Twisted Wonderland: Yulia

Prologue: Home Denied

Dire Crowley explained more about Night Raven College. There were mentions of riding brooms, mixing potions, and studying all sorts of magic. To Yulia, it all sounded ludicrous. A school of magic? It's crazy talk, but then again, what other explanation is there?

Well, she could have tripped and hit her head. Maybe she ate something weird?

Yulia sighed. No, these black and purple robes were real. The walking talking fire cat was real. Headmaster Crowley, blabbering away proudly was undeniably real.

A familiar door came into view. It was the same one Yulia ran out of in fear and confusion. She could now hear a lot of chatter coming from behind it. Dire Crowley's eyes, well the golden orbs that peered through the crow's mask upon his face, had a disapproving expression. There were too many conversations going on at once so Yulia wasn't sure which one had offended him.

Suddenly, the Headmaster burst through the door exclaiming, "Certainly not!" Yulia scrambled to throw the hood of the robe over her head since everyone else seemed to have it on. "I cannot believe this! We were missing one new student so I went to find them!"

Yulia jumped a little in surprise when Dire Crowley laid a hand on her shoulder. "Go on now, you've yet to be assigned a dormitory. I will watch over this familiar. Just step in front of the Dark Mirror."

"I- um, I'm not sure that I-."

"State thy name." A voice said loudly, interrupting her protests. Yulia looked to the great big mirror in front of her and saw a face. She gulped. It looked like a sort of mask. It didn't have eyes but yet, it seemed to stare into her soul.

"Yulia," she said softly. The room filled with the robed students and coffins that were doors fell silent.

"The shape of thy soul is," the Dark Mirror flashed a fiery green hue before exhibiting a disgruntled expression, "I do not know."

"Come again?" Crowley asked.

"I sense not a spark of magic from this one. The color, the shape, all are nothing. Therefore, they are suited for no dormitory." Yulia shivered. She felt like she was trespassing like she really didn't belong here. She didn't dare glance at anyone around her, and she tried to not listen to the uproar of whispers.

"An Ebony Carriage would absolutely never go to meet someone who cannot use magic!" Dire Crowley exclaimed. Yulia turned her head and looked at him fearfully. "Not once in 100 years has there been a mistake in student selection. So... why in the world?"

The headmaster's grip loosened on the grey monster cat that went by the name of Grim. He escaped from the headmaster's clutches and stood up on two legs before shouting, "Then, let me take that human's place!!"

"Ah, that familiar!"

"Unlike that dumb human over there, I can use magic! So, let me attend this school! I'll be better than anyone, just look at my flames!" Grim summoned his bright blue fire magic which shot out in random directions. A red-haired boy began shouting for students to get down. Another boy yelled because his rear was now on fire. Yulia shrank back in the corner feeling guilty and responsible for the situation though she had little relation to it.

"Someone, catch that familiar before the school becomes a sea of fire!" The headmaster placed his hands on his hips, exhausted with the whole dilemma.

Immediate action wasn't taken. Two very tall students began arguing with each other. Some other students just looked on in amusement or boredom. A guy in glasses with a mole on his chin stepped up to declare that HE would solve the problem to which a floating tablet said something about "scoring points". It was all so chaotic. Yulia hoped that the guy on fire was okay.