Recaps

Harry spent the Christmas holidays happily with Cho, but Professor Lupin’s note reminded him that he had agreed to study the Corporeal Patronus. As Harry prepared to visit Lupin, he debated whether to share the secret Meditation Method with Cho, unsure whether she would keep it private.

• Harry’s time with Cho left him unusually happy and strengthened his Patronus, while making him forget his lessons with Professor Lupin.
• Professor Lupin wrote to Harry that he had prepared a Lethifold and asked whether Harry still wanted to study the Corporeal Patronus.
• Harry replied that he still wanted Lupin’s help, then invited Cho to visit Lupin with him the next morning.
• Harry explained that he had reached a bottleneck in his Patronus practice, while Cho’s own spell remained weak despite a week of practice.
• Harry considered whether to teach Cho the Meditation Method, but remembered that Hermione had respected his request to keep the method secret and wondered if Cho would do the same.

Professor Lupin coached Cho Chang in the Patronus Charm, helping her improve her casting and explaining how Dementors make the spell harder to perform. The morning ended with Harry’s mastery and willpower earning Lupin’s praise, while Harry once again forgot to study the Corporeal Patronus.

• Harry cast a strong Patronus that frightened the caged Lethifold, while Cho Chang’s spell barely affected it.
• Professor Lupin identified flaws in Cho Chang’s casting and helped her produce a brighter Patronus that could make the Lethifold react.
• Cho Chang recalled her encounter with a Dementor on the train, and Lupin explained how Dementors intensify negative emotions and hinder Patronus casting.
• Lupin praised Harry for casting an almost normally effective Patronus while surrounded by dozens of Dementors, impressing Cho Chang.
• Harry enjoyed Lupin’s praise, and the group spent the rest of the morning practicing Cho Chang’s Patronus while Harry forgot his plan to study the Corporeal Patronus.

Harry went alone to Professor Lupin’s office for an advanced Patronus lesson after Qiu returned to her dormitory to rest. Lupin explained that Harry needed an intention to protect before his Patronus could take corporeal form, leaving Harry considering whether he wanted to protect his friends.

• Qiu told Harry she was tired and went back to her dormitory, so Harry visited Professor Lupin alone.
• Harry explained that Qiu might be tired from using her Patronus repeatedly that morning.
• Professor Lupin told Harry that he understood the Patronus Charm but lacked the intention to protect needed to make his Patronus corporeal.
• Harry recalled a note in the Marauders' Notebook saying Padfoot did not know what he wanted to protect.
• Harry considered protecting his friends Ron, Hermione, and Neville.

Harry continued trying to master a Corporeal Patronus while helping Cho Chang practice the Patronus Charm and Occlumency over the Christmas holidays. The holidays ended, and Harry and Cho returned to Hogwarts as the students came back.

• Harry failed to produce a Corporeal Patronus, though he had hoped to impress Hermione when she returned.
• Cho Chang asked Harry to help her practice the Patronus Charm, and Harry suggested Occlumency to help strengthen her mental power.
• After three days of practicing Occlumency, Cho Chang felt calmer and thought her memory and thinking had improved, and she thanked Harry.
• Harry considered opening the Potter family manor to search for his ancestors' notes but decided to wait until after graduation.
• Harry and Cho Chang returned from the Quidditch Pitch and discovered that the Great Hall was filling with students returning from the Christmas holidays.

Harry and Cho Chang’s friendship fueled rumors that they were dating as Gryffindor prepared to face Ravenclaw in the first Quidditch match of term. On match day, the teams gathered on the pitch in clear weather, with Angelina Johnson standing in for Oliver Wood at the captains’ handshake.

