• Published 11th Apr 2018
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If Wishes were Ponies . . . . - tkepner



Harry Potter, after a beating by Dudley and friends — with the help of a real gang member — wishes he had somewhere safe to go, and starts crawling home. He ends up in Equestria. The CMC find him. A year later, an owl brings his Hogwarts’ letter!

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18 — Preparations

She had reviewed the Book Manifestation Spell’s structure twice with Harry when Spike suddenly belched out a flame. They were all surprised to see not only a scroll, but a book, land in front of him. “Look, Twilight,” Spike said excitedly, “Princess Celestia has already answered!” He ran over to the two of them with both items.

۸- ̰ -۸

Dear Twilight, Our Faithful Student,

We are pleased to hear that you have located the portal to Harry Potter’s home world, Earth, and verified that it is stable and two-way. Your announcement has stirred up quite a bit of interest in the Magical and Social Research communities! We doubt any of them will sleep tonight. Or tomorrow night. Or the night after that . . . .

Since Harry Potter’s arrival last year We have been studying and debating the proper course of actions to take in the event of the portal’s eventual discovery. The book and magazine you provided today will be a big help to our researchers, in that regard.

A battalion of Royal Engineers and a company of Royal Guards will arrive in Ponyville tomorrow to establish a fortified perimeter around the portal to protect it from the denizens of the Everfree Forest. They will begin building a permanent port-of-entry for travel to and from this new world. They will also be building similar structures, on a smaller scale, in Harry Potter’s world, at the appropriate time.

Four Guard squads have been dispatched to the portal tree to relieve the Guards posted there and to set up a proper rotation. They should arrive within the hour.

We had not intended to reveal Ourselves this quickly, if ever, to the inhabitants of this new world until after trained scouts had studied it and rendered their opinions. Unfortunately, the letter delivered by owl to Harry Potter — which must be answered in a timely fashion — has forced Our Hooves in this matter.

We would not presume to prevent Harry Potter from getting the education he needs from his people. On the other hoof, neither would We presume to force Harry Potter to return there against his will. Please relay to Harry Potter how important We feel continuing his education in his home world will be, both to him, personally, as a growing colt, and to Equestria as a whole, in learning about the magic in his world.

Should Harry Potter decide to pursue his education at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, We wish to assure him that any and all expenses he might incur will be fully covered by Us.

Harry Potter has Our full support, both emotionally and physically, no matter which course he decides to take.

We understand that Harry Potter has expressed reservations about attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry by himself and has said that he will only attend if his filly friends are allowed to attend as well. We well understand his reasoning, and, again, support him fully. If any of the fillies wish to attend with him, and the Headmistress at the School allows it, then We will provide them with the same support we do Harry Potter. His and their attendance at this school will help establish Equestria’s presence in this new world, and he and they, and the fillies’ families, will have Our gratitude for assisting us in this endeavour.

Should Harry Potter decide to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry with his filly friends, We wish you and your friends to accompany them to ensure their well-being and safety while they are acquiring their school supplies and taking their first steps into this new world (Naturally, you and your friends will be compensated for the time spent away from your and their professions here in Equestria).

If, at any time, you feel the situation is too dangerous for the colt and fillies, or they feel threatened for any reason, you have full authority to cancel the arrangements with Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and return them and yourselves to Equestria, posthaste.

We have appointed Our nephew, Prince Blueblood, as Our Ambassador to this new world. Render what aid you can to establish a proper Embassy in this new world, secondary to assisting Harry Potter and his filly friends until he is situated at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, of course.

Once they have arrived at the school and arrangements made for their housing, you may return to your normal duties here in Equestria, at your leisure. A pony at the embassy will be appointed permanent liaison to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry while Harry Potter and the fillies are in attendance, and arrangements will be made for regular communications between them and their families.

In this endeavour you have Our full confidence and We grant you the authority to act in Our Names without reservation. Your Word is Our Law.

The book accompanying this letter is a proposed outline for establishing peaceful relations with Earth, as well as possible responses should peaceful relations not be possible.

Perhaps Harry Potter will have some ideas on how to take those first steps?

We look forward to your letters telling Us of your adventures and friendships in this new world.

Princess Celestia,

Princess Luna.

۸- ̰ -۸

Harry stared at Twilight as she stared at the book. He could almost see her eyes glazing over at the prospects of what the book entailed. Spike sighed, anticipating a sleepless night.

