Elements of Harmony
Chapter 29: The Luminary Hall
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HOGWARTS, FOURTH EARTH
The Quidditch pitch bleachers were filled up with raucously cheering students and staff beneath a clear blue sky and warm sun. Anticipation ran thick as the crowd waited for the Gryffindor and Slytherin teams to rush out on their broomsticks.
"I still can't believe you're going traitor on us," Stevie teased Rarity.
"But the Chaser is THE Rainbow Dash!" Rarity teased back.
Rarity, Twilight, Applejack, Pinkie, and Fluttershy had snagged seats together, and before they knew it, Stevie, Hestia, Luna, and Hermione had filtered in around them. Luna showed her support for Gryffindor by wearing a giant lion-shaped hat that roared whenever she prompted it via enchantment; Fluttershy found this very entertaining.
"LOOK! LOOKLOOKLOOK!" Pinkie Pie pointed down toward the field excitedly. The teams had walked out onto the grass, mounting their brooms. The Quaffle was tossed, and they were off.
Rainbow Dash raced for the Quaffle as soon as it hit the air. Before she knew it, the ball was in her arms, and she was taking it toward the Slytherin goal post. The first score; ten points.
Ellie Gray proved to be worth her salt as a Keeper, blocking the next shot in time for Ginny to take the Quaffle and speed toward the Slytherin goal post. Another ten points. The Quaffle dropped right to Rainbow Dash, and ten more were scored.
"It's almost strange," Hermione remarked.
"What is?" Applejack asked.
"Watching a Quidditch game without fearing that something awful will happen."
"What's the worst that could happen in Quidditch?" Pinkie Pie asked.
"Well," Luna said, "in the time I've watched, I've seen Dementors attack the Seeker, I've seen someone lose all the bones in his right arm…come to think of it, though, that was Harry every time."
"Sounds like Harry was a bad luck charm," Pinkie said thoughtlessly.
"Well…it was more that he had enough of the dark side pursuing him that everything was a threat," Hermione clarified.
Twilight became nervous at these words. After all, she and her friends had their own share of evils pursuing them.
"What in Celestia's name is a Dementor?" Rarity asked.
"What in God's name is a Celestia?" Hestia replied.
"A very close friend," Applejack answered.
Hestia just had to accept this, though she was curious as to how close a friend had to be before her name was acceptable to use as a deity.
"Well," Luna said, "Dementors feed off emotion, particularly happiness. Their kiss can remove your soul."
"Please tell me this is another one of your made-up beasts," Rarity said with a shiver.
Hermione shook her head. "Dementors are very real."
"Eat emotions…" Twilight muttered. It occurred to her that she was hearing about the second variety of Echthroi she'd ever encountered knowledge of.
"They sound cool," Stevie admitted. "Something that can eat a whole soul?"
"You won't think that when you meet one…" Hermione stopped. "I'm sorry, Stevie. I didn't mean…you most definitely won't ever meet a Dementor. I don't see why you would."
"Everyone!" Hestia snapped. "Flora's found the Snitch!"
And so Flora had. She chased the little fleck of gold through the zooming, airborne bodies, only to find Ty Dunbar next to her, racing her. The two sped on, neck and neck, neither losing pace. As they grew closer and closer to the Snitch, Flora put out her arm; so did Ty. Neither wished to play dirty, and so they willed their brooms to go faster—
A Bludger blindsided Ty. He plummeted. Flora's hand encircled the Snitch before she even had time to register what was going on. Then she looked back in horror.
Ty had fallen from his broom entirely, heading on a direct collision course with the ground. Hermione, Luna, Stevie, Hestia, Twilight, Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, and Pinkie gasped, afraid that this Quidditch game wouldn't be so harmless after all.
Then Ty landed hard in a pair of strong arms that clutched him under the knees and around the back. Whoever had caught him was dragged down only slightly by the weight and momentum; then, they stabilized. When Ty's senses cleared, he realized that he'd only really fallen a few feet, and the ground was still far below him. His rented broomstick was still on the way down, about to splinter. Dazed, Ty looked into the face of his savior to realize it was the centaur woman from his team, the one with the unusual name he couldn't quite remember. "Dasher…"
"That's Rainbow Dash," Rainbow corrected. "You okay?"
"Yeah…you?"
"Hey, kid, this ain't the first time I've had to catch somepony falling out of the sky." She grinned. "Having six limbs has advantages." Of course, Twilight would have corrected her to say her wings counted as numbers seven and eight, had Twilight been there, but she wasn't, so it went unspoken.
The crowd was abuzz over the chain of events that had happened. The Gryffindor Seeker had just been saved from what would have been a very ugly fate, and the Slytherin Seeker had caught the Snitch. Now relieved that Ty was not in mortal peril, Stevie attempted, "Hey, looks like we won—"
At that, Applejack had to grin. "Nope."
"What do you mean, 'nope'?"
"The math, Stevie," Hestia replied with a sigh.
"What?" Stevie was confused. "Don't you get, like, two hundred points if you catch the Snitch—"
"Yes, but look how many points the Gryffindor Chasers—"
At about this time, Flora realized it. She looked up at the scoreboard, where it was clearly displayed that Rainbow Dash, Ginny Weasley, and Demelza Robins had collaboratively scored five hundred points for Gryffindor.
The stadium exploded with chants of "GRYF-FIN-DOR! GRYF-FIN-DOR!" Luna's hat roared gleefully.
Rainbow Dash landed on the ground, gently setting Ty down, only to be rushed by her teammates in a celebratory huddle.
"That's cheating," someone remarked from two rows behind Rainbow Dash's supporters. "She's too old, and she's got wings!"
Hestia swiveled around before anyone else. "Rainbow Dash didn't have an opportunity to use her wings once. And her age has no bearing on speed, especially since she didn't have a chance to touch a broom before this year."
That quieted the student down.
On the pitch, Flora rushed toward Ty. "I'm sorry," she gushed. "I didn't mean—"
"It's Quidditch," Ty replied with a grin from ear to ear. "I knew this was going to be dangerous when I signed up!"
"Just for that," Rainbow Dash told Ty, "I like you more than ever!"
On the way out of the Quidditch Pitch, the group broke up, heading in different directions based on obligations. The usual study group got together to make way for the library, and the Carrow twins moved away with Stevie.
"I know I shouldn't feel this way," Hermione said with a shake of her head. "It's just as bigoted as anything else, is what it is, but…"
"Let me guess," Rarity ventured. "Slytherins haven't gotten along well with everypony else in the past?"
"We've never actually…you know…sat at Quidditch matches with Slytherins before," Ginny said. "And I can't remember a Slytherin Seeker ever apologizing to a Gryffindor Seeker for damages."
"Well, that was the past," Rarity said. "Things are different now. I say we all move forward, shall we?"
And forward things did move. The Gryffindor first-years and the Slytherin first-years still carried remnants of the old rivalry when they united for double Potions, but Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash were just pleased to meet up again.
