//------------------------------//
// Chapter 18: End of year exams, part two. 
// Story: Ponies in Hogwarts [Edited] 
// by KittyrinnAiko 
//------------------------------//

That evening’s walk down to dinner proved, interesting. Nova was back on her feet and was a little annoyed at how many of the Gryffindor girls were now not just overly worried about her well being, but obsessively protective of her. “What’s going on?” Nova asked of Idda.

“You collapsed in your outer bedroom in your pony form.” Idda offered. “It’s going to be difficult to keep it a secret.” What Idda didn’t say was that had Nova been an ordinary human animagus she’d have remained human, not transformed.

“They do understand that if a certain pony were to be found out to be a student it could put our win against Slytherin in jeopardy?” Nova asked. The girls all looked about at each other, and without having to say a word, agreed to keep quiet. Dinner conversation had other things to discuss. Finding Draco and the other first-year Slytherin students who’d wagered against Sweetie Belle proved all but futile.

Nova found Draco, eventually, at the Slytherin table sitting by himself, or rather, herself, her long blond hair cascading down her back.

“Malfoy...” Nova prompted.

“You going to make fun of me too?” Draco said softly.

“Um, no… We had a bet, along with several people in your class. Any idea where they got to?”

“A bet? - I’ve been turned into a girl, and all you care about is a bet?” Malfoy protested. There is some laughter nearby. Others just glare at Malfoy as though she was somehow guilty of a horrendous crime.

“Ya, that’s all I care about. We had a bet. You said that Either Sweetie or Neville would blow up their potions. Not my fault someone made a gender swap potion. - It is reversible isn’t it?”

“I don't know.” Malfoy offered. “The others have been taken out of school.”

“Well, I guess the money doesn’t really matter.” Nova offered. She leaned in and whispered, “If things get to the point you feel you can’t manage, I’ll help you out any time you’ve got a want for a little help.”

“Consorting with the enemy, is it? Coco.” Marcus Flint, the Slytherin Quidditch team captain jeered. There was venom in his tone.

“The enemy? - Are we not all students in the same school?” Nova asked as she straightened out. “Are we not all equal?”

“Equal she says?” Flint spat out. “Just because they let you in, doesn’t make you equal.”

“All right, that is quite enough out of you, Mr Flint.” Snape scolded. The students looked at her with wide-eyed astonishment. Sure it was Snape, but Snape now looked like a supermodel. She was still tall, her robes now form fit, and thanks to Nova’s potion her hair seemed to be blowing in a breeze no one else felt. Shimmering highlights, light that seemed to originate from her hair, and background singing every time she moved. 
L’Oréal deAlicorn, because you’re worth it.

Jaws dropped.

“Um, Professor Snape, maybe you shouldn't use that potion I made?” 

“Nonsense.” Snape retorted. “Best shampoo I’ve ever used. - Now, I’ll have no more trouble out of any of you.” Snape turned, her hair fanning out in slow motion as she turned, and then walked up to the head table with a spring in her step.

“I am very conflicted right now.” One of the boys said in a low tone.

“That is just downright strange.” another Slytherin boy offered. “He, or she… is actually smiling.”

“Oh, and Mr Flint...” Nova said just loud enough for the boys to hear. “..on the matter of equality, I own the Hogwarts express, have enough money to buy the school outright, and I’m a princess.” Nova gave a slight bow of her head, turned, and went back to the Gryffindor table.

“I guess that’s why my great Aunt Belvina is so interested in her.” Coco offered in a contemplative voice.

“She’s going to be mighty disappointed if you don’t get changed back.” Millicent Bulstrode offered as she sat down next to Coco.

“Don’t be so sure about that.”  Nova offered from her seat. “I think Coco is cute.”

“Disgusting.” Flit said in nearly a growl.

“She lives in a harem.” Hermione offered as though saying that’s just the way it is.  “I’m to understand it’s fairly common in her country for one man to wed multiple women.”

