{Disclaimer: I no own sirs and madams. sowwy}

{AN: There are a few parts, like right after this, that i use word-for-word from the movie. I apologize for this BUT its needed. I hope no one minds! Also, i would have posted this awhile ago, BUT for some reason whenever i tried to log in to put it up i couldn't. it always timed out. It was okay though, cause before it was only half this size, so it extended it that way. but...eh oh well. Read on!}

Harry tied his letter tightly to Hedwig's leg, not wanting to chance it falling off. 'Sirius will understand what's going on. He'll understand.' Harry knew it was risky, but he had to talk to someone who knew what it was like being different, an outcast from everyone else, including your friends.

Lifting his arm he had Hedwig hop on before he left the owlery. He didn't want anyone seeing her leaving, even though that was highly unlikely, seeing as it's around 4am.
He hadn't been able to get back to sleep after dreaming about the hall again. Turning Harry walked down the hill. He fed Hedwig a few owl treats before, once in the cover of the trees by Hagrid's house, he lifted his arm to his ear. "Take that to Sirius quickly, Hedwig." Lifting his arm quickly he released her to deliver the message, watching silently as she flew towards the forest. As she flew he saw one of the demon-like horses from the beginning of the year.

Deciding that, since it was the weekend and he didn't have any classes, Harry headed towards the forest at a brisk walk, wondering if the creature would still be there by the time he got to where he had seen it.

Entering the tree line he had a weird sense of deja'vu. The last time he had entered this part of the forest was when Hagrid had them meet a hippogriff. 'And Draco nearly wet his pants.' Of course, Harry also remembered that Draco had been injured and had gotten Hagrid in trouble. 'The little snot.'

Harry had been walking for a good ten minutes when he heard a weird combination of a whiny from a horse and a caw from a bird. Following i he entered a large clearing. There were a few lying down by a pond to his left, a few walking around, and in front of him he saw..."Luna?" Harry was confused, and kind of upset. He had been trying to get away from people, especially people who didn't believe him. And here, in the place he had decided to go, he finds yet another person. Deciding that since he had walked all the way out here, and he didn't exactly relish walking all the way back so soon, Harry walked up to Luna and the Thestral she was petting.

"Hello Harry Potter." Harry looked down at Luna, noticing she didn't have any shoes on.

"Your feet, aren't they cold?"

"They are a bit cold." She admitted, smiling sadly while stroking the thestral again, before backing away slightly so it would have room to leave. "Sadly all of my shoes have mysteriously disappeared." Harry was looking at her with a shocked/pitying expression, so she added, "I suspect Nargles are responsible." She watched as it worked successfully and he instead had a confused expression.

Harry, not wanting to ask what nargles are (and not totally believing they were real) asked a neutral question. "What are they?" The they indicating the thestrals.

"They're called thestrals." To punctuate her words the thestral she had been stroking flapped its wings and made the weird sound again. "They're really very gentle creatures, Harry. Most people who can see them avoid them, because they look so..."

"Different." Harry supplied, watching as a baby thestral wobbled over to them. When Luna started forward he immediately followed her, eager to get his questions answered, forgetting about wanting to be alone. "Why couldn't the others see them?"

#$#

Ed sighed while leaning over StealFeather and watching the trees go by below. They had been taveling for around a day, and Ed was anxious to get back to the castle with his books. He needed to find the rest to make it a complete set. Looking over he watched as the two hatchlings dived and soared above the trees. feeling a twinge of envy at their carefree behavior.

Looking back to StealFeathers constantly twitching ears he second guessed his names. "Are you sure they like Firewing and Ironclaw?"

He could practically feel her rolling her eyes. "Yes, Edward. I do know that they like their names. Just look at them! They are overflowing with their excitement! Even I want to fly around like a carefree hatchling!"

Ed sighed. "I wish I could fly 'like a carefree hatchling'. Hell, I wish I could fly." Grumbling he looked down and noticed they had, finally, reached the castle. Or, at the vary least, the castle was in the distance. "StealFeather, can you land in the clearing on the east side of the castle? The entrance is easier there."

