius competed at throwing garden gnomes, with Brian repeatedly hurling them much farther.
• Molly stopped the gnome-throwing and told Brian and Sirius that pure-blood supremacists were opposing Arthur's bill for better relations between wizards and Muggles.
• Molly said Lucius Malfoy was backing a young Flint who challenged Arthur's bill, and Arthur arrived home praising a book about managing emotions.

Brian and Sirius spent the day with the Weasleys, where Arthur celebrated Brian’s bestselling book and discussed Lucius Malfoy’s waning influence. At the Ministry, Percy finished his first day of work experience and received a gift from his supervisor.

• Arthur praised Managing Emotions Starting Today and said he wanted to meet its unusual author, while Brian kept his identity secret.
• Fred and George emerged from their room filthy, and Molly sent them to clean up before letting them eat.
• Ginny acted flustered around Harry, while Ron worried about her and Harry thanked Ron for offering to help him.
• Arthur told Brian and Sirius that Lucius Malfoy had lost support at the Ministry, and Sirius and Brian warned Arthur that Lucius might retaliate covertly.
• Percy stayed late at the Ministry on his first day of work experience, and his supervisor gave him a stack of books as a personal gift.

At the Burrow, Percy returned from his Ministry work experience with costly books from Avery and announced he would help promote the Ministry at Hogwarts. Brian grew wary of the gift, but Arthur checked the books and found them safe; two days later, Brian prepared to meet Gilderoy Lockhart at Flourish and Blotts.

• The Twins defeated Harry and Ron in the Magical Long-Table Collision Contest, while Sirius switched sides to praise the winners.
• Percy arrived with books Avery had given him and explained that he was expected to promote Ministry jobs at Hogwarts.
• Brian suspected the books might hide a trick because Avery was connected to the Malfoy family, and he asked Mr. Arthur to inspect them.
• Molly and Arthur welcomed Percy home and listened as he explained his work experience and the books.
• Two days later, Brian read Arthur's letter confirming the books were safe, though a blank diary had been tucked among them.
• At Flourish and Blotts, Gilderoy Lockhart anticipated meeting Brian, his future colleague.

Brian renegotiated his book deal, then met Gilderoy Lockhart, who invited him to a private area at his August book signing while secretly plotting to use a Memory Charm against him. At the Burrow, Molly received news that she could attend the signing’s inner area with Professor Brian’s help.

• Brian signed a new contract with Flourish and Blotts that raised his share of book profits to forty percent.
• Brian encountered Gilderoy Lockhart in the bookstore and learned that Dumbledore had hired him as Hogwarts’ new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.
• Lockhart grew angry that Brian had not treated him with the admiration he expected, abandoned his plan for a mutually beneficial partnership, and considered erasing Brian’s and the manager’s memories.
• Lockhart invited Brian to bring friends to the inner area of his August book signing, while Brian wondered why Lockhart had sought him out.
• Arthur returned to the Burrow and found Molly delighted by a letter saying Professor Brian could help her attend Lockhart’s signing in the inner area.

Brian met Harry and the Weasleys in Diagon Alley before attending Gilderoy Lockhart’s book event, while Arthur celebrated a bonus that eased the family’s expenses. As the group headed toward Flourish and Blotts, Hermione arrived, and Ginny shyly accepted Harry’s help.

• Brian planned to attend Lockhart’s signing before joining his Muggle friends at Edinburgh’s Beer Festival that night.
• Harry and Sirius offered Brian ice cream, and the Weasleys emerged from the shop with sundaes after Arthur received a large bonus for his office.
• Arthur offered to buy the children new broomsticks, while Fred and George asked Brian to support their plan to open a shop; Brian said he would invest if their parents agreed.
• Molly rejected the twins’ plan, but Arthur privately promised to discuss investing with them before steering the family toward Flourish and Blotts.
• Arthur spotted Hermione near Gringotts, and Ron waved to her, accidentally dropping ice cream on Ginny’s hair.
• Harry gave Ginny tissues to clean her hair, and she blushed as she thanked him.

Harry and the others reunited with Hermione in Diagon Alley, where their families met and Sirius began recalling Gilderoy Lockhart’s school days. The outing ended in a confrontation with Lucius Malfoy, whom Mr. Granger knocked unconscious after he insulted Hermione.

• Percy used Scourgify to clean the ice cream from Ginny’s hair, and Hermione joined Harry and Ron in Diagon Alley.
• Arthur and Molly befriended the Grangers while Sirius recognized Gilderoy Lockhart’s name and began to tell Brian about Lockhart’s past.
• Hermione grew angry when Ron complained about the ice cream, while Ginny secretly questioned George about her interest in Harry.
• Lucius Malfoy insulted the Weasleys and the Grangers, then demanded that Brian reveal where Dobby was.
• Lucius called Hermione a Mudblood, and Mr. Granger struck him unconscious.

