//------------------------------// // 12 - Unacceptable // Story: You're Being Hugged, Harry // by David Silver //------------------------------// He slapped the table between them with a scowl as heavy as could be mustered. "And you know it!" The slapping hand turned to an accusing pointing at Dumbledore. "This is going too far! Are you looking for all the rules to rend them all asunder? Is that the goal now?" To say Snape was bothered would be a criminal understatement. "Let's look at this logically," posited Dumbedore in a calm way, not at all ruffled despite the anger displayed. "She isn't a wizard, or a witch. She is a magical being. As a magical being, the very rules you're speaking of simply do not apply to her. Would Mister Potter having a house elf be of any large concern?" Instead of answering that, Snape turned his attention on Hagrid. "You're the resident expert on this. Would you permit a student that was not Mister Potter to have a winged, spell slinging magical being as a... What, pet? A freshman at that. A pet that wields more magic than they do, sharing a room with another freshman that is equally as unskilled. Is that normal?" "Ye won't be gettin' me tah kneel tah traditions," huffed out the gentle giant, arms crossed. "Mister Potter's bein' attacked. If she can help keep 'em safe, than that's good! Besides, they're related, and know it, so it ain't likely they'll do much improper." Snape set a hand over his face for a moment, a weary sigh escaping him. "They're not related, by blood. But I won't even start arguing that. Famial bonds are more than blood relations, I know that." "Then there should be no problem." Dumbledore set his foot down, figuratively, brushing the topic on to other matters that needed attention. "Wow!" Flurry stepped off the train, craning her neck to take in the splendors of Hogwarts. "Wow! Humans really can make nice places." She clapped her hooves with giddy excitement. "Gonna learn so much magic. Hope you enjoyed your headstart, Bro, because I'm catching up." She lunged into a spirited trot, faint giggles escaping her in her excitement. She did not wear a customary hat. She had no name tag. She was carrying no books, even in her pockets. She was a magical being, not a witch, so she had been sent no list of things to bring. "Woah there." A human stood in her way, hands up. "Woah..." When she slowed, he seemed relieved. "Good boy. Good... whatever you are... Now who left you here?" Flurry raised a brow at the person. "Excuse me?" "Oh! You talk." That seemed both a positive and a surprising thing. "Hello." "Hey." Flurry smiled brightly, wings unfolding partially. "I'm new here." "I'd say so!" Surely news of a vibrantly colored pegacorn could have been quite the thing for people to talk about. "Are you just visiting? Curious about Hogwarts?" It wasn't impossible for a random passing magical being to just poke their nose in, but it was just as much his job to stop them from going where they didn't belong. "I'm very curious, but I'm not visiting." She shook her head with one brow raised. "I'm here to learn all kinds of magic." Her horn began to glow. "I'm already pretty good at it, but I could get better!" This was confusing. Hogwarts was not in the business of educating magical beings. "Um... We teach wizards and witches here, and you aren't either of those." That glowing horn of hers drew a card, a picture on it animated of an elderly man handing a card to the viewer. If one leaned in really close, it was the very same card, with a smaller animated image of the man handing over the card, offering a taste of infinity. "This says I have permission to be here, I think." The prefect snatched the floating card free of the air. "Let me see this." There as Dumbledore, handing the card over. "Hm... Do you know who you're supposed to talk to?" Flurry looked unsure a moment, but it came to her with a bright smile. "My brother! Harry Potter." She burst into giggles suddenly. "That's still a silly name for a silly pony. Oh, is that a human name? What's your name?!" The prefect considered the magical being. "Mister Potter's in class right now." "Then I'll join him there. Thanks!" And without even a moment delay, she vanished in a haze of sparkles that faded away. "That isn't safe..." The prefect could do little more about that situation. She had left the area he was minding. Flurry appeared further inside Hogwart, turning her head left and right slowly until her horn began to beep and vibrate. "There you are." Her magical radar having done its job, she accelerated towards her goal. "No hiding from your big sister!" Harry was busy not learning magic. Being a wizard was more than just learning an ever growing collection of spells, it turned out. At that moment, they were going over the uses of a particular plant in potion brewing. Making potions was a big deal in the wizarding world. It wasn't something Harry felt personally hugely drawn to, but he paid attention to the lecture being given as best he could. "There you are!" The door to the hallway slapped open, allowing a teenaged alicorn to step inside with a big ole smile on her face. How she had found him, visually, was not hard to imagine. Aside from herself, he was the only equine in the area. Professor Longbottom had his wand out in a flash. "Colloshoo!" Magic flared both on the drawn wand and at the intruder's hooves. "Don't worry, I'll protect you, class." Flurry turned to Longbottom, or tried to. She discovered quickly that her hooves were stuck to the floor as if glued firmly in place. "Hey! That isn't very nice at all." She might have crossed her arms, but that was