Chapter Summaries

Morris befriended a Thestral and flew around Hogwarts before returning to the first-years. Professor McGonagall caught him arriving on the creature and warned him about the danger as Hagrid led the students closer.

• A Thestral approached Morris's boat, let him stroke its head, and carried him into the night sky.
• Morris asked the Thestral to show him around and waved at Fred, George, and Lee Jordan from beside their carriage.
• The Thestral returned Morris to the Black Lake after the first-years had reached shore, and he flew to the top of the castle steps.
• Professor McGonagall confronted Morris about riding a Thestral and told him not to do it again.
• As Hagrid and the first-years approached, Professor McGonagall told Morris she would deal with the matter separately and led him away.

Morris Black waited with Professor McGonagall, met the other first-years, and entered Hogwarts's Great Hall for the Sorting Ceremony. After the Sorting Hat struggled to read his empty mind, it placed him in Ravenclaw.

• Professor McGonagall reprimanded Hagrid for failing to notice Morris was missing from the new students.
• Hermione Granger questioned Morris about how he had arrived ahead of the group, but Professor McGonagall interrupted them.
• Morris entered the Great Hall and became absorbed in watching the Hogwarts ghosts.
• The Sorting Hat could not read Morris's mind and called him an idiot before sorting him into Ravenclaw.
• The Weasley Twins and Lee Jordan looked regretful as Ravenclaw applauded Morris.

Morris Black joined Ravenclaw and spent the welcoming feast asking about Hogwarts’ ghosts. After learning how many ghosts lived at the school, he tried to touch Nearly Headless Nick but his hand passed through him.

• Morris watched Harry Potter get sorted into Gryffindor, then enjoyed the feast and desserts with the Ravenclaws.
• Morris met Cho Chang and Marietta Edgecombe and told them the Sorting Hat had called him an idiot.
• Morris questioned a ghost about his death, and Cho and Marietta warned him that many ghosts were not quite right in the head.
• Nearly Headless Nick told Morris that Hogwarts had sixty-eight ghosts, many of whom rarely appeared before the living.
• Morris tried to touch Nearly Headless Nick’s head, but his fingers passed through the ghost, who explained that the living could not touch ghosts.

Morris met Nearly Headless Nick, considered Dumbledore’s warning about a dangerous fourth-floor corridor, and entered the Ravenclaw Common Room. He and Kyle Chesterfield both volunteered for the only private dormitory, leaving Robert Hilliard to decide how to choose between them.

• Cho Chang warned Morris that prolonged contact with ghosts could make him ill, and Nearly Headless Nick confirmed that brief contact was harmless.
• After Dumbledore warned the students to avoid the fourth-floor corridor, Morris wondered about it but decided not to investigate yet.
• Robert Hilliard led the first years to Ravenclaw Tower, where they gained entry by answering the eagle knocker’s question.
• Morris explored the common room, picked up a book titled “How to win the heart of a fellow wizard,” and put it back.
• Robert announced that one male first year could have a private dormitory, and Morris and Kyle Chesterfield volunteered for it.
• When Robert proposed a contest to choose between them, an older student called Cyril jokingly shouted “Duel!”

Morris won a private Ravenclaw dormitory room by transforming a teapot into a detailed statue of Rowena Ravenclaw, then settled in and reunited with his pets. The chapter ended with Guantou sulking over Yanhua’s ability to hide in Morris’s shadow.

• Robert held a Transfiguration contest between Morris and Kyle, and Morris created a miniature statue of Rowena Ravenclaw with impressive detail.
• Kyle conceded, so Robert gave Morris the single room in dormitory seven and offered to help him if he ran into trouble.
• Ravenclaw students questioned Morris in the common room before he went upstairs to his room and unpacked.
• Morris realized his cat was missing, then watched Yanhua bring Guantou through the window after flying around Hogwarts with it.
• Morris soothed the angry Guantou, then changed into his pajamas and went to sleep.

Morris discovered a new Book of the Mage spell called Gate of Two Realms, which could only be used while dead, and set out to explore Hogwarts before breakfast. He met Hermione on the moving staircases, where her friendly greeting to three Gryffindor first-years was met with little response.

• Morris found the Gate of Two Realms in the Book of the Mage and learned that it granted entry to the gap between life and death but had to be used while dead.
• Morris meditated, then left the Ravenclaw Common Room after briefly speaking with Prefect Robert and another student about exams.
• Morris struggled to navigate the shifting staircases until Hermione pointed out the route to the first floor and explained that their movements followed a pattern.
• Morris and Hermione discussed their excitement for lessons, but the staircase they were waiting for vanished before he could board it.
• Three Gryffindor first-years passed by, and Hermione greeted them, but they only nodded before hurrying away.

Morris attended his first Transfiguration lesson, impressing Professor McGonagall with his skill before she asked him to identify the Thestral that had carried him to the castle. He agreed to help locate it, leaving open the prospect of seeing the creature again.

