Roy Mustang, black haired, onyx-eyed Fuhrer, handed a report file to Edward, blond haired, gold-eyed, not-so-short-anymore General Elric, who quickly scanned through the large folder and frowned as his eyes darted across the pages.
"Explain, Mustang." Edward requested sharply. Roy smirked at him. "Still the same smirk, Roy. Got anything better?" Edward snorted and rolled his eyes.
"I'll pretend you didn't say that. Anyway, I know you just got back from that six month mission, checking if any homunculi survived, but this is a mission that this Dumbledore, Headmaster of that school Hogwarts, is paying a very nice price for."
"… Oh yeah. Damage from the fights. Sorry about that. They were immortal, you know."
"Whatever, Ed. You'll be going undercover as a guard for Harry Potter, a famous kid in the magical world.""Uh, magic? Tell me you're joking?"
"It's not exactly probable, yes, but not impossible. You'll have two months to practice spells with your wand when you get it, but right now you get two months to read up on the five years you've missed, the history of this magic world, a list of dangerous things that could be a threat to you and the mission and to look up on the teachers and some students, also some reports from Dumbledore's agents from inside the Ministry of Magic, their government."
"Aside from taking all of this in, isn't that a bit much?"
"We both know you can do it, Ed."
"Is that a compliment, sir?"
"Why, I believe it is, General."
"I'm honoured."
"As you should be."
"Is Alphonse coming?"
"I don't see why not, Ed."
"Thanks, Fuhrer. I'll get right on this, then."
"Don't kill yourself."
"Al won't let me stay up too late, you know that, Roy."
"Aren't you the big brother?"
"I'm ignoring you."
"You're such a child sometimes, Ed."
"You're sucha bastard sometimes, Roy."
"Take that back. I'll court-martial you."
"Nah. You wouldn't."
"Try me."
"I've been beyond the line of the laws since you met me, sir. I don't see me being court-martialled anytime soon."
"True. You're just lucky."
"I've always been lucky Roy,"
"I beg to differ."
"Shut up."
Ed knocked slightly on the door- his door- and walked in, calling his brothers' name.
"Why do you have to knock? You live here." Al, sandy blond haired, green-eyed (with glasses), Colonel Elric, questioned when his head appeared from the door to his room.
"Habit, I think."
"You think. Right. So, what did the Fuhrer call you for?"
"I got another mission, it goes for about a year."
"Already, brother?"
"I'm awesome, I know." Ed got a hit over the head. "Ow. I was joking, Al, promise. I always keep my promises, remember?"
"The big ones, yeah. Not the small ones."
"That's not true!"
"Yes it is, brother. You promised I could get a cat!"
"We just got back from a six month mission, Al. Did you want it to be alone, the poor, poor kitty?"
"Don't guilt me, brother!"
"It worked so well before, you know. You used to be kindness in a can, my brother dearest."
"I'm not in a can anymore brother."
"You admitted you were a can!"
"Agh! Brother!"
"Stop hitting me, Al!"
"So what's the mission about?"
"I'm going undercover in a school-"
"Ha-!"
"Shut up. I'm protecting this famous kid, Harry Potter, who's fifteen. I'm not fifteen, or short! I don't want to pretend I'm fifteen, damn it!"
"Just say your school is behind or something, brother. I thought you were smart."
"I love you, Al."
"Sure…"
"So, it's a magic school. Hogwarts of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
"… You're joking."
"No, no, take a look at the folder."
"… Oh my. Wow. … Wow."
"I know. It's completely crazy. Roy said you could come if you want."
"Nah, I've got to go to Winry's."
"Oh damn. Will I be there in time for the wedding? Shit."
"I'll try to move it back for you."
"This is the thing about being in the military. Messes up your life. I'll see Roy about, I'm sure he'll let me take off a week or two and let someone else guard the kid for a bit. Sorry Al. Tell Winry sorry too, yeah?"
"It's alright, brother."
"I've to get reading all of this stuff, okay? I'll be around…"
"No you won't. If you're around I'll make you stop to eat and sleep."
"Smart brother. I think I will get you a cat."
"Shoo brother,"
"I'll see you… um, in two days."
"You better, brother."
Two months full of reading and studying later…
"Brother!" Al shouted when he got back from Winry's to see his brother off.
"Yo, Al." Ed answered as he shut the fifth year's book for potions with an adudable snap and the person next to him- a brown haired, blue-eyed, grinning girl of seventeen (which she wasn't, but she looked like it)- seemed to fade from existence.
"I came to see you off," Al smiled.
"You know, it's freaky how you can still be cute at seventeen." Ed commented while brushing his hair and putting it into a French braid.
"Thought you stopped with the braiding.""Makes me seem more childish, I think."
"I never thought you would ever say that, brother."
