//------------------------------// // In Which Sunset Decides That Maybe One More Acquaintance Won't Hurt // Story: Hogwarts: Sunset's Legacy // by witegrlninja //------------------------------// I spent the entire weekend organizing and researching the books I'd taken from the scriptorium, and I was both glad I got to access it - deadly torture dilemma notwithstanding - and annoyed with Ominis for making us leave so soon. All of them were so fascinating, so full of lost and forbidden information! ...Unfortunately, they were all in ancient dialects and old alphabets I didn't quite know how to read yet. But the library had books on translating the words, and Sebastian was more than happy to share his knowledge of both Ancient Runes and Ancient Studies with me. The more I worked at it, the more I understood for myself. Two of the old tomes in particular quickly stood out as both super useful and incredibly interesting - one was a guide on how to create and modify existing spells (a far more complicated undertaking than doing the same with Equestrian magic), and the other was about the medicinal and alchemical properties of Dark reagents. The latter of these tomes was what I primarily focused on... and by Monday afternoon, I had read through the entire thing thrice. It turned out that it had been a grand idea to explore the scriptorium after all, as the ideas suggested within were exactly what Sebastian was hoping for! All he needed now was someone skilled enough to brew such a potion... and I fit that bill to a tee. I couldn't help but grin confidently with optimism as he jogged into my Room to see what I'd found. "I've got some good news - I think I can make Anne something that'll help keep the flare-ups of pain away. Now, it's not a cure, mind you-" I held up my hand before he could interrupt, a smile already beaming from his face. "...But it's a start." "Even just something that will keep the pain away will help tremendously... I cannot thank you enough!" he gasped happily. "Well, don't thank me yet... first I gotta actually make the potion." Sebastian nodded quickly; I began asking him a long list of questions that would help me determine what reagents I'd need - specific questions about how exactly the curse affected Anne, possible correlations and causations he might've noticed, and more general things like allergies or contraindications. Once he'd told me everything he could about the curse and his observations, I first spent about fifteen minutes writing down various calculations and equations on a conjured chalkboard, then after thoroughly checking my work I gathered a collection of ingredients that directly countered every sign and symptom he'd described, as well as other ingredients that would either boost their effects or allow them to combine beneficially. I juiced some Shrivelfigs until I had a quart of purple liquid, then I combined it with a quart of alcohol in the cauldron. To that I added five drops each of Alihotsy, Dittany and Fluxweed essential oil, a quarter cup of Boom Berry juice and a single drop of Re'em blood. I brought the solution to a simmer, then after it had boiled down by about a third I added two tablespoons each of ground lavender and borage flowers, and a tablespoon of powdered porcupine quills. Next came some reagents from Dark creatures that I'd stolen from Professor Sharp's office beforehand - three Grindylow fingers, a strip of cloth weighing five ounces from a Dementor's cloak and an ounce of Rougarou hair, and after that I added a square quarter-inch each of pure lithium and magnesium, a cup of a solution of one gram of iodine dissolved into exactly 1280 milliliters of water, and a teaspoon of Moondew. Once the Moondew had fully dissipated the brew within changed to a pleasant lilac color - though I smiled at the progress I was making, I couldn't help but feel that something was missing. What I'd created would only reduce the pain by a small amount, and that simply wasn't good enough... it needed something more. Something to give it more oomph. ... ... ... "...Aha!" I snapped my fingers, then picked up my wand and cast a stasis spell on the potion, freezing it and the brewing process in time. "That will totally work! Heh, I'm such a genius, I scare myself sometimes." "What will work?" Sebastian asked as I reached into my pocket dimension and pulled out a plain piece of quartz. I held it up to the light to ensure there were no flaws inside - it needed to be perfect for what I intended to do. "A sort of reagent from my homeland, called an Umbrum Crystal. It's a pure black crystal that completely negates your ability to use magic if you're... er..." Well, if one gets embedded into one's horn, but since we're not unicorns... "...wounded with one." "It can negate magic?" he repeated, a mix of scientific interest and extreme caution on his face. "Yep. Thing is though, they're usually pretty hard to come by - you can only find them in the Frozen North, where the Crystal Empire used to be." "Crystal Empire? Were they once a part of Equestria?" I nodded. "It's an old myth... I bet you want to hear about it?" "Of course," he shrugged, pulling up a chair and making himself comfortable. "The tales you tell of your homeland are always so fascinating." "Alright. So, over a thousand years ago, the Crystal Empire was a sort of enclave country within Equestria's borders. It was ruled by King Sombra, who was a cruel and sadistic tyrant. His magic was so Dark and great that he bent the wills of all of his subjects to do his bidding." "Really...?" Sebastian's lips thinned as he stared at the floor in deep thought for a moment. "Of course, when word of his evil deeds reached the princess of Equestria, she