Don't own, don't own, don't own!

…so don't sue! ^^;;

...ff.n is picking and choosing what words it keeps italicized. This time, it picked the last italicized word of the chapter, and undid the rest. -_-

I wasn't sure what to make Remus' Patronus, and I didn't want to go with the typical wolf that seems to be everywhere else. A Patronus reflects on the person that conjured it, or a preferred animal (or if someone had strong feelings for another person). I doubt, after being a werewolf, Remus would be too thrilled to have a wolf as his Patronus.

So, I looked up Animal meanings, and came across a page on Totem Animals. I debated between a couple of them before I chose his Patronus, which is a symbol of innocence, companionship, and trust.

Chapter 10: Snakes and Wolves

Edward glanced meaningfully at his mother for a moment, then turned back to the group. There was much he had to discuss with the adults. He couldn't give the full story to Harry. He just couldn't. He felt bad that he would have to lie to Harry…

Or would he?

Edward frowned. I should tell him. He's been lied to for half his life. It's not fair if I lie to him, too. He'd eventually find out I'm lying, and I wanna research how it's possible to have a part of another human in him…he'd see and ask, and I wouldn't be able to lie to him cause he's family.

"Ed?" Harry asked worriedly.

Edward sighed and ran a hand down his face. Then, he looked at his cousin with a solemn expression. "Harry…I'm gonna ask you this before I say anything. Do you want the truth? The full truth? Or do you want a half truth?"

Harry didn't even have to think about that. He had been lied to about magic until he was saved from the Dursley's, and wanted to know what was going on, especially if it concerned him. "Full truth."

Edward nearly groaned, but just closed his eyes wearily. He couldn't bear to look at his cousin when he delivered the news. "There's another layer. It has a small connection with your own, but otherwise, it's a separate entity."

Harry stiffened. He had a feeling he knew what that meant, and he didn't like the conclusions he was drawing.

"What…what do you mean?" Winry looked about ready to pass out between everything that had happened.

Edward steeled his courage and looked directly at Harry to show that this new revelation didn't change their relationship. "He's there. Not just his power. If it was just his power, then there would have been hints of it in your layer…your core. He had his own layer. That means…and, mind you, I have no damn clue…"

Nobody bothered to correct Edward on his language due to the severity of the situation.

"…how it's even possible, without having multiple personalities…but he's there."

"He?" Alphonse was almost afraid of the answer.

Edward clenched his jaw, then, despite the fact that it made Winry cringe, dished out the news. "Voldemort. I've never seen him or encountered him…but I knew it had to be him. I've never felt anything like that before. And…"

He couldn't say it. He couldn't tell Harry the other discovery he had made. He just couldn't. It wouldn't come out of his mouth. Due to how much Harry had paled from just saying that there was a piece of Voldemort in him…

"…yea." Edward finished lamely. He risked a glance around the room.

Remus had paled several shades less than healthy, and gripped the arms of the chair he was seated in so tight his knuckles were white.

Trisha looked shocked. She didn't truly understand alchemy, or Probing, but she knew that this could only be something bad.

Winry didn't completely understand; all she knew was that the rumors were true, and Voldemort accidentally put some of himself and his powers into Harry. She wasn't sure what to think about that. There was the incident with the snake, but otherwise, Harry was a nice and kind boy.

Alphonse was also pale, and kept looking between Edward and Harry as if he didn't believe it, and seemed to be waiting for his brother to say "fooled ya!". He knew about Probing, and about layers. He also knew what it meant for there to be a separate layer in someone that shouldn't have one. It meant that something wasn't right, in the least.

Sig was lost in the conversation, but the frown on his face indicated that he had some clue, at least, of what they were talking about (what with a witch for a wife), and could obviously feel the heavy atmosphere of the room.

Izumi was just as lost as Alphonse. Though she was an alchemist, Probing was something that the Elric brothers had discovered a year ago, and shared it with her. She probably knew even less about what Edward's discovery could mean, but she did get a feeling of foreboding. It certainly wasn't a good discovery, that was for sure.

Remus was the first to break the silence. "Are you sure, Edward?"

