After about 2 months of dreading it came to the night for the Grand Galloping Gala. Harry and Twilight would be going with Spike. The others didn't want to go reasons relating to last years. Fluttershy because she felt bad for the animals she scared last time, Applejack because she thought those "uptown big city pony wouldn't know a good treat if it bit them in the backside", Pinkie because she didn't think the boring high class ponies would accept her coming back, Rainbow Dash because she didn't think she would get a chance at meeting the Wonderbolts for all of the showoffs and attention stealers from last year and Rarity because...well she didn't state her reason but the way she angrily used a photo of Prince Blueblood (who Twilight explained who he was to Harry) as a dartboard was kind of a clue.

Twilight wore the blue dress from last year and Harry thought she looked stunning (for a pony as Harry renembered despite his appearance he is still a human on the inside). Harry was wearing the outfit Rarity made for him with the dark blue jacket, undershirt and red tie with the gems encrusted. Spike was wearing a tuxedo.

Soon night came and they were going on a carriage made from an apple (by a spell from Twilight) being carried by some ponies who volunteered. Harry had stashed away in the carriage, his Invisibility Cloak for emergencies (or to hide from Twilight's parents.)

"I'm not looking forward to this" said Harry "why couldn't you let me stay at home?" Harry then realised he just called Ponyville his home which showed he was getting more used to Equestria.

"Quit complaining Harry" said Twilight "all we have to do is get this misunderstanding cleared up and you will not have anything to worry about!"

When they arrived at Canterlot Castle Spike went off on his own to a donut shop while Harry and Twilight entered together. They saw Princess Celestia talking to 2 ponies each with a horn. One was a mare with white and purple mane and tail, silver coloured and a Cutie Mark that was 3 purple stars. The other was a blue adult male pony with a dark blue mane and tail and his Cutie Mark was a white moon with a smaller one next to it.

"There they are Harry" said Twilight "there are my parents!"

"Hmm now I think about it Spike must be getting lonely" Harry said starting to walk in the opposite direction "I think I will go to keep him company..."

"Nice try buster" said Twilight using the magic in her horn pull Harry's tail back "come on, I'll introduce you to them and we can get this misunderstanding cleared up!"

Twilight then dragged an uncooperative Harry to Twilight's parents.

"Mum! Dad" Twilight said as she came over to her parents and they nuzzled her cheek.

"Good to see you too Twilight" said Mr Sparkle.

"We missed you so much darling" said Mrs Sparkle.

As they were doing this Harry tried to make a break for the door but Princess Celestia spotted this and using the magic in her horn levitated Harry up into the air and put him right next to the family.

"Mum, Dad this is Harry" said Twilight. Harry grumbled this is when his life ends.

"So this is the colt you managed to bag for yourself" said Mrs Sparkle while Mr Sparkle was glaring at Harry making him gulp.

"Mum, Dad I don't know what Princess Celestia has told you but Harry's just a friend..." said Twilight.

"No use fooling us dear" said Mrs Sparkle "when Princess Celestia told us about him all she said was that he was your special friend and we could figure the rest for ourselves!"

"What are your intentions towards my daughter" Mr Sparkle said to Harry with a bit of a snarl.

"Dad stop" Twilight said "honestly he's just a friend!"

Then they spotted coming near them was a group of unicorns (yeah that's what I call ponies with horns from now on) about Harry and Twilight's age. Twilight's eyes widened.

"There my old classmates from when I lived here" said Twilight to Harry "they were nice and kept asking me to hang out with them though I was too busy studying to be social with them and me never really considered them friends."

The young unicorns spotted them and rushed up to them excitedly. Leading the way was a white unicorn with a pink, purple and red mane and tail and was wearing a purple gown.

"Twilight!" said the unicorn excitedly hugging Twilight "it's been too long! How has Ponyville been for you?"

"Hello to you too Moondancer" said Twilight once she let go.

"We were so excited when learnt you would be attending along with this new coltfriend of yours" said Moondancer "so where is the lucky colt?"

"That would be Harry here" said Twilight thinking they must have learnt about Harry through her parents "and there is a misunderstanding, see he's just a frien..."

However Moondancer didn't give her a chance to finish as she giggled at Harry and said "oh my what a stallion! Twilight I must say though you were kind of a bookworm, you turned out to have great taste in colts!"

Then Moondancer called out to the other unicorns saying "everypony come and look at Twilight Sparkle and her coltfriend!"

Then the other unicorns went up to Harry and Twilight.

"I don't think I like all this attention?" said Twilight.

"Welcome to my world Twilight" Harry muttered.

For the next 15 minutes Harry had to endure being surrounded by Twilight's classmates and receiving glares from Mr Sparkle.

"I knew I should have stayed at the library" said Harry "I would be willing to do anything else than else! Being Rarity's dress up doll doesn't sound too bad now, working at Sweet Apple Acres seems preferable and heck I would even enduring one of Pinkie's random songs I would be prefer to be doing than this!"

"Just be thankful Harry" said Twilight.

"THANKFUL?" asked Harry exasperated "thankful for what?"

"Thankful that my older brother Shining Armor isn't here, boy he would scared colts who even looked in my direction..." Twilight stopped when she saw the nervous looks on her mum's face.

