In Chapter #36, Boy 412 and Jenna have exited the tunnels to the potion cupboard to find the Hunter in the cottage- but he has been Frozen by Aunt Zelda. Nicko brings the Apprentice into the cottage, who tries to attack Jenna. The chapter ends with the Apprentice claiming that his name is Septimus Heap.
Chapter #37 begins as Nicko, Jenna, and Zelda all will not believe the Apprentice, who looks and acts nothing like any of the other Heaps. Aunt Zelda decides to see if the Apprentice is lying and decides to scry. She uses the moon to see what happened ten years ago, which projects images onto a small pond like a movie reel. The chapter ends as the Apprentice decides that he didn’t want to watch anymore and kicks Bert into the pond, breaking the spell.
In Chapter #38, the Apprentice is caught and is huddling in a corner of the cottage. Aunt Zelda takes the pistol and bullet from the Hunter and keeps them for Jenna. The inhabitants of the cottage decide that they should take away the Hunter’s memories so that he will not bother them again. Boy 412 uses Magyk to replace the Hunter’s memories, and the chapter ends as the Hunter leaves to join a traveling circus.
Chapter #39 begins with the Apprentice, who has escaped through Bert’s tunnel and left in the canoe with the Thing. He resolves to get revenge on Jenna, Nicko, Boy 412, and Aunt Zelda. The chapter ends as Jenna, Nicko, and Boy 412 leave on one of the Muriel canoes, to find DomDaniel’s ship, The Vengeance, waiting for them outside the Marshes.
In Chapter #40, Jenna, Nicko, and Boy 412 exit the canoe to get a closer look at the Vengeance and find Alther the ghost waiting for him. Alther tells them about how their parents are safe, and describes how Marcia is trapped in Dungeon Number One. He shares his suspicions about how Marcia might now be imprisoned on the Vengeance and warns them not to try to rescue her. The chapter ends as Jenna, Nicko, and Boy 412 disobey Alther and head towards the Vengeance.