1-17: Sunrise Start at Hogwarts (edited 7/11/22)
Chapter 1-17: Sunrise Start at Hogwarts
In the morning, those who wake up early prod the other First Years awake so they can have breakfast. Those with Muggle or Equestrian origins have it easiest, being used to public schooling and awakening early. Those from wizarding families have it a bit harder, especially Ron and Neville.
Eventually, everyone from the first year stumbles down into the common room together. Grumbling, Ron complains, “why do we have to get up so early?”
Neville adds his own whining to the mix, “and w-why’d you levitate me out of bed?” Glancing blearily at the grandfather clock in the room, he adds, “I-it’s barely 6:30 AM in the bloody morning!”
Apple Bloom glances at the clock and says, “well, Ah’ll be! I slept in!”
Lightning chuckles as most of the First Years stare at her before answering them, “If we go down now, we get an early start on breakfast. Also, we don’t know our schedules yet, and shaking you did nothing, Neville. Be glad I didn’t conjure a ball of ice-cold water.”
Neville looks at the other ponies and nervously asks, “p-please t-tell m-me h-he’s j-joking?”
Sweetie Belle lights her horn in a grumpy answer as it glows green, and droplets of ice-cold water drip down onto the back of Neville’s neck, causing him to shriek in surprise and try to dance away.
Grumbling, she lets her horn’s glow die out before marching to the exit. Lightning hurriedly follows after her while trying to joke, “at least she isn’t making her way to the kitchens in our trunks.”
Scootaloo mumbles out a warning to the uninformed as she follows behind, “never eat anything Sweetie makes alone.”
The rest in the know nod their assent to her warning as they troop their way out of the portal.
The rest of the First Years follow after the group with looks of confusion on their faces, probably thinking that surely the sweet unicorn can’t be that dangerous in the kitchen. What poor naive fools.
Still following Sweetie Belle the Hangry, the whole class troops down several staircases only to end up back at the top. Exasperated, she exclaims, “how in Tartarus do we get down to breakfast?”
Before the rest can offer any guesses, nearby laughter and giggling distracts them. Turning, the First Years see the Terrible Trio giggling as they lean against a nearby wall.”
Chuckling, probably Fred begins, “you could always…”
“...ask us how…,” probably George continues with a smirk.
“...to get there.” Definitely Sunset finishes with a giggle.
With the group looking towards him for guidance, Lightning nervously asks, “How do we get down to breakfast?”
The three third-year ponies smirk before going on a long, convoluted explanation involving going up and down multiple staircases and secret passages. Sunset ends it with, “you got that?”
Lightning nods and moves to follow their directions when Ron’s hoof on his shoulder stops him. Ron turns to address a nearby painting of a very still man in archaic clothing on the wall. “Is what these three jokers told us true?”
The man in the painting finally stops holding his breath in order to give a brief laugh. Afterward, he answers Ron, “What they told you would work, or you could just pull the sconce by my painting, go down the stairs that are revealed, turn left into the corridor, go behind the suit of armor third from the end on the right, and follow the stairs down again which exit out behind a tapestry on the main hall. Except on Tuesdays and Fridays when you want to climb a set of stairs hidden behind the Gryffindor banner at the end.”
The Terrible Trio boo the portrait as Ron pulls on the sconce indicated, causing the portrait’s frame to swing open. Murmuring thanks, the group follow the directions given.
Soon enough, the First Years find themselves tumbling out of a tapestry across from the Great Hall.
Entering it, they take their places and sit down in front of empty plates and cups. Grumbling, Sweetie Belle asks, “How do we get food del-”
Her question is derailed by food magically appearing on the platters in front of them and the juice in their cups. There soon is a scramble to fill their plates full of food.
Afterward, the conversation soon turns back to curious questions directed at the Equestrians with a slightly more awake Patil opening. “I noticed last night the stairs quivered when you stepped on them. Why is that?”
Scootaloo wearily turns her gaze upon Hermione, hoping she has the answer. Thankfully, she does. “The girls’ stairs are enchanted to turn into a slide if a boy climbs them. It’s in Hogwarts a History.”
Dean connects the dots and asks, “so she’s a he?”
