A Hogwarts Overtale

by Tums Festival

Monster in the Classroom

"Is this why you won't let me learn master level spells?" Sunset spat, standing in Celestia’s throne room in Canterlot, glaring at her. "You think I'm planning on overthrowing you?!"

"No!" Celestia said defensively. "Believe me, Sunset, your political leanings and your magical studies are in completely different spheres."

"That’s the thing," Sunset said, narrowing her eyes. "I don't believe you. You've been pushing me more and more away recently, all because I dared to speak in public about putting power in the hands of the people."

Celestia closed her eyes. "While this has created a rather… awkward situation for me, I still stand by my words. It has nothing to do with your politics."

"Then what does it have to do with?"

Celestia remained silent.

"I'm waiting.”

"It's…" She paused, taking a deep breath. "What your politics are doing to you as a person."

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

Celestia sighed. "You are wise enough to know that magical education and a clouded disposition do not work well together. It can be quite dangerous. I've seen it many times before."

"Uh huh," Sunset said, folding her arms, and clearly not impressed. "You know what I think? You think it would be dangerous to you." She took a deep breath, composing herself. "But I am not planning on overthrowing you. Starlight may think you're beyond hope, but I--"

"You're still hanging around that radical, I see," Celestia said in a disappointed tone.

"She isn't nearly as radical as you think," Sunset said dismissively. "By world standards, she falls firmly in the moderate camp.” She began pacing in front of her teacher’s throne. “I guess I just don't understand why you're resisting the idea so much. Hasn't the Federation proven it can work? Not just on the local level, but on a grand scale?"

"It is not that I don't believe it can work," Celestia said calmly. "I quite admire it, to tell you the truth. However, as I've said before, now is not the time. There are mechanisms in motion far beyond any of our control. An age of danger once again approaches us, and though I believe it will be brief…"

"I know," Sunset grunted. "You don't think we can afford a large-scale political change at this time. But did you ever stop and think that maybe that's exactly what we need to prevent this 'age of danger'. That maybe collectively, the people can come up with better solutions than one person, immortal or not?"

Celestia narrowed her eyes. "I will not risk adding so many unknown variables into the mix."

"Of course you won't," Sunset said, her voice laced with defeat. "And I'm starting to wonder if you ever will."

"What do you mean by that?" Celestia said, clearly hurt.

"That maybe I really am wasting my time here," Sunset said sorrowfully. "That maybe Starlight was right. And that maybe I should take up Ambassador Spock’s offer."

Celestia's eyes widened. "Y-You don't mean… Sunset, please, I am going to need your help… My sister--"

"I've tried to help and you've rejected me at every turn!" Sunset snapped, ignoring the tears beginning to swell in Celestia's eyes. "There is nothing left for me here. It's time I went to a place where people can determine their own destinies… and not have them determined for them!"

--

Sunset awoke with a gasp, jutting up in her bed. She rubbed her eyes, breathing heavily. When she finally came fully to, she noticed the sun was already up, filling the dormitory with light.

"Sunset?" Frisk called, sitting up in her own bed. "Are you okay?"

She wiped a small bit of sweat off her brow. "Yeah… yeah, just a bad dream."

"You know, they say those are the sign of a guilty conscience," Flowey smirked, sitting in his pot on the nightstand next to Frisk's bed.

Sunset glanced away from him. For the first time, she didn't have a retort to his needling.

"What time is it, anyway?" Sunset asked, glancing around for a clock.

"Breakfast time," Frisk smiled, pointing at the cuckoo clock on the wall behind Sunset's bed. "Come on, let's get going before the others eat up the good stuff."

Sunset nodded back, returning Frisk's smile. Apparently, they were now friends, given Frisk had decided to wait for her. It was a nice thought. Though she was a few years younger than Sunset, Frisk had a maturity about her rare for her age. And so far, she didn’t seem to have a bad bone in her body. Putting the bad dream out of her head, she followed Frisk, determined to make the best out of her morning.

--

Sunset's first class turned out to be Defense Against the Dark Arts, something she was particularly looking forward to. Entering the classroom, she was surprised to see it incredibly well-lit and colorful. She was even more surprised to see both Hermione and Luna attending it, both of whom gave her a quick wave.

