Disclaimer: All recognisable settings and characters of the Harry Potter series belong to J.K. Rowling.
This story is a translation of my own fanfiction "Le monde d'Alice" but I'm rewriting it entirely so it will be a different (and better) version of the French one. I am not an English native speaker so forgive me if there is any mistake (point them out if you feel like it, it'll help me improve).
I thank my Beta Reader Ash-Caro-Lynn for her proofreading :)
This story won't follow the original plot, although the main events of PS & CS are included.
And, it contains corporal punishments on child/pre-teen, so if it bothers you in any way, just don't read!
Chapter 1: Discovery
Tonight, in the security of my bedroom, I was thinking about what my life had been until now. I was sixteen and already deeply wounded by life. My father's death many years ago seemed to have cursed my family to an unlucky fate. My mother was struggling so we could live decently but she was weak, and too many times I had found her drinking until she could barely recognise me, trying to forget about how miserable her life was. She was seeing a man whom I despised and who despised me in return. I had no friends, and was often feeling lonely. Almost every night my bed was soaked from my silent crying and one of the kitchen knives tacky by the blood running from my self-inflicted wounds. I knew it was not a solution to my problems but it enabled me to feel better for a while and for that I was grateful.
I often escaped my mind by reading fantasy literature, hoping to be part of one of these fantastic worlds. My favourite one was definitely Harry Potter's universe which fascinated me like no others. I spent hours imagining what my life could be if I was one of the story's characters.
This night like many others I fell asleep, my cheeks wet with tears and my head full of dreams from another world.
Dazzled by an unduly strong light I blink for a few seconds before opening my eyes entirely. To my great surprise I find myself in an unknown place and look warily around me.
Where am I? Why am I not in my bed?
I realise that I'm not even in a bed at all but sitting on a chair in front of a desk on which I seem to have fallen asleep. Sitting myself up straight I can see that I am in an old classroom, full of students no less. They are wearing some odd uniforms which appear to look like... robes. Frowning, I take a better look at them and notice a peculiar resemblance with the Harry Potter films which disturbs me greatly. I am starting to wonder where I've ended up when someone gets in front of my desk and talks to me.
"Is what I am saying so uninteresting that you fell asleep?"
"Er..." I reply, sounding a bit stupid.
What's going on here? I don't know this man nor any of the students.
Feeling nervous about all the stares on me and understanding that I'm at fault, I whisper a "sorry, sir" and look down at my shoes, trying to disappear under my desk.
"It's all right but please try to pay attention next time," he says, smiling.
Well, this teacher doesn't seem too bad.
"Come to see me after class." I nod silently and he returns to his desk to continue the lesson.
"As I was saying, today we will resume the chapter concerning dark creatures especially the grindylows."
This time I'm positive, this is Harry Potter's world, I can't believe it!
Suddenly overjoyed, I refrain myself from smiling but can't suppress the funny feeling inside my chest. Trying to guess in which time I am, I carefully observe the students but do not recognise any of them. The teacher looks quite old as some grey strands scatter his hair but studying his ragged clothes and scarred face, I start to realise who he is.
I'm pretty sure this is Remus Lupin, so that means Harry should be in Third Year but as I cannot see him anywhere, I'm probably not in the same year.
Wondering to which house I belong, I discretely check my uniform. Slytherin.
I'm a bit disappointed not to be in the same house as Harry, Ron and Hermione but am very happy all the same to be at Hogwarts. Examining my hands, something bothers me. They are shorter than usual. I look down at my feet and legs, only to note that indeed something is definitely wrong with me. I'm smaller than I was yesterday. Maybe my face has changed too?
The only problem is that I don't have any mirror to make sure of it. But after pulling some of my hair – usually chestnut – I discover that I am now a blond girl.
I am clearly someone else, I think worriedly, what happened to me? I can't wait to see how I look and am hoping that I'm not ugly. In any case, my body is really skinny and I seriously wonder if I'm underfed.
Leaving aside my thoughts for the moment, I concentrate on what the teacher is saying and take notes, even if writing with a quill is very different from what I am used to.
At the end of the class, I gather all my things in my school bag and walk towards the front of the room, where Professor Lupin – if that's him – is sitting.
