Chapter Text
"AAAAAAAAAAAUUGHHH!!!!" The school bell screamed.
Hunter, Viney, and Skara all departed from their Study of Rune Magic class with beaming smiles, "Thank you for helping us figure out that symbol, Hunter." Viney beamed with a toothy grin.
"It was my pleasure," Hunter replied with his own toothy smile, his tooth gap showing.
"Now I know who to cheat off of during the exam next week." Skara joked, gently nudging Hunter's side.
Hunter deadpanned her, giving her a look of complete dumbfoundedness but also one that clearly showed he was judging her. "Skara, that is violating academic-"
"Oh, you dork." Skara responded with a slight laugh, "I'm kidding, I'm kidding."
Hunter never understood sarcasm, but he still definitely felt a bit awkward. "O-Oh, right. I knew that."
"Sure, dude," Viney teased, raising an eyebrow. "Your head's just a bit fuzzy, I guess."
"Oh no, my mind is very clear for once because you two helped me sneak that Hexer's Bar," Hunter explained, looking back to it's taste. "I appreciate that, really, going against the rules just for me."
"Any time, really," Viney responded. "Having a full stomach will help you pay attention better."
Skara grinned, "Yeah, and now you owe us by letting us cheat off-"
Viney slapped her hand over Skara's mouth, "Shut up, he won't get it."
Skara rolled her eyes as Viney removed her hand. "Oh, and remember, if the B word gives you a problem, punch her right in the face," Skara joked, pretending to land a large blow to the air beside Hunter while putting on the look of anger.
Hunter couldn't help but chuckle, "Oh, trust me, if I could, I would. I'd kick her butt in a Witch's Duel if I was able to."
Viney and Skara chuckled back, imagining the scene playing out. "I'd for sure watch that duel," Viney noted.
"I think the whole school would. That'd be the best duel I would ever see in my life," Skara added. She sadly smiled after. "Well, I hate to cut things short, but we should get going."
"Yeah, don't wanna be late," Viney added.
"Me neither. Mr. Kyteler would tear into me," Hunter said with a laugh.
Skara and Viney began walking away to head to their next class, "See you at lunch, Hunter!"
"Byyyyee!" Hunter shouted back, hearing a slight echo in the halls. He grinned as he began speed walking for his locker, amidst the hustle and bustle of school. Hunter had a rotating schedule to fit all of his tracks in, and on any usual day when he had this particular schedule, he'd be completely and absolutely dreading his next class. In fact, on any usual day, he'd be dreading this one class the moment he rested his head atop his pillow for the night.
That class? Potions 101.
Hunter had been struggling in potions since his first day. It was mainly due to his inability to focus from two factors outside his control: Boscha picking on him and his stomach nagging him for lunch. At least one of those factors was taken care of today. The other depended on whether Boscha showed up today.
But… today was different. After beating Boscha in that Grudgby match earlier in the week, Hunter had a confidence boost. He and Willow were closer than ever, as well as the whole Emerald Entrails team. Rumors that they had beaten Boscha at her own game spread fast, and their popularity had leapt sky high because of it.
On top of that, he had been given a homework assignment that he was sure he actually got the hang of and aced. After all these weeks of slogging, stress, and struggling, perhaps he was finally figuring it out. It was perfect timing too. The first huge exam of the semester was coming up fast and by fast; today was Friday, and the test was on Monday. Hunter had been anxious about that exam for weeks. He had been dreading it from the moment his professor announced it in class. In fact, as recently as Monday eariler that week, he was seriously considering having to study like he did in the Emperor's Coven so he could get a decent grade on it, but it seemed he was finally getting the hang of things. Maybe he could take it a bit easy on the studying. That was a relief, to say the least.
Hunter went to his locker, got his supplies for potions, and headed to the Potions classroom. He put on a determined smile as he entered inside, sitting down next to Luz. "Hey, Hunter," she greeted him.
"Hey, hooman," Hunter teased, mimicking one of her nicknames while giving her a nudge.
