School of Wizardry and Ponies

Chapters

Summer Fun Festival
In the Night and at a Lecture
Investigation Begins
Settling in with Dash, Sparkle and Shy
Machinations, Darkness, a pinch of Pink
Pieces in Place
Secrets Crack Open
The Professor's Explanation
Lunch with the Secretary
At the Bedside
What Happened Because
Faust Residence
The Unexpected
Making Cases
The Price We Pay
Accidents and Explanations

Summer Fun Festival

Nearly a week after school had gotten out presented the town of Canterlot with its favorite community event, the Summer Fun Festival. All members of city council had turned out, as did representatives from all branches of the emergency response forces, a few National Guard, as well as major local businesses and organizations. Booths and stations were scattered throughout the local park. Music blasted from the pavilion and everyone present was having a good time.

In a calmer part of the park there was a booth for the animal shelter, and manning the booth currently was none other than Fluttershy. Normally, she wouldn’t feel comfortable at such an event, but she was in her comfort zone, talking to people about the animals at the shelter. The pink haired girl was introducing a group of children to the dog the shelter had been authorized to bring when a familiar voice reached her ears,

“Hey Flutters, how’s it going?”

Fluttershy looked up at the speaker and was met with the familiar face of her friend Rainbow Dash.

“Hello Rainbow Dash. Just showing the children Goldie here.” Hearing his name, the Lab-Retriever mix held his head up high and tried to look as noble as possible.

“Take it from me kids, if you want an awesome pet the shelter is the place to look. Flutters here introduced me to my own pet and I have been happy with him ever since.”

“What kind of animal did you get?” One of the children asked.

“A tortoise, his name is Tank.”

The group of children continued to admire the gold colored dog until their parents called them away and left the two older girls alone.

“So what’s up Rainbow Dash?”

“The girls got a blanket set up near the Apple’s stand. Just coming to find you and bring you over.”

“Sorry, I can’t leave right now.” Fluttershy apologized, “I need to wait for my replacement. The director of the shelter should be here soon then I’ll come find you.”

“Alright, but hurry. Pinkie and Spike might eat all the food.”

With that, the athletic girl took off back into the festivities. Fluttershy was alone only for a few minutes before two very recognizable figures approached,

“Principal Celestia, Vice Principal Luna! How are you doing today?”

“We are doing just fine Fluttershy.” Celestia responded, “My cousin here has a question for you though.”

The two administrators stood to the side and Fluttershy just about had a mental meltdown at what she saw. A little skinny boy with messy black hair and amazing green eyes. The shy girl made the mental connection of who this was. The little cousin from England who had been abused for all his memorable life. The compassionate young woman couldn’t restrain her feelings.

“Hello, I’m-“

Harry didn’t have a chance to finish his introduction. He was suddenly in the arms of the older girl.

“Oh you poor thing. Having to grow up in such a horrible way. I’m so sorry you had to live in such a place.”

Harry wasn’t sure what to do, but the hug felt warm and genuine. Soon he was awkwardly returning the hug.

“Ehem!” Luna cleared her throat and Fluttershy suddenly jumped back and started apologizing,

“I’m sorry, I couldn’t help myself!”

“I am sorry Harry; I didn’t think Fluttershy would react that way.” Celestia apologized to the young man.

“It’s alright.” Harry dismissed, a little shaken Harry extended his hand back towards the teenager, “I’m Harry, Harry Potter.”

“Hi Harry, I’m Fluttershy.” The animal loving girl introduced herself.

“Harry here needs a little help with some with an unusual pet.”

“Oh really?” Fluttershy was happy to have a nice distraction from her embarrassing moment a few seconds earlier.

“Well, she really is my first friend. She’s an owl.”

“Wow, I’ve never met many people who have an owl for a pet.”

“Harry doesn’t have the same connections he usually has for taking care of his owl over here. We were hoping that you might know of a place where he can get some help.”

“I can think of a few places that might be able to help. Can I meet her?”

Harry nodded and smiled, despite the less than superb meeting he decided that Fluttershy was a nice enough person,

“Of course.”

“Thank you Harry. Let me check with a few places and I will get back with you.” The pink haired young woman responded. The trio said their good-byes and moved on elsewhere into the festival. It wasn’t three minutes after they had left that the shelter’s director came and relieved Fluttershy of her position at the booth.

Fluttershy immediately grabbed her bag, said farewell to Goldie, and hurried off to find the girls. True to Rainbow Dash’s word her other six friends, plus Spike the dog, were gathered on a blanket not too far away from the Apple family stand.

“Hello everyone!” Fluttershy greeted. The resounding salutations from the girls and the dog brought a smile to the face of the shy girl. Fluttershy took a seat on the edge of the blanket and sat her bag down,

“You’re just in time,” Sunset Shimmer said, “Twilight was about to announce something big.”

“Yah, I think you will be impressed.” Spike said adding his two bits.

“Well, I was thinking the other day when Vice Principal Luna told us about her cousin and how quick we were to jump to assume that it was a magical problem. Well, I think I have the answer to that.”

Taking his que Spike buried his head into his owner’s bag and pulled out a very familiar trinket. The sight of it brought a lot of raised eyes,

“Twilight, is that what I think it is?” Sunset asked, trying to hide an edge in her voice.

The item in question looked an awful a lot like the very same magic receptacle that she was carrying around at the Friendship Games. The violet clunky necklace certainly looked like the same trinket that had stolen the magic from around Canterlot High and had nearly led to a dimensional collapse when the magic it collected drove Twilight to the dark side and made her obsessed with learning more about magic.

Twilight raised her hands defensively,

“I know this looks bad but hear me out, please.” The former Crystal Prep student pleaded with her friends.

“Ah hope there is a good reason why you rebuilt that thing Sugar cube.” Applejack stated sternly.

“Well you see, I thought that if we had something that could detect magic as it appears in this world, then we would be able to find it quickly.” Twilight explained, “I upgraded its scanning capabilities to pick up magic from at least three miles away.”

“But what about when we Pony up? Wouldn’t it go haywire? I don’t want to set that thing off whenever we’re rocking out or being awesome.” Rainbow Dash pointed out.

“I would need to take a few scans so I can calibrate the internal sensors not to detect our magic whenever it manifests.”

“Pinkie darling what are you doing?” Rarity asked the fluffy pink haired girl.

The party planning girl was not paying attention to the conversation. Instead she was looking around the park with a pair of soda bottle binoculars and a serious expression on her face. With a tone that conveyed her focus Pinkie responded,

“My Pinkie senses told me that someone new is here. Someone very important.”

“Oh! That reminds me! Principal Celestia is back, and she has her cousin Harry here today.”

“Really?” Rarity asked enthused.

“You didn’t say this earlier?” Rainbow Dash demanded.

“Well then, let’s go find the little feller and introduce ourselves.” Applejack suggested.

Just then a beeping sound filled the ears of the girls and the dog. Looking down and saw that Twilight’s magic detector was going off. A segment of the device was blinking an off white color pointing in a certain direction. The girls looked in the direction the collector was indicating. To their horror it was pointed right at the Faust sisters and the mostly unknown black haired boy; who, incidentally were walking right towards them.
Thinking quickly Twilight stored the collector in her bag and took off towards the parking lot with the intent of stowing it in her brother’s car. By the time Twilight was out of range the two administrators had approached the group.

“Hello girls, how are you all enjoying the break?” Celestia asked. A chorus of positive responses came from the six girls.

“Girls, this is our cousin Harry,” Luna stated motioning to the boy with them, “You know, the one we talked about a week ago.”

Remembering the situation that the boy had just come from Sunset stood up and extended her hand,

“Hi, I’m Sunset Shimmer. These are my friends.”

“Well howdy-do little feller, name’s Applejack. My family owns an orchard here in Canterlot, you should stop by sometime, we make the best apple based products this side of anywhere.” The blond farm girl said holding out one of the red delicious fruit for the boy to take; which he did with a polite,

“Thanks.”

“Hey there little dude, I’m Rainbow Dash.”

“Rainbow Dash is involved in many of the sport teams at Canterlot High.” Celestia elaborated.

“It just goes to prove how awesome I am.”

“You already know Fluttershy,” Luna pointed out, to which the timid girl wave hello.

Rarity didn’t wait for the Faust sisters to introduce her,

“Hello darling I am Rarity; I must say your eyes are an amazing shade of green. They look more like a pair of emeralds than just normal eyes.” At this Harry blushed at the compliment from the older girl,

“Th-Thanks.”

“Oh but we must do something about that hair.” Rarity critiqued, “Such a royal mess. With the right style and something to bring out those eyes…”

“Rarity is a fashion expert. All of us have something made by her.” Sunset interjected.

“And I would love designing a look for you darling. Oh, you will be such a handsome heartbreaker when you are old enough.” Rarity said, causing the already blushing boy to turn beet red with embarrassment.

“Word of advice little buddy,” Rainbow Dash stage whispered, “When she breaks out the measuring tape, run.”

“Rainbow!” Rarity chided. These antics got a laugh out of everyone present. When the laughter died down Harry suddenly saw pink, as in a very pink girl up in his face,

“Hi, I’m Pinkie Pie but everyone calls me Pinkie. Do you like parties? What’s your favorite flavor of cake? When’s your birthday? Do you want to be my friend?” Any further questions were cut off by a slice of apple pie being shoved in her mouth, courtesy of Applejack.

“Easy there Sugar cube, don’t want to overload the little feller.”

“Sorry about her. Pinkie is more than a bit energetic and she loves sharing her joy with everyone.” Sunset explained.

“It’s alright.” Harry dismissed the concern, “But to answer your questions: I haven’t been to many parties, but the ones I did go to were fun. I can’t say I have a favorite flavor of cake. My birthday is July the thirty-first. And, sure, I’ll be your friend I guess.”

The party girl grinned wide at what she deemed to be a whole hearted confirmation at her request to be friends. Pinkie stole a hug from the surprised boy before backing off and gave him a smile so large that she gave off a soft, “Squee!”

“By the way, where did Twilight run off to?” Celestia asked.

“Ahh, I think she had something to put back in her brother’s car. Something to do with the school’s statue.” Rainbow awkwardly explained. The assembled group knew that eventually Harry might have to learn about the portal to Equestria, but they didn’t want to make the new resident think that they were all crazy.

“Sorry everyone, just had to put my bag away.” Twilight said as she returned to the blanket and the gathered people with Spike at her heels.

“Finally we have the newest addition to Canterlot High, Twilight Sparkle.” Celestia stated.

Twilight was very polite and extended her hand to Harry,

“You must be Harry. Welcome to Canterlot. I’m Twilight, and this is my number one assistant Spike.” She bent down and picked up the purple and green dog.

Everyone was surprised when Harry took a tentative step back in fear, but Twilight was quick to dispel it,

“There’s no need to be afraid. Spike won’t hurt you. Will you Spike?” The now pretend not to be talking dog gave a little cute whine to let Harry know it was safe to approach. Hesitantly, Harry began scratching behind the pup’s ears, soliciting a happy bark from Spike.

“Sorry,” Harry apologized, “I had a bad experience with a dog, it chased me up a tree. My relatives encouraged it…” Harry went silent when he realized how much he had revealed by saying so little. Seeing his distress Luna placed a hand on Harry’s shoulder,

“It’s alright Harry. You don’t have to worry. Here you can have a new start.”

“And you have a group of friends already to help you.” Sunset said kneeling enough so she could look Harry in the eye and give him a gentle smile before moving enough to show all the rest of her clique of friends. Each of the girls gave Harry a smile, a silent confirmation of what Sunset had said.

“Thank you. Thank you everyone.” Everyone could see the moisture building in Harry’s eyes, but he banished the tears with a quick brush of his hand. The next thing he knew he had an eyeful of pink hair,

“Welcome to Canterlot Harry!” Pinkie shouted happily. The boy was quickly absorbed by the girls who had promised to make him feel welcome only a week before. Inviting him to sit with them and share their lunch. It was in this scene Celestia pulled Twilight aside, asking for a word alone. Once the administrator and student were out of the main hubbub Twilight started the conversation,

“Principal Celestia, what is this all about?”

“Twilight, I have a bit of a favor to ask. It’s about Harry. First of all, I must thank you and all your friends for trying to make Harry feel welcome. It makes me happy to know he has a group of friends already, even if they are several years older than him.”
Twilight blushed a little at the situation. It was a bit odd for a group as old as they were to take interest in an almost twelve-year-old, but they all had decided to be Harry’s first friends.

“The favor I wish to ask of you is right up your alley. I was reviewing Harry’s public school grades and saw he was just not failing. So, I was wondering if you would be so kind as to tutor Harry this summer? See if we can’t inspire the love of learning in him.”
At this request Twilight’s eyes lit up,

“I would be more than happy to! Oh, I have so much to prepare!” The honor’s student exclaimed. Twilight then started rambling on where to start, planning out a teaching schedule, and what books she should use. Celestia smiled and waited for her student to simmer down enough to continue

“Thank you Twilight, it means a great deal to both Luna and myself. I’ll help you with bus fare and pay you a commission for your troubles.”

“Principal Celestia, I may still be relatively new to the idea of friendship, but from what I understand this is something that I would do for the sake of being a friend to Harry.” The principal smiled at Twilight’s willingness to be a friend and to help her friends,

“Be that as it may Twilight, it would not be fair to keep dragging you out this far without some sort of recompense. I will pay you for Harry’s lessons, end of discussion.” Celestia declared with authority in her voice. Twilight submitted to the declaration and nodded.

“By the way Twilight, Rainbow mentioned something about the portal. What is wrong with it? Not another issue from Princess Twilight’s home I hope.”

“Oh no, nothing like that. I simply repurposed the magic collector I used at the Friendship Games to act as an advanced warning system if a threat from Equestria does pop up. I didn’t want Harry to ask questions so I put it in Shining Armor’s car.”

“Well, that will certainly prove useful in the future.”

“It still has a few bugs to get worked out. It pointed out Harry to us. As if your cousin from England has magic.” Twilight giggled at her statement, thinking such a thing was absurd. Her mirth caused her to miss the concerned look on Celestia’s face.

“Erm, yes, well then… Why don’t we go rejoin the others? It looks like Applejack is passing out pie.”

In the Night and at a Lecture

In all respects, all members of the Faust household should have been long asleep. It was well in the hours past midnight but a particular member of the family was still awake. Luna usually had a hard time falling asleep without the use of a sleep aid. She would take one on a working day, but during the summer months she would generally go without and let her natural sleep cycle take over. Leaning back in her chair in the living she was reading a book.

Her reading was disturbed when she became aware of someone else in the room. She turned her gaze from her book and spied a skinny eleven-year-old on the stairs.

“Harry? What are you doing up?” The boy was nervous,

“I… um… I had a bad dream, needed a drink.”

Luna placed her book mark on the page she was reading before standing up, leaving the book on her chair,

“Here, why don’t I make us some tea?”

The two cousins then retreated to the kitchen where Luna began heating water. To pass the time Harry decided to make small talk,

“So what are you still doing up? I thought everyone was asleep.” Luna gave Harry a sad smile before explaining,

“I have a few chemical imbalances in my brain. My doctor believes it to be some form of depression. One of the issues that I get to live with as a result of one particular imbalance is a disrupted internal clock. My body has a hard time falling asleep at night. I am prescribed a sleep aid, but I don’t like taking it when it’s summer. Though I do find that a nice cup of tea can help sooth me enough to help me sleep.”

“Depression?” Harry asked. He had heard the term before but hadn’t understood what it meant.

“It’s what the doctors believe. I might disagree with them on some points of diagnosis but it seems to make sense to them.” It was then that Luna decided to change the subject, “So what did you think of the festival today?”

A genuine smile appeared across her cousin’s face,

“I thought it was brilliant. I hope to go again next year.”

“Don’t think that summer is the only time that the town comes together to celebrate. If there is one thing that you will get use to around here it is the number of town festivals. If there is a reason to celebrate you can be sure that someone is going to make a big deal of it.” Luna reached into the pantry and produced a couple of bags of her favorite peppermint tea blend and placed them in a pair of empty mugs,

“That is doubly true when you are friends with Pinkie Pie.” Luna said with a laugh to herself.

“They seem like nice girls.” Harry commented.

“Indeed, they could be considered to be the back bone of CHS’s current state of mind.”

“What do you mean?” At Harry’s question Luna’s expression fell.

“Well Harry, the school use to be very divided against itself. People with common interests kept to themselves. From an administrative point of view, it was a very oppressive environment.”

“So what happened?”

“Someone came and showed us a new way. She reminded us the value of friendship and more than one person was changed by her.”

“Her?” Harry was very confused. With a very mischievous smile Harry had not seen on his darker toned cousin before Luna responded,

“Oh, you’ll find out soon enough.”

Luna continued her brewing and sweetening the peppermint tea. Once the brew was ready the two retired back to the living room where they took up residence on the couch. Luna could see that Harry wanted to say something but was having a hard time making the first step. So, she decided to play the family card. She placed her tea down on the nearby coffee table and moved right next to Harry. From here she put an arm around Harry,

“Harry, is something on your mind? You know you can talk to Tia or myself whenever you need to right?”

The eleven-year-old looked down at his tea, seeing his image distorted in its surface. Luna new she needed to reach out to him, he needed to know that he didn’t have to suffer alone.

“Harry, can I tell you something?”

“Sure.”

“There was a time in my life that Tia and I were not on good terms. I was a troubled teenager. I hung with a bad crowd and did a lot of things that I regret. Nightmare Moon they called me. It came to a point where I would not even come home. I felt that no one understood me, let alone my family.”

This story got Harry’s attention. He looked up at his cousin,

“What happened?”

“Mother sent Tia after me. My sister found me and we just talked.” The memories of the conversation brought a few tears to Luna’s eyes, “We talked for a long time and I came to see that I was wrong when I thought no one could love me. Tia became my support and I turned my life around.”

Luna lifted Harry’s chin and looked him right in the eyes,

“Look Harry, I guess what I am saying is that you don’t have to face your troubles alone. I know you feel like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders; even with the little things. I’ve been there Harry. If you need to talk, please don’t shut out others.”

Harry could feel the serene compassion coming from Luna. Her story touched him, and her plea was even more touching. He internally debated for a minute before he set down his cup of tea and hung his head,

“I think I saw my parent’s death. In my dream I mean.” This was not quite the confession that Luna was expecting but she listened to her cousin explain,

“I hear his voice ordering someone to get out of the way but she refuses. There’s never any images just sound. It unnerves me.” Harry pulled his legs in and hugged them close, “That night changed my life forever. I… I became a nation’s idol. I was their hero and what thanks do I get? I got the Dursleys and all that that life entailed. All I wanted to be was normal, to be just like everyone else; but now that I know what I am I don’t think that I will ever be able to have that.”

Luna looked on as tears formed in Harry’s eyes. Years of pent up emotions rising to the surface were having their effect on Harry’s magic because the lights started to flicker.

“It’s not that I’m ungrateful for my magic Luna, it is a part of me. It’s just that… I don’t know where to go from here.”

Luna quickly pulled Harry into a hug and held him close. She spoke softly to comfort him,

“It will be alright Harry. You’re not alone in this Harry. Tia and I are new to your world and we are facing much of the same insecurities. We’ll work through them together alright?”

Luna felt Harry nod his head in agreement. She and Harry were taken by surprise when another set of arms also joined in the embrace, but relaxed when they realized it was only Celestia. It would seem that none of the Faust household were getting a full night’s sleep; but at the moment it didn’t matter. The three family members stayed like that for a while until Harry spoke again,

“Celestia, Luna? I know we’re cousins but… is it alright if I call you my aunties?” The two sisters looked at each other before nodding before Celestia said,

“Only if we get to call you our nephew.”

“Deal.”

-The Next Day-

-The District of Columbia-

The American University of Magic, the first attempt of establishing a school of higher Wizarding learning. After graduating from the Salem Academy, or an acceptable homeschool program, wizards and witches are given the opportunity to gain degrees and special teaching in a wide selection of topics. Located beneath the District there are several entrances to it; usually a well warded door in one of the monuments or private buildings, even a couple in the Metro stations. Numerous entrances helped to diffuse the amount of people flowing into the Undercroft of the nation’s capital. If it was one thing that the Americans knew it was that loads of people flowing to one place was going to draw attention.

The campus was a spacious cavern that encompasses the length and breadth of the National Mall. A simulated sky illuminates the campus and to aid the passage of time whilst underground. Buildings of different sizes and shapes were spread throughout the space with the distance between them filled with gardens, benches, fountains, and statues. Indeed, the campus of the university did justice to the nation’s capital above.

In front one of the large lecture halls there was a sign posted displaying a special speaker,

Professor Colton Smith

Universal Magical Theory

This message was superimposed over a moving image of a man in his thirties with a head full of flat red hair. Professor Smith was already in the midst of giving his lecture within the hall. About two to three hundred students and adults filled the dimmed hall, all looking down at the floor where a spotlight bore down on the academic wizard wearing a hybrid blend of wizard robes and a suit. When he spoke he tended to talk with his hands and his body as well as he paced back and forth, giving the spotlight operator something to do.

As the professor was giving his lecture two men in suits made the decent from District, the Lincoln. On their left lapel they wore the same pin. It was an American eagle with its wings spread out and a scroll in its beak. Thirteen stars formed an arch over the eagle and in its talons was held a bundle of arrows and a wand in the other. These two men wasted no time in crossing the campus to the lecture hall and stood by the door and listened to the professor,

“… The use of wands has indeed made magic easier for humans. However, they are not necessarily needed for a human to use magic. Who remembers their first accidental magic? Come on, let’s see a show of hands.”

Several hands went up in the air, as well as the professor’s own,

“All right, all right. Anyone want to share? Yes, the young lady there in the back.”

With the use of an Amplifying charm she responded,

“I turned my brother’s pants and shirt into a dress when I was a child when he teased me about the dress my mother made me wear for family photos.”

There was a ripple of laughter through the assembled group, even Professor Smith was laughing,

“Tell me, did he ever mock you for your choice of dress?”

“No, but that may be because he has taken a liking to wearing a kilt.” This made a bit more of a ruckus.

Once the lecture hall had quieted down Professor Smith walked to a podium and set his wand down and walked away his voice still as loud as before,

“Tell me, when did you learn to replicate this feat of Transfiguration?”

“When I was thirteen.”

The professor walked all the way to the back of the lecture hall,

“As I said before wizard kind has both accelerated and stunted their growth by the use of wands. Without any formal training young wizards and witches are able to manipulate their magic in times of emotional duress. However, as adults we seem to lose this ability and have to relearn how to do such a feat. Even then it is considered to be an advanced form of magic. In reality,”

The professor raised his hand and his wand sailed through the air from the front of the room and landed securely in his hand. This delay earned some murmurs of awe from the younger members of the audience,

“It is the most natural form of our magic.” Professor Smith walked back down towards the front slowly talking as he matched back to his spot, “Goblins, naturals at metallurgy. Centaurs, masters of divination. House Elves, whose power is only limited by the will of their master. These and so many more beings that we call ‘creatures’ each hold a brand of their own magic. But there is a big question that we must ask ourselves, ‘Where did our magic come from?’ It is the pursuit of Theorists to seek the answer to this question.”

A projected image of a cave drawing shone on the wall. The image seemed to reflect some of the races of magical beings in a sequence,

“This is the earliest known reference to magic on record. This painting was found in a cave in the south of France. We can see the image of the human on the same level as the ancestors of the other magical beings. We see them in communion with each other. Each one displaying what they know about magic. This would lead us to believe that all those who could do magic had similar abilities. Later in the image we see the ancient mage observing a nearby tribe of man; he sees them building tools. The wizard then decides to build his own focus, then we see him placing himself above him fellows. This is the first reference to wand lore. However, the main focus of this lecture is here,” With a wave of his wand the first images were highlighted, “Where wizard and ancient magic being appear to be on the same level of spell casting.”

A hand shot up in the back to which the professor called on.

“Professor Smith, are you suggesting that all those who are called magical being all share a common magic?”

A predatory grin grew on the academic’s face,

“Now that is what we call Universal Magic Theory. The search for the origin of all magic, and to see if all magically inclined beings share a common source of magic.”

The lecture proceeded with Professor Smith dissecting the Universal Magical Theory and showing evidences of it being a possibility. Compatibility of magic in the case of cross species procreation, wavelength measurements showing similarities between human and House Elf magic, even the way that wands were able to focus magic through their cores.

After a few hours the lecture dispersed. As the hall emptied the two men in suits that came in late moved toward the front of the hall where Professor Smith was answering questions. When the last student cleared out the two men approached.

“Professor Colton Smith,” The first said getting the packing academic’s attention.

“Yes gentlemen, how may I…” Professor Smith’s voice trailed off when he saw the pins on the men’s lapels. Any member of the American Magical Community should be able to recognize the seal of the Department of Magic under the United States government.

“I am Agent Messerschmitt and this is Agent Mendoza, we are with the DoM. The department is in need of your skills.”

“Why me?”

“You are one of the best in the field of Magical Theory and your security clearance is high enough for this investigation.” Agent Mendoza said waving his wand and silently casting a privacy spell around them.

“A young wizard has recently moved into a previously unmonitored area. Upon investigation it was discovered that a potent magical source has been at work; we are unable to identify what it is though.”

Agent Messerschmitt reached into his coat pocket and withdrew an air plane ticket,

“We already have a team assembled in the field. They await your arrival. We have people already packing your office.”

“How long is the assignment?”

“Indefinite. You will be paid the same wages as you would have here as well as a fair consultation payment.” Mendoza said as Messerschmitt handed Professor Smith the ticket. It was a flight out of Reagan to Cloudsdale.

“This must be important; you’re flying me business class.”

Agent Mendoza reached into his coat pocket and extracted a large manila envelope that should not have fit in any of his pockets,

“Your flight leaves in three days. These are the particulars.” After the two agents left Professor Smith was left standing on his own contemplating what just happened. After a few minutes he returned to his office and opened the envelope.

He sat in silence for a long time reading the contents. This was the first time he had been asked to consult with the Office of the Secretary of Magic. He had consulted with the different investigative branches for sure but nothing like this. Eventually he came across the photograph of the young wizard in question.

“So you are the one who started this all?”

It was a photo from the Immigration Office, a glorified mug shot really. Black hair, green eyes, distinctive lightning bolt shaped scar,

“Well Mister Harry Potter, I look forward to meeting you.”

Investigation Begins

Twilight sat in the sitting room of her family’s townhome. Piled on the coffee table were books upon books, not an unusual sight for the studious girl. It was when her mother took a moment to see what it was she was studying that made Twilight Velvet pause and question her daughter,

“Beginning algebra, United States History, Biology? Twilight you surpassed these topics years ago.”

Looking up the spectacled girl smiled,

“Oh they’re not for me per say. I’m using them to help me make lesson plans for my new pupil.”

This was news for Twilight Velvet,

“You’re taking a tutoring position?”

“Principal Celestia asked me to tutor her cousin she’s taking care of. Apparently he wasn’t encouraged to learn in his previous living conditions. I was asked to help him catch up. Since it has been a while that I’ve covered this level I thought it would be good for me to review.”

Twilight Velvet smiled and hugged her daughter.

“Oh Twilight, I’m so proud of you. I was a little worried when you asked to transfer to CHS, but now I see that it was the best choice that you ever made.”

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

Mother and daughter looked towards the front door,

“Who could that be?”

KNOCK! KNOCK! KONCK!

Mother and daughter left their place in the sitting room and went to their front door. Opening the door Twilight Velvet spied a well-dressed man with red hair and a pleasant smile on his face,

“Good day ma’am. My name is Professor Colton Smith,” The man reached into his coat pocket and extracted a card. Reading it Twilight Velvet could see neatly printed next to the Yale shield,

Colton Smith Ph. D

Theoretical Physics, Yale University

A phone number and email were printed under his name and title. Twilight Velvet was taken aback by the appearance of an Ivy League School professor at her front door,

“Wha- What can I do for you Professor Smith?”

“I am currently consulting with the US government about unusual gravimetric and electromagnetic activity in the area of Canterlot High School. I was wondering if I may have a few minutes of you and your daughter Twilight Sparkle’s time and ask her a few question.”

Twilight did her best to hide her concern when Professor Smith announced his purpose for the visit. However, she was a thinker and not necessarily an actor; she could only hope that the Yale professor was more focused on talking with her mother than looking at her,

“Of course, we have a few minutes to spare. Please, come in.” The professor was lead into the sitting room where he spotted the books,

“I see someone likes to do a bit of reading.” He said with a warm voice.

