The goblin led Elly down stairs and through tunnels until she was sure they had left the magical confines of Diagon Alley and were under the “muggle” portion of London.
The goblin finally stopped before a large door with intricate carvings. He knocked, then opened the door and strode inside. He deposited the bag and note on the desk and promptly left. No words were exchanged.
The camouflaged changeling noticed the four guards, with their spears, swords, and knives, stationed in the four corners of the room as she entered it.
The low ceiling would hamper flight, but then she was smaller than them in her ling form, which should give her an advantage considering how high the ceiling was, at least a yard above her head. She should be able to handle the five, but it would be mostly due to her surprise attacks and shapes. Her wings would give her a distinct advantage.
She ignored the chair in front of the desk and remained standing. If she sat, she would be blind to anything behind her, and it would severely limit her choices should things . . . not go well.
She did not have much information on the goblins outside of their interactions with wizards and witches she had seen outside the building. And goblins in Equestria were almost impossible to find, anyway. They much preferred their own company and kept themselves far from any of the other races. So much so, that many races considered them a figment of legend.
Lings knew the truth. But was any of it relevant to here?
The goblin at the desk barely glanced at her. He casually spilled the gems on his desk. He quickly separated the three magic-bearing gems with his long fingers and studied them carefully. The remainder he barely looked at, taking only a moment to examine each.
While he was doing that, another goblin knocked and opened the door. She turned slightly and stepped to the side, putting the chair between her and the new goblin. The goblin at the door merely stood there for a moment, and stared at her through a crystal on a staff before he just as quickly left.
Knifethrower leaned back in his chair to stare under his bushy eyebrows at her. “I will give you twenty-seven thousand for these three, each.” he gestured at the three magic-gems, “and ten thousand for the others.” He narrowed his eyes at her. “No haggling. That’s our top price.”
While the goblin radiated disdain for her, there were no traces of dishonesty in him — well, none that mattered in this transaction.
She shrugged. “That seems fair,” she said.
He stared at her another moment suspiciously — which seemed their default attitude in business — then opened a drawer and tossed a leather wallet on the table. At her puzzled look he sighed dramatically. He explained how a wallet worked and that she didn’t have to carry all the gold with her. And that the credit card in it was usable with muggle merchants, all for a small fee.
While he was explaining, there was thump from his desk. Stopping momentarily, he looked in a drawer, and read something off the paper he removed, He grunted, then dropped the paper back into the drawer, and continued his explanation in bored tones.
She didn’t intend to return to the muggle side any time soon, but the option to do so without losing access to her money would give her an advantage she hadn’t had before.
“Or do you want an acromantula silk wallet,” he finished, sneering slightly.
Again, she shrugged. “Is that more expensive?”
“Yes.”
She shook her head. “That one will do,” she said nodding at the wallet on his desk.
He paused a moment, frowned at her, then asked, “Are you a muggle?”
She smiled slightly, then said, “I have not yet purchased a wand.”
Again he stared at her. Then he slowly nodded. With eyes narrowed, he asked, “Are you an Equestrian?”
She concealed her start as best she could. However, by the glee she perceived, the goblin had detected it.
She took a deep breath to centre herself and prepared, mentally, for the fight that was sure to ensue. “Yes.” Her heart began to thud in her chest. She dared not show fear, or anything other than confidence. The legends said that to do otherwise could lead to conflict.
He studied her carefully, taking note of her posture, which she hoped he hadn’t noticed was a bit different from previously. He nodded. “We do not care what happens outside of Gringotts.” Then he sneered, “We are not slaves to the Ministry as are many wizards.”
He continued a moment later, grumpily, “As long as you obey our laws inside the bank, you will be allowed to visit. Your money is safe with us, regardless. The only activities your vault will incur are normal fees, except for any fines that might be leveed for infractions against Gringotts. Payment demands from anyone are ignored unless you authorize them.”
She relaxed a bit and tilted her head, “Will you tell anyone I have been here?”
