Recaps

Harry kept his Animagus ability secret while Hermione and the others discussed learning the transformation, then resumed morning exercise and helped investigate Draco Malfoy’s suspiciously quiet behavior. The chapter ended with Harry asking Ron whether he would attend Professor Slughorn’s weekend party.

• Qin offered to help Hermione obtain Swan Moths but said she would need to register with the Ministry of Magic to learn the Animagus transformation, while Harry kept his own transformation secret.
• Harry and Ron struggled to resume morning exercise after the summer holidays, while Katie ensured they got out of bed and joined the training.
• Harry and his friends watched Draco Malfoy, who attended classes and behaved unusually well, but they could not determine what he was planning.
• Qiu noted that Hogwarts’s protections and strict inspections made it difficult for Draco to bring in Dark Wizards or contraband.
• Harry asked Ron whether he planned to attend Professor Slughorn’s weekend ball after Slughorn invited Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

Jean Gardner deduced that Harry was an Animagus and explained how proficient Animagi could sense others with similar animal forms. Harry admitted he was not proficient and kept his form secret, leaving Jean curious about what he turned into.

• Jean Gardner told Harry that Animagi had a distinctive aura and that proficient Animagi could sense others with similar forms.
• Harry realized he could not transform without a wand because he had not practiced enough and disliked his Animagus form.
• Jean explained that she could sense nearby Animagi with similar forms and had detected Harry and Professor McGonagall.
• Jean guessed Harry’s Animagus form was a lion because his Patronus was a lion, but Harry said it was not.
• Jean asked why Harry’s Animagus status was absent from the Ministry register and unknown to Qiu and Hermione, and Harry said they did not know and he intended to keep it that way.

Harry and his friends discussed possible Animagus forms while Hermione and Qiu pursued their preferred choices. That evening, Harry accompanied Qiu to Professor Slughorn’s ball, while Hermione’s whereabouts and choice of partner remained unknown.

• Hermione asked Qin to help her obtain a grimacing swan pupa so she could learn the original Animagus method and later pursue another form if she wished.
• Qiu favored becoming a swan, while Cedric, Yi Qianqian, Ron, and the others weighed Qin’s newer methods against forming bonds with animals.
• Harry and Ron guessed that Hermione might bring Neville or McLaggen to the Slug Club ball, but Qiu and Lavender ruled out both possibilities.
• Ron and Lavender left for Hogsmeade, Harry took Qiu to Professor Slughorn’s ball, and Hermione disappeared after lunch.
• Harry and Qiu arrived at the large basement classroom and found several school staff members already attending.

At the ball, Harry teased Neville about arriving with Daphne Greengrass, then discussed their pairing with Qiu. He noticed that Terence Higgs seemed to be under the Imperius Curse and considered how difficult the spell was to master.

• Harry greeted Neville and Daphne when they arrived together at the ball, then returned to sit with Qiu.
• Harry wondered why Neville had chosen Daphne instead of Hannah Abbott, and Qiu explained that people were often drawn to those unlike themselves.
• Harry and Qiu playfully affirmed how well they suited each other.
• Harry turned his attention to Mafalda Weasley and Terence Higgs and sensed that Higgs was likely under the Imperius Curse.
• Harry reflected on the Three Unforgivable Curses and noted that the Imperius Curse was especially difficult to learn.

At the ball, Harry learned that Jacob Covenas had gained permission to enter Hogwarts and wondered why the New Continent official was Hermione’s partner. Jacob explained that he had applied specially to Dumbledore, but Harry still wanted to know his reason.

• Harry noticed Jacob Covenas accompanying Hermione and wondered whether Jacob had gained an advantage over Krum in courting her.
• Hermione brought Jacob over to greet Harry and Qiu, and Jacob’s teasing compliment briefly annoyed Harry before they both laughed it off.
• Hermione and Jacob joined Harry and Qiu, interrupting their private closeness and prompting Harry to ask how Jacob had entered Hogwarts.
• Jacob said Hogwarts was protected by a sophisticated magical barrier and that he had entered after making a special application to Dumbledore.
• Harry asked what grounds Jacob had given for his application, and whether he had applied only to attend Slughorn’s ball.

