"So what did Professor McGonnagal tell you?" Al asked worriedly as Harry and Ed approached them.
"Nothing, just the usual stay out of trouble that Mustang gives me," Ed said, brushing it off.
"But you never seem able to. I mean with the Tringham brothers, Psiren, that prophet dude in Lior, the homunculi..." Hughes got cut off by Ed.
"Shut up, Hughes! You've gotten even more annoying, not that I thought that was possible, but apparently you make everything possible!" Ed growled over Hughes long list.
"Hmmm, maybe you're right and I should stop the list. I mean, if I wanted to list all of the trouble you've gotten into, I would need more fingers...and a lot of them," Hughes said, glancing back and forth his left and right hands.
Ed groaned. How the hell am I going to put up with this?
Harry, meanwhile, was talking with Ron and Hermione, while keeping a close eye on Ed. There still was something that he didn't trust about him. Hermione noticed this, and whispered, "Really, Harry, don't you think that you're overreacting?"
"Hermione, do you really trust him? I mean, there's just something about him that makes you think that he's suspicious, or at least not telling us something," Harry sighed.
"Maybe he's got a good reason to hide it," Hermione hissed. "Like the way you don't go around shouting that you are the savior of the Wizarding World."
Ron, being the idiot he was, said suddenly, "Wow, I just realized, this is the only time when the two of you are fighting and I'm not." He stood there looking particularly pleased with himself while Harry and Hermione raised an eyebrow each at him.
He blushed and asked, "Whaaat?"
"What kind of secret is good enough to hide now of all times, with the Ministry, and especially with Voldemort back?" Harry countered, as he got over Ron's randomness.
"I don't know, something like...well I don't know, but you could be a little more trusting."
"Ha, trusting, I trusted Moody last year, look where it got me. I trust Scabbers in our third year, Sirius nearly got Kissed. I trusted the Riddle's diary in our second year, all the Muggle borns, including you, nearly got killed. I trust Quirrel in our first year, Voldemort nearly got the Philosopher's Stone," Harry hissed. Out of habit, as soon as Harry mentioned the words 'Philosopher's Stone', Ed's ears were perked at their conversation.
"...You felt that you had to put a diary and a rat in that list..." Hermione blinked.
"Well, I trusted them and that didn't work out very well did it?" Harry hissed.
"Fine, I'll give you my list. In our first year, we didn't trust Snape, he saved you. Second year, Dobby, you didn't trust him, but last year, he gave you the key to the second task. Third year, Sirius, he turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to you. Fourth year, Karkaroff, he was innocent," Hermione argued, "And I didn't have to put a diary in it."
"Well you put a house-elf in it!" Harry said. "And you said that I shouldn't put a rat and a diary in his list."
"This is one of those times when house-elves are degraded by wizards! If you actually participated in S.P.E.W., you might have realized how much wizards depend on house-elves," Hermione said heatedly.
"Do you really think that we should be talking about S.P.E.W. right now?" Harry said.
"This is exactly what I mean when I say that house-elves are being taken for granted!" Hermione shouted. She turned on her heel and headed to exactly where she felt more comfortable...the library.
"Oooh, mate, bad idea getting her mad today, have you seen the pile of homework we've got?" Ron said. Harry sighed. He wasn't having a good day. He suddenly had the urge to hit Ron on his head.
"Envy, I have some information that might just be of use to you," Voldemort said to his new ally.
"It better be something useful, I'm not interested in your useless magic junk," Envy said. Scratch that, not exactly an ally, more of a master.
"I think it will, I heard from a reliable source that a man, no an alchemist, named Flamel has just arrived at Hogwarts, where the Elric brothers are teaching," Voldemort said, bowing.
He ground his teeth, he wasn't supposed to be the one bowing. He was supposed to be the one being bowed at! He calmed himself down and thought, Relax, Voldemort, soon enough, we will be the ones in control.
"Hmm, interesting, Flamel, I know I've heard that name somewhere..." Envy muttered to himself.
It has to be from Amestris. Dante must have told me something. No one else would know about him... I think. Lust, Gluttony, and Wrath didn't pay attention to the outside world. I've never really talked to Greed. Pride and Sloth might have met or heard of him before, but I don't remember them mentioning any alchemists besides the State ones and that Izumi woman. It has to be a competent alchemist, no one else would be able to cross the Gate. Probably someone we tried to get to make a Philosopher's Stone. Wait a minute...that can't be. But it's the only possibility...
"Voldie, I'm going to be going for a while. I'll fly off to London and greet him," Envy said, smiling sadistically.
Voldemort flinched at the nickname Envy called him and the at smile. Mostly the nickname.
