Since I've been taking the time to try to update all of my stories, the next up is Memories! I didn't have any particular plan for this story because originally it was just going to be one-shot, but somehow I want to make this a longer story. It will probably take on a life of its own.

Disclaimer: Do you really think I have the creativity and imagination to own Harry Potter and Fullmetal Alchemist?

And just so you all know… if you love FMA just as much as I do, then you just might cry.

Chapter 2

Ron and Hermione had made their way back to the Gryffindor Common room after the whole emotional scene in the Great Hall. Hermione was curled up on the couch, staring into the fire. Ron was sitting on the floor, leaning against a chair. He, too, was staring into the fire.

Hermione spoke softly. "Is he really Harry?"

Ron looked over at the girl. "What do you mean?"

"When Professor Elric came in, Harry called him 'brother'. The professor called him 'Al'. Is there something that he is hiding? Is he Harry? Is he this Al person?"

Ron sighed. "I don't know, Hermione. We would have to ask him that, but he left with the rest of the professors up to the Headmaster's office."

Hermione frowned. "We are his friends aren't we? If he had a secret, couldn't he have told us it?" She sighed softly. "He looks so different now. Even his personality seems different. Who is he really?"

Ron spoke quietly. "I don't know, Hermione, I just don't know."

HP/FMA

The two Elric brothers sat sandwiched together on a chair in the Headmaster's office. They had refused to sit in separate chairs. Al was leaning against Ed and the golden haired boy had wrapped his arms around his younger brother. All the Professors were there as well. They were gathered around in various chairs.

Dumbledore looked over his glasses at the two boys. "How do you two know each other? There's a story behind this isn't there, boys? Care to tell me?"

Al lifted his head from his brother's shoulder. "I think I should start, sir." Dumbledore nodded for him to continue. Al took a breath and began speaking. "That night so many years ago, the real Harry Potter didn't survive. Instead, when his soul left his body, mine was thrust in instead. I was never Harry Potter, but I couldn't remember anything until this summer when all of my memories returned."

"Then, who are you?"

"Alphonse Elric, Ed's younger brother."

"How did you become to be in young Harry's body, Mr. Elric?"

Al turned his head away. "That is a long story. To really understand we would have to tell the full story, one that spans several years."

Ed hugged Al tighter and stopped him. "I'll tell from here, Al." Al nodded and snuggled into his brother's warmth.

Ed smiled down Al before turning his head to look at Dumbledore. "We originally don't belong to this world. We come from a place called Amestris. There, they don't have magic, but there is Alchemy.

We lived there with our mother; our father had left when Al was only a baby. But, she died. She died when we were so young, we didn't know what to do. Our father had been an Alchemist; we would always read his books. One day we found something that brought us hope. Human transmutation. We could bring our mother back, we thought.

But, all those equations, all those theories… We were wrong! Scientists for centuries couldn't find what was missing, how could we think that we could? I was so blinded that all I did was make us, make Al suffer for it! I lost an arm and a leg, Al lost his body. Using my arm as material, I transmuted his soul into a suit of armour. Because of me, Al lost so much."

Al hugged his brother tightly. "All we wanted to do was bring our mother back. And it was my fault just as much as Ed's! I had a bad feeling about the whole thing, but my hopes and dreams made me mute to say anything about it. Because of me Ed lost his arm and leg, had to deal with automail for so long."

The two brothers fell silent. Dumbledore watched them with sorrow. These boys had gone through so much, how much more had they gone through?

Ed took up the story again, explaining their adventures and trials. Al would interject with his own comments and point of view, taking over the story at some points. Dumbledore and all of the professors could only listen in growing horror as they listened to the boys' story.

Al looked down at his hands as he picked up the story. "All those people died. The whole town was gone and I became the Philosopher's Stone. They were all gone and their lives made me become the Stone. But it didn't stop there. That despicable woman and her homunculi! All she wanted from the Stone was the ability to transfer her soul to another body. She had all those people killed just so that she could continue to survive!" Al shuddered. "She was going to use me…"

Ed frowned, looking at the floor. They continued their story, though it was close to the end. Al sniffed softly. "He was lying there; the pool of his blood around him was spreading. H-he had this vacant cloudy look in his eyes, wide open in surprise." Al looked up at Ed with wide, panicked eyes. "You promised that you would never leave me! You had promised me, but I saw you! You were lying there… you were…"

Al finally broke down. All the emotions that he had been holding onto since he got his memory back, since he finally found his brother again, came flooding out as he cried. He held tightly onto his brother's clothes and sobbed quietly against Ed's shoulder.

Ed held onto Al tightly and whispered to him softly. "Please, Al, I don't want to see you cry. It's the first time in years that I've seen you back in your body. I want to see you smile again, not cry."

