//------------------------------//
// Chapter Thirty Nine 
// Story: Sweetie Belle and the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry 
// by AnnonyMouse 
//------------------------------//

Disclaimer:  My Little Pony Friendship is Magic belongs to Hasbro.  Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling.  This is a free fiction, not to be sold or traded for any money, services or goods.

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Sweetie Belle and the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry 
39



The Ministry of Magic was in an uproar over the events of the past week.  
A student at Hogwarts had been forced by magical contract to do the bidding of a squib and a muggle.  The result had been a teacher having been kidnapped and nearly sold off to some unknown person or persons for unknown reasons.
Vanellope and Crunk had only admitted that they were taking the pony to some place in London, where they would try to contact the buyer to set up a place for the sale.
Spells had been used on the pair, the location found, which was a regular post box.  The prisoners had no address they would have sent the letter to, figuring it would all be taken care of by magic.
Adalade had been taken into custody by the ministry, and none at Hogwarts had heard from her since, nor even heard anything about how she was doing or what was being done to her.  It was, however, obvious that the young witch was no longer going to be attending the school.
All teachers and students involved had been questioned, multiple times.  Luna and Tumult had not been available for questioning in Hogwarts, so Harry Potter and an interrogation specialist had taken the trip through the mirror to question them.
Harry had returned just fine, but the interrogator had returned, not as a human, but as a rather annoyed mini-Seapony in a goldfish bowl.  He was told he'd remain as such till a formal apology for his attitude was given to the Royal Sisters.  And Discord.  Discord had been angered how that man had tried to interrogate Luna and him with mind effecting spells and threats.  He was the one who performed the transformation.
Luna felt it was warranted, based on the interrogator's actions and attitude that ponies were barely worth being considered a second class magic race.
Celestia was the one who actually suggested the punishment.
Sweetie Belle and Phineas had been interrogated to the point where McGonagall had to plead Sweetie Belle to turn the witch back into a human, stating that turning her into a Breezie was not appropriate.
The filly had only agreed once the Breezie had apologized, verbally and written, also promising to resume her questioning under the watchful eye of McGonagall herself (mainly because the poor witch didn't want to be turned back into a pint sized pony butterfly creature).
Slowly the investigation had closed, with no leads as to who the real threat behind all of this was.  No buyer had been located or even identified.
The interrogator had personally delivered his apology to Discord and the Royal Sisters (and Equestria as a whole) and had been returned to his original form.
Sweetie Belle got detention for transfiguring the interrogator, not that the filly minded.  She would have done it again in a heartbeat if the witch had started being threatening again.
McGonagall admitted to Sweetie Belle during detention that she herself had nearly been about to do the exact same thing.  Only she would have turned the other witch into an armadillo.
She ALSO had to make Sweetie Belle swear to never use that transformation spell again, so long as she was a student at Hogwarts.  She said nothing about when the filly was back in Equestria during holidays.
Harry Potter had visited Sweetie Belle and Phineas, and apologized when he told them that the wand, while it had been recovered, had been confiscated by the Ministry of Magic and was locked away in case the investigation could be resumed at some later point.  They didn't want to risk losing or damaging the evidence.
That meant that Phineas had essentially lost over two months of lessons.  Thankfully the whole school's student body, all the Houses, and teachers, were more than willing to help tutor him till he was all caught up.
The boy, as he spent most of his time as a human now, had been stunned by their willingness to help him, especially Sweetie Belle.
Due to her newfound status of Animagus, she was now required to attend her classes as a human girl, not that she complained.  She'd still spend all her time out of classes in her native Unicorn form.  Phineas would only become a Pegasus during the special lessons from Radiant Heart or when he wanted some peace and quiet (and to catch a nap up on a low hanging cloud).

...

Sunday had arrived, and rather than her friends coming to visit her, Sweetie Belle got a special pass to go home.  She NEEDED to show everypony her cutie mark, after all.
Luna had Pinkie promised not to reveal the surprise to anyone at all, because Sweetie Belle wanted to be the one to deliver the news.
