A/N: Hey there. So... I've started a new fanfic. This time for The Owl House. ... Oops. XD Unfortunately, I couldn't help myself this time. A lot has been going on in my life lately and it's been really stressful. And after getting hyped for Season 2 airing in a couple of weeks and scanning through the fanfic section of this site, I thought 'Hey, why not try and write something for it?' And here we are... I'm aware there are going to be people with a lot of questions about this fanfic, so I'm going to try and answer the main ones in this author's note. Hopefully.

Firstly, is this fanfic going to follow the canon events of the show? Yes. Normally when I undertake OC-focused stories, I try to move away from the main plot line as much as I can while keeping things as close to canon as possible. However, since The Owl House still has yet to expand on most things and the events surrounding the Emperor and his coven is central enough to the plot that it's causing life altering situations, it made sense to have my OC included in them to a degree. This is why she's with the main trio and following them along. Despite this, though, my story is obviously focused around my OC and her life, so while she will be involved in some of the show's events, some of these will be altered enough to accommodate her, especially with dialogue. I won't be following everything the characters say or do exactly. There may also be chapters where my OC gets her own scenes and situations that divert from the show's plot too, which is again my way of ensuring my OC is expanded upon. This may mean that canon is strayed away from regarding certain things, but that's the beauty of creativity. XD

Secondly, will my OC be involved in any ships with canon or original characters? No. I don't write those kinds of stories.

And thirdly, will you have a story update schedule? No. For those of you who are already familiar with my past and current fanfics, you'll know that I don't follow a strict schedule for chapter updates because of my muse, my life, or my preferences. I update my fanfics whenever I can find the time or the motivation, as I prefer to take my time and not rush things just to keep people happy. Because of the site's rules, I won't be posting updates about this fanfic or others as chapters. Normally, I do mention minor updates in my author's notes to make sure people see them. But I also use my profile to document major updates to fanfics if I either lose interest in them and put them on hiatus, or if I've removed them from my account. I recommend you do check out my profile if I haven't updated in a while, as it should give you an idea about the current state of my fanfics if there are any.

So then, with that out of the way, I do hope you enjoy my story. This chapter isn't going to contain much action, as its purpose is to introduce my OC and give you an idea regarding her current situation and her established relationship with the other residents of the Owl House. But things will kick in to canon from Chapter 2 onwards. And yes... I know my fic title is an intended pun. I was struggling to think of something, so... that happened. Personally, I thought it was pretty clever. XD Also... I apologise profusely for the jokes involving Hooty. I tried, I swear.

Disclaimer: I do not own The Owl House or its characters. However, I do own the OCs used in this fanfic.

Chapter 1: Under One Roof

The Demon Realm—a horrific and magical dimension inhabited by demonic creatures, monsters, and witches. One of its many notable locations is an archipelago situated in the Boiling Sea called the Boiling Isles, built on the decaying remains and bones of a mighty Titan who once roamed the realm. Amongst the landmarks and towns that reside on this land is Bonesborough, one of the Isle's major and bustling cities. And while it is known as a main place of interest to the realm's denizens, it is on the outskirts of Bonesborough where our story begins.

Outside of the city was a thick forest with leaves the colour of blood and terrain that was uneven due to the Isle's unique structure. Among this lies a winding path that seems to go on forever, leading the traveller deep into the Isle's natural beauty and nature. But if one were to follow it for long enough, they would eventually encounter an open cliff with a perfect view of Bonesborough, isolated from civilisation. Placed on this cliff is a crumbling stone tower covered in orange moss, abandoned and in ruin. Yet on its rear left is a white bricked cottage with a sloped blue roof, inhabited by some of society's outcasts. Above the door was a large, circular, stained glass window that resembled an orange eye, which had caught the glint of the mid-morning sun, helping to illuminate the wide room inside the home that belonged to the house's eccentric owner.

A tall, slender woman with long, two-toned grey hair that was thick and untamed and had two white streaks stood before an oval shaped mirror atop a dresser, her golden eyes fixed on her reflection. Her tongue briefly flicked over the golden fang sticking past her upper lip as she attached her round, orange earrings to her pointed ears. Her movements were slow, her gaze squinted as she focused specifically on her claw-like nails to make sure she didn't catch her skin. That didn't stop the older witch from talking to the other witch lingering in the room's doorway, even though she wasn't able to look directly at them.

