Hogwarts Highlights

by mokaevans

Departure part 2

Twilight settled back in her perfectly placed compartment. It was near the train's center. Close enough to the front for leaving to be relatively easy, yet far enough away for the noise to be minimal. She opened her copy of standard book of spells: year 1 and began to reread it.

It was a short time later that she heard the compartment door open. "I hate ta intrude but can' seem ta find an open compartment. Ya mind if I sit with you?"

Twilight smiled as she lowered her book. "Of course come right-" She stopped dead in her words as she took in the girl before her. She had blonde hair in a side tail, green eyes, and freckles, none of these traits had been what shocked her. No the girl was wearing muggle clothing! Including an odd hat she'd never seen before!

"Uh, ya feeling alright?" The girl asked, looking at her unsurely. Twilight blushed as she realized she'd been staring.

"I'm fine, please join me!" She winced at the way those words came out. She sounded way too excited. She didn't want to scare the girl away.

"Thank ya kindly." The girl told her sitting diagonally from her. There was an awkward moment of silence Twilight decided to break.

"So... I'm Twilight Sparkle and you are?" Twilight asked. That was good, unintrusive, a perfectly normal question to start things off with.

"I'm Applejack Smith." She replied. Good Twilight had a name.

"How are you doing?" Once again a normal question, keep with the normal questions Twilight,

"I'm a mite nervous, seeing as I'm new ta all this." Applejack admitted,

Twilight did her best to refrain from giggling excitedly. "Really are you muggleborn?"

"What in the hay is a muggleborn?" She asked with those words Twilight lost all control over her excitement.

"Oh my gosh! I've always wanted to meet a muggleborn! I have so many questions to ask you! How do you start a fire without magic? What's muggle school like? How does an oven work? What is the function of a rubber duck? Do your pictures move? I heard they don't move, is that true? What-" Twilight found her ramblings cut off by Applejack's hand.

"Now slow down there sugarcube, yer speaking faster than a jackrabbit on a greasy hot griddle in the middle of August." She chuckled. She pulled out a bundle of papers attached together by a spiral piece of metal, and a cylindrical object tapered at each end. She pulled the back end in and a small point came out of the front end. "Now give those questions again slowly and I'll write'em down so I can answer them."

Twilight blinked, all other questions had left her mind in lieu of one. "What are those?"

Applejack gave her an odd look. "Well this is a notebook."

Twilight had her quill and parchment paper out and writing. "Fascinating, using a coiled wire and a stack of precut parchment muggles have made a rudimentary book in which to take notes." She nodded. "Continue."

"This is a pen, ya use it ta write things." She told her.

"How?" Twilight's surprise Applejack twisted the back end of the 'pen' and opened it. She showed Twilight the inside.

"See there's already ink inside it. No need ta dip." She seemed rather proud of that.

Twilight began to write again. "Muggles have created a cylindrical object in which they have placed a miniature inkwell, allowing for longer writing time."

"Is it okay if I keep asking you things?" She asked.

"Fine by me." Applejack told her. Twilight was ecstatic.
***

Rainbow Dash had been surprised to find most compartments with people in them, She felt as though she'd gotten on as quickly as possible and yet there it was. It took forever to find a compartment without other people.

When she got there she sat down and took out a book. Yes books were dumb, Rainbow Dash knew that, but this one was about Quidditch. In other words the awesomeness of Quidditch balanced out the dumbness of books. So it wasn't lame, just not awesome.

Not that she got much reading done before a pair of ginger twins burst into her compartment. They didn't bother asking her if they could stay. They sat down on the seat across from and settled in a matching pair of Cheshire grins upon their faces.

"Who are you, and why are you so rude?" She demanded.

"Who." One began.

"us?" The other continued.

"Why we're Fred," said the first.

"And George Weasley." The second finished.

"Now," The first began.

"We introduced ourselves." The second continued.

"So we'd think it polite,"

"If you did the same." The two stopped looking at her questioningly.

"Rainbow Dash." She told them.

"So Miss. Dash." Fred? said

"seems like you're a little first year." George? said.

"Is there anything us wise,"

"And humble upperclassman can do for you?"

"Yeah. How awesome is the Quidditch pitch?" She asked.

"Well it's not as large," The left one began.

"As professional league Pitches are," The right one continued..

