#keepreading

Oooh, This is so familiar!!!

It was an uneventful night for the Blight family. The Blight twins were already in their rooms, and Amity was still awake looking over her homework for the next day of school. As she was finishing up her homework, she decided to look on Penstagram for updates. It struck Amity as odd that her former friend Boscha hadn't posted onto the site for some time since her fight with Willow. It wasn't to say that she missed seeing whatever her ex-friend posted, because after all, she did cause her to be bedridden with a fractured leg for a few weeks. But given how obsessed Boscha was with the site, it was uncharacteristic of her to ignore it for days.

Instead, it mostly consisted of posts from her other classmates like Skara and the like. She was just about finished with her browsing when a news flare got her attention. Looking at it, her jaw nearly dropped on her desk. "Palisman tree has been killed?" she said to herself.

The revelation took the air out of Amity's lungs. It was every witch of the Boiling Isles' dream of having their own staff and palisman. Now, she, and every other witch-in-training, would be denied that chance. Her; her siblings; Willow; Gus; Luz...

Amity's heart skipped a beat at the slightest thought of that human girl. Ever since that dance they shared at Grom in order to defeat Grometheus, the witch girl had found herself falling hard for Luz. Just thinking about her for one moment was enough for Amity to completely forget what she was doing, a more unfortunate consequence of being bitten by the love bug (when those insects were not in season that year). And yet, the most sufferable thing about it was Luz's obliviousness to her growing feelings. Amity wanted to hate herself for feeling that she was speaking to a rock, but Luz's stupid tendencies were also endearing.

Amity glanced at the papers on her desk realizing that she was writing something on one of the papers. She brought it up to her face seeing that it was addressed to Luz. Amity blushed a tomato red and promptly crumpled up the paper and through it in the garbage can.

"That was close," Amity thought to herself, "I don't know what I'd do if Luz read that."

A twinge of tiredness befell the young Blight. Yawning, she stretched her arms and was about to prepare for bed.

Knock, knock.

Amity turned towards her bedroom door. "Edric? Emira? What do you want now?" She crossed her arms and stomped her foot impatiently. "If it has to do with that bat that Edric wanted to keep, a frog ate it."

"It's me and your mother" the knocker replied.

Amity froze up at the realization of who it was. On the other side of the door were her domineering parents Odalia and Alador Blight. What possible reason did they have to knock at her door during that time of night? It'd better be urgent. Amity shook off her wondering thoughts and opened the door. Both of her parents were dressed in black, matching cloaks that covered their feet. Odalia looked like a spitting image of her young daughter; the only difference was the pure emerald green of her hair vs. Amity's brown spot that stuck out like a sore thumb. Her hair was tightly held back in a bow. The shoulders of Odalia's cloak arched in pointed triangles.

Alador had a noticeably grizzlier appearance. Short brown hair was on his head complimented by his goatee-styled beard. Thick, long eyebrows hung over as a canopy for his eyes but also contributed to his vaguely-goat attire. Like his wife, the sleeves of his cloak came together in arched shapes. There was a peculiar look coming from him one of contemplation. Amity couldn't help but notice that he gave passing glances to his wife then to the door. With the sporadic movement of his eyes, it gave off a sense that he truly did not want to be there or would frankly want to be anywhere but here.

"Yes?" Amity finally said, "what do you want?"

"Dear," Odalia said, "how did your week of school go?"

Amity raised an eyebrow at the sudden words. "Still at the top of my classes."

She was fully expecting some praise for her accomplishments, but her parents only responded with silence before turning their attention back to her.

"While at school, was there anything that you were trying to keep from us?" Odalia asked.

"No?"

"Oh, you don't?" Odalia said.

Amity shook her head.

"Let me rephrase the question then," Odalia announced, "was there anyone in particular that you were conversing with?"

Amity turned to look away at the judgmental eyes her parents were giving her. "No, of course not."

"Amity, don't try to assume that I am a hopeless imbecile." Odalia waved her finger in the air and withdrew a purple scroll. She took her finger and skimmed through her notifications. Amity and Alador looked at each with a shared look of curiosity until Odalia put her finger down. "What is this?"