Luz had to admit she was a bit surprised. "Whoa. You're in a good mood."
Hunter chuckled, "Yeah, I've been feeling a bit better about this class ever since the last assignment. I think I finally figured this stuff out. It's a huge relief, especially with the exam coming up next week."
"Oh, that's really good!" Luz beamed, "You know, I was really worried before, but I'm glad things are getting better."
"Good morning, everybody!" a feminine voice shouted, causing a good chunk of the class to roll their eyes, "It's me, the one and only Boscha. I'm here to let you know once again that I kicked the Emerald Eyesores butts in our Grudgby match last Tuesday! So, go on, worship me!" The entire class stared at her like she had round ears. Every day since the Grudgby season had started, Boscha had been barging into Potions boasting about whatever achievement she could pull out of the file cabinet, and the class was rather tired of it. Boscha scoffed, "Oh come on, you're supposed to praise me."
"Dude. You're not fooling nobody," Edric grumbled.
The entire class laughed at Edric's comment, causing Boscha to seethe and her face to turn into an angry red. Her popularity after the whole 'New Hexside' incident was already nonexistent, and after she cheated in the Flyer Derby match with the Entrails, her sports integrity had also been dismantled, and after she had lost against the Emerald Entrails at her own sport, and was lying about it, she was pretty much seen as a huge joke at this point. Nobody took her seriously anymore. Boscha knew all this, and she wasn't having any of it. She was getting her social status back, no matter what it took. If she was gonna fall, she was gonna take the Entrails with her, especially the two half-a-witches that started this huge mess.
A fire glistened in Boscha's three eyes as she stomped to Hunter's desk. "You think this is funny?"
"If I'm being honest, yes," Hunter replied with a smirk.
Boscha growled, her teeth baring and her blue eyes narrowing. Boscha summoned fire in her hand, "You sure won't think this is funny in a-"
Another student grabbed her hand and forced it away. It was Eileen, the eyeball demon, "Dude. Stop," she hummed.
Boscha directed her fireball toward Eileen. "Do you want in on this, too, huh, eyeball face?"
"If you care so much about your social status, you're certainly making a fool of yourself right now," she hummed again, with a tinge of annoyance hidden well under her unfazed eye.
Boscha looked around to see the entire class snickering and laughing at her. She could've sworn she heard people calling her a joke. Boscha made the fireball in her hand bigger, her face burning bright red, unaware she was about to set fire to her own hair. "Do you all want in on this?!" she cried in a desperate attempt to intimidate everyone.
"Yeah, okay, like you can follow thirty people around all day," Luz taunted, snorting at the idea.
Hunter couldn't help but burst out laughing, preceded by the rest of the class. The bell screamed, and the teacher came into a sight he'd rather not be seeing. "Everyone, hush!" he shouted. When the class didn't listen, he raised his voice. "EVERYONE SHUT UP!"
The class instantly zipped it after that.
"Boscha put out that fire and sit down." He grumbled. Boscha did as she was told, stomped to her seat, staring down at the table, fuming in her own fall from grace.
Class started, and things returned to normal. Although Hunter noticed that Boscha actually wasn't bothering him today. He didn't know why. Maybe Boscha was focusing on her work for once, or maybe she was just too humiliated from the start of class. Either way, it worked out perfectly for him. Things were going smoothly. Today was just a really long lecture, and it didn't seem like there would be an assignment given. Hunter had to admit he was a bit bored, but that was to be expected. Eventually, there were only ten minutes before class ended. Hunter tapped his fingers as he counted down the minutes to lunch. He wouldn't be lying if he said he was a little hungry by now, but it was so much better than any other day in this class. He was really thankful to Viney and Skara for sneaking him that snack earlier.
"Last thing before the end of class." Mr. Kyteler announced, "I'm going to hand back your last assignment with your grade and some of my feedback. Most of you did very well, some of you did decently enough, a few of you could use a little work, and… one of you could've done much better."
