Harry Potter and the Prancing of Ponies

by The Guy Who Writes

Chapter 30: Twilight's Troubles

Twilight Sparkle had been a mess for the last three weeks.

Her ward, Silver Wing, had vanished.

Her mentor, the wisest and most powerful pony in the world, Princess Celestia herself, had tried to stop it.

But Philomena was a phoenix, and had a will and a drive and a fire of her own. She had taken Silver on, according to her master, a hero's journey, and her master knew not where. Princess Celestia had sadly informed Twilight that ponies who go on those journeys sometimes don't ever come back.

Twilight had pleaded to go with Silver to help him.

Princess Celestia said that Philomena would have taken her along if she could have helped. The only thing she could do was trust he would surpass whatever challenge he had to overcome.

Twilight had begged for something she could do.

Princess Celestia had deeply apologized, and said that sometimes, there isn't anything that can be done, except wait and have faith.

Twilight had tried to wait. She'd worried. She'd fretted. She'd felt like pulling out her hair. She'd gritted her teeth. She thought about it constantly.

And on top of everything, Hearths Warming must go on. She'd tried to put up a false front for the town, but stopped soon enough. Few things felt emptier than emoting the opposite of what you felt.

So she'd done what she normally did in situations like this.

She'd gone to her library and read all the books she had on phoenixes. When that hadn't been enough, she'd borrowed books from Canterlot's public library, the University library, and finally Canterlot Castle's private library.

She'd found nothing that hinted at where her ward might have gone. All she found was an obscure note that explained how phoenixes sometimes took courageous ponies to fight big, strong, evil opponents that nopony else could fight.

That was when she joined her friends in searching for Silver directly. She quickly stopped when she realized how pointless it was. Phoenixes could go anywhere, meaning Silver could be anywhere, and she had a sinking feeling that he wasn't even in Equestria anymore. She didn't know of any big, dangerous threats within their borders, and she was pretty sure by now that Silver's homeland...

Well, when she'd given him the final version of his enchanted saddlebags, he had said something that got her thinking.

"Not as much space as I'm used to, but I certainly don't miss the burping noise." He hesitated. "Though come to think of it, that DID serve as confirmation that the pouch received the item."

That saddlebag had been a masterpiece of magic, one of the most complex projects she'd ever completed.

He hadn't even blinked.

Where did Silver come from, she'd thought to herself, what society, what advanced civilization, that magic like THIS was commonplace? And not just commonplace, but considered easy enough to do that the enchanters could afford to amuse themselves by adding BURPING noises?

It was only a suspicion, then. Now it had returned and redoubled. And with her new certainty, she realized that a physical ponyhunt would be pointless.

She began thinking of magical ways to locate him. She'd already tried locator spells, of course, but they hadn't done anything. She searched through the library for new spells, found a few, tried those few, but stopped after the eighth one failed.

They should have been working.

That they weren't meant one of two things. Either Silver was warded against locator charms, or...

Panic began setting in.

She teleported to Canterlot. She went directly to Princess Celestia (who was in the middle of Day Court, but dismissed it the moment she saw Twilight). Twilight explained all the things she'd tried, then pleaded for any kind of help.

Princess Celestia said that her sister might be able to locate him when he slept. Princess Celestia said that her sister's court was open to petition, and that there was little wait time. Princess Celestia also picked up on her unspoken fear, told her that Philomena was still with Silver, and that Philomena would only return when the worst or the best happened.

Twilight had calmed down slightly, asked how to petition Night Court, was given the answer, and left to do just that.

---

"Thou hast our deepest apologies, Twilight Sparkle," said Princess Luna in the dark chamber of her court. "But we are honour-bound not to enter the dreams of Silver Wing."

"WHAT? WHY?!"

"Our royal fool hath requested it. 'Twas a... how did he put it? An unalterable condition for his employment."

"Royal fool?" Twilight asked. "You have a royal-? No, that's not important. Why would a pony ask you not to do that? Who is he?"

"A good question, to which we do not know the answer. He keeps his true self well-hidden, and this request is a part of that. But his name, at least, is Mystery Book."

Twilight's eyes widened, and her mouth gaped for a moment. She'd completely forgotten about him. Silver's thestral mentor, the one pony in all of Equestria who might-

"Could I speak to him? Maybe he knows where Silver went."

