Agents of Discord

by KittyrinnAiko

Chapter 52: Hogwarts gains 2 more fox girls.

Luna accompanied Aerie to Platform Nine and Three Quarters. Aurora had her mom, and of course, Flora and Basil accompanied Justin.

“Should have known…” Aerie muttered as they made their way through the crowd. With the exception of the people who’d met Luna at the dinner, all saw Lilly Potter. People would stop dead in their tracks, follow Luna with their eyes, and whisper to whoever was closest.

Oh, and Hoshiko was there as well. She’d received a letter from Hogwarts, allowing her to transfer in, on Christmas day of all days. Everyone went down to Diagon Alley the next day to load her up with supplies. Yes, her mother objected but consented when it occurred to her that it would give her an excuse to meddle. This also meant the better part of the remainder of the winter vacation was spent obtaining school supplies and tutoring Hoshiko on Hogwarts magic techniques. When Kitsu found out she insisted on posing as Hoshiko’s familiar and was at that very moment inside a very expensive pet carrier. It was bigger on the inside.

“So what’s with the fox?” Draco demanded of Hoshiko as he stepped up to her. “Hang on, what’s happened to your scar?”

“Draco, I’m over here,” Aerie scolded from a few paces away.

“Aerie?”

“Tsuki, Hoshiko Tsuki,” offered the Aerie look alike, her tone a bit like she was trying to imitate James Bond. “I’m transferring in from Japan.” Draco looked back and forth at the two in confusion.

“She’s a cousin.”

Draco realizing he’d embarrassed himself, spun on his heels and made a beeline for the train.

“That was Draco Malfoy. A bit of a prat but likable enough, I suppose.”

“Draco? Likable?” Hermione asked in abject disbelief.

“When he’s not being a prat. He does tend to go out of his way to make himself unlikable though,” Aerie offered.

“Never mind him, we need to get on the train,” Aurora pointed out. “We wouldn't want to miss the train and have to drive all the way to Scotland.”

“That’s not scheduled until next school year,” Aerie offered and started for the train.

“That’s not an approved animal,” Mr Malfoy sneered as he stepped to cut them off.

“Japanese Marbled fox. Very desirable and prestigious animal. And Hoshiko is my daughter,” Selena stated. Her tone was cordial enough but the look in her eye gave him to know that the only reason he was still alive was because there were children about. Mrs Nova Silverwood was but a few paces away and she’d a similar look such that between the two women, he faltered and stepped back. Oh, he’d fume about it later, but for now, his spine had turned to mush.

The girls boarded the train and found a compartment where they were joined by Lavender and the Patil twins. Justin joined Wayne and Ernest in the next compartment. And there they waited, Moonie and Kitsu in their carriers up on the luggage rack.

“They are at it again,” Aurora grumbled a short time later as one person after another walked past and had a peek into the room.

“So, what do you imagine it is this time?” Lavender asked.

“Curious about Luna, I’d imagine,” Aerie offered.

“Or me,” Added Hoshiko to be echoed by Kitsu letting out a sharp bark. “Or you.”

“Can I ask you about Kitsu?” Lavender queried. “Funny her having the same name as Kitzu Silverwood.”

“Kitsune, she’s Kitsune,” Aerie offered. She showed up at the same time as Hoshiko, and not a word. Probably just as well that the Weasleys don’t know about her or any of this.”

“Hang on, you can’t mean to say that that little fox…” Hermione began only to get a stern look from several of the occupants.

“You know who is still in the school and Kitsu volunteered to watch our backs and run messages,” Aerie stated.

“Wish you hadn’t reminded me,” Parvati said softly as the train began to pull out of the station. Save for the curious who came by to say high and ask about Luna and Hoshiko, the trip back was fairly quiet.

🚂

“Do you think they’ll make Hoshiko do the boat ride?” Aurora asked as the train pulled into the small station.

