Author's Notes: I think this is the longest thing I've ever written.

Devon was startled awake by a loud rattling sound coming from directly in front of her. She rubbed at her temples in an attempt to stop the headache she could feel beginning. 'Ugh, did I fall and hit my head or something?' Once again, she was unable to see anything but at least she was standing on something solid again. Her back was resting against something soft and as she reached her arms up to stretch, they pushed against something solid. After feeling around, she quickly deduced that she was in some sort of box. She held her arms out as far in front of her as they would go, only to realize, much to her horror, that something heavy was keeping her sealed into the narrow space. She tried to keep her breathing steady but her mind kept getting drawn back to the coffin she saw in the back of the carriage. Before Devon had the chance to think too hard about how she was very likely stuffed into a coffin and likely buried alive somewhere, the rattling sound started up again.

"Damn it. People are coming," came a voice from just beyond the barrier in front of Devon. "Gotta hurry and get a uniform before-" A strained growl and more rattling. "This stupid lid is too heavy!"

'Lid?' Devon thought. 'Sounds like I really was stuffed in a coffin after all. It also sounds like someone's trying to open it so this might be my best chance to get away.' She braced herself, ready to leap out as soon as she saw an opening. 'I don't know where I am but as long as I jump out as soon as that lid comes off, I'll at least be able to catch whoever's out there off-guard. Best case scenario, I find a way to parkour out until I put some distance between us. If that isn't an option…I run like hell and go down swingin'.'

Her attention was pulled back to the voice as it spoke up again. "Looks like it's time for my secret move!"

There was more rattling and grunting coming from outside the coffin but Devon saw the lid pull back ever so slowly, light starting to creep in from around one edge. She did her best to keep her breathing steady, crouching just slightly so she could spring forward once the opening was wide enough. Finally, the lid was wrenched away with one last grunt. Devon was about to make her move but was forced to stop at the last moment, catching herself by grabbing the sides of the coffin with both hands, when she saw the space just in front of her was awash in blue fire. 'Fire?! Are you kidding me?!'

"Okay, okay! Now I just gotta-" Devon poked her head out and looked up, following the sound of the voice. Perched on top of the coffin was what looked like a large grey raccoon with a white patch of fluff on its chest, big blue eyes, and a black and white ribbon tied in a bow around its neck. It let out a screech when it locked eyes with her. "Mnyaaaah! What the hell?!" The creature jumped down in front of the coffin. "You ain't supposed to be awake!"

Devon took stock of her surroundings as the creature continued sputtering. She was in some sort of dimly-lit chamber filled with coffins like the one she was in, some were floating and some were flat on the ground. The room itself was very spacious and she wouldn't have been surprised if it was used as a gathering place for some kind of secret society. A look out a nearby window told her that night had fallen but she still couldn't tell where she was. Her heart jumped into her throat when she looked toward the center of the room: the mirror that had appeared before her in the void was mounted on the chamber wall. She was positive it was the same one; that sort of ornate frame wasn't something you could find just anywhere. "Okay. So I've been kidnapped for…some reason, brought to this weird cult initiation-looking place for…some other reason, and now a fire-breathing raccoon is yelling at me."

"Oi, who're you callin' a raccoon?!" The creature shouted, pulling Devon's gaze back to it. It was then that she noticed the blue flames coming from its ear and the fact that its tail was shaped like a pitchfork. "I'm the Great Grim." Grim looked at Devon expectantly, clearly hoping for some sort of reaction, but was met only with a blank stare. He rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Just gimme that uniform if you know what's good for ya, human! If you don't," he smirked, a cruel look in his eyes, as he blew another stream of blue flame just below Devon's coffin. "I'll roast ya right here!"

'Well, this is a new one,' Devon thought with a sigh. 'I am so over this. I just wanna wake up from this trippy dream already.' She pressed herself as far back into the coffin as she could before vaulting over the flames and landing safely behind Grim.

"What the-?!" Grim exclaimed, whipping his head around to see Devon charging for the open chamber door. "Stop right there!"

"Not today, trash panda!" Devon called over her shoulder as she ran out the door.

