Between Worlds (The Owl House AU)

Luz held a glowing light ball in her hands, her nerves on edge. "I'm not ready for this, Eda. Maybe we should go back."

"Nah, kid, you've got this. Just do what we practiced," Eda replied, trying to boost Luz's confidence.

"But what if… what if I mess up? Or do something wrong? What if I die?"

"Hey, calm down. I had to do the same thing when I was a witchling, and so did Finn, as far as I know. It's like a rite of passage—granted, I was a little more skilled," Eda said, her eyes drifting as she reminisced.

"Eda."

"Right, right, sorry! Now, get pumped!"

"Pumped!"

"Get ready."

"Ready!" Luz pulled her cowl over her head.

"Now GO!" Eda gave her a firm push, ushering her onto the stage.

The stage was set with a single spotlight at the center. A banner above read: Hexside School: Entrance Exams. As the curtain rose, Luz stepped into the light, fully cloaked. Spinning dramatically, she proclaimed, "From humblest of beginnings, a human will rise! I have traveled from another realm…" She strode forward, waving her arms for effect. "…and trained with a powerful witch to master dark, forbidden magic. I am… Luz Noceda!" She twirled, tossing off her cloak to reveal herself, arms raised confidently.

The audience consisted solely of Principal Bump, clipboard in hand, and Finn, who was recording the scene with his scroll while stifling laughter. He gave Luz an encouraging thumbs-up.

Luz awkwardly laughed. "Confetti!" She tossed a handful into the air, hoping to ease the tension.

Without looking up, Bump muttered, "The human who wants to be a witch. Against my better judgment, I've allowed you to take this exam. But can you even do magic with all your… human parts?" He wiggled his fingers skeptically.

"Oh, don't worry, Principal Bump," Finn interjected with a chuckle. "Luz is going to show you something unforgettable."

"And might I ask, why are you recording this exam, Mr. Whispers?" Bump's raised eyebrow betrayed his suspicion.

Finn stammered, "Uh… to review students' magic! To show what not to do?"

Bump's expression softened. "A wonderful idea, Mr. Whispers. I'll propose this to the school board at our next meeting."

Finn blinked in disbelief "That actually worked? I mean yes, I would love for this idea to work." Before forcing a smile.

"Now, show Principal Bump your magic!" Finn urged Luz.

"I sure can!" Luz unzipped her fanny pack and pulled out two pieces of paper. "It's said humans can't do magic," she began, spreading the papers—one with a light glyph and another with an ice glyph—on the floor. "But I've discovered a lost technique that changes everything!"

Bump leaned forward, intrigued. Eda, offstage, gave two enthusiastic thumbs-up, while Finn whispered to himself, "And… live stream."

Luz tapped the light glyph, creating a floating ball of light. She then placed the ice glyph beneath it and tapped it, summoning a small ice pillar to support the light. Grinning, she finished with jazz hands.

"Spells cast with paper?" Bump mused, stroking his chin. "I've never seen such a thing. But is it enough to pass?"

"Sir, if I may?" Finn chimed in. "Luz has worked so hard to learn magic. I believe she—"

Their conversation was cut short by Luz. "If that's not impressive, how about this?" She flipped her eyelids inside out. "Bleep bloop bleep!"

Bump's frown deepened.

"Ow, ow—eyelash!" Luz yelped, losing her balance. She slipped on the melted ice, tumbling off the stage and landing on Bump. Her glyph papers scattered around her. "Sorry, sorry, sorry!" she stammered, scrambling to untangle herself. In the chaos, she accidentally activated an ice glyph, forming another pillar that flipped her upside-down. "I failed, didn't I?" she whimpered.

"Believe it or not, I've seen worse," Bump said flatly.

Luz grinned sheepishly before crashing to the floor. "Welcome, Luz, to Hexside's School of Magic and Demonics!" Bump announced, dropping a booklet onto her head.

"Hooray," Luz mumbled weakly, still dazed.

Finn checked his scroll. "Huh. Only ten likes." He sighed, stowing it away. "There goes my Penstagram fame… I mean, uh, a great way to promote this idea, sir!"

=======

Eda and Luz soared toward Hexside on Owlbert. Luz fidgeted in her new Hexside uniform—a grey outfit with white sleeves and leggings that stood out from the typical student attire. Her panic was palpable.