“By herself?” I hope not,” Aerie offered. A moment later the train slowed and stopped. They got the same instructions as on the first trip, left their luggage, and made their way off the train.

Hagrid was not there. The sensible thing was to go to the carriages given that there was absolutely no one there to give instructions. It was as though everyone was expected to know what to do. In fact, no one questioned Hoshiko’s presence until everyone started filing into the great hall.

“Miss Potter, why are you just standing there like that, and why isn’t your house badge on your robes?” Mrs McGanagall prompted Hoshiko.

“Not me,” Aerie offered as she walked up. “My cousin. Hoshiko Tsuki, meet Professor McGonagall.”

“Oh, my… hang on, why’s she here?”

“I received an admissions letter,” Hoshiko replied and offered up what was unmistakably a genuine Hogwarts acceptance letter which McGonagall quickly took up and read the cover letter.

It was the standard automatically generated letter by the heading but differed in the first and third lines. “We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry by way of transfer from Mahora Academy Academy Island, Tokyo, Japan. Please find enclosed a list of all the necessary books and equipment. Please report in at the end of winter break so that you may be sorted into a house and begin your time with us. We await your owl.”

“We did send out an owl,” Aurora informed Professor McGonagall.

“Oh my, this is most unexpected. Miss Tsuki, come with me…” And with that, McGonagall made her way to the head table looking back only long enough to be sure the look-alike girl was still there.

“Professor Dumbledore…” McGonagall called as she approached the man. He’d been headed for his place at the table.

“Ah, Minerva, is there something I can do for you?”

“It seems we have acquired a new first year.”

“Acquired? Aerie?”

“No, sir, I’m her cousin Hoshiko.”

“She’s got a letter stating that she should present herself here following the winter break.”

“Does she now?”

“Mother sent our acceptance letter.”

“Oh, dear. Afraid I’ve got a pile of correspondence on my desk that I’ve yet to get to. What with one kerfuffle after another that needed straightening out over the break.”

“Has Hogwarts ever taken in a student mid-year before?” McGonagall wasn’t sure what to think at this moment.

“Let me see the letter…” McGonagall handed over the letter and he proceeded to examine it. “Looks…” he got out a wand, the very wand intended for Harry Potter, and cast a spell. “It does seem to be genuine. Mahora, not Mahoutokoro?”

“Oh, no sir. Hermione Granger told me about it. And quite frankly I think it’s someone's idea of a bad joke. Minami-Iōjima, also known as South Sulfur Island, and formerly known as Santo Agustino. It’s a cinder cone out in the Pacific. A volcanic island, and not very large. its distance is ruffly equivalent to the distance Hogwarts is from London and yet it is said that students commute daily. Can you just imagine how difficult it’d be to conceal all that traffic from non-magic users? Not to mention the strain on the students and magical beasts expected to make that trip twice a day. And robes that turn white if someone betrays the school or practices dark arts are a load of rubbish thought up by someone who knows nothing of the colorful history of Nippon. White is the color of purity and is worn by Shinto priests. It would make far more sense to cause misdeeds to become embroidered on the kimono of the transgressor as a warning to others. There are dozens of magic schools in Japan needed to accommodate over a billion magic users of which Mahora is quite possibly the most prestigious.”

“I see…” He had to take a moment to think. “I imagine the reply is undoubtedly on my desk.”

“You aren’t seriously considering starting her halfway into the school year?”

“Oh, I’ve been studying magic since I was seven and Aerie was good enough to familiarize me with everything you covered up to the start of the winter break.”

“You do have a wand I gather,” Dumbledore mused as he stroked his beard.

“Hinoki with a strand of hair from a thousand-year-old kitsune. Freely given.”

“I see… well then, we’ll simply have to sort her. Hokey, if you can fetch a stool and the sorting hat, that’s a good lad.”

The hall quieted into murmurs when the hat and stool appeared in front of the head table.

