Chapter III:Night Terrors

We descended the stairs, to see Celestia by four black robed humans. One, a male, was glowering at her. He must have been this 'Snape'. We regrouped around her, and the four professors stood in a semicircle around us.

"Professor Snape," she pointed toward him. "Please escort Rarity with you to the Slytherin dorm." Rarity and Spike walked toward him.

"Which one of you is Rarity? And which one of you is trying my patience!" He pointed at them.

"I, Professor Snape, am Miss Rarity. And Spike is heading to Slytherin with me! If you wish to object, take it up with the headmaster!"

"Yeah! What makes you think you can talk to her like that!" Yelled Spike.

"The fact that I am the head of Slytherin House, little dragon! But it is clear she has the right attitude, now we just have to see if she has the talent to back it up... Follow me, and do as I say, or I will have you thrown out of Slytherin so fast your scales will fall off! The same goes double for you, Miss Rarity." A cruel sneer was etched on his gaunt features.

They all walked off, grumbling about each other under their breath. "Now, Applejack and Rainbow Dash, you should go with Professor McGonagall." She gestured toward the old woman, who gave them a nod in greeting.

"I hope she's a lot cooler than she looks." Rainbow whispered to AJ. As they vanished down the hall, I could hear the faintest trace of McGonagall's old voice ask them about themselves, before they went out of the range of hearing.

"Fluttershy, Pinkie? You're with Professor Sprout. She'll take you to Hufflepuff."

"Come with me, students. I'll get you set up, and tucked in for tonight." Sprout said warmly.

"Thank you, Professor Sprout." Fluttershy said. "And I have a lot of questions about humans to ask you, if you don't mind."

"I just wanna know" Pinkie asked "Where I can get some supplies for a party!? We're gonna meet a lot of new friends, and the best way to do that is a party! Pinkie Pie style!" Her voice was the last to fade out into the distant corridor.

"And Twilight? Professor Quirrel will take you to Ravenclaw. Sleep tight, my faithful student. I will see you tommorow." It looked like I was stuck with the turban-wearing human with the nervous tic. Well, I had nervous tics of my own around strange new po... people, so it'd all balance out.

"Goodbye, Princess. Oh, and hello, Professor, Quirrel, was it? Pleased to meet you."

"Oh, I assure you, my dear, the pleasure is all mine." We started walking down the corridors away from the headmaster's office.

"So, Hogwarts... any rules I should know about?"

"No, I don't think that's important at the moment. Just follow me." The professor was going down the labyrinthine halls, and taking the darkest, and quietest branch, each time we hit an intersection.

"Any interesting news? I'm afraid I'll have a hard time fitting in." I said.

"I wouldn't worry about that." He said. "Now, in here, if you would." He opened a door.

It led into a classroom area. The chairs were a bit weird, but I assumed they were for human anatomy. "Professor, are you sure this is the way to Ravenclaw?"

"Oh, I'm quite sure." He said. "That it isn't."

"NOW, Quirrel! Strike!" A third, terrible voice demanded.

"Stupefy!" A red bolt shot from the wand he had drawn. It struck me in the chest, and I flew back toward the wall. As my eyes spun, the Professor was on me in a flash. He reached down, and bit me in the neck. He began to drink my blood.

Once I realized what was happening, panic and terror gripped my chest. I could feel my consciousness fade from shock and blood loss. But then, terror gave way to rage.

How dare he! How dare he take me from my friends! How dare he take me from Spike! I didn't understand the human world, but this was not right. And, what about my friends? Had they been led into a trap? Time slowed down for me.

My eyes snapped to attention, and I saw the armored suit on the wall. My horn glowed, as I summoned a come-to-life spell. When it was ready, I shoved my back and shoulders upwards, and knocked Quirrel off. The animated armor, free to strike without hitting me, brought down its mace with a two handed swing square onto his turban. Quirrel's head flattened under the impact, and blood poured from his nose and ears. His eyes clouded over. Terror returned, and I hyperventilated.

