...But another possibility is to drop out of sight, bettering themselves and their skills, before reemerging more successful than ever before! The only danger here is that while cloistered, they may stagnate or get involved in a lifestyle or family situation where they, in fact, never reemerge at all...

By the time Ominis, Sebastian and I graduated from Hogwarts, we'd seen enough adventure and peril for a lifetime. But all throughout, we had each other's backs. All three of us knew we could rely on each other - we'd truly become our own sort of family, the support each of us never had before.

Now that we were full-fledged adults, our lives changed. Upon turning seventeen, Sebastian received the inheritance he was entitled to in his parents' will; Anne was still missing at the time, seemingly having fallen off the face of the earth. Nobody had seen her since she left Feldcroft, and our letters to her all went unanswered. Because of this he was given the option to take it all for himself, but he told the Gringotts goblins to keep Anne's half safe in their vault, just in case. All in all it turned out to be a tidy sum - combined with my stores of wealth taken from Equestria, we honestly had enough money to live pretty comfortably in Fig's old house. We could pursue any careers we wanted, not having to worry about how well it might've paid.

So I set to work on creating my legacy. With Sebastian faithfully studying alongside me I'd discovered quite a bit about ancient magic, and tirelessly worked on researching ever more, compiling my findings into a couple of books and having them published. I'd even finally figured out how to teach others to harness their own emotions and channel them along with their will, so they could wield the magic, too - as promised, Sebastian was the first to learn everything I knew. Even so, it took him a while to get the hang of it... it was nearly ten years before he fully mastered the power, to be able to use and cast the magic as naturally as I could. Despite explaining how to sense the magic within them as simply as I could, including his own input on the matter, stories of other witches and wizards gaining the ability to wield ancient magic were few and far between.

But it was spreading. Scholars the world over wrote to me about my research, deeply interested in this rediscovered lost magic and hoping for possible collaboration, or at least an opportunity to get the first news of my latest findings. The Ministry of Magic, as I had feared, took great interest in me shortly after my third book was published... but by then I had made enough of a name for myself that I felt confident I couldn't possibly be disappeared from the world without loud public outcry. Instead I was graciously invited to all of the major wizarding schools, Ministries and colleges all over the globe, giving lectures and demonstrations on the subject and inspiring countless young minds. A few of the especially-gifted students even managed to wield little bits of it after learning directly from me.

I liked the feeling of benefiting the world like this. I also began publishing books about various types of magic from Equestria that this world didn't have, such as the Post-Trauma Potion, the mageblade spell, teleportation and several others. Though they all received vast amounts of praise (and money) for their "invention", some of them were taught and used as intended far more than others. It turned out that Sebastian really was just smarter than your average wizard - teleportation was much harder to grasp than Apparition for most people. The Post-Trauma Potion was almost exclusively brewed for the game it produced when the imbiber thought of a traumatic memory... though some Muggle philosopher-protopsychologist by the name of Freud once got his hands on one, and before it was discovered by the Ministry and he could be Obliviated, he published a book about how the different shapes resembled various sexual organs and the imbiber's subconscious desire to screw their parents or something.

Ever hungry for action and excitement, and having the youthful desire to make a name for himself as well, Sebastian took Professor Hecat's suggestion to heart and became a Warlock: a professional duelist. He proved to be a natural, quickly rising through the ranks and winning nearly every tournament he entered - and thanks to the extra Equestrian spells I'd taught him, he even became the World Champion within a year. Few opponents could match his knowledge of spells or his agile mind, and fewer still could break through his defenses and land a hit on him. Even as he later refrained from using ancient magic when he was finally able to wield it, he was far too powerful a wizard for most to handle. His simplest of spells would send the opposition flying into the roaring crowds.

He became even more famous than I was - numerous businesses and companies wanted him as their spokesman, and enamored witches and wizards alike hounded him for his autograph and threw themselves at him in the streets, even as I walked alongside him. Some of their lascivious requests in their pathetic attempts to flirt with him were actually pretty funny. All the while he would gently turn them down, proclaiming that he already had everything he could ever want and more as he'd wrap an arm around my waist.

Between tournaments he also wrote books - his were about the philosophy of magic not being good nor evil, but simply a tool. It was also a topic that I believed in; my name appeared in his books as a co-author several times, as his did in mine. Together we explored the implications of using spells classified as Dark magic for ethically sound purposes, making arguments for the most harmless of hexes to the Unforgivables, and everything in between. These books would eventually come to form the basis of a new breed of wizard - not Light, nor Dark - but Grey.

At least a couple owls a day dropped off mail at our house from wizards and witches all over the world. Most of it was from fans that praised these combined works, like-minded individuals thrilled to finally have a proper name for their personal philosophies... of course, some of it was also from those that disagreed, running the gamut from mild displeasure all the way to thinly-veiled, amusingly ironic death threats. Howlers did nothing but hurt our ears, so they were immediately disintegrated with an Incendio; the few that were actually bewitched to be booby-trapped were fun to return to sender.

Though he was certainly skilled enough to hold a magical career, Ominis chose to pursue the arts after graduation. He focused intently on bettering his skills on his triple harp, and soon made a name for himself as a decently popular musician. He was often commissioned to perform at galas, galleries and other social events, and occasionally performed in orchestras as a special guest. It brought him a sense of great peace, knowing that at least one Gaunt was known for such purity, beauty and grace in the world, as opposed to the rest of his family. Other than the occasional rumor of his brothers scoffing at his performances or his parents voicing their disappointment in him, he was left completely alone by them, as though he'd never existed at all in their eyes. But he cared not, and was happy to remain no-contact with all of his family members.

Of course, I kept in touch with my other two best friends. Natty and Poppy were as strong together as ever. The former - with her sense of justice and desire to defend the weak - became an Auror, while the latter became a Magizoologist... and a sort of substitute professor to a teenaged Hufflepuff after learning he'd been expelled from Hogwarts after an incident involving Jarveys. The two girls had gotten married shortly after graduation - a lovely ceremony full of beasts and elements of Ugandan culture - but due to Natty's line of work they often weren't able to visit much.

