“What in blue blazes?” called a woman of undetermined age. She was old, perhaps in her seventies, and yet still held a youthful look about her. Her hair was graying with highlights of soft blonds and a hint of ginger yet remaining. She is tall, thin, and likely very beautiful in her youth. “Henry, is that you?” She asked while peering into the haze of ash and smoke. “Who’s that with you?” Astonishment replaced confusion. “Is that a phoenix?”
“How astute of you, grandmother.” Henry Weasley offered as he got up off the floor.
Mrs Percival Weasley, Laurel to her friends, Lady Laurel to everyone else, produced a wand and cleared the smoke from the air. The room itself was a sitting room where guests waited to be acknowledged, and sneak thieves were trapped, it was a room set aside from the rest of the house. Such rooms were common and fairly mandatory to keep the more unsavory from entering the house via the floo network.
“Out with it, who is she? Not an illegitimate child of yours is she?”
“Grandmother, please?!”
“Can’t keep the sword in the sheath is it?” Nova asked with a rather cheeky smile.
“Now hold on?! I do not!” Henry protested. “Allow me to introduce to you Her Royal Highness Nova Moon of Eques.”
“What?” Lady Laurel was stunned. “What’s she doing here?”
“She just sort of fell into my lap.” He offered. “She’s here to attend Hogwarts, but arrived too soon.”
“Well, she can’t have gotten a letter yet. Can she?”
“They haven't gone out yet.” He supplied.
“Then what makes you think she’ll even get a letter. She’s dressed like a muggle?”
“These are my traveling clothes.” Nova offered. “If it’s going to be an imposition I could go back to the Leaky Cauldron.”
“The Leaky Cauldron?” Lady Laurel asked with a hint of horror to her tone.
“Yes mam, I was to stay there till my letter arrived.”
“Well you’re not going anywhere till the floo is fixed.” Henry chastised. “The floo is for transport, not for playing.”
“I’m sorry.” Nova offered sheepishly.
“Now don’t be blaming her just because the floo broke down.”
“You just had to be there.” Henry offered. “She burned out seven wands at Ollivander’s as well.
“Seven wands? “Burned them out?”
“Well the first six was because young Harold was showing off, and they were wholly unsuited for her.” Henry offered.
“I overcharged the last one.” Nova supplied. “Mr Ollivander is going to do a custom build for me. Something that can handle my power surges. I got burned a little too, see?” Nova held up her hand.
“Oh my. Why didn’t you say something sooner? Come on, let's get that looked at.” And with that, Lady Laurel escorted Nova into the house and called for a servant. "Someone call for Mrs Haldisa."
Nova’s hat was taken and placed in a wardrobe, and they were about to place the suitcase in the same wardrobe when Henry called out, “Stop, don’t put that in there!”
It went in anyway.
Henry cringed fearing the worst.
“Mr Weasley, that’s...” Nova began as fear of impending doom began to set in.
The suitcase suddenly popped out and skidded across the floor. It remained upright.
“What just happened?” Lady Laurel asked looking at the case.
“Must be a fail-safe built-in.” Nova offered with the air of one relived at having just escaped death.
“I’m just glad we didn’t all just die a horrible death,” Henry replied sinking to the floor.
“Fail-safe? Die a horrible death?” Lady Laurel asked as a woman about Henry’s age entered the parlor they were presently in.
“Henry, whatever are you doing on the floor?” the woman asked perplexed. “I was told you’d brought home an injured princess. Though for the life of me I can’t understand why? You really must stop bringing strays home.”
“Well she was on her own, I couldn't really leave her at the Leaky Cauldron until school started, and that suitcase is her apartment. And more than likely the reason the floo is down.”
The maid who’d attempted to put the suitcase in the wardrobe let out a squeak, followed by Phenik flying over and landing on her head.
“Phenik, she’s not a mouse,” Nova informed the bird.
“So hard to tell sometimes.” Henry offered.
“Now Henry, don’t be teasing the girl.” scolded the woman who’d just entered.
“And do get up.” Lady Laurel scolded. A moment later Henry got up off the floor and introduced Nova to his wife Clara.
“Please just call me Nova." Nova offered, clasping the woman’s hand and wincing. Her hand was starting to hurt now.