• Cho Chang invited Harry and his friends to visit Hogsmeade with her group, saying they would feel safer with his Patronus to protect them from Dementors.
• Harry and Cho Chang walked to Hogsmeade with their friends, intensifying rumors that they were a couple.
• Oliver Wood warned Harry not to go easy on Cho Chang during the Ravenclaw match, while Angelina Johnson and Ron Weasley backed Gryffindor’s preparations.
• Ron showed off the Nimbus 2002 that the twins had given him for Christmas.
• On match day, Gryffindor and Ravenclaw came to the pitch, where Angelina Johnson took Oliver Wood’s place to shake hands with Ravenclaw captain Roger Davies.

Ron Weasley delivered an extraordinary performance as Gryffindor’s Keeper, blocking nearly all of Ravenclaw’s shots and dominating the crowd’s attention. Harry Potter caught the Golden Snitch to end the match, and Gryffindor won by a wide margin.

• Harry Potter caught the Golden Snitch after more than forty minutes, securing Gryffindor’s victory over Ravenclaw.
• Ron Weasley blocked Ravenclaw’s first ten shots and stunned the crowd with an acrobatic save.
• Ron kept stopping Ravenclaw’s attacks as the match continued, earning cheers from spectators across the houses.
• Gryffindor finished with a score of two hundred and thirty to fifty, despite Ravenclaw dominating the midfield.
• Oliver Wood and Ron’s teammates praised Ron’s frightening performance after the match.

Ron refused Colin Angsay’s offer to try out for the Ballycastle Bats because he would play only for the Chudley Cannons. After the match, four wizards returned to Hogsmeade, where the youngest was revealed to have a grave wound spreading with a black substance.

• Ron told Colin Angsay he would not join the Ballycastle Bats because he was loyal to the Chudley Cannons.
• Colin Angsay tried to persuade Ron by stressing the opportunity, but Ron said he might try out for the Cannons in fifth or sixth year.
• Colin Angsay left Hogwarts disappointed after Ron stood by his decision.
• Four wizards apparated to Hogsmeade and hurried to their rooms at the Hog's Head.
• Two of the young men undressed the youngest, revealing a severe wound covered by a black layer that was slowly spreading.

After Gryffindor celebrated its overwhelming Quidditch victory, Harry found Hermione studying alone and learned she was focused on her coursework and Patronus Charm. The celebration ended with a purple-haired girl inviting Ron to meet her at Madam Puddifoot's tea shop.

• Gryffindor celebrated its landslide victory over Ravenclaw, and Oliver Wood praised Ron's performance and his right to choose a team.
• Angelina congratulated Harry for resisting Ravenclaw's honey trap, and the Gryffindors continued celebrating late into the night.
• Harry sat with Hermione and saw her reading a book about British Muggle family life and social customs.
• Hermione told Harry she had to finish the book for her new course and was still working to shape her Patronus Charm.
• A purple-haired girl gave Ron a pink envelope and invited him to have coffee at Madam Puddifoot's tea shop the following weekend.

Sirius Black broke into Harry's dormitory and fled after Harry chased him, leaving Harry to prepare to track him with the Marauder's Map. Harry also wondered how Black had managed to enter the bedroom.

• Harry woke to find Sirius Black standing beside his bed, and Ron screamed when he saw him.
• Black broke Harry's Stunning Spell and escaped from the dormitory, with Harry and Neville chasing after him.
• Harry lost sight of Black at the Common Room entrance and remembered that the Marauder's Map could help locate him.
• Harry returned to the dormitory, put on his shoes and jacket, and prepared to pursue Black without telling Neville about the map.
• Harry questioned how Black had bypassed the Common Room and the protections that kept students out of other bedrooms.

Professor McGonagall questioned the Gryffindors about the man who entered their dormitory, and Harry admitted he could not be certain the intruder was Sirius Black. She discovered the man had used a parchment listing the passwords and summoned Lee Jordan.

• Professor McGonagall questioned the Gryffindors, and Harry and Ron described seeing a disheveled man with a knife near Ron's bed.
• Harry admitted he had not clearly seen the man's face, though his eyes resembled Sirius Black's in photographs.
• Professor McGonagall investigated how the man entered Gryffindor Tower, and Sir Cadogan confirmed he had let him in using the passwords.
• Percy found a parchment listing nearly a hundred passwords, and Professor McGonagall called for Lee Jordan.

