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Chapter 10: Final Exam
The students taking Alchemy walked into Professor Edward Elric's classroom, dreading what was to come. The final exam. Most of the students had studied as much as they could, unsure as to what material would be included. There were students like Hermione who had memorized her notes word for word, and those like Malfoy who didn't believe that he shouldn't bother studying because the stupid professor would just fail him anyway. The class solemnly took their seats. Ed was sitting at his desk and his gaze swept over the students, wondering if any of them would actually manage to pass. He sighed and stood up. The class followed him with their eyes tensely. He walked over to the chalkboard and wrote a sentence, which Hermione read out loud.
"All is one, one is all?" She said hesitantly.
"What the bloody hell is that supposed to mean?" Ron called out.
"That's the point," Ed explained calmly, "you have a week to come up with what you think the meaning is. If you get it right, you pass and get to take this class. If not, then you fail and switch out of this class." Hermione looked like she was about to pass out. Ed continued.
"But since all the other classes are full, you would be Mr... Flich? Flitch? Flach? What was his name again?" Hermione cautiously called out.
"Mr. Filch, sir?"
"Ah, yeah. Him. His assistant." The class groaned collectively as they copied down their final exam.
"Alright. That's all I planned for today, so I guess you guys can just have free time." A Gryffindor student raised their hand.
"Sir, how did you learn Alchemy?" Ed sat down in his desk and propped his feet up.
"Well, when I was young my brother and I learned alchemy from reading my dad's books. When I was 9 my brother and I found a teacher and we learned from her," Ed smiled fondly at the thought of Izumi Curtis. "Although, you guys are lucky. When she asked us the same question I just asked you, we were dumped on an island for one month and we had to survive without alchemy. At the end of the month we gave her the correct answer, and that's when she took us under her wing." Ron raised his hand.
"But, Professor... you had a month to come up with the answer and we only get a week!" He complained. Ed shrugged.
"Yeah, but I was 9 years old and my brother was only 8. We also had to fight for survival. But, you make a good point, Weasley. All right, how about this," The class looked at him curiously. "I'll postpone your exam, but next class we're going to have a camping trip!" The class looked on in horror. Hermione called out.
"B-but Professor, where would we go?" Ed thought about it for a moment.
"How about that nearby forest?" He suggested. Hermione gasped in horror.
"Professor! There's a reason why that place is called the Forbidden Forest! Students aren't allowed!" He shrugged.
"I'm sure I could get permission from Dumbledore to let us stay there. After all, I'll be with you so don't pee your pants, Granger." She blushed in embarrassment and began to pout. Ed grinned evilly.
"Next class you are to bring no supplies. We are going to be living off the land. Oh and also," His grin widened. "No wands." The class erupted in protest.
"Professor, that's outrageous! You're not a wizard, you can't possibly be able to defend yourself, let alone us, without magic!"
"Yeah! You're not from Hogwarts! Do you even know what kind of creatures lurk in the... D-Dark Forest?!"
"SHUT UP! ALL OF YOU, QUIET!" Ed yelled. The class fell quiet, although many of them kept the defiant look in their eyes.
"I'm the teacher, and what I say, goes! Do you understand? Feel free to walk out of this classroom right now if you don't want to learn how to defend yourselves without those precious little sticks of yours. What would happen if in the middle of a battle your stick breaks? What would you do then? You would die, that's what!" The class looked down guiltily. "Of course, if you're willing to take that chance then by all means there's the door. Say hi to Lord Voldemort for me as he's standing over you dealing the final blow." The class cringed at the mention of he-who-must-not-be-named.
"Don't underestimate my alchemy. You haven't seen what it can do yet." A Slytherin student in the back of the class managed to find her voice.
"Why don't you show us?" The class murmured their agreement. Ed checked his pocket watch. They had over an hour left in class.
"Very well. Follow me," He strode down the aisle as fast as he could without limping. "Bring your things." The class packed their things, stood up, and followed him, jogging slightly to keep up.
After many turns and twists through the corridors, the class finally found themselves in the Training Grounds where the students had their first flying lesson.
"In the Amestrian State Military, State Alchemists are given various titles that refer to their style of combat. My title is Fullmetal, so obviously my forte is the transmutation of...?"
"Metal." The class filled in. Ed nodded.
"Yes. I usually prefer to make various types of swords and other weapons. But my main method of fighting is transmutating my aut-" Ed managed to catch himself before he said 'automail', and the class looked at him curiously. He cleared his throat.
"Ummm... yeah. My main method of fighting is... transmutation... I usually make inanimate solid objects. So, who wants to come at me first?" The class waited for him to say he was joking, but his face did not falter. The class collectively took a step back, except for one student who then looked behind him in shock.
"Alright, Potter. Thanks for volunteering. Take out your stick." Harry nervously drew his wand from his robes and stood there, unsure what to do next.
"Don't be nervous, I won't hurt you," Harry didn't feel very reassured, but he loosened up his stance nonetheless. "...much." Ed added too quietly for anyone to hear.
"Ok, Potter. You may have the first strike." Harry gulped and pointed his wand at Ed.
"Stupefy!" His voice rang out and a beam of red light shot out from the end of his wand and headed straight for Ed, who jumped nimbly (although not as nimbly as usual due to his defecting automail) out-of-the-way. He clapped his palms together and slammed them on the ground. When the bright blue light cleared, the class gasped in amazement to see a large stone hand had appeared, and intertwined in its fingers stood Harry, a look of shock on his face. Ed grinned.