A few years passed. Life got busier as we charged head-on into adulthood and its responsibilities. Five years after graduation, Sebastian finally decided to make things officially official between us - he proposed and we got married. It was a relatively private and simple affair, with only a few of our closest colleagues in attendance. Ominis was the best man, while Natty and Poppy both were my maids of honor. It was a nice break from the massive crowds brought on by fame and notoriety, of which I was beginning to tire of. All those scholars and my countless admirers were just so demanding! It was nice to have a day all about me for once...

She tried to be respectful and discreet about her presence, but needless to say, the three of us were shocked. It turned out that Rookwood's curse had actually broken itself the day she and Sebastian turned seventeen, and became legal adults. But she was still mired deep in emotional turmoil, from the loss of Solomon and suddenly regaining the life they had both insisted was lost, and coming to terms with everything that had happened. She snuck out of the sanatorium that had taken her in and spent the years wandering, searching for inner peace, understanding and reconciliation. One day, after reading one of her brother's books it finally struck her how much he'd done to try to cure her, and the horrible things their uncle had said and done to him - both of them in turn.

She wasn't sure if she agreed with his philosophy, but she was grateful that he'd loved her so much, he would go so far to save her. Now she was happy for her brother's marriage, and hoped that in time, their own relationship could heal. I offered to expedite the process by removing her emotional pain - I had finally figured out how Isidora had done it, and safely, too - but nobody had ever been able to track her down. She considered it for a brief moment before shaking her head with a smile, and that was that.

I had never seen Sebastian so happy since completing our vows a couple hours prior to this reunion. He wouldn't smile that brightly again until our daughter was born.

It was clear from the start that September was a witch with my pony DNA - no sooner had the midwife spanked her into crying for air that the swat was returned upside her head with a weak blast resembling a Depulso. She was actually born in July, but I'd wanted her to have an Equestrian-styled name in honor of her heritage, and Sebastian was acquiescent to the idea. September Sallow-Shimmer quickly grew into a beautiful young woman; she had her father's reddish-brown hair with pale yellow streaks like mine, along with her father's eyes.

Our greatest strengths had been passed down, and bloomed within her. She was every bit as hungry for knowledge as we were, spending her time reading all the books she could get her hands on and assisting me with the less-dangerous aspects of my research. She couldn't see ancient magic like I could, but worked at sensing it until she could wield it much like her father. She approached every situation with poise and rationality, keeping calm and collected as she kept her mind open and full of wonder... but she was also very much capable of spontaneity, mischief and deviousness, just like we were at her age. When she was eventually accepted into Hogwarts, she was sorted into Ravenclaw. It was a surprise at first, as she shared our ambition for magical knowledge and power, but it also made perfect sense.

Sebastian especially doted on her, giving her all the love and support he wished he'd received growing up. Uncle Ominis and auntie Anne also spoiled her with attention and gifts; as Anne came to visit more and more often as she and Sebastian grew closer, her relationship with Ominis was also revived, and grew stronger. The affection they shared in their school days blossomed once more, and eventually, he left our house to live with her. They soon got married as well; neither of them wanted children, especially Ominis - they were content to babysit and play with September during the day while still being able to give her back to us at night.

The years passed, and humanity advanced. Powered flight was invented and quickly mastered, airships giving way to airplanes. A gathering of nations from all over the world was organized, holding events similar to the Equestrian Games back home. Automobiles became more and more prominent as the main mode of Muggle transportation - Sebastian and I bought one out of curiosity, and learning how to drive was both harrowing and exhilarating. Movies were finally invented, as well as the theory of relativity, plastic and washing machines. There were also major breakthroughs made in other fields of science, technology, culture and medicine... at long last, humans were beginning to catch up to ponykind.

But while there were many great leaps and strides forward, there were also many times where I just had to shake my head at the chaos in this world. While I'd never had much faith in ponykind's ability to resolve their own conflicts... well, they had absolutely nothing on the utter stupidity of humans. Muggles proved to be even more racist, bigoted and xenophobic than ponies, and they were astoundingly quick to act upon perceived weaknesses and slights against their peoples, or even themselves. Presidents, kings and more were frequently murdered in the name of revolution, the completion of the Royal Navy's Dreadnought sparked a worldwide arms race, protests against a rebellion ultimately brought an end to the Qing dynasty in faraway China, and additional parts of Africa were brought to heel under British rule.

And the Ten Rules of War soon proved to have been essential to create - various conflicts had broken out in multiple countries all around the world, the grim events linking together into a daisy chain of escalation until one Archduke too many was assassinated, and war was declared over nearly the entire continent of Europe. It only spread from there like Fiendfyre, and all too quickly the casualties on either side grew to staggering numbers. The Ministry of Magic had forbidden the wizarding world from getting involved on account of possibly causing far too many breaches of the International Statute of Secrecy to count... but the cat had clawed its way out of that bag long ago. Many witches and wizards knew Muggles that were fighting and wanted to aid them, and all the prominent pureblood families had taken sides, covertly influencing a battle here, or a treaty there.

There was also a drastic shift in wizard/Muggle relations. A schism of sorts had formed - horrified at the violent new inventions of Muggles for use in their war, the majority of witches and wizards from all walks of life had begun boycotting their technology. Magic was superior to Muggle barbarism, they would claim, and similar propaganda was spread throughout the papers for cheap ways to generate shock, outrage and profits. I vehemently disagreed, fearing that if wizardkind willfully ignored the desire for innovation, a drive to improve on the spells and mundane devices we all had access to, the wizarding world would quickly grow stagnant. No longer would wizardkind be superior, or even equivalent to Muggle culture if they allowed them to surpass us in so many fields.

But as the world fell apart around us, our family - my dearest Sebastian and September, and Ominis and Anne - remained safe. Various protective charms reinforced by ancient magic kept our residences hidden from any who might've wished to see us harmed, and well-defended against any magic, potential artillery fire, gas attacks or bombing runs. We cancelled extraneous travel plans and lectures, keeping as low a profile as our fame would allow. The Headmaster of Hogwarts also took the time to write and reassure each and every student, along with their families that security at the school would be taken very seriously. Trips to Hogsmeade were now restricted, and Aurors (though sadly, not Natty) would stand guard by the castle's entrances and within just in case.

~
August, 1915

25 years later
~

It happened in the summer just before September's 5th year at Hogwarts, coincidentally enough. The door to our house suddenly flew open, and our heads turned in shock to see Ominis and Anne fling themselves through the threshold and slam it shut in a hurry. They were out of breath as they cast several locking charms to keep it that way.

