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Sweetie Belle and the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
03
Sweetie Belle sat alone in the room, awaiting for the time the train would finally leave for Hogwarts. She was excited and nervous, and maybe a little scared. She would basically be spending nearly a year away from home after all.
As she looked out the window at Platform 9 and ¾, the door to the compartment opened and a pair of faces peaked in.
“Hey, there's room in here.” The boy with neatly combed brown hair said, his hazel eyes scanning the compartment.
The other, a girl with the same features, only with much longer hair, nodded. “Hi there. Mind if we come in? The rest of the train is pretty full.”
Sweetie Belle nodded a little.
The pair, obviously twins, came in and sat across from each other.
“Hi. I'm Deuce Gemini.” The boy introduced himself.
“And I'm his older sister, Zwei Gemini.” The girl added, as she sat next to Sweetie Belle.
“Hello.” Sweetie Belle's voice came out sweetly and softly. “I'm Sweetie Belle.”
Deuce chuckled. “That's a funny name.”
Zwei reached across and swatted her brother. “Hey, like our names aren't? I mean, literally, they both mean Two.”
“I think you have nice names.” Sweetie Belle responded, making the twins look at her oddly.
“Really?” They responded in perfect unison.
Sweetie Belle nodded to the pair. Sure, she was nervous, but the twins seemed like nice people. “Yes, I really do think so, and do you really think my name is funny?”
Deuce chuckled. “Nah, can't be any worse than some of the names I've heard some Muggles have.”
Sweetie Belle blinked. “Muggles?”
“Non magic using folk.” Zwei replied. “Shouldn't you already know that?”
A slight shake of her head was all Sweetie Belle could manage.
“Leave her alone Sis. She's obviously not British.” Deuce pointed out.
“H-how can you tell?” Sweetie Belle's nervousness increased slightly.
“You're accent.” Zwei pointed out.
“Oh...”
“So, where are you from?” Deuce asked.
Sweetie froze up a little. She had not even thought about a cover story. She thought back to when Twilight had told them all about her adventures in the human world. She had to think, what was the name of that school again?
“Um, Canterlot School.” She grinned nervously.
Deuce shrugged. “Never heard of it. What kind of magic did they teach there?”
Zwei batted her brother. “Silly, till we're accepted into Hogwarts or one of the other schools of magic, we attend Muggle schools, and I bet it's the same with Sweetie here, isn't that right?” She turned and asked her new friend.
“Well, we learned about magic, but didn't actually learn magic. I had to learn what I know outside of school.” She spoke, not realizing the difference in how magic worked in this world.
The twin's eyes lit up. “Really?”
“Show us a spell.” Zwei leaned toward Sweetie Belle, eyes sparkling.
Sweetie Belle in turn, leaned away a little. “Um, well, I only know a couple basic spells. They're nothing special really. Everyp... one who can use magic knows all the basics, and I'm still learning.”
“Show us anyways.” Deuce begged. “What's your favorite spell?”
Sweetie didn't really have to think about which spell was her favorite. “Um, well, levi... leva... um, floating I guess is the most commonly used magic.” Mainly because it was just so useful.
“Can you show us? Come on.” This time, it was Zwei begging.
“Well, alright.” She looked around and settled on one of the quill pens from her school supplies. The twins seemed a little surprised when she pulled it out of her little backpack.
She set it down on the seat across from her and concentrated.
“You're not going to use your wand?” Deuce gave Sweetie Belle an odd look.
The filly disguised as a human grinned a little, almost unsure if she really should do this. “Oh, um... right. I'm still new at all this magic stuff.” She reached into her backpack and again pulled out exactly what she wanted, the wand.
Sweetie Belle looked at the quill pen, and was suddenly unsure just how to use the wand. Her true form was a Unicorn, and she channeled her magic through her horn. Maybe it worked the same way, only she had to focus the magic through the wand.
She didn't chant or wave the wand, rather, Sweetie Belle pointed it at the feather like she would with her horn and concentrated. She could feel the magic form in her heart, but she tried to channel it into the wand rather than her own horn.
She was impressed when the wand lit up faintly at first, then became brighter, a pale green light with deep blue sparkles forming within. The feather then lit up as well and followed her will to levitate. Sweetie Belle beamed brightly and looked at the twins.
The expressions on their faces were not exactly what she had been expecting. Rather than them being impressed, they looked... frightened?
“Uh, we gotta go.” Zwei jumped up and the twins grabbed their carry on bags and rushed out of the cabin.
