Bright Star spent part of Wednesday afternoon talking to the proprietor of Slug and Jiggers Apothecary. She picked up several potions that the wizard said would help ease the passage of a loved one into the next Great Adventure. And several others that seemed that they might be useful — such as the Wit-sharpening Potion, Essence of Dittany, and Murtlap Essence.
After changing her appearance, she went into Gringotts to set up a vault.
“Yes,” the clerk said irritably, sneering at her.
Without a word, she laid the four gems she had on the counter.
He picked one up, looked at with a magnifying glass, and then gave her a long stare. “Eargit,” he called. “Take these, and her, to Master Knifethrower,” he said as the goblin arrived, handing him a sack with the gems in it.
After a puzzling trip in which she knew they crossed their trail at least twice, she was in a room with five goblins. One was seated, the other four were in the corners and armed with swords and spears.
“Before we do business, show me your normal form,” the seated goblin said.
She hesitated, then reversed her alterations to her human form.
He raised an eyebrow. “No,” he snarled, “Your Equestrian form.”
She stared at him as he stared back. She sighed. If she had to, although she hadn’t realized that Equestrian gems were that distinctive.
He studied her lilac coat, two-tone purple and teal mane and tail. He took special note of her cutie mark of a purple and white star with two blue glimmering streams of smoke above it.
“Your true name.”
Her eyes narrowed. While she expected the goblins wouldn’t mention her appearance or cutie mark, her name was another matter.
“If you desire,” the goblin said after a moment, “We can arrange your vault to be under another name. Your true name needn’t be known outside this office.”
She nodded slowly. “Starlight Glimmer.”
He grunted and picked up the gems, inspecting them one by one before placing them back in the bag. “Seventy-three thousand galleons for the four. No haggling.”
She looked at him a moment, then said, “Eighty-eight thousand.”
He glared at her. “Seventy-three thousand. No haggling.”
“I have more. Eighty-eight thousand. And I have contacts in the muggle world I could sell these to instead of you.”
He stood and slammed his hands on the desk. “Seventy-three thousand. No haggling.”
She sighed. “I guess I won’t be opening a vault.” She leaned towards the desk, hand stretched to grab the bag.
He snorted loudly and slammed his knife through the neck of the bag, pinning it to the desk. “Seventy-three thousand. But no fees while you live. Except on loans. And a free wallet.”
She paused and looked at him expectantly.
“And preferred treatment as a client,” he reluctantly added.
Then she smiled and slowly sat back down. “Excellent. It’s a joy to do business with you.”
He glared at her. “Pity I can’t say the same,” he growled.
“What are common names that won’t attract attention?”
The goblin wrote something on a paper, and dropped it into a drawer. Then he looked at her. “Are you an enemy of Princess Twilight?”
“Does it matter?” she asked curiously. Where had that come from? And why? There was an undercurrent there that she had been unaware of.
“Not in Gringotts.”
Oh, definitely, there was an undercurrent. Had someone else come through before the new security was set up? Had the Changeling contacted them? Or some other pony? She looked at him, considering. “We are not friends. If I could do her harm without risk, I would.”
He stared at her with narrowed eyes. “Keep your silly disputes outside of Gringotts. We will not tolerate violence inside these walls.
She nodded her understanding.
There was thump from the desk. Knifethrower opened a drawer and took out a paper. “There is a vault in the name of Bourchier. It is currently empty. If you adopt it, everyone will assume you are a lost relative from the continent.”
With her new name and a new appearance, Anne Bourchier headed for Truckle’s Trunks, again. This time she purchased an apartment trunk, furnished. Then she took it to her rental flat and transferred everything into it. After that, she placed another set of notice-me-nots on it and slid it under the bed.
That wallet was just soo much more convenient than carrying around a bag of bits! Why hadn’t anypony thought to do that in Equestria? It would have made banking so much easier. And don’t get her started on the expansion charms and apartment trunks! Such things would have made it soo much simpler, and more comfortable, when she was travelling the country. No need to sleep in the wild, her favourite foods always available, showers and rest stops at her pleasure. All the conveniences of home, but you could carry it with you. Ha! And ponies thought that snails had it good carrying their homes.
Celestia! She had to shake her head ruefully.