She was silent a moment before agreeing. "Fine, we can do that. If my nose is telling me correctly, then there is a herd of thestrals there. They will make good game for Firewing and Ironclaw."

"No." He said firmly. "They cannot be harmed, StealFeather. Unless, of course, you are volunteering to pull the carriages instead of them every year?" He said the last part louder so she would get his drift.

Visibly shuddering she reluctantly agreed to not harm the thestrals, today anyways. "Firewing, Ironclaw, come to me. We are descending into the clearing. You two go first. There's nothing dangerous besides two humans and the thestrals."

"Wait! Two humans? Who can see thestrals from that school!" Exclaiming in astonishment Ed leaned forward and gripped her fur tighter when she tilted and plummeted into the clearing, the two hatchlings leading.

#$#

Harry and Luna looked up after throwing the meat to the baby thestral as a loud whoosh sounded, accompanied by two smaller whooshes. A red streak was all Harry saw when he looked over, following it to where he thought it would land he saw a small creature a good few feet away from the confused baby thestral and where he and Luna were standing. Stepping forward and drawing his wand Harry carefully eyed the creature, watching as it gulped down half of the meat. A tiny growl sounded before another small creature appeared, this one a dark grey instead of red.

"Luna?" Harry whispered, stepping back. But Luna didn't move. Looking to her he noticed she was watching the creatures with a wondering dreamy expression. "Luna, we should leave."

"Those are griffins, Harry." Her dreamy voice was definitely in a different tone of voice.

Harry looked back to the creatures, trying to remember his lesson on them. "Part bird, Part Lion the griffins are a proud creature. Hagrid said, when he told us about them after he told us about the hippogriffs, that the griffins he had met refuesd any contact with him, especially the ones that live in the mountains near here. So why are they-"

"Luna?"

Harry and Luna both looked over, only to see a ginormous silver Griffin emerging from the woods at a sedated prowl, its intelligent eyes scanning the clearing before landing on the two small griffins enjoying what was the baby thestrals treat. Harry at first didn't see who had spoken, and almost assumed it had been the griffin, when it started to pass them and he saw Ed, of all people, sitting on its back.

"Edward?" Harry looked over at the happy tone Luna's usually sad and dreamy voice had taken. "How are you riding a griffin?"

Ed grinned before hopping off of StealFeather, grinning up at the griffins exasperated expression teasingly. "Oh, I wouldn't call it riding. More like she let me on her back, and then I hung on for dear life!"

Luna laughed lightly before stepping closer to look up into the silver green eyes of the griffin. "What's her name?"

"The name she took was StealFeather." Ed admitted after looking hard at StealFeather. Heaving a sigh StealFeather lied down onto her stomach, putting her head level with Luna and Harry. "She'll let you stroke her feathers, if you want."

"Oh yes." Luna stepped forward without any hesitation and placed her hand lightly on StealFeather's cheek enjoying the feel of the smooth feathers under her fingers. "They're so soft."

"They can be. But when she's feeling...frisky they go sharp as needles." Ed said, turning and inspecting the agitated and uncomfortable Harry. "I understand why Luna is here. Why are you here, Harry Potter?"

Harry's back stiffened before Luna looked at him pointedly. Remembering their discussion Harry swallowed back his anger and made himself reply back in a calm manner. "I got tired with everyone talking about me behind my back, and not believing what happened last year. I was walking around the grounds when I heard the thestrals."

Ed's eyes widened in interest. "Oh? You can both see them then?"

Luna looked at him like he was daft. "Edward, why would we be standing here if we couldn't?"

Edward grinned widely, "Oh I don't know. Maybe out for a stroll?"

Harry rolled his eyes while Luna just stared at Ed before looking back at StealFeather. "You have very nice feathers. Dooglesnappers must clean them for you. Right?"

