Chapter Summaries

William rescued Mera Picquery from the death potion, defeated Graves, and learned that Graves had planted an Obscurus inside himself. With New York threatened, William asked Mera to trust him and leaped into the potion with her.

• William arrived as a sea eagle and pulled Mera away from the boiling death potion, then knocked her unconscious and modified her memory.
• Graves revealed his plan to expose the magical world and punish Mera’s family, while William mocked him and hinted at his connection to Stark.
• Graves attacked William, but William overpowered him and left him near death.
• Graves jumped into the potion, revealing that an Obscurus inside him would soon destroy New York.
• Mera woke and asked about Graves, and William told her the city was in danger and asked whether she trusted him.
• Mera took William’s hand, and he jumped with her into the death potion.

William moved the Obscurus’s explosion to the Atlantic seabed, saving New York from the blast but unleashing a tsunami that smashed the Statue of Liberty and flooded the city. He and Hermione escaped with Tina and the unconscious Mera, then cooked dinner aboard a Swooping Evil as they planned to return home.

• Wilkins and the Aurors gathered at New York Harbor while Graves waited beneath the Statue of Liberty for the explosion at the Congress building.
• The Obscurus detonated on the seabed, and its magical eruption created a colossal wave that surged toward New York.
• Wilkins ordered the Aurors to defend the city, but their shields failed, the tsunami toppled the Statue of Liberty, and its debris struck buildings.
• William revealed that he had transferred the Obscurus through Vanishing Cabinets after finding Graves’s corpse in the death potion, then escaped with Mera.
• Hermione, Tina, William, and the unconscious Mera flew over the Atlantic on a Swooping Evil while Hermione cooked the group a meal.
• Hermione and William agreed to leave the United States as soon as possible, and Tina silently regarded them as the dangerous ones.

After the New York disaster, William let the truth about the Scourers emerge, gaining a hero’s reputation and the Order of the Mayflower while learning about Obscuruses. In mid-August, William and Hermione left Ilvermorny through the Vanishing Cabinet to return to the United Kingdom.

• Voldemort’s Death Eaters blocked the Suez Canal, disrupting magical shipments to and from the United Kingdom.
• The Magical Congress stayed silent about the destruction of New York, while Wilkins tried to persuade William to accept being an unsung hero.
• Tom leaked that the Scourers had caused the disaster, and the Magical Congress publicly honored William as a hero with the First Class Order of the Mayflower.
• William learned from Newt how to preserve and extract an Obscurus, while Mera Picquery recovered and invited him to her home; William declined.
• In mid-August, William left his medal for Babbling, then entered the Vanishing Cabinet with Hermione to return to the United Kingdom.

After returning to Ottery St Catchpole, William settled in with Hermione and worked on a curse to keep students focused on their homework and Ministry employees on task. Dumbledore then asked William and Hermione to recruit Horace Slughorn as Hogwarts’s new Potions Professor, explaining that Slughorn might agree to meet them.

• Babbling stayed at William’s home, took over his planned vegetable patch with a swimming pool, and asked for a room of her own.
• Hermione embarrassed Anne about Hermione’s room and then used a curse to keep Anne seated until she finished her summer homework.
• William decided to develop Hermione’s homework curse into a product for students and Ministry employees while his family remained abroad in Venice for safety.
• Dumbledore told William that his Egypt search for Arya Grindelwald had gone badly and that Gringotts had found entrances to three more pyramids.
• Dumbledore asked William and Hermione to find Horace Slughorn, the only wizard besides Tom who knew the number of Horcruxes, and said Slughorn would likely welcome them.

William visited Harry at the Dursleys’ home to take him away for the summer and involve him in befriending Slughorn. After Vernon recognized William from Muggle news and asked about rumors linking him to the Queen’s granddaughter, William left with Harry, who agreed not to mention the rumors to Hermione.

• William went to Harry’s home in Little Whinging to pick him up and prepare him to help approach Slughorn.
• Vernon initially tried to turn William away, then welcomed him after recognizing him from news reports and asking whether the Queen’s granddaughter was pursuing him.
• Vernon summoned Harry and treated William with unusual deference while Harry finished packing.
• William praised Petunia’s tea, and he and Harry left the house with the Dursleys seeing them off.
• Harry asked William about the dating rumors, and William told him not to mention them to Hermione.