"I'm going to be gone on business again. So, as usual, you'll be in charge while I'm out." The witch finished her task and picked up her matching ring from the dresser, slipping it onto one of the fingers on her left hand. "Make sure Hooty doesn't cause any trouble. And keep King out of my room. That little pipsqueak has been rummaging through my stuff again. I think he's trying to find a replacement for his lost crown."

The woman stood up straight and smoothed out the front of her maroon dress, glancing down at the ripped-hem, her grey leggings, and high-heeled boots to check everything was in order. She decided to wait for a response, but when she didn't get one, she continued with her instructions. "I've also finished gathering the ingredients for the last of my homemade potions. They're in the sack I slipped inside your room." Her hand lightly trailed over the oval amber gem under her neck as she turned to the wooden doors to her right. "Have that ready by tomorrow to put with the rest, all right?"

The woman's brows raised at the sight of the empty doorway, a wide blink following. At first, it looked like the witch she'd expected to be stood there had left. But after a moment of silent staring, she caught the faint outline of the shorter witch's shadow on the wall.

"Lizzie," the woman called out as she approached her large nest of twigs and other knickknacks on the opposite side of the room. "are you listening to me?"

As she collected a dark green head scarf with white polka dots from the edge of her nest, a head of long, straight blonde hair with pointed ears dared to poke itself around the opened door to the right, revealing a young witch who looked to have just entered adulthood. Although partially concealed by the door, it was easy to see her outfit consisted of a white shirt—whose sleeves were rolled up to her elbows—underneath a black, sleeveless vest with a white ribbon tied around the collar, a black skirt that stopped close to her knees, black tights, and black laced boots that went halfway up her shins. Her green eyes blinked widely as she collected herself before she spoke, stuttering when she did.

"S-Sorry, ma'am—" The witch's shoulders stiffened at realising her mistake. "I mean, Miss Clawthorne—" She closed her eyes tight at her second mistake, her voice going up an octave or two when she tried again. "I-I mean, Eda!"

The older witch, Eda, released a loud and long sigh once she'd tied the head scarf over her head and her ears, staring at the younger witch with drooped eyes. "Why are you hiding back there?"

"…" The young witch, Lizzie, briefly glanced inside the room as she adjusted her round, black hat on the back of her head, answering in a normal tone. "Because I'm not allowed in your room without permission?"

"King isn't allowed in my room without permission. I can trust you to leave things alone."

Lizzie turned her gaze to the floor and didn't respond, brushing away the thin bunching of her fringe that dangled above her nose. At seeing this, Eda strolled towards the doors with a faint scowl and grabbed Lizzie by the shoulders. Lizzie squealed as she was positioned in front of the taller witch.

"I know something's bothering you, kid. Spit it out already."

Lizzie gulped and opened her mouth to speak, but she was immediately interrupted by loud and muffled retching sounds coming from downstairs. Eda turned to the hallway and raised her voice once the noises had stopped, causing Lizzie to briefly lean away and stick an index finger in her ear.

"Not you, Hooty!"

A high-pitched, cheery voice shouted back from downstairs. "Hoot hoot! Too late! I threw up the bug I just ate!"

Lizzie shuddered and wrapped her hands around her upper arms, scrunching her face up as she attempted to rid herself of the mental image the house demon had now placed in her head.

'Thanks for the nightmares, Hooty…' she thought, sarcastically.

Eda facepalmed and shook her head while muttering something inaudible under her breath, eventually facing Lizzie again as if what just happened had never happened to begin with.

"Anyway… where were we?"

"Uh…" Lizzie smiled slightly and pointed towards the hallway. "You were saying something about keeping Hooty out of trouble?"

Eda raised a hand to Lizzie's forehead and lightly flicked it, which the blonde flinched at as she pulled away. "Nice try. My memory's still as good as ever." Lizzie pouted and rubbed at her forehead, with Eda placing a hand to her hip. "Are you being funny with me because of your nickname?"

"No." Lizzie frowned. "Although, I really would prefer it if you called me Elisabeth, since you'd rather have me call you Eda."

Eda snorted and shook her head. "We both know that isn't going to happen."

Lizzie shrugged her shoulders. "It was worth a shot."

"C'mon, 'fess up. You're not usually this distracted."

Lizzie dropped her gaze to the floor and huffed, her hand absentmindedly rubbing at her arm. 'Sometimes I forget how sharp she is.'