Ed grinned when StealFeather tilted her head in confusion before clicking her beak and standing from her position. Growling lowly she turned towards the two small griffins looking at the thestrals in curiosity. Their heads turned to her when she purred and clicked her beak. Ed saw Luna's focus on them and smiled. "The red cub is Firewing, and the grey is Ironclaw."

"Such wonderful names." Luna whispered, watching as StealFeather gathered Firewing and Ironclaw to her before turning towards Ed. A silent exchanged happened before all three of them turned and left the clearing, the two hatchlings leading the way.

"Where are they going?" Harry demanded, turning to Ed as if he had all the answers.

Shrugging Ed turned to look at the thestrals that had moved farther away when the griffins had appeared. When he noticed Harry was still glaring at him waiting for a response, he sighed. "Look, I don't know. She just said that since I'm back then she was going to take them hunting farther into the forest."

"They can't do that!"

Ed's eye twitched before he turned fully to Harry. "And why is that? In order to survive Firewing and Ironclaw need to learn how to hunt on their own as soon as possible."

"But they can't hunt here!"

Ed actually sighed fully at this. "Harry, death is a natural part of life. It's best to learn that now, before you do something you regret later."

"But-"

"And she's not going to hunt here anyways. They're traveling through the forest so the cubs can learn the different scents. They're going back to the mountains. "'For now.' Ed looked back at Luna and nodded before Harry could respond. "I'll see you two at the school." He was just about to leave when he glanced down.

"...Luna, where are your shoes?"

"The nargles have taken them." She responded quickly. Too quickly for Ed's liking. Seething in anger that someone would take anything that belong to Luna, who had the kindest most innocent actions. Almost like a child. Instead of blowing up in anger, like he wanted to do, he silently clapped his hands before touching the ground. Immediately the earth rose up around her feet, making small shoes made of it. A flash of red made them into actual sneakers.

Luna blinked down at her feet before looking up at Ed with a dreamy smile full of gratitude. Harry stared, shocked into silence, as Ed continued on his way with a small wave.

#$#

Ed entered the school quickly, making a bee-line for his rooms on the first floor. Well, technically they were the guest rooms, but since he had them when he first arrived at hogwarts so long ago, and since they were open again, He had claimed them, officially, as his own. Entering them quickly he slammed his door shut behind himself, dropping his bag on the large bed by the entrance. the bed had been one of those small ones students get. But Ed, being Ed, had decided to alter the bed to fit his own needs, and instead made it a large king sized bed with down feather pillows and a nice thick comforter.

After dropping his bag Ed went to his dresser from back then and opened it. Pulling out a top and a pair of pants he quickly changed, throwing his dirty clothes into a basket farther away for the house elves to grab. 'That's right, I have to tell them I'm back. Unless Willy already has.'

Looking in the long mirror he had he made sure everything fit nicely. Faded jeans, a black button up shirt, and his black sneakers. He didn't need those lifted shoes anymore. He undid his braid and instead just tied it in a ponytail on his head. He was about to sit down when he heard a noise outside near his room.

#$#

Harry had just walked back into the school, leaving Luna to enjoy her thestrals in peace. His mind was buzzing with both her advice, and what Ed had done. "That was magic! But I've never seen that kind of magic before." Harry was mostly talking to himself until he entered the Great Hall, it was breakfast time, finally.

Looking up from watching the floor he noticed a little belatedly that he had been walking right towards where Hermione and Ron were sitting with Ginny. 'Great. I hope they wont hold it against me...'

Hermione looked up just as Harry neared them, making it impossible for him to turn and make a quick retreat without them noticing. "Harry..." Hearing her Ron and Ginny both looked up, Ron's mouth filled with his favorite food: sausages.

Harry swallowed before nervously asking if he could join them. Seeing their guarded reactions he second guessed what they would say. 'Had I really been that bad?' There was a pause where he was sure they were going to say no.