"Sweetie Belle!"  Scootaloo and Applebloom were there at the mirror room when the Unicorn stepped through.  Twilight and Rarity were present as well.
"Scootaloo, Applebloom.  I'm so happy to see you again.  I missed you all."  She levitated a familiar shaped package and set it down in front of Scootaloo.  "Don't open that yet.  Rainbow Dash needs to be here for this."
Scootaloo had been mere inches from tearing through the wrapping, and stopped.  "Oh yea!  That would be so awesome.  I wanna show this off to her right away."
Rarity stepped up.  "Now now Scootaloo.  You will have to wait for Rainbow to wake up first, then she needs to tend to her morning training, a shower, her breakfast, weather management duties, lunch, a nap, afternoon training, another shower, another nap, then dinner, then evening weather management, another nap, dinner, evening training, another shower...  I think she'll be available sometime after the sun goes down."
Scootaloo's eyes went wide, and kept going wider as Rarity spoke.  Her lower lip quivered and tears started forming in her eyes.  "But... that'll be past my bedtime by then.  I'll never get to show Rainbow Dash my new Cloud Skimmer."
Rarity held her hoof over her mouth, trying to hide a laugh.  She giggled, which made Scootaloo look sadder.  "I'm just teasing you Scootaloo.  Rainbow Darling, you can come in now."
Dash trotted in, a huge grin on her face.  "Gotcha."  She hoof bumped with her partner in pranks.  "So Scoots, I saw you flying around on Sweetie's Cloud Skimmer.  I heard that you've finally got yours.  Let's go outside and get things going.  I've got some really cool tricks I've been wanting to show you since our last visit to Hogwarts."
Sweetie Belle coughed a little to get everypony's attention.  "Actually, I have something much more important to tell you than Scootaloo's new Skimmer."
"Oh?"  Twilight was curious.  Scootaloo was looking impatient, as was Rainbow Dash.  "What is it Sweetie Belle?"
"Yes, do tell." Rarity, equally curious, stepped next to Twilight.  "And why are you still wearing your Hogwarts robes?"
Sweetie Belle pranced on the spot, then cast the robes aside.
It took them all a moment to realize what was happening as Sweetie Belle turned to the side, revealing her cutie mark.
"I got my cutie mark!"  She squeeled with joy.
Applebloom jumped forward and looked at it closely.  "Wow, that's a real pretty cutie mark ya got there Sweetie."
"Yea, it's awesome."  Scootaloo and Rainbow stated in awe, and in unison too.
"Oh my dear little sister.  Congratulations."  Rarity hugged her little sister.  "We simply have to tell mother and father right away.  Well, after Scootaloo unwraps her gift."  She blushed a little and glanced at the young Pegasus.
Twilight nuzzled Sweetie Belle.  "You do realize we're going to have to tell 'You know who' about this."
"You mean PinkMMF!"  A hoof blocked her mouth and Rarity looked around quickly.  "Do not go speaking her name.  She's been acting really strange lately.  She said she had a doozy a few days ago."  Looking down at the cutie mark.  "I can guess why now."
Sweetie Belle pranced on the spot.  "And do you know who helped me get it?"
"Well, considering Princess Luna and Discord were over there recently when, eh-hem, SHE had her doozy, I can only guess."
"Oh, Discord only helped a teensy little bit.  Princess Luna and Phineas are the ones who really helped."  She paused and plucked her robes off the floor and fished around inside them.  "Speaking of Phineas..."  She pulled out a simple looking sack and opened it.  "You can come out now."
"About time Sweetie Belle."  A blond mane poked out, followed by a coatless face of slightly pale skin.  "So, you got me into the Griffindor tower and through the barrier on your room?"  He crawled out of the bag and stood up.
"Ph-Phineas?"  Sweetie Belle stared upwards.  "You're still human."
Phineas looked down at himself.  "Whoa.  I thought I was supposed to automatically become a pony when I passed through the mirror."
"That is so cool!"  Applebloom and Scootaloo jumped up and hugged the boy, who was startled by the sudden pair of fillies that were now in his arms.  "How'd you do it?"