“I’ve the medical kit.” Offered Mrs Haldisa, a heavyset woman in a nurse's uniform, as she entered the room. She then pressed a button on the case followed by legs popping out, and the small box opening into the size of a camp desk.
“It’s just a mild burn,” Nova said looking at the case. Phenik having finally registered that Nova was in some mild distress, flew over to her, landed on her shoulder, climbed down her arm in much the same way as a parrot would, and rubbed her face on the burn. When she’d done, she climbed back up to Nova’s shoulder and cooed softly. “And now I’m good.” Nova offered. A slight redness remained, but her hand was otherwise much improved. “Thank you Phenik.”
“I’ll put the kit away.” Mrs Haldisa offered, folded the kit back up, and retreated from where she’d come. This followed a brief discussion of where Nova was to stay. Obviously being a princess precluded her from the children’s section of the house up on the third floor.
“You could just give her a blank wall.” Henry offered.
“Blank wall...” Clara asked.
“I was under the assumption she had, what, one room and perhaps a bath in there?” Lady Laurel asked. “How much of an apartment can she have in such a small case? - Though if she’s comfortable with it I suppose we could just give her a corner somewhere.”
“The case expands, and can be set as a door against a blank wall.” Nova offered. "Otherwise it can be configured to the size of a large steamer trunk with steps down into it.”
“I see.” Lady Laurel mused. Well, there is a blind hallway on the third floor, if that’s to your satisfaction?”
“It will be more than enough. Thank you ever so much.” Nova replied with a polite bow.
The maid, Mimi, was elected to show Nova upstairs. Henry wanted to go up with her, if for no other reason then to get a better look, but was advised to leave the poor girl be by Lady Laurel. Nova had to carry her case herself because Mimi was a bit afraid of it, and she wasn’t too sure just how much banging about it could take before things got upset inside.
“Is Mimi your given name?” Nova asked as they climbed the stairs.
“Oh no, your highness, it’s a shortened form of Williamina, but no one calls me that. Not unless I’m in trouble, then it’s Miss Williamina Mous.” Something about Mimi’s name just made Nova smile. Once they’d reached the top, Mimi directed her to a short dark hallway that didn’t really go anywhere, though on closer inspection she could see what looked to be a large cupboard door on the side of the hall. It also made the hair on the back of her neck stand up.
“Phenik, be so kind as to fly down there, and chase off whatever it is that’s hiding in the shadow?” Nova asked. Phenik thought about it for a moment and then launched herself into the air lighting up the hall. Sure enough, something nasty had been there, but it was no match for the light of an Equestrian Phoenix. Phenik went back to Nova, landed on her hat, and went back to pulling silk flowers apart. Nova walked forward, placed her suitcase against the wall, pressed a button, and stood back. A moment later the suitcase had transformed into a fairly large door made of rosewood, with alabaster stone framing it, and around stained glass window depicting the Equestrian blazon of two alicorns representing day and night. Light now flooded through the window, and the loose petals on the floor truly made it look as though it had found its way there from a storybook.
“Will you be needing anything?” Mimi asked as Nova opened the door. “Wow.” The sight of the rotunda that had been configured to mimic Princess Luna’s tower room was breathtaking. Plush red carpets, rich velvet draperies of midnight blue, silver cords, plush furnishing of every sort, mahogany tables, banners of silver trees with seven phases of the moon on a field of midnight blue hung here and there. Also on display on the ceiling was a fresco of two winged unicorns, one depicted as the goddess of the night, the other as the goddess of the sun orbiting around each other in perpetual harmony. To the right, there was a large balcony that appeared to look out over the Abby grounds, and to the left an archway that provided access to a staircase upstairs under which was a small pantry and bar. Also through which could be accessed a staircase down into the arboretum and lower level of the structure as well as providing access to the section Henry Weasley had already seen. The centerpiece of the room was a fabric mannequin shaped like a horse, only small like a foal with some sort of armor on it black in color emblazoned with a crescent moon and two stars on the flank. A bat wing-like shield hung from it was emblazoned with a horse skull and wing. Under the armor was dark blue-gray long underwear with gold lightning trim.
But what kind of a person dresses a foal in long underwear, Mimi pondered?
“I’m good, thank you,” Nova replied to the stricken maid, went in, and shut the door.