“Oh Twilight just loves to read. When she was little she was reading Dickens, then shortly after that she was reading Homer. For her birthday last year, she asked for an index of mental disorders.”

Professor gave a light laugh,

“Just like my own sister. Had her nose buried in a book most of the time, trying to learn everything she could. She currently is attending grad school at Princeton.”

From somewhere in the house the sound of beeping came, a very familiar tone to Twilight.

“Could you excuse me for a second?” Without waiting Twilight hurried through the house to her room where Spike was currently covering his ears from the annoying alarm that was going off. The source of the offending sound was none else than her magic detector. Quickly she disengaged the faulty device and spent a few moments calming Spike down before returning to the sitting room where a very pleasant Professor Smith was making small talk with her mother while they waited.

“Sorry about that. One of my old inventions was malfunctioning.”

“Already making inventions of your own?” Professor Smith asked.

“Ye… Yah. I built a handheld device to measure what I thought was abnormal activity.”

“Is that so? How did it turn out? Make any interesting discoveries?”

“Nothing that I could confirm.” Twilight half lied. She knew that she couldn’t tell a Yale professor that she had found magic and nearly tore apart reality trying to find more. This seemed to satisfy the professor and he nodded,

“It is one thing to think you found something, it is another to confirm it and have others be able to repeat your process. Though I do admire your drive to investigate the unknown.”

The statement made Twilight blush with embarrassment. She was getting praise from a visiting Ivy League professor.

“Now, what can you tell me about Canterlot High School? I understand that you transferred there very late in the year.”

“Um yah I kind of did. My other school Crystal Prep wasn’t working out for me in terms of making friends. I made friends with some of the students at CHS and decided to go where my friends were.”

“I see. So have you heard any rumors about unusual phenomena at the school?”

“Um…” Twilight wasn’t sure what to say. She knew she couldn’t tell him about the portal but how could she still give him something truthful?

“I did hear rumors about an arura on the night of one of the school dances. There was also some strange atmospheric behavior during an event called Battle of the Bands.”

The man from Yale was taking down notes in some form of short hand nodding in agreement,

“Yes that seems to fit what we have found already. However, there is one incident that you didn’t mention. The Friendship Games I believe they’re called?”

If Professor Smith noticed the color drain from Twilight’s face he did not mention it. Twilight could only hope for a miracle now. Fortunately for her it came. The chiming of a ringing phone came from the man’s pocket, the Star Wars, “Imperial March.”

“Excuse me, that would be my superiors in the investigation.” The man stood up and withdrew to the entry hall. After a short phone call the man from Yale came back in,

“I’m sorry but there has been an interesting discovery made and I am supposed to take a look at it. So, I am afraid that I must cut our interview short.” Twilight let out as small breath of relief and replied,

“That’s alright.”

“But before I leave I want to give you something.” Professor Smith reached into his coat pocket and produced a white envelope that was stamped with the Yale seal and handed it to her,

“When I heard about your academic achievements I contacted a friend of mine in the Admissions office. He contacted his administrator who in turn told the President of the University; and we are all in agreement, a mind like yours needs a place where it can be challenged.” He handed the envelope to Twilight who opened it and started reading it to herself. As her eyes traveled across each line they grew wider and wider, eventually they started to moisten. She looked hopefully up at the professor and asked with muted voice,

“Is this real?”

“Yes Miss Sparkle it is.” Twilight Velvet couldn’t stand waiting any longer,

“Twilight, what is it?”

“The President of the school is offering me a full ride academic scholarship to Yale. Any department.” Twilight responded to her mother.

“We all agreed that an individual like your daughter Misses Velvet deserved to be at Yale University. Academically, she deserves it. From our brief interview I have seen that she is an individual that is driven and focused. She would be a welcome addition to the halls of Yale.”

Mother and daughter embraced each other; both of their eyes moist with tears. At the scene before him Professor Smith couldn’t help but dawn a happy smile, pleased with his work.

Twilight Velvet looked at the stranger who had just opened her daughter’s future for her,

“Thank you Professor. Thank you so much.”

“It is my pleasure.” Then Twilight Sparkle released herself from the embrace of her mother and shocked the bearer of great news and hugged him. When she left Crystal Prep she thought that her chances of prestigious academic achievement were lost. Now they were open again. She couldn’t wait to tell her friends.

After a few minutes the man of Yale was out the door. Velvet turned to her daughter and was barely containing her excitement,

“You go call your friends and invite them for dinner tonight. I’ll call your brother and father and tell them to come home early tonight. I will also tell Shining Armor to bring Cadence. We’ll spring the news on them over dinner.”

Twilight hugged the letter close to her and ran to her room and the phone. Thoughts ran through her mind, plans for the future and a new sense of hope.

-Outside-

Colton Smith was very pleased with what he had done. The letter from the President of Yale was indeed real. Any professor of the American University of Magic was required to have a matching degree in a non-magical school. Fortunately for him and Miss Sparkle his credentials were at an Ivy League school.

At the same time his mind was occupied by the phone call from Field Agent Hankinson, the government agent in charge of the anomaly investigation, and the interview he had with the Yale hopeful. She was definitely holding something back. He wasn’t authorized as a full-fledged Legilimens, such power was reserved for law enforcement, he knew enough to detect every worry and concern that was going through her emotions.

Concluding to come back later and conduct a more thorough interview later, Colton ducked down a small alley and turned on the spot. The unpleasant feeling of being between everything and nothing surrounded him as he cleared the distance to the meeting site, in front of Canterlot High School.

Hankinson, a petite powerful witch that stood half a head shorter than him, and the rest of the team were waiting for him.

“What kept you Professor?” Hankinson asked in her no nonsense tone of voice.

“Got held up at the end of my interview. I made one young students dreams come to life.” He reported, “So what did you find?”

Hankinson motioned to two of the other researchers, brother and sister both experts in wards, to start,

“Well, we were doing our search around the school, looking for any kind of protection or ward when the statue caught our attention.” Harris Miller started; his sister Elise picked up at the end of the sentence,

“There weren’t any traditional runes or protection spells on it; but we did find this.”

The siblings placed the tips of their wands on the stone base of the statue and incanted a revealing spell. Twisting lines of rainbow colored energy began to flow like rivers across the stone surface. Designs with intricate detail began to form around the statue. Images and writing of unknown origin spread themselves around on the ground. When the designs stopped forming Colton was immediately on the case,

“Everyone start documenting everything. Don’t miss a single thing!”

Hankinson took charge and started barking out orders; demanding the photo equipment and for the supporting agents to get moving. Professor Smith was about to help when Hankinson stopped him,

“There is something else I need you for.”

She led him up from the statue towards the school. With a quick wave of her wand the door opened and the two entered the empty building. Hankinson marched him to the yearbook room where the school year’s Annual was sitting on a table.

“Go ahead.” She said, motioning for Colton to start reading the book.

The magical professor flipped through the pages trying to spot what the agent had found. Eventually he found what the agent had found.

“What is this?”

-Streets of Canterlot-

Sunset Shimmer was enjoying a nice summer day when she got the call from Twilight practically begging her to come to home that night for dinner. Sunset would have to catch the bus to the city, not having transportation of her own, but she promised her friend she would be there.

She was heading to the closest bus terminal to where she was before when her backpack started vibrating. Since her phone was in her pocket she concluded it was one thing. A message from Princess Twilight. Extracting the journal that served as the means of constant communication between her home world of Equestria and Canterlot High, Sunset turned to the last entry.

Dear Sunset Shimmer,

Something is going on with the portal on my end. It keeps fluctuating. Could you please check to see if anything is going on at your end?

Princess Twilight Sparkle

It was rather short for one of Twilight’s letters, but if it had something to do with the portal she had better take a look. She pulled a pen from her pack and wrote,

Sure, I’ll check on it.

The former resident of Equestria turned her course to the bus station across from the high school. As the school came into view she noticed something was very off. The entire school looked like it was in a thick dirty fog that formed a perfect ring around the school’s boundary preventing the campus from being seen.

“What the…?” She saw some vans pulling out of the smoggy barrier and ducked behind a trash can. She saw some kind of image that looked like a variation of the United States seal plastered on the side. After the last vehicle passed by the smog around the school vanished revealing the school was untouched. Several alarms were going off in Sunset’s head,

“If the government is getting involved…” Her thought was cut off by the city bus pulling up next to her. She got on and took a seat towards the back.

She didn’t know what to think about what she just saw. That smog was not natural and the government was involved. She didn’t know what to tell Princess Twilight. Her thoughts occupied her so much that she nearly missed her stop. After a twenty-minute walk through city streets she arrived in Twilight’s neighborhood and soon thereafter ushered inside Twilight’s front door.

Dinner was ready but before the assembled group began Twilight Velvet stood and got everyone’s attention.

“Now, you may be wondering why we called everyone together for dinner on such short notice. I promise that there is a very good reason for it. Twilight?”

The intelligent girl stood up and produced the same envelope that Professor Smith had given her earlier.

“Well, today I was visited by a professor who’s investigating some abnormal atmospheric behavior. He apparently did some research on me and noticed my transcript and well…” Twilights voice cracked a small bit with the amount of emotion that was flowing through her, “I have been offered a full ride scholarship to Yale.”

“Hold on a second.” Pinkie said reaching for a glass of water. She took a long drink of it and was about to spew it out when Rarity slapped a hand over Pinkie’s lips.

“Sugar cube… Ya mean it?” Applejack asked dumbfounded.

Nodding her head Twilight handed the letter to her father who read it aloud. The president of the university praised Twilight for her achievements and extended an invitation to her with full housing and tuition paid on academic scholarship no matter what program she decided to enter. The news was too much for Shining Armor and the alumni of Crystal Prep hugged his sister, followed shortly thereafter by her old babysitter Cadence.

“That. Is. So. Awesome!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. Soon everyone was sharing their congratulations and possibilities were discussed over a merry dinner. After the meal and dessert, the girls gathered in the basement to listen to Sunset’s report of Princess Twilight’s message and what she saw at the school.

“So the government is getting involved?” Asked a very concerned Fluttershy.

“That must have been Professor Smith’s group. He said that he was investigating strange disturbances around Canterlot High.” Twilight commented.

“How are we supposed to stop them from finding the portal?” Rainbow Dash asked, “I mean, it’s not very hard to realize that when you place your hand on the glass you start to phase through.”

“I’ll write Princess Twilight and tell her to deactivate the portal for the time being.” Sunset said pulling out her two-way journal and a pen.

“That’ll be good for now but why is the government investigating the portal now?” Applejack asked.

“Maybe it’s because magical beings from Equestria have infiltrated the government and are looking to use the portal for their own nefarious purposes.” Pinkie added trying to sound as menacing as she could.

“Honestly Pinkie you have some of the craziest ideas ever.” Rarity countered her pink haired friend.

“Actually, I think Pinkie may have a point.” Everyone looked at Twilight who was deep in thought, “When Professor Smith came by the house my magical detector went off shortly after he entered the house. Perhaps my detector just doesn’t have the range I thought it did?”

“We’ll need to keep a close eye on the school in case those agents come back.” Sunset said, finishing her message to her friend back in Equestria.

“We should also do our best not to show our magic. Ah mean, that’s probably what their lookin’ for right?” Applejack suggested.

A sudden mumbled comment from Fluttershy caught everyone’s attention.

“Uh Flutters, we talked about this remember?” Rainbow Dash chided her shy friend for not speaking up.

“Um, I was just saying that there has been another time Twilight’s detector went off. Remember? At the Summer Fun Festival?”

“Oh ya!” Rainbow remembered, “That’s when we met Harry.” Everyone sudden caught the implications surrounding Fluttershy’s statement.

“But… But that’s impossible. Isn’t it?” The girls didn’t want to believe their new little friend could be in anyway connected to this.

“Ah didn’t want ta say anythin’ but when we were talkin’ I felt he wasn’t completely honest with what he was tellin’ us. He was holdin’ back somethin’ big.” Applejack said.

“Let’s not jump to any hasty conclusions guys.” Sunset intervened, feeling a kind of protectiveness for the little guy, “Let’s investigate a bit, see if anything strange goes on around Harry. In the meantime, let’s see if we can’t find out any more about this branch of the government that’s poking around the portal.”

Settling in with Dash, Sparkle and Shy

-Number 4 Privet Drive, Surry-

When Vernon and Petunia Dursley were convicted, their home and physical assets were turned over to Vernon’s sister Marge. The woman decided that it would be more profitable to sell the house on Privet Drive and put her sibling’s and in-law’s possessions into storage. The money she got from the sale was put to her dog kennel business. It should be noted for the future that eventually her kennel was investigated and was shut down because of malpractice and mistreatment of animals. Dudley became a part of the foster system who had problems with delinquency until he ended up in the care of a former drill master.

Almost as soon as number four was processed and put on the market a family of four moved in. The man of the house, Albert Manning, worked as a branch manager for the Bank of England. His wife Sarah was a full time mother dealing with their three-year-old daughter Michelle and their one-year-old son David. The house was a bit bland for their liking but it was affordable and in a decent enough neighborhood. The Manning family didn’t have a working dryer yet so after Mrs. Manning would process her clothes she would take them out back and hang them up to dry on a line. It was in this chore that she first heard the name Harry Potter.

The woman next door had come out to meet Sarah as the young mother hung her laundry up for the June sun to dry out. Sarah found out from her neighbor the story about the former occupants of number four. To say the least she was quite disturbed when she heard about how the family mistreated their nephew. The woman next door was sad to admit that she had taken the lies that they perpetuated about the kid and his deceased family at face value. She vowed that if she ever saw Harry Potter again she would apologize profusely for not seeing the signs of his woes.

It was only a day after this conversation that Harry Potter came up again. Michelle and David were making a racket in the living room as they expended their seemingly never ending supply of energy with their toys and a movie. Sarah was trying to unpack a few boxes from the move in when the phone rang. Dutifully she answered it,

“Hello?”

“Hello! Is this thing working?” A boy’s voice came loudly through the speaker. Trying to remain calm even after receiving an earful Sarah responded,

“Yes, it is. Who is this?”

“My name’s Ron Weasley. I am looking for Harry Potter.” The boy on the other end inquired still a bit too loudly. It was like the boy on the other end of the line was uncertain that his voice would be heard through the phone.

“I’m sorry, but there is no Harry Potter at this number anymore.” She responded, then a thought crossed her mind, “How do you know him?”

“I’m his mate from school. He gave me this number before the holiday started, said I could call.”

“I’m sorry, Ron was it? We moved in after the old family was forced away. From what I’ve heard his former guardians are in prison and your friend was moving in with some cousins.”

The line went silent for a while, the boy on the other end of the line was obviously surprised by this news.

“Um, you wouldn’t happen to know where he moved do you?”

“Sorry, I don’t have that information.” Sarah responded with sincerity.

“Oh, alright then. Thanks.” The call ended with Sarah feeling sad for the boy named Ron.

When her husband got home later that night Sarah told Albert about the phone call. Curious about the fate of Harry Potter Albert did a quick search for news articles relating to Mr. Potter’s case. Albert found a few small articles about the circumstances around the Dursley’s trial and the relocation of the soon to be twelve-year-old. He even found a photo with one of the articles with a picture of the cousin he had been sent to live with.

For the smallest of moments Albert was taken aback by the appearance of Celestia Faust. He was about to make comment about her multicolored hair when something happened. For those with eyes that could see, a small rainbow of color passed over his eyes and suddenly his thoughts were no longer on Ms. Faust’s appearance; rather they were on the name of the social worker that gave comment on behalf of Mr. Potter.

“Sarah, remind me to call Marisa Sanders tomorrow. She handled Mr. Potter’s case.”

“What for?”

“I want to see if she has a forwarding address for the kid. Just in case any more of his friends try to contact him.”

And with that they went on with their evening.

-Athletic Fields, Canterlot High School-

Even though Rainbow Dash was not a happy morning riser she was more than glad to get up and get to the school’s soccer fields before the summer heat set in. Her routine included a few laps of running, stretching, and drills. The drills were her favorite part of her practice, that was because it actually involved kicking a ball.

The only part of her practice she lamented was the fact that she practiced alone. None of her close friends had the same skill as she did, and the rest of the soccer team were not available before the start of the season. So out here, alone she practiced; though her mind was in other places. Namely the portal on the other side of campus. Rainbow Dash was hoping to catch a glimpse of whatever government agency was investigating the portal. She wanted to be the one who would crack the case wide open.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she lost control of the ball she was dribbling and it rolled far enough to let her catch a view of someone watching her. She focused on her spectator and saw a familiar black haired Brit.

“Hey Harry! How’s it going?”

Harry waved hello to the older girl and approached.

“Hello Rainbow Dash. I’m doing fine. What are you doing out here so early?”

“Practicing.” The rainbow colored girl responded, “I’ve gotta stay in top form for the upcoming school year. It’s my last year so I need to look good for the recruiters.”

“Recruiters?”

“For college. My grades aren’t good enough to get me in on an academic scholarship so I do my best in sports to make up for it.” To prove her point Rainbow Dash started juggling the ball with her feet.

“So what are you doing here Harry?”

Harry looked around,

“Aunt Celestia and Luna had some work here at the school to take care of really quick. They said I should take a look around the grounds. We are heading out shopping after they get done.”

“That’s cool.” Rainbow said before she got a smirk on her face, “So you play soccer. Football I guess you would call it.”

Harry shook his head,

“No, I never got to play.” Seeing the opportunity Rainbow Dash motioned,

“Well come on. Let me show you how it’s done.”

The star athlete and the boy from Britain then spent the next while passing the ball as Rainbow Dash showed Harry how to handle a ball. He was nowhere near her level but she admitted to herself that he had potential. He had really good reflexes and seemed willing to learn.

“You know Harry, if you like I can coach ya a bit more whenever you want.”

“You sure you want to? I thought that I pretty rubbish.”

“That’s why you practice!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, “Heck, I’m the school’s star player and I’m still out here every day practicing the basics. You won’t get good unless you try. And if you suck at it? Keep trying at it until you get it right.”

“Wise words Rainbow.”

The two adolescences turned to see Celestia walking towards them.

“Trying to induct my nephew already to the teams Rainbow Dash.” She asked with a sly grin.

“Nephew? I thought you were cousins.”

“We are, we just decided to call each other aunt and nephew.” Celestia explained to Rainbow Dash. The athletic girl thought about this for a moment before nodding her approval,

“That’s cool.”

“Harry, Luna and I are done for today. We need to get going if we’re going to get everything done.”

“Alright,” The boy said to his cousin before turning back to Rainbow Dash, “I guess I’ll see you around then?”

“Totally. And hey, give what I said some thought. You could be really good if you wanted to.” The girl said before going back to her drills. After the principal and the new kid were out of sight Rainbow looked to where they had disappeared around the building to the faculty parking lot. Her mind drifted back to the night before and how Harry was a person of interest now.

She smacked her forehead, chastising herself for getting got up in the game to not ask Harry any questions about himself. How was she going to help if she couldn’t keep her head on straight? Her natural confidence was able to override any self-doubt that arose. She knew there would be other times, especially if he took her up on the coaching offer.

“Well,” She said aloud to herself, “I can say that I didn’t notice anything strange going on around Harry.” She said as she kicked another ball at high speeds into the goal, “Maybe one of the other girls can find something.”

-Canterlot Public Library-

Twilight was excited and anxious. Excited that she was able to help someone find the joy of learning, but nervous that she was going to be handling her first student. It also didn’t help that Harry was now on the ‘Creature from Equestria’ watch list. She checked her backpack just to make sure that the magic detector was there. After the conversation with the other girls last night she made some modifications for covert detection. It would still respond to magic but it would not set off an alarm. Now it would record the time that the alarm went off so she could pull the data later and compare where and for how long there was magic present.

She quickly put the device back into her bag when she saw three figures enter the library. Her two principals and their cousin look around then make their way to the table she was sitting at.

“Good morning Twilight.” Celestia greeted.

“Good morning Principal Celestia, Vice-Principal Luna. Hello Harry.”

“Thank you again for doing this.” Luna said.

“It’s no problem.” Twilight assured.

“We’ll be back in two hours to pick Harry up. We’ve got some shopping that needs to get done.” Celestia explained before turning and saying to Harry, “You be good for Twilight alright?”

“Yes aunt Celestia.” He responded, before accepting a hug from his cousins. After the two administrators left Twilight rose from her table,

“I’ve got us a study room reserved. I figured we could use that.” Twilight led the way to one of the study rooms and shut the door behind them, “I thought we could start with a little comprehension test. You know, to see where you’re at.”

“Sure.” Harry said a little nervously, obviously not expecting to be tested on his first day.

“It’s nothing hard; just your basic subjects. If you have any questions just ask.”

With that Twilight placed a small leaflet of papers in front of Harry at the table and handed him a pencil. Indeed, the test wasn’t that hard, Harry knew the answers to most of the questions that Twilight had prepared; though American History, the finer points of math, and some reading and comprehension skills were beyond him. Harry was nervous when he handed his test back to Twilight who was able to grade it with the blink of an eye.

“Good job Harry, I can tell you’re very intelligent, but it seems that you’re holding back in parts.”

“What do you mean?”

“Some of these math problems it looks like you started to solve them but then you moved past them. If you had spent some more time thinking about them, you probably would have solved them.” Twilight explained. Then a thought crossed her mind,

“Harry, are you use to not giving your full effort?”

The question looked like it visibly stung Harry. He looked shamefully away from his tutor’s gaze,

“Yah.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” Twilight asked remembering one of the lessons that she had learned from her friends. She learned that if a friend seems to be struggling ask them to share and give them comfort.

Letting out a sigh Harry explained,

“Back in Primary School I use to do well in my subjects. My cousin would get mad and bully me even more than he normally would. I learned to not perform to my fullest to spare myself grief.”

The sadness that Twilight had felt for the unfortunate boy increased tenfold. She didn’t know what she would have done if she had not been able to show her full potential during her growing years.

“You don’t have to pretend any more Harry.” He just nodded his head. Twilight perceived that he fully wasn’t convinced but she promised herself that she would help him see that he could do whatever he wanted to. She later relayed this to Celestia and Luna when they came back from their shopping to pick up Harry.

As soon as the family left the library Twilight made a mad dash for the bus station and managed to catch it before it left for the city. The intelligent girl hurried to her home and her room. As soon as she crossed the threshold to her room she was greeted by her assistant,

“Hey Twilight!” Spike said cheerfully, “How did the tutor session go?”

“Harry’s smart. He just needs some encouraging to make him see that he can do well on his own.”

Twilight sat down at her desk and booted up one of her computers. This one was reserved for all the data on magic she had collected. All her old research into the events at Canterlot High before the Friendship Games, energy readouts, as well as the programs needed to run her equipment were stored on the hard drive. She extracted her detector and plugged it in.

“Well that’s good. I mean, if anyone can teach him how to love learning it’s you Twilight.” Spike encouraged.

“Thanks Spike.” She said allowing her dog to leap up into her lap for a petting.

As soon as the program was running, Twilight started collecting the data and watched the resulting graphs take form.

“So what’s up? New magic readings?” Spike asked turning his attention to the computer screen.

“Well, there was a presence of magic throughout the study session.” She switched over to another read out then pulled up a screen shot of a similar graph, “It doesn’t give off the same signature as my friends and their magic.”

“But the kid has magic?” Spike asked.

“It shouldn’t be possible though. According to Sunset Shimmer she brought magic with her from Equestria during the Fall Formal.”

“As far as she knew.” Spike said.

“Huh?”

“I mean; this world has different legends of magic existing in one form or another. Merlin to name one instance.”

“But those are myths Spike.” Twilight tried to counter.

“And you are carrying on a conversation with a talking dog.” He replied flatly.

“Because of the magic from Equestria.”

“So you’re saying that because magic exists in one world it doesn’t exists in another?”

“I…” Twilight could come up with a good response to her assistant’s questions. “Maybe we should look into the possibility of Earth magic.”

-Faust Household-

Harry was really surprised about the mystery shopping that his newly christened aunts had done while he was being tested by Twilight. More specifically, what they had gone shopping for. He now sat across the table from Celestia and Luna looking at a brand-new smart phone and laptop.

“But, why?” He asked them.

“Well,” Celestia started, “We felt that it would help you blend in more with your peers if you had a phone. We also want you to grow outside the house, so you need a way to connect with others, and us in case of emergency. The laptop is for school work, but you can use it for social media as well.”

“But why such a nice phone?” Harry was hardly ever gifted things this nice. The closest that could compare in terms of value that he had been given were Hedwig and his Nimbus 2000.

“Because Harry we felt like giving you something nice.” Luna said with a smile on her face, “Do we need to have any other reason than that?”

Harry let her comment settle in his mind before he smiled,

“I’m going to need some help learning how this works.”

A sudden tapping from the window caught the family’s attention. Outside there was a crow rapping on the window with its beak. The young wizard went to the window and let the crow in. The black bird flew in and landed on the table in front of Celestia and started picking at a roll of paper that had been tied around its leg. Celestia accepted the roll of paper and the crow took off the same way it came in.

“Dear Celestia Faust,” She read, “In accordance to the Wizard Relocation Act of 1852 a representative of the Office of Education will come this Friday at 3 PM to discuss the academic future of your new charge Harry James Potter. Sincerely, Hestia Johnson. Office of Wizarding Immigration.”

The Faust household had been receiving many of these crow correspondences ever since Harry had moved in. The American Magical Government used crow mail for short messages. Despite priding themselves on being able to blend in with non-magical types, the American Government still held to a few cultural traditions. Crows were dispatched to carry small messages on behalf of the varying branches of the magic sector of the government. Why not owls? Simply because an owl showing up in the middle of the day was just too conspicuous.

“Looks like we’re getting another visit.” Luna said with a sigh. It wasn’t that she hated getting Harry’s life set up, she just didn’t like the constant visits from different members of the wizarding community interrupting the time she wanted to be using to get to know her cousin better.

“At least we can figure out how Harry can get his magical education.” Celestia pointed out.

This was a sensitive topic for Harry at the moment. As much as he wanted to attend Hogwarts again international wizarding law prevented him from attending a magical school that was on another continent now that he was a citizen of the American community. He could join the schools in America, Canada, or Mexico but he was not permitted to attend any of the European schools. It had something to do with a law that was passed during the first World War, trying to keep international incidents down to a minimum by keeping children out of harm’s way. This was a hard pill to swallow when he was welcomed into the American wizarding community.

Apparently Harry’s sadness was evident on his face because next thing he knew Luna was giving him a side hug,

“I’m sorry that things didn’t work out like you would like them.”

“It’s alright aunt Luna. I guess it’s either have to leave Hogwarts or live with the Dursleys.”

The doorbell suddenly sounded alerting the family to somebody at the door. A quick response from Celestia revealed the form of Fluttershy standing at the front entrance.

“Hi Ms. Celestia, is Harry in?”

“Of course, one moment.” The older woman invited Fluttershy in and led her into the kitchen,

“Harry, Fluttershy is here to see you.” The timid pink haired girl waved to Harry,

“Hello Ms. Luna. Hi Harry, how are you doing today?”

“I’m doing alright I suppose.”

“He had his first tutoring session with Twilight Sparkle today.” Luna explained.

Fluttershy nodded and addressed Harry,

“Well, the reason I came by today was to give Harry the list of stores where he can find supplies for his owl friend.” Fluttershy pulled a piece of paper from her bag and handed it to Harry who accepted it,

“Thanks Fluttershy. I really appreciate this.”

“It’s no big deal really… but, um…” Fluttershy fidgeted a little before asking, “Could I meet Hedwig? I really like to get to know new animal friends.” She begged.

Harry looked to his cousins for confirmation and they both just shrugged,

“Sure, let me go get her.”

Harry excused himself from the kitchen and hurried up the stairs to his bedroom. This had been one of the bigger rooms that Luna had claimed as her own so it had thick sun blocking curtains and a black and blue color scheme. They both promised that once Harry got settled in further that they would repaint the room according to his desire. His Hogwarts trunk sat at the foot of his bed with his wizard books stored safely inside. His father’s invisibility cloak hung up in the closet with respect along with his wizard robes. Hedwig rested on a perch by the window and looked at him intently as he entered the room.

“Hey girl, feel like meeting someone new?” Harry went to his dresser and pulled out his dragon hide gloves. After putting them on Harry extended his hand and let Hedwig climb on. Wizard and owl entered the kitchen, and Fluttershy’s reaction was priceless. Her eyes went wide at the sight of the snowy owl.

