I have no words for how sorry I am…. A year! I'm deeply ashamed of myself and my procrastinating. But here it is, the next chapter. I haven't given up!

And you people are amazing, you know that? So many reviews, so much praise, it's mind blowing!

FMAHP

Ed and Al spent the morning lazing about in their room. Ed read "Hogwarts: A History", which was actually an interesting book. Al was asleep on the couch with Mae purring in the crook of his neck. They didn't have any plans for the rest of the holiday except for asking Filius about protective charms. Al had found a charm that was supposed to protect against flames, and they both thought this sounded very practical.

Hanging around the Flame Alchemist made one realize that being fireproof would be a good idea.

The notebok heated up with a message from the Colonel, and Ed tensed. He was still afraid that the next message could be the one that told him to get his ass in the war-zone. It was stressing him out to wait like this. He almost wished he'd just be ordered down there to get the stress and suspense over with.

It was a short note about Breda's injury. Ed swore when he read it.

"What's happened, brother?" Al asked in a sleepy voice. Ed sighed and rubbed his head.

"News from Mustang," he said sadly. "Breda lost his hand. He's getting automail, apparently."

"Oh," Al said quietly. "I didn't realize his injury was that bad. Does Mustang mention how Breda is taking it?"

"No, he doesn't say," Ed answered. "He suggests I write to Breda though. Granny Pinako is with him to explain it, but he might want to hear from someone who has it. He knows a lot more than most, since he has known me for so long." Al grunted.

"I think you should write him," Al said. "Then we can both send letters to Winry and Granny as well." Ed hummed in agreement.

They wrote letters in silence and walked to the Owlery to post them.

Ed's note to Breda was in his usual short manner: "The surgery hurts like hell, but it's worth it. And you know Granny Pinako and Winry are the best."

The castle was eerily quiet in the absence of most of the students. Since so many of them had gone home for the holidays, there was no one in the hallways and no sounds from the rooms they walked pass.

"This place in creepy when it's silent," Ed said suddenly. Al snorted on a laugh.

"It's amazing how much you can hear that there's people in the castle even when you can't actually hear the people," Al mused. Ed grinned.

"Exactly," he agreed.

They made short work of the trip to the Owlery, having learned the way there through trial and error. The annoying knight was busy being a guardian for a near-empty Gryffindor common room, so luckily, they didn't need to avoid him.

There was fewer owls in the tower now, since the owls belonging to students had gone with them home. The only owls left were school owls, mostly. The light barn owl Ed and Al had used the most came flying down to perch on Ed's automail shoulder. Ed was so very grateful for the metal whenever he caught eye of the sharp claws. It ruffled its feathers and hooted. Al happily handed over a few owl treats. He had stocked up when they were in the village. They were in agreement that becoming friendly with the bird of prey would be a good idea. The owl gobbled up the treats and held out a leg for them to tie the letters to. Al tied it there and told the owl were to take it, while Ed acted as perch. The owl hooted once and took off through the window.

"I'll never get used to how smart those animals are," Ed said when they headed out. "I think they must have done something magic to them. Owls in the wild can't be that intelligent."

"Maybe they're bred that way? Or fed something magical?" Al suggested.

They continued the discussion while walking through the hallways. Outside the Gryffindor rooms they met McGonagall, holding a very shiny broom. She gave them a curt nod and continued her brisk walk.

"Wonder what's that about?" Al wondered when McGonagall had gone around the corner at the end of the corridor.

"No idea," Ed said.

Just when they were about to continue, Granger came out of the common room. She looked upset, something that made Ed want to avoid her, and Al want to comfort her. She marched down the hall, and Ed decided that they were not following her.

"Come on, Al," he said and dragged Al down their corridor. "She looks like she wants to be left alone." Al didn't protest.

They ended up holed in their room until dinner, and they went straight back after. They did notice that Granger sat far away from Weasley and Potter and they both looked kind of pissed at her. Ed was curious about what brought this on, but not curious enough to get involved in their drama.

On the way back to their rooms, Al briefly wondered if it had something to do with McGonagall's broom. Ed shrugged and feigned disinterest.

The next few days went in the same manner. Ed and Al had several meetings with Filius about making some protective charms. Filius was very accommodating. He didn't waste any time, and cast a flame resistant charm on Ed's coat without prompting. Ed was secretly amazed at how easy it apparently was. No amulets, no preparations, just a light wave of a wand and a few words in Latin.

