I am standing in a room. I do not see anything. I do not hear or feel anything. I am not even sure I exist. I just float, barely existing.

Suddenly, I am standing in a corridor, people milling about around me. I see black, masses of black robes. Everyone is wearing it, everyone except for me. As soon as I acknowledge this fact, my clothes change into the black uniform. I skip along, feeling overjoyed at my sense of belonging. I hear people talking about lessons. Transfiguration, Herbology and Potions they say. I follow them to my classes, which I suddenly realize I am late to.

Then it changes. I am no longer wearing black, but a long elegant gown. A crown adorns my head. I walk alone through the castle now, my footsteps the only sound. I search all over, but I find nobody, no one at all. I search the grounds, trying in vain to detect some one, any one. Suddenly, in a flash of green, I am being carried high in the air. Giant claws are gripping me around the waist. I look up and see a great, emerald dragon. Without warning, the dragon’s claws relax, letting me fall like a rock.

I don’t scream as I fall. I just enjoy the swooping feeling in my belly. I spread my arms out wide and laugh in pleasure. Then, as I am about to hit the ground, I pull out of an amazing dive. I look behind me, knowing my surroundings have changed. Strapped to my back is a pair of mechanical wings. My dress has changed into a tight-fitting jumpsuit. My head is inside a helmet. Through this helmet I see maps and video feeds, as well as the world around me. I spend several minutes performing complicated airials. Finally I decide on a spot to land. I touch the ground next to a giant oak tree. I remove my helmet and touch my ears. I notice that they are pointed.

That’s when I start to shrink. Smaller and smaller until I am no bigger than an insect. No longer do I wear an official uniform. No, now I wear a little purple dress that compliments my purple butterfly wings. I lightly flit around the garden that was not there a few seconds ago. Then something catches my eye. I see my beautiful self reflected in a mirror. I stop in mid flight and gracefully touch down on the mirror, gazing at myself. Quickly a jar slams down around me. I am flipped upside down while the lid is screwed on. I pound franticly on the glass, begging my captor to free me. My jar is shoved into a drawer. I sit in the corner of my prison and begin to weep. I know that terrible things will happen to me if I stay in here.

A painful buzzing interrupts my crying. Suddenly, I am no longer a witch, a princess, an elf or even a fairy. I am an ordinary girl again. I wake up and turn off my alarm clock. I sit up and stare at the books strewn on my bed. I gently pick them up in turn, and put them in a stack. Harry Potter, The Enchanted Forest Chronicles, Artemis Fowl, Fablehaven. I slowly touch my stack of books. I rest my palm on them gingerly. I close my eyes, and wish I could be them.