“We tell the ministry only who has an account here, and where they say they are from. We do publish a record of the top ten Vault holders.” He grinned toothily, “Or rather, those that are active.” He paused, then smirked. “You are not a Top Ten depositor. For a small fee we can ensure that no one knows that you are an Equestrian or that you have a vault here.”
He leaned back and considered her for a moment. “If you were to give us information about this Equestria, we could forgo that fee,” he said in a sly tone. “For sufficient information, we could even forgo the normal vault fees for a period of time.”
He leaned forward. “The other Equestrians have been here only once, and information is difficult to come by. However, we know they are animagi and have other forms they can switch to, ponies, it would seem. You could start with showing us yours.”
She considered very carefully what her options were and how she might use them to her advantage. Her instructors had mentioned that information could have a bit value to ponies — limited by its accuracy, amount, and timeliness. That really wasn’t a ling’s concern — only collecting for the hive had any real value. But sometimes their targets desired to know things, about other ponies, which could lead to love collecting from the one they were with.
While it was tempting to give the information about the ponies as revenge, she really didn’t know the value of what she could tell the goblins. Or if it would come back to her later, to her distress. In most cases, ling’s were never around later when the accuracy or timeliness of the information they supplied became known.
A smart infiltrator did not give away the hive’s secrets.
But this wasn’t about the hive, it was about the ponies.
But it was about her home world.
Which she could not return to, considering who controlled the portal.
But how would it harm her if she refused to help them?
Could she take the chance it wouldn’t?
However, unless it threatened the hive, the here and now was more important than maybes and what-ifs.
And yielding information might win her alliance and support from a powerful goblins. Or, at least, a neutral stance regarding the ponies.
“The ones you have met are my enemies,” she said carefully. “How do I know you won’t sell me to them to recoup your payments to me and take my vault?”
Knifethrower leaned back and scowled at her. “Gringotts’ treaty with the wizards forbids such actions. The treaty does not allow even the Ministry to get information from us not provided for in the treaty.”
“Which is?” she asked.
“We are only obligated to tell them an account exists for a specific account holder, not how much is in it,” he started reluctantly. “We are not permitted to transfer money without the account holder’s permission, nor provide access to anyone other than the holder of the account’s key, or whomever the account holder authorizes. We cannot release information about one account holder to another. The items in a vault can only be released to the account holder or a designated being. The vaults are sacrosanct — we touch nothing in them unless collecting a fee, payment, or fine.”
“Would I be violating any rules by disclosing what I know of another account holder?”
He grinned, showing many sharp teeth. “As long as it is not any details of the holder’s account, no, you are not violating any rules. Neither are we in asking about or paying for any additional details about our clients. And we are, after all, not inquiring about anything in a vault.”
“What is forbidden to put in a vault?”
“Anything that would put Gringotts at risk, such as explosive potions or artefacts, or items that would allow unauthorized access to Gringotts or any vaults.”
“And the fine?”
“Confiscation of the item and a thousand galleons, minimum. More according to the item’s danger. The amount is set by a committee of goblins and Ministry officials on each incident.”
She stared at him for several moments, then, in a flash of green fire, transformed into a gold-coloured unicorn mare with a two-tone blue mane and tail and green eyes. Her cutie mark was a five-pointed star with smoke coming from it. She stood so that the goblin had a clear look at her cutie mark.
She had seen a unicorn like that in Canterlot.
“An agreement on what you will give for information is needed,” she said, sitting down on the chair once she returned to human form. “And that states the information will not be used to attack myself, the ponies, or anyone else I might mention. The only exception is if they physically attack Gringotts or the goblins in general — except in self-defence of themselves or others.”
It was a bit more complicated than that, but she was satisfied with the result. She didn’t know if they would honour such an agreement in full, but the wizards appeared to trust the goblins with their business. And she could detect no evidence of treachery or deceit in his emotions. Nor in those in guarding the room. All she felt from them was satisfaction in an agreement.
For five thousand galleons, and a number of free services for seven years, she told them of the present Equestrian political situation, as well as its population and size. She included information for the last decade, and more general information about the last thousand years. And the neighbouring countries and makeup of the populations, and their general histories, too. She mentioned Equestria’s rulers without saying exactly what they were capable of doing, just that both were over two thousand years old; quite skilled as fighters, diplomats, and rulers; and very powerful magically.