"Oh no, oh no, oh no. I just killed my professor! And I don't know where my friends are!"

"Don't beat yourself up too much, little pony." A stocky, robed wizard with a weird eye had snuck in next to her. "I was a few seconds from killing him myself. Good thinking with the armor."

"AAAAH! Who are you?"

"Mad-Eye Moody. Here, compress this bandage on your neck. Anyway, this piece of sh..stuff here was wanted for murder, dark magic, theft, and more murder. But he's supposed to be dead. Given how he was walking around without being instantly attacked by Dumbledore, something rotten's going down at Hogwarts. Good thing Filch snitched to the MOM, but it looks like we needed an auror here last week."

Moody's eye turned from the body to look at me. His other eye spun madly in its socket.

"I can't place it, but you remind me of somepony back home. But MOM? Auror? Murderer?"

"Yes. Murderer. Quirrel here was the host for You-know-who."

"I don't."

"Eh? I suppose you don't. There was a murderer on the loose some time ago, whose name was enchanted to tell him any time you said it, and where. During his criminal rampage, we all simply called him You-know-who to avoid the spell. Just call him that, we'll understand you."

He continued. "Anyway, You-know-who came back as a parasite attached to Quirrel, and made him do terrible crimes of his own. But he was killed last year by Harry Potter. If Quirrel's around now, I suspect somebody's fooling around with amnesia potions and time-travel. And once I catch them..." He made strangling motions with his hands.

"Time-travel? That's impossible!"

"Maybe in magic-pony-land. But here, the MOM... Ministry of Magic, regulates the use of Time-Turners, an enchanted timepiece that lets you go backward and forward in time. I know for a fact that Dumbledore was issued a couple of them, so I'll have to track them down. You can imagine what damage they can do in the wrong hands. Or maybe you can't, since you think time travel's impossible."

"Hey! I've got plenty of imagination. Time travel's just a violation of Professor Rhu-"

"Zip it. Science. I get it. You can write your formulas later. Right now, we have to figure out what to do." He put his hand down on Quirrel's neck. Quirrel began to fade. "DAMN IT! Well, that confirms a Time-Turner, that's for sure." He looked back at me. "I think I should take you to the infirmiry for the bite on your neck. Then, I'll take you to... Ravenclaw, was it?"

"Yes, the 'Sorting Hat' said so."

"Yeah, fine. This way."

He led me down more of the twisty, confusing corridors. We stopped at another landing on the Grand Staircase. We waited for another change in its configuration.

"Already, this is a huge... mess. First, a transdimensional teleport, which they still haven't found a way to ward against, then teachers acting out of character, so I suspect the Imperius Curse, and finally, a dead bastard come back to life, attacking students, and travelling back in time before I can finish him off. I see a week of all-nighters in my future."

I shuddered, remembering the feeling of having my neck bitten, paralyzed with panic. "Tell me about it. I only slept two hours this morning, and I don't think I can get to sleep after that attack."

"You only have to worry about Quirrel, and I'll track down the mind-magic he used. He won't be coming for you. He was drinking unicorn blood to gain immortality; fortunately, he's the only one doing that. He must have seen you as a target of opportunity."

"Wait, you can gain immortality? Oh no, Rarity!"

"Calm down. It's a cursed, painful immortality only a desperate person would use. And aurors like me track down and put down anyone who would do that. So, odds are nobody within a thousand miles wants your blood. You, and this 'Rarity' can sleep tight tonight. Heck, with the fight you put up, I can discount the possibility of an invasion of Hogwarts via your home dimension, it would be the last mistake You-know-who and the Death Eaters made. Anyway, welcome to the Infirmiry"

I entered the Infirmiry, and Mr. Moody woke up Madam Pomfrey. She set me briefly on a cot, before shaving, salving, and bandaging the wounds on my neck. While she did that, I asked Mr. Moody to fill me in on more details, such as the Aurors, the Unforgivable Curses, the Death Eaters, and the details of his current case. Aside from Quirrel, I'd learned a lot of the other faculty were acting very strangely lately, hence his belief the Imperius Curse had been used.