It wasn't until Devon had taken off down the nearest hallway that she finally took notice of what she was wearing; she was very surprised (and a little creeped out) to see that it was not what she had been wearing earlier that day. She was now wearing a sleek flowing hooded black robe that was held in place with a deep purple sash over a black dress shirt with gold accents and black dress pants. A continuous clacking sound as she ran brought her attention to pair of heeled boots in similar colors on her feet and the flowing sleeves of the robes boasted an interior of dark purple, the same shade as the sash, with a pattern of crossed keys repeating throughout. Devon couldn't help but be impressed. 'Not bad. This getup is too flowy for me to parkour in and it definitely still has some cult vibes but at least it's stylish.' She rubbed her wrist subconsciously and was relieved to feel that her bracelet was still there, at least.

She continued running down the hallway, turning random corners whenever she felt she'd been moving in one direction for too long. She didn't have time to take in much of her surroundings but it looked like she'd been taking to some sort of school. She passed a few classrooms and what looked like a large lecture hall and bolted down a few flights of stairs before emerging into a courtyard. She noticed some apple trees and benches and what appeared to be a well in the center. 'Well, this is kinda pretty. Wish I wasn't being chased right now so I could enjoy it.' She didn't see any other people around but she figured that was for the best; she couldn't risk being caught and sent back to the room with the coffins.

She made her way out of what she assumed was the main building for…whatever this place was and kept running before finally running into the first building she saw and slamming the door behind her. She walked further into the building as she panted to catch her breath. This place was clearly a library, if all the books (some of which were floating, Devon noticed) were any indication. She walked over to the nearest table and collapsed into a chair. 'Hopefully I put enough distance between me and that raccoon. Now I'll take a breather and look for a way out-'

Before she could finish her thought, a stream of blue fire appeared in front of her. She screamed and jumped out of the chair as the creature from before appeared in front of her again.

"Nyahaha! Did you really think you could escape from my nose, ya dumb human?" Grim asked as he stalked closer. "If you don't wanna get burned you better hand over the-"

A long whip cut through the air in between the pair, causing Grim to jump back and Devon to press herself back against the chair. "Oi!/Ay!" the pair exclaimed simultaneously. The whip pulled back before it lashed out again, this time wrapping itself around Grim and keeping him from moving. He struggled to get free to no avail. "Nnnngh, what gives?! What's with this rope?!"

"That is not a rope; it is a lash of love," came a voice. Devon and Grim turned toward it and saw a tall man with short wavy black hair wearing a black mask that resembled a raven's beak. Yellow orbs of light stared them down but there was no way to know if that was his actual eye color or if it was part of his mask. There were also what appeared to be blue-black feathers on the shoulders of his overcoat and the coattails resembled raven wings as well. Devon also noticed that the man wore gold rings on each of his gloved fingers that covered his fingers completely and ended in sharp, almost claw-like, points. He pulled the whip back toward him until Grim was close enough that he could grab him by the scruff before he turned his eyes back to Devon. "There you are. I've been looking for you. You must be one of our new students, yes?" His gaze grew stern and he continued before Devon could respond. "This simply won't do, hatchling. No student should leave their Gate before I unlock it. In addition, bringing your untamed familiar to school with you is against regulations as well!"

"Let me go!" Grim shouted as he struggled in the man's grip. "I'm not anyone's freakin' familiar, least of all theirs!"

"Mmhmm, that's what all the rebellious ones say," the man replied dryly. "Quiet down for a moment, will you?" He adjusted his grip so that his hand covered Grim's mouth, ignoring the creature's protests as he refocused on Devon. "Now then. As I was saying, I understand being excited to be here but it is unprecedented for a student to leave their Gate on their own. Patience is a virtue, my dear, but I can only assume it isn't one of yours." He sighed and shook his head before nudging her toward the door of the library. "Now then, the entrance ceremony is already underway. Let's get you back to the Hall of Mirrors."

Devon followed along behind the man, trying to make sense of what was happening. He seemed a little sketchy but he'd had ample opportunity to hurt her by now. She looked up at him, her voice dazed. "Wait…what did you mean by a Gate?"

"I'm referring to the room you woke up in with all the coffins," the man explained. "All students admitted to this academy must pass through one of those doors to arrive here. Normally, students awaken only after their door is opened with a special key," He turned his yellow orbs toward her again. "but I suppose there will always those that go against the grain."

"So those coffins are actually some kind of door?" Devon asked.

"Yes, well, the idea is that the coffin design is meant to invoke the feeling of leaving behind your old life and being born anew," the man explained.

'Hold up, bird man. I was brought here against my will! I don't wanna leave my old life behind!' Devon thought, trying to keep the panic out of her face.

