Bless you

Amity got dressed and packed her school bag for the day, then went down to breakfast. With a sting of regret, she left the hot water bottle on her bed. As soon as the comforting warmth disappeared from her tummy, the cramps tightened their hold on her. She brought the jar of tea with her downstairs. She wanted - no she needed to have a cup before school.

"Morning, Mittens," Ed said as she stepped into the kitchen. Amity was immediately on her guard - if Ed was up, so was Em. "Sleep well?"

"I slept fine," she narrowed her eyes at him. He sounded all nice and calm, but he was very good at that. "Where's mom?"

"She left early. Want some tea?" Ed raised his own cup and gave her an innocent smile.

Amity blushed and glared at him.

"You know, it's nothing to be ashamed about, Mittens. Your uterus is just - "

"Don't talk about my uterus!" Amity snapped. She marched past him and picked up her lunch from the kitchen counter, then grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl. She had no intention of letting him make fun of her for the entirety of breakfast. She'd just head to school early and read in the library until the lessons started. Not like she'd had had time to do her homework last night anyway... She grabbed one of her mom's travel cups and poured some hot water into it.

"You'll need one of these." Ed waved a tea strainer.

Amity glanced at him, then looked in the cutlery drawer. There were no extras there.

"Give it."

"Uh-uh-uh, what's the magic word?"

"Just give it to her, Ed."

Amity turned around to see her older sister step into the room.

"What's eating you?" Ed gave her a grumpy look, then held out the tea strainer. Amity took it and started walking toward the door. "What, no breakfast?"

"Not going to stay here and let you tease me all morning, I'm not an idiot," Amity said darkly. She made it out into the hallway before Em appeared next to her. "What?!"

"Okay, you need to take it down a notch," Em gave her a reproachful look. "Just wanted to say..." she trailed off.

"What?" Amity demanded.

"Just wanted to say to find me at school if you need something," Em looked away.

"What?"

"I said - "

"No, I heard you - are you ill?"

"What, I can't be nice to my baby sister sometimes?"

"You're only nice to me when you want something."

"Well, I don't."

"I don't believe you." Amity started to walk away.

"I'm sorry about the diary thing, okay?"

Amity stopped, then looked over her shoulder. Em looked regretful, but she was very good at that.

"Oh yeah? Why don't you tell mom and dad about it. I'll believe you're sorry then." She didn't wait for Em to respond. It'd only be another lie.

She stopped just before the gate to Blight manor and got the tea ready. Then she realized she'd forgotten to put honey in it.

"Better bitter tea than bitter pill," she muttered.

When she arrived at Lilith's wall, she slowed down a tad. She put her hand out and took a breath.

When I'm at the end, I'll drink the tea, she told herself. Then it would have steeped for a while. One, two, three, four, five, six...

The tingling in her arm was wonderfully distracting. The cramps eased off slightly. She wished she could touch a wall all the way to school.

It was hard to drink the tea without honey, and she was very glad she'd brought the apple. She wished she'd brought something more for breakfast. She dug into her lunch bag to see if there was something she could eat while she was walking. The first thing she grabbed were some sandwiches.

Egg salad? This isn't my lunch!

She groaned - she'd taken Em's by mistake. Something crinkled as she stuffed the sandwich back into the bag. It was a note.

"'Be a good... older sister today'..." Amity read aloud. She turned the note over. That was it. She folded it slowly, then put it back in the bag. She found a pear. That was Em's favorite fruit. She hesitated a moment, then put it back.

She arrived at school in a rather thoughtful mood. Her lower belly and back were less tight than before she left home, but as soon as she sat down in the library, the pain level went up. She drained the last few bitter drops from the travel cup and gritted her teeth.

My bag is full of moon cloth. I have the tea. Today is going to be fine.

"Eda?" Luz knocked on the door to Eda's room.

An answering "What?" came from the inside.

"Are you okay? It's almost eleven. And you haven't had breakfast."

"... Not having a good day, kid."

"Oh, okay... Can I come in?"

"Sure..."

The door creaked open. All the curtains were drawn.

"Oof, close the door, you're letting all the dark out."

Luz smiled. At least she was making jokes.

"Yesterday was a bit much, huh?" she said in a sympathetic voice.

Eda looked up at her for a moment before answering.

"Yeah. Been a while since," Eda grimaced and hissed, then moved the hot water bottle on her belly a little lower down. "Been a while since I've had cramps this bad."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Can I do something?" Luz wore a concerned, helpful little smile.

"Body swap with me?"

"What."

"I'm kidding, heh - ow ow ow - " she groaned. "No, there's nothing, kid, but thanks for asking. I guess today is just one of those days where you lie in the dark feeling sorry for yourself..."

"Eda..." Luz squatted down and looked at Eda over the top of the nest. "Can I at least bring you something to eat?"

Eda smacked her lips thoughtfully.

"Is there any cake left?"

"No, King had the rest for breakfast."

"The little bastard," Eda huffed.

"There's cold waffles and eggs. And those little wriggly things."

"Wriggly things?"

"Yeah, the box with a blue lid?"

"They're not supposed to wriggle. Better throw it out. Like, far away from the house. Maybe bury it."

"Oh, uh, okay?"

"I don't feel hungry, but I should eat something. Could you bring me the syrup? And a waffle, I suppose."

"Yeah, sure," Luz perked up. "Have you taken your elixir today?"

"Yes, mom," Eda held up an empty bottle and shook it.

Luz grinned. "Want me to bring you one of King's little buddies to keep you company? He's got a big fluffy bear that seems very friendly."

"No thanks, kid," Eda chuckled. She gave Luz an affectionate look. "Just a snack."

"How about... I bring you the snack and then I go get you one of those trashy magazines you told me about?"

Eda's eyebrows raised.

"Hmm. Yeah, maybe... I think the new issue should be out. Do you know where Bellamy Bark has their shop?"

"Is that the one with all the books and magazines out front? With the black and white awning?"

"Yeah, next to the soup place. Just ask them for Eda's usual."

"Okay, sure. Want something else while I'm out?"

"Hmm... More cake? A different cake. The bakery with the horned cupcake sign, what's the name? Jibjab's? They've got these chocolate eclair things sometimes. If they don't have those, get their chocolate dipped mega ants. Or their chocolate covered mish mash cookies."

"Okay - something chocolate, got it." Luz smiled.

"There's money in the swear jar in the living room."

"Okay. I'll be right back with your snack."

"Thanks, kid."

"You're welcome," Luz patted her arm gently.

Amity sat down at her usual table in the cafeteria. Boscha and the others settled around her. They were gossiping about a transfer student called something or other. She reached into her lunch bag, then remembered she'd grabbed her sister's this morning. She did not feel like egg salad, she wanted her cheese and pickle sandwiches with the crusts cut off... Especially today. Just, something normal. She spotted Ed and Em coming into the cafeteria and got to her feet.

"Where are you going?" Boscha asked.

"Grabbed my sister's lunch by mistake, just going to trade."

Amity approached her older siblings, holding out the lunch bag as explanation.

"Oh, hello, little sister," Ed greeted pleasantly.

"Hi. Em, I got your lunch instead of mine. Trade me."

Em rolled her eyes. "Here."

That went suspiciously easy, Amity thought. She narrowed her eyes at Em, then retreated back to her table.

"Bye, then?" Ed said, glancing at Em.

The bag wasn't wriggling. It wasn't smoking. It wasn't making weird sounds. She resumed her seat and carefully opened the bag away from her face. Nothing happened.

"What are you doing?"

"My brother and sister have had my lunch for hours, they might have done anything to it."

"Like, should you even eat it then? Just skip it."

"I'm hungry. Didn't have a big breakfast."

Amity took a peek into the bag. She saw an apple and some sandwiches. And a note. No lizards. No spiders. No ratworms. She took out the food carefully and lifted the bread to check the sandwich. Just cheese and pickles. Not even any crushed flies or anything. She gave it a sniff. It smelled fine. God, it made her mouth water. She threw caution to the wind and took a bite. Nothing happened.

Maybe they didn't do anything to my food? Like, at all.

She finished her sandwiches and started in on the apple. She saw the note again and brought it out. There were only two words.

'Bless you'? It wasn't her mom's handwriting.

Her nose began to tickle. She managed to raise her arm to cover her mouth before she sneezed.

Bless you - sneezing powder! The bastards!