"Unfortunately for us," said Princess Luna, sounding annoyed, "unless a state of emergency has been declared, the law forbids ponies employed by the crown from working more than five consecutive days, among other things. Today just so happens to be one of his off days. 'Tis fitting my Night Court should see its first petitioner in a millennium the day he is not here. And a petitioner who requests his company, no less." Princess Luna sighed. "He shall be here tomorrow."

Twilight hadn't come all this way to be told that she would have to wait. "Well, even if you can't enter his dreams, you can at least tell when he's dreaming, right? And where?"

Rainbow had talked about the dream that had let her find Scootaloo.

The princess frowned. "'Twould come close to breaking our promise..." She suddenly grinned. "But 'twould not break our promise, and 'twould serve him right for playing with precise phrasing so often and intensely. Very well. We shall tell thee when Silver Wing dreams, and where." She closed her eyes for a moment. "He does not dream now," she said. "We shall keep an eye out this night and inform thee when we can."

---

"Where is he?" Twilight asked the next night, as soon as Night Court opened and she was allowed through.

"He did not sleep last night," said Princess Luna. "That, or he is the first pony in history to find some way to ward against my special talent."

"Hmm," said Mystery Book, making his presence known. "With respect, princess, if some pony had managed to ward against dream-walking, it is not obvious to me how you would know that. After all, the point of such a spell, likely invented in a fever pitch of paranoia, would be privacy, and you can hardly expect a paranoid pony to tell you about their wonderful spell that trumps your scrying. For all you know, countless ponies in history have warded their dreams. The world would look the same to you either way. By the by, whose dreams are you attempting to enter?"

There was a slight pause. "Before we answer that question," she said, with only a slight trace of nervousness, "please note that our purpose and goal was purely to locate, nothing more. We would not have entered his dreams, even if we-"

"You have just lost your employee."

"How so?" the princess asked, a sudden anger replacing her nervousness. "Thou requested we not enter his or thy dreams. We have not, nor did we intend to. We have not violated our agreement."

The two ponies locked gazes.

"Yes, you have," said Mr. Book, after a time. "I said that my and Mr. Silver's dreams are off-limits to your powers. Those were my exact words."

Princess Luna's eyes widened. The princess's mouth opened and closed for a few moments, but she found nothing to say.

"If you wish to be clever about phrasing," said Mr. Book, "you must have a better memory than that. And even if you had managed to exploit a loophole, successfully arguing that you adhered to the letter of the law, if not the spirit, I still would have resigned. Nothing forces me to stay, after all, and I am beginning to suspect I will not find what I need here. Perhaps I should simply move on, given this... disloyal and dishonest environment."

Princess Luna's head dropped low, as if it were hanging in shame.

"NO!" Twilight interrupted, suddenly panicked. "It's not her fault. I asked her to do it because Silver is in danger! Your student is in danger!"

She might not like Mystery Book at all, but it was clear Princess Luna didn't want him to leave. She wouldn't let that happen when she was the one at fault.

"You may have made the request," said Mr. Book, not alarmed at all by her alarm, "but my former employer chose to grant it. And I shall say this but once." He adopted a lecturing tone. "In almost every historical case of competent government action against its own citizenry, the excuse is always 'for their own well-being' in some form or other. Even, in extreme cases, as they slaughter their own by the... thousands. This point may be lost on ponies, but it would not be lost on griffons or minotaur." When the lecture ended, he seemed to switch back to his normal, confrontive self, even as his gaze switched back to Princess Luna, who was looking at the ground. "Now that I am unemployed, it would seem I am in need of a job."

The princess's head shot back up, eyes wide. Her face seemed to quickly shift from dawning understanding, to hope, and then to apprehension.

"I can think of a place where I am wanted, but I can also think of a few things I did not have in my old position. I am, of course, open to negotiation."

"Noble status," the princess offered instantly.

Mr. Book buffed a hoof on his chest and examined it.

"A higher salary."

A clank sound drew Twilight's eyes to a pouch that had, just that moment, fallen from beneath Mr. Book's cloak, spilling some of its insides onto the floor. Even from this distance, Twilight recognized the jewels as rare, valuable, and enchanted.

"Oops. Pardon me," said Mr. Book, and stooped to collect the pouch containing gems worth more than 1,000 bits each. "I dropped my pocket change."

There was a pause.

"Residence in the royal palace."

Mr. Book sighed dramatically. "Very well. You have... almost twisted my hoof. Those three, the promise to abide by the spirit of our first agreement, plus one final boon, and you shall win back my employment."

"Speak."

"Must I?" he asked in a disappointed tone. "Are my motives so inscrutable that you cannot imagine what I actually want?"