"but it's in top condition,"

"No shoddy equipment either."

"so all in all it's quite good."

There was a moment of silence as Rainbow took in their words. Seemed the Quidditch Pitch was of high quality.

"So are you interested in the sorting?" Fred? asked.

Rainbow tried not to smirk. She was well aware of the hazing the older students did. Her mother had told her well in advance. She could of course, tell them she already knew, but what was the fun in that? "Yeah I was wondering about that."

"Well we're happy to assist." George? began.

"See you've gotta," Fred? continued.

"Fight a troll and"

"You get placed in your house,"

"Based on how fast your time is."

"Wow that sounds awesome!" She exclaimed. She tried not to let a smug look come across her face at the two's surprised expressions.

"Really, you know students have,"

"gotten brutally injured."

"So? That just means I'll get to skip out on class." She told them. Concern was growing in their eyes. It took all she had not to laugh.

"If you survive that is." George? warned.

"Hey at least I'd go down in history!" She exclaimed. The concern in their eyes became too much for her and she burst out laughing. "You should see the looks on your faces! I got you good! I already know you use a hat!"

The twins exchanged glances then smirked, "Well played mate." Fred? congratulated her.

"Never had a first year pull that one." His brother agreed.

It was then the doors burst open yet again. A bouncy girl with wildly curly pink hair poked her head in. "Hey, is there a party going on in here? I wanna join!" before anyone could say anything the pink haired girl sat next to Rainbow. "Okay so I'm Pinkie Pie! Call me Pinkie! I'm so excited to go to Hogwarts! Are you a first year too?"

"Uh, yeah?" Rainbow answered.

"That's great!" She turned to the twins, and held out a package of gum. "You want any?"

George? shrugged and reached to grab one only to find his finger caught under a u shaped piece of metal. Pinkie started to laugh and Rainbow couldn't help but join in. "The fake bubblegum trick! That's a classic!" She said.

"I've never seen it before." Fred? told them.

"Really? It's pretty common knowledge. Unless... Are you two purebloods?" Rainbow asked.

"Yeah, is this some muggle trick?" George? asked.

Rainbow chuckled. "it's seems we have a lot to learn from each other."
***
` Applejack was starting to wonder how long Twilight could keep asking her questions when the compartment door opened. In the doorway stood a young girl with bushy brown hair, Applejack took note of her normal looking clothing. Behind her was a chubby boy with an incredibly nervous expression on his face. "Can we join you? This is the only compartment with room for two more." The girl explained.

"Two muggleborns in one day?! How lucky can I get?" Twilight exclaimed, her eyes sparkling. The girl gave her an odd look. Twilight cleared her throat. "I mean the more the merrier."

The girl sat across from Twilight while the boy sat across from her. "I'm Hermione Granger, and you are?" The girl asked Twilight, holding out a hand.

"Twilight Sparkle," The purple hair girl responded, shaking the offered hand with reckless abandon. "So can I ask a few dozen questions about muggle life? I'm really curious and I think Applejack is all questioned out."

Hermione nodded. "Yes, but in return I'd like to know more about wizards."

"An exchange of information! What could be better!" Twilight and Hermione began talking. Applejack tuned them out, relieved to not have questions thrown at her.

She turned her attention towards the pudgy boy across the aisle. He was obviously incredibly nervous and she felt her maternal instincts kick in. "Hey," She began catching his attention. "What's yer name?"

"N-Neville Longbottom." He stuttered.

"Well Neville I'm Applejack Smith and I'm pleased ta make yer acquaintance!" She greeted. He nodded. She frowned. "If ya don' mind me sayin' Neville ya seem ta be a mite nervous? Anything ya wanna talk about?"

He sighed. "W-well. I'm not very good at anything."

"Why do ya say that?" She asked her heart going out to him.

"B-both my parents are wizards, so everyone thought I'd show signs of magic right away, but I didn't show any until recently. Everyone was starting to think I was a squib." He seemed to find the compartment floor very interesting.

"Is that all?" She prompted.

"I can't remember things very well, I'm really clumsy, and I just feel like a screw up." He sighed.

Applejack nodded. "Well Neville, the way I figure it the only way ya can be a screw up if if ya don' try. Yer gonna try right?"

"My Gran would kill me if I didn't." He muttered.