She sneezed again, and again, and again - and every time her stomach contracted, she felt the blood being squeezed out of her - she couldn't stop! This had been their plan! For her to bleed through at lunch! In front of everyone! Oh, how she hated them. Hated them.

"Ew, stop!" Boscha snarked.

"Yeah, gross, stop," the other girls joined in.

It took four more sneezes for the powder to get out of her nose. She felt dizzy. She felt numb. She felt as if face was on fire. Irina reached out to pick up the note.

"Don't - there's sneezing powder on it!"

"Hah! That's funny - pick it up, do it." Boscha got that cruel look in her eye. Irina did as she was told - she sneezed once, but that seemed to be it. The other girls laughed and Boscha took a picture of the note - Amity held up her hand in front of her face. "Hashtag Hexside pranks, my followers are gonna love this."

Amity glanced down - she could see red at the hem of her tunic. She pressed her legs together. She felt as if she was sitting in a puddle. Her mind raced. Her face burned. What in the name of Meserif was she going to do?

She tried to think. If she got up, it was all over. This was the busiest time in the cafeteria. She would just have to wait until everyone was gone, just like a few months ago... But she'd have to think up some excuse to get the others to leave without her. What could she say?

"Are you coming or what?" Boscha waved her hand in front of Amity's eyes.

"No!" Amity burst out. "I'm - I'm still working on my apple."

"'Kay, weirdo. Let's go girls."

Everyone got up. Amity glanced around the room, trying to judge how many people were left. Too many. She spotted Ed and Em sitting with their friends at a table. Ed gave her a jaunty little wave. Her heart burned with loathing for them. She felt like stomping over there and hitting them, but then they'd get exactly what they wanted. Her body tensed as she glared at them. Oh god her thighs felt so disgustingly sticky. She forced herself to take a bite out of her apple. She chewed it slowly, glaring daggers at her siblings.

People sat down around her, ate their lunch, then left. Everyone was talking and joking around.

Amity felt so very alone. She wanted to cry. But most of all she wanted to disappear. She looked up at the clock at the back wall. Her next class started in twenty minutes. Was she going to have to skip it? How long did people have lunch? Her eyes fell on the teacher's table at the top of the cafeteria. She spotted Lilith - their eyes met for a moment - Amity looked away quickly. The memory of having to step out of the bathroom stall with blood all down her legs wrenched its way out of its little cage and danced around in her mind.

Just breathe. Eventually everyone will leave. Then you can get up. Everyone will be in class. You can run to your locker and get your gym clothes. Then to the bathroom - this time you actually have things with you, so it'll be alright. You'll get a tardy but that's... better than giving Ed and Em what they want. Better than becoming Amity 'Bless You' Blight. Oh god. Then people wouldn't know what it meant initially and that's worse! Then people would have to explain and they could say it in front of teachers and parents and they'd know and my life is over. Over.

She glanced up at the clock again and her treacherous eyes lingered on Lilith for a fraction of a second. Their eyes met again. Amity closed her eyes, forgetting to look at the clock. Now she didn't dare look up. Instead she looked at the half finished apple in her hand. She was gripping it with white knuckles. She started to count in her mind, but kept losing track.

Lilith noticed Amity sitting by herself at lunch. That was unusual. And the girl kept glancing up at the clock, and a few times, at Lilith. Something was clearly wrong. The girl looked scared and uncomfortable. Was she waiting for something?

When the cafeteria was mostly empty, Lilith excused herself to her colleagues and went to check on her protege. As she approached, she saw the girl's face flush. Something was absolutely wrong.

"Is there - " Lilith began, but the panic in the girl's eyes silenced her. She hesitated a moment, then took a seat on the bench across from Amity. "What's the matter?" She asked in a whisper. Amity swallowed and glanced down at her legs, then stared at the table with terrified eyes. "... Same problem as yesterday?" She inquired carefully. Amity shook her head once. Lilith's brows furrowed. "... Same problem as... a few months ago?" Amity's eyes shut and the flush in her cheeks deepened.

Oh dear, again? And I left my cloak in my office...

"I see," Lilith said quietly. "Do you have class in a few minutes?"

Amity nodded. Lilith's next class wasn't until three o'clock.

"Which class?"

"Gym," Amity's voice was tense and barely audible.

"Ah." Lilith gave her a sympathetic look. That eliminated the girls' changing room as the next stop. The girl needed somewhere to clean up and change. The teachers' bathroom was pretty close by. "I can take you to the bathroom down the hall, do you have something to change into?"

"In my locker."

"Alright, let's... wait until the bell rings. I can write you a note for Miss Cherubi but you've got to... get a handle on this." Lilith's voice was soft, but what she said broke Amity's heart.

She thinks... I'm careless. But this isn't my fault... Or is it? If I'd only grabbed the right lunch bag... I shouldn't have been so short with Ed and Em - if I'd just let them make fun of me they wouldn't have felt the need to prank me...

Amity nodded slowly. She tried to swallow the lump in her throat.

The bell rang a minute later and Lilith got to her feet. Amity rose slowly, biting her lip not to cry. This was more embarrassing than having to open the bathroom stall door.

"Oh my goodness," Lilith gasped before she could stop herself. The middle of the girl's bottom was one big, dark red stain. And it reached a bit down her thighs, too.

"Please don't look," Amity mumbled wretchedly.

Lilith hurried to grab some paper towels to at least cover the stain on the bench. There wasn't really time to clean it up right now. That would have to wait. Amity held her bag in front of her and walked with awkward little steps. Lilith's heart went out to the girl.

"It's going to be alright, Amity," she said in a reassuring tone of voice.

They made it to Amity's locker and picked up her gym bag, then hurried toward the teachers' bathroom. They turned a corner and found Principal Bump just coming out of a classroom. Amity gasped - with snake like speed, Lilith grabbed the skirt of her dress and flicked it out to hide Amity's lower half.

"Miss Clawthorne?" Principal Bump asked in surprise. "And... Miss Blight?"

Amity cowered behind Lilith's skirt.

"Principal Bump," Lilith responded stiffly. "In tenebris, frater." ((In darkness, brother))

Principal Bump's eyebrows raised. "In... tenebris, soror." ((In... darkness, sister))

He turned and walked back through the door he had just exited. It creaked closed and Lilith breathed out rather forcefully.

"Let's go."

They hurried down the corridor and stopped at a discreet door.

"Solitude and silence is all I seek," Lilith said in a whisper. The lock clicked and she opened the door.

"Ah, Miss Clawthorne - do drop by my office later, would you? I have a new tea I must share with you."

Lilith quickly stepped in front of Amity, placing herself in between her and the approaching Miss Odelac, the construction coven representative at the school. Amity snuck into the bathroom.

"Yes, sure I'll... drop by. Later."

"Yes, yes, don't let me keep you," Miss Odelac gave Lilith a wink and a wrinkly smile. "Come along, class, let's proceed to the building site. Yes, you too Mr Yxolite."

Lilith stepped into the bathroom and closed the door behind her.

"Sanctuary," she whispered with a sigh. The door clicked again. She promptly turned her back and clasped her hands in front of her. "My apologies, I was not planning to enter."

"Um..."

This was a single person bathroom. It was quite roomy, but still.

"I promise I will not turn around."

"O-okay..."

She sounds on the verge of tears, Lilith thought.

Amity hesitated, feeling embarrassed and exposed - she'd been feeling embarrassed and exposed for the last thirty minutes, but this was on another level. She desperately wanted to get out of the clothes she was wearing, but to change while Lilith was in the same room...

"Promise?" She asked breathlessly.

"I give you my word."

"Okay... okay..."

Just do it. Just get it over with.

She drew in an unsteady breath, then started to change. She managed to keep a lid on her sniffles until she had to peel off her leggings.

Lilith heard the girl start to cry. She swallowed and tried to take deep breaths. It was heartbreaking to stand there and listen. She wanted to give the girl some much needed privacy, but she could still hear people out in the corridor. What could she say? What could she do? She heard the sink turn on.

Amity used her gym towel to wash off the blood. She had to take several steadying breaths before she dared change her underwear. They were soaked.

Do they really hate me that much? Amity thought through the tears. Telling Em off wasn't worth this... She quickly fastened a fresh moon cloth to the spare underwear she kept in her gym bag, then put them on. When she was redressed in her gym shorts, she wrapped up her things in the towel, then shoved it into her gym bag. She vowed she would burn it all. She lost count on how many times she washed her hands and arms.

