Chapter Summaries

Mo Fei and Tom studied how to raise Tom’s Horned Serpent and discovered that the Black Snake Gang had used the scroll to create dangerous pseudo-magical snakes because they lacked access to wizarding ingredients. When Grindelwald arrived to teach Tom, Mo Fei eagerly took up the challenge of cooking a rare magical devil ray, leaving Grindelwald intrigued by his abilities.

• Mo Fei and Tom studied the serpent-raising scroll and learned that the Black Snake Gang had used its herbs and rituals to create stronger pseudo-magical snakes.
• Mo Fei realized that raising Tom’s Horned Serpent required magical ingredients they could not easily obtain, and considered asking Grindelwald to bring them.
• Grindelwald visited the orphanage and presented Mo Fei with a rare deep-sea devil ray as a test of his cooking skills.
• Mo Fei carried the devil ray to the kitchen to prepare it, and Grindelwald grew more interested after seeing how easily Mo Fei handled it.

Grindelwald began Tom’s first lesson by teaching him to recognize magical dangers, using the dead Deep-Sea Devil Ray in the kitchen as an example. He stressed preparation and self-preservation, and Tom eagerly memorized his advice.

• Grindelwald asked Tom about the orphanage children’s attempts to learn the director’s cooking skills, and Tom explained why they struggled.
• Grindelwald summoned Tom’s cup and conjured warm milk for him, showing Tom magic at close range.
• Grindelwald began Tom’s first magical lesson with the principle of recognizing danger and prioritizing safety.
• Grindelwald explained the Deep-Sea Devil Ray’s dangers and described preparations and spells that could help a wizard survive an encounter.
• Tom confidently said he would not venture into the deep sea unprepared, then committed Grindelwald’s combat advice to memory.

Mo Fei discovered he could prepare the magical devil ray without breaking through its protection and turned its bones into a fragrant fish soup. Grindelwald watched in astonishment as Mo Fei cooked, while Tom’s concern for him revealed the Horned Serpent.

• Mo Fei easily cut through the devil ray’s magical protection, removed its skin, and set it aside for Kyle to use in practice.
• Mo Fei chopped the ray’s bones, and Grindelwald explained that dormant magic in them could cause a dangerous outburst.
• Tom tried to stop Mo Fei, but Grindelwald held him back as Mo Fei’s knife divided the magic among the bone fragments.
• Mo Fei boiled the bones and stirred against the magic’s swirling motion, turning the broth milky white and fragrant.
• Mo Fei seasoned the soup, pan-fried fish steaks, and served them with asparagus and potatoes topped with the sauce.

Mo Fei cooked a meal from Grindelwald’s rare magical ingredients, and the food gave Grindelwald and Tom a glimpse of the magic of the deep sea. After Grindelwald cleaned the dishes with spells, he warned Tom that Parseltongue was already affecting his mind and began addressing the danger.

• Mo Fei realized his transcendent cooking skills let him use nearly anything physical, including magical creatures, as an ingredient.
• Grindelwald and Tom ate Mo Fei’s fish steak and soup, gaining an experience of the deep sea that Grindelwald thought might help Tom’s future magical studies.
• Grindelwald used Scourgify and Put Things Back in Place to clean and arrange the dishes, prompting Mo Fei to urge Tom to learn the spells.
• Grindelwald told Tom that awakening Parseltongue too early was slowly affecting his mind and could endanger him and those around him by the time he reached Hogwarts.
• Grindelwald said they would first deal with Parseltongue’s influence on Tom.

Grindelwald explained that Tom’s Parseltongue carried an ancestral influence that could grow as his bloodline power developed. Tom chose to pursue and reshape that power rather than give up his little snake, and Grindelwald began teaching him meditation to sense his bloodline.

• Grindelwald warned Tom and Mo Fei that powerful magical bloodlines could impose ancestral wills on their descendants.
• Grindelwald explained that Tom could avoid surrendering to his bloodline by actively pursuing its power and changing the traits he inherited.
• Mo Fei questioned the danger of Grindelwald’s advice, and Grindelwald said reshaping bloodline power was the most effective way to make it part of oneself.
• Tom chose the second path because he refused to part with his little snake.
• Grindelwald said Tom would begin by learning meditation to sense the power in his bloodline, and Tom and Mo Fei reacted strangely to the name.