Edward nodded seriously. "Yea. Can't say I've ever seen the evil bastard, but it had to be him. I…" he paused and gulped down nausea. Of the group, Remus was the only one that had fought in the war. If there was anyone that could confirm the images to be Voldemort, it was him.

Finally, Edward focused on Remus. "Probing brings up images when done fully. I saw snakes and skulls. Flashes of colors…green, red, black…feelings of emotions that didn't belong to Harry. Hate, anger, frustration, greed…and at the end, before I was…"

…before I was pushed out, cause the damn thing was actually sentient…had a mind of its own. It was alive, or connected to something…

"…before I passed out or whatever…I saw…well, I think it used to be human. A man…humanoid. Mostly the face was the focal point. White, like he hadn't ever seen the sun…flat nose with snake-like slits for nostrils…and…horrible, slanted red eyes that seemed to burn like fire…"

Remus made a choking noise, and if possible, was even paler than before.

Some in the room figured that, if he hadn't been seated, he probably would have either collapsed or passed out.

"Remus?" Trisha inquired of the man that looked positively ill now.

"Was it…?" Izumi's sharp eyes were slightly haunted as she looked over at the man. She hadn't actively participated in the war for either side, but she was more than aware of what went on during it.

Remus had his head in his hand as he mumbled to himself.

"I'll get some tea." Trisha stood up after giving her son a hug, then gently squeezed Remus' shoulder before she left the room. She hadn't participated in the war, either, once she became pregnant with Edward. She had joined the Order of the Phoenix at first, since Hoenheim was part of it, but was talked into dropping out. She hadn't even had a single battle with a Death Eater, let alone with the Dark Lord, himself.

The kids all looked anxious, and Harry was on the verge of tears again as he slowly moved closer to Edward.

"It…doesn't change me, right?" Harry knew a little about Probing, since he could do it, as well. He'd never done a full Probe before, and after seeing one, wasn't too eager to try it.

At that, Edward seemed to come to life again, though he was still pale. "What? No! Course not! You're Harry! The dominant layer is Harry James Elric Potter! That…that thing…will never be you!"

Harry worried his lip. "But…I can speak Parseltongue…"

"That's cause the layer is bleeding into yours a bit. Not like it's trying to take over. More like…like it's accidentally merging with yours. None of the…well…" Edward paused.

…none of the alive parts of it…

"…none of the evil and nasty spots are the merging ones. Just abilities, really. I had to go past the merge to find the actual layer. It's not you, and it'll never be you," Edward concluded.

Harry still didn't look too convinced, as his face was almost as pale as Edward's. Finally, he turned to Remus, who seemed to have the most answers. "What does it mean? Is Ed right?"

Remus looked up, a tired expression on his face. "I believe so, Harry. I hate to say it, but I really haven't much experience with alchemy."

"But what does it mean? That I…I have a piece of that…that monster…in me?" Harry looked understandably horrified.

Edward looked up at him and found he couldn't lie to those wide, green eyes. Slowly, he nodded. "It's there." With that, he pointed at the scar on Harry's forehead. "That's the highest level of concentration of the layer. Layers typically envelop the entire body…"

Even the layer he had discovered in Remus, which he put on the back burner for now, had done the same, though it was fainter, as if it only appeared once in a while.

Edward ploughed on. "…but yours…that layer, I found after a search. I had to search for the source of the power merging, and that's when I found the layer. It was…all except the power merging, it was like it was in a prison cell in the shape of your scar."

Harry reached up to touch his scar, then pulled his hand back as if he would be burned or possessed by doing so.

Winry sniffled. Out of everyone in the room, she probably understood both alchemy and the situation the least. Sure, she grew up around alchemy due to the Elrics moving in when they were little, and actually showing her on her birthday, but that didn't mean she understood it. Had it been that easy to understand and use alchemy, every wizard and witch would be doing it.

Izumi glanced at her husband, who nodded.

Sig stood up. "Perhaps Alphonse would like to fly a bit? With Winry's help, we can get him on a broom."

"But…" Alphonse started.

The protest was interrupted by Izumi's intense stare.

Alphonse sighed, and wheeled himself towards the door. "Come on, Winry."