As we left, he asked Madam Pomfrey to work with Professor Sprout to cook up some of the known antidotes to mind control magic and potions. Unfortunately, Professor Snape wouldn't be able to help, he was one of the suspected affected. Snape, Hagridd, Lupin, and Trelawney were the ones he'd found acting odd so far.

We walked down the final corridor to Ravenclaw tower, talking a little more. Mr. Moody was trying to fill me in on some details on human society, to get me through the week, anyway. "Ok, so it's gonna be weird for you ponies, but you're gonna need clothes. Humans don't go out without 'em, and it's cold here in England anyway. Good thing you came here on a Saturday, you should be able to go to Hogsmeade tommorow and get some. Remember, nobody has classes on Saturday and Sunday of each week."

"That's amazing! We have a lot of holidays in Equestria, but they aren't organized so rigidly."

"Um, sure. Amazing. Anyway, we've made it." He knocked on the door.

The door answered. "What is the root of the firmament?"

He answered the riddle with a riddle. "What has an Auror's badge, no time for this, and a spell to break you into kindling?"

The door opened. "Spoilsport!"

We stepped into a common room. Alcoves full of books sat around the tall windows. I relaxed a little, feeling more at home. A very short human man approached us. "What is the meaning of all this, Mr. Moody?"

"What, I can't congratulate an old friend on his promotion? Again?"

The other man looked baffled.

"Take this new student to wherever Dumbledore assigned her. I'll fill you in on my riddle afterwards. I'm afraid Professor Quirrel will not be joining us, he was very, very late."

He shook a little, and beckoned me closer. "Good evening, my dear... unicorn. Oh, my, Dumbledore said I'd have a new student, but he didn't mention you... weren't a human. Sorry, sorry, no offense meant. Anyway, I am Professor Flitwick, and this here is your room. You will be here with Luna, hmm, looks like she's out, this late at night. I'll have to track her down. After I talk to Mad-Eye. Well, settle in, we'll have this all sorted by morning." The professor left.

Luna! I'd get to see Luna! This was so exciting! None of us had seen hide nor hair of her ever since the party at Ponyville. I waited excitedly on the bed, for my chance to ask her where she'd been. For a good minute or ten. Then, fatigue overtook me, and I fell asleep.

The sun had risen when I woke up. Had I missed my chance to talk to Luna? I stirred, but this bed was very comfortable. I could feel the warmth of the sun on my side and back. I could also hear faint breathing, and an arm on my chest. My eyes shot open and I rolled off the bed.

I screamed. From the bed, a blonde human stirred and sat up. She screamed back.

"What are you doing in my room? In my bed?" I shouted.

"Wait, this is my room!" She shouted back.

"I was transferred here last night! This is my room! And what did you do with Princess Luna!"

"I am Luna!"

I stopped, and bowed. "Sorry Princess, that is an amazing disguise."

She looked baffled. "No, I'm Luna. Luna Lovegood. This is my room. I'm only a princess to my daddy's. No disguise. This is me."

"I'm sorry. You have the same name as a pony I know. Or know of, anyway. I just assumed they put me with her. But what were you doing in my bed?"

"It's my bed. You sleep really quiet. I thought you were a stuffed animal my dad sent me, so I just climbed into my bed. Sorry."

"No, I'm sorry. I didn't know it was your bed. I didn't sleep very well last night, so I must have been out like a rock."

"And I was up late looking out towards Hagridd's cottage from the telescope at the top of this tower."

"What were you doing spying on people!'

"I wasn't spying on him! I was trying to see the Thestrals near the forgotten forest!"

