It was a bright and sunny morning on the Boiling Isles, an over at the Owl House, Luz was sleeping peacefully in her room, which now had a bed in it instead of her sleeping bag, and she soon woke up to the sound of her alarm on her cell phone.
"Sounds like it's time to get up", Luz said.
It had been a month since the end of the war between the rebellion and the Emperor's Coven, and since Camila had decided to let Luz stay in the demon realm to be with her friends, she was staying with Eda and her family in the Owl House, because that's where she felt she was the most at home.
"Morning, everybody", Luz said.
Luz walked into the kitchen, where Amity was eating some cereal for breakfast and Eda was drinking her morning cup of apple blood.
"Morning, Luz", Amity said.
Luz kissed her girlfriend on the cheek and sat down in the seat next to her.
"So", Eda said, "you kids ready for your first day back at Hexside?"
"You bet we are", Amity said.
"It's going to be so exciting", Luz said, "especially now that I do real magic."
Using the magical powers granted to her by her new witch's heart, Luz made a ball of fire appear in her hands.
"It's crazy to believe that you were once a human who wasn't capable of doing any magic", Amity said.
"I know", Luz said, "I guess this is one good thing that came out of me getting stabbed in the heart."
Luz fixed herself a glass of cereal, and everyone heard footsteps coming towards the kitchen and looked at the kitchen entryway to see who it was.
"Well, look who it is", Luz said.
It was Hunter, who had moved into the Owl House with Luz and the others following the end of the war.
"I see you're finally up", Eda said.
"Sorry if I slept a little late", Hunter said.
"It's alright", Luz said, "we all have mornings like that."
"But you better hop to it if you don't want to be late for school", Eda said.
"Oh, that's right", Hunter said, "my first day at Hexside is today."
"Yeah", Amity said, "so hurry up."
Hunter grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl and sat down, and Luz decided to talk to him.
"Are you excited", Luz asked.
"A little, I guess", Hunter said, "but to be honest, I am a little worried."
"Don't be", Luz said, "it's going to be fine."
"How do you know", Hunter asked.
"Because Amity and I are going to be with you every step of the way", Luz said, "isn't that right, Amity?"
"You bet", Amity said.
"Well", Hunter said, "alright."
"That's the spirit", Luz said, "I've got a feeling that this first day of school is going to be the best one you've ever had."
Hunter followed Luz and Amity to Hexside, and when they got in there, the halls were brimming full of students going to and fro.
"Ahh, it's good to be back", Amity said.
"I'll say", Luz said, "it's almost feels like the war never even happened."
"So, this is Hexside", Hunter said, "not bad."
"Just wait until you meet Principal Bump", Luz said, "he'll get you all set up for your education at Hexside."
"His office is right this way", Amity said, "follow us."
In his office, Principal Bump was hanging a picture of him fighting against some coven scouts during the war on the wall behind his desk.
"There", Principal Bump said, "that looks perfect right there."
Then, Luz and her friends entered the office.
"Luz, Amity, good morning", Principal Bump said.
"Good morning", Luz said.
"Morning", Amity said.
"And you must be Hunter", Principal Bump said, "it's good to see you again."
"You too", Hunter said, "it was fun fighting alongside you in the war against Emperor Belos."
"Indeed", Principal Bump said, "but at the end of the day, it's nice to be a principal once again and help guide these young witches to a bright future."
"And we're glad to have you back as our principal", Luz said.
"Thank you", Principal Bump said, "now then, let's get down to business."
"Oh, right", Hunter said, "Luz and Amity told me that you'll help me get ready for my first day."
"That's right", Principal Bump said, "a good place for us to start would be choosing which track you'd like to study."
Hunter looked up at the banners for the nine tracks Principal Bump had hung on his wall and thought about it, but it was a little hard for him to choose.
"This is a little tricky", Hunter asked, "I don't know which track to choose."
"That's quite alright", Principal Bump said, "if you can't decide on one, you can choose to study multiple tracks, or even all nine of them."
Hunter was surprised to hear that.
"Seriously", Hunter asked, "all nine tracks?"
"That's right", Luz said, "it's what me and Amity are doing."
"Sure, you have a lot more homework to do than most students do", Amity said, "but it's lots of fun."
Hunter thought about his decision for a moment, until finally, he came to one.
"Okay, I think I've got it", Hunter said, "I'd like to study all of them, please."
