//------------------------------// // Ch3: An "Uneventful" Dinner // Story: Hogwarts' Rivals // by ColtKit Productions //------------------------------// "Are you seriously eating a Cheesecake for dinner?" Albus stared, dumbfounded, by the filly. Why were there even so many pastries on the dinner table? The prefects weren't letting the wizards, or any of the other beings for that matter, have a go at them. They kept saying the sweets were for the ponies and that everyone else would have to finish their dinner before digging into the pudding. "Our bodies don't produce sugar," Applebloom explained what Miss Cheerlee taught her in biology class. The filly was still kinda mopey but it helped getting her mind on something else, "But we still need a lot of it to function. It's just one of the basic crystalline solids we need to stay healthy, like any other plant byproduct. Sure, too much of it is bad for us, but what we considered a 'Balance Diet' would destroy most creatures' livers," how did a Hufflepuff sound so... smart... "Lucky..." Muttered a nearby Gith girl. The being had leathery / pale yellow skin, sunken in black eyes, and serrated / pointy ears. About the most Human thing about this humanoid was her red hair, and even that was an abnormal shade. Still Albus could feel himself bonding with this being over the unfairness that Ponies got to eat pudding for dinner. "It's just how we are built," Applebloom waved off as if not understanding she was living every child's dream. Some of the ponies were even choosing to eat bloody SALADS over the pastries! They truly didn't get how lucky they were. Albus tried his best not to glare at them in jealousy and went back to eating his drumstick... but felt an uncomfortableness, as if eyes were on him. He looked up and saw the ponies around him had green faces as they watched him chew. Their fur had literally turned green around their faces. Albus turned to the brown colt next to him and asked, with food still in his mouth, "What?" The little guy screamed and jumped a little ways away from his seat on the bench, getting strange looks from the Professors table. "Button Mash!" Applebloom scolded. "Not all of us grew up on a farm!" The colt blushed. Button had never actually seen ANYTHING eat meat before. Especially not a severed limb! Albus was even more lost, as a Prefect came over and gingerly convinced Button to retake his seat. "Ponies are herbivores, like my own people," A high elf boy explained. The kid was a good foot taller then everyone else, with skin made of an organic gold. Before the Statute of Secrecy, Muggles used to hunt them for their skin and organs. Even though Wizards never did it, that still strained things between them since wizards looked so similar to Muggles. The elf spoke with so much snob in his voice, Albus was in awe that this kid was in Hufflepuff of all houses. The sheer power of his 'I'm better then you' aura put even the most inbred Slytherins to shame. The real kicker is Albus was sure the boy was trying to be polite! "We have merely grown accustomed to how uncouth predators can be," He sipped at his Pumpkin juice, actually sipping it but with no noise. He was so daintily and proper you would think he was having dinner with the Minister of magic. Bloody hell, not even Aunt Hermione expects such properness. "You would think the least you could do would be to stop tearing apart a dead carcass with your bear hands and eat like a civilized being," the elf then demonstrated by elegantly cutting one of his strawberries with a knife and graceful carrying a disturbingly tiny bit to his mouth with his fork. He even chewed the thing as appealingly as possible. Albus didn't know it was possible to chew so gracefully. Then the elf looked at Albus expectantly. Merlin! This guy actually thought Albus didn't know how to use silver ware! "It's a drumstick," Albus deadpanned, "You're supposed to eat it with your hands," The elf sighed with the truest exacerbation Albus ever heard. "At least your better then her," the elf pointed down a little ways at a Gnoll girl. The Humanoid hyena was grabbing at food and stuffing it down her muzzle, making all kinds of disgusting sounds as she gorged herself. Klingons, off that Star Trek show Aunt Hermione likes, had better table manner. Merlin, UNCLE RON had better table manners! The fact ANYONE could say that about Uncle Ron was terrifying. "They believe it is an insult to the chief not to eat so... passionately," The Elf explained, with only the slightest hesitation to find a polite word to describe it. "Really!?" Applebloom perked, "That's so weird! I wonder what other differences we have. I mean I guess I should have figured there would be cultural differences and not just biological. It be super cool to learn," The elf... smiled. It was an actual smile, filled with the deepest respect for the pony who was talking to him. Albus knew ponies were held in high regard by nearly all Magical Beings but a freaking High Elf! The most arrogant, self absorbed, race there was. They barely acknowledged wizards were sentient but he looked like he actually ADMIRED this