Veils

Chapter 1: Stumbling Through

A Harry Potter/Fullmetal Alchemist Crossover

By: Legato Deathscythe

Disclaimer: Don't own, don't got cash, don't got shit.

"You want me to what?" Edward asked in a confused tone.

"I want you to go out west and check some ruins that were just uncovered. I don't think it has anything related to your research, but the head archaeologist on site is an old friend. He requested the best Alchemist I had when it came to ancient dialects and that is you," Mustang said over the phone. Al was talking to Pinako while Winry was working on Edward's right arm. They had been in the neighborhood when Ed's automail started to act up. At least that was what they had told Mustang when he asked.

Fact was Al had been bugging Ed to stop and visit Pinako and Winry, and the automail was a good excuse to do so. While Edward wouldn't admit it, he had wanted to stop and rest for a while himself. He wasn't so much looking for a quick repair as he was a break. So much of what they had found recently had been dead ends, or ended up with the brothers fighting for their lives. They needed a chance to regroup.

Edward sighed into the phone and said, "What else is there? You wouldn't just be sending me out there if it was just translations."

Mustang was unusually serious, "They found something peculiar there. It's not related to what you are looking for, of that I'm certain. But there is this archway that has some strange alchemic symbols on it. Everyone out there is stumped. I know this is short notice, but you are the best with ancient alchemy. Who knows, maybe you'll find something to aide your research."

Edward couldn't disagree with the Bastard Colonel, "Still, something like this, I'm surprised you're not using it as an excuse to get out of paper work."

He could hear the smirk through the phone, "I would but some of us don't have the luxury of disappearing for months on end just to track something down. I may actually head out there myself later, some of the things the team there have found are just amazing."

If there was one thing that Edward and Roy Mustang could both appreciate it was an interesting bit of alchemy. Edward could tell the Colonel would rather head out there personally but couldn't. So he was sending Fullmetal out to look it over. Mustang however couldn't let a chance to get Fullmetal fired up pass him by, "Why don't you take Ms. Rockbell with you? I hear the site itself is pretty romantic when you aren't busy playing in the dirt."

A vein popped out of Edward's forehead, "What exactly are you implying?"

Mustang chuckled, "I'm not implying anything. I'm flat out saying it. Middle of no where, tons of alchemic discoveries to be made, a pretty girl waiting for you in your tent every night. I mean, come on Ed."

As much as he wanted to rise to the bait he didn't. Edward just sighed, fact was he was getting older. The only reason he hadn't pursued anything more with Winry at this point was his guilt over what happened to Al. He didn't feel right doing something like that while his brother was still trapped in that cursed half-life he was in. Still...

"Alright, we'll head out there when my automail is ready to go. I'll send back a report if I find anything really interesting," Edward conceded.

"Good, and I do want regular reports. I meant what I said, I'd give anything to take a look at what they've found myself," Roy said.

"You sound like a pouting kid whose mom just said he couldn't play out side with his friends," Edward teased.

"You'd know all about that I suppose," Roy said back. "Seriously though, they only got a partial translation done on that archway I mentioned before they called. It may be nothing, but if they are right it says something about 'The veil between this world and the next.' It's not the stone, but it might be something."

That defiantly got Edward's curiosity running, "What do you think it means?"

"Won't know without more of the translation to put it into context."

"Okay then, I suppose I can put my other research on the back burner for a few weeks. After four years, what's a week or two?"

"Good luck," Mustang said. Edward could almost swear he heard, "Lucky bastard." Before Mustang hung up. Edward chuckled as he went out onto the porch to find Al petting Den and Pinako smoking on her pipe in her rocker.

"What did Colonel Mustang have to say?" Al asked.

"He wants us to head out west. Some archaeological dig found something they want a State Alchemist to look at. The head of the team, an Abner Ravencroft, asked Mustang for his best. So we'll be heading out there once we're done."

Pinako hummed contemplatively, "Seems rather tame considering what you're usual fare is."

Ed chuckled, "Maybe, but it will be good to get back to some serious research."

"It is rather nice out west. I wonder if Winry would like to come with us," Al said.

"Wonder if I would like to come with you where?" Winry said, appearing almost out of thin air behind Ed.

"GAH! Don't sneak up behind me!" Edward yelled. It was then punctuated by Winry smacking him upside the head with a wrench.

"So where are you two head off now? No doubt it's dangerous," She said, the threat in her voice.

Edward muttered under his breath for a moment, "Mustang wants us to check out some ruins at a dig site out west. Said it might be interesting, even if it doesn't get us any closer to the stone. I WAS going to ask if you wanted to come with us."

