Chapter: Family Dinner
"Would you stop squirming, Luz, or we'll both fall." Jett said, trying fly the staff in a straight line.
"Sorry," Luz winced slightly but continued to squirming a little. She wasn't sure if it was the fact in few minutes she will be meeting her mentor's sister and she really wanted Katrina's parents to like her, or the fact said sister was part of the most important coven that made teen exhilarated and bit jittery. "I'm just excited."
"Really?" Jett scoffed as he rolled his eyes. "We didn't notice."
"It's time for landing, guys." Michael announced, flying between two staffs.
"Are Katrina's parents going to like me?" Luz asked as they slowly spiraling closer to the ground.
Eda lightly snorted, "Gingersnap already likes you. So her parents will like you a lot soon."
The glen where they landed looked exactly like the sort of place where Luz would more expect to find a spiritual recluse than somone related with Eda. A crystal clear stream tumbled down from the mountains, sunlight dancing on the water as it babbled over dark stones. On the far side, was a magnificent garden. In it, there were all kinds of flowers; some of them more exotic and magical like glowing hibiscus, crystal lotus, changing color jasmines and orchids with teeth, and some of them more common like daisies, chrysanthemums and roses. There were several raked sand spots with stone balancing. A version of cherry trees from magic realm with silver-bluish leafs in blossom could be seen throughout the garden, gracefully embellishing it.
Ahead of them was a Manor House, mysterious and majestic four stories tal buildingl, with turrets. The porch was hung with shaman talismans - Luz only recognized two of them, meant to invite benevolent spirits. There was also this strange lightness about it, like this place can emanated a friendly aura.
Eda opened the door without knocking or using the doorbell. They come in here, the interior of the house has been lovingly maintained and very clean.
"I smell muffins!" King exclaimed and shot up off Eda's hair.
"I'll catch him before he'll eat anything that's not locked away." Jett said, following the demon.
"And I'll go to make sure we're not going to have a repeat of last time." Michael said as they heard King's excited squeals and Jett's steps fade the further away they got from the hallway.
Luz was certain her heart was somewhere in her stomach when Eda told her to stay here while the witch go to say household that they come.
Eda probably know more about the layouts than anyone here. So, she went to the living room in five minutes. It was room where the witch usually find members of her family. Like she will do this time too.
Lilith and Harlow(her husband) sitting on a couch. Neither notices Eda standing at the door.
The witch rested in between her husband's legs, her back against his chest, head snuggled beneath his chin as they silently read separate books. His arm was slung around her stomach, one of her hands on top of his, and, as Harlow had to shift to turn his page, he kissed the side of Lilith's forehead, earning him a dazzling smile in return.
His free one curled around her cheek; the fingers on her free hand disappeared in his hair. It only took a two seconds for their lips to meet. And they lost in their own world.
"Oh, gross."
Eda's voice caused them both to pulled apart and turn their heads.
"You two look like two griffins fighting over a piece of meat."
"Edalyn?" Lilith asked as they attempted to lift from their current positions, "What are you doing here?"
Eda light smile, "It's Friday. Tonight, we eat family dinner, and this is your place turn."
"And you are here a full hour ahead of time?" Harlow asked in disbelief.
Eda just shrugged. "There has to be a first time."
"What did you do?" Lilith asked as they stood before the pale witch.
"Why do you just assume that I did something?" Eda even pretend to be a little bit insulted.
"I've known you since you were born." Her sister answered, "And nothing good ever came from that look."
"What look?" Eda raised an eyebrow in confusion but the smirk was still present.
"The look you get when you going to do something that usually ends in chaos or big trouble." Lilith replied.
"It won't be that bad this time."
"Find that hard to believe." Harlow said.
"I just got news for you." Eda told them.
"I'm already worried," Lilith said, crossing her arms. Harlow looked curious and intrigued when he looked at his sister-in-law.
Eda flashed a smile that Lilith knew all too well. "You keep sayin' I'm waste my magic on "not exactly legal thing" and "immature funn" while you are teaching the next generation of witches, sis."
She looked at both of them and after a brief pause, said, "You see. I, Eda the Owl Lady, got herself an apprentice."
Lilith looked at her sister with huge eyes, like she couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"These kid's parents didn't know about that, did they?" Harlow asked.
