Warning: This story is rated M for abuse, and the first chapter includes some. Alice's point of view:

My hands shook as I opened the letter. I was getting married in a few days to a man I didn't know. Severus Snape. He was forty, with dark hair and eyes. Owned his own potions shop. Those things were fine with me, and I didn't mind the fifteen year age gap either. As long as I got away from Father.

I heard the door open from below, and I jumped off the floor. Quickly, I memorized the date, two days from now at one at the Ministry of Magic. I knew it wouldn't come soon enough, and I wondered how many new bruises would come between now and then. Throwing the letter into the fire, I quickly went downstairs. I'd be in huge trouble because I hadn't started dinner yet. I hope he wouldn't mind something that I could throw in the microwave or maybe a sandwich.

My heart beat out of my chest as I pulled out the supplies for quick grilled cheese. My hands shook as I unwrapped the cheese and put it on the bread. After placing the bread on top of the cheese, I put it in the microwave. I heard Father take his shoes off in the doorway, and pick up the rest of the mail that I left on the table by the doorway. Biting my lip, I wished for the microwave to go faster.

Luckily, the time went off and I pulled out the sandwich moments before he made his way down the hallway.

"Is my dinner ready?" Father asked harshly as I turned toward him. As always, I kept my eyes down.

"Yes, sir." I held out his plate.

He grabbed the plate from my hands. "You're lucky I let you use the microwave to cook, girl. Grab me a beer. Now!" he screamed when I didn't move fast enough. "I'll be in the living room."

I opened the fridge and grabbed two beers, and hopefully that would be more than enough for him tonight. He was worse when he drank. I quickly walked into the living room to find him listening to the wireless. Quidditch announcers' voices filled the air, and I wished I could've stayed. I loved Quidditch, but I wasn't allowed to listen to them. It wasn't appropriate for daughters.

"Go upstairs now," he muttered as she grabbed the beers from my hands. "And you better have more beer in the fridge."

I sighed as I slowly walked upstairs, trying to listen to as much of the game as I could. At least I could check out the scores and reports in the paper tomorrow before he got home, just as long as I was careful to put the paper back in order the way it was or he'd know. Shutting the door behind me, I saw on my blanket on the floor that doubled as a bed and pulled out a piece of bread that was to be my dinner. I'd brought up a bag when I went grocery shopping yesterday, and I was feeling grateful to sneak it up here. Too often I went hungry out of fear that he'd find that I'd been sneaking food up here.

I sighed, laying down on the blanket and wrapped it around myself. I fell asleep hours later, barely able to keep myself warm. What seemed like moments later, I was being shaken awake by rough hands.

"What …?" I said.

A fist hit my eye, making it water. Great, I'll have a black eye for the wedding tomorrow, I thought, unless I could steal his wand to heal it.

"Do you want to explain why you have food up here?" Huge hands lifted me up. Fingers dug into my arms.

"Please. I was hungry. I needed to eat," I protested as he drug me downstairs with the bread in hand.

"You're going to get rid of this. You know food is a privilege by people who work." He shoved me into the living room in front of the fire.

My knees slammed onto the brick that lay on the floor before the fire. I'd have skinned knees also.

"Throw it in the fire, girl." He threw the bag of bread at me. I flinched even though the bag didn't hurt. "Throw it now!"

He raised a fist and started to swing it, but I quickly picked up the bag and threw it in the fire before he could hit me.

"That should teach you to sneak food." He raised a fist again and hit my jaw several times, and during the last one, I heard a crack. I crumpled onto the floor as he stormed away. Holding my jaw, I knew I had to get away before tomorrow, but how I didn't know. Slowly, I picked myself off of the floor. I held my jaw, and felt the wet that let me know that there was blood. Tears fell down my cheeks as I gingerly walked upstairs.

I went into the bathroom and held back a moan. My eye was already bruised, but that wasn't the worse of it. My jaw and cheek was swollen and my lip was busted and bleeding. A large scratch lay across my cheek. When I tried to move my jaw, a sharp pain ran through it, making me cry out. I had to leave now. A few years ago, I snuck off to the library to learn a few healing spells, but a broken jaw was beyond my skills.

Listening carefully, I waited for the sound of Father leaving for work. I waited for several minutes just to make sure he was gone, but it felt like hours. I breathed a sigh of relief when I heard the door shut. Sneaking to my room, I put on the one pair (rather worn down) of shoes I had as well as the money I'd taken and quickly made my way to the fireplace. Gathering my courage, I quickly threw a hand full of powder into it and said St. Mungo's. I held my jaw through the journey, hoping I'd get help once I got there.

I stumbled out of the fire place and nearly fell. I regained my balance to look around. Not many people noticed me, but I preferred it. I wondered if people would know who I was, but I doubted people knew who I really was. I'd hate word to get back to father. Swallowing my fears, I walked to the front desk.

The moment she saw me she gasped and waved her wand. Something came out of it, something I couldn't recognize floated off. It was wispy and took the form of a dog.

"Come this way, dear." She put her hand on my arm, causing me to flinch and she withdrew her hand.

I followed her a gurney and sat down gingerly.

"A Healer will be with you in a moment." She gave me a bit of a smile.

I nodded, looking down at my lap. A moment a female Healer came to check on me. She healed my jaw with her wand, which made it feel icy. She also healed my eye.

"Will you tell me how you got these injuries?" she asked gently.

I felt the blood drain away from my face. "I uh … I um, fell down the stairs and hit my face?"

"Hhmmm," she said, writing down something on the clip board. "I'll be right back."

I wrung my hands as I waited. Somehow they knew and they'd contact Father. After waiting for some time, another woman came in. She was older, and had a motherly look to her.

"Hello, dear. I'd like to talk with you, if that's okay with you." She smiled at me gently.

I scooted back on the bed, feeling scared.

"Will you tell me about yourself?" she smiled as she pulled up a chair next to the bed. "You're name and age?"

"My name's Alice," I whispered. "I'm twenty-five."

"Did you go to Hogwarts?"

"I was home schooled, but I lost my wand," I replied, telling a half truth. A wand was another privilege that I didn't deserve.

"And your parents?" she asked.

"It was just my father and I; Mom died when I was a baby."

"What do you enjoy doing?" she asked.

"Well, I like to sit outside," I whispered. "Especially when it's warm, and the sun is out. I read sometimes."

"Those sound like wonderful things." She smiled warmly at me, and for once I smiled back.

This is what having a friend must be like, I thought. Someone that I can talk to.

"What about a boyfriend?" she asked.

"I signed up for the Ministry marriage act," I admitted. "We're getting married tomorrow."

"Are you excited about that?" she asked.

"I'm looking forward to starting my new life," I admitted.

"Would you be up for meeting me next week so we can talk?" she asked quietly.

"Why?" I whispered.

"To be a friend and someone to listen to you," she replied.

I nodded slowly, and she smiled as she pulled a card out of her pocket.

"Here is my office address. There's floo instructions on the back," she explained.

"Thank you," I whispered.

"Do you have a place to stay?"

"I was planning on getting a hotel," I replied.

"Good girl." She took and squeezed my hand. "I'll see you next week."

"Okay," I whispered.

A Healer came back and had me sign some new paper work before they let me leave. Walking to the fireplaces, I decided to go to Diagon Alley, a place I'd never been before. When I walked out of The Leaky Cauldron, I shrunk back at how many people were there. It was more crowded than I realized it'd be.

After finding a cheap hotel, I ordered food to my room. For the first time ever in my life, I slept on a bed. It was the best night of sleep I'd ever gotten.

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