Agents of Discord

by KittyrinnAiko

Chapter 19: The forest above the Great Hall

“I swear you’ve the apatite of a pony, both of you,” Lavender said to Aerie and Aurora as they made their way through the school after lunch. There wasn’t anything scheduled for the rest of the afternoon, at least not for the first years just yet.

“I’m a growing filly.” Aurora protested.

“Excuse me, where can I find Madam Hooch?” Aerie asked of a passing ghost.

“She’d be in the forest above the great hall.” The ghost offered.

“Thank you,” Nova replied, and then turned to go back in the direction they’d come.

“Forest?” Aurora asked. “And why ask a ghost?”

“It’s a lofted ceiling. The forest refers to the timbers holding up the true gabled roof.” Aerie explained. “All that stuff we see isn’t even the real ceiling. Just think of how hard it would be to identify a leak with that fancy enchantment. Not to mention maintenance on the enchantments. As for why ask a ghost, they are surprisingly knowledgeable about the comings and goings around here and have no reason not to give an answer.”

“Makes sense,” Lavender replied as Nova turned to a flight of stairs in the hall. And then it was two flights of stairs to the second floor, into a secret door that gave them access to a long flight of stairs up into attic space, at the end of which they passed through a door behind a tapestry, and suddenly they were in a narrow gallery with windows on both sides. On one side the windows looked out, and on the other side, they looked into the great hall. The gallery itself ran the length of the hall.

From there they had to go all the way to the end where there was a spiral staircase.

“How exactly did you even know about this?” Aurora asked as Nova started climbing the spiral staircase.

“Alice told me.” Nova offered.

“Alice Tolipan?” Lavender asked as she and Aurora followed.

“No, Alice Mouse, who lives in the Gryffindor attic. She can be quite talkative when she has a mind,” Aerie offered as she continued to climb. At the top, there was a short passage that looked like it was on the top of the inside wall with a short set of stairs up into the attic space catwalk and another flight of stairs up to another catwalk and then more stairs. Aerie decided to take the first one she came to and started walking down it. After a short walk, they came across a series of large nests, wattle partition cubicles to be exact, big enough for a small family of ponies in each with a dormer situated at intervals between groupings along the catwalk and they’d entrance ways with cloth hangings.

“I was hoping there’d be some pony here.” Aerie offered as they traveled down the catwalk. “Hello, anyone here?”

“Up here.” returned a voice higher up.

Seeing another staircase Aerie went over to it followed by Aurora and Lavender and climbed to the next level. They found her inside one of the cubicles. “Ah, Madam Hooch, I was hoping to find you.” Madam Hooch was presently sitting on the edge of a rough bed that really did look more like a nest than a bed.

“Keep your voices down. And for that matter, how’d you even find your way up here?” Madam Hooch said softly. “You’re Aerie aren’t you? And Aurora and Lavender.”

“Yes, mam.”Aerie offered as she approached. There was a gray mare with a dark gray mane in the nest, and she didn’t look well.

“If you wanted to ask about the tryouts you could have talked to me on Monday.”

Aerie went up to the Pegasus, stroked her mane, checked her pulse behind the ear, and looked at her eyes, “Aurora, by any chance have you had your immunizations?”

“Why are you asking if she has had her immunizations?” Madam Hooch inquired.

“Because she’s been there. To the land of Equestria. That fabled land of Akkadia wherein pegasi and Satyrs do play. And I’m not talking about the Islands of Akkadia either. Aurora, it changes a person.”

“Can’t say I recall seeing any Satyrs.”

“Are you suggesting that she’s a pony?” Lavender asked. Among those who kept ponies it was widely whispered that many of the animals could take on human form and were considered beings due to their intelligence. They were certainly smart enough to pass as humans. “Given that display, Aurora did when you dropped, I’d be more inclined to think she’s possessed of Phoenix fire.”

“Display?” Aurora, Madam Hooch, and Aerie asked.

“Snape forcibly read Aerie’s mind in class today,” Lavender explained. “What he dredged up was by all outward appearances extremely distressful for both. Aurora got so mad that she burst into flame.”

“Did I?” Aurora had been completely unaware. “Wonder if that has anything to do with my ancestry? I’m descended from the Sun King.”

“Imagine that,” Aerie offered. “The Evan’s family are descended from the Goddess Luna.”

“Oh,” Madam Hooch asked skeptically. Even if it was true, how could Aerie possibly even know?”

“I told her,” Selena offered startling everyone there. “Aerie, a little of your fire should have our kins-mare feeling better in no time.”

“Who?” Madam Hooch asked. “Who are you?”

“She’s the Night Mare,” Lavender offered.

“Truth is, she’s kind of latched onto me,” Aerie explained.