After Mr. Granger knocked Lucius Malfoy unconscious for insulting Hermione, Brian erased Lucius’s memories while the adults discussed whether the Muggle would face a fine. Ministry patrolman Remy Toby arrived, but refused to believe a Muggle could have defeated a wizard and prepared to investigate with a magical device.

• Brian checked that Lucius was alive, erased his memories of the incident, and unsuccessfully tried to repair the dent in his skull.
• Hermione thanked Mr. Granger for defending her and asked him to teach her how to punch; Arthur praised the blow and offered to buy him a drink.
• Mrs. Granger asked whether the Grangers could face legal trouble, and Arthur said ordinary physical fights without magic generally did not concern the Ministry.
• Harry, Ginny, Fred, and George spotted a Ministry patrolman approaching on a broomstick, and Remy Toby landed and ordered everyone to stay put.
• Mr. Granger admitted that he had punched Lucius and offered to pay a fine, but Toby laughed and insisted that a Muggle could not knock out a wizard.
• Brian, Arthur, Molly, and Sirius urged Toby to use his Light and Shadow Retroscope, while Mr. Granger insisted on being treated as the person who had struck Lucius.

After Labi discovered evidence linking Lucius Malfoy to a black-market gang, he arrested him, and the Grangers and their friends set off for Flourish and Blotts. They arrived to find Gilderoy Lockhart furious because Chet Brian had stood him up.

• Labi tested Brian and Lucius, found a snake-shaped seal in Lucius's wand, and took him away to the Ministry.
• Arthur explained that the emblem was used by black-market merchants, while Mr. Granger decided his family's safety mattered more than confronting Lucius.
• Hermione, Harry, Ron, and the Weasley twins vowed to support the Grangers, and Brian joked that he could teach them how to kidnap Lucius.
• The group hurried toward Flourish and Blotts for Gilderoy Lockhart's signing, while Percy told Ginny a strange story about the Prefects' Bathroom.
• Molly scolded Fred and George for their antics, and Gilderoy Lockhart waited inside Flourish and Blotts, angry that Chet Brian had stood him up.

Brian and Sirius visited Gilderoy Lockhart’s signing at Flourish and Blotts, where Lockhart seized on Harry and Sirius’s fame for publicity. Lockhart planned to manipulate Brian and erase memories, while Sirius and Lockhart traded barbs about their looks.

• Sirius wondered whether a memoir about Azkaban could become a bestseller and joked with Harry about calling it Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
• Brian arrived late at Lockhart’s signing and apologized, while Sirius and Brian observed Lockhart’s devoted fans.
• Lockhart spotted Harry and Sirius, hurried over, and proposed taking photographs with them for the Daily Prophet.
• Sirius stopped Lockhart from grabbing Harry, and Lockhart decided to use their fame for publicity and later erase Brian’s memories.
• Sirius challenged Lockhart to say who would draw the most unfavorable comments in a photograph, and Lockhart named Sirius before adding that Brian would receive some too.

At Flourish and Blotts, Lockhart insulted Hermione and Molly while courting Harry’s fame, prompting Harry to reject him. Brian secretly made Lockhart’s glove fly off, and Lockhart seized the apparent challenge to announce a public duel with Brian.

• Hermione enthusiastically praised Lockhart, who announced that he would teach Defence Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts and invited her to take a photograph.
• The photographer demeaned Hermione and Molly, and Harry defended them before Lockhart publicly rebuked the photographer and privately disparaged them to Harry.
• Harry rejected Lockhart’s offer to pose for a photograph, and Lockhart reached for him before his gloved hand veered toward Brian.
• Brian secretly summoned Lockhart’s glove, which fell at his feet, and Brian picked it up, making the watching fans believe Lockhart had challenged him to a duel.
• Lockhart welcomed the duel and planned to use it to erase Brian’s memories and impress his fans.

At Flourish and Blotts, Gilderoy Lockhart and Chet Brian began their friendly wizard duel before Lockhart’s fans. The chapter ended as Lockhart’s powerful Memory Charm sped toward Brian, who had not yet responded.

• Lockhart entertained his fans with a tale about defeating a banshee, while Harry, Ron, and Hermione discussed who might win the duel.
• Hermione worried that Brian would be hurt, and Harry recalled Brian defeating a swarm of Dementors near Azkaban but kept the incident secret.
• Lockhart asked Brian to share his honors, then introduced himself and Chet Brian to the crowd before they bowed and took their positions.
• Lockhart opened the duel by casting his strongest Memory Charm at Brian, confident that it would erase Brian’s memories.