"It's just… this isn't where I imagined myself ending up."

Eda's brow creased, already knowing exactly where this was going. "Are you actually going to repeat the same thing you've been hung up on all week?"

Lizzie ignored her and leaned against the wall. "I've not long turned eighteen. By now, I was supposed to graduate from Hexside. —"

"Yep, you are."

"—I was supposed to have my own staff and palisman. I was supposed to join the potions coven." Lizzie held out her palms and glanced down at them. "And yet instead I'm hiding in the middle of the woods as an outlaw, making and selling potions for the infamous Owl Lady." The blonde witch looked at Eda, her voice growing quiet. "Do you think I've made a stupid mistake?"

Eda momentarily stared at Lizzie before closing her eyes, taking a deep breath in, and then exhaling slowly when she pinched the bridge of her nose.

"All right, Lizzie, listen up." The white-haired witch bent forward some so the pair were on eye level, even though she and Lizzie only had a four-inch height difference between them. "I'm going to ask you exactly what I did yesterday, and the day before that, and the day before that, and—"

"Eda."

"Right, right." Eda placed her hand on top of the blonde's head. "Why did you choose to come with me that day?"

Lizzie pressed her lips together, thinking through her answer until she was ready to say it aloud. Although, honestly, she didn't need to think it through at all. She knew the answer already. "Because I didn't want to conform."

"And have you been happy since making that decision?"

Lizzie nodded, her second answer prompt. "Yes."

Eda smiled and ruffled Lizzie's hair, making the younger witch squint. "Then it wasn't a stupid mistake. If being a wild witch makes you happy, that's all that matters." She pulled away and righted herself. "So, make sure that sticks this time. I don't like repeating myself."

Lizzie smiled faintly and smoothed her hair back with both hands. "Yes, Eda."

"Plus, being a wild witch is so much more fun! You get to do cool stuff like this." Eda twisted her body towards her room and lifted her left palm up in the direction of her nest, puffing her chest out. "Magic staff, come to me!"

A thin, mahogany staff with a tiny owl palisman on top and a green sack tied to its bottom floated upright out of the nest and flung itself with great speed in Eda's direction. As soon as it connected with her palm, Eda closed her grip around the staff and twirled it once between her fingers, grinning as she did so.

"I suppose you're right."

"I know I am." Eda gave Lizzie a rough pat on her closest shoulder as she passed her by. "Anyway, it's about time I head out."

With her staff close to her side, the Owl Lady strode down the hallway and through the house to the lower levels, with Lizzie in close pursuit behind her. Eda talked to her as they walked.

"Okay, let's try again. While I'm gone, what do I want you to do?"

Lizzie counted off on her fingers as she listed each instruction Eda had given her, following the older witch down the stairs and towards the living room. "Make sure Hooty stays out of trouble, keep King out of your room, and complete the final potion by the end of the day."

"And where did I leave the ingredients?"

"In a sack you slipped inside my room."

"Atta girl."

Lizzie stopped in the doorway to the living room and allowed Eda to continue to the front door without her. She quickly looked to the wooden table and worn red sofa to see if King was there, but all she saw instead was the white stuffing pooling out of the latter. Her attention returned to Eda when the cottage's wooden door swung open, revealing a circular, beige, wooden owl face with brown eyes and an orange beak on the door's top half, who Lizzie knew as 'Hooty'.

"I'll be back before nightfall," Eda said as she crossed over the threshold, halting to peek at Lizzie over her shoulder. "But if I'm not, call the cops." Right after she said that she let out a loud snort and laughed, waving her free hand around as she looked away. "Not that they can find me anyway!"

Lizzie quietly chuckled at Eda's joke and gave her a small wave, even if the older witch wouldn't see it.

"See you later, Eda."

"Not if I see you first."

As Lizzie smiled, Hooty chirped up too.

"Have a nice—" Eda clicked her fingers to make the door swing shut with a slam, cutting Hooty off. Lizzie cringed at the muffled "Ow!" from Hooty on the other side of the door, followed by "I was just bidding you a nice trip! Hoot!" soon after.