"All for the mission, Al, so why don't you shut up?"
"That wouldn't be much fun now, would it?"
"I beg to differ."
"I didn't know you begged."
"Figure of speech. I would never!"
"I seem to rememb-"
"You are so mean to me."
"I wouldn't be so mean if you get me a cat, you know…"
"I'm going to, just… not right now…"
"And you call me mean…"
"But I'm always like this. You're not."
"That's a horrible excuse, brother."
"It works, so who cares?"
"I do!"
"Come one, I'll be gone for a year! Cut me some slack, yeah?"
"No. Lets go, Fuhrer Mustang's waiting." Al dragged Ed by the hand to the Fuhrer's office.
"I haven't had my coffee! I'm dysfunctional, Al! I'm dyyyyyiiiiiiing!"
"Get over it, brother."
"Noooooooooooo…"
Al sighed. His brother never, ever changed. Was it strange this was normal?
…
Probably.
"Excuse me Fuhrer Mustang. General Elric and Colonel Elric reporting for duty!" Al said when he opened the door to the huge office and he saluted.
"Colonel Elric," the Fuhrer greeted.
"Why is your office on the very top? Why? It took forever to get here, Roy!" Ed complained. Al and Roy sweat dropped and someone else in the room- long grey hair and beard with a dress decorated in blue flames and yellow background?- chuckled.
"Ed didn't have any coffee, did he, Al?" Roy sighed, amused.
"No, I did not, and it's all Al's fault." Ed replied.
"Is not. You should have gotten more sleep."
"Then it's Roy's fault."
"How is it my fault?"
"You made me read all of that stuff!"
"You finished it two weeks ago brother. You were up all those nights because you wanted to know how magic worked."
"Shut up Al."
"This is Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts," Roy interfered, gesturing to the dress-wearing person.
"Dumbledore," Ed bowed. Al looked at his brother in shock.
"I think my brother has grown up after all," Al snickered.
"Shut up, I won't get you that cat."
"Brother! You can't just say you'll get me one than not!" Al whined.
"Watch me," Ed replied smugly.
"I hate you,"
"Ouch. I would've taken that to heart a few years ago brother, but it still hurts." Ed put a hand over his heart and made a pained face.
"You suck."
"I'm awesome and you know it."
"Shouldn't we pay attention to uh, Dumbledore?"
"Smart little brother. Sorry, Mr. Dumbledore."
"That's quite alright, General Elric." Dumbledore smiled. "I trust you have read the previous text books and caught up to date?"
"Nearly. I've just got to re-read the sixth and seventh year potions text books." Ed nodded.
"There is no need to re-read them, nor read the sixth and seventh year books."
"I know." Dumbledore chuckled.
"We best be off now, then. Just gab onto my arm, if you would. You will be staying at the Burrow, the Weasley's home, where your ward and his friends will also be staying."
"Better I know them now than later, right? Well, I guess I'll see you at the wedding, Al."
"Yeah. See you later, brother. Send letters, okay?"
"Like I wouldn't. I'm still over protective of you, remember?"
"Clear as day, big brother. Love you."
"Love you too. I'll see you around too, Roy. You'll be at the wedding?"
"Wouldn't miss it for the world. You might see Riza if you ever go to the Ministry of Magic though."
"That'll be a sight to see, sir. I hope she doesn't shoot too many of them. Bye."
"Bye, Ed."
A second later Ed and Dumbledore were gone with a popping noise. There was a pause where Al and Roy just looked at where they used to be; like time stopped, there was no noise, just a strange feeling of loss. Ed hardly ever went on a long mission like that six month one anymore, but...
Then the clock started to tick again. Roy started his paperwork again and Al walked out the door.
"All you need to get is a wand, some robes and a pet if you want one." Dumbledore said to Ed as they walked down Diagon Ally. "Here is the wand shop."
"Wait, Dumbledore?" Ed questioned just before they were about to step into Ollivanders', the wand shop. "Aren't I a muggle? I should be able to do magic, right?"
A troubled look came across Dumbledore's face. "There wasn't anything about needing to be magic in the folder, so Roy just sent me. Don't worry though; I might be able to do something about that. Maybe. I'll have to call in a favour, so we will need to come back to get a wand tomorrow."
"A favour?" Dumbledore raised an eyebrow. "Magic cannot be given or bought, Mr. Elric."
"Better to try and gain than to not and lose the prize." Ed grinned. Dumbledore got a twinkle in his eyes. "I'm glad you didn't want a guard a few years ago, Dumbledore, actually. I was short back then and I would yell whenever someone called me that, Fun times." Ed admitted when they walked into Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. There he got three black robes and was just about to get a dress robe.
"Damn. Al was always the one with the fashion sense," Ed cursed under his breath making Dumbledore and Malkin, the owner of the shop who was fitting his, chuckle.
