"blah blah"- Speaking Greek (or a dream)

"blah blah"- Speaking Amestrian

'blah blah'- Thinking

***** - Begin/end flashback

Disclaimer: Seeing as I am neither British, Japanese, or a man; it stands to reason that I am neither J.K. Rowling, Hiromu Arakawa, or Rick Riordan, which means I do not own their respective works. In addition, I do not own the song 'This is War' by Thirty Seconds to Mars.

Edward

Edward glared at three teenagers standing before him. "So," he hissed, barely restrained anger evident in his tone, "you owe me an explanation. Start talking."

"Right to the point, I see," Percy muttered. Ed glared at him.

Nico jumped in before the situation could escalate. "It's complicated," he said hurriedly.

"You're damn right it's complicated," Ed growled, clenching his fists and taking a step forward.

"Listen," Thalia said forcefully, raising her hands in a placating gesture. "This situation is way more than you think it is. We shouldn't even be telling you anything at all –"

"But we are," Nico cut in. "Because it's the best decision."

"And," Percy hurried to add. "Because we trust you – for now."

"More like we don't have a choice," Thalia spat, crossing her arms over her chest with a glare.

"Get to the point already," Ed said impatiently. "We don't have all night."

The three teens glanced at each other uneasily. Percy was the one to speak.

"The reason that everyone thinks Susan and Luna's deaths were an accident," he began, "is because Thalia used the mist to change their memories. We all," he gestured to the three of them, "agreed that changing everyone's memories was the only option, because we knew that Sirius Black was innocent."

Thalia stepped in to take over for Percy. "Also, we couldn't have people thinking that Sirius had killed two people at Hogwarts, because that would –" Thalia cut herself off, clenching her jaw, then forced herself to continue. "That would mess up the timeline," she forced out.

Edward narrowed his eyes at them. "What." It wasn't a question as much as it was a declaration of confusion.

"Well…" Percy spoke again. "You remember last year, when we were in the hospital wing, after everything that happened in the Shrieking Shack, and Hermione and Harry time traveled?"

"That shouldn't be possible, but yes," Edward replied.

Percy nodded. "Well, think of that, but, like…on a much larger scale."

Silence. Edward stared at them.

"No."

"I figured you would say that," Nico muttered.

"No," Edward repeated, his mind racing as he struggled to accept their implications.

"The reason we knew that Sirius was innocent is because we know everything that's going to happen in the next few years," Thalia said, continuing as if Edward hadn't spoken. "The only problem is that there's someone else from the future, and she –"

"No!" Edward said again, his expression slowly giving way to horror. "That is not scientifically possible!"

Thalia gave an exasperated sigh. "You're at a school for magic!" She cried, throwing her hands in the air. "You're talking to three kids who are descended from gods! When are you going to accept that science doesn't really matter?!"

Edward made a noise like a strangled cat and looked at Thalia as if she had told him that the sky wasn't really blue.

"Look," Nico said, "we're only telling you this because you're somehow immune to the mist – but you can't tell anyone else. If too many people know, then it could ruin the entire timeline, and cause all sorts of problems in the future."

Edward stared at the three of them for several seconds before muttering something in Amestrian that Al probably – no, definitely – would have smacked him on the head for.

Thalia raised an eyebrow at him.

"I hate all of you," Ed muttered, bringing his flesh hand up to tug at his bangs. "You, and your prophecies and your time travel, because what the hell, why not, of course time travel is possible now, and of course I got thrown into the middle of your time-traveling demigod war, because why the hell not?!"

"Are you done?" Nico asked.

Edward glared at the boy. "I could keep going if you want," he hissed.

"We don't have all night," Thalia interrupted. "We need to explain everything, and it's almost curfew."

"What do you mean explain everything?" Ed cried. "What, there's more now?!"

The three demigods exchanged glances. "Uh, yeah," Percy said. "Much more."

"Maybe we should go inside," Nico suggested. "This may take a while."

~o~O~o~

Approximately five minutes later, the four teenagers entered the relative safety of Edward's classroom. Edward yanked his chair from behind his desk and sat down, his arms folded over his chest. Thalia, Nico, and Percy chose to forego chairs completely, and instead sat atop the front row of desks. Thalia was the first to speak.

"We can't tell you everything, of course," she began. "If too many people know too much about the future, then it could really mess up the timeline." She clenched her jaw and looked away. "We shouldn't be telling you any of this at all," she muttered.

Percy threw his head back with a groan. "We've been over this, Thalia," he said, exasperated. "This is the best option!"

Thalia glared at him hotly. "There are about a million ways this could backfire on us," she retorted. "It's not the best option, it's the only option, and I still don't agree with it!"

"Hey!" Ed snapped. "Could you stop bickering and start talking?"

