Chapter Summaries

In the days after the Quidditch World Cup, the Wizarding World focused on the mysterious Dark Mark while Harry and his friends cared more about the night’s gossip and confusion. Sirius later explained how he followed Remus and Nymphadora on a walk, then searched for Harry and the others after the campsite erupted into chaos.

• Newspapers and the Ministry struggled to explain the Dark Mark, and Ron joked that it had eclipsed Ireland’s Quidditch victory.
• Harry and his friends wondered why Sirius, Remus, and Nymphadora had been absent when the unrest began.
• Sirius noticed Remus and Nymphadora sneaking out for a walk and followed them, hoping to overhear something.
• Remus and Nymphadora only walked around the campsite, while the chaos left Sirius and the others unable to find their tent.
• Mr. Weasley sent Harry and the others to hide in the woods, and Sirius eventually found them and mocked Barty Crouch.

Harry, Ron, and the Weasley twins found their new dress robes, while Ginny discovered she had not been given any and questioned the black-haired presence in her mirror about the adults’ secrets. Black Ginny admitted she knew nothing and explained that she could not use White Magic, leaving Ginny dissatisfied with her limited help.

• Harry, Ron, and the Weasley twins examined their high-quality dress robes, while Mrs. Weasley explained that dress robes had been listed in the school letters.
• Ginny searched her things, found no dress robes, and returned to her room in a sulk.
• Ginny called Black Ginny through the mirror and asked whether she knew what the adults were hiding.
• Black Ginny said she did not know what the adults knew and avoided drawing their attention to herself so her plans would remain possible.
• Ginny questioned Black Ginny’s usefulness, and Black Ginny reflected that she could teach Dark Magic but could neither use nor cast White Magic.

Harry heard that retired Auror Mad-Eye Moody had caused a Muggle disturbance by blowing up a rubbish bin, and learned that Moody was close to Dumbledore. On the first day of term, Sirius drove Harry and the others to King's Cross in a magically modified car.

• Harry learned that Moody had blown up a rubbish bin in a Muggle neighbourhood and that the local police had nearly arrested him.
• Harry heard from Mr. and Mrs. Weasley that Moody was on good terms with Dumbledore and reflected on Moody's reputation and eccentricity.
• Sirius drove Harry, the Weasleys, Hermione, and her parents to King's Cross in his magically modified Lincoln.
• Mr. Granger admired the car's magic, and Harry questioned Sirius about the rules on enchanting Muggle objects.

On the Hogwarts Express, Harry learned from Draco that Hogwarts would host the revived Triwizard Tournament. Harry and his friends were left excited and astonished by the news.

• Qiu gave Harry mooncakes before hurrying away, while Ron, Hermione, and Neville teased him about them.
• Harry and his friends heard Draco boast about Hogwarts hosting an event and criticize Dumbledore and Lupin.
• Harry opened the compartment door and asked Draco what he meant by Hogwarts hosting the event.
• Draco revealed that Hogwarts would host the Triwizard Tournament, then left with Crabbe and Goyle.
• Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville discussed the tournament's history and reacted with excitement to its revival.

Harry saw the Thestrals pulling the Hogwarts carriages, but Hermione, Neville, and Ron could not see them. Cedric explained that only people who had witnessed death could see Thestrals, leaving Harry to realize what his own ability to see them meant.

• Harry noticed eerie, skeletal creatures in front of the carriages and asked Hermione, Neville, and Ron what they were.
• Hermione, Neville, and Ron said the carriages moved by themselves and could not see the creatures.
• Cedric Diggory told Harry the creatures were Thestrals and asked whether he knew about them.
• Harry recalled that only those who had witnessed death could see Thestrals and felt unsettled by what that revealed.

Harry realized he could see Thestrals because he had witnessed several wizards die during a battle in Hogsmeade, but he hid the real reason from Hermione. The students arrived at Hogwarts in a storm, and Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville raced for the Castle, with Hermione arriving soaked.

• Harry remembered that he had witnessed wizards die during a battle in Hogsmeade and understood why he could see Thestrals.
• Harry lied to Hermione that he had seen an elderly person die during the holidays.
• Harry explained Thestrals to Ron and Neville, and they stared at the empty carriage shafts.
• A heavy storm broke as the students reached the Castle, and Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville ran inside.
• Ron and Harry reached the Castle quickly, while Hermione arrived with much of her hair soaked.

Harry greeted friends and Nearly Headless Nick in the Great Hall before talking with Colin Creevey about his younger brother Dennis joining Hogwarts. Harry then noticed three empty seats at the staff table.

