Chapter Summaries

Lake planned to use Agatha Harkness to draw Wanda out, then returned to New York after Tiffany reported trouble in Jersey City. In London, Hermione arrived in time to stop the magical world from falling to a host of escaped villains, revealed that she had inherited the power of Supreme Merlin without the ring, and faced Sino’s attack.

• Lake told Hermione that he knew Agatha Harkness’s future and considered her a possible way to draw Wanda out.
• Lake and Hermione left the Chaos Universe, and Tiffany called Lake about an emergency in Jersey City.
• Hermione returned to the magical world and used her Merlin magic to protect Hogwarts and destroy the villains’ swarms and puppets.
• Hermione told Maximus and the others that the Supreme Dragon Ring was not required to become Supreme Merlin and claimed Mephisto was already dead.
• Sino transformed into a dragon and attacked Hermione, who prepared to bind him.

Hermione used the Supreme Dragon Ring and her Merlin magic power to defeat the attack on the magical world and drive back the Dark Dimension and Dark Magic Dimension. She punished Maximus and confronted Morgana over her possession of Veronica, leaving their conflict unresolved.

• Hermione shattered Ghost Claw Fire Dragon Sino, then fought off Maximus, Morgana, and Jacob as they attacked Hogwarts and its fleeing apprentices.
• Hermione used the Supreme Dragon Ring to summon the Supreme Dragon and declared herself the 36th Generation Supreme Merlin, restoring the pact and forcing the Dark Dimension and Dark Magic Dimension to withdraw.
• The retreating dimensions stripped Maximus and Morgana of their granted powers, and Hermione extracted Maximus's corrupted Merlin magic seed, causing him to die of old age.
• Hermione asked Morgana to leave Veronica's body, but Morgana claimed they had merged; Hermione then projected Merlin's Spring before them.

Hermione restored Veronica by expelling Morgana from her body, then declared that the Supreme Merlin line would no longer protect the magical world’s gift of immortality. Her decision ended Hell’s death-immunity treaty while keeping Mephisto from invading Earth as long as Merlin lived.

• Hermione used Merlin’s Spring to revive Veronica, whose restored Merlin magic expelled Morgana as a mass of black mist.
• Veronica recognized Hermione as the 36th Generation Supreme Merlin, and Dean Patrak arrived with surviving mage apprentices after the magical world suffered devastating losses.
• Hermione decided to end the Supreme Merlin line’s protection of immortality and used the Supreme Dragon Ring to shield the magical world as she announced her decision.
• The immortality protection in Hell’s contract turned to ash, and Mephisto asked Hermione whether she would honor her words.
• Hermione told Mephisto he could not invade Earth under the contract while Merlin lived, so he left the magical world and celebrated in Hell with Witchcraft Demon.

Lake learned that New Jersey officials were blaming Special Agent Saga for the destruction of Jersey City and demanding that the Supervision Bureau hand him over. As Supervisor Arnold publicly accused Saga, Lake watched the dispute escalate and was left preparing for New Jersey to shift the blame onto his bureau.

• Witchcraft Demon resented Mephisto, whose abuse had left him fearing his father despite Mephisto inviting him to drink and visit brothels.
• Lake arrived at the Supervision Bureau and heard from Hill and Tiffany that the Sylvania community had been destroyed, with more than five hundred residents missing.
• Lake explained that Saga had stopped Mephisto from opening Hell Gate in Jersey City, but Tiffany reported that New Jersey officials wanted Saga handed over for investigation.
• Lake watched Supervisor Arnold hold a press conference and accuse Saga of causing the destruction, while the New Jersey Federal Bureau Chief left the scene rather than join Arnold's blame-shifting.
• Arnold told reporters that he had demanded Saga's surrender from Lake and claimed New Jersey had evidence of intentional homicide.

Lake rejected Arnold’s demand to hand Saga over and used Saga’s frozen status to distance the Supervisory Bureau from the Jersey City disaster. New Jersey’s Homeland Director Arnold then accused New York Homeland Security and the Supervisory Bureau of conspiring to move the battlefield into New Jersey.

• Arnold publicly demanded that Lake hand Saga over for investigation, and Lake had Tiffany check Arnold’s Yale credentials.
• Lake learned Arnold had graduated from Yale law school and confirmed that Arnold was not on Yale’s internal graduation list.
• Lake ordered a press conference declaring that Saga had left the Supervisory Bureau after the Long Island Demon incident and that his agent status remained frozen.
• Caroline told reporters that New York lacked jurisdiction over the Jersey City disaster and had received no request for the Supervisory Bureau to assist.
• Arnold recited the names of residents killed in the disaster, blamed the Supervisory Bureau for Saga’s suspended status, and accused New York of plotting to move the battlefield to New Jersey.