not an option with all four hooves glued down to the floor. "I'm here to join your class." Harry's cheeks were bright red. He knew who Flurry Heart was, and, likely, soon the rest of the school would too. "Don't hurt her, please... She's... my sister." "Your sister?" Nelville Longbottom looked at Harry with obvious doubt. "You... have some similarity." They were both horses, but past that, there were a lot of differences. Big ones! Still... "If you want to join us, quietly." He waved his wand at Flurry, lifting her up whole body to float her to the back of the room and letting her back down to re-stick to the floor. "Do so there. And no talking in the middle of lecture." It was as if the moment she wasn't a dangerous beast, she was just something to be told to mind their manners. With a last wave, the door was bid shut, and he put his wand away. "Apologies for the interruption. Now, where were we...?" And the class resumed. That isn't to say the students just forgot the new arrival. They snuck glances and whispered curious little questions among themselves at the strange equine that had joined them. It had a horn and wings. It was larger than Harry, and it had talked. His sister, he had claimed. And the colors! Pink pelt with a mane of blues and purples, it was hard to miss compared to the earth tones of Harry. She had big bright blue eyes that were darting about. Harry sat up as something bumped into him. At a glance he could see a bit of paper glowing with Flurry's magic. The color shifted as he took hold of it and set it in front of himself, no longer as obvious to the teacher. Bro! Your teacher's a meanie. Found you! Are we the only ponies here? They should let more ponies in. Not like we don't want to learn some magic. What even is this class? Nocreature's doing any magic at all, just listening to the meanie talk about plants, yawn! What do plants have to do with magic? I don't get it. At least I found you. Mom was worried I wouldn't be able to, but Twilight taught us that spell, remember? Finding you was super easy! For a magic school, it was really easy to get around. Harry rolled his eyes at the words written there. "Just be quiet," he mumbled under his breath. Dealing with Flurry would have to wait until after class. Another paper tapped against his round cheek. Harry took it in his magic and slapped it down to join the first. Are you ignoring me? Don't be like that! I'm your sister, Harry. Your big sister! Show some respect. I'm stuck back here. You could at least pretend you know I'm here. Are you having that much fun learning about that silly plant? What kind of magic can you do with that? Harry raised a hoof to block even looking in Flurry's direction. He had notes to take! He was taking them! He was paying attention, yes, and would not get in trouble. When the class was allowed to rise and start leaving, a joyous noise rose. "Finally!" Flurry had been released of her trapped state and was hurrying towards Harry. "Found you!" "Yes, yes, you found me." Harry tucked his books away safely. "But you're in a school. Show at least a little respect." Flurry stuck out her tongue at that. "I will as soon as they show something interesting. That was forever just talking about a plant. What was the point of that?" "That's your sister, right?" Ron was there, seated next to Harry and looking at Flurry curiously. "Hey." "Hi!" She smiled at the friendly human, a nice change of pace from the last. "I'm Flurry Heart, Harry's sister." "I'm Ronald Weasley." He hiked a thumb at himself. "Harry's friend and roomie. Did they let you join the school then?" "Did they?" echoed Harry, standing up. "Sorta!" Flurry grinned mischievously. "They said I could be with you." She pointed at Harry. "I had to follow the rules though. Whatever. I want to learn magic too! When do we get to that part?" Harry raised a hoof to her snout, pushing her back. "Easy. Being a wizard is more than casting spells. Those plants can make for great potions, which can do all kinds of things." "Glad someone was paying attention." Professor Longbottom was there, having approached quietly during the conversation. "The fine art of herbology is a storied history that has saved the day on quite more than one occasion, young lady?" As if he wasn't 100% on that with Flurry Heart. "I'll thank you not to interrupt the class like that again. What house are you with?" Flurry squinted with new thought. "House? Um, House Equestria!" She nodded firmly, sure of her logic. Harry laughed instead. "That isn't a Hogwarts house, which I don't think she has." "Lucky for them." Professor Longbottom crossed his arms. "An interruption like that would definitely be worth some lost points. Wait, if she doesn't have a house... Are you enrolled?" Flurry drew that card from earlier, presenting it to the teacher. "Here." He looked it over briefly. "Ah, you're in Mister Potter's care. Unfortunately for him, that makes you his responsibility. Which means Gryffindor is losing points today." Harry and Ron both groaned at the news. Ron swatted at the new horse companion. "We're not gonna make many friends if you cost the house their points like that. We have to follow the rules and show how we're good wizards." Flurry was too busy giggling, eyes on Harry. "Did you hear that? I'm in your care, brother." She cupped her chin between two hooves, swooning dramatically. "Please take care of me, brother. Only you can keep me safe." Harry gave her a shove, which only made her laugh more. "Stop that! Come on, we'll be late to the next class, which you won't interrupt, even if you think it's boring. You decided to come here, remember."