Lessons to Learn
~forevergreybacksenemy~

When you are nearly a hundred years old, you begin to realize things that you've never realized before. We realized that we could not regret anything. Regrets only tether us down, keep us in one place. And Al and I couldn't afford to stay long. This side of the Gate was a dangerous place. That was the only thing we could ever know for sure.

000

"Brother, where are we going to stay tonight?" Alphonse asked, glancing nervously up at the cloudy sky.

"I'm not sure Al. Maybe we could find an inn somewhere..." he pushed his fingers farther in his pockets, searching for money. "We really can't stay long, but I need to get a job for at least a little while, or we won't be able to eat..."

"Hmm. Well I guess we really have to stay then, don't we?" Alphonse was deep in thought. Someone coughed from the other side of the park they were sitting in. It was a scrawny black haired boy, wearing scruffy, oversized clothing, and a broken set of metal framed glasses.

"There's a bed and breakfast four blocks from here. And if you need a job, I know someone who needs a gardener who might hire you for the rest of the summer."

Ed scowled. This boy was EAVESDROPPING on their conversation! EAVESDROPPING! He was about to say something when Alphonse cut him off.

"Oh, thank you. Who is it you said might hire us?"

"My aunt and uncle. The Dursleys." The other boy responded. 'They said just today that they didn't want me near their rosebushes anymore, so here they have it, a solution for they stupid gardening problem.' he thought.

Edward just grunted a reply.

Alphonse, however, smiled. "Thanks. Um, I'm Alphonse. And you are?"

The boy fidgeted, "Harry Potter." Harry was so used to his name being a big deal in the wizarding world that he hated to tell anyone; being afraid they would scream and fuss over him. The two blonds in front of him did not scream or fuss, nor did they show any recognition. This was odd to Harry. He had assumed they were wizards by their odd appearance and weird behavior, but it seemed Harry was wrong.

"So, are we gonna meet the Durmys or not?" Ed asked impatiently, not caring for introductions.

"Uh, yeah – the Dursleys." Harry muttered eyeing the older Elric. He led them down Privet Drive to number four.

"Hey, Aunt Petunia! I've found you a gardener!" Harry shouted through the hallway. A woman, his aunt, with a tall, skinny figure and a large scowl on her face came into the hall from the kitchen.

"What are you talking about?" she asked Harry.

"You said you didn't want me to touch your rosebushes anymore, so I found you a gardener." He motioned to Ed.

"Oh... And who are you?" she asked Ed.

"Edward Elric. Harry said you might give me a job till the end of the summer."

"Hmm, yes I suppose..." she thought for a moment. "Harry! Come in here." she ordered her nephew into the living room.

"Is he another one of you freaks?" Harry shook his head.

"He's a mug- a normal person I just met today he's not a..."

"Don't say it! Don't you dare say that word!" she muttered threateningly. She and Harry reappeared in the hall.

"I will ask my husband about this." she returned to the kitchen and left Ed and Al alone with Harry.

"That's your aunt?" Alphonse asked Harry

"Uh, yeah."

Ed shook his head. "She's wound tight isn't she?" he asked.

Harry simply coughed as a portly man stomped into the hall. He looked from Ed to Harry. Harry nodded at him.

"Hmm. I suppose you're hired. Just for the summer. Come back tomorrow." He turned to Harry. "Now you, get out of here."

"Your uncle doesn't seem to friendly Harry." Alphonse said when they were out on the street again.

"No. He's not really the friendly type." Harry chuckled.

"Kinda reminds you of some people we know back home, doesn't it Al?" Edward asked his brother.

'Where is their home?' Harry wondered.

000

Edward knocked on the door, Alphonse by his side.

"Harry! Get the door." Petunia's snippy voice was heard inside the house. A moment later, Harry appeared in the doorway.

"Hello Harry." Alphonse said politely.

"Hold on a mo' – Aunt Petunia! It's the gardeners." Harry called to the kitchen behind him.

His aunt emerged. "Follow me." She told Edward. She led him to her back garden.