At the ball, Harry and his friends watched Higgs, whom Harry sensed was under the Imperius Curse, but Higgs showed no obvious signs of unusual behavior. After the ball, Jacob suggested comparing Higgs’s behavior with how he normally acted, and Harry turned to Neville for help because Neville had spent the evening with Slytherin Daphne Greengrass.

• The Weird Sisters performed three songs, posed for a photograph with Slughorn, and mingled with the students before leaving.
• Harry and his friends watched Higgs, who danced with Mafalda and chatted without doing anything they considered suspicious.
• After Slughorn ended the ball, Higgs left with Mafalda, leaving Harry unsure why the curse had produced no obvious result.
• Hermione asked whether Harry might have misread the signs, but Harry insisted he had sensed two souls within Higgs.
• Jacob asked whether Higgs had behaved differently from usual, and Harry said they would need to ask someone who knew him better.
• Neville returned after seeing Daphne off, and Harry teased him about spending the evening with Greengrass.

After the Ball, Harry learned that Lavender was upset because Alice Natalie had acted familiar with Ron in Hogsmeade, making Lavender jealous. Ron tried to reassure her while Harry found the misunderstanding amusing, knowing the truth about Ron and Natalie.

• Jean noticed Harry and the others were hiding a secret but chose not to press them.
• Harry escorted Qiu to the Ravenclaw Common Room, then returned to Gryffindor and found Ron comforting an unhappy Lavender.
• Harry asked Parvati and Sally-Anne what had happened, and they told him Ron and Lavender had run into Alice Natalie in Hogsmeade.
• Alice Natalie reminisced with Ron and complained that he had not reported to her, prompting Lavender to become jealous.
• Harry learned that Ron was explaining there was nothing between him and Natalie, and he privately laughed at the misunderstanding.

Harry and Hermione speculated that Malfoy might be using Higgs to ambush Dumbledore, while the week passed uneventfully until a Duelling Club sparring match began. Seventh-year Slytherin prefect Rodman Avery challenged Jean Gardner, and the chapter ended as they took their stances.

• Hermione proposed that Malfoy was controlling Higgs with the Imperius Curse to ambush Dumbledore, though Harry noted they had no evidence.
• Harry asked Lavender, Hermione, and Qiu about Lavender's snacks and received confusing replies.
• Lupin, Cedric, Yi Qianqian, and Jean Gardner led the Duelling Club session while students questioned the young instructors' abilities.
• Lupin invited students to spar with the instructors, and Rodman Avery challenged Jean Gardner.
• Lupin explained the match rules, then Jean Gardner and Rodman Avery bowed and prepared to duel.

Avery tried to use a spell combination he had developed with Slytherin students to put Harry’s allies in their place, but Qin defeated him easily. His defeat discouraged the other Slytherins from challenging the instructors, leaving their planned tactics unused.

• Avery had developed a combination of Mist and the Disillusionment Charm with fellow Slytherins, hoping to challenge Gryffindor students at the Duelling Club.
• When Professor Flitwick could not attend, Lupin brought Qin, Jean Gardner, and Yi Qianqian to help instruct the session, and Avery saw a chance to challenge Harry’s allies.
• Avery challenged Qin but lost miserably, while Harry watched with contempt.
• After Avery’s defeat, the other senior Slytherins lost their nerve and reconsidered challenging Qin or Yi Qianqian.

Draco Malfoy used the Imperius Curse to control Harry and questioned him about his friends, Jean Gardner, and Dumbledore’s search for Voldemort. Harry revealed what the group knew, and the chapter ended with Draco asking whether Dumbledore and the others had made any progress.