gathered her army and surrounded his lands, demanding the release of his subjects and for him to step down from the throne. He resisted, and a terrible battle ensued - he sent countless numbers of his own subjects to their certain deaths, controlling each and every one of them as though they were mere puppets." "Incredible," he breathed, still looking like he was pondering something. "Eventually, the princess and her armies prevailed. But just as she was about to bring Sombra to justice, he cast a final spell: one that banished himself and the entirety of the Crystal Empire to the aether. It was like he was there one moment, and then everyone and everything vanished the next. The princess was left standing on top of a snowdrift, as though it was all an illusion." "I see," he mumbled, sitting up straight. "So are these Umbrum Crystals perhaps a form of solidified Dark magic?" "Exactly," I grinned. "Now, I said these were hard to come by, but Celestia had been studying them for... many years." Hmm... I know there's that alchemist Flamel that's like five hundred-something years old, but something tells me he wouldn't go for Celestia being over double that age. "She actually found a way to recreate them herself... and, of course, I snuck a peek at her research." "So you know how to create one of these crystals?" he blinked. "I think so... it does require quite a bit of Dark magic, though." I set the piece of quartz down on the counter beside the frozen cauldron. "You should probably stand back a little." Sebastian quickly stood back up and moved to the opposite side of the room as I pointed my wand at the crystal, and focused on the forbidden incantation I'd committed to memory so long ago. My vision doubled slightly, afterimages appearing in shades of red and green. I could feel a gentle, breezy sensation just below my eyes - wisps of purple smoke were radiating from them. It didn't concern me much... a pony's eyes tended to change drastically when using and channeling Dark magic. During the process I stole a glance at Sebastian, who looked entirely unnerved as he watched me carefully. "Er... why are your eyes doing that?" "Don't worry about it." The clear piece of perfect quartz grew darker and darker, until it was as black and opaque as a piece of coal. Satisfied with the result I shook away the Dark magic's influence, my eyes returning to normal. I aimed carefully with my wand and sliced off a crystal shard with a laser-like Diffindo, then I canceled the stasis spell and levitated the shard into the cauldron. A puff of black smoke belched from within, and as I leaned over to examine the results I found that my reflection in the liquid was pure black. "Perfect." Some boiled Flobberworm mucus and imported star grass wasanbon sugar for texture and flavor, and it was ready to decant. The potion seemed to swirl within the bottle all on its own like a slow-motion whirlpool. "Here we are... if my calculations are correct, and they always are... this should both drastically lessen the frequency of the curse's flare-ups and significantly dull their pain." "This is fantastic," Sebastian breathed as he carefully, gently took the bottle from my hand. "After all this time... Uncle Solomon was wrong. Anne can be helped!" "And she can, and will be cured," I smirked confidently. "Now, I'll accept my payment in the form of secrets, spells or Galleons, thank you," I held out my hand with a mischievous grin. "Ha... I'll certainly have to find something quite special to repay you," he replied, the beaming smile on his face as bright and warm as the sun. He even looked to be on the verge of happy tears. "Thank you so much, Sunset... I am forever in your debt." Gratitude. Elation. Hope. Adoration. Feeling the emotions radiating from deep within his soul filled me with a pleasant, tingling warmth far stronger than what I had felt before. It buzzed within my veins and pulled me upwards as though I was floating... the feeling was intoxicating, bordering on addictive. I wanted more. "Oh, I'm just getting started... if you're already in my debt forever, then what will you give me when I find an actual cure?" I chuckled. Sebastian laughed as well. "Not sure... but I'll definitely make it worth your while." ~ The next morning, Poppy swung by the Slytherin table to let me know that she and Natty wanted us all to get together at the Three Broomsticks after classes were over. While I agreed to meet them there, Sebastian bowed out so he could personally deliver my medicine (dubbed Umbrum potion) to Anne - she had written him that Solomon would be gone during the afternoon for their weekly shopping trip. I caught him in the grounds by the entrance just before he took off, making sure to remind him to tell her just who rightfully deserved the credit for her soon-to-be-improved health. He laughed and waved, and after he'd disappeared into the horizon I moved past the castle walls and teleported to Hogsmeade. A few minutes later I walked into the warm, welcoming tavern. Sirona pointed me towards Natty and Poppy, seated at a table near the hearth. Beside a couple tankards of Butterbeer, there were also some papers scattered about on the table. They were all smiles as I approached. "Hey, guys," I waved. "Hello, Sunset, look at this!" Poppy beamed as she shoved a piece of paper in my face. I took it from her and looked it over - it was an advertisement for a gala to be held in the town square on Christmas Eve, which was seemingly this world's equivalent to Hearth's Warming Eve. "The Hogsmeade Christmas Eve Gala?" I mouthed, feeling my heart drop. If it was anything like the Grand Galloping Gala back in Equestria... ugh. "Yes! It's so much fun... there's music and food and