On the last day of the year, Ed and Al was in the library. They were both surprised to see Granger there as well. Of course, it wasn't surprising to see her in the library, but what was unusual was seeing her without her two tag-alongs.

Al didn't even bother to ask Ed, and lead the way to her table.

"Hermione, is everything alright?" Al asked, doing his patented is-there-anything-I-can-do look. Ed hovered in the background, itching to get back to the book he was reading. May had sent a few books about alkahestry, and Ed was finding it much more interesting that whatever else was happening around him.

Granger sniffled, but didn't look up from her book. Al turned to Ed and stared at him. Ed recognized the stubborn frown on his brother's face and sighed gustily. His book clearly had to wait. He sat down opposite from Granger at the table.

"Okay, what's wrong?" Ed asked in his usual blunt manner. He desperately wanted to do almost anything other than comforting a crying teenage girl, but Al looked ready to insist. The most annoying thing about that, was that Ed knew Al was just as scared of crying girls as he was. Al was just better at overcoming it.

Granger finally looked up from her book. Her eyes were slightly red, a sure sign of crying. Having spent most of his teenage years around strong, adult women, Ed was not prepared to comfort her. Winry was bad enough, and she didn't really cry often.

Granger wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her knitted sweater. She sniffled again.

"Hermione?" Al asked quietly in his caring voice.

That broke the dam. She launched into a story about Potter getting a broom for Christmas, and her worries about it, then her telling McGonagall and McGonagall taking the broom for testing. The girl didn't really take a breath, so Ed had troubles following her at the end of her speech.

"So, you're telling me your friends are angry with you for worrying about Potter when you know a mass murderer is after him?" Ed asked sharply after she had dried her eyes again. Granger nodded. Ed wondered briefly how violently Al would protest if he tried to retreat to the safety of their rooms, but quickly decided the answer was very violently.

Al elbowed him sharply. Ed glared at his brother, who only glared back until Ed gave in. Ed sighed and got up. Leaving his book in the library, he walked towards the Gryffindor commons. He could hear Al talking in comforting tones behind him.

Ed worked up some anger on his way to the commons, helped by a lot of frustration. He absently wondered if he was that stupid when he was thirteen.

Then he remembered what he was doing at thirteen, and decided that, yeah, he sort of was.

Ed glared at the annoying knight who waved his sword back at him and challenged him to a duel.

"Scurvy cur," Ed said shortly, and the painting opened. He climbed through the door and into the Gryffindor common room.

He hadn't had the presence of mind to properly appreciate the room the last time he had been here. Last time, he had hurried through and the room had been filled with students. He took a moment to look around. It was a circular room filled with big red armchairs and couches. The big windows on the front wall had red curtains with gold-coloured cords tying them open. Several carpets were scattered on the floor as well, mostly at the sitting groups, hiding most of the stone floor. Ed liked the Gryffindor colour scheme, and wholeheartedly agreed with the how the room looked.

Now, it was almost completely empty of people, expect for the two surprised-looking kids sitting in front of the fireplace with a chessboard between them.

"How's it going, Professor?" Potter said hesitantly. Ed grunted a greeting.

"I have to take time out of my own research to have a talk with a pair of idiotic kids, because one of my students is sitting in the library crying," he said flatly. "This wasn't part of my plan for today." He sat down cross-legged on the floor next to the now slightly wide-eyed kids.

"First: Are you really so stupid that you're going to be pissed at a friend for being worried?" Ed asked Potter harshly. Before the disgruntled boy could answer, he continued. "Secondly: Are you prepared to put a fucking broomstick in front of your friendship with Hermione? Thirdly: Do you really think that Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick will mess up your broom? Do you know your Head of House at all?" Potter had the decency to look slightly ashamed. He fiddled with the white rook by the board and studiously avoided Ed's eyes. Weasley, on the other hand, displayed some famed red-headed temper.

"She snitched to McGonagall!" he said, his ears going red in anger. "It's a Firebolt, Professor!" The kid said that in a tone that suggested that not only should Ed know what that meant, but he should be just as offended as Weasley was. Ed raised an eyebrow.

"That doesn't mean anything to me," he said blandly. "It's a broom, Weasley. Do you really value a glorified, magic cleaning implement more than your friend?" Weasley looked like Ed had just personally insulted his entire family (of which Ed suspected there were many), including pets and house.

"I get what you mean, Professor," Potter said quietly. "It's just that she sometimes sticks her nose in business that doesn't concern her. And I need that broom for our next Quidditch game!"