"Who's next?" Several of the students raised their hands, eager to get closer so they could examine his technique. However, they were stopped by an angry voice that made them all shrink.
"Professor Elric! What in the world do you think you're doing!" Professor McGonagall's face was a mask of pure rage and she strode angrily over towards the group of students, as Umbridge hobbled beside her.
"What does it look like? We're doing a demonstration." Ed said calmly.
"And what a demonstration it must be! Release him at once!" She commanded. Ed shrugged and transmutated the hand back into the ground. Harry scampered back into the crowd of students.
"Professor, come with me at once!" McGonagall angrily grabbed Ed's right arm and he winced in pain.
"Dolores, please take the students back to the alchemy classroom and watch over them until class is dismissed." Umbridge smiled.
"Certainly. Come along, children." The students looked at Ed being dragged away with guilt, wishing they had never suggested this.
McGonagall continued to drag Ed along by his right arm, and he had to bite his lip to keep from crying out in pain. She glanced back and was shocked at the expression on his face. She dropped her arm and he sighed in relief, rubbing the joint where the automail met with his shoulder.
"Are you all right, Edward?" He looked up and met her eyes.
"Peachy." She frowned and instructed him to follow her and he reluctantly gave in, still rubbing his shoulder. Before long, he found himself at the gargoyle entrance to Dumbledore's office.
"Acid Pops." The gargoyle moved to reveal the staircase leading up to the door to his office. She knocked on the door, tapping her foot impatiently. When a voice from inside instructed them to proceed, she wasted no time opening the doors and shoving him inside first.
"I found him in the Training Grounds with his class, doing what he called a 'demonstration'." Dumbledore raised an eyebrow from behind his desk.
"What is the problem, Minerva?"
"Oh, nothing really... it's just that his idea of a demonstration, is attacking his students!" Ed rolled his eyes and Dumbledore's eyes turned serious.
"Is that true, Professor Elric?" McGonagall switched her glare to Ed and he sighed.
"No... well, yes. Well, not really. The students were doubting my ability and they suggested a demonstration, so I took them out to the Training Grounds to demonstrate my abilities. The best way to do that seemed to be a dueling match," McGonagall snorted and Dumbledore nodded for Ed to continue. "A student volunteered and I allowed him to take the first strike. I dodged it, then trapped him. It's not like I hurt him or anything..." McGonagall gave him a warning look. "...It was for... learning's sake?" Dumbledore nodded.
"I understand your intentions, but I cannot accept your actions. Is it your wish to be removed from Hogwarts? I believe it would be most interesting to see what Mr. Mustang would have to say about that." Ed paled at the thought of returning to Roy with his mission failed. But in his mind he pictured Al and Winry, and how much he longed to be with them again.
"I can't. I need to finish my assignment here," Dumbledore smiled. Ed thought of the promise that he made to the students to aid them with their plan, and he just wouldn't be able to live with himself if they were all massacred by Lord Voldysomething. "Also, I would like my students and I to go on an overnight camping trip in the forest 2 days from now. I will be with them at all times, so I assure you that they will be in no danger." He said sincerely. McGonagall's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Very well." McGonagall took a step towards Dumbledore.
"But, Albus..."
"No buts, Minerva. That is my decision. You are dismissed." She sighed and turned for the door, followed by Ed.
"Edward, wait a moment please." He stopped and turned, confused.
Dumbledore walked over to him and placed his hand on Ed's right shoulder. His hand began to become warm, then warmer, then warmer, and soon it became uncomfortably hot. After a moment Dumbledore withdrew his hand and began to do the same for his left knee.
"What was that?" Ed asked, puzzled.
"Wait a moment..." Ed waited until his knee became burning hot and Dumbledore removed his hand. "There. Now try to move." Ed complied and gave his arm a hesitant wiggle. He was shocked to see that he felt no pain. He moved his leg as well and was elated to be met with the same results.
"Now you may leave. I am excited to hear about the results of your camping trip." Ed grinned, overjoyed to finally be back to his normal, pain-free state. He turned and practically skipped down the staircase and back to his classroom, leaving Dumbledore in his office chuckling to himself.
Ed threw the door to his classroom open and walked towards his desk confidently, only to shudder at the sight of Umbridge sitting in his desk and the students reading from the Alchemy Textbook. They turned towards him with a desperate look in their eyes, as if they were begging to be saved. He frowned.
"I thought I got rid of all of those." He said simply. Umbridge smiled.
"Oh? I just happened to come across a rather large stack of them in the storage room. I simply could not bear the thought of these sweet, sweet children wasting the remainder of their valuable class time, so I took the liberty of putting them to work during your...absence." Ed refrained himself from throwing her out the window and merely smiled as kindly as he could manage without the need to vomit.
"That was very thoughtful of you, but fortunately I have returned so your presence is no longer needed. Good day." Her smile faltered for a moment and it was replaced with a look of disdain. She stood up and hobbled towards the door.
"Glad to be of assistance, hee-hee!" She slammed the door behind her and Ed strode to his desk, now limp-free.
"Alright. Now that that's done, who's looking forward to the camping trip?" The class grinned and everyone raised their hands.
Yay for happy students!
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