Chapter 79 Aerie visits the Weasley home
Somehow Aurora had done it. Granny had given her permission. Then again, Granny thought that Apple Bloom was going to be a special apprentice to Princess Celestia. And in an odd roundabout way, they were. Lofty and Holiday had hesitated at first but relented. After all, if it was a potential route for Scootaloo to become an alicorn, who were they to stand in the way? Aerie and Aurora being there to keep an eye on her helped a lot.
Rarity was on the fence up until she learned that Princess Celestia would be involved. The girls were to go to Canterlot Castle a week before they needed to catch the Hogwarts Express where they’d get specialized instruction. Mostly in basic theory, and then they would take diaries with them so that they could report what they were learning to Princess Celestia. The trio also got to go to Eques City in the nation of Akkadia back on earth. After all, this was to be part of their cover as no pony wanted wizard kind to know about Equestria for fear they’d import their brand of narrow-minded thinking and exploitative ways. And they had been visiting when they got their letters. Little did they know that it was Celestia herself who’d entered their names.
With a week left before the Crusaders had to catch the train to Canterlot with their letters in hoof as it were, everyone save Aerie that is, it was high time to go to Diagon Alley.
“I’m wondering if I need to go to the Weasleys to get my letter,” Aerie mused as they stepped into the vault. Flora stepped into the hearth first and was away a moment later.
“So how do you get to the Weasley house?” Aurora asked as Aerie stepped into the hearth.
“Oh it’s," she tossed her floo powder down and said, “the Burrow.” Aerie’s eyes widened at the realization of her mistake and laughed even as she was whisked away.
“Well that’s done it,” Selena said. Not Aerie’s Selena, Hoshiko’s mom. Hoshiko and Mrs Tsuki were still staying with them, but Mr Tsuki had gone back to Japan as he had a project in mind. That and he’d taken off from work about as much as he dared even with going back and forth.
“She can catch up later,” Aurora offered. Sweetie, what say you go next, then Bloom, and then Louise?
“Well that was bloody dumb,” Aerie scolded herself as she popped out of the hearth in the Weasley residence. The kitchen was small, but not excessively small. If anything it would have been considered spacious in most suburban homes. What made it seem cramped was the vast array of things crammed into it. There were books on shelves, pots, and pans seemed to be everywhere, fancy glass cupboards loaded with a rather eclectic assortment of dishes, and a radio was playing music that sounded like it might have been popular back in the forties. Eighteen forties.
“Aerie? Aerie Potter?”
“Oh, hi Mrs Weasley.”
“So why haven't you written back to Ron?” Her hands had gone to her hips.
“Because I haven't gotten any letters from him. I told Hermione that I wasn’t getting any letters. Nothing from anyone.”
“And how did you talk to Hermione?”
“In person. We live in the same area. We talk on the phone too. I’m wondering if I should get an owl. Trouble is, I live in a muggle area, and having an owl flying in and out kind of attracts attention even if the house is unplottable.” Aerie wasn’t going to bother suggesting that Mrs Weasley get a phone figuring she’d have any number of ready excuses as to why they had to live that way. Moral high ground through victimhood and all that.
“So, what brings you to our humble home on this fine morning.” her demeanor had softened but it did not hide her concern.
“We were on our way to Diagon Alley when Aurora asked me how to get to your house. Being a bit absent-minded I said the Burrow right after throwing down the flue powder. Too early in the morning, I guess.”
“You’ll want to be more careful. You could end up anywhere. You’ve already got your letter then?”
“Well, everyone but me. Might it be alright if I sit here and wait a bit? I’ve got a hunch it might show up here.”
“I see. Well then, why don’t you come on in? Have you had breakfast yet dear?”
“I have, but I wouldn't mind sampling some of that cooking Ron is always bragging about.”
“We talking about my Ron?” Molly Weasley gave her an incredulous look.
“It smells good,” Aerie offered with what she hoped was a winning smile.
“Come on, and sit,” she offered while pointing at a good-sized wooden table with all manner of chairs around it. All have the look of having been picked up second hand one at a time. And with a house full of boys it was entirely possible the chairs were being broken beyond repair regularly.
Aerie did as directed and soon found a plate put in front of her with all manner of goodies loaded up on it.