There was a longer pause.

"Surely... surely thou dost not mean-"

"No." Mr. Book was scowling, a look of extreme distaste on his face. "If you are about to suggest what I think you are about to suggest, your thoughts are going in the wrong direction. My final condition is not something that should make you hesitant or apprehensive. I suspect it will be even easier to grant than the other three."

Princess Luna's face seemed hopelessly confused.

"Do I really have to spell it out? I prefer not to reveal the answers to riddles that others can figure out for themselves."

Princess Luna's eyes flashed with something like recognition, but when she spoke, it became clear it wasn't the answer she recognized. "Could we have a hint?"

"What benefits did I receive under your employment?" he asked, sounding even more disappointed.

"A good salary," she said. "Stimulating work, and a position in the royal palace-"

"What benefits did I request to receive?"

Princess Luna's eyes widened. "Access to the library!"

"Correct," said Mr. Book. "I find the Day Guard schedule restricting and tedious. The Night Guard should now be able to spare a soldier or two to observe me when I am not working. If they are yet unable, I shall be allowed to browse regardless, with complete access to the library whenever I please, even without oversight if needs be."

"Done," said the Night Princess. "As a noble, thou- you will be allowed unfettered access."

Twilight's frantic mind barely managed to notice Luna drop the Royal Canterlot Voice at the end there, and she wondered if it was hard to maintain for long periods of time.

"Well and good," said Mr. Book. "Now," his gaze returned to Twilight, "Why do you believe my pupil is unsafe?" This was asked in a curious and condescending tone, not a concerned one.

"Because Philomena took him somewhere," Twilight explained. "She's a phoenix! Don't you know what that means?"

"No. Elaborate."

She did.

"I did not know that," replied Mr. Book, still calm despite being told everything. "Though I had never been interested in phoenix lore before. I believe I now understand how an old acquaintance of mine acquired his phoenix. In the future, Ms. Sparkle, I recommend you do not share this information with anypony else, lest you let loose a secret that should remain obscure. But I do thank you for sharing it with me. In return, I shall tell you this: Mr. Silver is not in danger from any outside threat. I know where he is and what he does."

"You do?" Twilight asked, utterly surprised. After so many failures, she never expected it to be that simple.

"He does," answered the princess. "He is not attempting outright deception. At the moment." She turned to face him. "Unless I am mistaken, you have no intention of disclosing his whereabouts." She paused, waiting for a confirmation or denial that did not come. "What details can you share?"

"The phoenix did not take him to a physical fight," said Mr. Book. "Neither to attack a monster, nor to defend against a natural disaster."

"Then where did she take him?" Twilight pressed. "All the books say that phoenixes take ponies to battles."

Mr. Book did not seem to appreciate the interruption, but he answered anyway. "You might call it a battle of the mind. He is attempting to solve a difficult problem. Before he began, I required he swear binding promises not to be reckless, so he will almost certainly survive, and I occasionally help when he asks. But I doubt he intends to stop until he finishes what he set out to do. His dreams could not be seen because he has not slept since he started, and before you fret, I believe that is why the phoenix is there. To sustain him while he works. I trust that answers any questions you might have?"

"Can I help?"

"No."

"Can I see him?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No." His refusals came without the slightest trace of sympathy. "You shall simply have to wait."

"And trust," Princess Luna added. "Have faith he shall overcome what tries him, and be ready for him in the end. Loyalty is a virtue."

"It is not," said Mr. Book. "Have you not heard the phrase, 'blind loyalty'?"

The Princess frowned at her fool. "Well-placed loyalty is a virtue."

"Even in cases where loyalty is earned – by a strong leader, let us say – expecting that leader to do a task you should do yourself leads to infantili-"

The court doors closed behind her.

---

She waited.

But not without action.

Hearth's warming was still approaching, so she bought a few things she thought Silver might like. Hopefully he'd make it back before then.

She asked Pinkie if she could be ready to throw a Welcome Back party at a moment's notice, and Pinkie had told her she already had a party planned for Silver and somepony else. Twilight asked when, but Pinkie said her Pinkie sense didn't work that way. It sort of just built up, then exploded all at once. And it wasn't ready to explode yet.

Three days before Hearth's Warming, she heard a knock on her library door. She assumed it would be one of her five friends. Just like all the other times, when she got to the door, they would ask if Silver was back yet, they would be told no, and then they would reassure her that everything would be fine. This happened often enough that she was beginning to see patterns where she shouldn't.