“I doubt Flint would know what to do with even one woman.” Idda teased, generating a round of laughter from the Gryffindor table, and even a few stifled laughs from the Slytherins.

“Your attention please,” Dumbledore called out over the gathered students. “Do to unforeseen circumstances that took place in several classes today, those who were effected will be given the opportunity to retest. Stand by after dinner, and you will be told if you need to retest or not, and I’m to understand the Defense Against the Dark arts class that was interrupted is to reconvene right after dinner. What about potions, Professor Snape?”

“I’m going to try to shoehorn in the first years who were unable to complete their assignment tomorrow.” Snape offered. “I’m also awarding ten points each to Neville Longbottom, Ron Weasley, and Mr, or should I say, Miss Malfoy, for having the guts to stick it out. Those individuals who left will get an incomplete if they aren’t back in time to retest. And no I do not consider getting one’s gender-swapped to be a valid excuse to skip out on a test.”

“And is there a counter-potion?” Dumbledore asked.

“Afraid I’ve had to send the offending potion off to the Unspeakables to see if they could identify what the individual in question actually did.” 

“And what have we done with the, what was it?” Dumbledore asked.

“A draconequus.” Luna offered. “Cut up into manageable pieces, and shipped him home. I must say it never occurred to me to just throw random curses at him. It seems to be a most effective tactic.”

“She cut him up?” Sweetie Belle asked astonished, and slightly horrified.

“Not like it’s going to hurt him.” Nova offered. “It just makes him more manageable. I think my moms intend to de-stone his head and interrogate him for whatever good that does.”

“Wait, they can do that?” Rhona asked.

“No different than freezing Peeves.” Nova offered. “Discord is not a being of flesh and blood, he only simulates being flesh and blood. His body can be cut up into pieces, and will snap right back together.”

“Ya, I kind of forgot about that.” Sweetie Belle offered.

After dinner Nova was relived that she wouldn't need to do the potions test again. Nova was worn out and wanted nothing more than to get in a good nap prior to the Astronomy test. Fortunately, the test was scheduled for ten instead of the usual midnight class. The Crusaders woke her up when it was time to go, collected Hermione, and then collected Nelly, and Rhona who’d been provided a deluxe trunk in the common room as it was uncertain when, or if the potion would wear off. The situation was most awkward for the two. The school rules stated that girls could not be in the boy’s dorm, and for the moment they were girls. It was unknown just how long they’d remain that way.

“I don’t know why they can’t just sleep in their own beds.” Harry lamented. For Harry, not having two of his roommates was making for a rather quiet dorm room.

“Same goes for me.” Seamus Finnigan offered. “It’s mighty quiet up there without you two.”

“Um, guys… which toilet do I use?” Rhona asked sounding desperate.

“Isn’t there a toilet in your trunk?” Hermione asked?

“I can’t go in the trunk, that’d be unsanitary.” Rhona protested.

“Oh for… come on.” Nova offered and directed the two up to the girl’s toilet.

“So um, how do I do this?” Nelly asked when they got there.

“Um, ya, not like I’ve ever, you know...” Rhona offered.

Nova placed a palm on her forehead. “You pull up your robes, pull down your panties, and sit.”

“Which way?” Nelly asked.

“And then what?” Rhona asked.

“The same way you always do, and it’s the same set of muscles. Just get in there, and try not to over think it.”





Astronomy proved rather anticlimactic.

