What a week it’d been. This time of year, Tracey was used to the stress of a quidditch season. Trading season and a few shake ups followed by the general tension of playing the back half of a season especially when the Cup was still anyone’s to have at this point with so many teams being only one or two games back from one another. There was a clear distinction of the top five or six teams in the league this year, and that was the sort of tension Tracey enjoyed. The competitive nature of the game that spurred her to train harder and take bigger risks to make sure no quaffles got past her during a match. That was the quidditch she’d always loved - not whatever the shit excuse for a game she’d been in the middle of for the last couple of months.
After the match yesterday, she was at least glad to have off the next day. She knew half of her teammates were pissed off at her, and it wasn’t a shock to hear a few choice words from fans. Not that jeers from fans was anything new, so it was easy to not let that bother her. She had no idea what was going to happen over the next few days, but so far the league was too busy worrying over the cheating and bribing scandal itself that they hadn’t gotten around to addressing her directly. Yet.
For today, though, Tracey didn’t want to think about any of that - as much as she could manage, anyway. She picked up a book she’d been half reading, some water, and floppy hat and stepped out onto the balcony. The sun was warm and shining, but the balcony provided plenty of shade. She settled into a comfy chair, propping her feet up on the railing. The book rested in her lap for now as she leaned back and closed her eyes.
She let out a contented sigh, happy to just sit and relax, but instead of being able to enjoy her quiet solitude, she suddenly had a strange sensation of falling. Tumbling and falling, falling, falling until she hit the ground hard.
“Ouch,” she murmured, rubbing her arms. At first she’d wondered if perhaps she’d managed to fall off her balcony but instead she saw that she was in the middle of a strange room. A room with only a small table and a plate with biscuits and a vial with a note of “Drink Me” attached to it.
“What in Merlin’s name…” She started but before she could finish her thought, someone else dropped out of the sky and landed next to her on the floor. When he lifted his head, Tracey saw an unhappy Cassius looking up at her. “Nice of you to drop by?”
It was supposed to be a nice day to write. That was the plan, work on his book, stay out of the public eye, stay in and ignore anything else going on. The pitch was too dramatic and the fans were being a pain. A real pain. He was just writing a sentence under his notes when he felt a strange pull and the sensation of falling. It wasn’t until he saw Tracey looking down at him that he let his head fall back down.
“Where the fuck are we this time?” He grumbled giving himself another second before pushing his way up and noticing the ”Drink Me” vial. His eyes narrowed suspiciously.
“I’m not sure, but… thirsty?” Tracey held up the small vial and looked it over. There really wasn’t anything else written except for the instruction to drink - which made her not want to touch the stuff. “Whoever set this up…. Do they really think we’d fall for this?”
Tracey had grown up in a mixed magical and Muggle household and had a lot of exposure to her Muggle family members. She and some of her cousins had loved watching Disney movies and reading the fairytales stories. The thought that she was suckin the middle of one hadn’t yet dawned on her.
“Look, there’s a door,” she pointed to the other side of the room. It was locked but it was also so small that she wasn’t sure either of them would fit through it.
"Parched," Cassius responded deadpan.
He didn't know a lot about muggle culture or muggle things past. Some of the clothing was comfortable. He crossed his arms, looking around. When he heard her voice she turned to see the door she was pointing at.
"What are the odds we won't be able to just shrink ourselves here?" He asked, looking to the bottle and back to Tracey. He had a bad feeling about all of this.
“I’m guessing slim to none,” Tracey replied. “Especially since I don’t even seem to have my wand here,” she said after searching the usual places she kept it on her. Sighing, she looked at the vial again and then at the door. Back and forth a couple of times and then her eyes suddenly widened. “Oh!”
Tracey picked up the vial and wrinkled her nose. “I think I know this one.” She looked back at Cassius. “I think we’ve fallen into a fictional story called Alice in Wonderland. It’s a Muggle book that was turned into an animated movie years ago.” But the question was, were they in the book or the movie? She’d never read the book, but how much different could it have been? The movie was already fucked up enough just as it was.
“So….” She laughed a little, knowing that Cassius wasn’t going to like what they needed to do. “We have to drink this so we can shrink ourselves and fit through the door.” She paused and quickly picked up the key that was on the table. Maybe they could avoid the whiplash of going small to big to small again. “Out there is a place called Wonderland.” Full of talking caterpillars with hookahs, creepy cats, tea parties, and queens that may or may not try to decapitate them at some point.
Cassius was well-read, but muggle books that got turned into kids movies weren't usually on his reading list. He raised an eyebrow at her and didn't exactly like the idea of anything shew as saying. They had to drink so they could go to someplace called Wonderland.