Slughorn handed back tests one by one. "Here you are, Rarity…full marks! Rainbow…perhaps try a little harder. Applejack…very good indeed!"
"Aw…" Rainbow Dash glowered at her exam parchment.
"And…" Slughorn frowned over the exam paper he held. "Strange…I don't remember having a student by that name…" He held the paper aloft. "Is there anyone in class who goes by 'Enoby'?"
Chuckles were unable to be contained. "Enoby?" Stevie giggled. "Really? ENOBY? You can't even spell your own name?"
"Oh my god, just shut the fuck up!" Ebony stood and ripped the paper from Slughorn's hands.
"Whatever," Stevie replied. "…Enoby."
"I SAID SHUT UP!"
"Oh, dear…" Rarity rolled her eyes. "Looks like we might have to do a little chaos control in the Slytherin common room tonight if those two keep at it…"
Slughorn had, in the meantime, strode back toward Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash. "I had been meaning to speak to the three of you," he said. "I'm sure you're aware that I am known among the Hogwarts faculty for my extravagant dinner parties, of which the guest lists are quite exclusive."
"Uh…yeah?" Rainbow Dash replied.
"Well," Slughorn said, "you also must know that it is simply a marvelous thing for three women of your age and, erm, species to be attending this institution. Not within the ordinary at all! And that is why I was hoping that you and your other centaur friends—Twilight, Fluttershy, and Pinkie—would be able to attend my next dinner party, next Saturday evening. You would all be the guests of honor?"
Rarity opened her mouth to agree immediately, but Applejack headed her off. "I don't know," she said. "We're pretty busy."
"But your friends Hermione, Ginny, Luna, and the Carrow twins will be there," Slughorn pointed out. "Or, at least, they are all invited…Luna and the Carrows seem to be the regulars among them…it will be a most unforgettable night!"
"Well…" Applejack looked back at her two compatriots. "Can we, uh, have a conference?"
"Most certainly," Slughorn said, though he sounded a little disappointed. He left, moving to the front of the classroom to actually begin teaching.
Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity ignored him. "Hermione warned us about him," Applejack reminded the others. "He's just out to collect us 'cause we're unusual."
"And of course he'd want Hermione, Ginny, and Luna at the party," Rainbow Dash added. "They're national heroes! But that's kind of why I wanna go."
"Really?" Applejack was confused.
"Hermione and Ginny didn't seem really comfortable with Slughorn," Rainbow Dash pointed out. "And even if they don't go, Luna will, and she's going to have to put up with him pointing out how 'special' she is. Now, I might just be overreacting, but it doesn't sound to me like something they'd want to go to. Which means if they do, they'd probably have a better time if there were more friends with them instead of just Slughorn to bother them."
"You got a point," Applejack agreed. "And besides…I just know what Rarity wants to say."
"It may be exploitation," Rarity admitted, "but exclusive dinner parties are what I dream about! Think of everypony I could meet! Think of the food! The elegance!"
"Then we'll go," Applejack resolved.
"And lest we forget," Rarity pointed out, "Flora and Hestia will probably also be in attendance. I, for one, would enjoy spending an evening with them."
Hestia Carrow, in fact, awaited the trio outside the dungeon when class let out. "I've just come from McGonagall," she said. "She wants to see you in her office."
"I hope that's a good thing," Applejack replied.
"She didn't seem angry or disappointed when she gave me the message," Hestia clarified, "so I wouldn't assume the worst."
"Hey," Rainbow Dash asked. "Are you going to Slughorn's dinner next Saturday?"
"I have attended all so far," Hestia answered. "Flora does enjoy them so."
"We've just been invited," Rarity said, "and we've decided to accept the invitation."
"So I'll see you there." Hestia seemed almost to breathe a sigh of relief.
"Indeed," Rarity confirmed. "Well, I suppose we mustn't keep McGonagall waiting."
Hestia continued on her way, and Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack made their way up to the office.
When the trio arrived, they found Twilight, Pinkie, and Fluttershy already there. McGonagall was seated behind her desk, looking rather pleased.
"What is going on?" Rarity asked.
"Something I thought would be helpful to you has surfaced," McGonagall said, taking a thick stack of what appeared to be Chocolate Frog cards out of her desk and setting them atop it. "Minister of Magic Kingsley Shacklebolt found these in an archive of the Ministry, under lock and key, and sent them to me straightaway, being that they were exactly what I wanted. These were Chocolate Frog cards taken out of circulation after the rise of Voldemort. They contain the profiles of famous witches and wizards who either originated on or migrated to worlds other than this one. They will offer you much information that isn't known to the general public."
"Oh my gosh!" Twilight exclaimed. "I can't believe it!"
McGonagall edged the stack of cards toward the six. "You may, if you wish."
They grabbed for the cards, each taking a handful.
"Elphaba Thropp," Rainbow Dash read from hers. "Otherwise known as the Wicked Witch of the West. Famed for enslaving the Vinkus region of Oz and attempting to kill heroine Dorothy Gale for control of ruby slippers."
"Jadis," Rarity read. "Otherwise known as the White Witch or the Lady of the Green Kirtle. Brought eternal winter to the land of Narnia, and possessed knowledge of the Deplorable Word, which can obliterate entire civilizations merely by being spoken."
"Esmerelda Weatherwax," Fluttershy read. "Protector of the Discworld. Adept at Borrowing the eyes of others from which to see, including the hearts of entire nations. Solved the dispute over the leadership of Lancre."
"Winifred Sanderson," Rarity read. "One of the three famous Sanderson Sisters. Made a contract with the devil himself for powers that would last beyond death. Known best for the kidnapping of innocent children and stealing their souls for youth."
"The Witch of the Waste," Pinkie Pie read. "Known for cursing those who did not meet her every whim. Met her undoing at the hands of fire demon Lily Angorian, who dominated her soul by possessing her heart."
"Girls," Twilight said suddenly. "This one."
"What?" the others all looked at her.
"Maleficent," Twilight read. "Daughter of the faerie queen Nicnevin. Able to transform into a dragon and perform nation-sized curses, including the Cosmic Reset. Known and feared on several worlds for her attempts at domination." She swallowed hard before reading the last few lines: "Reputed as heartless and suspected to be immortal. Perhaps one of the most dangerous and powerful magical beings in recorded history." She looked to McGonagall. "Had you heard of her?"
"The name was slightly familiar," McGonagall admitted.
"We met her," Twilight said. "We saw what she could do. She's trying to dominate the cosmos even now. I guess it only really confirms what we suspected. She's powerful, all right." Twilight lay the card down on the desk so all could see Maleficent's cold gaze; though the picture had the ability to move, she obviously preferred to stand stock-still, glowering at whoever beheld her. "Well, I doubt we're going to find anything more shocking in these cards than that."
"Uhhh…Twilight?" Rainbow Dash noticed the next card in her own hand. "I wouldn't be too sure about that."
Twilight turned to see that Rainbow Dash had a self-assured smirk on her face. "What?"