Herbology was Nova’s best class. Pomona Sprout was convinced that the four students from Eques were by far the brightest students she had ever had the pleasure to teach. Apple Bloom and Miss Moon had clearly been taught about herbs. The fact that even little Sweetie Belle already knew the majority of what they’d need to know for first-year had never crossed her mind until she learned of the King’s cure.  Athelas Nova was calling it, and it took a considerable amount of time for Madam Sprout to locate any references to the name Athelas. She found it in texts that were so old the pages had to be preserved with magic. Athelas, King of Arkadia of old, praised as a great healer, son of Adrastus, who was the son of Herakles, who was sired by Onkios King of Arkadia, who had been sired by King Areion who’s sire was called Zephyrus god of the wind. The most surprising thing of all is that Zephyrus was, according to the sources she’d looked at, sired by none other than Poseidon himself. The records indicated something about a cataclysmic event that devastated the empire, something they themselves had created, and then the records stopped. It was even speculated that references to Atlantis coincided with the fall of the Arkadian empire. What they did know came to them from Mycenaean records written in ‘Linear A’ which the muggles thankfully had yet to translate, as a good deal of the information in the old records contained a good deal of information about magic. Then it hit her, what she’d thought had been doodles in the margins were a variation of the Mycenaean Linear A. The girls had been making notes in what had been thought to be a dead language.

Professor Sprout looked over the class of first years. Hermione, Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, Louise, and Nova were all writing very detailed answers to the questions. The necklace that Nova normally kept hidden was hanging out, on it a crescent moon, and two stars bracketed by Mycenaean symbols circling around the edge. The chain was a chain of tiny horseshoes, and the gems seemed to glow with a light of their own.

“Miss Moon, can I have you hang back after everyone is done?” Professor Sprout asked.

“Yes, mam,” Nova replied without looking up from her test.

When Nova had finished her test, she took her work up to the front, handed it in, went back to her seat, sat down, and waited. When the last of the first years had left, Professor Sprout went over to Nova and sat down at a desk across from her.

“Can I ask you about your necklace?”

“Is there something about it you were curious about?”

“The script on it, what is that?”

“It’s the native language of Eques commonly referred to as Old Ponish.” Nova offered. “It’s taught in all our schools along with the Roman script. The Roman script was introduced sometime in the last millennium.”

“May I have a look at it?”

“I’d rather you didn’t. You might trigger the anti-theft spell.”

“Anti-theft spell? - Are you telling me this is an enchanted artifact? Would you object to my using a detection spell?”

“If it feeds back, the feedback wave it produces could banish every ghost within a five-mile radius. More or less depending on the amount of feedback. I’m sorry, but you really need to direct your questions to Professor Moon. She made it. It was enchanted to provide me with protection when there is no one to watch over me. I hadn’t been wearing it, but the appearance of the draconequus yesterday has me a bit jumpy.”

“My dear, you are perfectly safe in Hogwarts.”

“Considering that Professor Quirrell had been Lord Voldy, I’m surprised you can say that with a straight face,” Nova said in a scolding manner. Professor Sprout stepped back as though she’d been physically slapped.

“You… So how much do you know?” Professor Sprout asked. 

“This pendant is also a badge of office. - I had to be briefed on the matter, and we were poised to pull out of the school.” Nova informed her. “I’m glad it never came to that.”

“The matter concerning you know who is being kept quiet.” Professor Sprout offered. “Even so, I dare say Professor Dumbledore has had to answer a lot of questions. But you know who and that draconequus are gone now.”

“That draconequus is never every truly gone, any more then you can rid the castle of Peeves.” Nova offered. “And he is far more dangerous. Calls himself Discord, and delights in causing havoc.”

“Potions.”

“He told me he switched an ingredient,” Nova admitted. Up to that point Professor Sprout had been unaware of where the information had come from. “No way of knowing if he was telling the truth or not. The reason I collapsed yesterday after potions was because I tried to contain him, but without my pendant, it took too much effort, and I was unsuccessful. After that… I barely remember returning to my room. - Being turned to stone is only an inconvenience to him.”

“I see.”

“May I go now? My friends are waiting.”

“Yes, you may go.” Professor Sprout offered.

‘Thank you, mam.” Nova said, got up, gathered her school bag, and quietly exited to the hall were a good deal of the first year girls, and Harry was waiting.

“So what did she want?” Scootaloo asked.

“She was curious about my pendant.” Nova offered. “Come on, let's go get some lunch.”

That afternoon was the defense against the dark arts class.