"Um, we've got to go back. This was a mistake! I'll mess things up again, and everyone will see and—"

"Alright, alright, calm down." Eda interrupted, trying to steady Luz's nerves. "What's got you so worked up? You've been to school before."

"That's the problem!" Luz blurted. "At my human school, I didn't exactly make a great first impression. This is my chance to be seen as something other than a screw-up." Her determined expression betrayed the anxiety bubbling underneath.

Eda smirked and offered her unique brand of wisdom. "Hey, don't worry about what those dorks think. If you want my advice? Walk into class and punch the first kid you see. Establish dominance."

Luz let out a reluctant laugh. "Yeah, that's not happening, but… thanks, Eda." Somehow, the absurdity of the advice helped her relax.

As they landed in front of the school, Luz hopped off and slung her backpack over her shoulder. Eda rummaged through her own bag and held up one of her homemade patches. "Last chance to back out and earn a new 'Bad Girl Coven' patch. Quitting—it's like trying, but easier."

Luz rolled her eyes but grinned. "Tempting, but nah. I'll just earn it when I quit showering. Bye, Eda!"

"Hold up!" Eda detached her right hand and lobbed it at Luz, landing it squarely on her head. "Just try not to be too much of a goody Luz shoes. You got this, kid," she said, reattaching her hand.

"Thanks, Eda." Luz smiled, then reached into her backpack and pulled out two sock puppets—one resembling her, the other Eda. "Actually, I wrote a heartfelt song to commemorate this occasion—"

"Whoops! Looks like a gust of wind got me. See you after school. Byeee!" Eda cut her off and flew away, clearly dodging the impending performance.

Luz held up the puppet resembling Eda. "You're gonna do great, kid!" it said in a mock voice.

"Thanks, puppet Eda," Luz replied earnestly.

"So, should I be worried about you talking to puppets, or…?" a voice behind her said.

"AHHH!" Luz yelped, spinning around to see Finn standing there, grinning. "Oh, Finn! Sorry, I guess I'm a little nervous about my first day."

Finn chuckled. "Well, before you go in, allow me to bestow upon you the ceremonial New Student Hat!" With a flourish, he summoned a hat from a portal and plopped it onto Luz's head.

"Oh, wow!" Luz beamed as she admired the hat, then gave it a curious look. "Huh… it kinda looks like a jester's cap." She jingled one of the bells dangling from the ends.

Finn suppressed a laugh. "A jester's cap, you say? Never heard of it. But if you're done chatting with sock Eda, we should head in. Willow and Goops have been waiting for you at the entrance all morning."

=======

The front of Hexside was abuzz with the start of the new semester. A massive banner reading Welcome to the New Semester hung proudly above the gate. Students from various tracks mingled—an abomination track girl walked by with a stack of books, while a boy from the construction track tied his unicorn to a bike rack.

Luz stood at the gate, her eyes wide with wonder. After a few moments of wandering in awe, she bumped into Amity, who was accompanied by an abomination carrying her books.

"Hey, Luz! Congrats on getting in—and not being stuck in the baby class," Amity said, offering a small smile. Her abomination mimicked her gestures awkwardly. "Uh, nice hat, Luz. It looks… great on you."

"I know, doesn't she look great?" Finn grinned.

Amity frowned. "Oh, I forgot you were here."

"What a coincidence. I forgot you were here too," Finn shot back, matching her scowl.

"Okay, okay, that's enough." Luz stepped between them before they could escalate. "Thanks, Amity. Up top!" Luz raised her hand for a high five. Amity obliged, but her abomination also high-fived—directly onto Luz's face.

"Bleh!" Luz wiped the goo from her face. "Wow, my first day at Hexside—a chance to discover my true magical potential!" She clasped her hands dramatically. "And maybe meet a hot, yet vulnerable, upperclassman!"

"Dream on."

Luz jumped at the sound of a familiar voice. She looked down and found King poking out of her backpack. "King?!"

"Boop," King said, booping her nose with his paw.

"Why are you in my bag?"

"You're my free ride to the best buffet in town!" King declared before leaping into a nearby trash can. "These trash cans are full of half-eaten gold!" He held up a half-eaten doughnut as proof.

"Okay, but if anyone asks, you don't know me." Luz huffed and walked away, glaring at him over her shoulder.

