The howling wind forced Sirius to keep his eyes squinted as he escorted his wives through the blowing snow. Not for the first time in his life he was grateful to be covered by an insulating layer of fur, or to be pedantic, horse hair. In any case, he had little doubt that the single layer of fur on his canine form would be marginally warmer. Still, he couldn’t complain; both were leagues better than ambling around as a naked ape. He sighed, if only he could figure out how to cast a warming charm with his horn. The wand motions did not translate well; his neck simply did not have the range of motion of his arm and wrist.
He still could not fathom how his first wife managed any sort of magic with her wand. It had been an arithmancy nightmare trying to understand how she could cast anything, let alone levitation, without any sort of gesture. While he could cast rudimentary spells with almost no wand movement, years of muscle memory had forced him to make some sort of gesture when casting. For now, he could cast only these spells in his unicorn form.
“Something keeps trying to get in,” Shining Armor said, raising his voice to be heard over the wind. “We think it’s the unicorn king who originally cursed the place.”
“But,” Twilight objected, “Princess Celestia said I was being sent here to find a way to protect the empire. If King Sombra can’t get in, then it must already be protected.”
Without warning, a new sound rose above the howling of the wind. The mournful wailing sent another shiver down the backs of everypony present.
“Tha! That’s one of the things! Isn’t it?” Fluttershy called out, trying to look in all directions at once.
“We have to get to the Crystal Empire!” Shining Armor commanded. “Now!”
As if taking a cue, a vortex of shadows launched itself from the ground where they had recently trod. Instinct and experience served the ponies well as they took off at a gallop.
“What is that?” Remus demanded, looking over his withers as he worked his legs.
“Run!” Shining Armor directed. “Don’t gawk! Run!”
This couldn’t be happening. Sirius pumped his own legs to match that of his friends and family. Whatever that was, it couldn’t be worse than a dementor. Whatever that was, it was threatening his friends. Whatever that was, it was threatening his wives! As one, both Sirius and Shining skidded to a halt to confront the danger.
Sirius needed a spell! He wasn’t sure what to cast with his horn. Maybe he should turn human? No. He'd die of exposure in this cold.
The menacing cloud of darkness had glaring green eyes sporting red pupils that narrowed at the sight of its fleeing prey turning to fight.
Sirius needed a spell to protect his family.
Grimly, Shining Armor lowered his horn to aim, unleashing a bolt of magic.
Sirius had failed his brother in all but blood. He had failed his brother’s wife.
The mass of darkness dodged the bolt sent by the white unicorn, almost melting out of the way.
Most importantly, Sirius had failed his godson, the one he had sworn upon his life to protect.
The thumping of hooves announced the arrival of Remus, who had doubled back to lend his aid.
Sirius had failed. He had not been there when they needed him the most. Their blood was on his hands. Man, dog, or pony, his present form did not matter. HE WOULD NOT FAIL AGAIN! “Expecto Patronum!”
The words may have been stolen by the wind. The significance was not.
Sirius swore that something had sprung from his horn. However, silhouetted against the black cloud, a giant, silvery, spectral wolf seemed to materialize out of the white world and sprang for the throat. Sirius deflated. It was Remus's patronus. Sirius had failed.
The cloud of darkness loosed a scream as it dodged the vicious attack. A plume a snow erupted as the wolf landed where the cloud had been.
Just as suddenly, the cloud lurched to the side. As it twisted, its heretofore invisible assailant could now be seen. It was not the silvery mastiff that Sirius had expected. Instead, it was a terrifying hound, worthy of the third circle, dwarfing Apple Bloom's Fluffy.
The cloud rocketed skyward with the dog's jaws locked around its neck. Seeing an opening, the spectral wolf launched itself and clamped its jaws on the midriff. The combined gravity of the packmates dragged the cloud back to earth.
The cloud of darkness drew itself taller, visibly drawing in magic for a counterattack. It screamed in agony as the packmates shook their heads, promising to rip the cloud apart.
A sickly green glow filled the air as the cloud released a burst of raw magic, throwing off its foes. The two enormous canines of light landed a dozen feet away, kicking up snow as they quickly righted themselves to lunge once again. However, their quarry was having none of it, the blowing snow highlighted it as the cloud retreated at top speed.
Mutely, the two glowing forms pursued the retreating darkness into the blowing snow, leaving great pawprints in their wake.
As he and the other two stallions watched the vanishing conflict, Shining Armor said, “You have got to teach me that spell.”