Lizzie jogged to the stained-glass window by the front door and sofa, getting there just in time to catch Eda flying off on her staff in the opposite direction of the cottage. She stayed there watching her until the Owl Lady was too far away to see anymore, prompting her to turn to face the living room and give it a quick look over. Outside of the various unique decorations and objects Eda had littering her home, only two items stood out to Lizzie. The first item was the rectangle mirror hanging above the fireplace on the opposite side of the room. The mirror's frame was wooden and had a circular owl face on top that resembled Hooty. The second item was the wanted poster Eda had put above the sofa, which the blonde caught sight of in the mirror's reflective surface.

Even before coming into Eda's home, Lizzie recalled seeing that same wanted poster plastered across Bonesborough from the many times she'd been out and about, so much so that she'd basically memorised its image in her sleep. Placed on faded parchment and displaying the amount of one-trillion snails in bold, red and blue capital writing, the poster depicted a cackling Eda wielding her glowing staff in her left hand while holding an orange flame in her right hand, giving her a menacing look that Lizzie knew didn't match her true character. To Eda's left was a small demonic creature stood upright with a dog-like skull for a head, two long front fangs on either side of its mouth, dark grey fur, two horns (the left one of which was broken), pink eyes, yellow sclera, and a red collar with a yellow tag around its neck. This was who Lizzie knew as 'King', the other occupant of the household she shared with Eda.

Her green eyes lingered on the poster for a while before she managed to pull herself away with the shake of her head, walking out of the living room.

'I don't need to worry about Eda. She can handle herself. All I need to focus on is—'

"Ouch!"

Lizzie halted in the hallway at the familiar cry of pain interrupting her train of thought, her gaze immediately turning to the floor. Her eyes drooped at the sight of King stumbling towards her with a sack over his head, with only his feet, bushy tail and arms being visible as he waved the latter about.

'… following Eda's instructions.'

"Help! Who turned out the lights?!"

Letting out a huge sigh and slumping a little, Lizzie stepped forward and yanked the sack off his head, startling King enough that he fell onto his bottom with a squeal and a thud.

"King, what's going on?"

King leapt to his feet and pointed a claw at the sack in Lizzie's hands, his mouth unmoving as he talked. "That fiend attacked me!"

Lizzie looked between King and the sack, raising the latter a little higher into the air. "… You mean the sack?"

"Yes!" King lifted his chin and placed a paw to his chest, speaking in an overexaggerated tone. "I, the King of Demons, was continuing my quest to find my new Crown of Power, when suddenly"—He turned away and hid his face behind his other arm—"I was swallowed whole by that- that—"

"… sack?"

"Yes!" King closed his eyes and leaned his head back, keeping his arm in front of his face. "Oh, you wouldn't believe the horrors I witnessed while trapped in that monster's stomach! It was so dark! I thought I'd never see the light of day again!"

Lizzie ignored King's exaggerations and gave the sack a brief shake to make sure it was empty, her brows raising. "Where did you get this anyway?"

King dropped the act and lowered his arm away from his face, his voice suddenly back to normal. "I saw Eda put it in your room. I thought there was something good in it."

Lizzie's eyes grew wide for a second. "My room?"

"Uh-huh."

She flipped the sack around and opened it wide, directing a scowl at King at seeing there was definitely nothing in there. "King, that sack had ingredients for one of Eda's potions! What did you do with them?!"

King waved his arms about and backed up a couple of steps at hearing the shock and anger in her tone. "Whoa, whoa, relax! There was nothing in there!"

Lizzie's expression relaxed with a blink to follow; her response was delayed by a few seconds. "What?"

"Yeah! The sack monster tricked me! I thought I could find a new crown, but instead it tried to eat me!"

Lizzie narrowed her eyes. "You're not lying to me, are you?"

King let out an exaggerated gasp and placed a paw to his chest. "How dare you. The King of Demons doesn't lie!" He turned his gaze to the wall. "… Well, sometimes."

The blonde witch put her hands on her hips and leaned forward, towering over the tiny demon. King stepped back and lifted his paws in surrender at hearing the slight growl entering Lizzie's tone. "Tell me the truth, King. Because if you're hoarding Eda's ingredients somewhere in the house, so help me—"

"No, no! It's true! There weren't any ingredients! In fact," King approached Lizzie and held up a tiny square of parchment for her to take. "all that was in there was this crummy note addressed to you."

"A note?" Lizzie took the parchment between her fingers, her head tilting slightly as she brought it closer to read. She rubbed the parchment at noticing a dark patch on the area she was holding, feeling it was wet. "Why is it wet?"

"Hooty licked it. He beat me to the sack."

