Chapter Text
They had arrived outside of another pair of old, dark oak doors that seemed to lead into a large hall, much like the library but sounded much more hollow, it might be an assembly hall or a gymnasium since apparently this place was an educational institution.
Crowley was standing to the side fussing with his cloak and ensuring that the cat would stay still in his hold as they stood outside of the mysterious room. Peter was about to speak up about how he wasn’t meant to be here when his senses grew stronger.
He could hear multiple voices inside the room that caught his attention as he extended his hearing inside, closing his eyes and letting the vibrations and frequencies guide and inform him.
It sounded like a hundred people - give or take - that were gathered together, Peter guessed from the amount of conversations said in whispers that he could hear being spoken.
"We’re done with orientation and dorm assignments?” A boy begins, his voice carrying a tone of authority and instantly silencing everyone in the room.
“All right, new students — let me be clear. At Heartslabyul house, I am the law. Break the rules, and it’s off with our head!” His voice ringing out in the large hall.
‘I hope that he doesn’t mean literally’ as shivers ran down his spine at the threat being literal instead of being just a figure of speech. ‘What an odd thing to say’
“Well, that ceremony was as boring as ever.” A man said sarcastically, yawning out of boredom. “I’m going back to my dorm. If you’re in Savanaclaw House, follow me.”
Beyond the doors Peter could make out the faint traces of the sound of a tail swishing lazily in the air.
Someone stood up next and stepped forward gathering the people in attendances attention by clasping his hands together before announcing “New students! Allow me to be the first to congratulate you on your achievement. As dorm leader of Octavinelle House, I am honoured to have the opportunity to support you in what I hope will be a fulfilling campus experience.”
Another voice arose, his tone was composed as he asked “hey, does anyone know where the headmage went? He disappeared midway through the ceremony…”
Murmurs of confusion circled around the room as well as the ruffles of fabric moving.
“Some headmage he is.” A voice muttered with a sort of mechanical scoff.
Another voice perked up “maybe he had a tummy ache?” His voice loud and cheerful but laced with concern.
“I most certainly did not!” Crowley boomed taking that chance to make a dramatic entrance slamming the doors open and strutting into the room, cat being held by the scruff of its neck moving frantically to try and break free from whatever spell it was under causing it to not be able to speak.
“Ah speak of the devil” Peter heard someone mutter under their breath, as he realised what had just happened.
It took two seconds before peters senses caught up to him and saw that every single person in the room was now staring directly at them, as he internally shrunk back from the masses of attention now directed towards them.
It’s been a long day and all Peter wants to do is find somewhere warm to curl up in and fall asleep. He is hurt, tired and mentally drained from the battle against the goblin and the loss of his aunt.
He doesn’t want to be here.
Nor does he know why he is here in a school of all places or why he woke up in the god damn coffin. But it was comfortable… I mean he could just go back…
No.
“If you must know, I was searching for the new student who failed to show up for orientation” Crowley exclaimed as all eyes went directly to Peter who wished to be anywhere but here.
“You are the only one who has yet to be assigned a dorm. Step up to the Dark Mirror, and be quick about it.” He announces turning back around to Peter “I’ll watch your weasel.” Lifting the cat up higher as it continued to try and squirm free, growling at being handled.
“It looks nothing like a weasel… and it’s not mine” Peter whispered under his breath , sighing and deciding to just do what he was told so he could get back home quicker.
He took a deep breath as he walked carefully up towards a podium of sorts at the front of the room where a great mirror was floating, green fire disappearing into the murky depths.
Again why is this place so god damn creepy.
As he stepped closer a masked face swirled to life within the glass.
“State your name.” The voice was direct but not unfriendly.
“Um… peter”
“Peter…” the mirror murmured
“The nature of your soul is… unclear to me.”
Gasps sounded all around the room
“What’s happening?…” “this has never happened before…” “maybe the mirrors broken?” Whispers broke out as students started to wonder what was happening.
“What did you just say?” Crowley asked bewildered his eyes blinking rapidly and his voice wavering just a smidge.
