• Published 5th Dec 2011
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The Wizard and the Lonely Princess - Harry Leferts



We all have imaginary friends when growing up, right? Harry's turns out not to be so Imaginary...

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Chapter 7

Well, here I am with a new chapter for the new year! Hope that you guys enjoy it!

Disclaimer: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is owned by Hasbro and Harry Potter is owned by JK Rowling.

"Hello"-Normal Speaking

"Interesting..."-Nightmare Moon speaking

'Huh.' -Normal thoughts.

'All mine...' Nightmare Moon's thoughts

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Groaning, Harry slowly sat up which caused Nightmare to fall off the bed from where she had been. "Oof!" As she stood up, she glared at Harry. "Do you mind?"

Harry just rolled his eyes as Luna snickered. "Brushy, brushy?"

Nightmare's eyes had lit up at that. "Do you really mean that?"

As he sighed, Harry nodded. "Yes, I do. But it'll have to be later." Hearing a sad sigh as Nightmare clapped her hooves and nodded, Harry rolled his eyes. "And I'll do the same later for you too Luna." He simply heard a squeal as Luna tackle-hugged him. After a moment she let go as Harry got up, a book that had been on his bed tumbled onto the floor as he grabbed what he needed and headed into the attached washroom. After he came back out, he rubbed the bridge of his nose as he spotted Nightmare as she had a staring contest with his new owl Hedwig. "Do you really have to do that?"

Nightmare just waved him off. "Yes. She is quite the opponent."

Luna gave her a deadpan look. "You're in a doll. Your eyes are made of plastic. Do you honestly expect to lose a staring contest?"

Nightmare snorted, not taking an eye off Hedwig. "She challenged me. Besides, looking away first counts." Nightmare then smirked. "Thankfully she does not have that 'Stare' ability that one Earth Pony we met did." Luna just flicked a small stone that was on the floor at her head which caused her to whip around. "WHAT THE HAY WAS THAT..." She trailed off and glared. "That was low, even for you."

Luna just smirked. "Says you." She then turned and flew over to where Harry was looking out a window over the alley. "So are we going to go exploring today Harry? We don't have to worry about Hagrid picking spots for us to go, and with the time we got..." She laid her head on Harry's shoulder. "Well, I think there's so much to see."

Nightmare just grumbled. "You mean eat..." Seeing that Harry was about to say something, Nightmare held up a hoof. "Child, I do not blame you. We have already been over this." She gestured between herself and Luna. "While the little Princess can manifest the way she does, I cannot. This is the closest I can come." She then grinned a little. "Besides... If I had permission, I could use her senses..."

Luna's mouth opened and closed several times before she sighed. "Do you promise not to try and possess me?"

Nightmare looked at her with an expression of shock. "Are you offering me what I think you are...?"

Luna just huffed. "Well... I don't like to see anypony suffer so..." She then shrugged before she glared at Nightmare. "Do you want it or not?" Nightmare just nodded, still in a state of shock. After a moment, Luna shuddered some and grimaced. "Happy?"

Nightmare nodded with a bright smile. "Very." She made her way over and jumped up to the window and then scrambled onto Harry's shoulder. She was about to say something when she turns and glared a little at Hedwig as she landed on his other shoulder. "And what do you think that you're doing there." Hedwig barked which caused Nightmare's eyes to narrow as she tapped Harry's shoulder. "My spot, not yours."

Harry just shook his head while he tried to keep from laughing. "Well, aren't we in a good mood?"

Nightmare looked away from her glaring contest with Hedwig and gave Harry a smirk. "But of course." She tapped Harry on the shoulder as she chuckled. "We're away from those... creatures you call relatives for the next couple of months at least. So why wouldn't I be in a good mood?"

Harry just chuckled himself as he headed out the door. "Too true." He then became quiet. "What's your opinion on what's happened so far? We were so tired last night from everything that I forgot to ask."

