Ponies in Hogwarts [Edited]

by KittyrinnAiko

Chapter 48: Custody hearing part 1

Nova was once more in the old War Office, and this time she was accompanied by Princess Luna, Prince Reynard, Princess Twilight, and Nova’s half-sister Silver Nova. Each wore a wizard robe in their color, dark blue for Luna, white for Nova and Reynard, and violet for Twilight. Silver was dressed in a skirt with a white blouse and had a knit cap on to hide her ears. What appeared to be a bustle under her skirt was, in fact, her tail. Over that she had on a long kimono jacket primarily pink with floral patterns that kind of gave the impression of a short wizard robe. Silver’s transformation was less than perfect. Also accompanying them where the Equestrian equivalent of James and Lily Potter. Lily was dressed in a long flowing silvery gown with a moss green cloak, hood, and sported doeskin slippers. James wore a golden outfit with a long flowing mandarin styled tunic, silver leggings, doeskin boots, and a forest green cloak and hood. Both had their hoods pulled well over their heads leaving them with just enough to see where they were going but affording little to be recognized by. Both had a number of little bells sewn onto their garments so that they made a sound like water flowing gently through a stream when moving about. James also carried a longbow staff as he simply didn’t feel comfortable coming without it. Thanks to the outfits made by Rarity and Rarity the two looked like an Elvin Lord and Lady.

Each member of the group also sported a silver badge that Trixie had supplied earlier. Each had a name etched into it along with their reasons for being there. Custody hearing.

“I sure hope this doesn’t turn into a huge mistake,” James said quietly. He was also just a little concerned that the requirement for name tags was going to give away their alleged identity a might too soon.

“We did agree that we’d need to do this if Harry is to have a choice in whether or not he returns to Hogwarts.” Luna offered.

“This is true,” Lily replied. “But I’ll only agree to allow it if I can be assured he will truly be safe.”

“Which is why we are here.” Nova offered just as Trixie returned to the room they’d been sequestered to.

“Trixie has got them, and no wizard the wiser.” Trixie offered. “Lady Lily, for you...” Lily smiled as Trixie offered her a small box. Inside was a slender wand, ten and a quarter inch willow, and Trixie had inserted one of Lily’s own mane hairs into it to replace the old core. To James was offered an eleven-inch mahogany wand containing one of his own hairs. That being the long hair off the scruff around the neck and tapering down to the chest.

Hopefully, no one will ask you to do any magic.” Luna offered.

“Doesn’t seem like it’d be a big problem. Elks do use wands on occasion.” James offered while giving his a flourish, the wand lit up and sent out a shower of sparks like it was being reunited with an old friend. Lily’s wand behaved in much the same way. The two put their wands away, and then everyone followed Trixie to the Floo. One by one the passed through into the large chamber in the ministry where all the large fireplaces are located. James and Lily managing to maintain their feet despite having little practice on two legs. They’d also somehow managed to not lose their hoods, and a moment later the party had gathered together once more as they took a moment to take in their surroundings. Despite this, quite a few people were watching their every move.

The place was something to behold. Never mind the rows of gilded fireplaces or the black walnut floor of which the ponies were grateful for shoes do to the toxicity associated with the wood. High above their heads a peacock-blue ceiling shown with what looked to be inlaid gold lettering that constantly changed giving one the impression of a giant computer screen. Though at the moment it was sporting the words ‘Bluescreen has performed an illegal operation. Bluescreen must be closed.’

“The tech staff is working on that.” Trixie offered as she directed everyone to follow her.

“Well isn’t that lovely,” James muttered sarcastically as they passed by the atrium’s fountains. A witch, a centaur, a goblin, and a house-elf all looking up at a wizard adoringly just struck him as the sort of statue Prince Blueblood might erect in his own honor. Fortunately, in Blueblood's case, saner heads prevailed. That is to say, his dear sweet Ant Celestia wasn’t about to loan him the money, nor grant the necessary permits for such self-aggrandizement.

“Princesses.” Professor McGonagall said as she approached the group. “How did you know, Dumbledore changed the date and time only this morning? You knew before he changed the date and time.”

“Father is especially good at divination.” Nova offered with a smile.

“Our husband, Prince Reynard Tanaka Silvermane.” Luna offered.