"You're not joking." He commented blinking a few times looking down at the key in her hand. "I don't have my wand either, so any other idea how to get into wonderland?" He asked. "We could break down the wall..." He suggested.
“You can bust through walls now, huh?” With their wands, that’d be easy, but Tracey didn’t really want to risk breaking her hand in here since who even knew if what happened to them here would follow them after they managed to find a way out of.. whatever this was.
Taking a breath, she held up the small bottle. “Well. here goes nothing.” She let out a sigh and uncorked the vial, bringing it to her lips and taking a couple small sips. At first nothing happened but then without warning, Tracey shrunk down once to about half her size and then again all the way to the floor so that she was no bigger than the height of Cassius’ shoe. The vial, that was still normal-sized, dropped out of her hands and rolled across the floor.
“Hey, it worked!” She called up to giant Cassius, unsure if he could hear her or not. She pointed over to the bottle, pointed to him, and then mimed the action of taking a drink before pointing at him again. Bottoms up, Warrington.
He was thoughtful and quiet and didn't say anything when he was about to, she was speaking and taking the damn potion. "Hey!" He growled. "I could have thought about using the table to knock it down!" He spoke even as he watched her shrink down.
"Watch out," he grumbled as he moved across the room to pick up the dropped vial. "You could've broken it." He muttered. He didn't want to take it and glared at her as he started waving her hands around like some miniature doll. Grumbling, he took a couple of sips and carefully bent down quickly, so the bottle didn't drop. It was an awkward feeling and before he knew it, he was jogging over towards the equally tiny Davis.
He gave her a short glare before heading towards the door and opening it. "I'd say ladies first but I'm not sure what kind of trouble you'll get us into next," he said stepping through.
Tracey winced at the sound of Cassius' loud, booming voice from where she stood at barely inches tall. She watched him, hands on her hips, as he drank some of the potion and was soon a super tiny version of himself just as she was.
Half rolling her eyes, Tracey suppressed a laugh and followed him through the tiny door. On the other side was... well, a wonderland was a pretty accurate description. She stared at all the vibrant colors of all the flowers and trees in awe. "Wow," was all she could say at first but then grinned, nudging him with her elbow. "Even you have to admit this is pretty damn cool."
She walked ahead slowly, not waiting for him to take the lead. Her eyes scanned the trees for any creatures that might pop out at them. "Okay, there's a book and a movie, but I only know the movie version of the story. Keep your eyes peeled for a floating cat head, a toking caterpillar, and playing cards with swords and spears. If we're working through the story, we have to either get to the castle or find a white rabbit." She paused. "Oh, and don't fall for the guy with the crazy eyes who offers you some tea."
She had a point but he wasn’t going to give it to her that easily, it was really cool and interesting. It wasn’t like anything he’d ever seen before and there was something powerful in the almost psychedelic surroundings.
“Did you just say a toking caterpillar?” He asked having been more focused on looking around than anything she was saying. Cassius couldn’t decide if she meant to say talking because that too would be something strange to see but she looked somewhat positive about what she was talking about.
Just as he opened his mouth to say something he heard a strange laugh and looked up. There was the echo of what could have been a grin but he wasn’t sure he saw it. “We’re drugged aren’t we?”
"Toking caterpillar," she nodded in confirmation. "He's not the friendliest sort in the old cartoon." She was still looking around, taking everything in when she also heard the echo of a laugh. Oh, great. If this was who she thought it was, this cat had always given her the creeps as a kid.
"I don't think so." She paused and gave him a sideways smile, shrugging. "Then again who knows exactly what was in that potion." The laugh caught her attention again and soon the faint outline of a cat appeared on the branch of a tree in front of them. It grinned wide just as she remembered from the film.
"Why, hello Alice and Alice's friend," the car sing-songed.
"Um, I'm not Alice."
“Yeah, we’re drugged,” Cassius said looking up at the cat there was no way in hell this was happening without drugs. He glanced over to Tracey and back to the cat that didn’t seem to like that she wasn’t Alice.
“But her middle name is Alice and I do call her Alice,” he said glancing over to Tracey giving her a pointed look trying to convey they should play along. Cassius had a feeling it’d go smoother if they went with the flow of whatever was happening rather than trying to talk a creepy cat into believing that she wasn’t Alice.
“And who are you?” He asked, trying hard to keep his hands by his sides.
“Really?” Tracey gave a half eye roll and glanced in Cassius’ direction. She sighed and shook her head, turning her attention back to the mad cat. She knew that speaking with him would most likely be…. Difficult or exasperating, and they needed to choose their words carefully. “He’s the Cheshire Cat,” Tracey said.
