Recaps

After Draco drove Peeves away, he claimed he had reformed him with love, then admitted to using a trick he called “Peeves Retreat” and invented a story about learning it from his grandfather. Professor McGonagall ordered Draco, Hermione, Harry, Ron, Snape, and Flitwick to report to Dumbledore so he could assess Draco’s account and decide how to handle the rule-breaking.

• Draco claimed he had guided Peeves away through understanding and love, leaving the students and professors stunned.
• Hermione accused Draco of lying and said he had used an unknown spell called “Evil Spirit Expulsion.”
• Flitwick said he had never heard of the spell, prompting McGonagall to demand an explanation from Draco.
• Draco admitted the name was made up and claimed the magic was a harmless trick called “Peeves Retreat” that his grandfather had taught him.
• McGonagall reprimanded Draco for using unauthorized magic and misleading others, then ordered him, Hermione, Harry, Ron, Snape, and Flitwick to accompany her to Dumbledore’s office.

Professor McGonagall brought Draco and the others to Dumbledore to report the disturbance and Draco’s explanation for his unusual magic. Dumbledore questioned Draco about the spell and his alleged manuscript, leaving him to produce a convincing account while Snape suspected an understanding between them.

• Professor McGonagall led Draco, Hermione, Harry, Ron, Snape, and Flitwick to Dumbledore’s office.
• Professor McGonagall described the incident, emphasizing Draco’s unusual spell and his attempt to deceive the professors.
• Dumbledore asked Draco detailed questions about the “Peeves Retreat” spell and the Eastern manuscript attributed to his grandfather Abraxas.
• Flitwick eagerly expanded on Dumbledore’s technical questions, while Hermione prepared to challenge Draco’s story and Snape grew suspicious of Dumbledore’s intentions.

Draco defended his use of unusual magic by claiming it came from a family manuscript that his grandfather had destroyed, while the professors and students weighed his explanation. Dumbledore had yet to give his verdict as McGonagall condemned Draco’s reckless use of the spell.

• Draco claimed he had used a resonance technique from a family manuscript to make Peeves retreat, and admitted it was ineffective against stronger magical beings.
• Snape and McGonagall doubted Draco’s polished explanation, while Hermione suspected he had invented it and Harry and Ron struggled to follow the technical details.
• Flitwick judged Draco’s described method theoretically feasible but said the lost manuscript would be needed to verify it.
• Draco said Abraxas had destroyed the manuscript and other dangerous items before his death, leaving Flitwick regretful and Snape unconvinced.
• McGonagall rebuked Draco for using unverified magic and causing chaos in the corridor, and everyone waited for Dumbledore’s verdict.

Dumbledore ended the inquiry into Draco Malfoy's unauthorized spell, assigning him punishment and a private assessment while ordering him not to use the spell again at Hogwarts. Snape then secured a medical examination of Draco, leaving his unusual condition under further scrutiny.

• Dumbledore acknowledged that Draco had stopped Peeves from causing further damage but upheld the charges of unauthorized magic, disruption, and lying.
• Professor McGonagall deducted fifty points from Gryffindor and assigned Draco detention.
• Dumbledore ordered Professor Flitwick to privately assess Draco's spell and banned Draco from using it at Hogwarts except in an extreme emergency.
• Dumbledore cautioned Hermione about accusing Draco of Dark Magic without evidence and thanked Harry and Ron for their truthful accounts.
• Snape called for Madam Pomfrey to examine Draco's unusual constitution, and Dumbledore ordered Draco to visit the Hospital Wing after arranging his detention.

After Dumbledore ordered Draco to undergo a medical examination and a magical assessment, Professor McGonagall escorted him to the Hospital Wing while Snape insisted on accompanying them. Harry and Ron left for dinner, but Hermione stayed close to Draco as the group continued down the corridor.

• Dumbledore ordered Professor McGonagall to take Draco to Madam Pomfrey for an examination and assigned Professor Flitwick to prepare a magical assessment.
• Snape asked to accompany Draco to the Hospital Wing so he could observe the examination and question Madam Pomfrey.
• Dumbledore warned Harry, Hermione, and Ron not to spread rumors, then sent them away from his office.
• As Professor McGonagall led Draco toward the Hospital Wing, Ron's stomach rumbled and he asked to leave for dinner.
• Professor McGonagall let Harry and Ron go to the Great Hall, while Hermione continued following Draco.
• Professor McGonagall glanced at Hermione and frowned, silently questioning why she was still there.

Hermione persuaded Professor McGonagall to let her wait outside while Madam Pomfrey examined Draco for his claimed unusual constitution. The scan found no abnormalities, though Madam Pomfrey noted that Draco’s magical fluctuations were slightly more active than those of his peers but still normal.

