#also i've never been told how to study so i'm totally winging

[icedcoffee2809]

I DID NOT DROP FRENCH JUST SO THAT ECONOMICS CAN BECOME MY NEW NUMBER 1 ENEMY

[thedumbguywithaheart43]

A spark of hope

chapter 5 story 1

1.Sparks walked with spike to his home. The big ass castle in town. Say what you will about royalty they knew how to do the place up. Still it was far deeper in town then sparks wanted to go.

2. But after everything they had went through to get him his first kill Sparks assumed it would be fitting to at least accompany his little protege. Even if Spike was now about his height."you know your family is going to freak when you come home twice your original height."

3. Spike started laughing."well it was totally worth it. Although I'm sure I'm going to get a lot of studying done on me. Twilight's going to take every chance to record every little change of me right when I get inside."Sparks Patted him on the shoulder."Hey no matter what though they're your family I'm sure they'll be thrilled to see the changes. All part of growing up right."

4. Spike just gave a simple nod. "Thanks for walking me home it was nice to have someone to talk to about all this."Sparks just smiled as he turned away."Anytime kiddo."Spike then reached for the doorknob only for the door to swing open suddenly and six Mares to immediately surround him.

5. Six very pissed off Mares. Actually make that five pissed off mares and Fluttershy who looked like she just wanted to go home."SPIKE! Why the bucking hell have you been sneaking to the everfree!"Spikes eyes widened. They knew. This also got Sparks attention as he stopped in his tracks to look behind him.

7."Fluttershy told me she saw you hunting! You were eating meat! Why the hell were you eating meat!"Spike wanted to answer but he was too paralyzed by The many eyes around him.

8. The girls themselves on the other hand were very uncomfortable. They all came out to speak to spike but right now this felt like more of a conversation between him and his guardian. Right now they were just there to watch. Maybe that's what Twilight wanted.

9. Sparks also watched only he was resisting the urge to jump in. Twilight then begin her rant once more after a short breather."do you have any idea what ponies would think if they saw that! What if someone else found out about this! For all we knew there could have been an angry mod coming to take you away! And I've been worrying every single night!"

10. Spike was now taking a step back lowering himself below twilight's eye line looking straight up at her as he did."I swear spike you gave me a heart attack! Do you have any idea how worried I was I thought you could be in danger an turns out you could have been!"Twilight herself look like she was on the verge of tears but her anger persisted as she walked towards spike."Im so angry spike I'm very disappo..."Twilight never finished her sentence.

11. Her view was now blocked from spike. Because Sparks quicker than anyone had registered got right in between the two and he was pissed. He also abandon his hood letting the garment fall to the ground behind him.

12. Before everyone stood a jet black Pegasus stallion. Just a little shorter than Big Mac. He had a bone white short mane with a few strands poking out. And a tail to match. His wings were also slightly larger than the average Pegasus. Solid black with white tips. They were also bound with what seemed to be large bands making it impossible for him to fly.

13. Still that didn't stop him from putting himself between the angry princess and the Dragon. And at a speed that even rainbow Dash would be impressed with if she wasn't absolutely stunned by the display that was happening.

14."Don't you fuckin dare talk to spike like that!"Twilight was lost for words as the stallion glared at her."I don't give a shit if you're the princess of Equestria or the fucking goddess of the world itself! You wanna be pissed that spike was following his nature you can deal. With. Me."

15. At this point rainbow Dash had moved with applejack to either side of Twilight. Not yet ready to barge in but they're to protect their friend."How dare you talk to me that way I'm looking out for his best interest!" She snarled back. But despite her words she felt an instant sense of dread as if the back of his eyes were turning into small storms.

16."you're not looking out for his best interest you're looking out for the best interest of ponies! I have no doubt in my mind that you truly love your dragon but you don't seem to understand anything about his biology what you were doing to him could have killed him in the future!"everyone took a sharp gasp even Spike.

17."wha-what?"Once again Twilight without a loss for words."A gem only diet is incredibly dangerous for a dragon to do long-term! You don't know how many countless dragons I saw in the dragonlands who only ever ate gems die at the hands of a larger predator because their bodies hadn't grown the strength necessary to defend themselves. Without a larger frame and harder scales there's no doubt in my mind that if Spike were to ever go out of pony care he would be killed!"

18. Twilight now took her own step back."Spike is 17 years old! And I could only tell that because the fact that he has a wings and guess why that is."Twilight could barely get the words out."H-he wasn't eating m-meat."she now felt herself pressed up against the door as her friend stood around sparks. Ready to pounce.