"Of course, may I ask, when will you be back?" he asked.
"I don't know, sometime next week, possibly," Envy said, as he changed into the large green dragon.
Voldemort grudgingly agreed that the dragon Envy became was fierce, beautiful, and most of all, deadly. Each scale reflected the light perfectly so it looked like Envy was carved out of emerald of the finest quality.
"Ah, to be able to shape-shift again. You can't possibly know how hard it was when I was stuck in this form," Envy growled out of jade green mouth to himself more than to Voldemort.
"You could just take a Portkey there," Voldemort said, pointint out the obvious.
"But then I couldn't frighten and kill some worthless people," Envy said, maliciously.
"...Of course," Voldemort said and that was that.
The story of Ed and Harry's shouting match with Umbridge led to a truly horrible afternoon, for Harry at least. Ed was far too popular, especially with girls, who had stopped the boys from saying anything. But there was the occasional person who didn't care that said, "Really, who'd believe that Professor Ed was in the military?" He would immediately shushed by the angry glares of fangirls.
Harry, who didn't have any girls who was totally in love with him, except for Ginny, but she didn't count, had to go through an entire afternoon listening to, "Psh, who'd believe that Voldemort actually came back?" or "Hmf, who is he kidding? We don't know what happened in the maze, his words are the only evidence we've got. He probably just wants more attention."
"What I don't get is why they believe Dumbledore when he said it at the feast two months ago," Harry growled, stabbing his turkey with much more venom that it deserved.
Hermione hmphed and turned away and became immersed in a conversation with Lavender and Pavarti.
"Well, as you all know, my friend Nicholas Flamel, is coming today...or was supposed to. He's a bit late apparently," Dumbledore said, glancing at that odd watch that he had.
Just then, the doors creaked open and revealed a man there. He said, "Aaaaah, sorry I'm late, Dumbledore. I had some business to take care of first."
Ed blinked, thinking that his eyes were being weird. He stared for a second before he shouted, "YOU BASTARD!"
He stood up, eyes raging furiously, and slapped his hands on the table.
There was a pause in conversations as everybody turned to look at the man. It was a man with golden hair and eyes, quite like Ed's own. He also had his hair in a pony tail with glasses. He was wearing a white shirt with a black tie underneath his black vest and brown coat.
"Edward? Have you...grown bigger?" he asked, cocking his head slightly.
"Arrgh! Why did you phrase it as a question?" Ed growled.
"You seem to have gotten quite a reputation in Central. The smallest State Alchemist in history ever," he said.
"It's youngest! Grrrrr!" Ed muttered.
"Van...Hohenheim?" Al gasped, getting over the shock that 'Flamel' was his dad.
"You bastard, you still have time to show up here, in another world and you didn't even have to time to show up at Mom's funeral?" Ed hissed.
"What in the blue blazes are you addressing your parent as a 'bastard' for?" Hohenheim asked blankly.
"You're not just any bastard, you're the bastard. Mom died because of shit like you. You made her go through a lot of hardships!" Ed yelled.
The students were exchanging odd looks at their teacher and guest, completely lost at what they were talking about. Al was looking scandalized at his brother.
"Brother, control yourself!" Al yelled.
"So, Edward, do you still hate drinking milk?" Hohenheim asked conversationally.
"Who are you a calling an ultra hyper pint-sized midget because he doesn't like drinking milk?" Ed yelled, leaping over the table. Al made a move to stop his brother, but he was too late. Ed managed to make a nice loud smack with a punch on Hohenheim's cheek that was steadily growing swollen and red.
"He didn't say that, brother," Al said sweatdropping.
"Al, you've grown," Hohenheim said, rubbing his bleeding cheek.
"Of course he grew, you left when he was only a baby!" Ed yelled.
"How do you know Flamel?" Dumbledore asked, finally able to control his chuckling at Ed.
"This bastard who says he is Flamel is the Hohenheim of Light," Ed spat.
"He's our dad, Dumbledore," Al said, glaring at Ed for his tone.
"Don't call him our dad, he left us when you were still a baby!" Ed growled.
"Ed can't really be the youngest alchemist in the military. I agree with that guy, shortest more like," Ron snorted.
As Ed continued to rant, the Golden Trio exchanged similar looks.
"Did he just say that that man is the Hohenheim?" Hermione suddenly whispered at Harry and Ron.
"Yeah, why?" Harry said.
"I've read about him in a book, Alchemists of Amestris. It's a book the Ministry never really acknowledged," Hermione whispered excitedly.
"So what's your point?" Ron asked.
"In it says that Hohenheim lived over 400 years ago in Amestris, as a slave in an ancient country called Xerxes, his blood was used to create the first homunculus by his master. He was taught alchemy by the homunculus," Hermione said. "It also says, Ron, that Ed is the youngest, in the military."