“Be right back, dear…” Molly announced, set down the ladle she’d picked up, and marched outside. A moment later Aerie could hear her yelling, “You could do with taking a leaf out of Percy’s Book!”
“Guess that means Percy is back in good graces then,” Aerie said with a devilish grin. And then she stopped, stood up, and had a gander out the window. There in the yard was an old Ford Anglia with turquoise blue paint parked in the yard. Ron, Fred, and George marched in and froze on seeing Aerie
“Hi,” Aerie offered and then took a bite out of a sausage.
“Aerie? What are you doing here?” Ron asked followed with, “We thought you were being held prisoner?”
“I got better. Summer cold,” she explained as she sat back down.
“Is that a Thor's hammer you’ve got on?” Fred asked.
“Thundor’s hammer,” she replied and reached up to fumble with the little pendant. Which is exactly what it was. For whatever reason Moonie couldn't store it in hammerspace. Which they all thought very odd. A hammer that wouldn't go into hammerspace. As a matter of fact, Moonie couldn't interact with it at all and of everyone in the house, only Aurora was able to pick it up. No one else could budge it. Not wanting to leave it behind Aerie found that she was able to shrink it down to the size of a pendant and wore it as a pendant over the Moon pendant. Moonie had insisted that she retain the Moon pendant because her job was to look after Aerie, not Scootaloo. The fact that she hadn’t been there for Aerie had been warring with her as well. After all, just because she was a creature of magic it didn’t mean she had no emotions.
“So, ah… not being held prisoner in your own home then?” Ron asked again.
“The worst thing that’s happened to me was a bug infestation.”
“Sit down, all of you, and eat your breakfasts,” Molly ordered and turned back to her cooking. * "don’t know what you were thinking… never would have believed it.”
“You weren’t trying to find my house, were you?”
“Aerie, dear, their pigheadedness isn’t your fault. Granted that I’ve been worried too, I see now that I fretted for nothing.”
“The house can’t be found without someone who knows where it is pointing it out,” Aerie informed the boys.
“Can’t be found?” Molly asked.
“It’s an old wizard home. There’s even an anti-apparition field in the area centered on the house. And we’ve our floo connection.”
“Really? What is it?” the twins chimed.
“House of the Fletcher…”
Before Aerie could finish the two boys had dashed to the hearth, ignored their mother who was yelling at them, cast down some floo powder, and repeated, “House of the Fletcher.”
“.. was the old one.” She pulled up her purse, fumbled around, and pulled out her phone even as the hands on a particularly interesting Grandfather Clock switched from home to imminent mortal danger. The clock had a hand that kept track of the hours but also had hands that indicated the disposition of each member of the family. “Hi… hate to be a bother so early… yes. The twins wanted to know the floo connection to the house and… yes, that’s right, I gave them the old address. They aren’t in any real danger… are they? OK, just an illusion of a giant spider.”
“A giant spider?” Ron asked.
“They’ll be fine,” Aerie offered.
Molly pulled out a chair and sat next to Aerie. “A giant spider?”
“An illusion. Yes, I saw the clock, but Mrs Silverwood says they’ll be fine. I’m guessing the clock is tied to the individual and it’s their perception that determines the status.”
A chime was heard coming from the clock, the hands for the boys switched to traveling, and then home as the two boys slid out. Molly stood up to examine them, both appearing to be wrapped up in acromantula thread, the boy’s eyes were like saucers.
“We were having issues with uninvited guests,” Aerie informed them as the web slowly evaporated.
“Serves the two of you right,” Molly barked.
“A giant spider, Aerie?” Ron asked. Even knowing it wasn’t real he was all squicked out.
“Wasn’t my idea.”
“Now that you two are done trying to make a nuisance of yourselves,” Molly began. “Get back in your seats and finish your breakfast.”
“Yes, Mom.” The twins chimed, got up, and went back to the table, their movement jittery.
“And when you’ve finished the lot of you can go clear gnomes from the garden.”
“Gnomes… oh, right, the little potato-like things,” Aerie said, mostly to herself.
“Not you dear,” Molly offered cheerfully enough as Ginny came wandering down half asleep and still in her night clothes.
