"How can that be?" Crowley moaned in a despairing voice. "My, but today is such a veritable cavalcade of impossible phenomena!"

"Um, what?" I asked, still kind of shaken but trying to cover it up with casualness. "Speak English, please."

He cleared his throat. "Ah yes, my apologies. It is just... this has never happened throughout my long tenure." He sighed. "I must confess that I am at something of a loss."

"Me too." I admitted. "I don't even know how I got here... but I might sort of have an idea?"

Crowley looked at me with sharp interest. "Well? What is it?"

I hesitated before telling him my crazy theory. This wasn't the time to worry about being laughed at.

He was silent for a long moment, shocked. "...that is... quite a far-fetched conclusion to jump to. Are you sure that you're from another dimension?"

"I mean, it's either that, or magic has existed this entire time and I just didn't know about it." I said. "But maybe we could check a map and see? I'm from..." I told the man about my city.

"Hmm. I'm afraid I am not familiar with such a place." Crowley stated, looking thoughtful. "I an intimately acquainted with the origins of every student who has ever come here, and yet... this mysterious homeland of yours eludes me. Let us go to the library and look it up, shall we?"

I nodded. "Sure."

We headed back towards the library where we'd met, and I could see the floating books with much more clarity this time. I noticed that it was absolutely certain they weren't being held up by strings, and then realized I was still subconsciously trying to find reasons to be in denial about this entire scenario.

But I couldn't. I can't explain any of this with normal logic. Unless I'm in a coma from the truck... but I can still feel pain, can't I? I thought, pinching myself on the arm just to be sure. It hurt.

I honestly didn't know anything about head injuries, but I guessed that a coma was like a really long dream. Probably.

Crowley's glowing yellow eyes scanned over a large map, and I stared at it with a mix of fascination and horror. It was nothing like the Earth I knew. The land was shaped differently, for one thing, but there were also kingdoms... like an actual fantasy world.

On one hand, it was so cool to see so many new places on the map, each marked with a name like 'The Sunset Savanna' or 'The Coral Sea'. I was practically itching to ask a dozen questions.

On the other, if I was permanently stuck here, I'd have to learn all of this just to fit in with everybody else. And geography was always my worst subject.

Don't think like that. I scolded myself. You will go home... eventually. Somehow.

Crowley went through a couple more maps, each clearly from different eras of time, judging by the date written on them. None of them looked familiar.

This would make an awesome novel. I thought as Crowley finally set down the last map with poorly hidden annoyance. "Just as I'd suspected. Nothing." He sighed. "Not only is your homeland not listed on any map from any point in history."

He crossed his arms, analyzing me as if he suspected I were only a troublesome teenager. Which he probably does. I realized. He thinks I'm just wasting his time.

"Now, are you QUITE sure that you come from such a place?" He asked in a rather demanding tone. "That wasn't some sort of lie, or jape?"

Slightly offended, I shook my head. "No. I told you— I think I'm from a whole other world. One where magic doesn't exist." I gestured towards the floating books.

Crowley looked stunned for a moment, as if trying and failing to comprehend a place where magic wasn't a real thing. "Well, then... show me everything that you have brought with you." He said, taking me a bit off guard. "Do you have some form of identification, a driver's license perhaps? Or even... a shoe?" He suggested after I shook my head. I wasn't even old enough to take a driver's test, let alone obtain a license through legal means. "You do seem a tad... empty-handed."

That was true, I realized with a jolt of panic. I reached into my robe's pockets— nothing. I didn't have my watch or anything I was carrying when I got slammed by that damn truck. "Oh sh-.. u-um, you're right, sir. I don't have anything."

"Well, this is quite the predicament." Crowley mused. No shit. I thought in irritation, and then immediately felt guilty for getting mad. None of this was his fault, after all. At least, as far as I could tell.

"I cannot have someone with no aptitude for magic bumbling about my magic academy." He stated, and I privately agreed. I would be like a muggle at Hogwarts.

Thinking about Harry Potter, really? I mentally asked myself.

"And yet, as an educator, I am loath to expel a young person without a cent to their name, or any ability to contact their guardian..." He went on. I felt my respect for this guy rise just a little. "Truly, my grace is boundless."

Well, maybe don't boast about it like that. I thought ruefully.

"Hmmmmm... ah!" Crowley perked up, and I could almost see the imaginary lightbulb appear over his head. "There is a vacant building on this campus. It was, in fact, used as a dorm a long time ago. With a proper cleaning, it should be habitable enough."

He opened his arms in a grand manner, and for a wild moment I thought he wanted to hug me. "Out of the profound kindness of my heart, I will allow you to live there for the time being." He informed me. "In the meantime, we can investigate other ways to send you home."

My eyes widened. "Really?" I asked in disbelief. As boastful as he was, this was a genuinely kind act.

He nodded, looking incredibly pleased with himself. "Dear me, but I am a gracious man indeed! A model educator, one might say."

My spirits rose, but were promptly snagged on a sudden thought. "That is extremely generous of you, prin- headmage." I caught myself, nearly calling him 'principal'. "But I'm guessing there's a catch?"

"It's so wonderful to finally meet a clever soul!" Crowley exclaimed, and despite myself, I couldn't help feeling kind of flattered by the compliment. "But we shall discuss that when the time comes. For now, I shall take you to your dorm right away. It is an older building, but it has plenty of... character, one might say."

What the hell does that even mean? I wondered, following the man out of the library.

As we walked, I felt a shiver run down my spine.

Just WHAT am I getting into?