Ponies in Hogwarts [Edited]

by KittyrinnAiko

Chapter 34 Derby day

A large gathering is taking place at an undisclosed location somewhere in Southern England. There are a few houses and other buildings within sight of the gathering of man and horse, but rest assured the owners are definitely not muggles. One other thing, most of the people gathered are wearing wizard robes, and the ponies all have wings.

“Hermione!” Nova shouts on spotting the curly-haired girl. She’s not alone, the Weasley family, Ron, Ginny who was wearing a cute jockey outfit, Fred George, Mr and Mrs Weasley are with her. Nova is with Alalme, and it was all she could do to not rush up to Ginny to give her a hug and decides to give Hermione a hug instead. Scootaloo has Myrtle with her on her shoulders dressed in her own impossibly cute jockey outfit, and they are accompanied by Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Lt Loki, Lt Mouse, and Captain Hoofstrong who was presently in horse mode. Alice was entering a scramble with him. There was no sign of Percy. The rest of the Bolts were there, but they’d blended in with the crowd. They’d also brought Goldwine and Alya who had cute little turnout blankets on, and tags saying who they belonged too sans diapers. Yes, they were in pony form as they’d yet to figure out the trick, but as there would be lots of ponies, no one would question the presence of the foals. The lack of diapers was a calculated risk and likely not going to be a huge issue if there was an accident. Goldwine was also wearing the moon amulet as a precaution. Should either get separated it would be Moonie’s job to remedy the situation.

“Nova!” Hermione called rushing to greet her. “Scootaloo, oh and Rose is with you. Oh, and you've brought Goldwine and Alya. Alalme, Apple Bloom, Sweetie. I saw you in the news at the Queen’s garden party. You and Phenik. Where’s Phenik?” Hermione asked as she gave each a hug.

"I imagine Phenik is about somewhere." Nova offered.

The tea with the queen had been a fairly sedate event with no one paying much attention to the Equestrians until Phenik showed up and perched on Nova’s head. Pictures were taken and it hit the news before the garden party was even over. When asked, they were from an island nation where the birds were fairly common. Which for that specific grouping of islands was true. When they'd finished the surveys they'd found that their little island had been a group of islands within a huge caldera. “Is Harry not with you?”

“No,” Nova said with an air of frustrated disappointment. “He never wrote back. Hasn’t acknowledged any of the letters we’ve sent, and when we went by the house a House elf told us they were out.”

“A house-elf?” Mr Weasley asked as he joined the group with family in tow. “They are muggles.”

“Foals!” Ginny squealed and tried to hug one and then the other. The two darting behind their parents to avoid the hug.

“And muggles don’t typically have house-elves do they?” Nova asked the Weasleys feeling she already knew the answer. “We sort of let ourselves in to check up on him.”

“We’re kind of worried about what his relatives are doing to him.” Scootaloo offered.

“We’ve got agents doing spot checks, but their taking off like that is rather suspicious considering we’ve been using the Queen’s post to send letters. The old Muggle can’t possibly object.” Alice offered.

“The Queen’s post?” Molly asked.

“Buy a stamp and the muggle postal service delivers your letter with no owls involved,” Nova explained. “Wizards really need to consider using muggle post when sending letters to muggle homes. Owls showing up causes people to start asking questions.”

“Yes, yes, I see.” Mr Weasly replied.

“I sent my letters by post as well.” Hermione offered.

“Which suggests that someone’s house-elf is playing dirty games,” Alice remarked as an announcement to line up for a race could be heard over the crowd. “Come on Dear, that’s us.”

“Have fun,” Nova said as the two walked in the direction of the race line up.

“I’m going to need to talk to someone at the HEMD.” Mr Weasley offered.

“HEMD?” Alalme asked.

“House Elf Management Department.” Mr Weasley informed her.

“Maybe we should take care not to tip off the elf’s master.” Nova cautioned.

“Master?” Hermione asked.

“The witch or wizard they answer to,” Nova explained. “It’s a peculiar arrangement where the elves willingly become indentured servants and will do whatever their master tells them to.”

“That’s terrible.” Hermione gasped.

“They’ve lived that way for more generations then recorded history.” Molly offered. “Despite the occasional abusive witch or wizard, they truly enjoy their lives.”