I asked what a Thestral was, and got way more information than even I wanted. Apparantly she had a major interest in this world's Cryptids, but remembering Pinkie's Pinkie Sense, I decided to humor her.

"Sounds fascinating, really. I may not be able to see these 'Thestrals', but I'm willing to trust you." I said.

"You believe me? You're not just having a laugh at 'Loony Luna'?"

"Why would you think that? I said I trust you, I meant it! I mean, sure, I'd like to scientifically verify and photograph the creatures you're talking about to be sure, but firsthand experience is the basis of science. Just because I don't have an explanation for it now, doesn't mean it doesn't exist."

"It's just, most people tell me I'm crazy for believing in these creatures. And they humor me, and play pranks on me sometimes." She sniffed. "It's why nobody has lasted as my roommate."

"Well, it's their loss." I said.

Far away, a clock began to toll. "Oh, no!" Luna exclaimed. "We'll be late for breakfast! Gotta get dressed!" She jumped out of bed, pulling robes out of her closet. She pulled one over her head, and tossed one at me. "It won't fit, but rules are rules. You can borrow this one until you can get some other clothes."

With some pieces of string, I was able to tie enough of it up so I wasn't going to trip on it. But I looked rediculous. Good thing the only other ponies who could see me were already my friends. I walked with Luna to the Great hall. We were among the last to arrive. Luna offered me a seat near her friends, but I told her I wanted to talk to my friends from Ponyville first. So I sat near the end of the Ravenclaw table, in line with Dash and Applejack on the Gryffindor table, and Pinkie and Fluttershy at Hufflepuff. I sat on the Hufflepuff side of the Ravenclaw table, as there was no sign of Rarity or Spike yet.

"Nice robe." Rainbow was flying above the table, and picked up some of the slack of the poorly fitting garment.

"Rainbow! Didn't you hear that we all needed clothes?"

"Didn't come up." AJ called. "Asides, I got clothes." She nodded her hat.

"No, I mean clothes for the body! Like robes!" I sighed. "We really need Rarity."

Pinkie was about to say something, I'm sure, when there was a massive interruption to breakfast. Owls were flying in from the windows, and delivering mail. I was stunned when one alighted on my table. It was Owlowicious.

"Owlowicious! How in the wide world of Equestria did you get here!?"

"Hoo."

"That's amazing! So why did you come here?"

"Hoo."

"I see. Well, give me the scroll then. Want something to eat?" I took a look at the spread in front of me. Then gagged. There was a lot of meat here...

Owlowicious ate something I couldn't recognize, while I unrolled the scroll to take my mind off my stomach.

To my old friend acquaintance You cold, cold bitch Twilight Sparkle,

Princess Celestia is gone. Princess Luna is gone. You, her precious 'Most favored student' are the only one who knows anything about where in the hell they are. The government is running on fumes. That inbred retard, Blueblood is calling the shots. WE NEED THEM BACK. As his 'chair of the department of hotness' (Which I'm sure I only got due to my looks, as he has been hitting on me non-stop. Ass.) it has been my responsibility to shoot down his moronic ideas. Which he has. All the time. I have also basically become the government, acting in his name. The power would be addicting if there weren't so. many. fucking. details. I'm tempted to move the seat of government into a spa, just to deal with the stress.

And I'm sure I've made mistakes myself. A couple of my decisions have come back to bite me in the backside. But I'm finding it increasingly hard to care. A 4% wheat tax? 5%? There are ponies here, who wouldn't know wheat flour from poison joke (now there's an appealing idea) who will argue for, and I kid you not, days, over a single percentage point on some convoluted mess of a bill, which they haven't even read. Because it is three hundred pages long. And I know there's a difference, and it matters to farmer ponies, but I'm too fucking bored to care at this point, and I haven't slept in days and I need coffee

So please. I know you snubbed me at my birthday parties. I know you tore up gifts for me. You didn't talk to me at school, and gave me the complete cold shoulder. But Equestria needs your help. It needs the Princesses back. I need your help. I am begging you here. Because I am at my wit's end, and one of these meetings I am going to just snap, and the last thing I want to do is fail Equestria because I'm just not smart, or tough enough, and too hungry and sleepy and angry to do this job that's been forced on me.