“She’s beautiful.” Fluttershy admired. When Hedwig took in the sight of the newcomer she just stared at Fluttershy for a minute before doing something that surprised Harry. His feathered friend took off from his hand, cleared the distance between him and the teenager, and landed gently on Fluttershy’s shoulder.

“Oh, hello Hedwig, I’m Fluttershy.” Fluttershy said to the owl that was now allowing her feathers to be stroked.

“Wow,” Harry commented, “I wasn’t expecting her to be so friendly so fast.”

“Fluttershy has a way with animals. That’s why she volunteers at the animal shelter.” Luna explained.

“You just got to know how to care for them and love them.” Fluttershy responded.

“You sound just like Hagrid.” Harry said. His eyes suddenly widened with fear.

“Who is Hagrid?” Fluttershy asked with genuine curiosity.

“He was uh, the grounds keeper at my school back in England.” Harry said finding a way to explain about the giant man without giving any specifics away, “He seemed to love animals of all sorts. It seemed that he had a soft spot for the ones that others called dangerous. He named a big guard dog Fluffy. He even tried to raise a large lizard in his hut; but he had to send it away to a reserve because it was against the rules to keep it at the school.”

Fluttershy seemed very interested in Harry’s description of Hagrid.

“It’s so nice to hear that there is somebody that’s willing to give large animals a chance. They simply are misunderstood because they are so big and scary looking.”

“This is coming from the girl that hopped over a fence to help an ill bear on a school trip.” Luna said with a slight hint of annoyance. Luna’s comment brought a blush to Fluttershy’s face at the memory. “But I suppose if you hadn’t park staff wouldn’t have realized that the bear was getting ready to have cubs.”

Harry’s jaw dropped in shock at the story that unfolded before him. Fluttershy didn’t seem like the type that would break any sort of rule. As a matter of fact, from what he could tell the pink haired girl didn’t look like she had a mean bone in her body. Now to find out that she openly disregarded not only a rule but a safety measure? A new level of respect started to form for the animal lover.

“Well, I should be going.” A still embarrassed Fluttershy said before convincing Hedwig to return to Harry. “It was nice to meet you Hedwig. Have a good day Harry.” Fluttershy said her good-byes to the administrative sisters and was on her way out. As soon as the teen was gone Harry looked back at Luna.

“So what was that about Fluttershy jumping the fence?”

Luna pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. The memory obviously too much for her. Celestia was no help, she was chuckling at her sister’s expense.

-Streets of Canterlot, Outside the Faust residence-

When Fluttershy left the home of the Faust sisters and Canterlot’s newest resident she had no idea she was being watched. On the gutters of the house across the street there sat an unassuming robin. The bird watched Fluttershy for some time, following her through the streets of the city. Eventually, when she reached her parent’s home the bird stopped its pursuit and changed course to a warehouse on the outskirts of town. Inside was the headquarters of the Canterlot Investigation Squad.

The wizard and witches of academic standing were gathered around the collected photos that were gathered from the statue just the day before. They were really getting nowhere with possible translation of the markings. The wizards and witches that were not involved all at computer terminals accessing different files and making reports. The appearance of the robin made a few heads in the room turn and watch as the robin turned into a ginger witch. Agent Hankinson approached her undercover animagus operative,

“Report?” Hankinson asked.

“Ma’am, person of interest Fluttershy visited the Faust residence for a short while before returning to her current residence.”

“Alright, go make your full report.” Hankinson instructed. The robin animamus walked to an open terminal and started typing up a report. Hankinson turned her attention back to the wizards and witches working on the statue markings.

“Any new progress?”

“Not in the five minutes since you last asked.” Professor Smith remarked not looking up from the photos.

Another consulting wizard spoke up,

“The problem is that we can’t pin down these markings to any culture on Earth.”

“How does that…” All scholarly wizards and witches moaned at the stupid question.

“If you can understand what culture was used to build the spell then you have a basis on which to begin building a deconstruction. Honestly, what are they teaching at Salem these days?”

Professor Smith took over the explanation,

“If we knew what cultural basis was used to build the magic that is obviously present here we could understand what it does.” Seamlessly the professor switched into lecture mode, drawing the attention of the agents at their terminals as they listened in to what the esteemed magical theorist had to say,

“When humanity spread from its point of origin so did human magic users. Those magic users excelled in particular aspects according to what their non-magic culture was built around. The Egyptians were the first to build wards and protective spells as evidenced in their tombs The Greeks had a knack for transfiguration; all those stories about the gods getting angry at mortals and turning them into creatures of one sort or another were actually wizards and witches having fun at the expense of their non-magic counterparts. Asians with their understanding of the moon and its cycles were able to advance the realm of potion brewing. The Romans in their time advanced combat and defensive magics with leaps and bounds. The Norse people were able to advance the realm of enchanting an item through engraving it with spells.

“These ideas were spread throughout the world as history progressed. As one nation dominated the known world they spread their ideas to the conquered countries and they in turn would receive a little back. This magical exchange was most prevalent during the height of Britain’s colonial power, when their influence was felt all over the world.

“What we have before us is an interesting conundrum. These symbols we gathered from the statue cannot be traced back to any base culture. When you think you are dealing with ancient Greek it switches to Mesoamerican. Then it jumps over to Egyptian hieroglyphics and then to Chinese characters.”

One of the wizards who was an expert in ancient languages and spells spoke up,

“It’s like trying to translate the Rosetta Stone with the different languages having nothing to do with the other one.”

“Exactly. It’s so well blended together that it is a language of its own. Something not used…” Professor Smith’s eyes went wide as a memory came to his mind, “In this world.” His hand nervously ran through his hair as his eyes darted around the collect photos. Finally, he turned to Hankinson and said,

“Agent Hankinson, I think I know of something needed to get a lead on this investigation; but I will need to go off site to retrieve it.”

“As per regulations I cannot allow you to leave the investigation without escort. Parker!” Hankinson barked. An agent at one of the terminals stood up at attention, “You have the com until my return.”

“Yes Ma’am!”

In a more hushed tone Hankinson asked the Professor,

“What exactly are we retrieving?”

The brilliant mind of the American University of Magic looked depressed as he explained,

“In 1954 a theory so radical was presented that it was shut down by the academic community with little consideration as to its validity. A full copy of the theory as well as all the research that went into it was kept in storage by the man who formulated it in case one of his descendants wanted to bring his work back into the light. I have seen this work and only now do I see there is some connection between that theory and the work that we have going on here. I just need to get those research notes.”

“Do you believe there will be any trouble retrieving them from the family?”

“There shouldn’t be. The man who purposed the theory was Oliver Madison Smith, my grandfather.”

Machinations, Darkness, a pinch of Pink

-Office of the Headmaster, Hogwarts-

Albus Dumbledore was generally seen as a calm man. Someone who would never raise his voice unless he needed to. However, when it became clear that Harry Potter had not returned to Privet Drive and would never be going back there again he wanted to scream. This for a couple of reasons. First off was the prophecy. Both he and Harry knew that Voldemort was not dead, simply disembodied. Dumbledore wanted to make sure that Harry survived long enough to fulfill it and defeat Riddle once and for all. Second, he had promised Severus to protect the boy for Lily’s sake. He had failed to keep the Potter family safe that Halloween night, he would not let Harry be hurt when he could help it.

Finally, and admittedly the most selfish reason of all, was to keep Harry silent. Albus knew that if someone who actually knew wizarding laws were to find out about his actions in regard to the last of the Potter line and the treasure of Flamel there would be major repercussions. So many repercussions in fact that it would shake all the authority he had built over the years away from him. He knew that Harry wouldn’t think much of the Philosopher’s Stone incident, but he tells the story to the right person and Dumbledore’s world comes down around him like a deck of cards. Especially if the Americans find out, there was resentment on their part on his manipulation of ground forces in World War II so he could get at Grindelwald. Many Americans lost their lives in that incident, and Magical America certainly added it to their long list of grievances against Magical Britain.

Anything he had ever done, he argued to himself, was done for the greater good. At one time in his life Albus would have said that the greater good was for wizards to be on top of the world. This idea was influenced by Gellert Grindelwald back in their youths when they were friends. This fact was only known to a few and if found out by the general public could be used to make people question him, to doubt him and what he hoped to accomplish. He wanted a world where blood status was not important. He felt that it was his duty, considering his previous failures. That was why he had to retain his positions, he just had to.

This was why it was such a low blow when he felt that one of his most faithful had betrayed him. Minerva had served him for many years, certainly questioning some of his actions but certainly not taking direct actions against him behind his back. He could not retaliate against her for making changes to Harry’s placement without raising suspicions. She had acted within her full rights as the Deputy Headmistress in dealing with child services. In a way, he was impressed that she demonstrated a Gryffindor spirit by sticking to her belief that the family of Petunia Dursley nee Evens was the worst sort of Muggles imaginable. What really concerned the Headmaster was how the Dursley family was found out in the first place.

When Dumbledore was establishing the original protections around Harry he included a powerful charm that would prevent an outside force from forcefully removing young Mister Potter from Privet Drive. That spell had stopped any sort of report of neglect that had apparently been submitted. He had checked at the start of the year and found that the enchantments were still holding. It wasn’t until Mrs. Figg, had reported to him long after the court case had happened, she having fallen ill and failed to notice what was happening, that he noticed that his spells had not just slipped but had been forcefully shattered by some outside force months before.

With the existing wards now gone, for now surely Harry no longer considered the house on Privet Drive home, Harry had no means of protection from the remaining dark forces. His only hope rested in the possibility that these cousins of Lily’s would be able to stir the ancient magic that had protected Harry that fateful night. Even better would be for these two Americans to permit him to erect protections around their home without informing the authorities.

Dumbledore was broken from his musing by a scratching sound at the door. This was odd, considering that any normal person seeking admittance would knock and call out. Interested at who could be trying to enter his office Albus stood and approached the door. Opening it he found no one. There was no sign of anyone even coming up the office steps or even talking to the gargoyle sentry down the stairs. Even more strange was the fact that the sound of scratching persisted.

Albus’ head turned slightly following the sound of the scratching and realized that the sound had not been coming from outside the door but the door itself. On the office side of the entry, rough cut letters were being engraved into the wood of the door. It was only a few minutes before the message was finished,

I have claimed my own, and none shall take him. Be warned.

The Headmaster furrowed his brow, wondering which student could have hexed his door with a delay message such as this. Dismissing the message, the headmaster waved his wand to repair the damage. Only thing was that the warning did not fade from the door. Dumbledore then tried a gambit of different spells to get rid of the damage to his door, applauding and cursing the brilliance of the student who pranked him. Finally, he filled in the words, leaving no trace of the message. Satisfied with his work he returned to his desk to pen a letter to Cornelius with a plan on how to get Harry back to Brittain.

So intent in his task was he that he didn’t notice his repair work sizzle and burn away. This time a new line was added to the text,

Leave him alone!

-Faust Household, Harry’s room-

Of all the problems that could plague a young man’s mind there was one that stumped Harry the most was certainly a trivial one. Well, trivial in his mind but important in his cousin’s minds it was pivotal. They wanted to know if he wanted the darker color scheme or something a bit brighter. It seemed that a silent competition between the two sisters to try to become Harry’s favorite ‘aunt.’ As friendly as the sisters were to each other there was still an aspect of sibling rivalry going on between them. They recognized this aspect of themselves and told Harry that no matter what they say or do, they still loved each other. They had been lost to one another once before and would not lose each other again.

That being said, it seemed that Harry added a new platform for their rivalry to manifest on. Who made the best cup of tea? Who made the best baked goods? And their personal favorite, which is better night or day?

Harry was looking at paint chips when a taping sound came from the window. Hopefully he looked up and saw a crow seeking admittance. Hurriedly, he opened the window and allowed the dispatch crow from the American Magical Government to enter. Removing the message from the crow it flew off, its business done. Opening the missive Harry read out loud under his breath,

Dear Mister Potter,

This is to inform you that your personal letter carrier, owl: Hedwig, has been authorized for transoceanic travel between the United States and the British Isles. We appreciate your willingness to cooperate with the laws and standards of the International Confederation of Wizards. Official documentation of your authorization will be sent to your place of residence in a few days by the United States Postal Service. You are authorized to dispatch correspondence before their arrival.

Sincerely,

Peter Hallmark

Postmaster General to the Magical Community of the United States of America

This was the news that Harry had been hoping for since he had first arrived in the states. Some rule established by the world wide wizard community required owls to be registered for travel across bodies of water, something about monitoring or some other nonsense like that. That part wasn’t important however, now he could write his friends back in Britain.

Without wasting time, he grabbed a pen and paper, that’s what was closest, and began writing.

Dear Ron,

Sorry for not writing sooner but things for me have been crazy. I am no longer living in Britain as you have probably learned by now. I have been adopted by cousins of my mother. They are both very nice and are treating me well. I am coming back to London around the end of summer to take care of a few matters of business in Diagon Alley. I can send you a date later and we can meet up.

Harry

The black haired boy set the note to the side and started another this time to Hermione. He felt really bad about not sending something sooner, like before he had left Britain, but the time between King’s Cross and the airport was a time of close quarters with non-magical people. Not much time to send an owl post to people. After addressing the two letters he tied them to Hedwig’s leg and sent her on her way. A warm feeling filled Harry’s chest at the prospect of hearing from his first real friends again. A smile dawned his face as he watched his white feathered friend fly off.

However, he did not have much time to reflect on this,

“Hi there!” A very pink face filled his view very suddenly.

Harry gave a surprised yelp and stumbled backwards, tripping over his own feet and falling to the floor.

“Well, ‘Gahh!’ to you too.” Somehow Pinkie Pie was supporting herself on his window frame which mind you was on the second floor without a tree, gutter, or post to climb.

“Hi remember me? I’m Pinkie Pie! What am I saying? Of course you remember me! We met at the park the other day. You know with your cousins and all my friends? Well, I guess they would be your friends too now because you’re our young friend!” The older girl rapidly said with a big smile on her face.

Harry was still to shocked to make a proper response, but fortunately his door opened and Celestia stuck her head in,

“Harry, is everything…” Then she saw who was standing near the window, “Miss Pie, I believe we have had a conversation in the past about scaling buildings.” Celestia stated in her firm administrator tone.

Pinkie scratched her chin,

“I thought that was just the school,” She stated.

Celestia just shook her head,

“No Pinkie, that applied to all buildings.”

“Oh, oh well.” The pink girl dismissed with a smile, “Anyways I came to tell you that you are to come to Sugar Cube Café tomorrow night.” She directed this comment at Harry before she cannon-balled out the window. Horrified, Harry ran to the window in time to see Pinkie Pie bounce off a trampoline set up just under his window.

“How did she…” Harry began to ask.

“There is no way of understanding her and how she does things. There is a phrase you will be hearing a great deal, ‘It’s just Pinkie.’”

“That really doesn’t really explain anything.”

“No, no it does not.” Celestia admitted, “But that’s the fact of it.”

Celestia then noticed something sitting on Harry’s bedside table,

“Is that a photo album?”

Her comment drew Harry’s attention to the gift that Hagrid had given him just as his year at Hogwarts was ending.

“Yah, Hagrid gave it to me.” Celestia picked it up and took a look inside and took a small gasp at the pictures inside. She sat down on the bed looking at the moving pictures. Harry watched the face of his cousin as mild shock passed across it, followed by deepening sadness at seeing the pictures of Lily.

“You know, we never suspected something was wrong,” She explained as she turned the pages of the album, “Luna and I thought that Lily was living a happy life with her husband with children surrounding her. We… we…” Celestia’s voice caught on itself.

Harry remembered her doing something similar to this when they first met. Back then, however, Celestia said that it was his eyes. Just like his mother’s. Celestia was more expressive in her guilt for not maintaining contact with Lily after her wedding. Especially so in missing her death and not knowing that Harry needed help.

Celestia quickly brought her emotions under control and banished any tears that might have been trying to form. She closed the album and handed Harry back his precious collection of photos.

“Anyway, Luna and I were wondering if you could give us a hand Downstairs. We are taking stock of what we have before we go grocery shopping.”

Harry nodded his head before setting the album down on his desk and followed after his cousin. It was part way down the hall that a thought came to him,

“If you would like aunt Celestia, we could look at the album after dinner. You, Luna, and I.” Harry offered.

Celestia thought on the proposal before nodding,

“I think… I think that would be a good idea Harry.”

With that the two cousins went downstairs to join Luna.

-Canterlot High School-

There were many places were Rarity would have rather been at the moment. However, she promised that she would take this shift in watching the school for those government agents that were supposedly lurking around the school. Although, she had to admit, her set up was fairly comfortable. A shaded grove in a clump of trees on campus that was often times used by lovers looking to skip class and enjoy one another’s company without being interrupted. She had a good view of the portal and could remain hidden from view. She had a reclining lawn chair a cooler chest with cold beverages, a sun umbrella, her sketch book and computer with all her designs on them. There were also a few books on running a successful business and work place leadership; after all, it was her dream to open a chain of boutiques and you couldn’t do that on just fashion sense.

The budding fashionista normally had three things on her brain: the latest gossip, fashion, and boys; and right now she had the latter of the three on her mind. She had declared that the boys of Canterlot High were not suitable relationship material for her. True she might flirt with them, even go on a sympathy date with them, but she did not think that her one true love was waiting for her here in Canterlot. Today, however, it was not a romantic interest in a boy that was on her mind. Today it was the puzzling Harry Potter. Despite the threat potential she still found the boy holding much potential in being handsome in the near future. He just needed to eat some more and perhaps get some more muscle on him.

She also had to thank the scrawny youth. From the moment she offered to make something for him she was struck by inspiration. All sorts of ideas were flowing from her brain about color combinations and designs that would best fit Harry; and of course what she came up with could be used in the future once she started her own shop.

An energized rippling sound came from the portal. Rarity looked up and gasped when she saw that Princess Twilight had just emerged from the portal. Rarity quickly broke cover,

“Twilight! Twilight over here!” Rarity called. Twilight walked over to where her friend was waiting.

“Hey Rari- Yipe!” Without so much as a “by your leave,” Rarity pulled the Equestrian princess in human form into the clump of trees.

“Twilight, what are you doing here?” Rarity asked worriedly giving the girl who united Canterlot High a hug.

“I know I am taking a big risk with the portal and everything but I had to come. I would have written but something is interfering with the journal’s power. I try putting words in but every time that I do the words fade. Fortunately, the link still works otherwise I might not had made it.”

“What’s so important that you had to risk discovery?” Rarity asked flustered that her friend was taking such a big risk.

“There’s some sort of dark shadow that’s been hanging out around Ponyville lately. Several times it has broken into my castle trying to reach the portal room.”

This news took Rarity by surprise.

“There’s something on your side trying to break through to this world?” Rarity asked concerned.

“Yes. I just had to give you some sort of warning.”

“Darling, if you keep the portal closed then there should be no issue.” To this Twilight didn’t respond. She just stood there.

“Darling?” Twilight’s face suddenly became very vacant and then she fell to the ground.

“Twilight!” Rarity stooped down and began checking on the Princess’ vitals. What went unnoticed by the fashionista was a small sliver of darkness slither out of Twilight’s shadow and disappear. It took a couple of minutes for Twilight to come around again,

“Ohh, my head.” The pony turned human said sitting up and rubbing said cranium.

“Twilight, what happened?”

“I… I don’t know. I just felt light headed.” The princess said standing with the help of her friend, “But you are right. I shouldn’t have come. I’ll head back and keep the portal closed.” The Equestrian departed company with a quick hug and passed back through to her world without delay.

Rarity was left in her hiding place contemplating what had just happened. It seemed so unlike Twilight to do something so sort sighted as leaving the door open to someone who was trying to cross over to this world. Rarity rationalized it as acting in the moment after discovering the journal wasn’t taking messages.

Now, while Rarity went back to her watch the sliver of shadow that had hitched a ride with Twilight was now sliding through the town. Jumping from unsuspecting shadow to unsuspecting shadow. It was looking for something, or rather someone. The search continued on through the night. The sliver’s mobility increased as the day turned to night, no longer having to jump shadows. Eventually, it came to a stop outside of a gas station convenience store.

The shadow slid in under the door and slithered over to the lone employee inside. A greyish skinned man with spikey back hair whose name tag read, “Sombra: Night Manager.” The sliver slid into the man’s shadow and got to work.

Sombra didn’t know what hit him. He felt his entire being burn like he was light a blaze with intense fire. At the same time his spirit turned cold, like an icy hand had gripped his heart. His perception on the world changed; he felt like he was looking through a set of windows on his own perspective. A voice more terrifying than his own filled his mind,

“Not the most ideal host but you have enough of a connection to draw the magic that I need.”

The voice that filled Sombra’s mind felt like a snake had learned to speak English and retained much of its native tongue’s pressurized tone and influctions.

“You are confused? You the reflection of the dark king? It is almost pitiable; but, no matter.”

A malevolent green energy built around Sombra’s hands,

“Think of it this way: you are one side of a coin. Somewhere in the whole of time and space there is another side of you. Like you, but not you, but you are still connected by the deepest of ties.”

Sombra’s legs worked against him as he walked out of the empty convenience store.

“There is a stubborn thorn in my side that I wish to be rid of. He has recently, however, slipped beyond my reach.”

Sombra was not the nicest of people in his life time. He had been the principal of Crystal Prep once upon a time until he was deposed for what was deemed, ‘tyrannical behavior and misuse of power.’ He could tell from experience when someone was plotting something dark.

“Recently I learned of this world, and how the citizens reflect each other so closely. I plan on finding this world’s reflection of my thorn. I have a good idea of where he is and you are going to be my means of carrying out my will, you should feel honored.”

After walking away from the gas station Sombra’s body turned around and faced the place of his employment.

“And after I find him… well,” Sombra’s hands rose up and aimed the glowing energy at the store and with a breath fired the energy. With the sound of warping air, like a cannon ball ripping through the air the energy collided with the store then exploded. The fire from the blast caught the pumps outside and ignited the fuel within, adding to the inferno that the body snatcher had caused,

“… well, you get the idea.”

Pieces in Place

-Department of Magic temporary headquarters, Canterlot-

"Local firefighters are still working hard to extinguish a gas station fire that started late last night. The cause, firefighters say, is possibly arson as the night shift manager has not been found. Security cameras from the bank across the street show Sombra leaving the station, turning around and watching it blow up. Police are asking anyone with information on the whereabouts of Mr. Sombra to please call their hotline on display down below. Mr. Sombra is the former…"

Agent Hankinson was not happy. Not happy at all. She had been gone with Professor Smith for one day and she comes back to find out that something big had happened in her absences. She was a great agent; Secretary of Magic had given her special recognition for busting a ring of dark wizards who were trying to channel the magic of a Native American burial site and lay a curse on the entire region. There were many expectations heaped on her and she excelled past them. It was in part why she was put as the lead agent in this investigation.

This situation however was going to drive her crazy. She and Professor Smith had got back late the night before. She had expected agent Parker to handle anything while she was gone; but lo and behold when she got back last night he was floundering through protocols trying to locate this apparently new dark magic user. Hankinson had to fight off travel fatigue to take command and set things right. She would have to file a report on Parker's level of inability when put under pressure; but at the same time it was her call to put Parker at the head in her absence and that would reflect on her.

Her musing was cut short when the personnel door slammed open, making a loud crash across the warehouse. In staggered a very haggard looking Colton Smith, rubbing his eyes and stretching.

"Glad to see someone had a bad night besides me." Hankinson said to the academic.

"Up most of the night… looking over Grandfather's notes." Professor Smith said around a yawn.

"There's coffee and Pepper-up potion available." She offered the teacher. She could be rough with her subordinates but she had to somewhat gentle with the consultants, they were still part of the civilian sector.

"No… no… I crash hard when I drink those. Nearly caused me to miss an exam during Grad school."

The bleary eyed professor crossed to the area where the statue photos were still laid out.

"Were the notes useful?" The agent asked hoping for good news.

"It's given me a place to start. It will still take a while to nail down a translation but now we have something to work with."

Professor Smith turned his attention to the television where the story of the gas station fire was still being covered.

"I see you managed to scrub the footage finally." It would not have been good for the general public to see how the station was blown up by someone with magic.

"Yes. Sent everyone off to get some rest. I don't know why Parker choked on this one." Hankinson said shaking her head.

"I saw many of my peers back at the university who were brilliant at what they did. They could theorize and explore the realms of thought with the blink of an eye. When it came down to experimenting however they were inept."

"If this attempt at sympathy is supposed to help then it's not…"

The agent cut what she was saying when she saw a little notice flag at her computer station, indicating she had received email. The senior agent dropped the conversation and took full interest in the email. A few days back she requested a background check on a few of the names that were registered in the student body of Canterlot High. Only now was she getting anything back.

She scanned the email's contents and narrowed her eyes at what she found. She was then in high gear, scrolling through tabs on her computer and bringing up documents and some video footage. Finally, she found what she was looking for.

"Professor, if you have a head ache I suggest you clear out. It will be getting very noisy in here." She declared to Colton. She then dialed a number on her phone and started barking orders into it,

"Parker! Yes, yes, I know you are sorry and you will be even more sorry later but will you shut up and listen!? I need every available agent at HQ now! We have people to find and question. Now get in gear and get going! I need everyone here in five minutes." The agent then went to collect her discarded wand holster, fire arm, and jacket, leaving the professor alone with the security footage up on the big screen.

Curious at what had the lead agent so riled up, Colton walked over to the screen and saw the outside of a café. Leaving the establishment, about an hour ago according to the time stamp on the footage, was a lone girl in a leather jacket. Even though the image was not quite clear, it was good enough to make out the face.

"So, just what are you hiding miss Shimmer?"

-Sugar Cube Corner-

Now, Pinkie throws a lot of parties. The Cakes, the owners of the sweet shop Sugar Cube Corner, and by chance her employers, allowed her to throw her parties there as they tended to draw in more business. The caveat was that she and whoever else were in charge of the event needed to set up and take down decorations. So, Pinkie had enlisted the help of her friends. Minus Twilight who couldn't get to the bus on time but promised she would be there for the party. The resident Equestrian was trying to get a stubborn splotch of sugar that had an iron grip on the counter with a scratchy pad.

Sunset Shimmer was nervous. Not nervous in how the party would go, any gathering that had the Pinkie touch turned into an enjoyable event. It was who the party was for that had Sunset worried. Harry Potter was still an unknown factor and that unfortunately made him a risk. The other girls who had one on one time with him found it hard not to see his better qualities.

She really didn't want to be distrustful of the kid, but the readings from Twilight's magic detector were hard to ignore. Magic in this world was still an unknown. True the trip to Camp Everfree had given them new powers and a certain degree of control, but they still didn't know where their magic crystals came from.

"Uh, Sunset? Yah alright?" Applejack's voice broke in. Sunset realized she had had gotten lost in her own thoughts and counter she had been scrubbing was on the verge of losing its finish.

"Oh, uh, sorry. I just have things on my mind."

"Those thoughts wouldn't happen to be 'bout our mysterious young friend would they?"

"I can't help it Applejack. Strange things started the moment we met him. Well, stranger than what we are used to."

"I agree," Rainbow Dash commented from up on a ladder, "Strange magic readings, government agents, the journal not working, Twilight's collapse, gas station fires; this whole thing just doesn't seem right."

"It could be Harry's arrival is just a coincidence with what's been going on." Fluttershy offered as she joined in the conversation.

"Sorry Fluttershy, but it is just too coincidental." Sunset countered.

"Well what can you do?" Pinkie Pie said as she appeared out of nowhere, "It's not like you can touch him and read his mind right?"

Everyone paused what they were doing and looked at Pinkie for a few seconds before looking at a thinking Sunset. Taking action Rarity shook her head,

"Oh no darling you are not going to gaze into that poor boy's mind." She declared.

"But Rarity, if Harry doesn't want to talk about it then it's our only option." Sunset responded with a hint of desperation.

"Now hold on everybody!" Applejack interjected, "We've made mistakes before and Ah'm not fixin' to make another one by invading Harry's private life. After the party tonight let's sit down and actually ask him if…"

Applejack was cut off by the main door bursting open. A very winded Twilight Sparkle and Spike stood there trying to catch their breath,

"Twilight! We didn't think you would be coming until later." Sunset said, just a little more than worried about her friend's current state.

"Ran… caught the… bus at… another stop…" Spike said before he comically slumped to the floor.

"I… found something you all need to see." Twilight said setting her backpack on a nearby table.

The girls gathered around and watched her set up her laptop. The screen that booted up was a video with the caption, "I don't remember filming this." The first sound to come from the video was the noise of hundreds of people and the clattering of trains.