Twilight shook her head and looked around the library, thinking. “Spike? Would you go tell Rarity, Sweetie Belle, and Pinkie Pie that I would like them to meet me here with the other mares for breakfast tomorrow so we can plan? Harry, would you relay the same message to Holiday, Lofts, and Scootaloo? I’ll do the same for Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Apple Bloom, and Fluttershy. Tell them this is at the Princesses’ request.” After they nodded their understanding, she teleported away, probably to Fluttershy’s first.

Seconds later, Harry was knocking on the door where Scootaloo lived. Harry could hear a loud voice inside. Lofty opened the door, and the voice became clearer. It was Holiday giving Scootaloo a right proper scolding.

“Harry Potter,” said Lofty, “What brings you here?” The scolding in the background cut off and hoof-steps headed their way.

He scuffed his hoof on the porch, feeling guilty for getting Scootaloo in trouble. He looked up the Scootaloo’s aunt. “Twilight Sparkle would like you, Holiday, and Scootaloo to come over tomorrow for breakfast. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna have a project they want you to help her with. It has to do with the portal and Scootaloo going to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the world on the other side with me.”

Scootaloo had him in a tight hug, “You want me to go with you to learn magic!?”

He shrugged and hugged her back, “Well, yeah, you didn’t think I would leave you, AB, and Sweetie behind, did you? You all have magic of a sort. I’m going to put in my letter that if you all can’t go then I won’t, either. I’d rather be here with you than there without.” She squeezed him even harder.

Her aunts were exchanging looks behind Scootaloo and Harry could see them mouthing “Princesses?” to each other with incredulous expressions. He smirked. Yeah, like they would ever say no to a request from Princess Celestia. And while Twilight was a princess, she didn’t yet have the impact and seriousness that a thousand plus year old ruler did.

Reluctantly, Scootaloo let him go. He noticed her eyes seemed a bit moist, but thought it probably was from the scolding she was getting when he arrived. “Well, anyway, I’ll see you tomorrow.” He waved goodbye, and then turned and headed back to the library. He really needed to learn that Book Manifestation spell.

He scrunched up his face. Books. School books. He had saddlebags, but most kids didn’t use rucksacks at school in Little Whinging. The Dursleys had never allowed him one — and Dudley had made sure his castoffs were too torn and damaged for Harry to use.

He didn’t know if the students at Hogwarts carried rucksacks. And carrying books was always difficult — well, only because Dudley kept knocking them away from Harry every chance he could get. If only he could carry his books and school supplies without needing to carry them! Unless he could carry them in his magic . . . his magic was good enough to carry the books, but he wasn’t sure about adding the paper and pens and gloves and the other things mentioned in the letter.

He spent the rest of the evening trying to study the Book Manifestation spell while Twilight repeatedly interrupted him to ask his opinion about the Princesses’ plans for contacting Earth authorities. After his first answer, “Find a really good solicitor,” the rest became, “I don’t know” and “Ask the solicitor.” It did sound like the Princesses had been quite thorough in their plans, with contingences on top of contingencies.

The most optimistic plan had the British Government treating them as honoured guests and setting up exchanges of scientists and magicians to explore each other’s world and societies, and seeking common grounds for trade and the exchange of knowledge. The next most likely was open hostility by the British military and viewing the Equestrians as an invading force intent on conquering them. The worst assumed a world-wide war erupting as the various countries of the world fought Britain and strove to seize the portal. In the last case, assuming that there was no hope of peaceful relations, the Princesses planned to seal the portal from both ends. And there were another dozen variations on each of those outcomes.

There was even a plan to attempt to send the portal into the sun if the portals couldn’t be closed and the humans refused to take no for an answer. Nothing says “we don’t want to deal with your crap” better than moving the portal exit from a somewhat peaceful forest to the twenty-million-degree heart of a star.

The truly worrying thing was the address on Harry’s letter. Did the Earth people now know about Equestria? Plus, the letter gave no indication on where the school was or how to get to it. They would have to ask for that information, which meant another letter would be sent to them, or perhaps a person would actually visit. If they could provide a location, a home, as it were, on the other side, maybe they could keep the secret of Equestria’s portal safe for a little longer?

When Harry and Spike went up to bed, Twilight was still studying the book and making her own branching checklist on what to do and when — it was already taking up the entire kitchen table after only a few minutes. Harry thought it would probably be the size of Ponyville when she finished — and folded into a single book that only showed the relevant branch at any one time.

