“Are you sure this is safe?” Spike asked.

“Yes, it is.” Twilight Sparkle said enthusiastically. “I threw in an apple to be sure and the machine didn’t blow up.”

Spike did some eye-searching.

“So” Applejack piped up “what is this thing again?”

“This” Twilight replied “is an inter-dimensional portal. Doctor Hooves co-built it with me. It will allow us to go into other dimensions for as long as we need.”

“Have you told Celestia?” Fluttershy asked.

“Yes, she knows.” Twilight said. “As long as we come back alive, she’s fine with it.”

“Couldn’t just use a spell?” Rainbow Dash pointed out.

“If I tried this, I’d probably die.” Twilight said.

The ponies gasped.

“You’re so morbid, Twilight.” Pinkie Pie said “Can we throw a party when we get there and back again?”

“Sure.” Twilight continued “Spike…turn it on!”

Spike flicked a switch and a blue dot appeared. It grew larger and larger until it encompassed the empty space. Twilight giggled with delight. She looked at the other ponies.

“Well?” she asked. “Anybody going in with me?”

Fluttershy backed away a little but the hopes of what kind of animals were in other dimensions…it just fascinated her. The ponies walked into the portal. It actually was very relaxing. Almost as if you were walking through dew.

Soon they were on the other side. In England.

They were a few miles from a small town and you could see it in the distance. They all took deep breaths. The air was wet.

In Equestria, Spike smiled with delight. The project had been a success. But then the portal started to glow red and the machine began to whir. Doctor Hooves suddenly burst in.

“Am I too late?!” he panted as he turned to the portal which was shaking more violently. “Oh no!” he screamed “I should have told her!”

“What?!” Spike yelled.

“What?!” the ponies yelled from the other side.

“The portal is unstable!” Doctor Hooves yelled “I should have told you, Twilight, but it only came to me when I was outside!”

The portal began to shake even more violently and two screws flew out.

“Can’t we just leap back?!” Rarity yelled.

“You can’t!” Doctor Hooves yelled “When the portal glows red it means danger and you could all possibly die!”

“Please, help us!” Fluttershy yelled.

“I can try to make a device that can send you back but it would take-” Doctor Hooves managed to yell before he got cut off by the machines explosion. It burned the walls of the library and the ponies flew back.

The portal closed.

“Damn it!” Twilight yelled as she stomped her hoof in the ground.

“Now what?” Pinkie Pie asked.

Twilight looked around and then at the town.

“Well” she said “we might as well make the most of our visit. Doctor Hooves is smart. He’ll find a way to send us back. In the meantime…let’s go.”

The ponies turned and walked in the direction of the town as the clouds in the sky grew darker and darker.

Rain was imminent.

/////////////////////

It was another one of those rainy days in England. What made this day different from others were the two hooded figures walking towards a house with the number 55 on it.

“Nissie” said one figure “you can’t do this! He can’t be trusted!”

“The Dark Lord trusts him.” the other figure said.

The first figure scoffed at the other.

“The Dark Lord is mistaken!” the first figure insisted.

“Bella” the second figure said “do you want to walk home?”

“No.” the first figure responded.

“Then stop.” The second figure reinstated.

The second figure knocked on the door. A very fat man with brownish hair opened it. Both figures took their hoods off. One was a dark-haired woman with a streak of white hair. The other woman was skinny and had a virtual mane of dark hair.

“Narcissia Malfloy and Bellatrix Lestrange. We’re here for the three o’clock appointment.” the black and white haired woman said.

The fat man looked at his watch.

“Ah, yes!” he said “right this way.”

He led them into the room where a man reading a newspaper was sitting. The man put a part of the newspaper down to reveal a dark-haired man. He motioned for the fat man to leave. He did just that.

“Thank you for coming, Narcissia.” the man said.

“Thank you, Severus. I know I’m not supposed to be here. The Dark Lord forbade me to speak of this.” Narcissia said with concern in her voice.

“If the Dark Lord has forbidden it we should not speak” Snape noticed Bellatrix toying with his clock “put it down, Bella, we mustn’t touch what isn’t ours.”