“And that’s where the Office for House Elf Relocation Department comes in.” Mr Weasley offered. “Should a house-elf find themselves without a master, or their plight requires relocation for any other reason, they can be offered a new station. Getting a house-elf to leave an abusive family can be difficult though. Especially if they’ve been with the same family for many generations.”

“I’m actually responsible for the Hogwarts house-elves wearing tea towels.” Nova offered. “They had been wearing nothing but old pillow sheets, and I told them that they were dressed inappropriately to serve a princess. So improving there lot in life requires getting them to think it’s their idea. In some ways, the English pegasi have a similar relationship, but they’ll up and leave if they aren’t being treated right.”

“Well, there’s nothing that can be done about it now.” Molly offered. “Let’s go watch the race.”

Nova was about to follow as Mr and Mrs Weasley walked away when she found herself flanked by the twins.

“Gentlemen, that’s...” Loki began in a warning tone, but Nova held up her hand.

“What do you two want?” Nova asked.

“There’s

“a

“junior

“scramble.” The two boys informed her.

“Um, hi,” Ginny said. “They kind of talked me into signing up to race and said you’d be able to provide a fast pony.”

“Did they now,” Nova replied in a deadpan tone. “And have you ever rode a pony? Ever?”

“I can ride a broom.” Ginny offered sheepishly.

“I’m saying no.” Alalme offered.

“Not you, me,” Nova replied quietly. “I've no doubt it'll be common knowledge by now that I can transform into a pony, and I’ll not ask Scootaloo.”

“You?” Ginny asked. What Alalme and Nova were saying had her quite confused.

“And there’s no rules against it?” Apple Bloom asked.

"Oh, I'm sure there'll be rules against it after today." Nova chastised none to happy about the position the twins were putting her in.

“And those two idiots have probably made a substantial wager,” Sweetie suggested. The look on the face of the two boys told all.

“Alright, fine. But under protest. And I hope you are prepared for the consequences. There’ll be more than just your little bet, and I won’t guarantee a win because I won’t be able to fly faster then Ginny is physically capable of handling.” Nova said, looked about to see who all was paying attention, dropped forward and transformed, complete with riding gear. That’s a saddle and a Western hackamore bridle with a fuzzy strap over the muzzle, as in a bit-less bridle. A fuzzy bit-less bridle. Nova had looked over the different types of bridles at Harrods and had decided that if she found herself in a position to play the part of the horse, the Western riding gear looked like it'd be the most comfortable. The Australian hackamores looked far too much like S&M wear. Ginny just stood there with her jaw hanging so Nova used her magic to lift her up to her back. Ron wasn’t in much better shape, and the other Equestrians just sort of raised an eye at the fact she’d had fuzzy riding gear prepped. Sure there’d been rumors, concerning Nova having a horse transformation, but Ron hadn’t known for sure that Nova was also a pony. “Oh, and Ginny,” Nova began as she started walking towards the lineup, “..have a care how you phrase your words when you tell people I let you ride me.”

“Come on Ron.” Hermione prompted as the others started walking towards where the racers were to start.

“Core,” Ron said quietly and looked about. There were so many pegasi about no one seemed to notice.

“Are you still at the Horse Guards?” Hermione asked as she and Ron caught up with the group.

“Pulling out tomorrow.” Scootaloo offered with a big smile for Nova. “We’ve been all over London, and are ready for a break.”

“Imagine that, needing a break from Summer break.” Ron quipped.

“A couple of days and we will be home, at least I will.” Apple Bloom offered. “Back on the farm.”

“Nova, Scootaloo, and I are going to attend summer classes at Canterlot Academy.” Sweetie offered. “Apple Bloom, it’s to bad you can’t come.”

“Granny wants me home for a while. And besides, we can’t use our wands.” Apple Bloom replied.

“We aren’t supposed to use magic at all though.” Ron pointed out.

“English wizard law has no say back home,” Scootaloo informed him. “We use magic in our daily lives from the very moment our magic is kindled, and for many of us, that’s when we are still babies. I was considered handicapped because my magic didn’t start to mature until I hit my teens. In a way, I was a lot like Neville.”

“Only with a lot more spunk,” Apple Bloom added.

“Kind of like you were, Ron,” Hermione offered. “And then one day you just seemed to bloom.”

“We replaced the old hair in his wand with one of mine.” Sweetie offered with a smirk.

“Seriously?” Ron asked.