The things the wizards had done in the last few hundred years dwarfed the accomplishments in Equestria in the last thousand. The floo-network alone would completely revolutionize pony society! Never mind what wands would do to it — the entire educational system would have to be rebuilt! And flying carpets for families and small cargo? Unbelievable. And then there was how the feather-weight charm was going to change how goods were shipped!
The ponies seemed to have been stuck in the thought, “my mother did it this way, so I will, too!”
All these inventions from the wizards were going to make Equestria almost impossible to recognize in a mere generation.
And speaking of snails, muggles made both wizards and ponies look like they were barely moving with innovations! Airplanes for those that can’t fly, and that flew at incredible speeds. Trains that were almost as fast. Ships that were the size of cities! All things that didn’t even exist a mere hundred years ago.
And communications! Telephones and televisions were going to structurally change how society functioned! And their weapons? Those made her shiver in fear.
She had to shake her head in resignation.
Ponies were such dolts.
But they were fast learners. The EUP Guard was already dramatically changing their tactics and training. The next foe to attack Equestria was in for a big surprise. A very unpleasant one, for sure.
Thursday, she told Top Marks she wanted to peruse the books at Flourish and Blotts to see if anything new on wands had come in. And to pick up a few interesting books to read while she was in Manehattan.
He hoofed her a few galleons.
“They are research materials. The cost should come out of our budget!” he had insisted.
She accepted the coins. The books she purchased with those galleons, she would have somepony ship back from Manehattan in two weeks. And they would provide excellent proof that she really was in that city. Naturally, they would also serve as a cover story and hide that she was moving more of her belongings to the other side of the portal.
۸-_-۸
Broderick looked at Albus dolefully. The pensieve sat on the table between them. They had just finished reviewing his evening in Equestria. A small vial with a silvery liquid in it sat to one side. The Unspeakable sighed as he pocketed the vial.
“This will have quite an impact on everything,” he said sourly.
Albus nodded. He mentally shuddered. He couldn’t help by wonder how would this affect the prophecy.
They both stared at the pensieve.
“I propose we officially call them Equestrians,” stated the Chief Warlock, “as that appears their preferred name for themselves.”
Broderick nodded.
“That they are actually from Atlantis should be strictly unofficial.”
He nodded again.
“I suggest that no official notice of this . . . god . . . should be made. We’ll merely pretend that he is a powerful wizard, perhaps more so than Merlin. But nothing more will be said. If it became known just how powerful he is, there would be mass panic — once everyone realized just what that meant. And we might attract his direct attention.” Albus shuddered at what Cornelius might do on meeting the creature. Besides fainting.
Although, considering the general state of the Ministry, there really wasn’t much he could to add to the everyday chaos.
Broderick was always a wizard of few words, he simply nodded.
“I’ll show this memory, edited to remove that portion, to the Minister,” the Chief Warlock continued. “And present the conclusion that the portal changed the ancient wizards into ponies. And that families with squib relations might want to encourage them to move to Equestria to represent their families’ interests in that world. Plus, while there, they would be pegasi and could at least be a meaningful participant in a magical culture. And their children, if they had any while over there, might be full wizards or witches when they came back here. Especially if they married an Equestrian.” Albus shook his head. “It is a truly magic-rich environment.”
The meeting didn’t last much longer. There were only minor details left to discuss. And Broderick had been at Hogwarts most of the day reviewing the memories in the pensieve.
Albus hadn’t yet decided how to deal with the muggles being aware of wizardkind’s activities. Which he had carefully edited from the memory he had just shared. And the one he planned to show the Minister.
That kettle of fish needed to simmer a bit longer before he made any decisions.
۸-~-۸
Their failed attempt at making perfume had gotten the Cutie Mark Crusaders a lecture from Fluttershy on not traumatizing skunks. And an order to let them leave if they wanted. And to apologize to them. And to promise not to ever do it again.
And ensured that everypony stayed at least five yards away from them at all times for the rest of Thursday. Not to mention that everypony with a wand or horn very quickly learned the air-freshening spell out of the Hogwarts’ spell-books.
The skunks looked envious of those with wands and horns. Who knew that they didn’t like that concentrated a smell of their defence mechanism. It kinda made sense — it was for defence, not practically taking a bath in. And, usually, they got to run away after spraying their annoyance. This time they had been forced to stay around. And, boy, was it strong!
At least one pony went to the Portal Buildings and acquired a wand just to learn that spell.
And the Cutie Mark Crusaders learned that the normally shy and quiet Fluttershy could yell very loudly, even from across a garden.
