Luz and Amity went to Hexside, and from within the Secret Room of Shortcuts, the former was secretly attending Bard class, and was taking notes as she heard the teacher instruct his students.
"Alright", Luz said, "let's see if I've got it."
Luz opened up a guitar case and took out an electric guitar that was in it.
"Here we go", Luz said, "you ready, Amity?"
Amity, who had previously said she would join Luz in another class, was sitting next to her with a keytar.
"Yeah, I'm ready", Amity said.
"Great", Luz said, "let me just get one more thing."
Luz taped a piece of paper to her guitar, and Amity saw that it was a glyph with markings that resembled musical notes.
"Is that a new glyph", Amity asked.
"It sure is", Luz said, "when you tape it to an instrument, it allows you to cast bard magic when you play it."
"How'd you discover it", Amity asked.
"I noticed it appear briefly in the sound hole of a student's guitar", Luz said, "so I took out my phone and recorded it as quickly as I could."
"Wow", Amity said, "you must have a gift or something for discovering glyphs."
"Yeah, I guess I do", Luz said, "anyways, let's start playing."
Luz began playing rock-n-roll music on her guitar, and she used the Bard magic that came from it to open a book to turn its pages, but Amity was having trouble casting bard magic on her keytar, and when she tried to open her book using Bard magic, it only ended up closing.
"Oh, this is hopeless", Amity said.
Luz noticed that her girlfriend was having trouble, so she went over to see what she could do.
"It's not hopeless", Luz said, "you just need to keep trying."
"I've been trying my hardest, but I just can't use Bard magic", Amity said, "it's too hard."
"You can use any magic if you try hard enough", Luz said, "here, why don't you look at my notes for this class and see if that'll help you."
Luz showed Amity her Bard Track notebook, and as the latter looked through the former's notes, she began to understand the topic a little more, until finally, she felt like she was ready to try again.
"Okay", Amity said, "I think I'm ready to give this another shot."
"Alright", Luz said.
Amity began playing her keytar, concentrating on the book as she began casting Bard magic, and she managed to magically open the book, then began to turn its pages, and finally, when she had turned all the pages of the book, she closed it, and Luz applauded her.
"Nice going, Amity", Luz said, "you were amazing."
"I was", Amity asked.
"Yes", Luz said, "not only did you cast that Bard magic well, but I really enjoyed that tune you were playing."
"Thank you", Amity said, "you know, it's kind of fun learning about different types of magic."
"You think so", Luz asked.
"Yeah", Amity said, "all this time I thought my specialty was abominations, but now I think I might be able to do even more than that."
"Glad to hear it, because I've got more classes to go to for the other Tracks", Luz said, "care to join me for them too?"
"You bet I would", Amity said.
Amity accompanied Luz for her classes in the Plant, Oracle, and Healing Tracks, and she managed to learn all kinds of new magical skills, and pretty soon, it was time for lunch, and the two sat down and began eating the lunches Eda had packed for them.
"I have to say Luz, it feels good doing other kinds of magic", Amity said, "if I was still living with the Blights, I wouldn't be allowed to do this."
"You wouldn't", Luz asked.
"No", Amity said, "Odalia and Alador are against the idea of students at Hexside being able to study in more than one Track."
"I see", Luz said, "must be because they're so pro-Emperor's Coven."
"Yeah, that must be it", Amity said.
"Well, it doesn't matter what they think of it", Luz said, "they're not your parents anymore, so they can't do anything to stop you from learning about the other Tracks."
"You're right", Amity said, "I'm going to study all the Tracks at Hexside and learn as much as I can about the different kinds of magic there are."
"That's it, Mittens", Luz said, "you go, girl."
The two girlfriends went back to eating their lunches, when they heard a crashing noise coming from the cafeteria, which happened to be on the other side of the wall they were sitting by.
"What was that", Amity asked.
"I don't know", Luz said.
Luz and Amity looked through a secret door that went into the cafeteria, and they saw Willow and Gus sitting at a table that had collapsed when they set their lunch trays on it, and Boscha was laughing at them while Skara, Amelia, and Cat just stood there.
