Ghoul Breaks, With Family and Friends:
Mini-Chapter: Under This Roof, You're Family

It was quarter of 4 when Amity returned to the Owl House with Luz, and wasn't surprised that Gus and Willow were there. What did surprise her was that Steve the Coven scout was wrestling Hooty.

Amity quickly remembered the full story; after coming down from the Boscha-beating high, Eda had decided that a light punishment for Willow and Gus was in order, with their family permissions.

Willow had explained to Amity over a chat that while not mad at the two flyers from letting Luz play with, she was disappointed that they let the "knocked-down" human use such a dangerous tool. Eda couldn't let that go, no matter how proud of Willow she was.

Willow and Gus had agreed on the spot, and that punishment was to clean the entire Owl House, Hooty including. Amity couldn't stop the shudder from going down her back, and that caused her some pain. She was so glad that Lilith in the end let her pick her punishment. She would take singing in public over cleaning the mystery that was Hooty any day of the week.

"Hey Guys, want some more hands?" Amity asked as Luz ran to help Steve.

Willow looked over Amity and gave her a worried look. "Sorry, Amity, but we were told not to let you help," she said kindly. "And looking at you, I can see why. But maybe Miss Lilith could use some help in the kitchen."

Amity wanted to protest, but one look from Willow shut her down, and she reluctantly went into the house. The plant witch-in-training could be as scary as Eda when she wants to be.

"Miss Lilith can I help?" Amity asked awkwardly as she stepped into the kitchen.

Lilith stopped stirring the stew she was making and looked at her ex-student with a studious frown. She turned the stove to simmer, and walked up to Amity.

"I don't know, Amity," the former head replied, uncertainly. "Can I see your wrists?"

Amity opened her mouth to protest but compel when Lilith shot her a glare. The young Blight held out her wrists and Lilith lightly took hold of her former student's wrists. She gently ran her thumbs against Amity's wrist, and Amity couldn't stop the small whizz from escaping her.

"I see you realized the vine Edalyn used was from the pain-nabbing plant and you transfer it to different wrists when needed, very good," Lilith commented with a small but warm smile.

Amity looked down as she felt a light blush forming from the light praise. She wasn't on the Plant Track but she knew the main ingredient of the pain-numbing potion when she saw it; she had used that potion on her father many times.

"But I had wished you kept it on until you got back, it may not have done much but it would still have helped." The slight disappointment in Lilith's voice caused Amity's expression to turn shameful.

When she realized how loose the knot on her was, she was secretly transferring the vine as needed. She was trying not to let Luz know about this so she could keep her "knocked-down" girlfriend close. But, in the end, with the frustrations of the day building, she had discarded the vine when Luz got loose.

She looked up at Lilith and choked out a weak, "Sorry."

Lilith offered her former student a kind smile and said, "You have nothing to be sorry for dear. But remember this, when we saw you that day, you scared me and terrified Edalyn."

Amity was caught off guard by this, and gawked at her ex-teacher. Thankfully, Lilith explained things before it got awkward.

"We may have downplayed your condition because Luz was in the room," the former head explained seriously, "But the facts remained that you nearly suffered Abomination Rejection."

The former head leaned in so she could whisper the next part, if a certain "knocked-down" human decided to come into the kitchen at the moment.

"And given your age, that could have caused serious problems. You could have permanently damaged your body, or worse, lost your life. And you know Luz would blame herself if something happened to you. "

Amity looked at the ground in shame. She's the daughter of Aldor and the granddaughter of Alastor Blight, two of the greatest users of their times and her skills were never in question, but that meant she knew better. But she panicked when she lost Luz and didn't think straight.

The end result was overusing Abomination Fusion, a high-level magic technique, to the point that her own abomination nearly ate her alive!

Amity might have spiraled into a panic attack if she was stuck in her head any longer, but the gentle voice teacher brought her back.

"And I think I need to apologize to you as well."

"Why?" Amity asked weakly.

Lilith sighs and decides to get back to fixing dinner, so Amity didn't see the bitter smile on her face.

"I am not your teacher anymore," She explained calmly. "But when I saw you were barely conscious, with skin so clammy because you sweated so much, I panicked, myself. You really should thank my sister for the clothes, if she didn't have those, you could have gotten sick by remaining in your sweat-covered outfit."

Amity smiled slightly as she looked down at her new, favorite human outfit. When she looked up at her old teacher, Lilith was looking at her with a regretful smile.

"But, that doesn't excuse my actions on that day, and I'm sorry," the former head said sincerely.

Amity smiled slightly as she was touched by her former teacher's words, and it was like she was back during her youth, when it was just Lilith and her. It was… nice.

"But, you also give me a choice, to write a 5000 page essay on the follies of my actions, and I choose to sing," Amity retorted shyly, looking away. "I wanted to be punished, because I was reckless that day, and could make people I love sad."

Amity felt Lilith took her chin gently and lifted her head until the two made eye-contact.

"That may be true, but I overstepped my boundaries on this matter," Lilith said warmly. "I would like to apologize for Edalyn's actions as well."

Amity couldn't stop the laugh that escaped her as she revealed something figured, "Oh, like I didn't see through that old "good scout, bad scout" act. I quickly put it together that Eda's threats were hollow."

Lilith just put on a teasing grin, one that made Amity lose what little smugness she had.

"Who said my sister's threats were hollow? She may have not planned to spank you, but she was thinking about asking your parents to let her knock you down for a day, so put you in silly outfits and have Luz babysit you."

Amity let out an awkward laugh, finding the idea of her own girlfriend babysitting her to be exciting and terrifying at the same time.

Thankfully, a crash from outdoors followed by Steven screaming kept things from getting too awkward.

"STEVEN KNOWS NOTHING AND STEVE LIKE TO KEEP IT THAT WAY! JUST GET STEVE OFF OF THIS RIDE!"

"I better get back to making dinner," Lilith said with a sigh. "Cleaning my dear friend can be a doting and draining task."

Amity simply nodded and slowly walked over to the table, having decided to keep her ex-teacher company. Soon, the two were talking, mainly about rejuvenation potions and why they cost so much.

As they talked, Amity couldn't help but feel warm. It may be a little awkward at the moment, but it was nice being able to interact with her old teacher again. And she couldn't help but feel, under this roof, she was family.

(M Corner)

They say hindsight is 20/20, so I didn't expect many to think much about the eyeroll Lilith did before handing the glyph to Eda. Or the fact that Amity was walking around with a hyperactive toddler without much problems.
But, I'm digressing, all that's left is the final chapter, a short epilogue and some crib notes, and this story is done.
Until next time, might the light of the isles burn bright.