refreshments, and everyone dresses in their finest and dances the night away in the town square!" she gushed. "It's been held every year since they stopped holding the Triwizard Tournament in 1792, the Yule Ball along with it." "Ah, yes... the Cockatrice Incident," Natty nodded knowingly. "Part of me wishes they still held the Triwizard Tournament... it was a series of three most dangerous tasks, with one champion each from Hogwarts, Durmstrang and Beauxbatons... so exciting," she grinned wistfully. "That does sound pretty awesome," I mused, tilting my head as I considering her words. The prizes - and prestige - that must've followed after winning the tournament must've been seriously enticing... definitely something I could see myself participating in, and winning, of course, without much effort. "Oh, but the Gala is even more exciting!" Poppy insisted. "Every couple in the school attends the dance, and it's lit up so beautifully, and the adults never care to stop the students from drinking the Firewhisky eggnog... Actually, um... would you like to go to the gala with me, Natty?" she asked quietly, a shy grin on her pinkening face. Natty's cheeks flushed as she stared at her in surprise. "I... well, yes, I'd be happy to," she stammered a couple times before answering, smiling bashfully. "Ah, wonderful!" Poppy shook her fists beside her gleeful face. "I can't wait already! ...And, I'll bet I know who you'll be attending the gala with," she grinned slyly at me. "You... do?" I blinked. "Eh... galas aren't really my thing." "Oh, but you and Sallow are quite the couple, aren't you aware?" Natty smirked. Wha... Sebastian? "...We are?" I blinked again. "You and Sebastian are thick as thieves these days," nodded Poppy. "I can't even remember the last time I saw either of you not around the other." "I... see..." I stared down at my drink. Did we really hang out together that much? "Half the school is already convinced the two of you are courting," added Natty. "You have made a number of my other friends quite jealous." My ears tried to flick in response... my contentious, competitive nature wanted to rear its head. Jealous, eh? Well, then... sucks to be you, bitches. "Is that so?" I masked my ambiguous feelings with a smirk. Seeing the both of them nod in agreement caused a strange feeling of accomplishment to bloom within me. I unquestionably had perhaps one of the most powerful and intelligent fellow students of mine as... well, mine. And I never wanted what I couldn't own. As I lingered on that thought, however, something twinged inside of my heart. Something like a shushing kick when the person next to you wouldn't shut the hell up, or even... ...a mild pang of guilt. ... ... ... ...Did I actually feel guilty about thinking of Sebastian like a possession? A tool? A means to an end? The more I reflected on it... I found myself wanting to agree, and imperceptibly shook my head in annoyance. These Celestia-forsaken emotions really got on my nerves, sometimes... making me think too hard about things I didn't really want to think about. Best to change the subject. "So... I doubt you asked me here to just talk about Christmas plans?" I asked finally. "What did you guys really wanna talk about? Like maybe what we're gonna do with that dragon egg we took?" "Don't remind me... the thought of that tent still makes my blood boil," Poppy scowled. "I've been thinking about those poor dragons in the fighting ring... the goblin silver collars they were wearing. I've never known poachers to use anything like that before." "The dragon that attacked Fig and I's carriage on our way to Hogwarts had one on... and Fig couldn't make heads or tails of why it attacked otherwise." "That attack always did strike me as a little strange, seemingly coming out of nowhere," nodded Poppy. "Surely you are not suggesting that the collars somehow control the poor creatures!" Natty gasped. I nodded grimly. "Merlin... I don't think the dragon we set free was wearing a collar, but we should check," said Poppy. "And, if we can find her, we can return her egg." "Right... just one little problem with that plan," I winced, gesturing with my fingers. "How do you suggest we find her, let alone return her egg without getting burned alive and eaten?" "Leave that to me," Poppy placed a hand on her chest. "...There was something else that I wanted to discuss with you... I didn't want to press it, before." "Shoot." "Well... may I ask why Victor Rookwood is after you?" "Oh, is that all?" I replied with a tinge of disappointment... I'd already told Sebastian and, to a much lesser extent, Natty... might as well let Poppy in on the secret, too. "He's working with Ranrok, and they both want something I found in Gringotts. It's... a long story, and Fig didn't want me telling anyone about it, to be honest." "Goodness," Poppy blinked. "Well, that certainly helps to shed light on what we saw at the tent... don't worry, I'll guard your secret as if it were my own." "As will I," Natty nodded. "I will not press for more details... in fact, the three of us should be headed for Lower Hogsfield. I have learned of a wizard who is being harassed by Harlow, he may be able to provide the evidence we need to take him down. We should speak with him together." "More evidence, huh?" I tilted my head. "What about the letter you stole from him?" "Officer Singer thanked me... but she clearly felt that it was not enough," she frowned. "When I took the letter to her, she told me about a Mr. Bickle. He is doing the same thing we are - providing her with evidence. The sooner we speak with him, the better... we will need something more to get Singer to act," Natty sighed. I groaned with irritated resignation... seems