"Oh, man", Boscha said, "you should've seen your faces!"
Boscha continued laughing, and Willow looked at her in anger.
"Alright Boscha, enough's enough", Willow said, "this is the third prank you've pulled on us today."
"Yeah", Gus said, "first you tricked Willow into going in a greenhouse full of ladybugs, then you glued all my textbooks shut, and now this."
"What can I say", Boscha asked, "I'm on a roll."
"Well, the rolling ends here", Willow said.
"Oh yeah", Boscha asked, "and what are you going to do about it?"
Luz and Amity watched from the secret door with anger at the scene that was taking place.
"Watching Boscha bully Willow and Gus like this really pisses me off", Luz said, "I'd like to teach her a lesson."
"Me too, Luz", Amity said, "someone needs to walk up to her and tell her just how much of a bully she is."
"Yeah", Luz said, "someone should."
"I can't believe I used to be friends with her", Amity said, "if it wasn't for you, Luz, I'd still be as bad as her, maybe even worse."
Amity suddenly noticed that Luz wasn't with her anymore.
"Luz", Amity asked.
Back in the cafeteria, Boscha was still speaking angrily to Willow and Gus.
"You know, the only reason it seemed like you two were big here at Hexside was because you had the human with you", Boscha said.
"You're wrong", Willow said, "Luz had nothing to do with that."
"Yeah", Gus said, "we're just as good as any of the students here are."
"What a joke", Boscha said, "without the human, you two are nothing."
"Are they", a voice asked.
Boscha turned around and saw Luz standing in the doorway to the cafeteria, much to the surprise of Willow and Gus, and the horror of Amity, who was still watching from the secret door.
"Well, well, look who is is", Boscha said, "we were just talking about you."
"Leave them alone, Boscha", Luz said.
"Or what", Boscha asked, "you'll tape one of your little pieces of paper to me?"
"They're called glyphs", Luz said, "and I'll have you know that I've discovered lots of new ones."
"Please, I'm not scared of you", Boscha said.
"I'm not here to scare you", Luz said, "I've got something to say to you, and I'm not afraid to say it."
"Okay", Boscha said, "say it."
"Alright", Luz said, "you're a bully."
"What", Boscha asked.
"You're a selfish jerk who thinks she's better then everyone else", Luz said, "you look down on people you think are weaker than you, and all you ever to to them is make their lives a living hell by insulting and humiliating them without a single bit of regret."
"A girl's gotta have fun somehow", Boscha said, "besides, those two are just a couple of losers."
As the two spoke, Skara, Amelia, and Cat began to think more about Boscha.
"Willow and Gus aren't losers", Luz said, "they're amazing witches, and two of the best friends I could've asked for."
Willow and Gus felt happy hearing Luz say that.
"So quit picking on people you think are weak", Luz said, "all that does is make you a bully."
Luz left the cafeteria, and Boscha, now red in the face with anger, took off after her.
"Why, you", Boscha said, "I'll..."
But when she left the cafeteria, Luz was nowhere to be seen.
"Where are you, human", Boscha asked, "I know you're here somewhere!"
Back in the Secret Room of Shortcuts, Luz walked over to Amity.
"So", Luz asked, "what did you think?"
"What did I think", Amity asked, "I think what you did was super risky."
"Boscha was bullying Willow and Gus", Luz said, "what was I supposed to do?"
"I know you were just sticking up for them", Amity said, "but you put us at risk of getting discovered."
"She didn't see me go through the secret door on the lockers", Luz said.
"True, but she's probably curious now", Amity said.
"Amity, calm down", Luz said, "no one else knows except for Willow, Gus, and Bump, so I'm sure we'll be fine."
Amity let out a sigh.
"Okay", Amity said, "but you have to promise me you'll be more careful in the future."
"Alright", Luz said, "I promise."
"Good", Amity said, "now let's finish eating our lunches."
Back in the cafeteria, Boscha walked by Willow and Gus, who were both now unafraid of her and her bullying, and she looked at them, angrily.
"Come on, girls", Boscha said, "let's go."
