Ponies in Hogwarts [Edited]

by KittyrinnAiko

Chapter 33 Alice visits the Ministry of Magic

Alice Mouse and Trixie made their way through the back halls of the old War Office and entered a room that had been lovingly restored complete with a walk-in fireplace.

“Have you ever used the Floo network?” Trixie asked as the two approached the fireplace.

“I don’t even have a wand,” Alice replied.

“How’d you get to Hogwarts?”

“Took a commuter train to the closest station, and flew from there. - Not like it’s that far.”

“Mmm… kay,” Trixie replied in an almost sarcastic tone.

“Only took a few hours. If the wizards weren’t so opposed to modern technology the Hogwarts Express wouldn't take all day.”

“Take it up with your princess, she owns the thing,” Trixie grumbled. “Getting back to the floo, all you have to do is take a handful of Floo powder, throw it into the fire, step in, and state the name of the location you wish to go to. In this case, we will say ‘Ministry of Magic’ and we will be whooshed off to the ministry.”

“I thought we were in the Ministry?”

“This is the ‘Old War Office’ which is what we’ll say to get back,” Trixie instructed. “Now take a handful, and I’ll be right behind you.”

Alice Took a handful of the powder, cast it in the fire, stepped in gingerly, and spoke the required word. Having the floor drop out from under her was not what she’d expected. She had brief glimpses of a magical conduit as she raced through, first straight down, then horizontally, and before she had a chance to say a proper expletive, she found herself sliding across the floor of a large atrium on her backside.

Trixie stepped out a moment later the travel being rather old-hat to her by this time. “Don’t feel too bad, Trixie has had more practice.” She offered with a smile, and a hand up.

“Impressive.” Alice offered as she got up, and looked about. The place was packed with people coming and going, all coming in via large ornate fireplaces on one side of the grand hall, and exiting on the other.

“And this is just the entry.” Trixie offered and then led the way down the crowded corridor.

Alice followed trying not to gape in wonder as the grand entryway opened out into a magnificent grand atrium. Before them, a grand statue of a house-elf, a goblin, a centaur, and a witch looked up towards a statue of a wizard with longing gazes while the wizard looked as though reflecting on some deep contemplation. Self-absorbed is what Alice thought. Beneath the statues, a grand fountain sparkled with crystal-clear water. Everywhere Alice looked people were thronging back and forth, with towers of hexagonal bay windows lining the walls.

“Where, if I may ask, is all this?”

“We are presently in a large bomb shelter complex that was taken over by the ministry back in the first muggle world war and expanded on by wizards. Of course, the cavern we are presently in was natural. The nonmagical discovered this place and thought what a wonderful place to put emergency shelters and government offices to avoid bombs being dropped on them by zeppelins. Just as soon as wizards learned of it, they commandeered it, and made sure that none of the people who’d done the original construction would remember any of it.” Trixie explained. Which is just as well. You see, wizards already had many subterranean chambers down here the oldest of which is so old no one is quite sure who built it.”

“Minister Lulamoon.” Offered a wizard at a gated counter. “Not planning on moving back into the old office are you?”

“Goodness no,” Trixie replied as she placed her wand on a scale. “I much prefer natural light, and need to be available to the Prime Minister, and Her Majesty the Queen.”

“But muggles, really?” They offered derisively.

“Her Majesty is no muggle.” Alice corrected with a sharp tone. “She owns a wand, I dare say she knows how to use it, and I’m to understand that she houses wild or at least semi-wild, pegasi.”

“Does she?” Trixie asked. “Oh yes, there was something about that.”

“No way of knowing how many of the nobility can wield magic.” Alice offered. “Or where they’ve learned their craft.”

“They can use magic?” The clerk asked in astonishment.

“Wand?” Trixie prompted.

“Oh right, Scots pine, and winged unicorn?”

“Any pony I know?” Alice asked with a smile.

“My wand originally had a unicorn hair, but unicorn hairs wear out.” Trixie offered. “I’d admit I thought about trying one of my own, but then I thought why not ask Twilight.”

“And she let you have one of her hairs. That shows she’s come to trust you.” Alice offered.

“I’m not the individual I once was, and it took a long time to gain her trust,” Trixie admitted as she retrieved her wand.

“Mam, we’ll need to weigh your wand.” The clerk said to Alice.

“Oh, I don’t carry a wand,” Alice replied. “Never learned how to use one. I can do some wandless magic, I believe that’s what you’d call it.” She then cuffed her hands, and created a small cloud ball as a demonstration, and casually set it loose to roam about. I can control my magic, and know a few basic spells, but aside from that, I’ve never had any formal training in spell casting.”

“Why didn’t you go to Hogwarts?” The clerk asked honestly perplexed.

“She’s from Eques.” Trixie offered. “Eques is interesting in that everyone there can do some magic, but less than a third of the population ever get any higher education in its use.”