“This is most irregular,” McGonagall grumbled.

“Hardly the first time a student started late,” Dumbledore offered which left Professor McGonagall standing there waiting for everyone else to sit down.

Meanwhile, at the Gryffindor table, Ron was being sullen.

“Aerie, who is that?” Idda Peverell asked in a loud conspiratorial whisper.

“My cousin, Hoshiko. She managed to get herself shipped all the way from Japan.” Aerie wasn’t about to tell them anything else. The magical community was to get the same cover story. No one needed to know about Equestria who they didn’t implicitly trust. “Anyway, she has dual citizenship and kind of needs to stay in the country until everything gets worked out. That and she kind of wanted to go to Hogwarts. Don’t ask me how she got a letter, but it literally said to come to school right after the break.”

“Admissions is automatic,” Percy Weasley informed her. “Her name must have been entered into the master enrollment book, and then the admissions process just decided she could start right away. She’ll be at a huge disadvantage though.”

“No, she won’t.” Hermione cut in.

“Ah, glad you all made it, and welcome back to Hogwarts,” Professor Dumbledore said to the assembled student body. “And yes, despite certain rumors I am still here. Seems some people got a hold of the wrong end of the stick.”

“Thought he’d be gone for sure,” Draco muttered just loud enough for Aerie to hear him. No one tried to counter what he’d said given how damning a number of articles in the papers had been.

“Now, before we start, we seem to have a new addition to our family.” Dumbledore had put on the charm possibly hoping people would soon forget about rumors of his sacking. “Minerva.”

“Professor Dumbledore,” McGonagall replied. She turned to the student body. “By way of transfer from Mahora Academy, don’t give me that look, that’s what’s on the letter… Hoshiko Tsuki.”

“Professor?”

“What no speech or anything from the hat?”

“No one told me I’d be sorting anyone!” Shouted the hat causing Hoshiko to jump back and draw her wand. McGonagall was quick to snatch the wand. And then they had to wait for the laughter to end.

“What’s she going to do anyway?” Called a wag among the students.

“Moon Prism-!”

“Don’t you dare!” Aerie shouted as she bolted to her feet fearing that Hoshiko might actually be able to do that transformation.

“Dear, you need to sit on the stool and put the hat on to be sorted,” McGonagall admonished.

“Put that on? What, on my head?”

“Just put the hat on!” Aerie called over a chorus of laughter and sat down.

“Takes time to come up with a good song,” muttered the hat.

Hoshiko reluctantly stepped up to the hat, bowed to it, picked it up, sat on the stool, and then put the hat on.

The hat dropped over her head to rest on her shoulders.

“By any chance do you have a bigger head,” Aurora asked Aerie.

“No, I anticipated that the hat might do that and made sure that the forward part would rest on my forehead. Most people do that without even thinking.”

“So… what now?” Hoshiko asked.

“Haven’t I already placed you…” Muttered the hat.

“You’re probably thinking of Aerie.”

“Ah, that’s it. Another one. How many of you are there?”

“Infinite dimensions, infinite me I guess. This is my home world. Hang on, does that mean you know about Aerie?”

“She’s an interesting nut to crack. She both belongs here and doesn’t belong here, but yes. She is both Aerie Potter and a shining star in the heavens. But it’s you we need to sort. You know… you might do well in Slytherin.”

“Not entirely sure how. I’ll probably be going back home at the end of the year in which case such connections would do me little good. I’m here to learn.”

“Ah, yes, I do sense in you an insatiable appetite for knowledge.” the next word out of the hat was “Ravenclaw” shouted loud and clear. Hoshiko jumped again.

“You can take it off now dear,” Professor McGonagall instructed over the cheering from the Ravenclaw table. Hoshiko lifted up the hat with both hands, got up, and set the hat back down.

“Your wand. Now, go sit with the Ravenclaw students.”

Hoshiko took her wand and made her way to where Padma Patil was frantically waving to her. Hoshiko did at least know what was expected of her at this point.

