Chapter Summaries

William and Grindelwald failed to contain the North Sea Kraken, which escaped into the Danube before Grindelwald took Gregorovitch north of the North Sea to use as bait. William stayed behind with Hermione and Missandei, then realized Grindelwald had tricked him about the landlady and forgotten to pass on Vinda Rosier’s letter and Dumbledore’s message.

• William and Grindelwald froze the North Sea Kraken in the Danube, but it shattered the ice and resumed its attack.
• Hermione arrived on a flying motorcycle with Missandei and the unconscious Gregorovitch, and William joined them as they flew to Nurmengard.
• Grindelwald told William he planned to take Gregorovitch north of the North Sea to trap the Kraken, then vanished without persuading William to come along.
• Grindelwald revealed that a Rosier wizard had asked him to help Voldemort, and said he planned to find and kill Death after catching the Kraken.
• William remembered he had forgotten to deliver Vinda Rosier’s letter and Dumbledore’s message to Grindelwald.
• William saw the supposedly murderous landlady alive and realized Grindelwald had sent Rosier to the Muggle police station.

After the attack on Vienna, William's fame grew while the International Confederation of Wizards concealed Grindelwald's involvement. At a press conference, William blamed Voldemort for the attack, announced his return, and condemned Fudge's refusal to acknowledge it.

• Newspapers worldwide reported the Vienna attack, and photographs of William fighting the North Sea Kraken pushed his reputation above Dumbledore's.
• The International Confederation of Wizards issued a gag order to conceal Grindelwald's escape from prison.
• Minister Soros oversaw Vienna's reconstruction and asked William to help solicit donations at the press conference.
• Minister Soros opened the press conference by praising his ministry, commending William and Hermione, and appealing for donations.
• William answered a planted question by claiming that someone had orchestrated attacks to prevent the International Confederation of Wizards' conference.
• William identified Voldemort as the culprit, declared that he had witnessed his return, criticized Fudge's denial, and called for unity against Voldemort.

Fudge celebrated his political victories over Dumbledore, but the Vienna attack and William Stark’s public statements rapidly undermined his confidence. He learned that the International Confederation of Wizards was pushing for Dumbledore to return as interim Supreme Mugwump, then discovered his own liaison had been relying on newspapers for international news.

• Fudge planned to remove Dumbledore as Hogwarts headmaster and congratulated himself on receiving the Order of Merlin, First Class.
• Percy read Fudge the Daily Prophet’s report that William had exposed You-Know-Who’s role in the Vienna attack and presented a Death Eater’s testimony about the North Sea Kraken.
• Fudge learned that William would refuse to accept the Order of Merlin alongside him and had mocked him with proposals for a Merlin Peace Prize and a Minister Mountain.
• Fudge read that William had proposed Dumbledore serve as interim Supreme Mugwump, and that Madam Picquery had gathered support for the idea.
• Fudge contacted Martin, who revealed that he had learned about Dumbledore’s removal from newspapers because official documents arrived late, prompting Fudge to curse him.

After the North Sea Kraken’s attack, the International Confederation of Wizards reinstated Dumbledore as acting president, and he helped repair Vienna with the Elder Wand. Dumbledore explained the Kraken’s history to William and revealed that Corvinus Gaunt had released it.

• At Stark’s suggestion, Picquery and other representatives agreed to reinstate Dumbledore as acting president of the International Confederation of Wizards.
• Dumbledore arrived in Vienna and used the Elder Wand to repair buildings damaged by the attack.
• William examined the Elder Wand, tested its power, and learned from Dumbledore that it served whoever defeated its master.
• William asked Dumbledore about the North Sea Kraken, and Dumbledore connected it to Slytherin, who may have trapped it beneath the sea.
• Dumbledore told William that a descendant of Slytherin had released the Kraken, and confirmed William’s guess that it was Corvinus Gaunt.

Dumbledore explained to William that Corvinus Gaunt and Grindelwald had sought Death with the North Sea Kraken’s help, and William suspected Professor Babbling was connected to Gaunt. As Dumbledore toasted his departing old friend, Sirius’s ship became trapped in ice during an avalanche.