pony! A bloody High Elf! "One of our classes will be on Cultural Exchange," Informed the elf, "My Great Great Grandfather will be teaching it. It's a new program, just started this year," Applebloom's eyes light up. Albus could actually see dancing sparkles in her eyes... that was... kinda freaky, "That be sooooooo cool. I bet Spike will love it. He loves making friends with other creatures, errr 'beings'," The elf suddenly frowned, "You should not let human terminology taint your vocabulary," Applebloom frowned right back, "The whole point of us coming to a wizarding school is to help them preserve their culture. We can't very well do that if we don't embrace the vocab," "Of course," The elf bowed to her wisdom. Literally bloody bowed! It was only a slight dip of his head but it was way too much to be a simple nod. It was almost as if the pony was freaking sacred to him! Albus got that ponies evolved from things like the Pegasus and Unicorns of Earth but... actually Albus couldn't think of an arguement. It kinda made sense. High Elves greatly respected magical power, even in individuals from races they didn't respect. It was also well known that they worshipped Earth's unicorns for their purity, believing them to be the physical manifestation of Innocence. Like how Dementors came from death and dragons were the manifestion of magic. Equestrian Ponies, although not the same thing, evolved from creatures like that in their home dimension. It just made sense High Elves would greatly respect that heritage. They probably didn't worship the ponies, as they do Earth's Unicorns, but they clearly respected them a good deal. "Applebloom," the pony stuck out her hoof. "Sindle," The elf shook it, smiling, "Sindle Granosin," "Nice to meet ya," Grinned the pony "Charmed, indeed," Said the elf, sincerely. ### "Is that... Salt?" Scootaloo awed at seeing the human sprinkle salt on his baked potato. Scorpius blinked, she seemed as impressed with his salt as he was with her dinner of cupcakes. The young Malfoy heir couldn't, for the life of him, figure out why. It was just salt. Sure it made everything taste better but not when compared to sugar... maybe salt was the pony equivalent of sugar? "Want some?" Scorpius asked, holding it out towards her. "SERIOUSLY!?" Strangely it wasn't the filly but the little colt next to her that yelped. He gave Scootaloo a scandalized look, "Scoot, you can't," "Relax, Rumble," Scootaloo gave a daring grin, as if she was about to go on an epic adventure, "The teachers laid it out on the table. Clearly it's for the students, right?" Scootaloo turned her grin at Scorpius. The young Malfoy blinked, not sure why this was an issue at all, "Yeah..." he replied with somewhat of a baffled expression, "It's just salt," The orange pegasus let out an excited whinny as her wings fluttered. As she reached out to take it from him, Malfoy let out a yelp of his own. A stinging hex caught his hand and forced him to drop the shaker, salt spit on the table but he got the feeling his bad luck started before that, truly paradoxical. "I knew it!" A much older boy screamed as he had his wand pointed at Scorpius from a little ways down the table, "You're trying to sabotage our house from within!" That's when Scorpius caught sight of the prefect badge. A bloody Prefect hexed him! "The hay is the idea!?" Scootaloo glared at the Prefect, as Scorpius nursed his hand. It wasn't bleeding, nor injured in any way, but he could feel the slight pinch in his nerves still. Thankfully rubbing it caused the sensation to fade. "That bloody Snake is trying to get you in trouble!" The prefect glared right back, but at Scorpius. "By handing her salt?" Scorpius knew he would have a tough time in Gryffindor but he didn't think they would just make up stuff. "Don't play dumb Malfoy!" The Prefect glared, "You know full well salt is the equivalent of Fire Whiskey to ponies," Scorpius blinked looking at the pony for confidence. She blushed and squirmed. "I just figured you humans had a different salt licking age..." She squirmed. "He was trying to trick you!" The prefect accused, "Salt doesn't effect a human metabolism like that. You still aren't allowed to have it until you are at least 17," "17!" Scootaloo gaped! That was a whole year longer then the pony salt licking age! "He was trying to set you up!" The prefect insisted. Scootaloo looked at him a second, as if asking for his side. Scorpius sighed, so much for his first friend. He began to mutter, "I didn't know that... it's just salt... it just adds flavor for humans..." "Quit trying to manipulate her!" The prefect demanded. Not hearing what the boy was saying but assuming it had to be a manipulation of some kind. "Lay off him!," Scootaloo stood up, "He obviously didn't know and I misunderstood what was happening. Maybe you should have done your job and explained to us ponies we weren't allowed to have salt like you did with the other species before they grabbed at the sweets. I think YOU set HIM up!" The prefects face turned red with anger, although the color didn't quite match his red hair. He honestly hadn't been trying to set