//------------------------------//
// Chapter 6: Tribulation and Trains 
// Story: Equestrian Education 
// by Dragonboy111 
//------------------------------//

After Sunset and Twilight figured out how to transform Harry back, the three went to dinner. They then announced they were joining Hogwarts as teaching assistants. This was welcomed with plenty of cheers from the younger people and a concerned look from the adults. Two unknown staff from out of the country were sure to draw attention. That "unknown factor" was guaranteed to draw even more if they showed off their magical skills. Harry was less worried, they would be safe enough at Hogwarts.

The next day, the Weasleys, Harry, and Hermione bought school supplies. Harry took the opportunity to shuffle around the money he had with the galleons in his vault. Once again, Harry's amulet pointed to a lower vault; Ron suggested it pointed to an older family vault. After collecting the money, they visited Diagon Alley to pick up supplies for Harry's fifth year. It was uneventful, the only thing of notice was a drawn-out discussion between Sunset and Twilight as to whether their hair could be used in wands, considering they were technically unicorns.

For the rest of the week, Harry and the others were left out of any further conversations about the Order. From what the twins gathered with something they called "extendable ears", the order was grasping at strings to figure out what Voldemort's next move was, seeing as he (likely) hadn't regained a body. According to Twilight and Sunset, who were privy to more information than anyone else, Voldemort's lackeys were leaderless now, but they weren't going to give up as easily as Halloween all those years ago.

Then came the most unexpected mail of the year. By some strange stroke of luck, Ron and Hermione were named prefects. Harry got nothing. He wasn't expecting to be the quidditch captain, but he was... less than ecstatic.





In the wake of the big announcement, Harry was sulking in the drawing room, absent-mindedly flicking his amulet open and closed. His mind was consumed by thoughts about what had just happened. Ron and Hermione were the new Gryffindor prefects. Sure, someone would've been left out, but Harry felt dejected it'd been him.

I mean, why did they get it? Hermione's one of the best in her year and a strict rule-follower, but why Ron? Ron isn't exactly prime material, he'd bully Slytherin if Hermione can't rein him in. Hermione thinks I would've gotten the position if Dumbledore wasn't being cautious. But that means Hermione and Ron are there because they're close to me, which is worse. They didn't earn it, it's favoritism! So why not me then?

Harry was dragged out of his musings by Twilight knocking on the doorframe.

"Hey, Harry, are you alright?" She asked, walking to take a seat next to Harry.

"I'm fine."

Why couldn't I get to be a prefect? What did Ron do that I haven't done?

"You're not. Don't try that with me, I know you better. Why don't you tell me what's bothering you?"

Everything.

"A lot. Now that I'm back to Earth, I'm having a... I don't know, an identity crisis? I mean, there's the issue of being a pony, being stuck here, where I want to stay in the long term, and this prefect stuff. I didn't care about it until today. I feel like I got targeted. You know I hate that. I feel awful for being jealous."

"Feeling jealous doesn't make you a bad person," Twilight corrected. She scooched in to wrap an arm around his. "Do you remember when I wrote about Rainbow's time at the Wonderbolt Academy? She didn't get the top position. Sure, she was jealous, but it didn't make her a bad pony."

Harry put his locket down. "I know, I know. I just don't understand why they were picked above everyone else. I can't help but think it has something to do with me, which makes me compare us. Do I sound crazy?"

"No, not one bit. Remember, you are incredible, you don't need to prove that to anyone. Nothing can change that," Twilight said. "Feeling better?"

Harry smirked. "A little. Thanks, Twi."

"If you get all sad about anything else, you know we're here for you. Your concerns aren't a burden to us."

Twilight gave one last hug to Harry before leaving him to give him the space to think things over.

Harry closed his eyes and sighed. As usual, his best friend was right. At this point, I'm pretty sure she has more magical friendship powers than the Elements.