Both Luna and Nightmare became thoughtful as Harry ordered his breakfast. It was not until it had arrived that Nightmare spoke up. "I have mixed feelings over it." Harry turned and regarded her as did Luna. "On the one hoof, you will get proper training in your species' magic. And so will come to your full potential." She then lifted up another hoof. "On the other hoof, it seems that these wizards practice a flawed culture. The fact that they hide from those without magic in order to not have to be asked for help proves it. Not to mention the possibility of bribery..."

Luna nodded. "I actually agree with her for a change." After she looked over the booth to make sure that no one was watching, and there wasn't, she made her way beside Harry and touched him with a wing as he fed magic into her. "I don't think that we have enough information at the moment to make any real conclusion, but with what Nightmare has pointed out as well as what we know of their schooling system... it's not looking good." Quickly having looked around again, she leaned down and shoveled some eggs into her mouth as Nightmare softly moaned about how it tasted so good. Swallowing, she straightened which caused Nightmare to groan in annoyance. "But all we can do is wait and see."

And with that she went back to eating the portion that Harry had set aside as Nightmare made various sounds. After they were done, Harry looked at Nightmare in amusement. "Well? Shall we?" As she got up, Nightmare seemed to stagger drunkenly over to where Harry was. Harry just picked her up and laid her on his shoulder as Luna laughed. She clamped her mouth shut a moment later with Harry's next words though. "I wouldn't laugh Luna, I remember someone being almost the same after the first few times."

She grumbled a little as she blushed after which Luna gave a little huff as she walked out the door. Upon having entered the alley though, she calmed down as her good mood returned. "So where to first?"

As he looked around the crowds, Harry shrugged. "Let's just walk around and see." He spotted a small kiosk and grabbed a map of the alley from it (after having paid a few knuts for it). "Well, this should help I think."

Nightmare nodded, her next words caused both Luna and Harry to roll their eyes. "We should stop by the bookstore again, after all that book on curses looks interesting."

Luna was about to say something when she stopped and points to the side. "I wonder what's down there?"

Having turned to look over to where she was pointing, both Harry and Nightmare raised their eyebrows as they saw the small off-shoot. "Hm, looks interesting." He then glanced at the map in his hands as an eyebrow raised. "And it's not on the map for some reason." He then shrugged. "Well, let's go have a look see shall we?"

As they walked into it, they glanced around as their eyebrows to raised. "My. The stores here are much smaller than in Diagon." And indeed they were since most are not even half the size of the ones in the main alley. Also, there was far fewer people there as well. While she looked into one of the windows, Nightmare nodded. "Nic nacs it seems. No wonder then."

Luna then fluttered up with a gleam in her eye. "Can we go into that one over there Harry?"

As he shrugged, Harry walked over. Entering, he has to smother a laugh as Nightmare glared at Luna as they've entered a toy store. Before he could say anything though, a slightly motherly looking woman with brown hair and hazel eyes walked up. "Hello sir, may I help you?"

Harry just shook his head. "No, but thank you Ma'am."

He was about to say more when she noticed Nightmare and gasped in delight. "Oh my word! A Pegacorn! How very charming!" She then looked at her closely. "Is she yours?" Nightmare grumbled as she leaned back which made the woman's eyes widen even more. "And one that is animated and intelligent!" She then looked at Harry with a sparkle in her eyes. "You simply must tell me where you got her! I can after all tell that she isn't one of ours."

Harry just blinked. "Um... I made her and one day she kind of... woke up."

A large grin stretched across her face at that. "Truly! That is most impressive. One that comes about through accidental magic is stunningly rare, especially if she is as intelligent as she seems to be."

Harry just slapped a hand over Nightmare's mouth as she went off. Suddenly, he realized what she's talking about. "Wait, you have some like her?"

The woman nodded. "Indeed I do, in fact..." She suddenly stopped and slapped herself on the forehead. "Goodness me! I am so sorry, but I not only forgot to introduce myself, but to introduce you... I mean get your name. My mind can be such a bother." She held out a hand as Harry's lips twitched into a smile. "I'm the owner of this little piece of joy, Winifred Poe. Most just call me Winnie though."

