Bright Star sighed despondently and put her last book away. Ember Glow slowly opened her eyes. “Is something wrong, deary?” she asked, turning her head to see the pony.
Bright Star put on a happy and reassuring expression. “Nothing you need to worry about, Auntie Em.”
The old mare studied her for several moments. “You’ve been here every day for some time, now,” she slowly said.
“Nine days,” acknowledged Bright Star.
The mare nodded. “Don’t you have other things to do?” She said softy, her voice quavering.
Bright Star smiled. “Yes, and I’ve been doing them before and after visiting hours.” She couldn’t say she was trying to find somepony to replace her, and establishing alibis. And that she was already three days behind schedule — she couldn’t afford to wait much longer to return to the Portal and slip across.
The old mare raised an eyebrow and flicked her ears.
“I’m planning a trip, you see. I want to travel and explore. And this is giving me the peace and quiet I need to plan properly. It’s nothing urgent, you know. I have more than enough time to sit with you.”
Which, Bright Star knew, wouldn’t be much longer. Ember Glow was almost sleeping the entire day and night, now. The nurses estimated that she wouldn’t last more than a week, maybe two.
Ember Glow’s eyes closed. Soon, a soft snore could be heard.
Bright Star had hoped she could find a substitute by now, but hadn’t found what she considered a reasonable replacement, yet. She wanted somepony intelligent enough not to blow the plan, but not smart enough to realize the scam and go to the Guards. And just going up to somepony and asking them to pretend to be her sounded too sketchy. Not to mention that she had no way of knowing if the pony would take off immediately after she left and was unable to monitor them. She wanted someone honest, but not too honest. And someone who wouldn’t notice a little magical nudge to do what she wanted.
And who wouldn’t immediately run off to the Guard to report a possible crime.
She had taken to roaming the streets during lunch and after leaving the hospital in the evenings. Manehattan was big enough that it supported an all-day and all-night working population, so there was always someone on the streets hurrying somewhere or lazing about. This time she was near the railway station when she heard somepony sobbing.
She slowly made her way closer and found a young mare sitting against a wall, crying. As soon as she came into view, the mare rubbed her eyes and tried to straighten up. It was a unicorn mare with a saffron coat and two-tone blue-green mane and tail. She looked barely old enough to be on her own.
She was wearing well-worn saddlebags that were rather tightly stretched. Bright Star had to wonder if the mare had everything she owned in them.
“What’s wrong?” Bright Star asked softly, stopping nearby. It wouldn’t hurt to add another alibi, if she could.
The mare took a deep breath. “I just got here. I thought I had enough bits, but everything is soo expensive!” She looked down and even in the poor light here, Bright Star could see her blushing. “I thought I had saved enough, but I can’t afford a hotel for more than a night or two. And if I do get a room for more than a night, I won’t have enough to get back home. And I doubt I’ll find gainful employment in just two days.”
Or, at least, employment that she would want. Bright Star smiled encouragingly. “Maybe I can help.”
Minutes later, the older unicorn watched as the younger one, Sunset Joy, quickly finished off a burger, fries, and milk shake. The mare came from a small farming village to the north. She wanted to see the city and seek her fortune, as she thought the farming village too dull and stifling. And she didn’t really like any of the stallions, there.
A few subtle spells from Bright Star and she knew she had found her mark in Sunset Joy. By the time the restaurant was closing, the two ponies had come to an agreement.
Breezy Dancer — for that was the name Bright Star gave the young mare — was doing a good deed for an old friend. Her friend’s aunt, Ember Glow, was passing on, and the friend, Starry Glow, couldn’t be here for the last days of the beloved aunt. But she couldn’t just leave her alone — how cruel would that be? So Breezy Dancer was filling in for her, and had used a colour-change spell to make the old mare think it was family waiting with her. A little lie that hurt no pony and brought comfort to an aged mare.
But now, Breezy Dancer had her own unexpected emergency, and had to go. Which made this accidental meeting perfect! If the young mare didn’t mind spending eight hours with a sleeping mare during the day, in the hospital, Breezy Dancer would be more than happy to let her use her hotel room until the prepaid time ran out in three weeks — and she wouldn’t have to pay Breezy back at all.
In addition, Starry Glow had given her a stipend so she wouldn’t be out any of her own expenses while she was in Manehattan. A stipend Breezy Dancer was more than willing to give to the young mare.