"And what if it is cursed, Potter?" Ed asked shortly. "If it was sent by Black and there's a curse on it, what will happen when you're 20 feet up in the air and the broom throws you off? Or fly away with you? Or spontaneously combust?" Weasley looked constipated, but Ed decided to focus on the more logical individual of the two. Potter was still rotating the rook and staring at it as if the thing had the answers to the world's great mysteries.

"Okay, I'll leave now," Ed announced when it was clear that the kid wasn't planning on saying anything. "You should consider forgiving your friend for being worried about your safety when there's a mass murderer after you." He didn't quite manage to hold the sarcasm out of his tone, but figured it was enough.

He left the common room quickly after that and marched back to the library.

Al and Hermione were just where he left them, only she had stopped crying. They were deep in discussion about something and several books were stacked on the table. A few were open between them, and Hermione were scribbling furiously on a long roll of parchment.

"What are you working on?" Ed asked as he dropped carelessly into the chair next to his forgotten book. It was Al who answered.

"You know that hippogriff, Buckbeak?" he said. "Hagrid had a class about them, and Buckbeak hurt one of the students, Malfoy?" Ed nodded in recognition.

"The Ministry is petitioning for his death," Hermione said. She didn't sound on the verge of tears anymore, but she did sound very stressed. "It's going to be a trial and everything. We've been trying to work on a good defence for Hagrid since he told us, but magical creatures has next to no rights and there's nothing!" She shut the book she was looking through violently at the last word. Ed raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"Okay then, so we're changing our plans for today, Al?" Ed asked rhetorically. Al shot him a grateful look.

It was not the way Ed thought he'd be spending their last day before the students came back. But he liked Hagrid, and had noticed that the giant man had been noticeable less cheerful lately. Now he knew why, and if he could do something about it, he was willing to sacrifice his reading time.

FMAHP

The castle was suddenly a lot noisier when the rest of the students came back. Two hours after the train arrived Ed was already looking forward to summer. Al was happily skipping beside him on their way to the Great Hall for dinner, having no apparent ill will towards the noisy kids.

"It'll be good to get back to teaching," Al said cheerily. "I've gotten used to having a routine, and it was getting boring just doing research." Ed grunted. It was a sound that clearly was neither an agreement or a disagreement. He liked just researching, but reading about creature rights and gory penalties wasn't his favourite pastime.

Dinner was a loud affair that day. It was a shock to the system going from one table of people to five tables, where four of them were filled with kids. Apparently, they had a lot to say to each other.

Ed noticed that the tension between Granger and her two sidekicks was still there, but at least they were sitting together. He hoped his talking-to had helped.

Al was in a lively discussion with Remus when Ed felt it. The notebook heated up with a message, and Ed immediately felt like a stone had dropped into his stomach. He took it out carefully, hoping not to attract Al's attention in case it was more bad news. The message was short.

"Fullmetal, get here ASAP."

Ed closed his eyes in resignation. He knew this would happen. He still felt his entire body tense up at the order though. He looked sideways at Al's happy face and felt a wave of sadness. He sighed heavily. Al noticed and turned slightly to look. He spotted the notebook and his smile fell.

"Ed?" he asked hesitantly. "Is it more bad news?" Al was talking Amestrian, since he didn't want the conversation to be public. Ed showed Al the page instead of talking. Al paled.

"When are you leaving?" he asked.

"Right away," Ed answered. "I just need to get my automail. The normal ones are better for combat."

"Do you want to change now?" Al enquired. Ed shook his head.

"I might as well do it there," he answered. "I don't know how that portkey-business will affect my automail, so I'd rather have the light one on." Al nodded in agreement.

"You go get that, and I'll inform Dumbledore," Al said. Ed nodded and got up. Some of the teachers were clearly watching him leave. Al headed over to Dumbledore's chair. The Headmaster was watching him approach with a look that clearly stated he knew what had happened.

"Ed had to leave," Al said quickly. "He's going to get a bag and then he'll take off for Amestris." Dumbledore looked grave, but understanding. Al sat back down in his seat and stared at his food. He had lost his appetite.

"What's going on?" Remus enquired from his right. Al looked up.

"Ed has to go home," he said sadly. "Aerugo, our neighbouring country, is trying to invade Amestris. They've gotten past the borders and now the military is calling the State Alchemists back to fight. Ed has to go into war." Al's throat closed up in worry. He hated that he couldn't go with his brother. He didn't want Ed fighting without Al there to watch his back. He knew that Ed could hold his own, that his brother was a very good fighter, but still.