Hermione, Ron, and Ginny all looked at each other in contemplation, making Harry feel very awkward and nervous. It occured to him that this is what muggles feel when they are a new student at school. The odd one out, not with a group or clique, left all by themselves. 'They have it rough.'

Hermione looked back up at him, about to give him the affirmitive. He might have been acting like a git, and he might not have been there or allowed them to help him. But he was still their friend.

Before she could say yes, however, a loud discussion was heard coming in through the open Great Hall doors leading out to the entrance of the school.

"Pardon me Professor." the loud girly voice of Umbridge cut through the Great Hall, "But what, exactly, are you insinuating?"

"I am merely requesting that when it comes to my students, that you stick to the perscribed disciplinary practices." McGonagalls voice rose above her, her demanding tone very easy to pick out above the student din.

"So silly of me, but it sounds as if you're questioning my own authority in MY classroom. Minerva." Umbridge sounded very condenscending in Harry's opinion. Like she was placing herself above McGonagall. She even stepped up a step to show that. It was at this time that Ed rounded the corner. Eyeing the situtation he slowly backed up before turning and clapping his hands and softly touching the wall. Going through the doorway he made he went up to the moving stairs.

"Not at all, Delores." McGonagall stepped up to the same step Umbridge was on, making her taller. "Merely your midevil methods!"

"I am sorry, dear." Umbridge huffed a bit before continuing. "But to question me is to question the Ministry. And by extension the Minister himself!" Hermione thought she sounded very scandalized at this point. She even whispered a bit to make the effect better. It was to Hermione's amazement that Umbridge continued. "I am a tollerant woman. But the one thing I will not stand for, is disloyalty."

Ron's eyes widened in shock as McGonagall stepped down. "...Disloyalty..." Hermione shook her head even as Ron and Harry both gaped in shock and anger.

Umbridge, sensing she had won, stepped up another step. "Things at Hogwarts are far worse than we feared. Cornelius will want to take immediate action."

Ed, having listened to everything he wanted to hear, stepped from the stair case and folded his arms across himself. "Well, Miss Delores Umbridge, isn't that just a little too personal?"

Everyone looked up at Ed, Harry with a guarded 'I-dont-trust-you' look. Umbridge spun around and stared up at him in shock. "OH? Nothing to say?" Ed mock frowned down at her. "Wasn't it you who told me when I arrived: It is inappropreit to address anyone not of relation by their first name. Right?" Ed knew that wasn't what she had said, but that's generally how people in England work with their anmes. Stupid tradition if you asked him.

"I said no such thing. The minister has a letter for you. I wonder what it says?" Delores took the letter out of her inner coat pocket, while changing the subject.

'Convieniant she has it on her.' "What, you couldn't open it youself? Or did Cornelius tell you what it says? OH, and I think that Cornelius is a much better name than Fudge." Ed looked to Minerva, who was trying not to smile. "I mean seriously, Minerva, do you like having a chocolate-bar as your minister?"

Minerva frowned dissaprovingly so that when Delores looked back at her she wouldn't be able to say anything. But Ed could tell from her eyes that she very much approvaed.

Ed ignored the letter and slowly walked down the stairs, making it as dramatic as possible. "If you ask me, as a teacher of this school, you should put your students first. Carving lines into their hands isn't very productive, if you ask me. Worse than the punishments Headmatser Black would do. The worst he did was make students clean out the owlery." Ed stopped a step above Delores. "And, if you want to judge disloyalty, how about yours to Albus Dumbledore? Isn't he your current boss? Cornelius kicked you out of the Ministry, right?"

Delores was practically vibrating with anger. "Read. This. Letter." There was a pause as her eye visibly ticked, making Ed mentally grin at his triumpf. "Now."

Ed shrugged before reaching down and grabbing the letter from her hands. Opening it a red light flashed, making everyone but Ed close their eyes quickly. Delores's eyes widened in glee, only to frown when Ed was still standing infront of her. Only now he had an amused, but slightly pissed off expression.