“Good morning, Ginny, wasn’t it?” Aerie said with all the brightness of a new day.
“Morn…” Ginny looked up, her eyes locked on Aerie, let out a squeak, turned, and dashed back upstairs.
“Well… that’s not very promising,” Aerie muttered.
“Don’t pay her any attention,” Ron offered as he was finishing off his plate. “Mom, can I have more?”
“I wouldn't mind a bit more myself,” Aerie offered. In truth, she’d been eating like an alicorn ever since her fight with Chrysalis.
“You sure they are feeding you enough over there?” Molly asked as she dished out more food.
“I have a healthy appetite. And thank you.”
“You’re welcome, dear.” She turned to Ron and looked daggers at him.
“Thank you?”
“So, what’s with Ginny?”
“Hero worship, I’m afraid,” Molly informed her. The three boys looked up in astonishment. And given the stack of Lockhart books she had she really shouldn't be judging. Oh, Aerie had seen the books with that smug blue-eyed narcissist looking back grinning like a hyena. Granted that Aerie had already developed an opinion of the man based on the books from that other world.
“Oh, don’t give me that look,” Molly continued. “All she talks about is Aerie.”
“Good morning Mom,” Percy offered as he came down the stairs. What’s with Ginny?” He’d gotten his hand on an old smoking jacket that he wore over his PJs. Yes, he was wearing pajamas. The pajamas were white with blue vertical stripes, but the jacket was red with a fleur de lis pattern highlighted in gold and a golden rampant dragon embroidered on the red velvet lapel. It also sported numerous burn marks from its previous owner.
“Hi Percy, cool jacket,” Aerie offered.
Percy froze in place, and his brothers started laughing. Aerie was starting to take on the appearance of a young woman beginning to blossom and Percy’s mind had skipped a cog.
“What’s she doing here?” He asked while reminding himself, she’s only twelve, damn it.
“Took a wrong turn on my way to Diagon Alley,” Aerie offered.
“Hang on, how do you take a wrong turn using the floo?” Ron asked.
“Aurora asked me what your floo address was just as I was tossing down the floo powder.”
“You don’t say…” chimed the twins. Ron suddenly got a panicked look on his face.
“Ron, just remember, you are the one who asked.”
Pore Ron looked like his soul was ready to leave his body, and jumped when the clock chimed. Aerie and Molly looked over to see Arthur Weasley’s pointer switch to traveling and then to home as he came out of the hearth. Mr Weasley, with back hunched, went to his chair at the table and all but dropped into it.
* “What a night,” Mr Weasley said and reached out for a teapot.
“Find anything?” Fred asked eagerly.
“Nine raids. Nine! I ran into Mondungus Fletcher. Tried to hex me in the back. In the back. When I wasn’t looking.” He poured himself a cup of tea and set the pot back. “All I got were shrinking keys. Oh, there was some nasty stuff all right, but not much for my department.”
“What’s the point of a shrinking key?” Aerie asked. “Does it go back to normal later?”
“Back to normal? They are used for muggle baiting. Switch their keys when they aren’t looking, they take the fake key, set it down, and then it shrinks when they…”
“Seems like a lot of work when they could just take the original keys and be done with it.”
“I do believe you’ve got a point there. But why make them big again?”
“Send one to someone who’s, say, locked in their room?”
“Can’t say that ever occurred to me… My word, Aerie Potter. Whatever are you doing here?”
“Tricked into saying the wrong address,” Molly announced.
“Oh, well, anyway, the things people have taken into enchanting you wouldn't believe.”
“Like cars, for instance?” Molly asked in that tone that let him know something went horribly wrong and it was his fault.
“Ca-cars, Molly, dear?”
“Yes, Arthur Weasley, cars. Imagine a wizard buying an old rusty car. Imagine him telling his wife all he wanted to do was to take it apart to see how it works. But what he really wanted to do was enchant it! To make it fly!”
Mr Weasley shrank back into his seat but wasn’t without excuses. “I-I’d think he’d find that he was well within the letter of the law… if he hadn’t planned on using it, and obviously I should have told you. What did they do?”
“Flew it into downtown London with…”
“Did they now?” He’d straightened out. “How’d it go?”
“Arthur!? They could have been seen!”