She blushed slightly and put the clock back. Snape noticed her blushing.

“Anyways” he said as he turned his attention to Narcissia “As it so happens I’m aware of your situation, Narcissia.”

Bellatrix suddenly raised her eyebrows. “You?” she said “the Dark Lord told you?”

“You’re sister doubts me.” Snape said “Understandable over the years I’ve played my part well. So well, I’ve deceived one of the greatest wizards of all time. Dumbledore is a great wizard only a fool would doubt it.”

“I don’t doubt you, Severus.” Narcissia said.

“You should be honest Nissie. Tell him about Draco.” Bellatrix said as she walked around dead bored. Narcissia sighed.

“He’s just a boy.” she said.

Severus thought about this. “I can’t change the Dark Lord’s mind…but it might be possible for me to help Draco.”

Narcissia smiled and got up.

“Thank you.”

“Swear to it.” Bellatrix said. Narcissia and Snape turned to see her. “Make the unbreakable vow.” She slowly walked towards Snape. “It’s just empty words. You’ll give it his best effort…then disappear to whence you came” she then leaned on him rather seductively. She then snapped back into reality and then headed back to the fireplace. “Coward.”

Snape eyes stared at her.

“Take out your wand, Bellatrix.” he said.

Bellatrix suddenly and faced him. Narcissia then held out her hand and Snape grabbed it. Bellatrix placed her wand on their hands. When she did so, some orange electric-like things twisted and turned around their hands. Bellatrix then leaned on Narcissia and faced Snape.

“Do you, Severus Snape” she said “promise to protect Draco Malfoy and aid him in the mission the Dark Lord has given him?”

“I will.” Snape replied.

Bellatrix then walked over and leaned on Snape and leaned into is ear.

“Do you promise” she continued “to fulfill Draco’s mission if he fails to do so?”

“I will.” Snape said.

“Good.” she said. Then she kissed Snape on the cheek. Snape blinked in surprise.

“Why’d you do that?” Snape asked.

“Sorry” Bellatrix said as she retreated. “Force of habit.”

“Thank you Severus.” Narcissia said as she put up her hood. “Bella, come.”

Bellatrix followed and the shut the door.

/////////////////////

Pinkie Pie looked through. Fireworks, candles, balloons. She was in heaven. “How much for all this?!” she said happily.

“We’re having a sale.” Fred Weasley said.

“About $10.99.” George said.

Pinkie fainted. Fred and Georgie blinked.

“We’ll buy it all.” Twilight Sparkle said. “We’re visiting England.”

“Oh, well, welcome.” Fred said.

“Thank you darling.” Rarity replied. “We hope to enjoy our stay.”

The ponies turned their attention to the party stuff. Just then, a boy with glasses and dark hair, another boy with reddish-brown hair and a pretty girl with light-brown-golden hair. The girl tapped Fluttershy on the shoulder.

“Hello there.” the girl said as Fluttershy turned to see the trio.

“Hi.” Fluttershy said.

Twilight turned around and gasped.

“I know you! Harry Potter! Saw your name in the paper today.” She said showing Harry a newspaper where it mentioned him winning the Quidditch World Cup. “Oh, where are my manners? I’m Twilight Sparkle.”

She shook hands (or hooves) with him.

“Who are these other two?” she asked.

“I’m Ron Weasley and this is Hermione Granger.” the other boy said. “And apparently you’ve already met George and Fred.”

“Yo.” Fred said as he was totally immersed in a magazine.

“I’m Applejack, and this is Fluttershy, Rarity, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie.” Applejack said.

They shook their hooves (or hands).

“So, you visiting?” Hermione asked.

“Yeah” Rainbow Dash said “Just arrived.”

“I’ve never been to Hogwarts” Rarity said “but I hear the Yule Ball is quite lovely.”

“Oh, it is.” Hermione replied.

“How do you fly on those brooms?” Rainbow logically asked.

“Well, I…” Harry suddenly stopped and thought about this. “I don’t know.”

“I bet I can fly faster then you guys.” Rainbow Dash said.