"Dark wizard best known for his hostile takeover of the Land of the Black Sands and attempted conquering of the Seven Deserts," Rainbow Dash read from her card. "Most famous wielder of the Gauntlet of Leeching Life. Perfected body-switching spells."
"WHAT?" Twilight cried, blushing furiously.
Rainbow Dash handed over the card. Twilight took hold of it to see a picture of Mozenrath staring smugly back at her.
"An old foe?" McGonagall asked.
"It's complicated," Rarity replied.
Twilight turned the card over a couple times. "No dates…"
"Because each world ran on a vastly different timeline from our own," McGonagall explained, "to include dates of birth and death would have been not only irrelevant, but impossible."
"So…nopony knows how long he lived," Twilight inferred. "Or how long he's going to live." She set the card on the desk, slowly, almost reverently.
"It isn't as though we need another dark wizard at our doorstep looking for conquest," McGonagall pointed out.
"I guess you're right," Twilight admitted. "Anyway, thank you so much for the cards. I can't wait to look through the rest of them and see what I can find."
The other five voiced their agreement, and the six friends left the room with all the cards but two, looking over the strange witches and wizards that dabbled in both light and dark and conversing about them.
"Saruman the White…well, he seems powerful…"
"Gruntilda Winkybunion? That's a silly name!"
"Balthazar Blake…oh. That's quite tragic indeed."
"Ceridwen. Okay, this card officially doesn't make any sense."
"Neither does the one for Walpurgisnacht…"
"The one for Morwena the water witch is frightening!"
McGonagall filed away the Maleficent card within her desk, taking from the reaction of the six that it was important. The Mozenrath card went in a much lower drawer, as information about him did not seem nearly as pertinent.
Come Saturday night, Horace Slughorn's office was packed with people. Pinkie and Fluttershy were the first of the six Equestrians to arrive, fellow Hufflepuff Melinda Bobbin tagging along with them.
"Wowee!" Pinkie remarked. "Now this is a PARTY!"
The office, on ordinary days, must have looked like a spacious room with a desk and various cabinets. Now the desk was pushed to the side to make room for the many invited students to gather around a table of delicious-looking appetizers. Pinkie rushed to the table, eager to stuff her face.
Fluttershy stayed close. She could tell there were even a few people of her age and older here. Slughorn must have invited old favorite alumni back.
"Ah, there you are!" Slughorn remarked, moving toward the pair. "So wonderful that you could make it! After all, this is the place to see and be seen! Everyone here is destined for greatness, and I'll see to it myself that you know all the right names! After all, given your…rather strange status among human society, I could see you in high-ranking positions at the Ministry working with human-centaur relations. In fact, I should introduce you to the Minister of Magical Transportation, who—ah, Twilight Sparkle and Luna Lovegood!"
The aforementioned pair moved in to join Pinkie, Fluttershy, and Slughorn. "This looks really nice," Twilight said. It was an honest sentiment, but truly, she had only come to accompany her friends, particularly Luna, who had said, "They really are nice events, and no one ever tries to steal my things or call me names there. Going alone is nice. Going with friends is nicer. But I have a lot of fun there on my own as well."
"I am glad to have impressed you," Slughorn replied. "And here she is…part of the team that led the resistance against You-Know-Who! Simply wonderful!"
"Thank you," Luna replied.
Next, Rarity filed in with Flora and Hestia; Slughorn extended to them the same welcome. Rarity immediately accepted the invitation to be introduced to others, and Slughorn took her around the room, making sure that the name "Rarity Majesty" was known very well by all the alumni, from Ministry workers to candy shop owners.
"So…the food looks good," Twilight said, picking up a truffle. "And it is good that Rarity is getting to know everypony. She always did like to rub noses with the important."
Next in were Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Hermione, and Ginny. They moved to the small gathering around the table. Though she tried to say it softly, everyone else definitely caught when Ginny whispered to her fellow three Gryffindors, "Remember…we are ONLY here to support our friends."
This caused an awkward silence when the group converged. It was broken when Ginny asked, "Flora, don't you play Ravenclaw next?"
"Of course," Flora replied. "And you…Hufflepuff?"
"Exactly. Between us, it shouldn't be that difficult of a win."
"Playing this year's Ravenclaw lineup will be tougher, but I can assure you, I am fast enough for the challenge. Which reminds me." Flora turned to Rainbow Dash. "There's a rumor going around that you have wings, and that you can fly even faster than any broomstick with them."
"Oh yeah!" Rainbow Dash confirmed. "Back home, I'm sort of a champion."
"You don't think we could get the recipes for these," Applejack remarked, looking at the treats on the table. "Do ya?"
"Well…we could ask the house-elves in the kitchens," Hermione said. "I've been meaning to go there anyway. After all, I have time now to concentrate on S.P.E.W."
"Ummm…spew?" Applejack asked.
"Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare," Hermione explained. "An organization I founded in order to help house-elves gain the same rights as humans. It doesn't seem fair to me, that they do all the work in this castle and hardly get any of the credit, so much as fair pay or freedom."
Pinkie couldn't contain her laughter. "But the acronym is SPEW!"
"Hang on," Twilight interrupted. "Exactly…how much of the work?"
"Food preparation, cleaning, keeping order in the common rooms—everything Filch doesn't have the time or inclination to do," Hermione clarified.
"That doesn't sound fair," Fluttershy agreed.
"My past work with S.P.E.W. didn't exactly go over well with the humans OR the elves of the castle," Hermione admitted, "or any other group, for that matter. But after last year, when we came together in the last battle, I feel like things might be a little different."
By this time, Slughorn had come back around to the group at the table. "You really must mingle!" Rarity gushed. "Everypony who's everypony is here! And if they're not, well, then somepony who KNOWS everypony is here!"
"Oh, it's not everyone," Slughorn said with fake bashfulness. "Only a few minor politicians and well-known names from Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley…anyway, I trust you've all had a lively conversation here? It does warm my heart, to see so much greatness in one room. I haven't seen this much potential before me since…well…it's hard to decide between my years with Lily Evans and my year with her son Harry. You've heard of Harry Potter, though. In fact, three of you are his good friends. Luna Lovegood…Ginny Weasley…even Hermione Granger. Would that I only had Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Neville Longbottom here to complete the outfit…oh, but never mind. I've got six new up-and-comers in the magical community! As I said, the six of you would work wonderfully at the Ministry with human-centaur relations! Then again, Applejack and Rarity are quite talented at Potions…perhaps you would be better suited brewing potions for the elite?"
"Actually," Rarity said, "I have, well, let's call it an interest in fashion and design. Would there, perhaps, be a place in the wizarding world for that?"
"Oh, but of course! This whole cloak fashion is getting quite stale, after all!"
Rarity beamed.
"And then…the Carrow twins," Slughorn remarked. "Flora and Hestia. My, my. I always knew you girls were destined for greatness, given your academic marks…but look what fate has done! The children of two of the most infamous Death Eaters to tread Hogwarts ground! The whole world is buzzing with questions about you. Will you follow in their footsteps? Will you reject their name?"
