Set after the Tim Burton film but using the idea that Harry Potter is set during Victorian times. I do not own any rights to Harry Potter or Alice In Wonderland, if I did Alice and the Mad Hatter would have lived happily ever after in Underland. :(
Luna Falls Down The Rabbit Hole
You're not the same as you used to be... You were much muchier. You've lost your muchness ~ Alice In Wonderland, the Mad Hatter.
Luna awoke in the Ravenclaw dormitory that morning before anyone else. She decided to use this time to go for a quick stroll around the grounds before breakfast. She reached out for her favourite pair of checked trainers when she noticed they had gone. They've probably been taken again, oh well, not to worry, she thought. She buried through her belongings for a minute or so before she pulled out her lace-up black boots. She tied her long dirty blonde hair back in a blue ribbon and found her radish ear-rings. She skipped happily down the stairs to the common room humming to herself a tune her mother used to sing whilst cooking breakfast.
The common room was empty too, the fireplace was not yet to be lit by the house-elves but the room was spotless so clearly they had been. She skipped past the statue of Rowena Ravenclaw and out of the portrait that acted as the doorway. She loved the castle at this time. It was so peaceful and eerily quiet - even most of the portraits were still asleep. She made her way out of the doorway into the bitter cold, she was regretting that she didn't think to wear her winter cloak but skipped along towards the lake. She wandered around the lake for a while, gazing up at trees and watching animals jump past. There were lots of creatures like birds, squirrels and she was certain saw a hippogriff flying over the forest. Owls were flying in and out of the caste rather gracefully. The giant squid was still sleeping. Hogwarts at this time in the morning was becoming very well known to her.
She was wandering past Hagrid's hut when something rather peculiar caught her eye. She was certain she saw a white rabbit in a waistcoat bounce past. It was a rather dashing looking rabbit, she thought, the blue waistcoat looked particularly fine. She wandered in the direction of the creature hoping she would spot it again. She went back towards the lake and back past the giant squid, she saw it go behind a tree back the way she had come. Excitedly, she followed it's steps as exactly as she could as it ran back past Hagrid's hut. That's when she thought it went into the Forbidden Forest but she couldn't be sure, she didn't want to go there by herself if it did. It was the "Forbidden" Forest for a reason. She stood there staring at the place she was certain she saw the rabbit go, curious as to whether she could see it again. It appeared for a second time by the trees, Luna was certain that it glanced at her and then ran back into the forest. It felt like he was beckoning her. She went against her better judgement and followed it.
She went into the forest and was beginning to get a little fearful. It was dark and grim, she was terrified and had no idea what manner of beasts lurked in there. All she had to go in with the little white creature that occasionally came into view. She was determined to do this however and she followed it as far as she could. That's when she saw it dive down what she presumed was a rabbit hole. She got to the edge of it and leaned over to peer inside, she didn't get a chance to see what was inside because before she knew it she found herself falling head over heals into the hole. She found herself falling down the what seemed never-ending hole. There were numerous objects and colours that past her as she fell down, she couldn't keep sight of what any of them were but she swore she saw a crumple horned snorkack. She made a mental note to tell her father of this.
When she, eventually, had her fall broken – it was by a strange looking room. By strange, it was more not what Luna was expecting for the room looked extremely normal. There was something odd about it and not just because of it's normalness. Luna walked around it a little dazed and confused. There was a very tall table, one that was not quite the right height for the room. There was a very small door, that was again did not look like the right size for the place she found herself. She walked around it wondering where the rabbit was and what he must have planned for her to beckon her here. I'm sure I'll find out soon enough, she thought optimistically. That's when she noticed a piece of cake on a plate in the corner of the room. She walked over to it and read the note attached, it said "Eat me". She shrugged and took a bite. At this point she found herself growing much beyond her regular height, she stopped just as she was forced to hunch over by the ceiling. She wondered what on earth this was in aid of and then she realised: she was now the right height to get to the table. She peered over it and noticed a key. Aha! Luna thought, that must be for the little door. That was when she spotted a bottle asking for her to drink it. She finished the bottle and shrunk with the key held tightly in her hand. She skipped towards the door and opened it.
To her delight, she saw the white rabbit she'd been following. She also saw a small mouse and a hare.