The sound of shuffling feet startled Harry out of his musing. A second person walked into the room, Sirius. An old, rolled-up tapestry of some sort floated next to him.

"Hey, Harry," Sirius said as he moved to sit next to Harry. "I heard about the prefects."

"You did?" Harry replied.

"Yeah, don't get too worked up about it," Sirius replied. "Your father wasn't a prefect. Sure, he was Head Boy and your mother was Head Girl, but you've got—"

Harry sighed and said, "More things I didn't know about my parents. It's not fair."

"Do you want to talk about them?" he asked. "I know we haven't had much time to talk before but..."

"I'm not sure," Harry said. "Everyone talks about them, but I never feel like I knew them. I don't even have my memories." Harry pulled out the surviving photo from his album. He'd kept it close since Tirek's attack, magically preserved to the best of his abilities. "I remember their deaths, but they're through his eyes. I don't know how much about my parents when I never got to meet them. I love them, and I think I always will. But I can't— I can't know them."

Harry pulled two more photos from his jacket, also magically protected. The first was taken after the coronation, and the second was taken on the day of the Summer Sun Celebration. The first was of him, Twilight, and Spike. The second was of all eight of them, smiling. Sirius looked closely at the photos.

"I don't see you in these," he said.

"I'm that one," Harry pointed to himself, then cast the transformation spell. "Yeah, we're all ponies. But they're my friends, and I love Equestria. I feel awful, now that I'm back. My parents knew so many people. All they talk about is how much I'm like them. Yet some days I'm more comfortable as a unicorn than a human. Is that wrong?"

Sirius was silent for a long moment, contemplating. Then he waved his wand and laid the tapestry he'd been moving on the other couch.

"I don't think so," he said after a long moment. "I suppose it's a bit cruel, to keep comparing you three. If it's any consolation, I felt the same way about my animagus form. I didn't exactly... get along with my family, having a body not related to them felt... therapeutic." The tapestry unrolled itself on the floor. "If you'll take a look."

The tapestry looked immensely old; it was faded and looked as though doxies had gnawed it in places; nevertheless, the golden thread with which it was embroidered still glinted brightly enough to show them a sprawling family tree dating back (as far as Harry could tell) to the Middle Ages. Large words at the very top of the tapestry read:


THE NOBLE AND MOST ANCIENT HOUSE OF BLACK



"TOUJOURS PUR"


"You're not on here!" said Harry, after scanning the bottom of the tree.

"I used to be there," said Sirius, pointing at a small, round, charred hole in the tapestry, rather like a cigarette burn. "My sweet old mother blasted me off after I ran away from home— our house elf's quite fond of muttering the story under his breath."

"You ran away from home?"

"When I was about sixteen," said Sirius. "I'd had enough."

"Where did you go?" asked Harry, staring at him."Your dad's place," said Sirius. "Your grandparents were really good about it; they sort of adopted me as a second son. Yeah, I camped out at your dad's during the school holidays, and then when I was seventeen I got a place of my own, my Uncle Alphard had left me a decent bit of gold — he's been wiped off here too, that's probably why— anyway, after that I looked after myself. I was always welcome at Mr. and Mrs. Potter's for Sunday lunch, though."

"But . . . why did you . . . ?"

"Leave?" Sirius smiled bitterly and ran a hand through his long, unkempt hair. "Because I hated the whole lot of them: my parents, with their pure-blood mania, convinced that to be a Black made you practically royal... my idiot brother, soft enough to believe them . . . that's him."

Sirius jabbed a finger at the very bottom of the tree, at the name Regulus Black.

"He was younger than me," said Sirius, "and a much better son, as I was constantly reminded."

"Were tehy, you know?" Harry asked, not wanting to imply.

"Death Eaters? Only my brother. My parents got cold feet, but they believed everything he said. They thought my Regulus was a right hero, before he did, that was. On Voldemort's order, probaly."

Sirius flicked his wand, rolling the tapestry up.