"Just ignore him," Finn said, picking up King and holding him eye level. "Look, just don't do anything stupid today, alright? This is an important day for Luz, and the last thing she needs is you ruining it." He dropped King back into the trash.

King waved dismissively. "Have a wonderful school day, people I don't know!"

As Luz and Finn approached the school entrance, they were greeted enthusiastically by Willow and Gus.

"Luz!" they called in unison.

"Hello, fellow Hexoleos!" Luz responded with a grin.

"Willow! Goops!" Finn added.

"Luz, why are you wearing that weird hat?" Willow asked, raising an eyebrow.

"What are you talking about? I'm wearing the official Hexside new student hat!" Luz said proudly.

Willow glanced at Finn, who was barely holding back laughter. "And who told you that?"

"Finn!" Luz exclaimed, glaring at him.

"What?" Finn said innocently. "Technically, it is a hat, and you are a new student. I never said it was Hexside's official hat."

Willow sighed, shaking her head. "Alright, enough of that." She plucked the hat off Luz and tossed it aside. "The important thing is, you did it! You're a student at Hexside now!"

"You did it, Luz!" Gus chimed in, conjuring an illusion of floating words that read, Better Luck Next Time! Willow shot him a disapproving look. "Sorry," Gus said sheepishly, dismissing the illusion. "I was, uh, covering all the bases."

Willow pointed toward nine banners displayed in front of the school. "Do you know who those witches are?"

"The heads of the nine main covens," Luz said confidently.

"AKA, jerks who want to control you," Finn added sarcastically.

Willow ignored him. "Each one excelled at magic schools like Glandus, St. Epiderm, and, of course, Hexside. Are you ready to walk these hallowed halls?"

Luz looked up at the school, determination gleaming in her eyes. "That's what I'm going to figure out right now!" She sprinted up the stairs. "See you on the other side, friends!"

"See you later, Luz!" Gus conjured another illusion, this time reading, Goodbye Forever! "You know what? I'm just going to stop doing these," he muttered, dispelling the words.

"Good call, Goops," Finn said. He cast a spell that reshaped the illusion letters into a solid fist, which gently but firmly pounded Gus into the ground.

"Ow…" Gus groaned. "Even though I'm in a lot of pain right now, I really want to know how you did that."

"Maybe later, Goops." Finn smirked and turned to Willow. "Willow." He gave her a small nod before following Luz toward Principal Bump's office.

=======

Principal Bump sat in his office, reading a book on his desk while a crystal ball displayed the news.

"A terrible development at Glandus High School—students and teachers have been found unconscious and without magic. The cause remains unknown."

Bump chuckled at the report. "Ha! Take that, Glandus! Looks like this year's Grudgeby match is going to be a forfeit."

Suddenly, Luz burst into the office. "Hiya, Princy B!" she greeted, flashing him double finger guns. "Can I call you that?"

"If so, can you call me Grand Master Finn?" Finn quipped from the corner. "I read in one of Goops' magazines that's what you call a great musician."

"Absolutely not, to both of you," Bump interjected firmly. "Now, listen up. Today, we will be visited by the Emperor's Coven for a routine inspection. If we want to impress them, you'll need to join a coven track before they arrive."

"Actually, Principal Bump, I've made my own schedule!" Luz declared, pulling out a ridiculously long list.

Finn rolled his eyes. "Day one, and already Luz is telling Bump how to run the school," he muttered.

"First, vet care for mythical beasts. Then healing and dealing, and after lunch—"

Bump interrupted her with a laugh. "Studying multiple tracks at once? No one does that!"

"Then I'll be the first!" Luz declared confidently.

"Luz, please try to overthrow the school's teaching curriculum after the first week," Finn pleaded, massaging his temples.

Bump raised a hand to silence them both. "That's quite enough, Mr. Whispers. I've got this. No, you won't, Ms. Noceda." He grabbed the school rulebook and pointed to a passage. "According to the rules, a good witch needs to hocus focus. You can only pick one of the nine tracks." He gestured to the banners hanging on the wall. "And you do not want to embarrass me in front of the inspector."

"But all the tracks are so cool!" Luz whined. "Isn't there some enchanted article of clothing that could sort this out for me?"

Bump glanced away nervously. "Well, there used to be, but—"

Finn clamped a hand on her shoulder. "Trust me, Luz. The less you know about that thing, the better." Both he and Bump shivered at the memory.