Eda quirked a brow, not giving off any other features that might suggest that his accusation was right.
"Do you really have the apprentice?" Lilith asked.
"Yes, you want to meet her?"
"Is she here?" Both Lilith and Harlow said at once.
"In the in the hallway. Hang on, I'll get her."
Once Eda got there she were met with one of the most ridiculously scenes she had ever seen. Luz was sitting cross-legged on the floor giving an intense look to Tinsel; Katrina's cat with one eye and three tails, who was lying on on his stomach two feet in front of her.
"Eda help me! He's holding me hostage." Luz said slowly. Eda looked at it in a mixture of disbelief and amusement.
"He really is holding me hostage!" Luz exclaimed and she started to stand up but Tinsel made the disturbing sound the second she did, so Luz sat back down. "You see?! I can't get up!"
"Tinsel wouldn't hurt a spider."
Tinsel, much to Luz's great surprise, turned his head at the sound of Eda voice, and got up and walked over to her.
"Looks like your captor has decided to release you." Eda said with an amused smirk as she gave Tinsel's chin a good rubbing.
The cat immediately begins to purr wonderfully. He rubbed up against Eda's leg before jumped on the small table and then started cleaning his left front paw.
Luz got up, walked to Eda while Tinsel hissed at her, "Why doesn't he like me?"
"Tinsel don't really like new people all that much." Eda pushed a young girl to the livingroom, "But if you give him a few snack, he'll revise his opinion of you."
"Wow," Luz said in a breathless whisper as they finally enter the room, and Eda fully understand her reaction. The room was beautiful in itself, a soft symphony of light blue and white, complete with a furniture as artistic as it was functional.
Lilith and Harlow were standing right where the Owl Lady left them.
"Luz, meet my sister Lilith and dweebus who decided to stuck with her for the rest of life Harlow."
The teen looked at the witch in front of her. Lilith undoubtedly was the related to Luz's mentor. Luz see the family resemblance. But on the other hand, it was hard to believe that witch in front of her is Eda's sister.
Eda...Well, she was the bright ball of chaotic energy. Lilith seemed intimidating and the exact opposite of chaotic. She also has typical fantasy villain vibes, the long dark hair that made the teal eyes stand out against the pale skin, black lipstick, dark gray claw-like nails and an inverted kite-shaped sky blue gem on her sternum. A white gold band with an half moon-cut diamond and a pair of small sapphire on either side of it, softly gleaming on her righ hand. She was dressed in the dark robe dress.
Luz was looking at her first then looked over at witch's husband. Harlow also was kind of intimidating.
A fairly East Asian-looking tall man in maybe his late thirties or even early forties, he was rather well-built with an fair skin, dark lilac color hair, and blue-purple eyes that were almost exactly like Katrina's. He also had shaman facial markings on his face, which resemble lightning bolts. He was dressed in amethyst purple to black gradient button up with ivory trimmings. Gray belts criss-cross over his hips and legs, a satchel residing on his left thigh. He had dark gray pants in which the ends were cut into strips, and above-ankle boats that have two belts. At the end and to complete the look, he has a crystallized shaman tambourine attached to the belt. The tambourine was bluish with white lines adorning it and has silver zills.
They both looked at Luz from the top down and then their face scrunching up as if they were piecing something together.
Luz resisted the urge to hide inside of her hoody. "Um...Hi."
Harlow's eyes shined a bit with bluish magic before he offered her a soft smile. "A pleasure."
Lilith, on the other hand, brows furrowed, though she didn't look angry exactly. "Sister, this girl is a human."
"I didn't kidnap her, if that's bothering you." Eda smiled, "I'm not that kind of witch."
"That's a lie and we both know it."
Then Lilith turned her gaze on Luz. The teen held her breath. The witch was staring with curious intensity, her eyes burning holes into Luz. This went on for so long that Luz felt like she might have accidentally initiated an impromptu staring contest. She was fighting to keep her eyes open, her face ratcheting into a slight grimace as the moment stretched on. When the witch placed her hands on Luz's shoulders.
"I want you to listen to me very carefully," Lilith started, her voice was edged with concern. "You needn't be scared. I'll make sure you will return safely to home. And-"
"You can save your breath." Eda cuts in before Lilith can continue on the monologue for Luz, "I was serious about meet my apprentice."