"Ew!" Lizzie moved her fingers to grip at a corner of the parchment that was dry, closing an eye. She faced the doorway to the living room. "Hooty!"

A muffled response followed. "I have a hunger that can never be sated! Hoot hoot!"

'What is it with Hooty wanting to eat everything?'

Lizzie groaned and focused on the note again. She squinted at recognising the handwriting as Eda's, reading the contents in her head as the following:

Lizzie,

You've been down in the dumps a lot lately and I thought you could use a little pick-me-up. So, this is a personal request: make me a 'Lizzie-Special'. You know where the ingredients are. Go nuts.

—Eda

Lizzie's lips quivered as she reached the end of the note, a faint smile slipping onto her face. "Aw, Eda…"

'So, what she said earlier was a lie. She made up this whole scheme to help me take my mind off my troubles.'

A loud sigh from King brought Lizzie back to reality. She saw the demonic creature walk past her to the living room with his little body hanging forward. His tail was lowered, and his arms were dangling close to the floor.

"Oh… It's hopeless! I'm never going to find anything better! Nothing compares to my Crown of Power!"

Lizzie silently watched King disappear into the living room, only frowning once he was out of sight.

'Gosh, poor King. I forgot how down he's been since his crown was stolen…'

Lizzie wasn't sure of all the details of the incident, since she only left the Owl House on occasional deliveries for Eda. But she did know that the crown itself wasn't as special as King made it out to be. It was a random paper item Owlbert had brought from the Human Realm during Eda's weekend scavenges. It didn't grant King any special abilities, and yet Lizzie remembered how happy it had made him to wear that atop his head. Sure, his face couldn't always show his emotions because his mouth never opened. But during the times she'd seen King stroll around the cottage with his chest puffed out and his back straight, shouting random orders to the stuffed toys he'd chosen as his 'loyal minions', it was clear as day just how much the little guy's ego had been boosted. And yet now he was nothing but a shell of his former self, having spent his days since his crown was stolen either sulking or going through Eda's belongings in search of something to replace it.

'That explains why he went rooting through the sack Eda left for me. He must be getting desperate.'

Lizzie wrapped the empty sack around her arms and held it close to her front as she moved to the living room. She poked her head past the doorway and looked in to see King sitting slumped on the sofa, his skull-like head hanging close to his lap. He looked so sad, and Lizzie couldn't bear to see him like that.

'Hm…'

After a moment or two of staring, Lizzie loudly cleared her throat and stepped further into the doorway. "Hey, King?" King didn't lift his head, but he did tilt it in her direction. "I'm heading upstairs to get started on my potion. You're welcome to come and watch."

The little demon's eyes drooped as he looked away. "No, thanks. Just leave me here to mourn the loss of my fallen dignity."

"Are you sure~?" Lizzie smirked slightly and took on a playful tone. "It's my exploding potion. If I have enough ingredients left over, I can make you one, too. I know how much you enjoy blowing things up with it."

King's head snapped up with wide eyes, his tail wagging back and forth excitedly. "Really?"

"Really."

King jumped onto the sofa cushion and raised his arms above his head, letting out a loud and triumphant laugh. "Yes! Another way to gain the respect of my subjects! My quest for power continues!" He leapt off the sofa and scampered on all fours to Lizzie's side, climbing her legs and her body until he was standing on her left shoulder. King pointed a claw down the hallway. "Onward, minion!"

Lizzie turned to King with a raised brow. "Minion?"

King cleared his throat and sat on her shoulder, holding on to the sides of the witch's head with both of his paws. "Sorry. Lizzie."

"I would have preferred Elisabeth, but I'll take it."

The front door of the Owl House creaked open then, revealing Hooty with his head tilted. "Hoot hoot! Can I come too?"

Lizzie exchanged glances with King before inhaling through her teeth. "Oooh… I don't know about that, Hooty. The last time I let you watch my potion making, you drank it and spent the rest of the day burping fire."

King laughed and ducked his head down. "Ha! That was glorious! Hooty helped me cause so much destruction!"

Lizzie scowled. "I'm so glad you found it funny, because Eda sure didn't."

That was a day Lizzie wished she could erase from her memory. Hooty was already a dangerous foe as he currently was but adding fire into the mix made him so much worse. The charred trees and land Hooty had left in his wake was something no one would ever forget, not even her.

Hooty widened his eyes, tilting his head some more to a ninety-degree angle. "Pleeeeeeeeease. I'll be a good house."

