The creation of a new identity, the changing of a personality; devices left to the new kid. I gripped the strap of my Ohio State backpack tighter in my fist and ran a shaking hand through my hair. I was nervous, which was an absolutely incomprehensible thing to be since I had moved five times before this. It never changed the weird looks, the whispers behind hands, and the ridiculous rumors. This had to be a mistake, a sick joke played on me by my parents.

I hung back as I watched hordes of students enter the towering building of broken stone and sweeping vines. Someone bumped into me from behind, throwing me forward.

Clear blue eyes filled with disgust flicked back at me, "watch it," the girl sneered, smoothing down her perfectly sleek blonde bob.

Anger simmered underneath my skin, "sorry," I muttered, I started to walk towards the school, Huntington Academy. It was an ancient school, an old castle reformed to meet the needs of its headmaster. It was a school for the non-human kids, the kids who couldn't be fit into the mold of the human and non-magical world.

I followed the hordes of students making their way through an ancient wooden door, the wood faded, mottled, and cracked but still sturdy standing through the ages. I blew out a breath as I entered the castle foyer filled with chattering students, their voices competing against each other in volume. I inched my way to the back and settled against a wall, arms crossed over my chest.

A tall willowy woman with silver hair tied back in a twisted braided bun stood at the top of the grand staircase; her white Victorian style dress swished around her ankles and complimented the blue tint to her skin.

"Students, students please hush." She waved her hands in the air. It was quite amusing since her arms rivaled sticks.

The great hall settled down except for excited whispers here and there, she continued.

"I am Professor Salicia. Now is the time to meet new people, all of you are new to Huntington Academy, meet each other for you will be seeing them every year. Introduce yourself with your name and what you are so that we are all familiar and there are no surprises; you have one hour, begin." She clapped her hands and disappeared once more.

I watched as the crowd erupted into excited chatter, people flitting about like butterflies, socializing. I wrinkled my nose, I was never one for socializing, I preferred to be alone it was better that way.

A tiny black haired girl with amber eyes hesitantly walked up to me, fingers nervously fluttering the zipper of her jacket.

"Um excuse me, are you new to this realm?" her voice matched the timid look on her face.

"Yeah" I grunted noncommittally, to stay under the radar, I needed to be invisible, and so far, I was failing.

She beamed, her timid demeanor gone, she thrust out her hand, "Nerissa Dasanee, mermaid." I cocked an eyebrow and shook her hand.

"Janine." I muttered.

"You're supposed to tell people who you are, it's the rule." Her bottom lip jutted out, I bet she thought it was cute, it looked ridiculous.

"That's nice." I shrugged, my fingers digging into my arm, I glanced down at her jean clad legs, silently wondering where her tail was.

Her eyes followed mine, " my tail only comes out in the water." she shrugged as if it was the most natural thing in the world, because here it was, "not much of a talker are you, that's okay, I'll talk enough for the both of us."

She settled in a chair next to me, her legs swinging back and forth. I breathed through my nose and shifted my weight to my other foot.

"See her," Nerissa pointed to the blonde that ran into me, I nodded and she continued, "That's Lidia Mason. She's an angel." I snorted.

"And her" she pointed to a brunette smoothing out her skirt next to Lidia, "that's Melanie Trubough. She's a pixie."

She rambled on about other people, pointing them out to me, I pretended to listen but my eyes flitted over everything, taking it all it for future use if need be. There were Satyrs half man, half goat; thick coarse hair covering their legs. And there were giants, there impressive height had them towering over the other students. The massive arms like tree trunks, their hands the size of boulders.

Two figures walked towards us, I stiffened, more company. "Hey Phoenix and Max!" I eyed the two guys as they approached and hugged Nerissa. One was short but stocky, his figure built of solid muscle. His hair was a magnificent mix of red and gold, twisted together in a shimmering mane; his eyes were golden like an eagles. His companion a tall, lithe guy with skin tanned from time in the sun, his brown eyes like melted chocolate.

"Max, Phoenix, this is Janine." I suppressed a groan.

The guy with the golden red hair grinned showing straight white teeth, "Phoenix as you know, I'm…well of course a phoenix." He rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

"Hello," my gaze flitted to the tan one; he ran a nimble hand through his wavy brown hair.

"Max I'm a dryad. If I may ask, what are you?" I gripped my arm tighter, but Professor Salicia began once more.

"Now that you all have been introduced to each other, you will now be taken to your dormitories, you will separated by your year. Fourth Years follow Henry Bigby, he is your prefect. Third Years follow Elenor Simon. Second Years follow Carson Taylor. First Years follow Lidia Mason. All your belongings have already been brought to your rooms and put away. Dismissed." She waved a hand and disappeared once more.

"Alright First Years follow me." I stifled a groan as Lidia's voice permeated the air that surrounded me.

"You better sleep next to me" Nerissa stated in excitement, she grabbed my arm and followed the figures of Max and Phoenix. I tensed as she touched me but didn't have the heart to rip out of her grasp.

We flowed with the crowds of students as she all but ran through the corridors. They were lined with ancient tapestries, faded paintings, and dimly lit torches. My eyes drifted over a large tapestry to my right, the bright blue colors grabbed my attention and sucked me in. I pulled Nerissa to a stop as I took in the tapestry.

A dragon reared back in mid flight, it had an elegant, long body, and on the end of its tail is a bladelike extension. The dragon's fine, metallic scales were a mix azure and cerulean. This dragon had long muscular limbs with four digits on each foot. It had wide-set wings running from its shoulders to its lower back in a deep sapphire. This dragon's head was wedge-shaped and it has a mouth that takes up most of its face. It has slanted eyes that are pure white. Two large frilled membranes sprout from each side of its head, framing its face; two long sharp horns rose from its head. The beast was magnificent, my eyes trailed over all of it.

My hand reached out to touch the tapestry when Nerissa's voice broke through the trance. "That's Naiada, the water dragon. There was said to be an ancient race of dragon riders called the Nyata's..." she trailed off staring up at the rendering of the elegant dragon, then shook her head smiling, "but I don't know anything about that."

"Dragon Riders?" My head swiveled to meet her's, my interest peaked.

She looked at me in shock, "so there is something you are interested in. too bad I don't know anything, I can show you the library later and we can find some books on it if you would like. I need to get a book on Classic Alteration's anyways." She shrugged running a hand through her long raven hair.

"Thanks." I muttered, rubbing my arm, she began to walk away I grabbed her arm to make her stop.

I took a deep breath, "I'm sorry for the way I've been acting, I just hate being new, but that's no excuse for my actions. Thanks for trying to be my friend. I'll talk more now, when we get to our dorm room I'll show you what I can do…but you can't tell anyone, I'm trying to not draw attention to myself."

She grinned widely, I thought it was going to split her face in half; she launched herself at me, wrapping her thin arms around my frozen frame.

"We are going to be the best of friends I just know it." I blanched what had I gotten myself into.

I pulled her away, "yeah the best" I laughed at her excited face, she grabbed my arm, I took one last longing look up the dragon tapestry, and let her drag me down the hall way as we scrambled to catch up with the group.