M Rated Chapter: Contains violence.

Chapter 31: Wonderland


"Hermione?...Hermione? Come on dear, wake up"

The small girl winced her eyes before grabbing the blanket and pulling it over her head.

"Deary, wake up. You cannot sleep all day. Now sit-up"

She groaned in exhaustion as she felt the blanket pulled away from her face and head instantly throwing her into a world of light. She blinked her sore, swollen eyes as a woman with ocean blue eyes and grey hair stared down at her with a soft and caring stare.

"How are you feeling this morning?"

Hermione sat up and stretched up tall, her frizzy hair sticking out at all ends. She could hear a small clunk next to her and rubbed her eyes open to see a pair of white small white and purple shoes being placed down next to her. She rubbed her shoulder's feeling a sense of unease come over her. A sensation of something being out of place. She didn't understand. Not well...

Where was she?

What had happened?

She couldn't recall but this definitely didn't feel right. It felt like an almost deja vu. She pulled her leg away instantly as she felt the shoe being placed on her left foot as it dangled off the edge of the green couch covered in plastic.

"Hermione?"

"please dear. You need to tie your shoe laces up properly"

"Mother does them for me" her blood shot red eyes watered as the older woman bent down to do up her shoes.

"I don't want you to look like a slob for your uncle"

The words came so naturally to her. As if she had repeated them a thousand times over.

"Why can't I stay here?"

"Oh Hermione, we've discussed this. Your uncle Jack is your only living relative, I'm sure he's a lovely man and only wants what's best for you"

"That doesn't answer my question" She yelled angrily.

"Hermione, tone!" She hushed sharply.

"It's not fair, I don't want to go. Please Mrs Scranton, I want to remain here with you"

She sighed, placing her hands on the girl's shoulders. "I'm sorry my dear; I truly am. I would do anything to have you here and living with us" She kissed her forehead as tears poured down the girls face.

"I promise, we will see one another again. Your uncle is going to take care of you from now on"

DING! DONG!

"That will be the social worker. Please tie your shoes up dear" She moved over to the front door.


The car rumbled in the background as Hermione placed her head against the back of the front seat. She had put up such a fight to stay with the old couple who lived across the lane even going as far as to run around the home looking for a place to hide so she wouldn't have to leave. However, she had no choice in the end. A sense of dread overcame her as she if she knew every step, every line within the book.

"Alright dear?" The social worker asked as she drove, her eyes glancing back in the rear view mirror.

"Please take me back to Mrs Scranton. I'll be good, I pwomise"

"Now, now dear, your uncle sounded like a very nice man over the phone. I'm sure you'll do well there"

Tears spilled down her face as she sobbed in terror of yet another stranger. She had hoped her uncle was at least as nice as her father.

They stopped after another an hour of driving to his house. Hermione heard the woman pull the handbrake up as she remained in the back dreading the inevitable. "Well dear, grab your bag it's time to meet your uncle Jack" Hermione, still leaning her head against the back seat turned her head towards the side door to see the woman's lower half out of the way. Blinding bright light filled the background of the woman.

She stared into the abyss thinking she had gone insane as she heard a small voice in the background. A familiar one. She couldn't quite place it but in the back of her mind she knew it was calling to her. Calling her name. Calling her to come back. She didn't understand. She was here. There was no back.


Her mind skipped in a sudden leap everything seemed to fast-forward. Where was she now? She didn't understand! What was happening?

Deep breaths. Breathe deep. In 2...3...4...5...out...2...3...4...5...Who had taught her that? She couldn't recall.

Clink Clink Clink

Hermione winced her eyes open to the bright impairing her vision. Everything hurt. Her whole body felt as though it was on fire.

Clink! Clink! Clink!

She sniffed turning towards the painful sound of metal striking metal and covering her eyes with her hands trying best to adjust to the blinding, bright light.

Clink...Clink!

She wanted to scream in her mind. It was so loud. Everything was so loud.

"Hermione!"

Clink!...Clink!

Make it stop!

"Stupid animal" A voice muttered. A voice that sent chills down her spine. She wrenched her eyes open to find herself in the backyard of her uncle's house. Even worse she was in the rusted, small cage. She watched, shaking to death as her uncle hammered away at the metal spike ensuring it remained in the ground before dropping the hammer and walking over to her with the metal chain. She shook her head backing away as her body dripped with water.

Why was she wet?

What had happened?

She tried to push herself as far as possible into the back of the cage and away from him but she could barely move her sore stricken body...and her back. Oh lord, her back. It was cut and infected, chaffing against the rusty bars.