William, Harry, and Hermione went to Budleigh Babberton to persuade Professor Slughorn to return to Hogwarts as Potions Professor. Harry mistook Slughorn for a Death Eater and attacked him, leaving William to reveal that he had assaulted the very wizard they had come to find.

• William brought Harry to Budleigh Babberton, where Hermione was watching Professor Slughorn's house under a Disillusionment Charm.
• William explained that they were there to recruit a Potions Professor and told Harry not to mention asking Slughorn to return to Hogwarts.
• The group found Slughorn's house wrecked, with the frightened wizard holding his wand amid the chaos.
• Harry assumed Slughorn was a Death Eater, disarmed him with Expelliarmus, and kicked him to the floor.
• William told Harry that Slughorn was the wizard they had come to recruit.

Harry, Hermione, and William found Slughorn hiding in his home, where Harry mistakenly attacked him, and William treated his injuries. William tried to draw Slughorn toward Hogwarts with offers of rare ingredients and news about the war, leaving Slughorn tempted by the dragon and Giant remains stored there.

• Harry mistook Slughorn for a Death Eater and beat him up before William treated his injuries.
• Slughorn complained about Dumbledore tracking him and insisted he would not return to teaching during the war.
• Hermione repaired Slughorn’s home and nearly discarded his last bottle of Dragon Blood before he stopped her.
• William offered Slughorn free Dragon Blood from more than twenty dragons he had killed at the Battle of Buckingham Palace.
• Hermione said Giants were stationed in the Forbidden Forest, and William revealed that he had Giant remains at Hogwarts too.

William manipulated Slughorn into agreeing to return to Hogwarts as Potions Professor, though he pretended he had only come to ask for a recommendation. Slughorn celebrated his expected return, then sobered up as he tried to remember what William had said before leaving.

• William used Slughorn’s desire for comfort, useful connections, and talented students to persuade him to consider returning to Hogwarts.
• William told Slughorn that Hogwarts needed a Potions Professor but claimed they only wanted him to recommend someone reliable.
• Slughorn insisted he would not return, then angrily agreed to take the position after realizing William had piqued his interest.
• William said he would speak to the Headmaster, and Slughorn boasted about how Severus, Minerva, and Filius would treat him at Hogwarts.
• William took Hermione and Harry away by Apparition, while Slughorn celebrated before suddenly wondering what William had said.

William brought Harry and Hermione to the Burrow, where the Weasleys welcomed them and discussed Arthur’s promotion. William planned to use Arthur’s new office to regulate the wartime market and make Akali’s Mystery Shop’s products the standard; Mrs. Weasley then asked him to repair the family’s Safety Watch.

• William and his companions passed the Burrow’s security questions before Mrs. Weasley opened the door.
• William told the Weasleys that he had persuaded Slughorn to return to Hogwarts as Potions teacher, and Mrs. Weasley thanked him for helping Arthur get promoted.
• William explained that Arthur’s new office could help regulate counterfeit protective products and establish Akali’s Mystery Shop’s products as market standards.
• Mrs. Weasley worried that the family’s Safety Watch showed everyone in mortal peril, and William agreed to fix it before he and Hermione left for home.
• Ron told Harry that William had helped secure Arthur’s promotion, while Ginny focused on writing a song and Harry felt disappointed that she did not notice him.

After Death Eaters attacked Diagon Alley, the disappearance of Ollivander and the worsening war left wizards fearful and shopkeepers desperate to sell. William inspected the damage, planned to buy more shops cheaply, and watched Cedric’s new wand business draw customers, including a flirtatious older witch.

• Death Eaters rampaged through Diagon Alley, leaving Gringotts untouched, and Ollivander and Florean Fortescue went missing.
• William arrived at Akali's Mystery Shop and heard Cedric insist that the Death Eaters had taken Ollivander.
• George suggested the Death Eaters had seized Ollivander to stop wand production, while William wondered why they had also taken Fortescue.
• Fred told William that they had bought four shops and that Tom wanted to sell several more; William told the others to negotiate but wait before buying.
• Cho summoned the group to the front counter, where an older witch asked Cedric to fit her for a wand at her home.
• The witch recognized William and asked him to measure her in the changing room, but Cho pointed out the shop's no-home-visits notice.