"I'm done," she announced after turning off the tap. Her voice was shaky and weak. She quickly wiped her eyes on a paper towel. She didn't want to go to class at all, not even Lilith's later this afternoon. She just wanted to hide and never be looked at again.

She glanced in the mirror, and met her mentor's gaze. The expression on Lilith's face made her chest feel tight. Lilith was looking at her like - like... Amity couldn't put words around it.

"I'm - I'm sorry," she panted, then covered her face with one hand. She felt so very ashamed.

"Amity..."

Lilith's voice was so... soft. It made Amity's chest go tighter still. Her heart did that thing again, where it felt like it was trying to turn itself inside out.

"Can I... give you a hug?" Lilith asked carefully. She really wanted to embrace the girl, but this was not a place to hug someone - yet she'd never seen a person in greater need of one. Amity shuffled around, her eyes on the floor. She nodded.

Lilith's arms wrapped gently around Amity. When she started to stroke the girl's hair, the tears came. For both of them.

Amity allowed herself to relax a little, and Lilith's response of a tighter hug made her relax further. No, she had truly never been hugged like this... Held like this...

"Let's go to my office," Lilith said after a few minutes, when the tears seemed to have stopped. "You can stay there while I go clean up."

Amity stiffened.

"I should clean it up," she mumbled, stepping back from the hug.

Lilith put one hand on Amity's shoulder and used the other to gently lift her chin.

"No. You should have a cup of tea and take a break in my office."

Amity saw the calm, warm smile on her mentor's face - her eyes fell closed with relief.

"Okay."

They left the bathroom and walked to Lilith's office. Thankfully they didn't run into anyone else.

"There's a kettle in that cupboard," Lilith indicated one on the left of the door. "Tea and mugs are in the one next to it. I will be right back." She gave Amity's shoulder a squeeze, then turned and left the room.

She hurried back to the cafeteria. She knew where the cleaning supplies were kept and made quick work of the stain. Amity had left her lunch on the table. She grabbed the bag - underneath it lay a little note. She picked it up.

"'Bless you'?" she read aloud, then she sneezed. She blinked in surprise and looked at the note again. She turned it over and some fine powder fell off. She sneezed again. She held the note at arms length, covered her mouth and nose and shook the remaining powder off. The other side said 'Mittens'.

Sneezing powder. Mittens... That's the name Amity's older siblings used for her last night... She looked at the note. No, it couldn't mean what she thought it meant - nobody would be that cruel, surely?

"I know what it's like to have siblings who push all your buttons."

Her eyes narrowed.

Lilith strode into her office with the note in her hand. She walked up to Amity and held it out.

"Is this what I think it is?" She asked, looking at Amity intensely. Amity shrank back in the chair. "Did your brother and sister give you a note full of sneezing powder, to be found at lunch, knowing full well you were on your moon time?"

Amity felt a thrill of fear. She blushed, swallowed, then nodded slowly.

Lilith's eyes flashed and her nostrils flared. She had held the anger off while she walked back to her office, keeping is suspended inside her awaiting confirmation. Now that she had it, the rage exploded in her chest. It was overwhelming. She wanted to scream! How could anyone even conceive the idea to deliberately cause their younger sister to bleed all over herself - in public! Let alone carry it out! She couldn't stand still - she started in one direction, then turned and walked two steps the opposite way, then turned again. She panted hard, not even capable of forming words. She was afraid that if she opened her mouth, all that would come out were swearwords no thirteen year old girl should ever hear. She strode up and down the length of her office, screaming profanities in her own mind to spare the poor little thing more upset. Suddenly she felt as if she had walked into a wall.

She stopped and looked over at Amity. She drew in a breath, hesitated, then approached the girl carefully. Gone were the angry stomping footsteps, as were the lines of fury on her face. Now she looked almost... frightened. Lilith took another breath, then smoothed down her hair.

"Did I make you feel as if this incident, today, was in any way your fault?" she asked in a voice that shook slightly. "Please be honest."

Amity's eyebrows rose. She thought a moment, then nodded once and looked down at the floor.

"It was my fault. If I hadn't - "

To her ever increasing surprise, Lilith squatted down in front of her.

"No. This wasn't your fault... My deepest apologies, my dear - " she closed her eyes. "My deepest apologies, Amity."

"Th-thank you," Amity breathed. Lilith (and Eda, technically) were the only adults who had ever truly apologized to her. In the sense that they had said 'sorry' in some way shape or form, and then not immediately jumped into an explanation of how it was actually Amity's fault.

The 'my dear' had really made Amity feel... special.

"I... don't mind being a 'my dear'..."

"Oh, good," Lilith breathed a little sigh of relief. She waved her finger and her chair trundled over from behind her desk. She sat down, closed her eyes, took a breath, then held out a hand toward Amity. Her left hand, palm up. Amity hesitated a moment, then touched her mentor's fingertips. Lilith's hand closed gently, pulling Amity's fingers with it. A slim thumb stroked Amity's knuckles. She drew in a short, sharp breath.

There was something about that tiny gesture that... meant so much. Amity couldn't remember anyone ever stroking her knuckles before.

Lilith didn't open her eyes until she felt the girl's hand in hers. She put her other hand on top.

She did it again, Amity thought, staring at the thumb of Lilith's other hand now resting on the back of her own.

Lilith took a breath.

"Amity - this is a serious matter. This absolutely qualifies as bullying under school statutes. I am required to report this."

Amity stiffened.

"I know you don't want anyone to know," Lilith squeezed Amity's hand gently. "But this... In all my years at this school, as both a student and a teacher - I have never, ever heard of a more cruel act. To deliberately make someone bleed through - "

Amity felt the panic rise in her chest.

"You are not at fault here. You were the victim of this vile... act. Your brother and sister are to blame and the shame is theirs - not yours. I will make sure that everyone involved - "

Everyone - who's everyone?!

" - knows to keep the details quiet. I'm going to have to inform Principal Bump of what happened. And your parents."

Amity shook her head, hoping she'd heard her mentor wrong.

Lilith saw the color drain from the girl's face. She squeezed her hand again.

"I can not let this kind of behavior slide," Lilith said firmly. "I promise you, if anyone breathes a word of this, I will - "

Kill them.

" - punish them. Most severely." Lilith put her left hand back on top of Amity's for emphasis. "Nobody hurts my - "

Kid.

" - protege and gets away with it." Lilith exhaled forcefully through her nose several times. She felt a strange urge to beat her chest.

Amity's eyes filled with sudden tears - her chest felt tight and full of hot air at the same time. Her lungs got terribly confused for a moment.

Lilith reached out and cupped the girl's cheek in her palm. Her thumb wiped away a tear. Amity looked up and met her mentor's gaze.

"Nobody," Lilith repeated.

Amity swallowed and nodded, then closed her eyes and let the tears fall.

Lilith felt the girl lean into her touch - her heart pounded fiercely at the display of trust. She let go of Amity's hand and wrapped her arm around her shoulders, pulling her into a tight hug. She felt the girl gently sob against her chest - she closed her eyes and stroked her hair, whispering: "Nobody."

Lilith knocked on Principal Bump's door.

"Enter."

Lilith and Amity walked into the office. Principal Bump looked up from his paperwork.

"Yes?"

"Principal Bump, we have a rather serious matter to discuss with you," Lilith said in a calm voice. Principal Bump glanced at Miss Blight.

"... Yes?"

"Miss Blight, please tell Principal Bump what happened."

Amity kept her eyes on the carpet.

"M-my brother and sister... played a prank on me. They left me a note full of sneezing powder in my lunch bag..."

Principal Bump looked from Miss Blight to Miss Clawthorne. He raised his eyebrows at her.

Miss Blight turned her head and whispered something to Miss Clawthorne, who bent down slightly to listen. Miss Clawthorne nodded, then took a breath.

"Mr and Miss Blight were aware their younger sister is sub lumine lunari, and deliberately caused her to sneeze in the cafeteria, for the sole purpose of humiliating her in front of the entire school."

Principal Bump glanced quickly at Miss Blight; he noticed her strange attire.

"I didn't hear anything about this."

"Miss Blight handled the situation, with my help."

Principal Bump's face hardened.

"... In tenebris frater..." he said after a moment, putting two and two together.

"Exactly." Lilith squeezed Amity's shoulder.

The principal closed his eyes and put down his pen.

"Evidence?"

