Chapter Summaries

Harry left Snape’s office after arranging nightly tutoring and used Snape’s signed note to get past Peeves and Filch while returning to his dormitory after curfew. Snape, worried Quirrell might target Harry, considered protecting him and dosing Quirrell with Veritaserum.

• Snape said he would tutor Harry again the next evening and watched him leave her office.
• Snape suspected Quirrell had triggered a ward in the Third Floor Corridor and considered warding Harry’s door and using Veritaserum on Quirrell.
• Snape reasoned that Dumbledore’s protections were what could stop Voldemort from stealing the Philosopher’s Stone, but feared Quirrell might also go after Harry.
• Peeves loudly mocked Harry in the corridor, but Harry showed Snape’s signed note and threatened to have the Bloody Baron deal with him, making Peeves flee.
• Filch and Mrs. Norris caught up with Harry, but Filch let him go after Harry explained he had been taking extra Potions lessons with Snape and showed the note.

Harry returned to his dormitory and found his roommates waiting to interrogate him about his relationship with Draco. They accused him of dating Draco and touching her leg, leaving Harry to insist that nothing had happened.

• Filch left disappointed after deciding that Harry's permission slip did not need confirmation from Snape.
• Harry returned to the dormitory and noticed that his roommates had disappeared, then they shut the door and confronted him about dating Draco.
• Prapus lamented that Draco, the Malfoy family's only daughter, had chosen Harry, while Ramos, Cruz, and Celia joined in the speculation.
• Harry denied that he and Draco had gone on a date, but Celia said they had been seen heading toward the dungeons together.
• Ramos claimed Harry and Draco had held hands and fed each other in the Great Hall, and Cruz added that Harry had touched Draco's leg.

Harry defended his relationships with Draco and Ron to his roommates, then invoked Professor Snape to escape their accusations. His roommates believed he had suffered under Snape and ended the conversation feeling guilty, while Harry remained baffled by their fear of her.

• Harry insisted that he had only rested his hand on Draco's thigh and had not stroked her leg in the Great Hall.
• Harry claimed he had walked Draco back because it was on his way, but Prapus and the others challenged the excuse and asked about Ron.
• Harry said Professor Snape had kept him in her office from seven until ten, using her reputation to stop his roommates from questioning him.
• Ramos and the others assumed Snape had tormented Harry and felt guilty for accusing him of being unfaithful.
• Harry tried to reassure them that Snape was nice, but Ramos stopped him, and Harry ended the conversation without correcting their misunderstanding.

Harry planned to practice Snape’s magic lessons and begin researching his curse, while photographs of him and Draco reached Malfoy Manor and enraged Lucius. Narcissa looked for signs that Draco had been coerced, then urged Lucius to consider Harry’s connection to the prophecy and the Dark Lord’s possible return.

• Harry put away Snape’s notes and his emerald-green quill, planned his studies, and fell asleep exhausted.
• Photographs of Harry and Draco eating together reached Lucius at Malfoy Manor, and Lucius erupted in anger over Harry touching his daughter.
• Narcissa examined the moving photographs and concluded that Draco did not appear to have been forced or given a Love Potion.
• Narcissa told Lucius to calm down and pointed out that the Dark Lord was still alive and that Harry might be the only one capable of killing him.
• Narcissa suggested they could place bets on both sides because of Harry’s connection to the Ministry’s prophecy.

Narcissa persuaded Lucius not to interfere with Draco’s growing closeness to Harry, arguing that Harry’s parents had shown themselves to be loving and courageous. Lucius accepted that they should let Draco make her own choices while remaining ready to protect her.

• Narcissa decided that she and Lucius should give Draco and Harry room rather than pressure Draco or use Lucius’s authority as a School Governor to separate them.
• Lucius acknowledged that Harry was the Malfoys’ hope of escaping Voldemort’s control, but he worried that Draco had only just started school and that Harry might hurt her.
• Narcissa reminded Lucius that James had tried to protect Lily and Harry from Voldemort, and that Lily had sacrificed herself to save Harry.
• Narcissa assured Lucius that they could support Draco if Harry mistreated her, then went upstairs to bed.
• Lucius resolved to let Harry and Draco be, trusting that he and Narcissa would always protect their daughter, while Draco murmured Harry’s name in her sleep.