"I don't care for most of the people on here," he said. "I don't have a 'noble' family, but your parents were. If nothing else, remember that your parents loved you. You can live your life as you want, they would love you regardless."

Sirius ruffled Harry's mane playfully, causing Harry to huff and shake his mane back to normal. This got a little laugh out of Sirius, which then got Harry to chuckle. The two of them went their separate ways to "wage war" on the house's filth.





That left one thing between the group and Hogwarts: King's Cross Station. Getting there posed to be something of a challenge, as there were too many students to side-along apparate and the car held too few people. The issue was resolved by Twilight transforming everyone into small animals for the duration of the trip, but the drive there was packed regardless. They even had room to fit "Padfoot" in the car, to say goodbye. The whole group crossed through the wall with plenty of time before the train left.

"So, this is the famous Hogwarts Express?" Twilight asked.

"Yep. Come one, let's find a compartment," Harry said.

"About that..." Ron said.

"Students are required to take the train to Hogwarts," Hermione said. She pointed to a compartment near the front. "But Prefects, Head Boys, and Head Girls are the only ones allowed in that compartment. That's where Ron and I will be. Sorry, Harry."

"Eh— it's fine," Harry said begrudgingly. He looked down the boarding platform and by chance spotted a glance of someone's face: Cedric Diggory. "Twilight, Sunset, why don't you two go find a compartment; I'll join up later, I've got someone to talk to," he said.

If either seemed confused, they shrugged it off as Harry rushed down the platform to find Cedric. Hedwig hooted in complaint as she and the rest of Harry's luggage floated behind him like a boat in a troubled sea. Harry was still having trouble with keeping objects levitated with his subconscious. When Harry caught up to the prefect he noticed Cedric wasn't walking on his own. He had a pair of crutches under his arms, which kept him up as he directed students. Evidently, he hadn't quit his responsibilities as a prefect.

"Hey, Cedric!" Harry called out. Cedric turned to look at Harry.

"Harry! Good to see you, how're you doing? You know, with... everything," Cedric said, gesturing vaguely at the air.

Harry waved a hand dismissively. "I'm fine. I should ask about you. If you don't mind me asking, how is recovery?" Harry gestured at Cedric's crutches.

"Oh, these? I'm getting better. Whatever that cup did, it messed me up. The splinching didn't heal right. It took days to get me moving again. The healers think I'll have these for the rest of the year if I'm lucky. Truthfully, I'm glad I get to go through my seventh year. After what happened that night, I should be a goner. I owe you for that."

"No, you don't. If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have been there."

"And Crouch would've killed me. These," Cedric tapped his crutches. "are better than another second under the Cruciatus Curse. You saved me. It's my last year, but I'll be there for you if you need any help from Hufflepuff's head boy."

"Head boy?" Harry said in surprise before he noticed the badge on Cedri's clothes read "Head Boy" instead of "Prefect". "Congratulations."

"Yeah, surprise, right? Well, if you need anything, you know where to find me."

"Thanks, I guess," Harry said. Something Cedric said came back to him. "Wait, how did you know about Crouch? The Ministry—"

"Dumbledore told me about what happened when I recovered. He said your friend, Twilight, saved you when you got left behind. I oughta thank her if I see her again."

"Well, she's staying at Hogwarts as a teaching assistant. Drop by sometime, she loves to make new friends."

"Sounds like a Hufflepuff," Cedric said.

"We'll see about that. She's one of the bravest people I know," Harry countered.

"I suppose we'll never know. I'll see you later, I need to get to the prefect's compartment," Cedric said.

The boy hobbled along with his crutches toward the front of the train as Harry said his goodbyes to Sirius. Harry knew Sirius couldn't say goodbye as a dog, but it felt good to have one last goodbye before he jumped on board. It took a few minutes for him to find Twilight and Sunset, but he got there without any problems. He put his stuff in the compartment and sat down next to Twilight.