New Jersey Homeland Director Arnold publicly accused Lake and the Supervisory Bureau of deliberately causing the Jersey City disaster, prompting Lake and Maria Hill to recognize the accusation as Arnold’s attempt at self-preservation. Lake contacted Homeland Secretary Gene to ask whether Washington would protect Arnold or let the matter proceed by the rules.

• Arnold told reporters he had reason to suspect Lake and New York State Homeland Security had deliberately caused the incident, and veteran reporters shut off their cameras to avoid provoking Lake.
• Tiffany prepared to send Jack after Arnold, but Maria Hill explained that Arnold’s accusations could keep him safe temporarily by making retaliation look like proof of his claims.
• Lake agreed that Arnold had turned the crisis into a delayed-action bomb, since his unsupported accusations could make Jersey City survivors resist treating him as a scapegoat.
• Lake contacted Homeland Security and asked Secretary Gene whether New Jersey had acted alone or whether Gene intended to protect Arnold.

Lake confronted Minister Gene over whether he had conspired with Arnold, then threatened to expose the New Jersey agencies’ conduct during the Jersey City disaster. He arranged to give the New Jersey FBI chief to the Federal Bureau Chief as a political opportunity, setting a meeting over drinks for that night.

• Lake demanded that Minister Gene admit Arnold was an incompetent director rather than a conspirator, and warned that he would clean house if the minister had plotted against him.
• Lake ordered Tiffany to send satellite footage of the New Jersey law-enforcement agencies during the disaster to Beyond Media for release.
• Lake learned the Federal Bureau Chief wanted to become the second Hoover and offered him the New Jersey Federal Bureau Chief as a gift.
• The Federal Bureau Chief agreed to discuss the arrangement over Thunder Brand bourbon that night.
• Lake asked Hill to accompany him, explaining that Tiffany’s presence might distract the lecherous Federal Bureau Chief.

Lake used the FBI to have New Jersey Homeland Director Arnold arrested, then confronted Minister Gene over his attempt to protect Arnold. The chapter left Lake accusing Gene of putting departmental loyalty above federal security as the dispute escalated.

• Lake drove Maria Hill home after dinner with the Federal Bureau Chief, then stayed at her apartment to avoid driving while drunk and woke up with her the next morning.
• Lake learned that the federal court had authorized the FBI to arrest Arnold on thirty-two federal felony charges and watched agents enter the New Jersey Department of Homeland Security.
• FBI agents Jack and Debbie arrested Arnold in his office while he shouted that he had been framed.
• Minister Gene confronted Lake about Arnold's arrest, and Lake challenged him for trying to shield an official accused of serious crimes.

Lake arranged for a recording about Secretary Gene and Supervisor Arnold to become public, then the FBI announced Arnold’s thirty-two federal felonies, putting Gene under pressure. As Lake faced reporters about the Jersey Massacre, his mother and General Ross watched him on television.

• Lake ordered Tiffany to arrange an accidental leak of his call with Minister Gene, and his agents eagerly volunteered for the promised Cuba vacation.
• The FBI’s arrest of Supervisor Arnold became known across multiple states, and an anonymous user posted the call recording on the Fantastic Beasts forum.
• The recording spread online, and the New York FBI announced Arnold faced thirty-two federal felonies, including murder, assault, and suspected protection of a child-pornography organization.
• Secretary Gene faced mounting pressure over the recording and Arnold’s crimes, then received a call from the President’s office.
• General Ross told Karen that Lake’s strategy had helped direct the fallout toward Gene, while Karen watched Lake answer questions on television.
• A reporter asked Lake whether Arnold’s arrest was connected to the Jersey Massacre and New York’s transfer of the battlefield.

Lake defended the FBI’s investigation of Supervisor Arnold and refused to issue a warrant for Agent Saga over the Jersey Massacre, arguing that Saga had prevented a far greater catastrophe. He left the press conference insisting that Saga had made the right choice.

• Lincoln Walker asked Lake what he thought about the more than five hundred deaths in Jersey City, and Lake said he was saddened and supported a strict FBI investigation of Supervisor Arnold.
• Lake explained that Arnold had learned of the FBI’s planned arrest and used the massacre to pressure the Department of Homeland Security and manipulate public opinion.
• Lake played the full recording of his conversation with Minister Gene, showing that he had refused to negotiate with criminals or protect Arnold.
• Lincoln questioned whether Saga had caused the massacre, but Lake said Saga’s Supervision Bureau leave was private and compared the agent’s identity to that of a CIA agent.
• Lincoln asked whether Lake would issue a warrant for Saga, and Lake said Saga had stopped the Demon King from turning Jersey City into a ghost domain.
• Lake declared that the Department of Homeland Security would not arrest Saga and defended the agent’s decision as the only way to prevent a larger disaster.