“W-wait. What did I do? I just showed you...” But they were gone. “What did I do wrong?” She slumped back in her seat, looking at the still floating feather quill pen. She floated it back into her bag, and then tossed the wand in as well. Sweetie Belle hung her head, ashamed for some reason she didn't know.
For the rest of the train ride, she sat and looked out the window, ignoring the frequent stares through the door window she would get from her fellow students.
Sweetie Belle couldn't figure out what she had done wrong. All she had done was the most basic, the most simple of magic. Every Unicorn learned to use it before any other magic, except perhaps their special talent.
She ignored the whispers and the stares, till finally the train pulled up to a station and a voice seemingly came from out of the air. “Hogsmead Station. All students bound for Hogwarts, this is your stop. Please disembark in orderly fashion.”
Sweetie Belle sighed and stood up and put her backpack on her back. She exited the cabin and avoided more stares as she stepped out onto the platform. All eyes left her when a huge, hairy giant of a man spoke out. “All first years, over here. Gather round.”
She joined the other first years, staring up at the man who had to be over eight feet tall. Though he stood so tall and was so hairy, the twinkle in his eyes showed a kind soul. Sweetie Belle hoped that was so. Maybe he could be a friend where Deuce and Zwei would not be.
“I'm Hagrid, and I'll be yer guide. Now, yer all gathered I take?” He seemed to do a quick head count. “Good, follow me.” He turned and walked off, a slight limp in his slightly awkward walk.
Sweetie Belle followed in back, so as to keep down the number of stares she had been getting. She then saw them approaching some low wharfs sticking out into a huge, dark and deep lake.
Hagrid showed the first years to the low boats, and loaded them up, four to each dingy.
Sweetie stayed back, hoping she might get a boat to herself, but alas, that didn't happen. She was loaded onto the boat with three other students, all of them glaring at her.
In silence she sat, avoiding eye contact. Once the boat was moving on its own across the water, one of the three boys spoke up.
“So, I heard you're some freak witch. Casting a spell without even doing anything right.” He scoffed.
Sweetie Belle turned and met his dark black eyes. “I didn't do anything wrong. I just used basic floating magic like how I learned to do it.”
“Ya hear that?” Another boy sneered. “She ain't even British. What's this school coming to if they allow Americans in now?”
The last boy frowned. “Hey, I have family in America. There's nothing wrong with them.”
“American Muggles are the worst sort.” The second boy snarled. “Rude, violent, intolerant of others.”
Sweetie Belle met his eyes. “Just like how you're being right now?”
“What?” He glared daggers at Sweetie Belle. “I'm not being intolerant. I'm being realistic. Heck, American witches and wizards are just the same as the Muggles, thinking they're better than anyone else. I hear they don't even have a real magic school in America.”
Sweetie Belle didn't know anything about America, so she couldn't say one way or the other, nor could she really say anything to defend or condemn them. “Well, I myself have never met any Americans. I'm not from there.”
“Oh?” The first boy grinned. “Yer Canadian or something?”
“Yea...” Sweetie Belle nodded. (Or something...) She thought to herself.
“They're no different from the Americans.” The second boy spoke, trying to sound like he was superior to anyone from anywhere other than Britain. “I mean, they live in igloos all year round in Canada, so I hear.”
“Canada must be cold then.” Sweetie Belle spoke, grinning sheepishly. She wanted to keep the discussion off herself, if at all possible.
The first boy groaned. “What are you, stupid? Of course they don't live in igloos all year round. They have all four seasons just like we do.” He eyed Sweetie Belle. “Or are you just trying to mess with us?”
“Oh, no. I'm not trying to mess with you at all.” Sweetie Belle tried to make herself look smaller than she already was, which was noticeably smaller than these three boys.
“Mind yerselves” Hagrid's boat came up beside theirs. “Yer to behave, understand?”
The four on the boat nodded, then Sweetie gathered her courage and spoke up. “I'm sorry Mr. Hagrid Sir, but they're picking on me. My sister told me to never let others bully me and to tell an adult as soon as possible.”
“Oh really now?” Hagrid looked over the three boys. “Yer being bullies and yer not even at school yet? How bout I report you, or ya can all apologize to the little miss.”
Not wanting to be reported, the three of them looked at Sweetie and told her they were sorry, though she could tell by the looks on their faces they didn't mean it.
“Mr. Hagrid Sir?”
“Just Hagrid is fine.” He chucked.
“Um, may I ride in your boat? I'm not comfortable in this one.”
Hagrid blinked. He'd never been asked to share a boat by a first year before. Then again, considering his size, he was always impressed that his boat never sank. “Not sure this dingy can handle anymore weight. Not gonna risk it in the middle of the lake here.”