After Sirius Black’s intrusion, Professor McGonagall arranged a Castle search while Harry questioned why Black had stood by Ron’s bed and fled without using magic. The Common Room entrance reopened before lunch, but Harry still could not work out whom Black had targeted or why.

• Professor McGonagall concluded that Black had probably obtained the password and a Prefect Badge by coincidence, and said she would arrange new passwords and discuss replacing Sir Cadogan with Dumbledore.
• Professor McGonagall guarded the Gryffindor Common Room, and the students were told they had to remain inside while the Castle was searched.
• Ron embellished his encounter with Black for the Gryffindors, claiming he had fought Black and landed several blows.
• Harry wondered why Black had used a knife, fled despite his magical advantage, and stood beside Ron’s bed instead of his own.
• The Common Room entrance reopened before lunch, allowing the students to move around the Castle.

Harry and Ron returned to the Gryffindor dormitory after seeing forest trolls guard the Common Room, and Professor Lupin taught the students about vampires during the following week. As the important second match against Ravenclaw approached, Harry and Ron finished their homework on Friday evening and prepared to play the next day.

• Harry and the other students found more than thirty forest trolls patrolling outside the Gryffindor Common Room to guard the Fat Lady.
• The twins spread a rumor that Professor Lupin had led the forest trolls to Hogwarts, prompting varied reactions from students.
• Harry and Ron spent the evening working in the Library before returning to the dormitory and falling asleep.
• Professor Lupin taught a theoretical lesson on vampires because none of the vampires he knew would attend a daytime demonstration.
• Harry and Ron finished their homework on Friday evening so they could rest before their match against Ravenclaw the next day.

Harry went to Hogsmeade alone after keeping his promise to Cho Chang, then wandered to the Shrieking Shack and heard thuds from the Forbidden Forest. As he considered investigating, the Left Hand of Chaos and Calamity grew warm with an unusual sense of excitement.

• Harry accompanied Cho Chang and her friends to Hogsmeade, then explored the village by himself.
• Harry visited the Shrieking Shack but found nothing unusual around it.
• Harry heard low thuds coming from the Forbidden Forest and wondered whether a wizard or magical creature was there.
• Harry recalled his fear of Sirius Black and hesitated before approaching the forest.
• Harry's Left Hand of Chaos and Calamity grew warm and seemed excited as he moved toward the sound.

Club King and Red King searched the scene for a missing item, then concluded their intelligence might have been wrong and ordered the remaining Wizards to clean up. Red King left for Hogsmeade to visit a young friend, while the two Wizards prepared to burn the corpses.

• Club King and the Wizards searched everyone and their space-folding items but could not find the missing object.
• Red King suggested that the group might only have obtained Number One and that Number Two might be a legend.
• Club King and Red King decided to leave the New Continent officials alone, then ordered Haipiya and Mohe to clean up quietly.
• Club King Apparated away with the other Wizards, while Red King said he would stay in Hogsmeade and visit a young friend.
• One of the remaining Wizards proposed burning the corpses and drew his Wand to practice controlling Fiendfyre.

Harry discovered a rune-wrapped wooden box buried beneath a tree, and the power in his Left Hand of Chaos and Calamity reacted strongly to it. He sealed the box inside his protective multilayered container and returned to Hogsmeade, unaware that a dozen cloaked wizards had arrived at the battle site.

• Harry used a Switching Spell to uncover a dark wooden box bound in rune-covered paper beneath a tree.
• Harry felt a sinister chill from the box as the runes on his left arm tried to reach it, but the talisman papers kept them out.
• Harry placed the box inside his multilayered container, which suppressed the reaction from his Left Hand of Chaos and Calamity.
• Harry considered asking Professor Babbling for help but worried she would question how he had found the box.
• Harry returned to Hogsmeade and warmed himself with Butterbeer at The Three Broomsticks.
• A dozen cloaked wizards appeared at the site of the earlier battle after Harry had left.

