(Please play the song, thank you)
"But I don't want to go among mad people," Alice said.
"Oh you can't help that," said the cat.
"We are all mad down here,"
(Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll)
***
It was a very unusual type of dream Hallie Blackwell had that night. In the night, a sense of foreboding danger came over her. Despite being comforted by the fact that she would eventually wake up, the dreary voices that spoke to her became very real and very frightening.
"What is madness?" The voice asked her.
"Madness?" Hallie questioned. "Why on earth are you asking me that?"
"That's why you're down here, isn't it?" The voice came closer, and appeared to be a black figure.
"You don't exist," Hallie said cautiously "You're just a figment of my imagination."
"So that's what you think of me then?" Emma asked, creeping out of the darkness. She wasn't like herself. Her hair was sealed in a tighter bun and her eyes wild and devoid of sleep.
"Emma?" Hallie asked, shocked at what happened to her. "What is going on, why do you look like that?"
"This is what happens when you let dark magic consume your body."
"Oh," Hallie said, trying to shake to off the feeling of fear present in her voice. "I—I'm sorry."
"Of course it isn't too late for you," Emma added, curling her face up in a distorted smile.
"Too late for what?" Hallie questioned.
"To absorb the power," she agreed. "All of us have faced it."
"Dark magic?" Hallie looked desperately towards an exit, but with no luck. She was trapped in this room with an evil looking Emma Swan. "I have never wanted to resort to using that."
"Feel the power when you do," Emma sneered, her demeanour changing to that of something more cruel than any monster she had ever seen. "You want to feel it."
"No," Hallie took a step away. "No, I would never even think about that! H—how dare you."
"So am I still a figment of your imagination then?" Emma laughed. It was a cruel type of tone she used, indicating she had more power than Hallie. "Why on earth did you create me"
"Oh Hallie," Gracie said in the dream. "You were very lonely!"
Hallie turned around and looked towards her mother, but she was not there.
"Mother where are you?" Hallie demanded.
"She gave you hope," her mother's voice said. "That's what she was there for."
"You're messing with my head," Hallie pointed her shaking hand at Emma, who now stood with a sword in her hands.
"Tell me," she began to circle her. "What will you do when evil wins?"
"It will never win!" Hallie screamed. "I'll make sure that happens, or I'll die trying!"
Emma gave a great roar of laughter. Something in her eyes changed and she was now looking at Hallie with a look reminiscent of the way a killer looks at his victims.
"I know you better than you think," Emma Swan contemplated. "You are attracted to the darkness."
"You are the darkness," Hallie said, taking another step back. "You only exist if I think of you! I have the power."
"You're wrong, Hallie," she chuckled with an evil grin on her face. "Small naive little Hallie, can't even work out the truth about her past."
"And who are you to judge me?" Hallie said fearfully. "Look at what you have become."
"I am you," Emma took a step closer.
"Stop, don't come any closer."
She was now quivering.
"If you're scared now, how on earth are you going to deal with the darkness that will come?"
"Leave me alone, Emma!"
The scene around her began to disintegrate into fragmented pieces. Everything was closing in around her, which enabled Emma to come even closer to Hallie. She wanted to step back, but she couldn't. Emma had a firm grip on her. Hallie felt the power coursing through her veins.
"LEAVE ME ALONE!" She screamed, and suddenly she was in her bedroom once more.
"Hallie?" Lara said, running into the bedroom. "Are you alright? What happened?"
Hallie breathlessly looked around her to make sure everything was real. Lara was sat in front of her, and looking deeply into her eyes. Hallie couldn't speak, she simply nodded.
"Bad dream?" Lara questioned. "You seem to be having a lot of those recently."
"This was worse, Lara. I want them to stop," Hallie clutched her chest, feeling her heart beat becoming more steady.
"Girls?" Gracie said, entering the room. "Oh sweetheart, you're as pale as a ghost!"
"Why are these happening to me?" Hallie questioned. "Do you get them, Lara?"
"Nope I don't," she said, moving her arm to put it over Hallie's shoulder.
"I tell you what," Gracie said, kneeling down in front of Hallie. "Tomorrow we can clear out the loft. Your grandad had a few books up there that he gave to me."
"It probably doesn't help that your OWL level results are tomorrow as well sissy. That's probably made you more worried that you should be."
"Yeah," Hallie agreed. "What books are they mum?"
"Ones his grandmother gave to him when he was a young boy. They've got all these healing and protection potions in them."
"Don't we have wands for that, mum?" Lara asked. "I'm of age, I can use spells."
"Your grandfather was a wizard too, and he swore by these potions. I think we should use them. Hallie love you'll know how to brew them because you're great at potions."
"Yeah, alright," Hallie nodded. "You can go back to sleep, don't worry about me."'
"Alright, Hallie," Gracie kissed her on the cheeks
"Try and get some sleep," Lara said, patting her on the shoulder.
She didn't sleep another wink that night.
***
"There is an owl coming, Hallie!" Lara shouted.
"That'll be my OWL results," she said, apprehensively.
"It'll be fine!" Lara said, taking the envelope. "Do you want me to read out your results?"
"Please," Hallie said nervously. "I really can't contain how nervous I actually am."
"Wise up, you'll be fine!" She laughed.
