Knowledge

Disclaimer: I do not own FMA or HP

With his two free days, Ed had plenty of time to explore the vast Hogwarts library. He really wished that Al was beside him to help with research, and he knew his brother would love to see all the amazing surroundings of the castle. It was something Ed could only imagine out of a fairy tale, with moving staircases and paintings, and spells that seemed to be placed everywhere. The library had very few books on alchemy, as it's considered a lost art to the wizarding world, and all the alchemy books that he did find were pointless and made up. 'Damn it! I'll never get back home the way this is going...' Ed thought as he sighed to himself. He decided to move on to studying magic, since he'd have no choice but to stay in this school until he could figure out how to get back through the portal. He could make another transmutation circle, but he had nothing to offer up in exchange for the toll to make it through the gate. What did he have that could have equal value for another way back? Ed also didn't abandon the idea of getting his brother his body back while he went through the portal again, but there was no way he could return Al's soul to his body like he asked. He was stumped, but refused to give up.

The day before the students arrived, Ed received his school uniform and all his school supplies he would need. 'Wow... and I thought the military uniform was bad!' He thought as he groaned at the strange clothing. Robes? Really? Not long after, one of the teachers Ed didn't recognize told him that Dumbledore would like to see him in his office. Interrupted from his research again, Ed let out an audible groan as he tried to find the old man's office. The paintings stared him down like he was a maniac as he passed through the halls, and the silence of the castle created an even more tense mood.

Luckily, Ed was granted access into Dumbledore's office, (what was up with that moving statue anyway?) and he stepped into a room filled with amazing and complex trinkets and devices.

"What do you want? I can't waste time from my research in the library!" Ed sharply spoke.

"I'm sorry for the inconvenience," Dumbledore spoke with a glisten in his eyes, "but there are a few things we need to make clear before tomorrow. Here is your schedule of all the courses you shouldn't have trouble with using your alchemy. I believe that you are intelligent enough to find out alternative ways to accomplish your goals with another source of energy." Ed took the schedule and saw classes that looked completely foreign to him. Potions, charms, defense against the dark arts, and transfiguration? He supposed those weren't too strange for a school that specialized in magic. "I will alert professor McGonagall about your situation. She is head of Gryffindor house, and can help you with anything you need while I'm not around. I will continue to try to help you in your current situation, but there isn't much I can do until I know all the details."

Ed nodded to Dumbledore to show he understood and left the peculiar room. He continued his studies in the library until midnight, and finally decided to get some sleep for the first day of "school" he would have tomorrow. Ever since Ed studied with Teacher, he had no experience with something like school, and even then he wasn't in a classroom. He approached the portrait of the fat lady, and said the password Dumbledore told him the previous day. He still wasn't used to such strange security measures, but apparently it was the way things were done here. There were beds for students Ed didn't know in his dormitory, Harry, Ron, Neville, Seamus, and Dean. He really wasn't looking forward to sharing a room with other people, and thought up all the good witty remarks he could snap at them when he met them. Drifting asleep, Ed thought of his brother and everything he left behind in Amestris. His thoughts faded from good memories to all his traumatic experiences as he fell asleep, something that usually happened when he was separated from his brother. Tomorrow was going to be a loooong day.

Ed awoke fairly late, but still had some time to study before dinner. After a few hours he checked his State Alchemist pocket watch, noticing that he missed the first 10 minutes of the feast! 'Crap! How the hell am I supposed to go to the feast unnoticed now?! Everyone will see me when I walk in!' Not excited about the attention he was about to get from all these teenagers, Ed ran down the flights of moving stairs and eventually found the giant doors to the great hall. 'Here goes nothing...' Ed opened the doors and found that there were four tables filled with students wearing different colored robes. Many of them looked at him with confused looks, but nonetheless, he walked over to the table with the Gryffindors and tried to act perfectly normal. He sat near a bunch of kids with red hair, a girl with bushy brown hair, and a boy with messy black hair and glasses. They looked the least intimidating out of everyone.

"Who the bloody hell are you? I haven't seen you before in my life!" said one of the red haired boys.

Before he lost his temper, Ed calmly tried to answer. "I'm an exchange student, this is my first year at this school, and I'm a sixth year apparently." He then shifted his gaze towards the monstrous piles of various foods all around him on the table, suddenly realizing how hungry he was.

"Oh... well that's cool mate! I look forward to seeing you around. I'm Ron Weasley, this here is Hermione Granger, and this other boy is Harry Potter, but I'm sure you've heard of him before." Ron chuckled.

Between mouthfuls of food, Ed replied, "I can't say I have, I really don't know anything about anyone here."

Ron looked a bit shocked, but then carried on to a hushed conversation with his friends, Harry and Hermione. Ed glanced up towards the table at the front of the room, and it appeared to have all the teachers at it. There was a speech from Dumbledore and a few other teachers, but Ed didn't really pay attention. He was too busy eating, and when he saw a giant apple pie, he couldn't help but to think about Winry and Mrs. Hughes.

A/N: Now that school has started and Ed has briefly met the golden trio, the pace will begin to pick up. Please notice that this is a completely alternate story from Fullmetal Alchemist from here on out, and some things will obviously be different in the Potter universe as well. Please leave feedback, and I'm trying my best to update as much as I can! I have some really exciting things in store... ;)