“Lady Minerva, I presume.” Reynard offered with a polite bow and a rather disarming smile. “It is so good to meet you in the flesh as it were. Pity, it’s not under better circumstances.” Minerva blushed followed by Reynard wincing as Twilight’s elbow found his side.

“The shy little girl here is Nova’s sister Silver,” Luna offered, followed by Silver giving a reasonable facsimile of a curtsy.

“And our mystery guests here?” McGonagall inquired as she looked the two hooded figures over with a suspicious eye.

“Did Madam Pomfrey make it?” Luna asked.

“I’m here.” Poppy offered as she joined the group. More introductions were made followed by Trixie hurrying everyone along before James and Lily could be introduced. Yet again.

Before them stood the golden gates of the Ministry of magic, and off to the left of that was a desk with a sign hanging over it that read Security. There sat a badly shaved wizard in a peacock-blue robe who was watching them approach. On his desk lay a copy of the daily profit with the headline Dumbledore Daft or Dangerous.

“Your Great and Powerful Minister of Magic Trixie is escorting visitors.” Trixie offered. She’d a sly smile on her face as she just loved saying Great and Powerful Minister of Magic attached to her name. Granted she didn’t speak in the third person as often as she once did, it was still fun.

“Well, just step right this way.” offered the security wizard nervously.

One by one each member of the party stepped up, watched curiously as he waved what looked like the antenna from an old car around them, and then he had each who had a wand on them place it on a scale plate which was suspended from an odd-looking apparatus that spit out ticker tape like one of those machines that were once so prevalent in investment houses. Each time the tape would print out what the wand was made of, and each time he’d have the individual confirm the components is was made out of and that it was indeed their wand.

Three wands with winged unicorn hairs one of which was Blackthorn and had a triple-core. There was also wand of willow, and a wand of mahogany both having elk hair of all things. One of which showed as Peryton which made it extremely rare. Neither Silver nor Reynard had wands.

“I haven't gotten one yet.” Silver offered.

“Will you be attending Hogwarts this year?” The security wizard asked.

“I’m attending Canterlot Academy.” Silver offered. “I wasn’t aware I should have a wand? I’ve always used my horn.”

“Horn?”

“We use a small stone set in an amulet.” Reynard offered as he pulled out a golden amulet with a small round pearl-luminous stone set in it that was about the size of a small walnut. It looked a bit like a white Saturn with golden rings.

“Oh yes, I have that.” Silver offered. She’d only been given it recently so she’d have a way to control her magic while in the human world. “Do you need to see it?”

“No, that’s quite alright, the machine is only calibrated for wands.” The security wizard offered. “You can all go through now.”

They thanked him and continued on their way.

So it was that a short time later they filed into the courtroom and took up their seats.

Professor Dumbledore walked in a few moments later with a rather smug grin on his face. A grin that vanished like fog on the wind on seeing the Equestrians already waiting. “Et Tu, Minerva, Poppy?” He muttered under his breath. His last moment changing of the time and date was supposed to assure an easy victory. That is if no one showed up he’d be Harry’s legal guardian. Which up to that point he actually hadn’t been. Dumbledore had simply assumed the guardianship of Harry and no one had bothered to question it. They all had more important matters to deal with. And now he found himself in a courtroom with no supporters do to his own manipulations. How far would they go as his eyes wandered to the one man sitting with the group of women? Well if this was Luna’s husband he could certainly see how women might find his roguish yet almost androgynous good looks attractive.

“I’m surprised there aren’t more with you.” Dumbledore offered as he went to the other side of the courtroom and found a seat.

“I’m surprised that you are here alone.” Madam Marchbanks offered as she entered and Joined the Equestrians. “Your supporters not get word of the change of time and date?”

“Well, you know how it is, busy people with busy lives.” Dumbledore offered sheepishly. He wondered if he should have at least made sure Snape would be here? Snape would have supported him, and then these Equestrians would have to demonstrate that he, Dumbledore was unfit to be the boy’s magical guardian. After all, he was Dumbledore, loved and admired by much of the Wizard community.

Seeing Mundungus Fletcher enter the room and sit off to himself did not help to assuage Dumbledore’s trepidation. What could he possibly be doing here? Mundungus was about as seedy as they came. He dressed like he was stuck in the disco era save that there was nothing crisp about his clothing having more the look of someone who’d sell his own grandmother a used car with no motor in it, and then repossess her home the first time she missed a payment.

