Pinkie Pie goes to Hogwarts

by WoomyWobble

Chapter 5: Banking with Albie

Pinkie was bouncing on the couch in anticipation. The other children were watching Saturday morning cartoons but Pinkie couldn't really concentrate on them. She wanted to do something, so she went into the kitchen to set up breakfast.

It was around that time people were coming down the stairs to do their morning business.

"Morning, Pinkie."

"Morning, Duncan. How was footy yesterday?"

"We won 1-0."

"Oh my gosh! You know what this calls for?"

"You can't throw a party Pinkie. You've got things to do."

"Oh right. Still..."

Pinkie grabbed one of her secret cupcakes from behind the radio and put it on Duncan's plate.

"Mini-party."

"Thanks Pinkie."

"So are you excited about your trip? Or a little bummed out because you can't go to the zoo with us."

"Yes! But it is what it is. I'm gonna see if I can find some cool stuff to bring home. Maddie has given me a small allowance to spend on magical things. It's going to be so much fun!"

A lot more people started flowing into the eating room now and breakfast was just about to start.

"Breakfast!" Duncan shouted through the house. Those who weren't awake yet were so now.

There was a general buzz in the air as people started eating. The excitement for the zoo was mounting when the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it!" Pinkie zoofed towards the door. It was Albus.

"Hi Albie! Come in we're eating breakfast. Want some?"

"No thank you, I already ate… You would not happen to have one of those cupcakes would you?"

"Oh Albie, even I know you can't eat cupcakes all the time." Nevertheless she pulled one from somewhere anyway.

"Here you go. It'll be our secret."

Albus took it happily, eyes a-twinkling, and put it in his pocket.

"I wanted to give this one to Minerva. She will be one of your teachers. I am sure you will like her and if I give her this, I am sure she will like you as well."

Albus greeted everyone gently when they entered the room. While Pinkie went to get her stuff. When she returned she had as small backpack with her.

"Let's go. Time's a waistin'.'" She said excitedly.

"Indeed it is." Albus turned towards the rest of Happy Oaks residents.

"Everyone I will make sure she will be back around six. Have fun at the zoo."

Albus extended his arm towards Pinkie and she took it with both arms. And with a loud crack they apparated from the premises.

"Cool!" Observed Nico still a little sleepy.

Everyone agreed and continued eating.

Xxx

Pinkie and Albus reappeared in front of a dingy looking pub in London. Pinkie promptly vomited all over the street. Albus quickly cleared it up with a quick spell and went to her aid.

"I am so sorry I know some people can get a bit nauseous from apparation but I've never seen such a reaction."

"…I was everything…" She burped.

"Oh dear." Albus quickly cast a quick diagnostic spell. The results came back normal. Just a particular violent reaction to apparation.

"Perhaps for the way back I can create a portkey for you. I think that would be better."

"Yeah." She said as she was standing up. "That's probably a good idea."

Never one to feel sorry for herself. "Well I guess this is a good excuse to try some delicious magical foodstuffs."

Albus had to laugh at that one.

"Ah, then let us go to Gringotts first. We will need money if we are to purchase some food after all."

They entered the dingy pub that was called the Leaky Cauldron. The clientele greeted them warmly when they were directed to the back by a friendly looking bartender named Tom.

Albus tapped the wall in a peculiar pattern with his wand. It caused the bricks in the wall to slide to the side granting them access to Diagon Alley.

"Welcome back Pinkamena, to the magical world."

A cozy shopping street greeted them full of tiny magical shops. There were other children about with their parents buying their school supplies. One shop casually exploded none the worse for wear. The shopkeeper with a face covered in soot did shout not to mix the porcupine quills willy nilly to one of the children.

"This is my kinda place!"

Albus smiled at her knowingly. "Come on, Gringotts is this way."

xxx

They were greeted by Goblins wearing armour and long spears. Albus spoke to them in an abrupt sounding language he explained was called Gobbledygook. When they entered the building proper, the Goblin at the counter spoke in perfect English.

"Good afternoon Headmaster, what brings you to the Goblin nation this fine day?"

"We have come to retrieve 'you-know-what' from vault 'you-know-which' and to review the Pie family holdings. Should they prove to be insufficient we would like to set up an account for schooling.'

"I'm afraid that particular item has already been retrieved by your giant keeper of keys. As for the Pie account. There is a vault. It can only be entered by one of the family, I take you assume this girl to be an heir?"

"Ah, it seems Hagrid has pre-empted me. Indeed I do. Pinkie?"

"Pinkie stop poking the guards please, we are here on official business."