Thus Breezy Dancer could take care of her emergency and Sunset Joy would have three weeks to search for a more permanent place of her own and a job. Both of which she could do before and after visiting hours at the hospital. And if she didn’t find anything, she would have enough bits left to return her to home safely. She could consider the whole thing just a vacation to the big city!
Which is what Bright Star told her she should say to save embarrassment if she did have to return home. That would prevent the gossips at home from saying she was a failure or had given up too easily. Gossips who had never tried to live in the big city themselves, and thus knew everything there was to living in Manehattan.
Sunset Joy would start tomorrow morning pretending to be Bright Star, after some instruction from Breezy Dancer on how to fake Bright Star’s cutie mark. The younger mare didn’t understand the need for the subterfuge, but another subtle spell convinced her not to question things — she was just so happy not to have to return home immediately that she didn’t object any further.
And she would bring plenty of reading material in the form of newspapers and books about the city, so she wouldn’t be bored! And to help her job hunt.
After watching invisibly for most of the next morning, and using subtle pushes of magic, everything was going exactly the way Bright Star wanted. The loyalty spell ensured that Sunset Joy would stay on script, and the bits ensured she had an incentive for doing so.
Plus, the letters Bright Star had left with the lawyer would go out on schedule for the next several weeks.
And the old mare had company until she passed on.
Everypony comes out ahead, she thought as she briskly set out of the hospital and for a secluded spot from which to teleport.
It took only a few hours for Bright Star to teleport back to Ponyville. She had to be careful where she teleported from and to, of course, and changed her disguise each time. Silencing spells were quickly becoming one of her favourites. She didn’t want to leave an obvious trail.
Once on the outskirts of Ponyville, she went into the Portal Building. She waited until after the two Guards had cast the changeling spell and were casting an illusion-revealing spell. Then she hit them with a confundus charm. She told them she was just a curious citizen and that she was now leaving.
Then she teleported into her old room to rest. She was nearly exhausted from the travel, despite the rest periods she had taken. Being sneaky was tiring, especially mentally.
Very early the next morning, she once more headed for the Portal. She arrived just before the portal shift change was scheduled.
When the third shift was most tired, and eagerly anticipating their replacements, she went through. A bit of sleight of hoof had allowed her to look as if she was filling out the correct paperwork for a transfer through the portal. There were too many guards watching from too many places to attempt to use magic to sneak through undetected.
The guards would, of course, remember seeing her cutie mark — no way to avoid that. If anypony asked if Bright Star had been through, they would remember her.
But with the eyewitnesses in Manehattan insisting that she had been there, and not here, on this day, would throw doubt on the accuracy of the Guards’ recollections. Plus, the personally written letters from Manehattan still arriving weeks after this would further cloud the issue. And without proper paperwork . . . well, no pony important would realize she was on the other side of the portal. Everyone involved would assume they misremembered.
When they did start to question where she was, in a month, her trail would be old and cold. It would be even longer before they investigated.
Tracking her to the hospital would be easy. Then they would waste a tremendous amount of effort tracking her connection to Ember Glow. An impossible task, given they were strangers. It would leave them running in circles.
But the trackers would never believe that.
Finding Sunset Joy would be impossible. All the hotel would know was that Bright Star checked out on a certain day three weeks after the guards said she had been at the portal. And then completely disappeared.
But the letters would continue to arrive with fake stories of things she was doing for another three weeks.
They would be soo befuddled! She had to giggle at the thought of them wasting soo much time, and never even suspecting the truth. All because Bright Star didn’t exist. And never had, outside of this very facility, and a hospital and hotel room in Manehattan.
Once through the portal, and in the changing room, she cast a very mild don’t-see-me on herself. Then she glamoured herself to look different. No one except selected guards on duty would be able to say they had seen her in her human form on this side, further discrediting the testimony of the guards on the other side.
Thus it was that an unknown witch teleported into Diagon Alley and went into the Leaky Cauldron restroom. Anne Bourchier walked out a few moments later and headed for her apartment, confident that all her plans were proceeding perfectly.
After visiting her apartment and ensuring that everything was as it should be, she went to Gringotts and sold them two small gems. She wanted them happy to see her. Or, at least, as happy as goblins ever were to see a wizard or witch.
She also needed them to find her a more permanent home. One suitable for the future major player she intended to be in the wizarding world.