Applejack shook her head. "Don't try fer yer Gran. Try fer yourself. Try ta show others that yer not as big a failure as they'd all like ta think!"

Neville gave the slightest of grins. "Okay." The compartment door opened and a lady asked them if they wanted anything off the trolley. Twilight ordered four chocolate frogs and handed one to each of them.

"They come with cards! I collect them. So I thought I'd buy some for all of us." Twilight smiled.

"Well that's mighty kind of ya." Applejack nodded. It was then that Neville opened his chocolate frog. it jumped startling her, and Neville himself. He jumped back in fear and dropped his pet toad, who hopped off immediately.

"Trevor!" The boy cried out as it left the compartment.

The other three girl stood up. "We'll search compartment by compartment. Then reconvene in about thirty minutes." Twilight told them. They all nodded in approval of this plan before moving to enact it.
***

Fluttershy was having trouble finding an empty compartment. No matter where she went there was someone in the compartment. She was beginning to lose hope. She sighed and checked the next compartment only to find that once again there were already people inside. She moved to leave when one of them called out.

"Within this compartment we reside, but there's still room please come inside." Fluttershy walked in nervously. There were two people inside. On the left bench sat a black girl with black and white striped hair in a pixie cut. On the right sat a boy with brown hair and gray eyes. He already had a yellow crest on his uniform.

"Feel free to sit anywhere you like." He told her. She nodded and sat next to the girl. It wasn't that she didn't like the boy, but the girl had invited her in. "I believe introductions are in order. I'm Cedric Diggory."

"Um Fluttershy... shy. I know it's weird." She muttered.

"It's not as weird as you claim, Zecora Stripe is my name." The girl told her.

"I see..." Fluttershy trailed.

"Nervous?" Cedric asked. She nodded. "Most of us are the first time."

"Overcoming fear is quite the task, if you have any questions feel free to ask." Zecora said.

"W-well... Is Hogwarts safe?" She asked.

"It's well protected. No one can apparate in or out. Even if someone tried to sneak in they'd have to get through the forbidden forest." He told her.

"That place sounds scary." She whispered.

"The creatures rarely leave the forest so as long as you stay away from it you'll be fine." He reassured her.

"I-is there anywhere else I should avoid?"

"If you wish to avoid a row, stay away from the Whomping Willow, and for heaven's sake stay out of the lake!" Zecora told her.

"Yeah, that's about it. If we're talking about people, try not to bother Flich." Cedric added.

Okay so. What's this sorting ceremony about?" She asked.

"Don't worry, you just have to put a hat on. Nothing dangerous." Cedric smiled.

"Oh, good. I was hoping the older students were exaggerating." Fluttershy agreed.

So it went with the three talking about the different classes and places in Hogwarts. Eventually they were talking about Quidditch. It sounded scary but also fun. She didn't think she'd want to play though. Apparently she wouldn't be able to anyway because first years weren't allowed on the team.

They were interrupted by a pudgy boy opening the compartment. "Um, I hate to ask but have you seen a toad?"

The three glanced at each other. "No, I don't think so, have you lost one?" Cedric asked.

"Yeah, my pet Trevor." He looked like he was about to cry.

"Oh the poor dear! All alone on the train. Surrounded by huge people not looking out for him. He must be scared." Fluttershy said. A determined look came over her face. "Do you need help looking?"

"I hate to be a bother..." The boy trailed.

"Oh it's no bother at all!" She insisted. "I'll just worry about the poor thing otherwise."

"Well... Okay." He agreed Fluttershy nodded and turned to the other two.

"Would you save my seat?" She asked.

"Finding a toad will be quite a feat, go on then we'll save your seat." Zecora winked.

"Thanks!"

***

Rarity had taken a bit to find a mostly clear compartment. It seemed the train filled fast and if one wanted to choose their place on it they'd have to enter at least fifteen minutes beforehand. Nevertheless Rarity had found a compartment containing only one other passenger.

She had yellow and orange hair and aquamarine eyes. She was sitting in the compartment reading a book on curses. "Excuse me?" She asked, the girl's eyes locked on her. "I hate to intrude but may I join you?"

The girl's eyes bore into her, as though she were looking into Rarity's soul. Just as she was about to ask if there was something on her face the girl shrugged. "Sure." She said, returning her attention to her book.

Beaming Rarity sat next to her. "I do apologize but it took forever to even find an compartment this clear. I am Rarity Flanks, and you are?"