Lavender adds, “Is that why you went into your trunk to change?”
Scootaloo tersely answers, “both and no,” before trying to divert more questions by filling her mouth with food.
With a sigh, Lightning elaborates on her answer. “Changelings and at least half-breed children of them are both boys and girls. Our minds just usually hide one.”
Dean, predictably, asks, “have you ever been a girl?”
Lightning blushes but nods as he says, “the flames won’t hurt you.” Before they can ask what he means, his form is engulfed in flames, swiftly fading away to reveal a pegasus of the same colors. “This is also Lightning Sunrise and the form I use back home.”
Once finished saying that, the flames spring up again, revealing a unicorn with softer facial features. Opening her mouth, she says in a higher voice, “and legally, this is Dawn Thunder, my cousin. Can I go back to being my true self?”
The rest study him for a moment before nodding, causing the flames to spring up once more with a sigh of relief from him. “Phew, being a girl was as uncomfortable as I remember it to be.”
Further questions are interrupted as Professor McGonagall approaches their table with a stack of papers which she hands out. “Here are your schedules. I hope to see you all at 8 AM.”
Looking over their schedules, Ron groans. “If 8 AM is the second morning period, I hope we never have a class in the first.”
Gryffindor/M/Tu/W/Th/Fr
Mor1/Free/Free/Free/Free/Free
Mor2/Trans/Herb/Free/Herb/Free
Mor3/Trans/Free/Free/Free/Free
Mor4/Hist/Flying/Free/Flying/Hist
Aft1/DADA/Free/Pot/Free/Free
Aft2/DADA/Free/Pot/Free/Free
Aft3/Cha/Free/Cha/Free/Free
Aft4/Free/Astronomy/Free/Free/Free
Midnight/Free/Astronomy/Free/Free/Free
The rest nod their agreement as Dudley approaches their table. “I just got my schedule. Want to compare and see what classes we share?”
Receiving nods, Dudley lays his schedule down on the table.
Hufflepuff/M/T/W/Th/Fr
Mor1/Free/Free/Free/Free/Free
Mor2/Hist/Herb/Free/Herb/Free
Mor3/Hist/Flying/Free/Flying/Vree
Mor4/Trans/Free/Free/Free/Trans
Aft1/Pot/Free/DADA/Free/Free
Aft2/Pot/Free/DADA/Free/Free
Aft3/Cha/Free/Cha/Free/Free
Aft4/Free/Astronomy/Free/Free/Free
Midnight/Free/Astronomy/Free/Free/Free
Looking over both of them, Hermione eventually comments, “I guess we’ll be seeing you this afternoon for Charms. Besides that, we share Herbology and Astronomy tomorrow.”
Ron adds, “Be careful if you have potions with the Snakes. Since you’re here, care to join us?”
The group shifts over as Dudley nods, letting him sit down. Dean asks as he is shuffled aside, “why are we letting one of the Badgers sit with us?”
Thinking quickly, Lightning answers, “he’s a friend. Besides, I want his take on this. Do you think Artemis can reach us here? Because last night I had the weirdest dream that should have been a nightmare. In it, I was wearing Professor Quirrell’s horrible purple turban. Draco was there, and I thought he must have been talking to me as someone kept telling me to go to Slytherin.
“I kept denying it, of course, because it makes no sense for Draco to want me there. Every time I did, the turban got heavier and tighter.
“Eventually, Malfoy turned into Professor Snape, who laughed at me in a very high-pitched nasty tone. The whole dream ended in a bright green flash of light.
“The only reason I’m not more freaked out is it felt like a cold winter night had gripped my heart and froze my emotions during the whole thing. Other things also keeping me calm are the fact the dream ended with Artemis’s voice telling me, “you are safe, my mortal nephew,” and a pair of ghostly dark blue hooves closing about me in a brisk comforting hug.”
The rest of the group stares at Lightning, aghast at how calm he seems after such a terrible dream, before the CMC buries him in a group hug with the rest following.
From the bottom of the hug pile, Lightning angrily sighs in exasperation. “Seriously, I’m fine. If it will make you feel better, I’ll send Artemis a letter by owl tonight. Now get off me!”