Lucius reflected on the Malfoy family’s risky allegiance to Voldemort and hoped they could withdraw safely, while Harry’s unease faded and he slept. The next morning, Harry enjoyed Hogwarts’ comfortable routine and went to an empty classroom to practice spells Snape had taught him.

• Lucius recalled how Voldemort had become unstable and diminished, and decided the Malfoys would be satisfied if they could escape safely.
• Harry’s sense of danger and chest discomfort subsided, and he fell asleep while Lucius went upstairs, hoping to see what Narcissa was wearing.
• Harry woke at six, washed up, and appreciated how much time Hogwarts gave him to rest and study.
• Harry ate breakfast alone, then found an unoccupied seventh-floor classroom because he had not encountered Draco.
• Harry practiced the Levitation Charm, Pressure Charm, Air Interference Charm, and Air Sword Curse, planning to ask Snape about countering Finite Incantatem and to learn stronger Dark Magic later.

Harry resolved to train hard so he could stop Peter and the Death Eaters from resurrecting Voldemort, and he practiced the Levitation Charm late into the night. Watching from outside, Snape, McGonagall, and Dumbledore discussed Harry’s talent and motivation, while Snape angrily insisted Harry had nothing to do with James Potter.

• Harry planned to become strong enough to defeat Peter and prevent Voldemort’s resurrection, then began practicing the Levitation Charm.
• Snape, McGonagall, and Dumbledore watched Harry practice from outside the classroom.
• Snape argued that Harry’s dedication and ability made him more than capable of preparing to face Voldemort.
• McGonagall reflected on Harry’s resemblance to Lily and how seriously he studied.
• Dumbledore teased Snape about his former judgment of James Potter, and Snape insisted Harry was Lily’s child and had nothing to do with James.

Snape asked Dumbledore and McGonagall to consider giving Harry better access and space for studying magic, then arranged lessons to improve her own knowledge so she could help him. The chapter ended with the professors leaving Harry alone to practice magic in the seventh-floor classroom.

• Dumbledore and Snape discussed whether Harry should receive access to the Restricted Section, permission to study Dark Magic within limits, or a dedicated practice classroom.
• Snape asked Dumbledore for guidance on Legilimency, Occlumency, and Fiendfyre, and they arranged to meet on Saturday afternoon.
• Snape asked McGonagall for Transfiguration lessons, and they arranged to meet on Saturday morning.
• McGonagall and Dumbledore reflected on Snape's growing closeness with Harry and on the history between Snape and Harry's parents.
• McGonagall and Dumbledore left, while Harry remained in the seventh-floor classroom practicing magic.

Harry practiced the Levitation Charm, attended an easy Herbology class, and joined Professor Snape for lunch at the Slytherin table. His roommates were startled by how close Harry and Snape seemed, while Harry left them wondering about their friendship.

• Snape studied advanced magic so he could teach Harry, while considering alchemy and the Philosopher's Stone.
• Harry practiced the Levitation Charm all morning and puzzled over why his magic did not run out during practice as it did when he made Energy Bars.
• Harry attended Herbology and found the class relaxing but boring, then headed toward lunch with his roommates.
• Snape greeted Harry, awarded Ravenclaw ten points for being polite, and startled Harry's roommates, who hurried away to gossip.
• Snape invited Harry to eat with him, and Harry sat with him at the Slytherin table, leaving the Slytherins bewildered.

Harry ate with Professor Snape, who worried about his adjustment to Hogwarts and promised to protect him from bullies. Draco joined them, mistook Snape for a woman, and insulted her, but Snape only told Draco to be more careful next time.

• Slytherin students wondered why Professor Snape seemed to favor Harry and even smiled gently at him.
• Professor Snape asked Harry how he was settling into Hogwarts and promised to help if anyone bullied him.
• Draco sat beside Harry, assumed Snape was a woman, and demanded to know who she was and why she sat so close to Potter.
• Harry tried to explain Draco's behavior while Draco hid behind him in fear after recognizing Professor Snape.
• Professor Snape gently told Draco to be more careful and not act so rashly.