Chapter 06: Reunions, Royalty, and Protection…
The Friendship Express, a train with so many convoluting colors that it would make anyone’s eyes hurt just by LOOKING at it, was rolling along the tracks that was heading towards Canterlot City.
Harry was putting away the book on the history of Equestria, the new world he and his Godson was in.
He did all he could not to fidget ever since getting on the train.
Despite Death’s assurances and the knowledge of Teddy being safe in the hands of the co-rulers of Princess Celestia and Luna, the ponies that control the Sun and Moon, he was worried.
He was also having a hard time imagining Teddy not freaking out at being alone with strangers, let alone of the female kind…
Though, if he has inherited his mother’s knack for flirting with strangers… Harry thought to himself as he gazed out the window at the scenery flying by the train, which was mostly trees and shrubbery.
Things would get interesting… He finished the thought as he closed his eyes for the rest of the journey to the capital city of Equestria.
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*An Hour Later*
“ Harry, wake up we’re here!” Said a voice in his ear.
Harry jumped, muscles tensed for a moment to fend off whoever was trying to attack him, before relaxing at the sight of Spike, Twilights little brother sitting next to him, looking at him with concern at his tensed form.
“ Are you ok?” He asked the stallion, a bit concerned at the way he looked, almost as if he was ready to fight in a moment’s notice.
Harry shook his head, smiling a bit at the dragon, “ I’m alright Spike. You just startled me is all.”
That seemed to work as Spike relaxed and moved away from him, giving the stallion room to get up and walk out into the aisle.
Harry had to blink for a second before looking around in awe…
The city was more grand up close, the castle of the Royal Pony Sisters even moreso…
Harry got off the train and stepped to the side of the doorway to let everyone file out.
Twilight, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash came with just in case he doesn’t do anything stupid, and to meet Teddy that he kept talking about last night…
“ Ok everypony! We got everything for a two day stay?” Twilight said, going over a checklist being held in her hands.
Yeah, she was practically a manager for things like this…
After everyone nodded and gave affirmatives, the group of 8 began their trek to the castle, making sure they stay in single file as to not bump into the Noble snobs that permeate Canterlot.
After making their way through countless streets, meeting with a couple that were nicer than everyone else named Fleur De Lis and Fancy Pants.
After exchanging greetings with Harry to Fancy as well as Fleur and made small talk, the group continued.
Although the name Fleur tickled in the back of Harry’s mind, bringing the memory of the French Veela who was a Triwizard Champion for Beauxbatons in his fourth year, he filed it away as coincidence.
The group came up to a large brass gate with two guardstallions, wearing shiny golden armor and spears in parade rest.
“ Twilight Sparkle and company to see Princess Celestia and Luna.” Twilight said, pulling out a scroll that her mentor sent through Spike’s dragon fire mail earlier that morning.
After taking it from her, one of the Guards looked it over for any forgery and the like, he nodded, satisfied that it was genuine when he saw the signature of magic that only Princess Celestia can possess in her name on the bottom written in elegant cursive.
The two Guards kept an eye on the strange stallion that was accompanying the Elements Of Harmony as they went into the castle grounds…
The group of mares and stallion walked through the maze of corridors, Harry taking a gander at the multitude of windows depicting events that happened in all the history of Equestria.
The most recent is an image with the girls surrounding a shadowy stallion with a red horn and evil looking eyes, an image of a crystal city in the background shining with an unearthly light.
After a few minutes of walking, they came up to a pair of large golden doors, with a pair of the same white stallions wearing golden armor, making Harry blink at them in slight confusion, but didn’t question it, since it was ‘magic’.
“ The Princesses will see you now. They are in a meeting with the foreign royal delegates.” Said the Guard on the left.
“ You all came at a perfect time.” Said the Guard on the right, smirking lightly with his blue eyes with a knowing look, indicating that he must’ve saw this coming.
But that doesn’t make sense, he doesn’t know what might happen… Does he?...
Twilight nodded, not even looking the slightest fazed that she might be interrupting her mentor’s meeting.