19. Sparks then notice the terror in her eyes. He wanted to protect spike to defend him but. He didn't come there to make pretty mares cry. And admittedly this one was a princess as well.

20. Additionally he also noticed the dark clouds forming around them and a heavy wind starting to blow. He took a deep breath and spoke."look I-im sorry. I've got a bit of an issue with my temper I just couldn't stand by and hear you say those things to someone you care about. Your a pony who took in a dragon that's more than I can say for a lot of folks."

22. He could now also see the mares around him but he showed little concern. He then took several steps back giving the mare a chance to breathe."I uh wow um I'm not wearing my cloak uuuh."There was a slight blush on his face as he realized everyone was staring at him. Although luckily everyone seem to have taken a deep breath when he backed away.

23. Twilight then started to stand up again taking more deep breaths as she stared at stallion in front of her and her fear quickly turned to curiosity."How do you know so much about dragons?"Sparks seemed almost surprised when she asked."oh uh I spent about the last 6 years or so living in and around the dragon lands I got to witness the lives of many dragons."

24. He was given a few looks of what the fuck by the mares all though he could hardly blame them."look I truly don't mean to intrude on the way you're teaching him but I don't think anyone else around here or anywhere for that matter knows more about dragons. So I did what I thought was right and taught him what I could and I would like to keep teaching but I cannot blame you if you forbid him from speaking with me again."Twilight stood up examining the stallion.

25. She noticed things about him things she wasn't sure if anyone else could. He had an ungodly amount of bags under his eyes as if he hasn't slept in weeks. He had a light scars barely visible through his fur all around his face and hooves. Most probably would never see them as they blended nearly perfectly with his black coat. Most importantly she noticed the eyes.

26. They were eyes that showed nothing but caring. Whoever the stranger was had taken a liking to spike an the way spike was currently hiding behind him. she knew what she had to do. Twilight spoke "could you please come inside I would like to talk some for spikes sake."

[skywailer]

Hi! For your Harry Potter caffeinated thing: My favorite songs right now are Sorry by Halsey and Longest night by Howie day (which I've been learning on the ukulele). I got a ukulele for Christmas this year. I used to play the cello when I was younger and I still think it's the most beautiful instrument ever. I love chocolate. I'm the youngest sibling and have an older brother and sister. We have two cats. I study biology. Ummm... I think that's it. Oh also I plan on dyeing my hair pink. Thanks!

!!!! Have you dyed your hair yet?  Digging the pink hair vibes !!!!  Sorry for the wait, here you go!

- how you got your Hogwarts acceptance letter: you’d been waiting at the window for some time now; headphones on, a song playing in your head and your fingers pressing notes into the palm of your hand- nervous.  You’d done this twice before, when your brother and your sister had gotten their letters- you more excited than even they for their own invitation to the world you longed to see.  The world of your parents.  Not yours, not yet.  You glanced back at your grandparents, sitting in the living room as they always did with the tellie on; muggles still so unsure of the wizarding world to really know what to do on this day- even when they’d gone through this twice before with your siblings, and once before that with your mother: a muggleborn witch.  As your father was.  Both had passed away during the first war, and so the wizarding world only had the faintest of imprints in your head- the glimmer of a charmed mobile above your crib, the heavy wand you once grabbed from your father as a babe- maybe, or was that a dream?  You were never sure.  Your siblings had experienced more, but that had been both a gift and a curse for them.  They’d told you stories, as had your grandparents- but now you were 12, and ready to be a part of the story.  No more half-adventures that stopped 9 and ¾ of the way at Kings Cross.  It was your turn.  Or so you hoped.  So, you waited at the window, and stared out into the mundane street with all the mundane cars and driveways.  And then there was a not-so-mundane shadow in the sky- with great wings and beak holding something dear and important to you.  Giddy, you called back to your grandparents and tore open the window, arms stretched out as the owl swooped low and landed on your arm with a hard, secure grip.  Even though its hold didn’t last long before the owl was off again, letter delivered onto your palm, you felt that owl’s talons on your arm every day until you arrived at Kings Cross.  As though it were holding you, guiding you, into your story.  At last.