• Dumbledore told William that Corvinus Gaunt had hidden the Chamber of Secrets and released the creature that became the North Sea Kraken while seeking Death.
• Dumbledore explained that he and Grindelwald had once planned to find Death and kill a god, but he had abandoned the plan after Ariana died.
• William asked Dumbledore about Corvinus Gaunt’s connection to Professor Babbling, and Dumbledore told him to ask her himself.
• Dumbledore raised a cup made of river water and toasted freedom, death, and Grindelwald’s journey.
• Sirius traveled with Durmstrang students through a cold Alpine river until an avalanche sent snow crashing down and froze the ship in place.

The 443rd International Confederation of Wizards Conference convened to address escalating threats and instability, with Dumbledore ordering investigations into Egypt and Britain. William and Hermione heard about the United States’ hostile relationship between its magical and Muggle governments, leaving William wondering how wizards had influenced American scandals.

• Delegates described crises including Grindelwald’s escape, the North Sea Kraken, the nuclear threat, and Death Eater terrorism, and linked many of them to Stark and Granger.
• Umbridge and the Egyptian representative denied the allegations concerning Death Eaters and Arya Grindelwald, while Umbridge glared at William and Hermione.
• Dumbledore appointed special investigators to look into Egypt and Britain despite the representatives’ denials.
• Dumbledore announced an international task force and permanent base to control the Himalayan Yetis, while the Loch Ness Monster’s mischief was also discussed.
• Picquery described the Magical Congress of the United States of America’s long-running conflicts with the Muggle government, and William speculated that wizards might have influenced American political scandals.

William and Hermione attended the International Confederation of Wizards gathering, where they faced a barrage of meetings, complaints, and disputes over magical education and representation. They skipped sessions to explore Vienna, chose a house by the Danube, and visited Gregorovitch’s ruined home to collect his magical materials.

• William and Hermione attended numerous meetings, where the Albanian representative sued them over a burned forest until William offered to search for evidence of Voldemort’s involvement and the representative withdrew the suit.
• The International Confederation of Wizards Education Office ranked Hogwarts in the middle and Uagadou School of Magic last, prompting African representatives to accuse the assessment of racial discrimination.
• A witch challenged the low number of female representatives, and Thunberg argued that magic caused global warming and called for wizards to stop using it.
• William and Hermione skipped meetings to tour Vienna, where Hermione chose a house on the Danube and Soros offered William a share of Austria’s fundraising proceeds.
• William and Hermione visited Gregorovitch’s destroyed cabin and took the magical materials buried in its ruins, including a large supply of unicorn hair.

William and Hermione were recalled from their travels to attend a meeting where Heinrich Eberstadt blamed hidden Giants in the Alps for a surge in avalanches. Dumbledore sent William, Hermione, and a small group to investigate in Switzerland, where Hagrid and Madame Maxime’s expedition might be in danger.

• Missandei sent William news that an urgent matter required him and Hermione to return to Vienna.
• Heinrich Eberstadt told the International Confederation of Wizards that Giants in the Alps had caused thirty-five major avalanches that year and threatened nearby residents.
• Dumbledore explained that the Confederation could spare few wizards, but feared Voldemort might recruit the Giants and that Hagrid and Madame Maxime’s ship could be caught in an avalanche.
• The representatives voted to send William and Hermione to investigate, despite Heinrich Eberstadt’s objection.
• Missandei volunteered to join William and Hermione, and Minister Soros provided them with a magical ship to travel to Switzerland.

William, Hermione, and Missandei searched the frozen Swiss waterways for Durmstrang’s missing ship and found it stranded with everyone aboard gone. As William examined giant-sized footprints, a terrifying roar sounded from the nearby mountains.

• William and his companions reached an impassable stretch of frozen river in Switzerland and used warmed Golden Snidgets to search for Durmstrang’s ship.
• The Golden Snidgets found the ship, so William left wizards behind to guard their own vessel and flew out with Hermione and Missandei on a Starbrusher One.
• Hermione spotted Durmstrang’s ship frozen in the ice, and William found it deserted beneath the snow.
• William noticed enormous footprints on the ship’s deck and suspected a Giant had taken Sirius and the students.
• A terrifying roar came from a snowy mountain by the shore as William prepared to track the footprints.

William arrived in the snowy mountains just as Giants attacked Ygritte and Hodor, and he intervened before they could kill them. He stopped another charging Giant with an invisible barrier, leaving the fight unresolved.