The longer she talked the more relaxed the goblins became.
It took several hours. They offered drinks. She took water.
She did not tell them of the conflict between the lings and the ponies in Canterlot. Nor that the ponies were treating extensively with the “muggles.” In any case, their questions were centred on the Equestrians’ activities in their native world, not this one.
The goblins were especially interested to learn that magic was openly practiced in all of Equestria, that there were no restrictions, and that there were goblins there, although reclusive in the extreme.
Elly did take advantage of their offer to mask her account as a revival of an old account that they knew was unimportant to the wizards and witches of England. The last known recipient of the name, a half-blood, had died in 1895.
Her new name was Elly De Rippe and cost her only a few drops of her disguised blood on several different papers. Her new-to-her old Vault was surprisingly full of galleons. Except for the “extra” payments, the rest came from her gems and gold coins, the goblins assured her. There was furniture, and books in a bookcase, from the previous owners. There was no property, though. It had been disposed of for tax payments to the Ministry many years ago.
Knifethrower concluded their business, with an offer. “If you wish to share any more information, our doors are open to you.” From his suspicious feelings, she knew he suspected her of not telling them everything she knew, he just didn’t know if it was valuable to them. His disappointment at her detected escape through the portal was clear. They both knew that detection meant an upgrade of its defences.
Most of the Alley was quiet when she left Gringotts and she easily made her way to The Leaky Cauldron. It cost a galleon for a room for the night, which included breakfast the witch behind the bar assured her.
۸-_-۸
She passed most of the morning waiting for the shops to open by sitting in a corner and observing the wizards in the tavern. She slowly consumed two cups of “tea.” A strange brew, she thought, and a bit bitter. She had accepted the breakfast and ate it. She would dispose of what she didn’t need, later, as she had been taught.
The first time a wizard came through the floo, shortly after she sat down, surprised her. She realized she should have expected that from the lectures she had overheard. Plus, the wizards and witches appeared to be a close knit group. The barman seemed to know everyone who came through as he greeted most of them by name. Although, if he was the first line of defence for Diagon Alley, it would make sense for him to know all the regular attendees to the Alley. She wondered if he used magic to do so.
A group of four rather clumsy wizards and witches, not that she was all that graceful, came through the floo at about the time she decided to visit the wand making wizard. Fortunately, she, at least, had had several weeks experience in the hive practicing as a minotaur while a working for the rank of cadet infiltrator. And had spent the last two weeks carefully studying how humans moved.
She followed them as they went to the enclosed courtyard. The lead wizard used his wand to open the wall, which was just as impressive a piece of magic this time as it had been last night. She could use such a wall to hide her hive in the future.
The wizards nodded to her, acknowledging her presence. “Extraordinary isn’t it?” the lead wizard asked her as they stepped into the Alley. His freely-flowing emotions were a mix of pride and excitement.
It was at that moment that she realized the group of four were actually ponies.
The outflow of emotions from the witch was exactly what she would expect from a pony who was seeing this for the first time — wonder, excitement, fear of the unknown — all in flavours she distinctly found familiar. And very unlike the flavours she sensed from the humans around her. The wizards and witches tended to more suspicious and cautious. And bored with the routineness of their actions.
The other two wizards were clearly pony guards, as their attention was on the other wizards and witches in the alley, constantly scanning for trouble, and noticing everything not a threat as an after-thought. Just as the guard ponies did in Ponyville and around the portal while on duty.
Her training allowed her to remain calm, but she slowly drifted back as they made their way down the Alley towards the shop she wanted as well — Ollivanders.
She sighed as they went into the shop first.
She was in a quandary.
If she ran off, she would probably escape their notice.
But she wanted to know what the ponies were doing here and this was an excellent opportunity. And, at the same time, she needed to watch them and see how the humans reacted to them.
If she tried to discretely spy on them from outside, however, the guards would notice her.
She sighed again, and followed them inside. As her instructor had said, “If you act as if you belong there, the ponies will never see anything out of the ordinary.”