He needed to rest. His reserves of mana were nowhere near what he needed. Frustratingly, he could feel the descendants of his slaves nearby, but he could not tease out even a quantum of mana from them. That cursed mongrel who had waylaid the capstone of his plan had forced him to gamble on a patsy to restore his true power. He had placed the essence of control on her, and for a time, he had nourished himself of the steady stream of mana she had transmitted.
That essence would have been reclaimed upon her death. It should have been a minor risk at worst. That surefire investment had failed dramatically. He could no longer sense his intended sacrifice. She had closed herself off to him. Reclaiming that which he had lent her would be a nearly impossible undertaking. A proper pyramid with a sacrificial altar would be required at this point.
Then there was the accursed woman. He could still feel her, but that was fading as well. Soon, the power she had stolen would be lost to him as well. He was hesitant to seek another confrontation. He was much too weak, and her protectors were much too strong. It was taking everything he had to move his body; there wasn’t even enough to radiate even a meager aura, let alone one that was proper. It was infuriating.
Movement itself was an achievement. The trickle of mana he was receiving was barely enough to keep him anchored to this plane of existence with just an iota left over. If it were not for something inherent with the form he now inhabited, he wouldn’t have even that much. There was something in the underlying consciousness of the peasants that was fueling that function. It wasn’t much, but it was better than being entombed in an inanimate object.
He had fallen so very far.
No matter, it was only an inconvenience, and with time, inconveniences could be overcome -- with time and blood. There were sacrifices walking around everywhere. He just needed to establish the desired circumstances. He would claw his way back up. He would be feared once again.
But right now, he needed rest.
There were dwellings aplenty; he just needed to choose one.
So, he did.
The aesthetics were nothing like he was used to, but it would do. There were even knives to be had. Again, there was a distinct lack of proper obsidian tools, but the metal ones were growing on him. It would suffice as a temporary base of operations. He could rest here.
He was examining the edge of his new blade when he heard a door open. He could hear the humming of a woman accompany the sound of the door closing. He could not guess her age without seeing her, though -- that did not mattered.
Rest could wait for a bit.
It was time for those circumstances to happen.
It was time for blood.
On a lonely island, a figure took one single step forward, disturbing the birds perched upon him.
Shining Armor escorted the others into the throne room where they found a single occupant fidgeting on the throne.
“Cadance!” Twilight called out gleefully upon seeing her, trotting forward.
“Twilight!” The pink pony launched herself from her seat, unable to remane seated any longer.
They came together and started chanting together, “Sunshine sunshine, ladybugs awake. Clap your hooves and give a little shake.”
“That was cute,” Sirius said as the mares giggled. “Can you do it again?”
“Sunshine sunshine, ladybugs awake. Clap your hooves and give a little shake.”
“I think he was being rhetorical,” Rainbow commented.
“I could do this all day,” Cadance declared as Twilight nodded along in approval.
“Do you have time for that?” Remus asked. “We ran into something nasty on the way here.”
“It was King Sombra,” Shining Armor clarified.
“He’s still out there banging his head on the wards?” Cadance asked. “I guess he’s waiting for them to weaken.”
“Wards?” Twilight perked up.
“Yes,” Cadance said. “The original plan was for me to maintain a spell to repulse him. However, Shiny owled the humans, and Arthur Weasley sent his son Bill Weasley.”
“We should have owled ourselves,” Rarity whined. “It would have been quicker than the train.”
“Eh, less hot tub time that way.” Rainbow shrugged.
“Wards,” Twilight prompted again.
“Yes.” Cadance nodded. “Bill Weasley cut a large crystal and engraved it with runes. I have to charge it every morning with the spell I was going to use, but otherwise it is hassle free. In fact, he’s around here somewhere. You’ll find him if you look -- him and Mellow Yolk, she is following him everywhere.”
“Sounds like you have everything under control.” Twilight wilted. “Celestia didn’t need to send me after all.”
Cadance frowned. “That’s not true. This is only a stopgap solution. The king is still a threat.”
“With Cadance guarding the ward stone and me scouring the wasteland for signs of trouble, our hooves are full,” Shining Armor added. “We haven’t even had time to question the crystal ponies.”
“Crystal ponies?” Rarity perked up. “There are crystal ponies?”
The rest of the ponies in the room shot her incredulous looks.
“Ha ha,” Rarity said. “Please continue.”
“We have to believe that one of them knows how to protect the empire without relying on Cadance’s magic. She can't keep this up forever,” Shining said.
“A research paper!” Twilight piped in.
“Huh?” everypony questioned.
“That must be part of my test,” Twilight clarified, “to gather information from the crystal ponies and deliver it to you!” The last was said with her poking her hoof at her brother. “This is going to be great. I love research papers.”
“I can get behind that,” Remus added.
“Yeah.” Rainbow quipped, “Who doesn’t love research papers?”