“I'm really light. I promise I won't sink the boat.” She pleaded with her big green eyes.
“Oh no... not the eyes...” He grumbled and glanced away, but when he looked back she was still giving him the big puppy dog eyes. Hagrid looked into them, and he suddenly felt something strange, like he was not looking into a young girl's eyes, but into the eyes of a magical creature.
Hagrid had never been wrong about this before, and he knew he was not wrong this time either. This child was not human, regardless of how she looked. He squinted his eyes, and they fell upon her pendant. He could see it now, the magic in it, and around her.
With his two great hands, he reached over and plucked her carefully from the other boat and set her in his, sitting in front of him. The boat didn't even seem to notice the additional weight at all. Indeed, when he had picked her up, she felt lighter than her appearance would have led to believe.
With a smooth paddle of his hand in the water, the small boat pulled away from the other one, but stayed where Hagrid could keep an eye on all the other first years.
“So, wotcher really are?”
Sweetie Belle blinked. “Um, what?”
“I know yer no human. Ya 'ave this magic about cha that's hidding what ya really are.” Hagrid spoke softly, but gave her a knowing look.
Sweetie Belle winced, and hung her head. “I'm a 'mumble mumble'.”
“Come again?”
This time she spoke a little clearer. “Unicorn Pony.”
Hagrid blinked, and his brain seemed to take a few moments to register what she had said. “Oh come on now. Unicorns ain't able to talk or use magic wands and cast spells.”
This time it was Sweetie Belle who blinked in confusion. “But all Unicorn Ponies can use magic. I'm just a beginner, but I at least know a few spells.”
“'Old on there. Ya said pony? Ain't no thing as a pony unicorn. Well, not that I know of.”
Sweetie Belle shook her head and looked up at the massive gentle giant. “I really am. I got this pendant from my sister Rarity, and Princess Twilight Sparkle put some magic in it that lets me look human.”
“Huh, ya don't say.” Hagrid didn't really know what to think, but he knew what to believe. This girl was no liar, that was for certain. If she said she really was a Unicorn Pony, then who was he to say she wasn't. “Oh blimy. I just remembered something. There's this magic about the school 'n Grounds. It cancels out any magic when ya enter. Placed there to keep bad types from sneakin' in and lookin' like students.”
This news made Sweetie Belle pale and her eyes shrunk to pin pricks. “What? No... I'll be found out. I wanted to keep this secret. Isn't there any way I can get in without being found out?”
Hagrid shook his head. “Ain't no way. Not since some bad types a bunch of years back came about doin' all manner of nasty things. The Ministry of Magic and the Headmaster of Hogwarts set this barrier up to protect all ya young uns.”
The young filly looked like she wanted to panic. “Maybe I can enter after everyone else has gone through? You know, wait till they're all gone into the school, then I can come in and wait till my pendant works again?”
Again Hagrod shook his head. “Sorry Little Miss, but that magic will be shut down fer good. Ain't no way around the thing. Like a bubble around the school 'n grounds 'n all that it is.”
Sweetie Belle hung her head. “Will they even allow a pony to attend the school?”
“Honestly?” Hagrid looked stumped. “Ain't ever thought 'bout it. Headmistress McGonagall's the one yer gonna wanna chat with 'bout that.”
“Oh...” Was all Sweetie Belle could say.
“Well, we're almost there.” Hagrid pointed forward, and Sweetie Belle looked.
The castle was very large, with grand towers very different from anything she'd ever seen, even in Canterlot. It had a mysterious air about it, one that both excited and frightened the young disguised Unicorn. In the night sky hung a full moon, one very different from the one she knew so well back in Equestria.
This reminded her once again that this was not really her world. She just hoped that she would be able to return home anytime she wanted, just in case.
Finally the boats docked, and all the first years got off their boats and headed toward the castle, lead by older students and a short little man with an impressive mustache.
Hagrid grinned at Sweetie Belle. “Now that's just the teacher I was hoping to see, specially considering yer situation here.”
“Really?” Sweetie looked at the diminutive man in question. “He's a teacher? He's smaller than I am, and I think I'm the smallest of all the first years.”
“Yer certainly a tiny thing, but Filius Flitwick's a master of charms. If anyone can elp ya, it's im fer sure.” He grinned and waved to the teacher in question. “Filius, grand t' see ya here.”
“Oh hello Rubeus. Got all the new students here in one piece again I see. Wonderful work.” He smiled till his eyes fell on Sweetie Belle, and then they went wide. “Goodness me. You know the rules about exotic pets.”