• Hermione argued that Draco’s unusual constitution could affect Hogwarts safety, and Professor McGonagall allowed her to wait outside the examination room under strict rules.
• Draco, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Snape followed Madam Pomfrey into the Hospital Wing while Hermione waited in the corridor.
• Draco described feeling chills in old, dark, or supposedly haunted places and said his grandfather attributed it to sensitivity to lingering energy.
• Madam Pomfrey scanned Draco and found stable vital signs, normal-range magic, no traces of Dark Magic or curses, and a stable, sound soul.
• Madam Pomfrey asked whether Draco struggled to control his magic, and Draco denied it while claiming he sometimes felt cold in gloomy surroundings.

Madam Pomfrey found no medical evidence that Draco attracted unclean things, and Draco used her findings to explain his earlier claims as a comforting story his grandfather had invented. Professor McGonagall took Draco to her office to determine his detention, while Snape and Hermione remained unconvinced by his explanation.

• Madam Pomfrey examined Draco and found his health and magical resistance normal, with no unusual spiritual sensitivity or affinity for dark creatures.
• Draco claimed his grandfather had made up stories about his sensitivity to comfort him as a timid child and had taught him a defensive trick for dealing with Peeves.
• Madam Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall softened toward Draco, but Snape and Hermione suspected his explanation was another carefully crafted lie.
• Snape ended the examination and left the Hospital Wing, while Madam Pomfrey said Draco could return if he experienced further discomfort.
• Professor McGonagall told Draco to come to her office to determine his detention, and he followed her wearing his Gryffindor robes.

Draco invited Hermione to accompany him while Professor McGonagall set the terms of his detention, then Hermione confronted him about why he had been sorted into Gryffindor. The chapter left her stunned when Draco offered her flatbread and promised to explain as they walked.

• Draco asked Hermione to join him and Professor McGonagall to hear the details of his detention, and McGonagall allowed her to come along.
• Professor McGonagall sentenced Draco to clean the Trophy Room with basic tools for three weeks and explained the rules.
• Draco calmly asked practical questions about the cleaning, while Hermione watched his reaction and wondered whether he was pretending to repent.
• After leaving McGonagall’s office, Hermione demanded Draco tell her the real reason he had been sorted into Gryffindor.
• Draco pulled two parcels of flatbread from his robe, offered one to Hermione, and said he would explain while they walked.

Draco offered Hermione an unfamiliar flaky pancake to distract her from questioning him about his Sorting and magic. Hermione accepted it despite her suspicions, and Draco began to explain what the Sorting Hat had said as they hurried toward Transfiguration class.

• Hermione struggled to choose between interrogating Draco and accepting the tempting food, then her stomach growled.
• Draco told Hermione the pancakes came from a friend and urged her to eat so they would not be late for class.
• Hermione took a pancake while insisting she still expected answers, then hurried toward the Transfiguration classroom.
• Draco followed Hermione, began describing his conversation with the Sorting Hat, and teased that he would stop talking unless she ate.

Hermione confronted Draco about Hogwarts’ rules and safety, but he delayed answering by offering her a flaky pancake. After resisting and suspecting a trick, she ate it, then caught up with him and demanded that he explain what the Sorting Hat had told him.

• Hermione accused Draco of using food to blackmail her and demanded answers about Hogwarts’ rules and safety.
• Draco calmly said he had shared his food and pointed out that Hermione would be late if she did not hurry.
• Hermione warned Draco not to tamper with the pancake, then took a cautious bite and found it delicious.
• Hermione quickly ate the rest of the pancake and jogged after Draco toward the History of Magic classroom.
• Hermione demanded that Draco tell her what the Sorting Hat had said, but she struggled to finish her threat.

Draco told Hermione that the Sorting Hat initially wanted to place him in Slytherin, but he chose Gryffindor because he wanted to become someone like her. He explained that he feared the Malfoy family’s predetermined path, leaving Hermione stunned and unable to respond.

• Hermione pressed Draco to explain why the Sorting Hat had placed him in Gryffindor, eating a pancake as she listened.
• Draco said the Hat had recognized his ambition, pride in his pure-blood identity, and desire for power, all of which seemed to make him a natural Slytherin.
• Draco told Hermione that he wanted to become someone like her, and that this desire gave him the courage to choose Gryffindor.
• Hermione reacted with disbelief, pointing out that he was a Malfoy and she was Muggle-born.
• Draco explained that he was weary of his family’s expectations and feared a future shaped by pure-blood tradition.
• Draco praised Hermione’s intelligence, courage, and independence, then said the Hat had offered him a choice between the Malfoy path and one like hers; Hermione dropped her pancake in shock.