She directed the scroll towards her daughter and pointed at something on it. Amity's heart sank from what she was seeing: a picture of her; Willow; and Gus. They were talking with each other in the school's library. Amity tapped her fingers in a nervous fidget to find an explanation.

"We had told you to stop associating with that half-witch," Odalia said strictly, "can't you see that you are squandering your status in the social order?"

Amity nodded. "Well, I can see why you think that."

Odalia crossed her arms. "Think? I know; you had kept that promise of yours for years now and yet you now decide to see Willow behind our backs?"

Amity clenched her fists. "Willow is special to me." She unclenched her fists with more conviction. "I told her that I would keep her safe."

"From who if you don't mind me asking?" Alador asked.

"Boscha," Amity responded with little hesitation.

Odalia's eyes widened. "We had struck up an agreement with her mother that you would befriend her, and yet, how long have you spoken to her?"

"I did not speak to her in weeks."

"I will have you know that Boscha had been missing for weeks," Odalia mentioned, "did she do something that caused Boscha to disappear without a trace?"

"Willow would never do that," Amity said with conviction.

"Whatever the case, we are concerned that you associating yourself with Non-Blights is affecting your mind," Alador said.

How offensive, Amity thought. Those were her friends they were criticizing and shamelessly belittling without their knowing.

"The last few days with all of them had been nothing short of amazing; I don't care if Willow is a half-witch or that Luz is a human. This is the first time in my life that I felt legitimately happy."

Odalia rolled her eyes. "That's great that you are happy, but do you know what bad precedent this would put on us?"

"No."

Odalia walked away from the room and disappeared. It was only Amity and her father in the room. He sat down by the side of his daughter's bed looking away. What he said next would surprise Amity.

"I'm actually kind of pleased with how you stood up for that half-witch."

"What?" Amity said.

"I was never fully on board with your mother's suggestion that you severe ties with Willow; I could see then – and now even – that you care deeply about her, and maybe forcing you to befriend Boscha was just our way of ensuring that you were strong."

He pat Amity's covered foot. "But look at you now; the top of your class; actually going against Boscha even though it would be foolish in the eyes of others; and your loyalty are all great attributes; if only there were a way to go back time where your mother and I chose to let you do what you want. Only then you would've become a witch more powerful and feared and it would be your success to reap."

Amity didn't know what to say. She always assumed that Alador would be against Willow because of her status and developing prematurely. But this was the same father who was now retconning everything her old dad had tried to establish. She was reminded of how she secretly wrote in her journal how she didn't want to be mean but only did so to not show weaknesses. This was likely the same tactic that her father does. At the same time, Amity couldn't shake off the notion that Alador still went along with her mother's demands was still a spineless blunder.

Odalia walked back into the room carrying a thick book. She held it up with her hands to show what she had. "It is a book of the history of the Blight family."

She opened it up and skimmed the pages until her finger landed on a picture. "Your great-grandmother Audrea was one of the most powerful witches of the family." She flipped to the next page of the yellowy-wrinkly book. "There's Ozpin demonstrating his first time using his Abomination."

She flipped through more pages whilst ignoring the dust kicking into the air. "Can't you see all these amazing people?"

"Well, I have read small parts of the book," Amity said, "but what are you trying to say?"

"I AM saying that you are besmirching the proud family name by continuing to squander your attention by continuing to see Willow against our back."

"Well, I don't even want to BE a Blight if it means that I will have to throw Willow and the others away like a griffin's hairball."

Odalia slammed the book shut and placed it on the floor.

"What of your dream of entering the Emperor's Coven?" she inquired.

"Lilith left it," Amity noted, "do you think that there was something horribly wrong enough to make her bail?"

Odalia scoffed at the point. "Lilith is a traitor; only a full would turn their backs on the privileges that Lord Belos would bestow to them." She placed the palm of her hand on the door frame. "Let only death be the harshest punishment that a traitor deserves."

Her mother was right about one thing: witches were forever indebted to Belos and to leave would be an act of treason fitting only those who practiced wild magic. Amity couldn't help but feel worried for her former idol, but she also felt a sense of karma for her due to her almost killing the love of her life.