Luz sighed. "I don't know if I can choose just one…"

"Then I'll choose for you!" Bump declared. "Eeny, meeny, miny, moe!" He pointed to the banner on the far left. "Ah, yes—the potions track. You humans are filled with liquids, right?" With a flick of his wrist, he cast a spell that turned the sleeves of Luz's uniform yellow.

"Oh! I guess I've always liked pouring things into other things," Luz said, admiring her new track colors.

"I expect you to be on your best behavior," Bump warned. "Given the costly repairs from recent incidents, we could really use a donation from the Emperor's Coven." He walked over to a bulletin board covered with photos of Luz's mishaps, alongside a massive repair bill. "To make sure you behave, I'm assigning my assistant, Mr. Whispers, to keep an eye on you. Now, off to class!" He cast another spell, levitating Luz out of the office.

"You can count on me, Principal Bump, to keep Luz out of trouble," Finn said confidently.

"I'm sure I can, Mr. Whispers. Now get to class—"

Before Bump could finish, the sound of shattering glass filled the room. He turned to the window and gasped. "The Choosey Hat! It broke free!"

"Well, that's my cue to leave. Byeee!" Finn bolted for the door. "Huh. Now I see why Eda says that before leaving somewhere."

=======

Finn and Luz sat together at a table in the Potions 101 classroom. The teacher stood at the front, brimming with excitement.

"Welcome to a new semester!" they announced. "Let's get stirring! Today, we'll be making fog brews." The teacher held up a round vial filled with glowing yellow liquid before throwing it at their feet. The potion erupted into a puff of purple smoke, and the teacher reappeared in front of the class. "Begin!"

Luz eagerly poured a test tube of liquid into the cauldron on their table. "See? Potions are fun! You could spend the rest of your life studying this, right?"

Finn followed suit, pouring his ingredients. "Well, potions are a profitable business. You can actually make a living just writing down recipes." He nodded toward a classmate, prompting Luz to look. "See Boscha over there? Both her moms run a successful potions business."

Their conversation was cut short by the sound of an explosion outside. Both turned to the window and saw Willow and an oracle track student preparing to duel in a field. The oracle student held out a crystal ball, summoning a ghost.

"The Oracle track," Luz said, mesmerized.

Willow cast a spell, slamming her hand onto the ground. A giant plant with eyes and fangs sprouted from the earth, its four petals unfurling.

"The Plant track," Luz marveled as the ghost and the plant collided. "Wow…"

Finn tapped Luz's shoulder, snapping her out of her thoughts. "Uh, Luz."

She turned to see her unattended cauldron spewing green fog across the classroom.

"Sorry, sorry!" Luz scrambled to stir her potion.

The bell rang, ending class. As Luz and Finn walked out, Luz rotated her arm. "Oh boy, stirring is the pits. What's next on the schedule?" She pulled out her list, which was entirely filled with potions classes. She pouted. "Aw, man. Sorry, elbow."

"At least you won't be in any mortal danger here," Finn yawned. "But yeah, this class is boring. Good thing I chose the Bard track."

Luz spotted the oracle track student putting away a crystal ball. "A crystal ball… Maybe it can show me if I'm on the right track? No, don't be tempted. It's your first day—make a good impression."

"Good call, Luz," Finn said, suddenly serious. "I tried oracle magic once, and let me tell you: ghosts are jerks." He walked off, oblivious to Luz already holding one of the crystal balls.

A ghost emerged from the crystal ball. "You will be in trouble very sooooon," it said ominously.

Luz's eyes widened. "Wow… Wait, what did you say?"

Finn grabbed the crystal ball. "It said, 'Put it down before you get in trouble.'" But it was too late. A throat cleared behind them.

They turned to find Principal Bump glaring at them.

As Bump dragged Luz through the halls, she tried to explain. "I wasn't studying other subjects! I, uh, fog brew!" She threw her potion to the ground, hoping to disappear in the smoke. It failed miserably. "Yeah, I figured that wouldn't work."

King popped his head out of a nearby trash can. "King! Vouch for my character!" Luz begged.

"I don't know you!" King said with a wink.

Luz scowled as Bump pushed her into a dimly lit room. "What is this place?"