A moment later Rita Skeeter of the Daily Prophet showed up followed by Arthur Weasley both taking up noncommittal positions about midway between the two parties.

Dumbledore’s eyes shifted back to the Equestrians, Princess Luna he was well acquainted with. Her long black hair and dark complexion gave her a rather exotic look. To say she was beautiful would be an understatement. And then there was Princess Twilight who at first glance seemed rather pedestrian, almost English, but she too while not as dark as Luna, did have a complexion that was darker than most. Their gentleman friend was in stark contrast with a very pale complexion. His short-cropped hair was black save for a white stripe running through it with the exception of a thin braid on the right side. Miss Nova with her pale complexion and white hair definitely took after him, and then there was the younger girl who looked like she might be old enough to start Hogwarts next year. She too had the pale complexion, but her hair was divided almost right down the middle black and white. The two girls also shared their father’s stunning green eyes.

Dumbledore’s eyes went wide when a rather nervous looking Honesty Nuttall entered the court and made his way over to him.

“Professor Dumbledore, I’ve been assigned as your legal counsel.” Mr Nuttall offered.

“But you’re dead?” Dumbledore exclaimed breathlessly.

“No, not dead.” Nuttall offered. “The veil leads to a high-security prison that seems to be as old as time itself. All manner of creatures in there. I even turned into a pony of all things.”

“A pony? But how are you even here?”

“They let me go.”

“They let you go?”

“I asked. Of course, I had to promise to live up to my first name in the future.”

“And Dolores?” Dumbledore asked incredulously.

“She turned into some sort of troll. She was being quite petulant too. All things considering, it’s not such a bad place. A bit hot and stuffy, but a damn sight better than Azkaban.”

“You don’t say.” Dumbledore scoffed as a tall man dressed in a white shirt, red tie, and blue blazer entered the room and joined the Equestrians. His hair didn’t have the typical color division that seemed to be prevalent among the Equestrians was black and slicked straight back so that the ends stuck out like it had been blown by the wind and just sort of froze that way. A moment later Kingsley Shacklebolt entered the room, his Kufi Kofi cap and Kente Dashiki inspired outfit striking contrast to all the other outfits.

“Kingsley, what brings you here?” Dumbledore asked as the man approached.

“I will be today’s arbitrator.” Kingsley offered. “Seems no one else wanted to do it. That is to say, everyone else suddenly had other plans.”

“You don’t say.” Dumbledore drolled.

“In fact, there were some who suggested I just give the equestrians what they want. But I can assure that I will be impartial in this matter.” Kingsley offered. Mr Nuttall, I heard rumors that you’d returned from the dead.”

“Tartarus actually. Not really all that bad, and I wasn’t actually dead. Seems we’ve been dumping our worst offenders into someone else’s legal system all these years. Princess Celestia seemed quite delighted in that she’d finally learned where every creature was coming from.”

“Well, I suppose that’s something else that needs to be reformed.” Kingsley offered. “Creature, did you say?

“Seems everyone transforms into whichever creature best suits their personality. I was a rather handsome pony even if I do say so myself.”

“So what do you think I’d turn into?” Kingsley asked.

“Oh, I bet you’d be a rather handsome Manticore. They are quite personable.” Nuttall offered. “That or a magnificent black stallion. I can certainly see that in you.”

“Are you serious?” Dumbledore asked.

“Well, it’s not the first time I’ve ever been compared to a big black horse.” Kingsley offered and then continued on up to the judge's podium. For a moment Dumbledore’s mind wandered to places it needn't be.

Author's Note:

As I was writing this I was like ... what if Kingsley was the Wizard world's version of King Sombra?

Comments

[harts fire]

O a vary intriguing thought.

what if Kingsley was the Wizard world's version of King Sombra?

a grate chapter. awesome righting team.

[dreammaster]

Gah. Now we have to wait another week to get to the fun part of the custody hearing - seeing Dumbledore completely out-maneuvered

[KittyrinnAiko]

10108454
No team here, just me. And thanks.

[KittyrinnAiko]

10108983
Here's hoping it lives up to expectations.

[harts fire]

10109061

[RDDash]

Dolores is a Diamond dog?

[KittyrinnAiko]

10109424
I was actually thinking more like this...
images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,g_auto,h_1248,w_2220/v1555322954/shape/mentalfloss/trollhed.jpg?itok=ZkY8kh1l

[LordNobady]

10110420
jack