Chapter Summaries

Harry and Ron struggled with their essays while Hermione told them she had seen Professor Dumbledore and Brian visiting Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom. Brian startled the trio with his pet snake, and Harry reacted strangely before Brian put it away.

• Ron worried that he and Harry could not manage their essays without Hermione, while Harry fretted about the upcoming Quidditch match.
• Hermione told Harry and Ron she had seen Professor Dumbledore and Brian at Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom and suspected they were hiding the reason for their visit.
• Harry and Ron discovered Hermione had gone to the bathroom to practice Potions, and she teased them for having written nothing on their essays.
• Madam Pince asked Brian to quiet the trio, so he approached them with his Alchemical Snake and made them jump.
• Harry stared oddly at the snake before Brian put it away, then looked confused when Brian apologized for frightening him.

Harry accidentally revealed that he could speak Parseltongue while demonstrating that he was unafraid of snakes. Brian took him to meet Dumbledore and kept the discovery quiet, while students mistakenly thought Harry was being taken for detention.

• Harry asked Brian to let the little snake crawl onto his hand, and it obeyed after Harry spoke to it.
• Ron and Hermione reacted with fear when they realized Harry had spoken Parseltongue, but Brian covered for him by calling him a snake enthusiast.
• Brian warned Ron and Hermione not to tell anyone and led Harry out of the library to see Dumbledore.
• Two Hufflepuff students mistook Brian's actions for a detention, and Brian realized his reputation as a strict librarian might spread around Hogwarts.

Brian reassured Harry that speaking Parseltongue would not get him expelled, then told Dumbledore about Harry’s ability. The Chamber of Secrets remained sealed by Brian’s Ancient Sealing Magic, and Brian left the office to prepare for his first day working at the Hogwarts Library.

• Brian encountered Malfoy and his cronies, who retreated when they saw him, and Harry thanked Brian for helping Neville stand up for himself.
• Brian reassured Harry that speaking Parseltongue was not grounds for expulsion and told him he would soon meet a magical creature.
• Brian regretted that his Ancient Sealing Magic had permanently sealed the Chamber of Secrets, preventing their planned expedition and leaving Hagrid’s name uncleared.
• Brian and Harry reached Dumbledore’s office, where Brian told Dumbledore that Harry spoke Parseltongue.
• Dumbledore welcomed Harry and reacted calmly to the news, while Brian prepared to leave before beginning work at the Hogwarts Library the next morning.

Brian reassured Ron and Hermione that Harry would return, comforted Hagrid about Aragog and told him evidence could clear his name, then narrowly avoided Hagrid’s celebratory hug. The next day, Brian found the library packed with students excited about the upcoming Quidditch match.

• Brian told Ron and Hermione that Harry was safe and would return from Dumbledore’s office soon.
• Brian told Hermione that Moaning Myrtle had moved to a storeroom near the Gryffindor communal bathroom and reminded her to clean up after brewing potions.
• Brian found Hagrid grieving over Aragog and explained that the basilisk evidence could clear his name with the Ministry of Magic.
• Hagrid tried to hug Brian in celebration, but Brian stopped him and insisted he wash his face and beard first.
• Brian apologized to Snape for having hugged him before, and Snape continued his patrol.
• The next day, Brian found the library crowded with students talking about the upcoming Quidditch match.

With the library crowded and noisy ahead of a Quidditch match, Brian used Honeydukes Creamy Almond Toffee to encourage students to finish their homework and free their seats. The plan quieted the library, though Lee Jordan complained after Fred and George got their sweets first.

• Brian struggled to concentrate amid the students’ Quidditch chatter and learned from Madam Pince that the library was always noisy before a match.
• Brian proposed handing out Hagrid’s Creamy Almond Toffee to students who completed their homework, and Madam Pince approved.
• Brian announced that he would check students’ work before giving them toffee and asking them to leave their seats.
• Fred and George brought Brian their homework, received passing marks, and each took a piece of toffee.
• The students hurried through their assignments, the library grew quieter, and Lee Jordan complained to Brian that Fred and George had betrayed him.

Brian set out to learn nonverbal spellcasting and helped Professor Flitwick and Professor Babbling find a book about it. Their disagreement over whether spoken and nonverbal spells could be cast simultaneously remained unresolved.

• Brian decided to practice nonverbal spells after seeing older students struggle to master the technique.
• Madam Pince told Brian to ask Professor Flitwick for help and pointed him to a book in the Restricted Section.
• Professor Flitwick and Professor Babbling asked Brian to help them find a book on nonverbal spells.
• Professor Babbling argued that spoken and nonverbal spells could be used at once by someone with two kinds of magic, while Professor Flitwick insisted the body could execute only one magical command at a time.

Brian, Professor Flitwick, and Professor Babbling discovered the violent history behind a Restricted Section book about nonverbal spells and discussed how its author might have used Ancient Magic to cast two kinds of magic at once. The chapter ended with Brian trying to revive a withered flower and apologizing to Cedric for using his name to coax Moaning Myrtle.