'Attached a killing hex on it, huh? Must have learned it from Gorgan Stump's notes.' Ed thought, looking up from the white letter to see Delores, Minerva, and the students watching him from the steps below. 'And of course Harry and crew are here.'

Deciding to just ignore everyone Ed looked down to the letter. After a quick read he grinned before folding it in half and tearing it to pieces. Letting them fall to the floor he heard Delores's outraged gasp. "H-how dare you! That was a letter from the Minister himself!"

"Oh, so now it's 'Minister' is it? What happened to 'Cornelius'?" Ed teased, walking down the stairs and between Minerva and Umbridge.

"I demand to know what it said!"

Ed stopped on the step beside Minerva and turned to look at Delores. "Sure. Asked me to go to the ministry-"

"Ha! You're not allowed here-"

"To help the Minister against one Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. The minister wrote that he thinks Dumbledore is making an army to fight him for the rights to be Minister. But, you know what, Delores." Ed sneered, crossing his arms over his chest. "I don't think Albus is doing anything like that. In fact, I think that I could be a better leader than chocolate-bar is. Compared to Gorgan Stump Fudge is nothing more than a toddler playing house!"
With that parting shot Ed turned and stalked down the steps, the students made a path for him so he could walk through them. They didn't want to chance making him angry after watching him verbally tear up Umbridge.

Once he had left their sight they all turned to see what McGonagall and Umbridge would do now. Only to see that both had taken the chance to vanish from sight.
Hermione noticed some whiteness on the stairs as the rest of the student body went to leave. Curious she went up to look. "Harry! Ron!" Immediately coming to her call the two boys gathered beside her.

"What is it?" Ron asked, not realising what she was already doing.

Holding up a piece she grinned. "It's the letter. Umbridge didn't grab it, and neither did Professor McGonagall. Help me get it all together. We can put it back together and find out what it said."

"But Ed already said what it said, Hermione." Harry pointed out, but he bent to help collect it anyways.

Rolling her eyes Hermione grabbed some more herself. "Do you really think that the letter said all that? Why would the Minister admit to being off his rocker? No, Harry, I think it said something else."

Harry and Ron looked at each other over her head before shrugging. "Sure."

"Whatever you say."

#$#

Ed quickly walked down the hall towards his rooms, his mind whirling at the letters information.

~Mr. Elric,

It pleases me to send this letter to you, knowing where you are helps the mailing process. According to your files you are experianced in Alchemy, and it has come to my attention that the Ministry could use your skills in the coming confrontation between me, Cornelius Fudge, and the Headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbedore. You see, Albus has allowed the thirst for power get to his mind and made him want more than he has. He might have fooled everyone else, however, I can see that he wants to be Minister.

I am sure you will agree with me that Albas is not suited for the job of Minister of Magic. Indeed, I belive that Albas is no longer suited for his position as Headmaster of Hogwarts. As this is the case I have arranged for the board of School Governors to vote on one Delores Jane Umbridge as High Inquisitor. I am sure you will back any move she makes, and that she can find in you a friend and companion. After all, it was the Ministry of Magic that allowed you to learn from Hogwarts when you were clearly over the age of a student. Indeed, we forced Headmaster Black to allow you to learn.

As well as that, I trust I can count on you to discuss negotiations between the giants and neighboring wizards of the north, as the giants have started to encrouch on the boundries that you and Minister Stump made them agree to. The centaurs, as well, have started to ignore our agreements and are, as I write this, getting ready for a war of their own.

Look forward to your reply;

Cornelius Fudge

Minister of Magic~

Ed was very worried about what that letter had revealed. Apparently, Stump had done more than write down what his specialty was (alchemy) he had also written down every single thing Ed had done to help both the magical and non-magical part of the wizarding world before he decided to roam. He had written down to attach that hex to any important and classified letter so that anyone who opened it would die, unless it was him. Minister Stump, being the minister at that time, had been told by Nickolas, and confided in by Ed, when Ed had arrived. When Headmaster Black had refused Ed's admittance Stump had forced the issue. And he never, even after his death, let Ed forget what he owed the Ministry.