“It wasn’t Ron, it was that old hand-me-down wand.” Apple Bloom offered.

“Ya, the strand of hair was looking mighty thin.” Sweetie pointed out.

“Wait, you were able to see it?” Hermione asked.

“We bought a viewing glass in our wand maintenance kit.” Apple Bloom explained. “It never occurred to us to buy separate kits, so we bought a single deluxe kit.”

“Well, I’ll be,” Ron said softly.

“And if there’s one thing I know, it’s unicorn hair,” Sweetie added, followed by the crusaders laughing.

Nova turned her head back wondering what they are laughing about. Scootaloo stepped up beside her.

“Ron had an old hand-me-down wand and we replaced the unicorn hair with one of Sweetie’s without telling him.” Scootaloo offered.

"Oh, and Hermione, you are invited to come with us to attend Princess Celestia's school over the summer." Nova offered as they ambled through the crowd.

"But we aren't allowed to do magic?" Hermione asked wondering how that would work.

"No one said you can't study." Sweetie offered. "We are going to leave our wands at the Walthamstove property so there'll be no chance they'll get used. If our wands never get used, they can't prove we did magic. I figure that's the only way we'll get into any real trouble."

"There's always a loop

"hole." The twins offered as Hermione brightened.

Elsewhere, Alice and her Captain are lined up ready for their race.

{Say, big boy, that’s a cute jockey you’ve got there.} Said a chestnut mare in something akin to old ponish. To the witches and wizards, it just sounded like horse noises.

“Riders ready!” Said a wizard in a booming voice with a wand to his throat.

{Bet you wish you could ride her.} The mare teased.

{I do.} Hoofstrong replied. {She's my mare.}

“Mounts ready!”

{I ride him all day, and he rides me all night.} Alice informed the mare in the old language.

“GO!” A rocket of energy shot up from a wand, and then the energy popped with a loud bang.

Hoofstrong and Alice jumped from the pack and were instantly in the air racing out ahead of the pack.

As for the pack, they’d all hesitated a moment and were further distracted by ponies waiting their turn to race laughing in their pony nickering. They did get going though. With much cursing, the four-letter kind, from their riders. Up they flew in pursuit of the Captain and his bride across the field over a hedge, round a barn, across another field and over more fields and hedges until coming back around to where they’d started.

The winners were the Hoofstrongs by more than a few lengths, and he’d not even broke a sweat.

“Junior division up next.”

Nova stepped up with Loki at her side and Ginny just sort of sitting on her back.

A hush fell over the crowd as the three stepped up to join the line of racers followed by a quiet murmur. No one had paid much attention to the white filly with black stockings. Not when there were ponies all over the place. Race officials quietly gravitated over to them.

“This is the Weasley entry,” Loki informed them.

“Are, are you the trainer of this magnificent animal?” an official asked.

“One does not simply train an animal such as this.” Loki offered after having contemplated his answer.

“Is she really a winged unicorn?”

“A pegasus with a horn would be more accurate.” Loki offered as the men began to press in. “Have a care, her dam was a Night Mare.”

Nova curled a lip at a hand that was getting uncomfortably close. This caused the men to back off warily.

“Is she even safe?” One man asked.

“Safe?!” Trixie’s voice rang out over the crowd followed by her laughter. “Treat her with the same respect you would a member of the nobility...” She said after she’d had her laugh. “..for that is Princess Nova of Eques in her pony form.”

“And hello to you too, Beatrice,” Nova called sounding just a bit annoyed at having been outed. Sure she figured there were plenty of people who suspected or thought they knew, but now they'd know for sure. “I’ll let you give me a hug, but if any of these wizards start treating me like a racehorse I’m going to bite them.”

“As well you should,” Trixie offered as she approached and gave Nova a hug.

“Um, hi.” Ginny offered. She was starting to feel really nervous. The other young mounts and their riders were starting to get antsy to start, while at the same time very curious about the young mare who could speak the human language so well.

“So what’s the course?” Nova asked.

“All you have to do is loop the field,” Trixie informed her.

“That’s it? That’s hardly even a challenge.” Nova replied. “Tell you what, just to make it fair, I won’t start until the leaders turn onto the backstretch.”

“Sounds fair to me,” Scootaloo said as she ambled up to Nova, now in her horse form with Rose now wearing a helmet someone had given her.

