[https://img.wattpad.com/story_parts/1256500692/images/1709b3426f159bd453242683233.png]
Even though the wolf couldn't blow the house down, it still hadn't given up. What also seemed odd to Sophie was that the handyman pig was acting just as carefree as the two other pigs. She scanned the room, looking for any kind of entrance. The windows were much too small for a wolf to crawl through, but still...
What if there was a way in that the pigs hadn't thought of?
She had to figure out how the story was supposed to end. That was always one of her favorite things to do when she was reading stories, even though it had bothered many of her old teachers.
"Just sit down and read the text and stop trying to guess what's going to happen next," was what they always told her. By now, she could hear the wolf climbing onto the top of the roof. Sophie looked up in confusion.
What's it gonna do up there? Her eyes darted across the ceiling. Was there some way for it to get in?
Finally, she saw it. The one weakness of the house, and a way in for the wolf.
"The fireplace!" she yelled out.
The wolf could make his way down through the chimney!
"The chimney!" the handyman pig yelled out, and instantly reverted to his practical self.
He hurried over to the fireplace and started lighting up a fire. The two other pigs ran over to help. Sophie could hear the sound of the wolf forcing his way down the chimney. The fire was still only a small flicker. The handyman pig ran over to get more wood, which he threw on the kindling fire. The flames started to get stronger. Now they could hear the wolf coming down the chimney at full speed. It landed, paws first, right on top of the fire.
"AHHH! IT BURNS!" it yelled, and shot right back up through the chimney, like a rocket taking off.
Through the window, Sophie and the three pigs could see a fiery figure running away with its tail between its legs [https://img.wattpad.com/d53d0f4e33cdcbd77802582104e5f5294da8d9b6/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f6272452d584e724a466c314937673d3d2d313235363530303639322e313730396263663732366164323939383136383931363633363735332e706e67?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]
Through the window, Sophie and the three pigs could see a fiery figure running away with its tail between its legs.
"Excellent work, Sophie!" sounded Ignortus' voice. The various shadows in the brick house started to grow larger, and soon they swallowed up everything. The house and the three pigs disappeared, and once again everything was pitch black.
"Um, hello? Ignortus?" Sophie called out.
Ignortus' happy mask appeared right in front of her. Only this time, the mask was at least ten times its usual size and floating in the nothingness.
"I must say, I've been a neglectful teacher. I didn't even remember to tell you about my methods for teaching," Ignortus said apologetically. "And yet you figured it out all on your own! Exquisite work! As you surmised, you were thrown into the story that you have just read. This was to test how well you understood what you've been reading. The more changes you notice, the more attention you must have paid. Ideally you would have closed your book before entering the story – then the tale would have ended at the point you had actually read to, and you wouldn't have had to guess at the ending," Ignortus explained. "But that was most impressive! A terrific first day for you, Sophie. It's been a long time since I've had a new student as bright as you." Ignortus' voice was brimming with excitement. "But before we return to the classroom, there's something I have to tell you about this story. You see, in the human world there is a story that is almost the same. But in the magical world, it's not simply a work of fiction. In the magical world, these events actually happened."
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Sophie found that knowledge a bit worrying.
"So, does that mean that the wolf really exists? And why did the pig tell his brothers not to look into the wolf's eyes?"
"Oh yes, the wolf is very real! Before the border between the two worlds was sealed, he spread fear across the entire human world. Some know him as the Big Bad Wolf, while some came to call him The Great Wolf Fenrir. As for his eyes, Fenrir has a rare ability that is shared by only a few of the most malicious beings of the magical world. Just by looking into someone's eyes, he can gain control of people who carry a lot of negative emotions, such as anger, greed or jealousy. It's not permanent, of course, but as long as the wolf is nearby, it would require a very powerful magic user to break the spell. These days, we don't know exactly where Fenrir is, but there are rumors that he's still trying to make his way back to the human world. As a matter of fact, he would often lurk near this school, back when your parents were students here."
Another question occurred to Sophie. "What happens to the people who are being controlled? Do their eyes glow red?"
"My, how curious you are! However, the ways in which you can tell that someone is being controlled varies greatly from being to being. But now we'll speak no more of these gloomy matters. Let's get back to the classroom."
Sophie couldn't leave it alone, though. She thought back to Drim's glowing red eyes and wondered if someone else might have been controlling him.
She remembered the creature she had seen when the bus was driving through the dark forest. She couldn't help but wonder – could that creature have been a wolf?
"You look a bit concerned?" Ignortus commented.
"Um... It's just, I saw something earlier, and I think it might have been a wolf."
"Ah! Well, you have no reason to worry, my dear Sophie! Fenrir is dangerous, it's true, but were he ever to come to this school, us teachers would pose a much greater danger to him than he could ever pose to the students. So, rest assured that devious wolf would never get that close to the school."
Ignortus then let the darkness around them retreat back within himself, the classroom reappeared, and his mask returned back to its regular size, placed within his hood [https://img.wattpad.com/fb020c2fbe281beaa636e0d82fdccb3ecc4e529b/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f7450585f436e315255774d5634513d3d2d313235363530303639322e313730396264303131626139333135393338303939393033313235352e706e67?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]
Ignortus then let the darkness around them retreat back within himself, the classroom reappeared, and his mask returned back to its regular size, placed within his hood.
Sophie was once again sitting in her chair in the classroom, as were all the other students. They all had a dazed expression, as if they'd just woken up from a dream.
"Excellent work, everybody. Beto, you were perfect as always! Elva, you've clearly been paying attention! Sophie, you show great potential! Mek, what an eye for detail! Vix, you're definitely improving, so keep it up! Fiff, you get too wrapped up in the story, so you're losing track of the big picture. Rok, you just need to go a bit faster, then I'm sure you'll find all the errors. Trom, you could stand to engage a bit more, and Varis... Did you even read your text?" Ignortus switched his happy mask for one that looked displeased.
"Of course," Varis said, chuckling. "But I just thought it was a lot more fun when the mermaids were seducing the sailors with the sound of their burps instead of their singing."
Ignortus shook his head despairingly.
"Duly noted. I guess we'll have to provide you with some comical stories where the changes are a bit more dull, so that you'll be motivated to try." Ignortus couldn't quite hide his disappointment. "But now it's time for all of you to head to your lunch break anyhow."
He was right. A second later the school bell rang, and all of the students got up and headed out.
Sophie was lying in her bed with the duvet pulled up over her head [https://img.wattpad.com/8c8906bfb2eff326a3f9cd52b86ce8ec6d8acc52/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f767862706948304a73664a7570673d3d2d313235333934313835302e313733663230616534623765333861363936343636313337343032322e706e67?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]