"He's right," Nico said. "We don't have all night, let's just get this over with."

Thalia and Percy nodded reluctantly.

"Where do we even start?" Percy said, running a hand through his hair. "It's kinda complicated, in case you hadn't noticed."

"To put it simply," Thalia began, "A demigod from our time –"

"Wait, hold on." Edward raised a hand in gesture for her to stop talking. "When exactly is…" he grit his teeth together before forcing out the next words. "Your time?"

"2010," Percy answered. "Fifteen years from now, plus a few months."

"Anyway," Thalia said, continuing before Edward was even able to process that information, "A demigod from our time traveled back in time to this time period – well, last year, technically. The gods detected her use of magic, and when and where she was going, and sent us to deal with her."

Ed frowned. "They sent you? Why didn't they just come and deal with her themselves?"

Percy laughed bitterly. "Believe me, I've been asking myself that for a long time."

"That's not important," Thalia said, though Ed could see hidden anger in her expression. "What matters is that Elsie, the time-jumper – she could ruin the timeline."

"She already has," Nico added softly, looking at the ground. "Luna and Susan…they weren't supposed to die. No one was…not yet."

Edward felt something inside him grow cold. "What do you mean they weren't supposed to die?"

The three teens winced and looked away.

"We already know that we messed up," Percy muttered. "And if we had known –" Percy cut himself off. "We just have to stop her before she hurts anyone else."

"But that's why I had to change everyone's memories," Thalia explained. "Because everyone believed that Sirius Black killed them – but he's innocent. He hasn't killed anyone. The memories that I gave everyone in the Shrieking Shack – those are memories of what was supposed to happen."

Ed nodded slowly. "I guess that makes sense," he admitted grudgingly.

"That's not all though," Nico said. "You…" the boy gave him an odd look. "You aren't supposed to be here. I mean, at Hogwarts. You aren't in the original timeline."

…

"What?!" Edward leaped to his feet, fists clenched. "I'm not supposed to be here?! I could be back in Amestris, doing what I need to be doing, if it weren't for that fu –"

"Okay calm down," Thalia interrupted. "There's nothing you can do to change it, so there's no reason to get worked up over it."

"No reason? No reason?!" Ed stared at Thalia. "There are plenty of reason's for me to be angry that a demigod decided to travel back in time and, for some reason, drag me thousands of miles away from my home for nearly two years! What the hell does she even want me for?!"

"Well…that's what we don't know," Percy said, fiddling with a pen that he had pulled out without Ed noticing. "We were actually hoping that you might have an idea."

"That's why we asked you about Nicole Elric," Nico added. "In Percy's dream, Elsie met someone named Nicole Elric. But you said you didn't know her, so it was another dead end. She probably doesn't even exist yet."

"Wait, that doesn't make sense," Ed said, furrowing his brow. "Even if this 'Nicole' person is a – ah – descendant – of me, then in fifteen years, she would still be a kid."

"But the woman in my dream looked at least twenty," Percy said slowly. "The same age as Elsie. So…how does that add up?"

"Yeah," Thalia said, staring intently at the floor. "That can't be…she would be born already."

"However she exists, she must be the one that told Elsie about you," Nico said to Ed. "And for some reason, Elsie decided that you're important to her plan."

"And it has to be something about you specifically," Thalia emphasized. "Otherwise she would have chosen any random alchemist." Thalia gave him a pointed look.

"What?" Ed asked, raising his hands defensively. "I don't know why she would pick me!"

"Wait a second," Percy interjected, his face lighting up. "If Elsie needs you so bad, then why can't you just leave? If you're back in Amestris, then you won't be here for Elsie to use!"

Ed scoffed. "Oh yeah, that'll work. And what should I tell the Amestrian military when they ask why I disobeyed direct orders from the Fuhrer? 'Sorry sir, but a half-god, half-human witch traveled back in time to use me for her evil plan. Oh, how do I know? Some teenagers told me.'" Ed glared at them. "I'm sure they would believe me."

"Alright, alright," Percy grumbled, slouching in his seat. "Maybe that's not the best plan."

"Wait a second," Nico interrupted, a look of concentration on his face. "Could Elsie wanting you have something to do with –" Nico cut himself off and glanced at Percy and Thalia. "You know…the thing you told me about?"

Thalia gave Nico a suspicious look. "What thing?"

Edward ignored her and spoke to Nico. "I don't know," he said thoughtfully. "I guess maybe it could, but…I don't see how."

"Could one of you explain what you're talking about?" Percy asked, glancing between Nico and Ed. "I'm lost."

Nico raised an eyebrow at Ed. "We did tell you all of our secrets," he pointed out. "You might as well tell them. Especially with everything that's at stake here."