Hooty perceived his actions to be 'cute', but the same couldn't be said for Lizzie and King. Whereas Lizzie's eye twitched as she shuddered, King moved as closely as he could to Lizzie's head. It reminded Lizzie of the spells certain witches could use to bring inanimate objects to life and how some of them had been capable of turning their heads around all the way without moving their bodies or exhibiting signs of pain. It was unsettling.

King eventually whispered in Lizzie's ear after a moment of silence. "Say 'yes'. Otherwise he'll keep making that creepy face."

"… Fine, Hooty. You can join us."

Hooty straightened out his head and gave an open-mouthed grin. "Oh boy!" The door swung shut again with a loud slam, followed by Hooty's muffled voice fading as he moved away from it. "Race you to the second floor! Hoot!"

Lizzie shook her head and jogged down the hallway to the stairs, doing so at a steady speed so King didn't fall off her shoulder.

'Well, at least I can keep my eye on them now…'

With the Owl Lady being notorious to the other house's residents for her hoarding habits, one would find that most of the rooms on the cottage's second floor were filled with collectibles from both the Boiling Isles and the Human Realm. Before Lizzie's arrival to the Owl House, the wide square-like room she now occupied had once been just another storage room filled to the brim with human, demonic, or magical items, among other random supplies Eda tended to keep on hand. However, because it was the only other room in the house aside from Eda's with an adequate living space and a window for fresh air, this was the only place Lizzie could use as her own space. It had taken a lot of rearranging on Eda's part to allow Lizzie to make it her own, even if there still were piles of books, stuffed random boxes, and a large chest shoved into its corners. But despite this, Lizzie was content with how things had turned out.

The afternoon sun bathed the bare wooden walls and floor of the room with its warm light as the blonde witch sat cross-legged on the mattress she used as a bed, with a pair of goggles over her eyes. In front of her were beakers of varying sizes and two small boxes of ingredients, with the roundest and largest beaker being the only one filled with a bright red liquid. King was laid out on his front beside Lizzie, watching her going about her work with his arms dangling towards the floor. And as for Hooty… well…

"Hey, guys! Check this out!" Lizzie looked towards the open window which Hooty had stretched his cylindrical neck through. He was currently staring at the wall where the sunlight was projecting his shadow, slowly wiggling his body around from to side to side to make his shadow do the same. "It looks like a giant worm is on the wall! Hoot!"

Lizzie's eyes drooped. "Cut it out, Hooty. I need to concentrate."

Hooty stopped and twisted his body round to face Lizzie with a scowl, eventually retracting it closer to the window. "Buzzkill."

Lizzie rolled her eyes and returned to her work. She leaned forward and slipped her index finger into the full beaker, producing a green glow from her fingertip as she drew a small circle. King rolled over onto his back and watched a tiny flame emerge from the circle and merge with the surface of the liquid, making it bubble as it faded.

"Has Eda taught you any other spells lately? I always see you using the same ones."

Lizzie corked the top of the beaker and held it up by its neck to gently swish the liquid around, answering King without looking away from her work. "Why would she teach me any?"

"She taught you to use levitation and light spells."

"Only because I asked." At seeing the liquid in the beaker turning a dark shade of red, the blonde witch put the beaker on the ground and let the potion settle. "I was curious if they could be combined with potions, and so was Eda."

"And can they?"

"With light, yes. But not levitation." Lizzie rubbed a hand against the back of her neck and lowered her head. "All that did was lift the potion into the air on its own. I couldn't control it."

"What about when drank?"

Lizzie snorted. "My potions aren't for drinking. You saw what happened when Hooty downed my exploding potion. The magic becomes uncontrollable and can potentially harm the drinker."

"Yeah!" Lizzie's and King's gazes turned to Hooty when he spoke in his usual chirpy tone. "I couldn't talk for two days! I was in so much pain! Hoot!"

King sighed contentedly and briefly closed his eyes. "Those two days were the best. It was the first time you actually shut up."

"Hey!"

Lizzie couldn't stop herself from laughing at Hooty's response. She wrapped her arm round her stomach as Hooty narrowed his eyes at King, who started snickering.

'Sorry, Hooty, but you're a notorious chatterbox. If it wasn't for the damage you caused, Eda would have kept feeding you that potion to shut you up.'