"But dear," Alador said, "at the least Edric and Emira are approaching the age for the coven."

"I don't care if the twins are likely better qualified," Odalia said, "please reconsider everything you will be sacrificing and do the right thing."

Amity shook her head. "I am through with you controlling me."

Odalia's pointed ears perked up. "What was that?"

"You heard me loud and clear Mom: I am never going to leave Willow the way she was again."

Odalia turned around and pointed her finger at her daughter. "And I do not want you to associate with that human girl."

"Her name is Luz, Mom," Amity said.

"I don't care what this human girl's name is; if anything, she is some rat with a lot of gall to believe that she can be just like us."

Amity raised her finger. "She can perform magic; just...in a way that I have never seen it being done."

"That is not magic," Odalia insisted, "that is utter mockery of what the Titan blessed us with; I will not have it up to here with a talentless mongrel like that."

Amity passively shot a fireball at her mother in the heat of her anger. Odalia narrowly avoided the ball which immediately ran out of fuel. Odalia's eyes twitched.

"So, we have a failure to conform?"

Amity immediately clasped her hands together. "I'm sorry, Mom, I didn't mean to..."

"Enough!" Odalia raised her hand. "Maybe a trip to the Conformatorium would be beneficial for both of us."

Amity's eyes bulged at the announcement. "No, anything but that!"

Odalia bent down and collected the family album book. "I am giving you this one chance: either you do as we say and abandon Willow, or we would be forced to have you taken and you would be stripped of the Blight name."

Amity looked down to hide her hurt expression.

Odalia put her arms on her sides. "Understand?"

Amity nodded without another word.

With that, her parents left the room and quietly shut it to avoid the twins being woken up by their ramblings. They walked down the hall and entered their bedroom: there was a white sheet that split the room in middle on both sides being matching beds made with the same material. They both sprawled on the bed and said nothing for a few minutes.

"Odalia," Alador started in a hushed tone, "maybe you are being a little too...over-exerting?"

"No, that is foolish thinking," Odalia replied, "this is her future we are talking about."

"Maybe that's the problem?" he answered back "maybe you're projecting yourself onto our daughter?"

Odalia rolled over. "I tried my best to become a part of those elites, but my chances were always taken from me; I just want what is best for our daughter."

"But you also try to die her hair green when you know she's a natural-"

She hit her fist against the wooden bed post. "What was that?"

"Oh, uh, nothing, dear," he said. "Goodnight."

Both of them were still very much awake, but they opted to not speak of this any further. At least until the morning.

Amity was under her bed covers rolling around a few times. She could not believe her mother. After years of taking her abuse, she finally had her chance to tell her mother what she felt, but now she was weighing down harder for her. And Luz...she could not bear to listen to her mother speak of her shamelessly. Human or witch, it didn't matter: she felt at home with Luz and the other misfits. She took her pillow and pushed it over her head.

"UH! Why is life this complicated!?"

"I know, right? What a drag."

Amity bounced forward in her bed to scan her surroundings. "Who said that?"

"Up here!"

She looked up at the ceiling and, to her horror, she saw a black-eyed man staring down at her. She tinkered around with her desk and tossed a book towards the man. It squarely hit him in the face.

"Ugh! Hey, be careful with that!" he yelled back.

"Who are you?" Amity said. She was reaching for something else to grab.

"A friend of your human girl," he replied, "I am Hypnos."

Amity had grabbed a few scrolls and was positioning them in the direction of the man. "Did you do something to her!?"

Hypnos slid his arms through the ceiling in a defense stance. "Rest assured, she is fine; but she needs your help."

Amity dropped the scrolls to blush profusely. Luz needed her? Her little heart could barely take it. "Yes! Who do I have to kill?" she said absent-mindedly.

"I appreciate your enthusiasm, but I'd like you to dial it back a couple knots."

Amity put her face in her hands. "Yes, yes; I apologize."

Hypnos appeared in front of her bed and held out his hand. "Well? Are you ready?"

"I don't know," Amity said, "what about my parents?"

"Oh, I just went into your siblings' minds to instill in them to keep your parents busy and away from the door at all times; no matter how ludicrous."

With that, Amity took his head and they were off.