Touching down just outside the front doors of her old school she stopped and took a breath letting the nostalgia fill her.
"Ahh Hexside, so many memories… if only they were all good." She decided to come in the morning just before the first classes as she knew from experience that was when Bump was not only fully awake but fully engrossed in his work. On her way to her office, she took a detour and found herself down a very familiar hallway but as she looked at the lockers expecting to see the same magical graffiti her sister had so proudly made all those years ago she was surprised to find it gone.
"I suppose it was only a matter of time before they got rid of it." A shame that random vandalism was the only time she was happy to come here. Pushing the memory of it aside she returned to her task knocking on the door and waiting for the familiar "Come in."
Once he saw her his face lit up. "Lilith, always a pleasure to see one of my favorite students."
"As it's always a pleasure to see my favorite principal." They quickly shook hands before he summoned two cups of tea. "So, to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"
"Well, you see I've come for information regarding a certain student, a human to be exact."
His spoon clanged against his cup as he let out a low sigh.
"And what trouble had miss Noceda gotten herself into this time?"
So, her name is Luz Noceda then. That's one bit of information gathered.
"No trouble I merely heard from my apprentice Amity that she was now a student and I grew curious. After all it's strange enough to find a human in the Boiling Isles yet alone at Hexside."
Hearing this he calmed down. "That's a relief. This school's budget couldn't handle another Luz accident."
"Accident? I'm going to need you to elaborate on that."
"Let's just say that like your sister Luz has a habit of getting into trouble. For instance, the first time she came here she snuck in as an abomination project before triggering a school lockdown." He stopped for a moment getting a small smile. "Although she did help another student unlock her true potential in the plant track." He gestured to the side wall where evidence of the event was recorded as well as a picture of her being banned from the grounds.
"If she was banned for doing this then how did she become a student?"
Bump actually laughed as he leaned back in his chair. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."
"Come now Bump now I have to know."
"Well, here I was one day thinking about my morning paperwork when in strides your sister looking serious. Next thing I know she's telling me she wants to enroll her human."
Lilith couldn't believe what she just heard. Eda came here to enroll Luz? No that couldn't be.
"I'm sorry Bump I must have misheard you. You're saying Eda, my rebellious little sister, the same one who famous dropped out the same day she got all the lockers in the southeast hallway to sing curse words actually came back just to enroll her apprentice?"
"Yes, even I thought it was a joke at first. So, I decided to test her."
"Test her?"
"Well test her and get some minor revenge. I had her undo and repair all the damage she did to the school. Even I was surprised when instead of giving up she kept going only muttering slight curses at me."
To say Lilith was surprise would be an understatement. Eda had been very clear and very vocal about her distain for not only this school but schools in general.
And yet she came back here and fixed her mistakes just to enroll Luz. This girl is becoming more and more valuable by the minute.
"That's very interesting to hear but perhaps you can answer the question on why I saw her wearing a very colorful version of the school tunic?"
"Yes that… call it a reward for helping the school in its hour of need."
"Hour of need?"
"Yes, you see shortly after her enrollment in the potions track and near immediate sentencing to the detention track she and three other students helped defeat a Greater Basilisk when it attacked the school. I was impressed with their skills and rewarded them by allowing them to study duel tracks. Or in Luz's case all of them. Just like your sister she wanted to learn from all tracks."
"Really? And how is she handling all the tracks."
Bump cast a quick spell summoning her record. "From what the other teachers have reported she seems to have a drive for knowledge. She actually reminds of your sister, however Luz thankfully has a sense of responsibility and at least tries to stay out of trouble."
Lilith looked through the files growing more curious as she read.
Curious mind, eagerness to learn and bringing a human perspective. Not to bad I suppose now let's see. Known spells…light ball, ice summon, fireball and plant growth. She only knows four spells? Well, that fact she made past the entrance ceremony proved she knew at least two. And at least know I know what to expect from her.
Setting down the record she quickly finished her tea. "Thank you Bump this has been a most enlightening visit."
"Any time Lilith."
As she left his office she thought about her next step.