“I do hope everyone has studied diligently,” Luna said as she looked out over the group. In the time Luna had been their instructor, Luna had done overviews of everything they should have been learning. They were woefully behind from where they should have been. The exams were passed out, Nova and the others wrote their names on the top, and then they were given permission to start.

“Nova breezed through the first few pages, and then the questions started getting harder. How curious? Nova thought as she continued. She was beginning to have to actually think about her answers. She paused for a moment, and a smile formed on her lips. Nova was finished with the first year test and was presently working on second-year questions. Invigorated, she dove back into the test.

“If you don’t know the answer to something, make your best guess, and skip to the next question.” Luna offered to the class. She couldn't help but notice that students were struggling. “And you have my permission to make a joke out of it if you’re going to get it wrong anyway. At least that way we’ll get a good laugh out of it.” This announcement had the effect of energizing students who’d been struggling. “Oh, and everyone has a different test. Looking at the paper of another will do you no good.” There was an audible groan out of one of the girls. “Better get on that. Won’t do to have the right answer on the wrong question.” There’s some good-natured snickering.

Nova couldn't really be sure how long it had been before Luna called time. Several students groaned, and a few voiced their need for more time. Nova made one last mark, set her quill down, leaned back and smiled.

“The reason I told you to skip anything you didn’t know the answer for was because I gave you all more questions then you could possibly hope to answer.” Luna offered. “What I’m going to do considering the teacher you had, is throw out the bottom ten percent, and then grade on a curve according to what you actually answered.” She let that sink in a moment. “You should not have to suffer more than you already have.” Luna’s eyes caught Nova’s smile. “You seem rather happy considering I gave you the most questions.”

“I finished it.”

Everyone turned to look at her. The pile of papers stacked on her desk a testament to how much she’d had to go through. Luna picked it up and began thumbing through it. Most of the answers were academic in nature. A few were first hand, or rather hoof, accounts. Luna read through a few, stepped up to Nova, wrapped an arm around her, and gave her a long hug.

“Alright, hand in your tests, and you may go,” Luna said after a while.

“What was that about?” Scootaloo asked a short time later. The Gryffindor first years were slowly making their way back to the common room.

“Since it was Luna, I wrote down some real life experiences I went through.” Nova offered.

“What?!” Apple Bloom exclaimed.

“The thing is… what they put in the book is just one way to defeat a creature, or other, that’s intent on doing you harm. I once drove off a boggart by sicking Phenik on it.  didn’t even know about the spell that renders it powerless.”

“Do you think that’s why she told us to just guess?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“I’d imagine she’s going to look at what people put down, and consider whether or not it has a chance of working.” Nova offered. “I had a Basilisk go after me once, one of them half snake half chicken things. I pulled out my signal mirror and showed the blasted thing it’s own reflection. - The number one thing about a potentially life or death situation is to never lose your head. Number two is to be creative.”

“I hear that’s what brought down that Discord creature.” Harry offered. “From what I hear tell, about a dozen students realized he was the root cause of everything going on, and just started casting random jinxes at him.”

“Everyone teaming up on him must have been more then he could cope with.” Sweetie Belle surmised.

“Back home the method to try to keep him under control has always been a well-orchestrated single attack.” Apple Bloom offered. “I doubt it ever would have occurred to just use a bunch of random attacks.”

“Wonder if the same thing will work on Peeves?” Rhona asked. “He keeps trying to flip my robes.”

“Just tell him if he doesn’t behave I’ll turn him into a pinball again.” Nova offered with a grin.

“Hang, on what?” Scootaloo asked.

“Trapped him inside a spherical shield spell, and sent him bouncing down the main stair well.” Nova offered. “Though technically I did have help. Peeves was hiding, invisible, I figured out where he was, initiated our retaliatory attack, our Prefect, a boy named Albert Armor cast the bubble spell around Peeves, and then Moonie gave him a good solid buck. - It was glorious.”