The proprietor was already greeting his four customers. “Good morning,” he said a soft voice. An old man was standing before them, his wide, pale eyes shining like moons through the gloom of the shop. Which was odd considering the large windows that fronted the shop and door. “It is good to see you again, Mr. Marks. Is your wand still serving you well? Alder wood with a unicorn hair core, I recall. Your own, too.” He raised an eyebrow inquiringly. As Mr. Mark nodded, the old man turned to the rest. “I am Mr. Ollivander.”
That was interesting. He had somehow divined, or he had been told, that they were ponies. She had thought they were trying to keep it quiet. Maybe it was that they were just not proclaiming they were from another world.
The lead wizard took a long and wide box from his robes and handed it to the old man. “A few of our first attempts. I’d like your opinion on them.” He swept his hand to indicate the others, “And new wands for these three.”
Elly sat on the rickety chair to one side. “I also want a wand,” she said, “But I’m not in a hurry. I can wait while you help them.” She nodded at the four Equestrians.
Mr. Ollivander spent a moment staring at her before nodding. “If you have no objections?” he said to the others, inquiring with a tilt of his head.
They quickly declared they did not mind in the slightest.
The next hour was fascinating to Elly as she saw magic being performed through a wand and not a horn. And that selection process seemed to be almost random as Ollivander named wand woods and cores as he handed them over without any apparent methodology.
Knowing that the ponies were designing and building their own wands was another sign that Equestria was changing rapidly. And not to the lings’ benefit. In the future they would have to worry about magical defences from every pony, not just the unicorns. She couldn’t help but feel she was right in leaving the old world behind. At least, here, the lings would be on an equal magical hoof with the humans.
“Usable,” Mr. Ollivander said of the four wands. “How did you decide on the length of the hairs and wood?”
Mr. Marks looked at the witch, Bright Star, he had called her.
She shrugged, “It felt right,” she said.
Mr. Ollivander smiled. “An excellent answer.”
He looked closely at one wand, “I do not see any signs of cutting on the wood,” he continued. “So, I presume you have already discovered how to place a wand-core without disturbing the rest of the wand?” He looked up at Bright Star.
She nodded, and said, “The core follows the core-grain of the wand to prevent any instabilities created by crossing a grain. It is entirely contained in the wand’s core.”
He nodded approvingly.
After receiving advice on how to improve their wands, and things they needed to think about in wand making, the four ponies left. As they did, Elly realized she had be unconsciously absorbing love from them — Mr. Mark for his student and their work; the others for their new wands. It hadn’t been much, but it had made a difference to her reserves.
It really was very startling how much more freely love flowed from the ponies. And how relieved she was that they had left.
“Now then miss,” the wand maker said as the door closed, “I assume this is you first wand, correct?” He stared at her in a strange fashion, almost as if he could see something she couldn’t. Her magic, perhaps?
She nodded.
He studied her for a moment, then fetched a box and reverently held out its wand to her. Thirty minutes and many wands, later, he stopped and stared at her. “I wonder,” he said hesitantly.
He went into the back room and emerged several minutes later. “Hawthorne, an excellent wood for charms and concealment magic, with a very powerful alicorn hair from your home,” he said, holding the open box to her. She gave him a long look before she reached to pick it up. It seemed to leap into her hand.
Sparks flew across the room when she touched it.
He smiled broadly. “Yes, a perfect match.”
She glanced at the rather large pile of boxes at one end of the counter.
“A powerful wand. It will serve you well.” He stared at her, making her uncomfortable. “Yes,” he said, finally, “A powerful wand indeed.”
He took a quick breath and straightened, “Now, would you like a wrist holder, as well?” he indicated a counter to one side of the small shop.
Minutes later she left with a leather brace on one arm that was hidden from others’ sight by a spell. Not only did it easily contain her nine-inch wand, but it was comfortable, too. She wondered if the holster and wand would be usable when she transformed. And how holding a wand would affect her rather pedestrian ling magical casting.
She also left with the names of two tutors in magic, one for transfigurations and the other for spell casting. And the admonishment that she should make sure her tutors notified the Ministry.