"Here we are day three of our tour de Britain and we are on our way to catch a train out of London and head, where was it again?" The sound of an American tourist came over the din of the station.

"We're heading north Devon." The sound of a nearby woman said as they walked along the platform, "Remember we are starting in Scotland and working our way down to Dover."

"Right. See that is why I married you, for your wonderful brain."

"I thought you married me for my good looks and charming personality." The woman flirted back.

"Well there's that too."

Just then the camera caught sight of something, a long parade of red heads in worn out, out of date clothing walking down the platform,

"What do you make of that honey?" The man asked. Out of curiosity kept the camera focused on this group. The man swore when members of the group started disappearing into the barrier between platforms Nine and Ten. The couple watched in fascination as one by one members of the family disappeared into the barrier until a black haired boy came into view. Twilight paused the video and let the girls take in who it was that had just walked on camera. The messy black hair and circular glasses were not hard to miss, not to mention the owl in a cage was easily identified by Fluttershy as being Harry's. Resuming the video, the friends watched Harry disappear into the barrier after talking to the woman leading the pack of gingers.

As the video ended the group stood in silence. Thoughts ran through all their minds. The silence was broken when Sunset asked,

"Twilight, where did you find this?"

"On a conspiracy site based out of Britain. People have been posting strange events and things for the past several years."

"Why would you even be lookin' at sites like that Sugar cube?" Applejack asked.

"Spike gave me the idea that maybe Earth had magic before Sunset Shimmer brought it over. After all we have our own myths about supernatural events. So I started looking for evidence of human based magic and found that Europe has a long history of mass memory loss, disappearing buildings, even things like flying cars and motorcycles. All of this might be magic users trying to cover their tracks."

"So Harry might… no, is connected to whatever is going on?" Sunset asked.

"Hold on a minute." Rainbow Dash interrupted, "If Harry was a wizard wouldn't he tell us? Wouldn't Principal Celestia?"

"Rainbow, he just met us." Sunset let out with exasperation at the lack of thought her friend was giving the topic, "If human magic users have been trying to stay hidden for who knows how long I don't think that Harry would just walk up to us and say, 'Hey I just met you and by the way I'm a wizard.'"

"Maybe it's against some kind of international law to tell people about magic; and if you do you get in really, really deep trouble then they wipe the memories of those you told." Pinkie suggested with her usual big smile.

"Um… Maybe he would open up about his secret if we told him ours." Fluttershy suggested.

There was a moment of silent contemplation before Sunset responded,

"Alright, we tell him about the portal. If he's staying here, then he has to know before he freaks out the next time someone wonders across some rouge magic source from Equestria. We'll give him the chance to open up and share but if doesn't I am going to have to use my magic on him."

-Department of Magic temporary headquarters-

True to Hankinson's word the warehouse got very noisy. Field agents were listening to Agent Hankinson give a briefing on the situation.

"A few years ago this girl, Sunset Shimmer, appeared in the records of Canterlot High School. However, that is as far as she exists. I just got word that a girl of similar description, Julia Stevenson, was born in the area but her family moved to Colorado shortly after she was born. As far the Social Services are concerned, Sunset Shimmer does not exist. She has been at the center of most reports of the unidentified magic since it began last year. We need to bring her in for questioning."

Hankinson hit a few keys on her keyboard and brought up a map of an area of the town.

"From what we have been able to gather, Miss Shimmer lives in this area of town. A team will be keeping Miss Shimmer under observation while the rest of us will deploy to find her hideout. Remember, we are to be discrete. Alright, let's move!"

At the command the assembled agents dispersed leaving the techies and Professor Smith who was looking over more of his Grandfather's notes. He sat there reading for a few hours before he let out a sigh. As brilliant a man his Grandfather was, some of what the deceased Smith had written was not making any sense. Letting out a sigh the Theorists stood up and secured the notes on a nearby locker.

"I need a walk. I may be gone for a while." He told the commanding agent left at the base.

This was Colton's method of settling his mind. During his studies at the University he would often go to the surface and walk around the National Mall. The professor turned his attention to the park. His mind still drummed with the theories of his Grandfather and his sleep deprived body drove him to seek out a park bench. Then, without any restraint, the contemplating professor slipped asleep.

-Streets of Canterlot-

Most of the night after seizing control of the body of Sombra the Entity worked on establishing control over the unfortunate victim. By now the actual mind of Sombra had fell silent and the Entity had complete control. He had tracked his target to a store where some celebration was in progress. He was ready to strike when he noticed the potent feel of Equestrian magic inside. Attacking head on by himself would prove detrimental to his plan. So now he was looking for a method to drive out the Reflection.

As night was settling the Entity came across the local library and smirked at what he saw. Standing sentry outside of the library doors were two iron lion statues.

"Perfect,"

Author's Note

I would like to thank all of you for reading this and keeping with it so far. It is such a pleasure to get feedback from you guys and gals. What makes it even better though is seeing you all talk to each other about what is going on. So until next time. Let me know what you all think.
Ranoa

Secrets Crack Open

It would be a sad day indeed if it could be said that a party hosted by Pinky Pie did not go over well. The setting may have been unfamiliar to Harry, but the event was still very much enjoyable. Several times through the night he noticed that the ‘Girls’ as they were called, were giving him strange glances through the night when they thought he wasn’t looking. It wasn’t until the party came to a close sometime after ten that Harry decided that something was up. When the Faust family tried to leave, the girls asked that that they stay behind. So, with an empty shop they all sat at one of the larger booths. All of the Girls wore a serious expression; except for Pinkie, she was looking happy as always.

“Harry, there’s something we need to tell you.” Sunset started, “I guess I should tell you that I am not from around here. And I don’t just mean from out of town.”

“What?” Harry asked more than confused.

“Miss Shimmer, are you sure you want to tell him?” Luna asked, “It is your choice to tell but are you sure now is the best time?”

“Tell me what?”

Sunset looked like she was really struggling to tell him,

“You see…”

Suddenly, Pinkie let out a shivering noise and started physically shaking.

“Pinkie, what in tarnation…” Applejack started.

“I’m getting a really, really, really, really bad feeling. It feels like evil and a lion attack.”

No sooner had the words left her mouth then the windows shattered inward. The cause for the breaking was apparent immediately as two lions made of metal bore their teeth at the assembled group. Their glowing venom green eyes were sure indicators that they were under the influence of magic.

“Oh, that’s why.” Pinkie said like this was a normal occurrence. From outside they heard a man’s voice command,

“Kill him!” The voice was eerily similar to one that Harry had heard not even a month ago. In fact, there was no mistaking it.

“Voldemort!”

Before anyone could question him, the lions leapt; their target obviously being the boy. Reacting quickly Twilight threw her hand out and a magenta force field appeared between the lions and their apparent target. The two lions collided hard against the shield, the impact cause Twilight to wince in an effort to keep the shield up.

Needless to say, Harry was surprised at this display.

“You’re a witch?” Harry asked. True he had not seen magic like this before but he was still new to the world of magic.

“No time to explain now.” Celestia exclaimed looking around for an exit. It was Sunset that saw the opportunity,

“The back door, through the kitchen.”

Rarity joined in Twilight’s efforts and created a crystal barrier that she pushed the lions with, trying to force them back.

“Rainbow Dash,” The elder Faust sister looked the athletic girl right in the eyes, “Take Harry and run. Whoever is attacking is after him. Get him to safety, we’ll meet up with you when we can.”

The girl felt conflicted about leaving her friends,

“But I can’t just…”

“Rainbow!” Celestia pleaded, “Please you’re the only one who can get him to safety fast enough.”

Rainbow Dash looked pleadingly at her friends who just nodded.

“Alright, you can count on me.”

“Alright, on the count of three Rarity, Twilight drop your shields. Rainbow will take Harry out the back door. We’ll try to hold them back. Everyone ready?”

“One,” Applejack started.

“Two,” Rainbow counted.

“Three!” All the girls shouted. According to plan the shields dropped, allowing Rainbow Dash to grab Harry under the arms and take off at nonhuman speeds. The two lions catching the direction their quarry disappeared in tried to follow. Their pursuit was interrupted by an entire table breaking on top of them.

“Hold it right there yah cast iron vermin!” Applejack shouted. Her magic was flowing strong as evidenced by her pony ears and magic hair extension, “If yah’ll think we’ll just let you chase after our friends then yah got another thing comin’!”

Before anyone else could react, the front door was kicked open and jets of light shot toward the two animated lions. The lions were knocked back and thrown against the far wall. Two men in suits were barging in with what looked like sticks raised at the two faux predators.

“Is everyone alright?” One of them asked keeping his wand trained on the lions.

“Mike, they’re getting up!” His partner informed. With an angry scowl the one identified as Mike made a flurry of movements with his wand,

“Pyrhanious!” He shouted. Immediately, one of the lions stopped in its tracks and started glowing red.

His partner preformed the same spell on the other lion and everyone watched as the metal lions melted into two black puddles of molten metal.

“Standard procedure.” Agent Mike explained, “When dealing with a construct or animated object turn it to ash or turn it to slag.”

“Are you with the DoM?” Luna asked.

“I’m Agent Mike Daniels and this is Agent Fredrick Miles. We were asked to watch Miss Shimmer here.” Agent Daniels said gesturing to the girl in question, “Although I have to ask, were you aware that Miss Shimmer does not exist? And don’t think we missed the… whatever has happened to Miss Apple here.”

The conversation was interrupted by Celestia’s cellphone going off. Quickly checking she saw Harry’s caller ID.

“Harry are you- Harry slow down. What’s going on? Where are you?” As the conversation progressed Celestia’s expression grew more worried. “Harry? What happened to Rainbow Dash? Harry… HARRY?!” Horror plastered the Principal’s face, “The line went dead.”

-Short while earlier-

Harry’s world blurred passed him until he and the older girl came to a stop. Taking in the surroundings Harry recognized the park that he had first met the Girls.

“OK, I think we’ll be safe here.” Rainbow said drawing his attention back to her. He let out a startled yelp when he saw that the girl had grown animal ears on top of her head and had a pair of feathered wings sticking out her back, not to mention that her hair had grown significantly longer.

“Wha… what just happened? What happened to you?” Harry blurted out. Rainbow noticed her transformation and let out a nervous chuckle and scratched the back of her head,

“Well… It’s kind of hard to explain. But the girls and I have these awesome magic powers that make us Pony-up and we save the day.”

“What…” Any conversation was cut off when a sinister laugh cut through the air. Harry was suddenly caught in a green magic aura and he was pulled through the air and deeper into the park.

Rainbow Dash looked in the direction that Harry was being pulled and hardened her gaze when she saw a guy dressed in a gas station uniform pointing a glowing hand at the struggling boy. It didn’t take an egghead to connect the dots.

“Hey! Leave him alone!” Angrily she shot forward as fast as her enhanced speed allowed her and delivered a sucker punch right to the man’s jaw. Unfortunately, she failed to process Newton’s third law and her hand received the equal force of the impact traveling at superhuman speeds. She may have fractured his jaw, but in the process, broke more than a few of the small bones in her hand.

“Ouch!” She cried out cradling her broken hand. Her sacrifice was enough for the man to lose his concentration and let Harry free of the magic holding him. Unfortunately, the attacker recovered quickly,

“Foolish girl!” With a wave of his hand Rainbow Dash was hit by an invisible force that sent her reeling through the air. He didn’t even wait for her to hit the ground before turning his attention back to Harry who was talking rapidly on the phone talking to Celestia. With a flick of his forefinger he sent the phone from Harry’s hand where it crashed against a tree.

Harry was caught in another aura of green magic and dragged towards the possessed Sombra. Harry was forced to his knees and his head jerked up to look at the possessed man.

“I am going to enjoy killing you.”

“You… You aren’t Voldemort.”

“No. No, I’m not,” The possessed man forcefully grabbed Harry’s head and started forcing his magic into the boy causing the preteen tremendous pain, “I am called Death Flight. I terrorized the cities of Equestria until I came across a prophecy that predicted that a mere foal would be my undoing. I sought out the colt who best fit the description in the prophecy and was about to do him in when I was forcefully torn from my body. I was rendered to nothing more than a specter, robbed of my magic and mortal frame. But now, Ihave a chance to get my revenge against the one that caused my undoing and…” Death Flight’s eyes went wide, “What?! What is…”

“Toro Taurus!” A new voice cut in followed by a stream of red light. The light made contact with Death Flight and sent him reeling away from Harry. Free of the painful magic Harry fell to the ground breathing raggedly. A hand on his shoulder helped Harry look up,

“Pleasure to meet you mister Potter. Professor Colton Smith, American University of Magic. Though I wish we were able to meet under better circumstances.”

An angry yell from Death Flight alerted the Professor in time to throw up a shield spell that took the force of a beam of green energy, “I suggest you go check on your friend and I will hold off this fellow.”

Without waiting for a response Professor Smith advanced between the young wizard and the attacker, making himself the more available target.

“Foolish wizard. You are meddling in things that are beyond your understanding.”

“Oh I have a pretty good idea of what is going on. Your name is a giveaway. You call yourself ‘Death Flight,’ and you are targeting mister Potter. Voldemort, ‘Flight of Death.’ You come from the reflection world, don’t you? You want revenge against mister Potter’s reflection and to do that you intend on using the soul link between them.”

The possessed body grinned,

“So, you do know what you are dealing with. Not that it will help you any. You are horribly out…”

A sudden slash from Professor Smith’s wand sent Death Flight through the air once again,

“Professor of Magical Theory, seven-year reigning champion of the Inner Office Anything Goes Dueling Circuit.” The scholar grinned before engaging the possessed man.

Harry and a revived Rainbow Dash looked on at the fight with awe,

“Wow, I guess Twilight was right. Earth does have its own magic.” Rainbow then looked at Harry, “Can you fight like that?”

“Erm, no. I just started learning magic last year. I can’t do that.” Harry replied gesturing to the fight where the professor was sending park benches and trash cans at the alternate version of the man who killed Harry’s parents. The dark Equestrian would blast the projectiles apart with blasts of his poison green magic.

“Is this the extent of your power? Simple parlor tricks? You will never defeat me with such paltry efforts?” Death Flight gloated.

“And who ever said I was trying to defeat you?” This revelation puzzled Death Flight,

“If victory is not your aim then why fight?”

“Oh simple.” Colton Smith grinned as a nebula pf orange magic slammed into Death Flight from behind, “I was just waiting for back up.”

The park suddenly came to life with agents of the DoM appearing out of nowhere. Each one pointing their wands at Death Flight who, when he saw he was out numbered put his hands up in a gesture of surrender.

“Agent Hankinson, glad you could make it.” Professor Smith greeted.

“Professor, I’m surprised that you engaged the hostile by yourself.” The lead agent responded.

“What? Just because prefer contest of reason and research doesn’t mean that I can’t hold my own.”

As the adults debated and the agents scoured the area doing clean up procedures a black SUV pulled up and out spilled the group that was left at Sugar Cube Corner. Needless to say, Harry’s cousins were in hysterics over his wellbeing and Rainbow was showing off her injured hand like it was her new trophy. Their conversations were interrupted by Agent Hankinson and Professor Smith.

“Excuse me but I think this is yours.” Professor Smith greeted handing the broken phone back to Harry. Harry was saddened by the state the gift from his cousins had ended up in and apologized to them.

“Harry, it’s just a phone. A phone can be replaced, you cannot.” Celestia assured.

“Professor Smith?” Twilight Sparkle asked in surprise when she realized who it was that was standing there.

“Ah, miss Sparkle. How are you tonight?”

“What are you doing here?”

“Those anomalies I was investigating were in direct result of someone, or some persons, using magic from an alternate world. But you knew that when I introduced myself at your home, didn’t you?”

“Speaking of investigation,” Agent Hankinson interrupted, “Miss Sunset Shimmer, I must place you into my custody for questioning.” That was a bomb shell for the girls who demanded a reason.

“On paper, she is a minor with no record of her even being born. That is enough for me to get Social Services involved. Secondly, she has been at the heart of every event of unidentifiable magic that has been going on since fall of last year.”

The girls and even the Faust sisters started to argue with the agent who argued back that she was simply doing her job. Meanwhile, a couple of agents were leading Death Flight to a vehicle. The spectral Equestrian saw the conflict going on close to Harry and the distraction it provided.

Everyone’s attention was grabbed when the agents surrounding Death Flight cried out in agony. Barely any time was given before a blur plowed into Harry and lifted him into the air. Death Flight held Harry by this throat and was channeling his magic into the boy again, intent on finishing his task of killing the young Potter. The agents reacted by casting spells at the offender but this time Death Flight had the foresight to cast a barrier around him, shielding him from their attacks.

“Now boy, you will suffer. I will end you and the only force that stands between me and my victory will be gone.”

The area was suddenly engulfed by a rainbow of color. The source came from the seven friends that were now holding hand with each other. Their image was quickly lost in the intensity of the light they were generating. The charged power reached its apex and fired a rainbow of Equestrian magic at the shield. To the credit of Death Flight’s abilities, his shield held up against the magic of friendship for a few moments before it blasted through. But instead of hearing the anguished cries of the darkness being purged from Sombra, the cries were Harry’s.

The Friendship Blast faded, revealing the girls in very different clothes from what they were wearing before. The focus, however, was on Harry who was falling lifeless to the ground. His descent was slowed and impact softened by some well-placed charms. He hadn’t even made it to the ground when he was swarmed by agents and the professor. The scene was chaos as voices were shouting over one another, competing for dominance; one cry rose above the others though,

“We need an ambulance!”

In the midst of the mess no one took notice that Death Flight had vanished.

-Outside Canterlot City Limits-

In a flash of green fire Death Flight, still in possession of Sombra’s body appeared in a slump.

“Curse those girls for interfering! I was so close! At least I didn’t leave empty handed.”

Death Flight opened his left hand and gazed at a bottle cap sized piece of black crystal in his hand.

“Just a piece, but it’s enough. Enough to show me the cause of my own downfall.” With deliberate force, he clenched his hand around the crystal, “That idiot! Was he so afraid to die that he would do such a thing to himself? Did he think that this method would give him immortality? He only made himself vulnerable.”

A thoughtful expression crossed the borrowed face, “Perhaps I can work this to my advantage. Yes, yes this can most definitely work to my advantage. I just need to find the others. And you my little fragment are going to help me.” With new purpose Death Flight stood and shook off his weariness, “Now, to find out what I can about this… Voldemort.”

Author's Note

Hello everyone. I hope this chapter was up to your expectations. I changed the rating to 'T' because this is the first of many fights to come. Nothing particularly gory but I will be talking about injuries just a bit.
Things are heating up now. The cat is out of the bag now, we'll just have to see how all parties react to truth coming out and the fate of Harry after being hit by a crap ton of Equestrian magic.
Till then!
Ranoa

Spells Used:

Pyrhanious: A spell crafted to be super effective against metal or plant base magical constructs. Used by the DoM in law enforcement. Generates heat from inside of the target. Ineffective against elemental builds or terra cotta soldiers.

Toro Taurus: A variation of the Knock-Back jinx that has a higher base level of kinetic energy wh

The Professor's Explanation

It had been three days since that fateful night in the park. Three days since Harry had been taken to Canterlot General. Three days since Sunset Shimmer was taken into custody and the rest of the girls placed under observation. Three days since the disappearance of a possessed murderer. Three days and the world that was Canterlot was still in chaos.

At the moment, Luna was resting back at the house. She had been working with the DoM agents seeing what could be done to get Sunset released while Celestia was sitting beside a slumbering Harry. The gentle rhythm of monitoring equipment being the only real sound in the room. The senior administrator had large bags developing under her eyes, a tell-tale sign of her restlessness. For the hundredth time Celestia reached for her cousin turned nephew’s hand and gripped it like she was his mooring.

“Please Harry, please wake up.” She pled.

The door to Harry’s room open and Professor Smith stepped into the room with a roll of paper tucked under his arm.

“Hello Miss Faust,” He greeted curtly, “How is he?”

“No change. Your healers said that he might still be out for a while yet.”

“I’m sorry that I couldn’t do more to stop Death Flight.”

“You delayed him. I take comfort in that.”

Silently Colton drew up a chair and sat down next to Celestia,

“The reason why I am here, is because I have been asked to explain something to you, seeing as you are Harry’s legal guardian.”

“So is Luna.”

“I will advise her as well to what I am going to tell you.” The professor unfurled the paper he carried and set it in front of Celestia. To the administrator, the paper was covered with sketched triangles and circles with numbers and runic letters forming some kind of complex design.

“This is the magical equivalent of a blood test. Magic isn’t measured in proteins and cells, but it is measurable and plottable. Generally speaking, your boy has a great amount of potential. There are certain areas that indicate that he suffered from Magical Suppression for many years.”

“Magical Suppression?”

“A common condition in first-generation magical children. It means that the amount of magic that the body is making is not as much as it should be. This comes from an unconscious effort to try to suppress accidental magic.”

“The children are scared of what happens when they get angry.” Celestia said to show her understanding.

“The strange events that happen around them, the concern of their parents, the strange glances that come from their peers. All of these lead the mind to try and suppress magic. As a result, it takes a year or two of active magic usage to get the child back up to snuff.”

The professor ran his finger along an array that encompassed a great deal of the chart,

“This here though, I have only seen such things in theory.” Without being bidden the professor explained, “It is a powerful protection spell that is woven into Mister Potter’s very blood. Protections like this have never been fully investigated because of their rarity.”

“What does it protect against?”

“Not what, who. These protections were said to bestow themselves in moments of self-sacrifice to guard against a particular person. With how well integrated this is to Mister Potter’s magic, I would wager that it has been with Mister Potter since he was a year old.”

The implication of what the professor was saying hung in the air. Celestia hitched on her breath when the full impact of the protection meant,

“We know so little about what happened that night.”

“Sadly, the wizards of Britain did not allow for an investigation into the events of that night.” Colton let out a harsh breath in disbelief, “A child takes a killing curse full on, not only survives but somehow destroys the caster. The biggest anomaly of magic in a century and they forbid any study to be done. Stinking Unspeakables…” The professor cut his ramblings off and shook his head,

“Sorry, anyways, the real thing that I needed to point out to you is this.” Colton traced an array with his finger. The area that he traced looked very different from the rest of the chart; where the rest of the chart had some kind of functioning chaos, like looking at the gears of a giant clock as it ticked, this section was simply broken apart.

“We believe that this area represents lingering magic from your students’ magical blast. From what we can tell their magic is trying to latch itself onto Harry’s magical core.”

“Is that even possible?” Celestia asked with great concern.

“It’s possible… maybe.” The academic wizard rose from his seat and started pacing, “There are reports back from the sixteen-hundreds of some pureblood families attempting to graft the magic of pregnant women into their unborn children to try and make their children more powerful.”

“Why would they even try something like that?” Celestia reacted, outraged at not only hurting the mother but messing with the unborn child.

“This was in an age that marked the start of decline in the Pureblood population of Britain; many children were born weak in power so the parents turned to this desperate form of magic to shore up their futures.”

Still sickened at the action these wizards took Celestia ventured,

“I take it that this experiment was not successful?”

The professor shook his head.

“The children that were not still born did not have any magical ability, and their children’s children also suffered the same affliction. And their mothers were rendered infertile. Turns out having a piece of your magic forcefully cut out of you is a bad idea. A lot of old families were killed off because of what those wizards reportedly did.” The Professor was no longer restraining his concern as it started to reflect into his mannerisms and tone of voice,

“But this magic from, eh, Equestria, is too different for us to get a handle on this early. We don’t know what could happen. If it weren’t for the fact that a child’s life hangs in the balance this would be really exciting for me.”

“So, you don’t know what will happen?” Celestia asked, slightly annoyed that this academic was not giving her a direct answer.

“My knowledge of the facets of magic is vast. I can see an unknown spell, analyze it, and tell you fifteen ways the caster could have performed the spell better. Despite all my knowledge, I cannot tell you if your cousin will survive.”

“Well, is there anyone who can?” She practically shouted at him.

The professor shook his head in shame,

“I can safely say that there is no witch or wizard that you would want near the boy that can tell you with certainty what is going to happen to him.” The professor made to leave but Celestia stopped him,

“Wait,” She said with regret at losing her temper at him, “There’s something else you might help me understand.”

“Anything,”

“The thing is, the magic that the girls used cleanses the target. Obviously, it wasn’t meant to hit Harry, but it shouldn’t be causing him this much harm.”

The academic nodded his head at her thought process,

“I had a similar train of thought Principal Faust.” The man regained his composure as he started leading a thought process, “We can assume that your student’s magic didn’t deem Harry’s magic itself as a dark force. Otherwise, Harry’s magic would have been all together purged from his body. It gives us some hope of compatibility between the two brands of magic and a greater chance of Mister Potter’s survival.”

Celestia nodded her head and let Colton continue.

“The fact that their magic found a foot hold to graft itself onto his is interesting. You see, magic is directly linked to a person’s soul. The soul acts as a protection to magic as the skin does to physical body. Breaching the soul should be near impossible, especially so if the magic used is positively aligned as you claim your students’ is.” The professor let out a cleansing breath and took a solemn expression,

“The only way I can see of this happening is that their magic did its job. That something dark was latched onto him for so long that its removal caused enough damage to penetrate into his magic. Then in an act of mercy, your student's magic attempted to repair the damage. The only thing I can think of that can breach the soul is dark soul magic.”

“Dark soul magic?”

“The American definition of light and dark magic is drawn by three main factors: the intent of creation, how it forces nature against its course, and the price that must be paid. Dark soul magic is the epitome of evil magic. The creators of this branch of magic were trying to achieve immortality by finding ways to bind their souls to the earth. To accomplish this, they committed heinous crimes. Rituals that made them less than human. Indeed, because of them Dementors were brought into existence.”

“And you are saying that Harry has been exposed to that kind of magic?” Celestia asked feeling a little sick hearing just from hearing about this kind of magic.

“It’s the only explanation that I can think of; but even then, there are holes in my theory.”

“How do you mean?”

“The primary purpose of binding the soul is to anchor it to something that will outlast you. An enchanted object for instance. Only a desperate man would try to anchor themselves to a living being. Especially a living being with a will of their own. There are too many things that could go wrong with the process.”

“Professor, I know that this is not the direction you were going but I have to ask: how do you know so much about such a dark topic?”

The professor visibly winced at the question.

“I am not authorized to answer that in detail Miss Faust. I will say that movies and stories about mummies and zombies have a very real, very dark, truth in the magical world.”

Sudden sporadic coughing and groaning alerted the two occupants of the room to the youth.

“Harry?” Celestia asked hopefully.

Fitfully, emerald green greeted the world. A dry voice asked,

“Aunt Celestia?”

“Oh, thank heaven Harry!” The administrator declared as she did her best to embrace the prone boy.

“I don’t feel so good.” Harry complained.

“You’ve been through a great ordeal Mister Potter.” Professor Smith said making himself known, “You still have a long way to go.”

Celestia slipped Harry’s glasses onto his face allowing him to see what was happening in the world around him.

“You’re… you’re that man from the park.”

“Professor Colton Smith of the American University of Magic. If you’d excuse me, I need to make a call.”

Without another word the man slipped from the room pulling his phone from his pocket. The two were not alone for very long as the healers disguised as doctors came sweeping in and started looking over Harry.

Although the young man’s awakening was a relief to Professor Smith there was something else on his mind. Something was off with the Faust sisters. Both of them were just all too accepting of the magical world. True they had been exposed to magic of a different sort for the past several months but this sort of… willingness to accept what they were told was not right. It was a reaction that he saw in many of his First-Generation students. They had become so numb to the idea of magic pushing the boundary of reality that when something new was dropped on them they simply shrugged it off. And if the dossier on the sisters were correct, when they were informed of Mister Potter’s status as a wizard they did not react like it was a massive bombshell dropped on them.

There was also the hidden test he included in that lecture. The dementor was not part of the introduction to magic conversation, and yet she did not ask what they were. She obviously knew more than what she was letting on. Or perhaps, what she could remember.

‘Perhaps I should ask Phil about this. His specialty is the mind after all.’ He mused to himself.

Just as he was about to dial Agent Hankinson his phone went off in his hand, and just as luck would have it, Agent Hankinson.

“Agent Hankinson, what a coincidence, I was going to call you.” The Professor listened to the other line for only a few moments before his eyes went wide, “She’s coming here? When is she… Ten minutes? Alright, I’ll be there soon.”