"This is where troublemakers go," Bump said, casting a spell to turn Luz's sleeves from yellow to gray. "The detention track."

Finn protested. "Sir, is this necessary? She only touched a crystal ball."

"It's absolutely necessary. And since it was your job to keep her out of trouble, you're joining her." With another spell, Finn's red sleeves turned gray.

"NOOOOO!" both Luz and Finn screamed.

Luz tried to reason. "But this can't be the detention track! I thought—"

Bump cut her off. "Actual detention is under repair. For now, troublemakers stay here—far from the inspector's eyes. We'll try a new track next year." He turned to leave.

"But I'll be back in the human world by then!"

"Maybe you'll do better in human school," Bump said, closing the door.

Luz sat at a table, looking around at the other students. "Hello, fellow detentioners. Room for two more?" Silence. "I like the little spiky things in your hair," she complimented a girl wearing a hairband.

When the girl didn't respond, Luz whispered to Finn, "Hey, do you—"

"Just sit down and stay quiet, Luz," Finn snapped, clearly upset.

The detention teacher scowled. "Keep it down, or you'll be scrubbing the classroom again!"

"Hey, don't blame them!" Luz said. "I'm the one who started talking."

"Luz, just sit down and be quiet," Finn muttered.

"Oh, hooray, a hero," the teacher said sarcastically. They summoned mops and buckets, shoving them into Luz and Finn's hands.

"Wait, what did I do?" Finn protested.

"You were talking to her, so start cleaning."

As they scrubbed in silence, the spiky-haired girl smiled at them, her fishhook earring glinting in the dim light.

=======

As Luz and Finn polished the metal bars on the detention room windows, a teacher walked by with a group of small children.

"Alright, kids, who wants to go on a field trip to the astral planes?" the teacher asked cheerfully. The children erupted in excited cheers.

"I do," Luz said wistfully.

"And I'd rather not be in detention right now," Finn grumbled. "But we don't always get what we want, now do we?"

"Luz!" Willow called, running up to the window with Gus beside her.

Luz's face lit up. "Oh my gosh, I missed you both so much! Let me squeeze your faces!" She reached through the bars and squished Willow's cheeks, much to her annoyance.

"That looks like fun. Let me try." Finn joined in, squishing Willow's lips. Mocking her voice, he said, "Hello, my name's Willow, and I love plants. One time, I even asked my friends to bury me in the ground from the neck down so I could grow like one."

Willow glared at Finn, but Gus quickly interjected. "Uh, what's going on? We didn't see you in any classes."

"Principal Bump put me in the detention track for mixing magic," Luz explained.

"And he put me here because I was supposed to stop Luz from mixing magic," Finn added, glaring at her. "Seriously, Luz, we both have Eda as a teacher. If you want to mix magic, learn it from her. If you want to stay in magic school, suck it up like the rest of us and memorize what they teach you."

"The detention track?" Willow was shocked. "You can't do anything in there!"

"You'll learn less than you did before," Gus added matter-of-factly.

Luz's eyes widened in terror. "No, I'm better than this! Please, you have to help me break out."

"The fact that you said me and not we says a lot about our friendship," Finn muttered, crossing his arms.

Luz gave a sheepish laugh, realizing her mistake.

"Don't worry, we'll get you out—dead or alive," Gus offered.

Willow squinted at Gus and shook her head. "Alive," she corrected.

"Aww, you guys…" Luz started, but a sudden noise cut her off.

"It's the teacher!" she whispered, spinning around. But it wasn't the teacher. It was another detention student.

"Huh, it's you!" Luz said, recognizing the girl.

The girl raised a finger to her lips and shushed them. She pointed to the sleeping teacher in the room and then waved for Luz and Finn to follow her to the chalkboard. Taking a piece of chalk, she drew a square with a keyhole in the center and turned the chalk like a key. The square's edges glowed, revealing a secret passageway.

"Whoa," Luz breathed.

The girl climbed through the opening and offered a hand to help Luz in. Luz turned to see Finn drawing a beard and six eyes on the sleeping teacher's face. Alarmed, she whispered, "Finn, come on!"

Satisfied with his artwork, Finn climbed through the passage.

"What is this place?" Luz asked, looking around.

The girl poked Luz in the chest. "This is the last room you'll ever see alive."

Finn stepped up behind the girl and locked her in a headlock. "Oh yeah? We'll just see who makes it out of here alive, then."