“Oh! Oh! Oh!” Pinky raised a hoof. “Let me guess. Is it Sirius? Fluttershy? Rarity?”
“All of the above,” Sirius said. “While you work on that, I’m going to the ward line and setting up a few nasty surprises for our unwanted guest. Would you mind sending one of your guards to look for Bill? I’m sure he knows a trick or two that would be helpful.”
“You know,” Twilight said thoughtfully, “that’s a great idea. You should take Cadance with you. Whatever you had planned would most likely be less effective than using love magic. Not to mention if you do base your surprises on love, the odds of you ambushing an innocent bystander by mistake drop dramatically.”
“Oh, I have love magic to spare right now,” Cadance said. “However, I need to guard the ward stone. Currently, it is our only defense.”
“Leave that to Remus,” Sirius said. “We’ve got a spell that is effective against the enemy.”
“I would like to get out of the throne room for a bit.” Cadance wavered.
“Actually, Sirius, why don’t you let me set up the surprises and you stand guard. I do have a mastery in defense,” Remus suggested.
“And I am a Black,” Sirius countered.
“Er . . . objection withdrawn.” Remus relented. “Why don’t we hide the ward stone and all go?”
Shining Armor sighed. “I’ll stand guard.
“Better safe than sorry,” Rarity agreed.
“Great!” Twilight hopped with excitement. “Now that that is settled, let’s get to it!”
It was a sullen group that sat around the large table in the trunk's living room. The telly was off limits until everyone else finished their homework, and there was nothing they could do to help. Tokens and cards lay scattered atop sheets of cardboard.
“I’m bored.”
“Me too.”
"I guess that's why they're called bored games."
“We could go to the mall.”
“How? Philomena has been ordered not to take us, and Parvati is still in the medical ward.”
“We could just owl ourselves to my cousin and then take the knight bus.”
“Ah think we should lay low on that front fer awhile.”
“I know what we can do. The last time I checked, there was supposed to be a curse on the Defense Against the Dark Arts position. We could do something about that.”
“I like Professor Goodman. It would be a good idea to keep him around.”
“That’s a plan, then.”
“Cutie Mark Crusaders Curse Breakers!”
“Yay!”
“So, where do we start?”
“The library.”
“You always wanna start in the library.”
“It’s a good place to start, don’t you know.”
"And knowing is half the battle."
*smack*
“All right than, off ta the library we go.”
Applejack was the last to report to the makeshift war room after they had all spent the last couple of hours interrogating the crystal ponies. “Sorry Twilight,” she said. “These crystal ponies seem to have some kind of collective amnesia or somethin'. The only thing Ah was able to get out of 'em was somethin' about a library.”
“A library!” Twilight gushed. “Well why didn’t you say so?”
“Uh.” Applejack smiled. “Thought I just did.”
“All right then,” Twilight acknowledged, “off to the library we go!”
“Wait!” Pinkie exclaimed.
Her friends all gave her their undivided attention.
“Did anypony else just hear an echo?” Pinkie finished.
It wasn’t long before the six mares were looking at rows upon rows of bookshelves. The crystal pony who most likely had been the librarian hadn’t been much help.
“So,” Applejack said, “I guess we should get to it. That book on crystal pony history isn’t going to find itself, now, is it?”
“I got this.” Twilight grinned. “I’ve learned a new spell or two. Accio crystal pony history books!”
*Swisssh*
*Thump!* *Twack!* *Crash* *Whump!* *Twack!* *Whump!*
“Y'all may have pulled 'em a little too hard there, sugar cube, Applejack noted.
“Iiiii’m gonna go owl for Andi,” Rainbow stated before rushing out the front door.
“Good idea,” Rarity said, levitating several books off Twilight as Fluttershy started to tend to the fallen mare. “She may have just given herself a concussion.”
“Oooooo . . .” Twilight slurred. “. . . pretty stars!”
“Whada ya mean all of the curse breaking books are in the restricted section?”
Madam Pince fixed the gathered first-years with a stern gaze.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to be rude. We just need those books.”
“No, you do not,” Madam Pince said. “They are well beyond your grade level. I suggest you find something else to study -- for example, manners.”
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”
“Scootaloo, enough.”
A white owl flew into the makeshift infirmary from an orthogonal dimension.
“You’ve got mail.”
“Rainbow!” Rarity sighed.
“Hello Hedwig,” Twilight said as the owl landed near her. “Got a letter for me?”
“Bark!”
“Don’t even think of levitating anything until I’m done examining you,” Andi warned.
“Ah’ll get it,” Applejack offered, retrieving the letter from the proffered leg.