The professor set off in a brisk walk for an area he could Disapperate. If she getting involved, then the importance of the situation had been realized by the higher ups. Finally finding an abandoned room Colton turned on the spot and a moment of compression later he was back at Headquarters. With quick movements of his wand, he transfigured his day wear into his formal robe-suit and went inside.

The scene inside was more than a touch chaotic with agents and his fellow consultants using different cleaning spells to get the place back in order. In the middle of this was a very confused Sunset Shimmer, who was wearing formal clothes similar to his own. Taking pity on the poor girl the professor approached her.

“Miss Shimmer how are you today?” The teenager shrugged,

“I feel like a well-dressed prisoner.” She stated flatly.

“Well, you’ll be pleased to know that if my suspicions are correct, that will no longer be the case.”

“What do you mean Professor?”

“We are getting a very important guest in a few minutes. Her word will determine your fate. Well, to an extent.”

The doors to the headquarters suddenly opened to reveal a young woman being flanked by two agents. The woman’s long blond hair was braided to keep it manageable along with very pale blue eyes indicated northern European heritage. She was dressed in black slacks and matching suit and carried an air of authority with her.

At her appearance, all the wizards and witches stood a little straighter and all conversation came to a halt. She started towards the assembled group with a brisk pace with a smile on her face.

“Agent Hankinson,” She greeted and shook the aforementioned agent’s hand and shot a quick smirk at Colton,

“Professor Smith,” She said with a nod of her head, a gesture that the professor returned.

Finally, this woman got a good look at Sunset.

“And you must be Sunset Shimmer! An honor it is to meet you.”

With trepidation Sunset shook the mystery woman’s hand as she introduced herself,

“Isabelle Saunders, Secretary of Magic.”

Author's Note

I'd like to thank ChaosInfinity-X for helping me hammer out Isabelle Saunders. You'll be getting to meet her in the chapters to come.
I have been informed that my version of the American Magical System is different than the one presented in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, truth be told I haven't seen it so I do not know how it is set up in cannon. I am writing what makes sense to me and what I think best fits with history and the mindset of early Americans. Tell me what you think in the up coming chapters and keep those comments flowing, they make any writers day.
Ranoa

Lunch with the Secretary

Sunset felt really out of place at the moment. Immediately after the brief introduction to the Secretary of Magic, Miss Saunders had insisted on lunch. Just her, Sunset, Agent Hankinson, and Professor Smith at an upscale restaurant in the uptown district of Canterlot. So now Sunset was sitting with someone she assumed was an extremely important person. She was still under ‘assumption’ stage because no one had bothered to explain what Miss Saunders’ role was.

Speaking of said woman, the Secretary was an alright person to be around. Sunset remembered the nobles of Equestria and found them to be rather snobbish. In retrospect, she laughed when she realized her own attitude towards others at the same time was extremely rude, not too different from said nobles. Miss Saunders however? She was trying to be a genuine person.

Finally, in a private dining room with food ordered did Isabelle Saunders get down to business.

“Now Sunset, I can imagine that you have many questions.”

“Yes ma’am. I do.”

“Well, now is the time to ask.”

Sunset took a breath,

“First of all, just what are you all? I gather that you all are magic users that are living in secret, but please tell me more. How wide spread are you? How long you have you known about us and the portal?”

“I suppose that a brief history is in order. Colton, try to get it brief. This is magic 101 not one of your advanced courses.”

“Alright,” The Professor huffed, visibly miffed at the stab the Secretary made at him. Still, he cleared his throat and started,

“In almost every nation in the world there exists a community of magic users. Our precise origins are still a mystery to us, but as far as we can tell we grew up the same time the rest of the human race did. Some argument is made that we developed slightly faster than the rest of the human race because of our access to magic. Scientifically we call ourselves Homo Sapiens Magus, or magical humans. For various reasons, we prefer to keep to ourselves, but individuals have appeared throughout history that have tried to either subjugate the rest of humanity or expose Magic to the world. For that purpose, we established an international law that we call the Statute of Secrecy, in which all wizards and witches agree to not do anything that will attract the attention of non-magical folks.”

“How do you enforce a law like that?”

“It is up to the individual countries to police themselves against high risk security threats.” Secretary Saunders explained, “Herding magical beasts away from populated areas, responding to public displays of magic, enforcing restrictions on underage magic, memory modification…”

“Memory modification!? As in you make people forget?” Sunset asked more than worried. If these people could make people forget about magic what else could they make her forget?

“Only in isolated situations, and only what is needed to keep magic a secret.”

Seeing the sudden look of fear in her eyes, Saunders continued,

“You don’t have to worry about having your memory modified, seeing as you and your friends could classify as magical. But yes, the thought that we possess the power to alter memories is a scary thought. That’s why we restrict who is permitted to learn those spells. It makes the non-magical government feel safer.”

“Wait,” Sunset interrupted, “You mean that the normal government knows about you?”

Secretary Saunders nodded,

“The President, two or three members of the Senate and the House of Representatives, along with a Supreme Court Justice.”

“So many?”

“I have to make regular reports to the president, as well as advise him on helping maintain our secrecy. The other people represent the non-magical interests within the Magical Congress when we make decisions that could impact both communities. It’s part of our charter.”

“The document that allows magicals to tend to our own needs and secures our rights.”

“Wow, sounds like an interesting system.” Sunset commented. To her it sounded like that the magical community was almost its own nation.

“We are still American citizens. I may be one of the most influential people in the American Community, but I still am subject to the non-magical government.”

“But you are the one that has the final say in terms of things magical, right?”

“To an extent. It depends on how much the situation impacts the non-magical side of life. Much like our situation here.” Isabelle said leaning forward,

“Tell me Sunset, just how many people know about your brand of magic?”

“Um, the entire student body, a couple of camp counselors, and a handful of people from Crystal Prep.” Sunset confessed bashfully.

The Secretary sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose,

“This complicates matters. If the people who were in the know were relatively low, we could brush this situation under the rug and no one would be none the wiser. The whole town however? The ICW would be all over us if we kept this hushed up.”

“But they wouldn’t be able to complete an entire memory wipe.” Agent Hankinson countered, “They would have to find something else to do.”

“If we don’t come up with our own solution that is.” The professor supplied giving the Isabelle a knowing look.

“You think this is a good place?” The Secretary asked.

“The locals are already aware of a kind of magic. What would be the appearance of a few more magic users other than a new addition to something already strange?”

“I would have to get it passed by the President, but I think we would be able to get something going come September.”

“Madam Secretary?” Agent Hankinson interrupted, “What are you talking about?”

“Just a little project that has been in the works for a while.” The Secretary clarified, “For the past twenty years the Magical Congress have been working on a plan on integrating a defined magical curriculum into public schools. Problem was finding a place where if magic got out of hand that it wouldn’t be noticed too much.”

“So how do you know about it professor?” Hankinson asked.

“I have been part of the consultation board since I got my Bachelors.” The Professor said simply.

‘What isn’t this guy part of?’ Sunset asked herself.

“Now that we have that taken care of, there is the matter of this portal that I read about.”

“It appears to be a naturally occurring rift between our world and a realm called Equestria.” The Professor said.

“Does it pose a threat?”

“To be honest? No more dangerous than the world that we already live in.”

Sunset let out a breath she didn’t even know that she was holding. It seemed that the Secretary greatly valued Professor Smith’s input and hearing him call her only connection back to Equestria not a hazard was a great relief.

“However, it does come with a few troubles.” Agent Hankinson interrupted, “I assume you read the report on the one called Death Flight? He nearly killed an underage wizard to achieve some sort of nonsense.”

“It’s not nonsense, Agent Hankinson.” Professor Smith retorted before explaining, “He was attempting to use the soul link between the realms to destroy an enemy back in his home realm.”

“Soul link professor?” Isabelle asked. Sunset felt compelled to explain,

“The friends that I made here have a version of themselves back in Equestria.”

“And there are likely versions of all of you in other worlds too.” Professor Smith added, “In my Grandfather’s notes he says that certain souls are linked together. Sort of a way that the multiple worlds binds itself together; like lengths of rope. If anything happens to one end of the line it will do harm to the other.”

“And Harry’s other half is in Equestria?” Sunset asked.

“Death Flight seems to think so; and I find it oddly coincidental that Mister Potter is pulled from Great Britain to a random town in America shortly before an evil from another world comes looking for the shared soul of his enemy.”

“That does seem a bit odd.” Secretary Isabelle commented.

“Then there is the matter of Death Flight. I am worried who his link might be, and what that implies.”

“Pardon?” Sunset asked. It was Secretary Saunders that took lead on this topic,

“Sunset, something that you have to understand is that not all wizards are good. The magical community suffers from its own share of terrorists and would be tyrants. At the beginning of this last century there was one such wizard in Britain. Went by the name of Voldemort. It is because of him that Mister Potter was orphaned.”

“He… he…” Sunset couldn’t find the words to say.

“According to popular belief, Mister Potter was somehow able to reflect the curse meant to kill him back onto Voldemort. Gave him his distinguished scar.” Professor Smith continued, “But I don’t think Voldemort is gone. Not anymore.”

“Because of Death Flight?”

“Voldemort loosely translates to ‘Flight of Death.’ My Grandfather in his notes said that you can discern a soul linked pair by certain similarities between the two.”

“This whole area reflects Equestria.” Sunset added, “There are so many similarities between the two it’s not even funny.”

“Precisely.” Professor Smith confirmed, “Now, it is near impossible for one half of a linked pair to survive without their counterpart. If one half is destroyed then the other half suffers; unless the connection between the two was cut, but that is an entirely different matter. Therefore, it stands to reason that if Voldemort and Death Flight are connected halves, if Death Flight is still alive then so is Voldemort.”

“But how…” Started Agent Hankinson but the academic wizard cut her off,

“That is not a discussion for this table.” He said giving a nod towards Sunset. Catching what the teacher meant she silenced her question.

“Is Mister Potter still in danger?” Secretary Saunders asked.

“I won’t claim to know the mind of a deranged dark sorcerer from another world; but any tactician would not try to strike again so soon while we are on guard. As for the threat from this world? I really don’t know.”

“We’ll have a team continue to monitor Mister Potter for his safety.” Agent Hankinson offered.

“Please do Agent.” Isabelle said, “I’ll strongly suggest protective wards placed around the house as well.”

“We’ll get on that right away.”

“Good.” Then Isabelle shook her head before turning her attention back to Sunset, “I’m so sorry Miss Shimmer. We have been all over the place. Please, tell me more about yourself.”

Sunset then took up the next part of lunch talking about what life was like back in Equestria. When she got to the part about her coming to earth she hesitated, but somehow Isabelle was able to coax the truth out of her. So, with regret Sunset confessed to the people who controlled her fate about her scheme for invading Equestria and how Princess Twilight stopped her.

“So, am I going to be arrested now?” Sunset asked with her shoulders slumped down. She was not expecting the Secretary of Magic to burst out laughing.

“Arrest you? My Sunset my dear, we don’t arrest teenagers for getting high off magic. You would get community service and a mark on your record.”

“But back in Equestria I am considered an adult.” Sunset protested, feeling really confused now.

“You may be an adult back where you come from but I can see several things that prove you’re not.” Isabelle said looking at Sunset’s adolescent body, “You’ve still been growing into your body, have you not?”

With a blush on her face, Sunset remembered everything that had changed over the years.

“Yes.”

“It would also be safe to assume that ponies from Equestria grow about the same rate as they do from our world. Human and non-human years don’t exactly match up, do they?”

“Shorter life spans, quicker growth periods, makes sense to me.” Professor Smith commented with a smile, seeing where Isabelle was going with this. “Missing an actual conversion table, it we would be safe in declaring you a minor.”

Before Sunset could question the Secretary for her decision, Isabelle sealed the discussion,

“Just go with it.”

Sunset had to take a hard thought minute before she accepted that she had been essentially pardoned for everything she had done from a legal stand point. There was that nagging part of her that said she didn’t deserve it; but if there was she had learned since being blasted by Princess Twilight at the Fall Formal, forgiveness is not something you necessarily feel you deserve, but it is still yours to be had.

“Thank you, Madam Secretary.” Sunset replied gratefully. As conversation progressed to other topics, Sunset felt a warm sensation that she had come to know well. She was hopeful of the future.

-Headmaster’s Office, Hogwarts-

Albus frowned at the marring on his office door. The inscription that had etched itself into his door a few days ago, was still there. It wouldn’t fade and no matter the spell he used he could not fix the damage. He was beginning to believe it was a dark spell and planned to summon Severus to give him a second opinion. Albus sighed and turned away from the offending message and returned to his desk.

It had taken a few days but he had convinced Cornelius of a path to take. When the ICW would next meet, the British representative would present a claim that Harry represented the future of Great Britain. They would build him up as an icon for forward progression and play it as imperative for Britain to have Harry back. Of course, since he, Albus, hadn’t presented the claim he could retain his seat in the proceedings and break any deadlock in the vote. Albus conceded it was a longshot, but it was imperative that Harry come back to save his own authority and power.

Albus let out a groan as he took his place behind the desk. The lateness of the hour and his recent activities took its toll on his body. Unconsciously, his eyes grew heavy and he slipped into slumber.

Though to the world Dumbledore was asleep, the old Headmaster had not realized that he had slipped into the realm of Morpheus. To him, he had gone from sitting in his office chair to someplace entirely different in one moment.

He stood on a pathway that appeared to be made of starlight and cosmic gas. All around looked he was surrounded by scenes of the cosmos, filtered through a light blue mist. The whole place radiated with power and comfort. Here, Albus didn’t feel the aches of age or even the worry of tomorrow. If there was anyplace comparable to Muggle’s idea of heaven, he felt this must be it.

All at once, the happy feeling left. Washed away in a wave of rage that washed over the heavenly place. The nebulous gas stirred with great agitation; the peaceful colors grew into deep and angry reds and oranges. Wind whipped his robes and long beard about; the gusts stung his eyes, forcing him to now squint at the world around him. Even though the wind was fierce and whistled in his ears he heard a booming voice,

“I warned you to leave him alone!” The voice belonged to a female, that was obvious. The sternness was not too different from what he heard mothers use in scolding their children, and carried tremendous power behind it.

“If you proceed with your plans all that you have worked for will be undone! This is your last warning!”

A gigantic equine figure rose from amongst the mist. The beast looked like it had been born from the blue star mist from earlier with a flowing mane of rainbow color billowing behind it. The creature also had the wings of a Pegasus and the horn of a unicorn. Albus didn’t have much time to process what he saw though, because the moment that the beast had risen into view a beam of light originating from the tip of the equine’s horn blasted Albus.

The Headmaster woke with a start and nearly fell out of his chair. Taking a moment to assure himself that all that transpired was simply a dream Albus took a look outside to gauge the time. The sun was just starting to rise, just about as good as time as any to get out of the office. Some cool morning air would help him clear his head. So, the Headmaster left, never considering greater forces than him at play.

Author's Note

Sorry that this chapter is mostly exposition. I promise that in a chapter or two things will pick up. In the mean time please review and share with a friend. Until next time,
Ranoa- Walker of Worlds

At the Bedside

-Canterlot General Hospital-

The so-called savior of Great Britain was still in pain despite the seemingly gallons of potions the healers had been flooding his system with through the I.V. drip. He didn’t hurt as much now as he did when he first woke up; it was more of the dull throbbing kind of pain, throughout his entire body mind you. Not enough to render him completely immobile, but enough to be in need of assistance when he wanted to stand up.

His mind, however, a storm of thought. He still wasn’t completely aware of what was going on, only that there was another psychopath coming after him and that the seven girls, along with his cousins, kept a very large secret from him. He only hoped to get some answers soon.

His stupor was interrupted when the door to his room opened slightly before opening up gently. Harry recognized the meek voice as it called in,

“Uhm, Harry?”

“Fluttershy?”

The pink haired girl slipped her way into the room and closed the door behind her,

“Principal Celestia told us that you were awake and could take visitors. Do you mind if I… you know?” The timid girl asked from where she stood by the door.

“Uh, sure. I guess I wouldn’t mind a visit.” Harry responded. It felt a bit odd, a moment ago, he was extremely frustrated at the girls who called themselves his friends. All that frustration ended as soon as Fluttershy had entered the room. The animal lover crossed over to his bed and sat down on the edge of it, plopping her backpack in her lap.

“I thought you could use something to help cheer you up, so I brought you someone.”

Fluttershy reached into her backpack and to Harry’s surprise extracted a tiny pure black kitten.

“This is Middie, she was born at the shelter with the rest of her brothers and sisters.” Fluttershy turned her attention to the kitten, “Middie, this is Harry, he was hurt recently and could use a friend while he gets better. I promise he’s a nice boy.”

To Harry’s amazement while Fluttershy was talking to the diminutive cat the teenage girl underwent a change. In small dazzles of lights her human ears were replaced by a set of pony ears on the top of her head, her hair gained an extension and a pair of feathered wings appeared from her shoulder blades. Harry recognized that Rainbow Dash had undergone a similar change when they arrived at the park.

“What…”

Harry cut himself off when the kitten on Fluttershy’s lap left the comfort of the girl and ventured over to the afflicted boy. The kitten looked up at the young wizard with expectant eyes. Unable to resist, Harry scratched behind Middie’s ears. The tiny black kitten melted into Harry’s hand and fully embraced the affection, happily purring. Petting the cat was oddly cathartic and part of Harry’s discomfort vanished.

“She likes you.” Fluttershy happily said.

“How’d you do that?” Harry asked, “It was like she could understand you. Was it magic?”

“Oh, not really.” Fluttershy said, “I’ve always loved animals. For as long as I can remember I’ve been able to understand animals, and they’ve always trusted me. It wasn’t until recently that’ve been able to get them to do what I ask.”

“You understand them? Like you can hear what they’re saying?” Harry asked thinking back to the python from the London Zoo.

“Well, it was more like understanding how they felt. When my powers grew I really began to understand what they were saying.”

“Meow.” Middie brought attention back to her.

“Oh! She wants you to stroke along her back now.”

Complying with the demands of the kitten Harry started stroking along Middie’s back. Once again, the cat let out a meow. Harry didn’t need a translator for that,

“Your welcome.”

The door to Harry’s room opened again and a bespectacled girl stepped in,

“Oh, Fluttershy! You’re here.”

“Hi Twilight!” The other girl greeted, her pony features fading.

“Hey Fluttershy!” A new voice came from Twilight’s backpack. Said satchel rustled violently for a moment before Spike the dog slipped from the sack.

Harry’s body froze in shock at this sudden revelation.

“You… you can talk!” Harry almost shouted, upsetting Maddie.

“Sure can!” Spike proudly declared before jumping up on the bed. Fluttershy wisely withdrew the kitten from Harry’s person when Spike approached.

“Glad to finally meet ya for real! Name’s Spike, though you already knew that.” The dog greeted extending a paw. Hesitantly, Harry shook with the purple and green dog.

“How can you talk?” Harry asked.

“Not one-hundred percent sure but I passed through a few portals to another world and picked up the power of speech.”

“Another world?”

“A realm of existence set apart from our own.”

“It’s all confusin’ to me little feller.” A distinctive drawl commented as its owner walked in, “Ya feelin’ alright?”

“I’m still pretty sore. Doctors say it has more to do with something with my magic than my body. Magic isn’t as easy to fix.” Harry responded, “Not that I don’t want you here, but what are all of you doing here?”

“When we heard you were awake we thought we should come see you and apologize for not telling you sooner.”

“But mostly we wanted to say we were sorry for hitting you with our magical friendship laser!” Pinkie Pie’s voice cut in suddenly. Said overly happy girl poked her head out from a nearby supply cabinet, one that she shouldn’t have been able to fit in unless she was one of the world’s greatest contortionists, and lacked any sort of ridged bones in her body. Needless to say, Harry was slack-jawed. The impossibility of it all…

“Don’t bother thinking about it. It’s just Pinkie Pie.” Spike advised.

“Right,” Harry replied, remembering something similar his cousins told him.

Shortly thereafter both Rarity and Rainbow Dash showed up. After a few minutes of the obligatory, “How do you do?” and, “What are the doctor’s saying?” Rainbow Dash asked the question that was on all of the girl’s minds.

“So, who was that guy from the park? The suits have been pretty tight lipped on the whole thing.”

“I couldn’t say. I thought he was Voldemort but I guess he wasn’t.”

“Who’s Voldemort?” Applejack asked.

“The man who killed my parents.”

The entire room fell into a mixed bunch of shocked responses. A varied array of gasps, whimpers, and slack jawed expressions (plus one very loud “What?!” from Pinkie) chorused around the room.

“Uh… sorry.” Rainbow Dash said just a bit more than ashamed. Fluttershy scooted closer to Harry and did her best to hug the bedridden boy, fighting back her tears. The girl’s actions were a signal for the rest of the group to gather round the head of the bed and gather Harry in their arms. Of course, Pinkie Pie’s hug included a waterfall of tears.

“I feel for ya Sugar Cube. I lost mah parent’s too.” Applejack consoled. The other girls offered words of sympathy and comfort; Harry’s heart couldn’t take it anymore. Deep with him, Harry felt something snap, and unbidden tears filled his eyes.

He couldn’t understand. He had become desensitized years ago, to the fact that his parents were dead, he hadn’t even shed a tear when he found out that his parents had been killed. Somehow, this embrace with these girls were breaking open old wounds and letting him hurt once again.

“Thanks, everyone.” Harry breathed out eventually, “This helped, a lot.”

“You’re welcome darling.” Rarity replied, “What sort of friends would we be if we didn’t show you our concern and care for you?”

Their tender moment was interrupted by the door opening up,

“Oh my, it is quite crowded in here.” A voice from the door said.

The girls, plus Harry and Spike, looked towards the entry to see a trio standing in view. However, the only two that the girls recognized were Professor Colton Smith and,

“SUNSET!” All the older girls exclaimed with excitement. Pinkie, being herself, threw her person at the former resident of Equestria and embraced the other girl, with an unnaturally large fountain of tears ejecting from her eyes.

“WE! WERE! SO! WORRIED!” The expressive girl sobbed out. Giving a polite awkward smile Sunset returned the hug,

“I’m glad to see you too Pinkie.” The orange and yellow haired girl turned her attention onto Harry once Pinkie had satisfied her need to hug,

“Hey Harry, glad to see you’re awake.”

“Thanks,” Harry replied genuinely.

“I just wanted to apologize for keeping the magic around here a secret. We didn’t know how you would react.”

“We’re even. I couldn’t tell you about mine either.” Harry joked.

“And sorry about hitting you with our magic. If we didn’t you wouldn’t have been put in a hospital.”

“If you hadn’t tried Miss Shimmer, Mister Potter might not even be here.”

“From what I have been told you and your friends went above and beyond what could be expected from normal teenagers.” The mystery woman commented, putting a hand on Sunset’s shoulder, “I’ll see if I can’t swing some kind of recognition for all of you.”

“Ah, not to be rude or anything, but who are you?” Rainbow asked the mystery woman.

“Isabelle Saunders. Secretary of Magic. I essentially oversee all things magic related in the United States and its territories.”

“Like the Minister of Magic?” Harry asked. Isabelle’s face contorted into one of frustration at the comparison,

“Yes, much like a Minister. However, unlike those oafs in Britain I know who I work for.”

Harry grew a little angry hearing his native country being regarded as oafs,

“What do you mean by that?”

“You’re too young to fully understand the political world Mister Potter; but Cornelius Fudge is nothing more than a puppet on a string. Can’t even make a decision by himself.”

“That’s because he’s new in office,” Harry protested, not even really understanding why he was defending Fudge when he didn’t even know the man himself, “And he’s got Dumbledore to help him!”

The reaction from the two adults were not what Harry was expecting. Both had varying degrees of scowl and the look on Professor Smith’s face was bordering on murderous. Before Harry could ask why, Isabelle explained,

“Mister Potter, the name Albus Dumbledore might mean something to a lot of people, but to a great deal of people in the United States he is not someone to look up to.”

Hagrid’s words of Dumbledore being a great man fueled Harry’s next question,

“Well why not? He’s done a lot of great things! He’s one of the greatest wizards of this age!”

“I suppose you refer to the back of a cholate frog card?” Professor Smith said with a particular edge in his voice, “Let’s see, defeat of Grindelwald in World War Two. There was an entire team dedicated to taking down the dark wizard, including four American combat specialists. When the team was closing in on Grindelwald’s location an anonymous tip leads the team to a point thirty miles away from his actual location. Then Dumbledore, who had no business being at the front lines, comes in and defeats the dark wizard while the team gets caught in a firefight which cost the four Americans their lives saving the rest of the team and the squad of non-magical soldiers that got caught up in the whole affair.

“The discovery of the twelve uses of dragon blood,” Fluttershy looked a little sick at the thought of any creature being used in such a way, let alone for their blood, “Other wizards through the ages had been working on researching the magical properties of dragon blood. Suddenly, Dumbledore comes out with the twelve uses by himself. He wasn’t even authorized to be researching dragons at the time. That little bit of information was swept under the rug because everyone was so appreciative of ‘his,’ big discovery.”

“Even if his accomplishments were untarnished there is his political clout that has many of us concerned.” Isabelle said with a bit more calmness than her Professor counterpart, “He has the highest seats of judicial power in both Britain and the International Confederation of Wizards. Several bills that have directly helped Britain have only been passed through because Albus tipped the scales in their favor. He has too much power that is left unchecked.”

“But he uses that power to do so much good for everyone.” Harry protested, the image of the grandfatherly man who greeted him in the hospital wing trying to win out in his mind, “He protected the Philosopher’s Stone from Voldemort just this last year.”

There was almost an audible squealing of a car’s breaks when Harry revealed this bit of news.

“Excuse me Mister Potter, what was that last bit about the Philosopher’s Stone?” Secretary Saunders asked as calmly as she could.

“Professor Dumbledore moved the Stone from Gringott’s and placed it Hogwarts to protect it from Voldemort’s ghost this last year.”

“And you know this how?”

“My friends and I found out and stopped Voldemort from getting it.”

“Mister Potter, Dumbledore broke several laws doing that.” Secretary Saunders said. Sudden hurt in Harry’s heart kept him from responding. Not that he would have been able to anyway, Applejack interrupted,

“Uhm, fer those who are still new to this whole thing, what the hay is a Philosopher’s Stone?”

“An enchanted item that is said to make the owner immortal and turn metals into gold.” Rainbow Dash replied to everyone’s surprise, “What? I read fantasy books.”

“The Stone is the most advanced piece of alchemy ever created.” Professor Smith explained once again, “The philosophers of ancient Greece theorized its potential existence; but that theory would not be proved until the 1600’s in France where one Nicholas Flamel discovered how to make it. As Miss Dash stated it is able to transmute metals into pure gold, and is a key factor in creating the Elixir of Life, a potion that prolongs life.”

“I thought it made the drinker immortal.” Harry said confused.

“No mortal can truly live forever. The Elixir is more of a really powerful medicine that heals injury, disease, and provides longevity.”

“The Goblin nation was not too pleased to hear about the effects it had over metal. If the Stone became common place, then their gold would be practically worthless. The wizarding world at the time was in no place to handle another Goblin uprising so the two nations signed The Flamel Concord. No further production of the Stone would be permitted, the goblins got to keep it under lock and key, Flamel was able to access the Stone to create more of his elixir when he needed and a bunch of safeguards put in place to keep the humans or goblins from removing it without a consensus of the ICW. There has not been a consensus reached by the ICW regarding the Stone approved or proposed in the last thirty years.”

The weight of what had just been revealed to him crushed down on Harry. Dumbledore had broken such a large law? It was too much for him to handle. He was about to have a meltdown when Fluttershy placed Middie back into his arms. The kitten’s presence helped Harry hold in his emotions for the most part.

“Mister Potter, I’m sorry that so much has been dumped on you so fast. It makes me feel awful for breaking your world apart.”

“I’ll… I’ll get by.”

“If there is any help I can give let me know.” Isabelle said withdrawing a business card from her suit, handing it to Harry, “This has my personal contact information on it. If you want to talk about anything, please let me know. Alright?”

Harry nodded, accepting the offered card. The Secretary and young man continued to converse while off to the side Twilight made her way over to Professor Smith,

‘Um, Professor?”

“Yes, Miss Sparkle?”

“Could I have a word please?”

“Of course,”

Doing their best not to make a scene the two slipped outside the room.

“Something on your mind?” Professor Smith asked. He really didn’t need to go this route if he wanted. He already had an idea of what was on the girl’s mind.

“With all this business around magic and… well…”

“You’re wondering if the offer to Yale is still valid?”