Amity's heart jumped into her throat - he couldn't possibly mean -

Lilith stepped forward and placed the now very crumpled note onto the principal's desk. He used his pen to flatten it out, then drew a spell circle over it. A few particles rose into the air and passed through it, then text appeared in the middle of the air. It read: Achillea ptarmica.

Principal Bump nodded, then looked up.

"Sneezewort. Are you absolutely sure they were aware you are... sub lumine lunari, Miss Blight?"

Miss Blight glanced up at Miss Clawthorne, silently asking for help.

"'Under the moonlight'," Lilith translated in a whisper. Her voice was calm and kind.

Amity's face went a deeper shade of pink and she quickly looked down at the carpet again. She nodded once.

"They t-teased me about it last night."

"Right. Miss Clawthorne, would you kindly fetch Mr and Miss Blight? I will contact their parents. Miss Blight, please have a seat." Principal Bump gestured to the chair in front of his desk.

Amity looked up at him in alarm - she didn't want Lilith to leave!

"I will return shortly," Lilith patted Amity's shoulder.

"O-okay."

Lilith left the room and Amity took her seat. She kept her eyes on the floor and tried to swallow the swelling lump in her throat.

Principal Bump strode around the room as he spoke to Amity's parents. He gave her a big black blanket which she gratefully wrapped herself in. She wanted to pull her legs up into it and curl into a ball - no she wanted to disappear more than anything. This wasn't even far beyond the scale. This was a new scale. This wasn'tjust embarrassing - it was terrifying. Soon the room would be full of people older than her - they would talk about her - keep talking about her - and she would be there but she wouldn't matter. Ed and Em would worm their way out of it somehow. Even if they got some kind of punishment they would never actually be sorry. They had apologized to her a thousand times - she always wanted to believe them, wanted to believe that the teasing and the names and the cruel pranks were over. But they never were, and they never would be.

They hate me...

Lilith marched through the corridors. The sound of her heels bounced between the lockers. Her fingers itched. Her jaw was tight. She reached the illusion classroom and didn't bother knocking.

"Sorry to interrupt, Miss Cole," she said in an icy tone. The illusion teacher looked over at her.

"What... can I do for you, Miss Clawthorne?"

"Not so fast, you two." Lilith completed the spell circle she had been drawing behind her back. The Blight Twins own hastily drawn spell circles fizzled out - Lilith was pleased at their surprised expressions. "Principal's office. Take your things. You will not be coming back."

Miss Cole looked over at the twins, her brows furrowing.

"What did you do now?" she sighed.

"Nothing, Miss Cole," they said in unison.

Lilith's face was impassive. But her eyes flashed dangerously. Miss Cole swallowed.

"Hurry up, let's not keep the principal waiting," she waved them along.

The twins walked past Lilith. Ed had the audacity to smile at her.

"What's this about, Miss Clawthorne?" he asked.

Hopefully your expulsion from this school, you vile boy, Lilith thought.

"Your future," she said coldly.

The twins exchanged a look as they walked ahead of Lilith toward the principal's office.

"I need to use the bathroom," Em's voice sounded calm, but her eyes darted to her brother again.

"Ah, yes. Me too," he agreed, giving Lilith another blithe smile.

"Is that so."

"Yup," Em nodded.

"Indeedy," Ed nodded too.

Lilith walked on. They passed a bathroom.

"I could really use a bathroom break," Ed pointed out as they passed a second.

They arrived at a third one and Lilith stopped.

"You have one minute," she drew a spell circle over Em's head. "If you try to cast you will regret it. Go."

Em glanced at her brother, then entered the bathroom. Lilith casually drew another spell circle over Ed's head. There was a little 'Eek!' from inside.

Insolent girl.

"Ten seconds, Miss Blight," Lilith announced after exactly forty nine seconds. "Wash your hands."

Em exited the door with wet hands and a flushed face.

"You," Lilith pointed to Ed.

"But that's a girls' bathroom!" he protested.

"Fifty seven seconds."

"That's not fair - " Em piped up. Lilith turned her head.

"Fifty three seconds."

Ed pushed the door open, his cheeks flushing too. Another 'Eek!' came from behind the door.

"Be a neat boy, Mr Blight," Lilith said in a dangerously even voice. "And be sure to wash your hands."

Ed exited the room, wiping his hands on his pants.

"Proceed."

The twins moved forward and Lilith followed.

"We're out of the bathroom, you can remove the negation spell now," Em pointed out. Lilith ignored her.

They reached the principal's office.

"You will wait in the corridor until your parents arrive," Lilith waved her hand and her staff appeared. She hit the floor with the end, then left it standing there, balanced on its point. "Sapphire, you know what to do." The albino raven swiveled and cawed. Lilith entered the principal's office, leaving the twins and the staff in the corridor.

"Mr and Mrs Blight will arrive shortly," Principal Bump reported.

"The twins are waiting in the corridor," Lilith said back. She noticed Amity sitting on the chair, wrapped up in a black blanket. A sharp pain went through her heart.

She looks so small.

"Please have a seat, Miss Clawthorne," Principal Bump waved a hand and three more chairs slid in next to Amity's. Lilith took a seat next to her protege. "I will fetch the necessary documents. Do excuse me." Lilith stood up quickly as Principal Bump left the room, then she resumed her seat.

There was a stifled sniff. Lilith closed her eyes tight for a moment.

"Can I sit closer to you?" Her voice was soft and quiet.

The girl nodded. Lilith moved her chair a little closer, then held out her hand. After a moment Amity's hand emerged from the blanket.

"It's going to be alright," Lilith said soothingly. Her thumb stroked the girl's knuckles. "Your parents will be here soon." Amity's fingers twitched and her eyebrows drew together. Lilith instinctively squeezed her hand. The girl's reaction made her worried. It hadn't been a sigh of relief, it had been an increase of tension.

Amity sat and held her mentor's hand with her eyes closed. Even wrapped up in the blanket she felt exposed. She felt... dirty. But knowing Lilith was there, right next to her, made her feel a little less panicked.

Principal Bump reentered the office a few minutes later. Mr and Mrs Blight followed, as well as the twins. The principal took his seat behind his desk, then gestured for Mr and Mrs Blight to have the two remaining chairs.

Amity had expected for Lilith to withdraw her hand when the others came into the room, but instead of letting go, she squeezed more tightly.

"Amity, sweetheart," Mrs Blight said in a tense voice. "What is this about?"

Amity's shoulders rose.

Principal Bump cleared his throat.

"I have called you in here today to inform you of a very unfortunate incident. It seems your oldest children decided to play a prank on your youngest. A very cruel prank. Why don't you tell us what you did, Mr Blight." He gestured toward Ed.

"I'm afraid I don't know what you're referring to, Principal Bump," he responded politely. "Miss Clawthorne came and took us out of class, but she didn't tell us what it was about."

"It was in the middle of a very important lesson," Em chimed in. "And she put a negation spell on us."

"Miss Clawthorne is within her rights as a teacher at this school to restrict magic use by those who are suspected of wrongdoing. I am talking about the fact that you two put a note with sneezing powder in your little sister's lunch - "

"Sneezing powder?! You dragged me away from the Council to deal with a trivial matter such as this?" Mr Blight senior scoffed.

"While being fully aware that she is sub lumine lunari. Intending for her to embarrass herself at lunch, in front of her friends and the entire school," Principal Bump completed the sentence, smoothly ignoring the interruption. Mrs Blight gasped and Mr Blight went purple in the face.

"How - how dare you make such accusations?!" Mrs Blight said, raising a hand to her cheek.

"What's your evidence?" Mr Blight demanded quickly.

Lilith felt the anger rise in her chest - they hadn't even asked about their youngest daughter's well-being. She was glad she sat between the girl and her family.

"The testimony of Miss Blight and this note," Principal Bump waved a finger and the 'Bless you' note floated up from his desk. "I found it to contain Sneezewort."

"This - this is a family matter surely," Mrs Blight looked at her youngest daughter.

"Since it happened at school during school hours, it is a school matter," Principal Bump answered promptly. "I am interested to hear what Mr and Miss Blight have to say for themselves."

"Emira and Edric would never do such a thing - they are rambunctious but - " Mrs Blight tried.

"Tell us what happened, Amity," Mr Blight senior looked at Amity sternly.

"Yes, tell us what happened, little sister," Ed joined in. Mr Blight senior snapped his fingers at him.

Now everyone was looking at Amity.

"I thought it was a note from mom," Amity said in the tiniest voice. "But it just said 'Bless you'. It made me sneeze. It made me... I-it made me..."