"Please," Hestia said sternly. "We don't want to talk about—"
"Personally, and don't let this on to anyone else," Slughorn said, "I wouldn't mind it if you went to the Dark Side. Quite understandable. It's in your blood, after all. And what powerful witches you'd be…oh, it isn't as if the Ministry is unprepared to deal with a few new villains."
"STOP!" Flora yelled. She ran from the office, knocking over a plate of truffles. For a moment, the entire room was silent, watching her leave. Then conversation slowly, awkwardly began again among the many present.
"We do NOT like to talk about our parents when we don't have good reason to bring it up," Hestia growled.
"But they have laid out the path to your success!" Slughorn argued. "Whether you become revered or reviled, you will make headlines because of the name of Carrow! Oh, come now…it was just a joke. I know you won't go bad. You're already on the road to reformation. The most celebrated are the rehabilitated! Hum…sounds like that should be a song lyric…"
"This conversation is over," Hestia growled, storming after her sister.
"Well," Slughorn huffed. "So touchy, over a little—"
"If you'll excuse me," Rarity told Slughorn, "I have to go and find my Housemates." She, too, left at a moderate gallop.
"Don't you think that was a little uncalled for?" Twilight asked. "I mean, it's bad enough to bother people about a big and terrible war, but the Carrow sisters aren't really proud of what their parents did, and—"
"Twilight?" Fluttershy said softly. "May I?"
"Umm…sure?" Twilight stepped aside.
Fluttershy walked up to Slughorn, staring him down. "Listen to me," she said coldly. "You have NO right bringing up people's pasts when they don't want to talk about them, and you have NO right to compare people to old enemies! I don't care whether or not you think the Carrows' parents did good or bad or amazing things or…or whatever you think of them! Flora and Hestia are different people, and their potential comes from different things! And if you try to bring that up to them again when it makes them obviously upset, well, then, so help me, I'll—"
"Um, Fluttershy?" Rainbow Dash slipped a hand over Fluttershy's mouth before she could issue a threat. "I think that's enough."
"Then I'll finish it," Pinkie volunteered. "If you do that again, WE'LL TELL EVERYPONY IN THIS SCHOOL NEVER EVER TO COME TO ANOTHER ONE OF YOUR STUPID PARTIES EVER AGAIN!"
The room was again silent after a collective gasp. Slughorn looked stunned.
"I…suppose I was out of line," he muttered. "I'm…quite sorry…"
"Good," Fluttershy said; Rainbow had let her speak once more.
"Come on, girls," Twilight said. "Let's get out of here before this jerk embarrasses himself any more."
Twilight, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie, Rainbow Dash, Hermione, Ginny, and Luna walked out together, shrugging off the stares they collected from everyone in the room.
"Can we agree?" Applejack asked. "No more Slughorn parties?"
Even Luna joined in on the collective "Yes."
Rarity found Hestia comforting her sobbing sister in the Slytherin common room. "Ahem," she said. "Am I…interrupting?"
"No," Hestia said. "You're all right. I see you left early."
"Well…we are Housemates," Rarity said. "I figure it only fair we stick together. It is a shame that…happened. I just want to let you know that I am here if you want to talk about anything whatsoever."
Hestia sighed. "You already know most of it. We want to make our names outside of our parents. After they died in the last war, we were…well…sad, for a while. We didn't want things to change. We did love them. But we couldn't stand for what they stood for. I will do many things, but I will not kill an innocent. And their standards for purity stopped making sense to us. We moved in with an aunt and uncle, and we've been trying to put this all behind us. I don't want to think about what they did. Who they tortured. Who they killed. And I don't want to become that."
"Me either," Flora said, finally able to speak through her sobs. "I…I wish he'd never said that! I'm never going to be like that, and I don't want to have to deal with any of that EVER AGAIN!"
"I believe you," Rarity said softly. "I…well, I never knew much about the Death Eaters while the war was going on, but I know you two, and you're both very wonderful people. You helped me when I knew absolutely nothing about this place, and you were the ones who told me that Slytherin wasn't all the awfulness it was made out to be. You absolutely did NOT deserve what Slughorn said. I think you two do have potential and are going to become great things…but that's because of the people you are. I hope that makes you feel somewhat better at least."
"It does," Flora admitted, wiping at her eyes.
"Thank you," Hestia added. "But you didn't have to leave the party on our account. I saw how you were getting on with everyone. Horrible as he is, Slughorn really does have connections. He can find you a future with the elite."
"Well…as nice as that is," Rarity said, "it really isn't as important as some other things. Like protecting the dignity of good friends. You won't catch me at another of his little Slug dinners."
"Oi," a voice came from the door to the girls' bedchamber. Stevie stood there, bewildered. "Things go bad at the Slug Club thing?"
"It's all right," Hestia said.
"Flora's crying," Stevie observed. "You need me to curse someone for you?"
"No thank you, Stevie."
"Offer's good whenever," Stevie said with a wink before returning to the upstairs beds to study.
RIDDLE HOUSE, FOURTH EARTH
"Any news?" Voldemort asked Rowle.
"It's bad," Rowle told the Dark Lord. "Szilard Quates is dead."
"Impossible," Voldemort said. "He was one of the immortals. Unless…"
"We have reason to believe he was eaten."
"And what's this about?" Bellatrix asked. She, Horvath, Quirrell, and Medusa were gathered in the room as well.
"Szilard Quates," Voldemort answered. "The only Muggle I would have ever considered good enough to join our ranks. He was an alchemist, a master of immortality. He reproduced a substance known as the Grand Panacea, a giver of eternal life. One who took it in could only meet death at the hands of another immortal by the same means—if that immortal chose to 'eat' the other." He turned back to Rowle. "And the Panacea?"
"All traces are gone," Rowle reported. "Ingested. Every last bit."
"Gone," Voldemort repeated, "as with the only man who could produce it." He sighed deeply. "Then I suppose it is a return to the Horcruxes that is in order."
"You mean…Quates would have been able to prevent you needing to make them?" Quirrell asked with interest.
"And we could have focused on the more important things?" Horvath added.
"Indeed," Voldemort confirmed. "And, as another acquaintance of mine, I knew…he had the right mind to join our ranks. He would have been a valuable asset. A warrior for our cause."
"A Muggle," Bellatrix reiterated. "For the sake of pure blood."
"He would not have considered himself a Muggle," Voldemort informed her.
"A Muggle…a half-blooded Alexandra…it seems you are going soft, Voldemort," Medusa teased.
"I will not tolerate such accusations," Voldemort retorted, infinitely grateful that Medusa never had known and never would know about the kiss he and the real Alexandra had shared so long ago in the Ponyville Library. "Speaking of the new Alexandra, how has she been progressing…she and Trixie?"
"Trixie said to me, last time we spoke, that she knew a lot of things were unimportant compared to gaining power," Quirrell reported. "In fact…I asked her if she believed that for the most part, there was only power and those too weak to take it. She liked the idea. She will be ready soon. On the other hand…Alex is already ready."