"Ah, but now isn't the time to be long-winded," the man continued, shaking his head as if to get himself back on track. "The entrance ceremony will be drawing to a close soon. Let's get a move on, hatchling."

"Wait a minute, who even are you?" Devon asked, opting to ignore the odd nickname this masked man had graced her with.

The man halted his steps and turned to look at her fully. "What's this now? You seem a bit dazed." He hummed before continuing. "I wonder if the teleportation magic has left you disoriented…" He shrugged before continuing on his way, Devon falling into step beside him. "No matter. It happens often enough. I will give you an explanation as we walk." He gave her a self-satisfied smile. "For I am gracious!"

By this time, they had reached the courtyard Devon had passed through when she was running away from Grim. Since she didn't have to worry about get incinerated this time, she took a look at the main building, letting out an impressed whistle at how large and imposing it was. "Dang, that's a big castle."

"Isn't it though?" the man replied with a smile. He cleared his throat, his tone becoming more authoritative. "This is Night Raven College. Budding mages with exceptional talent gather from all corners of the world to hone their talent here, at one of the most prestigious mage training academy in Twisted Wonderland. And I am Dire Crowley, the headmaster in charge of this academy."

"Wait, wait, hold on. You keep saying 'mage'. What is that? What even is that?" Devon asked. She wasn't normally the type to get mouthy with adults but by now she was exhausted, scared, and confused and just wanted to see her family again. "And you're telling that this place is some kind of magic school? What's next, I'm gonna have to put on a talking hat that'll tell me what house I'm in?"

"Don't be ridiculous, hatchling," the headmaster chided. "The Dark Mirror will assign you to a dormitory based on the essence of your being." He shook his head and muttered to himself, "Honestly, a hat of all things." He turned his attention back to the blue-haired girl beside him, ignoring Grim struggling in his hold. "Only mages deemed worthy by the Dark Mirror are permitted to attend school here. An ebony carriage carrying a Gate should have come to meet you as well."

Devon shuddered as she remembered. "Yeah. That horse had an absolutely horrifying face."

"Each year, those carriages are sent to welcome all new students called by the Dark Mirror," Crowley explained. "They are specially enchanted so that they may appear anywhere, in any type of terrain. Carriages are the vehicles of choice for welcoming special guests, after all. Is that not what conventional wisdom has dictated from days long past?"

"So you're saying that carriage just…decided to bring me here on its own?!" Devon asked incredulously. She glanced at Grim as he made some sort of strangled sound against Crowley's hold.

Crowley ignored her question and nudged her toward the entrance of the main building. "Come. Let's get to the entrance ceremony."

Dominic and DJ had been searching for their sister for the better part of an hour, following the path she would have taken from home, to the pharmacy, and then to the park. The employees at the pharmacy had told them they had seen Devon come in, pick her medicine up, and the leave. They also noted that she didn't seem nervous or concerned that she was being followed when she left. By the time they reached the park, both of their parents had arrived, their faces etched with worry.

"Did they see anything?" Angelo asked, taking one of the dog's leashes from his sons. The three huskies wagged their tails eagerly, excited to be out despite the tense situation.

Dominic shook his head. "They pulled the security footage for us so we know for sure she came in to get her medicine and left but it didn't look like anyone followed her in the store or as she was leaving." He glanced down at his phone. "And she's not answering our calls or texts."

"I'm not gonna lie, I'm a little surprised you both were able to get away from work so fast," DJ commented.

"Well of course!" Elena replied, offering her oldest son a reassuring smile. "Nothing is more important to us than the three of you. Besides, we know you wouldn't joke about something like this. Now, let's figure out where we go from here. The park's pretty big so we'll probably need to split up to search it. Do we have an update on your Tios? The more people we have helping us, the better."

The sound of tires squealing filled the area before either brother could reply. The family turned toward the sound to see a black CRV pull up to the curb next to them. The driver's side door flew open as soon as the car was in park and a dark-skinned young woman with waist-length black hair and brown eyes came barreling out. The woman strode up to them, poorly-masked anxiety written all over her face. "We got here as soon we saw your texts."

Another dark-skinned young woman climbed out of the passenger seat and stepped up next to the first, grabbing her hand in the process. She appeared much calmer but her concern was reflected in her own brown eyes. "She's not joking. As soon as Valentina saw Dom's text, she grabbed me and said 'Get in the car, something's up with my favorite problem cousin'. She was driving out of New York City like a bat outta hell; I'm a little surprise we didn't get pulled over."