And this time Miss Prissy Prying Perfect Princess Twilight Sparkle would not get to interfere. Nor would her meddling friends.
They were, after all, in another dimension entirely.
۸-_-۸
The twins did their best to convince everyone that they had been to Atlantis, with exaggerated stories of their adventures in the forest and at the Sister’s Castle. Having Myrtle supply pictures that seemed to back up their claims was merely icing on the cake.
And Harry now had a new set of rumours to contend with. Having proof that he lived in a castle — and a beautiful, shiny castle it was, too — spurred on the rumour mongers. The group’s encounter with the timber-wolves, the ball in Canterlot, and the collateral-damage results in Ponyville of the fillies in their never-ending quest for cutie marks didn’t help him. Harry was unable to combat the rumours — the truth was nearly as outrageous as the books he previously had decried.
It simply wasn’t fair! The Weasleys and Myrtle had apparently been mining the Ponyville residents for juicy titbits when he and the fillies were elsewhere! The twins wanted the stories for blackmail purposes, and Myrtle for the juicy gossip.
One evening, a Hufflepuff came up to him as dinner hour was finishing up. She shyly plopped a home-made book on the table and looked at Harry. “Would you please sign this?” she asked quietly, after clearing her throat several times.
Curious, he glanced at the title — Harry Potter and the Relaxing Summer. His eyes shot wide open in shock and he gasped. The others looked over interestedly. He opened the book to the list of contents. He paled. He flipped rapidly through the pages.
To his horror, he saw that a conscientious listener had collected some of his and the fillies’ adventures in Equestria and written it all down — in third-person narrative, with occasional foreshadowing. And then used Myrtle’s pictures of Ponyville and the Everfree Forest to help illustrate it.
He began to hyperventilate. “What’s . . . what’s this!” he exclaimed.
The fillies crowded close, looking over his shoulder, as did Hermione and Ginny. Sweetie Belle gasped and grabbed the book from his hands. She flipped through it, and stopped occasionally to read. Harry stared at the book, and then at the worried Hufflepuff, speechless. Then Sweetie giggled and read aloud, “Unfortunately, Harry didn’t notice the queen bee clinging to his mane. Nor the swarm that followed him — and only him — to the townhouse. Mayor Mare was NOT pleased.”
She burst out laughing. “Remember that Bloom?”
The Hufflepuff smiled happily at hearing that one of the actual participants agreed that the story was true.
Scootaloo giggled. She pulled out a quill and demanded, “Here, gimme that. We’ll all sign it!”
The Hufflepuff practically glowed as she walked away with her personally signed book. Signed not only by her hero, but his girlfriends — no his herd-friends, as Myrtle had told them — from Atlantis as well.
And Hermione was headed for the Ravenclaw who had made it to get seven more copies. And to arrange a royalty schedule from this entrepreneur who was now selling the books to anyone interested.
At least this time the stories printed were authorized and he was getting his fair share, she pointed out to Harry later. And then ignored his grumbling as she gave each of them the sickles the books had earned for them so far.
۸-~-۸
Now that the books were spreading through the school, Cutie marks suddenly became the topic of conversation and speculation. Previously just a mere curiosity for the students that had even heard about them, they had a new significance. Especially after Myrtle’s pictures proved that nearly every pony had one. And that the descriptions of the jobs performed by the various ponies they had met neatly tied the marks into reality.
Cutie marks really did tell you your special talent. Although sometimes the mark was ambiguous and it was up to you to figure out what it meant. Having the mark appear while you did something appropriate to the mark, however, was a big clue. Although it could be mistaken for something else.
As the outlaw Troubleshoes Clyde had found out the previous summer when he returned to the Appleoosa rodeo. With the Crusaders’ assistance, he had discovered that his “bad luck” was because he was supposed to be a comedian who specialized in physical comedy and clowning around. The “bad luck” was actually his talent at making others laugh. This was, of course, one of the stories in That Book, as Harry referred to it.
Which the fillies always talked him into signing when asked. The smug looks they had, and the overheard rumour that another book was in the offering with the further exploits of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, left him more than a bit disturbed. He noticed that sometimes the three fillies would disappear into their dorm for a while, then return, giggling, and refuse to tell him what they had been doing, except to say, “witch stuff.” It was all very suspicious.
The cutie marks were a revelation that made the other students either envious or contemptuous.