“This is Amanda Brocklehurst. Everyone calls her Mandy though,” Padma said in reference to the girl who shifted over to make room. “Now, what are you doing here?”

“I got a letter,” Hoshiko shrugged. “Seems to have been generated automatically. Right now I’m wondering if I’ll have a place to sleep because Dumbledore dropped the ball and no one knew I was coming.”

“We’ll set you up with something,” offered an older girl. As she was talking Dumbledore had been making an announcement. “Penelope Clearwater. I’m the house prefect on the girl’s side. Robert Hilliard is the prefect on the boys side. You can ask either of us if there is anything you need, How do you feel about ponies? Specifically pegasi?”

“Oh, I’m OK… why?”

“The only available beds are attic rooms.”

“Oh… okay? I’m missing something?”

“There’s a bunch of pegasi living up there,” Padma offered.

“How are they with foxes?” Even as she asked Kitsu the fox was squirming up onto the bench between Hoshiko and Padma. After all, mooching was going to be her best bet to get proper food. She also had about her neck a moon pendant identical to Aerie’s.

“To be honest… hang on,” Penelope began as a paper swan winged its way to her. It landed in front of her and opened out into a note. She read over it quickly. “Ah, not to worry, Professor Flitwick is going to use an expansion charm and you can room with Mandy, Padma, and Miss Li.”

“What kind of animal is that?” asked an Asian girl across the table even as food appeared on it.

“She’s a fox, why?”

“Since when do foxes have wings like a bird?”

“Wings?” Hoshiko asked and looked down. Kitsu just shrugged. “Divine Celestial actually.”

“Sue Li, you aren’t going to have a problem?” Padma asked.

“Ah, aren’t Celestial foxes supposed to be dangerous?” Sue Li pressed.

“She’s my familiar. And besides, she’s only the one tail.”

“Well, if she’s been approved, I guess it’s alright.”

Comments

[midnight arrow]

Great chapter

[Bronyshot2020]

Lol gonna be a lot of confusion now

[Asoka]

Well i wonder how Dumbledore vs Hoshiko and Aerie compare then it comes to magical strength.
Something in my says like a muggle toddler vs arch mage or worse..

[harts fire]

and Dumbledore is pushed out just a bit more.
it is time for him to have this wand burned out can't have him forgetting who has the real power.

[Da Fennec]

11632533 Would it be only those three as Hoshiko say infinite dimensions infinite mes

[rendomstranger]

Question. How does the dimensional dairy work in this story. To clarify, so far you're indicated that this story is the result of a timeline split back in 1903. But how does such a split interact with the dimensional dairy? Does one dairy link to every dimension created after a split? Or do linked dimensions split as a whole?

[KittyrinnAiko]

11668891
The two-way dairy works the same way they do in the show and my head-canon on how they might work. Start out with one book, and split it into two on the quantum level. Whatever is entered into one shows up in the other. Time and dimension won't matter so long as both copies exist the books will remain linked. If the timeline splits it creates two more books that will function independently of the original.

There really wasn't a split for this story so much as an alternate path taken. I wanted to explore a world where a version of Nova Nightfoal Sparkle hadn't jumped forward in time but chose to stay and make a life for herself. Because the two dimensions are linked, her choice affects the path of both dimensions as if they were one. Nova Silverwood Swan is from her Equestria's future. She's a Sparkle. Nova Aerie Potter Moon is from her Equestria's past. She is Princess Luna's daughter. Nova Silverwood can communicate with her Princess Celestia via her book, but must actively avoid influencing her own timeline. Because Aerie Potter is from the past she is part of a completely different dimension Where Princess Luna had married and had a family of her own. I'm also working on the assumption that each Celestia is only aware of the Novas they've encountered and are not aware of alternate timeline/dimension Novas they have not. I think you can see just how convoluted this could potentially get.