Hunter perked up. This must've been that assignment had he known for a fact he had aced. Hunter's heart pounded to get that paper back. He was so excited to show his friends and family that he was finally improving. That he was finally getting better at this. That he actually had a shot at getting a great grade in this class. Hunter watched as Mr. Kyteler handed the papers back to each student, one by one. Hunter counted down the students as the teacher came closer to him, and with every passing moment he got more and more eager to see what he had made, flapping his hands in anticipation.
And then… Mr. Kyteler handed him his paper.
Hunter Deamonne,
Almost all the ingredients you used in your potions were incorrect, and you made the complete wrong potions. The worst example being that you made Fairy's Fickle instead of Pegasus Pepper. You absolutely need to study more, and it's clear that you are not even trying. I am very disappointed, and I know you can do better.
F
Mr. Kyteler.
"...What?" Hunter whispered, his galdorstone heart skidding to a stop. He stared at the paper, his jaw hanging wide open. All the chatter in the classroom became drowned out as all he could do was stare at the paper in front of him.
'…How?' Hunter thought. 'How could this be? I checked the instructions dozens of times, I even looked up tutorials on Penstagram multiple times!'
Hunter had been sure he had done this right. That he had for once understood what the heck he was doing. Nothing had blown up, nothing had turned the wrong color, nothing went wrong… but, yet, somehow, he had still messed everything up. He had still done everything wrong.
While he had indeed created potions without any issues, he had created the wrong potions… genuinely believing he was making the right ones.
Everything suddenly came crashing down on Hunter. It felt like all the progress he had made was destroyed. His newfound confidence was shattered. Hunter had never failed an assignment before. Not even in potions, and now… he had a failure on his hands. Right after when he thought he was finally getting better.
Then a daunting realization hit him like a truck.
The exam…
That dreaded huge exam next week…
Hunter was pretty unconfident before he thought he aced this assignment, but now that he learned he had failed it, he fell so much deeper into the pit of self-doubt than ever before. If this was anything to go by, He was going to absolutely bomb that test.
Titan, he really was gonna have to study like he did in the Emperor's Coven if he wanted any smidge of hope of even passing that exam now.
Hunter was brought out of his thoughts when he saw his paper glow a shade of yellow and get swiped off his trembling hands. "Let me see that," the voice Hunter despised declared.
'Oh Titan… no. Please, no,' Hunter pleaded in his head.
"Now let's see what the pathetic half-a-witch got," Boscha taunted.
Luz summoned Stringbean and immediately snatched the paper back, but by that point, it was already too late. Boscha had seen it all. "Oh wow, it's even more embarrassing than I could've thought." Boscha announced loudly for the whole class to hear. "An 'F' with a nasty note. How pathetic; this was one of the easiest assignments we've gotten. How could you mess it up so badly? What a nightmare. You don't have a future. I don't understand how you haven't given up yet."
The entire class cringed at Boscha's sickening words, and some looked at Hunter, some with a look on their faces he didn't bother to find out what meant. He was silent, frozen, his eyes twitching back and forward.
"Boscha, sit back down," Mr. Kyteler ordered. "I have to make a final announcement before the bell screams."
Hunter couldn't even listen to what Mr. Kyteler had to say, as he had to do everything he could not burst into tears on the spot. Luz could tell he was very upset, scowling at Boscha before looking back at him, figuring she could talk to him after class.
The bell screamed, and the class left the room, including Hunter and Luz. Luz immediately approached him, "Hey, Hunter, are you gonna be okay?"
Hunter gave a simple nod, somehow keeping his composure. "Mhm. I just need to use the bathroom." He replied, doing his best not to let his voice crack.
Luz bit her lip but knew she had to let him go. "...Okay, but listen, if you need any help, I'm available over the weekend. Alright?"
Hunter could only give a silent nod as he and Luz separated. Hunter rushed to the closest bathroom he could find and locked himself in a stall as tears rushed out his eyes.
He didn't know what he was going to do.