But Boscha's friends didn't respond to her, much to her annoyance.
"I said let's go", Boscha said, "get over here, sit down, and let's eat lunch."
The three so-called friends of Boscha hurried over and sat down with her, and Boscha began to think to herself about Luz's unexpected appearance.
"Something strange is going on around here", Boscha thought.
Later that day, Boscha was in her final potions class for the day, and was following the teacher's instructions on how to make a potion to increase someone's reflexes, when she felt the wall behind her shake.
"Excuse me", Boscha said, "did you hear that?"
"Hear what", the teacher asked.
"Something made this wall shake", Boscha said.
"It was probably just something in another class", the teacher said, "don't worry about it."
"Alright", Boscha said.
But Boscha didn't think it was anything like that, and she began to think about Luz's surprise visit at lunch.
"I wonder if this is related to the human showing up out of nowhere", Boscha thought.
Then, she got an idea.
"Teacher", Boscha said, "can I get a hall pass, please?"
"Sure", the teacher said.
The teacher gave Boscha a hall pass, and she left the classroom and began looking around.
"There has to be some kind of clue around here that'll lead me to the human", Boscha said.
As Boscha walked along the halls, the skirt of her uniform got caught on one of the lockers.
"Hey, what gives", Boscha asked.
She pulled on her skirt in an attempt to get it un-stuck, and she managed to get it free, but also ended up opening a secret door.
"Huh", Boscha asked, "what's this?"
Boscha stepped inside and saw that she was in the Secret Room of Shortcuts.
"What is this place", Boscha asked.
Curious, Boscha began walking around, when she heard Luz's voice.
"There we go", Luz said, "all done."
Boscha followed the sound of Luz's voice and saw her and Amity next to a potion cauldron, both having cleaned up a mess that resulted from Amity's attempt at making the potion.
"Sorry about that, Luz", Amity said, "I guess I'm just not very good at potions."
"Hey, it's okay", Luz said, "like I told you at Bard class, you can do any kind of magic if you just keep trying."
"Alright", Amity said, "I'll give it another shot."
"That's it", Luz said, "now, let's take another look at those directions."
Neither of them noticed that Boscha was spying on them, and the three-eyed witch girl had an evil grin on her face.
"Gotcha", Boscha said.
Boscha hurried out of the room and closed the secret door behind her.
"Amity and the human's days are numbered now", Boscha said, "they're in for quite the surprise after school."
Skara, who happened to be walking through the halls as well, watched Boscha walk away with concern, and later, when the final bell screamed, Boscha happily made her way to the school doors.
"I can't wait to see the look on those two's faces", Boscha said.
She then bumped into someone and fell over.
"Hey", Boscha said, "watch where you're..."
She looked up and saw Skara, Amelia, and Cat standing in front of her.
"Oh, it's you guys", Boscha said, "what do you want?"
"We want to know what you're up to, Boscha", Skara said.
"Yeah", Amelia said, "Skara told us she saw you in the hallway earlier."
"She said you came out through some secret door saying that Amity and the human were in for a surprise after school", Cat said.
"Care to explain what you meant by that", Skara asked.
"Well, if you must know, I found them in a secret room", Boscha said.
"A secret room", Amelia asked.
"Yes", Boscha said, "it looked like they were watching my potions class and trying to learn along."
"Sounds like they were attending school without anyone even knowing they were there", Skara said.
"Yeah", Cat said, "who knows how long they've been doing this."
"I hadn't thought that they might've been doing this for a while", Boscha said, "I'd better be sure to mention that."
Boscha began walking away, but her friends stopped her.
"Hold it", Skara said, "mention that to who?"
"The Emperor's Coven, of course", Boscha said, "those two are wanted by them."
"What", Skara, Amelia, and Cat asked.
"If the human and Amity are in Hexside, then they have a right to know about it", Boscha said, "besides, I'm sure to get some kind of reward from them for handing them over."
"You can't do that, Boscha", Skara said.
"Why not", Boscha asked.
"Because Amity and Luz aren't doing anything wrong", Cat said, "they're just trying to get an education."