“True, but when we consider the level our magic is at compared to other magic communities, that’s not really so bad. I mean, how many wizards can even do wandless magic?” Alice offered.

“I – I don’t know. I didn’t even know it was possible.”

“Alice dear, Trixie doesn’t have all day.”

“Oh, yes, sorry. Sorry, we need to go.” Alice offered as she followed Trixie through the gate.

“As close as you are to the princesses, did you know about Hogwarts?” Trixie asked as the pair stepped away from the gate.

“To the best of my knowledge, it hadn’t even been built yet,” Alice admitted. Her words echo in the mind of the person at the gate.

‘No, no no’, the wizards at the gate told themselves. The young lady had been ignorant of Hogwarts, and she did come from another country after all. But then again, their new Minister of Magic, Miss Beatrice Lulamoon was known to have been born in 1892 and looked to be no older than a young woman in her early twenties.

Trixie and Alice continued into the ministry, and down several back halls until coming to a little office in which only one old witch sat. She was presently sound asleep in her chair, her head lolling back. Nor did Trixie even bother to wake her. Trixie went around behind the counter, retrieved the required paperwork, and brought everything up to the counter.

“That’s quite the stack,” Alice observed.

“I swear these people generate more paperwork than their muggle counterparts,” Trixie grumbled. “Might explain why so few come forward about being animagus.” She retrieved a quill, handed it over to Alice, and then the two set to filling out the stack of papers.

“Now what do I put here?” Alice protested about an hour later. “This whole section wants me to detail the steps I took to obtain my transformation?”

“Give it here.” Trixie offered taking quill and parchment. She then wrote out a note at the top stating that the transformation was due to a spell reliant on ‘light’ magic, and was as yet classified. Signed it, and proceeded to line out the rest of the page, followed by the next, and the next, and the next. “OK, description, gray pegasus, dark gray main and tail with a white stripe. Cutie mark?”

“A white mouse making a rude gesture on a black shield.” Alice offered.

“A rude gesture?”

“Flipping the finger. Mice have digits.” Alice offered. “You know I had no idea what that was until I came here.”

Trixie looked at her for a moment and just started laughing.

“Oy, what, who’s there?” Asked the old witch on waking.

“It’s just Trixie, your great and powerful Minister of Magic.” Trixie offered. “And a companion I needed to get registered.”

“So what about my secondary transformation?” Alice asked.

“We list that as a magical blood curse,” Trixie explained.

“Two transformations?” Asked the old woman as Trixie finished up the paperwork for Alice.

“A little gray pegasus and she can turn into a thestral thanks to a curse that was put on her over a thousand years ago.” Trixie offered.

“A thousand years?” the witch asked skeptically.

“I was, how should I describe it, put on ice for the majority of that time.”

“No one knew how to counter the effects of the curse, so she was placed in magical stasis for the majority of that time.” Trixie offered as she indicated places for Alice to sign.

“The culture shock after waking up a thousand years later was, well, a bit like waking up in a foreign world. I couldn't even speak the language anymore.” Alice offered.

“But what about the curse? If you can transform, aren’t you still cursed?”

“The more harmful effects of the curse have been removed.” Trixie offered.

“I maintained the ability to switch back and forth because there is very little difference between the two forms.” Alice offered. “A form once learned can then be maintained indefinitely.” That last part she’d made up, but who could say she was wrong?

“I see, I see.” The old witch offered. “Can I see?”

“Trixie, should I?”

“Can’t be any harm in it,” Trixie replied.

A smile formed on Alice’s face, followed by the human transforming into a little gray pegasus that was for all practicality about the same size as her human form. And as she was now a pony, her center of gravity had shifted, and her front hooves dropped to the counter for support.

“So what do you think?” Alice asked.

The old witch was speechless for a moment before asking, “You can talk?”

“Um, ya,” Alice replied sounding just a bit annoyed.

“It’s a common trait among those who have animal forms in Eques.” Trixie offered. “Now, if we are done here, there is a committee meeting I need to go to, and Alice, I’d like it if you could join me.”

“Considering I’d not likely find my way out on my own, I will accept your gracious invitation,” Alice replied with a smirk on her face and then dropped down to all fours. Trixie gave her a look, started chuckling, and headed for the door to be followed momentarily by a dutiful little gray pegasus.

They hadn’t gone far when someone suggested that perhaps Trixie had best have a lead on that animal.

“The only one allowed to put a lead on me is my husband,” Alice replied in a rather short scolding tone.

“Great Cesar’s ghost, she can talk?”

Trixie just laughed, and Alice decided to just stick her tongue out at anyone who dared to suggest she needed a lead. The two arrived at their intended destination a short time later. Trixie went to sit in the chair reserved for her and directed Alice to sit in a vacant chair.