Angry she was resisting, he ripped the top of the small cage open and yanked the chain around her neck and tightened it to the point the ringlets were digging into her neck and pulling awkwardly at her bird nested hair. She whimpered pulling at the chain around her neck in an attempt to stop it chaffing her soaked skin. He just ignored her cries and whimpers, instead choosing to pick up the dripping hose and walk back towards her.

"This'll teach you to struggle" He muttered under his breath as she tried to pull the chain away from her throat.

"N-n-n"

He sprayed the hose straight into her face. She choked, panicking feeling as though as was going to drown. She jerked her back slamming against the cage as she gulped in water.

"Stop struggling, you need a bath you disgusting, putrid girl" he moved in closer as she tried to beg for mercy. Her vision blurred as he held her under, everything was too much. Stars flooded her vision, the rust stung into her back, she couldn't breath, she couldn't move, she couldn't escape!

"Hermione!"

She jumped as if electrocuted.

The stream of water coming from the hose at full blast had stopped. She thought it was over, the pain, the discomfort. But her uncle was not known for being lenient with her and walked around to her back.

What was he doing?

She yelped as the top of the cage was lifted open and she was grabbed by the scuff of her shirt and dragged out into the mud and forced onto her stomach. Her body rattled uncontrollably from the fear and cold that pulsed through her aching joints. Somewhere inside of her she knew this was wrong, she had lived through this. All of this and didn't want to repeat it.

HELP!

She wanted to scream from the top of her lungs but the words never quite reached her lips.

"Better clean those wounds out; starting to fester" She heard him mutter to himself. She slammed her eyes closed as his boot came up near the top of her head and he removed a boot knife from his shoe before he placed a heavy knee down on the side of her back. Tears and snot dripped down her face as she fisted the mud in her hands hoping against hope that he wasn't going to be too painful.

Rather, she couldn't stop the first scream of agony leave her lips as he began to cut away at the layers green and oozing wounds that infected her back before drenching them in salt.

"H-el..."


Albus sat worriedly within the hospital ward waiting in anticipation of when his daughter was to wake. His wife laid on the bed next, holding the girl in her arms, begging the small child to simply snap out of her sleep. She had been in Poppy's care for just shy of five hours and the girl's condition had only recently become stable. a heart rate monitor fuelled by magic beeped behind the child as she slept uneasy in her bed. A nasal cannula had been placed into her nose along with an IV drip in her right arm now tied to the bed post to stop her ripping the tube out in her fit-induced sleep.

Minerva pushed the bushy hair away from the bandage and gauze covering her forehead before kissing the side of her head.

Of less than five hours ago, Hermione had experienced a seizure. A Tonic-Clonic seizure with loss of consciousness.

"A result of her organs shutting down in response to her not taking her medication" Poppy had explained to the parents once things had settled down.

Poppy had gone on to explain to them that the girl had suffered rather major internal organ damage as a result of her time with her uncle and being out on the streets. Damage that could not be fixed with 'silly wand waving' as she had called it.

"Hermione, in theory, has the organs of an 70 year old, diabetic muggle. She will not survive without appropriate medical care"

Minerva couldn't take the pain she had felt in those last few hours. Yes, she had given the girl her medication at five o'clock instead of three. Okay, Hermione had told her she felt ill. She understood, she should have been watching the girl take the medication but she had suffered enough.

She couldn't take losing this small girl who had wiggled her way into their hearts.

The new mother rubbed her tired eyes as she held the girl in her arms, hoping against hope that just being present with her would change the girl's consciousness.

Every so often Poppy had come in to check on the girl. She had been developing a fever and had been struggling to regulate her body temperature let alone her breathing and bladder control. The girl had been shivering and shaking for the past two hours which only increased Minerva's worry.

"There must be something we can do" Minerva had muttered a few minutes later after Poppy had come in for another check on the girl's vitals.

Albus scratched his chin as he watched his daughter wincing her eyes tightly, whimpering in what seemed to be pain. He leaned forward, wrapping his knuckles along the side of her sweat covered and flustered cheek.

"I don't know if waking her would be such a good idea, Tabby. She looks very unwell"

At the mention, her body shook, cramps littering her body as an unconscious yelp escaped her lips. Sweat poured from the small girls body as Albus leaned forward placing a damp cloth over her forehead causing the girl to hiss in pain.

Tears dripped down Minerva's chin as she wrapped the blanket further around the girl.

"Please Albus. If you don't...If you don't I will get Severus too"

Albus' lips thinned as he thought of his adoptive-son likely drinking himself into a stupour over what had occurred earlier this evening. The boy had been a mess after everything that had happened. Growing quite and inwardly crumbling with exhaustion, he had fled to the dungeons. His sanctuary. Albus had send a message off to Isobel, informing her of the circumstances and requesting she speak to the boy whilst they took care of their youngest child.