• Morris spoke with Hermione, who said she could not understand why her three roommates had excluded her.
• Morris arrived early at the Transfiguration classroom and played with a tabby cat, which transformed into Professor McGonagall.
• Professor McGonagall praised Morris's Transfiguration ability and explained that her transformation into a cat was advanced magic.
• Morris learned to turn a match into a silver lion-patterned letter opener, earning five points for Ravenclaw.
• Professor McGonagall asked Morris to identify the Thestral he had ridden to Hogwarts, and he agreed.

Morris Black accompanied Hagrid into the Forbidden Forest to see the Thestrals. The herd gathered around Morris and affectionately approached him, leaving Hagrid ignored.

• Professor McGonagall brought Morris to Hagrid's Hut and left him with Hagrid.
• Hagrid took Morris and Fang toward the Thestrals' habitat in the Forbidden Forest, warning him about dangerous creatures such as Acromantulas.
• Morris and Hagrid reached a clearing where several Thestrals were gathered.
• The leading Thestral called more of the herd from the woods, and dozens surrounded Morris and Hagrid.
• A Thestral rubbed its head against Morris's chest while ignoring Hagrid's outstretched hands.

Morris discovered that the Thestrals were unusually affectionate toward him and obeyed his commands, though he could not explain why. As he and Hagrid left the clearing, a centaur named Bane confronted them and demanded to know what Morris was.

• The Thestrals crowded around Morris, who rode one while Hagrid explained their connection to death and their role at Hogwarts.
• Morris could not identify which Thestral had flown him the night before, so Hagrid decided to make an excuse for Professor McGonagall.
• Morris told the herd to disperse, and the Thestrals obeyed before he and Hagrid left the clearing.
• A spear flew from the woods and landed near Morris, prompting Hagrid to shield him and call out to the attacker.
• Bane emerged from the trees, ignored Hagrid, and demanded to know what was behind him.

Morris refused Bane’s demand to undergo an inspection and used curses to defeat the centaur after Bane grabbed him. Hagrid confirmed that Bane was unconscious, leaving him to reckon with Morris’s unexpectedly powerful magic.

• Bane accused Morris of carrying something evil and insisted on taking him for an inspection.
• Morris refused, but Bane blocked his way and grabbed his arm while Hagrid hesitated to intervene.
• Morris cast Weakening and Wailing Curses, freed himself, then struck Bane with several more curses.
• Bane collapsed unconscious, and Hagrid checked that he was unharmed before telling Morris he had gone too far.
• Morris said he had only defended himself because Bane attacked first, while Hagrid sighed over the unconscious centaur.

After defeating Bane, Morris got lost in the Forbidden Forest, captured an Acromantula to study, and rode a Thestral back to Hogwarts. Professor McGonagall caught him arriving and warned him against dangerous behavior, but did not punish him.

• Morris refused to accompany Hagrid to the centaurs, and Hagrid carried the unconscious Bane to safety.
• Morris realized he was lost in the Forbidden Forest and subdued an Acromantula with two curses before placing it in a wooden box.
• A Thestral that had carried Morris the day before found him, and he rode it back to Hogwarts.
• Professor McGonagall confronted Morris after seeing him arrive on the Thestral, then warned him to avoid dangerous stunts without deducting points.

Morris returned from the Forbidden Forest with a captured Acromantula and told Professor McGonagall that Hagrid had stayed behind after they were attacked by wild beasts. At lunch, he showed the spider to Fred and George, who persuaded him to lend it to them in exchange for a dozen Ton-Tongue Toffees.

• Morris told Professor McGonagall that Hagrid was still in the Forbidden Forest dealing with the aftermath of a wild-beast attack, and she let him go after asking about the box.
• Morris went to the Great Hall for lunch and sat with the box containing the Acromantula beside him.
• Fred and George questioned Morris about his Thestral ride, and Morris explained that Thestrals pulled the Hogwarts carriages and were visible only to people who had seen death.
• Morris opened the box to show the twins the Acromantula he had caught in the Forbidden Forest and said he had planned to keep it as a pet.
• Fred warned Morris that a grown Acromantula could become as large as a car and get him expelled, so Morris said he would kill it.
• George persuaded Morris to lend them the Acromantula for a few days, and Morris agreed in exchange for a dozen Ton-Tongue Toffees.

Morris learned to treat wounds with dittany and practiced Shadow Concealment, discovering that moving through shadows was painfully difficult. He read about Dumbledore and felt uneasy about the book’s glowing portrait of him before someone knocked at the dormitory door.

• Morris traded the Acromantula to the Weasley Twins for a box of Ton-Tongue Toffee.
• In Pomona Sprout’s Herbology lesson, Morris tested dittany on a scratch and watched it heal within minutes.
• Morris practiced Shadow Concealment, successfully entering the shadows but struggling to move before emerging near the door after about 150 seconds.
• Morris read about Albus Dumbledore in The One Hundred Most Famous Wizards in History and questioned the book’s excessive praise.
• Someone knocked on Morris’s dormitory door.

Morris joined Fred and George Weasley in searching Hogwarts for a baby Acromantula that had escaped from its box, fearing that its discovery could expose their rule-breaking. Their search was interrupted by a scream from a nearby corridor, and the three hurried toward it.