• Draco secretly cast the Imperius Curse on Harry and led him to an empty classroom on the third floor.
• Draco questioned Harry, who revealed that the group had been watching Draco because his behavior seemed suspicious.
• Harry explained that Jean Gardner’s improved Animagus magic let people choose their animal form, and Draco considered becoming a bat, snake, or raven.
• Draco asked what Dumbledore had been doing, and Harry said Dumbledore, Sirius, and others were searching for Voldemort and his followers.
• Draco mocked Dumbledore and Sirius, then asked Harry whether they had made any progress.

Harry concluded that Draco was plotting against Dumbledore, though a magical restriction prevented him from learning the full plan. Harry and his friends warned Dumbledore and considered alerting Slughorn, while Harry reasoned that Voldemort had learned about Horcruxes from Slughorn and underestimated their dangers.

• Harry told Qiu, Hermione, Ron, and the others that he planned to let Draco think he had succeeded so he could learn more from him.
• Harry said Draco's target was Dumbledore and that he planned to use Professor Slughorn, and the group agreed to take precautions.
• Cedric warned Dumbledore, who thanked him and said he would be more careful.
• Harry and the others decided Harry should hint to Professor Slughorn about the danger when an opportunity arose.
• Harry reasoned that Voldemort had likely learned about Horcruxes from Slughorn before fully mastering Slytherin's Legacy, and might not have understood their risks.

Harry and his friends watched Malfoy’s suspicious behavior, but he had gone quiet in October after making several moves in September. Ron thought Malfoy had lost his nerve, while Hermione and Cedric disagreed, leaving the group uncertain about what Malfoy was doing.

• Harry left Hermione practicing magic with Jacob, and thought she would make more progress by seeking practical advice from Professor Lupin.
• Harry and his friends watched Malfoy for a month, but he stopped making moves and stayed mostly in the Slytherin Common Room once October began.
• Ron suggested Malfoy had gotten scared and criticized his lack of courage and commitment, including his frequent absences from Quidditch training.
• Harry agreed with Ron, while Hermione and Cedric had different ideas about Malfoy’s sudden change in behavior.

Hogwarts held its first proper Halloween Feast in two years, and the Elf Dancers astonished the students with a single performance. After they left, Harry and Ron discussed Dumbledore’s success in inviting them.

• Dumbledore’s Hogwarts held a Halloween Feast and invited the long-absent Elf Dancers.
• The Elf Dancers performed in the Great Hall, stunning the students with their beauty and graceful dancing.
• Harry worried that Qiu might be upset by his staring, but saw that she was just as excited to watch the elves.
• The Elf Dancers left after their one performance, as was their custom.
• Ron told Harry how thrilled he was, and Harry said Dumbledore’s connections made the invitation unsurprising.

Harry searched the Potions Classroom and Office for signs that Draco had tampered with ingredients while the others checked the Headmaster’s Office entrance. He found both dungeon rooms undisturbed and wondered whether Draco had gone somewhere else.

• Harry noticed a young performer’s unusual rapport with fantastic beasts, then refocused on finding Draco.
• Harry sent Hermione, Ron, and Lavender to check the Headmaster’s Office entrance while he went to the Potions rooms.
• Hermione cautioned Harry to be careful, and the group split up to search.
• Harry found the Potions Classroom locked and saw no sign that anyone had entered recently.
• Harry found the Potions Office similarly undisturbed and questioned whether Draco had gone there at all.

After suspecting Malfoy had magically immobilized them, Harry and his friends went to seek Lupin’s advice, but found him entering his office with Tonks and decided to wait until morning. Hermione searched for clues in the library while Harry spent time with Qiu, and the chapter ended with Lupin away preparing practical teaching materials.

• Hermione concluded that Malfoy had restrained Harry, Ron, and her with an unusual method, and the group decided to ask a teacher for help.
• After the Halloween feast, Harry and his friends followed Lupin and Tonks to the Defense Against the Dark Arts office but chose to return the next day.
• Harry escorted Qiu to her Common Room while Hermione searched books for a way to immobilize several people at once, finding no clues.
• The next morning, Harry studied with Qiu in the library after Hermione reported that Lupin had gone out to prepare teaching materials for younger students.