“Hang on, I’ve heard legends about someone doing that?” Rhona offered. “You are not seriously going to tell me you were there? That was like eighty ninety years ago from what I understand.”

“Truth is I stepped through a time warp.” Nova offered. “Come on, I’ll prove it.” 

“I believe you, but how exactly are you going to prove it?” Scootaloo asked as Nova directed them towards the main hall.

“Wait and see,” Nova replied, and a short time later they were in the Quidditch trophy room. “See there, the nineteen oh three oh four Quidditch team. Look at the name, and look at the picture of the seeker.” She gave them a moment to look. “This is why no one but the ghosts remember me.”

“Wicked,” Rhona said looking at the picture. “That really is you.”

“And the Nova broom too.” Dean Thomas announced.

“I made it.” Nova offered as she cast a glance at the 04-05 team. Maggie Weasley had replaced Nova on the team and proudly displayed Nova's broom. “Lots of witches and wizards made their own brooms back then.” Nova couldn't resist looking at the different pictures to see who all had used her broom.

“You didn’t seriously make your own broom.” Lavender Brown scoffed.

“Why do you think it’s called the Nova broom? Mind you the spell work has been tampered with over the years.” Nova informed them. “I’ve been working on a new one. Any one want to see it?”

“Can we?” Harry asked.

“But first years aren’t allowed to have their own brooms?” Hermione protested.

“It’s alright, I’ve shown it to Madam Hooch, and she’s declared it an extra credit project. I’m just not allowed to ride it until she’s given her approval.” 

The first years arrived at the Gryffindor common room a short time later, and Nova told them she’d bring it down momentarily. The boys had little choice, but to wait, but the girls, including Nelly and Rhona, followed her upstairs.

Nelly and Rhona quickly turned and went back down to the common room blushing madly on seeing girls in various states of undress.

“I sure hope for their sake's they aren’t stuck that way.” Apple Bloom offered as the others giggled. 

On arriving at Nova’s apartment Nova dropped her school bag, and went back into her closet. She returned a short time later with her latest broom. This time she’d left the bark on it. It had rough areas and a black surface. The new broom also had the same fine weaving as her old broom and had been bound so that the straw tapered to a tight end in a sort of teardrop shape that had been shaved at the end. It also featured silver foot rests made from a metal that had been forged in Equestria.

“You didn’t remove the bark?” Parvati Patil asked. 

“What’s it made of?” Scootaloo asked.

“It’s Blackthorn. Same as the last one.” Nova offered. “I haven't done all the spell work yet, being how busy I’ve been, so it doesn’t actually fly yet.”

“Wouldn't having the bark on it adversely affect the speed?” Hermione asked.

“I did a lot of sanding, followed by layers of black lacquer, more sanding, and more lacquer.” Nova offered. “I wanted to take advantage of the bark’s natural roughness at the grip points. - Well come on, let's go show it to the boys, and girls.”

By the time they got downstairs, the entire Quidditch team had shown up along with a few other boys who were interested.

“Core, that looks wicked,” Rhona said.

“I’ll be the judge of that.” Wood said sounding a bit pompous. “Hand it over.”

“It’s not fully enchanted yet. I’ve only done the primary preservation spells.” Nova informed him as she handed it over.

“Nice ergonomic curve to the shaft… kind of the look of a black Nimbus 2000...” Wood reported as he looked the broom over. “Lightweight… what are the foot rests made out of?” He tried giving one a tug. Then pulled even harder. “That’s on their really good. What’s it made out of?”

“Adamantine.” Nova offered. “Not easy to get, and costly.”

“I’d imagine.” Wood offered as he began to inspect the braided straw, and finely wound cording that held it all together. “Wow, you’ve duplicated the workmanship of the Nova broom… did you say adamantine?!”

“As in True Silver.” Nova offered. “Kind of expensive.”

“Kind of!?” Wood said as his hands began to shake. “How…?”