Harry grasped her hand with a large smile. "I'm Harry Potter."

She was silent as her jaw dropped which caused Harry to take a step backwards. "OH MY!" She then grinned hugely. "Not only do I have Harry Potter, THE Harry Potter, but I'm also looking at a toy he made!" She then noticed him slightly freaked out and calmed down. "Sorry about that. Didn't mean to scare you."

Harry shook his head. "That's okay, no harm done." Harry then looked around. "So... what are the ones like Nightmare like?"

Blinking, Winifred shook her head. "Sorry." She gestured for him to follow her. "As you may well know, you can magically enchant objects to be animate and sentient after a fashion."

Nightmare bristled a little, but said nothing as Harry made a thoughtful noise. "Well... actually I didn't."

Winifred just shrugged. "Well, we can. The most commonly seen ones are the pieces for Wizard's Chess. At Hogwarts, you also have the suits of armor." She stopped in front of several plushies that were moving around in a pen causing Harry's, Luna's, and Nightmare's eyes to widen. "What most don't know is that they're easier to do then to animate stuffed animals or to give them sentience."

Nightmare blinked and looked over at her. "How so? It's just magic after all."

Winifred shook her head. "Actually no." She gestured at the pen. "Anyone could enchant an object with animation and sentience. Making it last is a whole other issue. With hard objects like suits of armor or chess pieces, the problem is solved because they have runes carved into them. They allow the spells on them to be permanent." She reached down and picked up a stuffed dog that barked. "Stuffed animals on the other hand, due to being unable to have runes carved into them, have to undergo a complicated process involving a very specific pattern of spells that must be cast. Together, they create a permanency that will last a few decades before needing to be redone." Suddenly she stopped and sighed before she looked at Harry sheepishly. "Sorry, this type of thing I love going on about but... sometimes I forget that some people might not understand what I am talking about."

Harry shook his head with a small smile. "Actually, I understood some of that."

Winifred clapped her hands. "Goodie!" She then placed the dog back into the pen. "So is there anything that I can help you with? With Nightmare there, I'm going to assume that you weren't looking for another toy."

Harry shook his head as Nightmare had to bite her tongue to prevent herself from ranting about having been called a toy. "No, I was just looking around." He suddenly stopped and smiled. "Actually... do you have anything that Nightmare could use?" Nightmare looked at him in shock and surprise as did Luna. Seeing this, Harry smiled even wider. "You've been there for me for a long time Nightmare. Consider this a thank you gift."

Nightmare stared at him for a moment before she looked away. "While this pleases me, I would like you to know that you don't have to do this."

Harry just smiled. "I know. But I want to." He turned back to Winifred as Nightmare clears her throat. "So... do you have anything?"

Winifred nodded. "As a matter of fact, I do. Follow me." Harry followed her and was soon in a section with a selection of toy clothing. "Here we go. Does this help?"

Harry nodded as he looked around. "It does actually. Thank you." Winifred just waved her hand before she left since another costumer had entered the store. Harry then looked over at Nightmare. "So? See anything you like?"

She jumped down from his shoulder and started walking around. "Hm..." She suddenly stopped. "These look good." Harry sighed as he rubbed the bridge of his nose as he saw her gesturing at night themed socks made for dolls.

As he sighed, Harry shook his head with a small smile on his face. "Should have known..." He then smiled. "Well? Go ahead and pick some."

Nightmare's face lit up as she cantered into the isle and began looking at the socks. "Ooo! This looks good!" She then gasped. "And they have multiple pairs of the same socks! YES!" She grabs a pair and looked it over as Harry watches with an amused expression on his face. "And the pictures even move!" A few minutes later found a chuckling Harry walking out the door with a shrunken bag in his pocket and Nightmare on his shoulder as she admired her new socks that she was then wearing. "Quite nice of her to add the dirt repelling charms." Luna grumbled a little which caused Nightmare to smirk. "Jealous much Little Princess?"