Nova had objected to the size of the structure, but then Princess Celestia had quoted go big or go home. She’d gone huuuge. She’d also pointed out that the large greenhouse that was adjacent to the apartment would give Nova a safe place to exercise her wings. It wasn’t open sky, but it was at least room to get in a bit of exercise. Meanwhile, Mimi went outside to see if she could spot the balcony. She could not but had no way to know if what she’d seen was an illusion or if the balcony was, in fact, being hidden from prying eyes.
Elsewhere the floo network being down was causing havoc as wizards who were otherwise unable to apparate to their next destination had to come up with some alternate transportation. For some that meant taking muggle mass transit and cabs.
Nova was blissfully unaware of the chaos she’d created. Nova was sitting in the rotunda looking over periodicals to glean information that would help her to better fit in while thinking of names for the owl she’d bought. Her hat hung on a hat rack near the door. Owlvis Presley, no, Owlprah, maybe, Owlgelina, Owldrey Hepbarn… now that one had a nice ring to it. The owl being a big barn owl it just fit. “Owldrey!” Nova called. Owldrey and Phenik had been playing tug-o-war with one of the new toys. The owl somehow seemed to know the new name was for her, let go of the toy, which sent Phenik tumbling, flew over to Nova, and landed on the back of the lounge she was sitting on.
“Hey, OK, for now on your name is going to be Owldrey Hepbarn.”
Owldrey chirped approval.
Nova decided it’d be best to introduce Owldrey to her fox form, being Barn owls were known to eat fox cubs if they got the chance. Nova transformed into a white feathered winged fox, wriggled her way out of her clothes leaving them and her amulet behind, and climbed up to the top of the sofa. Owldrey made an inquisitive chirp. Nova stretched out her wings to give them a stretch, and Phenik flew over, landed next to her, and started preening Nova’s wing.
“Yes Owldery, it’s still me.” Owldrey made a happy chirp as Nova snuggled up to the big owl. The three made an interesting trio, Owldrey with her white face chest, belly, and sandy back and wings, Phenik in bright reds and golds, and Nova who was almost all white save for purple and vermilion stripes on her head, and feathering at the intersection of her tailbone, black legs, ears, and the tip of her tail was black. Also, unlike an ordinary fox, she’d long hair yet on her head in the fashion of a maned wolf.
Nova kicked off the top of the sofa and soared up towards the ceiling with Phenik, and Owldrey joining her in a sort of areal ballet as the three flew about the room.
Nova missed the knock on the door.
“I’m telling you it’s enormous,” Mimi said as the door opened. Mimi walked in, looking about cautiously, followed by another maid, and what looked to be a footman.
“Oh look at the phoenix… oh my, what kind of bird, or animal is the white one?” The other maid asked. Nova had turned to see who it was who’d entered unbidden, and slowly glided, her owl-like feathers making not a sound.
“I don’t know, I’ve never seen the like, and look, it does open to the outside. - That animal kind of gives me the creeps, what with just hanging there like some kind of apparition.” The footman offered. “There must be some very sophisticated enchantments that make this place work. I’ve never seen the like.”
Nova looked at them, then down at her clothes. Nova was not an Animageus and was using a kitsune transformation spell that didn’t transform the clothes. She quietly swore under her breath. Would they see the clothes, her amulet, worse yet would they continue to explore where they’d no business being. She also wondered if the avatars of Princess Celestia and her teacher Miss Aiko might show up? The avatars were a bit like Moonie and had been created as surrogate chaperons to keep watch over her while within the suite. Maybe she should just have Moonie chase them out.
“Now what ave we here?” The footman asked. He’d found the clothes. “Looks like she’s running about in her underwear.”
‘Underwear?’ Nova thought to herself. ‘What’s underwear?’
“Typical of the young these days, just throw everything on the furniture,” Mimi commented just as the footman found the amulet and picked it up.
“Oh ho ho, lookie what I found?” The footman said looking at the amulet. “This might just fetch a pretty penny.”
“No, you can’t.” Mimi protested.
“And why not?” The other maid asked. “It’s just a trinket owned by a little foreign girl with more money than she knows what to do with.”
“Because it’s wrong.” Mimi implored.