The group gets off him as Apple Bloom states, “we’ll be making sure yah do.”
The rest nod in agreement as they retake their seats. Further conversation is disrupted by a deep belling tolling seven times before a lighter bell tolls once.
Hermione commands them sternly, “shut up and eat! We’re leaving here in 15 minutes because I’m not being late on my first day of school.”
Cowed, the rest of the First Years dig into their food, filling up for their very full first day of classes.
Sneaking into Transfiguration class just a few minutes before the bell rings, The Gryffindors find the Ravenclaws already seated at their desks, talking about what they expect to learn today. On a small table in the back lounges a cat causing Sweetie Belle to shiver.
Taking her seat, Lavender exclaims as she looks at the cat, “Awww! How cute of Professor McGonagall to bring her pet cat to class. Where is she anyway?”
Lightning opens his mouth to answer just as the bell tolls eight times. Waiting for it to finish to answer, he is beaten by the cat hopping off the table and transforming into an old grey griffoness wearing Professor McGonagall’s robes, startling everyone.
With a smirk on her beak in a rare bit of levity, the griffoness addresses the group of startled First Years in Professor McGonagall’s voice, “Ordinarily, I like to begin a bit more formally, but over the summer, I visited Equestria without the Equestrian students’ knowing.
“For those who don’t know, I am an Animagus. To be one, you have to be among the very best at Transfiguration, Charms, and Potions. Switching between Pony and Human forms, if you are invited to visit Equestria, is difficult but not unreasonable to figure out.
“On that note, before we begin roll call, I’d like to award Lightning Sunrise five points for figuring it out on his own and teaching it to others.”
Walking towards the front of the class now, Professor McGonagall slowly begins losing griffonic features as familiar human ones replace them, the transition artificially slowed down.
Finally, at her desk, the now human Professor McGonagall sits down and opens a parchment scroll. “When I call your name, answer, and I will mark you as here.”
A few minutes later, with roll call done, Professor McGonagall puts the scroll in her lap as she scootches back from her desk. “On a more professional level, I’d like to begin as I do every year by showing you one of the most difficult Transfigurations everyone will learn to do by the end.” With that said, she waves her wand at her desk, and it vanishes in a flash of light.
When the flash fades, what stares back at them is a very large pig with soulless eyes creeping the class. Hoping to distract everyone, Lightning raises his hoof in the air and asks, “can you transfigure edible food?”
Professor McGonagall transfigures the pig back into her desk, causing everyone to sigh in relief. “A good question, Lightning. The short answer is you can not, and trying to feed someone such a portion of food is a murder attempt. Now, are there any other questions?”
Hermione raises her hoof and asks, “what will we be learning today?”
Professor McGonagall smiles at her. “An excellent question Hermione. Open up your desks, and you will each find a box of matches. Later in this class, you will be attempting to turn them into needles. First, however, open up your notebooks and prepare to take notes on how you will do such a thing.”
Hurriedly the class complies, pulling out their notebooks and writing utensils from their bags as she stands and moves to the blackboard.
About an hour into class, Professor McGonagall finally puts down her piece of chalk before turning to face the students. “Now, class, you may pull out your matchsticks and try to turn them into needles.”
With permission given, each student does so and starts on the lesson, aiming their wand at their selected matchstick and focusing their will upon it.
The class looks up a few minutes later as Professor McGonagall congratulates a happy Hermione holding a needle. “Bravo, Hermione! Ten points to Gryffindor for getting it first.”
Her attention, and everyone else’s, is soon distracted by the roaring of flames from Seamus’s desk. Pulling her wand out, she calls out “Aquamenti!” while waving it, causing water to fall on the desk and putting it out. Dryly, she then remarks, “I see I’ll have to fireproof your desk.”
A reasonably quick repair and fireproof charm later, and Seamus’s desk is good as new.
Afterwards, things go relatively smoothly for the next half hour, with the next distraction being exclamations of happiness from one side and then the other of the room.
Looking from one to the other, Professor McGonagall congratulates one and then the other. “Well done, Parvati and Padma. Seven points to Gryffindor and Ravenclaw for getting it second.”