Hallie heard the opening of the envelope, and began to close her eyes. She had faced you-know-who, and yet she was afraid of a few grades on a page. Hallie began to think why on Earth a teenage brain worked this way.
"Oh!" Lara said, causing Hallie to jump.
"You beat me in charms! I got an exceeds expectations last year, and you got an outstanding!" Lara said enthusiastically.
"Oh my goodness, really sissy?" Hallie said, gently taking the page off of her.
Hallie Cerelia Blackwell
O.W.L results
Pass grades: Outstanding (O)
Exceeds Expectations (E)
Acceptable (A)
Fail Grades: Poor (P)
Dreadful (D)
Troll (T)
Hallie Cerelia Blackwell has achieved:
Astronomy: E
Herbology: E
Muggle studies: O
Defence Against the Dark Arts: E
History of Magic: O
Potions: O
Transfiguration: E
Charms: O
Ancient Runes: O
"Ancient Runes, Potions, History of Magic, Charms and Muggle studies were all outstandings!" Hallie smiled. It was nice to have a bit of normality in her life again.
"Oh sweetheart, well done," Gracie said, wandering into the bedroom with a glass of fizzy apple juice. "Here, love, have some of this. I only bought it yesterday."
"Thanks mum," she smiled at her.
"I suppose you'll be needing some new books then," Lara stated. "What are you doing for NEWT level?"
"Potions, transfiguration, charms, Ancient Runes, Defence Against the Dark Arts and Astronomy," Hallie said, remembering how she had told Dean Thomas just a few months previously.
"You can have my Astronomy book," Lara said. "I never went through with it for NEWT level. I changed to Muggle Studies instead."
"Thanks, Lara," Hallie sighed. "Hopefully these subjects won't be too bad."
"How has your head been today, love?" Gracie asked Hallie.
"Well if you mean that it needs checked mum, I'd have to agree," Lara joked.
Hallie laughed and playfully shoved her sister. "It's alright I guess. I just can't seem to shake the feeling off."
"You're not trying hard enough, that's why," Lara said, standing up. "You have to do a shimmy while you're doing it."
"Either you're not good at showing the movement, or you just can't dance at all. I'll think I'll go with the latter of the two," Hallie replied honestly.
"Mum do I have permission to use my magic on her? I think the tickling jinx might just do the trick."
They all began to laugh.
"Look at that scar you've got left on your face."
"Oh mum I wish you wouldn't point it out," Hallie sighed, frustrated.
"Sorry love," she added quickly. "Why don't we start cleaning out the attic then?"
***
They found a lot of old newspapers up in the attic when they began to lift out all of the boxes. The smell made Lara very overwhelmed to the point where she had to open up some windows.
"God mum, some of these newspapers are dating back to before I was born," Lara said, looking at one. "This one here says trouble brewing in the ministry as who-shall-not-be-named gains supporters." She laughed. "Are you sure this one isn't from recently?"
"Did you read the daily prophet newspaper at the end of June? The incompetent ministry finally revealed the truth everyone has known for a whole year. You-know-who is back."
"What a pile of jackasses," Lara laughed.
"Watch your language, Lara," Gracie said.
"It's English."
Hallie laughed out loud.
"Enough of that lip," Gracie laughed. "Or no pizza for dinner."
"Mum?" Hallie said, looking down at a newspaper. It had been dated May 1977. "Why do you have newspapers from the wizarding world?"
"They were your grandfathers," she stated. "He said to keep these. One day they would be useful."
"Useful for what?" Lara questioned. "Newspapers only have old news in them."
"We learn from History that we do not learn from History," Gracie replied.
"1977 was the year Lily Evans and James Potter were made Head Boy and Head Girl," Lara stated.
"They were Harry's parents," Hallie sighed. "Look, there are some books here as well."
"That was your grandfathers book," Gracie walked over to Hallie and began to flick through the pages. "Greek mythology was one of his favourite things in this world."
"Greek mythology?" Hallie opened up the book. Her grandfather's name still pained her heart. She had not told her mother about what had happened back in June, and Lara only knew bits and pieces.
"No way," Lara looked at the book. "It's got your name on it."
"What?"
"Look! To Hallie, love from grandfather."
"How is that possible?" Hallie questioned. "He was killed before I was born."
Oh no, the words had slipped out.
"Killed?" Lara looked around at her mother. "Is it true mum?"
"Yes," she sighed.
"Wait, you knew?" Lara questioned. "You didn't bother to tell me? How did you find out Hallie?"
"In the Department of Mysteries in June," She continued. "I saw a flashback. It showed me what happened."
"Oh Hallie," Lara put her arm around her sister. "Why won't you tell us fully what happened?"
"I can't make sense of it, that's why," Hallie frowned.
"Mum why didn't you say anything about this?" Lara questioned. "It's awful that Hallie found out that way, don't you think?"
"I wanted to protect you girls," she sighed. "Don't you think there's already enough going on in this world without me telling you that?"
"You need to stop that, mum," Lara said, grabbing her mother's hand. "We aren't children anymore."
"I know, love, I know," she sighed.
"Come on," Hallie said, standing up.
"Where are we going?"
"To watch a movie in the living room," she sighed. "I'm tired of all of this. We can't forget to live."