“That and I’m wondering how far you'll get before that girl’s protector comes after you.” Offered the voice of a man Nova had yet to meet. “Cousin Henry says she has a pet nightmare in addition to the Phoenix, and whatever that white animal is.”
“Mr Weasley. We were just...” The footman began but stopped on noticing the muzzle of a shadowy creature inching ever closer to his face. The horse was like nothing he’d ever seen while awake. He dropped the amulet.
“Downstairs. Now.” This Weasley’s voice was cold, but then the circumstances warranted it. The four went out into the hall and closed the door.
“Lock.” Said Nova, dropped down and transformed back into human form. Her cutie mark was visible on her upper thighs, and the outline of her wings showed on her back. There was a satisfying click from the door. She then picked up her clothes and carried everything to her bedroom. Once there she decided to put on one of the yukata kimonos Aiko had prepared for her. She hung up the clothes she had been wearing, and then Nova got out an underskirt and put it on followed by a nagajuban which goes on under the kimono. Once that was on she got out a white yukata kimono with a floral pattern on it. It was a warm day, and the yukata was preferential to the traveling outfit she’d had on. She adjusted the length, tied it up, followed by putting on an obi sash. Since she was by herself she tied the obi in front and then rotated the bow to her back. The obi gave her the feeling of having her wings bound, but she’d just have to put up with it. She located her slippers, human feet were so tender, put her amulet on, and headed downstairs, the two avians following.
The maid and footman were receiving a serious dressing down, that is they were being chewed out. Mimi was standing off to one side along with what looked to be a fair number of the household staff. A moment later Henry walked in with an elderly gentleman wearing a fairly nice business suit, and an older woman, who had that I’m very disappointed, look on her face. By her dress, Nova took her to be the head maid.
“Tremayne, we’ve found a number of items in their rooms,” Henry informed the other Weasley.
“Well, it seems we'll be calling the Aurors as well as sacking you two,” Tremayne informed the pair.
Nova sat down in a nearby lounge, and on spotting some books on shelves she forgot all about what was going on out in the hallway. She got up, found one that looked interesting, sat down again, and started to read.
Nova’s ears perked up a short time later at the sound of her name.
“Excuse, I’m right here.” Nova offered as she got up. Two more wizards had arrived, and by their uniforms, Nova took them to be part of some sort of guard force. The uniforms were dark blue with black stripes down the legs, and black piping and filigree on the sleeves of the jacket over which was worn a great coat similar in style with a row of silver buckles, midway on either side running down two-thirds of the way with horizontal silver bars of ribbon stitched to the jacket. Each jacket had shoulder boards with three chevrons each over which was a pair of laurel wreaths bracketing the letters MP for magical police, but could easily be mistaken for military police. On their head, they wore a wheel cap with a silver pin that had a scroll on which was printed Special Services, over which was a crown with a lion over the top of that. If anyone asked them who they were they had but to give the person asking a card with a phone number on it that rang up a contact in Military Intelligence, level five. If anyone pressed the issue, they were level six, and you’d better stop asking silly questions. Level six personnel would be told they were a dark ops unit and not to get in their way. Those who had encountered them in missions just seemed to know that certain things just needed to be handled by the dark ops section, and you really didn’t want to know.
“Um… hello.” Nova offers beginning to get nervous.
“These are Sargents Steed and Keel, and they’d like to ask you a few questions.” Said a man of middle age, perhaps more. Nova wasn’t too sure how to judge age. He was definitely a Weasley by his fading red hair, and he wore a luxurious dark purple wizard robe with a white lace cravat.
All the Weasley’s seemed to have red hair.
“You are Miss Nova Moon of the family by the same name?” Mr Steed asked.
“I think it best to inform you that as a foreign national, who failed to enter the country by legal channels, your rights are limited, and could face deportation.”Mr Keel cautioned.
“Gentlemen.” Cautioned the elder Weasley. “She’s been confirmed as a princess of Eques by the Goblins at Gringotts. There is an irrevocable law on record that’s nearly a thousand years old, giving her all rights as a citizen of England, immunity to prosecution from all save the most heinous of crimes, and her place of domicile is to be considered the sovereign territory of Eques.”
“Eques? I thought that was a myth?” Mr Keel asked dumbfounded by what he’d just been told.
