Disclaimer: Once again I don't own any of these charators. Well except for the Death Eaters in the last chapter. You could call them OC people.

Note: If you have any suggestions or constructive critism feel free to post a review. Other wise no flames. I hate flamers. It's a pet peeve of mine, sorry.

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Chapter 4

Harry, Ron and Hermione sped through the streets of the little town of Dub'kow. They looked down every alley looking for the source of all the ruckus.

"They couldn't have gotten far. We heard the screams only a few moments ago. So where are they," Harry muttered to himself.

"Harry! Over here," Harry heard Ron yell from across the street.

Harry and Hermione ran beside Ron. They looked down at a suit of armor lying in the alley.

"He's petrified," said Hermione.

"He's wearing a suit of armor! Wouldn't the magic bounce right off of him," said Ron still staring at the suit.

"It's magic, Ron. A suit of armor would only protect the person inside from physical attacks like getting knocked back from a spell though the spell would still damage the person inside," she said.

She pulled out her wand and immediately undid the curse of the suit of armor. The suit lay still for a moment until they realized they could move again. They shot up onto their feet and started looking around wildly.

"Brother," it said in a desperate voice that sounded only slightly younger then the wizarding crew.

The suit of armor ran down the alley and began to look around in every direction before they gave up the search for whatever they were looking for. He dropped to his knees, where his arms hung limply at his sides and the group heard a sharp intake of breath. Harry began to move towards the armor. Hermione grab his arm and gave it a slight squeeze. He nodded slightly and continued forward when she let go. He walked over and stood next to the suit.

"Are you ok," Harry asked rather plainly.

The suit was silent for a moment.

"Where did they take him," the suit said roughly.

"What," asked Harry slightly confused.

Al turned to look at the boy standing next to him. He was again silent before suddenly Al jumped up pushed Harry back against the alley wall.

"Where did they take my brother! I saw your friend! She did the same thing as those hooded figures. Now where is my brother," Al yelled.

Harry coughed slightly at being slammed against the wall. He twitched slightly as Al tightened his grip on Harry's arms, pinning him against the wall. Hermione and Ron raised their wands and pointed them at Al.

"No," Harry called to them.

They both hesitated but still did not lower their wands.

"Describe these hooded figures then we may be able to help you, but you must calm down," Harry said quietly turning his head back to face Al.

Al stared at him a moment more before releasing his grip on Harry's arms. Al took a few steps back to give Harry some breathing room. Ron and Hermione ran up to check if Harry was ok.

"I'm sorry. I overreacted," Al said quietly.

"Nothing we haven't seen before mate," said Ron as though nothing had happened.

"Anyway, why don't you tell us all that happened so we can figure out if we can help you," said Hermione.

"Thank you but I must report this to the Colonel. I have an idea. You seem to know something about these figures and their alchemy. You should come with me and I can tell you the whole story on the way," said Al.

"Colonel? Alchemy," Harry said quietly while looking up at Al as he still sat on the ground.

Harry looked at his friends and they looked at him. They all nodded at the same time.

"Alright we'll go with go to see this Colonel guy but you have to tell us absolutely everything. Beginning with way you were in this town," said Harry as he pushed himself up off the ground.

Al nodded. "Oh yes," he said. "By the way my name is Alphonse Elric but everyone calls me Al."

"I'm Harry Potter, and this is Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley," said Harry pointing to his friends as he said their names.

"Pleasure to meet you all," Al said. "Now we better get going. It's a long way to Central."

The three looked at each other, confused for several reasons. Al hadn't reacted as everyone else did in the wizarding world to Harry's name so that meant he wasn't a wizard yet he seemed not to be too confused on what the hooded figures had performed.

Second was they had never heard of this alchemy before now though it seemed to be a normal thing to Al.

Third where was this Central?

So many questions but they could all wait until after Al's story and so their journey back to Central began. Along the way Al explained everything that had happened to him and Ed up until Harry and the gang had saved Al. They were almost half way back to Central before he finally finished as the wizards and witch inserted questions when Al paused.

"I see but why would the Death Eaters want your brother," Hermione asked.

"I wish I knew. Maybe for information from the Philosopher's Stone," Al said.

"You mean the Sorcerer's Stone," Harry said.

"I don't know. Maybe in your culture it is called that but I'm not for sure," Al said then paused. "Wait a minute how do you know about it?"

"My firs year at school at had to stop Voldermort from stealing it to gain eternal life," said Harry.

"You sure were banged up after that one but you've have worse since then," said Ron.

"That can't be it then. The philosopher's stone is an alchemy enhancer that lets you bend the law of equivalent exchange," said Al.

Harry, Ron and Hermione stopped dead in their tracks and looked at each other.

"Looks like you were right mate," Ron said to Harry.

"Al what exactly is this 'alchemy'," Hermione asked.

"I think it would be better for the moment if I just show you," Al said.

He walked off the side of the road where a vast forest laid. He reached under his cloth and brought out a piece of chalk. He drew a round circle with some odd shapes in the center onto a random tree. Al then placed his hand on either side of the circle and pressed down. Blue light flashed around the tree and it molded itself into a rocking-horse.

The trio behind Al stared in awe.

"There are different transmutation circles for different types of alchemy. Perhaps when we meet the Colonel he'll show you his. There are many, many parts to alchemy but a few exceptional people don't even need the transmutation circle. People like my brother, who have been to the gate," Al said turning back to the group.

"Th… The gate?" Ron stammered.

"The gate that holds the Truth behind Truths. The place where souls go when their bodies die," said Al.

There was a sharp intake of breath from the young trio.

"But why would he go there," said Harry slowly.

"That is a tale from another time, speaking of which we've wasted enough. Let's keep moving," Al said.

The group knew that was the end of that. They waited fro Al to join them once again and they continued on their way towards Central.

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Ed sat in what looked like a medieval dungeon. His hand were chained to the wall above his head and held apart by an iron bar. He let his legs straight out in front of him. He had only come to about an hour before, also three hours after being knocked out. He had not seen anyone since then.

He looked up at the chain on his automail arm. He had tried and tried to break the chain on that hand but to no avail. He didn't know what these chains were made over but he couldn't risk pulling so hard that he broke his automail. Not only did he need it for alchemy but if it broke Winry would surely kill him.

He sighed and leaned his head back against the cold rock wall, looking up. He sat waiting for someone to come so he could figure out what the hell was going on.

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Lunamora: Well I figure you guys have been so great with the reviews that I might as well give you little details from the next chapter but only three. If I get five reviews on this chapter then I will do this at the end of the next chapter also!

1. Ron and Mustang don't exactly hit it off. (Not meant to sound yaoi like by the way.)

2. Ed has a little one sided yet calm cussing spat with Voldermort.

3. Someone has a crush!