Harry believed Luna and Scamander might have fallen for each other at first sight, so he left Qiu in the Library to follow them. He joined a crowd of curious students but found that Luna and Scamander were keeping their distance.

• Harry thought about how he, Lavender, and Hermione's suitors had fallen in love at first sight and wondered whether Luna and Scamander had done the same.
• Qiu told Harry to go see what was happening, and he left the Library after teasing her about getting distracted by him.
• Harry caught up with Luna and Scamander and discovered that many Ravenclaw and Gryffindor students were watching them.
• Harry joined the students following the pair, but Luna and Scamander moved farther apart after leaving the Library.

Harry questioned why Luna had brought him into her conversation with Rolf Scamander about his contact with an evil god. Rolf explained that a special black cat he had encountered in Egypt could see the aura of deities, and the chapter left him about to explain more about the cat.

• Luna told Rolf that Harry had encountered an evil god and carried some of its aura.
• Harry reproached Luna for sharing the story, while she insisted that he had survived and was well.
• Rolf explained that Luna had mentioned Harry while showing him Hogwarts and that he had grown curious and concerned about Harry.
• Rolf revealed that a special black cat he had encountered in Egypt could see the aura of deities.

Harry, Hermione, and Qiu met Rolf’s tiny black cat, Miss Elphick, and learned how warmly she responded to them but how fiercely she disliked Harry. Her hostility made Harry suspect she could sense the unusual aura surrounding him; the chapter ended when Luna brought Ron and Lavender back.

• Harry, Hermione, and Qiu admired Miss Elphick, and Hermione guessed that she was a black-footed cat with an unusual mutation.
• Rolf explained that Miss Elphick could see a deity’s aura and petted her as she rubbed against him.
• Miss Elphick welcomed Qiu and Hermione’s attention but arched her back and bristled when Harry approached.
• Harry recalled that some cats had grown less friendly toward him since he removed the Black Man and suspected Miss Elphick could sense his unusual aura.
• Luna returned with Ron and Lavender after Harry had been unable to find them.

Harry and the others learned that Miss Elphick favored Ron because he may have encountered Bastet in Egypt, and Rolf explained that he had come to Hogwarts to assist Hagrid with the Blast-Ended Skrewts. Rolf offered to show them the fantastic beasts in his suitcase, leaving the group eager to see them.

• Harry suspected Ron's trip to Egypt had left him with an aura connected to Bastet, which made spiritually aware cats favor him.
• Rolf agreed that Ron might have encountered Bastet, and Ron asked him to call him Ron instead of Mr. Weasley.
• Rolf told Harry, Ron, and Hermione that he had come to Hogwarts as Hagrid's assistant to care for the Blast-Ended Skrewts.
• Harry and the other sixth- and seventh-years welcomed Rolf's arrival because they disliked having to care for the Skrewts themselves.
• Rolf offered to show the group the fantastic beasts in his suitcase, and everyone except Luna eagerly agreed.

Harry and his friends explored Rolf's enormous enchanted suitcase, where they met Lava Salamanders living in a volcanic habitat. Harry realized Rolf was interested in Luna, while Hermione and the others happily petted the salamanders.

• Harry was astonished by the vast, varied environments inside Rolf's small suitcase.
• Rolf showed Harry and his friends a volcanic lake and explained that Lava Salamanders lived in lava.
• A salamander over six meters long emerged from the lava, and Rolf fed meatballs to the smaller salamanders.
• Harry noticed Rolf's attention kept returning to Luna and reflected on why few boys had pursued her.
• Hermione cradled a little Lava Salamander and enjoyed the warmth it gave off.

Rolf introduced the white-haired, snake-tailed Natasha to Harry and the others, explaining that her eyes were deadly like a Medusa’s. He claimed they saw creatures like her every day at Hogwarts, leaving Harry guessing which professor might have Medusa ancestry.