"I-It happened so suddenly... W-We were out shopping in Diagon A-Alley when we were surrounded by Hit Wizards!" Anne gasped as she returned Ominis' dropped wand to him.

"We only managed to A-Apparate here because my girls f-fought back against them... o-oh, my poor girls," Ominis shuddered, trying to hold back a sob. "T-They told m-me, us to run, b-but..."

"Oh, not the Runespoor," September frowned in sympathy, covering her mouth with her hands. "I hope they're alright."

"Come, sit down. Tell us exactly what happened," Sebastian glowered, gesturing to the couch in the living room. While September put together some tea and snacks, Ominis and Anne described the attack in full to us. From their experience and in researching past (and later future) articles in the Daily Prophet, we pieced together that the Gaunts had been found to be collaborating with the Germans, slipping them vital information about both Muggle and clandestine Wizarding military activities. In response, the Ministry decided that the entire family was to be dealt with... with extreme prejudice. Nearly all of Ominis' relatives, close and distant, were either arrested and imprisoned in Azkaban or killed outright when they resisted, and the family's properties and Gringotts accounts were seized and frozen. The only ones to escape this purge and vanish into obscurity were his eldest brother Marvolo and his two small children.

The fact that a Runespoor came out of his robes and struck at the Hit Wizards sent to apprehend him was all the proof the Ministry needed of his involvement and his guilt. The very next morning the main article of the Prophet would declare Ominis and his wife Public Enemies Number One and Two, and a reward of ten thousand Galleons would be offered to any witch or wizard with information about his or Anne's whereabouts.

"We can't go back," Anne shivered, staring into her teacup. "They'll be upon us the second anyone spots us!"

"That's alright," replied Sebastian, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "The two of you can just stay here! You don't even need to leave the house, I'll take care of everything you might need."

But Ominis shook his head. "I-I'm afraid it won't be enough. They know about our associations with each other, they'll likely come to this house in their search for us next! We must leave immediately, I would hate to put the three of you in such danger!"

"We can handle it," Sebastian glared, ancient magic flaring protectively in his eyes. "I'll be damned if I let anything happen to either of you."

"Me too... but I don't think even the two of us can fight the entire Ministry and win," I frowned, gently grabbing his arm. The magic quickly dissipated from his eyes as he blinked it away and looked at me. "They're far too stubborn to listen to reason, and even if we somehow wiped them all out with our magic, the Ministries from the other countries would definitely get involved, and... that wouldn't go in our favor."

"Is there anywhere they could hide?" asked September. "Somewhere the Ministry would never think to look." We all fell silent, pondering the best places Ominis and Anne could retreat to. Thoughts of remote islands and countries with strict extradition laws filled my mind, but none of them were good enough to me. The Ministry could travel wherever they liked, and word would certainly travel fast among their wizarding communities that a certain blind member of the Gaunt family had been seen in the area.

No, the perfect hiding place was somewhere even the Ministry couldn't go. Somewhere deemed the safest place on earth...

"Perfect! Where?" Anne sighed in relief as everyone turned to face me. I swallowed anxiously before answering.

That very night, the five of us teleported to Hogwarts. The castle was still largely empty for the summer, with only the caretaker and the House Elves inside. Even the Aurors had mostly gone home for the day, the single one left to stand guard easily misdirected away from the entrance so we could all sneak inside under Disillusionment.

"What are we looking for again? A mirror?" Ominis whispered, his white outlines glimmering like silver in the light of the sconces.

"The Mirror of Erised," September answered back. "From what mom described, I think I saw a mirror like that in the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom a few months ago."

"I wonder why it's in there," mumbled Sebastian. "It doesn't strike me as being Dark."

"I don't know, but whatever the reason, I hope the Portkey's still active," I frowned. The conversation died out as we walked in silence, winding our way through the halls and struggling to ascend the many staircases (it'd been years since my legs had to work that hard, after all). As I gazed upon the sleeping portraits, the tapestries and the polished stonework, hundreds of cherished memories came flooding back to me.

And, evidently, to Sebastian. "Heh... do you remember our first time together in the Restricted Section, dear?" he grinned as we passed by the library.

"Of course," I smirked. "Peeves caught us and you took the full brunt of getting yelled at by Madam Scribner."

"You're welcome for that," grunted Ominis, though a slight smile was on his face as well. "Spent a grand total of five minutes in detention thanks to me. Scribner was furious when Sebastian waltzed out of the room with not a care in the world."

"More than I can remember... I never did thank you for having my back like that, even after being a right bastard to you sometimes," Sebastian looked away fondly, yet guiltily. "I apologize."

"Ah, don't mention it," Ominis shook his head. "I knew your heart was in the right place. You were just trying to help Anne."

"Yes, well... most of the time," he admitted. "There were also times we snuck in purely for leisure."

"...They moved the smut last year. Took me ages to find it again," September complained under her breath, thinking she was being quiet enough for us not to hear. Sebastian and I's breaths hitched in shock before we broke out into laughter, while Ominis and Anne played the part of proper parents and chastised her both for going where she shouldn't and looking at such adult materials.

We continued to reminisce as we moved through the school. Tales of homework assignments, spells practiced and pranks pulled were shared among the four of us, eliciting quiet giggles that echoed down the dark corridors. As we neared the Defense Against the Dark Arts wing, another memory came to me...

...And a bit of a diversion. I had to admit, a pit of anxiety was building in my stomach the closer we got to the mirror. I tried to tell myself that it was just because soon, it'd be quite difficult for the three of us to ever visit Ominis and Anne again.

"I would," Anne nodded. We made our way to the lone clock at the end of the hallway; the wand movements required to open the way came easily, as though I were still a student. With a nostalgic chime the door swung open, and we descended the short stairs and lifted the portcullis to enter. "It hasn't changed a bit," she sighed happily as her eyes darted back and forth.

"It's nice that nobody knows it's here, but mom's Room is so much more useful," said September. Ominis inhaled and exhaled slowly, his eyes closed in thought.

"...If you'd like, you may tell your friends about this place," his eyes opened again. "I don't believe my family shall have need of it any longer." September's eyes widened in glee.

"Really?! Awesome! It'll be the perfect place for all of us to hang out alone, instead of hoping nobody decides to wander into one of the unused classrooms."