"So, how's the train?" Harry asked as the train took off from the station.

"Not much to say, it's a train," Sunset said. "You've seen one, you've seen them all. But if you want an opinion—"

Sunset was cut off as Neville Longbottom poked his head in the compartment, his round face shining with the effort of pulling his trunk along and maintaining a one-handed grip on his struggling toad, Trevor.

"Hi, Harry. Sorry, but every compartment's full... can't find a seat," Neville said.

"Go on, take a seat," Twilight said. She waved a hand, opened the sliding door, and levitated Neville's trunk.

"Whoa," Neville said. He took a seat, still trying to keep a grip on his toad. "So, how was your summer, Harry?"

"I spent it abroad. Met some new friends, learned some magic, the best time of my life," Harry said.

"Really? Can you— you know— show me? Are we allowed to do magic on the train?"

Harry shrugged. "Probably, Hermione's done it plenty of times." Harry snapped his fingers (a bad habit from Discord) and transformed into his unicorn form. Harry stretched out his legs and pranced about the compartment for a second. "You have no idea how good it feels to be back in this body."

"You're an animagus? Blimey, where were you that allowed to do that?"

"I'm not an animagus, it's just a spell I learned," Harry said.

"Yeah, all of us can do it," Sunset said. She transformed into her unicorn form, and Twilight followed behind a second later.

"That's brilliant," Neville said in wonder. "By any chance, were there any interesting magical plants?" Neville asked.

"Well..." Harry thought back to the plunder-seed incident. Those were plants, and they were without a doubt magical. The only other ones Harry could think of were the Apple family zap apples, but they hadn't been in season. "There were these evil plants that tried to destroy the town I was staying in. Caused magic to go haywire nearby. I couldn't cast a spell."

"Wow, that's interesting. A magical defense against spells? I've never heard of a plant that could do that before. I wonder if there's something like that in the forests at school?" Neville wondered aloud.

"Let's hope not. The ones back home had to be eradicated, lest they destroy the country," Twilight said.

Neville looked frightened and ready to ask why. At that moment, someone pulled their train compartment's door open.

"Excuse me..." a nervous voice spoke. A girl with long, shiny black hair was standing in the doorway: Cho Chang, the Seeker on the Ravenclaw Quidditch team. "I was looking for—" Cho cut herself off as she saw the two unicorns and one alicorn. "Oh! They're so cute!" She reached down for the top of Harry's head. Harry swiftly ducked away, not wishing for a repeat of his experience with Ginny.

"Hey, please ask before you do that!" Harry exclaimed. The girl was taken aback by Harry's outburst.

"You can talk? I've never met a talking unicorn. I thought the normal ones were all gone!" Cho exclaimed.

"And now you've met three. Why are you here again?" Sunset asked bluntly.

"I was just... looking for Harry," she said.

"Oh, really?" Harry said. He quickly transformed back into a human, blushing in embarrassment. "Sorry, that's probably awkward."

"Um..." Cho said, pink in the face. "Well... I'd wanted to say thanks, for Cedric... Bye then." She closed the door again, rather pink in the face, and departed.

"Huh," Harry said, rather confused.

"Who was that?" Twilight questioned.

"Cho Chang, Ravenclaw's seeker," Harry said.

"I wonder what she wanted," Twilight pondered.

"I guess I can ask Cedric later. I think they were dating," Harry said, deciding whatever Cho was talking about was unimportant for now.

When the food trolley came by, Harry took the time to introduce his Equestrian friends to the bizarre candy of the wizarding world, which unfortunately included every-flavor beans. Twilight occupied herself with the safe choice of a licorice wand while Sunset tried her hand at chocolate frogs. (She got unfathomably rare cards.) The three waited for nearly an hour in silence before Ron and Hermione joined in, having made their rounds. By then the food trolley had already come and gone. At this point, the four of them were swapping chocolate frog cards around.