She opened the door and was surprised to see a young unicorn filly wearing a cloak.

"Twilight Sparkle?"

"Yes, that's me." She was pretty sure she'd never seen this pony before. But just to be sure, "Have we met?"

The filly shook her head. "I'm... um... Memory Sunshine. Silver Wing told me to come here." She seemed to peek around Twilight's shoulder. "This is the library, right?"

Twilight wasted no time ushering the young pony inside and asking what was, in retrospect, an impolite array of questions.

"Not long ago," answered the filly. "He said he'd be sleeping in his room by the time I got here. He also wanted me to tell you that he doesn't want to be woken up because he's been awake since he left, and I'm not sure you could wake him up even if you tried."

"Are you sure he said he'd be here by now?" Twilight asked. "I've been up all morning, but-" her brain seemed to jolt into fast motion as she realized "-but he has a window in his room-wait-one-moment-I'll-be-right-back!"

She teleported upstairs, ran to the door of Silver's room, opened it, and...

And all the stress and worry and fear and doubt drained away from her.

She did not collapse to the ground.

She walked over quietly, mindful of the comment about waking him.

She gave him a quick hug.

She noticed his horn...

Noticed his horn...

Reminded herself once again not to wake him.

She finished the hug.

"You are in so much trouble when you wake up," she whispered.

---

Aftermath: Royalty

"Now that you are officially royalty," said his employer. "You shall need a new name to reflect your new nobility."

The temporarily nameless pony shrugged. "Very well." He'd changed names so many times, he didn't care in the slightest. "Shall it be given, or chosen?"

"Either. Whichever you prefer."

"I have no preference."

He also didn't overly care to name himself. He even felt a mild curiosity as to what she would suggest.

"Then I shall bestow it. A good name came to me when you said that you do not reveal the answers to riddles," said the Princess of the Night, who had once been Nightmare Moon.

He had a sudden sense of apprehension, and regret that he had not chosen to name himself anew. He'd thought she didn't remember her tenure as Queen of the Night, lest she would have remembered him as soon as she saw him. But perhaps subconsciously-

"The moment I heard that," his employer continued, "I knew it would be the perfect fit..."

Comments

[Uzito2K]

Mr. Riddle?

[Ranakastrasz]

10895342
Presumably Riddle Tome, being the name used in front of Nightmare Moon. Even if Luna only has subconscious memory of the event.

[ColtKit Productions]

Ooooooooooh
Dear Voldie is going to hate that

[Booster Spice]

Pinkies just this party planner that goes with the flow?

At least Luna hasnt got to the point where she lables Mr Book a Rotten Aincient Eruction? Though him keeping the position with extra benefits means he wont look so nicely onit happening again?

Pinkie is likely going to have so much popcorn, cornonthe cob, sweetcorn, candycorn...

In fact..

All a Corn?

[Mad Maudlin]

There has been surprisingly little prancing in this story, despite the title.

[The Guy Who Writes]

10896281
There hasn't, come to think of it. But I've already thought of an excuse: maybe it's a title that describes the ending. Metaphorically, perhaps.

In all honesty, it just seemed like an appropriate title for an MLP x HPMoR crossover.

[Greenhorn]

"Now that you are officially royalty,"

Is this Tom's aim? I know he enjoy being on the higher ground than others, but I don't think he is the type who enjoy having responsibilities for others. Being in higher status means having more responsibilities. In the government body, that usually mean there would be a mountain of paperwork waiting for him.

[The Guy Who Writes]

10896815
Right, he wouldn't enjoy it. Come to think of it, I should have had him ask if he'd have any extra responsibilities upon accepting the noble title. I did think, beforehand, to have him refuse residence in the royal palace as a matter of privacy and security, but I decided that he would give it a try and reject it if he didn't like it, but he wouldn't bother saying that out loud.

The underlying assumption is that he is not being burdened with any additional responsibilities, these are just extra benefits compared to what he had. Luna was trying to win him back, and you don't do that by imposing new costs. She assumes, and rightly so, that he would object to extra work under that context, so his nobility is all perks, no downsides. If he wants the extra responsibilities, he can choose to accept them, or he can choose to ignore them, and his official status won't be affected.

As for it being his aim, no, but he considers it potentially advantageous, so he has no reason to refuse, just like he has no reason to refuse a higher salary. He DID have a reason to refuse the name, but he didn't see it in time. By the time Luna said "Then I shall bestow it," it was too late.

[Black--Soul]

Guess Riddle has his immortal body now... neat.