"Your father taught me how to cast Confringo in here," I grinned at her. "Told me all about how he and Ominis singed their eyebrows off when they learned how to cast it themselves."

"The both of you did look rather ridiculous," Anne giggled softly. After looking around for another minute or two we left, refocusing on the task at hand. The Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom was close by.

My heart began to pound as we entered the room, the mirror propped up against the wall near the back.

"Right. So, how do we activate the Portkey?" Sebastian asked as he moved towards it, stopping as he realized I wasn't following him. "Sunset?"

"Are you alright, love?" he asked, his face softening in concern. I took a few deep breaths to calm myself, the last one a sigh as I forced myself forward.

"No, but... There's one last big secret I haven't told either of you... any of you." I shivered as I turned back around to face him - all of them, my lips pressed together into a thin line. "And that would be... where I truly come from."

"From... Equestria," Sebastian replied with a hint of uncertainty. "You've told me all about it, told our daughter all about it."

"Yea, but..." I hesitated. How in the hell was I going to explain this? I really couldn't, not in any way, shape or form that sounded the least bit sane. "...Well, you'll see."

"No, but the... trip through the mirror might sting a little." I walked up to the mirror and gazed at my reflection. After a few moments the surface rippled like water, my reflection distorting and discoloring until it disappeared entirely. An image of a white marble room with azure floor tiles appeared in its place, the only object of note being a closed door directly in the center.

"Alright... well, let's get this over with." As discussed earlier, everyone linked their hands together with Epoximise to be certain we would all make it through. My heart was thumping so vigorously it felt like it might burst through my chest.

Would I see her again? Of course I would, it was her castle we would appear inside. But what would she say to me when we were discovered?

I looked back to my companions - my family - once more. My eyes fell upon Ominis and Anne, and the importance of shepherding them to safety quickly overpowered my apprehension.

With another deep breath and a sigh, I stepped into the portal, with my family right behind me.

In an instant I was enveloped in total darkness. The ground gave out beneath my feet, yet I did not fall. I tried to move, but my body would not respond. It was like I had become paralyzed, yet I was still so very aware of every little sensation I felt in my limbs. Slowly my body began to stretch and contort in ways it should never have been able to - bones bending, breaking and fusing themselves back together; skin stretching, tearing and knitting itself whole once more; muscles, visceral fat and organs lurching from one body part to another like giant, fleshy slugs inside me, or sloughing off entirely and vanishing into the darkness. I had hoped I'd never feel this pain again, but even as I heard theirs behind me I did not allow myself to scream.

I felt myself land on my stomach, on a cold, hard, tile floor covered by a rug. My clothes suddenly felt extremely loose and baggy, and I willed my eyes open as I instinctually shook them off.

But once I finally registered what I was seeing, I froze. My body was no longer human in shape.

And neither were the others. In the process our hands had come apart when they transformed into hooves, but all five of us were still together. They groaned with disorientation as they slowly picked themselves up off the floor.

Ominis was the first to realize something was different. "What...? I feel so... wait, w-where's my wand?"

"Hey... w-where are my hands?" Anne stammered as she stared at her new appendages. "Why do I have hooves?!"

Figuring it'd be best to just get the shock out of their systems, I conjured up a large mirror so everyone could see themselves. Ominis now had a pale green coat to match his eyes with the color of his mane and tail resembling his human hair, and had a Cutie Mark of a black harp on his flanks. September's coat was a glowing, light tan - her flanks were still blank; understandable since humans generally didn't just realize what their destiny was in a flash of inspiration. Anne and Sebastian looked very similar, having pale yellow coats and similar body shapes - the sister's Cutie Mark was of a pair of crossed vials containing a red and a blue potion, while the brother's was a black and grey quill over an open spellbook.

Ominis blinked a few times as he unconsciously activated his new Unicorn magic, the familiar red glow that used to emanate from his wand now shining from his horn. In this fashion he was able to sense himself as the others saw themselves in the mirror and shrank back in utter bafflement. While Anne and Ominis both reacted by gasping loudly, September regarded herself with her usual decorum of fascination and curiosity, and Sebastian stared at his new look in silent stupefaction for at least ten seconds before...

"Yep, that was my reaction, too," I nodded, my lips thin as I set the mirror down. "But we're here... welcome to Equestria." Nobody- er, pony spoke for another ten seconds, too stunned by their brand new reality.

"But... w-what is this?! W-Why have we all been Transfigured into horses?!" shrieked Anne.

"Well, I'm not entirely sure myself, but I would guess it's because we're in an entirely different universe than Earth," I shrugged with a grimace. "You're on the planet Equus, inside Princess Celestia's castle in Canterlot, the capital of Equestria. It's a nation of ponies; there's no such thing as a human in this world... but in their place, a good number of the beasts from the wizarding world are sapient and have civilizations of their own here: hippogriffs, griffons, dragons-"

"Wait... w-wait..." Ominis gaped aimlessly to my left. "We're... w-we're not human anymore?!"

"Yes. This is... actually my true form. I'm a pony. I was never human to begin with." His mouth dropped to the floor as his eyes shrank to the size of pinpricks, listlessly dragging towards the ground as he tried to process this impossible revelation. While Anne and Ominis exchanged looks of sheer confusion and horror, September seemed rather calm and accepting of the whole situation, placing a concerned hoof on her father's back. It prompted him to finally speak again.

"I can't believe this... a-all this time, Equestria, all those horse-related names and puns, it was all because... you're actually a horse?!"

"Whoa. We're ponies, not horses," I corrected. "And, well... yes. I'm a Unicorn pony. As are all of you, as a matter of fact," I smiled.

"We're unicorns?" blinked Ominis. "Wait, is... that why I can sense my surroundings, even without my wand?"

"Sounds logical to me," I nodded. "When I went through the mirror to the human world, my horn fell off of my head... but I was able to use it just like a wand. So I'm guessing when you all went through, your wands fused to your heads to become your unicorn horns."

"But... what about you, Sunset? You have wings!" Anne gaped, pointing with her hoof. "Unicorns don't have wings!"

Wha... wings? "Huh?" It was then that I felt something strange... limbs that stretched and flexed from the center of my back. I turned my head, seeing a pair of feathery wings spreading out from my sides.

