A/N: I updated! Yay! Before we start, I just want to give a few shout outs: To ghoost, for the long and nice review, to Sunday Storm, for the two long and nice reviews, and of course, to Kyla, (guest) who has been consistently reading, reviewing, and even defending my story. Thank you so much.

Please R&R and enjoy!

Harry had seen Ed in many different lights. From angry, to nervous, to afraid, to hopeless, to friendly, and to angry all over again. But not once had the Boy Who Lived seen his professor so… apathetic. Even when he was depressed, he dove all in.

It was almost the end of class. Hermione and Neville- surprisingly- had both been able to transmute their wood into small dolls, and Edward had just given them small smiles.

Even worse, when Pansy Parkinson began to loudly discuss her classmates' heritage and sincerity, specifically, Hermione and Harry's, Ed didn't even bat an eye.

This was extremely out of character for him. Normally, anything could get the blonde riled up. But on that day, he was listless. It was as though Edward wasn't even there.

Hermione was worried. She always seemed to be worried about Ed nowadays, and had good reason to be. When he wasn't busy being serious, he was hacking up a lung, or getting so sucked into whatever it was he was working on, he didn't acknowledge them at all.

At least Umbridge had stopped trying to ask him questions. She got her head bit off every time she even looked Ed's way. Even that morning, Edward had snapped out of his trance long enough to shoot her a glare.

Speaking of the toad, Professor Umbridge had seemed especially happy lately. Harry could only hope she hadn't heard about their plans to start a new DADA class. Then again, she couldn't exactly persecute them for something they hadn't even done yet.

Harry still wasn't sure how he felt about teaching. He still didn't think anyone would listen to him, but he had to try. No one could get anything out of Umbridge's lessons, it was impossible to learn from only a book, and a prejudiced book at that.

Edward suddenly shook his head and looked back at the class, confused. "A-Al?" he whispered, eyes glazed. Then he jumped. Ed pulled out the silver watch Harry had seen him with on the train and checked it. "Oh, you can go," he declared.

The students gathered their things and placed their half-formed blocks in a box. Harry joined Ron and Hermione in leaving.

They had been let out half an hour early.

Dolores hadn't been this excited since she had almost gotten Harry Potter expelled. She gripped the tiny bottle in her pudgy hand, rings clinking against the glass.

The Minister of Magic was wrapped around her stubby little finger, and he had given her the warrant without question. And if Severus had felt any animosity at giving the potion to her, he hadn't shown it.

Now it was in her grasp, the key to all of little Edward's secrets. Veritaserum.

After all, what kind of a High Inquisitor would she be if she didn't even know where her staff was from?

Getting Ed to comply was the least of her worries. She already knew he wouldn't take anything she gave him. That was where the warrant came in. Dolores had been given permission to force the stuff down his throat if it came to that.

She knew it had come to that.

He was waiting in her office. Dolores had no doubt that he was destroying it as she walked, but was too excited to care.

"Hello, Edward!" she cried, walking into her pink room. The boy, who had been sitting across from her desk, nearly fell out of his chair. Rushing to his feet, he asked, "What?" . It was Umbridge's turn for shock. He hadn't snapped, for once. He had only asked.

Dolores considered the blonde for a moment. He looked unkempt, unhealthy, unfocused, and a multitude of other "un"s. It almost made her feel bad about what she was about to do.

Almost.

"Have a seat."

"I'm fine standing."

Umbridge rose an eyebrow. "Really? Well then. I suppose you're wondering why I asked you to meet me here."

"Actually, I was more curious about when I can leave this pink hell."

She let that slide, especially because Ed's heart was obviously not in the insult. He was too preoccupied with not looking at the kitten pictures on the walls.

Dolores, deciding that now was as good a time as any, pulled out her wand. "We both know you've been… well, less than forthcoming about yourself."

"Um, yeah. I don't really see…"

"Allow me to loosen your tongue."

With that, she flicked her wand. Ed's golden eyes cleared and grew wide as a clear liquid flew into his mouth. He coughed and sputtered, but Dolores just smiled. With another wand wave, he was forced into the chair, looking positively terrified now. Looking his age.

"That's a good boy. Now, tell me. Where are you from?"

"Resembool," he said in a monotone, then a look of confusion crossed his face as he realized his voice had betrayed him.

"I'm afraid I haven't heard of that place. Where is it?"

"Southeastern Amestris."

Umbridge frowned. Veritaserum made you tell the truth, but neither of those places were familiar at all.

"Is Edward Elric your real name?"

"Yes. Edward Elric, Fullmetal Alchemist."

"Fullmetal? What does that mean?"

"A state issued name for a state alchemist."

"What is a state alchemist?"

"An alchemist who works for the military of Amestris."

This was getting her nowhere. "Are you a werewolf?" She had been assured this wasn't the case, but you never knew with those filthy halfbreeds…

"No."

Dolores let out a relieved sigh. Now she could sleep a little safer. "Who are your parents? Are they of magical blood?"

"Trisha Elric and Van Hoenheim, both muggles."

Neither of those names caused a spark of recognition, and Dolores soldiered on. "Are you teaching the students of Hogwarts anything other than alchemy?"

