The next day as Hunter was walking to Hexside with Luz and Amity, he was still thinking to himself about the mystery that was the identity of his birth family, and Luz could see that her friend was feeling bothered.
"Hey, Hunter", Luz said, "is everything alright?"
"Yeah, I'm alright", Hunter said.
But Luz could tell that he wasn't telling the truth.
"Are you sure you're alright", Luz asked, "you know you can talk to me or Amity if there's something you want to get off your chest."
"I appreciate your concern, but it's nothing", Hunter said.
"Okay", Luz said, "but if you change your mind and want to confide in us about it, we're always happy to listen, right Amity?"
"That's right, Luz", Amity said.
"Thanks, girls", Hunter said.
Later at school, Hunter was in his class for the Oracle track listening to a lecture.
"The way to best predict a witch's future is to know as much about them as you can", the Oracle Teacher said, "the better you know someone, the more accurate your vision of their future will be."
Hunter then raised his hand in the air so he could ask the teacher a question.
"Yes, Hunter", the Oracle Teacher said, "do you have a question?"
"I do", Hunter said, "is it possible to view a witch's family history using oracle magic?"
"I'm afraid not", the Oracle Teacher said, "oracle magic can be used to view the future and, in some cases, the present, but not the past."
"I see", Hunter said.
"Tell me", the Oracle Teacher said, "what brought this question to mind?"
"Oh, nothing", Hunter said, "I was just curious."
Luz was also in the class with Hunter, and his question had peaked her curiosity.
"Sounds like Hunter's interested in learning about someone's family history", Luz thought.
Later, Hunter was in his Potions track class following the teacher's instructions for brewing a potion.
"All that's left now is to add a pinch of bat tears", the Potions Teacher said.
The students followed his instructions and put said ingredient into their cauldrons, and they soon began to boil.
"Congratulations", the Potions Teacher said, "your have all successfully brewed a night vision potion."
The teacher shut the curtains of the windows and turned out all the lights in the classroom so the students could test their potions, and after they all took a sip of them, they found that they could see in the dark.
"The effects will wear off in a few minutes", the Potions Teacher said, "I'll leave the lights off until then because it's not good for your eyes to use this potion with the lights on."
Hunter then decided to ask the teacher a question that he had.
"Excuse me, sir", Hunter said, "I have a question about potions."
"Yes", the Potions Teacher asked, "who said that?"
"It was me", Hunter said, "I'm right over here."
"Hold on just a second", the Potions Teacher said.
He took a sip of his night vision potion out of his cauldron and gained the ability to see in the dark like his students.
"That's better", the Potions Teacher said, "yes, Hunter, you had a question for me?"
"That's right", Hunter said, "is there a potion that can show you any living family members you may have?"
"There is, but it's a very advanced potion", the Potions Teacher said, "only the highest ranking members of the Potions Coven can learn it."
"Oh", Hunter said, "I see."
Amity, who was also in the class with Hunter, heard him ask the teacher his question and was curious.
"Why is Hunter so interested in the past", Amity asked.
Throughout the day, Hunter asked other teachers in different tracks about spells that could help learn about someone's family, but the answers were all the same: there either wasn't such a spell or the spell was too advanced for him to learn, and by the end of the day, he was feeling upset about the whole ordeal.
"This is hopeless", Hunter said, "I'm never going to find out who my family is at this rate."
As Hunter made his way towards the exit, when he was greeted by Luz and Amity.
"Hey, Hunter", Luz said, "how are you feeling?"
"I'm fine", Hunter said.
But Luz could tell by the tone of his voice that he was still feeling bothered.
"It's been a while since I asked if you were alright", Luz said, "do you want to talk about it now?"
"No thanks", Hunter said, "now go away and quit badgering me."
"You don't have to be rude", Luz said.
"We're only trying to help you", Amity said.
"Please, I doubt you two would be of any help with the problem I've got right now", Hunter said.
Then, he walked out of Hexside and away towards town.
"What's gotten into him", Amity asked.
"I don't know", Luz said, "but he's right."
"About what", Amity asked.
"We can't help him", Luz said, "but only because he won't tell us what the problem is."
"It doesn't sound like that's going to change any time soon", Amity said.
"I guess so", Luz said, "if only he understood that we're only trying to help him."
Elsewhere, Hunter was walking down the streets of Bonesborough and making his way towards the Bonesborough Public Library.
"Okay, so I didn't have much luck looking for a way to find out who my family is at school", Hunter said, "maybe I'll find something in a book they have here at the library."
Hunter went inside the library and walked over to a bookshelf, then climbed up the ladder on it to see if there were any useful books on the high shelves.