When the pair had calmed down, King rolled over onto his front and focused on Lizzie again when he heard her move, seeing she was removing the cork from the beaker. "So, why don't you ask Eda to give you another spell to try?"

"Because they're just experiments, King. I do them for fun."

"But using the same spells is boring."

Lizzie shrugged as she poured some of the potion into a small vial and corked it. "I work for Eda. I make her whatever she requests, whether it's her potions or my own. Otherwise, I have no need for them. It's not like I leave the Owl House as much as you and Eda do." She briefly glanced at Hooty, who was surprisingly quiet as he lingered in the window. "Plus, with Hooty here, using them for house protection is redundant."

"That doesn't mean you can't get creative." King kicked his little legs around excitedly. "Oh! You should ask Eda to teach you her lightning spell! I could use it to make intimidating entrances." Lizzie watched King jump up and stand on the mattress with his back straight, putting one paw on his hip while holding the other above his head. "Imagine throwing the vial to the floor"—King threw his paw downward—"and then BAM!" He spread his arms and legs out like a starfish. "Lightning flash!"

Lizzie stared at King impassively for a few seconds, eventually turning away with a slight smile and shake of the head. "I'll think about it."

King's stance relaxed before he folded his arms and nodded stiffly. "I suppose that answer is sufficient."

Lizzie finished pouring the potion into a larger vial and sealed it before collecting the smaller vial from the floor, which she handed over to King with a grin. "There we are! One exploding potion!"

King's eyes lit up as he held the vial together with both paws, letting out a triumphant laugh and lifting it into the air. "At last! My power is restored!"

Lizzie tried to distract herself by gathering her supplies from the floor but failed to stop a small chuckle from escaping her. She was secretly happy to see King back in high spirits again.

'There's the King I know.'

Lizzie stood up with the beakers and vials in her arms (including the full vial with the remainder of the potion in it) just as King darted past her, clutching the little vial of red liquid to his chest. She watched the little demon rush out of her room before turning away to head to the box she stored her equipment in.

'Looks like that's my job done for the day.'

However, just as the blonde witch had placed the beakers and vials inside and was about to close the lid, she heard King cry out from somewhere behind her.

"HOOT!"

Lizzie saw Hooty recoil out the window when a bang sounded, causing the blonde's head to whip round. She gasped and shot to her feet at being met with the sight of a small explosion of soot and smoke in the room's doorway.

"King!" Lizzie called for the demon as she pulled her goggles off and flung them to her mattress, daring to step forward into the fading smoke.

Amongst the minor black and red stains splattered across the floor and the doorframe was King, lying sprawled on his front with his face and fur covered in soot and potion. Before him were the tiny glass shards of the smashed vial, which the little demon's eyes widened at.

"No!" King got onto his knees and gathered the glass shards between his paws, blinking repeatedly at the red liquid oozing between his claws. "My potion!"

Lizzie stopped beside King and frowned at the tears slowly building in his eyes, a hand going to her chest. She couldn't explain it, but she swore she felt a slight ache because of how sad King looked and sounded right now.

When King didn't move or speak for a while, Lizzie knelt on one knee and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, King." She peeked over her shoulder at the boxes of ingredients by her mattress. "I don't have any more ingredients to make a second potion. But if it's okay with Eda, I could probably give you some of hers—"

"No, thanks." Lizzie turned to King with a raised brow when he interrupted her, hearing how dismal his tone was. "I'm done with my quest today."

She recoiled when the little demon hung his head and allowed the glass shards to drop to the floor, watching him slowly stand with his body and tail slumped. "I'm gonna go plot my revenge with Mr. Ducky in the bathtub."

Lizzie's frown deepened as King dragged himself out into the hallway and disappeared round the corner. He was acting like his body couldn't move by itself, and the sight only caused the ache to intensify. He looked so defeated.

'Oh, King… I've never seen him like this before.'

Hooty stretched through the window again until he reached Lizzie's side, staring ahead at the empty doorway with drooped eyes. "Gosh, this is the first time I've seen him so down. Hoot hoot."

Lizzie sighed heavily and smoothed her hair back with a hand. "Yeah, well, we can blame the loss of his crown for that. He really loves that thing…"

Momentary silence fell between the witch and house demon until a tiny fly happened to buzz its way into the room from the window, which Hooty immediately spotted.

