So this story is going to very much follow the first book in the Hunger Games series, but it there will be changes to what order the people die and what District they belong to. I will also put in some new events and character histories to change it so that it's not just Snow White saying, doing and living Katniss' life but rather if Snow White was in the Hunger Games herself.

Secondly, at this point in time I do not know if I will be doing a Once Upon a Time version sequel to Catching Fire and Mockingjay. We will simply have to see what happens in the story and on Once Upon a Time (because I've used pretty much every character they've already shown, so I need some more for sequels).

Also know that this story was written after episode 1x07 (the one where Graham dies) so all characters and events will come from episodes 1x01-1x07. As later episodes air, I may add new characters and/or events and use names from rumours about the show (like Snow's father or Grumpy's potential love interest) but it's just to fill out roles.

I've also decided that since probably everyone who is reading this story has read The Hunger Games, I'm going to skip explaining some things like what a mockingjay or tessera is.

Finally each chapter will be in a character's perspective so make sure you read whose it is (for the most part it will be either Snow or James but there is plans for other characters). As well in the author's note I will post which of their outfits they are wearing because I apparently suck at describing clothing so I'll list a vague description of the outfit and then which episode it's in.

For Snow in this chapter I don't have an outfit in mind (because I ran out of useable ones) but for James picture him exactly how he looked as a shepherd in The Shepherd, literally down to the hair.

Once Upon a Hunger Game

Chapter 1

Snow's POV

The house I wake up in is not the house I call my own, this will be my third year living in another's home, eating another's food, keeping another's sheep. I sleep in one of their three bedrooms, my twelve year old little brother Henry curled up next to me. I feel guilty for having to move and wake him up, but it's how I make my keep around here, even if Ruth says I don't have to do anything. Deep down that she struggles to take care of all four of us, especially since what's happened in the last year.

I move and so does Henry.

"What's going on?" he sleepily asks.

"Just go back to sleep," I stroke his hair and kiss him on the forehead as he settles back down.

I slip out into the kitchen and find an overturned bowl sitting on the counter. Underneath is an apple, a slice of bread, a square of sheep cheese and a strip of sheep jerky. Breakfast; Ruth must be up. Glancing backward I realise that her bedroom door is still closed. Smiling as I gather my breakfast, I know this could only mean one thing.

I grab my lambskin shoulder bag and head out the door. Outside I find a scruffy long haired blonde herding a lamb into the pen.

"Ah!" he locked the gate of the pen, "Didn't see that coming, did you?"

"Considering you do that every time a sheep gets out, yep, I did see that coming," I smirk.

"Morning Snow," he rolls his eyes.

"Morning James. You ready to go?" I ask as he secures the gate before we go.

"Oh, I was born ready," he says as we head to the shed.

I laugh as we unlock the door, "Don't so excited, I already got the wares yesterday, we're only trading today."

"Well, last night I told mother where we were going," we each grab a bow, quiver of arrows and sword belt.

I secure my sword belt, "What'd she say?"

"Not to be late for the reaping," he replied.

"Oh, I forgot," I say bitterly. "Happy Hunger Games."

James gives a half smile/half grimace as we set off, "May the odds be ever in your favour."

I smile, and then I remember that I had forgotten to do something. Reaching into my bag, I withdraw a glass heart shaped necklace with a mockingjay raised on its front. It's filled with dust.

I place it around my neck when James looks at me, "I thought you weren't the jewelry type. What's that around your neck?"

Looking away, I brush off the question, "Don't worry about it."

But before I can stop him, he's swiped the necklace from around my neck. Damn! I forgot how quick he could be.

"Careful!" I exclaim as he dangles it in front of me, "It's a weapon."

"Dust?" he laughs, "What kind of weapon is dust?"

"Fairy dust."

He frowns, "I thought that was a good thing?"

"When it comes from a good fairy. This stuff?" I make a grab for it but he puts it around his neck. "Is deadly. It transforms the most fearsome of adversaries into a form that's easily squashed."

He looks thoughtful, "Then why didn't you use it on your victims?"

"Cause they're not worth it," I may steal from the folks from the upper Districts who decide to flaunt their wealth in front of we lower Districts, but I don't want to kill them. I don't want to kill anyone. "It's very hard to come by. I'm saving it in case-"

"In case?"

"It's a dangerous job," I sigh. "Look pay attention, you need to remember the landmarks in case the worst happens."

"What might happen?" he asks, although he regrets it as he realises the answer.

"You know what," I can't look him in the eye; it's a sensitive topic for him even more than it is for me.

"In case you're reaped," he sighs and looks the other way.