The threat that the Ministry might otherwise take some kind of action against her was not stated in so many words, but she took the warning to heart.
She headed for the bookstore the old man had recommended, Flourish and Blotts. She hoped she’d be able to read them. She had a lot of reading to do. The goblin’s questions about Equestria had suggested areas she needed to investigate.
And she needed to find a place where she could surreptitiously feed herself. Staying in the Alley was not even sustaining her levels. Any serious magic use would deplete those too quickly for comfort. And take a long time to renew.
Time, she was worried, she might not have.
۸-_-۸
It was Friday, again, and the purple Gryffindor cohort was nervous as they approached the Potions classroom. Today’s potion was supposed to be a vitamin potion. What Sweetie Belle, or Neville, might do with that had them all nervous.
Surveying the room as they entered, they couldn’t help but notice the new seating arrangements. The normal-coloured tables and chairs where all occupied by the still purple Slytherins, except for the tables closest to the point of the purple triangle that divided the room. The purple chairs were, naturally, left for the Gryffindors.
Unhappy with the selections, but knowing it was useless to argue the matter, the Gryffindors settled in their new seats. They started setting up their equipment.
As usual, after sneering at them all, even the Slytherins, Professor Snape ordered, “Today’s potion instructions are on the board. Get started.”
Harry sighed and followed the orders. He couldn’t help but glance at Sweetie and Neville both before and after each step in the brewing process. As did most of the class. To say they were goosey was an understatement.
There were several odd noises or exclamations from Sweetie’s and Neville’s table area. Each unexpected noise resulted in a wave of spreading panic across the room as students frantically grabbed their wands and cast the bubble-head charm — just in case.
Professor Snape spent a good deal of time peering into the mistrusted two students’ cauldrons. That, of course, meant both students were extremely nervous in their brewing. Although his close attention to those two did mean the other Gryffindors managed most of the class without his presence behind them. For which they were grateful.
Unfortunately, grabbing hastily for your wand meant you had to stop what you were doing. That, in turn, meant the mixing results at some tables were decidedly off from what was expected at the end of class. Which seemed to arrive without any catastrophes, to everyone’s amazement.
Sweetie looked triumphant while Neville looked relieved.
Professor Snape looked suspicious.
Each student carefully decanted their potions into small bottles, some were powders or creams instead of the expected liquids. And the colours ranged across the rainbow.
As a result, most of the class received poor grades. However, Professor Snape seemed intrigued by the brilliant, day-glow yellow colour Sweetie Belle’s potion had instead of the dull purple it was supposed to be. He removed the stopper and waved his hand over it gently, wafting any smell it might have in his direction. There was a distinct mint smell instead of the normal dirty-socks the book said the vitamin potion should have.
He looked at her with narrowed suspicious eyes. Sweetie shifted uncomfortably, then whispered, guiltily, “I thought a mint leaf might help . . . .”
Snape sighed, replacing the stopper, and carefully set the bottle aside. “Troll,” he sneered at her.
“But she didn’t blow anything up!” protested Scootaloo.
He leaned back and frowned at her, then said, “Troll. And two points off for questioning my judgement.”
Scootaloo gave Sweetie a shrug as if to say, “Well, I tried,” as they hurried out of the room.
۸-~-۸
Meh, Elly is as evil as her mom, hope she will run into some wizard that will catch her. But at least there are finally some threats for Equestria's safety on horizon.
One time they did more or less well and Snape put a bad note... At last they did not make some strange living gas monster
Hah, go Elly! The goblins and even Ollivander seem to be knowingly accommodating her, to a degree. I'm afraid I don't understand what Snape was referring to by saying 'Troll', however. Was he calling Sweetie a troll...? Anyway, excellent chapter and Merry Christmas!
9365451
"Troll" is the lowest grade in Hogwarts (because troll is epitome of dumbness in magic world).
Hopefully the Prophet will blow up with news of the return of the family of Jack The Ripper.
9365433
Evil? Not really.