And to think, normally you had to stand with an ear almost in her mouth to hear what she was saying. It was quite impressive. And still made them feel bad.
The most depressing part was not getting a cutie mark for their troubles.
On the bright side, there was only a little bit of sap involved in that adventure
Then came trying to be detectives. They wanted to find out what the twins were doing wandering so randomly around the castle. The twins were surprisingly effective at evading them. They would be on one floor, then suddenly they would be on another. Sometimes on the opposite side of the castle! Scootaloo insisted they must be teleporting, but Harry wasn’t as sure.
Detective work was boring! Sure, at first it was fun hiding and spying. But after a short while where nothing was happening except watching as the twins stood and talked, and then they had to hunt for the missing twins who had just been right there, it wasn’t nearly as intriguing. They spent Friday afternoon and evening, and Saturday morning and afternoon trailing after them before the Crusaders called it quits.
Myrtle, for some reason, was very amused by their attempts at being crafty and sly.
No cutie marks, there, either. But then again, they hadn’t solved a case so maybe that was still a viable crusade — just not a very exciting one. Maybe they could try for that one at Hogwarts. But were there any mysteries there to be solved?
After dinner, they started out for the Portal Zone. Harry could hear what suspiciously sounded like cheers coming from Ponyville when they reached Sweet Apple Acres. But it was probably just the wind in the trees. Yeah. That had to be it.
Only . . . were those fireworks he heard? Naw. Couldn’t be. Must be his imagination.
The security going back through the portal was very strict indeed. Everything was thoroughly checked — three times! They even used a spell to see if the ponies headed for the portal were concealing something inside their bodies! And went through their saddlebags very thoroughly.
They spent the night in Little Whinging.
۸-~-۸
Bright Star looked around the Guard Station in Manehattan. The very large, and new, floo was centrally placed in the transport room. There was more than enough space to accommodate a hundred or so ponies. In fact, it reminded more of an exercise auditorium, implying that they could quickly organize for large numbers of incoming or outgoing troops.
The guard at the desk nodded to her after she recovered her balance. She noticed there were two teams of pegasi with the new machine guns located behind small enclosures in opposite corners of the ceiling. A unicorn stood with each. Anypony trying to attack through the floo would have a real battle on her hooves.
The books from the human’s world on military tactics, with modern weaponry, had been taken to heart by the Princesses, it seemed.
The trip hadn’t been as smooth as the trip to Canterlot had been. Maybe she should have waited and not had lunch before traveling. But she had needed a bite and a rest after spending the morning digging up a couple more gems. She had found only three more after digging and wandering for two hours. Which gave her a total of thirteen.
But, still, she was all the way to Manehattan, now. Just ten minutes ago she had been in Ponyville. That beat the tartarus out of walking, taking the train, taking an airship, or even just teleporting. And this way she didn’t arrive exhausted from a trip. And the speed was breath-taking. Even if lunch wanted to come back for a second try.
Yet, here she was.
Fortunately, a city map was located on the front wall and she quickly located where the three hospitals were that served the city. A few minutes later, and she was past the Station gate and in the city.
It seemed silly that it took far longer to walk ten blocks than it did to cross the country. But, she decided, that was the wave of the future. And she had better get used to it because it was the way wizards travelled.
It took a few hours. She had to be careful to raise no suspicions with her questions. Colour-changing her appearance and cutie mark each time would help throw off anypony trying to track her after she left. It wouldn’t look right for Bright Star to not know where her relative was spending her last days.
The first hospital was a bust. No one on the terminal care floor would kick off in the next month. So was the second. The third, however, had the perfect patient. An old unicorn mare, no close family, and soon to pass on.
She left the hospital, changed back to her Bright Star persona, and located a hotel down the street. After checking in, she headed back to the hospital.
She asked a nurse for Ember Glow’s room number, found it, and then went in. She pulled over a chair, made herself comfortable, and laid a hoof on the sleeping old mare’s foreleg. She looked around the room, studying where everything was. Then she pulled a book from her saddlebags and started reading. If she acted like she belonged, nopony would object.
“Who are you?” came the hoarse, weak voice sometime later.
Bright Star looked up from her book and met surprisingly clear eyes watching her.
“No one should be alone at a time like this, Auntie Em,” she said quietly.
The mare closed her eyes. “Oh,” she said. And went back to sleep until a nurse came in with dinner.