Hagrid cringed, as did Sweetie Belle. “Shh. Don't go shoutin it out. This here ain't no pet. She's a first year.”
Flitwick blinked and adjusted his little glasses. “I see a baby Unicorn.” He spoke in a quieter voice.
“Not a baby. I'm a big pony now.” Sweetie grumbled, much to Flitwick's surprise.
“D-did that Unicorn foal just talk?” The small wizard blinked and looked her over carefully, only now seeming to spot her 'disguise'. “I say, she's trying to look human? That will just be washed away when she enters the grounds.”
“I know...” Sweetie Belle hung her head. “Hagrid told me already. I got an invitation to attend this magic school, and all three Princesses and my big sister all agreed that this would be good for me, so that's why I came, but because the magic mirror that brought us here no longer transformed us ponies into humans, Princess Twilight enchanted my pendant to make me at least look human.”
Flitwick walked over, still a little surprised, but seeming to be getting over it. “May I see your letter?”
Sweetie Belle nodded and pulled it out of her backpack. To Flitwick, he watched her use a hoof to pull it out of her saddlebags, moving her forelegs in ways that no known equine possibly could. “Amazing. You can grasp objects with your hooves?”
“All ponies can. I mean, not anything really heavy or large, but light things we can. We more often use our mouths.” Sweetie Belle explained as she held out the letter.
Flitwick accepted it and read it. “Your name is Sweetie Belle, correct?”
“Yes sir.”
“I see... This is going to be a little awkward, but you will have to attend as a Unicorn Pony. There's certainly a lot we can learn from you, and you from us, here at Hogwarts.” Flitwick smiled. “Now, no need to be shy and hide yourself. If you give me your pendant, I can take good care of it till I can get it into the school, enchantment intact for you, is that alright?”
Sweetie Belle nodded only a little. “How long will it take?”
“Well, with the red tape and the regulations that the Ministry of Magic have set in place, maybe only six or seven months.”
“That's almost the whole school year.” Sweetie Belle wanted to cry. “That's a present from my sister.” She then sighed. “Well, if I'm going to be spending six or seven months as myself, then there's no reason to hand the pendant over, even if the enchantment is broken.”
Flitwick held up a hand. “There is another option. You see, there are trips outside the school, where you will be seen by other witches and wizards, and maybe even muggles. I'll take care of this pendant for you, and anytime you should need to leave the school on a field trip, then I can give it back to you so you can be disguised.”
Sweetie Belle held the pendant in her 'hand' and looked at it. “I-I guess that's alright, but wouldn't everyone know about me by then?”
“Perhaps, but all mail coming into and leaving the school is monitored magically. It can be set to detect any certain words or phrases and intercept the letters. We can keep you a secret, which would be a good idea. Unicorn blood and horns are prized by unscrupulous witches and wizards after all.”
Sweetie Belle sweated a little on hearing that. “That's not good. I'd rather keep my blood and horn.”
Flitwick nodded in agreement, as did Hagrid.
And Hagrid finally spoke up. “Well, all the other first years are up in the school, so nobody'll see ya when you go in.”
Sweetie Belle nodded, and removed her pendant, handing it to Flitwick.
Hagrid nearly squealed with delight upon seeing Sweetie Belle's true form. “Blimy, Ain't ever seen anything as darling as ya.” He honestly and truly resisted the urge to pick her up and cuddle her.
No, seriously. It took literally all his willpower to keep from doing so.
The same went for Flitwick. Before, he could see her form, but the illusion kept it from being clear. Now that he could see her clearly, he saw a tiny, adorable white Unicorn with pink and light purple curled mane and tail. And that little horn of hers was absolutely perfect on her head.
“Um... are you two alright?” Sweetie Belle asked, nervously. She could have sworn she'd heard them both go “Hnnnng!”
“Right as rain.” Hagrid said after a few moments, looking about shifty eyed. “I'll jes show ya up to the school where ya can join the rest of the first years in the welcoming ceremony.”
Sweetie Belle nodded and followed Hagrid, who now seemed even larger now that her disguise was no longer there. The trail up to the school was longer than she thought, and as she passed through the gates to the castle grounds, she felt the wave of magic wash over her. She shivered a little, never having actually felt magic like that before.
Then the pair approached the front doors and entered into the hall. The young Unicorn looked up and around, her big eyes going bigger as she took in the strange majesty of the room. Still, she didn't stop and kept following Hagrid, up a few flights of stairs and down a few halls till they reached a large, open set of doors.
Peaking in, she was nearly blown away by the sight.
Four very long tables, filled with students, and at the far end, another table filled with what Sweetie Belle figured to be the teachers.