"Very good." Voldemort smiled gladly. He hadn't regretted trusting Quirrell with this much. In fact, he was quite pleased with how Quirrell handled it all. If only, he thought, he'd had someone like him around for the later years instead of Pettigrew. Or perhaps thinking such things was another sign that he was "going soft." Whatever the case, Quirrell certainly deserved more than Pettigrew had ever gotten.
"Then if I can make a suggestion…"
As if called by Voldemort's condescending thoughts about him, Pettigrew entered the room, Scabior at his side. "Now that we're done chasing all of your lost sheep, Lord Voldemort," Pettigrew said, "and the new recruits are progressing, there's something else I'd like to focus on."
"And that would be?" Voldemort inquired.
"Giving the Malfoys their due," Pettigrew answered. "We can't let them get away that easily after what they've done."
"So long as it does not betray our secret," Voldemort said, "I would agree that it is a worthwhile pursuit."
HOGWARTS, FOURTH EARTH
The empty, little-used Eastmost hall of the ninth floor appeared, at first, to lead to a dead end. It had taken Twilight, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity a while to go find and see this for themselves—they weren't sure what to expect or how to prepare, and there were classes to worry about. However, a day came when their workload lightened, and it was decided that they should explore the "Luminary Hall" the centaurs of the Forbidden Forest had mentioned.
"Ready?" Twilight asked.
"Ready!" Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie chorused.
"On three," Twilight commanded. "One…two…three…"
She, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie said as one: "LUMOS!"
Four lights went up, and a door began to reveal itself in the wall, outlined in a similar bright light. Rainbow Dash walked up to the door, pressing on a small spot of light that appeared where a handle might otherwise be. The door slid aside, revealing a darkened hallway beyond.
"Let's go," Twilight ordered, and the six moved in.
The hallway was cavernous, so much so that it seemed impossible that such a room could even fit in this part of the castle. There must have been extra magic in this architecture to make it all work. Greenish lamps lit the hallway, which led up to a circular room.
Because of the green lamps, Twilight, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie doused their wandlights with a "Nox." At that, the door closed behind them, ready to open again when given the light.
"So this is the Luminary Hall," Applejack remarked as the six slowly trotted toward the circular room. She noticed a few odd decorations on the walls—stone bowls holding water. "What d'you suppose those are?"
"I don't know," Twilight answered.
They reached the circular room, brightly lit by the sun pouring down from a round window above. "Something about this," Twilight said. "It seems…I don't know. Special. Like we should be reverent."
"Look!" Pinkie Pie sprang toward an alcove in the wall. "Stairs!"
"Let's go further up," Rainbow Dash suggested. "Whatever's up there has got to be more interesting than down here. Maybe we'll find some booby traps or something."
"But I think this is interesting," Twilight argued. "We just don't know what it means. Why would there be a big window in the ceiling? And it's called the Luminary Hall. Light is important here. This window can't just be here for decoration."
"But the fact is, we still don't know what it means," Applejack pointed out, "and we ain't gonna get anywhere by starin' at that light."
"You're right," Twilight sighed, and she moved toward the stairway.
She was soon glad she had. The stairway moved out of the dark stone motif and up into a well-lit room that looked like a small library, with short bookshelves lined in neat rows. "BOOKS!" Twilight cried. "But…why are they hidden?"
"This might be where we find out what this place is!" Pinkie Pie began taking books from the shelves and looking through them.
"It could take us ages to find a book that's useful!" Rarity moaned.
"Found one!" Pinkie cried. "It's got a map of the hall!"
"WHAT?" Rarity replied in disbelief. "How did you…oh, never mind. Might we see?"
"Sure!" Pinkie moved to a small table, spreading out the book. The others gathered around her. They'd passed through the "Lower Corridor," and the circular room appeared to be known as the "Altar of Worship."
"I knew it was something special!" Twilight cried.
"Yeah," Rainbow Dash groaned, "but whatever altar was there is gone now. We don't know what they worshipped."
"Maybe we do," Twilight thought out loud. "Maybe…they worshipped light! Like the sun! Or like light MAGIC!"
"That does make sense," Fluttershy agreed. "But why would it be deserted? Who would have used this place?"
"That's probably in another book," Twilight theorized. "Let's finish looking at this one first. Looks like after this reading room, there's a 'Hall of Minor Altars' to go." She backed off, looking at the shelves. "I don't want to leave empty-hooved. There has to be something in this room that can tell us what all this is about. Some kind of…compendium!"
"Let's see…" Pinkie flitted about the shelves. "'Light Magic for Every Occasion'…'Shibusen Records'…'Heralds Past and Present'…Ooh! Ooh! 'The Journal of Joseph St. Alphege'!" While the others wondered why that title caught Pinkie's attention, she answered their query by opening the book up and reading, "This journal was made with the intent to record all annals of the Lumen Sages and our mission to promote the light!"
"It's a start," Twilight said. "Can I see it?"
"Sure!" Pinkie handed the book to Twilight.
"I think I'm going to keep this," Twilight said. "It could come in handy. Actually…Pinkie, didn't you say there was a book of light magic?"
"Already got ya covered!" Pinkie handed that book over as well.
"I have all I need here," Twilight announced.
"Then let's keep going," Rainbow Dash suggested.
The room after the reading room was yet another dark stone hall lit by green lamps. The room towered upwards, and a staircase spiraled round and round the wall, leading past several doors. The six began the climb up, looking into the room beyond the first door. It contained what appeared to be another altar, albeit one that was clearly an altar, with a raised platform decorated with sun symbols and carved with the emblem of a wolf. The word "Amaterasu" was clearly depicted above it.
The other doors all held similar rooms, but with differently decorated altars. The next pictured a human male slitting the throat of a bull; this was labeled "Mithras." Next, one adorned with a chariot emblem and labeled "Helios." After that, a falcon: "Re-Horakhty." The altars and names continued all the way up.
"Well, that was the most boring secret room I've ever explored," Rainbow Dash complained on the way down.
"How many secret rooms HAVE you explored?" Applejack challenged.
"And at least there weren't as many stairs here as in King Sombra's wing of the Crystal Palace," Twilight pointed out.
"But there were a lot of stairs here," Rainbow Dash replied. "Okay, so HOW many stairs were there in that wing, exactly? Because if it was more than this, I don't think I really understood the first time you told me how many stairs there were."
"The point is, we learned something," Twilight said, switching gears. "People came to Hogwarts to learn, right? Well, these people obviously came to either learn or teach about light. All these names mean something. I think Joseph's journal is going to reveal exactly who used this hall, and what all these altars are for. And the light magic should have some handy tricks."
"I'll just be glad to get out of here," Fluttershy said. "This hall is a little frightening, don't you think?"
"I'd hate to be in here alone," Rarity agreed.
