🪬The Owl's House🪬

The morning mist of the Boiling Isles still blankets the Hexside entrance courtyard, where dozens of students crowd the school steps. Gus and Willow lean against the school flagpole, watching Luz try to teach a card trick from the human world to a small, three-eyed demon that's trying to eat the deck. Nearby, Amity chats with her Grudgby training group, adjusting their shoulder pads. Across the courtyard, students in green and yellow coats exchange elixirs and potions for the first class, while a group from the Beast Trail tries to control a giant griffin that insists on landing atop the founder's statue. The air smells of damp earth and potion herbs, and everyone quickens their pace as the courtyard's iron gates swing open on their own.
Before the group could take their first step toward the main hallway, Director Bump appeared out of nowhere, emerging from a small magical mist right in front of the trio. Fallowby, his palisman, blinked its eyes atop his head as Bump adjusted his robe and pointed directly at Luz. "Noceda. Put those pieces of paper away from the human world immediately," the director said, his voice calm and austere. "I have an important task for you, Willow, and Gus before classes begin. A new student will be joining Hexside today. I want the three of you to remain in the courtyard and wait for him to arrive to welcome him. I would do it myself, but I have a lot of work today." As soon as Director Bump turned and disappeared into the courtyard mist, Luz leaped into the air, letting out a theatrical gasp of excitement, causing the small three-eyed demon to startle and run off with half the deck of cards in his mouth. "NEW STUDENT?!" "Did you hear that?! This is literally the start of a main arc welcome mission! We have to make it an unforgettable reception!" Luz exclaimed, her eyes gleaming as she grabbed Willow and Gus by the shoulders at once.