Grumbling, most of the students double their focus with some interesting results from them. A surprised shout from Neville causes the whole class to look at his desk. Upon it rests a chalky white needle.
Striding hurriedly over, Professor McGonagall casts a detection charm on the needle before relaxing. “Congratulations, Neville, for making a silver needle of some sort. One point to Gryffindor, and next time make it purely silver.”
A nervously wincing Neville attempts to sweep his needle aside with his wand, only for it to crumble into dust on his desk. Unconcerned, the rest of the class returns to their work, so Neville does as well.
Soon the end of class comes very, very near as Professor McGonagall draws attention to Sweetie Belle. “Good job, Sweetie! Five points to Gryffindor for getting it third. For those of you who didn’t succeed, and that includes Neville, your homework will be to write three pages on how you think you went wrong.”
Amidst groans from the class, the sounds of the bell come in: ten deep bongs followed by one lighter one, causing everyone to hurriedly shove their stuff in their bags.
Soon ready, the First Year Gryffindors troop out to head to History class when they are surprised by the Ravenclaws following them. Turning his head, Lightning asks them, “what are you doing following us? We’re headed to boring Binn’s bland blabbering History Class.”
Padma answers for the Ravenclaws, “We’re headed there as well. They can’t be as bland as you think, and if they are, I still get to sit with my sister.”
Shrugging, the combined First Year houses fall silent as they troop up and down halls and stairs, asking the portraits directions when necessary. Soon, they arrive on time to class and shuffle in to sit down.
One thoroughly delightful group nap later, the group regretfully awakens (excluding Hermione, who somehow stayed awake) and packs up.
Yawning, Ron gets a thoughtful look on his face. “You do know this means we have potions and flying with the snakes?”
The Gryffindors briefly glare at the Ravenclaws, who sigh in relief at that news. Leading the pack on the way to lunch, Apple Bloom asks Lightning, “have you heard of any spells to banish ghosts or bring them back to life?”
Lightning shakes his head. “I haven’t, but then I wasn’t allowed into the restricted sections. Maybe Twilight knows one, and we can send her an owl asking?”
Hermione puts her chin on her hoof as she memorizes aloud, “Two letters, one to Artemis and the other to Twilight.”
The rest of the group trusts Hermione will remember it as they enter the Great Hall and sit down for lunch.
After learning from Dudley that the Transfiguration classroom is now short one desk because it burned down and couldn’t be put out, lunch proceeds fairly normally and quietly.
Wishing Dudley luck in Potions once again, the Gryffindor First Years make their way to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom after lunch.
Arriving with plenty of time for what promised to be an exciting class, the group finds their seats and sits down. Even after the Slytherins enter and take their seats, the anticipation remains high.
Said anticipation is soon dashed when Professor Quirrell enters and starts stuttering out the roll call. The mood drops even lower due to the overpowering scent of slightly rotting garlic coming from the purple turban on his head. A third blow happens when the group all notices Lightning wince whenever he looks at Professor Quirrell, and the final blow comes when said stutter carries over into his almost unintelligible lessons.
Even Hermione listens in as the group starts speculating on what his problems are and why his turban smells so foul (Ron said he was terrified of a vampire he met in Romania.). Making plans to study independently takes up the rest of the class, with them only answering when directly called upon by Professor Quirrell.
All in all, the class was a wash, with the only amusing bit being how the professor almost fainted when Seamus asked to hear the story of him defeating zombies that got him his turban. The fact he abruptly switched topics to the weather further lowered their opinion of him.
Still, the group decides as they walk to the next class. So far, they’ve had one excellent class, one boring but harmless class, and one useless class. The fact the next class is Charms with the Hufflepuffs should prove better.
So buoyed by hope, the group enters the Charms classroom and takes their seats, with Lightning sitting next to Dudley. Since there are a few minutes until class starts, Lightning asks Dudley, “how was Potions class with Professor Snape?”
The winces from the Hufflepuffs who hear the question prove answer enough, but Dudley elaborates, “it was rough. I really do think he dislikes everyone who isn’t a Slytherin. How was Defense?”