"Sure, they may be doing it without anyone knowing, but that's not something you should rat them out for", Amelia said.
"I can't just let a couple of criminals like them roam around this school in secret and get away with it", Boscha said, "now out of my way so I can tell the coven."
The three girls, who knew that it wasn't about Luz and Amity being wanted by the Emperor's Coven, refused to move, much to Boscha's fury.
"I said move", Boscha said.
"No", Skara said, "we can't let you do this."
"I'm warning you", Boscha said, "get out of my way, or else."
"Do your worst", Amelia said.
"Alright", Boscha said, "if you insist."
Boscha grinned as she made a spell circle, and meanwhile, Luz was busy painting something.
"Almost done", Luz said, "there!"
Luz had finished modifying Amity's Hexside uniform to reflect her newfound desire to study all the tracks at Hexside: her right sleeve was still the color of the Abominations track, her left sleeve was now the color of the Plant track, her right legging was now the color of the Bard track, and her left legging was now the color of the Healing track.
"Wow", Amity said, "I still can't believe this is actually happening."
"Believe it", Luz said, "you and me are gonna learn about all the different kinds of magic they teach here together."
"I'm really looking forward to this, Luz", Amity said.
"Me too", Luz said, "anyways, we should probably be going now."
"Alright", Amity said.
Amity got her things together and followed Luz to the exit.
"I can't wait to see Mom's reaction when I tell her I'm studying all nine tracks", Amity said.
But when they opened the door to the exit, they found someone waiting for them.
"Going somewhere", Boscha asked.
Accompanying Boscha were two members of the Emperor's Coven.
"Crap", Luz said.
"Here they are", Boscha said.
"Thank you, Boscha", one of the coven members said.
The two coven members walked over to Luz and Amity and looked down on them.
"So", the first coven member said, "we meet again."
"We've been wondering when we'd next encounter you", the second coven member said.
Amity could recognize their voices, and they removed their masks and hoods to reveal that they were none other than Odalia and Alador Blight.
"You", Amity said.
"Hello, Amity", Luz said, "and you too, human."
"What do you want", Luz asked.
"Isn't it obvious", Odalia asked, "we've come to take you two to the Emperor."
"How'd you find out we were herw", Amity asked.
"We have Boscha to thank for that", Odalia said, "she came to us and said that she discovered the both of you in a secret room within the walls of Hexside."
Luz and Amity turned to Boscha, who was wearing her grudgby uniform, but it looked different than it normally was, as her shirt, chestplate, and shorts had color schemes similar to those of Skara, Cat, and Amelia respectively.
"You told them", Luz asked.
"That's right", Boscha said, "and now you've just been caught."
"I don't believe this", Luz said.
"I do", Amity said, "because she's the biggest jerk in the whole school."
"Oh, yeah, good point", Luz said, "also, Boscha, why are you wearing your grudgby uniform?"
"None of your business", Boscha said.
No one was aware that Boscha had turned her friends into parts of her grudgby uniform to keep them from getting in her way.
"Anyways, I'm gonna go now", Boscha said, "I'll let you two take it from here."
Boscha walked away, leaving Luz and Amity with the Blight parents.
"So, you two thought you could go to school without getting caught, did you", Odalia asked.
"We might've gotten away with it if Luz hadn't gone to call Boscha out", Amity said.
"I was standing up for Willow and Gus", Luz said, "but I guess it might've had something to do with Boscha finding us."
"Well, you two are really going to get it once we turn you in to Emperor Belos", Odalia said.
"Yes", Alador said, "I can only imagine what he'll do to you."
"I'm sure we'll find out what his plans for the human are once we bring her to him", Odalia said, "and he'll probably petrify Amity."
As Luz and Amity looked at each other with scared expressions, Principal Bump walked over to them.
"What's going on here", Principal Bump asked.
"Don't mind us", Odalia said, "we're just getting ready to take these two to the Emperor."
Principal Bump noticed that they had captured Luz and Amity.
"Hold on a minute", Principal Bump said, "they haven't done anything wrong."