During a duel, Brian’s enhanced Memory Charm struck Lockhart and triggered a bizarre transformation that left him floating and sprouting different versions of himself. Brian tried to keep Lockhart safe while summoning help, as new personalities continued emerging from his body.

• Brian hid inside a cloud of smoke and used his palm to catch Lockhart’s Memory Charm, but the enhanced spell spun into a powerful projectile and hit Lockhart.
• Lockhart rose into the air, twitched, and began sprouting strange features as the crowd panicked; Brian rushed to check on him.
• Brian stopped Harry, Ron, and Hermione from approaching and sent them to find Sirius so he could alert Dumbledore.
• A blue vampire version of Lockhart emerged and demanded to drink Brian’s blood, then vanished and was replaced by a female ghost version that also threatened him.
• A troll version of Lockhart appeared, complained about being pulled, and threatened Brian while another force dragged him back and forth.

Brian watched Lockhart’s fractured soul manifest as competing versions modeled on creatures from his books, while he tried to keep the fragile fragments safe. As the Lockharts fought and began to merge, the remaining fans mistook the chaos for a planned performance, and the battle continued.

• Brian realized that the new Lockharts matched creatures featured in Lockhart’s book titles, as hag Lockhart and werewolf Lockhart fought over the same head.
• Ghoul Lockhart escaped from Lockhart’s mouth and shattered on the stage, alarming Brian about the safety of the soul fragments.
• Yeti Lockhart, female ghost Lockhart, and troll Lockhart emerged and fought one another, but Brian saw that their blows could not truly harm each other.
• Brian observed that hag Lockhart and werewolf Lockhart were beginning to merge as they battled.
• A Lockhart fan convinced the remaining audience that the scene was a special performance, while troll Lockhart noticed her and resumed fighting female ghost Lockhart.

Brian tried to restore Gilderoy Lockhart by drawing the scattered pieces of his soul back into his body and rocking him to merge them, while Dumbledore examined the damage. Dumbledore recognized signs of Lockhart’s Memory Charm and told Brian that Lockhart, not Brian, might be the one who belonged in prison.

• Dumbledore arrived after Sirius sent a Patronus and found Brian rocking the suspended Lockhart while several Lockhart fans lay petrified.
• Brian recalled how he had stopped the fans from attacking Lockhart’s fragile soul, then used Lockhart’s body to draw the scattered little Lockharts back inside.
• The little Lockharts tried to escape through Lockhart’s mouth, so Brian sealed it and began rocking Lockhart to merge the soul fragments.
• Dumbledore examined Lockhart and found severe Memory Charm traces as well as a widening gap between his soul and body.
• After the lullaby had repeated five times without another fragment escaping, Brian asked Dumbledore whether he would be sent to Azkaban.
• Dumbledore told Brian that Lockhart was the one who ought to go to prison and asked whether Brian remembered Lockhart using a Memory Charm on him.

Healer Miriam Strout cared for Gilderoy Lockhart, whose shifting identities and damaged soul had left him unable to maintain a stable sense of self. Director Rigo Bonham arrived to involve Strout in Lockhart’s confidential special treatment, promising she would witness his soul being reshaped.

• Miriam Strout found Gilderoy Lockhart naked and convinced he was a yeti, then coaxed him into dressing with the promise of ice cubes.
• Strout examined Lockhart and noted that his physical aging had slowed, though part of his soul was still missing.
• Strout reflected on Chet Brian’s agreement with Lockhart and his efforts to develop a potion for soul injuries, approved by the hospital director.
• Rigo Bonham visited Strout and presented a confidentiality contract for Lockhart’s special treatment.
• Strout signed the contract, and Bonham told her she was about to witness a disordered soul being reshaped.

Brian prepared to treat Gilderoy Lockhart at St. Mungo’s and recalled how Dumbledore had explained the damage to Lockhart’s soul. He realized Lockhart had tried to steal his memories of Managing Emotions Starting Today, while Dumbledore’s account suggested Brian’s potion might also help the Longbottoms recover.

• Brian showed Miriam Strout the silver potion and warned her that Lockhart might appear to suffer as his soul corrected itself.
• Brian recalled Dumbledore asking him to consider how souls, memories, and bodies were connected.
• Brian deduced that Lockhart had targeted his memories of Managing Emotions Starting Today and that the reflected Memory Charm had split Lockhart’s memories and soul into fragments.
• Dumbledore confirmed Brian’s explanation and said Lockhart still had cracks in his soul that required treatment at St. Mungo’s.
• Brian remembered meeting Neville Longbottom, his grandmother, and his parents during that visit to the hospital.