"This place is full of books about all kinds of topics", Hunter said, "I've got to find what I'm looking for eventually."
Hunter spent most of his afternoon looking through the books in the library to see if there was anything that could help him find out who his family is, but no matter which book he looked in, he still couldn't find anything.
"I can't believe it", Hunter said, "I've looked through almost every book in the library, and still nothing!"
He then noticed a large door on the far part of the library, and was able to figure out what it was.
"The Forbidden Stacks", Hunter said.
Hunter carefully made his way over to the door that led to the most dangerous section of the library, and looked up at it.
"Many of the oldest books in the Boiling Isles are kept in this room", Hunter said, "if the answer to finding out about my family is anywhere, it's got to be in there."
But when he tried to open the door, it wouldn't budge.
"Come on", Hunter said, "open up."
Hunter tried and tried to open the door, but it still wouldn't budge.
"Please open", Hunter said, "I need to get in there."
Just then, a shadow fell over Hunter, and he turned around to find Malphas, the master librarian, standing behind him.
"Oh no", Hunter said.
Malphas looked at hunter intimidatingly, but then took a breath and became more calm.
"What do you think you're doing, kid", Malphas asked, "don't you know that this part of the library is restricted for the master librarian only?"
"I'm sorry", Hunter said, "I just really need to get in there."
"Sorry", Malphas said, "no visitors allowed in that section."
"But I'm looking for a book that has something that might help me learn about my family", Hunter said.
"I can see that it must be really important to you, but there's nothing I can do", Malphas said, "it's against library rules."
Hunter was disappointed that his search had ended at another dead end.
"Fine", Hunter said, "I'll just go now."
Hunter left the library and walked down the streets to Grimgrub's Pub, where he decided to drown his sorrow in a root beer float.
"At this rate, I'll never find out who my family is", Hunter said, "and it's not like the answers I'm looking for are going to just walk in through those pub doors."
As Hunter said that, a male adult witch entered the pub and walked over to where he was sitting.
"Excuse me", the witch said, "is this seat taken?"
The witch looked an awful lot like Hunter, having the same hair, eye, and skin color as him, but his hair was longer and tied into a ponytail, and he also had a goatee.
"No, this seat isn't taken", Hunter said, "you can sit here if you want."
"Thank you", the witch said.
The witch sat down and ordered some apple blood, and as he took a sip from his mug, he noticed Hunter looking a little upset as he drank his root beer float and decided to see what the problem was.
"Are you alright, kid", the witch asked.
"No", Hunter said, "not really."
"What's wrong", the witch asked, "do you want to talk about it?"
"No", Hunter said, "I don't want to bother you with my problems."
"Oh, it's no bother", the witch said, "I'll gladly listen to whatever it is that's troubling you."
"Well, okay", Hunter said, "I've been trying to find out who my family is."
"Your family", the witch asked.
"That's right", Hunter said, "you see, I grew up on the streets when I was younger, so I never really knew who my family was."
"The streets, you say", the witch asked.
"That's right", Hunter said, "until one day, I found by a man who took me in and treated me like I was his family, but he turned out to be a liar who saw me as nothing but one of his little pawns."
"That must've been rough", the witch said.
"It was", Hunter said, "now that I'm finally away from his influence, I've been trying to find a way to learn who my birth family was, but no matter where I look, I can't find anything."
"I see", the witch said, "it sounds like you and me are in the same boat."
"What do you mean", Hunter asked.
"Years ago, I lost someone who was very dear to me", the witch said, "my son."
"You lost your son", Hunter asked.
"Yes", the witch said, "when he was just a baby."
"That must've been really hard for you", Hunter said.
"It was", the witch said, "but recently, I learned some information that gave me reason to believe that he may be alive, so I've been looking everywhere to see if I can find him."
"Have you had any luck", Hunter asked.
"Sadly, no", the witch said, "I have yet to find him or learn if he really is alive or not."
"You must really miss him, don't you", Hunter said.
"Yes", the witch said, "yes I do."
Hunter took a sip from his root beer float and noticed that he had finished it off.
"Well, I'd better go", Hunter said, "the people I'm staying with right now are probably wondering where I am."
Hunter paid the bartender for his float and began to walk away, but the witch he had been sitting with called out to him.
"Hey, kid", the witch said.
"Yes", Hunter asked, "what's up?"
"Good luck with your search", the witch said, "I hope you find your family."
"Thanks", Hunter said, "I hope you find your son."
Hunter exited the pub and the witch went back to enjoying his drink, both of them oblivious about who they really were to each other.
