Harvey tries to explain the realities of Holiday House to his aged parents, but his memory is strangely clouded. Although he dreads the idea of finding the place again, he remembers Lulu’s misery and makes himself a promise to rescue her. The next morning, Harvey and his father try to locate the House. The town has changed since Harvey last walked through it, and he has trouble finding his way. No one has seen the House, and Harvey isn’t surprised. He becomes obsessed by the idea of simply undoing all the damage that his sojourn in the House has caused.

The next day, Wendell visits Harvey in tears, upset about all the changes in his life. His father has divorced his mother, who now is old and fat. He and Harvey realize that although the House will continue to hide from adults, it wants the two boys back. They decide to find it themselves and figure out how to retrieve all the lost years. Harvey leaves a note for his parents so they won’t think that his visit was just a dream.