like law enforcement procedures were just as slow here as they were in Equestria. "Figures... probably wants to make sure the case against him is airtight first," I grumbled. "But that always takes forever, while the criminal gets to run around and cause even more damage." "It is a shame that hippogriffs cannot speak... Highwing could provide all the evidence against Harlow that we need." "Oh, Highwing told me all about it," Poppy shook her head angrily. "The things he's done to poor creatures... absolutely sickening!" "Right," I hummed, standing up. "Well, let's head over there now." ~ It was a short flight to the hamlet at the foot of the hill Hogwarts sat upon, on the shores of the Black Lake's southernmost tip. We landed in the center of a ring of quiet stone houses. I couldn't quite place it, but... something didn't feel right. Hardly anyone was around, even the traveling merchant a couple hundred feet away seemed apprehensive and on edge. "Is this Mr. Bickle's home?" Poppy asked as Natty started towards one of the small abodes. "I believe so," said Natty. Before Poppy and I could even take one step towards the house, a woman burst out from the front door. Her hands and sleeves were covered in blood, her hair was disheveled and her pale, wet face looked like she'd been crying for hours. "Where are you, Archie?!" she wailed, her eyes frantically scanning the village. "Are you alright?" Poppy gasped fearfully. "We are looking for Mr. Bickle," frowned Natty. The woman froze, and her wild eyes locked themselves on our faces. "My husband... is dead!" she shouted in anguish. "He killed him!" Oh, no... there goes that plan. "Who killed him?" I prodded. "Theophilus Harlow! I'm sure of it!" Mrs. Bickle sobbed. "He's been threatening my husband for weeks, and... Where is my son?! Where is Archie?!" "I'm sure he must be around somewhere... when did you last see him?" asked Poppy. Mrs. Bickle sucked in a labored breath to calm herself enough to explain. "Archie was home with his father while I was out... his satchel's missing. Hopefully he's just gone wandering, as he's prone to do. I hope he wasn't here when Harlow... when my husband..." She choked out another pained sob. Harlow killed Mr. Bickle while his own son watched? What kind of monster...?! "Do you know which way he might have gone?" I stared forward, trying not to allow her cries to affect me. Mrs. Bickle took a few more seconds to recompose herself. "...He has a little hideout in the forest south of here, along the road," she whimpered. "He never wanders far, but if he witnessed Harlow doing something to his father..." "Why... Why would Harlow have killed your husband?" Poppy mumbled quietly, her hands over her mouth. "He was looking into Harlow's dealings and discovered some of what he's been up to... I begged him to leave it alone, but he... he was c-convinced that...!" Overcome with sorrow, Mrs. Bickle broke into another chorus of bitter sobs. Painful anguish flooded into my soul, nearly forcing tears from my eyes. A vindictive, protective urge walled it up in response, and I sucked in a deep breath to steady myself. "...We'll find Archie," I glared. Natty and Poppy nodded in agreement, determined looks on their faces. "Thank you... I'm afraid to leave, in case he comes back home," she shook her head miserably. "Oh... what am I going to do...?" While she fretted and sobbed, we set off down the path she had pointed out. "A shame... I had hoped to speak with Mr. Bickle about what he had found, but... we were too late," Natty lamented. "Harlow's going to pay for what he's done," I growled. We followed the packed dirt road south out of the hamlet, the fields slowly becoming choked with bushes and trees. It was only about five minutes before unnatural colors caught my eye. To our right was a simple tent crafted from a faded purple sheet, some sticks and some rope, sitting about ten feet away from the skeleton of what appeared to be a small dragon. The tent was decorated with some brightly-colored balloons, drawings and various trinkets that would be worth their weight in gold to a child. However... the tent's interior had been ransacked. Many of the drawings had been torn and crumpled, and a lantern had been broken open and left tipped over. The little trinkets were scattered all over carelessly, the plain wooden chest they'd likely been stored inside smashed to pieces beside a dirty blanket covered in footprints. "This must be little Archie's hideout that Mrs. Bickle mentioned," breathed Natty. "Archie? Archie Bickle?" Poppy called out. But nobody answered. "He wouldn't have done this to his own hideout... someone came here looking for him," I shivered, casting a silent Appare Vestigium. A pair of small footprints began to glow with golden light, snaking their way through the grass and deep into the forest. "And it looks like he ran for it." "We'll have to follow them," swallowed Poppy. The three of us stuck close together as we tracked the footprints. The ambient light grew dimmer and dimmer the further we traveled, and soon ten minutes had passed since we'd entered. We were all growing anxious at the distinct lack of small children running for their lives we were finding. "...I thought we would have found Archie by now," Natty frowned in concern. "He must've been terrified if he's been running this long," I hummed. "I have a feeling he did witness his father's death." "If it is Harlow that's pursuing him... I have a bad feeling about this. Men like him would not think twice about killing a child... We must find Archie quickly," she sighed, huffing with exertion. After a minute or two of further travel, something yellow caught my eye - a satchel had been left hanging