'But fuck that. I'm not helping Choclate-Bar do anyhing. Especially if it involves that woman. He can wait until I'm old and die for that letter. I'm not sending it.' Ed felt very mutinus at that moment. 'Count on me to kick your ass.' Ed thought darkly, entering his rooms and slamming the door behind himself.
Deciding to contemplate what would be best to do, Ed laid back and rested his head on his hands, his feet still touching the floor. Closing his eyes he breathed in deeply. Breathing out he mentally oreiented himself to his surroundings before breathing in again. This time when he breathed out he centralized himself. Once he felt sufficently calm he moved his thoughts to what his options were. While in his youth he had been a hot head and he hadn't had the patience for planning anything, he found it was funner to have an over all scheme.

First, he could play along with what chocolate-bar wanted. While that idea didn't appeal to him in the slightest, it was a definate possibility. He could be an inside man and undo anything Fudge had planned.

Second, he could go and confront the giants on his own. Show off a little on his power. But if he did that he'd probably use some of the lives from the stone, and he didn't want to do that anymore than he had to.

Third, he could stay in the school and just fool around with the students and Albus. Maybe mess with Delores a bit and make her life a living hell.

Fourth, he could discuss a plan of action with Albas, seeing as Fudge seemed to have focused his jealousy on him than it might be best to include him on his plans.

Deciding that those were his only real options Ed opened his eyes and stared up at his ceiling with the many circles on it. Not alchemical circles, but just random perfect circles. He had found them relaxing the one time he had stayed in a muggle bedroom, so he had had a house elf get him paint for it.

Tracing a circle with his eyes he came to a discussion, after many moments of silence. Sitting up he moved over to his desk and took out a map of the area. One he had made that had his amestris writing on it. It made it so that only he would recognize it, cause there were no distinguishing mountains or lakes, just words in 'random' areas.

"The giants are a good hundred miles away. I'd need help getting there quickly enough to even get back here for Halloween. And I do love the Christmas party I'm sure Hogwarts still has." Ed muttered to himself, tracing a line from Hogwarts to the giant mountains. "They are far away from the Griffin Mountains, nearly on the opposite side...

It would be a good trip and learning experience for Firewing and Ironclaw..."

Thinking for a bit more Ed nodded to himself finally. Rolling the map back up he placed it back in its proper place (which was anywhere he wanted it to be) and moved to his door. 'Willy...is probably in his room.' Ed thought, turning left to walk back toward where he had come from, hoping mildly to not run into Umbridge. He didn't relish having to deal with her again just yet.

{AN: Well! I hope everyone likes this chapter. As i said before, i would have posted it sooner, but for some weird stupid reason whenever i tried to log on it timed out, so i had to wait and just try over and over alot. finally i sent a message to the support people and i think they fixed it, cause a few hours after that it worked. *shurggs* dont you just Love technology? I felt like it was early Early morning when Harry met Luna outside, but i suppose it could have been later. Eh, in my story this is how it is. :D

Names: all of you (who read my request and gave me ideas) had awesome names! I saw quite a few "Firewing"s so i chose that one (and its very good :D) and Ironclaw was taken from BOBOBO! Thanks!

And you're very welcome TristaDin! :D i always love your really long reviews! especially when they make sense to me xP lol

Well, there weren't many questions with the last chapter, which is great, cause the AN wont be so long. But sad, cause it means i can't just rant and talk to you guess about nothing particular...damn. Oh well!

I hope all of you like this chapter! and review!

To keep it safe...back to 5...i don't want to jinx myself again...i'm sure that the reason i couldn't log in was cause i asked for 6... (i know not really, just funny coincidence!)

I know there might be some typos btw. comes with writing it on wordpad (i dont have microsoft word(dont own...) }}}