“His soul is hidden from me. I sense great power but… am unable to decipher it.”
The room went silent as the mirror continued.
“Soundless yet… loud. Colourless but… colourful. Utterly vacant yet… constantly present.”
“Therefore, no dorm would be appropriate...”
“What!? A-are you suggesting that the black carriage went to receive a person who cannot even wield magic!?” Crowley interrupted stumbling over his words in pure astonishment.
“But that is absurd! The student selection process has not erred once in its century of existence!” He yelled frantically “how could this have happened!?”
“Mmmph! Nnnrgggh…”The cat struggled and broke free as Crowley let down his guard, falling to the ground with a thump before standing back up and moving his paws to his chest. “ME! Let ME have this student’s seat!” It yelled tapping its chest.
“Not so fast, you hyperactive weasel!”
“Unlike that human, I can actually use magic! So let me be a student here! Look, I’ll show you!…”
Peters spider sense was going off, blaring in his ears as he assessed the situation.
“My spells’re the cat’s meow!” It proclaimed, closing its eyes and inhaling as a small puff of blue fire came out of its mouth, the flames where warm but sparks few out towards the students in the first row causing them to panic and flee to safety.
“Everyone, get down!” A boy with red hair shouted as the students braced for impact, getting down onto the floor using the benches as shields while Crowley simply ran behind a pillar breathing erratically.
The scraping of shoes and seats sent sparks into peters senses it was like someone was grating his brain as he raised his hands to his ears for a second to try and muffle the noise to no avail as per usual.
His senses alerted him again as the cat let out more fire as it was aiming out towards the other students. The cat’s puffs of fire growing stronger and stronger, as they extended the distance each time.
His feet were moving faster than his mind as he reached out for the creature as its fire burned out and it began taking another breath to release more flames.
A loud “m-MrEOW!” Was all that was heard as Peter grabbed hold of the cat quickly before it could release the fire, lifting the creature up off the ground and using a small amount of webbing to keep the creature still as he used his hand to cover its mouth.
“MMMMRPHHHH…..”
“Uh I stopped your... Cat problem.” Peters voice cutting through the silence awkward and unsure.
…
The sounds of shuffling emerged as students began coming out of their hiding places to look eyes darting between the cat now in peters arms and Peter standing there stiffly.
Heeled steps and a cane tapping against the floor as Crowley came out of his own hiding spot and moved towards him.
“Well, I am glad you managed to tame your unruly familiar.’ He began “but I will have to ask you to-“
“It’s not mine.” Peters voice cutting him off.
“Very well then it shall be eradicated from the grounds” he nodded towards the red headed student who began making there way over towards them.
He stopped just short of where he and Crowley stood reaching into his robe pocket taking out a jewelled pen, twisting it in his hand before raising it towards the cat.
“Off With Your Head!”
Peter blinked as his mind flickered into confusion and fear as red streaks of magic flowed out of the jewel and twisted around the creatures neck, materialising into a heart-shaped collar as Peter removed his hand from covering the cats mouth.
“The Queen of Hearts Rule 23: ‘one must never bring a cat to a formal affair.’ Your very presence here is a direct violation of that rule. You will vacate these premises immediately.” He seethed at the cat.
“But I ain’t a cat either!” He protested “don’t try to collar me! I’ll burn it right off! Huh…?”
The cat squirmed again in his hold as he tried to exhale the blue fire once more but all that came out was a puff of air.
“Wh-what gives? My fire ain’t workin’!” He cried
“Until I deign to remove that collar, you won’t be using any magic. You’re naught but a house cat now.” The boy replied sternly
“M-meoWHAT! I ain’t nobody’s house-NOTHIN’!
‘Oh?” He glanced back towards the cat a small smirk rose on his lips before disappearing entirely “I certainly have no interest in having you as a pet. The collar will disappear once you’re removed from the campus”. He stated as a new voice rose up from the crowd as Peter turned to look at them.