"Very well, then", Principal Bump said.
Principal Bump made a spell circle with his finger, and Hunter's plain Hexside uniform transformed into a multi-track uniform like Luz and Amity's uniforms.
"Welcome to Hexside School of Magic and Demonics, Hunter", Principal Bump said, "we hope that you get the best education of magic possible during your time here."
"Thank you, sir", Hunter said, "I'll do my best."
After getting his schedule, Hunter left the office and walked away with Luz and Amity.
"Looks like our schedules are pretty similar", Hunter said.
"Sure does", Luz said, "but I guess that makes sense, since we're the only three students here who are studying all nine tracks."
"Looks like we've all got the same first class today", Amity said, "it's the plant track."
"Then we'd better get moving", Luz said, "come on!"
The three students soon arrived at the classroom for the plant track and sat down in some open seats next to Willow.
"Hey, guys", Willow said.
"Did we miss anything", Luz asked, "I hope we're not too late."
"Nope", Willow said, "you're right on time."
Then, she noticed Hunter sitting with them.
"Hello, Hunter", Willow said, "I see you decided to attend Hexside with the rest of us."
"That's right", Hunter said, "I figured since I'm trying to put my old life behind me and start living a new one, a good place for me to start would be going to Hexside and learning about the different kinds of magic on the Boiling Isles."
"I see", Willow said, "well, I hope you have a good time here."
"Thanks", Hunter said.
Just then, the Plant Teacher walked into the room.
"Good morning, class", the Plant Teacher said.
She set her stuff down at her desk and walked up to the front of the room.
"I was informed by Principal Bump that we have a new student joining us today", the Plant Teacher said, "would said new student care to identify himself?"
She looked around and noticed Hunter raising his hand.
"Ah, you must be him", the Plant Teacher said, "please, join me up front."
Hunter got out of his desk and walked up to the front of the room.
"Why don't you tell the class a little about yourself", the Plant Teacher said.
Hunter took a deep breath before he spoke out to the whole class.
"Hello, everyone", Hunter said, "my name is Hunter, and I'm sure some of you may remember me from the war against the Emperor's Coven."
"Ah, yes", the Plant Teacher said, "a dark time in Boiling Isles history indeed."
"Yeah", Hunter said, "I don't really have much of a family, so right now, Edalyn Clawthorne's letting me stay with her."
"I see", the Plant Teacher said, "is there anything else you'd like to add?"
"Just that I'm a little different from most of the students here, because unlike them, I don't have any magical powers", Hunter said, "I was told that I was descended from a long line of powerless witches, but after learning more about the man who told me that, I'm not so sure that's the case anymore."
"Interesting", the Plant Teacher said.
"But I'm not going to let that hold me back", Hunter said, "I promise I'll do my best here and be the best student I can be despite my lack of magical powers."
"That's the spirit", the Plant Teacher said, "thank you for sharing all this with us."
Hunter walked back to his seat and sat down with the girls.
"That was pretty good, Hunter", Luz said, "you really knocked it out of the park there."
"Yeah", Amity said, "what an introduction."
Hunter's face went red with embarrassment.
"It was nothing", Hunter said.
"Now then, let's begin class", the Plant Teacher said, "would anyone care to come up front and show us what they've learned while we were out?"
Luz raised her hand high so the teacher would notice her.
"Yes, Miss Noceda", the Plant Teacher said, "do you have something you'd like to show to the class?"
"I do", Luz said.
Luz walked up to the front of the classroom and made a spell circle with her finger, causing vines to grow up out of the ground.
"Now for the finishing touch", Luz said.
Luz summoned her witch's staff, which she got after carving her own palisman from the palistrom wood Eda had stolen for her a while back, and after she tapped it on the ground, the eyes of her otter palisman, Enhydra, glowed white, and many colorful flowers blossomed from the vines, much to the amazement of her classmates and the teacher.
"Astounding", the Plant Teacher said.
"Thanks", Luz said, "I found out I could do this when I was playing around with my staff."
"And what a useful discovery for you to make", the Plant Teacher said, "magic from a staff can help intensify the effects of a spell, or, as Luz has just demonstrated, make the results look even better."
As the teacher continued lecturing her students, Hunter took some notes, happy to already be learning a lot.
"This is it", Hunter thought, "this is the start of a brand new life."
But Hunter didn't know how much his life was really going to change in the events that were soon to come.