• Harry and the others saw Natasha and wondered what kind of magical being she was.
• Rolf took Natasha’s hand and guided her to her feet, revealing her snake tail; Ron blurted out that she was a Medusa.
• Rolf soothed Natasha and explained that her eyes were deadly, though she was not exactly a Medusa.
• Harry and the others recalled Medusas’ lethal petrifying gaze and wondered whether Natasha posed the same danger.
• Rolf said Hogwarts students saw Natasha’s kind every day, and Harry began wondering whether a professor had Medusa ancestry.

Harry and his friends asked Lupin about the force that had immobilized them in darkness, and he identified a possible cause: the Hand of Glory. Lupin explained how the magical object was made and revealed that it could create invisible light, paralyze people facing it, and open doors and locks.

• Harry and his friends found Lupin at breakfast and asked him about the strange immobilization they had experienced at the Halloween Feast.
• Lupin considered their account and recalled the Hand of Glory as a magical object capable of immobilizing people without a trace.
• Harry said the name sounded familiar, while Ron, Hermione, Lavender, and Qiu did not recognize it.
• Lupin found his old notebook and showed the group a drawing and description of the Hand of Glory.
• Hermione read that the object was made from a preserved, withered hand and a candle made from the dead person's fat.
• Lupin's notes explained that a properly prepared Hand of Glory gave its bearer unseen light, immobilized people facing it, and opened doors and locks in its path.

After Harry caught the Snitch to win Gryffindor’s match against Ravenclaw, he tried to make up for Qiu’s disappointment with promises of sweets. When Qiu chose studying over Hogsmeade, Harry found himself alone, unwilling to seek out other girls for fear of making her jealous.

• Harry caught the Golden Snitch early in the Gryffindor–Ravenclaw match, and Gryffindor won.
• Harry promised Qiu and the Ravenclaw Team desserts from Honeydukes to soothe their disappointment.
• Qiu joked with Harry about Gryffindor’s bad luck despite often seeming certain to win the Quidditch Cup.
• Qiu told Harry she had to study during the Hogsmeade visit, while Hermione, Neville, Ron, and Lupin were also unavailable.
• Harry considered finding company but avoided approaching girls because Qiu could get jealous when they were close to him.

Harry left Slughorn’s office when Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson arrived, but secretly watched them with a Peeping Eye. Pansy presented Slughorn with Dragon Blood Wine, and he invited Rolf, Draco, and Pansy to share it with him.

• Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson visited Slughorn with gifts, surprising Harry, who was already there with Rolf.
• Harry left the office, then used a Peeping Eye to watch what happened inside.
• Pansy gave Slughorn a bottle of Dragon Blood Wine from her mother, Genevieve.
• Slughorn recognized the rare wine and recalled drinking it with Newt at one of Albus’s reelections.
• Slughorn invited Rolf, Draco, and Pansy to share the wine, offering to make a low-alcohol cocktail for the underage visitors.

Harry and his friends visited Hogsmeade through heavy snow, while Harry wondered why Rolf and Luna and Neville and Daphne had not become more than friends. Ron’s awkward question about the upcoming Ravenclaw-Hufflepuff match prompted the chapter to turn to why Hermione was absent.

• Heavy snow fell on the first Hogsmeade visit open to Hogwarts students in their third year and above, but Harry, Ron, Qiu, Lavender, Neville, and Rolf set out together.
• Rolf had persuaded Neville to join them after Neville helped him with advice on domesticating a plant-type magical creature.
• Harry and his friends noted that Rolf and Luna and Neville and Daphne seemed close but had not admitted to romantic relationships.
• Ron asked Harry who would win the Ravenclaw-Hufflepuff match, and Lavender and Qiu made him realize his question was awkward.
• The narration began explaining Hermione’s absence by noting that Harry and Neville were born in the same month and year.