Winry was more than happy to leave the room. Between seeing Edward just about have a fit, then learn that a piece of the most evil wizard that had existed could be inside of Harry, she didn't wish to spend more time there.

Sig accompanied the kids to the backyard just as Trisha came back in with some tea and handed it out to everyone.

"Peppermint Chamomile…good choice." Izumi took Winry's vacated seat, as she had been standing through the entire conversation so far.

Remus nodded his consent, and took a sip almost immediately.

"What does it mean, Ed?" Trisha asked her son.

Edward shrugged helplessly as he stared into his cup. "Dunno. There are books in dad's study about auras and all, but…there's nothing about finding a living layer that doesn't belong to someone unless that someone has multiple personalities…or more than one soul in their body. In the case of the latter, the souls often conflict for dominance in a body, and Harry certainly hasn't shown any sign of that. Whatever it means, it's such a small piece. Like…like only a piece of a soul. Dunno if that makes sense."

Harry shook his head, still trying to make sense of all of it. To be told that he didn't just have the abilities, but a piece of that filthy thing's soul in him…it made him feel sick.

Trisha took her seat back between the two boys, and looked from Izumi and Remus with a hopeless expression.

Izumi shook her head. This was a part of alchemy that the Elric brothers (and Harry) knew more about than her. As for more than one soul in a body, she hadn't a clue, either. She had some books, yes, but not some of the darker books that littered Hoenheim's shelves. It worried her a bit to know that Edward and Alphonse had access to such books, but she figured that the access wasn't easy to obtain.

Remus, however, did have an idea. "Dumbledore."

Trisha glanced up at him with a hopeful look.

Izumi had heard of Dumbledore, since he was a prominent name in the war, but had never met him since she hadn't attended Hogwarts nor fought in the war.

Harry and Edward, who had only heard of the man through stories from Remus, exchanged looks across Trisha. Remus had said Dumbledore was a powerful and intelligent wizard; probably the best there was.

"Can you contact him?" Trisha asked in a worried tone. "It's the summer…I doubt he lives in the castle all year…"

Remus thought about it. There was an option…it was how the Order sent messages to each other during the war. However, he had no idea how far it could actually go.

On the other hand, it was worth a try, in the least.

"Yes. I'm not sure it'll work, but there might be a way." Remus took a couple more sips of the tea as he tried to calm himself down and think of a happy thought.

Everyone watched as he pulled out his wand and mumbled something in Latin; obviously a spell.

With a flick of his wand, a silver-white apparition appeared from it that resembled a porcupine.

The thing instantly bounded through the wall and vanished from sight.

"What was that?" It was Harry that asked, though Edward had stared in wonder.

"A Patronus Charm," Remus responded as he pocketed his wand. "It's typically used to fight against dark creatures such as Dementors and Lethifolds. However, and I hope that you kids can keep this a secret…"

Harry and Edward nodded, then held up their hands to show that they hadn't crossed their fingers.

Remus nodded with a small smile. "Trisha might remember…the Patronus was used by members that opposed Voldemort to send messages to each other."

Edward instantly understood. "So, you sent a message to Dumbledore with that?"

Remus nodded.

"Why a porcupine?" Izumi, who had never cast nor seen a Patronus charm, inquired.

Remus flushed a bit. "I…had expected it to be something else when I first learned it, to be honest. However, after some research, I found that the charm reflects on the user's personality. I…rather thought I'd wind up with something else…"

"A wolf?" the words were out of Edward's mouth before he had time to think about it.

Remus instantly glanced over at him with a contemplative, and perhaps a worried, look.

Edward blushed and looked back at his tea. He hadn't meant to say that…Harry's problem was more important, though he figured that they might be able to solve it if they could breach the wards to the basement…

It was a good conversational tangent, and distraction. Edward looked up. "Hey, I realized…the old man might have something on Harry's predicament. Maybe in the basement. There are wards there, but I'm sure adults would have no problem getting through them…"

He didn't mention that he, Harry, and Alphonse were already halfway through the wards, themselves.

"Interesting idea, and don't try to change the subject." Trisha knew a diversion when she saw one, particularly from Edward, who was always trying to skirt trouble.