on a low branch. "Look, a satchel," Poppy gasped as she removed it and opened it up, revealing more drawings and trinkets. "It must be Archie's... why would he leave it behind?" "Might've thought he'd gotten away and took a moment to rest," I glanced around, casting another Appare Vestigium. The small footprints appeared again, leading deeper into the forest. "But... looks like Harlow was getting close again, and he left it behind in his haste to get away." "I really hope he did not see Harlow kill his father," Natty moaned as we continued onward. "He would never overcome it... at least not in any way I can imagine." The trees soon were thick enough to block out most of the sunlight. A sound of snapping twigs nearby made me skid to a halt, my two companions stopping a few moments later when they heard the howls. "Oh, not mongrels," Poppy whined. "I know they're vicious, but they're only trying to survive like any other beast." I could see them moving through the underbrush out of the corner of my eye, stalking around and sizing us up. "If they're hungry, then I'd at least wager that Archie didn't cross their path," I bristled, raising my wand. "Avis." A cloud of small, yellow birds erupted from my wand's tip, then I quickly waved it to turn the entire flock into chickens. The lot of them dropped out of the air and rolled around on the ground, clucking and cawing loudly. We moved away quickly, still following the footprints while the mongrels saw their opportunity and pounced on the free food. Eventually, the footprints led us to another packed dirt road. Another Appare Vestigium caused my stomach to turn - the small footprints were encircled by larger ones before disappearing altogether, marching further down the road. "Harlow caught up to him here... this is not good," Natty swallowed. A familiar-sounding whinny caught my attention - just a few yards from the path was a small group of wild thestrals, drinking from a nearby pool of water and sunning themselves in the grass. They seemed to pay us no attention as we stopped for a brief moment to quietly observe them. "Thestrals! They are beautiful, are they not?" Natty smiled gently. A nearly imperceptible sigh escaped my lips as I thought back to what I'd known about the beasts before coming to this world. Thestrals, or Bat Ponies, as they were more commonly called... well, they had existed alongside ponykind many centuries ago, though never in great numbers like the three primary races. They made up the bulk of Nightmare Moon's forces; fearsome warriors with a lust for blood and violence that could seemingly evaporate into the shadows at will. They'd vanished without a trace after Celestia banished her to the moon nearly a millennium ago, only to pop up again in conversations every few decades or so via unverifiable sightings during the night. In a way they were like the vampires in this world, but in pony form. "I... guess you could say that," I shrugged. "You've witnessed death, too?" Poppy frowned. I glanced over to her, then back at Natty... just how many of us had seen someone die before? "I witnessed death when I was nine... saw my first thestral shortly thereafter," Natty replied serenely. "I found comfort in it... I still do. I think those of us who have witnessed death deserve some comfort." "I'm sorry you had to experience that so young," Poppy bit her lip as she grabbed hold of Natty's arm. Natty lowered her head and closed her eyes. "I was with my father when he died," she whispered. "My mother was away, and I felt quite helpless... It was a long time ago in some ways, but in other ways it seems like it was only yesterday. I still see him so clearly," she raised her head towards Poppy, gazing sorrowfully at her. "You must miss him," she tilted her head. "My father was a wonderful man. I-" Natty suddenly cut herself off with a shake of her head. "...Let us keep moving. We must find Archie." Poppy gasped quietly, but nodded in agreement. We set off down the road again in silence. About ten minutes later, a bend in the road revealed the tops of the tents in a camp. Natty held out her arm to halt us, and we ducked down out of sight when an Ashwinder walked out of one tent and towards another man. "Taking in children now, are we?" he asked incredulously. "Better not be expected to feed him." I scowled as I realized what child they were talking about. "It is as I feared... they have Archie," Natty grimaced. "Well, we're going to save him," Poppy nodded once boldly. "The poor boy's suffered enough today." "I bet he's in there," I pointed to the largest tent. "C'mon... let's teach these fools a lesson." We Disillusioned ourselves and crept silently towards the camp. Once we were at its edge hidden behind a tent, we whispered to each other our plans. First Poppy began the assault by throwing out a number of her Chinese Chomping Cabbages. While they leapt around and distracted the Dark wizards Natty and I broke our charms and began firing out spells. Natty bobbed and weaved, throwing out gestures with her hands and fingers to cast a number of offensive spells - though skilled, she had a habit of not paying attention to what was behind her. But before I could help with an Ashwinder that was about to grab her from behind, she quickly transformed into her Animagus form, reared up and gored him with her sharp, slender horns. He stumbled away in shock as she transformed back, still casting without missing a beat. Meanwhile, Poppy stayed hidden, slinking into open tents and behind crates and cages, occasionally casting a supporting spell to freeze one of the men in place or knock them off balance. And I did the lion's share of the work, Diffindos ripping through locked cage and enemy