Twilight levitated the sack up to eye level and peeked inside.  "I think it's because he was in this when we came here.  Huh, interesting.  This may change how we travel through the mirror."
Sweetie Belle's eyes suddenly went wide as she realized something.  "Oh my gosh!  I have another surprise for you!"  She closed her eyes, and in moments, a young human girl was standing before the assembled ponies and human.
"You can become a human?"  Twilight rushed up to the girl and started looking her over.  "You still have your cutie mark in this form?  That's amazing!"
Phineas was looking away from Sweetie Belle right now, his face rather pink.  "Uh, Sweetie Belle?"
"Yes Phineas?"  She leaned into his line of sight, looking him in the eyes with a smile on her lips.
"You're naked..."

...

Sweetie Belle spun on the spot, admiring her pretty new dress in one of the full sized mirrors at her sister's shop.  "I love it Rarity."  She hugged her now slightly shorter sister.  
The dress was mostly white, with an open back showing skin.  It had pink, soft lavender and green edging, and much to the girl's delight, even a familiar blue ribbon on her chest.
"Yes, I knew you would.  I was just not expecting this turn of events."  Rarity turned to Phineas.  "Now young man.  It's your turn."  Her magic wrapped around the boy and he found himself helpless as the mare carried him off into her workshop.
"Wait!  No, not my pants!  NOT MY BOXERS!  SWEETIE BELLE!  SAVE ME FROM THIS MAD MARE!"
Sweetie Belle blushed.  "I'm going to step outside so Scootaloo can finally unwrap her gift.  Have fun."  She turned and fled the shop.
"I hate you so much Sweetie Belle!"  He called after the retreating girl, though he obviously didn't sound like he hated her.
Outside the Boutique, Scootaloo, Rainbow, Applebloom and Twilight had been waiting, along with quite a few other ponies who were curious about the strange bipedal creature who was now wearing a very pretty dress and sandals.
"Okay Scootaloo.  Let it rip."  Dash grinned as the filly in question tore into the paper with a vengeance.
In moments, the orange and purple board was revealed.  But it was not just orange and purple.  The three wings were all the colors of the rainbow, and rather than looking like Pegasus wings like Sweetie Belle's, they were shaped like lightning bolts.
"I LOVE IT!"  Scootaloo jumped into Sweetie Belle's arms and hugged her tightly.  It was strange for the small girl.  Normally SHE was the one in someone's arms.
Sweetie Belle snuggled Scootaloo, relishing the feeling of the filly's amazingly soft coat on her skin and cheek.  "You... oh wow...  You're so soft and... Now I know why everyone back at Hogwarts always wants to carry me around and hug me..."
She then turned her attention to Applebloom and grinned.
"Uh oh."  The young farm pony turned and bolted.  On the packed ground of Ponyville, she had superior speed and maneuverability over the taller human.
"Aw, I just wanted to cuddle you."  Sweetie Belle watched Applebloom vanish off into the distance.
"If you want cuddled, I'll cuddle you."
Sweetie Belle gasped at the incoming streak of pink.  Scootaloo scrambled out of the girl's grasp just in time to avoid Pinkie Pie as she lept into her friend's arms.
Pinkie Pie was by no means the lightest of Earth Ponies, possessing a bit of a plush layer over remarkably strong muscles and strong bones.  Needless to say, Sweetie Belle was NOT about to let herself get smooshed by the incoming Pink One...
Her magic snagged Pinkie Pie out of the air and held her, all the while Pinkie was making cute grabby hooves at Sweetie Belle.  "But I wanna hug and cuddle you."
"And take me home and name me George?"  Sweetie Belle added, somehow with a straight face.
"Silly filly, of course not.  You already have a name."  Pinkie somehow 'slid' out of the magic, finished her rush up to Sweetie Belle, stood up on her hind hooves, now towering over the girl, then gathered her into a massively pink and fuzzy hug.
Sweetie Belle broke down into a fit of giggles and hugged Pinkie back around the barrel.  "Wow, you're really soft too Pinkie."  She buried her face into the pink chest fur and snuggled deeply.  "And you smell so sweet, like cake."