Shamefully Twilight nodded,

“A boy ended up in the hospital and I’m worried about a scholarship.” Twilight admitted, “What kind of friend am I?”

“You’re human, prone to folly and personal concerns.” The Professor consoled, “Allow me to put your worries to rest Miss Sparkle. Every accreditation in the American Community is required to have a matching one in the non-magical world. Agent Hankinson is registered with the FBI, Secretary Saunders is part of the President’s Cabinet, and I am a part time professor of theoretical physics at Yale.”

With a big grin the Professor continued,

“I told you once that the letter that I gave you was real; I meant every word.”

Relieved tears flowed from Twilight’s eyes as hope filled her heart again.

“Although,” Professor Smith said coyly, “With recent events being the way they are, you might just end up with an offer to the American University of Magic.”

Before anything more could be said, raised voices could be heard inside the door they had just exited. A sudden explosion of green sparkling smoke broke through the window to Harry’s room. A worried Colton Smith and Twilight Sparkle rushed into the room,

“What in Merlin’s name just happened here?” Professor Smith asked.

Then, as the smoke cleared he saw his answer,

“Well, I think the graft took.”

Author's Note

I am surprised how fast this chapter came forward. It just flowed so easily. Read, enjoy, and please leave a comment below. Thank you all for your continued support.

What Happened Because

-Faust Residence-

Celestia Faust was called to her front door by a sharp knocking. She let out a sigh of relief when she saw the person who stood outside.

“Professor Smith, please tell me you have something.” The academic wizard nodded and held up a brief case,

“They’re only prototypes but I think they will work. May I come in?”

Celestia allowed the wizard to enter and motioned to the living room,

“Take a seat, I’ll go get Harry.”

The Professor took a seat on one of the upright seats and set the case down by his feet. Any thoughts he attempted to have were interrupted by a stern voice from the entry,

“You hurt his feelings you know.” Looking up Colton was met by the hard gaze of Luna Faust, “What you and the Secretary did to him at the hospital really got to him. He has enough going on in his life without you trying to destroy what he believes in.”

“You are referring to our talk about Dumbledore I take it?”

“Yes,” Luna said through clenched teeth, “I am. I understand about holding a grudge but that is no excuse for passing on your venom onto an innocent soul.”

Colton was about to argue but stopped. The academic hung his head and took several deep breaths,

“You are right of course. For that I must offer my apologies. Every wizarding society has a particular flaw that hangs over their heads. I guess you can call it a side effect of our magic. If you will permit it, I will apologize and do what I can to help Mister Potter overcome he damage my faults caused.”

Their conversation was cut short when Celestia walked back in supporting Harry on her arm, helping him keep balance. The academic wizard took note the boy was wearing a hood that completely shadowed his face.

“Hello Professor.”

“Hello Mister Potter. How are you feeling today?”

“Still a bit hard to get around on my own; but I am getting solid foods again.”

“That is great to hear.” Colton greeted watching the youth take a seat in on the sofa where his ‘aunties’ joined him.

“Before we begin, I must apologize to you.” Under the hood, Harry was confused, “At the hospital the other day I forced my opinion of Dumbledore on you. A man of learning should never present his own opinions and biases as truth. Let alone push it upon a student. He can present his beliefs as long as he remains objective and encourage the listener to form their own opinions.”

Professor Smith hung his head,

“I am ashamed to say that I allowed my displeasure against Great Britain to influence my speech towards you. American wizards are notorious for their ability to hold grudges, and oftentimes need a reminder that we have spoken out of turn. I have received severe chastisement from Miss Fluttershy after I left the hospital and from other sources as well.”

“Wait, Fluttershy was angry with you?” Harry asked in disbelief. He couldn’t imagine Fluttershy having enough backbone to tell off anyone, let alone a grown wizard.

The grown man let loose a visible shudder,

“That stare of hers. It felt like she was digging into my soul.”

From their seats Celestia and Luna shared a knowing smile and nod at the mention of the timid girl’s power to make people crack.

“She was angry that I would add emotional distress while you were experiencing physical pain. Later, I was reminded how poorly I represented my vocation. Therefore, it is my duty to offer my apology.”

Keeping his head bowed Colton said very slowly and clearly,

“I, Colton Smith, do humbly and sincerely offer my apology to Harry James Potter and his guardians, Celestia and Luna Faust, for adding insult to injury and my failings as a man of education and seeker of greater understanding. So, say I.”

Looking back up the Professor explained,

“That was a proper wizard apology. It will be your choice to accept the apology or not. Take your time in deciding that though. I want it to be your own choice and not just because immediate halfhearted forgiveness is something of a norm.” Without waiting for a response, the man picked up his case and placed it on the coffee table between him and the Faust household,

“Now, for the more pressing matter. Mister Potter, would you mind taking your hood off please?”

Harry hesitated to comply, but with some silent assurance from his cousins he drew down his hood. Professor Smith took stock of the appearance of the young wizard before him, and confirmed that he hadn’t changed from a week and a half ago. The boy’s skin color had tanned several shades, making him look like he had spent a summer at the beach. This skin color change, however, was not the reason for the hood.

Perched on the top of his head, Harry now sported a set of pony ears that were the same color of his new skin tone. Along with his new ears, a pony tail as messy as his normal hair hung down to between his shoulder blades. These were the tell-tale signs of Equestrian magic at work.

“So, no change since the hospital?”

“None.” Celestia replied rubbing Harry’s back comfortingly, “When the girls use their magic the signs are gone shortly after they stop using it.”

“So, they told me. This only supports the idea that merging the two magics has altered the nature of Harry’s natural magic, and how the Equestrian magic works for him.”

The professor popped open the case, withdrawing a pair of leather gloves from within. As he put the gloves on he explained,

“To that end, we must determine to what extent it has been changed and how to best regulate it.”

“Does that mean another magical blood test?” Celestia asked.

“That kind of test would do little good for us at the moment. Although, you may be asked to submit to another one here soon Mr. Potter. I am here to try to find an immediate solution to the problem. An expert in magical development is being called in to help and will be able to give a much better long term treatment.”

From within the case Professor Smith withdrew a set of dull grey metal tongs.

“I don’t suppose you have learned the effects of nonorganic materials on magic have you Mr. Potter?”

“No sir.”

“Alright, essentially certain materials can conduct or inhibit the flow of magic just as they do the flow of electricity. These tongs and gloves I am using inhibit the flow of my magic so that I do not throw off the test results.”

There was a dull clink of metal on metal as the Professor withdrew a shaft of metal from within the case.

“This is a wand made of conductive metal. It will allow magic to pass through and see just what state you are in.”

“Sir, I thought I wasn’t allowed to use magic.” Harry protested.

“It is true that you are not permitted to use magic in the public. However, in front of family and those in the know, magic is permitted as long as you don’t overuse the privilege. Not all Americans can attend the Salem Institution, so you are permitted to use magic at home for educational purposes.”

Harry accepted the redefined law and took the offered wand. The metal was cold and just felt awkward in his hand. It felt worse than all those wands in Olivander’s that didn’t match.

“You are feeling discomfort holding the wand, yes?”

“Yes sir.”

“As is to be expected. There is a reason why wizards prefer to use organic materials to build wands, but that is a subject for another day. For now, though, try casting a simple levitation spell on this weight. Just a few inches off the table will do.” The professor withdrew said weighted disk from his brief case.

A happy memory invaded Harry’s mind right before he cast the spell. The memory of a club floating in the air before coming down on a Mountain Troll’s head.

“Wingardium Leviosa.”

One moment the weight rested on the table the next there was the sound of something breaking through the ceiling. The group looked up and gaped at the hole Harry had accidentally made with his spell.

“Well, not completely unexpected.” The Professor said using his magic to return the weight and fix the damages done. “It would seem that the magic graft you received has tremendously increased your magic’s potency.”

The professor then closed his eyes in thought for a few minutes, mentally processing possibilities. After some contemplation, he withdrew a silver bracelet that had what looked like a diamond set in it,

“Try this on Mr. Potter.”

Harry accepted the accessory and placed it on his wrist. Immediately, the metal felt cold and tingly. The sensation was over in a few seconds but the sudden lack of weight on the back of his head was sign enough of what just happened. He reached up and felt the sides of his head, a very normal set of human ears were in their proper place. His skin tone was still the darker hue than it was before the magic graft, but that was not important.

“I’m back to normal! Professor, how...”

“I theorized that your body was producing more powerful magic than you are used too. Your natural functions need less magic than before so you had excess magic just hanging around. That was causing your change and maintaining it. That bracelet draws on your magic and gives it someplace to go.”

On closer examination Harry noticed the gem on his wrist giving off a faint glow,

“What’s it doing?” He asked motioning to the gem.

“Currently, your gem is acting as a magical capacitor. Storing the magic to use at a later date. That being said, arrangements will have to be made to get replacement gems once this one gets full.”

“How do we know when it’s full?” Luna asked.

“It will turn a different color.” He replied simply.

The professor then had Harry test his magic again to make sure there were no further complications that needed fixing. Once the gambit of spells was finished the professor gathered up his tools and shut the case.

“Like I said, an expert in child development was called and has agreed to come and give her advice.”

“Thank you, Professor. For all your help.” Celestia expressed the household’s gratitude.

“It is my pleasure. This is a whole new region of magic to study. The possibilities are endless!”

“Can we count on you for any further complications?” Luna asked.

“My mind and services are at your disposal when you need them. And Mister Potter,” The Professor turn his comment to the young wizard, “I am truly sorry for being overbearing towards Dumbledore.” With that he bid the family farewell and departed to go about his business.

After a few minutes of silence Celestia spoke up,

“Well, at least he was kind enough to apologize for unacademic behavior.”

“I highly doubt he would have apologized if he hadn’t been persuaded to.” Luna pointed out, still a little upset with the Professor.

The sisters turned their attention back to Harry who was deep in contemplation.

“What’s on your mind Harry?” Luna asked taking up a spot next to him.

“Professor Smith’s apology.”

“What about it?”

“It has me even more confused about what to think about Dumbledore.”

Celestia and Luna exchanged glances with each other before Celestia began,

“Harry, I don’t think Professor Smith was apologizing for what he said about Dumbledore, but more of how he delivered his information.”

“Men of higher understanding shouldn’t give biased facts and information they believe to be true. They are supposed to encourage the learner to investigate and form their own opinion.” Luna explained, “His message in the hospital was neither tactful or befitting one of his vocation.”

Harry let this sink in before asking,

“So, what should I do?”

“Remember that everyone has their good sides and bad sides, and that just because an adult says something doesn’t make it sure fact.” Luna concluded.

“If what we gathered is true, the States will try to launch an inquiry into Dumbledore’s actions; recent and past. After that, we can have a better idea about what is going on.”

Harry nodded, agreeing with the course of action Celestia had purposed. The preadolescent boy then let out a yawn before settling deeper into the cushion. If he was still with the Dursley family they would never allow him to get so comfortable on their sofa, then again Vernon took up almost all the room on the furniture.

He hadn’t even been with the Faust’s for even a full month yet and already they felt more like family than the Dursley’s ever did. Case in point, when it became apparent that Harry was on the verge of falling asleep Luna, with a big grin on her face, guided his head down to her lap and let Harry curl up, using her lap as a pillow.

“So, it seems that the government wants to use CHS for magical education.” Celestia commented before sitting in one of the arm chairs.

“Well, that will make Harry’s magical education easier. I am worried about the government getting involved with our school though.” Luna responded, absent mindedly running her fingers through Harry’s hair.

“Would it have been so bad if I had gone to Salem?” Harry asked.

“Not really, we’ve heard good things about Salem. It’s more of a personal reason.” Luna admitted.

“Even before we knew about the Wizarding World, we didn’t want you to think of our home as just a place where you come back to every summer or when you were not in school. We hoped you would call this place a true home.”

Harry smiled from his place on the couch. He didn’t say it out loud, but this place was already his home.

-Cloudsdale International Airport-

“Flight E33 to London is now boarding. Flight E33 to London is now boarding.”

A pair of DoM agents hurried down the terminals of the nearby airport accompanied by two air marshals. The agents had received video footage of Sombra, now known as Death Flight, passing through airport security. The criminal had somehow fooled the TSA agents at screening, but his image had been flagged when he passed by a camera. The agents in Canterlot received the tip off and were in route to intercept under the guise of Homeland Security.

They arrived at the gate just in time to see the lineup boarding the flight to London. Unfortunately, Death Flight saw them first. The fiend from Equestria could sense the wizarding aura as they came into the terminal. In his pocket, he fingered the small black gem he had extracted from the boy. It was amazing what the small shard did for his power.

As Death Flight turned the shard over in his pocket he concentrated on the wizard’s auras,

‘He is not here, false alarm. He is not here, false alarm.’

Over with the wizards a poison green glow passed through their eyes as they came to a halt,

“He isn’t here.” The one said.

“It must have been a false alarm.” The other replied before they left with the marshals.

Death Flight grinned evilly at his spell work. If this was the power that he was granted by just a sliver, he couldn’t wait to get his hooves, hands really, on the others.

Author's Note

Alright, I want to make something clear: just because two of my characters speak against Albus doesn't mean that I personally hate Dumbledore. It wasn't until about last year when I started really paying attention to the misjudgments of the man; and honestly I don't like it when people go overboard with painting everyone either devoted to him or against him. Also, remember that my characters are not omniscient, they do not know everything and in everything their knowledge is not perfect. My characters have flaws, yes, but so do people. Everything I am doing is for a reason, I'm sorry if you feel that I have gone overboard but it is your choice to read or not, just know that if you skip out now you will not know the full truth of what the Professor pointed out, the fate of a man who wants to be good but has tried to do so with too much with secrecy, and a reminder that we do not always see the full truth.

On another note, we should be getting into some faster pace chapters here now that most of the set is out of the way. Next time, we will meet the specialist that is coming to help Harry and the girls cement the roll that Harry will have in their group now he has Equestrian magic. Until next time. Read, Review, Redistribute.

Faust Residence

-Faust Residence, Canterlot-

The three residents of the Faust household were presently enjoying a lazy summer afternoon on the ever so used living room couch. Spread in front of them were scrapbooks of Celestia and Luna's visits to the Evens, primarily Lily. It was doing great things for Harry to see pictures of his mother during her younger years. Somehow, it helped to see his mother as someone as more than just the woman who sacrificed herself for him.

"And this is the time we tried chasing after frogs in a near-by pond." Celestia said pointing out a picture of four girls in overalls standing knee deep in scummy pond water with big smiles on their faces.

Harry could easily recognize Celestia and Luna in the bunch, and recognized his mother from the Mirror of Erised, but it really took some convincing that the last girl in the group was his aunt Petunia. The smile was too genuine.

"She was different back then." Luna explained, "She use to have fun with the rest of us, but after Lily started boarding school, Hogwarts, she became increasingly bitter, not just to Lily but to us as well. After that, she tried to spend as little time with us as possible. Then, I started having my own issues and it got harder to go over and see Tiger Lily."

Turning the page, they came across a photo of Lily next to a black-haired boy that seemed oddly familiar to Harry.

"Oh yah, him. Remember him Tia? That weird neighborhood kid that followed Tiger Lily around."

"Dimly," Celestia furrowed her brow in concentration, "What was his name? Some weird sounding name. Saherius? Selvius?"

Studying the features closer, and the botched attempts of his aunt, one name came to Harry's mind,

"Severus."

"Yah! That's the name! Severus!" Celestia declared, missing the look of disbelief on Harry's face for a moment.

"Harry? What's the matter?" Luna asked drawing attention to the boy's expression.

"He knew my mother?"

"Yah, from what I understand they became good friends before Lily went to… Oh…" Luna realized, "You've met him, haven't you?"

"He was my potions teacher at Hogwarts."

"Wow, I guess the world is even smaller when you're a wizard." Celestia said with a fair degree of surprise.

Luna, now recognizing the pain tucked away in Harry's expression, asked,

"Harry, did he do something to you?"

"He hated me. He would single me out. First day of class he asked me questions that I didn't know the answer, then he chastised me for not reading my text book. He was constantly on the prowl to catch me doing something wrong and punish me in some way."

Tears started to form at the edges of Harry's eyes as he ranted. He blamed the Equestrian magic for making him more emotional. The regulatory bracelet he wore was unable to keep his magic from spiking and making his pony features return.

"But the man saved my life when he could have let me die! He doesn't make any sense!"

Seeing Harry's distress state, Celestia put her hand on his back and started rubbing small circles, trying to help him relax.

"We don't know what happened between him and your mother, Harry, but expressing hate can sometimes show how we are hurting on the inside."

"Don't be quick to judge, Harry. Humanity is seldom black and white, and what we see is not always what a person is on the inside." Luna added.

Harry nodded and wiped the tears from eyes. The words of wisdom from his aunts didn't appease his confusion completely, but it was enough to calm him to the point where he wasn't at risk of accidental magic. A few deep breaths later and his emotions were level again. Though his Equestrian features didn't get the memo and stuck around for several minutes after calming down.

"Thanks."

A quick rapping at the window brought everyone's attention to the window where a crow was sitting patiently waiting to be let in. Celestia obliged the request of the avian and opened the window. The messenger bird presented its missive to the older Faust sister and read it out loud,

"From the office of the Secretary of Magic

Celestia and Luna Faust:

Your presence is requested for a five-day meeting with the Secretary of Magic, the Board of Magical Education, and other members of the Executive Branch to discuss the details of Canterlot High School becoming a school that will cater to both normal education and magical studies. Hotel reservations and travel itineraries will be delivered in person within the next twenty-four hours.

Yours Sincerely,

James Wilson

Chief Assistant to the Secretary

P. S.

I apologize for the suddenness of the request but there is a very small window of opportunity if this program is to be instated before the start of the next school year.

Sincerely,

Isabelle Saunders

Secretary of Magic

The older women looked at the summons with a mix of shock and insult.

"They want both of us? But Harry is not fit to travel, magical or otherwise." Luna protested taking the note from her sister and rereading it.

"I'll be fine on my own." Harry responded.

"Oh sure, mister 'I nearly fell down the stairs,'" Luna countered, pointing out events that had happened just earlier that day.

"Point is Harry, you are still not in top condition." Celestia continued, "It would very irresponsible of us to take you to a setting where we are going to be tied up in meetings most of the time. You'd be essentially staying in a hotel room for the week; and we are not going to leave you here on your own."

"Shall I go recruit some house sitters?" Luna asked needlessly, already scrolling through her contacts list.

Defeated, Harry leaned back into the couch. His Equestrian features finally fading.

'I really need to get a better bracelet.' He thought to himself, trying to distract his mind from the current situation.

A sudden familiar screech permeated the air as a snowy owl flew through the window and made a bee line for Harry.

"Hedwig!" Harry declared excitedly. His focus on his feathered friend was interrupted by a heavy thud against the window.

A large grey owl had somehow missed the open part of the window and face planted right into the glass.

"What was that about?" Celestia asked going to check on the owl that had fallen into the flower bed below. The owl in question hopped up onto the sill and amazingly crossed the room to Harry without incident.

On both owls' legs letters bore letters with his name written on them. Excitedly, Harry removed the letters,

"Celestia, could you grab some owl treats from my room?"

Not wanting to wait any longer Harry undid the letters and opened the first. The messy quillwork was enough to tell him who it was from,

Harry,

I got your letter. Hopefully you'll get mine. Errol is a menace and can't fly straight. Sorry to your cousins if he damages a window, don't know how well muggle windows hold up. I was a bit angry with you mate, you left the country and didn't tell me or Hermione? But hey, glad to know you are away from those other relatives of yours, from what the Prophet made them out to be. What about your new cousins? Are they good with us? Wizards I mean.

Dad says there are rumors floating around the ministry about a plan to get you back here to Britain. It would be brilliant if you did get to come back. Maybe they would let you live with us! That would be brilliant. You'd love it here at the Burrow. We'd be able to play Quidditch with Fred and George every day if we wanted to.

Anyway, Mum says we could meet at the Alley whenever you go to London. Let us know alright?

Ron

Harry's eyes went back up to the line above. The Ministry was trying to get him back? What did that even mean?

'Do they think I'd be happier over there than here with my family?'

Not wanting to dwell on the thoughts that threatened to invade his mind, Harry set the letter aside and picked up the letter offered by Hedwig. Much like with the first, the penmanship gave the writer away without even having to look at the signature.

Dear Harry,

I hope this letter finds you well. Hedwig was kind enough to stay while I wrote this letter. I am upset that you didn't try to contact us before leaving, but I am glad that you are away from the Dursleys. From what you told me they were absolutely dreadful; the news report didn't do them any favors either.

I did some research on magical education in the Americas. I guess we won't see you back here at Hogwarts in September, …

Harry noticed some wet spots on the paper that messed up the ink around them. This got Harry wondering,

"Was she crying when she wrote this?"

…but, I suppose you are somewhere you'll be treated right. All the books I read said Salem was fine, but somewhat lacking in their curriculum. Don't think that just because we are an ocean apart you get to put off doing your homework.

Anyways, I set up a social media account for when I am home on summer break. You think you can set one up as well? It would make it easier for us to communicate rather than sending Hedwig back and forth across the Atlantic, at least from June to August.

Also, my parents are just asking when you are going to be in London, they volunteered to help you and your cousins around the city. I can't wait!

Sincerely,

Hermione

The letter from his bookish friend confused him. It didn't really feel like Hermione writing, it was like she was struggling to find the words to say. On top of that, there were the water marks and the scratched-out closings. She was suppressing what she really wanted to say, was Harry's conclusion. Absentmindedly, he started stroking Hedwig's feathered body contemplating the thoughts that were coming to mind.

He understood his sudden departure from England was unexpected, but he supposed he could have made more of an effort to try and talk to his first real friends one last time. Ron hardly seemed phased by Harry's sudden transatlantic relocation, in fact the red-head seemed more intent on the possibility of the Ministry taking action to bring him back. Hermione was deeply impacted if the quality of her letter, or lack thereof, was any indication.

He vowed that the next time he had his computer in hand he would try searching for Hermione online. He really did owe it to his friends back in England.

-Two days later-

"You really didn't need to get a baby sitter for me." Harry said a little indignantly from where he sat on the couch watching his aunties getting their luggage by the front door.

"We didn't get you a baby sitter Harry," Luna explained, "We got a house sitter and care taker. You are still on a minimal activity order from the healers, young man."

Harry grumbled a bit, still not liking the situation. He knew that his aunties had a point, but that didn't mean he had to like it any. He was frustrated that he was being treated like a porcelain doll; he'd nearly been bucked off a broom more than fifty feet in the air by someone trying to kill him, he could handle getting around the house. It was one thing to have doctors giving restrictive orders in a hospital, but being limited in your own home was downright humiliating for Harry right now.

Suddenly, the negative feelings Harry was feeling evaporated for no apparent reason. He felt unusually calmer.

"What…" He started to ask himself when the doorbell rang.

Celestia's loud greeting told him who it was at the door,

"Sunset! Girls! Come on in!"

The seven teenage girls came into the living room proceeded by Celestia,

"Thank you all for agreeing to help out."

"No problem Principal C." Rainbow Dash said with more confidence than what was needed, "We got this covered."

Hedwig's screeching heralded he sudden flight into the room straight to Fluttershy,

"Hedwig! It's good to see you too." The usually timid girl said letting the snowy owl perch on her shoulder.

Pleasantries were exchanged and instructions from both the adults were given before a chauffeur from the DoM arrived. Both the administrators gave Harry one last hug and a kiss on the head before leaving. As soon as the adults were gone all seven teenage girls turned their focus on the Boy- Who- Lived.

"Hey Harry, how's it going?" Rainbow asked propping herself down on the floor while the other girls took different stations around the room.

"I'm doing fine, but what are all of you doing here?" Harry asked confusion.

"Well, your cousins wanted me to help you with your physical therapy." Rainbow said.

"Pinkie and Ah are here to make sure you eat right." Applejack stated with the giddy party planner nodding happily.

"I was asked to tailor something a suit for you for when you take your trip to London." Rarity revealed.

"We've fallen behind schedule in your lesson plans, so that is why I'm here." Twilight explained with Spike poking his head out of her backpack,

"Yah, you would not believe the fuss she's been raising over the, 'lost time.'"

"Spike!"

"I was asked to help take care of Hedwig." Fluttershy said stroking the white-feathered beauty gently.

"And I'm here to help out in general." Sunset said, "Make sure you're getting around and such."

Harry was still confused,

"But why did my aunts ask all of you? Even just one person would have done the job."

"We just wanted to see how you were doing and volunteered to keep you company while your family was gone." Pinkie responded with her usual smile and fast pace tone.

Harry was touched at the gesture, confused but touched. However, he didn't get a chance to relay this before Twilight launched into study time with Sunset and Fluttershy joining in. Occasionally, Rainbow Dash would interrupt and have Harry do some light exercises. At one point Rarity disappeared upstairs, a short while later she came back down with a very recognizable cloak,

"Harry, why on earth do you have this in your closet? The fabric itself is amazing but it's so old fashioned."

"It was my father's." Harry said flatly to the fashionista.

The girl suddenly realized the importance of the cloth she was holding, and the insult she had paid it,

"Oh, I'm… I'm sorry darling."

Pinkie was quick to take a closer at it,

"Ohhh, shimmery." Pinkie said before snatching the cloak from Rarity and wrapped it around herself.

Harry wasn't sure if the cloak would work for her, his answer came when the hyperactive girl's body disappeared, leaving her floating head.

"What the…" Was the general consensus.

"Ooohhh, I disappeared." Pinkie responded not really phased at not seeing her body.

"It's an invisibility cloak. Right useful." Harry commented, amused at the reactions his new friends exhibited.

There was new interest shown in the cloak as it was passed around. When it finally came to Applejack she took a good long look at it then turned her focus on Harry,

"Sugar cube, did the school you attended allow an item like this?" She asked in the same tone she had used more than once on her younger sister. Harry wilted,

"Um, I don't think so. The Headmaster knew about it and let me keep it, if any of the other teachers knew I don't think they would have let me hold onto it."

"Applejack lighten up." Rainbow chided, "It's what he has left of his family."

"Ah appreciate that Rainbow Dash, if yah care to remember." Applejack said tipping her Stetson hat, "Ah'm more worried about Harry usin' it to get into trouble. Or perhaps he already has gotten into trouble over it?" She turned her gaze back at Harry.

As much as he wanted to deny any mischief done while using the cloak Harry couldn't feel it in him to hold back,

"Well, I did use it to sneak around after curfew a few times, but it was all for a good cause." He quickly threw in the last part to try to rationalize his behavior.

Applejack looked like she wanted to scold Harry some more but a gentle hand on the shoulder and the shake of a head from Fluttershy made the words stop dead on the lips. Instead, Applejack took a deep breath and nodded.

"Sugar cube, Ah guess Ah'm bein' a bit protective, but Ah don't want to see yah hurt. None of us do." Applejack stood and respectfully folded the treasured item into a neat square before crossing the room to Harry, "Please promise me yah'll think twice before doin' somethin' dangerous."

It took Harry a moment to realize that every one of the girls had some degree of pleading on their faces.

"I know we're not the best examples of staying out of trouble, Harry," Sunset added after there was a few seconds pause, "It's our job to stop rouge magic from Equestria so we have to be on the lookout."

"But that doesn't mean that you have to jump headlong into danger." Spike added.

The looks he was getting from around the room were enough to crack Harry's shell,

"Alright, I promise not to go looking for trouble. I make no guarantees about trouble that finds me."

Satisfied, Applejack placed the heirloom into Harry's possession and caught him up in a hug,

"That's all we can ask."

"Yah, we wouldn't want Sunset's little brother to get hurt." Pinkie said without thinking.

That jolted Harry out of the embrace.

"What?!"

Author's Note

Hope this chapter turned out alright. You have to admit, Pinkie Pie with an Invisibility Cloak would be terrifying. I know the argument could be made that because the two kinds of magic are so different, wizarding relics wouldn't really work. The way I see it, they would work, but not always in the intended way (as we'll see in later chapters).

I appreciate all the support and comments that all of you are leaving, positive or otherwise. It let's me know that those reading have opinions and are able to look at my work critically, and warns me of becoming too generic. Until next time,

Ranoa

The Unexpected

-Faust Residence, Canterlot-

Stunned silence would best describe Harry at that moment. “Little brother,” hung on his mind. The other girls and Spike decided to leave Harry and Sunset alone so they could talk over the slip up that Pinkie Pie had made. Although, Sunset was fairly certain that the everyone was right around the corner, listening to every word.