• Brian found The Twenty-Seven Wonderful Uses of Nonverbal Spell in the Restricted Section and saw that it taught readers how to make a nonverbal Killing Curse more effective.
• Professor Babbling explained that the book's author had been executed after killing many people, despite originally researching nonverbal spells to avenge his own torture by Dark Wizards.
• Brian and the professors read the author's diary, which described being healed by a stranger using Ancient Magic while that stranger fought Dark Wizards with other spells.
• Professor Babbling suggested Ancient Magic could let someone use two kinds of magic simultaneously, and Brian said he would try, while keeping his ability secret for Dumbledore's plan against Voldemort.
• Brian returned the book to its place and later told Cedric he was trying to revive a withered flower; he gave Cedric Almond Toffee as an apology for using his name to coax Moaning Myrtle.

Brian struggled to reproduce his nonverbal ancient magic, then discovered he could make progress by practicing a modern spell instead. After bringing five wilting pots of Fragrant Mallow to the library, he woke the next morning smelling of its perfume.

• Brian watched Hermione, Ron, Neville, Seamus, and Dean make a banner for Harry in the library and practiced Aguamenti, learning to conjure enough water to fill a cup.
• Brian used a nonverbal Scouring Charm to clean the paint-stained table, then wondered whether the withered flower was preventing his ancient magic from working.
• Brian asked Professor Sprout for nearly withered plants, and she told him that many plants in the student greenhouse plot were struggling.
• Brian carried five pots of Fragrant Mallow to the library and traded insults with Snape, who had brought back Quidditch Through the Ages.
• Brian spent the night with the Fragrant Mallow, and Professor McGonagall asked about the perfume he smelled of at breakfast.

Brian watched Harry’s first Quidditch match from the Gryffindor stands, where the students’ banner rallied the crowd and steadied Harry’s nerves. The match began with Angelina Johnson taking the Quaffle, while Professor McGonagall immediately reprimanded Lee Jordan for his biased commentary.

• Brian escaped Professor McGonagall’s spot beside the commentary box and joined Hagrid, who had brought telescopes for the match.
• Brian and Hagrid shared the telescopes with Ron, Hermione, Neville, and the other Gryffindors, and Brian warned Neville to keep Trevor out of the sun.
• Hermione explained that older Gryffindors had brought a bedsheet in case Harry fell from his broom, though Hagrid insisted Harry would be fine.
• The teams entered the pitch, and Hermione’s lifelike “Potter will win” banner roused the Gryffindor crowd and helped steady Harry.
• The match began, Angelina Johnson took the Quaffle for Gryffindor, and Professor McGonagall called out to Lee Jordan over his commentary.

Brian watched Gryffindor’s Quidditch match against Slytherin as Angelina scored and Harry searched for the Golden Snitch. After Flint fouled Harry, Harry’s broom suddenly began bucking violently, leaving his control uncertain.

• Angelina secured the Quaffle for Gryffindor, and the teams traded possession as the crowd cheered.
• Bludgers struck Katie and a Slytherin player, while Gryffindor’s Beaters protected their teammates.
• Angelina scored, and Harry dodged a Bludger while performing somersaults above the pitch.
• Brian spotted the Golden Snitch, and Harry raced the Slytherin Seeker toward it.
• Flint rammed Harry’s broom, but Harry stayed mounted, and Madam Hooch awarded Gryffindor a penalty shot.
• Harry’s broom began bucking violently, and Hagrid thought Harry was pretending to lose control.

Brian used Ancient Sealing Magic to stop the curse affecting Harry’s Nimbus 2000, allowing Harry to catch the Golden Snitch and win the match for Gryffindor. Hermione believed Snape had been trying to save Harry, while Snape discovered that he could no longer use magic.

• Harry’s broom bucked wildly and threw him off, leaving him hanging from its handle as the crowd panicked.
• Brian recalled his Ancient Sealing Magic and used it to seal the magic affecting the Nimbus 2000.
• Harry regained control of the broom, caught the Golden Snitch, and won the match for Gryffindor.
• Hermione told Ron, Hagrid, and Brian that she had seen Snape acting against the magic affecting Harry’s broom.
• That night, Snape discovered that he could no longer use magic.

Brian heard students complain that Quirrell had filled his classroom with garlic and that Snape was punishing students more harshly after Gryffindor beat Slytherin. He helped Ron with a stack of books about Dumbledore and Nicolas Flamel, then went to investigate why Snape had approached Fluffy.

• Brian listened as Ravenclaw and Gryffindor students discussed Quirrell's garlic and Snape's harsher punishments.
• Brian asked the Book whether two more stones would let it teach him magic to break Ancient Sealing Magic, then reviewed fifth-year Charms.
• Hermione and Ron visited the library to research Nicolas Flamel, and Brian correctly guessed why they wanted the books.
• Ron and Hermione argued after Ron mocked her as a know-it-all, and Brian secretly made Ron's books lighter and smaller.
• Brian went to the Gargoyle outside the Headmaster's Office to investigate Snape's encounter with Fluffy.