Of course, this sudden interest in cutie marks meant . . . , “I knew you were all losers,” Malfoy muttered as he walked past them to class, “. . . blank-flanks.” His boyfriends and Parkinson were with him, and laughed.
Harry sighed as the fillies turned to face the bully. Hermione and Ginny held back a distance and looked around. They didn’t want anyone to prank them while they were distracted.
Draco had discovered a new insult, it seemed, even if it wasn’t appropriate to humans.
The green-eyed boy looked at the other boy calmly. “You’re just jealous,” he said, before any of the girls could start in. “You can’t get a cutie mark, so you’ll never know your specialty in magic. You’ll always just stumble through life, wondering what it is that you are good at. You’ll always wonder if what you end up doing is really your destiny. You might never find the thing that will make you happiest.”
Malfoy’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, and the Slytherins stopped.
“Meanwhile, my girlfriends, here,” he glanced at the three fillies who started to look embarrassed, “will find their cutie marks and know just what it is that they can do with their magic that will make them happiest in their lives. It might not be today, or tomorrow, or next month. Or, maybe, next year. But they will get it.”
He smiled a bit maliciously, “But you, you will always wonder at your lot in life.” He nodded sideways, to get the others to move, and started towards their next class. “And you should be very careful who you insult,” he called back. “You don’t know just who might be listening in and decide that a little disorder is needed.”
The fillies and Weasleys gave him a startled look, then smirked at the inside joke. If Malfoy attracted the attention of Discord, who knew what might happen?
The Slytherins just looked puzzled and discomfited that their insult had so easily been deflected back at them.
۸-_-۸
Oliver was working the Quidditch team harder than ever. Everyone was complaining. He was especially unhappy with the way the twins were not taking the training seriously. The training came to a dead stop when he yelled, “Snape’s refereeing this time!”
The entire team was taken aback at the revelation, and complained vociferously.
It was especially worrying to Harry and the other Firsties.
Snape’s dislike for the boy was evident to anyone who was in the First Year Potions class. And that was despite Sweetie Belle’s mishaps in class, including giving girls deep voices one week and boys high-pitched chipmunk voices the next in their two classes since term started. No one could understand why he hadn’t banned her from the dungeons!
And Harry couldn’t imagine Madam Hooch was too pleased with that decision, either, given his lack of training in Quidditch and its rules.
They were discussing how they might be able to deflect Professor Snape’s ire at Harry during the game when Neville hopped into the Common Room, falling as he did so. Hermione leapt up and cast the leg-Locker counter-curse while the rest of them laughed.
That Malfoy was responsible was not a surprise. That Neville refused to report him was only slightly less so. Harry gave him his last Chocolate Frog as consolation.
Neville handed him back the Wizard’s card it contained. He already had that one.
Harry noted, with minor interest that it was a Dumbledore card, again. Also an extra for him. He handed it to Hermione.
She looked at it with a soft smile, and flipped it over. She frowned, then slowly said, “It says Dumbledore is famous not only for the defeat of Grindlewald, but is also the discoverer of the twelve uses of dragons blood. His work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel, is also of note.”
Hermione looked up at them. “Flamel? Where do I know that name from?” She frowned heavily staring at the card. “And why do I think it might be important?” She turned and headed up the stairs to the girls’ dormitories, mumbling to herself.
Harry shrugged and the group once more turned to the problem of Professor Snape.
Hermione returned with an enormous old book in her arms, her finger marking her place in it. “Look, look,” she said and pointed to an entry as she explained how, “The Philosopher’s Stone was the goal of alchemy. It can transform any metal into pure gold, and can make the drinker immortal with the Elixir of Life!”
“Mr. Nicolas Flamel is the only creator of a Philosopher’s Stone, and recently celebrated his six hundred and sixty-fifth birthday. He lives in Devon with his wife, Perenelle who is six hundred and fifty-eight.”
They looked at her blankly.
She rolled her eyes and huffed.
“See here?” she said, pointing into the book. “They live in Devon. Here. In England. Where do you think they would keep something as valuable as the Philosopher’s Stone? In their sock drawer?” She snorted. “No, it’d be Gringotts’, right?”
They stared at her.