Harry returned from Hogsmeade and found Ron despondent in the Gryffindor Common Room. Ron told Harry that Natalie had only wanted to ask him about Quidditch, not go on a date with him.

• Harry enjoyed Butterbeer and snacks in Hogsmeade, then returned to school with Qiu and her friends.
• Harry escorted Lavender past the trolls guarding the Gryffindor entrance and asked why she had stayed behind in Hogsmeade.
• Harry noticed Ron looking miserable on a sofa and asked what had happened with his outing with Natalie.
• Ron took Harry back to their dormitory and said Natalie had never meant their meeting as a date; she had only wanted to ask about Quidditch.

Harry and Ron read that fugitive werewolf Greyback had been killed by Dark Sucking, a dark magic associated with the Black family. Neville recognized Greyback from his parents’ notes, and the chapter left the trio wondering about the Black family’s connection to his death.

• Ron read the Daily Prophet headline about Greyback and learned that the fugitive werewolf had been a follower of the Dark Lord who preyed on children.
• Neville remembered Greyback from his parents’ notes and recalled that they had hunted him but never caught him.
• Ron told Neville that Greyback was dead, and Neville was surprised that the cunning werewolf had been killed.
• Neville said Greyback had been killed with Dark Sucking, and Ron explained that the magic was exclusive to the Black family.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione stayed at Hogwarts over Easter to work through their homework while Ginny went home. Black Ginny used the holiday as an opportunity to pursue a plan at the concealed Burrow, after promising Ginny she would help her win Harry’s affection.

• Hermione considered skipping some holiday assignments because they offered little benefit, while Harry and Ron relied on the Enchanted Quill for their History of Magic homework.
• Harry, Ron, and Hermione stayed at Hogwarts for Easter, while Ginny went home and Ron wondered why she had left.
• Hermione suggested Ginny had gone because Harry and Cho Chang were getting close, embarrassing Harry, who knew Ginny liked him.
• Black Ginny left the Manor for the concealed Burrow, which her magical skill let her enter despite its protections.
• Ginny reminded Black Ginny that she had to keep her promise to help Ginny win Harry’s affection.

Black Ginny brewed an enchanted body potion while Ginny watched from a mirror, hoping it would make her more attractive to Harry. The potion’s ingredients would yield only a fifth of an ounce, and Black Ginny began preparing it as she recalled her interests and limits in potion-making.

• Ginny asked Black Ginny how much enchanted body potion she could safely take, and Black Ginny said three ounces was absolutely safe, though they could make only a fifth of an ounce.
• Ginny hoped the potion would make her prettier so she could attract Harry, and she rejected harming Padma or Cho Chang to improve her chances.
• Black Ginny explained that the small dose would refine Ginny’s appearance and strengthen her body, but too much could cause baldness.
• Black Ginny brewed the potion with steady hands, drawing on her skill in Potions and recalling that she had once sought the Elixir of Life but lacked talent in alchemy.

Harry, Ron, and Neville read about the fugitive werewolf Greyback's death and learned that he had been killed with a Dark Magic spell exclusive to the Black family. They were left wondering what the spell's connection to the Black family meant.

• Ron noticed a Daily Prophet headline about Greyback and read that he was a fugitive werewolf who enjoyed infecting children and had once served the Dark Lord.
• Neville remembered Greyback from his parents' notes and said his parents had hunted him but never caught him.
• Ron told Neville that Greyback was dead, and Harry asked how he had died.
• Neville read that Greyback had been killed by the Dark Magic spell Dark Sucking.
• Ron recognized that Dark Sucking was exclusive to the Black family.

Professor McGonagall remained mysteriously absent from Hogwarts, prompting Harry and his friends to speculate about her work. As the final term began, students faced revision and looming exams while Gryffindor focused on winning the Quidditch Cup against Slytherin.