Brian found Snape instead of Dumbledore and tried to discover whether Snape knew about the Philosopher's Stone and Harry's jinxed broom. Snape mistook Brian's probing for an approach from a fellow conspirator and took him to his office, where they questioned each other about the broom and Quirrell.

• Brian found a message saying Dumbledore was away and Minerva McGonagall was overseeing school affairs.
• Brian met Snape on the Moving Staircase and hinted that he was searching for a rare stone, prompting Snape to draw his wand and ask whom Brian served.
• Snape lowered his wand and led Brian toward his office, where they encountered a gaunt Quirrell; Snape asked Brian whether Quirrell was on their side.
• Snape accused Brian of tampering with Harry's broom, but Brian denied it and suspected Snape of trying to kill Harry.
• Snape claimed he had no need to kill Harry and said Brian should know who had the right to do so; Brian asked who had jinxed the broom, and Snape answered with an inscrutable smile.

Brian questioned Snape about the troll and Voldemort’s helpers, then sent Dumbledore a warning by owl while keeping Snape under observation. At the Owlery, he noticed the Book’s Food Stone glowing in a high alcove and began considering how to reach it.

• Brian concluded from Snape’s questions that Snape had not let the troll into Hogwarts and did not know about the basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets.
• Brian taunted Snape about failing to get past the three-headed dog, and Snape warned him not to act rashly because Dumbledore had many watchers in the castle.
• Brian wrote Dumbledore a letter and went openly to the Owlery, where a barn owl with a golden-handlebar-mustache ribbon accepted it and flew off.
• Brian noticed the Food Stone glowing in a high alcove, confirmed that an owl could not see it, and wondered whether he could climb up to it.

Brian found a Firefly Stone fragment in the Owlery after an accidental encounter with a Great Snowy Owl. At the Ministry, Dumbledore persuaded Fudge to secretly reopen Hagrid’s case, just as an owl and a Transparent Tabby Cat arrived through the window.

• Brian accidentally uncovered a hollow in the Owlery, disturbed a Great Snowy Owl, and gave it Rabbit Meat in apology.
• Brian retrieved a Firefly Stone fragment from the owl’s feathers and repaired its roof with the Mending Charm.
• Dumbledore presented Fudge with evidence linking a basilisk to Myrtle Warren’s death and argued that Hagrid had been wrongly accused.
• Fudge agreed to reopen Hagrid’s case in secret and lift the ban on Hagrid’s use of magic.
• An owl and a Transparent Tabby Cat passed through the Minister’s office window, and the cat went straight to Dumbledore.

Dumbledore received a warning that Severus had found an accomplice, while Fudge rejected the possibility that Voldemort would return. The next morning, Brian hurried to Hagrid's Hut after learning Fang was badly hurt.

• Professor McGonagall's Patronus delivered Severus's warning to Dumbledore that he had found an accomplice and that Dumbledore should return to Hogwarts.
• Fudge accused Dumbledore of trying to convince him that Voldemort would return, but Dumbledore insisted the Ministry must be prepared.
• Brian received Hagrid's tear-stained letter asking him to come help Fang, who was badly hurt.
• Brian brushed past Snape, who failed to stop him and headed toward the Hospital Wing instead.
• Brian spotted a long trail of blood leading from Hagrid's Hut while still hundreds of meters away.

Brian healed Fang after poachers badly injured him in the Forbidden Forest, then learned Hagrid had found him while investigating a dragon egg. Brian suspected the poachers were hunting unicorns for a mysterious buyer and that the stranger who gave Hagrid the egg had an ulterior motive.

• Brian found Fang gravely wounded and healed him with magic while Hagrid watched anxiously.
• Brian asked Hagrid what had happened, and Hagrid explained that poachers had attacked Fang while he was studying a dragon egg.
• Brian pieced together how Hagrid had won the dragon egg from a stranger in a card game and heard the poachers discussing a buyer offering an enormous price for unicorn blood.
• Brian suggested they return to Hogsmeade to investigate the unicorn-blood buyer and warned that the dragon egg and its former owner seemed suspicious.
• Hagrid said the stranger had acted like a frightened coward who wanted to get rid of the egg, reinforcing Brian's suspicions.

Jack’s failed attempt to guide Dark Wizards to unicorns left him threatened with death, until Brian offered to help in exchange for a meeting with Jack’s financial backer. Brian urged Jack to cooperate and seek help from the Ministry of Magic, leaving Jack to choose between the authorities and the poachers.

• Jack met a masked Dark Wizard in the Hog’s Head, who blamed him for the failed unicorn hunt and ordered him to join another search that night.
• Jack feared the poachers would kill him if they failed to find unicorns again.
• Brian approached Jack with a blanket made from fresh unicorn tail hair and offered to deal with the Dark Wizards in exchange for an introduction to Jack’s financial backer.
• Jack questioned whether he could trust Brian, and Brian warned that Jack had no better option than to accept his help.
• Brian told Jack to follow the poachers home and reveal where he lived so Brian could ask the Ministry of Magic for help.