“That’s a mighty well-trained pegasus you’ve got there.” Offered one of the ministers as they all filed in and took up a seat. On the agenda for the day was a bill to reform many laws that were rather draconian in nature. A copy of the agenda was passed around, including providing Alice with one.

“Gentlemen, and ladies...” Trixie began.

“So why’d you bring the Pegasus?” Bartemius Crouch Sr asked and then did a double-take on realizing the pegasus was reading the agenda.

“Her name is Alice Mouse-Hoofstrong.” Trixie offered. “I brought her as a material witness as to why I want the law regarding animagus changed. Alice, say hello.”

“Ministers.” Alice offered.

“Alice is a lieutenant in the Eques military,” Trixie added.

Alice transformed back to her human self and watched the mouths drop.

“We are of the opinion that a year in Azkaban for failing to register an animagus form is excessive.” Trixie offered. “Yes, I know, you all decided to shelve that one the last time we got together, but tell me… those of you who keep pegasi, would you be willing to let your ponies be sent to Azkaban for even so much as a day?”

“Now see here, it’s not the same thing.” One of the ministers protested.

“We’ve discovered that a large percentage of the English pegasi are in fact from Eques. Seems they went native several generations ago.” Alice offered. “And yes, the pony form is quite common among our people.”

“Princess Nova took in a pregnant English mare, and that mare later learned how to turn herself back into a human,” Trixie informed them. “Should we then lock her up in Azkaban? What about the foal? Yes, she gave birth to a foal. Granted she was still a pony at the time.”

“There is a foal that figured out the trick as well.” Alice supplied.

“True, but she is an Equestrian.” Trixie countered. “So far as I know, there is only the one English pegasi who can transform.”

“The idea that any of my pegasi might be former humans is staggering,” offered a minister.

“They are exceedingly intelligent.” Bartemuis offered.

“What I propose is amnesty for anyone willing to come forward, and a simple fine in the future. In fact, I’d even go so far as to make it a secondary offense so that people who are guilty of nothing more than not wanting the whole world to know they can change into something aren't penalized unless they used said form to commit a crime.” Trixie offered. “And a blanket pardon without restrictions and to be made indefinite for all people from Eques.”

“A blanket pardon?”

“Eques is looking to join the world stage.” Trixie offered. “This is a brand new entry to the world community of a society that has been cut off from the world. Eques is a group of islands in the Caribbean, of all places, which was known as the Polyphemus islands to the ancient Greeks. That’s right, a Greek Island in the Caribbean. The islands are ringed by dangerous reefs that formed on the ring of what looks to have been either an ancient supervolcano or a meteorite crater in which volcanic islands formed. Such is the magnetic and natural magical interference that the place has gone completely overlooked by the modern muggle world. What they will be telling the world at large is that they are a former British colony. The truth is that they are the last vestiges of the ancient Arcadian empire of which Atlantis was the capital.”

“Atlantis?”

“It’s not Atlantis.” Mouse offered. “Our own records suggest a volcanic island in the Mediterranean.”

“The reason we want amnesty for the citizens of Eques outside the fact they are not currently members of the wizarding community...” Trixie began, “Is because every last one of them can transform. Any attempt to enforce the old law on them is bound to lead to a war we can not win.”

“Now see here...” Bartemuis protested and then stopped dead when Trixie transformed into a unicorn with sky blue fur.

“I also want an absolute moratorium on hunting unicorns, pegasi, and any pony that has pastel-colored fur,” Trixie requested firmly. “When the animals of Britten went on strike when that little snot injured a foal, it was because the foal is a citizen of Eques.” Trixie paused a moment. “Now do you still think you can win when you might be faced with having to fight your own animals?”

They all looked at Trixie with their jaws agape. No, Trixie wasn’t going to tell them about Princess Celestia and the other Alicorns. They’d never believe it. Facing a possibility they knew to be a reasonable possibility was far more realistic. What’s more, they also had to face the reality that Eques might well be the place of myth wherein inhuman creatures did dwell. Did the god Pan truly reside there? And what of Hermes and other gods of old? And if the people themselves could indeed transform into pegasi or unicorns, then it was not inconceivable that such creatures might be seen cavorting in abundance. And then it hit them that perhaps the real reason a Princess of Eques was listed in the charter as untouchable was that such an individual might truly be likened to a god. And then there was Trixie as proof of what the people of Eques could obtain. No, it would not do to upset the people of Eques.

Author's Note:

Sorry if this is a bit on the short side. I thought it'd be best to just get it up.

Comments

[ToMahkAros]

Yes!!! A whole new chapter to enjoy before bed, thanks for the read mate!

[foobar]

9920027
Also good for breakfast ;)

[Fistfire]

Loved it! You may want to proofread it again.

[KittyrinnAiko]

9922222
Just went through it again. Again. Found things that needed to be fixed.

[KittyrinnAiko]

9922222
Reading through it again. Still finding things that need fixing.