"No."

"Why do I never see you eating?"

"I rarely do."

"And why is that?"

Ed started to say something, but to Umbridge's surprise, he stopped, gritting his teeth and trying to hold back his answer. It was a good ten seconds before he choked out, "Because of the Toll that... Truth… took when I- I got my brother's body back."

Dolores was alarmed. A drop of this potion was supposed to work for three hours, at least, and she had used more than half the bottle.

"Who is this 'Truth'?"

"God."

"What was the 'Toll'?"

Edward was truly fighting it now, a drop of sweat making its way down his all-too-pale face. "I don't… know."

"Then how do you know it was taken?"

"Because… I…"

The kid screamed, pushing against her binding spell and bringing his right hand to his mouth, biting down to keep himself from saying anything.

"Well, this is quite a development," she muttered, not happy. How had he managed to deter the potion? Seeing that Edward was not going to tell her anything more, Dolores raised her wand. "Obliviate," she said through pursed lips.

The blonde froze. He stopped screaming and pulled his hand out of his mouth, looking bewildered. "Um, you wanted to see me?" Edward asked, having lost his memory of the past ten minutes.

"Yes, I wanted to let you know that I will be conducting another inspection in a week."

"You didn't have to drag me to this pink hell, you know. A note would have been just fine."

Dolores smirked at his reiteration of his opinion of her office. Of course, he wouldn't remember already having said that.

"What are you grinning about?"

"Oh, nothing. I just wanted to make sure you got the message. You may go now."

Ed, looking a little unsettled and dazed, stood to leave, but stopped in the doorway with wide eyes. "Is everything alright?" asked Umbridge.

The boy brought a hand to his face. He nodded without turning around. "F-Fine."

Dolores allowed herself a self-satisfied smile as she watched Edward leave. She may not have gained as much information as she had hoped, but she definitely had gotten something.

Leverage.

Ed walked down the deserted hallway. He had no idea why there was blood pouring from his mouth. After all, he hadn't done anything terribly strenuous. Right?

The professor faltered. It felt like he was trying to remember something that just wasn't there. Like when he was reaching for a book on the top shelf, but just couldn't get it. Ed frowned. He had much more experience with being unable to get to books than he liked to admit.

Luckily, the bleeding wasn't as bad as it could have been. Ed had dealt with much worse. He swiped a hand across his face, then noticed something that made him pause. His white-and-red glove had two large holes in it, almost like something had bit into and torn the cloth, or slashed it with a serrated knife. A strange sense of deja vu caught Ed off guard and increased his headache tenfold.

Edward shook his head and stepped into his office, but was startled to discover he wasn't alone. Hermione Granger was waiting for him, pacing nervously. When the girl noticed Ed, she jumped.

"Um, can I help you?"

"Yes. Maybe. Well, I don't know. Um, it…" Hermione stopped her rambling. Edward chuckled slightly, trying not to cough. He didn't need anyone else knowing about his little problem. Neville was enough.

"What is it?"

Hermione hesitated. "I know you hate Professor Umbridge as much as the rest of us do."

Ed snorted. "That bitch? S'it even possible to like her?"

The Gryffindor bit back a grin. "Do you know how she teaches her lessons? She doesn't let us perform any magic. We're only allowed to read a biased book."

"Sounds like her. What about it?"

Taking a deep breath, she said, "We don't think this is an adequate education. I've convinced Harry- Harry Potter, I mean- to teach us how to defend ourselves. But what you said in your classes, about using wands… you were obviously correct."

Frowning, Ed asked, "What are you getting at?" He already knew the answer.

Hermione looked up at him. "We want you to teach us alchemy, but not just in lessons, not just the education approved things. Teach us how to use it to fight. Because if we lose our wands, we're really just kids. Without a source of magic, we're just teenagers against adults. V-Voldemort isn't going to wait for us to get back our wands, he won't hesitate. We need another method, an advantage. Something he won't see coming."

Edward considered the wide-eyed girl in front of him. She was breathing heavily, expression pleading. He smiled, an eyebrow cocked. "So, is this 'class' of yours legal?"

She froze. Looking down, Hermione mumbled, "Well, not exactly."

The professor laughed. "When do I start?"

Hermione's head shot up, face filled with hope. "You don't mind?"

"Anything that goes against the Umbitch is perfectly fine with me."

The Gryffindor smiled. "I'll let you know when we meet," she said, exiting the room brightly.

As soon as Hermione was gone, Edward collapsed into his desk chair. He looked at his research, papers strewn across the wooden surface. For the first time in a long while, Ed found himself not wanting to work on it. He didn't feel like doing anything at all.

Ed sighed. It was all because of the day, just damn October 3rd. It came around every year, but this time, unlike last year, Al wasn't here. Or Winry. Not even Mustang.

He knew this was idiotic, not working to get back to the people he wanted- no, needed, to get back to. But Ed couldn't bring himself to pick up his pen, open that book.

Tomorrow, he thought, everything will be okay. But Ed wasn't stupid. He knew that something as simple as a day's end wouldn't solve everything, but it was all he had at the moment.

With that bitter thought on his mind, Edward drifted off to sleep.