Everyone in the room could hear the pain in Ed's voice, held back tears apparent in his voice.

Dumbledore asked gently, "What happened after that, Mr. Elric?"

Al sniffed a few more times before looking up. "I couldn't bear the thought of living without Brother, so I used myself, the Philosopher's Stone, to bring him back. In the process, though, I was flung through the Gate and into the body of Harry Potter. There, my memories were locked away until the body I was in matured some."

"Why now did your appearance change?"

Al shrugged. "I have no idea. It possible that the magic in this world changed my appearance to how my soul really looks like after all my memories returned." Al looked up at Ed. "What happened to you, Brother, after I did what I did?"

Ed stroked Al's cheek softly, seeming to marvel at the touch. "I woke up whole and alive. I was so happy, but then I couldn't find you. Rose told me what you had done. I-I tried to bring you back, Al. I sacrificed my arm and leg again, needing to bring you back to me. But you were already too far gone across the Gate. I couldn't bring you back. I stayed with my job in the military, looking for any way to bring you back, or to go to you. Finally, I found a way to come here, quite by accident really. I woke up here after an accident and decided to stay and see if I could find you. I did, and I'm never leaving you again. I promise."

Al looked at him in horror. "You gave up your arm and leg again, Brother?!"

Ed looked at him sadly and pulled off his glove. He pressed his cold automail hand against Al's cheek. "Seeing you again, whole and not in a suit of armour, is more important to me than anything else. I would rather be missing a few limbs than be missing you, Al."

Al placed a hand on top on Ed's. "Brother…"

Ed smiled. "I love you, Al."

"I love you, too, Brother."

Dumbledore cleared his throat, not really wanting to break up the tender moment between the brothers. "Would you like it, Mr. Elric, if you roomed with your brother in his quarters?"

Al looked at him in surprise. "You would really let me do that, Headmaster?" Dumbledore nodded. "Oh, thank you, Headmaster!"

Ed stood up. "Do you mind if we leave, Headmaster?"

"No, go ahead. You two need time to catch up."

Ed pulled Al to his feet and the two prepared to walk out the door. Ed paused though and turned to Dumbledore again. "Can Al help me teach my Alchemy classes? I was always the one they called a prodigy, but so is Al."

Dumbledore agreed and the two brothers walked out the door. When the door shut, Dumbledore let out a sigh. He looked over to where the professors were sitting, wanting to see their reactions. There was not one person who had not been affected. Most of the female staff were dabbing at their eyes, sad looks on their faces. Hagrid, too, was dabbing at his eyes with a filthy hankie. Even Snape seemed to be affected. He still had a slight scowl on his face, but in his eyes Dumbledore could see the sympathy and sadness.

Madame Pomphrey spoke softly, "Those poor boys. They have been through so much, and they are still so young."

There were murmurs of agreement all around.

HP/FMA

When the two boys had made it to Ed's quarters, they curled up together on a couch. Al clutched tightly to Ed's clothing, as if afraid that it was all a dream and that Ed would disappear if he let go.

Ed held onto Al just as tightly. He buried his face in Al's hair, reveling in the fact that he could feel his brother again, smell him. Not a metal suit of armour with his brother's soul attached, but his actual brother, flesh and blood.

Al smiles against his brother's chest and inhaled deeply. It had been so long. He could smell the scent that was unique to his brother, a smell that he had forgotten after so long. He took his brother's hand in his, brushing his fingertips over the lines in Ed's hand.

Ed kissed the top of his head and murmured into Al's hair. "What are you doing, Al?"

"Feeling. I can touch again. After so long, I don't remember what you smell like or what you feel like. I want to remember."

Ed smiled. "Wait, Al."

Al looked up. "Ed?"

Ed only continued to smile and sat up. Al also sat up, confused. The Fullmetal Alchemist took his younger brother's hand in his. Running his thumb over the back of Al's hand, he placed it against his cheek. "Then feel, Alphonse."

Al slowly ran his fingers over his brother's face. He gently explored, memorizing each little detail. For several minutes he sat there, softly exploring the lines and features of his brother's face. When he finally dropped his hands, Ed placed his own hand against Al's cheek. "While you were in that suit of armour, Al, you could see me, even if you couldn't feel me or smell me. But all I had of my brother was his voice. I could remember my brother, but memory fades and I couldn't remember how you looked as you went through life. My memory of you became almost like photographs. I could remember, but it isn't as good as the real thing."

Al smiled at him and leaned into the hand pressed against his cheek. "I missed you, Brother."

HP/FMA

I really wasn't planning on making this chapter this short… but with all the emotional stuff in it, anything else would've ruined it. The next chapter should be a lot longer.

IMPORTANT: No, this is not Elricest. They are just really close.