"...Well. Would you look at that," I chuckled once, trying to work out how to consciously flex and flap my new appendages. "At some point in time, I became an Alicorn."

"A Princess. They embody the traits and magic of all three pony races: Unicorns, Pegasi and Earth ponies," I explained with a smile. "Celestia is also an alicorn, the Princess of Equestria and the Sun."

"I... b-but... hold on... w-why did you never tell me this?!" gawked Sebastian. "I have... so many questions about everything, about this world, a-about you! I- ...N-Not that it would've changed a thing between us, but this is the sort of thing I would've wanted to know years ago, before we-"

"Be real. Would you have believed me if I told you I came from a country of talking, rainbow-colored ponies?" I interrupted him with a flat glare. His eyes darted back and forth and his mouth hung open as he froze, thinking so hard about my question I could nearly see smoke rising from his head.

Before any further questions could be asked, the door suddenly flew open. A pair of guardsponies rushed into the room, their halberds aimed squarely at our barrels.

"Halt, intruders!" one of them demanded. "Nopony is to come anywhere near that mirror!"

"Uh..." The other guard began lightly jabbing the first in the side; when he'd gotten his attention he pointed to a picture of me that had been posted next to the mirror. Underneath my picture was a notice reading that if I was seen, then Celestia was to be alerted at once, and I and anypony with me was to be given a warm welcome and asked to wait for her.

"O-Oh!" the first guard stammered. "I-It's you! Sunset Shimmer! Uh, wait right there, all of you! Um, welcome back! W-Welcome to the Royal Palace!"

"Er... thanks?" I winced as both of them raced out through the threshold and in opposite directions down the halls.

"Huh. It looks like they know who you are, mom," September mused as she read the flyer beside the mirror.

"I... see that," I nodded dumbly, my entire body beginning to shake. Celestia wanted to be alerted to my return immediately?

Well, of course she would... but why? Was she going to be happy to see me? Or was she going to immediately throw me in the dungeons like a criminal on the run, considering how I'd left? I quickly lost track of time as my mind turned somersaults within itself, the voices of my family fading into indistinct, muddled hums in the background.

Her voice broke me out of my mental prison, and I blinked as the world returned to me. A radiant white alicorn peeked through the door, her aurora mane billowing through the threshold. Just below her was, unexpectedly, another alicorn, this one purple with an indigo mane streaked with pink and violet.

Before I could ask about her, though, whiteness filled my vision as I was immediately swept up into a tender, warm hug. The only sounds I could hear were heavy breathing and a deep, strong heartbeat.

"It's you... it's really y-you..." Celestia whimpered softly, trying not to cry and failing miserably. The breath I hadn't realized I was holding in let itself out in a ragged, soundless laugh.

"Oh, how I've missed you, my dearest Sunset... I've missed you so, so much," she inhaled slowly as she pulled away to look at me. "You've grown into such a fine young mare- ah! And you have wings!" she gasped, elated. "You've ascended!"

"Is that what it's called...?" I smiled sheepishly, suddenly feeling a little self-conscious.

"I'll have to tell you about the process... Oh, and who are your companions?" she smiled, warmly as ever as she gazed over my shoulder. "Please accept my apologies for ignoring you all like this. I am Princess Celestia- but please, there's no need for formalities," she added quickly at the sight of Ominis beginning to bow out of respect. "Celestia is just fine." She released me from her embrace as I moved back towards them.

"Ah, right... well, this is my husband, Sebastian, and our daughter, September," I grinned proudly, wrapping a wing around each of them. "And these two, this is our close friend Ominis and his wife, Anne... also Sebastian's sister."

"Your family... your friends..." Celestia's smile grew even wider. "You've even discovered friendship."

"I did!" I nodded. The other alicorn walked timidly into the room during the introductions as not to interrupt our reunion, but I still took notice of her. "Uh... who are you?"

"Oh, me? Ehehehe... my name's Twilight Sparkle," she smiled awkwardly. "It's nice to finally meet you, Sunset. Celestia's told me all about you!"

"...Ah! Mostly good things, don't worry," she clarified. "She really missed you."

"Don't be rude," Anne hissed, interrupting Sebastian's disbelieving drawl by brusquely jabbing him in the ribs, making him yelp instead.

"...I could ask the same about the name Sebastian," Twilight quipped slyly, earning a chuckle from both me and Celestia.

"Oh, Sunset... It is so good to see you after all these years," my former mentor- ...my mother sighed. Her expression soon switched from happiness to concern, however. "Even though I had always hoped, I never once dreamed I'd ever see you again. Is there a reason you have returned?"

"Right... um, I have a... favor to ask," I bit my lip nervously. "Uh... long story short, Ominis and Anne need someplace safe to stay for the foreseeable future. I thought there'd be no safer place than Equestria, so I was hoping-"

"Say no more," Twilight shook her head, holding out her hoof as she smiled. "Your friends are more than welcome to seek asylum here. I'll see to it that they're well taken care of."

"And I have nothing but faith that you will," Celestia nodded once as she regarded Twilight. "Well, let's not just stand here!" she exclaimed as she looked back at me, her gaze sweeping over the others after a moment. "I want to hear all about what you've been up to, and how you met your friends and your husband! Come, let's find somewhere a bit more suitable for conversation."

"Right!" I beamed as I followed her out of the room. As the others fell in line behind me, Twilight raced down the hall to the right, only stopping when she approached a small purple dragon with green spines. Celestia moved in the opposite direction so I couldn't hear what the two were talking about, other than the words "celebration" and "friends".

But Celestia's voice prompted me to turn back towards her. There were tears of happiness in her eyes as she smiled warmly at me.

Warmth flooded my body, tears of happiness running down my own cheeks as Sebastian and September hurried to my sides.

A large celebratory banquet was held that night. Alongside Celestia I also met her dear sister Princess Luna, and heard from them both that there were two more alicorns that resided in the reborn Crystal Empire: their niece Princess Cadance (married to Twilight's older brother Shining Armor) and her young daughter Flurry Heart. I also met Twilight's best friends and fellow Elements of Harmony: Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash and Rarity, as well as her personal assistant and kinda-sorta brother, Spike. To my shock I also met Discord, who was much nicer than the legends I remembered had described him as, though he was still every bit as capricious in his actions and expressions.