"Do you honestly expect me to believe this human girl is your apprentice?" Lilith crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow at the sight of her sister shared a look with Luz. "How foolish do you think I am?"
"On a scale of one to ten?" Eda raised an eyebrow with smirk, "Usually a solid 7."
Lilith deadpanned, "Eda-"
"Lily, I know what you are thinking, but Luz isn't an ordinary human. She can use magic. And this is not all." Eda pointed a finger towards the long silver chain that hung around Luz's neck. "She's the Keeper."
"It's true." Luz confirmed what the witch told them.
"Sister this joke's gone far enough." Lilith's tone was very serious as she glared at her younger sister, "I do not know what you promised this girl for participating in this joke, but you better end this now and send her to home right now."
"This isn't a joke, mom."
All heads turned to see Katrina, Jett, King and Michael walking into the livingroom. The demon sitting on Jett''s shoulder, his paws and Jett's pocket were full with cookies.
"Jett. King. Where did you get these cookies?" Lilith asked, giving them a reprimanding gaze.
"Um- that is- well- you see-" King stammer before he and Jett put all cookies in their mouths. And then both put on their most innocent face. "What cookies?"
To Luz suprise Lilith's mouth turns up at the corners into soft smile. The woman shooting them a look that was half amused and half 'we'll-talk-about-this-later'. Then her face hardens "Darling, explain to us what do you mean by "not a joke"."
"Remember when I told you and dad about the girl who helped me and Jett sealing the gytrash?" Katrina asked,
Her mother nodded, "Yes."
"She is part of the Team of Light." Harlow said, looking at their daughter.
"Well, I haven't told you the full story about it." Katrina said as she stroked Solaris, trying not to make eye contact. Her parents are not fans of connect truths with half truths.
"Katrina." Harlow had an stern, authoritative voice, "What you didn't say us?"
"Luz is that girl. She is also the first human who can use magic since the Ley lines disappeared. When we told about our adventure to the Council of Four, they decided to see if Luz cut out to be the Keeper. She passed their test."
"And because she isn't typical magic users and don't think inside the box, she become my student." Eda finished.
The five stages of grief flashed through Lilith's face in a three seconds. Then she take a deep breath and slowly blow air out of her nose. When she looked at Luz, the pale woman had kind of apologetic look on her face.
"I-"
"Let's start over." Luz interrupted, and then smiled, "I'm Luz."
"Lilith." the witch smiled but it almost didn't reach Luz's eyes, "Forgive my reaction, Luz. My sister's a hoaxes, and so it's hard for me to tell when she is serious about things like that."
"Nothing happened. I wouldn't really buy it either." Luz just said, "It's still so hard for me to believe... that I'm here."
"Now that we've broken the ice maybe we shall eat dinner and update information from the last few days." Harlow seemed to be very interested in all of this.
"You just went to Human Realm and kidnapped her in front of the big teenagers group," Lilith sighed as she rubbed her temples.
They had just finished eating, and dinner(after a short show of Luz's magic abilities) mainly consisted of Luz's storytelling with bits and pieces being filled in by Jett and Katrina. It was an adorable sight of the human teen being so excited about telling their first adventure together and most recent adventures with Eda and King. Also how the Owl Lady brought the teen back to the Boiling Isles.
"Hey!" Eda scoffed in offense, "I did not kidnap her. I saved her from that boring camp. Besides, Dion wanted to bring her in quickly."
"And I came through the portal of my own free will," Luz added.
"No, this has nothing to do with you come to our world voluntarily." Lilith told her, "They could called the police. Someone could see you used the portal and report it. Or worse record it all. And then-"
"Relax Lily, verything went well, it's already happened, which means we have nothing to worry about." Eda cut in, "And you're acting like it was the Shurale Incident all over again."
"What's the Shurale Incident?" Luz asked.
"Story for another day." Her mentor waved the hand.
"It's a great story." Michael leaned over and whispered to Luz, "I'll tell you when we get back to the Owl House."
"Protecting the magic secret is the most important thing." Lilith continue lecture, "You must be more careful in the future, Edalyn."
"WAIT!" Luz gasped in surprise as she looked back and forth between Eda and Lilith. "WAIT, WAIT!"