So Eda feels strongly enough about the girls future to enroll her here. Cleary there's more as Eda never does anything for someone unless she wants a favor or cares for them. Perhaps Amity could be persuaded into helping me. Yes I'm sure she would if I explain it right.
While she began to formulate her plan on the other side of the school her green haired protégé sat in class next to Luz.
"Alright class today I want to see your skills in a partial summoning. Just summon part of your abomination and have it perform some action."
As the teacher went form student to student Amity couldn't stop from staring at Luz. During the walk to school she'd been uncharacteristically quiet. She'd had her suspicions especially when she thought Amity wasn't looking she'd touch a certain spot on her arm before wincing. When it was her turn to perform she summoned two abomination hands to perform what Luz had called "thumb wrestling." Strange to her but her teacher like usual was impressed. "Well done as usual Amity, and Luz how will you fare?"
Luz quickly drew a small circle one of her glyph parchments and a hand popped out waving. But then something strange happened, instead of dissolving the purple hand turned claw like and reached for Luz who in a moment of pure panic stabbed the paper with a pencil ending the spell.
The teacher let out a sigh slightly disappointed. "Well at least you summoned it right. Do work on your control in the future."
"Yeah sure." She muttered one hand clutching the same spot on her arm her eyes transfixed on the paper.
For the rest of the class Amity could only replay the incident.
What was that? Why did it become a claw? Why did it try to attack Luz? Witches have full control over what their abominations do and what they look like. Wait, didn't the teacher one say their abomination can be altered by the casters mental state? Is that why Luz isn't herself? Something happened involving a claw? Must get to the bottom of this.
Sadly they only shared this one class and as it drew to a close Luz said goodbye and headed to her next class in potions. For countless hours Amity thought of what she could do to help but only came up with the dangerous idea of "just ask her!". She wanted to talk to her during lunch by her siblings insisted she eat with them. So, she was forced to eat in silence as her siblings did their usual embarrassing older sibling routine while Amity kept an eye on Luz and her friends eating in the corner.
When the school day came to a close she quickly caught up with Luz on the path home.
"Luz!"
"hey Amity, what's up?"
"Oh,uhh I…" Come on Amity you've been thinking about this for hours say something!
"Yooouuuuu?" she happily repeated smiling for the first time today.
"I was worried about you alright. I don't like seeing my friend unhappy."
Luz beamed and hugged her. "Thanks Amity, guess I've just had a lot on my mind today."
Amity didn't want to ask incase it upset her but still found her lips moving. "So Luz about this morn-"
"Hey, I know let's hang out a the owl house."
"What!?" she asked completely surprised.
"Yeah, come on it'll be fun!"
Before she could say anything, Luz had grabbed her hand as she rushed to the infamous Owl house. Amity had only been once and even then had only met Luz outside.
Once there and giving the magical demon door ominous threat when it mistook her for a grub she walked inside and saw the owl lady on the couch rubbing her head.
"Hey Eda, I'm back."
"Yeah kid I see you, and I see you brought your little frenemy with you."
"Eda we're past the frenemy stage and now are friends."
"Whatever just keep whatever your doing in your room. Momma's a bit under the weather."
She pulled out a yellow vial quickly downing it before dropping the vial onto the couch near three more empty. Luz seeing this squeezed her hand and let out a small whimper. Eda seeing this tried to comfort her.
"Relax kid I'm only at one and a half today. Perfectly fine now go have some fun."
Reluctantly Luz nodded and took her to her room. Once the door was closed Amity tried to think of what to say.
"So Luz you maybe want to play round of Hex's Hold'em? My siblings got me into playing and constantly challenge me so I always carry a few decks on me."
"Yeah, that sounds fun." but as soon as her smile formed it decreased slightly. "But before that do you think you could do that healing spell again. King kind of got excited again."
"Sure."
Luz slid up her sleeve and Amity had to fight not to gasp. Unlike last time where it was little more then a slight scratch this one was deep and savage.
As she moved her finger creating the healing light she had a single thought.
That little demon didn't do this. He only has three fingers, and this marking has five. Not to mention this twice as big as his. Who or what did this to Luz?