9365433
Personally, I am hoping for her to be "redeemed" by having her somehow run into the position of becoming a teacher/scholar of some kind and then be offered a position at Hogwarts, and once caught (because of the wards) she still gets a chance by Dumbledore, you know what kind of man he is. He'd likely give her a chance after questioning her.
9365433
9365458
Hah, thanks. Yeah I did not remember that at all. Though I find it bizarre you'd say Elly was evil, based on what we've seen here. She's literally just trying to live her life, and the intel she shared regarding Equestria seemed completely inactionable.
9365441
Or a Smooze. (Not the cute little green modern version, either.)
9365451
In the Harry Potter world, assignments are graded on a unique scale. Outstanding (O) is the highest grade, then Exceeds Expectation (E or EE) and Acceptable (A) are all passing grades. Then Poor (P), Dreadful (D), and Troll (T) are fail grades.
How much do you want to bet Snape is just pissed at Sweetie because making the Vitamin Potion taste better was a project he was working on (probably back in his school years) but he failed?
9365451
Troll is Hogwarts version of a failing grade. I think it goes something like Outstanding > Exceeds Expectations > Acceptable > Poor >Dreadful > Troll.
Hmmm... this Elly might turn into an interesting character. As a refugee ex-soldier who tried her hardest to stay alive in a alien world, she was doing really well.
Goblins in Equestria? One more indicator that the worlds were once connected. And Elly is every moment more proving to be an interesting character, specially as she believes she's the last Changeling alive. I wonder if a good enough source of love and such belief, combined with some years of non exposure to other changelings, would turn her into a queen herself.
9365487
I see that and i raise you he submits to to the potion authority under his own name to get the credit. Understandably no adult believes Sweetie when she says it is hers.
Well I hope that Elly can run into and make friends with Harry and the CMC soon if she is going to survive.
Hope we get an extra chapter tomorrow as a Christmas gift.
Usually chapter titles are relevant to the chapter in some fashion or another, but is this one about Ollivander? And Hawthorn with Alicorn hair... which one had extra hair for Ollivander to make wands with? Celestia?
9365518
How very Jurassic Park
9365542
Sweetie made a substitution to the recipe. The books, as far as I remember, were very big on how particular it was that a recipe is followed to the letter. On top of that, she has demonstrated a tendency to spectacular failure. The fact that she has gotten lucky a few times actually makes it worse. Like Apple Bloom and throwing non-ponies through walls, or out third story windows, she is not taking into account how fragile humans are. A bad mix has the potential to kill. She deserved her grade.
9365542
I don't believe Snape would go that far. Well canon Snape wouldn't, fanon Snape probably would.
9365469
Maybe it was not the smooze to make a difference compared to 'Magic School Days' that already used it.
What about a potion that make Snape decide to give hugs to everyone? Or just some type of super glue, I imagine the students in the door trying to flee and get glued together or glued to the chair or the floor
Interesting how this one lone changeling is starting to make her way in the new world. Though with how much she is showing and how much you're showing about her, she is bound to come into play as a major character in due time. What that will be however is something I have yet to suss out here.
9365595
I have to agree - that fail was earned. Sweetie didn't have an accident, she outright deliberately made alterations to the potion formula she was given to make. Any science type class would give a fail in a practical lesson for deliberately not following the instruction given by the instructor, even if the 'wrong' result was something miraculous.
9365581
You know, given the potential of any wand with an Alicorn hair in it, I'm a bit surprised that the Ponies, once they realized this, didn't make some effort to control access to them or ask outright that any wands with them be returned.
This sort of falls into the category of dumb ass adult moves that Dumbledore and the wizard community, in general, are being accused of.
9365739
Except the ponies don't know enough about wands and wand-assisted magic to know this.
Which princess's hair is in Elly's wand?
9365759
They are making their own wands now and should be realizing the implications from their own experience with theoretical magic. They had no idea at the beginning, but now they should.
So was that second comment by Snape saying he's sticking with his grade as she deliberately altered the potion without know what effect it'd have or was he also giving Scootaloo a Troll grade?