"Hehe, I know."  Pinkie Pie giggled and hugged all the more genuinely.
Applebloom returned, laughing and jumped up onto Sweetie Belle's back and hugged her from behind, her hind legs dangling.  "Okay, Ah'll accept hugs an cuddles from ya anytime Sweetie."
Sweetie Belle was in floof heaven.  She almost didn't want to release Pinkie Pie, but eventually did... and turned toward Rainbow Dash.
"Uh... let me guess... hugs?"  Rainbow sighed.  "Fine."  She spread a wing and held out a hoof.  She grunted as Sweetie Belle almost tackled her, wrapping her arms around Rainbow's neck and burying her face into the rainbow mane.  "Heh, wow.  Your human arms are great for hugging with."
She wrapped her foreleg around Sweetie's waist from one side and a wing from the other, draping it over her shoulders and back.
"Oooh, so warm and soft.  You smell like fresh grass after a rainstorm."
"Really?"  Dash blinked.  "Uh, is that a good thing?"
Sweetie Belle nodded her head into Dash's mane.  Applebloom was still hanging onto her friend and smiling brightly.
Next came Twilight.  Sweetie Belle curtsied to her before giving her a big hug.  "Mmm, I'm going to miss all of you so much when Phineas and I have to go home tonight.  Wow, you smell like... books."  She murmured as she got the same hug as from Rainbow Dash.
"Somehow I am not surprised."  Dash laughed.
Rarity smiled as her little sister finally came over to hug her.  Sweetie Belle was careful not to muss up the elegant mane as she went in for her hug.  "Love you little sis."
"Love you too big sis."  Sweetie Belle smelled Rarity's mane and blinked.  "You smell like... marshmallows?  How does that even work?"
"Why would I smell like marshmallows?  I could understand if it was Pinkie Pie... Speaking of which, where'd she get off to?  I didn't even notice her leave."
Sweetie Belle nodded as she released Rarity.  "I don't know either of those answers.  All I know is that you smell nice Rarity.  Oh, I wonder what Fluttershy smells like."
"What about Applejack?"  Apple Bloom asked, now draped across Sweetie Belle's shoulders like a cat.
"Well, I am guessing either apples or body oder."  Rainbow chuckled and got elbowed by Twilight for her effort.  "Ow.  I was kidding.  She most likely smells like apples.  Sheesh."
Twilight gave Dash a slightly dirty look for that.
"Can I fly now?"  Scootaloo nearly pleaded.
Dash grinned wide and stepped up next to the Skimmer.  "You bet, let's show Ponyville why you have that sweet cutie mark."  The pair took off into the sky.
"Still... Marshmallows?  I really don't get that at all."
Applejack came along about then, pulling her cart and heading toward the market.  She paused and stared at Sweetie Belle, recognition dawning on her face.  She quickly unhitched her wagon and rushed over.  "Sweetie Belle?  How are ya a human here?"
The girl instantly latched onto Applejack and hugged her.  "Applejack!  I missed you so much too."  She sniffed.  "Yep.  Sweet, ripe apples."
"Say what now?"  AJ returned the hug, but was a little confused.
"You smell like sweet, ripe apples."  Sweetie Belle replied.  "I like it."
Applejack smirked.  "Well ah can't say ah ever thought about that.  So long as ah'm clean, I don't really care.  Nice to know ah smell nice though."
Sweetie Belle released AJ, smiling brightly.  "Oh, Phineas is here too, and he's a human as well."
"Say what now?  How?  An how are you human here in Equestria?  Ah thought the mirror turned all ya people into ponies.  Just don't make sense.  Is that thing busted?"
"I'm an Animagus.  I can change from human form and back to pony whenever I want.  Oh, and I got my cutie mark too!"  She lifted her dress to show off the marks on her hips.
Phineas stepped outside at that moment.  "Oh come on!  Really Sweetie Belle?  You forgot your knickers."
Sweetie Belle blushed bright pink before rushing past the boy and into the Boutique.