Winry brightened at this idea, "Really?"

Before Edward could say anything she had grabbed him around the neck and squealed with joy. Edward reddened as her body pressed against his, displaying exactly how much she had grown over the years they had been away. She let go of him and raced back in rapidly talking about all the things she would need to bring with her. Edward was stunned for a moment, the light chuckles from Al and Pinako not registering.

And in the back of his head, Edward could swear he heard Mustang laughing.

–

It took the better part of a week to get out to the dig site. Ed, Al, and Winry spent the time on the train watching the scenery, reading up on what had been discovered, playing cards, or in Winry's case tinkering with Ed's arm and/or leg. They were met at the station by Dr. Ravencroft's assistant Henry. On the way out Ed quizzed the assistant on what had been in the information Mustang had given them. There hadn't been much progress made on the archway that had been found. Several of the hieroglyphs were unintelligible to the archaeologists. All they had uncovered since the last report had been that several of the symbols on the archway were alchemic in nature.

The sun was setting as they entered the camp. Henry took them to Dr. Ravencroft's tent, where they found an older gentleman. His hair was salt-and-pepper gray, with the complexion of a man who had spent most of his life in the sun. It was clear he had spent a good portion of time out in the field, something Ed could respect.

He extended his hand to Edward and introduced himself, "Dr. Abner Ravencroft. Roy told me he was sending his best. He also warned me about the mistake most people make when they meet you. Confusing you for your brother, though I can understand why. With a codename like 'Fullmetal' the imposing form in armor is the one I'd guess as well."

So Mustang hadn't just let him assume which was which, thankfully. Edward smiled and shook the outstretched hand, "It does get annoying at times, but it has come in handy for us at times. This is my brother Alphonse," he said, indicating Al. He then turned and said, "And this is Winry Rockbell, our friend and my mechanic."

Dr. Ravencroft raised an eyebrow, "Mechanic?"

Edward smiled and pulled up his right sleeve, showing off the automail underneath. Dr. Ravencroft smiled, "I see. I actually have a few of my colleagues who have the same type of replacement limbs. I know you weren't commissioned to come out here for this, but do you think you could take a look at some of them? It's a full day's trip to the nearest town, and there isn't a mechanic available for the kind of maintenance needed. The nearest place for that would be Rush Valley, and no one wants to leave the site for that long."

Winry smiled, "Sure, I'll do what I can."

"Thank you for your services. Dr. Tennant's knee has been seizing up from all the dirt and dust," Dr. Ravencroft said.

With the pleasantries out of the way, the group moved on to the business at hand, "As I told Col. Mustang in my telegram, we've found some very strange symbols in the ruins. Several of them look to be alchemic in origin, but it's nothing I've ever seen before."

Edward nodded, "I'd like to take a closer look as soon as possible."

"I thought you might. Unfortunately the sun is going down, and we have little time left in the day for that. I'll give you all our notes on the archway, and then we'll go out and see it tomorrow morning first thing."

There was a general agreement as Dr. Ravencroft handed over his notes and some photographs of the archway. Edward looked at one of them closely, it showed the archway completely. He could already recognize several of the symbols on it. Henry lead the trio to a tent specifically setup for them. Edward sat down at a chair near a desk, laying out everything on the table. Al set Ed's luggage down and then said he was going to go watch the sunset.

"Don't get lost Al," Edward called back.

"Don't worry, Brother," All said, then the hulking armored figure disappeared into the dusk. Winry sat her belongings down on one of the other cots and leaned back. She also was thinking about her work as Edward stretched his knee and arm.

"Maybe I should think up better seals. I remember how bad your gears were when you came in after four years without having it checked. These guys probably don't put near the demands on their automail you do, but I'll bet the gears and connections are just as bad if not worse. All that dust and grit grinding away," Winry said.

Edward smiled, "Well, I suppose you could experiment some while we are here. Me and Al will have all our time taken up on the translations."

Winry couldn't help but chuckle, "Alchemy freak."

Edward stuck his tongue out at her, and said in a light teasing voice, "Machine geek."

They settled in for the night. Edward however couldn't get the symbols that he had seen out of his mind. He recognized them, was intimately familiar with them in all honesty. Still, he wanted to talk with Al first and see the archway himself before he said anything.

Authors Notes: Started this one a while ago. Haven't worked on it since. I'm currently debating continuing or if I should just dump it on the world and let someone else go with it. Got a few ideas, but I'm just not sure.