Shhheeee'ssss Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack! :P

Sorry it's taken so long to update this- I've actually had it mostly done for a really long time, but...ya know, life. It's been a rough 2 years for my family. Not only did we lose my grandma in June 2016, but we lost my uncle in November 2016 and more recently my grandpa in March 2018. I'm really hoping for a happy end to 2018 and a much happier 2019 as I am now down to one living grandparent. :(

On a happier note, my dragon muses have started stirring once again! Hopefully this means I'll be able to update this and my other stories far more frequently! Cross your fingers!

Now to the necessities...

I DON'T OWN ANYTHING! If you recognize it, it's not mine. I don't own Alice in Wonderland in any incarnation or Harry Potter.


Chapter 7: Beware the Jabberwock

The tower door swung open and Neville found himself with his arms full of Luna. "Oh Neville, I knew you'd come for me!" she said joyously, squeezing him tight.

"Are you alright, Luna?" he asked, just holding her close for a moment.

"I'm fine, my Neville," she said dreamily. "I've made some new friends."

"Oh?" said Neville, arching his eyebrow. "Did you find your brothers?"

"Yes," said Luna, "and another new friend as well."

"Another—"

"Boys, you can come out; it's safe. Bring Tabitha with you too, please."

"Who's Tabitha?" asked Neville apprehensively.

"Boys, it's safe to come out," she called back into the room, smiling mysteriously at Neville.

Neville stared in disbelief as identical twin boys, as blonde as Luna, came out of the tower room, one carrying what looked like a baby dragon on his shoulder. "Luna, love," said Neville apprehensively, "is that what I think it is?"

"Of course not," said Luna. "Unless you think she's a baby Jabberwock, which she is."

Neville blinked in bewilderment. "A-a Jabberwock?"

"A baby Jabberwock," corrected Luna, holding out her arm and allowing the small creature to climb up onto her shoulder. "Her name is Tabitha."

"Tabitha," repeated Neville. He was so shocked at the appearance of the strange dragon-like creature that he wasn't quite sure how to react.

"Yes, Tabitha," piped up on of the little blonde boys.

"Do you always repeat everything Luna says?" said the other.

Luna giggled. "Of course not, sillies," she said. "Boys, this is my Neville. Neville, these are my brothers, Lorcan and Lycan."

Neville smiled tightly at the boys, who couldn't have been any older than five, but spoke like they were about ten. "Nice to meet you boys," he said. "I'd love to chat, but we should really get going before someone catches on that we're escaping."

"Of course, my Neville," said Luna airily. "Come along boys, Tabitha. My Neville will lead us to freedom."

Three pairs of eerie blue eyes turned to Neville. "R-right," he said, gathering his confidence. "Follow me."

XXXX

Neville led Luna and her brothers down the stairs and through most of the corridors with no problem. It wasn't until the quartet (and Tabitha) neared the throne room that they heard the first sign of life. As the sharp echoes of clacking heels filled the air, Neville motioned for the others to hide behind the tapestries. He himself creeped forward and peered cautiously around the corner. The tall, dark-haired man the Red Queen had called Stayne was stomping down the hall, heading toward the tower prison. Once he was out of sight, Neville motioned for the others to move quickly past the wide open doors of the throne room. He was the last to move, making sure all of his charges were safely past the potential danger. When he passed the door, he chanced a glance up and found himself caught in the glare of the Red Queen.

"STAYNE!" she screamed, bolting upright from the throne. "THE PRISONERS HAVE ESCAPED!"

"RUN!" shouted Neville, scooping up the boys and nudging Luna with his shoulder.

Neville and Luna ran like bats out of Hell, Stayne and the rest of the Queen's guards chasing after them. As the main doors of the fortress came into sight, Neville put on a burst of speed and shoved Luna and her brothers ahead of him with all of his might. The heavy wooden doors closed with a loud creak just as the three made it to the other side. Neville let out a sigh of relief; his beloved wife and her baby brothers were safe. He turned around to face his fate and felt a gentle, comforting weight settle on his shoulder; Tabitha had remained behind with him. He drew his sword and raised it high as the guards rushed toward him. "This is for you, Luna," he whispered. Tabitha shrieked a war cry in his ear and the unlikely pair rushed forward to do battle.