Elena pulled both women into a hug. "We're just glad you're both here, Monique. I'm sorry if we pulled you away from anything."

Valentina shook her head as Elena pulled back from the hug. "You don't need to apologize, Tia. Family comes first. You know we'd do anything for you all."

"Especially Dev, right?" DJ asked, poking his cousin in the side and laughing as she tried to smack him away. "It's hard to believe you two used to hate each other so much."

Valentina rolled her eyes. "Oh please, DJ, I never hated her. We just…," She trailed off, tightening her grip on Monique's hand. "There was a lot we didn't understand about each other." She smiled when she felt Monique plant a kiss on her temple. "Besides, now that we've worked things out, she's pretty much the baby sister I always wanted."

"Exactly," Monique agreed. "I know I'm not officially part of the family yet but," She gestured to DJ and Dominic with the hand that wasn't holding Valentina's. "the D-Squad are like the little siblings I never had." She turned her gaze toward Dominic. "You've always been the man with the plan, Dom. What's our next move?"

Dominic rubbed the back of his neck as the rest of the group turned to look at him. He'd never been one to enjoy the spotlight but, if it was for his family, he'd suffer through it. "We know Devon made to the pharmacy, picked up her meds, and left without any trouble. We're not sure what happened after that but she stopped answering our phone calls and texts."

"Her phone doesn't even ring when we call it," DJ interjected. "It just sends us to voicemail."

"Yeah. It was the same when we tried to call her," Valentina added.

"We called our Tios and they'll be here soon but for now, I think we should start looking in the rose garden," Dominic suggested. "She said she wanted to get some sketches for the roses start wilting. If I'm being honest, though," He pulled in a breath before continuing. "I don't think we're going to find her there. I don't…I don't think she's here anymore."

Elena visibly paled, clutching her husband's arm. "You don't mean you think she's…" She trailed off, unable to finish the sentence.

"I'm not saying I think she's dead or anything," Dominic quickly elaborated, trying to allay his mother's worries. "In fact, I'm positive she's alive and well. I just don't think she's," He gestured vaguely around, trying to explain. "here, ya know."

"Liiiike, not at the park anymore?" Monique asked, running a hand through her tightly coiled hair.

"Like not in New York anymore," Dominic replied. "I'm sure how I know that and I know it sounds crazy but I've just got this feeling that she's trapped somewhere we can't to."

The family exchanged a look. What Dominic was saying would have sounded outrageous to anyone else, but they all knew that he always had a grasp of where the things and people closest to him, especially his siblings, were at almost any given moment. It was uncanny but it was also invaluable for Elena and Angelo to help them keep track of their children and Dominic had never been wrong once. Thanks to that, the family knew better than to doubt him, no matter how outlandish his claims seemed.

"Well," Valentina spoke up. "I know I would feel better if we at least did a sweep of the area. Even if we don't find Devon, we might still be able to find some kind of clue."

"I agree," seconded Angelo. "I'll let Diego and Alejandro know where to meet us."

Devon followed Crowley through the maze-like halls of Night Raven College, her head turning every which way to take everything in now that she wasn't being chased. She marveled at how easily the headmaster was able to make his way through the building, Grim still tight in his grasp. 'I guess it makes since with him being headmaster all but I'm still mildly impressed. I feel like I'd need to scatter breadcrumbs or something to help me keep track of where I am in here.'

Crowley stopped in front of a large familiar pair of doors, the same doors Devon had scrambled out of trying to get away from Grim's fire, but he made no move to go into the chamber. He held up a hand to prevent Devon from opening the door herself and it was then that she heard the voices on the other side of the door.

"-flew out right in the middle of the ceremony."

"Some headmaster he is, abandoning his post like that."

"Do you think he got a stomachache or something?"

Crowley threw the double doors open and stepped through the doorway. "Of course not! How absurd!"

'Did…did he wait to open the doors so he could make a big, dramatic entrance?,' Devon wondered as she pinched the bridge of her nose. 'You are waaaay too extra, bird man.' She looked around at the sea of figures lined up in the once-empty chamber, all of them clad in robes like the one she wore. They were all facing the large mirror which Devon was shocked to see now had a face reflected in it. It looked like some sort of mask, with black voids where the eyes would be and a black webbed design along the top half of the mask. She couldn't tell if the mask was green on its own or if it just appeared to be due to the green flames reflected underneath it in the mirror as well.