Grindelwald taught Tom meditation, then discovered that Tom had already learned it from Mo Fei and could enter a genuine meditative state. Mo Fei showed Grindelwald the old book he had pieced into a beginner’s guide, and Tom revealed that his meditation manifested a snake he had never seen.

• Grindelwald explained his meditation method and challenged Tom to demonstrate his own.
• Tom meditated in a posture Mo Fei had developed, and Grindelwald sensed that he had truly entered a tranquil state.
• Grindelwald asked how Tom had learned to meditate, and Tom looked to Mo Fei.
• Mo Fei brought Grindelwald an old book whose scattered notes he had assembled into a meditation manual, explaining that he had taught Tom from it.
• Grindelwald asked whether Mo Fei had learned the method too, and Mo Fei said his results had been unremarkable.
• Tom redirected Grindelwald’s questions by revealing that his meditation manifested a snake he had never seen.

Grindelwald advised Tom to study magical snakes and prepare to confront Slytherin’s influence, then used his prophetic powers to investigate the unusual fate surrounding the orphanage. His vision showed Tom facing Dumbledore, and Grindelwald became increasingly interested in the orphanage’s fate-distorting vortex.

• Grindelwald told Tom that Slytherin was the only ancestor whose will he needed to overcome and advised him to raise magical snakes and study them through meditation.
• Mo Fei showed Grindelwald the Snake Control Technique scroll, and Grindelwald agreed to teach Tom theory and basic magical knowledge in future lessons.
• After leaving the orphanage, Grindelwald used his seer’s power to investigate the fate disturbance that had led him to Tom.
• Grindelwald realized that the orphanage disrupted prophecy, but his karmic connection with Tom let him see Tom facing Dumbledore.
• Grindelwald set aside thoughts of Germany’s expansion and grew more interested in the orphanage’s vortex of fate.

After Grindelwald’s visit, Mo Fei and Tom began studying ordinary snakes while waiting for him to return. Instead, Dumbledore arrived at the orphanage, where Mo Fei introduced Tom as another young wizard and concealed his Parseltongue.

• Mo Fei and Tom ate Grindelwald’s magical creature, and Tom fed his little snake a piece of fish after Grindelwald left.
• Mo Fei and Tom decided to raise ordinary snakes because they lacked permission and facilities to keep magical ones.
• Tom used Parseltongue to call snakes to the orphanage and spent time observing the few they managed to collect.
• Dumbledore visited the orphanage, saying he had come to check on Mo Fei and the children after hearing London events might have affected them.
• Mo Fei let Dumbledore in and signaled Tom to hide his snake and avoid showing that he could speak Parseltongue.
• Dumbledore recognized Tom as a young wizard, and Mo Fei explained that Tom’s magic had erupted accidentally, as Kyle had told him it could.

Mo Fei asked Dumbledore how Kyle was doing at Hogwarts, revealing his genuine concern for the boy. Dumbledore reassured him that Kyle was doing well and predicted he would become an extraordinary wizard.

• Mo Fei asked Dumbledore about Kyle’s studies and whether he was being bullied, explaining that his letters were vague and that Muggles could do little to help.
• Dumbledore reflected on how Hogwarts supported young wizards from orphanages and recalled that Kyle had seemed unusually free of the gloom he expected.
• Dumbledore reviewed Kyle’s mixed abilities in Herbology, Charms, Potions, and Transfiguration, noting his particular skill at turning inanimate objects into animals.
• Dumbledore discovered that Kyle’s Transfiguration strength came from his desire to depict imaginary magical creatures and gave him targeted instruction.
• Dumbledore told Mo Fei that Kyle was doing very well and that he would become an extraordinary wizard.

Dumbledore visited the orphanage to ask Mo Fei about the earlier attack, and Mo Fei explained how he had driven away the venomous snakes with homemade repellent. Dumbledore left with a small sample, while Mo Fei remained wary of his interest in the orphanage and Tom.

• Mo Fei reassured Dumbledore that Kyle was doing well at school, easing the professor's concern about the boy.
• Dumbledore told Mo Fei he had come to learn about the attack on the orphanage, and Mo Fei suspected it was connected to Grindelwald's activities in London.
• Mo Fei recounted the attack and explained that a homemade snake-repellent powder had driven away the venomous snakes.
• Mo Fei gave Dumbledore the small amount of powder he had left, and Dumbledore suggested Professor Slughorn might improve it.
• Dumbledore said he had other matters to attend to and left, mentioning he might meet Mo Fei again when Kyle returned.