"He's coming, isn't he?" Twilight asked. When her mum nodded Twilight groaned.

Then came through the door was a white adult unicorn with a dark blue mane and tail. His CM was a dark blue shield in front of a purple star (looking like the one on Twilight's CM) and he was wearing a red fancy looking jacket (kind of like the ones worn by the guards in the British Royal Wedding, speaking of which as a patriotic British citizen myself I can tell you first hand they hyped that thing up which could rival the hype that the Dark Knight has).

"That your brother?" asked Harry and Twilight nodded.

Shining Armor then came walking towards them as Harry ran to the snack table and making sure nopony was looking slipped on his Invisibility Cloak which he kept hidden inside his jacket.

Shining Armor smiled as his cheek was nuzzled by his cheek. He then turned to see Twilight and said "it's been a while squirt! Looks like my little sis have all grown up!"

"Thanks Shine!" said Twilight as she was hugging her older sibling. When they were done Shining Armor then looked serious and turned his head to look around.

"So where is this coltfriend of yours?" he said sounding scary "I want to have a little 'talk' with him!"

"Big bro it' all a big misunderstanding, Harry's just a friend...wait where is he?" Twilight was saying when she noticed Harry was gone "he was right here a minute ago?"

"Eek a floating tail!" screamed a pony. They all looked to se going through the front door of the castle (past some confused guards) was a jet black coloured tail.

"Didn't Harry have a tail like that?" asked Moondancer.

"Yes he did!" Twilight said and then she, her old classmates, her parents and Shining Armor then went to look for him.

When Harry was a safe distance away he took of his cloak, put it inside his jacket and went off to the nearby donut shop Spike had went to.

He went inside and seated himself next to Spike at the bit in front of the counter.

"Hey Pony Joe" Spike said to the proprietor a brown unicorn with a white shirt and hat and brown mane and tail (whose CM was...well...donuts) "2 plates of donuts for me and my friend here!"

"You got it!" Pony Joe said who went to behind the counter to the shelves where the donuts were stored.

"How's the Gala going so far" Spike asked "it seems pretty early for the Gala to be over already."

"Spike I can't take it anymore of that Gala" said Harry "tonight has been nothing more than just 1 big headache!"

"What happened?" asked Spike.

"I was crowded by Twilight's parents and old classmates all thinking that I'm her boyfriend, coltfriend or whatever!" answered Harry as Pony Joe came back with 2 plates of donuts and they started tucking in.

"Hey did you see Moondancer?" asked Spike with hearts in his eyes.

"Hey I thought it was Rarity that you liked?" asked Harry playfully while Spike glared at him. After they were done they just got out the door when they bumped into Moondancer.

"Hello Moondancer" said Spike dreamily.

"Hello Spike, long time no see!" said Moondancer "and Harry this is where you ran off too!"

Before Harry could stop her Moondancer took Harry's hoof and dragged him back into the castle.

"Found him in the Donut shop with Spike" said Moondancer to Twilight, her parents and Shining Armor who were by the staircase and she dragged Harry to his fate.

Harry cowered under the glare Shining Armor was giving him. "Think your good enough to go out with my little sis?" snarled Shining Armor.

Harry was then snatched by Princess Luna who said "sorry about that Harry Potter but why don't we re-enact our Nightmare Night for the entertainment of the subjects!"

In the middle of the hall Princess Celestia had conjured up a platform which both Luna and Harry went on. Harry went to one side and Luna the other. Luna to the fear of the crowd watching them turned into Nightmare Moon.

Harry then closed his eyes, thought of his House Cup victory and shouted out "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

Sure enough his stag came out of his horn and ran over Nightmare Moon. After half of a minute of shocked silence the crowd began clapping. After 3 encores Harry left the platform.

"Holy cow Twilight must be the luckiest girl ever to have bagged somepony like you" Moondancer said.

He saw that Twilight's parents and Shining Armor were smiling warmly at them.

"What a spectacular sight" said Mrs Sparkle.

"I've never seen anything like it" said Mr Sparkle.

Shining Armor then pulled Harry's head into his arm and squeezed saying "your okay in my book Harry!"

He then let go as Mr Sparkle said "consider yourself part of the Sparkle family!"

For the remainder of the night Harry and twilight had given up on trying to convince everypony that they were just friends and just played along.

Soon it was time for them to go home and on the carriage Harry, Twilight and Spike went home to Ponyville.

As they were getting off the carriage Harry said to Twilight "looks like the next time we meet your family we'll have to pretend to be dating again!"

"Well hopefully next time we...well...will not have to pretend" said Twilight blushing.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.

"Well I've...grown to like you" said Twilight and Harry just blushed.

"Look Twilight" said Harry "I do like you Twilight but well I am still a human mentally and it still feels weird going out with a pony! How about if we take it slow?"

Twilight smiled and said "agreed!"

As they entered the library with Spike the other 5 of the Mane 6 (or should that be 7 now?) were watching from the bushes. Dash was fake puking, Pinkie was thinking about throwing them a party, Applejack was thinking a coltfriend was just what Twilight needed to get her head out of those books and Rarity and Fluttershy were going "aww."