Edward flushed.

"You Probed me, I take it." It wasn't a question from Remus, but rather, a statement.

Edward turned red and couldn't seem to look at the man.

"Edward!" Trisha gasped in shock. Then, she frowned at her son. "What did I tell you about Probing without permission!"

"I…I'm sorry I did it without permission…" Edward shifted nervously.

"Why did you do that?" even Izumi didn't sound very happy about it.

There were a couple reasons why he had done it, so he went with the one that wouldn't make it seem like he was just trying to pry or solve a great mystery.

"I…well, we like Remus…" Edward nodded to Harry, then looked back at his tea as if it had the answers. "And…I couldn't shake that feeling I'd gotten when I first Probed him. I know he said everything was okay with him, but…"

This time, Edward looked up at Remus despite his guilt. "Harry really likes you…I like you. Al likes you…I…we…well, all of us just can't help but worry when there's something odd that comes back in a Probe."

"And?" Trisha knew when her son was hiding something.

Edward groaned. "…and, I wanted to make sure it wasn't dangerous or anyth'n, cause Harry's like a brother, even though he's technically my cousin."

Harry felt that warmth in his chest, and it was a welcome feeling after all the bad news from the first Probe. Ed still likes me. Ed thinks of me as a brother…as close family.

Remus looked at Edward with a weary look, though his hands had once again gripped the armrests, which betrayed his nervousness. "I suppose…you have a question for me, then."

Edward bowed his head, then sighed and looked up. "You're a werewolf…right?"

Remus closed his eyes so he wouldn't have to see anyone's reactions. He didn't hear anyone get up or run out the door, screaming, but that was only a small hope. Finally, he gave a nod.

Harry glanced at Edward. "Is that bad?"

Edward shrugged. "I dunno much about werewolves. Dad has some books on dark creatures, but I didn't read 'em all, yet. I can say this, though…it was a separate layer, buried way underneath the layer that was Remus."

Remus sighed and sat forward a bit. "Werewolves are dangerous creatures, indeed. Once a month, during the full moon, someone who carries the virus that causes Lycanthropy transforms into a beast. I hear there's a new potion out that can help transformed werewolves keep their minds, but when transformed without the potion, they don't know the difference between their best friend and prey."

There was a thoughtful silence in the room.

"Do you take the potion?" Izumi asked.

Remus looked down and picked at his frayed sleeve. "I'd like to, but…"

Everyone seemed to understand. By the way he was dressed, the potion obviously cost a lot of money, and he couldn't afford it.

Finally, Remus reluctantly looked up at the boys. Though he was an adult, he gave off the impression of a young child waiting for a verdict and preparing for rejection.

Harry and Edward exchanged a look, then nodded to each other.

"Doesn't matter," Harry was the first to speak.

"Yea," Edward agreed. "I take it you've been one for a while, right?"

A nod from Remus.

"Then, you know safety stuffs and precautions, right?"

Another nod.

Edward smiled. "No sweat, then! For one day out of a month, you're the wolf layer, but the rest of the time, you're Remus. And I liked what I saw in your layer, so it's fine with me!"

Harry put his tea down on the coffee table, then slid off the couch and went over to the stunned man. Then, he smiled and held out his arms. "You're still Uncle Moony."

Remus looked as if he were about to burst into tears, but rather, just set his own cup of tea aside and slid off the chair to embrace Harry. The 'Uncle Moony' bit had started when Remus told them a story of their Hogwarts nicknames, which seemed to spark a long forgotten memory that Harry had as a toddler of an 'Uncle Moony'.

Edward stood up as well after he put his own cup down, then ran over and all but jumped on both Harry and Remus to join in. "Yea! You're cool!"

Remus whispered a hoarse and thick 'thank you', then glanced past the boys at the adults.

Trisha had a smile on her face, and nodded her approval.

Izumi grinned, but there was also acceptance in it.

Remus couldn't help it when a couple tears slipped down his cheeks.

The boys noticed, but said nothing. There was nothing to say, after all. The emotions in the small room were all that was needed.

TO BE CONTINUED…