“Afraid I wasn’t there when the Potters were murdered,” Selena informed. “One of my counterparts was with Nova Silverwood at the time. And what happened with Snape, while not a complete surprise, the escalation of the incident happened so fast it was over before I could make my appearance.”

“Anyway,” Aerie began anew. She’d placed a hand on the young mare and let her fire slowly envelop her. “I wanted to ask about supplements.”

“Aerie has been to Equestria,” Selena offered. “We’d like to keep that quiet because no one knows and we need to keep it that way. We’d appreciate it if this could be kept quiet, from everyone. The news could put both girls at considerable risk.”

“I don’t understand?” Madam Hooch asked.

“It does something to individuals who gain access to the hidden world. It enhances them. Turns them into human Equestrian hybrids. And there are some drawbacks. It alters the individual's dietary needs. Not by a great amount, but enough to be a potential issue over a long time.” As Selena was explaining Aerie had picked up a biscuit meant for the ponies and started eating it. “Aerie, and quite possibly Aurora, are going to need a mineral supplement. As for immunizations, I don’t think that is going to be an issue.”

“Mrs Silverwood did get me vaccinated,” Aerie offered.

“True, but your unique heritage means you only need to worry about being a carrier,” Selena reassured her. “After seeing Aurora’s little display, I doubt she has to worry at all, short of the Dragon Pox jumping to human pony hybrids. Which is highly unlikely.”

“Human pony hybrids?” Madam Pomfrey asked sounding stunned, and maybe just a little appalled.

“All witches and wizards are in effect hybrids from some magical being capable of taking on human form,” Selena explained. “Veela for example. It’s what sets you apart from ordinary humans. Inbreeding, that drive to create pure-blood families, actually breeds out that distinction.”

“Are you able to determine that ancestry?” Aerie asked.

“To some degree, I can. It does depend on what I have to compare to. For instance, there is a Mountain Troll locked up in the dungeons and I can say with a fair amount of certainty that Marcus Flint is not related to trolls. As is widely rumored.”

“You know about that? I mean the troll in the dungeon.” Madam Hooch asked. “Of course you do, you're a specter, there’d be nothing stopping you from investigating anything you want.”

“Aurora, Lavender, not a word. Alright?” Aerie requested.

“But why is there a Mountain Troll in the dungeon?” Lavender asked.

“For the same reason the dog is in the third-floor corridor.”

“You do realize no one is supposed to know about that?” Madam Hooch asked.

“If no one is supposed to know, then Professor Dumbledore should not have told Hagrid anything,” Aerie pointed out. “Despite my present animosity with Professor Dumbledore, I have to assume he knows what he’s doing. If You Know Who decides to surface, presumably to come after me or any number of boys who might fulfill the prophecy, he’s going to want to have a look at what Dumbledore has in his cellar.”

“I will admit that what I set up might be more annoying than a deterrent,” Madam Hooch admitted. “It’s all supposed to be a carefully guarded secret though.”

“Ironic that a fair number of the school’s local specters have already had a look,” Selena offered followed by Lavender bursting into laughter.

“I fail to see the humor in that,” Madam Hooch stated.

“But who besides Aerie and Aurora would ever bother to ask a ghost anything?” Lavender asked.

“Ah… yes, of course. Most witches and wizards just dismiss the ghosts,” Madam Hooch said on realizing the implications. “There is so much that could be learned from them, but no one ever bothers to ask.”

Even as she was making her observation a brown pegasus with a pair of saddle bags flew in and landed. He looked everyone over and then transformed into a man of moderate height, olive skin, and wild gray hair that matched his mane.

“Madam Hooch, Selena, Miss Potter. Oh, and little Lavender. And I’m afraid we’ve never met.”

“Aurora Summers,” Aurora offered.

“Ah, little Aurora. Names Brown. Just call me Doc, everyone does.”

“You know me?” Aurora asked. “And are you a pony or a wizard?”

“It’s a Human Transfiguration ability,” Madam Hooch offered.

“As to whether or not I am Pony or Wizard, no one really knows. The Ponies of Akkadian decent have been listed as sentient beings and in a rather interesting diversion from custom are allowed to use wands while in human form. Not all the pegasi mind you, not all can take on human form and there are a few requirements to be recognized as sentient,” Dock Brown explained as he looked over the sick pony. “We’ve ended up with a rather interesting schism among the English pegasi. One group consists of those who want to continue living the way our ancestors lived, wild and free, along with those who ended up living like pets or beasts of burden. And then there are the individuals who wanted to go back to living like civilized beings. The split between beast and what the wizarding community considers a sentient being is divided between those who can take on human form and those who either can’t or won't. Both have their advantages and pitfalls. We all get along though, otherwise, I’d not be here to help out. As for how I know you, I got a briefing that listed you as a person of interest.”

“Those who have it in their power to help others have a fiduciary duty to do so. Is that not true?” Aerie asked.

