"So Mister Alchemist, we meet yet again." The white humanoid figure was standing in front of the looming gate. The white abyss suffocating any reminisces of hope Edward had left…but he had to try.

"Truth, you know he came through here and I want him back. Give me Al! Please!" He would give up anything for him, after all he considered it his own fault he was dead to begin with. The white figure's smile widened and he stood up, placing his hands on his hips as to flaunt his already gone arm and leg in the alchemist's face. "And what would you give in return?"

"You have my arm…and my leg…take my soul, take my heart! Anything! You can have it! Just give Alphonse back, he didn't deserve to die!"

"So dramatic alchemist. If you do so desperately want your brother back I have only one request."

Edward slowly unclenched his fists, "A request?" he asked quietly. "What would that be?"

"You went into the gate, but you didn't travel through it. On the other side there is another dimension…this alternate universe has one thing your world does not. Magic, the power to transmute without equivalent exchange."

"WHAT?" He yelled, taking an angry step towards the self proclaimed god. "That's impossible, you govern equivalent exchange, you wouldn't…." he trailed off, eyes wide.

"I have no control over this world, it is why I stay on this side of the gate. The other side does not concern me…until now…"

"What changed?" he growled.

"It's starting to affect this world."

"How so?"

"I cannot say. All you need to know is your task alchemist." Its voice was suddenly serious.

"And what would that be?" Ed asked, scowling because he didn't get the information. If he knew how it was affecting his own world he could try to harness the inequality he could use that to bring his brother back…but it wouldn't matter unless he knew.

"I want you to kill Tom Riddle, he is the one causing the Gate's misbehaving tendencies."

"I accept it…" It was only to save Al, which was the only way he could justify it. Killing someone…it wasn't right…but it was for Alphonse, his innocent little brother who died. It was his job to fix it. He was the eldest sibling after all.

His job to fix it…yeah, and how was that going for him?

Edward sat in an upstairs bedroom of Grimauld place. He was pacing, trying to figure out his way home. Truth had never promised to return him to his own world, he'd just promised to bring Al back. Sneaky bastard…

When he'd arrived at this proclaimed safe house he'd realized two things. One, the world felt strange. Their energy was different from the kind in Amestris, it felt…wrong… and two there was an extra someone with him. Roy Mustang, his commanding, backstabbing officer. The good colonel (speaking sarcastically of course) was dragged along by Truth. In all honestly, Ed didn't know why he was there, he just kind of…showed up…

"Fullmetal," Mustang called, opening the door.

"What do you want?" Edward stopped his pacing and looked at him. Mustang almost flinched at the anger showing in his eyes. He wasn't necessarily angry at him-Roy liked to think that anyway-he was just mad for interrupting his thoughts.

"Well Molly sent me up here to tell you dinner is ready." He replied calmly.

Ed nodded, looking at the ground. He'd decided he liked Molly on the first day they'd met. She hadn't questioned a word he said and she had this motherly presence…it was really hard to dislike someone like that even if she did use 'magic.'

Mustang loomed in the doorway even after his informal motion for him to leave. "Ed you haven't eaten much sense we arrived…come down and have dinner with us."

"No." Ed mumbled, "Every second that I waste doing little things like socializing is one second away from me getting Alphonse back! I don't have time to go down there-"

"Fullmetal eating isn't useless. You need to do so or you'll die!" he argued, exasperated.

"Why do you even care?" he huffed.

"Because starving isn't going to help your brother, think of what he would do if he were here." Mustang watched the young alchemist's fist clench and the fall to his side in defeat.

"You're right...but..." he sighed, "Make this food thing quick..."

"Edward Elric! Open this door right now!" The pounding continued but Ed didn't move. The array was perfect, nothing could go wrong. He kneeled down next to it, clapping his hands together. As he pressed them to the circle three people stormed into the room, finally breaking down the door. The first ripped his hands away from the array but it was already too late. It was activated and Edward wasn't going to be able to escape the effects of it. Someone wrapped him in their arms as he was transported to the land of Truth…but he didn't know who it was.

Author's Note:

Okay, this is my new version of Paying the Price. I hope you all enjoy this more than you enjoyed my first…not as well written…version. I put more effort into thinking about how this goes so hopefully it will have direction rather than aimless drabble. The chapters won't be as long because I find it easier to write multiple short chapters than long I-don't-update-as-much-then-I-forget-to-chapters.

I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist or the Harry Potter series.