anyone up. He just assumed the ponies would know better then to get into the salt. "His whole family is nothing but murders and thieves! They were the right hand of the Dark Lord!" The prefect snapped, "He's just trying to con you like he did the hat!" Scorpius sank further into his seat. He was hoping he would have just a little longer before the other magical beings learned who he was... now there wasn't a chance in hell he would have any friends. Scootaloo glared, "I don't care if he was the son of Sombra! Whatever his parents did gots nothing to do with him!" The prefect growled just before jumping up with a start as a voice roared, "Fred Weasley!" The Gryffindors were so focues on the arguement they hadn't noticed a Professor march over to the Prefect. "Uncle Ha-" "That's Professor Potter!" The teacher snapped. His Emerald eyes burning in anger. He reached out and tore the prefect badge right off the boys robes. The then held it up in front of the older boy's face, "You've had this for one night! One. Bloody. Night! And you're already using it to bully other students!" "But uncle-" "What made you think you could hex another student!?" Professor Potter demanded, "You're a Prefect! Even the detentions you hand out have to be approved. What could have possibly gone through you're head to make you think I would let you get away with that!?" The Professor glared angrily, expecting an answer but Fred just didn't have one, "Sorry I guess I should have said, 'You Were a Prefect,'" the Professor cruelly corrected himself. The former Prefect's entire body drained of color, "Uncle! Please! I worked hard for that badge!" "Be thankful you're not getting back on the train!" Professor Potter roared, "You realize the reason it took me so long to get over here, well you continued to make a right Arse of yourself, was because I had to talk McGonagall out of suspending you! Hexing another student is such a horrible misuse of your position it couldn't be more clear you shouldn't have it!" The former prefect fidgeted under his uncle's glare. Looking down the boy muttered, "It was just a stinging Hex," unfortunately the man heard him. Professor Potter gaped, "Did you honestly just say that to me!?" he no longer looked anger. In that split second, he was completely dumbfounded... before the anger started building again, even more intense then before. He pinched the bridge of his own nose and squeezed his eyes shut, taking deep calming breaths. "I can't believe I thought you could be a prefect," Professor Potter muttered to himself, obviously not actually intending for anyone to hear him... but hear him they did. The hall was so quiet they could have heard a pin drop from the other side of the room. The man was trembling, he was so angry. He suddenly turned on his heels and walked out of the great hall, not looking back at the boy... and taking the badge with him. The Deputy headmaster whispered something to The Headmistress, before leaving his place at the staff table and following after the Sage. The former prefect shrank in on himself. The elder Potter child, that sat beside him, patted his back, "You know dad's got a temper fitting a Weasley. He'll calm down. Then, I'm sure, he'll give you your badge back," The former prefect was doubtful. He caught a glimpse of the Malfoy boy out the corner of his eye, remembering this was all his fault. The Weasley glared at the Malfoy with even greater levels of hate then before. Scorpius groaned, why were adults such idiots? Even the Potter Sage had forgotten how kids think. Now the Weasley was going to work three times as hard to make the young Malfoy's life miserable. Scootaloo... wasn't helping. All the good feelings that he got when the pony stood up for him disappeared as she yelled at the former Prefect, "Congratulations on your demotion flank face!" Bloody hell he could see why the hat threw her into Gryffindor so quickly. She was going to be a dangerous friend to have. As that thought crossed his mind, the filly turned to him... and grinned. She smiled at him, all proud of herself and wanted to share that... with him... She looked at him like no one ever had. She didn't see the next dark lord. She knew who his family was and made a point of saying she didn't care... she defended him... all those sappy feelings came right back looking at that grin. ### Sweetie blinked as the scene over at Gryffindor settled down. "What was that about?" Diamond gaped. "My guess is," Sweetie couldn't stop herself from answering, "It's got something to do with Scootaloo," Diamond had the gall to laugh, "I wouldn't doubt it," she then grinned at Sweetie like they were old friends. Sweetie didn't know what her game was but she was having none of that, "You mind sitting somewhere else. That overly priced perfume you're wearing is bothering my nose," Diamond nearly collapsed in on herself, "Look Sweetie Belle, I'm sorry I-" "I don't want to hear it!" Sweetie glared, sure she was up to something. The only time Diamond was ever nice to her was when she wanted something and then she would stab her in the back! "Go be friendless somewhere else!" "Merlin," Both