"Luz?" Jett stared at her in confusion as Luz's eyebrows shot up and her eyes widened.
"Your real name is Edalyn?" Luz was practically vibrating, "NEW SECRET BACKSTORY SCORE!"
"She reminds me of you." Lilith scoffed lightly in amusement.
"I wasn't that jumpy." Eda protested. "My name isn't a big secrets, kiddo. You want a good backstory?" her golden eyes landed mischievously on her sister before turning to her apprentice. "Lily's actually a redhead."
"What?!"
"Why you're so surprised? I'm redhead." Katrina pointed out.
"I honestly thought you dye your hair." Luz admitted, making the male part of family giggled.
"Nope. Gingersnap is natural." Eda said and then explained, "Lilith dyed her hair darker and styled it differently upon became big shot because she thought it made her look more intimidating. But before that she looked like a nerd; red curly hair and the biggest glasses ever."
"It's hard to picture that." Luz said, looking at the raven witch.
"No problem." Eda drew a spell circle and Lilith suddenly appeared like before. Her ginger curls pushed up.
"Edalyn." Lilith fixed her with a glare that could have turned a civilian to stone. Eda, however, simply laughed.
"You should be proud of your Clawthorne mane."
"I'm the head of the Royal Coven. I'm not allowed to show my face in public with this ridiculous hair."
"You look beautiful, my love." Harlow leaned close and pressed his lips to the top of her head. "This mane is soft and wild. And its color is full of warm and life just like the flame of a candle."
Lilith looked up to see her husband watching her with that steady smile he always reserved just for her.
"You're such a flatterer, my beloved." Still smiling, they pressed their foreheads together, and a moment later, they were eskimo kissing.
"Get a room!"
"This is our home." Harlow retorted.
Eda smirk, "Then use a room. This never gets any less gross the more I see it."
"Look who's talking, the witch who was kicked out of Cerberus' Head Inn for "too intense public displays of affection"." Harlow tease.
"I remember that night." Michael put his right wing around Eda, "We came, we saw, we kicked."
"And there were lots of broken bones." Eda added with found smile, then drew the angel close and kissed him deeply.
"Are you su-" Lilith was cut off by Harlow's lips. She smiled at his lips, as they posing Michael and Eda's unspoken challenge. Both couple just keept kissing for a moment. And probably forgoten about others in the room.
"Oogie!"Jett said as he make false sound of throwing up. Katrina just looked the other way, a bit ashamed of this. Luz watching this until Jett cover her eyes.
It was King who couldn't take it anymore. "Would you stop sucking each other tonsils out? I'm eating here!"
Clawthorne sisters pulled away from their husbands, looking at little demon who gave them all a annoyed expression.
"Jealous?" Eda asked with smirk as Lilith used magic to change her hair back.
"About swap saliva? Tartarus no!" the demon took a scone, "It's almost as disgusting as Hooty remove himself from the door."
"Hooty can do that?" Luz asked.
"Yes." Jett flinched, "And believe me, you don't want see that."
"So, Luz." Harlow redirected the conversation, "What do you think of the Boiling Isles?"
"Well, It hasn't sunk in the first day, which was interesting." Luz answered as she broke into a wide grin. "After that...It kind of feels like I'm in Disney Land."
The shaman blinked. "I don't know what that is."
"Ah. Well, it's uh... The important thing is that everything feels unreal and incredible."
"Kind of like how your home feels to us." Harlow nodded, "And how about magic users? I know some information about the mythological beings and magic users survive in your world despite the passage of time."
"Well, quite a lot of information is different from the Boiling Isles version reality." Luz's gaze scanned the faces of the Clawthorne sister and their kids, "Especially witches."
"To say the least." Eda dug into her hair pulling out the black book. "Humans have really strange image of magic, creatures and things related to magic. And here's proof." the Owl Lady throw the book. Harlow caught the object before it flew past them.
"A book about vampires?" the shaman asked as he opens it, reading it.
"Vampire's skin sparkles "like diamonds"? Lilith asked, looking over his shoulder. "Well, this information is very incorrect."
"I'm afraid to ask how humans describe the shamans." Harlow wanted to give the book to Eda but she just waved her hand and told him to use it as tinder at the first opportunity.