Not knowing what to say, I stand before his desk and wait for him to speak which seems the most reasonable thing to do.
"I must admit that I am surprised by your behaviour Miss, you do not have a habit of sleeping in class."
So I should be a diligent student, I ponder, blushing a little under Lupin's gaze.
"Do you sleep well?" I give a brief nod, not knowing what to say as I have been in this world for less than an hour.
"Ensure that this does not happen again, I won't tell your father this time." he says, a gentle smile on his face.
My father? Who's that? Apparently Lupin appears to know him but surely it cannot be a marauder, James is dead and Pettigrew is hiding under his rat form. I highly doubt Sirius had time to make a child before he was incarcerated and I don't see how he could tell him anyway.
Deep in thoughts, I leave the DADA classroom after saying goodbye to Professor Lupin and find myself in the middle of an empty corridor.
What do I do now?
Even if I am lost in a magical castle and absolutely don't know who I am, I have never been more excited in my whole life.
After some time, I decide to look for a bathroom. The castle is bigger and more beautiful that I have ever imagined and I enjoy a lot my walk around the stairs and corridors. I finally find one and bend over a mirror, now so nervous that I'm shaking.
Oh my God!
My face is so completely different from what I am used to that I stay several minutes staring at my own reflection. I have an old-fashioned hair cut with a fringe that almost covers my eyes, which have an intense black colour and contrast with my light blond hair. My features are not unsightly although I cannot be called pretty either, but maybe if I was a bit chubbier and my skin was not so pale I could be somewhat cute. My clothes are very neat and I feel amused by my 'perfect little girl' look. Indeed I seem very young, barely eleven and I guess that I must be a First Year.
In order to verify my theory, I empty my school bag on the floor and find some ink bottles, quills, sheets of parchment, my notes taken during DADA and several books including one entitled 'The Standard Book of Spells Grade 2'. Frowning, I find it strange but assume that I am thus a Second Year and must be twelve years old. One year younger than Harry.
While putting back the things in my bag, I contemplate the many possibilities that could explain my sudden arrival in this world. Dumbledore probably knows something about it, but I fear that he would send me back and that's the last thing I want.
Surely I'm not dreaming, am I?
A bit worried by this eventuality, I take the decision to enjoy my stay here as much as possible and not to think too much about it.
I leave the bathroom very pleased with myself, ready to live wondrous adventures and eager to know more about this world and about who I am.
The idea that I could have another class today crosses my mind but unfortunately there is no timetable in my bag and I have therefore no mean to find out.
Aware that I am a Slytherin, I decide to look for my common room which is situated – if I remember well – in the dungeons.
I just need to go down and I'll find them.
After a while I finally manage to locate the dungeons, there is no way I can be mistaken.
But where is the entrance of the common room?
All of a sudden at the turning of a corridor, I hear distant voices and I stop to listen to where it comes from. Curious, I head in this direction and quickly notice a smug blond teenager surrounding by two beefy boys. Laughing, I can recall exactly who he is. Draco Malfoy.
He seems to be up to something and not wanting to meddle, I intend to go back but unfortunately he has already noticed me, probably by the sound of my footsteps on the stony floor, and looks up directly at me.
"Alice!" he calls.
I prevent myself from turning around as I am not sure to whom he is talking to but obviously it's to me. My name's Alice then?
His face wears a friendly smile but I prefer to be careful as I don't know what kind of reputation I have among the Slytherins.
"Would you mind asking your father if we can have the Quidditch pitch tomorrow?"
I look at him with a confused expression, trying to make sense of what he has just said. Ask my father? Is he a Quidditch player?
"Er..."
"Is there a problem?"
"I... well, I mean..."
"Are you alright?" he asks, frowning before my foolish stammering.
"Yes, I'm just tired. Sorry."
"So, you'll ask him?"
"I will," I reply without thinking.
"Thanks," he says, smiling, "see you later then."
I realise that I have just made a promise I cannot hold to a 'friend' but honestly I am relieve he left because I started to feel uncomfortable in his presence. But I still have no clue about where is my common room and I wonder if asking someone wouldn't be wiser than looking around in vain.
A Second Year is supposed to know that, it wouldn't make any sense. And even if I actually knew where it was, I don't have the slightest idea what the password could be.