“Why did Pinkie call me your little brother?” Harry finally asked.

Sunset gave a nervous chuckle and scratched the back of her head,

“Well you see… I’m kind of taking you on as my brother. If it’s cool with you, that is.”

“Taking me on?” Harry asked.

“Honorary sibling, someone to look after you at the student level. Make sure you’re adjusting to school life and everything else. I know what it’s like to be thrust into a new world and being hopelessly lost. I know I would have been completely lost if I hadn’t managed to find help when I came here from Equestria.”

Sunset watched the gears in Harry’s head turn, thinking about the situation.

“So, we aren’t somehow secretly related?” Harry asked.

“Not that I know of.” Sunset replied. A sigh of relief and small laugh escaped Harry,

“Oh good. With everything that’s been happening to me I wouldn’t be surprised if we were somehow brother and sister.”

“Not unless you were somehow born in Equestria to a mother I really didn’t know. Fortunately, chances of that being true are next to nothing.”

“Don’t jinx it.” The wizard replied with a serious face, that is until it failed and he started laughing with Sunset joining in shortly thereafter.

This cued a round of laughs from both young adults that lasted a good few minutes. With all the crazy things that had been going on recently, it wouldn’t have been that surprising if they really were siblings.

“But seriously Harry, the girls and I talked about it and we figured it would be a great idea if one of us took you under our wing, so to say. Help you adjust to Canterlot, be there for problems that Principals Celestia and Luna don’t understand fully, and make sure no one gives you crap at school.”

Harry could kind of see where Sunset was coming from. Might not be as big of an adjustment going from normal school to Hogwarts, but he definitely didn’t want to look like an idiot the first day at Canterlot High.

“But why you? And why ask for sister status?”

“Well, all the other girls have a sibling or someone who looks up to them as one. I don’t have one so I thought, ‘Why not give family a try?’”

Those words, ‘Give family a try,’ gave Harry reason to pause and think. Could he really refuse someone who wanted to help him? Who wanted to make his life easier? Who wanted to be family?

“You know the concept of a real family is still rather new to me, right?”

Sunset smiled and nodded,

“Same here. So, I guess this is new for both?”

“OH, JUST HURRY UP AND HUG ALREADY!!!” A very irritated Pinkie Pie yelled sticking her head into view. Said head was quickly grabbed and pulled out of sight by an unidentified hand.

The two potential siblings looked at each other with confused looks before Sunset started busting up laughing, Harry joining in the mirth. Eventually, Sunset did move to the seat next to Harry and caught him in a side-long embrace,

“For better or worse?” She asked.

“Brother and sister?” Harry asked back.

“Best friends forever.” Sunset finished ruffling his messy.

The two newly affirmed brother and sister only had a moment of tenderness between them before there was a sudden, “POP!” Confetti flying from all directions.

“Sibling Party!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed excitedly popping up from behind the couch before blowing on a party horn.

“How does she do that?” Harry asked.

“It’s just Pinkie.” Sunset replied with a warm grin.

The day quickly dissolved into a celebration of relatively small scale (after all it is a Pinkie Party). Finally, as the sun getting low in the western sky, Rainbow Dash announced that it was time for what she called, “The most important part of a depraved wizard’s education.” What she really meant, was an all-night movie marathon to catch Harry up on popular culture. Since it was her idea, Rainbow had first pick tonight. Of course, as was expected, she picked out the action genre.

It was getting onto midnight when Harry’s eyelids became very heavy. Without meaning to, his head and body came to rest on the most comfortable thing nearest to him, Sunset’s side. This show of comfort was reassuring for the new surrogate sister. Maybe it was the tiny bit of her Equestrian magic that went into creating Harry’s own, or perhaps it was truly just him being that comfortable with being in close contact with her. Either way, having the preteen resting against her made Sunset smile.

Deciding to make Harry more comfortable for the night, Sunset guided the boy’s head from her shoulder down into her lap. She nearly squealed with delight when Harry unconsciously squirmed in closer and let out a content sigh. Sunset tried to turn her attention back to the movie, but after a few minutes of watching the older girl noticed she was running her fingers through Harry’s messy mane.

Ignoring everything else, Sunset grinned as she put her life into retrospect. From being Princess Celestia’s student, becoming an exile, finding friendship, and now she had family. She could honestly say that a year ago that she could not have seen this moment coming. Her mind began slipping from the waking world into sleep; but before it did, she took a moment to thank whatever powers that be for these moments that no one could expect.

Sunset found herself having very odd dreams that night. It was like she was watching a home movie, but everyone around her were Equestrian ponies. This dream wasn’t that strange, she’d been having dreams like this ever since she gained the trust of her friends. They wouldn’t be much, a day at the park, listening to music, simple things that made life enjoyable. The thing that was odd about this dream was a foal that was accompanying them through their adventures. A unicorn colt without a Cutie Mark, with a tan coat and a messy black mane and tail.

Her dream suddenly dissolved into a nebulous sea of stars. Sunset was extremely confused,

“What is this place?”

“Take care of him, my child.” A motherly voice echoed from everywhere.

“Who’s there?”

“You and your friends are now tied to my little one’s destiny. The road ahead will be difficult, but I know you and your amazing friends will be able to handle it.” The voice said again, and just as before there was no sign of who or what was speaking to her.

“Where are you?” Sunset pled to the voice, “How do you know me?”

Sunset suddenly felt a presence behind her. She quickly turned around hoping to see the source of the voice. She barely had time to process a shape of tremendous size when a white flash of light took over Sunset’s vision.

In the real-world Sunset woke with a start. She was still on the couch where she had fallen asleep. Her lap was noticeably empty of her adopted brother’s head, but she could hear his voice coming from the kitchen. Satisfied with having an idea where Harry was, Sunset took in the messy living room. She was apparently the last one awake this morning, seeing herself completely alone in the room. The room was littered with empty pizza boxes, soda bottles, and candy wrappers.

“Good thing Principal Celestia isn’t home right now.” Sunset commented standing up from her place.

A quick trip to the other end of the house brought Sunset to the kitchen and all her assembled friends.

“Well, well, well, look who decided to join us.” Rainbow Dash greeted. The athletic girl was apparently up earlier than anyone else, seeing as she was decked out in exercise clothes and her face was flush with blood flow and glittering with a small amount of sweat.

“We were wondering if we should send someone in to wake you.” Rarity said.

“Sorry, didn’t realize I was holding everyone up.”

“Ain’t no problem.” Applejack said, “Gave us time to fix up some grub.”

The counters of the kitchen were laden with plates of waffles with different kinds of toppings.

“I see. I guess Pinkie was busy.” Recognizing the overly happy girl’s handy work.

“You’re welcome!” Pinkie declared from the other side of the kitchen.

A quick rapping sound came from the window. The girls were surprised to see a crow at the window wanting in, but Harry let the black bird in.

“Why in the world would you let a crow in?” Rarity asked a little revolted.

“The Americans use them for sending messages.” Harry explained taking the message from the bird.

Harry’s eyes scrunched in confusion as he read the message. When prompted by the group he read the message aloud,

“Dear Mister Potter,

In yesterday’s session of the ICW the Wizard community of Britain has issued a request that you be relocated from your current residence and moved back to their custody. Any proceedings have been postponed as the American representatives revealed Supreme Mugwump Albus Dumbledore’s breach of the Flamel Agreement with the Goblin Nation.

The ICW’s office of Internal Affairs has launched an official inquiry into the validity of the allegations. As such, do not be alarmed when a member of the ICW comes to perform an interview. Depending on the outcome of the initial investigation you may be asked to attend the trial. We advise you to be truthful in your answers and not withhold any information.

Sincerely,

Martha Westford

Office of the Secretary of Magic.”

Almost immediately after finishing reading the message there was another knock. Except this time, it came from the front door. Sunset sent to check on who could be visiting this early in the day. Sunset cracked the door open and took a peek,

“Yes?”

Standing on the front porch was a blond woman dressed in a maroon suit jacket, skirt, and cap.

“Good morning.” The woman spoke English, but carried in her voice the undertone of French having been her first language, “I am looking for Mister Harry Potter. Does he live here?”

“Perhaps.” Sunset responded a little suspicious of this woman, “May I ask who you are?”

“Of course, you may. I am Jennette Malfoy, Inquisitor of the International Confederation of Wizards. I take it you are one of the Faust sisters? You look much younger than I expected.”

“No, I’m Sunset Shimmer,” The teenager responded opening the door, “My friends and I are house sitting while Principal Celestia and Luna are away. Don’t worry, we’re all in the know.” Sunset added when she saw the Malfoy woman reaching for what Sunset was sure would have been her wand.

“Oh, that is a relief. Might I come in? I would rather not attract any undue attention to myself.”

Satisfied with the woman’s identity, Sunset permitted the Inquisitor to enter the house.

“I must admit, we only just now received word that someone would be coming to ask questions. We weren’t expecting someone right now.”

“No one expects the Inquisition.” Jennette said with a smile to herself, enjoying a silent laugh.

“Harry! You got company.” Sunset called out before entering the kitchen with Jennette following behind her.

“Oh, I beg your pardon. I did not know you were ready to eat breakfast.” Jennette apologized at the sight of the mounds of waffles.

“No worries, we hadn’t started yet.” Sunset explained, “Harry, this is Jennette Malfoy, she’s here to ask you a few questions.”

Harry perked up at the name,

“Malfoy?”

“I see you are familiar with the name. You are from Britain, yes? Then you might have met my distant cousins.”

Harry looked at Jennette in disbelief, a Malfoy in his house and not a taunt or pompous comment. Apparently, the Inquisitor could see his doubt and smiled,

“They left the main family years and years ago. Apparently, they were not satisfied in inheriting the land holdings in France and went north to make a name for themselves in Britain.” Jennette explained, “But my family history is not why I am here Mister Potter.”

Any further comments were cut off by a sudden wall of pink right in the Inquisitor’s face,

“Hi! I’m Pinkie Pie! Waffle?” A plate of waffles was offered to the visiting woman who took a startled step back.

“I beg your pardon?”

Applejack intervened,

“Sorry ‘bout her Ma’am. She’s a little more than enthusiastic when it comes to meeting new people.” AJ then lifted Pinkie by the elbows and walked her back to the other side of the kitchen.

Dismissing this display for the moment, Jennette turned her attention back to Harry,

“Do you mind if we have a seat Mister Potter? Your caretakers may remain, provided they don’t prove to be too… disruptive.”

A minute later the occupants of the house were gathered at the dining room table.

“Now, Mister Potter, are you aware how one of these investigations work?” Jennette asked.

“No Ma’am, I’ve only been part of the wizarding world for just under a year.” Harry explained.

“Then allow me to explain. When an accusation is made against a member of the Confederation, representative or executive, a team of Inquisitors are dispatched to check the validity of these claims and gather evidence to either confirm or dismiss the accusation. If the evidence convinces the Grand Inquisitor that the accusation is valid, further investigation is conducted by the Inquisitors. Evidence is then presented to the Grand Inquisitor who will then pass judgement, and decide innocence or guilt.

“As of right now, we are still gathering information to determine if the accusation presented against Albus Dumbledore are accurate.”

The words of the message from the DoM rang in Harry’s mind. Being truthful might get people back in Britain in trouble, but he didn’t want to betray his family.

“What do you want to know?”

-Knockturn Alley, London-

The dark festering backstreet of the Wizarding shopping center was the hangout of all kinds of scum of British wizards and witches. Dark magic and illegal dealings were all the rage in this part of the Alley. If you wanted something the Ministry didn’t want you to have, you could find it here, or at least find someone who could get it for you at the right price. It also happens to be a prime business spot for one Mundungus Fletcher, discount importer and self-made retailer.

Fletcher was finishing up yet another shady business deal which had gone better for the buyer than Dung. The Alley was abandoned save for the occasional soul that wondered by, leaving Mundungus alone on a walk back to his current hovel. He made a turn down one of the side streets when he walked headlong into a dark figure.

“Oh! Sorry I…” Mundungus didn’t get to say another word before the figure grabbed him by the scruff of his jacket and lifted him off the ground.

“Hmm, not much, but I don’t think anyone will miss you terribly.” A voice hissed out of the shadows. There was a sudden green flash and by the sudden change in the air quality Mundungus could wager safely that they had arrived in a wooded area, maybe near a river judging by a rushing sound that came from somewhere in the darkness.

The smuggler was thrown to the ground rather harshly by his abductor,

“Now, my friend, you are going to answer some questions for me. Do so willingly, and I will let you go. Reach for your wand or try to disappear and I will be most… displeased.”

You don’t work in Mundungus’ line of work without hearing death threats often. Mundungus was also not the bravest or brightest the underworld had to offer; so, when he heard the voice of his abductor threaten him he did what any sane coward would do, he froze. Looking up at the dark shape that had pulled him out of Knockturn Alley.

“Good, at least some of your kind has a sense of self preservation.”

A pair of venom green eyes shone through the darkness, deep red iris slits and a kind of purple haze seeping out of the corners only intensified the fear that Fletcher was feeling.

“Wha… what do you want to know?” Fletcher finally managed to say.

“Information, you rat. Tell me everything you know about Voldemort.” If there was any light, Mundungus would have seen the man smile at the fear the name inspired in the thief,

“I see my other half inspires fear here too. How wonderful. Now, talk.”

Mundungus spent the next hour stammering out all that he knew about Voldemort. The stranger listened intently to tales of fear and destruction that the dark wizard had wrought. Finally, he interrupted,

“You mentioned followers. Did any escape capture?”

“Uh, some are suspected of being Death Eaters, but they avoided Azkaban.”

“Name’s worm. I want names!” The abductor hissed out demandingly.

“Err, there was Karkaroff, he ratted out a few others so he was let go. Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, Macnair, several of the old families were suspected but they all claimed to be Imperiused.”

The figure began to pace back and forth in contemplation, muttering to himself. After a while of this Mundungus finally found his voice,

“I’ve… I’ve answered your questions, sir. Can I go?” He asked hopefully.

Without looking at him, the kidnapper reached out his hand and clenched his fist. A poison green field of energy enveloped the smuggler and he was lifted into the air. With a hard pull, Mundungus was pulled over to his kidnapper,

“Hardly. I have more questions for you.” The field pressed hard on Mundungus’ body, squeezing the air out of him, “Tell me everything you know about the school called Hogwarts.”

Author's Note

Sorry this took so long everyone everyone! There was a small issue with my computer that was limiting where I could write. Hopefully, the issue is resolved and I will be able to write more often and get my work out to you guys. It hasn’t helped that work is pretty demanding right now. Working retail during the summer, need I say more?

I hope you guys are happy with this chapter. I was starting to worry that I had written myself into a corner with my last chapter. Finally, I was able to get something that works and I hope is enjoyable to you the readers. I decided against writing out the accusation against Dumbledore, sometimes it feels like those scenes are overdone

This next point of business makes me feel a little guilty in asking. I have a tentative request of my more artistically inclined readers, if any are to be found. I have been off and on pondering cover art for this story and what some of these scenes I have depicted might look like through your eyes and brush. I can promise nothing in return except recognition for efforts, but if any of you feel so inclined to put something together it would certainly make my day, and might be used as cover art. But, again, this is not a demand, just a prodding to see what might come about.

Anyways, I have blabbed on long enough. Until next time. Read, Review, Redistribute. Tk��?

Making Cases

-Headquarters of the ICW, Inquisitor's Retreat-

In a secluded part of the old castle complex that the ICW would use for its meetings a group of somber people were gathering. The Inquisitors, those charged with dealing with corruption within the Confederation's leaders. Sworn by honor and magic to serve the interests of the Confederation and never be swayed by loyalties to home or selfish desires. They sought out the truth and only the truth.

The room that the Inquisitors gathered was a completely circular. The edge was lined with identical chairs with the only exception being the larger chair that sat directly across from the door. That chair was reserved for the Grand Inquisitor, whenever he was called on to attend these meetings that is.

"If we are here we shall begin the preliminary report." One of the senior Inquisitors said, bringing the meeting to order. "This meeting is to determine if the claims made by the American delegation against Albus Dumbledore holds merit enough to bring before the Grand Inquisitor. The American delegation claims that Supreme Mugwump Dumbledore violated the agreement between the Goblin Nation and the Wizarding Confederation in regards to the Philosopher's Stone by removing it from its vault at Gringotts's Bank in Britain and placed it under his direct supervision at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, of which he is Headmaster. Inquisitor Ravia of the Pacific Islands your report please."

At this prompting, a tall Polynesian man stood, his maroon uniform barely fitting his muscular form. When he spoke, it was with an even tone of voice, not soft nor harsh but controlled.

"As per the assignment given me I researched deeper into the actual Flamel Agreement. The most public of information all members of this body are already aware. To prevent war and ensure a degree of continued peace between the Goblin Nation and the Wizarding World, the use of Nicolas Flamel's stone was limited to the creation of the Elixir of Life for the Alchemist's personal use just as long as he continued researching innovations in his field and all notes regarding the creation of the Stone were destroyed."

A few of the more academically curious in the room frowned at the mention of the destroyed notes.

"Since the time of the ratification, the Stone has been relocated seventy- two times. The last registered location of holding was vault 713 of the previously mentioned bank. As a note of interest, the Agreement was amended a total of seven times since its ratification."

The presiding Inquisitor scratched his chin in thought,

"Can you elaborate on those amendments?"

"Yes sir. Six of the amendments mentioned were passed to either expand or limit the access Master Flamel had to the Stone. The one exception to that was documented as the Emergency Relocation Power. It was ratified in 1814 after an attempt was made on the Stone while it was located in the Vaults of Prague. The thief's plot was discovered beforehand and the process was begun to move it. Under the law, the Stone's location and future destination had to be announced to the body of the Confederation. The thief was able to extract the information from one of the delegates present when the announcement was made and nearly pulled off a successful heist of the Stone while it was in transport.

"The amendment was passed thereafter to grant the Supreme Mugwump the power to move the Philosopher's Stone without publicly announcing it to the Confederation if the security of the Stone became threatened. With the conditions that Mr. Flamel is fully aware of the change in location, the temporary protections are equal to or superior of its previous holdings, and within five months of the emergency move the Confederation is informed of its new location."

Inquisitor Ravia sat back down, the pertinent parts of his findings finished.

"Inquisitor Müller of Germany, what were your findings?"

At the prompting, a German man in his middle ages stood,

"When I asked the Goblins of Gringotts's about the Stone they refused to comment. They refuse to answer questions without an official Declaration of Inquiry from the Grand Inquisitor, as is their right. One of the human workers however pulled me off to the side as I left and told me that the national paper, "The Daily Prophet," reported an attempted theft sometime last year. The vault targeted was emptied earlier the day of the attempted theft. The worker couldn't give a number without violating a worker's agreement with the bank."

The frustratingly short report finished, Müller sat back down.

"Inquisitor Malfoy of France."

The youngest member of the assembled body stood,

"I conducted the interview with Mister Potter as was assigned to me. The name Harry Potter was cited by the American delegation as the source of information leading to the allegation. He gave a first-hand account of the Stone being removed from vault 713 by one Rubeus Hagrid, under orders from Albus Dumbledore."

"And how was Mr. Potter able to witness this event?"

"Mr. Hagrid was apparently in charge of guiding Mr. Potter through Diagon Alley, as the young man had never been there before."

"Absurd." A sudden outburst came from one of the other Inquisitors. All eyes turned on the source.

"Inquisitor Abbott? You have information that contradicts your fellow Inquisitor?"

The Inquisitor from England squirmed a little in his seat, ashamed he had been so unprofessional,

"Fellow Inquisitors, the name of Potter stems from some of the oldest known families of the British Isles. While not one of the more prominent families in modern Britain presently, they are still considered to be minor nobility. There are protocols and traditions regarding a child that standing. One of which is a visit to the Alley when he turned eight."

"I assure my fellow Inquisitor that Mr. Potter's statement clearly indicates he was not even aware he was a wizard until his eleventh birthday."

"I apologize Inquisitor Malfoy. I did not mean to offend." Abbott offered with a nod of his head.

"Anyway. Mr. Potter went on to say that he and his friends, Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger, were able to piece together that not only that the Stone was there at the school, but also were able to beat the protections set up by members of the faculty. His testimony implicates several of the core subject teachers, one of whom was the one behind the break in at the bank."

The room fell silent after her summary was finished. The senior member was deep in thought, weighing out the next course of action. The facts had been presented, now he had the choice to dismiss the case, or call for further investigation which would lead to a trial.

"Fellow members of the Inquisition, we have heard the facts. Based upon them, I have reason to worry about the competency of Albus Dumbledore. If this body so feels, any investigation further is to focus on how well our Supreme Mugwump has fulfilled his oaths of office, in all his offices. All those in favor of investigation please manifest."

Hands around the circle went up. They too were interested in finding out the full truth, and that couldn't be done without approval here and now,

"All those opposed by the same."

Hands went down, and only one or two hands came up. Always a small bit of dissent.

"By the show of majority, and with the pending approval of the Grand Inquisitor, we are to proceed with the investigation. Inquisitor Mafoy, you will be charged with interviewing the two other young people that Mr. Potter mentioned to you."

"Ms. Granger and Mr. Weasley." The tasked Inquisitor reemphasized.

"Inquisitors Müller and Abbott, the both of you are tasked in questioning the goblins of Gringotts's once we have approval. Once you are finished with that, you are to both investigate the actions made by Mugwump Dumbledore in his capacity as Chief Warlock of Britain. You are most familiar with traditions of your country, Abbott, make sure he has been acting according to them.

"Other assignments will come as the need arises. Let us go forward and what must needs be. May the powers that be have mercy upon us."

-Apartment of Colton Smith, DC Metro Area-

The theorist could barely contain himself as he sat at the roll top desk that had once belonged to his Grandfather. Off to the side of the desk was the written form of his part of the hearing that would happen tomorrow. Upon him rested a key part of making Canterlot a joint magic-normal school. Clerks under Saunders had already presented the proposed curriculum and the gradual growth of a community of wizards in the area. In the next day, he and the Secretary would be giving the case on how doing this was a proper course of action.

Secretary Saunders would be taking care of presenting how they would be keeping the new community within the bounds of the Statute of Secrecy. It was Professor Smith's job to show what measures would be taken to ensure protection. Truth be told, very little effort would have to be made on the part of the DoM in that regard. The portal to Equestria was doing most of the work for them.

To help him visualize what he would say, Colton pulled over his report and flipped through it. About three pages in, he came across the facsimiles of the symbols that were revealed at the site. Parts of the glyphs remained untranslated, but enough was known to show one of the greatest protections ever to exist in the history of magic.

It was not uncommon for places were magic gathered to develop their own protections. The dark cave that inspires fear when looking down its maw; the deepest forests where they say only the crazy would go; the mountains that seemed to fight back against hikers and explorers; especially the stretches of seas that sailors fear. The magic would work on the basest levels of the human mind or the natural world. It is easy to inspire fear of the unknown, or effect the weather. These natural protections were not always effective, but they did their job well enough. Some wizards could claim that these sorts of places were enchanted by their ancestors, but they didn't know how magic truly worked.

Man-made wards faded and warped with time without someone to maintain or power them. Professor Smith had a visual aid he liked to use with his students to demonstrate how it worked. He would take a composition notebook and write a few lines in pencil. He would then close the book and rub the pages together. Opening up the notebook again the pencil marks were smudged and blurred. Such was the case with long term wards. When protection spells are first established they are clear in purpose. With the passage of time their functions become blurred and unfocused, degrading in strength and perhaps doing more than what was originally intended. Much like the protections around Hogwarts school.

Though the school board would never admit it, it had been too long since the wards were disassembled and reconstructed. The magic of the children passing through Hogwarts each year helps keep the wards functioning, but over time the functions had become corrupted to an extent. Mostly, it was the malfunction of unprotected electronic equipment that was evidence of this. There was some debate that faulty wards were also degrading the mental capacity of the students as they went through school but no proof could be gathered.

The protections around the portal, however, carried traits of both. There was no historical model that could point at one particular civilization on this side of the portal. The idea that the protections had been established by those from the other side had crossed his mind. Problem with that idea however, the only Equestrian factors that Ms. Shimmer could identify were mingled in with what Professor Smith thought designated the portal's functions. The protections around the portal, themselves manipulated one of the harder levels of the human mind to coerce, normalcy. That was something you definitely didn't see in nature.

It was beautifully simplistic really. The greatest way to hide something was to make the abnormal seem normal. It was like having a neighbor who would wear rainbow stripped knee length socks take his dog for a walk. It wasn't the neighbor or the dog that was different from everything else, it was the socks. For a while, neighbors would comment to themselves at how strange the man's socks were, and his choice to wear them. After a period of time the neighborhood would get complacent about the sight of a man with such a fashion choice and eventually simply shrug him off saying, "He just does that."

The protections around the portal seemed to do just that, but at a much faster rate. He, himself, hadn't noticed at first, but the moment he realized that things were not right in the world around him the effort made against his mind was broken. At first, he didn't take notice of the unusually pigmented skin of the citizens of Canterlot, or of their even more unusually 'natural' hair colors. His mind simply did not compute that hair did not come in seven different colors on the same head.

The DoM was hoping that the power to make the abnormal appear normal would be enough to keep any mishaps with wizard magic on the down low. It wasn't an idea the isolationist way of thinking would agree to, but if it worked they couldn't complain. The existence of magic would be protected and the demands of the law would be satisfied.

A quick knocking sound came from the front door. His mind almost forgot that he was also expecting company this evening. The Professor left his study and crossed to the threshold of the apartment. Colton opened the door and greeted the woman who stood outside his front step.

"Hello."

"Professor Smith I am here to see; tell me, are you he?" The woman replied with a thick African accent.

"Madam Z, I know it has been a several years, but I haven't changed that much have I?"

Stepping into better light the person revealed herself to indeed be a woman with dark skin. A zebra skin draped around her shoulders like a shawl and gold bands rested around her neck. The thing that stood out about her the most were the white wavy lines that ran jagged through her black hair, making her head look like a zebra pattern.

"Grown with worry and care, and grey is forming in your hair." The woman said.

"Oh, very funny Madam Zecora. Come in, we have much to discuss."

Author's Note

Once again, many apologies for such a long gap between updates. It was difficult getting the creative juices flowing again. Yet again another chapter that is mostly just fleshing out the world and getting things ready for the future, but it has to be done. I certainly hope you all can understand the theories and ideas I set out. If it wasn't apparent from the chapter, I am not planning on an insanely wealthy Harry story where his family has a mansion that for some reason was abandoned for the small cottage at Godric's Hollow and he is billions in old family money. I don't have anything really against that kind of fic, the idea has been done to death. So, in this story Harry is still from a noble family, but since there has been no one representing his family name for years among his peers he isn't going to be as notable as some of the wizarding families how have been socially active. It seems to be a concept that people forget, a family name could have been noble in the past, and the genealogy is good, but names can fall in and out of favor for many reasons.

Ok, I should stop before I turn this into a tirade. Thank you all for your continued support. Read, Review, Redistribute.

Ranoa- Walker of Worlds

The Price We Pay

-Hog’s Head Pub, Hogsmead Village-

Not too many people even recalled that Albus Dumbledore had a brother, even fewer knew that Aberforth was the barman of the rundown inn, the Hog’s Head. He had once made himself infamous for supposedly experimenting with charms on goats; but other than that, Abe was not a very noticeable man. Aberforth was not overly fond of his brother, mostly because of the past that they shared. As such, it was a surprise to see Albus come into his bar on a nonholiday.

There weren’t any people this evening, and Aberforth was considering of closing the bar early. So, when the door opened and his brother entered Abe was more than surprised, but he didn’t show it.

“Albus.”

“Hello Abe,” Albus said, “Could I bend your ear?”

Aberforth let out a low growl and got one of his cleaner glasses from under the counter,

“You want my ear you’ve got ‘a pay for it.”

Albus nodded and sat down at the counter, letting out a long sigh as he settled into the stool.

“So, what brings the great and mighty Albus Dumbledore to a hole in the wall like this?” Aberforth asked filling a glass of firewhisky for his brother.

“Have you seen the papers Abe?”

“Albus, you know I don’t read the Prophet, not anything worth reading.”

“The ICW has launched an official Inquiry into my recent actions.”

“Do my ears deceive me? Other people are seeing through your machinations?”

Albus took a sip out of the glass,

“I made choices Abe, then I made choices to hide my previous decisions; now, things are going to be unraveled.”

“So, you’re here to drink yourself into a stupor? How unlike you.”