"Wait, 400 years?" Harry said, eyes wide.
Hermione nodded.
"So he's got a Philosopher's Stone," Harry decided. "That or he figured some magic to let him live forever, but I doubt that. If it was that, the Voldemort would have already found it."
"That's the weird thing. Don't you think that the book would say that something if someone made a stone, don't you think? I mean, with the Elrics' ban on it and the way they wouldn't tell us why. It sounds like it has a good reason to be kept hidden. And there's no other way to become immortal," Hermione said.
"So, then how is he still alive?" Ron asked, furrowing his eyebrows, thinking (for once).
"I don't know," Hermione answered, biting her lip. "But the thing is, that must mean that Ed and Al are from Amestris, which explains so much. Like why the two of them are able to do alchemy, when it's a dead art here."
"Can I borrow that book?" Harry said. Maybe the book will give me some information to prove to Hermione that those two brothers are suspicious.
He seemed to forget that if Hermione had read the book she would have figured out much more about the two brothers.
"Sure, but there's something weird about it. One alchemist, the Crimson Alchemist, Zolf J. Kimblee, they get a second name once they become a State Alchemist, looks exactly like Sirius. And here's the weirdest part, he was accused of killing his comrades and partner right after the Ishbalan War had ended. Ishbal is a region near Amestris by the way, but nobody ever proved it, he was just found in the room where the officers had died, laughing hysterically," Hermione said.
Harry and Ron exchanged a glance, this was freaky. It was too close to what had happened to Sirius.
"Sirius was accused of killing Dad and Pettigrew after Voldemort disappeared, so when the first war ended. And he was dragged away by the Ministry laughed hysterically too. So he looks like Sirius and has almost the same past as he does?" Harry whispered.
"Yeah,"
"And don't forget, Sirius was an Auror once," Ron added.
"And the Aurors are exactly like Amestris's State Alchemist," Hermione finished.
"Creepy," Harry shuddered. "Maybe he's innocent too."
"I doubt it, the book says that the bodies were studied and it was exactly the same way Kimblee did alchemy, his special method, by blowing people up."
"The same way that Sirius was blamed for blowing up an entire street," Harry muttered softly.
"There's also another man, the Flame Alchemist, Roy Mustang. He is Ed's Colonel, or the guy in charge of him. Anyway, he really didn't like the rules and he was...a womanizer according to the book. He had jet-black hair and eyes, and superior attitude toward things, and all in all, a rule breaker. Sounds kind of like your dad, Harry," Hermione said.
"...my dad?" Harry choked out. "That's impossible...he died years ago though..."
"But apparently Sirius is still alive isn't he? Anyway, he had this really big group of friends who would probably do anything for him, kind of like the Order."
Harry was still digesting this information as his attention was once again brought to the Elrics.
"...automail," Harry and his friends looked up as Hohenheim said this unfamiliar word.
"Hermione, do you know what automail is?" Harry asked. Stumped, Hermione shook her head. They continued to watch Ed as he stopped dead.
"How the hell did you know?" he hissed.
"Your fist is stronger than what a normal first would be, but you didn't lean on your left side as you leaped so I suppose your left arm or leg is also automail," Hohenheim said.
Ron grabbed a chicken leg from the golden plates as he continued to enjoy the show like many other students.
"Ron," Hermione hissed.
"What? I'm hungry!" he whispered.
"You shouldn't be eating right now, we have to understand what they're talking about," Harry said urgently. He couldn't believe that Ron thought that eating a drumstick was more important than listening in on the father and son's conversation. Not that it was very hard to miss their conversation.
He glanced at Umbridge quickly. The giant toad was looking between the two Elrics turning slightly red. And by slightly, I mean fuming, red hot-er than Mustang's fire red.
"Jeez, Al, who's side are you on, did you forget who we were talking to? You must have gotten your memories back and remembered him as the man who left as when you were still a baby!" Ed said, back in their room.
"I remember him from the pictures in the house before we burned it down," Al said quietly. "But like you said, I was still young, so I can't remember anything else."
There was a knock at the door. Ed opened the door, knowing it was Hohenheim.
"What do you want now?" he growled.
"To explain to you why I left," Hohenheim said.
As much as Ed hated him, his curiosity got the better of him and he opened the door wider to let him come in.
"So?" Ed glared.
"I'm a monster," Hohenheim said. "That's what I would say to most people, but the truth is, I'm a true Philosopher's Stone."
Ed gaped at him for a second recognizing the expression his father had as one that meant he wasn't kidding. Al stared too.