After Dumbledore left, Mo Fei used his remaining Light of Spirituality to advance his Combat and Medicine skills, and his transcendent Combat transformed into Martial Arts. He discovered that the change granted him health-preserving Qi, which could keep his body in peak condition and help him live to a maximum of 120 years.

• Dumbledore warned Mo Fei not to let young wizards learn magic without adult guidance, and Mo Fei told Tom to learn properly from him at Hogwarts someday.
• Mo Fei worried that he could not defend the orphanage against modern firepower and decided he needed to strengthen himself.
• Mo Fei advanced Combat to the transcendent level, where it transformed into Martial Arts, and spent his remaining point on Medicine after Cooking would not improve.
• Mo Fei’s transformation left him ravenously hungry, so he ate fish and replenished his body’s energy.
• Mo Fei learned that his Qi could strengthen his flesh and bones, preserve his health, and help him live up to 120 years, a secret he decided to keep.

Mo Fei strengthened his qi and Medicine while devising a magical treatment for Zane’s heart condition and investigating snake venom for a way to win over Professor Slughorn. When Kyle returned to the orphanage, Boer told him that Mo Fei had begun studying magic with Tom and expected Kyle to teach Tom Magical Theory.

• Mo Fei decided to seek magical help for Zane’s heart and planned to approach Professor Slughorn through a novel medicine.
• Mo Fei improved his Medicine, chose the trait Medicine and Poison Share the Same Origin, and began researching the magical properties of the Black Snake Gang’s poison.
• Kyle returned to the orphanage and found snakes and unfamiliar herbs filling the backyard.
• Boer explained that Mo Fei had been studying with Tom and planned for Kyle to give Tom his introductory lessons.
• Kyle rushed to his room and began reviewing his old textbooks so he could teach Tom.

Kyle taught Tom Herbology and explained how Essence of Dittany differed from a potion, though Tom's questions exposed the limits of Kyle's knowledge. Kyle planned to buy Tom a dittany plant to study, then continued teaching from the textbook while Mo Fei considered how to grow magical plants.

• Tom asked Kyle whether Essence of Dittany counted as a potion, prompting Kyle to explain the purposes of Herbology and the difference between plant extracts and brewed potions.
• Tom wondered whether Essence of Dittany could be combined with other ingredients or spells to strengthen its healing effects, but Kyle admitted he did not know.
• Kyle suggested buying Tom a dittany plant so he could observe it himself, and Mo Fei reminded Kyle to check what growing conditions and supplies it would need.
• Kyle continued teaching Tom from the textbook and his notes, while Mo Fei noticed that magical and Muggle plant cultivation shared many basic practices.

Mo Fei considered searching noble collections for rare magical plants that might help him win over a potioneer, while Kyle struggled to teach Tom Magical Theory and began planning how to improve himself. Kyle’s ambitions centered on making fantastical wizarding clothes, and he continued studying with Mrs. Field.

• Mo Fei realized that nobles might possess rare magical plants or surviving seeds, and decided to ask the nobles who owed him favors about their collections.
• Kyle struggled to explain magical power control to Tom, then told him to practice with water and study Herbology while he waited to ask professors about other subjects.
• Kyle believed Tom’s talent and Parseltongue would lead him to Slytherin, and worried that his own background might cause Tom to face discrimination.
• Kyle pursued his interest in magical tailoring and planned to study Transfiguration and later take alchemy so he could create beautiful clothes with unique effects.
• Kyle made time to study with Mrs. Field, pleasing the elderly woman.

Kyle sought Mrs. Field’s advice on the clothes he wanted made, then heard her memories of the orphanage and its children. She asked him how he understood clothing, leaving him unsure what deeper answer she expected.

• Kyle consulted Mrs. Field about the fit and design of his outfit, and she advised him before resting.
• Mrs. Field reflected that her life was nearing its end but said she hoped to see Aisha marry Aiwen first.
• Mrs. Field told Kyle how Mo Fei had persuaded Aiwen to stay at the orphanage and described Lina’s early shyness.
• Mrs. Field recalled the sick children Mo Fei had been unable to save and how grief had nearly made him give up caring for the orphanage.
• Kyle promised to repay Mo Fei for all he had done, and Mrs. Field asked him what clothes meant to him.

Kyle found direction in Mrs. Field’s advice that clothes should protect and comfort their wearers, while Aisha received a letter from Aiwen confirming he was safe and would return in less than six months. Aisha looked forward to his return and to their wedding.