"I don't really know that much about shamanism in my world." Luz said honestly. "But they probably are different from what shamans are here."
"And chanul?"
"I think they are equivalent to the Alebrijes but I'm not sure. I didn't see any chanul yet. Next to you, Master Dion's the only one shaman I met."
Harlow take a look at his tambourine, "Wanna meet my chanul?"
Luz beamed, "Yes."
"Lupine. Please join us."
A streak of blue shot out of shaman tambourine and around their heads before coming to rest in front of Luz. Chanul.
Lupine's around 12 inches tall. The Chanul resembled a blue wolf. It was strangely translucent and every so often a small spark of electricity zapped through its, though Lupine didn't seem affected in the least.
"¡Ay, que lindo!" When Luz saw Lupine looking at her in the eyes, she immediately hugged chanul.
The poor chanul, who was not used to be treated like that, thought it was weird. When Luz finally stopped, and let Lupine go, guide spirit tried to catch its breath.
"I'm sorry, it's just… you're really cute." Luz said as Lupin was just standing there, floating in the air.
The chanul flew down and sat on Harlow's shoulder then the swirling pattern on its body lighting up for few moments.
"Lupine wants me to tell you, and I quote: 'Cute? I'm not cute! I'm ferocious, bold, powerfull, courageous… and a little fluffy, I admit. But I'm not cute!'." Harlow said with small smile.
"All spirits looks like your chanul?" Luz asked, looking at a wolf-like chanul.
"Would you like to see it for yourself?"
"Yes!" This time the response to come out as a high pitched squeak of a word.
"Well, for starters, you could meet them." Harlow said as they all stood in the midst of the garden.
"I don't see any spirits." Luz have a look around if it might help her locate spirits.
Harlow smiled, his eyes has a natural magic lenses that let him see all kind of spirits here. "You will see."
His tambourine emitted a pulse of magic across the garden and in a second's lifespan the same sort of lenses had formed over Luz's eyes. The spirits visible to Harlow became visible to her too and the teen immediately followed schaman's line of sight to gaze upon trees.
Half of spirits were a small humanoid dust mite-like creatures. They had large white eyes with black dust-like particles over the upper portion of their body. They also had thin, black long legs and arms.
"This little fellas are a species of common energizer spirits." Harlow explained as he picked up the mite-like creature and placed it on Luz's shoulder. She tentatively stroked the fur on its head, her finger tips got tingling sensation as spirit's body give off a faint glow.
"They are increases the spiritual energy in an area, boosting shaman powers. They're lighting up as we touching them." Harlow answered before Luz asked about the glow.
"The more colourful species are the orchid spirit." Katrina said, walking up to random tree "They are love full-light, and nature loving kind of spirits."
Luz looked at the tree branches, and noticed them. Dazzling in colour and about the size of large insects, spirits with glistening membranous wings. In fact, they could confused with exotic insects or flowers at first glance.
"And this shy guy name is Gölge." Harlow pointed to a short spirit in the bushes.
It was a lavender, striped furry spirit. It had long arms with big hands, a tail like appendage coming out of his body, and bangs of fur covering portions of its face. It had glowing pink eyes and two large black-tipped tufts of fur extending from the top of its head, resembling fennec fox ears.
"Woah..." Luz jumped a little, looking around. "Amazing!"
Eda couldn't help but think of her like cat seeing creepmas tree for the first time. The Owl Lady wordlessly went past tree to sit under the gazebo. She watch Harlow and Katrina call up more spirits from all garden parts while Michael can't get this mite-like spirits of his wings.
Luz's lit up with all the stars in the night sky when orchid spirits flies around leaving blue pixie dust behind making flowers bloom. Quickly with Jett help, Luz jumped up the tree to get a closer look at orchid spirits. And Jett showed her how to take a dust out of orchid spirits' wings. He also taught Luz how to do cool trick with this dust and leaf.
Eda always know Jett'd be a good big brother. When they adopted King, her son just fast quick to try to protect and keep little demon out of harm's way. However, due to her curse, the second child idea was never an option for her and Michael.
And that's why it felt good to watch this nice sibling-like interaction between Jett and Luz. Eda smiled as her son put a berries in Luz's hand so she can feed the spirits. And soon, the orchid spirit flies all over both teenagers.