“Ha-HA! Good show aw always, Riddle. Your signature spell locks down any magic. It’s quite handy.” They complimented as Peter side eyed him out of suspicion from his tone as he muttered “I’ve just GOT to have it-“ catching himself before adding “ah. I mean, I’ve just got to have respect for it.” As he pushed his glasses further up his nose.
“*Ahem* now then I shall have it expelled from campus. I shall even spare it from being served as dinner. My but I AM so very generous… someone take this away please!” Crowley interrupted, clasping his hands together as two students made their way towards them and grabbed the cat before leaving through the doors and into the night.
“Well, that was quite the unexpected fracas. I hereby declare that orientation has concluded.” The crow announced “Housewardens. Please escort your students back to the dorms.”
“…hm? Come to think of it, I don’t see the Housewarden Draconia of Diasomnis house anywhere.”
“And that surprises you?” A man with lion ears scoffed “Dude’s a total recluse.”
“Wait a sec… did anyone even invite him?” A boy with white hair and red eyes asked.
“If you’re that worried about him missing out, maybe you should have told him yourself” A boy with blonde hair with purple tips said dryly.
“Maybe, but I don’t know him that well either…” the red eyed boy reply’s.
“Draconia… like, Malleus Draconia? THAT Draconia?” A student asks loudly followed by another “so it’s true? He really does go to school here?”
“Yikes..”
The voices in the room grew louder with fear and excitement, the noise giving Peter a headache as he try’s his best to shut the input out. When the sound of the doors creaking open silenced the room as a figure stepped out of the shadows.
“Ah. Just as I suspected.” They began, the man’s voice deep with a slight tone of annoyance. “I figured I’d come down and see for myself whether malleus had made an appearance.” Sighing as he continued “but once again, he was evidently not informed that his presence was required at an official ceremony.” Clicking his tongue as he finished.
The boy with glasses turned to face the man with a forced apologetic look “you have my sincerest apologies. I assure you, this oversight was in no way intended to cause harm.”
“I mean, you must admit, he’s not exactly the easiest person to strike up a conversation with” the boy Peter now knew as Riddle spoke up.
“No matter. All who were assigned to House Diasomnia, follow me.” The man just took another long sigh as he turned back around towards the door. “I just hope he doesn’t sulk about this” he muttered exiting the room as the rest of the students in the hall began gathering their own and following suit, until only Crowley and Peter remained.
“Well, Peter. This is a most unfortunate turn of events.” Crowley said, causing Peter to turn around to look back at the man who had decided to save himself rather than his students. He gritted his teeth together as his hands clenched into tight fists choosing to stay silent instead of making any move to speak.
“I’m afraid that you will not be attending Night Raven College after all. Surely you realise that I cannot very well admit a student with no magical ability to my academy.” He looked down contemplating for a second before snapping his head back up. “But worry not. The dark mirror will see you safely home-“
“No.”
Both Peter and Crowley blinked in unison turning together to look at who had spoken.
“Wha-‘ the crow tried to say before getting cut off again.
“He stays.” The mirror states. “He will stay and learn.”
“But- you said it yourself he has no magical ability and that no dorm would fit him.” The man tried to reason with the masked man in the mirror.
“Maybe.” The mirror said. “Maybe not.”
“Where-“
“There is another dorm this soul would weave his own way through...” Was all the mirror said before disappearing into the darkness.
The silence grew deafening and so did peters headache.
What in the world is happening.
Where am I.
Why am I here.
Sheer will power was all he Peter had to hold himself together and from bursting into tears as his world is coming crashing down around him. Not even a full day has passed since he has lost his Aunt, and even less since he had Dr Strange conjure up that spell to make everyone forget who he was to save his universe from total destruction.
“Well then, I suppose I should take you to your new living quarters.” A voice rang out bringing Peter out of his thoughts and back into reality.
He said nothing but gave a curt nod towards the man as he led Peter out and into the night, in a place he doesn’t know or understand.
But most of all, in a place where he has nothing and no one who could help him.
He’s entirely on his own and that thought scares him enough.