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.”
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Dun dun DUN.
7585205 DUN DUN DUN DUN DUN DUN DUN DUN DUN DUN DUN DUN DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUN
Of course, if Harry wanted to get in contact with his friends sooner, it was mentioned (beginning of book 2, I think) that Hermione gave him her phone number on the train ride home...
Oh just bucking great now sombra is on the loose thats two rouge sprirts running around.
i see this getting worst sleepy head meet moldybutt
7585493 I believe it is worse than that. I think we have Tom Riddle Sombra to worry about.
7585593 oh no that is worst that is something i dont want to see the horror
7585593 In other words, Tombra.
... So this thing is some dark shadow which is somehow related to Sombra... it is the mirror of Riddle... Harry's 'power' over Voldemort is love... he is the 'nephew' of Luna and Celestia...
edit: ^ This is sarcasm/ a joke
7589900
no, Harry is their cousin and we don't know of any cousin to the princesses of the night and day so... We do not know who he mirrors (however my guess for Dumbledoor is Starswirl the bearded)
Is he after spike?
7591042
7589900 he could be after spike. He just doesn't realize he's looking for a dog
Uh oh. Just what was that sliver of darkness? Not only that, what did the ominous message that was sent to Dumbledore mean?
7589900 ...why does this make so much sense? That shouldn't make so much sense
So... Voldemort (or at least one of his soul fragments) has been hanging out in Equestria? Worrying. I'm assuming that it was originally banished to Tartarus in some way and escaped at the same time as Tirek.
Or maybe it's the STOVE!!!!!!
(legacy)
Or perhaps (from an HP completely viewpoint) this is the full pony version of tom/voldemort, and on top of that, pony tom is an umbrum, a shadow pony.
and cause he's you-know-who's double. he might hsve to deal with harry trotter. sorry harry potter's double.
What are the odds Sombra's after Spike?
Yes, he does. Even if things get too dangerous for the six humans and one unicorn-turned-human, couldn't they just summon a bit of chaos?
As long as he knows to avoid the green light (if he can actually die), then how could any noseless bastard beat him?
One of the foremost magical researchers tried doing this; all she got were a bunch of insta-healing injuries after a piano fell on her head. And she was almost eaten by a hydra.
9061696
I say pinkie has a passive reality warping magic
7591042
Why does everyone think this? If Starswirl has an equivalent that is not Starswirl it would obviously be Myrrden Emrys, not Dumbledore.
The start of this chapter really feels like a major change in Dumbledore's character/personality.
7591042
The 5th century person that is half the Merlin legend? That only works if you feel Merlin dates to King Arthur of Britain. If you place Merlin in Atlantis, you would need someone from Greek or earlier. Now, the Plato / Archimedes / Euclid / Aristotle group (teacher/students over 4 generations) are a good guess for that, but now you're in the 400 BCE era, and Atlantis (if you are talking Minoan Crete) was 1,000 years prior to that, and I don't know anyone recorded from that period of history.
Oh no.
Looks like some evil thing got a hitchhike ride.
Oh. Sombra.
This isn't gonna end well.
Also, poor Sombra. Whatever his Equestrian counterpart did, he wasn't related, so he's still innocent, and now his body's been hijacked...
All manner of past (mis)treatments of Dumbledore mean that his appearance and behavior in this chapter raises several concerns. His endgame being full blood equality among wizards assuages some of them, but I have rarely seen a Dumbledore who acts to keep Harry at the Dursleys' house and acts for the greater good without him also having numerous other invented flaws that turn me off the story. Here's hoping this is one of those rare occasions.
THAT SHADOW HAS TO BE VOLDEMORT!!