A group of five people and…what looked like a floating tablet were lined up a few steps ahead to the rest. All of them had their hoods up so their features were partially hidden. One of the shorter ones among the six, a boy with short dark red hair and stormy grey eyes, was the first to acknowledge them. "Ah, he's returned."

"I cannot believe you all! One of our new students was missing so I took it upon myself to find them," Crowley explained before turning back to Devon. "You are the only one that has yet to be assigned to a dormitory." He nudged her toward the mirror. "I will keep an eye on the raccoon, so step in front of the Dark Mirror."

"Mmmurph mmmurf!" came Grim's muffled protests.

'What even is my life right now?' Devon sighed as she made her way through the center of the sea of figures toward the mirror, keeping her eyes forward as she walked. She could feel all the eyes in the room on her and she counted her blessings that being the center of attention had never bothered her much; she knew Dominic would have booked it as soon as he saw the crowd. She passed by the five figures (and the tablet) just before the mirror, briefly locking eyes with a tall blond man with amethyst eyes, before stopping right in front of the mirror.

"State thy name," the face in the mirror ordered.

"Devon Lopez," the girl answered.

"Devon," the face repeated as if testing the name. It focused its empty gaze on the center of her chest. "The essence of thy being is," The face's eye sockets widened before quickly narrowing as it continued to focus on a spot in the center of Devon's chest. "…unknown."

"W-What?" Crowley asked as he stepped up behind Devon.

"I sense not a spark of magic in this one," the face elaborated. "The essence of their being…the color and shape of their soul, all are nothing. Therefore, they are not suited for any dormitory."

Murmurs erupted from the crowd as Crowley stared agape at the Dark Mirror. "An ebony carriage would never have gone to fetch someone that couldn't use magic. They've never made a mistake like this in the 100 years they've been in use!" He looked down at Devon as she turned to look at him. "So why would…"

The headmaster's shock caused him to loosen his grip on Grim and the cat-like creature used the opportunity to pry Crowley's hand off his mouth. "Then let me take their place!"

"Hold it right there, raccoon!" Crowley struggled to get a firm on Grim again but the little monster managed to evade him and jumped down in front of them.

"Unlike that dumb human, I actually can use magic! So let me into the school instead!" Grim turned away from the mirror and toward the sea of robed figures. "If you doubt me, I'll prove it to ya right now!"

The red-haired boy's eyes widened. "Everyone, get down now!

Everyone scrambled out of the way as Grim sucked in a deep breath, closed his eyes, and let loose a stream of fire from his mouth. "Mmmnyah!"

Now it was Devon's turn to stare slack-jawed at the chaos before her. Grim continued to blow fire every which way as the headmaster tried (and failed) to restore order. She noticed that some of people, students of the school, she supposed, were able to deflect the fire whenever Grim blew it too close to them. Unfortunately, one of those students ended up sending the fire directly toward her. It was coming way too fast for her to dodge it and there was nothing around her that she could use as a shield. She threw her arm up in front of her face and braced for the burn…but it never came.

"Honestly, these entrance ceremonies never finish up with some sort of commotion."

Devon lowered her arm to see the blond man she had locked eyes with earlier holding what looked to be a pen with an indigo crystal attached to it. His hood had fallen back and Devon could now see that his hair was about shoulder-length and, though blond at the top, it darkened to lavender about halfway down. As he turned to look at her, she also realized that he had the most beautiful face she'd ever seen in her life…and that she'd been staring at him this whole time. She cleared her throat awkwardly. "Umm…thanks for that."

The man waved his hand dismissively. "I am a Dorm Leader, after all. It'd be rather pathetic if I was able to manage creating a magical barrier, potato." He knocked away another stream of fire before pulling his hood back up.

A yelp of pain pulled Devon's attention away from her savior and toward another boy with white hair and red eyes. He'd evidently been a victim of Grim's fire breath; the back of his robe had been set ablaze and he was trying his best to put them out. "Waaaaahh! That's hot! My butt's on fire!"

"At this rate, the school will be burned to ash!" Crowley shouted. "Someone catch that raccoon already!"

"Tch. This is such a pain," came an irritated voice from below them.