• Harry greeted Sir Nicholas, who said his application to the Headless Hunt had been rejected again.
• Colin Creevey told Harry that his younger brother Dennis had arrived at Hogwarts and hoped he would be sorted into Gryffindor.
• Harry joked that he would call Dennis “little Creevey” if they were sorted into the same house.
• Ron pointed out that siblings could be sorted into different houses, using the Patil sisters as an example.
• Harry looked toward the staff table and noticed three empty seats despite most professors being present.

At the Sorting Ceremony, Mafalda Weasley was unexpectedly sorted into Slytherin, shocking the Great Hall. After Dumbledore opened the feast, the students ate and Hermione again asked Nick about the Hogwarts house-elves’ wages and holidays.

• Mafalda Weasley was sorted into Slytherin after the Sorting Hat hesitated for a full minute.
• The Slytherin Prefect welcomed Mafalda, and the last first-year was sorted into Hufflepuff.
• Dumbledore opened the feast with a brief speech, and Ron eagerly turned to the food.
• Nick told the group that Peeves had caused havoc in the kitchens, and Ron claimed he had taught Peeves a lesson.
• Hermione asked Nick whether Hogwarts house-elves received wages and holidays, and Nick gave her the same answer as before.

Dumbledore announced that Hogwarts would host the Triwizard Tournament and explained its history as a contest between Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang. He said officials had revived the tournament after more than a century and prepared safeguards, though the announcement left students aware of its deadly past.

• Dumbledore announced that Hogwarts would host the Triwizard Tournament, prompting excitement and disbelief among the students.
• Dumbledore began explaining that the tournament brought together champions from Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang.
• Dumbledore described how the tournament had been discontinued after fierce competition caused a rising death toll.
• Hermione tapped Colin on the head after he told Dennis that danger was common in the magical world.
• Dumbledore said officials from several countries and schools had revived the tournament and made preparations to protect the champions.

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville visited Hagrid at his hut after the feast and talked about their summer holidays. Hermione asked Hagrid about house-elves and their rights, and he warned her that her efforts were unlikely to succeed.

• Harry dreamed of winning the Magic Cup tournament while Cho Chang cheered him on, until Ron woke him to visit Hagrid.
• Hermione waited for Harry, Ron, and Neville in the Common Room, then joined them for breakfast and the walk to Hagrid’s hut.
• Hagrid greeted the four friends outside his hut, where Ron rushed to pet Fang.
• Harry told Hagrid about his eventful summer, and Hagrid regretted missing the Quidditch World Cup.
• Hermione criticized Barty Crouch over his treatment of house-elves, and Hagrid told her she would not be able to win them the rights she wanted.

Harry and his classmates attended their first Herbology lesson of the year, where Professor Sprout introduced them to bubotubers and their medicinal pus. The lesson ended with Harry learning that Eloise Midgen had once cursed her own face and had her nose repaired by Madam Pomfrey.

• Harry reflected on keeping some distance from other girls because he liked Cho Chang, while still treating Hermione as a close friend.
• Harry, Ron, and Neville arrived unprepared at Greenhouse Number Three with their classmates from Hufflepuff.
• Professor Sprout showed the students bubotubers and explained that their diluted pus was used in potions and could clear acne.
• Hannah Abbott remarked that Eloise Midgen might have avoided a foolish act if she had known about bubotuber pus.
• Professor Sprout explained that Eloise had cursed her own face, but Madam Pomfrey had easily changed her nose back.

Hagrid introduced the students to an enormous, unusually docile Kelpie and demonstrated its ability to change shape. He promised a different activity for the next lesson, leaving Harry and his friends wary of his new ideas for magical creatures.

• Hagrid showed the students the giant Kelpie and explained how Kelpies behaved and could be controlled.
• The Kelpie transformed into several forms, including Hagrid, while Hagrid supervised the students riding it.
• Hagrid told the class that he had planned something new for their next lesson.
• Harry recalled that Hagrid wanted to crossbreed a Manticore with a Fire Crab, and Hermione noted that he had obtained a special permit from Sir Scamander.

Harry heard how Moody had punished Draco for attacking Ron with magic, while the twins hinted that Moody’s Defense Against the Dark Arts class had been unusual. The chapter left Ron delighted by Draco’s humiliation.

• Harry encountered Fred and George, who teased that their Defense Against the Dark Arts class with Moody had been remarkable but refused to explain what happened.
• Ron told Harry that Draco had insulted him after Divination and attacked him from behind with an unfamiliar spell.
• Ron said he had dodged Draco’s spell and was unharmed.
• Moody caught Draco using magic against Ron, turned him into a ferret, and bounced him around until McGonagall stopped him.

Professor Moody began the fourth years’ first Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson by explaining that they needed to learn how to counter Dark Magic. He said he planned to teach them about spells the Ministry’s curriculum usually kept from students, and the lesson was left poised to begin.