• Four Giants accused Ygritte and Hodor of hiding their quarry and decided to eat them instead.
• Hodor attacked the Giants with an uprooted cedar but was beaten and thrown through trees.
• Ygritte ran back to save Hodor and fought the Giants, but they overpowered and pinned her.
• William appeared, stabbed one Giant in the head with a poisoned Goblin-made sword, and killed him.
• William used magic to send snow swirling at another Giant, which crashed into an invisible wall before reaching him.

William killed the Giants who attacked him and met Ygritte, a Half-blood Giant who could speak English, and her younger brother, Hodor. Ygritte agreed to take William to her tribe, and they set off north while Hermione and Missandei searched elsewhere.

• William killed all the Giants who had attacked him and approached the two survivors, Ygritte and Hodor.
• Hodor woke and nearly attacked William, but Ygritte told him that William had saved them.
• Ygritte introduced herself and Hodor, explained that she had learned English from her tribe's leader, and agreed to guide William to the tribe.
• Hodor asked to borrow the dead Giants' heads, and William agreed before Hodor skewered them on a cedar tree.
• William sent word to Hermione not to worry, then climbed onto Ygritte's shoulder as she carried him north toward the tribe.

William and Ygritte reached the Giants’ hidden home in the Alps, where William discovered they lived in an abandoned Swiss military bunker. Ygritte warned him to bring a gift for the chief, Fridwulfa, and William recognized the name as Hagrid’s mother.

• William rode on Ygritte’s shoulder as she climbed through the mountains, while he drank a Potion of Night Vision and mapped the route.
• Ygritte watched William and secretly planned to bring him to the tribe, knock him unconscious, and claim him as her partner.
• William and Ygritte arrived at the Giants’ settlement, which occupied an abandoned Swiss bunker marked with an equilateral cross.
• Ygritte told William to give the chief, Fridwulfa, a gift because of her peculiar temper.
• William recognized Fridwulfa’s name as Hagrid’s estranged mother and wondered if she was still alive.

William Stark was led by Ygritte into the Giants’ mountain settlement, where he met their leader, Fridwulfa, Hagrid’s mother. After William offered her a gift on Dumbledore’s behalf, Fridwulfa revealed that Voldemort’s servants had already approached the Giants and challenged William to say why she should side with Dumbledore instead.

• William followed Ygritte and Hodor through the bunker into the Giants’ settlement and saw how few Giants remained there.
• Ygritte brought William to Fridwulfa, who doubted that he had killed four adult Giants until Ygritte showed her their frozen heads.
• William introduced himself as a Hogwarts student and offered Fridwulfa an eternal flame as a gift from Dumbledore.
• Fridwulfa said she had heard rumors of Voldemort’s return and suspected Dumbledore had sent William to persuade the Giants.
• Fridwulfa recalled that Dumbledore had broken his promise to provide the Giants a place to live and asked William whether she should side with Dumbledore or Voldemort.

William left Fridwulfa without discussing an alliance and followed Ygritte through the giants’ territory, learning more about Grawp and the tribe’s treatment of him. In Ygritte’s room, William noticed the bunker map and wondered whether Sirius and the Durmstrang students were hiding in the passages, just as something swung at him.

• William concluded that the giants distrusted both the Ministry and Dumbledore because wizards had broken their settlement promises, while Voldemort’s uncertain return left them hesitant to choose a side.
• William left Fridwulfa with Ygritte and drew wary stares from the giants, while some giantesses openly beckoned to him.
• Ygritte identified the scarred, undersized Grawp as Fridwulfa’s son and explained that the chief let the other giants bully him.
• Ygritte led William to her low-ceilinged room and secretly moved toward a wooden club, intending to knock him out.
• William studied a map of the bunker and wondered whether Sirius and the Durmstrang students were hiding there before a sudden whoosh caught him off guard.

William accompanied Ygritte to investigate a fight in Karkus's tribe, while Hagrid and Maxime tried to win the Giants' cooperation and search for Death Eaters. Golgomath defeated Karkus and seized leadership as two Death Eaters exposed Hagrid and Maxime to the Giants.

• William questioned Ygritte about the stick she had raised, then agreed to go with her after Hodor reported a fight in Karkus's tribe.
• Hagrid and Maxime visited Karkus and gave him barrels of liquor on William's behalf while inviting him to cooperate.
• Hagrid and Maxime hid nearby to watch the Giants and search for the Death Eaters.
• Golgomath challenged Karkus, killed one of his followers, and tore off Karkus's leg before knocking him down.
• Two Death Eaters found Hagrid and Maxime, and Golgomath's followers moved to seize them.