"Albus" He turned his head to look into his wife's eyes. He could see the tears threatening to spill again. He could hear the whimpers of his daughter, suffering from her night-terrors unable to wake up.

He nodded, "alright"

He removed his wand before pointing it near the girl's face and pulling her left eye lid up to reveal her hazed filled golden speckled eyes.

"Legilimens"


Pain!

There was always pain and terror and pain!

"GET OUT HERE YOU BRAT!"

C-can't move! C-can't breathe!

She flexed her hand as she laid on the bloodied concrete floor, the chain around her neck to heavy to move.

"BRAT!" She flinched, trying to move once more only to hear the loud footsteps thumping against the staircase.

No, no, no, no!

"I called for you and you didn't answer, I swear, you stupid animal, you just want to be beaten" Hermione felt her vision go hazy as a massive shooting pain spread through her abdomen. He had kicked her, hard!

"Stupid bint!" He spat at her before hearing the sound of a flesh hit plastic. She blinked her swollen tear filled eyes and looked at her bowl to see the raw chicken breasts thrown in. By the smell of it, it was rotten.

"Well? Eat!" He kicked the bowl towards her. She tried to pick herself up onto her elbows and crawl towards it but her body felt like concrete. Within an instant, she had collapsed to the ground breathing heavily and struggling to get air into her lungs. She whimpered in agony as he kicked her again. He cursed at her but her ears were ringing so bad. She couldn't hear a word. She knew what he wanted her to do though. She lifted her hand taking a piece into her hand and placing it into her mouth. She had tried to eat it, she really did but the meat was rotten.

Her stomach turned within the minute and she had ended up vomiting after another swift kick for being too slow.

"You piece of filth" He untied her from the rusted chain and dragged her by her hair to the rusted cage sitting in the dark, damp corner of the room.

Ow! Ow! Ow! She didn't have the strength to try and grab his hands.

"YOU WANT TO ACT LIKE AN ANIMAL; I'll treat you like one" He threw her into the small enclosure before shutting the door and locking it by a thick chain. Hermione spluttered, sobbing as she tried to rattle against the cage door. She hated being locked in. She hated the cage. She hated the darkness, being along. Her claustrophobia, her nightmares...him.

He kicked the cage one last time before walking back up stairs. She couldn't help but wonder how long he was going to leave her there without food or water or company. One day, maybe two. Maybe on the third she would see her parents.

"Hermione?"

She blinked her swollen eyes and pulled herself towards the cage door. In the depth's of the darkness she could make out the grey robes.

"P-Papa?"


Severus sat leaning over his desk, head in his hands ignorant to the world. His head was spinning to say the least and wanted the day to be over as soon as possible.

"Have you sobered up yet or are you still drunk"

He gritted his teeth in anger not even having to look up to know who was there.

"Go away" He growled at the woman as he reached for his bottle of firewhisky and drinking it straight from the bottle.

"I think not" She straightened her back and crossed her arms at the man. "You are of no comfort"

"Is that what you need? Comfort?"

He glared at her. Sometimes this woman drove him insane.

"What do you want Isobel"

"Ooch, I do hate it when you don't call me seanmhair" She cooed the last word to him but could tell she was infuriating him.

"You have a grandchild. Why don't you go and pester her?" He spat back icily. Isobel's hands fisted, "you are both my grandchildren and you should be upstairs taking care of your sister"

"She is not my-"

"Do not be stupid you silly boy. Of course of she is"

"Leave. Now!" He snarled standing up as his chair fell to the floor.

"Severus you cannot sit here in a pit of wallow and drown your sorrows in alcohol as our family is in crisis"

"You expect me to feel guilty"

"Oh come now, no one blames you for what has occurred. No body could have predicted for this to occur"

He shook his head, swiping the Firewhisky off the table and moving from his office to the nearby door to his rooms. "Severus," He stopped from pulling the door open to hear her soft voice. A difference from her usual nagging and sarcastic comments.

"Whether you like it or not, we're your family" He turned to see her removing a piece of parchment. "And you have a responsibility to your family to always care no matter the circumstances. No matter yours" She held her hand out for him to take the parchment. "And now I need ye to sober up and be there for your family"

He glared at her for a second before his physical features relaxed as he thought about the girl that had been lying in the living room, spasming. Albus and Minerva hands stained with blood as they simultaneously tried to stop her head from bleeding and comfort the girl whilst they themselves panicked.