"These rosebushes should be watered daily and trimmed weekly. These vegetables should be watered daily as well. All the yellow leaves should be removed as soon as they appear. The grass should be cut weekly – but horizontally – not vertically. Oh, and these sprinklers should be rotated every two hours. Any weeds should be torn up and thrown into the trashcan here. Be sure to pull up the roots, too. The hedges in the front garden should be pruned as needed so they remain symmetrical and do not look at all overgrown…"

Alphonse took some notes in a tiny book he pulled from his pocket. He seemed determined to get everything right.

"What of our payment?" Edward asked.

"After I assess your work, I will decide payment." Petunia answered. "Get to work now." She entered the house.

"She acts kind of bossy." Alphonse murmured.

Harry laughed. "Yeah, well, she's always been protective of her garden. Good luck you two. Oh, and if you see my cousin Dudley, don't get him mad. He packs a punch." With that, Harry was gone – back into the house with his aunt and uncle.

"Come on. Let's get to work Ed." Alphonse said.

000

It was about three in the afternoon and Edward was bent low over the raised bed of vegetables.

"Oi, you. Gardener!" A voice called. Ed turned to see a massive teenage boy behind him, an irritated countenance on his face.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"Dudley Dursley." The whale answered. "So you're the gardener, eh? Ya look a little small. What are you, in the seventh grade?"

"You shouldn't make comments about other people's appearances, you whale." Edward answered angrily.

"Excuse me? Did you just say what I think you said, shorty?"

"Sure did, fatass." Edward replied, taking a step towards Dudley.

"Bastard!" Dudley launched at him. Edward immediately blocked his blow. He threw a fierce punch with his right hand. Dudley staggered backwards, now sporting a bloody nose.

"Brother!" Alphonse shouted at Edward. "No punching - especially not with your right hand!" Alphonse rushed over, but before he could reach the fighting boys, Dudley had drawn a knife from his pocket. He swung wildly at Edward, swinging at his right arm several times. Edward then grabbed his wrist and flipped him over onto the ground.

"I advise you to put away that knife." Edward muttered, straitening up. Dudley looked at Ed in horror from his spot on the now, bloodstained grass. He scrambled backwards, towards his house. At that moment, Harry rushed around the house.

"What happened?"Harry asked looking from Dudley, bleeding on the grass, to Edward, standing in a defensive pose, to Alphonse, who was simply standing, shaking his head at his brother.

"The right hand. Punched him with the right hand…" Alphonse muttered.

"Dudley made a few comments about my height and launched at me. So, I taught him a lesson." Ed smirked.

"You took down Dudley?" Harry asked.

"Yup." Edward answered.

"Wow."

Vernon Dursley at that moment, decided to step outside.

"HARRY! What did you do to Dudley?" he shouted at his nephew.

"Harry didn't do anything. Dudley, there, attacked me, so I taught him a little lesson." Edward explained in a fake tone of politeness.

Alphonse spoke up, "I would advise an ice pack for your son, and a trip to the neurologist. Brother always causes a lot of damage when he punches someone's face."

Vernon looked at Dudley, then Edward.

"You did this?" he asked. "You?"

"He's bloody strong Dad. His fist is like steel." Dudley finally found his voice again.

Edward and Alphonse chuckled.

"What?" Harry asked.

"Nothing." They answered.

"He didn't even bleed when I slashed my knife. I think he's one of - them." Dudley motioned to Harry.

"You brought another freak into my house!" Vernon exclaimed.

"No. They aren't – they aren't like me." Alphonse and Edward were thoroughly confused now.

"GET OUT." Vernon ordered. "GET OUT, ALL THREE OF YOU. Damn FREAKS!" Harry froze. He was shocked.

"But, Uncle Vernon!" His uncle ignored Harry and stormed into the house, Dudley scrambling behind.

"Why did he call us freaks?" Alphonse asked Harry.

"Because he is really dumb and hates everything to do with me." Harry answered. "This is bloody brilliant. What do I do now?"

"Your uncle hates you?"

"Yup. Ever since I came here." Harry replied. He tried to open the door to the house. It was locked. "How am I supposed to get my stuff now?" Harry grumbled.

Edward moved him aside. "I got it." He smashed open the window. "There you go Harry. Welcome home."

Harry just shook his head at Edward. He snuck through the window and up the stairs to his room. He opened his trunk and began stuffing his things into it. Hedwig hooted in her cage.

"Shh… girl. We're gonna leave real soon..." He whispered.