At the podium was a tall, elderly but oddly beautiful woman, wearing fine robes and a wide brimmed pointy hat, not unlike what Trixie typically wore.
But what really caught her attention was the high vaulted ceiling, which seemed to have the night sky floating within, and the hundreds of floating white candles over the tables. Her breath was taken away at the sheer level of magic that must have been required to create all this.
The woman seemed to be giving a welcoming speech, which Sweetie Belle couldn't quite make out for some reason, most likely because she wasn't even in the room just yet, only peeking in nervously.
“Now, all the first years shall now be sorted into their Houses, where you shall remain for the remainder of your education here at Hogwarts.” The woman offered a kind smile as she looked over the students. “Each of you shall have the Sorting Hat placed upon your heads and it will tell you which house you will belong too.”
She held out a hand and a scroll floated into her hand, which she unrolled and started reading out the student's names.
Name after name was read, and each one took a seat on a stool, with the hat seeming to come to life and actually speak out the name of one of the four schools for each new student.
Zwei and Deuce were placed into Ravenclaw. Two of the boys Sweetie Belle had shared a boat with went into Slytherin while the third was placed into Hufflepuff.
The woman finally came to the end of the list, looking at the now empty place where the students had been. “Now, it would seem we are missing one of our new students.” She spoke clearly, and then looked toward the doors, and right at Sweetie Belle, an odd expression coming across her face. “Sweetie Belle?”
Sweetie Belle squeaked cutely and ducked back out of sight behind the giant Hagrid.
Hagrid, still at her side, and standing in clear view chuckled. “Ain't nuthin to be scared of Sweetie Belle.” He said down to her. “Yer special, an I'd wager yer gonna be welcomed.”
The small Unicorn looked up, big scared eyes watering slightly. “R-really?”
Hagrid gave her a reassuring smile. “Blimy, I'm certain of it.”
Sweetie Belle gulped back her fear, and then stood tall, gathering her courage. She stepped around the giant and into view of all in the room, entering and walking down the center of the room. She could feel all eyes on her, along with whispers from all around.
She payed them no heed and approached the front of the room.
The woman looked down at Sweetie Belle, an honest look of confusion on her face. “Sweetie Belle?” She checked her scroll again, seeing it only held that name at the bottom.
“Y-yes ma'am.” She spoke, her sweet voice letting out an utterly adorable squeak.
The Headmistress looked at Hagrid as he approached. “Hagrid. Is this some joke? This cannot possibly be one of the new years.”
“Tha' she is McGonagall Ma'am. I was with her all the way from th' train to here.” Hagrid stood tall and smiled at Sweetie Belle. “She's a Unicorn Pony from Equestria. Go on Dear, show Headmistress McGonagal your acceptance letter.”
Sweetie Belle nodded and easily levitated it up into the tall woman's hand.
McGonagall read it, not just once, but no less than three times, each time looking at Sweetie Belle. She noted the address each time, and in the end, she finally spoke. “Well? Take a seat on the stool so the Sorting Hat can sort you into your house.”
Sweetie Belle beamed and hopped up onto the stool, scrambling a little to finally pull herself up so she could sit down.
As the hat was placed over her head, it fell down over her eyes.
Nearly the whole of the students and faculty present found that sight cute... even the Slytherin students.
Sweetie Belle was confused as she felt the magic of the hat seem to search her mind, whispering words of encouragement to her as it did so.
Finally, it spoke out loud. “Gryffindor!”
Sweetie Belle levitated the hat off her head, which gave a slightly startled cry as it suddenty and inexplicably floated into the air.
“Go on and take your seat.” Mc.Gonagall gestured to the Gryffindor table, and Sweetie Belle nodded. Hopping down, she made her way over, still feeling all eyes on her. She pulled herself up onto the bench and sat down.
“Now, a few words.” McGonagall looked over the students, eyes falling on Sweetie Belle for a moment before resuming. “The Dark Forest if off limits to all students. And please note that there is a barrier around the school and grounds that cancels out any form of transformations and illusionary disguises.” She offered an apologetic glance at Sweetie Belle. “Now, with that out of the way, let the feast begin.”
With a clap of McGonagall's hands, the tables were suddenly laden with all manner of foods.
Sweetie Belle looked at the strange smelling mini 'clubs' that were right in front of her. She turned to the girl who was sitting next to her. “Um... what's that? It smells really strange.”
“Them's roasted chicken legs.” Another boy spoke up as he grabbed one and chomped on it.
Suddenly all the students and teachers in the hall cringed as an ear piercing scream filled the air...
To Be Continued...