They moved back down through the reading room, through the Altar of Worship, and back to the door, which opened again with the casting of Lumos. When all were back in the main school hallways and the wandlights were doused, the door closed, hiding the fact that there had ever been a Luminary Hall.
"I'm going to study these books," Twilight said. "I'll report back to you everything I find that seems important."
"It's a plan!" Pinkie affirmed.
Twilight looked around the bedchambers of the Ravenclaw first-year girls' dormitory. Empty…perfect. She maneuvered herself into a position where she lay all four legs down on her bed, opening Joseph's journal and propping it up against a pillow. Then she began to read.
"My name is Joseph St. Alphege, and it is my intent to record all important annals among the Lumen Sages, lest the records be otherwise incomplete. It has always been my goal as a Prayermaster in training to work towards the truth, and if the truth is obscured and I have not done anything to prevent this, then I have failed in my mission.
"We, the Lumen Sages, are the worshippers and protectors of the true Light, that Light that comes from its gods—the most powerful gods—and ensures peace and goodness in this world through the elimination of the darkness. It is our mission to spread the truth of the Light throughout all worlds.
"We have not always got on well with the witches and wizards of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, but seeing as Headmaster Newton Scamander has offered us a place to gather, teach and learn about the Light, and worship, it would be foolish to turn him down. He has granted us a space of worship which we have dubbed the Luminary Hall. We have made camp here, and are working from the Luminary Hall as a base of operations as well as worshipping there. After all, it may be our chance to rescue these poor witches and wizards from the darkness that most likely binds them."
"What darkness?" Twilight said to the book, as though it could answer. She wasn't sure if there had been some sort of incident in the past, or if Joseph mistakenly believed the darkness—or should it be Darkness, with a capital D?—had a hold on Hogwarts. He seemed to be overly sure of a lot of things already, in a way that was off-putting to Twilight, but not enough for her to dismiss the book entirely. After all, she was no stranger to making presumptions.
"…The balance of Light and Darkness is held by two individuals, each in his or her own timeline. Darkness is held by the Left Eye of the universe; Light by the Right. The Right Eye is our leader. In my time, this position is held by Father Balder. I do not know the identity of the Left Eye at this time.
"The Left Eye, to me, seems an altogether threatening concept. I should not like to meet him or her. He or she will most certainly bring all manners of evil.
"There have always been two Eyes, ever since the time when all worlds were one and Atlantis was the center. After the tragic destruction of beloved Atlantis, it was known that King Creon, thought to be a staunch warrior of Light, had been corrupted by the Darkness and became the Left Eye. He was offset by the Right Eye, known as Ten. There may have been Right and Left Eyes before them, but records of before that time have been lost…"
"Wait," Twilight said again. "Atlantis? I know I've heard that name. The sunken city! I thought it was just a fable. Well, then again, I have been traveling to all sorts of different worlds. Here I am as a Kentauride at a school of magic. And I've seen Avalon. I guess Atlantis really was…wait. WAIT!" She read it over again. "All worlds were ONE? But that doesn't make any sense. What about parallel universes? Alternate timelines? All worlds couldn't possibly exist at the same time. The Guide said so. That's why there are all these different Earths and Equestrias and…and…and I'm talking to a book."
"…As time goes by, I am beginning to lose faith in the minor deities. For centuries, the Lumen Sages have held high the pantheon of gods of the Light, such as Amaterasu, Mithras, and Re-Horakhty. However, I find it increasingly hard to believe that the Light could come from several sources. The Light is pure and true and must only come from ONE God.
"A schism is growing between those of us who choose to pay homage to the false gods and those who have limited our worship to the ONE God, the only God of Light. I can only hope my brothers and sisters among the Sages will see the truth so that we do not have to continue this ugly fight.
"My faith in the saints, however, has not weakened; I am as much of an admirer of Saint Aelphaba of the Waterfall as ever. May she guide our path…"
"Well, we KNOW the other gods aren't all fake," Twilight retorted, not caring that she was talking to a book. "Celestia, Luna, and the Old Ones might even BE gods. Then again, I haven't actually seen proof of any of those other gods from the altars, so maybe they aren't real…and there's no saying that there isn't one God that's more powerful than them all…but I DO know that some other gods exist. I mean, I've been to the Underworld! I know about Hades! And Mozenrath couldn't have been wrong about all those Chthonic gods, either!" Joseph was frustrating her quite a bit, but still, important information lay in his words, and Twilight well knew this.
"…I am ever more convinced in the presence of one God and one alone. This God is the one we sometimes refer to as Jubileus, though truly, God has no name, and Jubileus is a title of respect more than anything. If God does have a name, it is secret from us.
"It is Jubileus whom we worship in the simple light of the Altar of Worship. She requires no sacrifices, merely prayer and that we bask in her simple Light from the sun that shines upon this world…"
"Okay, now I get it," Twilight realized. "So the little rooms with the altars were for the minor gods, and the big room was for Jubileus. A-ha! I KNEW there wasn't anything missing from that altar!"
"…I am increasingly concerned with the reports about Asriel. His experimentations have been highly beneficial to the Lumen Sages, and it was his work that allowed us to forge our alliance across worlds. There are those not so open-minded as myself who believe there is only the mortal plane and the ethereal, and that the existence of other worlds defies the nature of the divine. Asriel's theories have allowed us to defy such a misconception.
"However, I hear rumors that Asriel is experimenting on things which he should not, such as how to enter the divine realm. I have also heard rumors that he has defamed the Lumen Sages to others, though he is part of our order. If any of these are proven true, he will have to be stripped of his title at the very least…"
"There were Sages LESS open-minded than you?" Twilight yelled at the book.
"Twilight?" Luna walked into the bedchamber. "Who are you talking to?"
"Oh…" Twilight's face flushed in embarrassment. "No one. I was actually yelling at a book."
"Did it talk back?" Luna asked. She was sincere.
"No…" Twilight sighed. "I was just reacting to the things I was reading. Luna, Firenze told me about a secret place in the castle, and I found these books there. I'm finding all about this order that worshipped Light, though I can't quite tell if they were good or bad. Maybe both. Maybe neither. I'm just surprised that something this big has been hidden all this time." She paused. "Did they ever teach here about a time when all worlds were one, or about the city of Atlantis?"
"No," Luna said, "but there are a lot of things they don't teach here. There have never been Crumple-Horned Snorkacks in Care of Magical Creatures, after all."
"When I finish these books," Twilight promised, "I'll tell you all about what I find. And Hermione and Ginny. For now, I need to be alone to read."
Luna nodded in understanding before leaving. Twilight turned back to the journal.
"…There are many spells based in Light that have become useful to us. The purpose of Light magic, or 'White Magic,' is to protect rather than to attack, with a few exceptions…"
"That's right!" Twilight remembered. "The spellbook!" She opened the second book up eagerly, only to do a double take at the table of contents. "Invisira? Barwater? Libra? There must be over a hundred spells in here!" She turned back to the journal. "You better help me out here, Joseph!"