Remus looked understandably shocked.

"War?" he asked incredulously. "But he's a teenager!" Al game him a look.

"Both of us has already fought in a war back home," he said. "Also, we have told you that he's in the military. This can happen when you're in the military. Especially in a country where most of the neighbouring countries are hostile." Remus looked shaken.

"And I knew that, but I didn't think…" he mumbled. Al nodded.

"I know," he said sadly. "We were hoping we would be done with the fighting." Remus gave him such a pitying look that Al had to look away. He stared at the doors of the Great Hall instead, and waited for his brother to return.

Ed came through the doors quickly after, carrying his bag and wearing his normal clothes. He stopped just in front of Dumbledore and had a short conversation with the man. Dumbledore nodded and raised his wand, releasing a sharp sound that caught the attention of the chattering students.

"Students, I have an announcement for you," Dumbledore said. Ed gestured for Al, and left the room. Al followed quickly, hearing Dumbledore beginning to explain that Ed had to leave for a while and that Al would be taking over his classes.

They stepped out of the Great Hall and stopped. Ed turned to Al.

"Good luck with the kids, Al," he said with an attempt at his signature grin. "Don't teach them to transmute until I'm back. Stick to making circles and review the stuff we taught them last semester." Al nodded shakily.

"I will," he said. "Take care, brother." Ed pulled him in for a hug.

"I'll be back soon," he said. Then Ed took hold of the rope he had tied to his belt and said the password. Al watched as his brother suddenly disappeared without any mumbo jumbo. Al sniffed and headed to his room instead of back into the hall.

FMAHP

Al entered the Alchemy classroom the next day in a bad mood. He was worried and the idea of teaching alchemy wasn't as fun without his brother. He waited impatiently for the fourth years to arrive and dreaded teaching this class. He hoped they would behave themselves now that McLaggen wasn't here anymore.

The students started filtering in a few minutes before the bell. Al got up and readied himself for trying to motivate kids that just had two weeks off. Just when he was about to ask everyone to be quiet, the door opened and McLaggen entered. He walked in with his schoolbag on his shoulder and looking like he had every right to be there.

"McLaggen, what are you doing here?" Al asked sharply. McLaggen sat down in a seat in the back and stared defiantly at Al.

"I'm here to learn alchemy," he said smugly.

"No, you are not," Al said harshly. "I thought we made ourselves very clear on that point before the holiday. You are not welcome here. I will not teach you anything." McLaggen stubbornly remained seated.

"I want to ask you how Professor Elric did alchemy without a circle when you've been telling it the circle is so important," McLaggen said loudly. The class gasped and Al sighed. He had hoped McLaggen hadn't noticed that. He wasn't about to answer the question though. Al sighed again and took a moment to gather the tattered remains of his usually abundant patience.

"McLaggen, I will tell you one more time," he said slowly. "Leave the classroom, or I will remove you." McLaggen's eyes flickered a bit, but he didn't make a move to get up. Al walked down to the student's desk and grabbed a hold of the neck of his robe. He then proceeded to drag the by now protesting student out the door and into the hallway. There, he let go of the robe, clapped and put his hands on the floor. He could feel the students in his classroom watching him curiously. A stone hand came out of the floor and took a hold of the boy's ankle. He made sure it wasn't tight at all, and McLaggen might even be able to squirm out of the hold. He didn't want to traumatise him.

Then he got his bag and put it down next to him.

"You might be able to get out of that, but if not I'll release you when my class is over," he said sharply to McLaggen, who was looking like Al had just done a heinous act. "You might want to sit down." Then he turned and headed into the classroom. The rest of the students were watching wide-eyed.

"I trust you remember that we told you he wasn't allowed into the class anymore," he said to the class. "We meant that." One of the Hufflepuff students raised a hand, and Al gestured for her to speak.

"How do that clapping thing work? Why haven't you mentioned it before?" she asked nervously.

"We haven't mentioned it because it can't be taught," Al answered truthfully. "The only ones I know who can do this is me, my brother and our teacher." He didn't mention Mustang, since he didn't think it was relevant and the man didn't use his ability much anyway.

"It's not relevant to you, therefore we didn't mention it," he said shortly, channelling his brother, and putting a stop to further questioning.

"Now, let's see how many of you remember what elements this paper consists of," Al said, holding up a piece of paper, the very material their first transmutation would be.

FMAHP

There it is! The chapter people have been waiting for! I'm sorry it's so short and stuff, but the next one will be more interesting. And it won't take another year this time.