The girl flailed. "Ah! Sorry, sorry! I was just messing with you!"

Finn released her, and the girl caught her breath. "I'm Viney," she introduced herself.

"I'm terrified—I mean, I'm Luz," Luz stammered.

"And I'm your worst nightmare if you threaten us again. Or just call me Finn," Finn quipped.

Backing away from Finn, Viney turned to Luz. "Thanks for standing up for us earlier. Not many people would do that. Follow me—I want to show you something."

She led them to a door with a "KEEP OUT!" sign. "You're one of us troublemakers now, so you get special access to The Secret Room of Shortcuts."

She opened the door, revealing a towering room lined with doors on every surface—even the ceiling.

"Whoa," Luz said, awestruck.

"I've seen better," Finn deadpanned.

Viney called out, "Hey! Jerbo! Barcus! You can stop hiding now!"

A door creaked open, revealing two other students.

"How do we know they're cool?" Jerbo asked nervously. He glanced at Barcus. "What do you think?"

"Ruff!" Barcus barked.

Jerbo translated. "Barcus says the girl's aura is strong and silly, like a baby's laughter. The boy's aura is icy and dark, like a howling blizzard. Welcome."

Luz beamed. "I love secret rooms! Where do the doors lead?" She opened one, and Finn joined her to peek through. It led to a locker in one of the school's hallways.

In the hallway, Amity was monologuing to herself. "So you go to the same school now. That doesn't change anything." She sighed.

Seeing an opportunity, Finn cast a spell, launching a snowball at Amity's head. It hit with a satisfying thwack before he closed the door. "Bullseye!" he chuckled.

"Finn, that wasn't nice!" Luz scolded.

Finn rolled his eyes.

"This place connects to different parts of the school," Viney explained. "We found it after being thrown into the detention track. The witch who made it is known as…" She gestured to a graffiti-covered portrait. "Lord Calamity."

Jerbo nodded reverently. "They started the troublemaker wall. We added our names in their honor."

"Do you want to add your names?" Viney offered Luz a pen.

Before Luz could answer, Willow's voice echoed through the hall. "Luz! We're here to get you out!"

Luz froze. "Uh, they're probably looking for some other Luz."

Gus and Willow searched the classroom frantically, calling out for Luz.

"Maybe she already booked it," Gus suggested, glancing around. "She did say she was better than this place."

Willow cupped her hands around her mouth and whistled, trying to call Luz out like a pet.

Hearing this, Viney's expression darkened. "Oh, you think you're better than us?"

Luz immediately tried to explain, her voice shaky. "No, no! It's not like that. I just didn't think I deserved—I mean, none of us deserve—"

Finn cut her off by placing a hand over her mouth. "It's no use, Luz. Digging that grave any deeper isn't going to help us here."

"J'accuse!" Jerbo suddenly declared, pointing at Luz dramatically. "I should've known you'd look down on us. Everyone else does!"

Barcus let out a loud sneeze.

This time, Finn translated. "He said, 'You have an aura of lies.'"

Viney stepped closer, her disappointment evident. "It's fine. I just… I thought someone finally understood us. But maybe you both should just leave."

Luz's shoulders slumped, her voice heavy with regret. "I understand."

Before Finn followed her, he turned back to face Viney and the others. "We do understand wanting to mix magic. But if you want people to take it seriously, you have to prove it can be done. Hiding away like rats in the walls won't change anything."

With that, he joined Luz, and they left the room together.

=======

Willow and Gus were still scanning the classroom for Luz when Gus took a closer look at the sleeping teacher's face. He squinted, tilting his head.

"Huh, whoever did this has good taste but is a little sloppy with their work. Man, this guy can sleep through anything," Gus observed. Picking up a mop, he added with a mischievous grin, "I'm going to test that theory."

Willow quickly stopped him. "No! We have to find Luz." She placed her hand on the chalkboard in frustration. "If only these walls could talk."

To their surprise, part of the chalkboard swung open, revealing Luz and Finn.

"Hey, guys," Luz greeted in a downcast tone, sliding herself out of the opening before collapsing onto the floor. Finn crawled out after her, looking less than thrilled.

"Thank you, walls." Willow helped Luz to her feet. "We've found a way to get you out so you can talk to Principal Bump."