"…There are hundreds of spells that can be generated from Light, and it would take one years to master them all…"
"Well," Twilight huffed, "you could have told me THAT before I opened the other book."
"…but these are the ones I have considered to be of the most use. Lumos is the most basic, allowing one to light an area for visibility. Some Echthroi are repelled by it alone. Curaja (or Curaga/Curasa) allows healing of injuries. Esunaga dispels curses and acts as an antivenom. And in the rare case that damage must be dealt, Holyja will harm those wielding Darkness. It must never be misused, such as on innocents.
"All elemental magic—spells having to deal with fire, air, and the like—are rooted at the core in Darkness, though they can have positive effects. I tend to avoid them for my own safety and recommend that others do the same. I feel as though other spells taught in this place (especially "Diffindo") are rooted in Darkness…"
Twilight turned to the other book, looking briefly at the entries for the Cure, Esuna, and Holy sets of spells. Lumos, she already knew, so she left that alone. Making a note to study them later—all three seemed fairly simple—she returned to Joseph's writings.
"…I shall not be able to take it much longer. I cannot work amongst practitioners of witchcraft.
"There is another schism developing amongst the Sages who work in the Luminary Hall. Some of us have said that most witches are good, and must only be considered threats if they are of the Umbra Witches or if they are actively harming others. Still others say that even the Umbra Witches should be granted forgiveness, for they are doing the best they can under the circumstances and most do not actively threaten others.
"Do they not see that all these witches and wizards are using magic most Dark and will become the undoing of us all? I shall soon leave. I do not know where I am to go, but I will leave this journal behind so no one ever forgets the truth…"
"Riiiiight," Twilight snorted. "Do YOU not see that your Light magic is technically witchcraft?"
"…It is a pity that Death will not open his doors the way Headmaster Scamander has. Shibusen, much unlike Hogwarts, is a place of Light, despite its association with Death. Its students are devoted to the destruction of witches and Darkness. Would that I could transfer myself and a small party to Death's Domain, it would be immediate. However, Death has refused us space several times, saying he prefers to restrict Shibusen to those who are actually studying to become Weapon Meisters…"
"Shibusen," Twilight thought out loud. "That name was on another book spine up in the Hall…I wonder if I could go back…"
"…I have received news most disturbing. Princess Celestia has abandoned her post as our Herald, leaving the position empty. She says that we have become closed-minded, and that she will no longer stand for our intolerance.
"Those among the Sages who still give homage to the false gods and excuse witchcraft have looked to me and those who share my beliefs as those who are responsible for this, saying that if we did not preach 'intolerance,' Celestia would still act as our Herald, which is to say, not the one who leads us, but the one who is our 'mascot' and brings us moral fortitude. To be a Herald is not a challenging position, but it does require the right fortitude of soul.
"I do not believe myself at fault for Celestia's defection. She is being wooed by the Darkness. Her own sister became a being of Darkness, and she is still infatuated by the idea that Luna can be saved. Luna cannot be saved. In my humble opinion, all that remains is for Luna to be destroyed.
"The other Sages, those who stand apart from me in their belief of lies, say that Luna can be saved, and that the truth of Light is that it can be brought back to even those lost in Darkness. They are blind. Their trust will destroy them…"
"That's it, mister," Twilight growled. "You're officially on my list of…of…of people I don't like! You're just lucky you're informative and that I don't like to burn books."
"…I have decided to relocate by myself. There is an opening for a full-time Prayermaster in Loggia City. I am suited for this position and will go. I plan to take on at least one Prayerboy and teach him in the ways of the truth and the Light. No more of this foolishness.
"I am leaving this book behind, as promised. However, for the sake of completion, I have one final note. I believed, as did many of us, that the Mahou Shoujo were benevolent, blessed by the Light, and devoted to the destruction of witches consumed by Darkness. This has recently been revealed to be false. Through an elaborate cosmic deceit, we were fooled. To anyone reading, take heed: MAHOU SHOUJO ARE SIMPLY ANOTHER FORM OF WITCH."
The journal ended there. Twilight couldn't believe she'd finished it all. She thoroughly hated Joseph St. Aelphege, but at the same time, he had provided so much she had questions about. Atlantis…the past…Celestia…Mahou Shoujo…Shibusen…Light and Darkness…
There was a Restricted Section in the library, Twilight remembered. She would have to find a way to get there to find all of those things. Well…except for information on Celestia's involvement with the Sages. That, she would have to write to Celestia about herself.
She took the spellbook back, propping it up on the pillow. It was time to begin studying.
There was always more to learn, no matter where on the grounds one went. Long after Twilight had revealed all she learned from Joseph's journal to Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie, Rainbow Dash, Hermione, Luna, and Ginny, the six Equestrians found themselves out at their regular time of night on Thursday, among the Forbidden Forest centaurs and looking to the sky as Firenze explained the meanings of all the stars.
"Hang on," Twilight muttered, writing the star patterns down in a sketchbook. "I need to memorize this!"
"It's not that complicated," Pinkie argued. "It's easy, see! That constellation over there means a repetition of past history!"
"How have you already got this down?" Rarity asked. "No, no…I remember…you're Pinkie Pie. That's how."
"Repetition of history…doesn't sound very nice in these circumstances," Fluttershy pointed out.
"And that over there means…" Pinkie frowned. "I forget. Firenze?"
"It means that which was to be is no longer," Firenze said, "and that which was not supposed to be, now is. It is a difficult concept to explain."
"So…it's like somethin' got changed in time," Applejack guessed. "Things were gonna be one future, but somepony was messin' around, and now things are goin' differently?"
"That is perhaps acute," Firenze replied.
Twilight looked up from her sketches. "Wow," she commented. "Mars is sure bright tonight. Is that a good sign?"
Firenze simply answered, "No."
Chapter 29:
· I must AGAIN apologize in advance. Crossover worldbuilding is one of my favorite things to do in fanfic, so…a lot of that.
· Dash saying it wasn't her first time catching someone is a reference to "Sonic Rainboom," where she saves a falling Rarity.
· And another My Immortal joke. The author couldn't keep a consistent spelling of her own OC's name, and "Enoby" was one of the most frequent misspellings. I thought it would be funny if Ebony herself was the one to do it.
· Rarity liking elite parties is a reference to the ep "Sweet and Elite," where she basically almost abandons her friends for a chance to rub noses with everyone important in Canterlot. Though she would now prioritize her friends, I think she always likes meeting the important.
· Can you play "spot the references" in the Chocolate Frog cards?
· You should already know Maleficent and Mozenrath at this point. The rest are from the following works: Elphaba Thropp – Wicked by Gregory Maguire (based on The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum), Jadis – The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis, Esmerelda Weatherwax – The Discworld books by Terry Pratchett, Winifred Sanderson – Hocus Pocus, The Witch of the Waste – Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones (and adapted into a Miyazaki film), Saruman – Lord of the Rings by J.R.R Tolkien, Gruntilda – Banjo-Kazooie, Balthazar – The Sorcerer's Apprentice (2010 film), Ceridwen – The Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica by James A. Owen, Walpurgisnacht – Puella Magi Madoka Magica, and Morwena – The Wardstone Chronicles (known here in the USA as "The Last Apprentice," which is STILL an inferior title) by Joseph Delaney.