XXXX

Luna stared balefully back at the grim fortress as she held her twin brothers' hands tight in her own. "Are you going to go back and help him?" asked Lorcan, staring up at her.

"We can't just leave him there all alone," added Lycan.

"I'm sorry, boys," said Luna, her voice filled with regret, "but I just can't. I can't drag you back in there. I have to get you to safety; once we're back at Mirana's castle, I can gather reinforcements and come back for him."

The boys reluctantly followed her toward the forest, where they met up with a restless Horatio. Luna bundled her brothers onto the creature's back and the four of them took off back toward the safety of the White Queen's castle. "You're back!" cried Alice happily as they clattered into the courtyard. "You found my babies!"

The Hatter rushed forward with Alice to help the boys down. "Are you alright?" he asked them. "You're not hurt, are you?"

"Where's Neville?" asked Alice as Luna dismounted.

Luna's big, blue eyes widened and tears began to pool in them. "He stayed behind to save us," she said quietly. "We have to go back for him."

"Of course we will, dear," Alice soothed her daughter, "won't we, Tarrant?" Tarrant didn't reply; he was already halfway back to the castle to gather a rescue party for Luna's wayward husband.

XXXX

Neville was beyond thankful to have Tabitha on his side. The little Jabberwock might not yet be full grown, but she still packed quite a wallop with her razor sharp teeth and weighty tail. Several times he would have been done for had it not been for the small creature watching his back. Soon enough, though, Neville found himself facing Stayne, the tallest and meanest looking of all the Red Queen's soldiers.

"Well look what we have here," said the taller man, a sneer on his lips. "You thought you could steal from Her Majesty and get away with it?" He snapped his fingers and Neville's arms were grabbed and pulled roughly behind his back. "Take him to the dungeons. Her Majesty will deal with him later."

Neville struggled against his captors, but it was no use. He was frog-marched through the fortress, down what felt like a dozen flights of stairs to a dungeon that was even more dark and dank than Professor Snape's Potions classroom. He let out an involuntary yelp as he was shoved roughly into a small cell and the iron door slammed shut, locking him in securely. The footsteps of the guards quickly faded away and Neville was left alone with only a single torch burning outside the bars; he was so deep underground that there wasn't even a window to let in sunlight and fresh air. He groaned and slid to the ground, burying his head in his knees. He'd failed spectacularly, not that he was particularly surprised. At least they hadn't caught the small Jabberwock; he'd quickly grown fond of little Tabitha. He hoped that meant she was alive and well; he couldn't bear to think otherwise.

XXXX

Neville had been sitting in the cell for what felt like hours when he heard strange scraping and chattering noises from outside the door. He slowly inched his way forward and pressed his ear against the heavy iron slab that prevented his escape. Something that sounded like claws scraped against the other side and Neville pulled back. "Tabitha, is that you?" he called out as loudly as he dared. An answering screech a bit like a child's cry echoed through the empty corridor outside his door. "Am I ever glad to hear you," he said, relieved. "I was worried something had happened to you. Did the others get out okay?" Tabitha whistled an affirmative sort of noise and Neville breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank Merlin," he said, sinking down to the floor. "Any chance you can get me out of here, Tabitha?" Tabitha chirped sadly. "I didn't think so," he sighed. "Well, at least I have some company now." He closed his eyes and thumped his head against the door. "Have you ever heard the story of the Three Brothers? It was one of my favorite bedtime stories as a child." Tabitha chittered curiously. "Okay, here goes: once there were three brothers…"

XXXX

Neville eventually fell asleep, lulled into dreamland by his own voice echoing off the stone walls of his cell. While he slept, many things were put into motion. Far across Underland, at the castle of the White Queen, a rescue was being plotted. In the dark fortress of the Red Queen, an interrogation was being planned, to be carried out by Stayne himself. Deep in the dungeons, while a brave young man slept fitfully, a loyal jabberwock was busy searching for a way to free her new favorite human, all the while keeping a sharp ear out for any who might harm her kind, selfless friend.


I kind of feel like I'm dragging this story out at this point...

Reviews are much appreciated, but no flames please! :)