Gus bolted out of the classroom and returned triumphantly, dragging a trash can. "We have an expert disguise!" he announced. "Hop in! It's got holes for your dangling teenage legs."

Luz glanced back at the chalkboard door as it swung shut. "Yeah, that's… exactly where I belong." She sighed, defeated, and climbed into the trash can.

Finn crossed his arms, rolling his eyes. "Since no one even remembers that I'm here, I think I'll pass on the trash can and just walk next to you guys."

Unbothered, Gus held up the trash can lid like it was the final touch on a masterpiece. "And this way, the inspector won't see you, either!"

Resigned, Luz started walking while stuck inside the trash can, awkwardly waddling out of the classroom.

Before following, Gus returned to the sleeping teacher and carefully balanced the mop across their face. "Incredible," he whispered, marveling at how deeply the teacher slept.

=======

As the four of them made their way down the hall, Finn's patience finally snapped. "Alright, I can't stand the smell anymore," he grumbled, yanking Luz out of the trash can. With a casual toss, he sent the trash can flying down the hall, wincing slightly as the sound of breaking glass echoed. "I'm sure whatever that was wasn't too important."

Willow tried to cheer Luz up, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, Luz. Once we talk to Principal Bump, we'll get everything sorted out."

But Luz's shoulders sagged as she dragged her feet. "I know, but… what's the point if people get hurt along the way?"

Finn sighed, his tone softening. "Listen, Luz. Magic isn't always pretty. Sure, sometimes it's the most amazing thing you'll ever see, but it's also messy and dangerous. And you want to know the truth?" He met her eyes as she looked up curiously. "People—no matter what magic they use—will inevitably hurt others with it. So the question is, what are you going to do about it?"

Before Luz could respond, Gus suddenly pointed ahead, his eyes wide. "That's a fair question, Finn, but here's another one: WHAT THE HECK IS THAT?!"

The group turned to see a massive, snake-like creature chasing the Oracle Track teacher down the hall. The teacher spun around, casting a spell, but the creature devoured it with a lick of its lips, laughing as it advanced.

"More cute morsels," it hissed menacingly.

Willow stood her ground. "We may be cute, but we're nobody's morsels!" She summoned a giant plant from the floor.

"Time for a power-up!" Gus added, casting a spell that gave the plant muscular arms.

Finn reeled back in disgust. "That is the most horrifying thing I've seen today."

The plant lunged at the monster, but it was quickly swallowed whole.

Finn groaned. "Okay, I stand corrected. That is the most horrifying thing I've seen today."

Willow and Gus collapsed, drained of energy. "I feel so weak," Willow murmured, struggling to cast another spell.

Luz stepped in front of them, her resolve hardening. "Eat this!" She pulled out her notepad and activated an ice glyph, tossing it at the creature. When it consumed the glyph, the magic activated, freezing the monster in place for a moment.

"Wow, good job, Luz!" Finn said, picking up Willow and Gus. "I've got Goops and Willow. Let's get out of here!"

"Just follow me!" Luz led them to the Detention Track's secret hideout.

Inside, Viney glanced up with a raised eyebrow. "Oh, you're back."

Luz spoke quickly, her words tumbling out. "I'm sorry for hurting your feelings, but please listen—"

Finn interrupted, laying Willow down gently. "Uh, Luz? Willow needs help. Like, right now."

Viney rushed over. "What happened to her?"

"Something horrible is loose in the school!" Luz exclaimed, opening one of the doors to reveal the monster.

"Don't let it see us!" Viney slammed the door shut. "I think that's a greater basilisk, I've heard about them in a class. My cousin at St. Epiderm said she saw one but, those things should be extinct."

Jerbo hesitated. "But if Bump catches us mixing magic again—"

"He'll kick us out," Viney finished.

Finn had had enough of the petty drama.

"ARE YOU SERIOUS?!" he shouted, his voice startling everyone in the room.

"The school is being attacked by a magic-eating monster, and your first thought is how not to get in trouble with Principal Bump?" He let out a deep sigh and turned to Luz.

"Listen, Luz, just stay here with the cowards. I'll go out there and solve this mess." Before leaving, he glared at the others.

"Some troublemakers you guys turned out to be."

As the basilisk slithered through the school halls, it muttered to itself, "Hungry. Still hungry."