The Guards opened the giant doors, and the group made their way inside the cavernous room…
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Celestia and Luna were sitting on plush chairs at one end of a large oval table, observing the squabbling of the Changeling Queens seated on the opposite end, internally amused at them trying to figure out how to integrate their species as a whole into Equestrian society.
If only she had a camera…
Then the doors to the meeting Chambers opened and in came a group that she was familiar with, and a stallion that Celestia and Luan recognised from Teddy Lupin’s descriptions.
The Changeling Queens stopped their argument, and Amethyst, a Queen of Innocence, stated with a happy smile, “ YAY! Friends!”
The chibi-like Changeling shot out of her chair, and zoomed through the group of mares, and latched on to the stallion named Harry Potter.
The stallion’s body tensed at the sudden attack, but when he looked down, he relaxed himself again, Which Celestia and Luna noticed, making them curious as to what made him tense up in the first place.
“ It’s SO wonderful to meet new ponied!” The queen said in an accent that made Harry blink.
It was British.
Harry snorted, replying,
“ Well, I was expecting to meet new ponies as well, but this was unexpected.”
The queen didn’t reply, only looking up at him with those expressive yellow eyes and fang filled smile that somehow didn’t want him to go all Alastor Moody on…
A cough interrupted the silence and Harry looked up, catching his emerald eyes on Luna’s, recognition twinkling as he nodded his head in respect.
“ Well, that happened…” said Nova, the Changeling Queen of Lust said, a flirty smile on her lips, pink eyes glowing with mirth.
She especially seemed to have an eye for one of the girls, Fluttershy, her name was…
After the childlike Changeling let go of Harry and zipped back to her small high seat with a happy grin, a small door to the left of Celestia opened and in peeked a child with brownish red fur, and wearing a black t-shirt and red shorts the size for someone of his size, also wearing a pair of white socks and red tennis shoes.
“ Hey Luna, may I… Come… In...” He trailed off looking behind the two Princesses, causing Luna and Celestia to follow wherever he was looking at.
Their eyes landed on the stallion in the group named Harry, who froze as well when his green eyes caught Teddy’s.
“ DAD!!!” the colt yelled out, a look of joy on his face and a smile so wide that it almost made everyone cling their chests in pleasurable pain.
Harry opened his arms wide as his Godson shot into him, like the Changeling Queen, Amethyst did.
The stallion’s eyes grew wet with tears as he wrapped his arms around the colt, whispering with a voice that broke, “ Teddy.”
The large group of Ponies in the room looked at the scene with a smile, a couple of the Changeling Queens d’awwing at the sight, cooing at the adorable colt in Harry’s arms.
One of them, Helphia, the queen of Family, fed on the reunion in small nibbles, draining the excess emotion that radiated the whole room, feeling full for the first time in centuries.
After everyone calmed down and Harry let go of Teddy, they sat down at the table, comfortably close to the Princesses, Luna especially, who blushed lightly at the feeling of his magic that wrapped around her own intimately.
Even if they didn’t know it yet, but interesting times are ahead for all of Gaia with Harry James Potter involved…
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“ So, what you’re saying is that Changelings need emotions to live on?” Harry inquired while talking with Helphia, who sat next to him during the meeting.
It has been an hour since the meeting started, and without complaint, the Princesses let the Mane Six, Harry, and Teddy to join the small conference…
Which is odd if I didn’t allow it, if I do say so myself…
Helphia nodded, her vibrant red mane flying around her shoulders a little as she did so.
She replied, “ Indeed, Mister Trotter. All Changelings need some type of emotion to live off of, be it Lust, Love, Family, Innocence, Hate. Sure we can eat pony foods like everyone else, but we prefer emotions because it’s fills us more and lasts longer.”
Harry put a hand on his chin, rubbing the more coarse fur that served as a small beard as well.
He contemplated for a moment, before getting an idea.
“ Well, let’s say that you eat foods like Ponies do, as well as emotions corrects?”