As he ignored Luna glaring at the doll on his shoulder, Harry glanced around with a thoughtful look before he glanced at the map which showed the shops he had visited the day before. Seeing this, Luna turned from her glaring contest. "Something wrong Harry?"

Even Nightmare turned to him as he shook his head in confusion. "It's this map... For some reason it doesn't show this part of the alley..."

He jumped a little as a voice spoke up from behind him. After he whipped around, he was confronted by a boy in his late teens who had long red hair and a tooth hanged from one of his ears. "Something the matter?"

After he blinked for a moment, Harry shrugged. "Um... this place isn't on the map..."

The boy made a thoughtful noise. "Can I have a look at the map?" Harry nodded and handed it over. As he looked it over, the boy chuckled. "You got one of the older ones kid. This one is about three years old." He handed it back to Harry and held out his hand. "Name's Bill Weasley by the way."

Harry smiled as he shook Bill's hand. "My names Harry." Having had enough of every one gasping at his name, Harry decided to leave his last name out of it. "So why are things so different then?"

Bill looked around and gestured back to the entrance of the alley. "They found this portion of the alley about a year ago after a drunken wizard near the Leaky Cauldron got angry and knocked a hole in the wall." He then waved a hand at the alley around them. "Turns out that this place was sealed off from the rest of the alley about little more than 326 years ago during the Great Plague. Apparently the families here were hard hit by it and after the... err, 'cleanup' was done, they sealed it off and eventually everyone forgot about it."

Harry blinked a little but before he could say anything, Nightmare spoke up. "How the hay could they have forgotten about it? There had to be maps and such. And how do you know so much about it?"

Bill was a bit surprised at the doll but then shrugged. "There was various wards on the entrance and they only weakened enough recently to allow the place to be discovered by chance." He then chuckled. "And as for how I know about this place?" He then grinned. "I was an Apprentice Curse Breaker at the time and cut my eye teeth as it were on the Wards here. Of course, it didn't take long for several shops to open as people moved in." He then reached into his pocket and pulled out a small map and handed it to Harry. "Here, I don't use this anymore so you can have it." He then ruffled Harry's hair a little after Harry thanked him. "No worries, hope you have a good day mate." He was about to walk off when he stopped. "Oh, and if you see two red headed twins and they try to give you something, don't take it."

And with those odd words he walked off leaving Harry who glanced over the map. Luna watched him leave and smiled. "He was nice."

Nightmare just waved it off. "Yeah, yeah. Nice guy and all that." She then looked at Harry. "So where to next then?"

As he rolled his eyes, something caught his eye. "This looks good."

Luna looked at the name and snorted. "'Mundane Emporium'? Wonder what's in there with a name like that?"

Harry shrugged a little as he started walking, Luna right beside him unseen by all but him and Nightmare. "Who knows? Besides, not much more to do then explore." They soon found the shop in question and entered it to find what looked like a normal (thought quite small) second hand electronics store. Having heard a hooting noise, Harry looked up to see an animated owl figurine hooting. "The Hay?"

From the back of the shop, came a voice. "I'll be right with ye'!" A moment later a red headed man walked out from the back. Seeing Harry, he smiled. "Weel now, hello there laddie. How can I be a service?"

As he looked around, Harry could only shake his head in amazement. "For some reason. this I'm surprised about this place being this..."

The man chuckled as he nods. "'Mundane'?" He then glanced around his shop. "Weel, it is out of place, now isn't it Laddie?" He then sat into a chair behind the counter. "Tis' somethin' that I been wanting to for quite a while now." As he looked Harry over, he nodded. "Muggle raised are ye'?" Harry's eyes widened before the man pointed to his trainers. "Muggle shoes Laddie. Only Muggleborn like meself and Muggle raised wear them." He then rubbed his hands together. "Now then Laddie, have a look see around dinnae get many customers around 'ere."