Pinkie skipped back towards the counter.

"I've made a new friend!" She turned towards the teller. "Hi, I'm Pinkie Pie. Would you like a Muffin?"

"I… Yes I would like a muffin."

"Here you go sweety."

"...I'm not a sweety…" The teller grumbled as he ate the muffin with gusto.

The Goblin cleared his throat.

"Anyway let me direct you towards mister Gorefist here. He shall take you to the carts that you will ride to your vault."

"Follow me please." He said while power-walking to stay in front of the long legged ones.

"Cool! I have a vault?"

"Your family apparently held one. We are going to investigate whether or not it will suffice for your schooling."

"But, can't the orphanage pay for it?"

"Not completely. Do not worry yourself Pinkie, education is a right as well as a privilege. We will get your sorted."

"Thanks Albie. So are these the infamous carts?"

They stopped in front of a rickety looking minecart. Gorefist sat in front and there was a big seat in the back suited for the human passengers.

Pinkie and Albus took their seats and when Gorefist threw the switch the cart sped off into depths unknown at ludicrous speeds.

"Whee! This is fun Whoo-hoo!"

Suddenly the cart splashed through a waterfall also known as the thief's downfall. Positioned so that those covered in magical disguises would be revealed.

"Yay! Hey I'm not wet! Magic rules!"

Albus smiled at the exuberance of youth.

The cart made a few more death defying drops and loop-the-loops before coming to a halt. On their right was a giant door with many cogs embedded in it's masonry.

"Pie family vault, you can exit the vehicle on your right hand side." Gorefist said as he pointed towards some handily placed stairs next to the cart.

"Please mind your step."

"That was fun wasn't it." Pinkie gushed as they moved from the cart.

Pinkie was surprised with Albuss' flexibility as he moved quite gracefully from the cart.

"Indeed it was. I should go to Gringotts more often. Especially the journey to the older vaults is most thrilling."

When standing up close the Pie family vault was an impressive thing. It stood at least seven Pinkies tall and four Pinkies wide.

Gorefist ran his nail across the side and some of the cogs started turning and a small hole opened up on the side.

"I believe that is where you show proof of who you are."

"How do I do that?"

"I am not certain. Most older families used some of their blood. However the Pie family was always a little unorthodox. Please allow me."

Albus started to run his hands over the stone with his eyes closed. Trying to sense the magic that run through it. He muttered detection spells under his breath. The magic felt very similar to that of Pinkie but much more subdued. There was nothing there to give a hint of how to open the vault...

He was about to ask Pinkie for a drop of her blood when Pinkie pulled a cupcake from somewhere and put it through the hole.

"No Pinkie!"

The cogs started rumbling and rotating. Loud mechanical noises filled the cave and dust started to fall from the ceiling that was too far to see. Cupcakes were the key it seemed.

"He looked hungry to me."

When Albus took a closer look at the hole he could see where Pinkie was coming from. It looked like the mouth of a stylized horse, the sigil of house Pie looked very old and faded.

Gorefist was surprised. He never thought that the vault would be opened. He feared that he would be on cleaning duty after yet another vault security induced bloodbath. He did his duty and turned back towards the cart and let the long legged ones do their business.

When the doors slowly started to open Pinkie was suddenly overcome with nerves. She never thought they would make it this far to be honest. This was going to be the first time after...well, after seven years that she'd see something of her old family again. It didn't feel like a fun adventure at all. It was more like visiting the family tomb.

Albus and Pinkie stepped inside a giant poorly lit hall filled with absolutely nothing.

"You know after all this trouble this feels a little anticlimactic." Pinkie quipped despite not really knowing what she was feeling.

Albus pulled his wand from his sleeve and silently threw some balls of light to the four corners of the room. It was indeed very empty. There was nothing in the air that would indicate a spell or an illusion.

Pinkie noticed something shimmering though in the centre of the room when Albuss' spell passed it.

"There is something in the middle."

Albus saw it as well. It looked like a small object floating in mid-air. Carefully they moved towards it.

When they were close Pinkie reached out to touch it but Albus was quicker this time and held her back.

"Let us try to be cautious Pinkie. These old places can be incredibly dangerous and it would be a shame if after doing all that, that we should end up as an ugly stain in your vault."

He cast some detection spells but once again there was nothing. The Pie family was surprisingly trusting.

The object was rather small and did not actually float in mid-air but was instead attached to the roof with a very fine piece of string.

"Okay go ahead. It's fine as far as I can tell."