“What’s it say?” Rainbow asked after the farmpony had unrolled the missive.
“It’s from the foals,” Applejack said, scanning the parchment. “They want books on curse breaking.”
“Oooo. That’s a fascinating field of study.”
“Twilight!”
“Okay. Okay. That’s a hard 'no' then.” Twilight blushed.
In the sitting room of stately Black Manor, two sisters were enjoying a new form of entertainment.
“I don’t get it,” Bella admitted. “Why is he angry?”
“It really is simple,” Nissy said. “You see, Alex realizes that Janice is trying to set him up because he knows that Frank is Maxwell’s brother and Amy is related to them through their maternal Grandmother. Therefore, the will has to be a fake because . . . hold that thought; I have an owl.”
Bella blinked as the white bird landed on the back of the couch. “How did it get in?” she asked.
“I’ll explain later,” Nissy said, reaching for the letter the owl carried.
“I hope that it’s an easier explanation than this soap theater,” Bella grumbled. “And you say muggles can follow this stuff?”
“Bella,” Nissy said warningly.
“I’m just saying that I’m going to need a quill and some parchment. I need to take notes,” Bella said, reassessing her previous analysis of muggle intelligence. “You did say that the muggles have had tellies for years and that this opera has been running for nearly that long.”
“Yes, they have a show every weekday.”
“It is the weekend,” Bella stated.
“You see that box?” Nissy pointed absently as she multitasked, reading the letter. “It is like a pensieve for the telly.”
“They can do that?”
“Apparently, yes.”
“We need more vials of memories then,” Bella said. “I don’t like being ignorant of what is happening.”
“They don’t use vials; they use those half brick things called 'tapes',” Nissy said.
“Are they sticky?”
“Not that I’ve noticed.”
“He just slapped her!” Bella interrupted.
“Ooo . . . Janice isn’t going to take that lightly.”
“If she were a witch, she could hex him.”
“Bella.”
“What was that?”
“I do believe that was a muggle gun.” Nissy looked up from her reading. “I’ve seen so many varieties on the telly. It’s hard to keep track of them, but the sound is distinctive.”
“Why’d he fall down? Was that a muggle hex?”
“It is a weapon. It can kill.”
“You must be joking.”
“I am not.”
“Why are they stopping the show now?”
“The hour is up.” Nissy shrugged.
“I want to know what happens next!”
“You will just have to wait until Monday.”
“That’s annoying.”
“It is.”
“Are we done with the telly, then?” Bella had a hint of disappointment in her voice.
“After I write back to the children and let them know I shan’t be sending them books from the Black library, I will put in a movie. Ted has more than a few. See that shelf there?”
“Which one?” Bella studied what she had first thought were books.
“I don’t know. Pick one at random.”
“Okay.” Bella did just that and stared at an unmoving picture. “Hellraiser?”
“Sounds interesting,” Nissy admitted. “We’ll go with that.”
Open Book kept her eye on the owl as she used a quill to write a reply. “I am sorry, I cannot send books with your owl. If you wish to borrow our material you must appear in pony,” she wrote.
“Tante!” Crystal Cache called from the back room of Enchantment Essentials.
“Oui?” Mystic Book looked up from the owner’s manual she had been reading to figure out why her neighboring shopkeeper’s wares were appearing on her automatically-updating owl order pamphlets.
“The last owl. It letter wants books. It say that if we don’t have zem to buy zem from bookstore and we be reimbursed.”
“Books?” Mystic Book asked. “We have books related to our wares. Who would want us to be their errand ponies?”
“It is from Lavender Brown. She say she cannot come to Canterlot and she want us to get zem for her.”
“That little filly is friends with our human friends and is friends with the princesses. We will get her her books. Keeping her happy will be worth the time and bother.”
“A fair?” Sirius said as they sat around a large table, sharing an evening meal with their companions. “Now? Is that a good idea?”
“Yes,” Twilight bubbled. “The history book says that’s how they used to protect the empire.”
“I don’t see how a fair could do that.” Sirius dissented. “Even if it lifts the spirits of these ponies, I’m not sure they are in any shape to defend the empire.”
“There could be a ritualistic component involved here.” Remus mused, “All things considered, we wouldn’t lose much by pursuing this course of action.”
“Except time.” Sirius objected.
“We have the time to spare,” Cadance said. “I think you are underestimating the importance of keeping the morale of the ponies up. Besides, if the fair is as steeped in tradition as Twilight suggests, it is bound to impede or reverse the deterioration of these poor ponies’ memories.”
“I see your point.” Sirius conceded. “I am still advocating for increasing our defenses, though.”