Your old friend schoolmate nemesis,

Moondancer

P.S. Fuck You!
P.P.S.HELP ME!

I stared blankly at the scroll for a minute after I read it. AJ walked over, and punched me on the shoulder. "Somethin' the matter, sugarcube?"

I sighed. "Just thinking about an old mistake. But I've got to pen a reply to this scroll, fast. Do you have any pen or paper?"

"No, Twi. I left all my supplies back in my room in Gryffindor."

"Here, take this ball-point. I thought I'd need it today, but I didn't foresee it was for a unicorn." A darker-skinned human girl next to me handed me the writing implement.

"Thank you. And you are? Just in case I walk off with the pen, not that I'm a thief, I'm just occupied, right now."

"Padma Patil. I am wondering about what all you ponies are doing here."

"I'm Twilight Sparkle. I'll fill you in later; right now I have a letter to write." I began on the back of the scroll Moondancer sent me.

Moondancer,

You deserve a prompt reply. And an apology. I'm sorry I missed your birthday party the last two years, and destroyed Spike's gift for you. To be honest, the entire time I was at Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, I put my studies far ahead of making friends. It looks like you didn't, and you tried to be my friend. It's high time I returned the favor. Even if you hate me right now.

Princesses Celestia and Luna are here to... give Philomena children. There's another Phoenix at our location. As for that location, it's a 'Hogwart's School for Witchcraft and Wizardry', located in another plane of existence. There is a ritual that can transport ponies here, but it's complicated, and I didn't take it with me. I can send it to you later, probably. Oh, as an aside, could you please get some reparations to a 'Carrot Top' in Ponyville? We may have damaged her carrots on the way out of Equestria.

As for governing Equestria? It sounds like you know what you're doing. I always knew you were smart, but I guess I really took you for granted. I will tell Princess Celestia what's been going on, and try to set up Owl based communications directly between you and her. And probably with Blueblood as well. I'll bet the Princess has a lot to talk to him about. If he's at all like what Rarity told us, I wouldn't wish him on my worst nemesis.

And by all means, relax, delegate, and take some time for yourself. Even Princess Celestia has a bureaucracy for a reason.

But it sounds like you need some real friends. I'm sorry I haven't been one. I'll be sure to bring mine on your next birthday. Or maybe even sooner. What I'd heard here was that the Princess expected to be here for a few weeks. Oh, I know, the Princess might have a list of ponies you can trust! Then, governing Equestria in her absence will be, well, not easy, but a lot more bearable, anyway.

Your nemesis,

Twilight Sparkle

I handed the letter to Owlowiscious, who flew out through the window. I clicked the pen closed, and put it in my pocket. Then I realized what I was doing, and tapped Padma on the shoulder, and handed her back her pen. I took a look around, and saw that the flood of students into the great hall had slowed to a trickle. I looked back toward my friends, and it looked like they all had things to say to me.

Rarity was the last student to enter the hall. The door closed with an ominous thud. Her mane was frazzled, and she had a sleeping Spike on her back. Her left eye was half closed, her right, twitched. She staggered forward, towards me.

"Blood. So. Much. Blood."

She got on her knees, and begged me. "Please please please please please! Get me out of Slytherin! I don't care how you do it, just get me out of there! And the clothes! Hideous! Trampy! Black leather? Lace? Straps!? High crimes against fashion!"

Her tirade was interrupted by a quarterstaff striking the stage at the end of the room. Dumbledore began to speak.

"Good morning, students. I have some bad news. It appears that Professor Quirrel is dead. Or rather, has been dead for over a year. Also, we have all been affected by amnesia potions, so that we did not remember it." The room erupted into whispers.