Harry glanced around and Nightmare rolled her eyes. "Harry, none of this would work at Hogwarts." Harry was about to say something when the man chuckled. "What?"

The man shook his head, still grinning. "This be not normal muggle items ye' see. These be able to work even in Ol' 'Ogwarts they can." He tapped a cassette player near him. "Ye' see Laddie, these not be normal muggle items. Oh, no." The man grinned as he chuckled. "They run on magic." He then waved around the shop. 'What ye' be seeing here is the only shop authorized like ta sell enchanted muggle objects."

Beside Harry, Luna scrunched up her face in thought. "'Authorized'? Why would you need to be authorized to enchant objects?"

Harry echoed her question causing the man to turn solemn. "Ye' do need to be authorized to enchant muggle objects. Tis' many laws for it." He then sighed and shook his head. "'Muggle Baiting' they call it. It's when a wizard enchants an object with abilities it shouldn't have and uses it ta 'Prank' unsuspecting muggles. Usually in various mean-spirited ways." He then leaned back in his chair and nodded. "But I know a thing or two about laws being a former Auror. No laws are broken since none O' these items have a function that they were not designed for. Only difference between them and their actual muggle counterparts is tha' they can be used in places like 'Ogwarts and run off the magic. Everythin' else?" He shrugged. "Th' same." He then leaned forward. "So then Laddie, lookin' for anythin' in particular?"

Harry walked farther into the shop and poked around a little. "Well... do you have any stereos or tapes?"

The man smiled and soon after, Harry left with some less gold on him, but a bag full of items and a smile on his and his companions faces. After a moment, Nightmare turned and regarded Harry with a smirk. "You know that we've likely been gouged, right?"

Harry snorted in amusement. "Of course we were. But with him being the only provider of this stuff..."

Luna now looked at the bag with a frown. "Hopefully it works."

Harry chuckled slightly darkly. "Well... if it doesn't and he lied, well... all I got to do is say something..."

Nightmare's face lit up as Luna rolled her eyes and groaned. "And he would be ruined. Ooo! I am so proud of you!" Luna just rolled her eyes and mumbled about Harry spending too much time with her...

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That night found Nightmare reading a new book of spells when she heard something. Turning, she noticed Harry shivering due to him having kicked his blanket off. As she shook her head, she walked over and pulled it back up. Watching him for a moment, she smiled brushed some hair from his forehead when she suddenly stopped. 'Wait... why am I acting this way?' She then looked at Harry with a frown. 'He's nothing more than a pawn... right?' She then grimaced. 'Have I... become weak?' Angry, she glared at Harry's sleeping face for a moment before her anger melted away with a sigh. "I wonder... what is it about you that affects me so? That makes me want to protect you?' Silently growling, she hopped off the bed and clambered onto the window sill. As she looked out over the darkened alley, her thoughts turned inward for a time.

'So like me... dark, twisting and... lonely.' The last thought comes unbiddened to her as her frown deepened. 'Lonely? Where did that come from?' Her mind flashed back to when she had gone to war with Celestia. 'I was never lonely. I had plenty of subordinates and servants.' She then remembered how while she had many serving under her, she didn't know them. Never talked to them as her, Luna, and Harry talk. They were always distant to her. She suddenly remembered something Harry said to her...

*************Flashback****************

Blinking, Harry looked at Nightmare. "Hm? What was that Nightmare?"

As she rolled her eyes, she sighed and repeated herself again. "Of course you're not alone." From where she was beside him, she subtly gestured at the rather crowded dining room of the Leaky Cauldron. "You're surrounded by people!"

Harry just shook his head. "A person can be all alone in a crowd you know." Nightmare just scoffed...