“Eques is a former satellite of the ancient empire of Arcadia now remembered only in myth and legend.” Nova offered. The news regarding her status in the kingdom was a welcome surprise, and Nova presumed that Princess Celestia must have set it up so she could visit without having to worry about entanglements with the local government. “I entered the country by portal being that’s the only way to and from the kingdom of Eques being in a space set apart from the world as you know it. There are many such places still in existence in the far east such as the fabled Shangri La.” Nova’s education had included a wealth of information concerning secret fabled places in the world of men. Many of which may very well still exist, accessible only by secret passages and portals. “I am an Equestrian. Princess Kitzumi Nova, she who brings hope, daughter of Twilight, and Daughter of the Celestial Princess Luna shepherd of the Moon. - But Miss Moon will be fine.” Nova knew she was laying it on thick, but at the moment, it seemed the right thing to do.
“If you’re so high ranking, why are you here, and unaccompanied?” Mr Keel asked.
“Mom had a knockdown drag-out fight with her sister who just happens to be the ruler, and here I am.” There was certainly something to be said for omitting unnecessary details.
The two officers looked like they were either about to have an aneurysm or were already in the process.
Nova continued. “Regarding the improper entry to my rooms, and attempted thievery of my amulet, I don’t wish to press the matter. I really don’t wish to get tied up in any unnecessary entanglements.” Her expression indicated that she was honest in this desire. “They wouldn't have gotten very far anyway. It’s got a tracking charm on it so my family can find me if I should become lost, and if it gets separated from me, Moonie will fetch it.”
“Moonie?” Mr Steed asked having regained his composure.
“The Night Mare,” Henry offered from the doorway.
“About that?” Mr Keel asked.
“Not illegal. There’s not a law on the books that says she can’t have it.” The elder Weasley offered. “Even if there were, she can’t be touched.”
“Not illegal?” Mr Keel asked. “I’m to understand the beast ejected a muggle out of the Leaky Cauldron, across three lanes of traffic, and into the side of a passing streetcar. How can it not be illegal?!”
“No one’s ever managed to make a pet of one before.” The elder Weasley offered with a smile. “And as you can see, she’s also got a phoenix.”
“Is the woman going to be alright?” Nova asked, hoping to direct the conversation away from Moonie.
“She was taken to hospital, and I’m told she’ll recover.” Mr Steed offered. “She’s had certain memories removed so that she doesn’t find her way back. - She’s what we call a collector. A hoarder of things exotic.”
“So to her I was nothing more than a thing perceived to be exotic.” Nova offered. “Father's family is from Neighpon. Never been there myself.”
“From where?” Mr Steed asked.
“I think she means Japan.” Henry offered. “Must be a variant in the language.”
“Well, she does speak good English, despite the odd accent and occasional word I can’t make out.” Mr Keel offered.
“English?” Nova asked. “I’m speaking Equestrian.” Nova couldn't help but wonder if it might be bleed over through the portals. Maybe even individuals going back and forth. In every case where a portal leads to a human world, they all seemed to be speaking Equestrian. The theory that Twilight had put forward is that all the worlds she’d visited all spoke the same language, more or less, must be because they were parallel worlds. Nova was fairly sure there had to be more to it. There really should have been a greater variance between languages.
“Extraordinary.” The elder Weasly offered. “Two languages worlds apart developing along such similar lines it’s near impossible to tell the difference.”
“Well we’ve enough evidence on those two we won’t need Miss Moon to get involved, there is one more thing though...”
“The white-winged fox I gather,” Nova said wondering how she was going to explain the fox.
“Do you mean you’ve got a giant bat up there, a white one?” Weasley senior asked.
“Bat?” Nova asked, and then looked down at the book she had been reading. It’d been a book detailing various Animageus forms, and theories as to why certain wizards took the various forms they did. “A celestial fox. They have wings like an owl’s and have a good deal of magic. Muggles have even been known to worship them. When they weren’t killing them to near extinction that is.”
“And you have one as a pet?” Mr Keel asked. “It might be necessary to put it in quarantine.”