"Look, I'm sorry," I frown, "I didn't mean to bring up memories about David-"

"So how much longer until we're there?" he changes the topic. Sheesh, you'd think after a year he'd at least be able to stand me saying his name.

"Right," I nod. "The trolls are just beyond the next ridge. We need to be careful."

"What?" he scoffs. "Of trolls?"

I laugh, "You've clearly never met one."

He frowns, "Aren't they just little people?"

I get it, "You're thinking of dwarves. Show a little respect. They'll cut your hand off sooner than they'll shake it."

"Well when I'm through with those trolls, they'll wish you never brought me to them."

"You won't be saying a thing to them. I'm the one who's dealing with them. You're just learning the ropes."

"Well we have to be back in time or we're going to be in big trouble," he reminds.

"You don't have to say that twice," I roll my eyes despite the fact that it was the second time he had said it. "Besides I'm not going to miss it, it's the first year Henry is eligible. I think he's quite frightened after seeing what happened last year."

James looks awkward, we just barely got off the topic of David and now I brought him up again.

"So, how do you think the trolls will like me?" he asks changing the topic.

"As long as you stand still, do what I say and keep quiet, they'll be fine with you. Although they might not like this scruff," I tousle the blonde matt.

"Really?" he flattens down the scruff.

"Well I don't," I confess. I come to a halt; it's an old stone bridge hanging above what seems like an endless chasm. "We're here. Follow me and keep quiet."

He looks around the noticeably empty bridge, "Where are they?"

"Oh, they're here," I reach into my bags and pull out my latest collection of wares, mostly jewels but some cloth and leather items too. Placing the bag on the edge of the bridge, I take a step back and wait. After a few moments several trolls then climb up the side of the bridge and confront us.

"It's fine," I tell my startled shepherd companion, "I know them."

"What are you doing?" the leader glowered at me, "I thought we agreed we would never do business with you if you brought anyone with you."

"He's no one," I try to assure him.

"I'm not talking in front of him." He exclaims gesturing to James, "Who is this guy?"

"It's alright, he's with me," I explain, James looks nervous but he thankfully doesn't say a word.

"Oh, that's good. With you." The Troll mocks me, "That makes it all fine."

I try to carry on as if nothing happened, "Look, I want to sell you my wares."

"Who is he?" The Troll yells.

"I said don't worry about it!" I exclaim. "Look, I brought him so that if I get reaped today, my family can still trade with you and be taken care of."

The Head Troll laughs, "Oh, the Hunger Games. May the odds be ever in your favor."

"I'll give you it at half the regular rate, ok?" I offer, praying that they take the deal even though it means we'll have to stretch some meals for the next few weeks.

After a moment of thought, the Head Troll nods to another troll. The other troll takes the pouch from the bridge and goes to give the gold to James. I let out a sigh of relief.

"Thank you," James says. "We appreciate the help."

My jaw drops. He just ruined everything! I knew I shouldn't have brought him!

The Head Troll snatches the gold back, "He's too eager! This is a setup!"

"It's not!" I exclaim.

"He's a Capitol!" The Troll yells.

I resist the urge to laugh, James a Capitol? But there's no time because I'm suddenly grabbed by the Head Troll.

"Let her go!" James draws his sword, but he's grabbed by a pair of trolls and shoved against the bridge.

"No! You can trust me," I try to diffuse the situation. "Look, you can trust me. If I wanted to set you up, I would have done it the first time."

"The time for dealing is done," he laughs. "Search him!"

One of the trolls checks James and pats him down as the other searches our bags. The troll pauses at the necklace of fairy dust and then throws it aside. The troll, finding nothing, they throw me next to James and go even further into the bag. But I know they'll find nothing, and as I see the fear in James' eyes, I know he does too.

"I guess the only thing we have is her. You'll be wanted by the Capitol when they hear how much you've stolen from them." The Head Troll then ordered, "Take her."

I struggle but the three Trolls overpower me when suddenly I'm let go. I fall onto the ground and look up. James had picked up his sword off the ground and attacked the trolls causing my release.

"Go!" he yells as he grabs my hand and pulls me up, "I'm right behind you."

I grab our things, necklace included, and then run, not very fast, mind you, I am holding gold, jewels, fairy dust, two bags, two bows, two full quivers and have a sword dangling off my belt.

"Follow me! They don't know the forest like I do!" I yell as I finally take a look back.

One of the trolls is different as it seems James got the better of one but was replaced by a new one. They have James on the ground and are dragging him back. They're going to kill him. I look at him, then to the clear path and then back at my best friend.

"Capitol blood is the sweetest of all," I hear the Head Troll say as he raises the sword to behead James.