alike, Confringos blowing up supplies and burning away tents, finishing the last of them off by Transfiguring a table into a manticore. They screamed in terror as they tried to flee, but the beast easily caught up to them to bite, sting and savage. While Poppy watched the manticore with carefree, childlike wonder, and Natty began Scourgifying the blood from her hair, my eyes were suddenly drawn to a small cage crafted from goblin metal mesh. Inside the too-small enclosure was a much rarer creature than the usual Puffskeins, Kneazles and Nifflers these camps usually held captive. It was a Runespoor... newly-hatched, by the look of it. Its black stripes had only barely appeared on its body, the scales a soft, creamy orange along its backs and dandelion yellow along its belly. Its three heads peered through the coils of its body curiously, three pairs of eyes glinting like peridots in the shade. I frowned - these things were not native to the region whatsoever. Setting it free would likely mean its death. With a tilt of my head, I scooped up the crate and whisked it carefully away to my pocket dimension. I'd ask Poppy on how best to deal with the incredibly venomous beast later... right now, we had a child to find. "Well, that was... violent," Poppy chuckled to us as she patted the manticore softly on its head. After letting out a low rumble it dashed away into the forest, never to be seen again. "They got what they deserved," Natty glowered, already stalking towards the largest tent. "Let's go inside." We recast Disillusionment on ourselves, pushed past the flaps and entered; the tent was much like the one that contained Horntail Hall - much bigger on the inside than it appeared. To our relief it was mostly empty, only a few Ashwinders remained to keep watch. They were easily picked off with simple spells. After about ten minutes of exploration we reached the tent's final chamber, filled with a number of chests, crates and locked cages. Suddenly, a voice cried out from close by... high-pitched and terrified. "Help... can someone help me? Is anybody there?" "That must be Archie," Poppy whispered. Sure enough, upon peering around a crate a little boy no older than five was locked inside a cage. "Please... I need your help," he whimpered as we canceled our Disillusionment Charms. "Are you Archie Bickle?" I asked. "How do you know who I am?" he blubbered as I cast a silent Alohomora on the lock. Archie came running out, immediately wrapping himself tightly around Natty's legs. "Your mother sent us to find you," Natty explained calmly, reaching down to comfort the little boy. "Oh... I'm so glad to see you!" he smiled, speaking just a little too loudly for my tastes, in case there happened to be an Ashwinder hiding out we had missed. He apologized after a quick shush. "A man called Harlow... he killed my father," Archie stared at the floor. "We know... and I'm sorry it happened," I frowned, trying not to let my rage overcome me. "He's going to pay for what he did... for everything he's done." "First, however, we must get you home to your mother," said Poppy. "Thank you... for saving me," Archie smiled timidly. The trek back through the tent was uneventful. Once we were back outside, Natty shielded his eyes from the carnage as she brought out her broomstick and helped him onto it. She got on behind him while we mounted our own, and in a few minutes' time we were back in Lower Hogsfield. Mrs. Bickle was pacing frantically in front of her house waiting for our return. As soon as she saw her son hopping off of Natty's broom, she froze in place and raised her arms excitedly. "Oh, Archie!" She bent down and swooped Archie up in her arms, holding on to him tightly as she burst into fresh tears. "You're here! ...You're safe." "Mother... oh, mother...!" Archie whined, burying his face in the crook of his mother's neck, his tiny body heaving with sobs. "Father's friends are in danger... I heard the people who took me talking about them!" Mrs. Bickle froze in place. "...Which friends, darling?" Archie gasped for breath to steady his voice. "Mr. and Mrs. Rabe... Mr. Philbert... and I think they also said Otto's name..." "I shall speak with them," Mrs. Bickle sighed as she set Archie down. "You run inside." Archie nodded wordlessly as he scrambled to the front door and disappeared inside. For his sake, I hoped that his father's corpse had been removed from the home, or at least covered up with a sheet or something. "Your husband's friends may be in danger?" Poppy asked. "Just as he was," Mrs. Bickle sighed. "How can we help?" "You've done enough," she turned to Natty, shaking her head sadly. "My husband was a powerful wizard... and couldn't defeat Harlow. The last thing we need is that monster coming for all of you." "Eh... he already doesn't like us very much. And this probably didn't help things," I shrugged. "Then you needn't anger him further... I assure you, the threat could be a lot worse. Please... please keep your distance," she begged. "We're sorry, again, about your husband Mrs. Bickle," Poppy remarked quietly. "Thank you," she nodded, "and thank you for bringing Archie home. I can never repay the three of you for your kindness!" "Not to worry, Mrs. Bickle," Natty held up a hand. "My father used to say that 'rain does not fall on one roof alone'... we are here to help each other." Mrs. Bickle nodded wordlessly, a smile finally breaking out across her face. She turned around and slipped into her house, shutting and locking the door behind her, and Natty sighed deeply. "I must learn more about Mr. Bickle's friends and why Harlow is after them," she slumped. "You mean we need to learn more," Poppy bounced onto her toes to rest a hand on Natty's