“I don’t see why we can’t do both,” Bill Weasley said. “After all, only a limited number of us can actually erect magical defenses, and physical ones would be useless against this enemy. There is no reason why the rest need to sit around twiddling their thumbs.”
“We don’t have thumbs right now.” Pinkie reminded him.
“So, we have two tasks to complete then,” Rarity said. “I must say, I believe we are up to both of them.”
“You’ve got mail!”
“Thank you, Rainbow,” Twilight said dryly. “I hadn’t noticed the owl that just landed on the back of my seat.”
“Just thought I’d help,” Rainbow said smugly.
Twilight sighed as she floated the note the pouch-bearing owl had been carrying. “Let’s see . . . It’s from Lyra . . . hmm she told Xeno that we were going north to face an unknown danger and protect innocent ponies . . . yada yada . . . yada yada . . . He’s sending backup as a gesture of goodwill?”
“Backup?” Cadance asked.
“Yes, backup,” Twilight said, placing her horn on the owl’s pouch. Well, to be more accurate, she placed the owl’s pouch on her horn, levitating the startled bird into the proper position. “Ex dimittere.”
While the bird was vocalizing its disapproval over the ponyhandling, the pouch it wore expelled seven humans wearing the familiar robes of aurors.
“Hello,” said the first human to pick himself up, addressing the ponies. “Lord Black and entourage, I am Trainer Jenkins, and these are my students. We have been sent by Minister Lovegood to assist you as required.”
“Very good, Trainer Jenkins,” Sirius said with mock formality. “Though the first thing of note is that Princess Cadance outranks me and, therefore, is the one you should be addressing.”
“My apologizes.” The trainer paled slightly, turning to Cadance. “No slight was intended, your highness. I was unaware.”
“The crown she’s wearing should have been a clue,” Remus stated.
Cadance smiled, ignoring the byplay. “Please, there is no need to be so formal. In fact, as you see, we are sitting down to our evening meal. Why don’t you and your students join us? There is much we need to discuss.”
The familiar sight of words scrolling up the screen signaled the end of the feature length film the two sisters had just witnessed. Aside from music emanating from the box, there was an eerie silence in number 12 Grimmauld Place.
“That was something,” Nissy finally managed to say.
“It was indeed something.” Bella agreed
“The title had given me the impression that we were in for a drama about an angsty teenager rebelling against his parents and authority,” Nissy confessed, “not whatever that was.”
“It was very disturbing,” Bella stated.
“Indeed, it was.” Nissy agreed. “I never imagined anything of the sort before.”
“I know,” Bella said. “The sheer consternation of it. I never imagined I was a rank amateur before. The cruciatus may get results but in comparison it is plebian. Never before have I seen such terror in the eyes of playthings.”
“Wrong lesson, Bella!” Nissy snapped. “First of all, people are not playthings.”
“If you say so, dear sister.”
“Secondly, those were actors. It wasn’t real.” Nissy had some doubt in her voice.
“They were very convincing.”
“Bella, you are not to be getting any ideas from what we have just watched,” Nissy sternly commanded.
“As you wish, sister.”
Nissy placed her face in her hand. “I have just participated in the biggest mistake of my life, haven’t I?”
“I have no idea what you are talking about.” Bella objected.
“So, help me, if I find just one chain with a hook attached on the end in either your room or on your person, I shall be committing you to St Mungo’s for the rest of your life,” Nissy threatened.
“I would never keep such a thing in my room.” Bella assured her.
Nissy waited for more.
Bella smiled innocently back at her.
“No, Bella,” Nissy said. “Just no.”
“You’re no fun, sister.” Bella pouted.
“Let us head off any future problems and purge that particular sense of fun from your mind.” Nissy sighed. “I am serious Bella; you cannot give even the slightest hint that you’d do something so hideous.”
“You worry too much, Nissy.”
“Right now, I am worrying that I am not worrying enough,” Nissy said.
“As you said, it is only entertainment,” Bella said. “It wasn’t real.”
“Let us keep it that way, shall we?” Nissy returned.
“Of course,” Bella said. “After all, it was only a fabrication. I am sure the shock alone should have been fatal in much of what we saw.”
“You are not helping your case,” Nissy said.
“Whatever do you mean?” Bella asked innocently.
“I swear, you are doing that on purpose.” Nissy sighed. “Regardless, I think I shall have a perusal of the family library at this time.”
“Looking for spells useful against cenobites?”
“Perhaps.”
“I shall join you then.” Bella stood to follow her sister from the room. “Nissy?”
“Yes Bella?”
“I could swear that grandfather said he never got around to opening that puzzle box he bought from that oriental curio dealer.”
“Bella.” Nissy growled.