He rubbed his tired eyes wanting to forget the memory of seeing his family in crisis. "Poppy needs several potions made including antibiotic, dreamless sleep, pepper upper potion, anticonvulsant and neuroleptic drought"

Severus' eyes widened at the last words written on the parchment in red. "What does Hermione need with anti-psychotic medication. She was having a panic attack"

Isobel shook her head. "Poppy went through your memory in the pensive. She's under the impression that she suffered a state of delusions or hallucinations or something. From the sounds of it, it's not the first time it's occurred"

Severus' lips thinned as he reflected on Hermione's behaviour over the last few weeks. "She's paranoid that her uncl- that man is out to get her and of course she's having delusions; she's a child, she has a wild imagination"

"The droughts shouldn't have any major side affects unless they are in combination with the anti-biotic potion. Poppy would like to trial the anti-psychotic potions to see if it helps her cope"

"She's a child"

"I don't like it as much as you however, Hermione has not been able to engage in any of her occupations. I wish to see her grow up to be somewhat normal and able to function"

Severus stiffened, "She is normal"

"Believing the shadow's are monster's out to get you is not coping Severus. I know Hermione is smart, out-going, happy girl somewhere inside. I can only hope she will grow up to be just that" She began to walk to the door as Severus shook his head.

"She doesn't this, she has us. She has-"

"You?" she turned to him as she grabbed the door knob to leave.

"Then be there for her"

The dark haired man watched as the door slammed shut.


"Papa?"

Albus kneeled down next to the cage and tried to pull it open only for it to be shut tight. Hermione reached her hand out of the cage trying desperately to grab him only for her hand to mist through his robes.

"Shhh...Hey, hey, her. It's alright baby girl" He tried to comfort her. Tears cascaded down her dirt, mud and blood crusted face. He could hear her whimpering through her cracked lips desperate to be released from her prison.

"It's okay, it's okay my dear. I'm going to get your out of here but I need you to focus okay?"

She nodded clinging onto every word he had to offer her.

"Mommy, I-I wan-t mom-mommy"

"I know my dear. She's right next to you" She tried to look around the darkness but couldn't see her anywhere. She began to panic more. In the background, Albus could hear her heart monitor going off, becoming quicker by the second"

"Hermione dear, you are dreaming. You need to wake up. Okay"

"D-Dweeming?" She shook her head not understanding, the pain was real. Her uncle was real. Everything was too much. The beeping only became louder Albus' ears. He knew he had to calm her down less he risk her having another panic attack or worse.

"Honney, I'm going to get out of here and to mommy but you need to help me"

She turned to look at him, her eyes burning with tears. "H-Help?"

He nodded.

"You need to open the cage Hermione"

Her eyes widened as she shook her head. "I-I can't, I-I don't have the key. He has it"

"No, no you do"

She shook her head feverishly. "Nwo, nwo I don't I-I"

"Hermione, look at me deary" she looked up at him trying to focus on his voice. He placed his arm through the bars and tried to hold her cheek. "It's in your hand, you just need to focus.

Focus? What did he mean?

"Hermione, the key is in your hand. You just to simply open your hand"

She breathed harshly and closed her eyes trying to feel for the key in her hand but she knew it wasn't there. Her uncle never released her for a week. It was hopeless.

She began to cry and shake. "I-I want mommy" She sobbed into her arms. Albus could see the heart break in his daughter's eyes.

"Hermione. Please" He begged her. "You have to believe. For me dear"

Her body wracked with sobs before she pounded her fists against the cage. "I want Mommy" she pounded again no longer caring if she hurt herself.

"I want MOMMY" She screamed at the top of her lungs her sobs getting louder and louder. "Hermione, stop" She grabbed her hair pulling it as she rocked backwards and forwards.

"Hermione, please!"

"OI!" The basement door was shoved open scarring away all the shadows surrounding the dusty area and bringing a whole 'nother level of terror.

Both Albus' and Hermione's breathing stopped.

"I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU TO SHUT IT"

The small girl panicked as her uncle's foot steps hammered against each concrete step. "Hermione, Hermione, you need to focus. You are dreaming dear. You need to believe that the key is in your hand"

Her breathe quickened. Albus heard the sounds of the heart monitor racing and what felt like more panic on the other end of reality. He closed his eyes and took one breathe before looking down at the girl. "I know you can do it baby-girl. Just focus" Tears streaked down her face as she leaned her head against the metal bars.

Albus watched as she closed her eyes and focus and he heard the sounds of her counting. "...In...2...3...4...out...2...3...4...In..."

The pounding of heavy boots began to grow distant and faint into the background as Hermione removed the key from her hand and opened the lock on the cage.