"Hmm, what about this one?" She held up a dark green one.
"No way. Definitely not. Reminds me of my other brother," Ed quickly shook his head. The woman frowned but didn't ask any questions.
"Dumbledore!" A lady cried in shock.
"Ah, good morning Molly. How are you?" Dumbledore asked a redheaded woman- Molly Weasley, Ed recognised, the mother on Ronald Weasley, Harry Potter's friend.
"I'm doing well, Headmaster, what abut you? And what are you doing here?"
"I'm quite fine myself, thank you. Remember Edward Elric, the boy I asked you to take care of? I've been taking him around,"
"Oh, this is Edward! Hello, I'm Molly Weasley."
"Edward Elric, it's a pleasure to meet you." Ed smiled. It was fake, but no one needed to know that.
"Such a polite young man! You'll be going into fourth year, yes?" Ed nodded. "Wonderful! My youngest son will be going too. You do look a bit tall to be 14, dear." Molly commented, looking him up and down. Ed grinned.
"I'm eighteen, we start later where I come from but I think I might be behind in Hogwarts because of… family problems, I haven't been to school all that much, so I thought I'll do good in fourth year." Ed tried to explain.
"You poor thing! I'll feed you right up, you look right thin." Molly frowned and Ed gave a hesitant smile that… sort of failed. Oh well.
"I'll be sending him over tomorrow, if that is alright, Molly?" Dumbledore asked.
"Of course! Well, I should get going after I get the robes," Molly nodded.
"What about this one?" Malkin asked, holding up a red one with a hood. It reminded Ed of his coat, only it wasn't a coat and it didn't have the symbol one the back. Ed could change that.
"Perfect, thank you." Ed grinned.
"You're welcome dear," she said fondly. Ed learnt he had that affect on women and girls. Maybe it was because he had gold eyes…? It never worked on Winry though, but that was probably because she had her sights on Al. Ed snickered inwardly.
"I bid you good day, Molly," Dumbledore bowed his head.
"Bye Mrs. Weasley." Ed did the same.
"See you tomorrow!" She smiled.
"Would you want a pet?" Dumbledore asked Ed.
"Sure. I may as well get an owl or something. Al would kill me if I got a cat." Ed smirked and they walked inside the pet shop just in case Ed didn't want an owl. "… Is that a fox?" Ed asked when he looked in a cage holding a reddish fox with a sign that said it was a Corsac fox from eastern Eurasia.
"I believe it is," Dumbledore replied.
"That's cool." Ed grinned. "Too bad you're not allowed a fox."
"No one seems to pay attention to that rule anyway." Dumbledore chuckled.
"So I can get it?"
"If you wish."
"Sweet." Ed figured he could use one of the school's owls. The two walked to the bar/hotel thing- The Leaky Cauldron. Ed booked a room and Dumbledore was just about leave when Ed asked a question.
"Do you think a friend could also enrol into your school, Headmaster? The person who I'm to ask for help with the magic."
"Why, I guess there is room for one more." Dumbledore agreed.
"Thank you, sir." Ed nodded and walked up the stairs to room 204. It was just a bed, window, mirror, bathroom and wardrobe. The fox, who Ed hadn't named yet, jumped from his arms into the bed.
He sat on the gray bed and closed his eyes. When he opened them the same person from before with the brown hair and blue eyes was there.
"Hi Ed, nice to see you again. And yes, I can help you with magic." She smirked.
"But will you?" Ed raised an eyebrow.
"It's interesting, so yes. You're the first human I've talked too, I would like to see how you interact with magic."
"You're just playing with me, huh?"
"I always have been. You're just lucky I like you, otherwise I might not have taken only an arm and a leg or given them back."
DUN DUN DUUUUN! Cliff-hanger! Who is she and what in the world did she mean by that?!I was going to have her as a boy, but… I changed it at the last second. I know… she SHOULD be a boy. I want her to be a boy! AGH! DAMN YOU!!!
This takes place in Harry's fourth year, yeah. Ed is eighteen and Al is seventeen, so that makes it after Shambala (spelling?) but some changes, making it AU. Roy and Ed are like brothers now, but I'm not sure I portrayed that right…
Did I? I hope I did. -grins-
I totally failed writing Molly, didn't I? D:
Yes, Al is human. I think he has green eyes. Green eyes with some specs of grey. The homunculi are dead. All of them. Even Wrath, Gluttony and Envy. It follows everything in the anime except after Ed brought Al back to life. The black things ate Envy though, bad Envy! Bad!
Anyway… I hope you like it, peoples… Anyone have any suggestions for the foxes name? ANYONE?
Sorry for any spelling mistakes and the like!
ED'S PAIRING PENDING. VOTE FOR THE PERSON YOU WANT HIM TO BE WITH, PLEASE! :D