'I thought Hermione was a seventh year?' Sunset pondered. 'Though maybe they combined some seventh and sixth year classes for whatever reason.'

The two of them were sitting together, and Sunset assumed they wouldn't mind if she joined them.

"Hello again, Sunset," Luna said dreamily.

"Hey Luna," Sunset said, taking a seat. "How's it hanging?"

She blinked. "I don't remember hanging anything."

"Oh, I know that one," Hermione said eagerly. "It means 'How are you doing,' right?"

"Yeah," Sunset said. "Apparently, it's used both by the Colonials and Equestrians, which is a really weird coincidence. No more than both of us knowing Common, though, I suppose.”

"The Colonials were actually a, well, colony of Lyonesse," Hermione explained. "Their tongue came from us. Honestly, it may sound crazy, but the most obvious explanation is there was some form of pre-modern trans-oceanic contact.”

"It’s not crazy," Sunset said, not at all phased by her extensive vocabulary. "I was actually thinking the same thing yesterday. Only thing is there’s no evidence of it that I know of - at least not on our end."

Luna, who had been hazily observing the conservation, merely cocked her head. "I thought everyone knew true first contact came a thousand cycles ago when King Arthus saved Princess Celestia from The Lich after her ship ran off course."

"Wait…" Sunset blinked. "Wait, what?"

'Did she just make all that up on the spot?'

Before Sunset could ask for more information, the door to the class opened. In strutted Toriel, a look of calm, motherly cheerfulness on her furry face. It wasn’t exactly the kind of demeanor Sunset was expecting someone teaching this class, but then again, this woman was apparently an active Queen at one point. And Sunset had to grudgingly admit, if she was anything like Celestia, she must have known how to ‘throw down’ when needed.

After arriving at her podium, Toriel looked over her students for a brief moment and then spoke:

"Greetings, young ones. I am Toriel Dreemurr. Please address me in whatever way you're comfortable with."

Hermione cocked an eyebrow, noting quietly: "She's certainly laid back.”

‘Well, she is Frisk’s mother,’ Sunset thought.

Toriel continued. "From what I understand, you have had a somewhat… staggered education in this subject the last six years. And since Professor Carrow's teachings were not exactly in the spirit of this class, I will be continuing with what Professor Snape left you with." She smiled invitingly. “Now, before we begin our first lesson, are there any questions about myself you wish answered?”

A number of hands shot up near instantaneously.

Toriel blinked in surprise, though her smile quickly returned. “Well, okay then…” She pointed at a random raised hand. “How about you there, Mr...”

“Creevey, professor. Dennis Creevey,” the owner of it announced. “Is it true Monsters are completely made of magic? Like a Wil o’ Wisp?” He quickly flushed in embarrassment. “Oh, sorry, do you mind being called Monsters? Or do you prefer Astrals?”

“Yes, we are almost completely made of magical energies,” Toriel said kindly. “And no, I personally don’t mind. Neither do most Monsters. ‘Astral’ is a human term. However, I believe it is used with good intentions. ‘Monster’ typically has a negative connotation in many human cultures and it seems you simply did not wish to associate it with us.”

Dennis seemed to sigh in relief at that.

Toriel pointed at another hand, this one belonging to Hermione. “Ah, I recognize you. My daughter said you were very kind to her. Please, ask away, Ms. Granger.”

A few mocking ‘dawwws’, came from a cluster of Slytherins, but Hermione didn’t seem phased whatsoever.

“Thank you,” she said. “Frisk was nice enough to explain a bit about Astr-- Monsters. She says you’re naturals at a unique form of magic, SOUL magic. However, she didn’t go into details on what exactly that was.”

Toriel nodded. “SOUL magic involves the reading and manipulation of well, SOULs, both your own and others. And yes, given our nature, we Monsters know a few things about it. That being said, it’s not unique to us. It is difficult for most other species to learn, but not impossible. In fact, I hope to teach you a little of it sometime this cycle. There are many dark creatures and spells that can attack the SOUL directly, and it would benefit you to know how to defend yourselves.”

A few of Sunset’s classmates murmured in excitement. Luna and Hermione especially seemed taken with the idea.