"Um, congratulations Sweetie Belle?"  AJ watched as the girl dashed off as fast as she could move.  "What in tarnation are knickers?"
...

It took a few hours before Sweetie Belle, accompanied by Phineas and Apple Bloom, before they arrived at a lovely little cottage.  Scootaloo was still flying around with Rainbow Dash.
"Wow, that's really... pretty?"  Phineas was not sure if he should be impressed or not.
"This is Fluttershy's cottage.  Oh, we should be ponies when we meet her.  We don't want to frighten her."  She set Applebloom down on the ground, as the filly had still been enjoying her shoulder ride.
"Aw, Ah was enjoying that."  Apple Bloom pouted, then smiled.  "Ah'll go get Fluttershy."  She hurried down the path and across the small bridge.
Sweetie Belle and Phin shifted into their smaller pony forms.  Phin's slacks and short sleeved shirt vanishing, as did Sweetie Belle's dress.  A few moments later, Apple Bloom returned with Fluttershy and Angel Bunny in tow.
"Oh welcome home Sweetie Belle.  Are you just visiting for the day?"  The gentle mare smiled and trotted over.  "And you brought your friend Phineas too.  Now nice."
"Fluttershy, I missed you."  Sweetie Belle jumped the timid Pegasus and hugged her as best as her tiny limbs could manage.  She received a wonderfully gentle hug in return.  Sweetie Belle snuck in a sniff.  Paused, then sniffed again.  "I can't smell you?"
"Oh?"  Fluttershy blushed a little.  "Why would you want to smell me?"
Phineas rolled his eyes.  "Maybe because your pony nose is used to her smell?"
"Oh yea, maybe."  Sweetie Belle shifted while still in the hug.
Fluttershy squeaked and jumped back, eyes wide.  "Ch-ch-CHANGELING!"  And she bolted.
Two fillies and one colt all face-hooved while Sweetie Belle stood there looking confused.  "Wait... what?"  She watched Fluttershy fly off toward town, then realized what she'd done and face-palmed.  "I think we should all go and find Fluttershy so I can explain what happened..."

...

Fluttershy nearly flew through the doors to Twilight's castle, but opted to land and run inside.  "Twilight!  It's horrible!  There's a Changeling in Ponyville!"
Twilight poked her head over a railing on the floor above, just outside the library.  "A Changeling?  Here?  What's wrong with that?  Osellus is a Changeling and you like her."
"But... but... this one was trying to look like Sweetie Belle, and then it turned into a... um, a human?  Why would a Changeling turn into a human.  Do they even know what a human would look like?"
Twilight flew down from the upper level and had a neutral expression on her face, to hide her amusement.  "Did this human have a pink and light lavender mane and soft green eyes?"
"Um, yes, I think so."
Twilight nodded sagely.  "I see.  Maybe we should call Princess Celestia and the Royal Guard to hunt this cute, adorable and innocent 'Changeling' down."
"Oh my.  Do we have to?  Maybe you could talk to her and find out why she's pretending to be Sweetie Belle."
Again Twilight nodded.  "Yes, that may be for the best.  And how convenient, here she is now."  Twilight gestured toward the little Unicorn as she peeked into the room.
"Um... Hi?"
Fluttershy squeaked and dove behind Twilight, doing her best to be hidden from the strange 'Changeling' that looked like Sweetie Belle.
"Hello Princess Twilight, Fluttershy.  I'm sorry I frightened you.  I didn't mean to."
"It's alright Sweetie Belle."  Twilight started.
"Changeling who just looks like Sweetie Belle."  Fluttershy corrected her friend.
Twilight rolled her eyes and giggled.  "Fluttershy, this IS Sweetie Belle.  She used magic to change into a human... though I have no idea how she managed that."  She turned back to the filly who was still standing in the doorway.  "How DID you do that exactly anyways?  You said something about being an Animagus.  I thought that Minerva, your Headmistress was one."
"Um, I kinda sorta did it by accident.  Phineas is an Animagus too."