• Professor McGonagall stayed away from Hogwarts through the Easter holidays, and Professor Kaimir answered students’ difficult questions in her place.
• Hermione guessed that Professor McGonagall’s absence was due to a breakthrough in her magical research, but Harry doubted that explanation.
• The Easter holidays ended, and the final term began with intensive revision and upcoming exams, especially worrying the fifth- and seventh-years.
• Harry and Ron felt confident about their studies and focused instead on Gryffindor’s chance to win the Quidditch Cup by beating Slytherin.

Harry and Ron saw Crookshanks running alongside a huge black dog, and Ron reassured Harry that the dog was not the Grim. Before Gryffindor’s Quidditch match against Ravenclaw, Luna told Harry that Ron had an evil aura unlike his own, leaving Harry curious as he went to prepare for the game.

• Harry and Ron watched Crookshanks run beside a huge black dog on the Quidditch pitch and decided it was probably an ordinary dog, not the Grim.
• Harry woke feeling tired after a night of unusually vivid dreams and hoped it would not hurt his performance in the match.
• The Gryffindor players received cheers at breakfast while Roger Davies and the Ravenclaws hoped Gryffindor would lose.
• Harry greeted Luna on the way to the pitch, and Luna told him that Ron had an evil aura different from Harry’s.
• Oliver called Harry to get ready for the match before Harry could ask Luna to explain further.

After Gryffindor’s reserve team lost heavily to Hufflepuff, Ginny Weasley’s newfound beauty became the school’s main topic. As exams approached, Gryffindor’s Quidditch team put aside its brief celebrations and returned to studying.

• Gryffindor fielded a reserve lineup against Hufflepuff and lost 470–90 despite already having secured the Quidditch Cup.
• Students across Hogwarts began discussing Ginny Weasley’s beauty after seeing her play as Gryffindor’s reserve Seeker.
• Ron accused Ginny of using a Love Potion, and Hermione corrected his misunderstanding.
• Harry was surprised by how much Ginny’s appearance seemed to have changed over the Easter holidays, though he still preferred Cho Chang.
• Dean Thomas asked Ron how to prepare to become his brother-in-law, and Ron beat him up.
• With exams nearing, Gryffindor’s Quidditch team ended its short break and joined the school’s revision efforts.

Percy celebrated his promising N.E.W.T. results while Harry, Ron, Hermione, and their classmates sat their end-of-year exams. Hermione’s prediction of the Charms exam question proved correct, and the chapter ended as the third-years began their Care of Magical Creatures exam.

• Percy felt confident he would earn high marks on his N.E.W.T.s and hoped to work at the Ministry of Magic.
• Harry and Ron left their Transfiguration exam pleased with their practical work, while Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnigan, and Neville struggled with theirs.
• Hermione predicted that Professor Flitwick would test the Cheering Charm, so Harry, Ron, and many Gryffindors practiced it.
• Hermione’s prediction came true, and Gryffindor students, including Lavender, thanked her after the Charms exam.
• The third-years began their Care of Magical Creatures exam, which included identifying a Hippogriff feather among ten kinds of feathers.

Harry and his classmates finished their Defense Against the Dark Arts exam before taking Professor Trelawney’s final Divination exam. After Ron came out unsure of his performance, Harry went in last, still doubting whether Divination had taught him anything useful.

• Harry and the other students enjoyed Lupin’s practical Defense Against the Dark Arts exam, while Hermione complained that her Boggart had turned into Professor McGonagall telling her she had failed every subject.
• Parvati came out of the Divination Classroom excited, saying Professor Trelawney had praised her potential as a Seer and that she had seen many things.
• Harry waited for his turn and watched the Giant Squid surface in the Black Lake while Ron spent nearly twenty minutes taking the exam.
• Ron emerged bewildered and doubtful about his performance, explaining that the crystal ball had shown him things unrelated to their lessons.
• Harry concluded that he and Ron had no evident Seer talent and that their Divination homework mostly involved making things up.