“Quarantine?” Kitzu asked perplexed. It was the county shelter all over again from the first time she’d ever gone through a portal. She’d found herself at Canterlot High at the age of four, having turned into a fox after going through the portal. Back then her wings had yet to manifest on her fox form. She’d wondered about, got picked up by a girl, oh the ear scritches were divine, and then surrendered to animal control officers. Fortunately, Fluttershy’s counterpart had rescued her and got her back through the portal once she’d realized who the little fox kit was.
Nova had to throw them the proverbial bone along with a half measure of truth.
“I’m sort of an Animageus.” Nova offered timidly. “I’m the fox.”
“Are you now. You wouldn't mind showing us, would you?” Keel prompted. From his tone, Nova gathered he didn’t believe her.
“There’s a slight issue with my transformation.” Nova offered.
“Can’t do it, and you’ve another exotic creature up in your room.” Keel accused.
Nova let out a sigh and transformed. Seeing the impossibly cute fox sitting in the middle of a pile of clothing wasn’t quite what they expected.
“PUPPY!”
Nova cringed as an eleven-year-old girl rushed over and snatched her up.
“Wings! Watch the wings!” Nova yelled.
The girl promptly dropped her, and Nova made good her escape. She flew up to the top of a cabinet, landed, and started preening her mangled feathers while giving the girl a dirty look every so often.
“Puppy?” The girl asked sounding disappointed.
“You nearly mangled my wings. How old are you?” Nova asked crossly as Phenik and Owldrey join her. “You could have broken my wing. Do you know what happens if I get injured? I can’t change back!”
“Maggie, what have you been told about grabbing animals?” Weasley senior scolded.
“I’m sorry, but...”
“No buts.” Weasley senior scolded.
“You can change back now, I believe you.” Keel offered.
“Oh, you’d like that, wouldn't you?” Nova said in an accusing manner. Sure ponies seldom wore clothes, and then only as an accessory, but she was fairly sure humans were seriously into modesty, and it was considered improper for a strange man to see her in her human form without clothes.
“Keel, her clothes didn’t change with her.” Steed pointed out.
“Change… they’re supposed to change too?” Nova asked as if she didn't already know.
“And you shouldn't be able to talk while in 'beast' form either,” Steed added.
“Just because I take on the form of a beast doesn't make me dumb like one,” Nova responded. There was a mild accusatory tone to her voice. To Nova’s mind, it was the humans who were the beasts.
“Miss Nova, there’s one thing bothering me.” Weasley senior asked. “The nightmare?”
“Moonie, go on, show yourself.” Nova requested in a much softer tone.
Light shimmered a short distance away, and the Night Mare appeared. She was looking extra floofy and was laying down with her snout between her legs looking at Maggie.
“It’s a pony,” Maggie said softly. “May I pet her?”
“Go on, you can’t hurt her.” Nova offered.
“Is it safe?” Mr Keel asked.
“She has a week spot for little ones.” Nova offered as Maggie slowly walked up to Moonie. Moonie held perfectly still, her ears twitching as Maggie dropped down and gently touched her snout. “The most she’d do is temporarily immobilize them if she had to.”
“Soft… and warm,” Maggie reported.
“She can make herself solid for a brief time.” Nova offered as Moonie shimmered and vanished. Maggie stood back up and looked about with a smile.
“I think we’ve asked all the questions we need to.” Steed offered and left the room motioning for Keel to follow.
“Sorry about that. My name is Arthur Weasley. I’m sort of in charge here.”
“Thank you for welcoming me to your home, Mr Weasley.” Nova offered sitting up straight to address the man.
“It’s actually Sir, not Mr, but we won’t hold to formalities.”
“Oh good. Titles can get so cumbersome.”
“I’ll leave you to it then.” Sir Arthur offered, asked Maggie to come with him. Once out in the hall, he sent Maggie to go on outside and play. He joined the two Aurors, and a moment later, Nova the owl-winged fox, flew out of the room carrying as much of her clothing as she could manage with Phenik and Owldrey bringing the rest. The three continued down the hall, and up the stairs.
“Poor kid,” Steed said softly. “I wonder if she even knows she’s a maledictus?”
“You sure about that?” Henry asked walking up to them. “I’m assuming that was her?”
“When she transformed, her clothes didn’t transform with her.” Arthur offered. “Short of she’s really screwed up the Animageus spell, that’s a blood curse.”