William inspected Akali's Mystery Shop as Cedric's new wand shop drew crowds and the twins asked whether to fulfill the Ministry of Magic's orders for defensive gear. He hesitated to supply the Ministry because Death Eaters had infiltrated it, leaving the decision unresolved.

• Cedric opened his wand shop with Akali's Mystery Shop's backing, and a crowd of customers gathered as he used theatrical wand-selection tactics to sell his wares.
• William left the wand section after Cedric promised customers two of William's autographs with every purchase, then inspected the busy joke-product department.
• William encountered Penelope demonstrating a joke product and saw Hermione directing House-elf team leaders on inspecting deliveries during the war.
• George told William the Ministry had ordered five hundred Shield Hats and matching gloves, while Fred asked whether they should also supply the Ministry's order for super-defensive cloaks.
• William worried that Death Eaters inside the Ministry might get hold of the powerful defensive cloaks, and considered supplying the Order of the Phoenix instead.

William worked with the Ministry to control sales of protective gear, while Ginny’s curiosity about Amortentia led to a public argument with Ron over her dating life. The chapter ended with Mrs. Weasley revealing that Ron had failed four O.W.L. subjects and earned no O grades.

• William agreed to work with the Ministry, which restricted super protective cloaks to the Auror Office under Kingsley’s control.
• Anne, Luna, and Ginny discussed Amortentia, and Anne explained that she had seen William brew it for customers and Hagrid.
• Ginny admitted she was dating Dean Thomas and confronted Ron for spreading rumors that she had dated five boys.
• Ginny claimed she had wanted Amortentia for Ron, then left with Anne and Luna while the twins demanded payment from Ron for his purchases.
• Mrs. Weasley caught Ron making a rude gesture and told him that he and Harry had received their O.W.L. results.
• Mrs. Weasley scolded Ron for earning no O grades and failing four subjects.

Harry told William that Draco Malfoy had visited Borgin and Burkes and might have become a Death Eater, but William ordered him to leave the investigation to Snape. William then went to Gringotts with Hermione and Anne, where he prepared a secret way to reach Bellatrix’s vault without alerting Voldemort.

• Ron and Harry received their exam results, while Hermione earned eleven Outstanding grades and Anne worried about keeping the Stark family’s record.
• Harry told William that Draco had gone to Knockturn Alley, threatened Borgin over an unavailable item, and recoiled when Madam Malkin touched his left arm.
• William warned Harry against investigating Draco and told him to trust Snape and Dumbledore; Harry agreed to focus on learning magic.
• William took Hermione and Anne to Gringotts and considered the danger of leaving his gold in the goblins’ care.
• William had placed a Vanishing Cabinet in his own vault so he could secretly enter Bellatrix’s vault and approach Voldemort’s Horcrux.

William returned to Ottery St Catchpole and continued preparing safe houses while spending time with Hermione. After Dumbledore revealed why Voldemort had kidnapped Ollivander and Fortescue, William planned to lure Voldemort with a fake Elder Wand, then carried Hermione inside as she called for help.

• William strengthened his home's defenses and worked on the safe houses he had acquired.
• Hermione finished her bath and joined William on the balcony, where they talked about Babbling's proposed shop logo.
• An owl brought Dumbledore's reply, which said that Fortescue knew about the Elder Wand and Ravenclaw's Diadem.
• William and Hermione concluded that Voldemort had taken Ollivander and Fortescue to find the Elder Wand, believing Grindelwald possessed it.
• William proposed having Gregorovitch make a fake Elder Wand to deceive Voldemort.
• William carried Hermione into the room while she shouted for Anne to help, but Anne shut her window and complained about the noise.

William and his friends boarded the Hogwarts Express amid heightened security, public attention, and reporters eager to question him about Minister Bones. After taking up his Head Boy duties, William was invited to Slughorn’s gathering and went to brief the Prefects.