The cheshire cat giggled and its head spun around on its own, not connected to its body. “Oh, yes, Alice is quite right.” It’s head finished spinning and settled back down in its rightful place on its body. “It’s so kind of you to remember an old friend.”
She ignored the friend remark and pressed further. “Have you seen the white rabbit?” That was the actual Alice’s way of getting out of this place, right? Or was she remembering wrong?
“Have you lost him again?” The cat inquired, floating down and around in the space in front of them. “I think I saw him over there,” he said, pointing to the right. “Or maybe it was that way instead,” he pointed to the left.
Cassius could feel frustration getting to him, the cat deserved a punch, but he also figured that wasn’t a good idea. Could you punch a cat that could disappear? He glanced over to Tracey with a raised eyebrow before looking back at the cat.
“So, left or right?” He asked, not getting an answer just a grin. He sighed.
“Was the rabbit late?” He asked, vaguely wondering if this is where the rabbit people talked about being late was from, seemed like an educated guess.
“Can left be right?” asked the Cheshire with a toothy grin. “Or is right, right? If both are right then it shouldn’t matter left or right, yes?”
“Oh, honestly,” Tracey huffed. “Was the rabbit late?” She asked, repeating Cassius’ question. Even knowing the story and how frustrating the cat could be, this was enough to drive anyone mad. Madder. Oh hell. She was understanding more and more how easily the habitants of Wonderland drifted towards madness.
“He was in quite a hurry,” said the cat. “Perhaps the Mad Hatter knows where he went.”
“No, thank you,” she said quickly before Cassius could answer. “Neither of us are in the mood for tea parties.”
“If left can be right and right is right, perhaps did he head towards,” he glanced to his right and his left. “That pink flower, or did he pass it?” Cassius asked but knew he wasn’t going to get an answer as the cat just grinned and shrugged.
“Tr-Alice, I don’t think the cat knows where the rabbit went. That or, left and right are too confusing when left can also be the right answer if it is the right answer, but in this case he’s not indicating if left is or is not the right answer or indeed right is the wrong answer, and left is correct.” He purposely made no sense.
“So?” He looked at the cat. “Which is it?”
“Both,” said the cat with a toothy grin. “But if both, also neither.”
“Screw this,” Tracey muttered, not caring if the cat heard her. She looked at the confusing signs pointing left, right, up, and down and decided just to risk it. “Let’s just go,” she tugged Cassius along by the arm towards the left. “Otherwise we’ll be here all day.” She could hear an echo cat singing and laughing as they started into the woods.
The path was dimly lit the further they went, and at first Tracey was starting to wonder if they should have waited out the damn cat to see if he’d give a better answer. But before she could say so either way, she began hearing music off in the distance.
Cassius had opened his mouth to argue with the cat a little bit more when he felt himself being pulled to the side. He stumbled slightly before catching his balance, falling into step with Tracey.
"Who the fuck wrote that cat? Who thinks up that creepy backwards infuriating..." he shook his head, dropping off as the path felt dim and well, creepy, not that he'd admit that.
The music caught his attention and he turned to look at Tracey. "Is this music something you're familiar with?" He asked as he slowed just slightly wondering if there was a better way out of this damn situation.
“I have an idea of what it might be,” Tracey sighed and now wished they’d taken the other path. Then again, this was the right way to the castle and the Red Queen, wasn’t it? The music got a little louder as they got closer to the clearing, and she realized her suspicions were correct. Up ahead was a long table with only a few chairs occupied.
“Don’t let the guy get to you,” she told him. “They call him the Mad Hatter for a reason, and--” She was cut off before she could finish by the sound of someone calling out to them once they’d been seen. She just hoped that this time the Hatter didn’t think she was Alice.
They didn’t seem to be having an ‘un-birthday’ party like in the movie, just a normal, everyday, average tea party. That was good, right? “Hello,” she began. “Have you seen a white rabbit come this way?”
The bloke that Tracey indicated was the mad hatter looked at them in shock as did the other two. "How could we answer such a silly question without a silly song and a silly answer?" The others giggled. Cassius just looked back at Tracey.
"Let's just go that way," he said deadpan, looking away from the man who had appeared to start singing something Cassius didn't understand.
"Can't we just tap our feet together and wish we could go home?"
“Wrong Muggle movie,” Tracey told him, smiling a little. Those ruby red slippers would have come in handy right about now though. He watched as the Hatter and his odd friends started up their song number and sighed. “Yeah, let’s just go. If he’s anything like the story, we’ll get less out of him than the cat.”
They entered the woods again just as Tracey could hear the Hatter ask someone ’why is a raven like a writing desk,’ and she was glad to get out of there before getting stuck answering his riddles. They’d walked a little ways more, and she frowned at Cassius when she started to hear the sound of music again along with a collection of voices. Less individual voices and more so a group. Had they made it to the Red Queen’s castle?