"Come now, I thought you fancied yourself a hunter," the blond man beside Devon replied. "Doesn't it look like a nice, plump snack?"

The speaker turned around to level a glare at the blond man. Due to how dimly lit the chamber was, she wasn't able to get a good look at him but she could see he had green eyes that appeared to glow in the darkness. "If you're that concerned, do it yourself."

"Professor Crowley, please allow me to do the honers," requested a wearing glasses, a polite smile on his face. From what Devon could see, he had light grey, possibly light blue, hair and light blue eyes. "I doubt the others could stomach pinning the poor creature down so I will take it upon myself."

"That's Azul for ya," came a voice from the floating tablet. "Always looking to score those participation points."

"Uh, could someone put out my butt fire already?!" shouted the red-eyed boy.

"Are you all even listening?!" Crowley shouted.

"Seems like catchin' a pathetic little raccoon should be easy for a great and powerful mage like yourself, Teach," the green-eyed man replied.

"For the last time, I ain't no raccoon!" Grim yelled. "I'm the Great Grim and I'm gonna be the next magical prodigy!"

"Well I have to admire its tenacity!" Azul, the boy with glasses, commented. He turned to the red-haired, grey-eyed boy next to him. "Care to lend me a hand, Riddle?"

"I cannot overlook those who disregard the rules. Let's get this over with quickly," Riddle agreed.

"Sooo is it always like this around here?" Devon asked no one in particular as she watched Riddle and Azul chase Grim around the Mirror Chamber. She had managed to maneuver herself away from the front of the mirror and had tucked herself into a corner that (she hoped) was too far away for Grim's fire to reach.

"Keh heh," came a deep chuckle. A short boy (who looked far too young to have a voice that deep) with raspberry red eyes and magenta-streaked black hair made his way over to the girl. "More or less. Chaos is the order of the day at Night Raven College. Though…I can't say I've ever heard of the Dark Mirror calling someone here that is unable to use magic. How did you come to be here, little bat?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," Devon replied with a shrug. "I'm not entirely convinced I'm even awake right now. Like maybe this is just a really elaborate fever dream."

The boy chuckled again and this time Devon could see that he had pointed ears and fangs. "Everything happens for a reason, you know. Though I have to wonder what reason a young woman like yourself was summoned to an all-male academy."

Devon was about to ask him to elaborate about that 'all-male academy' bit when a shout of "[OFF WITH YOUR HEAD]!" echoed through the chamber. She turned in the direction of the shout just in time to see a black and red heart-shaped collar materialize around Grim's neck.

"Fgnya?! The hell is this?!" Grim exclaimed.

"Queen of Hearts Rule 23: 'One should never bring a cat to a festival'," Riddle said, placing his hands on his hips. "The fact that you are a cat means that you are in violation of the rules. Therefore, I shall have you leave at once!"

"I'm not a cat! Just watch, I'll burn this collar right up and then," Grim sucked in another breath and exhaled…but no fire appeared. He tried a few more times but still wasn't able to summon his flames. "Wh-What is this?! Why can't I summon my fire?!"

"Hmph. You won't be using any magic as long as that collar remains in place," Riddle explained. He gave Grim a smug smile. "You're nothing but an ordinary cat now."

"I-I'm not some pet!" Grim protested.

"Oh don't worry," Riddle replied with a glare. "I'd never keep a pet like you. The collar will be removed once you've been properly thrown out."

"Exquisite! Absolutely marvelous," Azul gushed. "A powerful Unique Magic that can nullify any and all other magic." His voice lowered and his smile became devious. "I simply must have it…" He cleared his throat suddenly, as if realizing what he'd said. "I mean, I simply must have a lot of respect for it."

Crowley turn his angry gaze to Devon. "You must do something about this! It's your familiar, after all! Properly disci-"

"Look man, I don't know whose pet or familiar or whatever he is, but he isn't mine." Devon interjected.

All of the anger drained from Crowley's face and was replaced with a look that could almost be called sheepish. "I-It's not yours?"

"He's told you how many times since you found us?!" Devon replied. "I still don't even know how I got here. I was back home, and then I was in a coffin, and then I was trying to keep him from burning me alive."

"I-Is that right…" Crowley shifted his gaze away, trying to look anywhere but at Devon. "Ahem! Well, let's get it out of the school then." He picked Grim up by the scruff. "Some help here, please!"