"Sunset Shimmer." The girl responded shortly.

"Pleased to meet you Miss. Shimmer." Rarity told her.

"Sunset, Miss. Shimmer makes me feel old." She said

"Oh, my apologies Sunset." She corrected. She let Opal out of the cage. "I hope you don't mind. My Opal has been dying to get out."

Before Sunset could say anything a boy barged in. He had white blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. His hair was perfectly slicked back and he was flanked by two large boys. "Well this is the clearest compartment yet. Come on." He ordered the two boys. He sat himself across from the two of them, the boys sitting on either side.

Rarity was about to chastise him for his rudeness but Sunset beat her to it. She heaved a sigh and shut her book. "Most people knock."

"The train is public property I hardly need to knock." He scoffed.

"Be that as it may there are certain principles to uphold!" Rarity interjected.

"You know we're technically on a train headed towards the school. I doubt underage magic would be forbidden. I could jinx you right now." Sunset told him.

The two boys tensed and the blonde sneered. "You wouldn't dare."

"Wouldn't I?" She asked, letting the threat hang in the air. For a few moments there was silence then the blonde smirked.

"I'm impressed. Could you really follow through on that threat?" He asked.

"Yeah, I've been studying hexes, jinxes, and curses for years now. I haven't actually cast one yet but I doubt I'd fail. I want everyone to know not to mess with me." Sunset smirked back.

"I think you an I will get on fine." He said. "I'm Draco Malfoy."

"Sunset Shimmer." The blonde turned to Rarity. "Rarity Flanks." She told him

"What about you? Rarity. What spells do you know?"

"Me? Well I'm not really the hexing type darling. I prefer subtly in my spells. That said I am more than capable of defending myself if necessary." She told him.

He nodded. "You carry yourself well, I assume you're a pureblood?"

"I am indeed. Although my parents are always saying magic isn't everything and that I should try to do things for myself." She sighed.

Draco rolled his eyes. "What's the point of having magic if you don't use it?"

"I know! That's what I-" The door opened and a blonde girl with green eyes peered in.

"Ya'll seen a toad? My friend Neville lost one." She asked in the most hideous dialect Rarity had ever heard.

"Excuse me! We were in the middle of a conversation!" She told the girl, outraged.

"I apologize for that but-" the girl tried to excuse but Rarity wasn't having any of that!

"No excuses! You should have knocked!" Perhaps she was taking things a bit far but really. Did no one care about manners?

"Well I'm sorry I thought the well being of a living creature was more important than knocking!" The girl retorted.

"Well I never! Some of us have standards you know?!" She yelled back. It was unseemly but there was something about this girl that got under her skin.

"I don't care. Now have ya'll seen a toad or not?" The girl asked again.

"I assure you if I had seen a toad you would have heard my scream from the other side of the train. Now leave!" The girl scowled and slammed the door behind her. 'The nerve of some people!"

"What do you expect from a mudblood?" Draco asked, Rarity was shocked. That word was very rude. She was about to tell him so when Sunset spoke up.

"I know so people need to know their place." Rarity frowned. The three of them had been getting on so well. There was no reason they couldn't be friends right? So long as she wasn't expected to stoop to their level it was fine. Right?
***

Pinkie was just finishing explaining the uses for hot sauce in pranks. Fred and George had been fascinated by it. Meanwhile she had been fascinated by stink pellets and fireworks that could be lit without a match.

"We aren't usually into muggle stuff." Fred said.

"That's more our dad's thing," George continued.

"But this is all brilliance!"

"No magic is involved."

"so it can't be stopped with anti prank charms." Fred finished.

"Who are you gonna prank first?" Pinkie asked.

The twin sported devilish grins. "Our brother Percy. He's a wet blanket." Fred said.

"Sound like you have it all planned out George." Rainbow told him.

"Uh, Rainbow? That's Fred." Pinkie corrected. The twins stared at her in shock.

"Oh. How can you tell the difference?" Rainbow asked. Just as Pinkie was about to tell her, the compartment door opened and a girl with purple and pink hair peered in.

"Have any of you seen a smooth sided toad? I'm looking for one." She asked.

"Nope haven't seen one." Rainbow shrugged.

"Neither have we." The Twins replied as one.