shoulder. "I thought Harlow's treachery only extended to poaching, but to resort to outright murder... he needs to be stopped!" "We must track them down... it will be a difficult task," she sighed. "And I'll be right here to help you!" said Poppy. Natty gave her a tired smile. "Yes... together, we'll be able to find them. Hopefully, Harlow does not get to them first next time." "You guys probably have a better idea of where to look than I do," I grimaced uncomfortably. I didn't really want to leave this solely to them anymore, but... was it really wise for me to make myself a bigger target than I already was? "Not to mention, I... kinda have my own problems to worry about." "Oh, don't worry about it," Poppy shook her head. "It's definitely for the best that you keep a low profile. Rookwood and Harlow both are after you, after all." "Yes... I would hate to have to rescue you from them if you are caught while investigating," Natty smirked. A derisive snort escaped my lips. "You'd be investigating their complete and utter disappearance if they ever laid their hands on me," I grinned. "But definitely let me know when you find them. I'll help out." We all shared a nod as we began the walk back to the castle. Strangely... it felt rather natural walking alongside them, brainstorming ideas together. ~ Thursday evening, I made a trip to the library in order to search for a book I needed. Upon entering I could see Ominis sitting at one of the long tables, the tip of his lit wand hovering over an open book. Suddenly I was reminded of what I'd told him just before entering the hidden passage to the scriptorium... and felt a strange need to make good on my word. I tried to ignore it - I didn't go anywhere near him on my way to retrieve the book. But why? Why did I want to get to know him better? Despite whatever secrets he and his family might've held, he was so incredibly reluctant to speak of them, to the point that it just wasn't worth the trouble. You'd think the perfect way to get back at his family for the way they treated him would be to broadcast those secrets to everyone within earshot. But he was so afraid... afraid of the knowledge of Dark magic, afraid of his family's influence, afraid of his own potential. Though I still felt disgusted by his cowardice and weakmindedness, I also felt pity for him in equal measure... and that pity only made me feel even more disgust, but this time focused towards myself. This ancient magic, this newfound sense of empathy... sometimes it felt like poison in my veins. All my life, I'd never cared about others... Celestia was the only exception in my heart. Other ponies were just so inferior, so pathetic, so unintelligent and insipid and unfocused. For a brief moment I thought humans would be different, like Fig had been... but it was the same tired story here, as well. The same personality flaws in a bipedal body. ...Well, that wasn't entirely true. I'd met Sebastian, after all. He wasn't quite as great as me, but he did have more than two brain cells to rub together. But Ominis, on the other hand... it must've been the fact they were the only two boys in their year, the reason they'd become friends. Why else would he bother with him? Friends... yeesh. The mere thought made me shiver as I allowed myself a glance at the blind boy. That shiver morphed into a prickling down my spine, a sort of nervous energy that wanted to be unleashed. ... ... ... ...Well, I did say I wanted to get to know him better... and it'd be a bit suspicious if I never followed through with it. Maybe if I saw it as... following up on my scheme to get him to reveal the scriptorium's entrance, the part of my mind that found it distasteful would quiet down. After a deep sigh, I made my way over and sat down beside him. "Hey, Ominis." "Hello, Sunset," he replied, his face looking up but his eyes not following. "Do you need something?" "No, I just..." I trailed off for a moment to swallow uncomfortably. "...well, I meant it when I said we should hang out together more." "I see... well, while I am not quite sure of the meaning of the term 'hang out', I assume it means that you wish to have a chat. Very well," he nodded once as he pushed his book aside. "What would you like to discuss?" "Uh..." Now that I was actually doing this, my mind drew a blank as to conversational topics. His wand pulsed with a final red light before falling silent - I latched on to the thought and throttled out a question. "I've been wondering... feel free to stop me if you don't want to talk about it, but about your wand..." I paused for a moment to see if Ominis made a face or not. He didn't, so I continued. "When its helping you navigate around the castle... how exactly does it do that?" "Hmm... a good question," he mumbled. "I've heard Sebastian and others say that it emits red pulses of light to guide me... I think that whenever it does, I can sense whatever the light touches and move accordingly." "Whatever the light touches," I parroted, thinking to myself. "Does the light kind of bounce off the objects around you? Furniture, walls, that sort of thing?" "I suppose so," he replied. "Alright... so it works like echolocation," I nodded in confirmation. "Your wand uses imperceptible sound waves to help you sense your surroundings," I clarified when I saw Ominis' face screw up in confusion. "Sound, you say?" he hummed. "But how is it that I can see these sound waves, sense exactly what my surroundings are?" "That... would take me a couple hours to explain," I frowned, not really wanting to launch into a lecture about acoustics and biology. "You can see them, though... I wonder if it's red like the light from your wand." "I wouldn't know," he deadpanned. "I