“Want to bet?” Ron said.

“Yeah” Rainbow said suddenly interested “Ten bucks says I can fly faster then any of you on brooms.”

“Ten bucks says your wrong.” Harry said.

They shook on it.

/////////////////////

Hermione fiddled with the snow globe. She just then happened to look out the window. There was Draco Malfoy. He had bright white hair and he was wearing a black shirt and pants. Hermione then started blushing. Then, Draco turned towards the window but Hermione ducked to the side.

“Draco.” said a voice that made Draco turn around.

Then Narcissia walked up to Draco.

“Come on, son.” she said. The two walked out of the window sight.

Hermione felt silly spying on Draco. It was immature of her. And yet she was so desperate to talk to him.

She sighed “What will I do?” she whispered.

“Hermione? You coming?” Fluttershy asked.

“Y-Yes.” Hermione said getting back up. She walked out the door with the others.

/////////////////////

As the others walked out, Fluttershy noticed someone duck into a corner. She then flew towards the store wall and put her ear next to it.

“So, he’s ready?” said a voice.

“Yes.” said another voice “I am.”

“Excellent” said the first voice “remember, we can’t fail on this.”

“We won’t.” said a third voice (which was a woman’s). “I’m sure of it. I’ve secured a reliable client.”

“Hmm…” said the first voice. “Dismissed.”

“Fluttershy?!” Rainbow Dash yelled. “Come on.”

Fluttershy jumped and flew towards the direction of Rainbow’s voice.

/////////////////////

Harry read his newspaper. The top story was that a bridge had been blown out the day Twilight and the other ponies arrived (which was yesterday). A red haired waitress walked up to him.

“Can I get you anything else?” she asked.

“No, the coffee was fine.” Harry replied.

“Alright.” the waitress said returning to other costumers.

Suddenly, a very old man in a robe walked in and sat in front of Harry. Harry of course recognized him.

“Hello, Dumbledore.” Harry said.

“Greetings Harry.” Dumbledore said. “How have you been?”

“Good.” Harry said.

“Harry, I need to show you someone.” Dumbledore said.

“Who?” Harry asked, suddenly interested.

“Horace Slughorn.” Dumbledore replied. “He’s a retired wizard but his return is critically important.”

“Why?” Harry logically asked.

“I’ll tell you later.”

The two walked out of the café and headed to the bus station.

/////////////////////

Dumbledore and Harry stood in front of a gate. Dumbledore pulled out a wand and cast a spell and the gate flew open and did the door ahead. The two walked inside the house. Dumbledore shut the door behind them. The two lit their wands and walked into the living room.

It was a fairly nice living room with a piano, a lamp and a bean bag chair. They looked around.

“Oh! Want can I do for you?” said a voice that made Harry jump.

Harry looked for the source of the voice but couldn’t find it.

“Stop fooling around old man.” Dumbledore said.

Suddenly an old man with glasses seemingly popped out of nowhere. He was sitting comfortably on the bean bag chair.

“Who’s that?” the man asked.

“Horace Slughorn” Dumbledore said “this is Harry Potter. Harry Potter, this is Horace Slughorn.”

Harry and Horace shook hands.

“So, uh, why are you here?” Horace said as he headed towards the kitchen “Would you like some tea?”

They didn’t answer.

“No? Okay then.”

“Horace” Dumbledore said “Voldemort is back.”

Horace dropped his spoon and face turned serious. He turned around and looked at the two of them.

“You want me to come back, don’t you.” Horace asked.

“It’s very important.” Dumbledore said.

Horace sighed. “All right.”

“Why is it so important?” Harry asked.

“Because, Harry” Dumbledore said “he holds the key to the Dark Lord’s defeat. Because he met Tom Riddle before he became Voldemort.”

Harry giggled.

“What?” Horace asked.

“Tom Riddle?” Harry said holding back the urge to laugh “Really? That was his name?”

Dumbledore glared at Harry. Harry wisely shut up.

“Deal?” Dumbledore asked.

Horace shook Dumbledore’s hand.

“Deal.” Horace said.

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