“She’s my Auntie Em,” explained Bright Star to the puzzled pegasus.
The old mare had stared at her a moment, then smiled at the nurse. “That I am,” she whispered.
“I’ll see you tomorrow morning,” Bright Star said to the sleeping mare before she left later that evening. She would eat a late dinner, and tomorrow an early breakfast. Then take a long lunch to run a few errands. Such as finding a lawyer to mail the letters at regular intervals — she would use another alias for that chore.
But she still wanted more than just the hospital-ponies to see her as Bright Star. And she needed someone to take her place when she left next week. Hopefully, the mare would hang on for at least two more weeks, if not three. If she was really lucky, maybe six.
In the meantime, the mare would have a comforting presence during her last days. And Bright Star would get some important reading research done on her planned new home.
۸-_-۸
Harry was very disappointed that his mum refused his suggestion to take the floo to Hogsmeade at dusk, and then walk to Hogwarts. He would much rather have spent the day with her. Bon Bon and Lyra were probably already there, with a trunk, so the students might even have been able to floo directly to the castle. But, no, they had to take the train.
The train trip was as interesting as a train trip. That is, the only interesting part was when the trolley lady came by with the sweets. At least for them. Hermione, on the other hand had been completely gobsmacked at her presents from Equestria. And she was just as stunned at their adventures there. Harry was sure she thought they were joking when they mentioned the Harmony songs. Even Myrtle chiming in didn’t completely convince her. Then they lost her to her new book.
So, it was on to gobstones.
However, by the time the trolley lady had arrived, they were ready for something else. Myrtle disappeared to be with her friends, and to regale them with her adventures. And observations. Percy was patrolling the train, and being rather officious about it. The twins had been coming and going the entire trip, so far. Harry didn’t understand why they kept coming back instead of staying with their friends. Unless it was to make sure they didn’t miss anything exciting — the Firsties were developing something of a reputation.
Or maybe it was just to mess with Ron and Ginny. They were having fun taking the piss of Ron about Scabbers. Professor McGonagall had assured him that the house-elves would easily take care of his pet rat while he was in Equestria. Unless he had finally died of old age . . . .
Later, there was a knock on their cabin door. Apple Bloom, being the nearest, opened it.
It was Draco and his boyfriends. He scanned the cabin, stopping at the twins.
For a moment they all just looked at each other. Ron had just opened his mouth to say something when Draco bowed slightly. It was oddly cordial. He stared at them with narrowed eyes, silent, then took an envelope out of his pocket.
“I don’t like you,” he said, his glare sweeping across them, again, to stop at the Weasley twins.
“However,” he said frostily, “my father has instructed me to give you this.” He held the letter out to the two tall redheads.
Fred took it with raised eyebrows.
“My father expects your owl at your soonest convenience, but no later than Friday.”
He again glared at the people in the cabin. He started to close the door, but stopped. “I know you turned me into a witch.” He glared at the twins. “I will get even.” He slammed the door shut.
They looked at each other, astonished. That was the politest he had ever been to them outside of the first week of school.
“Well,” said George, nudging his brother. “What does it say?”
Fred took out his wand and cast several spells at the envelope. He blinked, then shrugged. “Well, no curses, at least.”
He broke the seal, unfolded the heavy paper inside, and read it. His brother peered over his shoulder. Both their jaws dropped. It was funny to watch. Not as funny as it would have been in Equestria — their jaws weren’t impossibly stretched — but still funny.
Fred audibly gulped.
Hermione said eagerly, “Well, what is it?” She started to stand to peek at the letter, “Don’t keep us in suspense!”
George cleared his throat. “He’s ordered a hundred of our gender-changing candies at a galleon each, payment on delivery, as a sample to test the market. With a contract that he won’t try to discover how they work without our express permission.”
Fred had recovered by then. “And the possibility that if the candies work as he expects, he will offer to buy the formula, complete, for ten thousand galleons.”
They looked at each other, then said simultaneously, “We need to talk to dad!” They spent the rest of the trip huddled, whispering.
۸-~-۸
The three fillies stopped and stared at the carriages. “What’re those!” Scootaloo half-whispered.
“I dunno,” said Apple Bloom.
“They sorta look like night-ponies, but they’re so much bigger,” said Sweetie Belle.
“An’ they look meaner, too,” said Scootaloo. “Like they’re starvin’.”