Draco told Hermione that he had chosen Gryffindor because he envied her independence and wanted to discover his own worth without relying on his family name. Hermione was overwhelmed by his explanation and, as Draco leaned close, she met his gaze from the floor.

• Draco explained that he had asked the Sorting Hat to place him in Gryffindor so he could become someone like Hermione and rely on himself.
• Draco claimed the Sorting Hat had respected his choice and sorted him into Gryffindor, though he privately recalled arguing with the hat until it gave in.
• Hermione struggled to believe Draco but found his explanation answered her questions and touched her pride in the path she had chosen.
• Hermione dropped her gaze and picked up the dusty flatbread, fumbling for words as her face turned red.
• Draco approached the crouching Hermione, and she looked up as he bent close to her.

Draco reassured Hermione that he would bring her another scallion pancake next time, then took away and vanished the dirty one. He called her by her first name and led her onward, leaving Hermione flustered but walking beside him.

• Draco crouched in front of Hermione and told her the scallion pancake was dirty.
• Draco promised to bring Hermione another one next time.
• Draco took the crumpled packet from Hermione and vanished the pancake.
• Draco called her “Hermione” and reminded her it was time to go.
• Hermione followed Draco, walking beside him instead of behind him.

Draco stopped Hermione outside the History of Magic classroom and wiped sauce from the corner of her mouth, leaving her flustered and mortified. Hermione protested that she could have done it herself, while Draco calmly explained where the sauce had come from.

• Draco stopped Hermione in the corridor, and she nearly walked into him.
• Draco noticed sauce at the corner of Hermione's mouth and took out a handkerchief.
• Despite Hermione's startled protest, Draco wiped the sauce from her face.
• Draco told Hermione that the sauce had come from the flaky pancake she had eaten earlier.
• Hermione realized she had been walking around with sauce on her face and angrily insisted she could have wiped it off herself.

Draco led the embarrassed Hermione into History of Magic and offered her one of two empty seats beside him. Despite the classroom’s curious stares and her doubts about sitting with a Malfoy, Hermione chose the front-row seat, leaving their classmates whispering.

• Draco put away the handkerchief he had used to wipe Hermione’s mouth and entered the classroom ahead of her.
• Hermione followed Draco into the classroom, drawing curious looks and whispers from their classmates.
• Draco spotted two empty seats near the window in the middle-front rows and told Hermione they were available.
• Hermione hesitated between joining her roommates and taking the good seats beside Draco while the class watched.
• Hermione walked over to Draco and chose one of the empty seats, prompting louder whispers.

Hermione sat in the sheltered inner seat beside Draco as he shielded her from the classroom’s stares. Ron suggested she might be under a Confundus Charm or Love Potion, and Hermione’s embarrassment turned to fury as she confronted him.

• Draco invited Hermione to take the inner seat and waited for her to sit before taking the aisle seat beside her.
• Hermione reluctantly sat inside, and Draco positioned himself to block the other students’ looks.
• Ron asked whether someone had put a Confundus Charm on Hermione or given her a Love Potion.
• Hermione reacted to Ron’s accusation with anger and stared at him, while Ron looked briefly uneasy before standing by his suspicion.

Hermione angrily denied Ron’s accusations that she had been bewitched or drugged, and Draco publicly defended her by challenging Ron to prove his claims to Madam Pomfrey or Dumbledore. Ron fell silent, while Hermione was left confused and increasingly curious about Draco’s motives.

• Hermione rebuked Ron for accusing her of being under a Love Potion or Confundus Charm and refused to explain why she sat with Draco.
• Draco defended Hermione and proposed that Madam Pomfrey examine her, demanding Ron apologize if she was found clearheaded and unaffected.
• Ron could not answer Draco, and Harry urged him to stop while the other students turned away from their suspicions.
• Draco quietly reassured Hermione that a clear conscience spoke for itself, leaving her flustered and wondering why he had stood up for her.
• Ron resentfully returned to his parchment, the classroom quieted, and the bell rang.

Professor Binns began his monotonous History of Magic lecture, leaving most of the class struggling to stay awake. Hermione and Draco remained alert, but Draco’s accidental brush against Hermione’s arm jolted her out of concentration.

• Professor Binns floated slowly to the lectern and began reading his notes in a droning voice.
• Seamus, Dean, Neville, Ron, Harry, and several Hufflepuffs fought off sleep as the lecture continued.
• Hermione focused intently on taking notes, while Draco kept himself awake by watching her and recalling his promise to become like her.
• Draco shifted in his seat and brushed Hermione’s arm, making her startle and smear ink across her notes.