Harry did manage to get the Book Manifestation spell to work. It only lasted a few seconds, unfortunately. But he was in the book. And once he was in it and started looking around before he was ejected from it, he quickly realized that he did understand the spell better! It was as if the author herself was talking to him, showing him things about the spell that mere words couldn’t convey. The next time would be much easier.

۸-_-۸

The next morning everyone gathered in the castle’s dining room. The fillies, after scarfing down their breakfast, stood beside Harry. They looked very happy at the prospect of going with him and openly exploring this new-to-them world. And the opportunity to do so without getting into trouble at home made it just so much sweeter.

Princess Twilight was wearing her crown to impress upon everyone the importance of the issue. With numerous interruptions by Spike and Applejack to keep her on track, Twilight brought the other mares up to speed on the current situation.

“So,” Applejack said, “The Princesses want us to go to this, Earth, Harry’s old home, and make sure he and the fillies are safely enrolled in this Hogwarts magic school?”

Twilight nodded, “And help Prince Blueblood set up an embassy.”

“And they really think Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is important enough that Harry and the fillies should go there?” asked Rarity, with a worried glance at her sister.

Twilight nodded, again, “Well, if not for the letter to Harry, even if we had found the portal we wouldn’t have suspected that there were ponies there who could do magic. The only way we have to learn about that magic is for Harry to go to the school.” She glanced at Harry. “And he won’t go without his friends,” she said, looking at him with a soft smile.

The fillies leaned a little harder against Harry.

“Hey,” said Rainbow Dash, dismissively, “I don’t see the problem. It’s a school! It can’t be all that dangerous. They’ll be just as safe there as if they were going to the Ponyville Schoolhouse. Safer, even, because they won’t be anywhere near the Everfree Forest!”

“Not to mention any of the crazy things that have happened in Ponyville the last two years,” mumbled Rarity.

“Or their Cutie Mark Crusades,” finished Applejack.

At that declaration the three fillies tried to look as innocent as possible to their respective relatives while those relatives were giving the stink-eye to the fillies! Spike, even though he wasn’t in their line-of-sight, still took a step to the side behind Twilight to partially hide from the irritated relatives. Unlike the Cutie Mark Crusaders, his sense of self-preservation was working just fine!

“And,” Twilight added soothingly, “If it’s anything like Princess Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns, the students are always under close supervision at all times with classes of only a dozen or so at a time and plenty of one-on-one sessions with trained experts. And if there are dangerous activities planned, I’m sure they have extra staff on hoof to protect the students and take special safety precautions.

“And it’s the opportunity of a lifetime! Just think of what they’ll learn about these humans and how to interact with other species.” She sighed and stared off into the distance with a wistful expression, her hooves twitched with the desire to stand and start trotting excitedly. “The World Almanac Harry showed me says the British Library had over ten million books five years ago. It would take one-hundred and fourteen years, one month, twenty-six days, and sixteen hours to read every book if I read ten books an hour!” Her gaze drifted down to look at the others, “and they’re adding tens of thousands more books every year!” She sighed deeply as she again stared blankly at a wall. Harry was certain she was about to start drooling.

It was clear to all that Twilight would have swapped places with Harry in an instant, if she thought she could get away with it.

Applejack and Rarity exchanged worried looks. Dragging Twilight from the Royal Library was hard enough when they visited Canterlot. If they were foolish enough to let her walk into this British Library, they might never get her back to Equestria!

“Twilight!” Spike said sharply.

She startled, then blushed. “Right.” The purple alicorn looked at Rarity, Scootaloo’s aunts, and Applejack. “So, if the school agrees, will you let the fillies go with Harry as Princess Celestia has requested?”

If there ever was a cue for the diabetes-inducing Cuteness of Doom look that the fillies had perfected, Harry thought that was it. The three fillies turned to their respective elders with their moist, wide-eyed faces, trembling lower lips, hopefully canted ears, with one hoof ever-so-slightly-lifted as if about to reach out, begging. Even that cold-hearted monster King Sombra would have caved to their cuteness.

Not that it was really needed, Harry thought, Princess Celestia asking them to do something was a guaranteed yes answer, no matter how much the mares might be reluctant to say so.