• Robert Hilliard told Morris that the anxious Weasley twins were waiting for him outside the Ravenclaw common room.
• Fred and George told Morris that their Acromantula had torn through its box and vanished near the Charms classroom.
• Morris agreed to help search because the spider could lead professors to the twins and their illegal keeping of a magical creature.
• The three searched classrooms and corridors together, discussing the risk of the spider frightening students or being found by Snape.
• A scream rang out from an adjoining corridor, and Fred, George, and Morris ran toward it.

Harry and Ron encountered a giant spider in a Hogwarts corridor, and Morris and the Weasley twins rescued them. Ron’s wound was treated, while Harry learned the creature was an Acromantula and remained wary of spiders.

• Harry and Ron got lost while looking for the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom and spotted a spider crawling across the ceiling.
• The spider attacked Ron and bit his calf, and Harry kicked it away when it lunged at him again.
• Morris stunned the spider with a spell as Fred and George arrived and examined Ron’s wound.
• George treated Ron with essence of dittany, while Morris held the spider and weakened it with a curse.
• Morris introduced himself to Harry as a first-year Ravenclaw and described the creature as a naughty pet spider.

After Ron fainted at the sight of the Acromantula, Professor Flitwick discovered the creature and ordered Fred and George to explain their actions in his office. Morris returned to his dormitory, wondering about Flitwick, his Charms professor.

• Ron screamed when Morris held the unconscious Acromantula near him and fainted; George caught him before he hit the floor.
• Fred and George explained that an accidental childhood prank involving a toy broomstick turned into a spider had left Ron terrified of them.
• Professor Flitwick found the group after curfew, identified Morris's spider as an Acromantula, and questioned Fred and George about why they had not reported it.
• Professor Flitwick examined Ron's injuries, told Harry and Morris to take him back to the dormitory, and ordered Fred and George to come to his office.
• Fred and George assured Morris they would not reveal his involvement, and Morris thanked them before returning alone to his dormitory.

Morris attended his first History of Magic lesson, eager to meet the ghost professor, and chatted with Hermione while they waited. Before class began, he apologized to Ron with a trick sweet that made Ron’s tongue swell, then the students wondered how Morris knew the Weasley twins and learned that Harry, Ron, and Morris had met the previous night.

• Morris arrived early for History of Magic and meditated while waiting for Professor Binns.
• Hermione joined Morris and enthusiastically discussed her reading of A History of Magic.
• Harry and Ron sat behind Morris, who asked Ron about his injured leg and offered him a sweet.
• Ron ate the sweet before Morris could explain its side effect, and his tongue swelled for about thirty seconds.
• Hermione criticized Morris for not warning Ron, but Ron said the sweet tasted good and asked whether Morris knew Fred and George.
• Hermione noticed that Harry, Ron, and Morris already knew one another, and Harry vaguely said they had met the previous night.

Morris attended Professor Binns's monotonous History of Magic class, where Binns singled him out and privately told him that Death was drawn to him. Binns asked Morris to kill him when he became strong enough.

• Professor Binns appeared through the blackboard and began lecturing the class in a flat monotone.
• Hermione asked whether the Muggles killed during the witch hunts had really been wizards, and Binns answered before glancing at Morris.
• After class, Morris stayed behind while Harry and Ron went to the Great Hall, and he asked Binns what he wanted.
• Professor Binns asked whether Morris was Death, then said he was a wizard favored by death and that Thestrals were likely close to him.
• Professor Binns said only someone with Morris's rare ability could help him and asked Morris to kill him when he was strong enough.

Morris agreed to help Professor Binns lift the curse that kept him a ghost, then explored his new classes and began seeking a way to fake death so he could use the Gate of Two Realms. The chapter ended with Morris joining Fred and George in scrubbing trophies as punishment.

• Professor Binns told Morris that a curse had made him a ghost against his will and that he could not end his existence himself, so Morris promised to help lift the curse.
• Professor Binns offered Morris a surprise if he succeeded, then reverted to his usual emotionless manner and disappeared into the blackboard.
• Morris experienced all eight first-year subjects, became fascinated by Potions, and noticed that Severus Snape seemed to hate Harry Potter.
• On his first weekend, Morris decided to investigate how he could fake death to use the Gate of Two Realms.
• Morris went to the Trophy Room to seek help from Fred and George, but ended up scrubbing trophies with them under duress.

Morris asked Fred and George about entering a convincing deathlike state and learned about the Draught of Living Death, then went to the library to search for its recipe. There, he met Ravenclaw Prefect Robert Hilliard, who had come out of the Restricted Section.

• Morris asked Fred and George how a wizard could appear truly dead, and they identified the Draught of Living Death as a potion that caused a deathlike sleep.
• Fred explained that the potion was regulated and required a permit, while George suggested Morris look for its recipe in the library.
• Morris finished polishing trophies with the twins and headed to the library after lunch, cleaning Guantou and leaving him outside when Madam Pince prohibited pets.
• Morris noticed Robert Hilliard inside the Restricted Section, and Robert closed his battered notebook, came out, and greeted him.