Nova went up to her rooms, transformed, hung up her clothing, and being everyone was bound to know about her fox form by now, transformed back, and shot out through the open doors leading to the balcony. A moment later she was high over the estate reveling in the joy of flight in the open sky, twisting, turning, looping, and just generally being squirrelly in the air. Phenik joined her, but Owldrey had decided to just sit and watch.
“Dear, what…?” Arthur’s wife Eliza asked looking heavenward.
“Our guest,” Arthur replied.
“Our guest?” Eliza asked as Henry and Tremayne came out to have a look.
“Said she had been a message runner in another country for a while.” Henry offered. “I’d assumed she meant by broom.”
“If she’s a princess, why would she be used as a message runner?” Tremayne asked.
“Told me she wandered into the wrong country and got drafted,” Henry replied.
“Yep, that’ll do it.”Arthur offered. “Did some time in the Queen’s navy when I was young.”
“How is it you never said anything?” Eliza asked.
“I’d been pres-ganged. Took me a bit to get away. To the muggles, I’m a deserter. Officially they weren’t doing that sort of thing anymore but they still did it. They dropped a gold sovereign in my beer, and I swallowed it because I was too drunk to think straight. Then they wanted it back, and they wanted it back right now. - I woke up onboard a ship at sea. - I ended up in India.”
“So you’re the reason the Ministry of Magic frowns on alcohol,” Tremayne stated. “Eh, father?”
“Well, that and all those darn fools who got drunk and broke the secrecy act.” Arthur offered. “She looks happy up there. Brooms just aren’t quite the same.”
“So how do we get her down, it’s nearly time for tea?” Henry asked.
“That’s easy,” Arthur replied, got out his wand, pressed it to his throat, and cast the Sonorus charm. “If you want vittles you’ll need to come down from there.” He canceled the spell and put his wand away. Nova hung in the air for a moment, and then dove for the roof.
“She’s going to hit the roof?!” Eliza said with fear and concern. Nova vanished followed by Phenik and Owldrey.
“You know, that’s right about the same area of the roof Mimi was looking at right before our two former employees decided to bully her into taking them up to miss Moon’s room,” Tremayne informed them. “I had to apparate home, and had decided the lawns were close enough.”
“You don’t say. What did you think of the greenhouse? Looked like she had a good-sized arboretum in there.”
“Greenhouse?” Eliza asked astounded.
“Hang on, all I saw was a large rotunda. I’d assumed it was a globe by the size of it. There were stairs going up to another level, and an archway, but I couldn't see where it led.”
“A large lounge area, a library, what looked to be two bedrooms, and the arboretum is what I saw.” Henry offered.
“I’m definitely going to want a tour,” Eliza stated, turned, and then went back inside.
👘
Nova arrived downstairs a short time later in her yukata once more. Maggie was waiting for her in the hall.
“Hi, I’m Maggie. - Umm, sorry about the wings. I thought you were a puppy. Honest.”
“Alright, I’ll forgive you. Give us a hug.” The two hug. “Now do try to remember that even if I had been just an ordinary puppy, puppies are fragile. They are like babies and break if not handled properly. - Now, where’s the food.”
“Oh, it’s not quite time to go in yet, but everyone is starting to gather.”
Maggie escorted Nova to where the family was gathering. Once there Maggie took to introducing Nova as though she’d just brought Nova home from primary school. Maggie was fortunate enough to attend a private primary school made for and run by the magical community. After all, no one wanted their child going to a muggle school, or to Hogwarts not knowing anything about magic. The school itself was named Saint Brutus, and the local muggles all thought it was a nuthouse for the incurably insane.
Nova was reintroduced to Lady Laurel, her title mostly honorary since the death of her husband Sir Percival Weasley the year before. He’d been succeeded by his eldest son Arthur who was now lord of the manor. Arthur’s wife was Eliza, and their son was Tremayne. Tremayne was married to Abigail the two having a four-year-old named Trevalan. Nova was told that Tremayne had two sisters, but they were married and out on their own now, but could be expected to drop by from time to time. That left cousin Henry. Henry, Nova was informed was from a branch of the family in America. Nova had the odd suspicion Henry was also Arthur’s son by another mare, but couldn't for the life of her understand why they’d hide such a thing. Henry was married to Clara, and Maggie was their daughter.