the ponies looked over at the human girl that had caused the earlier house Rebellion. Honestly Sweetie just assumed, since the human girl sat at a different table, that anypony could do the same. All the other magical beings seemed to think the same thing. The human girl ran a hand through her short red curles, "Even ponies are Bastards as Slytherins," she scoffed, all kinds of irritated at having to sit with them. "Hey!" Sweetie glared, "It's not me! Diamond does nothing but pick on me and my friends back in Ponyville," Then she glared at the other filly, "Now, just cus her fellow bullies were sent to different schools, she thinks she can just pretend like nothing happened and all is forgiven!" The red headed human blinked at them, as if she didn't realize other people had lives even though they weren't around her. Definitely Diamond's kinda foal. "You two deserve each other!" Sweetie made an angry horse nose and all the ponies around her gasped. Then she picked up her plate and cup, with her magic, and stomped futher down the table. Sitting angrily at the far end. Rose looked over at the pinkish purple filly, "Did you really bully her?" she asked, more out of curiosity... maybe wanting some verification that all Slytherins were evil... or... if she was truly being honest with herself... some proof they weren't... The pony looked down in shame, "Apparently I'm very jealous of one of her friends... she's just collateral damage..." "Apparently?" Rose raised an eyebrow. The pony sighed, "The hat told me a lot of things about myself that were... hard to hear..." Rose's eyes turned, dare she say, sympathetic, "Me to..." ### Harry took deep calmly breaths as he gently closed his door, far too gently to be anything other then meticulous control, before plopping down in his favor chair. In... Out... In... out... Thawnk Thawnk "Go Away Neville," Harry couldn't keep the growl out of his voice as he heard the knock at the door. "You realize I can fire you for denying me access to your quarters, right?" Came the joking voice of the Depty Headmaster. "You can not," Harry rolled his eyes. He was entitled to his privacy... at least at Hogwarts... "Then I'll just have to stay here all night until you open the door," Neville was adamant but Harry didn't answer. After a few minutes passed in silence Neville asked, "What would you like for breakfast?" "Bloody-" Harry stopped himself mid swore, "Fine, come in," Neville quickly opened the door and causally let it swing closed behind him. He took a seat across from the Sage and looked at him expectantly. However Neville didn't actually say anything, just sat there... looking... Merlin why did he have to be so good at this. "I was this close to hitting him," Harry growled, the anger still in his voice no matter how hard he tried to banish it. "You aren't your uncle, Harry," Was all Neville said and those simple words managed to calm him a great deal. Still, Harry's voice maintained his doubt, "I certainly inherited his temper," Harry sighed. "Harry," Neville was adamant, "You Are Not, nor could you ever be, your uncle. You could never hurt a child. Merlin you can't even bring yourself to spank your Potter Spawn, and James could certainly use a good whack," Neville joked. "... I don't spank them... because I don't think I would know when to stop..." Harry admitted. Neville sighed, "You're a good father Harry, and a good Uncle, but Merlin you can be as scary as Snape sometimes," Harry chuckled, remembering his most hated teacher. The one he honoured through Albus' middle name. Snape would probably get a kick out of the fact his name was invoked whenever the little Potter Spawn was in trouble. The man was far more complicated then child Harry could understand back then... fact was, for all his rough edges, the man had been just as much a hero as Dumbledore, "Surely I'm not that bad," Harry joked back. Neville just had a way with him. The Deputy headmaster could always calm him. "Worse," Neville nodded adamantly, "I don't think even Snape would take a newly named prefect's badge away after one mistake," Then again, Neville also knew how to push his buttons. Harry glared, his temper flaring up again, "He hexed another student!" Neville nodded, "And that is definitely something that shouldn't be tolerated, but taking his badge away, something he has worked obsessively for since he first came to Hogwarts... "Harry you know how important that is too him. You are always so much harder on the kids in your family then anyone else's. The very fact Fred Junior was able to impress you enough to give him that badge, despite the fact you hate nothing more then the appearance of nepotism, speaks values... then you literally snatched it away after one mistake, a very bad mistake, but honestly letting McGonagall suspend him for a month, and letting George have at him, would have been better then taking the badge away... you wouldn't have done that if it was any other Prefect in your house... I know you love the kids in your family but YOU know you expect far too much of them. They are, after all, just kids," Harry sighed, "... I know,"