“Do you hear--” She started, but stopped suddenly when she caught a glimpse of a small white figure hopping up ahead. “Look, the rabbit!” She pointed.
“So, you’re saying no one around this place is useful, good to know,” he raised an eyebrow for a moment but relaxed his features as they headed on. This was bloody mad, he was starting to wonder if they were going to miss out on the whole day, he doubted that’d go over well.
Cassius was somewhat lost in thought when he heard some sounds and then Tracey speak up, he glanced over to her and at the rabbit that seemed to be moving awkwardly in it’s outfit and glancing at a pocket watch as it moved.
“Should we catch it or follow it?”
“Follow…… I think.” She wasn’t so sure what the right move here was. In the story, she was more or less certain that Alice simply woke up from her dream in Wonderland, right? She doubted that would help them here, and she didn’t want to mention that to Cassius yet. She might try pinching him later just in case if nothing else worked though.
“I think I know where he’s going,” she told him. “There’s a Queen. She’s bloody mad, but that’s where Alice goes in the book. Maybe there’s something there that will get us back?” Perhaps simply arriving at the castle or meeting the queen would do it. Going through the motions of the story instead of finding a door out of there.
Trudging ahead, they came into a clearing and saw the castle not far up ahead but in front of them was a huge maze that eerily reminded her of the maze at the Triwizard tournament. She could see people - and soldier playing cards - milling around. The white rabbit was ahead, turned around to see them standing there and then hopped inside the maze.
"Is anyone in this damn book not bloody mad?" Cassius asked but went along with Tracey's instinct on it. She at least knew the book whereas he didn't have a clue nor did he particularly want to read the book now that he'd experienced how freaking weird it was.
"Speed up a bit?" He said as the rabbit went into the maze, what was the worst that could happen? He probably shouldn't think about that but was the worst that could happen.
Cassius didn't like the way the playing cards looked and grabbed a few branches that were big enough to sort of hide both of them and handed one to Tracey with a shrug.
“We’re all mad here,” Tracey said in a mimic of the movie version of the cat; she grinned a little at the thought but then shrugged at Cassius’ look. She wasn’t sure what she was supposed to do with the branch, but held it a little in front of her anyway as he did.
Whether it was because of Cassius’ urging or not, the white rabbit did indeed speed up. At first a little but with one glance back to the two of them and then he hurried along even more. They jogged after it as best they could, and soon it seemed the rabbit had managed to bring them out of the maze -- and then he was gone. “Where the bloody hell did he go now?” Tracey said, exasperated.
“You there!” A booming voice called out. It was one of the guards - this one an ace of diamonds. Tracey didn’t know what to do, but its tone and the fact that a group of soldiers began to rush towards them was not a good sign. “Stop in the name of the Queen!”
“I think that’s our cue to run.” Tracey said, her eyes wide. Behind them was the maze, in front was the castle,and to the left were the guards. To the right? Was a hazy blackness that seemed a little ominous but might be their best bet at this point.
Spinning around, he looked at the playing card soldiers with wide eyes. “The paper cut brigade.” He commented with a mixture of mild fear and a little bit of frustration.
He was about to suggest going a different direction, but when Tracey started heading towards the hazy blackness, he followed, making sure to run in step with her. The haze felt strange, almost a tingly magic and before he knew it, he was tripping over something, pretty sure Tracey was experiencing the same thing and as he tumbled he slowed at the bottom of a grassy field and in the distance seemed to be Cuaditch Town.
“You seeing that?”
The blackness was just that… blackness but with a haze that made it seem like it was a mass of fog that they just needed to get through in order to get to the other side. They were running fast to get away from the cards and suddenly Cassius hit the ground. She’d barely slowed to make sure he was okay when one of her feet hit the ground wrong, and she ended up falling to the ground too. The change in terrain tripped up both of them, and Tracey wasn’t sure where they were. At least not until Cassius pointed out the town that was off in the distance.
“That’s... “ Home. “Oh, thank Merlin,” she breathed out in a sigh and felt herself relax on the ground. Rolling over her back, Tracey laughed a little and turned her head to look at Cassius. “As much as I enjoy your company, I’d rather we not wake up in another fairytale story tomorrow, mate.”
She sat up to her knees after a moment and with a deep breath got to her feet again. “You up for a drink to wash the ‘madness’ away?”
Cassius smirked with a nod, he couldn’t agree more. He’d much rather not wake up in a fairytale again. There were a number of places he’d much rather wake up.
“Long as it’s a strong one,” he said standing up and offering her his hand. As they both got up they headed towards Cuaditch town and that drink they both needed. A strong one.