I unscrew the fairy dust, pour some into my hand and throw it at the Head Troll, transforming him into a tiny bug. The other trolls freeze giving me enough time to turn the rest of the trolls into bugs.

"You…" James struggles to stand up. "You saved me."

I shrugged approaching him, "It's the honorable thing to do."

"Thank you," he takes his things back.

"How could I let Prince Charming die?" James blushed at his nickname.

We had become friends when we were both 12 years old and I robbed him because my mother had just died and my father was struggling to provide for us. I stole his mother's ring but he tracked me down and caught me in a net. After casting "aspersions" at each other I had told him that he was a real Prince Charming and after our friendship grew, the name had stuck.

Since my necklace is empty I go to toss it aside when he interrupts, "You should keep it."

"Why?" I frown.

"It could be your token if you were reaped," he cheekily smiled; it was nice to see him joking about the reaping.

"Come on James," I say. "We should go. There may be more of them coming."

And as we leave the bridge, I can't help but notice that James deliberately steps on one of the troll bugs. It causes a strange thought to go through my head, on that never occurred to me until now.

He can take a life far too easily.

We just barely are able to drop everything back at home before it's time to head to the square.

"Mother and Henry must already be there," James locks up the shed.

"We're going to be late," I feel my heart pound, if we're late, we're sure to be punished by being reaped. "Got everything?"

"Just one second," James dashes into the house.

I groan, we don't have time for this, but when he comes out fastening a gold locket around his neck, I understand.

"Well," I sigh. "Come on Charming."

"Name?" the sign-in man asks me.

"Snow White," I reply as James scans the town square for his mother and my brother. Hopefully we will find them in time to say goodbye in case one of us is reaped.

"You've applied for two tesserae this year?" the man asks looking at his book.

I nod, "Yes, for my brother and I."

"So with three tesserae for age twelve, three for age thirteen, three for age fourteen, two for age fifteen, four for age sixteen and two for age seventeen, that brings you to a total of twenty-three entries," he confirms. "Sign here."

"There they are," James points out his mother and my brother.

"Next," the sign-in name calls. "Name?"

"James Nolan," James replies.

The man looks up, "Nolan? Any relation to David Nolan?"

"I'm his brother," James really didn't want to discuss the matter. "How many entries do I have this year?"

"Well, with two tesserae each for ages twelve through thirteen, four for age fourteen, another two each for ages fifteen to sixteen and three for this year-"

"About that," James interrupts, "my father passed away two months after the last games, so we shouldn't have received the rest of his tessera. So I was wondering-"

"Sorry," the man shakes his head, "you received tessera for the whole year and there's no such thing as half of an entry. Your total number of entries is twenty-one, sign on the line."

We're barely able to say hello to Ruth and Henry when they herd us off to our positions for the reaping. Ruth is initially worried as to what happened but is distracted when she's ushered into her bittersweet spot of honor this year.

"Twenty-one entries," I hear Prince Charming mutter as I try to reassure Henry that there's nothing to be afraid of.

"James!" I snap, he is really not helpful today.

He sees the look in my eyes that says he's making the situation worse and sighs, "Sorry."

"Go with James," I turn back to my little brother when they start signaling the eighteen year old girls to line up, my group will be next.

"Will I be picked?" Henry asks.

James and I look at each other; I send him a pleading look.

"Come on bud," James wraps his arm around Henry's shoulder. "It'll be alright."

"But there's a chance," Henry says.

James kneels down and looks my brother in the eye, "You have a single slip, one name in thousands. You will not be a contestant in these games."

"Promise?" Henry asks.

James looks up at me, "I promise."

I smile at him and mouth thank you as Henry throws his arms around James which he returns in a tight embrace.

If I'm picked, at least I know Henry will be in good hands.

When all the children ages twelve through eighteen are all roped off and the clock strikes two, the ceremony begins. The mayor starts telling the story of the Hunger Games, how what used to be called North America fell into ruin and the shining Capitol of Storybrooke emerged. But it didn't last forever and the Districts rebelled causing a long war in which the Districts were beaten back and one District, District Thirteen, was annihilated. At the end of the war the Capitol began having the Hunger Games in which one boy and girl from every District were put in an arena for about a month and forces them to fight to the death in a televised event that only ended when there was a single contestant left standing.

"Now," the mayor announces, "let us take a moment to remember our contestants from last year, who had been the closest to our District winning since the 50th Hunger Games. In fourth place last year, Gretel Tillman."