I spent hours recounting the life I'd lived after going through the mirror. Sebastian and Ominis both piped up with anecdotes as I talked about discovering ancient magic and defeating Ranrok, about spoiling the plans of and destroying the local crime syndicate, and also about life at Hogwarts and the human world in general. Anne and September also helped me explain the many differences between the Wizarding World and Equestria.

Then Twilight and her friends recounted her tale - of how she was chosen as Celestia's new personal protégé after displaying a truly massive burst of magic during her entrance exam for the School for Gifted Unicorns, how she was sent to Ponyville to make friends and save Princess Luna from the Nightmare on the 1000th anniversary of her banishment, of how she ascended and became an Alicorn after completing Starswirl's final unfinished spell, and of the many adventures they had all experienced up until now. Now she was not only the world-famous Princess of Friendship, but since Celestia and Luna had both announced the abdication of their thrones, she was also to become the new Ruler of Equestria in just a few scant months.

A tiny part of me burned with jealousy... but it was easily quashed. I'd had my taste of power, fame and fortune, and it was more than enough for me. Ruling an entire nation frankly sounded so exhausting.

"What the-?" Confused, I turned in the direction of the noise, as did everypony else. There was now a massive hole in the side of Celestia's banquet hall, the wind billowing through and blowing the tablecloth up over our plates. Standing in the middle of the hole were three creatures: an insectoid pony covered in black chitin like armor, with stringy, corpse-blue hair, glasslike wings and holes bored into her legs and horn; a centaur-like being with red skin, black fur and white hair, and a small pink filly with a short, curly, pale blue mane and tail, hovering in the air with her wings as she brandished a horn nearly the length of her own body.

"Gah! There you miserable ponies are!" shouted the insectoid pony. While everypony in the room gasped, my mind quickly recounted the tales Twilight and her friends had told. These had to be some of the villains they had faced before: the exiled but still terrible Queen Chrysalis, the ancient and monstrous centaur lord Tirek, and the cute but shockingly sociopathic Cozy Glow! I mean, seriously, after hearing about some of the subterfuge she pulled off, she would've put filly-aged me to shame!

"What are the three of you doing here?!" Celestia growled, her magic engulfing the table and flipping it on its side to shield us as she and Princess Luna stood up.

"We had plans, but we're sick of waiting!" screeched Cozy Glow, her horn burning with crimson lightning.

"The Bewitching Bell has given us more than enough power to take you all down right here and now!" Tirek bellowed, an orb of brightly-glowing orange building and growing between his horns.

"The Magic of Friendship will fall! And nopony will come to your aid, we've been sowing the seeds of discord between the three pony tribes for months!" Chrysalis gloated. Twilight and her friends gasped in horror, a sense of realization dawning on their faces, while I simply stared at the three villains in annoyance.

Wow... talk about overconfidence. You haven't even started the fight and you're already monologuing!

"What? Didn't you all notice something was wrong in Equestria?" jeered Tirek. "We've been busy."

"Destroy some crops, cause some damage," the centaur and Chrysalis shared a grin.

"Until your whole kingdom is on edge, waiting for just one tiny thing to push them over the brink!" Chrysalis laughed.

"There's no backup friends or rainbow magic to save you now!" howled Tirek. Meanwhile, unnoticed by everypony, Sebastian and I exchanged unimpressed glares and slowly stood up.

"Depulso!" In the blink of an eye, Sebastian teleported to their left and attacked, the spell blasting Cozy into Chrysalis into Tirek and sending them all flying across the room. He vanished and reappeared several times, eyes burning with ancient magic as his wine-red aura formed astral wings on his back, almost like he, too, was an alicorn. So swift were his teleportations and attacks that it almost seemed like there were ten of him simultaneously clobbering the villains with magic bursts. While Ominis and Anne moved defensively in front of September, Celestia, Luna, Twilight and all of their friends gasped again, stunned into silence as they witnessed the very one-sided fight.

"Have you had enough?" His afterimages vanished into tiny puffs of blue-white smoke, and he grinned boldly as his aura faded, his unfurled wings disappearing along with it. Chrysalis, Cozy and Tirek groaned in pain as they slowly picked themselves up off the floor.

"You wretched little pony... I will enjoy draining the magic from you...!" Tirek threatened groggily as his hooves kept slipping out from under him. At his words my own eyes flared with ancient magic, and their bodies began to glow with pale orange light as I lifted them all into the air by their throats.

"Excuse me?" I snarled, my eyes narrow. "You will do no such thing to my husband."

"Husband, you say?" Chysalis hissed, leering at me despite her chokehold. "Where there is marriage, there is love... I will drain the both of you dry until you're nothing but dust!" My heart burned with cold fury; not only were these three idiots a threat to Equestria, they were also a threat to Ominis and Anne's safety!

And nopony... absolutely nopony threatens to drain Sebastian like that and gets away with it!

It sure was a good thing we weren't in the Wizarding World anymore. Before I could stop myself, my eyes began to glow with Equestrian Dark magic, and the words slipped out of my muzzle.

Chrysalis vanished inside a burst of crackling jade lightning straight from my horn, making no sounds other than the hiss of air rushing through the natural cracks in her chitin. Sebastian chuckled once as I let my magical grip loose on the three, Cozy and Tirek landing on their hooves as the changeling dropped gracelessly to the floor. Ominis and Anne, predictably, seemed horrified by my choice of spell, while the other ponies in the room looked on in confusion.

The now-two villains stared at the changeling queen, waiting for her to move and growing more and more concerned by the second when she didn't.

"Is... Is s-she...?" Tirek finally stuttered after a few moments. Cozy materialized a stick and started poking Chrysalis with it, grimacing when her foreleg flopped over into an awkward position, still failing to elicit any reaction.

"Huh." Their heads slowly turned towards me, and I simply regarded them with glaring eyes and a goading snort. Then they turned back towards Chrysalis, and upon realizing that their hole-filled comrade had been killed with a single, simple spell, both villains shared a glance, turned back towards us then immediately threw up their hands and forehooves in surrender, their faces stricken with utmost terror.

"That's what I thought," I smirked, my magic forming glowing, golden shackles from thin air and clapping them around their wrists and horns. I glanced back towards the others, finding everypony's jaws on the floor.

"B-Because we don't kill our enemies, darling!" Rarity shrank back from the pink Earth pony. "We're more civilized than that!"