Sirius sheltered the Durmstrang students in a bunker after Giants trapped them in the mountains, while William found Karkus dead and suspected Hagrid and Madame Maxime were in danger. William sent Ygritte to find Hermione and summon the Swiss Minister for Magic as he headed into the Giants’ cave alone.

• Sirius led the Durmstrang students into a bunker to escape two Giants and spent two days searching for help from the Switzerland Ministry of Magic.
• Several students found a passage deeper into the bunker, and Sirius decided to investigate with them.
• William found Karkus’s battered corpse beside the lake and recognized the smell of his liquor, leading him to fear Hagrid and Madame Maxime were in trouble.
• William reassured Ygritte that Half-blood Giants could live among wizards and asked her to find Hermione Granger and deliver the Supreme Mugwump’s orders to the Swiss Minister for Magic.
• Ygritte ran east toward the magic ship as William walked into the Giants’ cave alone.

Hagrid and Maxime fled from Golgomath and the giants allied with the Death Eaters, then encountered Sirius and the Durmstrang students on a narrow bridge. The giants attacked as the group tried to escape, but a giant eagle rescued two students and landed on Maxime’s shoulder.

• After Golgomath killed Karkus and took control of the giant tribe, Hagrid and Maxime hid in a cave while the giants searched for them.
• Maxime led Hagrid deeper into the cave as the giants pursued them.
• Sirius led the Durmstrang students over a narrow bridge, and Hagrid and Maxime arrived warning that giants were chasing them.
• Sirius ordered everyone to flee, saved Krum from falling, and helped the students cross while Hagrid and Maxime held off the giants.
• The giants’ rocks split the bridge, sending two schoolgirls falling, but a giant eagle caught them and landed on Maxime’s shoulder.

William held off Golgomath and the Giants while the students crossed the broken bridge, then used his speed and magic to turn Golgomath’s own forces and the collapsing cavern against him. The chapter ended with flaming boulders crushing Golgomath’s armor.

• William transformed back from his sea eagle form, repaired the broken bridge with magic, and blocked the Giants’ boulders while the students escaped.
• Golgomath approached in Goblin-forged armor and ordered William to stand aside, but William refused and attacked him with a Goblin sword.
• William discovered that Golgomath’s armor resisted his blade, then used Apparition to strike another Giant instead.
• Golgomath pursued William through the Giant ranks, killing and injuring his own people as William drew the battle toward the cavern’s stone supports.
• William heated Golgomath’s cleaver until it melted, then hurled flaming boulders at him until his armor was reduced to powder.

Lancel led the Austrian Aurors in a rescue mission as an avalanche struck Jungfrau, where William fought Golgomath. The mountain began collapsing, and while everyone fled, William stayed behind to watch the avalanche.

• Lancel learned that Stark and Granger would lead the International Confederation of Wizards’ response to the Giants and put the Austrian Ministry on alert.
• Granger arrived with an order from the International Confederation of Wizards and sent Lancel and the Aurors to rescue people as Jungfrau trembled.
• Sirius helped free the Durmstrang students from the cave, and Fridwulfa’s Giants assisted them.
• William emerged from the collapsing mountain on Golgomath’s shoulder and repeatedly struck until he cut off the Giant’s head.
• Lancel ordered everyone to flee as Jungfrau collapsed, while William remained on the mountain and rubbed snow across his blood-covered face.

William and Hermione helped rescue people after Jungfrau collapsed, while newspapers blamed the disaster on them. As the Durmstrang ship departed, Hermione asked William when he would speak to her parents about getting engaged, and he worried about how her father would react.

• Minister Lancel privately cursed the British and the chaos surrounding William and Hermione, while the International Confederation of Wizards reacted calmly to Jungfrau's collapse.
• William and Hermione searched the Alps for survivors, and the Aurors' evacuation kept Muggle casualties at zero; most of Golgomath's Giants had died or been buried.
• Ygritte used Giants to free the frozen Durmstrang ship, and William warned Sirius to seek an old man north of the North Sea if the Death Eaters became too much to handle.
• Hermione showed affection for William as the Durmstrang students watched, and Krum called out that he expected an invitation to their wedding.
• After the ship departed, Hermione asked William when he would talk to her parents about getting engaged, and William worried that Iris would harm him.