“Race! Race! Race!” Rose Myrtle chanted. Goldwine and Alya were with Alalme and were looking rather excited themselves.

“Well if it’s only once around the field.” Scootaloo offered in way of explanation.

The gathered wizards were gobsmacked, to say the least. Scootaloo, the little golden-winged unicorn with the magenta mane had come from seemingly nowhere.

“Well, I don’t see why not?” Trixie announced.

{Um, excuse me?} asked a young sable mare who was in the group that was lining up for the race.

“Now Wildfire, mustn't get chummy with the competition.” Wildfire’s rider cautioned nervously.

Wildfire’s ears went back in annoyance at her ‘owner’. {We don’t go all out, the humans can’t take it.}

{I doubt she understands what you are saying.} Stated a colt.

{Oh I understand well enough.} Nova replied in the old language. {And I suspected as much. Which is why I’m a little unhappy about getting pressured into racing with a rider that’s had no experience.}

“Wait, wait, what are they saying?” Trixie asked.

“Come on Trixie, you’ve seen some of the craters Crash has made,” Nova said to Trixie. “What would happen to a human in that situation?”

“Ooooooo,” Trixie replied. “So I guess an all-out race between you and Dash is kind of a no-go then.”

“Not with riders, no,” Nova replied. “Just the two of us without riders and we’d be limited only by how fast we can navigate a racecourse.”

During this exchange, the Wizards and witches just looked on in stunned silence. The idea that a foreign princess might have as an animagus form one of the rarest of creatures, but that she could also communicate with the beasts was a bit much to take in all at once. The only wizards who weren't completely gobsmacked were the ones who’d been in a certain meeting where Trixie revealed that she could turn herself into a unicorn of all creatures, and a few others that were aware that their ponies could talk.

“I don’t understand? Who’s Crash, and how does she make these craters you are talking about?” One of the wizards in the know asks.

“She’s a pegasus named Rainbow Dash.” Scootaloo offered. "Sometimes she loses control and smacks into the ground hard enough to leave a crater. Most of the time she just shrugs it off.”

“Affectionately known as Crash.” Nova offered. “She and I are both capable of flying faster than the speed of sound.”

“Any chance we can get a demonstration?”

“What say we just have the race, and if I’m to do that, we should leave it till last.” Nova offered. “The byproduct of breaking the sound barrier has a tendency to attract a lot of attention.”

“Yes, let's get the race started,” a race official prompted. “Let's line up now.” He then motioned with a wand where he wanted the racers to line. “Rider’s ready!” he called out with his wand to his throat. “Mounts ready! - Go!”

The locals all took off and began jockeying for position as they headed for the first curve.

“See you in a bit,” Scootaloo said, spread her wings and lifted up into the air with a grace not yet seen in any of the other fliers.

Nova waited.

“Miss Nova, Princess?” Ginny asked.

“I did say I was going to wait until the leaders are on the backstretch.” Nova offered as she watched the progress. When she spread her wings it was clear to the connoisseur that she was not like the other pegasi. “Now, Ginny, I need you to keep low. Do not sit up, you could lose your head. And I’m not joking. I can extend my shielding around you, but if you stick your head outside my field of energy it’ll be like hitting a brick wall.” Nova had turned her head all the way around to look her in the eye. “Lay down, grip with your legs. Are you gripping, I can’t feel anything?”

“Will you just go already?” George protested.

“We’ve a lot of money riding on this,” Fred added in an admonishing tone.

“And we might

“Have

“added

“you

“in

“the bet.”

“What?!” Their mother protested.

Nova gave them a withering look, physically pushed Ginny into position with her magic leapt into the air and with a powerful downstroke raced forward.

Nova was rounding the first turn before the trailing ponies, including Scootaloo, had finished the turn.

“Oh, it’s on!” Scootaloo called, lifted up out of the pack and was in chase of Nova by the time she was rounding the second turn.

Rose Myrtle was giggling in delight as Scootaloo came wing tip to wing tip of Nova on the inside track. Down the backstretch, they streaked passing pegasi who were strung out along the way. The leaders were in the third turn, Nova and Scootaloo exercised a perfectly synchronized turn. When the two slipped past the leaders they started beating their wings harder so as not to be humiliated by the newcomers.

Nova and Scootaloo went into the final turn with wings outstretched looking much like a pair of fighter jets. They didn’t flap their wings once, and yet not only did they not lose speed, Nova maintained her position on Scootaloo’s wingtip while the English pegasi had to beat their wings all the way through the turn.