"I haven't seen him but I'm sure I could find him." Pinkie told her. She pulled out a bowler hat and a magnifying glass.

"Where was she keeping those?" George asked.

"I dunno some kind of muggle trick?" Fred asked. They turned to Rainbow.

"Beats me." She shrugged.

Pinkie had started to examine the compartment. "I have come to a conclusion."

The girl raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"The toad isn't here. I'll have to investigate the train." The purple haired girl rolled her eyes and left. Pinkie walked out the door staring at the floor through the magnifying glass. Eventually she bumped her head into a random compartment. Figuring this must be a clue she opened the compartment door.

"Excuse me, have you-" She cut herself off as she saw it. A mountain of candy sat between two boys. her mouth watered. "That's a lot of candy."

"Would you like some?" The black haired boy asked.

"Yes!" She cheered, before shoving an entire pumpkin pastie into her mouth. This was followed by a chocolate frog, which she ate while it was still moving, and then some sort of lollipop.

"So, there was something you wanted to ask?" The black haired boy prompted.

"Was there?" She dove into a box of Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans, She picked a maroon one and frowned. "Toffee? I was hoping for earwax."

"Yes you were going to ask us something before you started to eat all our sweets." The ginger boy pouted.

"Now that I think about it, there was something I was supposed to ask you but I can't quite remember... Must not have been important!" She shrugged, proceeding to eat a green bean and smiling when she found it was lawn clippings.

The compartment door opened a second time. A bushy haired girl peered in. "Have either of you seen a toad? A boy named Neville's lost one."

"Oh! That's what I wanted to ask! I got so distracted by the candy I forgot!" She gasped. She got up and ran out the door, then she ran back to grab the box of beans. "Almost forgot this!"
As she rushed off a second time she heard the girl call after her. "You ought to change into your robes! We'll be arriving soon!"

Really?! She needed to get ready! She was about to go to a magic school! She rushed off to find her robes, the thought of Hogwarts driving out her search for the toad once more.

Author's Note:

Sorting will be next and expect there to be some new point of views. I had a lot of fun with this chapter. Particularly Twilight's freakouts.

Comments

[Melody Song]

Another great chapter! I like the mingling of the HP characters with the main six, it was very well done. Hope Rarity decides not to go down the wrong path though. Looking forward to the next chapter!

[Comickook]

Excellent job on this latest chapter. Took a while, but was definitely worth the wait. Love the work that went into the exchanges, characterizations and future chapter set-up in all the right places.

So Twilight made friends with Applejack, Hermione and Neville (combines a good Mythology Gag to the actual MLP: FiM series [i.e. Applejack being literally the first friend Twilight makes in Ponyville] and a good compare/contrast between two different pairs of pureblood/muggleborn friends), Rainbow befriended the Weasely twins and Pinkie, Fluttershy befriended Zecora and Cedric (and is helping look for Neville's frog) and Rarity has met Sunset and Draco (and has already seen a bit of their nastier sides after initially getting along with them). All in all, definitely makes sense. Plus, I did like how Twilight already showed some subtle signs of natural leadership (she was the one that made the search plan concerning Trevor) and Pinkie's "detective stuff" is another good Mythology Gag to the MLP: FiM series (this one concerning "MMMystery on the Friendship Express").

All in all, definitely looking forward to more of this. Particularly awaiting seeing where the girls get sorted.

[PonyofEntropy]

Great story. Looking forward to reading more.

[Secundum]

I don't really see Sunset as being the type to follow blood prejudice tbh. More the type to discriminate against everyone less skilled than her (which would basically be everyone).

[Comickook]

10574553
That's a pretty valid point. Indeed, I COULD see Sunset taking that kind of pride in her abilities, especially since she IS talented enough to back up the ego and too ambitious for everyone else's own good. Which would probably lead to HER becoming the Alpha Bully for at least a couple of years (with Draco and his pals being basically her lackeys [as, while they are talented enough to handle certain "dirty work" type jobs, they are NOT talented enough to last long standing up to her]). That being said, she also has a couple more standards than Draco and his pals, which helps her keep them more or less in line. But, she also develops an EXTREMELY grudging respect for Twilight (who IS one of the VERY few students who is as talented as her) over a period of years, which gradually develops into a genuine friendship by the time they both graduate).

But that's just a wild guess and is just as likely to be wrong as it is to be right.