What was the most important thing I needed. Information—a way to understand this world without drawing attention to myself.
A simple search of the room revealed a school ID tucked into the corner of a dresser drawer. Luke Rivers. Gravesfield High.
School.
A pitiful institution for the average mind, but in my case, it would have to do. If I was going to assess this world's technological level, societal structure, and potential threats, and reestablish my power, blending in as a student would be the most efficient method. Children were overlooked, dismissed. No one would suspect a teenager of being anything other than what he appeared.
I dressed quickly, noting the casual, slightly outdated fashion of the clothes in the closet. bay blue Jeans, a plain white t-shirt, a gray hoodie. Unremarkable. Good.
*Knock, Knock , Knock*
A knock at the door. There's no need to hesitate.
"Luke? You're going to be late."
A woman's voice—presumably this body's mother. I schooled my expression into something neutral before opening the door.
She was middle-aged, tired-eyed, holding a coffee mug like it was the only thing keeping her upright. "You've got twenty minutes before the bus comes. You did remember to finish your history project, right?"
I hadn't, of course, because I hadn't known it existed until now. But lying was trivial. "Yeah. It's done."
She sighed, relief washing over her. "Good. I don't need another call from the school."
Interesting. So this body's original owner had a history of negligence. That worked in my favor—no one would question me for having a few gaps in my memory or acting out of the usual norm.
I grabbed a backpack from the floor, slinging it over one shoulder as I headed downstairs. The house was small, cluttered, but clean. Middle-class. at best. I couldn't dwell on it to long as the bus had just arrived.
The bus ride was uneventful. A handful of other students boarded after me, none paying me any attention with my hood on. I kept my gaze fixed out the window, observing the town as we passed.
Gravesfield was… quaint. Suburban, with no visible signs of advanced technology. No drones in the sky, no television billboards, no automated transports. My world was by no means high tech but the city I was in was thanks to "Black Company". Either this world was behind my own, or this was a particularly underdeveloped region.
Pulling up to the school, itself was a drab, brick-and-concrete structure, teeming with teenagers in various states of boredom or agitation. I filed in with the crowd, keeping my movements natural, my posture relaxed.
First step: locate my assigned classroom.
A quick scan of the hallway revealed a directory. Room 214—History.
I moved with purpose, weaving through the throng of students until I found the right door. Inside, a tired-looking teacher was setting up a projector.
"Ah, Luke. Glad you decided to join us today." His tone was dry, unimpressed.
I offered a practiced, sheepish smile. "Wouldn't miss it."
He snorted, clearly not believing me, but didn't press further.
I took a seat near the back, observing the other students. Most were disengaged, whispering to each other or scrolling on their phones. One girl, however, stood out.
Curly brown hair pulled into a messy half-ponytail, a hand-knit sweater with some fantasy creature pattern, doodling what looked like winged serpents in the margins of her notebook. She wasn't just not paying attention—she was actively somewhere else, lips moving silently like she was acting out a scene only she could see.
The way she tapped her pencil eraser against her temple in rhythm, the slight bounce of her leg, the occasional muffled giggle at whatever story was playing out in her head—it was all somewhat familiar.
Wait a second.
Like a physical blow. my mind cleared, revealing a childhood memory.
Luz Noceda.
From The Owl House.
The animated show.
The one I'd watched.
Which could only mean—
My fingers twitched against the desk.
This wasn't just some random parallel world.
I was inside the show.
A cold thrill shot through me. If this was true, then the implications. Then tthey were staggering. The Demon Realm. Magic. The Boiling Isles. All of it being real.
And Luz, sitting a few rows ahead of me, completely unaware of the storm that was about to hit her life.
I exhaled slowly, forcing my expression to remain neutral even as my began thinking ahead.
This changed everything.
The teacher cleared his throat. "Alright, projects are due today. Pass them forward."
A ripple of groans. I had nothing to turn in, of course, but that was a minor issue.
"Uh, Mr. Harrison?" I kept my voice just loud enough to be heard. "I left mine in my locker. Can I run and grab it?"
He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Fine. Quickly."
I stood, slipping out the door before he could reconsider.
Now, time to improvise.
First things first—confirmation.
The library would have computers. With access to the internet, I could verify whether this world matched the show's lore. Did Gravesfield have a history of strange occurrences? Were there records of disappearances near the old house in the woods? With this I can predict the exact time soon-to-be isekai'd protagonist of The Owl House would leave to the Demon Realm.
That was the key to regaining my power. But I needed to get there without relying on chance or a clumsy discovery.
The library's fluorescent lights hummed overhead as I sat down and typed rapidly on the computer different from the super computer powered one I had before. My fingers flew across the keyboard, pulling up local news archives and historical records. The system was painfully slow compared to what I was accustomed to, but the information was there.
Search term: "Gravesfield disappearances woods"
Three results appeared. My pulse quickened.
A 1987 article detailed two children who vanished near the old abandoned house. They reappeared three days later with wild stories of "monsters and magic." Dismissed as fantasy, of course.
A 2002 police report mentioned strange lights in the same area. No follow-up.
And then - the clincher. A calendar notification from the school's website: "Summer break begins June 10." Today was June 6.
Four days.
Exactly as predicted.
I leaned back in the stiff plastic chair, mind racing. The pieces fit perfectly. Luz would discover the portal on June 9, one day before summer vacation. That gave me exactly seventy-two hours to position myself.
The bell's shrill ring startled me from my thoughts. Time to move.
I turned a corner, only to freeze.
Luz stood by a row of lockers, fumbling with a combination lock. She muttered under her breath, clearly frustrated.
"Come on, open, you piece of—"
The lock clicked. She brightened, pulling out a thick, leather-bound book with a symbol etched into the cover—a crescent moon with an eye.
The Good Witch Azura.
Just like in the show.
Casually, I approached. Pulling my hood back. "Need help with that?"
Luz jumped, nearly dropping the book. "Oh! Uh, no, I got it. Thanks." She hugged the novel to her chest, eyeing me with cautious curiosity. "You're... Luke, right?"
I nodded. "And you're Luz."
She blinked. "You know my name?"
"You stand out," I said simply.
A faint blush colored her cheeks. "Oh. Uh. I guess that's not always a good thing, huh?"
I tilted my head. "Why wouldn't it be?"
Her eyes lit up, and for a moment, she looked like she wanted to say something—then deflated. "Never mind. Most people here think I'm... weird."
I shrugged. "Most people here are boring."
That got a surprised laugh out of her. "Yeah. Yeah, they kinda are."
The bell rang, signaling the end of the period. Luz winced. "Crap, I'm gonna be late—"
"Me too," I lied smoothly. "Mind if I walk with you?"
She hesitated, then smiled. "Sure!"
As we fell into step, I studied her from the corner of my eye. She was exactly as I remembered from the show—energetic, unfiltered, and painfully earnest. Easy to manipulate, if I played it right.
"So," I said casually, "what's the book about?"
Luz's face lit up like I'd just handed her a winning lottery ticket. "Oh my gosh, it's the best—it's about this witch, Azura, and she's chosen to save the magical world from this ancient evil, but she's also just, like, a normal girl? And there's this whole theme about found family and—" She cut herself off, sheepish. "Sorry. I get kinda excited."
"Don't apologize," I said. "It's refreshing."
Her grin was blinding.
Perfect.
By the time we reached her next class, I had already planted the seeds. A few more conversations like this, and she'd see me as a friend—someone she could trust. And when the time came for her to stumble upon that portal...
Well.
I'd be right beside her.