• Harry and the other fourth years arrived early, eager to find out what Professor Moody would teach them.
• Moody arrived, took attendance, and told the class that Professor Lupin had reported their progress against Dark creatures.
• Moody explained that his year-long appointment was connected to the Triwizard Tournament and that he might spend more time helping the Hogwarts champion.
• Moody said the fourth-year curriculum normally covered counter-spells, but he believed the students should learn about dangerous magic sooner so they could defend themselves.

Professor Moody demonstrated the Imperius and Cruciatus Curses while explaining their effects and how difficult they were to resist. The lesson left Neville confronting memories of his parents’ torture as Moody began showing the Cruciatus Curse on a spider.

• Moody explained that the Imperius Curse had controlled many wizards and said resisting it required great strength of character or soul.
• Hermione asked when the class would learn to resist the Imperius Curse, and Moody said they might begin in the next lesson or the one after.
• Neville identified the Cruciatus Curse when Moody asked for another evil spell, and Moody expressed sympathy about Neville’s parents.
• Harry and Ron silently recalled that they had both learned the lower-level Pain Curse but had never used it on anyone.
• Moody enlarged a spider and cast the Cruciatus Curse on it, making its legs lock and its body convulse.

Moody taught Harry's class about dangerous curses, then privately spoke with Neville and gave him rare Herbology books because he had been friends with Neville's parents. Harry later worked on Ancient Runes, which had begun to make more sense to him over the summer.

• Moody explained the dangers of curses and urged the students to understand what they might face.
• After class, Moody asked Neville to speak with him and led him away.
• At dinner, Neville told Harry and Ron that Moody had given him rare Herbology books and had known his parents.
• Harry, Neville, and Ron returned to the Common Room and began their homework.
• Harry studied Ancient Runes and reflected on how much the subject had clicked for him over the summer.

Hermione founded the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare and presented Harry, Ron, Neville, and Ginny with its badges and manifesto. She explained her goals for house-elves, while Ron questioned whether they wanted the reforms she had planned.

• Hermione returned with a box of badges she had ordered, and Ron finished writing another story disguised as divination.
• Hermione revealed the badges for S.P.E.W., her newly founded society, and asked Harry, Ron, Neville, and Ginny to join.
• Ginny slipped away, while Harry tried to avoid taking a badge and Ron questioned Hermione about the society's name.
• Hermione explained that her short-term goals included fair wages and working conditions, while her long-term goals included legal and political changes for house-elves.
• Harry asked whether Hermione was all right, and Hermione angrily slapped away his hand.

Britney Longbottom brought Sirius to the secluded Xilieikesi family Manor through a magical fountain. They arrived before a sleeping dragon guarding the entrance, and Britney warned Sirius that it had been raised on gemstones that could make it far more dangerous than an ordinary Antipodean Opaleye.

• Britney Longbottom explained that she kept her Muggle clothing and role as head of Mars Motors secret from her family.
• Britney and Sirius waited for the fountain in a small town to open into a gateway, then passed through it to the Xilieikesi Manor.
• Sirius saw the white dragon lying across the path and dismissed it as an ordinary Antipodean Opaleye.
• Britney revealed that the dragon had been fed ruby and orange sapphire powder since it hatched, startling Sirius.

Harry felt the absence of Sirius’s letters while struggling with heavier schoolwork, S.P.E.W., and fewer chances to see Qiu. In Moody’s Defence Against the Dark Arts class, the students faced a lesson in the Imperius Curse after the Ministry approved his request to use it on them.

• Harry missed Sirius’s letters but stayed busy with schoolwork and other concerns.
• Harry and Ron passed their Astronomy and History of Magic resits after Hermione helped them study.
• Harry, Ron, and Neville bought S.P.E.W. badges but declined roles in Hermione’s association.
• Moody cleared and enlarged the classroom to demonstrate the Imperius Curse, explaining that Dumbledore had approved the lesson and he had obtained Ministry permission.
• Hermione questioned the legality of using the curse but stayed after Moody offered her the chance to leave.

During Moody’s Imperius Curse lesson, Hermione and Neville resisted only partially while Ron’s earlier success remained unexplained. Harry showed no visible reaction to the curse, and Moody confirmed his spell still worked by making Seamus leapfrog around the classroom.

• Hermione resisted Moody’s Imperius Curse somewhat but failed to break free, and Moody said she might manage it after more practice.
• Neville also showed limited resistance and failed to escape the curse’s control, leaving Harry puzzled about why Ron had succeeded.
• Moody cast the Imperius Curse on Harry, who felt it meet a powerful defense in his mind and showed no reaction.
• Seamus Finnigan questioned whether Moody’s spell had failed, so Moody cursed him into leapfrogging around the classroom and confirmed Harry had resisted completely.