At Helphia’s nod, a curious look on her face as she did so, he continued,
“ Why not mix both of them together? Separate each individual emotion that the Changeling Hives thrive on and grow them? After the food is either done growing or made, inject them with the emotions and eat it? That way it can last longer without going to waste, and enjoy the best of both worlds.”
Helphia, as well as the other Changeling Queens, stared at him slack jawed.
Even Chrysalis had her face show surprise…
It was VERY amusing…
Celestia and Luna thought the idea over in their heads, then nodded.
“ We believe that young Mister Trotter has the right idea.” Celestia spoke with a motherly warm smile, that made Teddy squirm at the warmth in him once again.
Harry noticed, a look of concern showing in his eyes as he saw him become uncomfortable.
Teddy saw that, and shook his head with a reassuring smile, telling him everything is ok.
It seemed to have worked, if Harry’s nod was any comprehension.
“ Then I think this meeting was a success.”
Queen Chrysalis finally spoke up, her gentle tone surprising everyone in the room, including the Princesses.
It has been a year since the Changelings tried to invade Canterlot, and all they heard from her was madness and malice…
Harry nodded, agreeing with the Queen, who nodded back with a small look of bewilderment showing in her eyes.
It was not everyday that a Pony agrees with a Changeling on something, the disagreements usually end in a bloody mess…
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Teddy walked next to his Godfather, a slight mixture of nervousness and excitement rolling in his stomach as they made their way to a familiar blue Alicorn, who was talking with her older sister about something that made the alabaster mare frown.
“ Your Majesties.” Harry said, dipping his head in respect, Teddy following along.
“ Ah, Harry Potter, I presume?” Celestia spoke, her tone formal and serious.
At the sound of his actual last name, Harry tensed a little, his instincts were telling him to protect Teddy in case things go bad.
“Yes?” He answered reluctantly.
SLAP!
The occupants of the room jumped and turned to the source of the noise…
Harry’s head was snapped to the side, showing a slight red mark from Celestia’s hand as she slapped him.
He blinked, not even fazed at the slight sting of pain in his cheek, turning his head back to the Alicorn with a confused look.
“ Ok… That was unexpected...what’d I do to deserve that, Princess?”
Luna’s eyebrow raised at how in control Harry was in his own emotions, despite being hurt.
Trust me, Alicorns hit HARD…
Celestia crossed her arms and glared at the stallion.
“ You abandoned your Godson in the Royal Gardens in the middle of the night, and you ask me what you did? Do you--”
She was interrupted by Harry actually glaring at her, emerald orbs glowing with power and anger.
“ I didn’t leave my Godson! I woke up in a dark forest near Ponyville.”
He was actually struggling not to yell, but whenever his Godson was involved, it’s time for Mama Bear to come out.
Nightmare approves that he was in control, because it was somewhat reminiscent to her lighter side...
“ I looked for him all night in that damned forest, but when he wasn’t there, I thought he wasn’t in the forest and in the nearby town outside it.”
After he finished the last sentence, Harry was only a few inches from the Solar Diarch’s face, not caring about the intense heat she was giving out.
Twilight was watching with horror at how her acquaintance was being disrespectful to her mentor and the most powerful Pony in the world.
“ Do you have any idea what I had to do to protect my Godson from people who want to hurt him just to get to me? Thieves, grabby reporters, idiotic nobles, killers?” Some in the room gasped at the word ‘killer’.
It wasn’t a term used lightly in a peaceful world, after all...
Harry’s glare softened, but the serious look stayed, as he continued, “ If there was any choice, I would wipe out entire civilisations and the whole universe just to protect Teddy.”
It was deathly quiet, as Celestia’s face didn’t show any emotion, making even Luna a bit nervous.
After a few moments, the alabaster mare smiled, saying with a gentle tone,
“ I know. It’s exactly how I would go about protecting my Ponies from harm.”
Harry blinked as he backed away, slightly confused at the 180 turn in emotions.
“ Princess?”
The Solar Turned to Twilight, who had a nervous expression.