Grim continued to struggle as the headmaster deposited him into the arms of the upperclassman who has stepped forward to assist. "Gyah! Let me go!" He made a few more futile attempts to breathe fire before slumping dejectedly. Even after the student carrying him had left the chamber, Grim's shouts could still be heard from the hallway. "I'll be…I'll become the greatest mage ever! Just you watch!"

The whispers started up again as the chamber doors shut. 'Wonder why he was so desperate to go to school here, anyway…,' she mused. She rubbed the back of her head as she remembered the dejected look on Grim's face as he was taken away. 'I kinda feel bad for him.'

Crowley clapped his hands to get everyone's attention and the whispers slowly died down. "Well, now that we've taken care of that little interruption, allow me to bring this year's entrance ceremony to a close." He gestured to the five figures and floating tablet who had resumed their places at the head of the group of students. "Dorm leaders, please escort the new students back to the dormitories. …Hm?" He looked around the room. "Now that I think of it, I don't think I see Diasomnia's dorm leader anywhere. Has anyone seen Mr. Draconia?"

"So he's a no-show," the grumpy green-eyed man from earlier scoffed. "What else is new?"

"Hmm? Did we forget to invite him again?" asked the white-haired boy that Grim had set on fire.

"You could have invited him yourself if it concerns you that much," the amethyst-eyed man pointed out.

"I guess so but…I don't really know him that well, ya know?" the white-haired boy replied.

Devon could hear whispers erupting around her again.

"Draconia? You don't think they mean the Malleus Draconia, do you?"

"So he's really attending school here?"

"Damn, that's scary…"

Someone standing near Devon let out a sigh and she turned toward the sound to see the boy with black-and-pink hair step forward. "My, my. I came here to see if my intuition was correct and, sure enough, Malleus is nowhere to be seen. Looks like the invitation never arrived again."

"Allow me to offer you my sincerest apologies," Azul said, placing a hand on his chest. "I assure you, we didn't mean to exclude you."

"Though Malleus is hardly the most approachable person at this school," Riddle muttered under his breath.

"It's fine," the boy replied, waving his hand dismissively before turning to face the mass of students. "If all the new Diasomnia students would follow me, please." He passed close to Devon as he led a group of students out of the room. "I hope he doesn't end up sulking because of this…"

Crowley gestured for Devon to step up to one of the floating coffins once all the remaining students had filed out of the room. "Now then, Devon, I apologize for the confusion but I'm afraid you must return to your home. Those without an aptitude for magic are unable to attend classes here, I'm sure you understand." He smiled down at her. "Not to worry though, hatchling. The Dark Mirror will send you directly back from whence you came. Just step in front of the Gate and picture your home clearly in your mind."

'Well, this was a very long and…very elaborate dream,' Devon thought as she took her place in front of the coffin. 'At least it's almost over.' Images of her home and her family passed through her mind one after another. 'I wonder what my brothers will say when I tell them.'

"O, Dark Mirror!" Crowley called out. "Guide this young one back to the place they belong!"

The face in the mirror stared back impassively. Devon glanced around the room, waiting for something to happen, but the chamber remained silent.

"Ah, perhaps once more," Crowley said. He began again, speaking louder than he had the first time. "O, Dark Mirror! Guide this-"

"It is nowhere," the face in the mirror replied.

"Eh?/What?" Crowley and Devon asked simultaneously.

"The place they belong cannot be found in this world. It does not exist," the face elaborated.

"Hang on," Devon interjected. "You're saying you can't get me home?!" She felt her panic rising as the face in the mirror didn't answer her. Her thoughts returned to her family, her throat going dry when she realized that she might never see them again.

"How could this be?!" Crowley exclaimed. "Nothing like this has ever happened since I became headmaster." His voice became distant, as if were speaking more to himself than to anyone else. "What do we do now…" He turned to face Devon. "Where exactly were you summoned from?"

"N-New York," Devon answered, trying to keep her voice steady. Crowley stared blankly at her. "Ya know, the Empire State." More blank staring. "Like, in America."

"I…can't say I'm familiar with that place," Crowley admitted, holding his chin between his thumb and index finger. "I have a general grasp of where all the students in this school are from, but I've never heard that name before." He thought for a moment before gesturing to the chamber door. "Come, let us head to the library to do some research."