Either way this is bad teaching you don't just fail a new student like this you explain why they failed. Altering potions is dangerous but all they know is a disliked teacher gave her a Troll grade for her potion not that adding a mint leaves to a vitamin potion could have made the drinker dangerously Ill and requiring weeks of care to recover if they survive.
9365466
Given her age I'm thinking student myself which also exposes her to the crusaders and possibly acceptance of ponies.
That potion of hers is very likely some kind of Chekov's Gun. I'm interested in seeing what precisely changed about it, as it's likely to be much more than a simple vitamin potion now.
Also, what effect, if any, will the possibility of reformation have on the changeling in this story? She's by herself, and low on energy, so it's unlikely that she'll be able to accrue the proper energy requirements for the change, though not impossible; still, it'll be interesting to see what sort of effect this world will have on her and her wider world view. Plus, whose hair was that in her wand? Cadance's, I'm guessing?
And what of "Bright Star"? How is this affecting how she views things? How will she react to the actually harmful blood castes present in wizarding society? Is she actually blue somehow? Why change that, if she didn't bother to change anything else about her appearance? Does "Our Town" still exist, or has she not founded it yet? Is she an enemy, or an eventual ally? There's so much that we don't yet know...
9365595
Different story, that event was from Magic School Days.
9365433
I don't think Elly is evil. Just misguided. That said I am now suspecting the possibility that the Goblins might try to get a representative sent off to equestria.
9365518
I'm starting to think that in this story, Starswirl the Bearded was actually Merlin.
9365577
The alicorn hairs given are all long enough that he doesn't need to use the whole thing for a core. The hairs he's been given from the Alicorns thus allowed him to make MULTIPLE wands.
9365595
I do agree with this to an extent... provided that it turns out is in fact dangerous. If Snape tests it and finds it works just fine, or even better, I'd very much like to hope that he might revise the grade, at least a tad.
I actually kind of now want to see Snape tutoring Sweetie Belle, and managing to somehow turn her into a superb potions master.
9365660
No more joke potion mishaps for a while would be nice.
9365739
9365759
Both of these are valid concerns. I would think by this point that Twilight now is probably getting an idea of that potential problems that having given so many hairs this could end up unbalancing things in the wizarding world.
It does however give a case of the Equestrians making a mistake. Only time will tell if they don't do anything about it.
9365784
We could see someone realize this soon. My bets would be either one of the Princesses, Sunburst or whatever his name is, and or Starlight. Though I'm not sure what Starlight's opinion of that would be...
9365815
While I agree that his not explaining WHY it was bad and why he gave the grade was a problem, even if not surprising since this is Snape we're talking about, I do feel that the grade is warranted. ESPECIALLY given the past incidents.
9365852
In regards to Starlight, things imply that she's lost her town already, thus explaining why she doesn't like Twilight Sparkle.
As for the Blood Views, Ironically I think when she learns about that she's going to be INFURIATED and is going to try to actively see what she can do to help bring equality to the Wizarding world as well. Despite her being a villain in the other universe, I could see her becoming a strong proponent of the Light side of Wizarding politics (if anything I could actually see her and Twilight having a reconciliation of sorts as they find themselves agreeing the Wizards view on blood is stupid BS)
...I think someone found Snape's old Potions textbook.
Or something crazier is going on.
I mean, that's the best explanation I have for the reactions given.
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9365706
Ah but Snape himself, as 'The Half Blood Prince' was well known for NOT following the specific instructions of potions in order to make them BETTER/EASIER than they otherwise would be. If you recall, Harry had Snape's personal potions book in the canon book of the same name. And all those notes in the margins allowed Harry to excel during that year beyond even Hermione herself.
OMG! People, l think i know who's hair is in Elli'es wand.
😱this will be a dozzie trip.
9366290
Nobody ever said Snape wasn't a hypocrite - at least not anyone who could keep a straight face when saying it. If he was making obvious alterations to the potions he was working on in class on the lines of completely new ingredients, he should have flunked those assignments as a student. From what I recall of the novel though (been a few years since I read it so memory may well be failing me), his adjustments seemed more subtle, such as one extra stir in the opposite direction to the six or seven specified in the official recipe.