• The Ministry of Magic deployed Aurors to protect the students at Platform 9¾, where Muggle reports brought Scotland Yard officers to investigate them.
• William arrived with Hermione and Anne, drew attention from students and reporters, and said he supported Minister Bones before Tonks chased the reporters away.
• Tonks told William she was helping guard the station and would later patrol Hogsmeade with other Aurors; William joked that he would copy the Ministry’s refusal to give raises.
• William, Hermione, and Anne boarded the Hogwarts Express, where Slughorn invited them to a gathering scheduled after William’s patrol.
• William accepted Slughorn’s invitation and went to the Prefects’ carriage to give orders as Head Boy.

William took charge of the Prefects, assigned patrols, and encountered Ginny being harassed by Zacharias Smith. As Slughorn tried to bring William and Ginny to a gathering, the train shook, and William warned that it was under attack.

• William led the Prefects' meeting, assigned patrol duties, and explained new registration rules for absent students and visitors at Hogwarts.
• William paired Neville with Hannah for patrol, assigned Cho and Anne together, and began inspecting the train's compartments.
• William and Hermione found Zacharias Smith pestering Ginny for details about the Ministry battle, and Hermione deducted five Hufflepuff points after Ginny hexed him.
• Slughorn invited William and Ginny to his compartment gathering, but the train shook violently and William announced that someone was attacking it.

Avery led Voldemort’s secret attack on the Hogwarts Express, trying to keep Stark occupied while capturing Slughorn. As the train approached, Nott rallied his Trolls and Orcs to kill the wizards aboard, especially Stark.

• Avery recalled how Malfoy had taken the blame for the failed Department of Mysteries plan, and how Voldemort had chosen him to command the train attack.
• Voldemort had told Avery that he would keep Dumbledore occupied and ordered him to capture Slughorn while distracting Stark.
• Avery warned Meka Nott that even an army of Giants and dragons had failed to kill Stark, despite Nott’s confidence in his family’s Trolls and Orcs.
• Avery learned that Nott’s grandfather had created the Pure-Blood Directory’s list of twenty-eight families, and he encouraged Nott by promising Voldemort’s reward for killing Stark.
• As the Hogwarts Express drew near, Nott rallied his Trolls and Orcs to kill everyone aboard, especially Stark.

Inferi, Trolls, and Orcs approached the Hogwarts train, and William organized the students before leaving to face the army alone. He left Hermione and Slughorn to protect the train as Nott spotted William standing on the tracks.

• Students saw an army of Inferi and Trolls approaching the train, and panic spread through the carriages.
• William ordered students back to their compartments and told Slughorn to protect them instead of fleeing.
• William used magic to pull panicking students back into their compartments and told Hermione that the Dementors might attack later.
• Hermione agreed to guard the train and keep Slughorn from running away, while William kissed her forehead and vanished.
• Nott spotted William standing alone on the tracks with a wand and sword as the army advanced.

William confronted Nott’s force of three hundred Trolls and Orcs with thirty enchanted knight statues and an Abraxan. The battle left Nott’s army shattered and William charging through its ranks.

• Nott mocked William for facing the army alone and believed the overwhelming numbers would kill him.
• William summoned thirty knight statues prepared by Professor McGonagall and brought from the Safety Watch.
• The statues fired highly accurate volleys of arrows, killing many Orcs and striking Nott before the enemy could close the distance.
• Nott ordered the Trolls and Orcs to throw their spears and javelins, destroying four statues, while William deflected the weapons with a conjured shield.
• William charged on his Abraxan and cast spells that killed Trolls, carved a bloody path through the force, and broke its formation.
• William looked back at Nott with a grin that left him chilled.

William fought Nott’s Trolls and Orcs alone while Inferi stopped the Hogwarts Express and attacked it. A Death Eater’s assault on Hermione ended when Anne intervened and declared that she would protect her.

• William realized the Trolls and Orcs would not flee when their companions died, so he vanished and charged at Nott.
• The Inferi jammed the Hogwarts Express on the tracks and swarmed over its defenses, frightening the students inside.
• Hermione gained the upper hand against Avery, but he unleashed Fiendfyre in the train corridor.
• Hermione forced the Fiendfyre down and turned it toward the Inferi, though the flames burned a hole in the train wall.
• Anne tripped Avery with Glisseo, struck him with a stone carriage door, and kicked him while vowing to protect Hermione.