First to fall was Rarity, who huffed and sighed, looked over to Twilight, and reluctantly nodded. Then Scootaloo’s aunts gave in, with Lofty nudging Holiday and both giving a nod to Twilight. Applejack held out the longest, but seeing that the others had capitulated, she knew she couldn’t hold her sister back. She sighed, “Okay, Twilight. If the school lets the fillies in then I won’t stand in the way.”

The three fillies abandoned their posts and charged their relatives, giving them fierce hugs and declaring, “Thank you, thank you, you won’t regret it, I promise!” all while hoof-pumping their fore-legs behind their relatives’ backs.

After putting her sister down, Rarity, said, “What next, Twilight?”

Twilight whipped her checklist out of her saddlebags — not that she needed to see it, she had, after all, memorized it as she wrote it — and said, “Let’s see . . . that’s done, that’s done, that’s done . . . ,” She checked off over two dozen items. “Okay, now we need to check-in with the Guard at the portal. They should have the gold and gems we’ll need to exchange for bits on the other side, pounds, they call them.

“The overall plan is to find a lawyer, uh, a solicitor Harry says, who can then help us exchange our gold and gems. With her help we need to buy up as much property around the portal on their side as possible. That will also give us housing and a buffer zone.

“Because we want to keep this as quiet as possible until we are officially established as an embassy and can announce ourselves to the world, we’ll use one of the homes we purchase as our official residence and not mention that we are from another dimension. We’ll pretend we are from somewhere else in their world and only recently moved to Little Whinging — although we’ll have to tell the solicitor the truth. We’ll probably have to bring her through the portal to convince her we’re not crazy.

“Once we have a house, Harry and the fillies will move in and we’ll send the owl with Harry’s answer. While we wait for a reply, Harry can show us what he knows about his world and we can assist Prince Blueblood in establishing an official embassy.

“Any questions?”

“Where is this school?” asked Holiday.

“That’s one of the questions we’ll have to ask in the letter Harry sends, as well as where do we purchase the items mentioned in their letter, how we get to the school, and where we need to live for them to easily go to and from the school.”

“Sounds good,” declared Rainbow Dash, “Let’s get going!” she darted out the balcony window in a rainbow-coloured blur. A moment later, she coasted back in. “Uh, where’re we going first?”

The walk to the Guard Post was uneventful. Twilight told Holiday and Lofty, “If you want, you can visit Earth later, after we’ve secured a hoof-hold. Today, we’ll just be popping in and out as the guards secure the area around the portal. And practice walking in our new forms. Nothing very exciting.”

Scootaloo’s two aunts appeared grateful for a chance to beg off going with them. They were not explorers, after all. And with the guards and the Mane Six along, their charge, Scootaloo, would be quite safe. They separated from the group as they reached the edge of Ponyville. “We’ll see you tonight, right, Scootaloo?” Scootaloo nodded to her aunts and gave them a brief wave.

The plan was that they were exploring only during the days until they had a house on the other side. Then they would move there for a short while before returning after getting their school supplies. Assuming the school agreed to the fillies attending, that is.

The former simple guard post was a beehive of activity. A mass of earth ponies and unicorns were working at improving the trail separating Sweet Apple Acres from the Everfree, turning it into a real paved road such as one would find in Canterlot. Another group on the other side of the post was establishing a runway for the pegasi-drawn chariots bringing building materials and more workers that were still landing wherever they could find room. Two other groups were on opposite sides of Harry’s trail into the Everfree, removing the trees to make an opening at least two hundred celestials wide in its place. A steady stream of ponies were going into the forest while an equally steady stream brought out downed trees and other debris.

Meanwhile dozens of armoured pegasi were flying overhead and armoured unicorns and earth ponies were patrolling the perimeter of the forest.

Even Twilight seemed taken aback at the scale of the activity.

As they approached, a Guard supervising one of the road crews noticed them and came over immediately. “Good morning, Princess Twilight Sparkle, I am Major Smoky,” she said. She eyed the colt, fillies, and mares. “We’ve been expecting you. Right this way, please.”

She turned and led them over to the Guard Post and then inside. “Lieutenant Colonel Shining Charge, Ma’am! Princess Twilight Sparkle and her companions are here.”

A large table dominated the main room. The pegasus Guard standing behind table looked up from the papers piled on it and nodded. “Dismissed,” she said, returning the other’s salute before turning her attention to Twilight. “Have you read the alien contact protocols book, your Highness?” she asked.