The nearby Hufflepuffs listen in as Lightning shudders. “Terrible. His turban filled the room with the overpowering smell of rotting garlic, and his stutter made him very hard to understand. We’re planning on teaching ourselves. You’re welcome to join Dudley.”
Dudley nods his head, causing the other Hufflepuffs to grumble. “I’ll be there, and thanks for the warning.”
Further conversation is cut short by Professor Flitwick entering the room. His chosen method of clambering up onto his desk left the ponies wincing at the thought of what Twilight would do to him.
It even causes Hermione to grumble out, “who does he think he is desecrating poor defenseless books?”
Professor Flitwick pauses in his short walk in order to flick his wand at one of the “books,” revealing it to be the “Stepping Stone Book on Stepping Stones by Rr. Maud Pie.”
He then chuckles softly as he sees the abashed look upon her florescent orange face. “Miss Granger, you are not the first nor the last to be worried about my books. Two points to Gryffindor for their respect for knowledge.”
With that said, he picks up the (large) scroll (for him) and starts reading names off the list in a calm, composed, but happy manner, especially after getting to Lightning’s name.
Finding everyone present, he happily greets them as he puts the scroll back down. “Welcome to Charms Class, everyone. My name is Professor Flitwick, and most of what you learn here will be things you can use every day. Now, I know the ponies know their version of these charms, but the first two we shall learn are the levitation and wand lighting charms.
“Every wizarding charm is comprised of a specific wand movement and vocal sequence. Today you’ll be learning the levitation charm, so watch and copy me exactly.” Here he pulls his wand out of his pocket and starts gesturing with it. “It’s a swish and a flick during which you must pronounce ‘Wingardium Leviosa.’
“Now, does everyone have that?” Receiving nods from the class, he commands them, “Cast the spell upon the feather you each have on your desk. If I see any horns light up, you will be required to assume human form until you can prove you can control that. If anyone needs more help, get my attention.”
Warning set, the class soon gets to work mastering the spell with little success for most. That changes only a couple of minutes in when attention is called to Hermione by Professor Flitwick, “Bravo, Miss Granger! Five points to Gryffindor for mastering it so easily.”
Determined to get it right, the rest of the class redoubles their efforts. Shortly after, attention is drawn to Seamus by the sound of an explosion, causing them to see the burnt boy staring shell-shocked at a curling burning white feather.
Professor Flitwick chuckles as he silently replaces the feather. “Don’t feel bad, Mister Finnegan. I always keep plenty of feathers on hand in case of mishaps.”
Things calm down after that for the rest of the hour, with the only other people to get it being Lightning and Sweetie Belle, who also earn Gryffindor three and two points, respectively.
The bells soon toll four deep bongs followed by two lighter ones to mark the end of the class. Professor Flitwick calls out as they pack up, “your homework is three pages on the history and notable uses of the spell. For those who didn’t get it today, take your feathers and practice. The sooner you get this, the sooner we can move on.”
The group accepts this with minor grumbling as they leave and make their way for the Owlery. Halfway there, however, the group realizes they have a problem when Lightning asks, “do any of us know the Terrible Trio’s schedules?”
The group glances at each other before Lightning sums up his thoughts on the matter. “Ponyfeathers! I was hoping to ask Sunset for permission to use Philomena to send mail straight to Artemis about my dream.”
Sweetie tries to console him. “It just means we send that letter later. We can still ask Twilight if she knows any spells for bringing ghosts back to life.”
“I’m still only willing to go along with this because she seems like a respectable, knowledgeable adult.” Hermione contributes her soft complaint about this course of action.
“Let’s move so we can get this over with. I like my naps but not that much,” Scootaloo declares as she and Ron resume heading towards the Owlery, forcing the rest to hurry to catch up.
The rest of the trip to the Owlery continues with the group discussing what to put in the letter. They eventually decide on the following:
Twilight Sparkle,
We are wondering if you have any books on bringing ghosts back to life? There’s a very boring professor here we hope to make more lively. Otherwise, things have been going well here.
Your honorary little brother,
Lightning Sunrise
PS. Please tell our families we are enjoying our time here,
Sweetie Belle, , Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo.