"They are wanted by the Emperor himself", Odalia said, "we have a right to bring them to him."
"Yes", Alador said, "and it would be a shame if we found out you were willingly harboring them in your school."
Alador's comment made Principal Bump feel nervous.
"Come on", Odalia said, "let's go."
"Wait", a voice said.
Odalia and Alador turned in the direction the voice came from, and they found Willow and Gus standing near them.
"Well, if it isn't Willow Park", Odalia said, "and the Illusion boy whose name escapes me at the moment."
"My name is Gus", Gus said.
"Whatever", Odalia said, "this doesn't concern either one of you."
"Yes it does", Willow said, "Luz and Amity are our friends, and we won't let you take them away."
"I'm warning you", Odalia said, "walk away now before you regret it."
"No way", Willow said, "just like our friends have our backs when we're in trouble, we have theirs."
"That's right", Gus said, "we're going to stick up for them just like they would for us, and we won't back down for anyone, not even you two."
Willow and Gus' bravery made Luz and Amity feel happy.
"In that case, perhaps we can make a deal", Odalia said.
"What kind of deal", Willow asked.
"We'll allow these two to go free and act as if this never happened in exchange for one thing from you two", Odalia said.
"What is it", Gus asked.
"Your expulsion from Hexside", Odalia said.
Luz and Amity gasped in horror at what Odalia had suggested, and Willow and Gus were shocked as well.
"Hold on", Principal Bump said, "you can't just..."
"As members of the Parent Creature Assosiation, we certainly can", Odalia said.
"We can also recommend faculty who should be fired", Alador said.
Principal Bump became nervous upon hearing the possibility of losing his job, and he turned to Willow and Gus.
"Well, you two", Principal Bump said, "what will it be?"
Willow and Gus looked at Luz and Amity.
"Don't do it, guys", Luz said, "don't get yourselves expelled for us."
"Yeah", Amity said, "we're not worth as much as your education at Hexside."
"You're wrong", Willow said, "you guys are worth more than some stupid school."
"Yeah", Gus said, "your friendship is everything to us."
The two turned back to Odalia and Alador.
"You've got yourself a deal", Willow said.
"Very well", Odalia said, "Principal Bump, if you would."
Principal Bump walked over to Willow and Gus, his face full of regret.
"Willow Park, Agustus Porter", Principal Bump said, "you are hereby expelled from Hexside School of Magic and Demonics."
Willow and Gus hung their heads down.
"Very good", Odalia said.
"Now that that settled, it's time we held up our end of the bargain", Alador said, "Amity, human, you're both free to go."
Odalia and Alador walked away, and Amity gave the former a angry glare as they walked past, and once they were gone, Principal Bump looked at the four now former students.
"I'm sorry", Principal Bump said, "I truly am."
Principal Bump walked away, and Luz and Amity went over to Willow and Gus.
"Why would you guys do something like that", Luz asked.
"You're our friends", Willow said, "it's what friends to."
"But getting yourselves expelled from Hexside", Amity asked.
"It wasn't that hard a decision to make", Willow said, "we had to choose between school and our friends, so we chose our friends."
"We can always find another school to go to", Gus said, "but we'll never find another pair of friends like you two."
"Our parents will definitely be furious when they find out we've been expelled", Willow said, "but at least we can go to bed at the end of the day knowing that we helped our friends out."
"Aww", Luz said, "thanks, you guys."
Luz pulled Willow and Gus in to a group hug, and Amity joined in too.
"Well, we should probably go now", Luz said, "see you around, I guess."
"Yeah", Willow said, "maybe."
Luz and Amity began making their way back to the Owl House, and Willow and Gus went on their way to their own homes, both wondering how they would explain to their parents what had happened.
AN: That thing about Boscha turning Skara, Amelia, and Cat into her grudgby uniform was inspired by a chat me and 3 had a while back. Like the idea of Amity melting from getting lovestruck enough about Luz, I thought it was a nice idea, so I incorporated it into my story. Anywho, we're at about the halfway point in this story, and things are really starting to heat up. Stay tuned for more.