"It made you what, s-sweetheart?" Mrs Blight was leaning forward. A well crafted look of concern adorned her face.

Lilith squeezed Amity's hand.

"... B-bleed through..."

Lilith glanced up and saw the gleeful, hungry expressions on the Blight twins' faces. They caught her eye and quickly tried to look sombre.

"Bleed through, what do you mean, bleed through?" Mr Blight demanded.

"That means a person's moon blood leaks through their clothes," Principal Bump said calmly.

"How can a sneeze cause - this is ridiculous! Amity, you've got to take responsibility for your own mess - you can't blame your brother and sister for - for soiling yourself!"

"Mister Blight!" Lilith gasped, horrified.

"It is a well known fact that this can happen," Principal Bump cut in before Lilith could say another word. "It is simply a matter of anatomy."

"How could they possibly know she's on her - her - " Mrs Blight waved a hand. "They couldn't have known that!"

"That's true, how could we possibly have known?" Em chimed in smoothly. "We just wanted to play a harmless prank on our baby sister. We prank each other all the time, don't we, brother?"

"We do, we do," Ed agreed.

"So you are saying that you didn't know your sister is presently sub lumine lunari?" Principal Bump held up his hand to stop people talking over each other.

"No, Principal Bump," Ed and Em answered in unison.

"There," Mr Blight senior patted his thighs in a 'that's the end of that' kind of way. "It was a prank with an unfortunate side effect."

Mrs Blight sat up primly. "And you are sorry it caused your sister to... aren't you?" She looked up at her older children.

"Of course we're sorry something so embarrassing happened," Em said in a gentle voice.

"Yeah, sorry Mittens." Ed sounded and looked regretful.

"There, they even apologized," Mr Blight got to his feet and held out his hand to his wife. "Let's go, dearest."

"We are not done," Principal Bump said firmly. He no longer sounded calm. "I believe Miss Blight. I believe Miss Clawthorne. Your oldest children have a history of questionable behavior. Miss Blight," he gestured toward Amity. "Is an honor student. She wouldn't lie in a situation like this. This is a serious incident. With suspension level misconduct on the part of Edric and Emira."

"You can't suspend them, do you have any idea how that would look?!" Mrs Blight fired up. "What about their futures?"

"What about Amity's present?" Lilith said, not able to keep silent anymore. "You haven't even asked how she is."

"Amity's fine!" Mr Blight snapped back. "Siblings squabble, that's what they do!"

"This is not a squabble - this was a deliberate and calculated act of cruelty meant to humiliate," Lilith rose slowly to her feet, her voice calm and cold. But her eyes flashed. "Frighteningly vile behavior. Extremely concerning behavior."

"Just what are you implying, Miss Clawthorne?" Mr Blight said in a dangerous tone.

"I'm not implying anything, Mr Blight, I am stating out right that what your oldest children did to your youngest was despicable. And the fact that you're completely disregarding Amity's words and feelings is also despicable."

"Well, I never!" Mrs Blight huffed and strode over to Amity's other side. "Come on sweetheart, up we get. We'll talk about this at home."

Amity rose to her feet reluctantly.

"Everybody sit down!" Principal Bump said firmly. Lilith and Amity promptly sat. "Whether or not you as parents take this seriously, I and the school do. Edric and Emira are hereby suspended for a week for conduct unbecoming of Hexidian students. Once they return, they will be in detention after school for the following week. You have two more years at this school, Mr and Miss Blight - this better be the last time I see you in here for something like this, or our time together will most certainly be - cut - short."

"I am going to the school board about this!" Mr Blight said, his face purple again.

"Do give my best to Miss Oleander," Principal Bump signed the document in front of him. Ed and Em's uniforms turned from light blue to gray. "I trust you remember the way to the egress."

"But we have a test tomorrow!" Em complained.

"What about our grade point average?"

"Don't worry children, your father will sort everything out," Mrs Blight said as she started to unfold the blanket around Amity. "Come on sweetheart, we're going home."

Amity was pulled to her feet and steered out of the room. She felt numb with shock. There was a ringing in her ears. She stared down at her own feet as they marched through the corridors.

"Mom, we didn't know, we swear!" Em said.

"Yeah, we had no idea!"

"That's enough out of you two!" Mr Blight hissed. "We have told you time and again that school is not the place for your little pranks!"

"Not our fault Amity can't handle her moon time," Ed muttered.

"We're going to get this suspension reversed and stricken from your records, don't you worry," their mother said confidently. "Nobody drags the Blight family name through the mud like that. Amity, I'm surprised at you - you know better than this! Miss Clawthorne was right, you do need some guidance on how to be a woman."

What? Amity slowed.

"Mom, there's the field trip to Spleencreek next week! I don't want to miss that!"

The others kept on walking down the steps and away from the school, talking over each other. Amity stood and stared after them.

She watched them walk further and further away. They didn't turn around. They hadn't noticed she wasn't with them anymore.

The school bell rang. Amity looked up, startled. How long had she been standing there? She heard the other students leave their classrooms and prepare to go home.

Go home...

She turned and walked briskly away from the school's entrance, but not toward town. She didn't want to go home.

Lilith pinched the bridge of her nose.

"That is not how I imagined that would go," she said in a tired voice.

"I envy your optimism," Principal Bump stacked the papers and put them into a folder. "I have dealt with the Blight twins and their parents many times. They never want to believe their children did anything wrong. Thank you for bringing the incident to my attention, Miss Clawthorne. It is very concerning behavior, I agree. And I'm concerned for Miss Blight."

"As am I..."

Amity didn't know how long she had been walking. Or really where she was walking. She just needed to walk. She didn't want to stop. She was afraid of the thoughts that would come when she did.

"Long way from home, aren't ya?"

Amity stopped and looked up, startled. Eda stood in the forest away to her left.

"Out for a run?" She pointed to Amity's gym shorts. Amity just stared at her. "You... alright there kid?" Eda took a step closer.

"F-fine," Amity responded, taking a step back.

"Well that's a lie," Eda leaned on her shovel with one hand, her eyebrows raising.

"So what if it's a lie? It's all anyone ever wants to hear," Amity looked both tense and defiant.

"Hey Eda I found some blue mushrooms over there, but they had teeth so maybe not what you were looking for?" Luz appeared at the other end of the glade. "Oh, hey Amity!" She smiled brightly and ran over. "Hi, what are you doing... here?" She trailed off as Amity backed up. "Is everything okay?"

"I'm fine."

"You should go home, kid. This part of the forest isn't safe." Eda flicked some kind of creepy crawly off her shoulder. On the word 'home' Amity's chest went tight.

"I don't want to go home," she whispered.

"Did... something happen?" Luz stepped closer. This time Amity didn't step away.

"Ed and Em... played a mean prank on me."

"Oh no, I'm sorry. You want to talk about it?"

Amity looked uncomfortable. "Can I... spend the night at your place?"

"Whoa there, kid." Eda frowned and held up a hand. "Isn't this a school night?"

"Eda..." Luz looked over at her sharply.

"Hey, I'm trying to do the responsible adult thing here, Luz. For once in my life."

"The principal suspended Ed and Em. I can't... go home."

Luz and Eda turned to look at Amity.

"Suspended?" Luz asked. "What did they do?"

Amity closed her eyes.

"They put sneezing powder in a note in my lunch bag..."

"Hah, classic," Eda snorted. Luz gave her a 'stop it!' look.

"It made me b - " Amity took an unsteady breath. "It made me bleed through. In the cafeteria. At lunch. That - that was their plan. They w-wanted to humiliate me. In f-front of e-everyone."

Eda and Luz stared at her.

"Yeah, you can stay the night," Eda said after the shock had worn off a bit. "That's... that's rough, kid. Jeez, that's low, that's really low, what the... actual heck?" She grimaced, looking astounded and revolted.

"That's... horrible!" Luz sounded disgusted. "How do you even come up with something like that?! How - how dare they?!"

Amity threw her arms around Luz and hugged her. Luz hugged her back, tight, tight, tight.

"If they were here right now I would - I would kick their butts!" Luz muttered angrily. "Where do they get off, doing a thing like that?! I'm gonna give those two a piece of my mind next time I see them!"

"I'm inclined to do the same," Eda said. "That's waaaay out of line."

"My parents don't believe they did it i-intentionally. They think they just did the sneezing p-powder and didn't know about me being - being... sub lumine lunari... but they did know! They did! They teased me about it last night and this morning and my parents don't believe me!" Amity was sobbing now - it was all coming out. Luz was hugging her so fiercely.