“They could have hit a power line, collided with aircraft… ramming Brightstar’s airship is out because she’s off exploring,” Aerie filled in.
“Airship?” Ron asked.
“An Akkadian air yacht to be exact. They use a cloaking device.”
“Hang on, did they go to your house?” Mr Weasly asked. This time he was sounding cross.
“Um… yes,” Ron admitted.
He slammed his hand down. “There is a strict do not approach order in place on that residence. It’s been there since last Christmas.”
“Moonie, were you aware that they were there?” Aerie asked.
When a young woman who looked a bit like Aerie materialized in the chair next to Aerie it startled everyone except Aerie.
“Never got near the place,” Moonie offered. She then transformed into a cat and jumped across and into Aerie’s lap.
“That’s not a normal cat, is it?” Mr Weasley asked.
“She’s a familiar,” Aerie offered.
“How utterly fascinating, I’ve heard of familiars, but never met someone who had one. Now… Boys, thanks to what happened last Christmas, the house where Aerie lives is off-limits without an invitation. There were three men arrested who were harassing Aerie, another group was shot and killed by muggle authorities, and two Aurors doing extra-legal activities got apparated all the way to Hogwarts and badly splinched in the process, and we’ve yet to figure out what’s become of Dolores Umbridge.”
“Did you want her back?” Aerie asked.
“Well, in truth, not really. Why, do you know what became of her?”
“Threatened several Akkadian Princesses one of whom is a Priestess of Akkadia. Got frozen in stone for her trouble. It’s reversible and will eventually cancel itself out returning the person to normal. Um… we’d intended to undo it, but we kind of lost track of what we did with her.”
“That’s quite alright. I swear that woman never knew when to quit. So when does the spell wear off?”
“That specific spell is known to have a shelf life of around a thousand years, give or take.”
“Serves her right then.”
“Serves her right?” Molly asked in astonishment.
“Not like she hadn’t been warned. That woman just seemed to think that she was the law unto herself. And then she goes and picks a fight with Akkadian nobility. Mrs Silverwood-Swan is a Priestess of Akkadia. They tried to bring her in on trumped-up charges when You Know Who was growing in power and it set off the Justice Center. Several people got hauled off into that damn portal.”
“I… I never knew about that,” Molly admitted.
“Oh, they did their best to hush it up, and if Umbridge did as Aerie says, she can stay wherever she is. No one wants that Justice center activating.” He cleared his throat and turned back to the three boys at the table. “As for the three of you. If you’d been caught you would have found yourself suspended from Hogwarts, I could have been fired, and depending on the severity… Azkaban. For all three of you.”
“Azkaban,” Ron bemoaned as he realized how close he’d come to making Draco Malfoy’s taunt come true. Working with Hagrid, doing Hagrid’s job may well have been his best option. Following time in Azkaban, of course. Fortunately, the presence of a snowy owl at the window box ended that specific conversation.
“Oh, hi Hedwig,” Aerie offered as Percy went to the window, and yes, he’d been standing there the whole time.
“It’s our Hogwarts letters,” he announced. “And one for Aerie Potter. How about that? Wonder how Dumbledore knew to send it here?”
“Technically Hedwig is my owl, that Hagrid was taking care of because he gave her to me but I never actually took possession of her. Likely just knows how to find me somehow,” Aerie offered as her letter was handed over to her. She opened the envelope to find a personal note from Dumbledore stating that he was aware of the problem she was having, his own House Elf had informed him and gave the letter to Hedwig with the instructions to wait for an opportunity to get past the rogue elf.
“Something wrong dear?” Molly asked. Percy had picked out a seat and sat down to read his letter as well.
“Lockhart, Lockhart, Lockhart,” Aerie complained. “Seven books for DADA class.” Granted that she’d already known, she just felt like letting off a little steam now that it was final.
“Seven?” Molly asked.
“Seven,” Ron echoed with a tone of disgust.
“Whoever is going to be teaching DADA is making us by all the Lockhart books,” Fred reported.
“Looks like the same books too,” George added. Percy got up and compared the lists.
“Same books.”
“Let me see those letters,” Mr Weasley asked and a moment later he had come to the same conclusion.