"But... ya gotta admit, it did git the job done," swallowed Applejack. When it was Fluttershy's turn to speak, she simply fainted into Discord's arms.

"Well," the Draconequus exhaled in a huff. "And here I was worried for a moment that my cunning plan might've gotten away from me."

"Er... cunning plan?" Twilight blinked. Discord's mouth instantly zipped itself shut.

"Nothing!" he mumbled through the zipper's closed teeth. Celestia blinked a few times before a contingent of Royal Guards burst through the banquet hall's doors, late as always. They too stared at the two apprehended villains in shock.

"I must say... you were decisive, at the very least," she finally spoke as she gestured with her chin towards Tirek and Cozy, prompting the guards to seize them and escort them to the dungeons.

"Sometimes, dear sister, violence isn't the answer," Princess Luna tilted her head as she watched them leave. "It is merely the question. The answer, to which... is yes."

"She... S-She used an Unforgivable... just like that," Anne whimpered as she shrank into her seat, shivering even as Ominis draped a foreleg around her back.

"Well, to be fair... we aren't in the United Kingdom anymore, or even on Earth," shrugged September. "There's probably no such thing as an Unforgivable curse here."

"Exactly! And, it would seem we've thwarted their attack before it could truly begin," Sebastian grinned smugly as he moved back to my side. "I think that makes the both of us heroes to this fine country, wouldn't you agree love?" I simply matched his expression, leaning in closer as I wrapped a wing around him.

"...I suppose you're right," Celestia hummed after a few moments of contemplation, and nodded.

"Are you certain this Equestria is safe?" Ominis asked warily. "At least with the war back home, I know who our enemies are and what to expect."

"Yea, death," I groused, rolling my eyes. "Look, besides... whatever that was," I wiggled my hoof at Chrysalis' corpse - in the meantime, maids had entered the banquet hall to clean the spilled food. One of them cringed in disgust as she levitated the body in her magic and carried it out with the trash. "...Equestria is hands-down the most peaceful land to ever exist compared to Earth."

"Promise! Uh, t-that was just a fluke, I swear!" Twilight grinned widely, giggling nervously to herself. Her friends bobbed their heads up and down rapidly in desperate agreement, hoping they hadn't made too terrible a first impression.

"...Actually, we do git the occasional villain that's been sealed away fer a thousand years runnin' wild, tryin' teh destroy Equestria an' Friendship an' whatnot," Applejack piped up. "But we'll help git ya'll set up in one of the quieter cities, where that doesn't happen."

While Twilight and her friends dealt with the mess the three villains had made, we ended up spending a week in Equestria as everypony worked to get Ominis and Anne acclimated. Taking their advice, and being similar to London back in the United Kingdom (and boasting a track record of twelve years without some sort of dangerous creature attack or tyrant trying to take over the place), they settled on making Trottingham their new home. Though they had been given a royal deed that would let them select even a grand mansion if they wanted, they settled for a modest townhouse in the city's center. They could easily turn it mansion-sized on the inside, anyway.

As we shopped for new furniture, food to fill their pantry and other goods, they also marveled at the advanced technology of ponykind. I had nearly forgotten electrical appliances existed, having been used to using magic as a substitute for so long, and there were even new inventions for myself to discover and poke at. Sebastian and September both were enthralled by all they saw, running to and from like hyperactive puppies and asking an endless stream of questions about how things like batteries, sleep number mattresses and television worked, or what hayburgers, rubber ducks or Buckball was. Having a writ from Princess Twilight also meant we didn't have to pay for any of these goods, too - even if they were expensive. When we passed by the appropriate shops I insisted I replace Ominis' harp and a full alchemy set for Anne, so they could both continue their work.

It felt familiar enough to me that I wasn't bothered, but it did take the others a while to get used to not needing to wear clothes anymore. Most ponies just didn't, except for special occasions. They also kept wanting to rear up onto their hind legs and resume their bipedal gait, only to find standing and walking like that rather uncomfortable and wobbly. Getting used to hooves instead of hands was also a challenge, although since all four of them were unicorns they could easily grasp multiple objects in their magic instead, which was honestly much more convenient. Soon enough they had all adapted to their new bodies, as dexterous and confident as though they were natural-born ponies.

When they had finally settled in, we explored. We visited Canterlot once more to sightsee - Sebastian and September had to be Stunned and dragged out of the Library of Magic, or they never would've left otherwise. We attended a Wonderbolts aerial show at the Cloud Stadium, then visited the opera house (I encouraged Ominis to perform for them someday so he could possibly join their orchestra, they'd be blown away by his talents!), the Canterlot Historical Society (where we had to Stun Sebastian and September again), Rarity's Canterlot Carousel and tons of restaurants. Rather frequently we came across other creatures from foreign lands: young dragons, griffons, hippogriffs, yaks, reformed changelings, Kirin and more. The four were amazed by the differences between these denizens and their counterparts back on Earth, wondering if it was possible for the creatures back home to ever become this advanced. On our final night together we were all invited back to Celestia's castle for a farewell feast - Twilight and her friends had been successful in their damage control, and were eager to hear about what we all thought of Equestria so far.

And as for Tirek and Cozy Glow, we were rest assured that the two were safely locked back up in the depths of Tartarus, and also turned to stone to ensure they would never break out again. A small part of me always thought petrification was a rather harsh punishment - your body was placed in suspended animation and you couldn't move a muscle, but you could still see, hear and think, and feel the elements all around you as the seasons passed - but after learning about the existence of Azkaban, I'd happily be turned into a lawn ornament for the rest of time rather than be subjected to neverending psychological torture. When I mentioned as much to Celestia she gasped and immediately decried wizardkind as inhumane and barbaric... no offense to my human family, of course.

Celestia also explained my ascension into Alicornhood, and with it regarded me as a fellow princess and her equal. I asked about the astral wings that had appeared on Sebastian's back when he fought against the three villains - from her experience it seemed that he was close to ascending himself - he only needed to have a spark of revelation about a noble, profound truth of the world before achieving it. There had never been a male alicorn before, and the thought of becoming the first prince amused him greatly.