Feeling frustrated, I think about going back to the DADA classroom and ask Professor Lupin when I suddenly remember a detail about Hogwarts.
It's a magical castle and there is a very special room that could help me, I think, now feeling excited. The room of requirement could probably answer some of my questions and luckily I remember exactly where it is.
Smiling, I walk promptly towards the stairs and count the floors on my mind until I reach the seventh floor and the famous tapestry representing dancing trolls.
I want answers to my questions, I want answers to my questions, I want answers to my questions.
A door appears in front of me and I open it without hesitating. Inside I discover a small library which is not exactly what I expected to find but I take a random book out of the shelves entitled 'Questions & Answers'.
I have just opened it when a deep voice starts to talk out of it, startling me.
"What do you want to know?"
I stare at the book for a few seconds, abashed, before asking in a low voice "Do you know my name?"
"Yes."
"What is it?"
Receiving no answer, I frown and ask again "Do you know my age?"
"Yes."
"How old am I?"
The book remains silent and I sigh while looking at the cover once more. To my surprise, small inscriptions are engraved on the second cover.
'I tell the truth and know many things. Ask me what you want to know with a correct formulation, and I will reply positively or negatively to all your questions.
Be aware that all the truths are not good to know, the present and past hold no secret to me but tomorrow I cannot foresee.'
After reading the message several times, I understand that I can only get 'Yes' or 'No' answers.
"Am I twelve years old?"
"No," answers the book.
"Eleven?" That wouldn't make much sense but then few things do since my arrival in this world.
"No."
"Ten?" I ask in very surprised tone, though I've already noticed that I do look quite young. So when the book replies by a convincing "Yes" this time, I feel very confused.
"But I am a Second Year, right?"
"Yes."
How is that possible? Students normally don't attend Hogwarts before eleven but maybe I am an exception. My thoughts go to my mysterious father and I am astonished to feel a smooth warmth running through my chest. In the other world, I don't remember my father I was too young when he died and my step-father lives only to annoy me. But thinking about this new father lets me unsettled and worried.
What if he's like mum? What if he does not really care about me? I wish he is a better parent than the ones I've known until now and I suddenly have an idea to make sure of it.
"Does my father love me?" I timidly ask the book.
"Yes."
Beaming widely, a lot of new questions rushed through my mind and don't know where to start.
"Is he at the school right now?"
"Yes."
"Is he a Quidditch player?"
"No."
I would like to ask who he is but unfortunately this book cannot help me to know that. But now very curious about my life here, I question the book with a great number of questions. This way I learn that I am an only child, that I resemble a bit my father and that he is not a marauder or a friend of Lupin. It seems that I have friends in this school – thing I didn't really have in the other world – and that I am even a bit popular among the Slytherins, for an unknown reason. Finally I'm informed that I don't have any other class today which relieves me greatly.
Sometime later, I find myself hungry and taking the book with me, I leave the room of requirement to come down in the Great Hall that I have caught sight of earlier.
While going down the stairs I meet a Slytherin Head girl – she has a brand-new badge on her chest – who addresses me politely.
"Alice, your father's looking for you."
"Oh," I say, registering the information.
"He looks angry," she adds, "if I were you I'll wait for him at his office."
"Okay," I reply uneasily, "thanks."
The girl gives me a sympathetic look before leaving me alone in the corridor, more confused than ever. Once she's gone I understand the implications of what she's just said.
My father's a teacher at Hogwarts!
Rather cooled by the news, I'm under the impression that my life won't be so easy in this world. Having a father as a teacher means he can spy on me every time he wants and will know immediately when I misbehave.
With this thought in mind, I sigh and decide to ask someone where my father is. Obviously I cannot go to his office as I don't know where it is but maybe I can wait for him somewhere.
Thoughtful, I don't notice the Ravenclaw boy coming towards me and almost get into him.
"Sorry," he says before apparently recognising me and grinning.
"Are you coming to see the match on Saturday?"
"Sure," I reply, guessing he's talking about a Quidditch match and feeling instantly excited about it.
The boy seems content with my answer and says goodbye before leaving. Now cheerful, I walk into the corridor leading to the first floor when I hear someone shouting, in a very cold and angry voice.
"Alison Snape!"