“Indeed, indeed. Many of our cousins would be hard pressed without someone looking after us,” Doc Brown admitted as he examined the little gray. “Well, Miss Lea. Looks like you had a mild virus. You are going to recover.”

“Thank you,” Miss Lea offered quietly.

“She can speak English?” Lavender asked.

“When she’s a mind to,” Doc Brown offered. “Most of us can speak English. The Scots can all speak a variation of Scots Gael. Miss Lea has never shown any inclination towards transforming into human form.”

“I’m not dumb, I just don’t want to.” Miss Lea protested.

“Fair enough.”

“Even if I could, I’d still need a doctor when I get sick.”

“True enough.”

“So, how does this transformation work?” Aurora asked.

“Well, for the pony who has it in them to do it, it’s a matter of reaching into yourself, finding our human self, and pulling that out. The reverse is the same basic process…” He stopped talking at the sight of Aurora dropping forward as she transformed into a golden fiery maned alicorn.

“Oh, oh my?!” Madam Hooch exclaimed.

“Madam Hooch, Lavender, please don’t tell anyone. Not a soul,” Aerie pleaded. “It’s Equinethropy if I’ve my terminology correct.”

“You’re a winged unicorn? And yet you’ve features like a phoenix.” Madam Hooch observed.

Aurora pranced in place. “I’m me again. Oh, can I go out and try my wings?”

“No,” Aerie ordered. “At least, not unless you can hide that horn.”

“Word went around to evacuate all unicorns from the area,” Doc Brown offered.

“Madam Hooch, Lavender, what I’m going to say is top secret. For real,” Aerie announced. “I’ve been working with some people who are working to find a way to stop You Know Who from coming back. I can assure you that we are all on the side of the light. As Professor Dumbledore likes to put it. Though I doubt Dumbledore’s veracity.”

“How so?” Madam Hooch asked. Granted that his actions as of late had indeed been questionable.

“The break-in at Gringotts, the off-limits corridor, placing me with an abusive family, sending Hagrid to terrorize and kidnap me. Oh, it’s kidnapping alright, even wizard law states that a child can not be taken from a legal guardian without a court-ordered warrant. And I’m pretty sure that had he the legal right he’d have sent someone a little more capable, and no he’s not my magical guardian, he just told everyone he was and no one challenged him. Sirius Black is my Magical Guardian and Godfather. Even if Dumbledore was my legal guardian he gave up those rights by abandoning me when a baby to the Dursleys. Granted there is a case for abandonment with Sirius as well but the Dursleys never filed for guardianship. As for Dumbledore, Dumbledore has been engaging in extralegal activities all for his little game he likes to play and we all end up playing along because we’ve little choice.”

“Dumbledore is a good man.” Madam Hooch protested. Her protest was mostly out of habit.

“Oh yes, and a genius too. Did you know he had a relationship with Grindelwald? I didn’t either until I did some digging. He also brought a psychotic young man named Tom Riddle to Hogwarts. Scotland Yard has a rather lengthy file on him. A young man, better known in the wizarding community as You know Who. Oh did I mention that Hagrid used me as a cover to hide the fact that he was picking up something for Dumbledore at Gringotts from the very vault that would be broken into a few minutes later? Used me.

“You know who is here, and he supports his half-life, yes half-life because he is neither dead nor alive, on unicorn blood. British intelligence has been tracking him, and they’ve every reason to believe he’s in the area around Hogwarts. There is a special operations division that employs Aurors. I’ve been briefed.

“Aurora, if he finds out about you, and all the local unicorns have been moved…”

Aurora sat on her haunches and transformed back into human form. “Oh god, he’d come after me, wouldn't he?”

“That’s a very good possibility,” Doc Brown offered. “Madam Hooch, Miss Aerie isn’t spinning a yarn. As I said, we have evacuated the local unicorns and have reasons to believe he’s here. No one can learn of Miss Aurora’s condition.”

“Curious…” Aurora said softly. Her right hand went up as though activating a touch screen no one else could see.

“Dear?” Madam Hooch inquired.

“The abode of a Princess of Eques becomes her embassy,” Aerie offered.

“Oh, oh my.” Madam Hooch looked like she had a good idea of what that meant.

“That’s got that fixed,” Aurora offered, and then looked back up at the others. “Would you believe me if… Yes, I guess you would. I found myself in the land of Ponies a few years back. One of the curious things about the place is that my mother and my cousin Celestia are the same person. Celestia was the princess of the land and Mrs Summers was a disguise she used to get away from the p-people who’d pushed her up onto a pillar of virtue. Figuratively speaking of course. Such was the state of the political atmosphere that she had to hide her private life. I found myself being adopted by a Colonel Mustang. I’d been with them about a year when they adopted a Miss Bright Star, who turned out to be a Princess Kitsumi Nova Moon, daughter of Luna Moon. Luna Moon also seems to be two people in this world as well. My Aunt Selena, who, yes, looks remarkably like your Selena, and a second cousin Named Luna who is Celestia’s sister.”