They were shocked to hear Nova had two mothers plus a father.
“Oh, it’s fairly common for a stallion to have many wives.” Nova offered as they went in to have tea. Nova was delighted to find that ‘tea’ did indeed mean they were having a meal. She’d also forgot to say, man, making her statement sound very odd indeed. Good thing she hadn’t said mares. “The ratio of...” Nova had to think for a moment to make sure she had her terms correct as she was directed to a place to sit, “women to men are fairly even in the cities, but in some of the rural areas it can be as high as twenty to one.”
“You’re kidding?” Tremayne asked as he sat down. Nova had waited to see if they were following any kind of protocol regarding sitting, but as they didn’t seem to be holding to any, decided to go ahead and sit.
“It’s fairly common for landowners as well as the nobility to have multiple wives.” Nova offered.
“Sounds like my kind of place.” Arthur quipped, and then winced as a shoe found his ankle.
There was definitely a proverbial elephant in this room, and his name was Henry.
The topic then switched to various other points of interest. Specifically, Nova wanted to learn as much as she could about the wizarding world while deflecting questions about her own. Granted the idea that one man might have as many as twenty wives give or take, had gone a long way towards keeping the conversation away from Equestria. Mostly because the women weren’t too sure they wanted their men getting any ideas. After all, it was 1903, and the free love movement wasn’t supposed to start until the nineteen sixties. And yet, the seed had been planted.
After dinner, the Weasley’s had insisted on visiting Nova’s apartment. Nova stalled. She begged off insisting she’d need a little time to straighten things out, and rushed upstairs once they’d agreed. Nova didn’t want them to have access to any of the books from Equestria. Especially the ones that would make it all too evident that she was anything but human. The easiest solution, set up bookshelves in the lounge area in front of the library with the books she’d recently purchased, along with a few ‘safe’ books, and lock the library. Later she’d have to set up ‘restricted’ sections, and she was going to lie through her teeth about not being allowed to access many of the books until she was older.
She needn't have worried though as the Weasleys were so overwhelmed by the size and scope of the place. The fact that all the portraits were of pastel ponies had been completely lost on the Weasleys.
“Just one thing...” Arthur began and thought for a moment before continuing. “..lets never take this thing through the floo ever again.”
The next few days were fairly mundane. Nova spent her time between studying, rearranging her library, exercise, which included time flying on and off a broom, and time spent with the Weasleys. Specifically, Maggie, who Nova had decided was woefully behind in her studies. Maggie didn’t really want to study, but then Nova did have the ultimate carrot. If Maggie did what Nova asked, Nova would let Maggie pet her, along with the occasional ear scratch. It was a win-win so far as both were concerned. The arrangement also meant that Maggie quickly learned that Nova didn’t have any underpants. After all, ponies didn’t wear such things. Well, maybe some did. Wink wink nudge nudge. Mrs Haldisa, the Nursemaid, on learning this little detail fainted dead away. Nova had never worn underpants in her life, and they were going to take some getting used to.
At the end of the week, Mr Ollivander arrived at the house to deliver the new wand in person. With grandson in tow. Mr Ollivander’s son was married to Arthur Weasley’s sister, so their delivering the wand in person wasn’t seen as that special. Harold was Arthur’s nephew, and once the usual pleasantries were out of the way, Harold was given the task of presenting the wand.
“I’d like to say, once more, how sorry I am about what happened at the shop. Your Highness.” Harold said, presented Nova with a box, and bowed.
“Thank you,” Nova replied as she took the box. She returned the bow and then opened the box. The wand was white, and the scorch marks at the end had been polished away. When she picked it up the wand responded by immediately becoming enveloped in a soft violet glow. She gave it a flourish and was delighted by a rainbow of colored sparks emanating from the wand. And this time the light spell didn’t burn out the wand.
“Almost as good as my own horn,” Nova whispered.
“Pardon?” Harold asked, only to get slapped in the back of his head. “Ow, what was that for?”
“Just because.” Mr Ollivander senior offered and gave Nova a wink.
He knew.
“I said thank you. Thank you very much.” As thanks, Nova gave Mr Ollivander two tail feathers from Phenik.