“That’s going to cost a fortune,” Molly said as the color left her face. “Aerie, are you going to be alright?”
“Oh, I’m fine. I just feel guilty about using any of my money. The worst part is they are making me buy a stock broom to play Quidditch.”
“What? No Nova Broom?” The twins chimed. They fully believed her last performance had been solely the broom.
“So how much money do you have?” Mr Weasley asked as he leaned forward. Molly Gave him a dirty look for having asked.
“Well… I’ve inherited the Potter account which is well stocked with money from all those Harry Potter books. It was set up so that I'd get a portion of the revenue. Short of Harry Potter suddenly materializing and claiming it I'm not exactly hurting, and I’ve sort of inherited the Black family account.”
“The Black family account?” Mr. Weasly repeated as he leaned back.
“But how is that even possible?” Molly asked.
“Dumbledore lied about being my magical guardian. Sirius Black is my magical guardian. That makes me a member of the black family. And that makes me the only living member of the Black family who could inherit the family vault who wasn’t disowned by Walburga Black.”
“What about Narcissa Malfoy? Her maiden name is Black.”
“Married out of the family into the Malfoy family. Can’t inherit. Draco might have been able to inherit if the account had gone unclaimed, but…”
“No more Draco though,” Ron said softly.
“These books aren’t going to come cheap,” George muttered.
“Well, we’ll manage,” Mrs Weasley said, her tone filled with concern.
“You’ve got one set,” Aerie pointed out. “And if you’ve past years DADA books, might be a good idea to bring them. Ron, you can borrow one of your brother's second-year books.”
“I was going to, but we still have to get the required books.”
“Mrs Weasley, what sort of books are they? You’ve read them?”
“Novels, really.”
“The new DADA teacher must be a big fan,” Percy suggested.
“I fear it may be worse than that,” Aerie offered. “I think we are going to need reference material on the side because I’ve got a feeling the new teacher is Lockhart himself.”
“Do you think so?” Molly asked as she lit up. “I wonder if I’ll get a chance to meet him.”
“We might,” Aerie suggested. “And with that said, Mrs Weasley, your cooking is wonderful, but I do need to get going. My family is waiting for me. Probably think I skipped out on them. I’ve three more cousins starting up this year, on Aurora’s side of the family. No, they don’t look like me.”
“Well, it was good to get to talk with you, Aerie,” Molly offered as Aerie got up. Aerie offered to take her dish to the sink, but Molly took it away from her.
“Will I see you at Diagon Alley later on?” Aerie asked as she got herself a handful of floo powder from the mantle.
“Now that we’ve our letters, we’ll be out there just as soon as everyone is ready.”
“Well then, maybe we can all have lunch together. See you there.” Aerie threw down the powder and said “Diagon Alley.”
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Dolores Umbridge
i am hopping she is at the bottom of the ocean. after 100 years she would be good a burred in silt with no way out when the spell ran out a fitting end to that toad.
Lockhart well we know what happens to him.
wonder what Dumble dork is going to get in to this season?
or should i ask what he will get turned in too?
a awesome chapter i love it.
11792592
i remember her being air lifted to a park, and disguised as a badly done statue of the queen
Why do I think they will just make it so Lockhart isn’t the teacher for long, like a month tops.
11792592
11792628
Yes, she's in a park getting pooped on by pigeons. And given what Discord has said about that spell, it's entirely possible that she knows and can see everything in front of her.
11792710
perfect for Paintball Target Practice, (the statue, not the Pigeons)
11792710
that is right i remember that now.
but what park?
or did discord stash her and not tell were?
11792872
I'd actually plotted it out regarding where they'd put her, but I kind of forgot. I like to plot out locations on Google Earth. The location I picked for the house is one of those peculiar locations in London. There is an entire black that is addressed for the side street and then the numbers for that street start up on the next block.
11792930
i am thinking Discord code have taken her to a park some were and he is simply not telling.
some were or is it some when?
11792948
Keep in mind that the whole premise of this story is that Discord can't get directly involved. The ponies dropped her in a park and then Moody cast a spell on her that would make people think the statue had always been there. Thanks to that spell the ponies could look right at her and not realize it's not just a bad likeness of Queen Elizabeth.
fianally caught up again all great so far