She grabbed it with both hands and unwrapped it. The wrapping turned out to be a piece of old tightly wound yellowed printer paper, inside it was a small metal object with a handle in the shape of a prancing horse.

"It's a key." She told Albus. "I wonder what it's for."

"May I have a look?"

"Sure."

She handed it over.

"It's made of a very strange metal I have never seen before. It's very beautiful."

"It's bismuth. My family used to mine it a long time ago, I think."

"Ah, I did use it once during my alchemical experiments. Fascinating stuff. It makes the most beautiful crystals."

Albus was about to hand the key back to Pinkie when he noticed something.

"There is writing on that paper."

Pinkie turned the paper around and read.

xxx

The body is but a vessel. A puppet to bend to the souls tyranny.

And lo, the body is not eternal. For it must feed on the flesh of others, lest it return from the dust whence it came.

Therefore must the soul deceive, despise and murder men.

- Stervor Avaritia

xxx

"Wow that's creepy" Pinkie handed the letter over to Albus. "I wonder what it means."

He read the letter and answered.

"It's a translated quote from the 'liber de magnis bellum.'"

"Gesundheit."

He had to laugh a little "It's one of the oldest books in Britain. It tells the tale of an ancient wizarding war between good and evil. Some believed that the original story is even older. That the book was itself transcribed from another more ancient civilisation."

"And this Stervor Avaritia? Who was he?"

"He was the...man that instigated the war."

"Why did you hesitate there?"

"Some believed he was a god. The book itself is very nebulous about it."

Pinkie looked at the key and the letter, just thinking. She unhooked the key from the string and folded the paper around it and put it in her backpack. When she looked up she had to know.

"...Do-...Do you think my family was evil?"

Albus knelt so that he could look her directly in the eye.

"There are few things in this world that I am completely sure of Pinkie. But I do know this. Your family was not evil."

She tried to look away but Albus held her arm.

"No, look at me Pinkie. I happen to know a great deal about what can be considered good and what can be considered bad. I don't like to think about it but I've fought in two wars and I've seen some things. Things that I would consider true evil. Your family was as far removed from those things as I believe any human being can be."

There was a moment of silence then Albus let go of her arm and stood up.

Pinkie nodded to him. She heard what he tried to say.

xxx

The ride back up was decidedly less cheerful. The whole financial thing seemed far less important then the discoveries they made.

"Riddles and even more riddles." Albus was musing. "Pinkie, do you know what happened in your home seven years ago?"

"Yes."

"Do you think you could tell me?"

"...I don't wanna talk about it."

"Pinkie, this is important. There are a lot of people who have a lot of questions. People who cared deeply for you and your family and -"

"WE HATH SAID WE SHALL 'T NOT SPEAK OF IT!"

The already dark cave the cart was racing through turned even darker. The sound of Pinkies voice started echoing deep within. The cart itself seemed to shake upon it's wheels. When he looked at Pinkie he could have sworn he saw her eyes had turned to a deep midnight blue.

Only for a moment and then it was gone.

Gorefist tried to school his startled countenance.

"Please keep the noise levels down inside the cart."

"Sorry."

Was that accidental magic? Or something else entirely? Whatever it was her voice held not only volume but command as well. Albus decided to waylay the subject for now. For self-preservation if nothing else... He had a lot to think about.

Author's Note:

A/N The little letter is actually a direct quote from Vagrant story. It just fit so beautifully with the story I'm trying to tell that I couldn't resist.

Comments

[Greenhorn]

The already dark cave the cart was racing through turned even darker. The sound of Pinkies voice started echoing deep within. The cart itself seemed to shake upon it's wheels. When he looked at Pinkie he could have sworn he saw her eyes had turned to a deep midnight blue.

Albus just had a glimpse of Goddess' power.

[DualKitsune]

Channeling some Luna I see...

[borgvicugna]

10207063
Granny Pinkie channeling Igneous Pie pony?

[Kris Overstreet]

"I'm not a sweetie." (munches muffin) "... I could learn."

[fanreader999999]

Mrm

[novkit]

The body is but a vessel. A puppet to bend to the souls tyranny.

And lo, the body is not eternal. For it must feed on the flesh of others, lest it return from the dust whence it came.

Therefore must the soul deceive, despise and murder men.

- Stervor Avaritia

Hey, I remember this from Vagrant Story!

Man I miss that game.

[WoomyWobble]

10925572
Ikr? It was so damn good! It had all these amazing quotes. The guy who translated that game really deserves a cooky.

[Mahtan]

So... I take the fam8ly doed because they didn't exist as sould but were part of pinkie's soul just so she could exist?