‘Apparently, it isn’t just human magic I’m going to be learning’, Sunset said, smiling to herself.

“Are there any more questions?” Toriel asked, scanning the room. Apparently, most people had the same questions, as no more hands were raised. “Very well, then. Though if you think of any later, please don’t hesitate. Now, as for our first lesson...”

With a flick of her hand, her lesson planner began to cycle through its pages on its own.

“Huh,” Hermione whispered. “Wandless magic.”

“Is that rare for humans?” Sunset asked. Equestrians certainly didn’t use them that often. In fact, Sunset had only bought a wand since it was one of the requirements.

Hermione tilted her hand back and forth. “Somewhat. Lyonessian witches and wizards typically use them. Other human cultures use staffs, rods, what have you to channel it, though some don’t need any channelling device at all. From what I’ve read in the History of Magic, learning magic with a channelling device allows for more complex spells, though at the cost of convenience and speed, I suppose.”

Sunset shook her head incredulously. “How in the world aren’t you already a teacher? You’re really good at explaining this sort of thing.”

Hermione blushed. “Well, I… um...”

“Ah, here we are,” Toriel said, finally settling on a pair of pages in her planner. “My apologies for the delay. I’ve been asked by Headmistress McGonagall to cover a topic further along than what I originally planned, not that I don’t mind teaching it, of course.” She cleared her throat. “Who here can tell me what a dark artefact is?”

To the apparent surprise of no one, Hermione’s hand shot up faster than lightning. Sunset couldn’t help but feel a little envy. She, too, knew the answer, but her brain simply didn’t fire as quickly.

“Yes, Ms. Granger?” Toriel said.

“Usually, they’re objects that have been influenced by magic to behave in a negative or dangerous way,” Hermione explained.

“Nicely stated,” Toriel beamed. “Mmm, what is it they say to reward students? Oh yes, five points to Gryffindor.” She raised a furry finger. “However, can anyone tell me another way something can become dark artefact?”

This time, Sunset was the first to raise her hand. Out of the corner of her eyes, Hermione gave her a playfully rivalrous look. “Through animancy,” Sunset said. “Transfer a bad soul into an object and that object won’t be the friendliest.”

“Creating a…” Hermione winced. “A horocrux can do the equivalent.”

“You two are making quite the team,” Toriel smiled. “Five points to Hufflepuff and five more to Gryffindor.”

Hermione and Sunset looked at each other, smirking.

‘Oh, it’s so on.’

The rest of the lesson turned out to be a friendly competition between Hermione and Sunset, the rest of the class looking at it with both awe and bemusement. Luna in particular seemed especially thrilled by it, clapping her hands in excitement occasionally. While Sunset already respected Hermione for her vast knowledge, when she finally edged over Sunset in points at the end of the lesson, that respect was cemented.

All in all, despite losing their self-declared battle, it was the most fun Sunset had learning about magic in a long while. And given they would be working with hands-on stuff the next class, it was only bound to get better.

Comments

[Comickook]

Again, you did a great job on the exchanges, characterizations and future chapter set-up here. Yeah, enjoyed the bits of this universe's Sunset's memories of one of her chats with Celestia before she woke up for her first full day at Hogwarts (including the nods to Starlight) as well as Toriel's explanations concerning the sort of magic her race can do and the bits of friendly rivalry between Hermione and Sunset (hopefully, the two are able to KEEP IT friendly; that's been one of Applejack and Rainbow Dash's biggest problems with THEIR rivalry) as they both showed a pretty fair amount of knowledge on the questions they were asked.

VERY much looking forward to more of this.

[Starkeeper_Ponyfic]

This story's just getting better with every update! It's always nice seeing the goatmom, and love the way you've been building up camaraderie between Sunset and the others. Keep up the great work!

[FanOfMostEverything]

Very interesting to see how the setting shaped Sunset's dispute with Celestia.

I thought everyone knew true first contact came a thousand cycles ago when King Arthus saved Princess Celestia from The Lich after her ship ran off course.

I have several questions.

Sunset and SOUL magic. Oh, this won't end well. Though I find myself wondering if she'd have a heart or a sun.