- head canons about your trip on the Hogwarts Express: Finally, you made it past that inconspicuous column, onto the platform for the Hogwarts Express.  And finally, finally, you weren’t waving from outside the train, but from inside.  Your grandparents, like twice before and once before that, blew kisses goodbye to you and your siblings; loving and supporting, even if they honestly had no clue how to approach magic- just how to approach this train.  When the train began to move, and you’d settled into your seat beside your siblings, who were already paired off with friends they’d met while you were waiting for this life to begin- you became restless.  Again a song played in your head, fingers strumming notes and pressing encouragement into your palm.  You got the nerve to stand up and leave the cabin, in search of your own friends, ones you knew were out there but had yet to meet.  Your search stopped three cabins down, when you heard a clatter and a giant black case tumbled out into the corridor- in the shape of a base.  There’s a shrill cry of despair and someone flooded out into the corridor with it, as though they were flinging themselves overboard to save a lost soul.  You spent the rest of the ride arguing with this someone about whether the base or cello was “the most beautiful instrument ever”.  Neither of you won the argument, but won a friendship instead.

- what happened when you went head-to-head hat with the sorting hat: your siblings had both gone to the same house in years past, but you didn’t let their sorting, or your parents’, influence where you were to belong.  And you wanted to belong, and already knew where, from the stories your grandparents had told of your mom and dad’s adventures at Hogwarts as well as from the letters your siblings sent home, attempting to paint for you the most accurate picture possible of your soon-to-be home.  You were patient when waiting for your name to be called, and calm as you sat down- even though your stomach did a flop or two inside when the hat touched down.  You closed your eyes and pictured what you loved most: warm, yellow sunlight, bits of chocolate atop a pile of family photos - still images mixed in with moving smiles and kisses - the purr of cats and tickling whiskers on your cheek, the friend you made and the friends yet to make.  You saw these images and grinned, and barely missed it when the name came- “Hufflepuff!”  The friends you’d make soon enough cheered and rooted your name into their hearts.  Your story was unfolding, in shades of yellow and black.

- who’s your squad: you made quick friends of everyone in the Hufflepuff dorm, including Hannah Abbot, but friendships wouldn’t stop there.  How could it?  You’d been starving for this world for so long, and heard so much about it from other’s tales, that you wanted to know first-hand as many people as you could.  By the end of the year, you were almost always seen with Neville, admiring and discussing nature, as well as Luna and a few other Ravenclaws who shared your love of music and hungry curiosity.  At times, you were even spotted with Draco Malfoy and a few Slytherins, who took an interest in the cello you brought to school (but not so much the ukulele; that was something Luna adored). 

- general first-year shenanigans you were up to while Harry was being Harry:

the first night at Hogwarts, you couldn’t sleep a wink, and ended up roaming the halls (even though it was past curfew) and stumbled upon old photos of your mom, who’d played quidditch in her day, and your dad- the scholar accepting an award from Dumbledore. 

You were found asleep in the hall, in front of that display by your friend from the train.  After getting a little help, he and your siblings carried you back to the dorm.

Your cat is known to be a little intrusive and has, often, barged into your class to deliver a dead mouse to your desk.  Sometimes, she delivers something you’d actually like: like chocolate.

once you got so nervous during a class that your fidgeting sent your quill flying across the room.  It struck through Professor McGonagall’s hat like a spear.

Draco heckled that you should’ve gotten your house points for sportsmanship.

You were lucky not to get a detention.

Instead, McGonagall advised you focus more on note-taking, and less on target practice. 

You were approached by the Hufflepuff quidditch captain later that day.  But you shot down the offer, mortified. 

When the weather was nice out, you enjoyed taking a stroll down to the lake and practicing the ukulele away from questioning gazes.  Sometimes, a wild Luna would appear and sometimes you’d give her lessons.

In exchange, she promised to dye your hair pink by the end of the winter term (so you’d be ready for spring).  

It… didn’t exactly go as planned.

It took three Hufflepuffs, four Ravenclaws, and one annoying Slytherin heckling you, to finally get your hair from a sewage green to the pink you’d been wanting.

To atone, Luna worked with Hermione to dig up some information about your parents and presented you with a handmade yearbook of their time at Hogwarts.

You’d already forgiven her, but you forgave her again.

By the end of the year, you’d assembled a group of musicians to play with, and petitioned the school for more extracurricular activities involving the arts.  

By the end of the year, you’d held a concert for the school, and participated in an inter-house talent show.

By the end of the year, you felt like your story was pouring out of the pages- and it had only just begun...

...But you had totally forgotten to tell your grandparents about your hair.