"Hey, look, a fly!" Lizzie saw Hooty arch his neck to get close to it when it hovered for a second. "Hi. My name's Hooty. What's yours?" But then the insect quickly moved forward and flew out the window. "Wait, come back!" Hooty pulled himself through the window to follow the fly, with Lizzie hearing the echoes of his continued yelling from outside. "We've barely gotten to know each other! Hoot!"

'Well, at least Hooty's distracted for the time being…'

Returning her gaze to the mess on the floor, Lizzie got up and approached the cleaning supplies resting against a large, locked green chest, picking up a dustpan, a brush, and a rag. 'I'd better clean up this mess.'

As she walked past the open window, Lizzie halted and turned her head to stare outside. The Owl House was placed at an angle where the inhabitants were only able to view the purple sea that surrounded the Boiling Isles over the cliff's edge, so Lizzie didn't have a good view of Bonesborough from her room. But she didn't need to. Because the place she was thinking about wasn't in the city. It was somewhere on its outskirts far away from her current location, looming over Bonesborough and its surrounding area as an intimidating reminder to its citizens of what happens to those who don't follow the rules of the Isles. Even thinking about it caused the hairs on Lizzie's arms to stand on end, which she subconsciously rubbed at.

'Eda said Warden Wrath's cronies stole King's crown. She's scoped out the Conformatorium and confirmed it's locked away in the stolen contraband room, which means they didn't bother to destroy it or throw it out.' Lizzie moved closer to the window so she could pull it closed, her eyes narrowing slightly. 'Unless they haven't realised that the crown is worthless, it's a little suspicious that they kept it…'

Lizzie spent the next few minutes cleaning up the spilled potion and soot stains and ensuring all glass hazards were collected from the floor. And yet despite this task offering her a temporary distraction, her thoughts continually flickered to poor King and how upset he'd been. Lizzie really wanted to make it up to him, but she was struggling to figure out how. By the time she was leaving her room and carrying the soiled rag and the glass in the dustpan with her, she still hadn't brought herself away from her ideas.

'The only way I can help King at this stage is by getting his crown back. But even I know that's out of the question. I've never set foot into the Conformatorium, and although Eda has and could easily get to the contraband, that magic barrier is impenetrable for magical and demonic creatures alike. None of us could break it or pass through it, not even Hooty.' Lizzie's eyes drooped. 'Although I don't know why I put Hooty in that list. He can't even leave the cottage—'

Splash. Lizzie's thoughts were interrupted when her boot stepped in something wet. The blonde witch froze and looked down, raising her foot to see a faint trail of water streaked across the floorboards. "What the…?"

Putting her foot down, Lizzie's eyes followed the trail further down the hallway, knowing the bathroom was in that general direction. 'Did King leave this trail of water?'

The answer to her internal question came when she heard King's voice from the floor below. She couldn't quite make out what he was saying; however, his voice was loud enough for her to know he was yelling. With a loud huff, Lizzie made her way to the stairs while stepping around the water, tightening her grip on the dustpan in the likely case she slipped. There had already been one accident today. She couldn't risk causing another one.

'I'm heading downstairs anyway. I'd better check in with him.'

As Lizzie reached the bottom of the stairs, she noticed that there was light coming from the living room, which made her frown when she also sighted the water trail stopping close to there. She knew the only one in the Owl House who could control the lights in the cottage was Hooty. So, unless Hooty had turned them on because King was in there…

Lizzie was interrupted when King yelled again, this time sounding frantic and confused. This time she could make out what he was saying.

"No, no! I don't know who your 'little guy' is! Eda, who is this monster and what is she doing to me?!"

'Eda?'

Lizzie's brows raised as King mentioned the familiar name, finally coaxing her to stride to the doorway of the living room to see what was going on.

"King, are you o… kay…?"

The blonde witch felt her body stiffen as she trailed off at the sight she was immediately met with, which was King being held in the arms of a tanned skinned stranger. Said stranger loosened her grip on the little demon and turned to Lizzie along with King, her hazel eyes widening alongside Lizzie's green ones the moment the pair locked gazes. The stranger appeared to be a shorter girl a few years younger than Lizzie, her purplish-brown hair styled in a pixie cut. Her outfit consisted of a white and indigo hoodie, jean shorts, dark grey leggings and slip-on shoes, something Lizzie thought was odd; she hadn't seen such an outfit from anyone in the Boiling Isles before. But what was even more odd was the girl's ears.

They were round; there were no points to them.