"I'm starving," Ron complained as he stowed Pidwidgeon next to the open cages of Hedwig and Owlowiscious. He grabbed an unopened chocolate frog and threw himself down next to Neville. He tore off the frog's head and collapsed like he had a full day of work done.

"Well, we found the other prefects," Hermione chimed. "There's two from each year above fourth, one boy and one girl, so six from each house."

"Let me guess the Slytherin prefect, Malfoy?" Harry deadpanned.

"Got it in one," Ron said.

"I have to wonder what their standards are, letting him in," Harry mused.

"What's Slytherin?" Sunset asked. She and Twilight transformed back into human form.

"We never explained houses?" Hermione asked, looking a little surprised. "Well, each one of the houses represents a quality the four founders of the school wanted in a student. The sorting hat decides which house you fit best into."

Neville tuned into the conversation.

"I never understand it. I wanted Hufflepuff but it gave me Gryffindor. I've never felt brave and that's what they're about," he said.

"I guess that is what we're most known for, true," Hermione agreed with Neville's assessment. "Gryffindor is the house of the brave, Ravenclaw is full of clever students, Hufflepuff is the loyal one, and Slytherin—"

"Is full of gits like Malfoy," Ron grumbled.

"That's not exactly true. Slytherin is the house of cunning and ambition, almost all of them are pureblooded," Hermione corrected.

"I'm still correct," Ron countered.

"Ambition?" Sunset echoed. "Yeah, I don't know about that. I had that, but I've moved on."

"What makes a pureblood?" Twilight asked.

"Most of your family has to be other pureblood or half-blood wizards," Neville said. He pointed between himself and Ron. "We are pureblooded, for example. Both parents were magical. Half-bloods have one magical parent, and one not, but a muggle-born is as good as a muggle for purebloods. And muggle-borns have two non-magical parents."

"Does it make wizards stronger, having 'pure' blood?" Sunset asked, raising her fingers in air quotes.

"Only if you ask Slytherin," Ron said. "No one's ever proven pure blood is stronger."

"Interesting," Sunset murmured. She stretched, stood up, and walked to the door. "I don't know about you, but I don't like being cooped up. I'm going to go for a walk, save my seat, will you?" She left the compartment with a smile.

By what must've amounted to sheer poor luck, Sunset exited only a few moments before the door opened for the third time. Harry observed the new "visitors"; he had expected this, but that did not make the sight of Draco Malfoy smirking at him from between his cronies, Crabbe and Goyle, any more enjoyable.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" Harry growled before Draco could open his mouth.

"I'd watch your manners, Potter, or I'll have to give you a detention," drawled Draco, looking more than ever like his loathsome father. "Because, unlike you, I was made a prefect, which means, unlike you, I can hand out punishments."

"True," Harry admitted. "But you, unlike me, are a git with an ugly widow's peak."

The rest chuckled at Harry's insult at Draco, who looked fuming.

"Tell me, how does it feel being second-best to Weasley, Potter?" Draco scowled.

"You want to know how it feels?" Harry's bracelet reappeared as a wand in his hand. After a brief moment of concentration, he teleported to stand in front of Malfoy, startling the Slytherin. "Feels like I don't care, because I don't need status to uphold my fragil ego." Harry flicked his wrist, magically slamming the door in Malfoy's face. A second spell locked the door shut. Harry sat down, in far worse of a mood. He watched Malfoy scowl and leave down the hallway. "I hate that guy."

Harry turned back into a unicorn, deciding he wouldn't get much time to be one during school.

"I still can't get over you using wandless magic," Hermione asked.

"I still use a wand, or at least the bracelet most of time," Harry replied, showing off his wrist. "Besides, it's not that important. Twilight never needs one, neither does Sunset—"

There was a knock at the door as Sunset returned to the compartment. Twilight undid Harry's lock to let her in.

"So, what'd I miss?"