Shaking his head, Albus explained,

“No, I’m here to talk to someone with more wisdom than I do right now.”

Aberforth needless to say, had no words at that moment. His brother was coming to him for “wisdom.” That was unheard of.

“And why come to me?” Abe finally asked.

“Because I trust you to be perfectly honest with me.”

Aberforth looked at his older brother with no small amount of scrutiny,

“You mean you want me to point out every flaw I’ve seen you guilty of? Quite possibly blow it out of proportion?”

To that, Albus simply nodded. The older wizard seemed to be past all hope of recovering from what was going to happen to him. All that Abe could perceive was that Albus was simply wanting someone to grind him further into the ground. In that moment of realization, Abe felt something he hadn’t felt towards his brother in living memory, he felt sympathy. His brother had been on the highest of high, now was plunging himself to the lowest of lows. He had seen it in other men and women that had walked through the pub door, ready to dive off the deep end into a glass of whatever intoxicating substance they could get their hands on.

Aberforth cursed his new-found bleeding heart. Here his brother was presenting him with the opportunity he had been wanting ever since their life in Godric’s Hollow. True, Abe had expressed his dislike of Albus as often as occasion had permitted; but, now that Albus was setting himself up as an open target, Abe couldn’t find it in himself to do it. Abe’s spiteful mind wanted to so badly, but he just couldn’t let out the words in his head.

“So… Where do you think you went wrong, Albus?” Abe finally asked.

Albus let out another tired sigh and closed his eyes in thought.

“I can’t point at any one place.” Albus admitted.

“I’d say you went wrong by trying to cover your actions with further deceptions.”

“I have never lied to anyone in the course of my carrier, Abe.”

“Oh really? You may not have outright lied to anyone, stretching the truth aside, but you certainly withheld plenty. Lies of omission are still lies in the grand scheme of things.” Aberforth picked up a glass and started scrubbing it with his dirty rag, “You played your cards too close to your hand. You felt the need to hold everything in and not trust people enough to give them information.”

Albus thought about what Abe had just told him. He did withhold information from many people, and that tendency lead to his failure to appraise the ICW of the change in location of the Stone.

“On top of that Albus, you see only one path and believe that is it. Experience clouds your sight.”

Albus also reflected on this. He didn’t fully agree with that statement, but he recognized the truth behind it. He tried to plan out the best course of action, but once he had an idea in mind he had a hard time considering other options, seeing it as the only way to go. He hadn’t sought other courses of actions in many things in recent years, now he wondered how things may have been different if he had earnestly sought a different way.

The Headmaster placed the glass of whiskey down on the counter and let his head come to rest between his hands,

“Oh Abe, why did it take something like this to make me think about my actions?”

To this, the younger brother shrugged his shoulders,

“Can’t say, but maybe you were too proud to listen otherwise.”

Silence prevailed between the two brothers. Abe wanted to keep informing his brother about the many faults that could be seen, but this surprising wellspring of compassion towards his only other living family kept him from laying into the broken man.

“So, what happens now?” Aberforth asked.

“The ICW and the Wizengamot have put me on suspension for the course of the Inquiry. They may take up to a year to investigate, but that is more than enough time for them to uncover enough to make sure I never sit in an official government position ever again."

Aberforth nodded his understanding,

“Well, maybe it is time to retire anyway?”

Albus let out the smallest of chuckles and spun his drink in its glass,

“I don’t think I am ready to fully retire yet. There is still much I would like to try and do before I vanish completely. So many lives I’ve managed to ruin that I would like to make right.”

Albus downed the last of the burning beverage and put a few coins on the counter,

“Thanks Abe, you’ve helped.”

Not another word was said as the elder brother left, leaving a very befuddled Aberforth behind.

-Faust Residence, Canterlot-

Harry was seated in front of the TV with his “sister,” Sunset Shimmer. The other girls had business to attend to elsewhere, so it was just the two. Harry held the remote in one hand and his wand in another. With the tip of his wand he would punch buttons on the remote, muttering under his breath. The stupid remote wasn’t cooperating.

He was attempting to access the Wizard Broadcasting Company. He got a text message from Aunt Celestia to tune in the station that afternoon, there was going to be a press conference that he was going to want to watch. However, the remote was proving to be stubborn.

“Careful Harry, poke the poor remote any harder and you might just blow it up.” Sunset teased.

“I’ll have you know Sunset, that I’ve never blown up anything with my magic.” Shot back, still probing the remote with his wand.

“There’s always a first time for everything.” Sunset grinned remembering her own blunders and accidents with magic.

Irony didn’t come knocking today however, because the next moment Harry let out a triumphant cheer. The tv display came up with the call letters WBC and an advertisement for the Salem Institute came on screen.

“Ha! Told you I’d get it!”

Any further teasing from Sunset was silenced at the success. She just leaned back into the sofa, Harry was quick to join her. Sunset grinned and pulled Harry in closer,

“Come here wiz-kid.” She said, letting Harry’s smaller frame get close to hers.

“Wiz-kid?” Harry asked.

“Rainbow’s idea.”

“Of course, it was.”

The two pseudo-siblings traded idle chatter until they noticed Secretary Saunders on screen. She was standing at a podium that bore the seal of America’s Department of Magic. Behind her there were a number of people standing there. The only ones they recognized in the group were Celestia and Luna. The subtext on the screen read, “Live from Washington DC.”

“Ladies and gentlemen of the American Magical Community, one hour ago I left a meeting with national leaders. We discussed an idea that will not only affect our community but eventually the entire world. Over the past few years, we have been developing a potential program that would make formal magical education more readily available to all citizens of the American Community. Recent events have presented the opportunity to make this dream a reality. With the president’s permission, and a majority vote from Congress, we are pleased to announce that starting this September, Canterlot High School will become the first ever integrated magical and normal public school in the history of the world.”

Sunset Shimmer and Harry gave a triumphant cheer and high-fived each other. Their jubilations drowned out the Secretary of Magic for a few minutes. The rest of the press conference became unimportant to them while different heads of departments gave details of how the program would work, which laws they were invoking to establish a new magical community in the town of Canterlot and what not.

The doorbell suddenly rang. Out of reflex Sunset hit the mute button on the remote before standing up and heading for the front door. Sunset looked through the peep hole and saw two people standing there, one slightly hiding behind the other. Sunset opened the door when she recognized the man standing in front,

“Professor Smith, what are you doing here? I thought you would have been at the press conference.”

The professor of magical theory shook his head,

“No, they don’t need me there. Besides, I have more important matters to attend to.”

Professor Smith stood to the side, allowing Sunset a better view of the woman standing behind him,

“This is Madam Zecora. She is an expert on the development of young magicals, among other things. She’s graciously agreed to take on Harry’s unusual case of blended magics.”

Taking the lead, Zecora stepped closer and shook Sunset’s hand,

“A pleasure to you, my dear young miss. I can see, you are of a world other than this.”

Sunset was not sure which confused her more, the rhyming or the uncertainty of being called out so quickly on being from another world. Apparently, this confusion showed on her face because Zecora gave a gentle laugh and explained,

“You wonder why I talk in verse? That is easy, I am under a curse.”

“Madam Zecora’s mother was hit by a curse while she was pregnant. They were able to break the spell on the mother but failed to consider that the unborn child was also under the spell’s influence. By the time she was talking the curse had taken root and could not be undone.”

“But a rhyming curse? Seems a bit silly.”

“It does, at first; but, it becomes rather difficult to chain spells together if you can’t say anything that doesn’t rhyme with the last incantation you used.”

“Oh,” Was all Sunset said when realization hit her.

Sunset became aware of someone standing behind her and turned her head slightly to confirm who it was,

“Hey Harry.”

“Mr. Potter, you seem to be in good health.” Professor Smith greeted.

“Thank you, sir.”

“The Professor has brought someone who can help us understand how Equestrian magic is going to affect you.” Sunset explained.

“You mean besides having to wear a bracelet for the rest of my life?” Harry asked holding the piece of magical jewelry up for all to see.

“I will see what I can do. Hopefully our options are not a few.” Zecora explained.

At the suggestion of Professor Smith, the group moved to the privacy of the fenced in back yard of the Faust home. Once back there, Smith started waving his wand around and saying some soft-spoken spells. The more he did, the more the perimeter of the property was clouded with the same sort of haze that Sunset had seen hanging around the school.

“What is that haze Professor? I saw it hanging about CHS a few weeks ago.” Sunset asked.

To the younger two’s surprise, it was Zecora who answered,

“As seen by those without Earth’s defection, that is a wizard’s form of protection.”

“Wizard’s protection… Oh! You mean a barrier, right?” Sunset asked excitedly.

“To give us a kind of privacy, wizards put up what you see. Human eyes see not a wit, but your eyes in this world do not fit.”

“But you know what I’m talking about right?”

“Madam Zecora is a practitioner of a naturalistic form of magic.” Professor Smith commented, his work finished, “It gives her a kind of insight that the rest of us don’t have.”

“Oh Colton, you are too kind. Now, come Mr. Potter, let us see what we can find.”

Zecora had Harry sit on a chair before she asked him to take off the bracelet that siphoned off his extra magic. She took a few minutes to take in the changes before she began applying some kind of crushed plant material to the boy’s face and exposed arms and hands. All the while, the ‘expert,’ in magical child development was singing softly in a foreign language. Sunset Shimmer stood by, unsure of the point of this exercise but trusted that this woman was on the level and meant no harm to her pseudo- brother. Either seeing or feeling her distress, Professor Smith decided to comment,

“Have no worry Ms. Shimmer. Madam Zecora is highly respected in all her fields of study. She is applying a particular mixture of plants that will help Madam Z see things that we cannot going on inside of Harry’s magical core. I’ve done study on the process in the past.” He said in hushed tones.

“Is that how you know her? You’ve studied her magic?”

“Well… one of the ways.”

Smith didn’t comment any further but focused on the ritual going on in front of them. Zecora had set a terracotta bowl in between her and Harry and added different bits of wood and crushed leaves. With a few hushed words, the contents of the bowl burst into blue fire. The dark skin woman breathed deep the fumes of the burning mixture before turning her gaze fully on Harry. Zecora’s eyes had dilated and her face lost expression. Sunset felt really disturbed at the sight, especially seeing Harry in the same hypnotic state that Zecora seemed to be in.

Sunset took a step forward, ready to break up the ritual. A sudden burst of polychromatic energy erupted from the bowl. The burst of energy carried a significant amount of force behind it. The wave of power nocked over a number of potted plants on the Faust’s back porch and sent Zecora stumbling back. The woman’s feet tripped over each other and the woman fell to the ground.

The observers hurried forward to check on the two, Colton to Zecora and Sunset to Harry.

“Harry? Harry are you alright?”

“Madam Z?”

The dark-skinned woman let out a groan and pushed herself up,

“I cannot believe what I have seen, I never thought it could have been.”

Harry came out of his comatose state at that moment.

“Sunset, what happened?”

“I’d like to know that myself.”

Zecora rubbed the bridge of her nose and shook her head,

“Strange things I saw in the fire, a minute to process is what I require.”

With some help, they got Zecora up into a nearby patio chair. Sunset got some water for the two exhausted persons and everyone waited for Madam Z to speak. When she did, she seemed to be struggling against the nature of her speech curse to get the words she wanted, but she still spoke in rhyme.

“Understanding is hard to do, even harder is to tell it to you.”

“Just do your best, please.” Smith requested.

“In the flames I saw many things, among them a unicorn with wings.”

“Sounds like an alicorn.” Sunset commented.

Zecora started and stopped several times, each time failing to form a satisfactory sentence. Finally, she looked at Professor Smith in defeat,

“I can’t form what I want to say, the potion if you may.”

“Madam Z… you are certain?”

She nodded her head in response. Smith quickly went to Zecora’s bag and started fishing around through the contents inside. Sunset just about commented about not being able to find whatever this potion was when Smith’s arm went deeper into the bag. To the onlooker, the entirety of Professor Smith’s arm had been swallowed by a bag that could not have possibly held the volume need for such an act.

“Undetectable expansion charm, both a blessing and a bane.” The academic said to the two youngsters.

He fished out a glass bottle filled with a glowing blue liquid,

“Are you sure you want this Madam Z? The after effect…”

“I don’t care my friend; the means is justified by the end.”

The professor of magical theory shook the contents of the bottle and handed it to the rhymer. The woman unstopped it and drank down the entirety of the liquid within. She grimaced as the last of the potion slid down her throat.

“I hate that stuff, but it clears up my speech.” Zecora said clearly and without rhyme.

“How…” Harry started to asked confused.

“I’ll let Colton explain it later. Right now, I only have a limited time to tell you what I saw.” Zecora cut off before launching into her explanation,

“I understand that a part of your soul is the recipient of a graft of magic? Well, that graft is taking a larger on you than what previously was understood. The most notable effect on you is the appearance of your pony features.”

Sunset took a quick moment to scratch behind her pseudo-brother’s pony ears, the action merited a moment of bliss followed by a playful smack to drive the embarrassing sibling away.

“The other most notable effect from this grafting is a resonance that you have with those whose magic are a part of you. You probably will feel comfort and calm when in the presence of those that contributed to the graft.”

Harry thought back to just before his aunts had left for DC and realized that the moment of calm that overcame his frustration happened right before the girls had walked in the front door.

“There is more that I need to reflect on. For now, though, I recommend that you wear your suppressor only in public, let the magic in you grow unhindered because there will… be… a…”

Zecora choked on her breath and her eyes widened. Professor Smith quickly grabbed the glass that Sunset had brought out, magically filled it with water, and handed it to Zecora.

“Take it easy Madam Z. Write it down for us later, just rest for now.”

“Professor? Will Madam Zecora be alright?” Harry asked with rising concern for her.

“It’s simply the after effect of the potion she drank. She’ll not be able to talk for a week though.”

“Something to do with her curse?” Sunset concluded.

“Smartly deducted Ms. Shimmer. Yes, the potion is able to suppress the compulsion to rhyme for a short time, we never know how long it will be, but as a result for superseding a part of her that is so integrated into her she loses all powers of speech for the next seven days.”

“That doesn’t seem fair.” Harry protested.

From the chair she rested in, Zecora tapped Smith’s arm and, when he looked at her, raised one finger.

“Right, rule number one.”

“Rule one?” Sunset asked.

“There are certain rules about handling magic. Wisdom passed through the ages. Gathered over generations of mistakes and failures. Madam Z wants me to convey the universally accepted first rule, ‘Remember this, that magic is seldom nice, for all magic comes at a price.’”

“At a price?” The young wizard asked.

“When you learn a spell, you devote time and effort that you could have been spent doing something else to learn how to perform it. Time in study, time in practice, it comes together to pay the ‘toll,’ of being able to cast the spell. Paying time of your life, that is the price for most spells accepted by the world wide magical community. When you make a potion, you are sacrificing the existence of the plant you are chopping up, or the life of the snake whose fangs you’ve ground up to remove a boil. Wands use cores from living creatures; you think that the dragons with heartstrings missing are still living? Then you move into more powerful arts like invocations, rituals, enchanting, things that take up more time to learn, takes greater resources to cast, sometimes even requiring human life to pay the price of the spell. Bottom line Mr. Potter, we all pay a price for the power of magic.”

The two adults didn’t stay long after. Professor Smith wanted to get the drained Madam Z to rest and it was about time to start fixing dinner anyways. Sunset tried engaging Harry with what was in the fridge but her ‘little brother,’ seemed to have a lot on his mind. Not wanting to let the issue fester, she confronted the problem.

“Alright Harry spill.”

“Huh?”

“You’ve been in the dumps since Professor Smith and Madam Zecora left. I am not letting the most important boy in my life right now sulk. So, are you going to tell me or am I going to have to do some mind delving?”

The threat at the end was mostly hollow, Sunset didn’t want to invade Harry’s privacy like that. Fortunately, the bluff needn’t be called.

“I was thinking about what Professor Smith said, about magic having a price to pay.”

“Figures. You know Harry, if you think about what your little levitation spell is costing you, you won’t be able to cast it.” Sunset reasoned.

“I guess, but I can’t help but worry about what it costs now that I have Equestrian magic. What if it is sucking away at my life? Or sucking away someone else’s? What if…”

“I’m going to cut you off right there Harry, before you become a worry-wort cross between Twilight and Pinkie Pie.” Sunset intervened, “Smith might be an expert in human magic but he doesn’t really understand the extent of Equestrian magic. I wouldn’t worry about it right now little bro. Not until we understand if there really is a price to pay with your Equestrian side. Besides the obvious.”

There Sunset did the ultimate distracter, rubbed the pony ears that sat on Harry’s head,

“Hey!”

“Isn’t all that bad as a matter of fact.”

The tension dissolved quickly and all thought was dismissed for the rest of the night. After Harry went to bed however, Sunset thought back on her little brother’s concern. When it came to Equestrian magic, there was only one person she could count on for knowledge like this. So, with a special book and a pen, she set out to get a resolution to Harry’s dilemma,

“Dear Princess Twilight…”

Author's Note

A/N I’m back everyone! Yep, I’m not dead, and I haven’t given up on my stories yet. Although, there was a time that I thought I would give up. I had this whole thing written up on how I needed to move on, but at the end of it, I found that my time away was just what I needed to get a bit of the rhythm back.

As for this chapter, I had a toss up in terms of the title for it. I was going to call it, “The Wisest Among Us,” but ultimately went with the title above as I thought it fit better. I know that scene with the Dumbledore brothers at the start might seem like me trying to backpedal with how I seem to have been portraying the Headmaster of Hogwarts. First off, it was not my intent to try and bash Dumbledore, and this chapter is to show how he is taking to his world falling apart around him, and him trying to find the next step in his life. Sometimes it takes these kinds of moments to show us just how we’ve erred.

Anyways, it’s feels good to post again, and I will try to have more prepared in the not so distant future. Remember: Read, Review, Redistribute!

Accidents and Explanations

A feeling of dread filled Harry Potter’s being as he started off Platform Nine and three-quarters. It had been a very eventful first year for the young wizard. Ever since the giant of a man Hagrid came knocking on the door in the middle of a stormy night almost a year ago. It was that night that changed his life forever.

He learned how his birth parents had died protecting him and about the man who had killed them, Voldemort. He made his first real friend in Ron Weasley and helped to save his second friend Hermione Granger from a Mountain Troll. He flew on a broom, and become the key player for the Gryffindor Quidditch team. He learned who Nicolas Flamel was and what the Philosopher’s Stone was. He had seen a dead unicorn and ridden on the back of a centaur. He faced a three headed dog, a killer plant, chased after flying keys, played a giant game of chess, watched a brilliant witch solve a deadly game of logic, all to come face to back of face with the shade of Voldemort. Only to leave triumphant on a stretcher, preventing the return of the Dark Lord. All in all, not bad for a skinny eleven-year-old with bad eye sight and messy hair.

Despite all that had been done in the last several months he still had to go back to his relatives. From Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, to Number Four Privet Drive and the Dursley family. It was in this fact that he found dread.

The Dursley family were very hostile towards Harry. They often threatened him, starved him, allowed his cousin Dudley to bully him, and were in the top twenty on the Board of Decent People’s most wanted list for various offences including unpleasantness and for being general nuisances. There was also the fact that they hated magic and anything related to it, calling the ability “unnatural” and “freakish.”

The only hope that Harry had for a halfway decent summer break was the fact that they also feared what Harry could do with what he learned with a year of wizarding school under his belt. Of course if the Dursleys ever called his bluff he could look forward to greater mistreatment than ever before.

With fake resolution, Harry headed for where he was sure he could find the Dursley’s car. Looking around the pickup area he could see no sign of his Uncle’s car.

‘Perhaps they decided to let me find my own way back.’ Harry thought. That thought was quickly dashed when a woman in her middle ages approached him. She had a very down to business air about. Her black skirt, white blouse, and black jacket solidified the look of professionalism. In her hand she held a piece of paper which she kept checking as she was walking up to him.

“Harry Potter?” She asked him when she was right in front of him. Her voice was very caring, a sharp contrast to the strict voice that he expected from a woman in such an attire.

“Yes?” The woman held her hand out for Harry to shake it,

“I’m Marisa Sanders, I am with Child Welfare Services.” Confusion filled Harry as she shook Marisa’s hand, “I’m here to take you to your temporary home until your cousins can come and pick you up.”

“What? Has something happened to the Dursleys? What cousin?” It was Mrs. Sanders turn to look confused.

“Were you not informed by your deputy headmistress about what happened your aunt and uncle? We sent several letters all of which she responded to.”

“I was not told anything.” Sanders shook her head and frowned,

“Harry, I’m afraid there has been a terrible accident.”

Those words haunted Harry all the way to the sleek black car where Harry’s luggage and feathery friend Hedwig were loaded in and they were on their way. Once they were on the road Mrs. Sanders started to explain from the driver seat,

“Three months ago your aunt and uncle were driving home from a late night out. Blood tests showed both were under the influence. Vernon drove off a bridge and they both ended up in a river.”

Harry couldn’t believe what he was hearing,

“Are they…”

“They are still alive. After they were fished out of the river there was an investigation and did you know what was found?”

“No,”

“Several years of complaints from your primary school teachers in regards to your care on record.”

“Wait, someone reported all of that? I thought it was all ignored.”

“It wasn’t just one of your teachers Harry. At least five different teachers and seven faculty members filed concerned reports to the administration, but for some reason or another many were either lost or destroyed. A few of them did make it through to my office.” Mrs. Sanders shook her head sadly,
“How my office missed them I do not know, but the situation has been rectified. Your home was investigated and we… we found the cupboard under the stairs.” Mrs. Sanders shook the betraying emotions from her eyes and voice,

“Bottom line, they were declared unfit to care for you or your cousin Dudley. Currently they await your testimony for conviction. If you want, we can record your statement for the court so you don’t have to face them ever again.”

“That would be nice.” Harry said still having a hard time believing what he was hearing.

“Now in most cases you would be placed with your next of kin. Your aunt Marge Dursley was contacted and agreed to take care of Dudley but utterly refused to take you in.” A frustrated groan escaped her mouth, “This is strictly between us but she is one of the most unpleasant people I have ever met.”

“It runs in the family.” Harry accidentally thought aloud. No chastisement came from his comment but Mrs. Sanders continued her previous train of thought,

“Anyways, we did some searching and found some living relatives from your mother’s side. They are your cousins who live in America. They are both the head administration at a school. They agreed to take you in.”

A stone dropped in Harry’s stomach. America? He was going to have to move to America? He was going to move away from Hogwarts? From Ron, Hermione, Hagrid, everybody? Did they even have a magical education system in the States?

“Now the deputy headmistress of the school you attended this year, Hogwarts was it? Well, she provided our office with a list of sister schools in the states that are willing to accept your enrollment so you can have your choice of schools if you do not want to attend your cousins’ institution.”

“So what are my cousins’ name?”

“Thank you all for another wonderful year and for those of you returning in September the members of the faculty hope you have a wonderful summer.” An auditorium of high school students broke into applause at their vice principal’s concluding words. Most of the student of Canterlot High School were extremely excited for their summer vacation. Plans were being made for pool parties, camping trips, and other summer activities that sounded enjoyable at the time. There was a group of friends however that took notice of their Head Principal’s absence.

There was the sporty Rainbow Dash, the agrarian Applejack, the animal loving Fluttershy, the fabulous Rarity, the energetic Pinkie Pie, the former student of Crystal Prep Twilight Sparkle, and the resident dimensional immigrant Sunset Shimmer. Now one would think that this was just a ragtag group of assorted friends of various backgrounds. However, they do suffer the sad reality that they seemed to be the go to for whatever crazy stuff goes on at the school. What sort of crazy stuff? Turns out the statue in front of the school is actually a dimensional portal to another world. And whenever problems from the other side decided to make problems it was this group of growing friends that had to deal with it.

It was this fact that this group of students had to maintain a degree of vigilance for anything out of the ordinary. In the shadow of the statue the group decided to talk about Principal Celestia’s absence,

“I mean it could be nothing, but Principal Celestia would never leave her sister to handle the end of the year by herself.” Rainbow Dash commented.

“You’re quite right darling,” Rarity with her dignified tone added, “Besides, Principal Celestia never misses a day at the school if she could manage it.”

“I haven’t received anything from Princess Twilight regarding any recent threats from Equestria making their way here.” Sunset Shimmer said looking up from her magical journal, “So it could be an old threat like the Dazzlings that are just now cropping up.”

“Um, Ah know that it’s our responsibility to deal with potential threats and all but Ah’m thinking this may not have to do with our friends in Equestria.” The down to earth southern voice of Applejack intervened.

There had been more than one occasion where a perceived threat turned out to be nothing. Such as when half the school didn’t show up one day. The girls had jumped the gun and thought that some kind of shadow being had come through the portal to wreak havoc. Turned out to be the Flim- Flam brothers and their latest venture into high money making business, the Taco Wagon. The students were home with cases of food poisoning, the brothers were summoned by the health board to a hearing, and the girls had shamefully learned that just because there is magic doesn’t mean that magic is the source of the problem.

“Well we could ask Vice Principal Luna what’s going on.” Twilight Sparkle suggested.

“Indeed you could.” A much more mature voice interrupted their conversation. The seven girls looked up at the top of the stairs and were surprised to see their Vice Principal standing there. Her usual professional posture and somewhat imposing demeanor were lost right now, she seemed rather tired, sad even.

“Vice Principal Luna, is everything alright?” The caring Fluttershy asked. The darker of the two administrative sisters shook her head,

“My sister and I are going through some family related issues. It seems our favorite cousin back in England, Tiger Lily, passed away eleven years ago, and no one told us.” This brought general shock to all the girls present,

“Oh dear,” Fluttershy whimpered.

“You had family in England?” Rarity’s eyes widened. Yes, she was sad for her principal but her mind also was distracted by the fashions that could be found in London… it was Rarity’s attention deficit moment for the day.

“Still do, my older cousin and her family.”

“Wait, Tiger Lily?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Well, her real name was just Lily. However, she earned the nick name Tiger Lily because she could get quite ferocious when she wanted to.” Luna recounted, bringing a smile to her face. “We lost contact with her after we received a wedding announcement to a lord of all people.”

“So what happened?” Twilight asked.

“The authorities don’t know how they died, apparently there was no investigation, no attempt at informing the next of kin no nothing. The only thing that happened was the placement of their one-year-old child.”

If the news of family in England was a shocker this was an absolute bomb shell. It is always sad when family dies, but even worse when a child is left without their parents.

“He was left with our older cousin, Petunia, but recently there have been some… issues with her qualifications to raise her own child let alone foster Tiger Lily’s.”

“Wait, you mean they…”

“As far as I know Petunia never laid a hand on him. That does not mean that she treated him with any kindness or decency. I hope you keep this quiet but an investigation discovered that she forced Lily’s child to sleep in a cupboard under the stairs for nearly ten years.” At this Rarity swooned and was caught by Applejack who helped the dramatic fashionista back to her feet,

“My goodness, what kind of person does that to a child, let alone get away with for ten years?” Rarity asked as soon as she was steady on her feet again.

“Petunia was always jealous of Lily. She was better looking, she was accepted to a private boarding school, she was able to marry up in the world. Petunia didn’t really stand out, she was normal. For some reason Petunia took some sort of demented pride in being normal and after a while started calling Lily a freak.”

“That’s no way to treat a sister!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed, “This Patootie sounds like a real meanie.”

“It’s Petunia, Pinkie; but I agree. No offence Principal Luna, but your cousin is sounding a lot like the old Sunset Shimmer. You know before she learned how awesome friends are. Uh… no offense.” Rainbow Dash said and apologized.

“None taken.” Sunset sighed. It always hurt to have your past sins brought up but Sunset had learned that she couldn’t delete everyone’s memory of who she was before the Fall Formal so she had to accept that these sort of tie backs were bound to keep happening.

“Ah hope somthin’ is bein’ done for the little feller left in England.” Applejack commented drawing any further unwanted attention from Sunset’s past. To this Luna nodded,

“Indeed, in fact that is what Celestia is doing. She has been dealing with the British embassy and child services to secure custody for our cousin. She left a few days ago on a flight to London to finalize and pick him up.”

“Oh my gosh! I’m going to have start planning a ‘Welcome to Canterlot,’ party for him!” Pinkie cried out.

“We’ll do everything we can to help your cousin feel welcome here in America.” Sunset promised which earned a hearty agreement from the rest of the group

“Thank you girls. From what I gather he hasn’t had many friends so he could use all the support he can get.”

“And what pray tell is the little gentleman’s name?” Rarity asked.

“Harry Potter.”