"Th-There really isn't anything here," Crowley gasped in disbelief. He and Devon had been in the library for at least an hour and hadn't been able to find any mention of New York anywhere. "Not just on the world map, either. I don't see the name of your home written in any of Twisted Wonderland's history." He fixed Devon with an even stare. "Are you sure you're from where you say? You aren't lying to me, are you?"

Devon struggled to keep her breathing even as she continued poring over the books around her and realized it wasn't just New York; there was no information on anything familiar to her. 'What even are these places? Sunset Savannah? Briar Valley? Scalding Sands? Queendom of Roses? Where the hell have I ended up?' "Believe me, I wish I was lying. If I was from somewhere around…wherever this is, I'd have some idea about how to get back."

Crowley hummed in thought. "Looking at all this, it appears you may have been brought here from another planet. Maybe even another world entirely due to some sort of mix-up."

"Another world?! Seriously?!" Devon replied, barely managing to keep her voice down. She forced herself to take a deep breath before she continued. "That would explain why I don't recognize any of the places in these books and why you've never heard of America. But how am I supposed to get home, then? My family has no idea what's happening; no one does! I bet they're losing their minds."

"This is most concerning, indeed," Crowley agreed. "What did you have on you when you came here? Any form of identification? Driver's license or a magic slipper?"

Devon fished around in the pockets of her ceremonial robes, eyes widening in surprise when her fingers grazed a familiar rectangular shape. "My phone!" She pulled the device out of her pocket eagerly only for her smile to drop when she realized the screen was shattered. Devon wasn't sure if her phone was damaged before or after she woke up in the coffin, but now it wouldn't even turn on. She sighed and placed it back in her pocket. "Okay, so that's a no-go." 'There goes my shot at trying to call home. Although…I seriously doubt our phone plan covers inter-dimensional travel.'

She felt another lump in a different pocket of the robes and was relieved to find that her thyroid medicine had made the trip with her as well. "Well that's one less thing to worry about, I guess." She held the medicine out to the headmaster. "I know this doesn't necessarily prove my identity but it should be enough to prove I wasn't lying about New York."

The masked man took the orange bottle and looked it over carefully. "I must say, I'm surprised to see medicine like this. Usually potions would be used to-"

"Potions aren't a thing in my world," Devon interjected. "Magic in general isn't a thing either."

Crowley looked up at her incredulously. "Truly? I guess that explains why all this came as such a shock to you…" He cleared his throat before looking back at the bottle. "Nevertheless, this will be sufficient to verify your identity. I think we can-" He paused to take a closer look at the bottle. "Devon…this bottle insinuates that you're female." He pointed to a small 'Female' next to her name.

Devon shrugged. "Yeah, because I am. I guess pharmacies don't normally do that but Devon's a gender-neutral name in my world and I guess there was a male Devon Lopez that used to use that pharmacy so they put our genders on the bottles so they don't get mixed up. I didn't bring it up before because I figured I'd be going home but now…"

"This is quite troubling," Crowley said. "I can't simply allow a young woman with no magical ability to remain here at school. However, as an educator, I can't simply toss a penniless teenager onto the street with no way to contact her guardians. For I am gracious! Even so, this presents quite the conundrum." He closed his eyes and let out and exaggerated 'hmmmm' before brightening again. "I know! There happens to be an old unused building on campus. It was a dormitory once upon a time so if you clean it up a bit, you'll at least have a place to sleep. I shall allow you to stay there for the time being while I search for a way to get you home." A self-congratulatory smile crossed his face and he seemed to be speaking more to himself than to Devon. "My graciousness knows no limits! Truly I am a model for all educators."

"Uh-huh," Devon said blandly. "Sooo should we head over there then?"

"Ah yes, yes, let us be on our way," Crowley agreed. "The building may be a bit old but I think you'll agree that it has a certain charm to it."

Ending Notes: Wooo. I think this is longest thing I've ever written.

I know the MC doesn't have their phone with them when they're brought to Twisted Wonderland but I thought the story would flow better if Devon's made the trip with her. I plan on covering the event stories too and I think there's an instance in the Halloween event where Grim mentions that he and MC already have the smartphone, but in the main story the headmaster doesn't give them the phone until winter break. Either way, I just think it makes more sense for Devon to have hers when she arrives.

I'm really excited for the next chapter! There's an idea I've been bouncing around that I'm hoping to put into practice once Devon gets into her new home. Stay tuned, y'all!

Thank you all so much for reading! As always, feedback and constructive criticism are always welcome! Geekinthepink, out!