"400 years ago, I was a slave in Xerxes. My master took some blood from me to make the first homunculus, who calls himself Father. He taught me how to read, math, and alchemy. Father later tricked the king into believing that if he sacrificed everyone in Xerxes, he would become immortal. Since I'm the one who gave him the blood to become alive, he spared me and gave me half of the lives. I fell in love with a woman called Dante and together we were able to defeat Father together. I gave her a Philosopher's Stone because that's what she confided before she knew what I was as what she wanted the most. You should know, whenever you use alchemy in Amestris, where the energy comes from. It comes from people who have died here, " Hohenheim said.
There was a silence in the room.
"So, all these years, we've still been using human lives?" Ed asked quietly tightening his fist and looking down at the floor.
"Yes, but think of it this way, they were already dead. They couldn't be brought back, and they weren't sacrificed to make a Stone," Hohenheim said trying to make Ed feel better.
"Wait, so then how come alchemy doesn't work in some places?" Ed asked.
"Places like here, in Hogwarts, these wizards use magic, and there is always excess energy being produced. Wizards do not learn how to control the energy being used, so quite often, there will be much excess. Alchemists like us use this energy to do transmutations. However in places where there are very little wizards, we are unable to use alchemy. They use the energy from the souls of Amestris, so we basically trade energy, our souls for theirs," Hohenheim said.
"Brother, aren't you supposed to be in Umbridge's room right now?" Al said suddenly, looking at the time.
Ed flipped open his State Alchemist watch, glancing at the Don't forget, 3 Oct. 11 stared at it a for a few seconds and shrugged, "Eh, what's the matter, it's not like the old toad is gonna miss me."
"Brother! You have to go," Al said.
"You should go, if you don't I won't tell you the rest of the story, and you'll be forever wondering if it was true or not." Hohenheim said, grinning.
"Fine, but remember, you're still a bastard to me," Ed growled. He stormed off, out the door.
"Alphonse, do you believe me? I know Edward doesn't at the moment, but do you?," Hohenheim asked curiously.
"Well...you're a slave...that became a Philosopher's Stone..." Al said.
"...I know, it sounds far-fetched," Hohenheim said, and hung his head.
"I believe you though, maybe it's because my story sounds so wild too, being stuck in a suit of armor...So what does it feel like not being able to die?" Al asked.
"What does it feel like? It has a lot of good uses, but, I can't take seeing my loved ones die anymore."
There was a few moments of silence.
"Granny Pinako says that the two of you were drinking buddies 'back in the day.' One someone her age says back in the day, they don't mean 10 or 20 years ago. They mean when they were twenty," Al stated.
"Hmm, we met about 50 or 60 years ago. She introduced me to Trisha, I took one look at her, and I totally swooned."
"...Swooned..."Al sweat-dropped, How can you say that with a straight face?
He walked up to Umbridge's office to find the old toad there sitting behind a desk and Harry writing on a sheet of parchment.
"You're late, you'll have to attend detention for the rest of the week as well, I see," Umbridge said smiling nastily.
"Be happy I even showed up here today, my dad forced me to come, the bastard. So what the hell am I supposed to do now?" Ed said.
"You'll be writing lines. Copy I will not contradict Professor Umbridge, until you have finished the sheet." Umbridge said.
"Oh joy," Ed said sarcastically.
Harry stared at Ed. At least he tried to be respectful. But then again, Ed didn't have to be careful since he wasn't in any house and didn't have any house mates who wanted to do him in for losing points.
He grabbed the quill that Umbridge was holding and quickly scrawled out the lines on the parchment set out for him. Harry watched him, happy at least that he could watch this Voldemort supporter have to write lines. He still hadn't given up on the theory that Ed was a Death Eater and knew that telling Hermione would be no use. Ed gasped.
"What the FUCK!" he shouted. His glove was cut slit open saying, I will not contradict Professor Umbridge, that piece of shit. A trickle of blood fell from his hand.
"Mr. Elric, you cannot go around calling your teacher 'pieces of shit'. You should be a role model to the students," Umbridge simpered.
"Well, you're a teacher, are you saying teacher's should go around cutting open their students' hands?" Ed retorted.
"That is not the point," Umbridge sniffed.
"So then what is?"
"You disrupted a class the Professor Dumbledore has so kindly allowed you to go to, so you must be punished," Umbridge said.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever, at least I've had worst," Ed mumbled the last part to himself as he set himself to right the lines.
Harry stared silently as Ed didn't even flinch as the words were carved into his skin.
Not to worry peoples! The book won't be the great big unveiling of Ed's past. Besides, I've got the perfect thing planned for the grand unveiling, it's going to take a while though to set everything up...