“Look, Hagrid is keeping a clipping about someone who tried to steal from Gringotts — supposedly the safest place in the world to put valuables. You all saw that, right?” They reluctantly nodded. She shifted into lecture mode. “And if you heard someone was going to rob Gringotts, where you had your ultra-valuable stone — that you needed to stay alive! — you’d move the stone, wouldn’t you?” She continued on, ignoring their disbelieving looks at where she was going. “And Hogwarts is the only place safer than Gringotts, or so we’ve been told. And I saw Hagrid at Gringotts when we went to Diagon Alley,” she said, glancing at Harry and the fillies. “Which just so happens to be the same day that someone tried to rob Gringotts, according to the clipping. Because the bank wasn’t in an uproar when Harry was there, the break-in had to happen later. And then the thief didn’t succeed — the article said the vault was empty — which means it had already been moved.” She gave them a triumphant look. “I think that’s why Hagrid was there. He was being very secretive, wasn’t he?” She again looked at Harry and the three Equestrians.
Ron sighed. “You’re barmy.”
Several of the others nodded.
Hermione huffed. “Well, if you had the Philosopher’s Stone and wanted to keep it safe, safer even than Gringotts, where would you keep it?”
They looked at her blankly.
“Hogwarts, of course.” Hermione continued. “We saw a trap door under Fluffy in that room at the beginning of the term, didn’t we? And Cerberuses are known as fierce guard dogs, aren’t they? And Hagrid takes care of Fluffy, doesn’t he? Clearly, they are all connected.”
More blank looks. Or actually, looks that said they didn’t understand why she was going on about this.
“Look, this has been bothering me since we first saw that Cerberus — what could be soo valuable that the Headmaster needed more than just a few magical protections?” She looked at them a bit desperately.
Ron half-whispered to Dean, “I think she’s lost the plot.”
Hermione looked offended at his not so quiet declaration,
The fillies perked up.
“A mystery?” said Scootaloo.
A creepy grin began to spread across their faces.
Harry sighed.
“So, you think,” Sweetie Belle said slowly, barely hidden delight in her voice, “That the Headmaster is hiding the Flamels’ Philosopher’s Stone in a chamber underneath the Cerberus, Fluffy?”
Hermione nodded happily. “It all fits.”
Sweetie Belle, nodded slowly. “We need to meet with Hagrid, to see what we can learn.”
Hermione said, “I’ll send a note asking if we can come over on Friday for tea.”
The fillies nodded.
Scootaloo rubbed her hands together, “This is going to be so much fun!”
“All that from a name on a wizard’s card?” Neville shook his head dazedly. “What has any of that to do with Snape . . . ,”
“Professor Snape,” corrected Hermione.
“. . . Professor Snape,” continued the chubby boy, “being the referee at our next Quidditch game? And why are you bringing it up now? Besides, if it’s so important I’m sure the professors are well equipped to handle it.”
Hermione blushed as the other Firsties all nodded.
“Well, I’m sure they are,” she said, “but just think, the Philosopher’s Stone could be right here!” She looked at them all. “Doesn’t that make you excited?” She smiled, “Besides, we’ve got six weeks to the game. Plenty of time.”
But Harry saw the three fillies exchange looks. He sighed. This was not over, he knew.
۸-~-۸
This chapter can only end in treesap.
I don't know how, exactly, but it's going to end in treesap.
Possibly in Tom's face.
nice
Well Starlight is super saiyan sneaky.
Looks like the plot snuck up on them I wonder if the influences from the ponies and their visits and scans will have changed the canon protections for the stone.
9541470
The Second Challenge is plants.
Just reading the title of the chapter reminded me of the bowl of petunias.
Oh yeah, the canon plot. I forgot about that.
You know considering how much he hates those books I can't help but think this is gonna blow up in the crusaders faces sooner or later.
I also have to ask... spliting the fic when it gets to year 2 please. It's already a doorstopper to download.
Hahaha... just had a thought. Its been awhile since the storys advanced book wise it goes all over the place. After Hermione mentioned the philosopher stone I pictured the guy from star wars in the xwing saying "stay on target" as shes explaining "stay on target" then outta no where the cmc shouts "squirrel" and run off and she crashes into the wall.
Ember Glow...Hmm, any relation to Cozy Glow?
9541560
Geez, that would be a disaster, wouldn't it?
Imagine if Cozy Glow were around in this timeline, and found a way to Hogwarts. With her desire to rule a school of power as a base of power, she might make a good host for the spirit of Riddle ...