“What are you talking about?” Harry asked.
The others in their group were staring that the three Equestrians who were staring at the space in front of each carriage.
“Those . . . giant night-ponies?” said Sweetie Belle, pointing at nothing, as far as the others could tell.
“Those,” came Percy’s fussy voice from behind them, “are thestrals.”
They all turned to face him.
“Thestrals?” Hermione asked.
“Yes,” he said, in the same tone. “You’ll learn about them if you take Care of Magical Creatures.” He sighed. “You can only see them if you’ve seen someone die,” He said sadly, and shook his head. “There’s a herd of them in the Forbidden Forest. They always pull the carriages.”
He looked at the three fillies. “You’ve seen someone die?” he asked quietly.
The three Equestrians shuddered. “Yeah,” Apple Bloom said quietly. The other two nodded.
He glanced at the others. “They look like starving horses with bat wings.” He gazed at the space in front of the carriage. “I’ve only seen textbook pictures of them. They look very frightening. But Professor Kettleburn, he teaches that subject, says they are like any other horse — just stay away from their teeth.” He sighed. “Oh, and they eat meat.”
He shook his head. “Okay you lot, get in the carriages before they’re all full.”
The ride up to the castle was quiet. The others kept looking at the Equestrians, but none of them wanted to be the one to ask whom they had seen die.
Harry knew it must have been during the changeling invasion of Canterlot, at Princess Cadance’s and Shining Armor’s wedding. The fillies avoided talking about that as much as possible.
۸-~-۸
The Headmaster took a slow amiable look around the meeting room. It was just after lunch on Sunday and the elves had cleared the table. “First, let me say to those I haven’t had a chance to yet, I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas hols. It was quite peaceful here at Hogwarts, with nothing exciting to report at all. Quite a change from the previous four months.”
He smiled expansively, eyes twinkling.
Several cast questioning looks at the pensieve on the table near his seat.
They discussed the soon-to-arrive students for about an hour, and a few last-minute items were discussed to death.
Pomona spoke last. “You remember I had the Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors carrying the Walking Plants for several weeks?” They nodded, although some were clearly bored.
“Well, I finished collating the results.” She shuffled some papers in front of her on the table. “Naturally, as expected, the Walking Plants in the study had better foliage and more growth than those that were kept back at the greenhouse — about five percent more — a response to the attention they received.” She looked up at the room and smiled. “However, the plants carried by Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Harry Potter were significantly better than the others carried by the Hufflepuffs and the other Gryffindors — they increased by between fifteen and twenty percent! Except for the two carried by Ronald Weasley and Apple Bloom. Ron Weasley’s plant had almost twenty-five percent thicker foliage and growth, while Apple Bloom had just under forty percent.”
She looked up, eyes shining. “I recruited Percy Weasley to also carry a Walking Plant for several weeks. It showed almost a thirty-percent increase in thicker foliage and growth. Perhaps because his magic is older and more mature.”
She shivered slightly. “It seems that having an earth-pony animagus form conveys an ability to dramatically increase a plant’s growth. And that even just being from Equestria provides a boost, especially for earth-ponies.” She stared at them, her eyes settling on Severus. “Do you understand the implications this has on farming? Does it also increase a magical plant’s potency in potions?”
She grinned at Severus’ raised eyebrow. “I would like your permission, Albus, to recruit Apple Bloom, Percy, Ron, and Severus into some experiments with potion ingredients.” She looked at him hopefully, and slid a folder down to him.
Albus smiled at her enthusiasm. “We shall see what the students think of that opportunity. And if Severus has the time.”
She happily sat back.
Severus was still staring at her folder, a contemplative expression on his face. Albus knew the wizard would make the time, if he had to.
Albus straightened and sighed. “If there is nothing else?” He looked around the room. Several people were surreptitiously gathering their papers in anticipation. Severus stayed still, he knew there was more coming.
There was a chorus of soft “noes” in response.
He nodded and took a deep breath. “I do have some news, before you all go.”
They paused and looked at him, several sitting back down.
“I was fortunate enough to be invited to a Ball in Equestria the Saturday before last.” He looked at the pensieve on the table, then back up.
“I must confess, I was wrong about the Equestrians we have met, and where they come from. The situation is far more complicated than I ever suspected.” He pursed his lips..
“Everyone in Equestria is a pony.”
۸-_-۸