"HEY! UGLY!" Finn shouted, drawing the basilisk's attention. "EAT THIS!" He unleashed a flurry of ice and fire.

But the basilisk devoured the magic with glee. "Ah, delicious! Your magic is like a fine-aged bottle of apple's blood."

Seeing his magic absorbed, Finn dropped to one knee before collapsing. "How? I have more power than most teachers…" he murmured, struggling to rise. He didn't notice a single streak of blonde appearing in his hair.

The basilisk moved closer, ready to strike. Suddenly, a piece of paper with an ice glyph flew in front of it, conjuring a pillar of ice that knocked it into the wall. A soft light shone on the icy structure as Luz stepped forward.

"From the humblest of beginnings, a hero will rise! I've dreamed of a secret society, discovering the power of mixing magic. I am—"

"Dinner!" the basilisk interrupted, lunging at Luz. She quickly grabbed Finn and bolted.

"I hope you've got a plan, Luz, because I think I—" Finn's sentence was cut off as he fell unconscious.

As the basilisk gave chase, Luz shouted to her friends. "Viney! Do the thing, do the thing!"

From the hallway ahead, a gryphon swooped down, tackling the basilisk and pinning it to the ground.

"Atta girl, Puddles!" Luz called out. "Jerbo, now!"

"On it!" Jerbo used his vines to open a trapdoor beneath the basilisk. At the same time, his abomination swung another door open above, causing the creature to fall through. Luz jumped after it, landing on its back to force it further down—straight into the auditorium.

Principal Bump, rushing to find help, stopped short as the basilisk crashed onto the stage.

Luz landed with a flip. "Woo! It's all you, Barcus!"

Barcus leapt in from the side, pouring a purple potion onto the basilisk's hand and reading its palm.

"What's he doing?!" the basilisk growled, confused. "What's he say?"

"He's reading your palm," Luz quipped, "and your future looks bleak."

At her signal, Jerbo's abomination cut a rope, releasing heavy sandbags that crashed onto the basilisk. The impact forced it to release all the magic it had absorbed, causing its body to wither.

As the magic returned to its rightful places, everyone who had been drained began to wake up.

"You did it!" Luz squealed. "You guys are amazing!"

Finn, regaining consciousness, stumbled forward. "I have to admit… you guys did good. I'm sorry for calling you cowards. In my book, you're—"

"—in so much trouble," Principal Bump interrupted. "Leaving your homeroom, mixing magic, and is that a secret hideout?" He pointed at the open ceiling door.

Finn straightened up. "Principal Bump, I know this looks bad, but these brave and brilliant students saved the school. And they did it by mixing magic."

Bump opened his rulebook. "Be that as it may, Mr. Whispers, the Emperor's Coven rules clearly state—"

"SIR!" Finn's glare silenced Bump. "These students risked their lives for Hexside. Many teachers and students owe them everything. Shouldn't they be allowed to study what they wish?"

Bump stammered. "B-but…"

"Do the right thing, you dingus!" Gus shouted.

Relenting, Bump sighed. "Alright, I know when I've made a mistake. What tracks would you like to be in?"

"Healing and Beast Keeping," said Viney.

"Plants and Abomination," said Jerbo.

Barcus barked, and Finn translated, "Potions and Oracle."

"Then so be it," Bump declared, casting a spell to change their sleeves to reflect their chosen tracks. "But if any of you cause more property damage, I'm feeding you to the Choosey Hat. And you, Luz?"

"Oh, I still can't choose! Maybe it's crazy, but I wish I could study a little of everything—whoa!" Luz floated into the air as her sleeves transformed into a mix of all nine track colors. "This is so cool! Yeah, yeah, I'm going to study everything!"

"And you, Mr. Whispers?"

"I'll stick with Bard," Finn replied. "Studying everything might cut into my classroom nap time."

Bump smirked. "Oh really? Such an excellent student should spread their wings." With that, Finn's sleeves also changed to all nine colors, matching Luz's.

"Yay! We match!" Luz cheered. "Now we're the same in school and with Eda!"

Finn groaned. "My sleep…"

"You know," Bump mused, "only one other student wanted to study every track." He revealed a painting of Lord Calamity, wiping off graffiti to show a younger Eda.

Luz gasped. "I should have guessed!"

"Really? Because it was obvious to me," Finn deadpanned.