The quarterstaff hit the stage once again. The whispers quieted. "There is an inquest from the Ministry of Magic! We will not stand for the use of amnesia potions, and the plans of The Dark Lord, Lord Voldemort! The ministry has sent its top Auror, the famed Mad-Eye Moody to get to the bottom of this outrage! So, rest assured, students, that we are doing our utmost to keep you safe."

"Naturally, an antidote to the amnesia potions has been mixed in with your food today. We all should remember the proper order of things soon. Remus Lupin has resumed his post as the teacher of Defense Against the Dark Arts. Professor Flitwick has resumed his position as head of Ravenclaw."

He took a break, and let the message sink in. He thumped his quarterstaff again, for consistency.

"Finally, those of you who have eyes, and are not idiots, may have noticed six new students have joined us. They will be with us for a few weeks. They are ponies from the magical land of Equestria. As with their leaders, Celestia and Luna, a Ministry of Magic censorship order is in effect on them. You are not permitted to speak of their existence to any outside news source. Otherwise, I ask that you treat them as you would any other student. They shall be joining you in classes, go shopping at Hogsmeade, and eating with you, just like any other student. I am sure you'll learn as much from them as they learn from you."

"With this morning's anouncements out of the way, let's eat!" He made to sit, then stood back up. "One more thing, students, today's trip to Hogsmeade will set out at ten a.m. If you plan on going, be sure to be on time." Finally, he sat down.

I looked at the table, and tried to find something to eat that wasn't meat. Given that this was a proper English breakfast, it was very hard. I finally found some spinach, and a little bread. I was ready to eat, when Pinkie interrupted me.

"Hey, Twilight, do you want to hear about how my night went?"

I thought for a moment. "Sorry, Pinkie, this table isn't really set up for talking. How about, when we finish breakfast, we get together at a round table outside, and compare notes on the Houses of Hogwarts?"

"Okey dokey, Twilight!"

Pinkie, with her ability to teleport around somehow, managed to tell all my other friends. I was beginning to tell Padma about Equestria, when I was nudged in the rump by an extremely small human.

"Excuse me, Miss pony, but this has been sent for you. From a 'Princess Luna'." The small man was carrying a plate of round cylindrical things.

"Thank you. And you are?" It rudely scrambled away. I cut a small section of the cylinder out, and took a bite. It was salty, fibrous, and rather unpleasant. I choked it down with a very large glass of water.

"I never thought unicorns would eat black pudding." Said Padma.

"That sure didn't seem like a pudding." I replied.

"Oh, no, black pudding's a kind of sausage." She said back. "Made of meat and animal blood."

I was taking another sip of water. I did a spit take. "I need to go!" I said. I ran out into the hall. I found a garbage can, but, for the life of me, I couldn't bring myself to throw up. The taste of it clung to my throat, and waves of nausea overcame me. My whole gut hurt. I needed to find the infirmiry!

I was desperately looking at the confusing hallways when Fluttershy came out of the door after me.

"Is everything alright, Twilight? What happened?"

"Fluttershy! I ate a sausage! Made of meat!"

She let out a squeaking noise.

"And worse," I said. "I can't manage to throw it up! Help me! You gotta know a trick!"

"How big was the piece?" She asked.

I indicated the size of the small chunk with my hooves. Fluttershy looked relieved.

"That won't pose any danger to your health." She said. "I'll go talk to the Madam Pomfrey in the Great Hall. I'm sure she can get me an emetic."

Why would Princess Luna give me this? I racked my brain, and came up with nothing. But still, it was sent by Princess Luna herself.

"No, Fluttershy, I think I just need something to wash away the awful aftertaste." I said.

"If you say so, Twilight. Are you sure you don't need an emetic? Or even an antacid?"

"I'll definitely take the antacid, thank you Fluttershy." I went back in the hall, and finished eating.