"Hello there," she said brightly with a curtsey. "Pleasure to meet you."
"She figured it out much quicker than Alice - she struggled both times," the mouse pointed out smugly. "I like her better."
"Alice sleighed the jabberwocky!" The rabbit gasped.
"She was the wrong Alice!" The mouse argued.
"She was not the wrong – oh, never mind. This is Luna, she must help us."
"Help you? How can I help you?" Luna asked politely.
"You need to rescue the Hatter, he's not the same as before," the rabbit said sadly.
"No he's not, it's all Alice's fault! She ruined the Hatter," the mouse moaned. "We sent the rabbit up the rabbit whole to find someone, someone who was like Alice."
"Someone who could help the Hatter," the rabbit nodded.
"I'm terribly sorry and I will do my best but I'm not sure what I can do," Luna said regretfully.
"But you must!" The rabbit began to fret. "You must help the Hatter!"
"I will try," Luna promised.
"We must take her to him," the mouse insisted and the three of them followed.
Through out this the hare had been rambling unintelligibly in what Luna thought sounded like a Scottish accent. Occasionally, Luna would politely ask him to repeat himself. The rabbit dismissed her attempts at this however, saying "the March Hare never made any sense". The place Luna found herself in was beautiful, there were creatures she had never seen before. Plants that she couldn't ever of imagined were growing around her. For the first time in her entire life Luna felt like she belonged.
"What is this beautiful place?" Luna asked trying to be conversational to her new companions but her voice was filled with wonder.
"Why, Underland of course," the rabbit said.
"Fancy not knowing that," said what Luna swore was a talking flower as they walked past.
"Alice didn't know either," the mouse piped up. "The first time she kept calling it Wonderland. Both times she kept insisting she was in a dream."
"Who is this Alice you both keep mentioning?" Luna asked.
"Alice Kingsley," replied the rabbit.
"She slew the jabberwocky," the mouse sang in a bored voice.
"Brought peace to Underland," the rabbit continued.
"And brought the White Queen to rule again," the mouse added.
"Ending the Red Queen's rule of tyranny," finished the rabbit.
"So why did she leave?" Luna asked. "This place is wonderful."
"Beats me, she left and ruined the Hatter!" The mouse said angrily.
"Now, now, no need for that, she did sleigh the jabberwocky," the rabbit pointed out. "Oh dear, I was up in that ghastly place for weeks before anyone noticed me."
"People in Hogwarts tend to walk around with their minds closed and eyes shut," Luna said mournfully. The rabbit agreed.
"Although," the rabbit began. "Most people from your world seem to do that." Luna could not help but agree.
"Where are we going?" She asked.
"The White Queen's palace, to find – oh it's them again," the rabbit said. Luna stopped and looked curiously at the two fat, bold twins in front of her. "We can't stay and chat we have to -"
"It looks like Alice," the one on the left said.
"It's not Alice," said the one the right.
"But she might be," replied the one on the left.
"But she isn't," the one of the right pointed out.
"But what if she is?" said the one on the left.
"But what if she isn't?" The one on the right asked.
"I'm not this Alice everyone keeps talking about, I'm Luna," Luna said attempting to be polite but she couldn't quite hide the frustration in her voice.
"Did she say her name was Luna?" Asked the one on the left.
"Yes, she did. Wasn't she supposed to save the Hatter?" The one on the right then asked.
"No that was Alice,"
"I thought that was Luna."
"I'm sure it was Alice."
"What are your names?" Luna asked, breaking their strange cycle of speech.
"I'm Tweedledum," the one on the left said.
"And he's Tweedledee," finished the one on the right.
"We don't have to for this!" Whined the rabbit. "We are going to be late!"
"It was lovely to meet you," Luna said with a curtsey. She then proceeded to waltz after the mouse, the March Hare and the rabbit.
After much walking through Underland, they ended up at a moat that surrounded a rather grand looking palace. The rabbit pointed them in the direction of the drawbridge and they wandered towards it.
"The last time I was here, I got to travel in the Hatter's hat," the mouse said sulkily.
"Yes well," the rabbit said. "The Hatter isn't here, so you can't travel by hat."
"But the best way to travel is by hat!"