In fact, I could see Riddle thinking this would be a good opportunity for him, only to wind up with Cozy someone being the one in power.
Starlight Glimmer needs to die slowly and painfully by being set on fire, while subjected to the Cruciatus Curse, AND Sectumsempra.
I think I'll just repeat that every time we have a chapter that focuses on her in any amount.
9541470
It would be a fun twist if it was Quirrelmort that ended up covered in tree sap. Possibly due to extremely over-complicated traps set up because if a bunch of children can reach the stone it obviously needs more protection.
Oh Starlight too bad Equestria and thus Twilight are already major players in the Wizarding World, but who knows maybe circumstances will make the two of you allies at some point.
This is how you should be doing the potions accidents for a good long while, off screen with a short mention here or there.
It'll be fun when they fall completely at getting any further than Cerberus because someone with half a brain actually looked at those challenges and fixed them.
The property damage they'll cause in the process, on the other hand...
It seems Malfoy forgot the other times he talked with the crusaders...
Voldemort is so low on the radar I forget he is still alive. Sort of. You know what I mean.
Good on them signing the authorized book fpr the Hufflepuff.
Also so we're past troubleshoes but not diamond tiara I'll have to make time to finish season 6 for you. Our supervisors been off sick for a month and a half so I've been kept busy doing his job.
Hope Sunset Joy finds something she likes.
9541709
Yep she pretty much jinxed herself there.
Enjoyed the chapter but Starlight's segment only furthers how much of an all solving plot-hammer magic is in the story. There's not even much thought to it anymore, especially with the 'high level' casters.
It's just how do I get past <insert problem here>? Answer: Use magic. Did it work? If no, use more magic! Repeat until problem solved.
Combined with how mundane and common magic is in the setting is really making hard to get invested at this point.
9541876
But isn’t that how the problems were solved in Harry Potter? I don’t recall ANY of the problems in Harry Potter being solved by muggle means (except logic problems). In fact, in HP muggles were pretty much non-issues to the wizards. If there was a problem, OBLIVIATE! IT WAS A GAS EXPLOSION! Problem solved.
9541876
Definitely agree with this, in canon magic could do some crazy things but it always felt like there was a limit to what magic could actually pull off. Here though magic can literally solve every problem and if you can't figure out how to solve a problem with magic then you're an idiot.
It doesn't really matter hearing about all the steps Starlight is taking to pull off her plan because we know it's ultimately gonna be undone by something Twilight did before it ever becomes an actual problem because why would we want a compelling and interesting conflict?
9541926
Except it really wasn't at least not how you suggest it. Problems were mostly solved with clever thinking, when Harry's broom was out of control Hermione saved him by setting Snape's robe on fire to disrupt his eye contact, the troll was beaten by levitating his club and dropping it on him and they got through the trials again mostly through clever thinking. Very rarely was a problem resolved by simply magicking it away. The story wouldn't have been interesting if all it took was a simple wave of a wand to get out of a dangerous situation.
Most importantly there was a possibility of failure, in this story, the solution to every problem is literally to throw more magic at it. Just look at Twilight getting through the trials, she doesn't come up with clever solutions she literally just keeps throwing magic at the problem until it's solved. Wanna beat a basilisk keep hitting it with magic. Need to get past the fatal stare? Magic goggles. Need to find the chamber? More magic, no clever thinking required.
Oh Starlight, you crazy, manipulative bitch. I dunno if anyone has called it yet, but I'm gonna bet that she ends up being the true big bad of this story, not old Voldy. Or at least ends up in cahoots with him in some capacity before the end. Excellent chapter!
9541926
Usually in the HP books what they did was employ magic in creative ways to achieve a goal, as everydaygamer points out. Only ever adding new spells to the list when the author absolute had to come up with something to stop the characters from doing something, such as the age-line in Goblet of Fire.
Your approach to magic is drawing dangerously close to the 'hit it harder' approach where instead of searching for new and creative applications of magic you just add new spells. Even when magic itself is unnecessarily such as Starlight's "persuasion" of the young mare. You seem to have forgotten that Starlight was a cult leader and could probably have just talked the mare into following her plan without needing to snare her with a 'loyalty charm' (which isn't something previously established as far as I'm aware). Even if mind-controlling magics are in her spell-list I don't think they'd be something she's use in the situation when she has better 'non-magical' tools for the problem.