“Yes, last night,” Twilight said, “I’ve prepared a checklist . . . ,” which she then spent the next fifteen minutes explaining to the poor Lieutenant Colonel.

“Excellent,” said the Royal Guard, narrowly getting a word in edgewise as the alicorn stopped to take a breath. “We haven’t breeched the portal yet. Word that you’ve already explored a bit yesterday has the scouts waiting for your feedback before proceeding. How serious an issue is it for shoes?”

Startled at the change of subject, Twilight said, “Very serious. Even though we only went a few hundred paces in the forest there, the skin on the back side of our pastern and cannon bones was very scratched up and sore by the time we returned.”

Harry spoke up. “Shoes are a requirement. While not having shoes isn’t a safety issue once you leave the forest, not wearing shoes will get your scouts immediately noticed. There are even some businesses where they will be refused entry if they aren’t wearing shoes.” The Lieutenant Colonel looked at Harry a moment, then nodded.

She looked up at Twilight. “We’ll need you to conduct our scouts across so they can take measurements to make these shoes. We’ve had seamstresses working overnight making clothes using that magazine you provided as a guide.”

Harry wasn’t used to adults actually listening to him, especially an adult he did not know. On the other hand, the ponies were different from people. He decided to try again, “Um, that might actually be a problem.”

The Lieutenant Colonel looked at Harry, “Why?”

“Well,” Harry said hesitantly, “That magazine is a fancy fashion magazine and most of the clothes in it are things regular people wouldn’t wear, only rich people.” He had seen his aunt spend hours wishing she could purchase this or that in it, but they didn’t have the pounds to spare to do it. He paused a second, trying to think of how to put it — the ponies didn’t normally wear clothes. “It’s like, can you imagine taking Canterlot nobles in full Grand Galloping Gala dress and dropping them into a small town and telling them to blend in? How fast would the locals notice them?”

The Lieutenant Colonel leaned back and sat down. “Hmm. Yes, I see your point.” She turned to a Guard pony standing by the door. “Get the scouts here, and the clothes they have for the other side.” She turned back to Harry. “I’ll need you to take a look and tell me how much we have to redo.” He looked up at Twilight. “We’ll only get one chance to do this right. I don’t want to ruin it on something as simple as the wrong tie!”

Harry tuned out the discussion that followed as Twilight informed the Lieutenant Colonel of how she thought the operation should be conducted once they reached the other side. He had heard all this the night before. Instead, he walked to the table and propped himself up against it so he could see if there was anything interesting. Covering most of the table was a map. From the markings, even though they were upside down, he could tell that it was a map of the area around here. As he studied the map the fillies joined him on either side.

He was stunned at the plans. They planned to enclose the portal and the path to it in a huge wall! Inside that wall, the portal and tree were in the middle of a large space with a small drop-off around it masking several small enclosures connected by tunnels. After a moment of staring, he realized that the dotted lines leading from those enclosures to the portal were labelled “fields of fire.” They were planning for the possibility that an attacking force might come through the portal and had prepared a military response for it! Harry wasn’t too sure how effective that would be in the face of Earth’s modern firearms.

On the larger external wall were walkways and fortified towers to keep the Everfree forest denizens at bay. Harry noted they were designed as attack platforms towards the portal, as well, although that aspect was carefully hidden behind walls marked facades.

Partway down the path, and separating the portal from the path to the former Guard Post, was a thick wall dozens of celestials thick. It had a gate at each end of the path through it. Lining both sides of the wall and the gap in-between were offensive military platforms. If someone came through the portal, and somehow subdued the military out there, they would still have to go through the one gate and fight off the new Guards behind their fortified emplacements while trying to make it through the second gate. And the same would be true if someone on this side tried to force their way to the portal.

Any offensive force that tried to attack through the portal would take heavy losses, even with modern equipment, Harry realized. And that wasn’t even taking into account how effective magic was on this side.

Outside those gates, but still between the walls keeping the forest at bay, were several buildings: two military barracks, a “processing” building, an administration building, two apartment buildings, a hotel, and an exercise field. All the buildings were connected underground, so if one building started to fall into enemy hands, the occupants could be evacuated to another. He noted that there were at least two tunnels that led into the forest outside the walls as last-ditch, heavily-fortified escape routes.

It was a massive operation, and even with the numbers of workers they had seen so far it would take weeks of hard work to complete.

۸-_-۸

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