There's also the difference that he clearly knew what he was doing with alchemy, at least by the he time he made those notes, instead of just guessing in his third lab class ever like Sweetie did with the mint.
I don't think Snape handled the situation well - a serious lecture about just how foolish Sweetie was and why, along with the fail in the lesson, was also required. Unless Snape actually likes the idea that the next unexpected addition because Sweetie didn't realise how risky it was might result in a contact poison gas or just have permanent effects on the students...
9365451
"Troll" is the worst grade you can get at Hogwarts.
9366317
This. I agree fully the Troll was warranted in this case I'd have given her that grade myeslf however if you don't explain why she's getting it this time and how dangerous tampering with potion recipes is your not doing your job as a teacher.
9365815
Good point. However, she is a changeling, she doesn't follow the same stages of development as ponies do. She's not a larva, she is already a fully fledged drone. I'd assume it means she is considered an adult as long as changelings are concerned. She can imitate an adult and therefore likely thinks like an adult already. As I see it, she would fit in more as a teacher. Of course, she has to learn before she can teach, so becoming a student is actually more likely.
9366290
But Snape was a potion prodigy and his textbook from the Half-Blood Prince was from what, the sixth year? Sweetie Belle is a first year, with a serious lack of talent in potions, and from what she did here, part of her problem with potions and cooking is that she 'experiments' without knowing the basics. A master chef can construct a brand new recipe from scratch, but it might take hundreds of ruined meals before he perfects it, and he would understand that there are some things that simply do not work, so he would not try those.
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Maybe we know she was born, received brief training and then was involved on the attack on Canterlot but nothing about changeling aging as far as I know. Still the fact that she is so inexperienced even for a changeling (never fed directly before being seperated from the hive) makes me think she'd fit in better as a student than an adult. Still that's personal preference and we could debate in circles until TKepner reveals where they intend for her to go.
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Which comes back to my bad teaching comment. A master chef as you said can do that someone on their 3rd cooking lesson needs to be told that there's a difference between the white powder known as sugar and the one known as salt or they're going to make a horrible meal. With potions its more akin to "This white powder is flour and this one is rat poison." Just giving them a failing grade doesn't impress on them why you don't just alter the recipe because you think mint is a nice taste.
9366657
I mean it's not like this is their first potions class, I'm pretty sure Snape would explain early on the importance of following the instructions to the letter especially after how many times they've screwed up. No way would Snape stay silent about it after so many mistakes especially when he himself keeps suffering the consequences.
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9366136
But noting else happens in canon at this point!
9366704
Unless He’s trying to see what she comes up with. And in canon he never explains anything, either. He just posts the instructions and says “go to it.”
9366791
He would have to explain the basics, he takes potions very seriously and there is no way he wouldn't explain in great detail why somebody who screwed up was an idiot. Not to mention they are expected to read the textbook so they should already know not to drift away from the instructions.
Even if he didn't tell them anything at first he wouldn't remain silent after personally suffering from the results of their mistakes multiple times.
I am liking this story ark with Elly.
a grate chapter
My shipping sense are jingling.
A while ago I put out an idea of what Celestia would see if she looked into the Mirror of Erised, specifically Luna, Sunset (possibly as an alicorn) and herself teaching a filly Twilight magic i.e. her two biggest regrets (Luna's banishment and Sunset's fall from grace) completely undone.
Anyway since it is now Christmas and in the book Harry found the Mirror on Christmas Day I thought I would raise an interesting question or two, what do you all think the other MLP characters (the Mane 6, the CMC, the Princesses and Discord) would see if they looked into the Mirror right now, both in Canon (post season 8) and within the context of this fic and what would this story's version of Harry see if he were to find it?
9366791
Didn't know that magical colorful alien talking ponies existed in Harry Potter cannon
9366657
Well, I was making the assumption that like all insects that go through a larva stage, changelings would be considered adult ending their larva stage. (That's how it works with normal insects, right?)
I’m almost scared at what her potion CAN do. I’m thinking video game level regen-hack.
9367004 The potion has a terrible effect... it turns ponies into lawyers!