***************Flashback End**********************

Blinking, Nightmare repeated what Harry had said. "'One can be all alone in a crowd...'" She quietened as she continued watching the alley when she noticed a small light as it slowly made its way through the darkness She became mesmerized as she watched it bob. Unbiddened, her mind began reviewing memories of the times she had spent with Harry. As the light entered the tavern below, a feeling of peace washed over the usually turbulent mind of the dark alicorn as darkness returned to the alley. She then turned to where Harry was sleeping and softly chuckled. She stood there for a moment before she hopped down and headed for the door. 'A nice walk sounds good right about now.' Walking to the door, she used a small burst of magic that left her feeling more than slightly tired which turned the doorknob as she left. Once out, she walked down the hall and into the dark main floor of the pub when she stopped as she saw a grungy man who sat with his head in the fireplace while green flames burn in it. 'Now that is interesting...'

While she kept to the shadows, she got close enough to hear the conversation which caused her eyes to narrow. "Aye Headmaster. The boy is perfectly fine and sleeping soundly. Visited a number of places today as well. Seemed to enjoy himself."

A moment passed before a voice drifted through the fireplace. "I am glad to hear that he was safe and enjoyed himself Mundungus. Please do keep an eye on the boy but do not interfere unless he is in danger. While I am sure that he is safe at the moment, it is always better safe than sorry."

The now identified Mundungus nodded. "Of course Headmaster. I've got some dealings in the alley anyways so it's no trouble to keep an eye out."

A tone of disapproval entered the other voice. "I do hope that you are not doing anything illegal Mundungus."

Mundungus seemed to chuckle nervously. "Of course not Headmaster. Anyways, I'll keep an eye out tomorrow as well." After a moment, the other voice thanked him and the fire went back to normal after the man pulled his head out. As he reached up to a vase on the mantle, Mundungus took a pinch of something and threw it into the fireplace before he called out an address. After sticking his head back in, he called out. "Oy! Sean, you there."

A low, growling voice soon answered. "Wha's the big deal Dung! Do yeh have any idea as to the time?"

Mundungus just snorted. "Of course I do, but now’s the best time since no one's here. So... do you have the money? Grabbing the storage crystal from Geodesic's place wasn't easy I'll tell you!"

Sean grumbled. "Don' have th' money on myself at the moment. But ah should by the 'morrow."

After a little bit, Mundungus pulled out as the flames once more turn back to the same color. He then stumbled over to a nearby chair where he pulled out a bottle and started drinking it. Several minutes later, he pulled out a longish crystal that was softly glowing. Looking it over, he grinned as he slurred his speech. "'Ou'll be making mee a purty knut ye wil..."

As he got up, he started stumbling for the door, unaware of Nightmare before she darted between his legs and tripped him. Flailing, he smacked his head on a table which caused him to be knocked out. Nightmare just strided up with a smirk. "Well now... that worked better than I thought." Having spotted a glint, she walked toward it before she realized that it was the crystal. As she picked it up, she looked it over, and took note of the small runes that were etched in the surface. "How perfectly smart these human wizards are. Creating something that can act as a magical battery. You will be very useful to me." She then notices a sharp knife on the floor causing her to darkly chuckle.

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As he walked into the main dining room the next morning, Harry glanced up at the tired Nightmare on his shoulder. "Are you sure you're okay Nightmare? You've been moving around kind of... gingerly if you don't mind me saying so."

She just waved him off before she softly grunted, not moving much. "It's nothing that you should worry about."

They walked by some witches who were whispering. "Did you hear about this morning? They found a naked wizard down here. Apparently he must have tripped and knocked himself out!"

The other witch scowled. "Those bloody perverts. Probably come to try and peep on us in the middle of the night." Harry gave the woman a weird look since she looked like she was not about to win any beauty pageants (and more likely break any mirrors that she looked into). "Hopefully they threw him in jail! Good riddance I say!"

As he shook his head, Harry sighed. "People are so weird..." Nightmare just smirked before she winced as she placed a hoof on her side for a moment. The action having gone unnoticed as Harry and Luna sit down...