After Lake publicly justified sacrificing five hundred people in the Jersey Massacre, he prepared to control the backlash and keep Secretary Gene in line. Hill warned that Congress could still force Lake onto leave, while Lake showed no concern about the political fallout.

• Karen and General Ross watched Lake's speech, and Ross explained that the military had planned to promote Lake before delaying the move.
• Lake ordered Tiffany to coordinate with Beyond Media and told her that New York State and Jersey City residents had to accept that either the five hundred survivors or everyone else would die.
• Lake used Red Queen to monitor the internet and suppress attacks on him or attempts to manipulate public opinion.
• After Minister Gene thanked Lake on a video call, Lake told Hill that he had won their bet and decided to keep Gene as Secretary of Homeland Security rather than replace him.
• Hill warned Lake that Congress could act against him and that the president's reliance on African American voters might force Lake onto leave; she suggested that this could suit him unless he wanted to become president.

Lake dismissed the prospect of Congress questioning him, and the backlash over his statement eventually faded as his crackdown kept New York and New Jersey quiet. He reunited with Hermione in London, where she planned to rebuild Hogwarts and establish a Federal Magic Academy while the story left Beauxbatons and Durmstrang separated from the Wizarding World.

• Lake rejected the idea that Congress could challenge him, while Hill made a private proposal before returning to Gardiners Island.
• Congressmen demanded an inquiry into Lake, but their campaign faded after more than half a month as the Red Queen, DHS, and FBI suppressed organizers and demonstrations.
• The Church and some Black community members supported Lake's position, and the remains of more than five hundred demon-corrupted people were collected and burned.
• Lake flew to London and met Hermione at the Grangers' home, where Mr. and Mrs. Granger cared for their granddaughter Pallas and accepted Hermione's early childbirth as a result of her wizard constitution.
• Buckingham Palace had named Hermione Duchess Hermione Granger, and she planned to help rebuild Hogwarts while sending Veronica to prepare a Federal Magic Academy.
• Beauxbatons and Durmstrang withdrew their spatial cores, separated from the Wizarding World, and took nearly half of Hogwarts's surviving apprentices.

Lake and Karen left London after visiting Pallas, and Karen proposed building a university in Forks so Katherine could stay there longer. The chapter ended with Lake saying Skye and Gwen planned to return to Midtown High School for graduation.

• Hermione agreed that Hogwarts could be rebuilt with the apprentices who remained after the Paris and Bulgarian academies withdrew from the alliance.
• Hermione planned to visit Lake regularly and suggested he could visit Pallas when he came to see her.
• Lake flew from London with Karen after she spent half a month visiting Pallas.
• Karen proposed a university branch in Forks, and Lake supported her plan after learning Billy Black and the tribe had agreed.
• Lake told Karen that Skye and Gwen planned to return to Midtown High School for graduation the next day.

After Peter Parker was arrested for Harry Osborn’s murder, Skye called Lake back to New York to look into the case. Lake reached the prison, but warned Skye he would not interfere if Peter was guilty.

• Skye told Lake that Peter had been arrested, interrupting his plans to return to Washington.
• Lake learned that Peter had confessed to killing Harry Osborn and had been sent to prison pending trial.
• Skye explained that Norman Osborn had died the night after Peter’s graduation, and Peter was arrested soon afterward.
• Lake’s request for the case files was refused by Detective Kraut and the district attorney, so he decided to visit Peter in prison.
• Lake told Skye he would not use his influence to help Peter if Peter had truly committed the murder.

Lake questioned Peter Parker after Harry Osborn died from anaphylactic shock caused by the super-spider virus, and learned Peter had given Harry his blood before finding him dead. The district attorney's office planned to charge Peter with first-degree murder, and Skye was stunned when she read the alleged motive in the case file.

• Lake visited Peter in prison and asked him how Harry had died.
• Peter admitted he had given Harry his blood, then found him with a needle in his arm and confessed after officers arrested him.
• Lake learned Peter had entered through Harry's window, hidden the needle, and failed to preserve the crime scene.
• Lake arranged for Peter to have a single cell and told Skye the district attorney's case centered on the needle and Harry's fatal reaction to the virus.
• Skye read the case file's explanation of Peter's motive and was dumbfounded.