haven't a clue what red is supposed to look like." "Well... hmm." I bit my lip as I thought how best to describe a color to someone incapable of sight. "Red is... the color of blood." No, can't really use other objects to describe it... maybe something more metaphorical will work. "The color of danger and warnings... Of strong emotions like anger, and love." "Is that so," said Ominis, a hint of a grin on his face. "I suppose that could be it, my wand warning me of what lies ahead... but I am aware that there's more than just one color. How would you describe them?" It turned out to be an enjoyable mental exercise, describing colors using concepts and senses other than sight. I explained orange to him as the sourness of citrus fruits, the smell of autumn leaves and the warmth of a sunset (my old color scheme did more or less blend together to make orange). Yellow was exuberant happiness and joy, the heat of the summer sun and the honk of a daffodil. Green was lush, verdant grass and leaves, the coolness of shade, the emotions of envy and jealousy. Blue was sorrow and fear, the dual gentleness and fury of water and ice, the boundless horizons of sky and the solitude of the moon. Purple was the emotion of passion, the aura of royalty, the taste of wine. Intrigued and amused, he spurred me on. Black encompassed the most negative of emotions, especially depression. It was also the absence of light, yet also all the colors combined into one, the isolation of outer space and the comfort of one's shadow. White wasn't quite the opposite of negative emotions, but it was purity and innocence, and the cold crunch of snow. Gray was a gloomy emotion, the touch of rain and stone and metal, and the scent of dust. Pink was another color of love, but being red mixed with white it was more innocent and pure, more young. It was also the sweetness of fruit, and the scent of flowers. And brown was the ruggedness of wood, the scent of the earth... and the sound of farts, on a more comedic note. "Fascinating," Ominis sighed after the laughter from my last explanation ceased. "Well, from what you've described, then I suppose I see the world in shades of black, blue and red." "I see... interesting," I hummed, trailing off. I did feel mildly sad and sorry that he'd likely never be able to actually see these other colors. Briefly I wondered if Equestrian magic would be able to restore his sight, but even if it could, it'd likely be too much of a shock to his system after so many years of darkness. Perhaps if I could come up with the right spell... if I remembered correctly, blind people could see colors in their dreams- "There you two are." My head whipped around to see Sebastian drawing near, taking a seat across from us. "Have I missed something amusing?" "Sunset was just describing to me the color of a fart," smiled Ominis. I grinned as Sebastian broke out into a loud snicker. "Ah, yes... undertaking the finest of intellectual pursuits, I see." He turned towards me, the smile on his face growing even wider. "Anne's begun taking the potion you've brewed... she's already noticed a major difference in her health. Last night was the first in months she's been able to have a full night's rest." "I told you," I replied smugly. "My calculations are never wrong." "You... you've actually brewed a cure for Anne?" Ominis drew back in shock. "Not yet," I shook my head, "but I did whip up a treatment for her bouts of pain. I'm certain I'll come up with the cure with just a little more research." "All thanks to one of the books we found in the scriptorium," Sebastian added pointedly. "It would've never been possible without going in there." At this new bit of information, concern washed over Ominis' face. "You used Dark magic in that potion?" he bristled. "Dark reagents?!" "Of course I did," I shrugged. "It's how you counter a Dark magic curse. Don't start worrying about it, now... it has zero negative side effects, I triple-checked all my equations and measurements to make sure of it." Despite my surety, Ominis didn't seem entirely convinced. But he put on as brave a face as he could muster. "I hope you're right about this," he sighed. "It's working, isn't it?" grunted Sebastian. "It will do just fine until I can cure her for good," I waved a hand dismissively. "The important thing is that she isn't suffering nearly as much anymore." Ominis' lips thinned. "...I suppose you are right," he finally admitted. "It always did strike me as distasteful that Solomon insisted nothing could be done for her." The mere mentioning of his name made my gut begin to simmer; across from me, Sebastian's face darkened. "He gave up on her," he seethed. "Far too soon." "Ooh, you did tell her to keep it a secret from him, right?" I jolted as I realized something. "I can definitely make more, but I'd hate for him to just keep Vanishing it away from her for no good reason." He nodded. "I told her, don't worry. She suggested it herself when I informed her of some of its ingredients... Uncle Solomon would be furious if he found out about it." "How will you explain her seemingly-miraculous recovery, then?" asked Ominis. "Already thought of that. She'll simply play it off as a gradual recovery. By summer's end, she should be in decent enough health to come back to Hogwarts for our 6th year." "And that gives me plenty of time to find the actual cure," I added, nodding. "And... if you cannot...?" Ominis questioned slowly. Sebastian groaned under his breath, and I snorted in annoyance. So distrusting, underestimating my greatness... but he did have a fair point. "...We'll cross that bridge when we get to it," I waved away. With another sigh, Ominis closed his eyes in resignation. "...Very well."