"That's terrible!" Luz said, angry and upset and disgusted and scared all at once. "Why wouldn't they believe you? I'm so sorry."

"Bet it's to keep the honor of the Blight name, or some other inane reason, am I right?" Eda muttered. Amity closed her eyes and nodded.

"They're t-trying to get the suspension lifted and s-stricken from the record."

"Well that's just fucking disgusting," Eda scoffed.

"Eda, language?"

"I'm gonna put a snail in the swear jar but that was absolutely worth it. Your family's fucked up, Amity. Welcome to the club!"

"Two snails! Amity I'm so sorry, that's so stupidly unfair and just stupid! Argh I could hit them!"

Thank you, Amity thought as she sobbed into Luz's shoulder.

"Oh, hey, it's okay, it's okay..." Luz stroked her back and put her cheek to Amity's. "We've got you, don't we, Eda?"

"Fuck yeah, kid." Eda patted Amity's shoulder. "Three snails, I know."

"But you said the principal was on your side, right? And he did suspend them and everything?"

"Yeah, h-he did. Thanks to L-Lilith..."

"She stuck up for you, did she?" Eda asked.

"Of course she did!" Luz glared up at Eda. "She really cares about Amity!"

"Yeah I know that!" Eda retorted. "I'm not an idiot. I dunno, just makes me kinda proud of my little sister. Don't tell her I said that."

"Thank you for letting me stay over," Amity sniffed.

"No worries, kid," Eda patted her shoulder again. "Let's head home. We've got enough mushrooms for dinner. I feel like some kind of barbecue tonight, what do you say?"

Once Amity had collected herself a little, they started moving toward the Owl House. Luz insisted on holding Amity's hand. And carrying her book bag.

"You've got to tell someone that you're here, kid. Make sure your parents know you're safe, even if they're being... callous idiots. Tell them you're spending the night at a friend's house. Or whatever."

"Yeah I'll... do that..."

"I'll let Lily know you're here."

"What?" Amity's eyebrows and heart rate rose.

"She'd want to know," Eda said with a shrug.

"I really don't want to trouble her further..."

"Kid, lemme tell ya something about Lily - she's bound to be worried sick about you right now. This'll make her feel better. I'll just send Owlbert over with a message. Let's see... 'Your kid is gonna spend the night here, told us what's up, holy crap, send more cake'."

"'Your kid'?" Amity asked. Her cheeks flushed.

"Yeah, Luz is my kid, you're Lily's kid," Eda muttered as she scribbled. "There, Owlbert - take this to Lily."

Owlbert hopped off the staff and took the little scroll in his beak, then flew out an open window.

The little owl startled Lilith when it pecked at the window. She stared at it in astonishment for a moment, then let it in. It dropped a little scroll, then settled on the edge of her desk. She had been trying to grade papers in her study.

She picked up the message and read it - 'Hey sis. Your kid is gonna spend the night here. Told us what's up, holy crap. Send more cake. Eda'.

She's safe. She's safe...

The tension in her mind and body lowered by a considerable amount. She leaned back in her chair with a deep sigh.

She hadn't been able to stop thinking about what had happened and how the Blight family had chosen to handle the matter. Worry about the girl had gnawed at her all afternoon and evening. She was still worried, but at least Amity was safe and with a supportive friend for the time being. And Eda... Who would know better than to make light of the situation... right? Lilith bit her lip, then reached for a pen and a slip of paper.

"So, kid, you wanna take a bath or something?"

"If... that's okay, yes please."

"Luz, will you sort her out? I'll get the fire pit ready and stuff."

"Yeah, sure," Luz put down the potato she was peeling. "Let's get you some towels. Want to borrow something to wear before bed?"

"Yeah... that'd be great."

Luz smiled at her warmly, then headed up the stairs.

"Okay, here we go - towels, some clothes - do you need a pad or something?" Luz handed Amity a pile of stuff.

"Thank you, no I think I'm... set." She blushed.

"Okay. When was the last time you had a cup of the yucky tea?"

"Um... I don't know. Lunch?" She hadn't really had energy to care about being in pain.

"Then I'll make you one. Oh and do you want to borrow a hot water bottle? Eda has a few."

Amity sighed. "Yes please."

"Okay, just come downstairs when you're ready," Luz smiled her soft smile, then headed down the corridor.

Amity entered the bathroom and ran herself a bath. It was strange to wash herself in another person's bathroom, but she much preferred this to... the bathroom she had to clean up in earlier today.

It had been... so easy to tell Luz and Eda what had happened. And they hadn't asked questions, or at least not bad questions - they had taken her seriously and made it very clear they were on her side. That felt good. But knowing that her family did not take her side hurt - even though she knew they wouldn't it still hurt. It hurt so much she didn't dare get close to it. She didn't know how deep that wound went. And she didn't want to know. Ed and Em had stepped over another line today. A line she didn't think could even exist. It scared her.

She allowed herself to cry while she washed herself. She felt... unclean, even though she scrubbed herself with soap all over and washed her hair twice. Maybe you just couldn't wash shame off with ordinary soap.

"The shame is theirs, not yours."

"Miss Clawthorne was right, you do need some guidance on how to be a woman."

What did mom mean?

Amity came downstairs wearing the clothes Luz had leant her: a black shirt with some kind of bright creature on it and a pair of soft purple leggings that were a bit too long on her. She heard laughter coming from outside. She followed the sound and found Eda and Luz sitting around a fire. Luz spotted her and patted the seat next to her.

"Tea, hot water bottle," Luz handed Amity the items after she'd sat down.

They really don't care - they're not embarrassed in the slightest...

"Thank you..." She put the hot water bottle against her tummy and let out a long breath.

"Nothing quite like that moment when you finally put the warm thing against your tummy-tum, is there?" Eda sighed, adjusting her own bottle slightly. All three of them let out a heartfelt sigh. "Yeah, you know what I'm talking about..."

"We made skewers with meat and vegetables and mushrooms, should be ready to go on the fire soon, so just sit back and have some tea while we wait," Luz patted Amity on the arm.

Fire... I could burn my gym bag later.

Owlbert and Sapphire appeared just when the skewers were ready. To Amity's surprise, the white raven landed on her knee. She held out her hand for the scroll in its beak. It dropped it and peered up at her with its beady blue eye, cawing dolefully.

"What did she say?" Eda asked.

"'I will drop by later this evening. Lilith'."

"What, no mention of cake? Lame."

"Did you already finish the chocolate things?" Luz asked in surprise.

"No, but cake is cake."

Lilith sat down sidesaddle on her staff.

"Take me to my sister, Sapphire..."

The evening air was refreshing and cool. Lilith closed her eyes and let herself enjoy the breeze. She knew her palisman would steer her right.

Fifteen minutes later, Lilith touched down in front of the little house. She approached and knocked.

"Hoot, hoot!"

"... Good evening, I'm here to see my sister. And Amity."

"Goood eeeeveniiiing," the door knocker rolled its eyes at her. "I'm playing hard to get, is it working?"

Lilith frowned and took a step back.

"Now you're playing hard to get - you're so much better at it, I really want to talk to you now!"

Thankfully, Luz opened the door half a second later.

"Hi," she said with a little sigh and a look that told Lilith the girl understood the situation to a deep level. It caught her quite off guard.

"Doogeve - " Lilith gave her head a little shake. "Good evening."

"Come in," Luz stepped back and held the door open.

Lilith entered the house and looked around quickly. Amity, the little demon and Eda were sitting on the big sofa. There were cups of tea. And blankets. And some kind of game with cards and dice in front of them on a low table.

"Hey Lily, want some tea?" Eda greeted her with a lazy wave. She looked her sister up and down. "Or... maybe something stronger?"

"A glass of wine would be very welcome," Lilith let out a long breath. She was relieved to see Amity not be in tears. The girl looked pale and tired, but relaxed.

Amity looked up at her mentor - Lilith was looking at her with a soft, sad expression on her face. She got to her feet slowly, then stepped toward the door. Lilith took a few steps into the room, then held out her arms. Amity had to restrain herself from running the last few meters - she still hit Lilith with enough force to stop her forward momentum. Lilith embraced her tightly, bending her head low. She closed her eyes and let out another long breath. Her next inhale was a sniff.

Luz held her hands to her chest and looked at them hug. It made her so glad to see that.