“That sounds remarkably like split souls,” Madam Hooch remarked.

“I also have a sister named Sunset Shimmer. Who seems to be my counterpart as well. Only in our case, we are like opposite sides of the coin.” She had to think for a moment. “After having been there for several years I woke up in my bed back home. Not only had Mom not even known I was gone, but I was also back to being ten years old like I was being given a do-over. I’d begun to wonder if it had all been a really elaborate lucid dream.” She looked out the dormer doorway with a wistful look.

“Let me call up Mrs Silverwood and see if she’s got a way to hide a horn?” Aerie offered as she pulled out her phone. “So, what was your name on the other side?”

“Sunshine Mustang.”

Aerie typed in the number and made the call. “Hi, yes, it’s me again. Yes, we are fine other than Miss Lea is a little under the weather. Any chance you have a way to hide a horn?” she waited just a moment. “It’d be for Aurora Summers, also known as Sunshine Mustang. Ring any bells? No? Anyway, it seems her mom is half of this world’s Solar diarchy. Princess Celestia seems to be split here. Anyway, Aurora figured out how to turn herself back into Miss Sunshine… winged, yes, that’s right, a young Peg-acorn.” She looked at Aurora, “I’m guessing you started as a pegasus?”

“I did. I kind of changed history at Flight Camp when Starlight Glimmer showed up.”

“Yes, started as a pegasus. Starlight Glimmer, flight camp, changed history. … You think it is a different timeline? OK, not one you have experienced, me neither. Ya, I kind of had to tell Madam Hooch I’ve been to Equestria. ... So I could get those tasty biscuits.” Laughter could be heard coming out of the phone.

Aurora picked up a biscuit and took a bite, “I’ll have to admit that these are good. Lavender, you ever try these?”

“Once. I thought they were nasty. They taste like salted dark treacle. A bit too strong for my tastes.”

“I wouldn't mind one for myself. Alright, thanks,” Nova offered into the phone and disconnected the call. “She’s going to see what she can come up with. Meanwhile, you’ll just need to stay in human form.” Aerie thought about it for a bit. “There’s always quidditch.”

“I’ll talk to Oliver Wood about giving you two a shot on the Gryffindor team.” Madam Hooch offered.

“Yes, yes of course. Thank you,” Nova offered.

“And I’ll see to it the house elves get you two some of those treacle oat cakes.”

“Can I have some?” Lea asked.

“Of course, you can,” Doc Brown offered, and passed over the plate. “You’ve your appetite back, that’s good. You are doing better already.

“And now,” Aerie began as she stood back up. “As much as I’m dreading this, I need to go talk to Professor Snape.”

“Why?” Lavender asked. “I mean after what he did I’d think you’d be well within your rights to ask to be removed from his class and request a different teacher.”

“Afraid that he’s the only potions instructor,” Madam Hooch informed them. “You are just going to have to make peace with him.”

“Selena, any chance you can turn yourself into a plush pony?” Aurora asked as she got up.

“You mean like this?” Selena asked as she turned herself into a mini Woona.

“Yes,” Aurora replied and snatched her up into a cuddle.

“Hey!?” protested the Woona.

“I hear you complaining but not running away,” Aerie pointed out.

“Well, I thought I’d just have to humor her,” Offered the Woona.

“She’s so cute!” Lavender exclaimed nearly breathless.

“That’s her Woona mode,” Aerie explained as they made their way back down the stairs.

“Mm, sorry, Snape is still sulking and the Forth Year Gryffindor Slytherin class is supposed to start,” Woona announced and vanished.

“Awww. Blasted Snape,” Aurora griped.

“Temper, we wouldn't want you lighting the forest on fire,” Lavender cautioned.

“Yes, yes, yes… still though.”

“You don’t mind if I tag along, I’d kind of like to perhaps have a few words with him myself,” Madam Hooch said as she followed them down the stairs.

Comments

[Da Fennec]

More and more of Dumbledore's plans are tossed in the shredder. Moving the unicorns is something that could've been done in canon. Though beyond keeping muggles from seeing magical creatures most wizards don't seem to care one way or the other about anything other than other wizards and some of those not too much

[Pacific plus 12]

“That’s got that fixed,”

The crisis's averted: nobody knows the little fact that Hogwarts is currently controlled by Equestrian crown.

[harts fire]

Snape is in for a gather good but chewing.
this is going to bee so good to watch.

[Kentavritsa]

“Madam Hooch, Lavender, please don’t tell anyone. Not a soul,” Aerie pleaded. “It’s Equinethropy if I’ve my terminology correct.”

Oh, but indeed!!