“I’m stupidly rich.” Nova offered. Nova had actually shipped various goods to Fancy Pants to be able to pay for the foot rests as she had no money in Equestria. One thing led to another, and now Nova owned a logistics company that would fill orders set up by Fancy Pants who in turn was putting aside a percentage of the profits so Nova would have money on the Equestria side of the portal.

“She kind of is.” Scootaloo offered with a grin.

“I’d say she did a better job on the braiding too.” Katie Bell, one of the team’s chasers offered.

“The fact that she can afford adamantine doesn’t surprise you?” Wood asked.

“Her deluxe apartment has its own bath, a bedroom, a walk-in closet that seems to connect to the attic space somehow, and a large reading lounge that’s as big as some deluxe apartments I’ve seen.” Katie offered. “She’s a princess, she has money. And I’ve seen her working on that broom, so I know she didn’t buy it.”

“You can’t buy a broom like that. Not that I’m aware of.” Rhona offered.

“I’ve seen pictures of some high end one of a kind brooms.” Wood offered. “Every last one is nothing more than an attempt to copy the Nova broom.”

“Seriously?” Nova asked.

“What are you using for the twine?” Angelina Johnson asked.

“It’s pegacorn hair.” Scootaloo offered.

“Ah, so that’s what makes the difference.” Wood mused. The girls, Nova and the Crusaders weren’t about to tell them it had a primary feather inside the shaft of the broom. “And you have access to them.”

“Ya, and I should probably finish the spell work on it so it’ll be ready for Madam Hooch by tomorrow afternoon.” Nova replied. 

“I’m seeing white, reddish, purplish, magenta...” Wood was saying as he studied the hairs that made up the cording. “I guess that’s black… kind of seems to shimmer, and gold that’s really catching the light.”

“Broom… I need to finish it?” Nova prompted.

“Oh, right, here. Sorry.”


🖌


The next day was history of magic in the morning. The test was grueling. Not because Nova didn’t know the material, but because it was just so tedious. Question after question about the Goblin wars. Oddly enough there wasn’t word one concerning why the wars had happened. After class everyone met in the common room, and then went down to lunch.

For Many of the first-years, this was going to be the last chance they had to fly on a broom until returning in the following school year. Nova could certainly understand the sentiment as she went upstairs to retrieve her project. Her living situation over the summer was as yet still undecided so far as she understood. The problem of avoiding influencing events in Equestria, and at the very least, not interacting with her younger self still hung over her head.

“Hey, wait up!” Scootaloo called as she hurried to catch up with Nova. “I have to fetch my broom too.”

“I nearly forgot.” Nova offered with a smile and gave her a hug.

“So which one of us is the elder I wonder?” Scootaloo asked as they climbed the stairs.

“Be hard to say. I’m not really sure how old I am. - Fifteen by my reckoning, but I could be off by any number of years.” Nova offered. “Not that it really matters. What matters is what we share together in the future.”

“Maybe I am older than you in years, but when you say things like that, I can’t help but see you on the same level as Princess Celestia.”

“Perish the thought. I am in no way on the same level.” Nova offered. “I’ve yet to make the same number of mistakes.”

“Mistakes?”

“Why if I’m to measure up to her, you and I would have to banish Discord, Sombra, and have a knock down drag out fight in which one of us ends up on the moon.”

“Oh harmony no.” Scootaloo protested, and then laughed. “And besides, dealing with Troll fart was hard enough.”

“He was a slippery one.” Nova offered with a smile as they continued down the corridor that took them to the portrait of the fat lady.

The two retrieved their brooms and made their way to the quidditch pitch. Gryffindor was paired up with Slytherin, and a number of other students were simply enjoying free time. Most of the Slytherin first years were in one group, and the Gryffindor first years had gathered in another. Malfoy was standing off by herself with the most pitiful broom Nova had ever seen.

“Madam Hooch, surely Malfoy can’t be expected to test on that old thing?” Nova called. 

“I’m aware of the issue, and if the one you’ve made is up to snuff she can use the one that was brought out for you.” Madam Hooch offered.