"You know, I'm regretting taking you with me. You do nothing but complain," the rabbit pointed out moodily. Luna listened to them both argue as she took in her surroundings. Never before had she ever been in such a glorious place, she felt at home. More at home than she ever had, ever since her mother died.
They entered the palace and Luna was taken straight to the White Queen. Luna curtsied as she met the woman. She was instantly reminded of her mother: a beautiful empowering woman with long, flowing blonde hair.
"Greetings, your majesty," Luna said with grace. The White Queen nodded with a complacent smile in response.
"You must be Luna, yes. They've been worrying about the Hatter for years now," the White Queen said sadly. "I don't think there's much that can be done, Alice needs to be here. She'll never come back to Underland. It's sad but not of huge importance. But - very sad, yes."
"What if I can help the Hatter?" Luna asked.
"Maybe you can -" the White Queen peered at her curiously. "You are much smaller than I thought you'd be."
"I drunk something which shrunk me," Luna sang carelessly.
"Ah! Follow me!" The White Queen said as she waltzed away gracefully. Luna did as she was told and followed. The White Queen led her to a room which looked like it was used to concoct many potions. Luna sat there as she watched a potion be made before her very eyes.
"So, I don't fully understand -"
"The whole story surrounding Alice?" The White Queen asked.
"Yes, well, I understand about how she sleighed the Jabberwocky," Luna answered knowledgeably. "I just don't understand the situation with the Hatter."
"The Hatter," began the White Queen. "Is quite, well... Mad. As a hatter one might say," she finished. She put a few drops of wishful thinking into the beaker she was holding then continued. "He fell in love with Alice and then she left this world. He hasn't been quite the same since. He's the Hatter with the broken heart they say - he hasn't had a tea party in a year now. Here you are! Eat some of this." She handed Luna a piece of cake and she took a bite. Luna found at this that she began to grow.
"Can I meet the Hatter?" Luna asked politely as soon as she was back to her normal size again.
"Why yes of course, he makes hats for me now. It's all he does," the White Queen said. "All day long," she added sadly. "He resides just down the corridor, the White Rabbit can show you if he doesn't mind." Luna turned around to see the White Rabbit at the doorway.
"Why, yes, of course, your majesty," the White Rabbit said bowing very low. The White Rabbit hopped down the corridor with Luna following. When they got to the Hatter's room the White Rabbit pointed inside, bowed and then left. Luna slowly opened the door and entered the room. She found in the corner a poor man hunched over and surrounded by hats. He himself was wearing a top hat which Luna loved immediately and extremely dashing suit.
"I do like your suit, sir," Luna said gently as she approached him. The sudden sound surprised the Hatter and he looked up with a startled expression.
"Alice? No, not Alice. I'd know Alice anywhere. I'd know him anywhere. You look like Alice," the Hatter said sadly then continued working.
"Are you quite alright, sir?" She asked politely.
"I am fine miss, I am fine. I am working amongst my trade. I am happy providing I am working amongst my trade. I like to hat for the White Queen." He paused for a moment. "Much better than the bloody red queen..." Luna was taken aback but his sudden change of voice for the last part, it sounded more like a growl. She chose to ignore this.
"Well that's something," Luna cleared her throat. "Everyone is saying I'm the one who has help you. I guess that's what I have to do. I'm going to get Alice back for you, I promise." The Hatter looked up hopefully.
"You remind me of someone, someone I once knew. Yes, someone I once knew. I just want another tea party. It's not the same you know, not without Alice," the Hatter responded sounding despondent. "Alice won't be happy, she does belong here, she thinks she doesn't belong here." The Hatter turned around and looked at Luna with wide eyes. "Do you have any idea why a raven is like a writing desk?" She hesitated and thought about this for a moment.
"Because they both can make a note?"
"That's not much of an answer, that's not a very good answer."
"Not it isn't," admitted Luna. "I don't think it is the answer, do you know?"
"Not the faintest idea," the Hatter admitted and continued to hat.
"I'll bring Alice back," Luna said bravely. "Even if it's just for one last tea party."
Luna walked out of the door at that moment and decided upon something she was more than determined to do. No matter what, she was going to go back to Hogwarts. She was going to go to London and she was going to find Alice Kingsley. She was going to bring the Hatter back to the person he used to be.