Everyone clapped as Michael Tillman, Gretel's father, stood from his chair where the families of the previous contestants sat in honour every year. Gretel's twin brother, Hansel Tillman, now fifteen, was lost somewhere in the reaping crowd. The families of contestants, whether loser or victor, weren't safe from being reaped. There was one year that the sister of previous year's Victor was reaped and went on to be the Victor of her own year. Even a Victor's child wasn't safe; this is why I had chosen to never have children.

"And in second place last year, David Nolan," the mayor continues and it's Ruth's turn to stand up.

It had been a terrible year for Ruth, in addition to taking care of me and Henry, her eldest son, James' twin and his father's favourite, had been reaped. Coming in second meant that for a brief moment we actually thought that he would come home to us and bring the comforts of being a Victor with him. The farm had always struggled, but James worked hard to tend it with his mother, as well as Henry and myself when we moved in. His father, George, had worked hard to make David an extremely eligible bachelor so he could secure a good marriage, and more importantly, a good dowry. After David was killed, George tried to make James into everything David was. But James wanted nothing of that, saying that love was the one thing he could afford. There was a huge argument about what to do in which George even said that Henry and I had to move out. In the end, Ruth and James shouted down George and he retreated into depression eventually falling sick and passing away two months after David.

Like I said, it had been a hard year.

"Thank you families for giving us your children to make the noble sacrifice," the Mayor says.

"Noble," I scoff as I roll my eyes.

Next he reads the list of past District Twelve victors. In seventy-four years, we have had exactly two. Only one is still alive. Rumplestiltskin Gold. A strange, almost disturbing, reptilian-like, creature with golden eyes behind an unsettling gaze. That gaze is fixed on me as there's a forced, uneasy applause. He smiles at me and all I can do is look away. If I was reaped, I couldn't imagine entrusting my life with him. There aren't many things that scare me, but he's one of them.

"Now I'd like to introduce our District Twelve escort," the mayor steps back to make way for the familiar face.

Leather jacket with scruffy brown hair, not unlike James' scruff, and bearded, it was the friendly, yet serious, Graham Huntsman. Though we had long ago dubbed him "The Sheriff" for his job was dealing with us "criminals" in the mind of the Capitol. Seeing as we regularly robbed them on the highway, it wasn't without reason.

He comes up to the podium and grimaces as he gives the signature line, "Happy Hunger Games. And may the odds be ever in your favour."

Then he goes on a bit about what an honour it is to be there, although anyone could tell that the thought of the games made him sick. I can't help but wonder how he landed this job.

Through the crowd, I spot James looking back at me with a ghost of a smile. Suddenly I am thinking of his twenty-one names in that glass ball and how the odds are not in his favour. Or mine. With twenty-three slips, I know that those betting on the results have good odds on me. I know he's thinking the same thing because his face darkens and he looks away. I only wish I could comfort him, but even if I did, there's nothing I could say.

It's time for the drawing.

Gold smirks at The Sheriff and says in an overly happy voice, "Ladies first!"

The Sheriff digs into the ball and pulls out a slip. Every girl in the section holds their breath and I cross my fingers, praying to my fairy godmother, if I even have one, that it's not me.

"Snow White!"

It's me.

I register nothing; it's as if someone turned my brain onto autopilot. I walk toward the stage unblinking, I only turn my head once and that's to see Henry crying my name and struggling in the crowd. Thankfully he makes it up to the line of seventeen year olds and James restrains him.

"It's okay," I hear him tell Henry. "It'll be alright."

As I step on the stage, I see Ruth standing up, speechless, a hand over her mouth, eyes watery. I want to reach out to her, but The Sheriff grabs my extended hand and shakes it. There's sadness in his eyes, almost as if he wants to apologize.

"I introduce the reaping winner Snow White," The Sheriff announces to the crowd.

I feel Gold's eyes on my back but all I can see is James holding Henry as he cries. The look in James' eyes tells me that it's as hard on him as it is on Henry, but for Henry, for me, he'll be strong.

I can't help but wonder exactly how hard it is for James.

"Any volunteers?" The Sheriff asks.

Someone snorts, no one ever volunteers in District Twelve. I can see James hesitate, but he can't do anything for me, especially volunteer my spot in the Hunger Games.

"Alright then," The Sheriff goes to the glass ball for the boys and picks the winner.

He opens the slip and pales. There's complete silence from him. Everyone frowns. The Sheriff should have said the name by now. Why is it taking so long?

The Sheriff looks at me with sadness and fear etched in his eyes. It's like he's trying to tell me something. Like he's sorry about the name he is about to read. It makes no sense, who could be so bad?

Oh, damn him! Couldn't he just say the name of the boy I had to kill already?

He clears his throat and finally reads out the name to us.

"Henry White!"

Son of a witch.

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