"May you demonstrate for Fluttershy and I?"
Sweetie nodded, watching Twilight's horn and eyes started glowing slightly.  She figured that the Princess was using magic to watch how her own magic worked.  The filly closed her eyes and smoothly shifted forms.
The timid Pegasus blinked and watched.  "Um, there was no green flame.  Are you really our little Sweetie Belle?"
Sweetie Belle shyly nodded, noting that Twilight's eyes had gone wide and a huge smile played across her lips.
"So THAT'S how you do it."  Twilight beamed brightly and closed her own eyes.  A moment later, Twilight was sitting there on her hands and knees, no longer a pony, but a human.  "Wow, this is so strange."
Fluttershy fainted on the spot.
Twilight giggled, then noted she was lacking clothing.  "I... will be back shortly.  Could you keep an eye on Fluttershy please?"
Sweetie Belle nodded, rather stunned that Twilight had pulled off an amazing feat of magic so easily.  She watched the human close her eyes, her forehead glowing, and then in a flash she simply vanished.
The young girl walked over to Fluttershy and smiled softly.  "Oh Fluttershy.  I'm so sorry for startling you so bad."  She levitated the mare and brought her into one of the waiting rooms just off the entry hall and set her down on some cushions.  She wiped her brow afterwards.  "Wow.  Fluttershy's lighter than I thought, still, it took all my concentration to lift her."
A light clicked in Sweetie Belle's head.  "Maybe I should have used my Featherweight spell first.  I can't believe I forgot about that."  She giggled and sat down with Fluttershy, resting the mare's head on her lap and gently stroked her mane.
Curiosity from earlier won over and she took a sniff.  "Flowers.  I'm not surprised."  She giggled and waited for Twilight to return, most likely with clothing rather than being a naked human woman.
After a few minutes, Phineas, and Applebloom entered the castle.  "Twilight?"  Apple Bloom called out.  "Are ya home?  We're looking for Fluttershy."
Sweetie Belle called out to her friends.  "Fluttershy is in here with me."
The pair poked their heads into the room and saw the napping mare and human girl.
"Thank Celestia ya found her.  Where's Twi?"
"She went to get some clothes."  Sweetie Belle replied.  "She's an Animagus too.  Can you believe that?  It's amazing.  I wonder if other ponies can do that too.  Oh!  I should teach you and Scootaloo."
"Uh, thanks?  Though not too sure Ah wanna be human."
"What's wrong with being human?"  The Pegasus next to her frowned.  "I rather like having hands you know."
Sweetie Belle nodded as she kept gently stroking the long, incredibly silky mane.  "I can get used to having hands.  They're way more sensitive than hooves.  I bet I could do some proper cooking with these."
Apple Bloom cringed.  "Ah don't think that's a safe idea."
"Why?"  Sweetie Belle pouted.  "All my earlier attempts were with just my mouth and hooves.  With hands and my magic, I bet I could make some really yummy things."
"Not gonna risk it.  Ask Scootaloo to be your taste tester."
Phineas was confused.  "Are you saying Sweetie Belle is a bad cook?"
"She burned orange juice, and needed a glass to hold her toast, which bubbled like some nasty pit of tar."
"I'm not THAT bad anymore.  Rarity's been helping me learn to cook, and Dad still likes my cooking."
"How do you burn juice?"  Phineas asked, not really sure he wanted an actual answer.
Before Sweetie Belle could reply, Fluttershy woke up, her head snapping up and clonking the girl on the head, knocking her flat on her back.
"Oh my.  What happened?"  Fluttershy asked, looking around confused.  She then spotted the legs under her, and turning, she came face to face with a human Sweetie Belle, holding her chin.  "Oh dear, are you alright?"
"I'll be fine Fluttershy, thanks."  Sweetie Belle smiled.  "Please don't be scared.  It's me, really.  I'm the real Sweetie Belle."
"You are?  You really are?"  Fluttershy blushed.  "I'm so sorry I got scared like that.  I should know better.  Changelings are our friends now."