And then they were out of the turn, Nova’s ears went back, Scootaloo’s ears went back, their wings swept back and the two shot forward racing past the finish line well ahead of the pack.

The two young alicorns hadn’t beaten their wings once past the initial sweep of their wings into the delta position. To the people on the ground, it was as though they’d gone into a dive while remaining horizontal to the ground. The leaders of the English pegasi were nearly two minutes behind when they crossed the finish line, after which they followed Nova and Scootaloo to circle out into the field letting their speed bleed off and land in a group facing the astonished crowd. And then with a look towards each other Nova and Scootaloo transformed back into humans, each ending up with a rider on their shoulders in the process.

“Well aren’t we all horse people?” Trixie offered to break the silence.

“So which one of us won?” Nova asked as Goldwine dashed to her, and jumped in her arms.

“I’d hate to think I’d lost my freedom because someone promised something that wasn’t theirs to surrender?” Nova asked.

“That was awesome!” Ginny shouted. Her shout managed to break the frozen shock that had gripped the people gathered, and they all started cheering and clapping. Meanwhile, the ponies all wanted to know how they had flown and accelerated the way they did, and soon it was both humans and pegasi chattering away asking questions.

They soon cleared the field and waited for an official pronouncement. It had been too close to call, and they were waiting on a photo.

“So what’s the verdict, do I still have my freedom?” Nova asked.

“Wait, you’re not serious are you?” Scootaloo asked.

“Seems Grid and Forage made a bet they can’t back, and used whichever one of us would race for them as collateral.”

“Forage hadn’t though – ow, geez Woman!” One twin leaned away from his mother and rubbed the back of his head, followed by the other.

“Ow!”

Molly had slapped both boys on the back of the head and likely hadn’t been the first time since finding out about the bet.

“Not to worry, that bet has been declared null and void.” An official offered.

“Awww-owww!” both twins said as they got smacked upside the head by their mother.

“Witches and wizards...” an official called with a wand to his throat. “The race was too close to call, but as Miss...” He looked to Scootaloo

“Louise Magnus and Rose Myrtle.” Scootaloo offered.

“..Miss Louise Magnus and Rose Myrtle were not official entrants, the purse goes to Princess Nova and Ginny Weasley.”

“Give the purse to Mrs Weasley,” Nova offered. “It’s not like we need it.”

“Are you sure about that?” Molly Weasley asked.

“Louise and I are princesses, I’ve more gold then I know what to do with, and Ginny could use it for her school supplies.” Nova offered.

“It’s only a small purse, barely enough to outfit a student for Hogwarts.” An official offered.

“Photos!” Someone called. “For the Daily Prophet.”

“Yes, yes. Photos.” Trixie called.

So a picture was taken of Nova, Scootaloo, Ginny, Rose, and yes Goldwine. Another picture with the two horse-girls as horses with all the foals, one with Mr and Mrs Weasley in the picture, and then…

“Scootaloo, Nova, any chance we can get one with Rose transformed?” Trixie asked.

“Trixie, what are you doing?” Nova asked. Trixie's request was entirely unexpected and unwelcome.

“Ah, Trixie?” Scootaloo asked dumbfounded.

“I’ll explain...” Trixie offered as she pulled her wand out and placed it to her throat. “Witches and wizards, this little girl can transform too.” Trixie announced. “I have authored a bill to be presented to the Wizengamot that will overhaul the animagus laws. Would any of you be so heartless as to send this child to Azkaban? I see that some of you are confused, but let me tell you that people from Eques have a natural ability to transform into ponies. Transforming for them is as easy as learning to walk. They should not have to be burdened with an old draconian law that hasn’t changed in centuries. Would you send this foal to Azkaban?!”

“He’s an English pegasus!” Nova protested as Trixie pointed at Goldwine. “He can’t transform.”

“That’s beside the point.” Trixie countered. “My friends. Friends of ponies! I am counting on you to overturn an outdated draconian law!”

Leave it to Trixie to use a derby to punch a chink in the armor of the old guard. Granted that Rose was not about to transform now.

Once people realized the gravity of what Trixie was saying and was assured that there was indeed an entire nation that had an inborn ability that made it possible for them to transform, and not just transform, but transform into ponies – suddenly everyone there was a supporter regardless of what school or house they’d gone to. They all loved their ponies.