“Fair enough.” Nova offered. Malfoy for her part didn’t say a thing. The old Malfoy would surely have objected, but this new Malfoy was quickly learning to keep her opinions to herself. Nova went over to the boy turned girl. “Come on, thing’s get better. Just chuck that thing and use that one over there, and if the prick who set you up with that one don’t like it, I’ll give him what for.” Out of the corner of her eye, she could see some older Slytherin students who’d undoubtedly been tasked to help, only to bring out what looked to be one of the brooms from nineteen oh three.

“Well then, Miss Moon, front and center. Let me see that broom you’ve made.” Madam Hooch requested with a smile. Nova walked up to her and presented the broom by holding it out in front of her at a slight angle, her feet together, her form straight. Madam Hooch took the broom, raising an eyebrow as Nova’s arms quickly went to her sides. Nova was standing at attention, her face giving away no emotion. Madam Hooch inspected the broom with equal seriousness and then set it on the ground. She held her hand over it, and was surprised when the shaft slapped into her hand at just the thought of the command of up. “What’s the shaft… is this Blackthorn?”

“Yes, Mam. Same as my wand.” Nova offered. “I reasoned that the wood would respond to my magic better than any other woods.”

“I see.” Madam Hooch replied. She handed it back to Nova, who took it without saying a word. “Now place it on the ground, and lets put it through its paces.”

Nova stepped away from the group, set the broom on the ground, held her hand over the broom, and commanded up. Nothing happened. At least not at first. Schootaloo who’d been watching intently, eager for Nova to succeed turned her head to look at her broom. The Nova broom was vibrating. 

“My back hairs just went all tingly.” Sweetie Belle whispered.

“I feel a heart song coming on.” Apple Bloom said in the same hushed tone as Nova’s new broom slowly lifted up into the air.

Shaft now in hand Nova swung the sweep down, and stepped onto the footrests. She crouched down and sat. Somewhere up in the stands, our old friend the Gryffindor ghoul began strumming his bass guitar.

Nova gave the Crusaders a wink, and then fire roared from the back of the sweep.

*“Revvin’ up your broom, listen to her howling roar.” Scootaloo sang knowing better than to fight it. Nearby she caught the bewildered looks of Slytherin boys trying to jinx the broom while they began to chant it needed a proper test in a deep counter tone.

“My broom's under tension, begging me to touch and go.” Nova sang out followed by her and the Crusaders singing, “Highway to the danger zone. Right into the danger zone!”

“Heading for that horizon, I’ll be spreading out my wings tonight!” Nova sang out and then rocketed forward and upward as though launched with a catapult. Behind her, the Slytherin boys wands have snapped.

“She’s jumping off the deck, and shoving into overdrive!” the Crusaders sang.

Everyone present sings, “Highway to the danger zone! I’ll take you right into the danger zone! - You’ll never say hello to you until you get on the red line overload, you’ll never know what you can do until you get it up as high as you can go!”

Nova sped down the pitch, rounded the goal hoops so fast the air complained in protests. “Out along the edges, always where I burn to be. The further on the edge, the hotter the intensity!” Nova sang, pulled up on her broom and rocketed heavenward.

Down on the pitch, students went into singing the chorus three times through while someone opens up with a saxophone.

As the last notes die away Nova goes racing by.

“What just happened?” Rhona asked.

“Heart Song,” Hermione offered. It’d been a heart song that had been used to convince her to do that spell to turn Myrtle into an egg. 

“Madam Hooch, permission to join Nova. My brooms got an itch that’s got to be scratched.” Scootaloo asked.

“Yes, go ahead.” Madam Hooch offered. “I’m going to have some words with my helpers.”

Scootaloo mounted her broom and chased off after Nova.

“Wish we could fly like that.” Apple Bloom lamented.

“What are you talking about? You are a good flier.” Harry offered as he looked up.

“Not like that.” Sweetie Belle said as she watched Nova and Scootaloo do a synchronized barrel roll.


✈✈