Sweetie Belle sat back up and smoothed out her dress, then hugged Fluttershy.  "That's okay.  It was my fault.  I should have explained it to you first."
"Yes, you should have."  Fluttershy admonished the girl before smiling.  "But I have to say, you're actually really pretty like this."
A blush came over Sweetie Belle's face.  "Really?  I'm pretty?"
"Meh, more like cute, but who's keeping track."  Phineas replied flatly.  "So, Sweetie Belle, what's Fluttershy smell like?"
Fluttershy blushed at that question.
"Flowers."  Sweetie Belle hugged the mare.  "She smells like really nice flowers."
"I smell like... flowers?"  Fluttershy sniffed her hoof.  "I don't smell flowers."
Phineas trotted in, followed by Apple Bloom.  "Yea, seems that pony noses can't really smell ponies.  However, human noses can, apparently."
"Yea, Applejack smells like sweet, ripe apples."  Applebloom giggled.
"Really?  I'd never noticed.  I guess Phineas is right. We can't smell other ponies because we're just so used to it."
"And Rarity smells like marshmallows."  Sweetie Belle added, giggling.
"Marshmallows?"  Fluttershy tilted her head, and received some scritches behind her ear.  "Oooh, that feels nice... But why marshmallows?  That makes no sense."
"Rarity said about the same thing."  Apple Bloom shrugged and took a seat on a cushion next to Sweetie Belle.  "So, ya got two hands.  Gimme some ear scritches.  Ah got them back at Hogwarts all the time and they feel so nice."
Phineas snickered.  "Really?  How can something like that feel nice?  I mean, really?  It's just scratching behind the ear."
Twilight walked into the room, wearing a simple wrap gown that left her shoulders bare, but hung down to just above her feet.  It was a lovely shade of lavender, just a few shades off from her natural coat.  "Pony ears are more sensitive."  She answered.  "Not just in hearing, but with sense of touch too."
Phineas turned and looked up at the young woman.  She was super cute, bordering on pretty.  The colt was rather stunned at how the mare looked, with her hair that literally reached the back of her knees.
Fluttershy stiffened a little.  "Twilight?  That really is you?"
"Yes Fluttershy.  It's me, your friend Twilight Sparkle."  She knelt down onto a cushion next to the Pegasus.  "So, are you feeling better?"
"Yes, much better."  She cooed a little from Sweetie Belle's scritches.   Applebloom had simply melted when her friend used her free hand to pay her own ears the same attention.
Phineas shook his head clear.  "Soooo... You're an Animagus too?  How's that even work?"
"Oh, I'm not the only one.  Rarity took to the transformation just as easily as I did.  I'm willing to bet that all ponies can do this magic, even Pegasi,"  She smiled at Fluttershy, "and Earth Ponies." Smiling now at Applebloom.
Applebloom looked a little unsure.  "Ah don't know if Ah wanna be able to do that.  Become human, Ah mean."
Twilight knelt down and sat on one of the cushions.  "I understand Applebloom, but consider this.  If you intend to keep visiting Sweetie Belle at Hogwarts, eventually you will end up going outside the school grounds, maybe even be around other humans, magic or muggle."
Applebloom looked like she was sort of, just maybe, considering it now.
"If you can become a human, then you could accompany Sweetie Belle to places you normally would not be able to visit."
The filly nodded.	
"But if you don't want to learn, I won't force you."
Phineas stared in awe.  Twilight would make an amazing teacher, maybe even better than Radiant Heart.
"Ah understand.  Princess Twilight, please teach me."
"But only with Applejack's permission."
"Oh."  Her head hung a little.  "Okay."
"Hold on."  Phineas looked up into Twilight's eyes.  "Animagus are supposed to be really rare.  I mean, only one in a hundred wizards and witches even have the potential, and even less actually learn the magic needed to pull it off.  Honestly, even though I can do it, I don't really understand the magic involved.  I just will it to happen and it does."
"Maybe because Equestria is so rich in magic compared to Earth, and all ponies having their own innate magic, it's easier for us to learn to do."  Twilight explained.