Alas, it was time for our journey to come to an end - soon we would need to start gathering September's school supplies and getting her ready for another year at Hogwarts. The three of us had acquired a vast collection of goods while out shopping - mostly Equestrian potion reagents and books covering every topic I could think of. A jar of live Twittermites had given me an idea for potentially introducing electricity to the Wizarding World, and the foreign ingredients would allow for many new potions to be discovered. Sebastian joked that we'd need to expand our library and workspaces at home so much the space would theoretically take up the entire row of houses that made up our neighbors.

The four of us adults then received perhaps our most precious gifts of all from Celestia: a pair of journals enchanted to allow us to write and communicate with each other, even across our different universes. She also gave a separate one to me, which would allow us to write each other as well. Even though I promised we would someday return to visit, she didn't want to wait - she wanted to know everything there was to know about my home as soon as she possibly could.

"Would you ever consider a... permanent return to Equestria?" she asked hesitantly as I packed the journal away. "Your husband and daughter are also welcome, of course... I simply worry for your safety, seeing how unstable Earth's politics appear to be, and so many countries in your world are at war with each other." I hummed as I glanced over to Sebastian and September, the former nodding with a slight smile while the latter grinned widely in excitement.

"Well, September still has three more years of school to go... but, I think we could consider it a viable retirement plan," I nodded. At once I felt a wave of relief wash over her, which in turn flowed through me.

She wanted me back. Even after all this time... she wanted me to come home. She'd always loved me, always considered me her daughter... she never stopped.

But there was still so much I wanted to do on Earth. Long, teary hugs were exchanged as we all promised we'd see each other again. As I stepped through the mirror once more, with peace and final absolution radiating throughout my soul... I was smiling.

I grunted as I landed on my knees coming out of the mirror, quickly clothing myself with a flick of my wand. I heard Sebastian and September do the same, only opening my eyes after the noises of swishing cloth ceased.

"Oh!" a man's voice suddenly exclaimed softly, as though pleasantly surprised. "And what are you doing back in my classroom so soon, Miss Sallow-Shimmer? The year has yet to begin."

I gasped, taken completely off guard - it was still summer vacation, so I'd hoped we would remain undiscovered as we returned. But my fears were allayed as my eyes darted over to the source of the voice, and I grinned. Even though he was a mere firstie in our seventh year, even I had been deeply impressed by his skill with magic. So much so that I happily told him about the Room of Requirement - he could use the place to study and research once I'd graduated. Not to mention someone needed to take care of the Vivarium's lone occupant, who was currently standing on a gilded perch beside his desk.

"Sunset, Sebastian," Dumbledore nodded congenially. "Or, I suppose I should say Mr. and Mrs. Sallow."

"Always did find it interesting you decided to become the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor after Hecat's retirement," Sebastian replied.

"Ah, yes... Originally I thought I might apply to teach Transfiguration when the position opened up, but... I feel I am right where I am meant to be," he answered, a glimmer in his eye.

"Sure, but you could do so much more if your time wasn't taken up with teaching!" he continued. "You've researched alchemy with Nicholas Flamel himself, and discovered the twelve newest uses for dragon's blood!"

"Just think of what he could do with all these Equestrian reagents," mused September, idly feeling around inside her pocket dimension.

"Equestrian?" Dumbledore echoed, staring through us into the Mirror of Erised's surface. His lips pressed together as he remained silent for a few moments, his mind hard at work. "...So, there is more to that mirror than I originally surmised."

"There is," I said as I turned back, the image of that room in Celestia's castle already dissolving away into my own reflection. "It's, uh... a Portkey. To my homeland."

"Is that so?" he tilted his head. Though I left out all the pony parts, I gave him a brief summary of what had happened and why we had made the trip - Albus had proven his ability to keep a secret to us long ago. His eyes twinkled with intrigue as he sat at his desk, seemingly regarding the mirror in a whole new light. "Fascinating... and here I thought the Mirror of Erised had only one enchantment placed upon it."

"To see your heart's desire, right?" September asked as she stared into its surface. I idly wondered what she saw in her reflection.

"Yes, Miss Sallow-Shimmer," replied Dumbledore, staring as well with a slightly wistful expression. "...To tell you the truth, I was considering... storing it within the Room of Requirement. The tales of the power it held over many who gazed into its reflection convinced me that it is simply too dangerous to leave out in the open, even within my classroom under my supervision. And, should the three of you have further use for it, you won't have to worry about being discovered upon your return," he added with a wink.

"That would keep it safe from the Ministry should they ever somehow realize we traveled through it," Sebastian turned his head towards me, sighing in relief.

"What'd I tell ya? Equestria's the safest place in the universe... in two universes," I grinned.

"Send an owl ahead if you wish to use it, and I shall ensure that you aren't disturbed on your way to and from the mirror," Dumbledore smiled.

"It is my pleasure, old friend." He slid open a drawer in his desk, revealing it to be full of small boxes of candy, some with the remnants of notes or gift wrapping on them. "Now, could I possibly interest any of you in some Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans? They used to be one of my favorites, but lately I'm afraid I've... lost my appetite for them."

As exciting as our trip had been, it was nice to be home in London again. We were relieved to find that our protective enchantments on the house seemed to have worked - a bewitched note was left on the door, informing whoever it may concern that Sebastian, September and I were on holiday in the American territory of Hawaii, and certainly had no knowledge of where Ominis or Anne were, thank you very much. Everything inside was untouched, too, right where we'd left it. I wondered how long we'd need to leave it up until the Ministry lost interest in their hunt.

But with the knowledge that our friends were safe and sound, we quickly resumed our lives and our work. In another week's time we took September to Diagon Alley for school supplies, then saw her off on the Hogwarts Express. In her third year it was possible to arrange for her to spend a weekend or two home with us by chartering a Black Telephone Taxi, but with the war going on we wouldn't see her again until the Christmas break. To ease our minds I charmed a couple of small diaries with the Wizarding equivalent of Celestia's spell, giving one to her so we would always stay in contact.

Despite my worries, I knew she could take care of herself. After all, she was our daughter - with our combined strengths passed down and her own brilliant intelligence, she would certainly become the most powerful witch in the world one day, and whatever path she chose in the future, I knew she would succeed without a doubt in my mind. And her mother and her father would always be there for her, to support her if she ever needed support, with nothing less than unconditional love.

And together, with the power of friendship and family... our names will be engraved in history, and will live on forever.

Hogwarts: Sunset's Legacy

by witegrlninja

Epilogue: In Which We Have Our Happy Ending