• Mrs. Field explained to Kyle that clothes must preserve their protective purpose and make people feel secure, giving him a new direction for his future clothing designs.
• Aisha worried about Aiwen, who had been away on a trading trip for over half a year.
• A letter from Aiwen arrived for Aisha, and the postman also found a letter addressed to the orphanage for Kyle.
• Kyle left Aisha alone to read Aiwen’s letter, which included pearl earrings and news that his trading tasks were nearly complete.
• Aiwen told Aisha not to write back because he expected to return in a little under six months, and Aisha looked at the unfinished wedding dress and suit.

Mo Fei read Aiwen’s letter from Germany and worried about the risks of his overseas trading. At Grindelwald’s second lesson, he learned how Dark Magic could consume a wizard’s will, and Grindelwald warned Tom to avoid it until he could handle it.

• Mo Fei read Aiwen’s letter and worried about his safety while planning to advise him on managing his earnings when he returned.
• Mo Fei resumed educating Tom and gathering magical plants for the inheritance while Grindelwald taught Tom at the orphanage.
• Grindelwald asked Tom what Dark Magic was, and Tom described the kinds of magic used by villains in fairy tales.
• Grindelwald explained that powerful spells fueled by extreme emotions could enslave wizards and that even accomplished wizards maintained only a fragile balance.
• Mo Fei challenged Grindelwald’s suggestion that widespread use made such magic acceptable, and Grindelwald agreed that Dark Magic was dangerous.
• Grindelwald ended the lesson by telling Tom to stay away from Dark Magic until he had the ability to control it.

Grindelwald explained to Tom how Dark Magic’s powerful emotions could overwhelm a wizard who lacked the strength to control them, then demonstrated the Cruciatus Curse on a snake. Tom recovered from the shock and asked whether the spell affected Grindelwald’s mind and whether Parseltongue was tied to Dark Magic.

• Grindelwald told Tom that magic shaped the caster’s emotions and that Dark Magic could burden the soul with extreme feelings.
• Grindelwald explained the effects of the Cruciatus Curse, the Imperius Curse, and the Killing Curse, warning that they could consume an unprepared wizard.
• Grindelwald cast the Cruciatus Curse on Tom’s venomous snake, and Mo Fei covered Tom’s eyes while the snake writhed in pain.
• Mo Fei rebuked Grindelwald for frightening Tom, but Grindelwald said the demonstration would teach him to fear and respect Dark Magic.
• Tom approached Grindelwald after recovering and asked whether Dark Magic affected his mind and whether Parseltongue would be connected to Dark Magic.

Grindelwald explained the dangers of Dark Magic and the nature of snake-related spells, and Tom declared that he would create safer snake magic of his own. After Grindelwald left, Tom killed the suffering snake to study its insides, leaving Mo Fei unsure how to judge his actions.

• Grindelwald told Tom that experienced dark wizards could resist Dark Magic’s emotional effects and warned him against using it before starting school.
• Grindelwald conjured a venomous snake with Serpensortia and explained that it was formed from the caster’s inner darkness and could inflict a weak curse.
• Grindelwald warned Tom that snake magic was dangerous, but Tom insisted he could create a relatively safe spell and surpass others.
• Grindelwald left the orphanage in high spirits, and Tom killed the snake in its cage so he could study its anatomy for his meditation practice.
• Mo Fei helped wipe the blood from Tom’s face and told him to be careful of the snake’s venom, without deciding whether Tom had done wrong.

Tom dissected a venomous snake with Mo Fei, frightening Kyle when he returned and mistook the scene for a body being disposed of. After Kyle recovered, he showed Tom his dangerous Care of Magical Creatures textbook and taught him about fantastic beasts, Parseltongue, and seeking help if needed.

• Tom dissected the snake under Mo Fei's watch, and Kyle ran outside to dry-heave when he saw the bloody organs.
• Mo Fei stopped the experiment, told Tom to bury the snake, and urged him to treat life seriously.
• Kyle returned and asked whether Mo Fei had killed someone, but Mo Fei explained that Tom had been studying a dead snake.
• Kyle claimed he had bravely fed raw meat to a Hippogriff, then demonstrated how to safely open his biting Care of Magical Creatures textbook.
• Kyle warned Tom about the dangers of fantastic beasts and offered to help research his Parseltongue and find assistance if trouble arose.
• Kyle and Tom began studying fantastic beasts together, with Kyle describing them and Tom listening eagerly.