In fact this story has already established grounds for the 'muggles do it better' trope but never followed up on it because how can muggles compete with the ALL SOLVING HAMMER OF MAGIC!?
9541970
plot twist, glim-glam kills voldy without anyone else realising and it's just a footnote to the story lmao
9542142
“First I found this abandoned shack as a temporary rest stop and there was this corrupt ring in it. It nearly killed me when I was examining it in my magic, so I destroyed it and decided to leave.
Then I was checking out this beachside town, as a potential base, and there was even a cave nearby to use as an emergency hideout. But there was this lake of dead people and some dark locket, so I torched the place to atoms and left.
And I was visiting some guy named... Maloy? To see if I could get some support, but he had this funky book in his library that started talking to me, so I ran it through a shredder and ducked out.”
I know the ring is already dealt with in this story, and the locket is already at the Black family house, and a Horcrux has to be destroyed by magical means, but the idea made me laugh.
Throw chapter felt kinda... odd? Empty? Dunno.
9542050
I agree in Harry the problems were solved with magic yes but it wasn't an all pervading solution. Need to prove Sirius is innocent? Can't do it without Peter because verisatum potion can be beaten. Need to drink unicorn blood to cling to life? Yes but it has a terrible cost. Need to beat Hogwarts wards? Yes by repairing and testing a cabinet. There's usually a cost or a catch or a need to apply the solution in an inventive way.
In MLP its been repeatedly shown that magic can do anything but there is usually a very nasty rebound effect when using it to change things against their nature. Need a parasprite infestation to not eat all the food? Yes instead they eat the building. Need magic to spruce up your town? Sure it'll just cost you your sanity and free will. Need to get your "friends" to do what you want? Easy just remember they'll do exactly what you want to the best of their ability with no common sense. Need to restore an ancient artficat? Ok but the relic restoration spell isn't enough alone. Again there are limits, there are challenges and there are nasty side effects to things exactly like the loyalty charm you had starlight use in this chapter when as others said it really wasn't even necessary.
This was a dumb chapter with the bit trying to remind us of the big main plot point of book 1. At this point I doubt almost any of the readers care about the stone and I am in fact with Ron on this one on it not being all that important to Harry and company in this universe. It would be more important to Twilight and company who want to protect Harry and the CMC.
Excising that would have made this chapter tolerable, but with it it just makes it feel so damned forced, even the fillies getting interested in it.
9541650
How about you just shut up.
Something i just realized, and while it doesnt fully clear the use magic as a hammer trend, Starlight Glimmer IS the sort of Unicorn who tends to use Magic that way. Just recall how when she didnt know how to just do stuff with the mane five she mind controlled them and when she was getting mad at Trixie, she used magic tp deal with her anger.
9542397
Not really sure I agree with you. I feel Hermione is entirely in character, noticing that something is tickling her mind when making a connection like this, and sharing her suspicions with her friends. However, I do also agree that it feels very forced, for Hermione to make all of these connections together, in such a short amount of time. CMC wishing to investigate, makes perfect sense to me, but the actual scene, I think could gain a lot if:
Hermione is the one to first bring up Mr. Nicolas Flamel and bring out the book, followed by some of the CMC remembering some of the other details about that very same day, resulting in details falling in place and them eventually arriving at the conclusion together. It would seem more plausible, all the characters in the scene would be more convinced of the idea, rather than just Hermione and the CMC, and it feels like a more subtle way that Harmony would nudge a few people in the right direction for things not to end up in the worst case scenario.
you realize at this point when twilight discovers this she's likely going to be investigating this? Dumbledore has no authority to authorize such books being published anymore, and this is essentially theft.
9541679
I wouldn't be surprised if that happened.
And I have to admit, I'm VERY curious about what's going through Tom's mind at the moment. He's just learned that the Wizarding world is NOT the be-all and end-all of magic, and there are at least three beings in Equestria that can crush him like a grape without a damn thing he can do to stop them.
Were I in his position, I'd be cataloging all the ways I could hide and bunker up, while still looking like a proud Dark Lord who isn't scared of shit. (Because, let us face it, if he does admit to being worried, the few loyal-but-still-mostly-sane Death Eaters he has left will abandon him like a bad joke. And he can't afford to lose them.)
Then again, he's seen Dumbledore's memories of Discord - could he possibly be thinking "Here's someone powerful, if I could just get him on my side, if only briefly?"