Of course, there were still races to be flown, and the entire event became something more than just a derby day.

“I’m a native to England.” Alalme offered during one of many conversations. “The place you read about in the papers had been my ancestral home. I am Alalme Silverwood of the Silver wood, Coille Airgid in the native tong of Alba. It was called that due to a rare white tree with silvery leaves that grew there. Our home and our kin, all who could take on the pegasi form, were killed and scattered, not by muggles, but by the carelessness of wizards. We survived an attack on our village by a Great Wyrm only to be driven from our homes by giant spiders. Though I must confess it’s looking like the spiders were the work of a half-giant named Hagrid. He’s likable enough, but doesn’t think about the consequences of his actions.”

“And can you transform?” One of the gathered witches asked. Her defining feature, horn-rimmed glasses.

“Well, I am an English pegasus, but I’ve Eques ancestry.” Alalme offered and then transformed. She then transformed back. “I was driven from my home at an early age, and it was Nova who took me in, and she helped me to realize I was something more than just a pony.” She and Nova had carefully thought of the sort of things they would tell the wizard community if it ever came to it and if anyone were to check the records for wyrm attacks in the area there was a record of an attack on Hogwarts itself of a creature believed to be Slytherin's monster.

“Wait, hang on?” Someone asked as the news that she counted herself as an English pegasus.

“She was a pony when I found her.” Nova offered. “Or I should say in the form of a pony and simply didn’t know any better. A good deal of the English pegasi are in some way related to her family. Alalme just didn’t know she had been human.”

“So then there is some truth to the legend of the family that gave up their humanity?”

“An animagus takes on their beast form, and just stays that way to avoid persecution, or in a recent criminal’s case, hide from justice.” Nova offered. “Since those from Eques are naturally prone to taking on pony forms, that meant entire family units transforming to ponies to avoid persecution from muggle and wizard alike. When you think about it no one is going to suspect a pony. And if the young were separated from their parents, they might just stay that way and forget they were ever human. And they can’t be forced to transform the way people using the animagus spell can. It literally acts like a blood curse where each successive generation risks losing what little humanity they have left. In fact, there are a number of your ponies that can in a fashion speak, and are using a rather guttural dialect of the ancient Arcadian.”

“You’re serious?”

“They were talking to the ponies.” A wizard offered.

“It’d be easy enough to prove even if you can’t speak the language, a translator enchantment on a listening device that can translate the old language should be enough. At the same time, if they've a mind to it, they can learn to speak English. Many can understand it well enough, and a few can speak it.”

“Nova had to teach me, I only knew the old language.” Alalme offered.

“And these little foals you have with you?”

“I rescued Goldwine myself.” Nova offered. “He was still in his egg, and being able to turn into a pegasus sure came in handy. Setting an egg is downright boring though.”

This bit of news brought a gasp followed by laughter.

“I spent a lot of time studying,” Nova added.

“Seems a handy skill to have if one is to raise pegasi.” Offered a wizard with a chuckle added on.

“Alya is my daughter. I was a pegasus. I knew nothing else.” Alalme informed them. “She’s yet to figure out how to transform herself as Rose has and we don’t know if she can.”

“I’ll figure it out, just watch me.” Alya offered followed by stunned silence.

Being told they were intelligent, well, that was a given. Being told they could talk, and actually believing it? Even when faced with a foal that by her colors was obviously an English pegasus that could indeed speak the Queen’s English just as well as any other child was such a revelation that it warred with everything they’d been told to believe. There was no telling how many of their ponies were more then they seemed.

Trixie stepped up to the woman with the horn-rimmed glasses who’d been asking the most questions. She leaned in putting an arm around her, and whispered, “You know, a good article could possibly keep you from having to go to Azkaban. Should anyone find out, my nosy little bug.”

“Mam, are you alright?” Nova asked. Rita had gone quite pale.

“She’ll be fine.” Trixie offered. “Oh, and here comes the last race set. Didn’t you offer to do a demonstration?”

“Yes, we did,” Scootaloo replied with a smile.

“Loki?” Nova called.

“I’m right here, my love.” Loki offered. “And yes, I’ll keep an eye on the little rascal.” He gave Nova a kiss on the lips as she passed Goldwine over to him. All the attention had made her nervous about letting him wander about even with her moon pendant on him.