"That's not fair.  It takes years, sometimes over a decade to learn how to properly transform... though I guess I'm in no position to complain.  I got this magic because of Sweetie Belle."
The girl frowned.  "To be honest, I can understand the magic required, and I seem to have the magic to do it too, but I really don't understand exactly HOW I did it.  Maybe it has to be because of Princess Luna."
"Maybe?"  Phineas shrugged.  "Maybe it's the same magic that lets me know basically where you are all the time now."
"Wait, what?"  Everypony stared at Phin.  
"Well, when you and Princess Luna cast that spell so you could find the wand that erased my memories, I think some of that tracing magic got stuck with us."
Sweetie Belle closed her eyes, and realized that even with them closed, she knew exactly where Phineas was.  She could somehow feel what direction he was.  "Wow, I can sense you too."
Twilight's eyes glowed again.  "I can see it.  It's a simple spell, and it looks like it may only last a week more at most."
Phineas and Sweetie felt a little relieved on hearing that, assuming Twilight was correct.
"But it's an interesting piece of magic.  It could revolutionize how tracking magic is even used."  Twilight was quite excited.  "Oh, Fluttershy, would you like to learn the Animagus magic?  It would really help on future visits to Earth."
"Um, I'm no magician or anything like that.  How would I even learn it?"
Twilight smiled.  "I cast the magic sight spell on you, then transform while you watch.  Rarity wasn't sure either, but we tried it and she instantly understood.  I know a certain green unicorn who would simply love to be able to become human."
"You mean Papa?"  Scootaloo trotted in, her Skimmer floating along behind her like a puppy.  "Yea, she's really jealous of Spike's claws."
Phineas glanced at Scootaloo.  "Papa?  She?  Do I even want to know?"
"Papa's a mare."  Scootaloo shrugged.  "So is Mama.  Magic was involved.  Don't ask, I don't understand either."
Phineas thought about his short experience as a girl, and he suddenly had an idea.  He kept his mouth shut.
"So, what's this about learning transformation magic?"  Scootaloo grinned.
"I can teach you."  Twilight stated.  "But I think we should get Bon Bon and Lyra's permission first.  This magic could change Equestria in... wait... that may not be a good idea."
"Why not?"  Scootaloo asked.  "I bet being a human would be really cool."
Twilight shook her head.  "Well, for starters, we're ponies, not humans.  I don't think that just any pony should learn this magic.  It could cause problems if everypony learned to do it."
Sweetie Belle had to agree.  "Then how about just those who know about Hogwarts?  Well, those who visit it often enough."
Twilight liked that idea.  "We could do that, though certain ponies will need their parent's permission, and to make a Pinkie Promise to never use it in public or teach other ponies how to do it.  I'm going to have to speak with my fellow Princesses about this."
"And Radiant Heart too.  She needs to learn this magic too."  Sweetie Belle added.  "I mean, sure it's awesome being a pony on Earth, but I don't like the ponynapping attempts."
Twilight was well aware of what had transpired recently and nodded.  "You are correct Sweetie Belle.  As a safety measure, all who know of Earth and regularly travel there should learn how to do this magic.  I'll let you know what Celestia and Luna have to say, and Candace too.  Her opinion is equally as important."  She rose to her feet as Rarity trotted into the room, a few packages on her back.
"Ah Twilight, I'm so glad I caught you.  It was rather easy to make you something that would look wonderful on you without being too flashy.  I know you don't like flashy.  I took the opportunity to make something for myself as well."
Twilight smiled, as did Sweetie Belle.  "Show me."  The young girl almost demanded.  "I bet you're super pretty as a human."
"Tut-tut Sweetie Belle. There is a colt present.  It seems improper for humans to go about unclad."
Sweetie Belle beamed and got up, scooping Phineas into her arms.  "Okay, I'll take Phin out into the hall and you can do whatever you need."  She left the room, closing the door with but a thought and a tug of her magic.
"Okay, really?  You're sniffing me too now?"  Phineas frowned, then had to ask.  "So, what do I smell like?"
"Vanilla ice cream... Wait, what do I smell like?"

To Be Continued...