· The Minister of Magical Transportation was actually a guest at the Slug Club dinner in Half-Blood Prince. He was the most important-looking guy on the list of canon Slug Club members.
· Yes, I'm going to TRY and tackle the house-elf issue. This is going to be a nest of thorns; of that I am well aware. I want to try anyway.
· I feel somewhat bad that I made Slughorn such an ass to characters that are pretty much my female OCs. Like that's going full Ron the Death Eater. But I cross checked this with a fellow HP reader (Ophira), and I have been assured that making Slughorn an asshole is not too much of a stretch. (I still am aware that he's going to come out looking less sympathetic than Voldemort when the wash is done…)
· "The most celebrated/are the rehabilitated" is a lyric from the song "Wonderful" from the musical version of Wicked.
· Just reaffirming my whole "Slytherins aren't evil" bit. I know I used the "raised by a relative" thing on Goyle, if not in the prose, but I think that probably would happen to a lot of Death Eaters' children.
· Szilard Quates is from the anime Baccano!. He's obsessed with immortality and creating the "Grand Panacea" that grants it. Which is why, even though he's a Muggle, I think he would go really well with Voldemort. (And Medusa, for that matter…they both love experimenting on humans.) Why bring him up if he's dead? Same reason I bring up Drake Stone. Because he might be useful later in this context. Anyway, Baccano! ends with Szilard getting "eaten" by another immortal. In that canon, if you were made immortal by the Panacea, you have the power to "eat" other immortals, which is the ONLY way they can die. And if you "eat" someone, you absorb all his/her memories and knowledge. And no, it's not LITERALLY eating—you kind of suck them into your hand.
· "Luminary Hall" is a modification on the room set from the Playstation game based on Sorcerer's Stone in the Lumos challenge (the rooms you go through to get the Lumos spell). The name is mine. This is the start of me taking those "challenge" room sets and giving them backstories.
· It's canon that Pinkie Pie can find important books by kind of just walking up to the shelf and they're in front of her. Can't remember the episode, but it happened.
· Amaterasu is the sun goddess of Shinto mythology (but from the wolf motif, you can tell I'm using the Okami version). Mithras is from the Mithraic cult, and you probably already know the connections I have between Mozenrath and Mithraism. Re-Horakhty is a sun god compilation thing from Egyptian mythology—Ra and Horus are both sun gods, and Re-Horakhty is a fusion of the two.
· Joseph St. Alphege is the fan name I've given to the Prayermaster (a minor villain) from "The Merlin Conspiracy" by Diana Wynne Jones. The journal takes place in the past of Merlin Conspiracy (in fact, that last entry was a reference to where we meet him in the book—in Loggia City with two Prayerboy apprentices). Now, the Lumen Sage stuff I'm building here is all from obscure stuff like that, so trust me when I say…this is still ALL fanfic. I didn't make any of this. I just put it together.
· Also, this entire bit is going to be a bit harsh on monotheism in general. I'm going to try and make up for that later. Anyway, the main thing to remember here is that the Prayermaster IS A VILLAIN AND IS SUPPOSED TO BE INTOLERANT IN CANON. And the Lumen Sages are largely villains in general in their canon, too.
· Lumen Sages are from Bayonetta. I REALLY liked the concept and wanted to run with it. They're a religious sect devoted to light and associated with Heaven. In canon, they do some really nasty things in the name of light and Heaven. Though they probably weren't ALL bad. Hence I gave them some schisms to imply that they weren't all on the same page about everything.
· Newt Scamander was the headmaster before Armando Dippet, so one gen before Tom Riddle was at school. Now, Father Balder is the Right Eye one gen back from the main canon of Bayonetta (and the events of EoH). Scamander was about six gens ago. How is this possible? TIMEFUCKERY!
· Left and Right Eye are still from Bayonetta, but the concept actually does turn up in the "Atlantis: The Lost Tales" set of point-and-click puzzle games—the first of which being one of my favorites. I haven't watched a playthrough of the second yet (they're too old to actually obtain and play anymore), but it introduces the idea of a "Bearer of Light" and "Bearer of Darkness." The Bearer of Light is Ten, the son of an Atlantean hero. The Bearer of Darkness is actually a beast that I would categorize as either an Echthros or an Old One, but it was released by King Creon, and it's canonically stated that doing so drove Creon mad, so I figured Creon can stand in as the Bearer of Darkness.
· While the Atlantis I'm referencing is so far purely based on Lost Tales, I do want to make it a conglomeration world with the Atlantis of the Disney film (I'm going to do some AU haberdashery) and, well, a few other Atlantises.
· "When all worlds were one." A concept alluded to in Kingdom Hearts, and I'm running with it because I KNOW what I want to use as that setting—a combination between the Lands of Legend in the Voyage of the Basset books and the Archipelago in Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica. And yes, I DO have plans to eventually have the Mane Six go to that time, since the Starlight can pull that kind of timefuckery. Anyway, CotIG has it that Atlantis was the capital of everything before it sank, then that was passed on to Avalon and then the successor city of Paralon. So Atlantis is a BIG DEAL.
· Saint Aelphaba of the Waterfall is the saint in the Oz pantheon for which Elphaba is named in the book version of Wicked. All the more ironic that St. Aelphege is worshipping her, since he would HATE Elphaba…
· Jubileus is the God from Bayonetta, and is a destructive force that will destroy the world if awakened. She is most definitely female, and at the same time, I want to go ahead and call it that she's the same thing as the Authority from the His Dark Materials books, who is definitely MALE. I guess it once again depends on who is looking.
· Asriel is from the His Dark Materials books, and is the Big Bad. He basically wants to find a way to cross the worlds so he can invade Heaven and kill God. He is a theologian, but also a church enemy, so I figure it makes sense for him to have been part of the Sages and then betrayed them. (It frustrates me to no end that he has no canon last name.)
· With the exception of Lumos, ALL the White Magic/Light magic I referenced is from the White Mage moveset in the Final Fantasy series. All of it.
· Oh yeah, and Shibusen's Weapon Meisters are trained to kill witches, if I didn't mention that in the notes from the first chapter with Death's Domain.
· The Herald is the ONE thing that I made up myself. It really is just kind of a figurehead for moral support. I have plans to work with the idea of the Sages needing one to represent them. Oh, yeah, I have plans for the Sages to become more important and physically present in this story later.
· I COULD explain the stuff about the Mahou Shoujo…but again, it's going to be a plot point and VERY soon, so you'll all have more suspense to enjoy if I don't explain it!
· "Mars is bright tonight" = when I was a kid, I thought it was freaking hysterical that every centaur Hagrid met in Sorcerer's Stone opened by saying this. As an adult, I now understand that it was really serious business and not a laughing matter at all. But I still HAD to reference it.