“ Hm?” She replied.
Twilight fiddled with her hands for a moment, before gathering the courage to ask.
“ You would do that? K-kill I mean, just to protect everypony?”
Celestia smiled more warmly, “ Yes Twilight, I would. It is a last resort, which is why I try and reason with threats instead, because ”
Harry felt himself calm down more at the contact of Teddy putting a hand in his, squeezing lightly.
Celestia turned back to Harry,
“ You’re a good father, even though you are young. You seem to have a natural talent in what to say that has meaning to those around you, to make them listen to what you have to say, as if it was instinct.”
She stretched out a hand, smiling slyly.
“ I believe that we will get along well.” She continued.
Harry, at the gentle prodding of his Godson poking him in the side, he reluctantly gripped Princess Celestia’s hand and lightly kissed the middle knuckle.
It surprised Celestia, a small tinge of pink in her cheeks showing, but felt a bit giddy inside.
Luna smirked, feeling Nightmare snicker and plot mischievously about teasing her older sister about this.
Teddy grinned as he saw the look of surprise on everyone else’s face, including the Changeling Queens who were blushing as well.
Ya know, since they can sense emotions and all…
Harry let go of the Solar Diarch’s hand, clearing his throat and straightened his black vest.
“ I agree, Your Highness.” He replied, still somewhat tense after what he done so carelessly without thinking.
Celestia smirked, causing Chrysalis and her children, to shudder and become weak in the knees at the emotion she sensed in the Sun Princess.
“ Please Mister Potter, call me Celestia.”
The stallion smirked back, ignoring that a couple of Chrysalis’s Changelings were giggling at the two.
“ As long as you call me Harry, Celestia.”
Oh yes, things are about to get interesting with Mister Potter around…
*A Few Hours Later*
Harry sat on the stairs of the main entrance of Canterlot Castle, looking up at the starlit sky, a look of longing in his eyes as he thought of the people back home that he left behind.
“ Sirius… Tonks… Moony… Hermione… Ginny… Ron… I am sorry that I left you all so suddenly…” He whispered into the night, a feeling of quilt panging into his heart, a tear beginning to trickle down his cheek.
“ I know that it will hurt now that I'm gone, but…” He wiped the tear away, taking a breath to try and calm his breaking heart at the thought of his friends and wife not with him.
It's been a long time since he actually cried, ever since Sirius's death by his deranged cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange…
“ But…” he continued, swallowing the lump in his throat, “ But I don't want you all to worry about me. Live your lives to the fullest, Mione, Ron, raise as many kids as possible, Ginny… Love, I don’t want you to be miserable over my absence, do the right thing and change the world, move on from me and find someone who can actually give you what you need, not some iconic ‘hero’ who doesn’t know what the bloody hell he’s doing half the time!.”
He then slapped himself up side of the head, a feeling of guilt that was bottled from earlier roaring through him like a torrent of fire.
“ I’m so sorry Ginny... I failed as a man, failed as a husband, failed as a father… I can’t believe that... I don’t know if I’ll be able to get back to you to make things right for my actions… You deserve better… I’ve gone and done a idiotic thing again... When I met someone else, I’ve gone and claimed her as my Lover! I mean, who in the world would just go and do that!?”
Harry took a breath to calm down from ranting, then continued.
“ Me, apparently…”
He talked into the sky, not knowing he had an audience, hiding in the shadows.
“ Maybe… Just maybe… we'll meet on the Next Great Adventure… And begin working for the forgiveness I don’t deserve for what I did...” He finished, voice cracking at the end.
Harry put his head in his hands, shoulders trembling as his body curled up into a sitting ball, his mind breaking down from the past few days getting to him.
He stayed like that for a minute, not knowing that someone was sitting next to him...
Before a voice spoke up beside him, making the stallion jump.
“ Prongslet, you are never alone.”
Harry quickly got out of the ball with the instincts of a cat, and whipped his head to the right, before his eyes widened…
He said one word, just one…
…
…
…
“Sirius…”