"You're smiling," Lilith walked over, sitting down beside her sister in a much more elegant manner, cup of tea in her hands.
"And so what if I was, huh?" Eda grabbed a second cup of tea that's levitating over her knee with the support of Lilith's magic.
"Nothing." the raven witch took a sip of her tea and sat back. "It's just a bit different type of smile I usually see on your face. However, I am not surprised."
"Am I supposed to know what you mean by that?"
"Being a parent makes people happy. Having a apprentice. Well, it also affects the mentor." Lilith said, like the answer is as simple as the words she spoke.
Eda raised a brow, "Are you trying to say that Luz is my version of your little miss perfect?"
"You know, my apprentice have a name." Lilith admonished.
"That's why I called her a little miss perfect." Eda scoffed playfully.
Lilith grimaced,"You're behaving like a child."
"Age is only in the mind." Eda scoffed playfully.
"Tell that to my back."
"Maybe you just need bought a better desk for doing paperwork, Lily." She waggled her eyebrows, and the meaning couldn't be clearer.
This made a small blush spreading across Lilith's ears, it's pretty evident considering her ears stick out of her dark hair. "As a desk, it serves its purpose."
Whatever Eda said then to her sister get drowned out by Luz cried out in joy. "Ooh, I get a hat!"
"She is a unique human." Lilith was placid as she took a sip, watching teenagers.
The orchid spirit wanted to thank Luz for food, so they put a crown of bright sickly smelling flowers on Luz's head. Jett was faring no better, a garland of flowers on his neck. Yet Luz acted like she get a most amazing treasure. And she had even bigger smile on her face when the different kind of spirits took an interest in teen. Even Gölge comes out of hiding.
Eda chuckled, "You should have seen her face when saw griffin puke spiders."
After that, there was silence. Almost a minute went by after the younger Clawthorne said that, and sisters were still looking at their hunbands and three teenagers. Finally, Lilith decided to ask about the one thing that she had thought right from the beginning of dinner.
"There's one thing that is puzzles me. What made you become her mentor, sister? You always say that you've got a one teen limit, and that's your son."
"I have three kids (if you count King and Hooty), so I may as well have one more teen in my house."
"That's not an answer to my question, Edalyn."
Eda took a sip of her tea; trying to ignore the look in Lilith's eyes, "You won't let this go will you. Fine. I didn't want to be her mentor, at first."
"But...?"
"But then Jett told me about Luz. She is weirdo. A girl with a wild imagination who is always mocked by her classmates. Because she is different from the others. If she hadn't come to the Boiling Isles, she would get carted off to some prison to get turned into a mindless drone who can't embarrass her family. But it's not her fault that her brain thinks differently than others do."
Eda talk so coolly. Still, Lilith knew her sister more than enough to know these are surface emotions that hidden Eda's more aggressive opinion about this all.
"She doesn't fit her world, but she fit ours. This is just place for her, and she is ready to protect this stink realm. The Order do the smart thing, adding this kid to their Keepers ranks. But she still need somone who help her become a great witch. And if anyone might teach weird teenager in wild magic and in being proud and your own witch, it's me. So, I've decided to give mentoring a shot."
Taking a moment to process her sister's words, Lilith eventually took a small sip of tea and then said something Eda wasn't expecting.
"I'm proud of you."
The Owl Lady looked shocked at the statement before trying to cover up her reaction. "Yeah, yeah. Just don't spread that around. l don't want people thought I've gone soft."
"Who would have believed me anyway?" Lilith scoffed with small smile, "Anyone who'd seen her with you probably assume you will eat her sooner or later."
"Witches eating kids is so 1693." Eda commented. And then they both laughed.
Notes: So, now you know whose blood running through the Clawthorne next gen veins. I'll get back to the topic of half-breeds, but a little later in the story. I hope you like new chapter and my Oc.
See ya soon :)
~•~
Harlow voice is Gabriel from Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir/ Keith Silverstein
Trivia/Spoiler: Lilith never cursed Eda to win the fight to join the Coven. However is indirectly responsible for curse in this AU.
Little trivia: Eda and Michael nicknames their niece "Gingersnap". Lilith and Harlow are fond of calling their nephew "Dareowl".