Draco asked Hermione to share her History of Magic textbook, using his forgotten book as an excuse to sit closer to her. After weighing her discomfort against the need to follow Professor Binns’s lesson, Hermione pushed the book between them and let him share.

• Hermione pulled her arm away after Draco deliberately touched it and looked at him warily.
• Draco said he had left his textbook behind and asked Hermione if they could share hers.
• Draco pointed out that Professor Binns was covering important exam material about Gringotts and the Goblin Rebellion.
• Hermione hesitated over the rumors and awkwardness but decided she should keep up with the lesson.
• Hermione pushed her textbook between them and told Draco not to interfere with her note-taking.

During a dull History of Magic lesson, Hermione struggled to focus while sharing a textbook with Draco, unsettled by their closeness. Lavender and Parvati eagerly read romance into the scene, while Draco stayed focused on Hermione and his plans.

• Hermione let Draco share her textbook, then tried to hide her flustered reaction as he sat close beside her.
• Draco quietly followed the lesson and occasionally pointed to lines in the book while Hermione struggled to concentrate.
• Lavender and Parvati secretly watched the pair and excitedly speculated that their shared history and closeness meant they were falling for each other.
• Draco remained focused on Hermione and his plans, while Hermione failed to notice the girls' gossiping stares.

During History of Magic, Lavender and Parvati whispered romantic interpretations of Draco and Hermione studying together, leaving Hermione flustered and doubtful about his motives. Draco heard their whispers and recognized that they were helping weaken Hermione’s hostility toward him, while the agonizing lesson continued.

• Hermione tried to focus on the Gringotts Charter lesson while Draco sat close beside her.
• Lavender and Parvati whispered that Draco and Hermione looked close and speculated that Draco had left his book behind to study with her.
• Hermione grew embarrassed and irritated, insisting to herself that Draco was manipulating her while wondering whether his words about the Sorting Hat had been sincere.
• Draco heard the girls’ whispers and sensed Hermione’s growing embarrassment, viewing their romantic speculation as a way to undermine her distrust.
• Hermione remained unable to concentrate as the lesson dragged on and the end-of-class bell stayed distant.

Harry woke from a terrifying nightmare during Professor Binns's lecture, startling the class and embarrassing himself. He tried to hide what happened, but Ron pressed him for details.

• Harry shouted, “No! Stay back! Don't touch her!” and sprang from his seat, knocking a desk into the student behind him.
• Professor Binns asked Harry whether he had a question about goblin currency or Gragnak's name, and Harry came to his senses.
• Harry claimed he had stood up because he could not read the blackboard, and Professor Binns told him to sit down and get better glasses or move closer.
• Ron asked Harry who he had dreamed of protecting, and Harry angrily told him to shut up.

Harry tried to hide his embarrassment after a frightening nightmare disrupted History of Magic, while Hermione relaxed as the class returned to its drowsy routine. Class ended with the students relieved to escape Professor Binns's lecture.

• Harry pretended to copy Professor Binns's notes while replaying fragments of his nightmare and the figure he wanted to protect.
• Hermione used the attention on Harry to move slightly away from Draco and regain her composure.
• Hermione and Draco briefly met each other's gaze, and his calm expression eased her tension.
• The bell rang, and the exhausted students packed their belongings as Professor Binns finished his lecture and left the classroom.
• The students stood, stretched, and filled the classroom with noise after Professor Binns had gone.

Hermione hurried to leave Professor Binns’s class, tripped over a chair, and was caught by Draco. Mortified by the attention, she tried to flee, but Draco teased her about being afraid of him.

• Hermione packed her things in a rush and caught her foot on a chair as she tried to leave.
• Draco caught Hermione around the waist and steadied her bag before she hit the floor.
• Hermione struggled free, took her bag, and thanked Draco while avoiding everyone’s gaze.
• Draco stopped Hermione from leaving and asked whether she thought he was a man-eating beast.

Draco teased Hermione about being frightened and tripping, leaving her flustered and unable to defend herself in front of their classmates. Hermione fled the History of Magic classroom and searched for somewhere private to calm down.

• Draco mocked Hermione's claim that she had tripped by accident, pointing out that she had dropped her schoolbag in an empty classroom.
• Harry, Ron, Lavender, Parvati, and the other students watched and whispered excitedly about Draco and Hermione.
• Hermione glared at Draco, then ran out of the classroom without answering him.
• Hermione hurried through the corridors, overwhelmed by shame, anger, and confusion about Draco's intentions.
• Hermione fought back tears and decided she needed somewhere quiet and deserted to regain her composure.