Eda raised her eyebrows, then smiled and got to her feet to get some wine. She poked Luz's shoulder and pointed toward the kitchen.

"But - " Luz pointed to Lilith and Amity.

"Come on, kid, let them have their... whatever."

Amity stood there with her arms around Lilith's waist, her head resting against her chest. Lilith's hand rose to stroke her hair and she let herself enjoy the soothing caress.

"Nobody hurts my protege and gets away with it. Nobody. Nobody..."

Lilith felt the girl lean on her - she was so relieved she wanted to. She was so relieved to see her be alright - or as alright as one could be after a day like she'd had.

"How ever did you find this place?" Lilith asked after a while.

"I didn't. I just started walking... Ran into Eda and Luz in the forest... They were picking mushrooms."

"You... just went into the forest?" Lilith stiffened slightly.

"I know it's not safe, I just... couldn't go home."

"You didn't go home?" Lilith asked in surprise.

"No... They just kept talking and I... stopped. They kept walking. Didn't notice I wasn't keeping up..."

Lilith squeezed her a little tighter and let out a troubled breath.

"I'm so sorry, Amity..."

"Eda and Luz believed me... They're letting me stay the night - that's alright, right? I don't have to go home?"

"No, not tonight." Lilith shook her head.

Amity breathed out.

"But you should tell your parents where you are, so they don't worry."

If they've even noticed you're gone.

"I already did. Eda said I had to."

Lilith's eyebrows rose.

"... Good."

"Oh my god, that was so cute," Luz cooed in the kitchen. "They hugged!"

Eda rubbed at her sore back. She regretted giving Lilith the Orcilae potion today. She wouldn't regret it later, probably, but right now... Maybe some wine would help her relax a little. She took out some glasses and went to bend down to take a bottle off the rack next to the fridge. She hadn't had a drink in quite a while. She couldn't actually remember when she'd last had a drink. Better go easy. She waved her finger and the cork flew out with a pop.

"You all set up for sleeping later?" Eda asked as she took a sniff of the bottle.

"Yeah, I think so. Do you think Lilith will stay the night too?"

"Nah, doubt it. She's got work in the morning and stuff. And she likes her things just so. Her staying over during the storm wasn't... you know, her first choice, if you catch my drift."

"Yeah, I get it. It was nice to have them here, though, I thought. You know, all things considered..."

Eda gave a non-committal shrug.

"And I had fun yesterday, too. All things considered."

"Yeah, I know you did, you haven't been able to shut up about the lovely garden," Eda said with a smirk. "Could you grab the paper towels? Might need them."

"Aww, you think you're going to cry?"

"Who knows?" Eda shrugged. "Might out of boredom if you start talking about the garden agai- " Luz hit her on the arm with the roll. "Hey don't hit me, I'm old and bruised and severely cake deprived!" She snorted, then held up the glasses to ward off any more paper towel related bludgeonings. "And carrying glass!"

When they returned to the living room Amity and Lilith were just stepping apart.

"So... wine?" Eda suggested, plopping down on the smaller couch. She started to fill the glasses.

"Thank you," Lilith came over and sat down next to her, wiping under her eyes and sniffing. "And thank you for taking her in."

"What was I gonna do, say no?" Eda shrugged and held out a glass of green liquid toward her sister. "Kid had a shit day."

"Swear jar," Luz sang.

"What am I up to now?" Eda gave Luz a tired look.

"Sixteen."

"Hm, not bad for a Wednesday."

The girls started playing the game with King. Lilith took a breath, then leaned in a little closer.

"I'm... sorry about last night. With the... elbowing. And thank you for the Orcilae potion. You didn't have to give me that."

"Eh," Eda shrugged again and sat back in the sofa comfortably. "You seem to be worse off, pain wise. And I could always just make more..."

"It's not exactly a cheap process..."

"Don't you dare offer to pay me, Lily." Eda raised a finger and looked at her sternly.

Lilith rolled her eyes. "Alright, I won't."

"So. On a scale, how much do we hate her siblings?" Eda nodded her head in Amity's direction.

"From one to ten? About thirty six." Lilith's nostrils flared and her eyes flashed. Eda raised an eyebrow.

"Oh dang, that's... a lot. This really got under your skin, huh?"

"You didn't see it, Edalyn," Lilith shook her head. "The little - " she glanced at the girls, then continued in a low hiss: " - miscreants wouldn't admit to anything, they were so arrogant and smarmy and glib - and their parents! If Principal Bump hadn't been there I would have - " Lilith closed her mouth firmly.

"You would have what? Really like this side of you, sis," Eda smirked and gave her shoulder a little push.

Lilith looked away with a silent snarl, cracking her fingers of her left hand one by one. Eda chuckled appreciatively.

"To wanting to kill people for hurting our kids," she said, raising her glass. Lilith gave her a look, then clinked her glass against Eda's. They both took a drink.

"Yes! I win! I am the ruler of the Dungeon Of Kerrazak! Tremble before me and snivel, losers!" King raised his arms in triumph.

"Congratulations, King," Luz giggled.

"You only won because you cheated," Eda huffed, putting down her cards.

"What?! Dost thou casteth shade upon my honor, Thief In Green?!" King brandished his fist at her. Several tokens fell from his collar.

"I knew it! Come here you little - " Eda reached for him, but Luz lifted him out of the way.

"Whoops - " Luz's lunge revealed that she had been sitting on a few cards.

Eda looked from them to Luz.

"Is that where the last of my green treasures was all this time?" she demanded.

"Mayybeee?" Luz hugged King to her chest and smiled.

"I thought the entire point of this game was subterfuge?" Lilith said, looking at her cards.

"It is," Eda admitted. "But there are still rules."

"Hey, that's my Red Sword!" King wriggled free from Luz and snatched the card from Lilith's hand. Lilith leaned away from him. This made the pillow in her lap slide to the floor.

"Oh, Lily, I'm so proud," Eda held her hand to her chest - Lilith's lap was full of tokens and cards.

Luz and Amity gasped.

"You could have won with that hand," Amity pointed out.

"I could?" Lilith asked in confusion. "I thought I had to have the Purple Scepter to..."

"That's only if you're playing the Priest of Purple," Luz said.

"Am I not purple?"

"No, you're the blue one," Amity pointed to a card in front of Lilith.

"Oh... well... shit."

Luz snorted, Amity gasped and Eda and King burst out laughing. Lilith's hand rose to cover her mouth.

"Swear jar!" Eda cackled.

"I'd better get going," Lilith said, putting down her glass on the table. "It's getting late."

"There's a lumpy mattress with your name on it if you wanna have another slumber party," Eda said generously.

"No thank you, I prefer my own bed. I'll just say good night."

"We'll walk Amity to school tomorrow morning. Make sure she gets there alright."

"Thank you."

"Yeah, no worries."

Lilith looked over at Amity. She and Luz were still putting away the cards. It had been a surprisingly pleasant hour and a half.

"Amity," Lilith called to the girl. She got up and came over. She had regained some color now. "I just wanted to say good night."

"Good night," Amity smiled faintly. "Thank you for um... checking up on me."

Lilith smiled back and reached out to give the girl's shoulder a squeeze.

"Come by my office tomorrow?"

"Yeah, sure." Amity nodded, blushing slightly.

"Good night Luz, King." Lilith gave them a little wave.

"Good night!" Luz waved back.

Outside, Lilith summoned her staff and took a seat.

"Home, Sapphire," she said softly, then turned and waved to the girls standing in the open door.

"Goodbye!" Hooty screeched.

"Okay rascals, I'm pooped," Eda closed the door. "I'mma take a bath then hit the hay. No loud parties, no bringing the house to life. And no more sugar for that one." She pointed at King who was jumping up and down on the couch.

"We promise," Luz gave her a smile.

"Aight, nighty night."

"Good night," the girls said in unison.

"When do you have to get up tomorrow?" Luz asked.

"I usually get up at six thirty. School starts at half past eight."

"Then maybe we should get to bed soon too? It's almost ten."

"Yeah," Amity rubbed her face. She was very tired. "That sounds like a good idea."

"Warm milk?" Luz suggested with a little smile. Amity smiled back and nodded gratefully.

Upstairs, Amity put a towel over the middle of her mattress while Luz was in the bathroom. The last thing she wanted was to bleed on more things. She got into bed with the hot water bottle. Her gaze fell on her book bag. And her gym bag.

"We just wanted to play a harmless prank on our baby sister."