“Thank you, dear,” Nova replied and turned back to Rita. “It’s been nice talking to you.” She turned to Scootaloo who’d just placed Rose on the back of a gray pegasus who was presently being surrounded by several English ponies. Captain Hoofstrong was there as well but was back to being human.

“You two have fun.” Alalme offered reassuringly. She gave Nova a kiss and then Scootaloo as well. “May the wind raise to meet you and your burdens be light.”

Nova gave her another hug, and then she and Scootaloo walked back over to where the racers had been lining up.

“Gentlemen, witches, and wizards, we did offer you a demonstration,” Nova called as she approached.

“Yes, yes, of course.” One of the men offered.

“Let's show them the routine we put together.” Scootaloo offered. “Pity we don’t have any music for it.”

“Then we shall simply make our own.” Nova offered, transformed and nuzzled Scootaloo who laughed and complained that it tickled.

“Witches and Wizards, don’t go just yet, we’ve been promised a special treat.” Echoed the announcement a few minutes later.

Nova and Scootaloo, now both in their pony forms glided out a short distance into the open field and then climbed effortlessly until they were about a hundred feet up. They split, looped, came back, linked wings, and did a flat spin that looked a lot like turning one’s partner in a community dance.

The two split and spiraled upwards in defiance of gravity. This was followed by a number of synchronized loops, turns, and tumbles.

It was like watching a dance in the air, but now the intensity started to ramp up as they began moving faster. Suddenly the two split racing for opposite ends of the field where they each did a big showy loop, and then raced back at each other mere feet off the ground. Sure they were high enough that the majority of the gathered spectators could see, but one mistake…

The crowd gasped as they turned on their sides, each other’s back coming in inches of the other as they passed. Up in the air again they rose and went into a synchronized tailspin that looked like it was sure to make them far to dizzy to recover from the dive.

But pull out they did, and now the chase was on, Nova after Scootaloo as raced to the far end, and then angled to orbit the crowd going ever faster and faster.

Wings tucked to the delta. No flapping.

“How are they doing that?” One of the seasoned riders asked as they watched.

Loki smiled and then without the need for a wand spoke out in the Canterlot voice while covering Goldwine's ears, “What you are seeing is a flight ability only available to a horned pegasus.” He looked about at the awed faces. “What they are doing is using their magic to create a force push that eliminates the need to flap their wings. They are going so fast that they have to tuck their wings like that to minimize the potential for damage, and to reduce drag.”

Nova broke away from the vapor trail the two were creating and shot for the center just as a vortex began to form, and then angled straight up.

“Now watch Nova as she demonstrates why she is known as the Queen of the sky!”

The excitement in his voice was infectious as he watched Nova raising so fast she was soon lost to sight save for a tiny vapor trail and then light scattered out in concentric circles followed by a wave that hit with a resounding boom that caused everyone to cringe for a moment.

Scootaloo slowed, flew over to where they’d started glided in, transformed back into human form and lightly touched down.

Crack! Crackle pop crackle.

All eyes turned to spot where the new noise was coming from to discover Nova slowly gliding in as arches of electricity danced about her, some racing to the ground. She dropped down to the ground, waited for the energy to bleed off, transformed, and walked over to Scootaloo.

Loki’s ears had gone all foxy.

“What, what’s with all that electricity?” Loki asked.

“Seems to be a byproduct of teleporting right after breaking the sound barrier,” Nova offered. “I did let my speed bleed off before teleporting. I know better than that.” She gave him a smile. “Now, the muggles are bound to have noticed that so I think it’s time to go.”

“You think?!” Draco Malfoy asked incredulously. Make that Coco. Coco was with her mother with no sign of Malfoy senior to be seen. A smile cracked on her face, she started laughing and was soon joined by quite a few more who’d heard what Nova had said.

It was time to go, and Nova said goodbye to all her new and old friends as everyone slowly drifted away to vanish just like the circle of mist that had been hanging in the air above them.

Author's Note:

Looks like we got a little bit more with this one, but I just couldn't see breaking it into two chapters. Granted that if I'd have included more one on one interactions this could have been stretched quite a bit.

As for Trixie, she's created a coalition of like-minded wizards and witches.
And seeing Nova enveloped in arches of lightening may well be more than enough to deter anyone who might think ponies beneath them.