Skye and Gwen learned that Peter Parker had a strong apparent motive for Harry Osborn’s murder because Harry had left him his estate, but Lake believed Peter had not poisoned Harry. The women split up to seek help and evidence that could clear Peter, while Lake stayed out of the case.

• Skye showed Gwen Harry Osborn’s notarized will, which named Peter Parker as the beneficiary of his shares and other assets.
• Lake told Gwen that Peter was not the poisoner but warned that the will, syringe, and Peter’s signed confession made the evidence against him look convincing.
• Lake explained that he could not officially interfere because the case was local and Osborn Bio-Industry’s Patriot Contract had expired.
• Skye urged Gwen to find George and obtain Harry’s brain tissue from the morgue, while she drove to Gardiners Island to seek outside help.
• Lake sensed Skye speeding away and wondered whether Electro would appear in this version of events.

Skye asked Olivia to help clear Peter Parker, who was suspected in a murder, while the Supervisory Bureau sent Natasha on her first mission with Adam’s team to investigate another abnormal death in Brookhaven. The team arrived at a foul-smelling house, where they began examining the scene.

• Skye visited Olivia on Gardiners Island and asked her to identify the real killer in Peter Parker’s case, but admitted the case materials were still at the NYPD.
• Alarms sounded at the Twin Spiral Building as the Supervisory Bureau dispatched Adam’s team to investigate a new abnormal death in Brookhaven.
• Maria Hill briefed Natasha on her first Supervisory Bureau mission and told her to follow Captain Adam’s orders.
• Adam’s team arrived in Brookhaven, where Sheriff Sheldon explained that neighbors had reported a strange smell coming from a house.
• Adam saw that several local officers were vomiting near the house, and Sheriff Sheldon dismissed them.

Adam discovered that Natasha had overcome the invisible resistance that had stalled his and Tony Stark’s training, and rushed her back to Gardiners Island so they could watch her approach ten thousand punches. Natasha was left surrounded by the group, with Hill encouraging her to prove that people differed.

• Adam and Natasha investigated a corpse with supernatural energy, and Adam showed her the detector that law-enforcement agencies used to identify such cases.
• Adam learned that Natasha had thrown eight thousand punches in a month and discovered she had pushed through the invisible resistance that had blocked his progress.
• Natasha recalled that Hill had told her Saga grew stronger through the Saint Seiya cultivation manual, and she explained that her resolve to control her own destiny helped her persist.
• Adam canceled the mission and called Tony Stark and Andy to return to Gardiners Island after hearing how quickly Natasha expected to finish her ten thousand punches.
• Tony and Andy arrived as Natasha trained, while Skye asked whether Tony and Adam still had not thrown ten thousand punches, and Hill urged Natasha to show them that people differed.

Natasha challenged the ten-thousand-punch barrier, drawing on her desire to control her own destiny. As she broke through, Lake watched from the Chaos Universe, anticipating the constellation her achievement might create.

• Hill cheered Natasha on, and she began punching a tree before the assembled trainees as Tony and Adam watched.
• Tony and Adam wondered whether setting a personal goal had helped Natasha overcome the barrier that had stopped their progress.
• After more than seven thousand punches, Natasha's fists were bleeding, and her strikes grew fast enough to make the ancient tree tremble.
• At the 9,999th punch, Natasha faced the familiar force that had stopped other trainees and relived memories of her past.
• Natasha declared that she wanted to control her own destiny, unleashed a surge of power, and threw the final punch.

Natasha broke through her limits, won the Phoenix Constellation’s recognition, and was reborn as its Saint, gaining a magnificent Phoenix Cloth and a restored body. She returned to the Gemini Spiral Building, where Lake teased Tony Stark about Natasha succeeding before him.

• Natasha unleashed ten thousand punches in a single instant, shattered her Cosmo’s barrier, and awakened the Phoenix Constellation.
• Lake entered Natasha’s Cosmo and congratulated her as the Phoenix Constellation recognized her as its Saint.
• The Phoenix Constellation consumed Natasha in flames, then reformed after five hundred years of cosmic time and gave her the Phoenix Cloth.
• Natasha emerged on Gardiners Island with golden hair and a restored body, prompting the five direct agents to leave and train their punches.
• Natasha asked Hill for clothes because she wore nothing beneath the Phoenix Cloth, then changed into her combat suit at the Gemini Spiral Building.
• Lake found Tony Stark still working and teased him that Natasha had succeeded where he had not.