9542513
You forget, Dumbles doesn't appear to have had anything to DO with this book. This one appears to be the Hogwarts students version of self-published fiction.
And later on, it's mentioned that:
So it's an all-student enterprise, Albus has nothing to do with it. Though he does bear a little responsibility after he discovers it's going on, should he decide to continue to allow it to happen. It is, after all, happening inside his school, where he makes the rules, so once he knows about it, it's his responsibility to either permit it to continue, or to shut it down. But that's only AFTER he learns that it's taking place. Until then, what he doesn't know, he's not responsible for.
And that was how Hermione joined the CMC (and later the Herd)
9542528
Considering that Sirius is free now Dumbledore should not have any more authority over Harry then is allotted him as headmaster, given that as Harry's godfather magical guardianship should fall to him, though the fact that the last we heard he was in St. Mungo's getting his mind fixed the question of who exactly is Harry's Magical Guardian might actually be up in the air for the time being. However once Sirius is discharged Dumbledore should be in no position to actually do anything should whoever wrote this book decided to get it properly published as he would no longer have the authority to act on Harry's behalf, that would fall to Sirius and to a lesser extent Twilight and I don't really see them being interested in stopping it. Since it is a mostly accurate depiction of a number of Harry's actual exploits I doubt Twilight would have much of a problem with this book especially since Harry is getting royalties from it and as for Sirius I would bet that he would be interested in reading the thing if for no other reason then to learn about his godson. As for Harry himself there is nothing really objectionable about this particular book given what we know the only real reasons he has to be upset over it is that it places him and his life back in the center of attention on top of already being bitter about the other books.
On another note I would also bet that Sirius would be highly amused that Harry like his father found a group three friends to pal around and get into trouble with, the facts that the group has a name similar to the Marauders and that they are all girls who clearly show interest in his godson would likely be the icing on Sirius's cake.
9541970
She wants the complete opposite of his goal, she wants Total Equality.
9541642
errrm isn't ember glow a Pegasus …..like cozy? you don't think?
9542685
But the only way to enforce total equality is to first have some be more equal then others.
Didn't Twilight go through all of Albus' traps, call him an idiot, and fix them to be damn near impenetrable in an earlier chapter?
9542730
By show canon she's basically wants to turn Equestria into a communist dictatorship with her as chancellor. She might be willing to compromise on her being in charge so long as the country is run the way she wants but would she ever feel that it would be if she WASN'T in charge? Hasn't she said and thought the opposite multiple times?
And the ways around that, as established in other fan fics, are amazingly large.
Seriously, saying "you have to be this old to put a piece of paper in", without "you have to be this old to be selected by the goblet", is bad enough. But "You have to be this old to get close", and any way around the distance issue is just fine?
9542561
LMAO!
"And I think you broke the fourth wall." Discord whispered into Ron's ear in response.
9542908
you raise a point. In the second base storyline(the movies), Harry dies and is sent to the railway to heaven where he meets Dumbledore, then is sent back and finishes the fight against Voldemort.
With that chapter title I was expecting a Space Balls reference.
9542470
That is what I was meaning though. I agree that Hermione would want to try and get to the bottom of something nagging at the back of her head, but this was basically treated as a case of "Oh yeah, we have the original plotline to get back to which... well, I honestly kind of have to say no we don't. At this point Voldemort and Quibble could be handled either in the background or even be dealt with by Dumbledore and staff with or without the aid of the mane six.
Hell, we could have Quibble and Voldy to change plans at this point.
Overall it just screams forced and the way everyone just kind of blankly is looking at her... I fully agree with Ron. She lost the plot.
9542403
How about you go watch whoever you love most die?
9542561
I was referring to the act of self-publishing books. Dumbledore DOES have authority over that, so long as it takes place in the school and students are doing the publishing. He doesn't have to have any authority over Harry for this one - ALL self-published books by students about ANYONE are under his purview, so long as they're using school-supplied materials. (And yes, their own TIME counts as a "school supplied material". In fact, the students themselves can, technically, be considered "supplies" provided by the school. It's an oddity of boarding schools in the eyes of the law.)
9542730 Or make independent robot enforcers.. which then go rogue and force everybody to have a second holy war against the machines.
Then everything becomes all about giant worm vomit or something that makes yer eyes blue-blue.