"Of course we're sorry something so embarrassing happened."

"Amity's fine!"

"Amity, I'm surprised at you - you know better than this! Miss Clawthorne was right, you do need some guidance on how to be a woman."

Luz plopped down on her sleeping bag with a sigh. She turned to look at Amity and her relaxed smile turned into an expression of worry.

"You okay, Amity?"

"I'm fi - " Amity stopped herself and started over. "I'm... not really sure how to answer that question."

Luz gave her a sympathetic look.

"Bullies are the worst," she said quietly.

"Have you ever... been bullied?"

"Oh yeah," Luz closed her eyes for a moment.

"Really?"

"Yeah, I... didn't really have friends until I came here."

"Oh..."

"Gotta be extra hard when your bullies live in the same house, though." Luz's eyebrows drew together.

"Yeah..."

"Have they ever done something like that before?"

"Pranks to humiliate me, sure. But not like that..."

"I wish I would have been there."

"What?"

"So I could have kicked their - " Luz looked over her shoulder quickly, then continued in a whisper: "Asses."

Amity let out a pained breath of laughter. She appreciated the sentiment so much, but she knew Luz was no match for her older siblings.

"I could come and pick you up from school tomorrow, and walk you home, then I could tell them off."

Amity's chest felt suddenly cold.

"I'm... scared to go home."

"I'm absolutely walking you home tomorrow."

"You don't have t - "

"I am. Walking you home tomorrow." Luz gave Amity a look that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.

"O-okay... I'm off at half past four..."

"Okay!" Now Luz smiled happily. "Mayyybe we could stop by that bakery next to Lilith's house on the way to your place?"

Amity's eyebrows rose.

"Y-yeah, sure..."

"First cupcakes, then ass kicking."

Amity had to smile.

They talked for a while longer, then decided to get some sleep. Luz dropped off pretty quickly, but Amity just couldn't settle. A strip of moonlight fell on her gym bag. She couldn't stop staring at it and remembering. After twenty minutes or so, she got up.

She grabbed the bag, then carefully went downstairs. She stepped out of the house through the back door. She didn't want to wake the mad door knocker demon. She laid the fire in the fire pit, then drew a spell circle to light it. The pink flame caught and soon it crackled merrily.

She upended her gym bag over the ground. The towel was still damp. She hadn't thought to hang it up to dry - and there was nowhere she could have done so, not without people seeing.

But fire was fire, right? It would all burn.

Eventually.

She pushed the logs to the sides with a stick, then dumped the bundle in the middle of the pit. She stood by the side, watching the edges of the towel begin to smoulder. The heat coming off the flames was pretty intense, but she didn't step back.

She wanted to watch it all burn. She wished she could set fire to her memories too.

She threw another log on the fire. And another, and another.

Eda awoke and blinked up into the ceiling. Light danced up there... Almost like...

She sat up - she could smell burning! Was the house on fire?! She was just about to shout to wake everyone up when she caught a glimpse of the backyard through the window. There was a fire. In the fire pit. She blinked at the flickering light. Someone was out there... She hurried downstairs and out into the yard.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing?!" she demanded in a whisper.

Amity gasped and whipped around. Eda saw the firelight reflected in the kid's eyes. And in the tears on her cheeks. And in the snot from her nose. Eda lifted her hand to snuff out the blaze.

"Don't!" Amity begged breathlessly.

Eda narrowed her eyes, then stepped around the kid. There was a smoldering bundle of clothes in the middle of the pit. She raised her hand a second time, glanced at the kid, then slowly lowered it again.

Tense silence reigned for a long moment.

"... No more logs," Eda said finally. "It's not meant to hold more'n a few." She sat down on a lawn chair. "And I'm not leaving until it goes out. You shouldn't play with fire, kid..."

"I'm not... playing," Amity said, wiping her face on her sleeve frustratedly.

"No, you're symbolically burning your things," Eda muttered in a tired voice, gesturing toward the fire. "Which is valid, I grant you - I've burned a whole bunch of things in my life, very cleansing, you know, but never in the middle of the dang night. And never in someone else's backyard." She thought a moment. "Well there was this once with an ex that got out of hand, but - at least I was seventeen, what are you, twelve?"

"I'm thirteen."

"Same difference. Sit."

Amity hesitated. She wasn't sure if she was being scolded or not.

"Sit down, you're standing too close. It'll take your eyebrows off when it gets to your uniform."

Amity sat down slowly next to Eda.

"How did you know my uniform is in there?" she asked suspiciously.

Eda looked at her for a moment, then looked back at the fire.

"It's what I'd want to burn if I'd had a day like yours."

Amity didn't know what to say to that.

The fire crackled and popped. After a while, there was a FWOOMPH and the flames burned pink for a moment before settling to orange again.

Amity sniffed. Those were the leggings Lilith had given her a few months ago. She hugged her knees to her chest and wiped her cheeks quickly.

"You don't have to be 'fine' here," Eda said. "If you're upset, be upset. If you're in pain, you can let it show."

"I don't want to be upset. I want to forget."

"You don't want to forget."

"Why... would I want to remember today?" Amity's voice was shaking. She quickly wiped her cheeks again.

Eda sighed. "I don't know. Because Lily helped you out. Because good ol' Bumpy was on your side. Because Luz gave you a million hugs. Because I let you basically set fire to my backyard. Today sucked, don't get me wrong, but there was good stuff too. If you were to forget today, you'd have to forget those parts too."

Amity stared at her.

"Forgetting the bad stuff sounds good in theory, right? But if you were to forget, it would still have happened, and you just wouldn't know about it. And that's... worse than remembering. Much worse."

"Are you saying I should be grateful?!"

"Heck no, kid!" Eda looked at her sharply. "Be pissed! Be heartbroken! What they did was awful! Just remember all of today! There are people who are friends with you on a good day. But the people who stay with you on a bad day... Those are your people. Your family. Your real family."

Amity stared at her again.

Eda waved her finger and another log soared into the flames. Amity looked over at the fire, then back to Eda.

"... I thought you said no more logs."

"There's still some towel left." Eda shrugged. "But tomorrow morning you're chopping some wood for me before school, alright?"

"... Alright."

They sat in silence and watched the fire eat away at the towel. Amity started to cry again, but didn't bother wiping the tears away now. Eda didn't comment.

Eventually the fire went out on its own. The stars and the moon gave just enough light to see by.

"Want to collect some of the ashes to dump into their lockers?" Eda asked.

"... Yes."

"Let's go kids, I wanna go back to bed," Eda grumble-shouted from the door. She took a swig from her cup of apple blood and scratched her side.

"You don't have to walk with us," Luz said with a smile.

"I said I would, so I'm gonna."

"Got everything?" Luz asked Amity.

"Yeah, I think so."

"Okay, let's go to school!"

Luz and Amity chatted as they walked. Eda walked into a few trees before waking up completely. Amity was quietly surprised it took so long to get to school from the Owl House. Yesterday it had felt like no time had passed at all. But it must have been a half hour walk at least.

"Here, don't forget your lunch!" Luz held out a paper bag to Amity when they reached the school grounds.

"You made me lunch? I was just going to get something at the cafeteria..." Amity looked at Luz in surprise. "Th-thank you..."

"It's nothing fanc - oh!"

Amity hugged her tightly. Luz beamed and made a happy little squeak.

"It's too early to be this cute," Eda rubbed her temple and shook her head.

"Have a good day and I'll see you after school!"

"S-see you later," Amity smiled as she stepped away, the lunch bag swinging from her hand. Luz and Eda watched her walk along the path and up the stairs to the entrance. She looked over her shoulder a few times, and every time she did, Luz squeaked and waved.

"Okay, kid, she's safely inside."

"Do you think she's going to be okay?"

"Yeah, she is." Eda ruffled Luz's hair affectionately.

They started walking back to the house.

"For this afternoon - remember that kicking people in the crotch works wonders on both boys and girls."

"That's... dirty fighting."

"Yeah, and?"

"Dirty... and effective?"

"That's my girl."

Note:

EDIT: This AU is now a series! This is part five. The next part is called Knockout. You can find it in the fic list on my profile.

Due to an uncomfortable number of random requests I need to say, again, that I don't do story requests. I could maybe do story commissions, but that's a big maybe. So. Please stop asking me to write your story for you. If you have a story idea, why not try writing it yourself? It's a great way to explore your feelings.

Please let me know what you thought about this story in the comments below (on ao3) or reviews ( ) :)