With the letter sent with Hedwig and no other tasks to go, the group troop back to the Gryffindor Common Room, where they spent the rest of the time before supper relaxing. After all, the only homework they had to worry about due this week was Charm’s class stuff.
Supper was just as delicious as every other meal leaving the First Year Gryffindors full and a smidge drowsy as they make their way back into the common room around Seven PM.
Hermione makes sure to grab Neville and bring him over to join the ponies at a table. “You said you were willing to work, so now is your chance to prove it. The rest of us already know this charm, and I am going to teach it to you but first watch them do it.”
With the words said, all seven pull out their Charms textbooks onto the table before everyone, but Hermione and Neville, wave their wands one by one while calling out “Libertas Dimensionis Apertas,” and then vanish into their textbooks.
“Y-you w-want m-me t-to d-do t-that?” Neville manages to stutter out. “W-what i-if I g-get t-trapped i-in t-there?”
Lightning’s tinny voice answering from one of the books gets the rest of the common room’s attention. “It’s perfectly safe, Neville, and you’d be amazed how much better you understand a book being part of it.”
Needless to say, the rest of the Gryffindors come over to learn from the Weasleys and/or Ponies the spell disrupting their attempt at doing homework.
The rest of the evening passed with new knowledge gained, but very little in the way of homework was done. In all the commotion, thoughts of asking to use Philomena also vanished, and knowledge of the dream faded away. The question wasn’t important anyway, as who else could it have been but Artemis protecting her god-nephew's dreams.
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revealing a unicorn with softer facias features.
Could you tighten up this?
Not only did it take up much more space on the page in this manner, it is not following a single formate either.
Could you use a single format that is easy to read or listen to?
Oh, and the next instance should follow the same formate once t is finished?
Otherwise, it's an interesting and enjoyable read.
Ohh that thing is becoming normal occurrences. Murphy's law should be renamed Cutie Mark Crusaders Law.
Now I'm very interested in what they are going to use?
Unicorn blood with changeling chitin? Or The hair of an immortal and feathers from a phoenix?
11293403
I plan to as soon as I can get my laptop to someplace with internet. Until then the Google Docs version exists with extra nicer formatting. Thanks for the correction and compliment however.
11293566
Hehehe you'll just have to wait and see but things will definitely go weird.
11293616
weird as weird or weird as Crusaders weird?
Because it is a big difference.
11293619
All Hallows Day is a weird forgotten holiday in of itself. All I'll say is the Crusaders aren't the only ones who will make use of the book and Twilight either doesn't know or believe ghosts exist.
11293641
not only?
Now you got me interested.
Twilight doesn't believe in ghosts but she defeated a thousand years old Nightmare... Ahh like usual
11293660
Hehe. You'll see in 5 chapters.
11293616
I want everyone else to enjoy the story as much as I do, so it feels like the way to go and point out these things.
Just hoping you, as the Author did not mind.
11294418
Oh I didn't but it is also why the top of every chapter links to the Google Docs version of itself.
11293403
My personal preference is not to do list within the story. If I feel the reader might need it, it goes into the notes. If it doesn't advance the story, why put it there?
11295387
11294418
Fixed the list and this story is being written by the unwritten pony with documents being recreated as best as possible.
11293660
Also this got an update. Things have been edited.
I don't know about that mortal comment. His look is weirdly similar to a Royal Changeling sans the crown.
Additionally HP wizards propensity to live even up to couple centuries he should be if not ageless then at least really long lived.
Or maybe I'm just yet again theory crafting things out of my ass
11868449
He's a Noble Changeling. A caste in-between Drone and Royalty. The process to break the curse almost always ends with Drones becoming Nobles...although he was a Noble before his curse was broken. As far as the Mortal comment goes, he is mortal. He'll probably manage a good bit over a hundred. Compared to an Alicorn that's nothing. Also, most changeling royals aren't immortal. They live a little longer than the average changeling but good healthcare will do that for you. No, Chrysalis is a dark reflection of Cadence (and was born a corrupted Alicorn) and Thorax found the super sneaky method of becoming a Royal by Ascending into Alicornhood in my story. Well, he would if things were planned to go that way.
It amazes me how no one's figured out the hidden clues I've left in the chapters here for a future reveal.