Ed frowned. "Fine," he admitted. "I guess you're right."

"Does this have to do with that 'feeling' you had last year?" Thalia asked, her eyes lighting up with understanding. Nico nodded in affirmation.

"You can't tell anyone else, understand?" Ed said sharply, glaring at Percy and Thalia. "If this gets out, then it would get me in a lot of trouble; and who knows what would happen to Al…"

"Alphonse?" Nico asked, frowning. "You didn't tell me anything about him."

"That's because you didn't need to know," Ed replied. "But now…well, now it might actually matter."

"So, what is it?" Percy asked, leaning forward in anticipation.

Ed dropped his gaze to the floor for several seconds before answering. "I'm sure you know that it is impossible to bring the dead back to life," he began.

"Well, technically," Percy began, but was interrupted by Nico elbowing him in the stomach.

Edward gave him an odd look before continuing. "In Alchemy, there is a theoretical array that is said to be able to create a person – to bring someone back to life. It's called human transmutation, and it is strictly forbidden." A small smile crossed Ed's face. "It's funny – I was actually planning on teaching you about it in class tomorrow. Or, more accurately, teaching you why it should never be attempted."

"…And why is that?" Thalia asked, but her tone indicated that she already knew the answer.

"It never works," Ed answered. "It's impossible. Even if you have all of the ingredients for a human body, nothing is equivalent to the price of a human soul. Al and I…we learned that the hard way." Ed knocked his right hand against his metal leg. "I lost my left leg, and Al…he lost his entire body."

Percy inhaled sharply. "So that's why – that armour –"

Ed nodded. "The armor is empty – it's what keeps Al's soul from going through the gate."

"Gate?" Thalia asked. "What gate?"

Ed winced. "That…is a very hard question to answer," he said with a sigh. "The basic explanation is that there is a…being, I guess you could call him. Even I'm not entirely sure what he is. He called himself God, or Truth, and a bunch of other things."

Percy and Thalia were obviously trying their best to understand, but it was obvious that they were still confused.

"The point is, he's in charge of alchemy," Edward said. "The gate that I mentioned is the…" Ed shook his head in frustration. "I don't know the word in English – the gateway? It doesn't matter. It holds all the information about alchemy. When I went through the gate, I gained some of that knowledge. That is why I can transmute without a circle."

"I think I get it," Thalia said, furrowing her brow in concentration. "But what about Al? How is he not dead?"

"When he lost his body, his soul traveled into the gate," Edward explained. "I was able to pull it back through the gate and attach it to his armor." Ed tapped his steel arm. "That's how I lost my arm."

"Wait a second," Percy said, his eyes widening. "If Al is just a soul attached to a suit of armour – doesn't that mean he's affectively immortal?"

Ed frowned. "Well, technically, yes," he admitted. "But it's not a good thing! Living as a suit of armour – it's terrible."

"Well, yeah," Percy said, "but that's not the point!" He turned to Nico and Thalia. "If Elsie really did travel back in order to help Voldemort, like we've been assuming – what is it that Voldemort wants more than anything else?"

Nico's eyes widened with understanding, and Thalia inhaled sharply.

Percy nodded. "Immortality. And with Edward…" Percy turned to fix the alchemist with a grave stare. "He would be able to get it."

~o~O~o~

Edward wasn't very surprised that he was unable to get more than four hours of sleep. Not only had his…enlightening discussion lasted well into the night, but his brain was thrown into overdrive, which kept him tossing and turning for a long while before he finally drifted into a restless slumber. A slumber that, unfortunately, was interrupted much too early for Ed's liking, by Al reminding him that if he wanted to eat before his first class, he needed to get up.

Somehow, Ed managed to drag himself out of bed and into the Great Hall without collapsing along the way, but he still felt as if his body were trying to shut down on him.

'Of all the days I chose to teach about human transmutation,' Ed grumbled to himself. 'Of all the days, it had to be the one where I can barely think straight. Maybe I should talk about something else…' Ed shook his head, both as a negation to his own thoughts and to shake wakefulness into his brain. 'No. They need to know what it is, and why it's forbidden, or one of them may make the same mistake that I did. It's important.'

Edward reached the staff table and slouched into a seat at the very end before reaching for the first edible object on the table in front of him.

"Mr. Elric, you really need to start taking better care of yourself," said Professor McGonagall from across the table. "How much sleep did you get last night?"

Ed waved his hand dismissively and muttered a half-hearted answer.

"Sleep is important, you know," came a gruff voice to Ed's right.

Ed turned, startled, to see that Professor Moody was sitting next to him. 'Crap. I didn't mean to sit next to anybody…especially him…' As much as Ed hated to admit it, the battle-scarred professor creeped him out.

"Keeps you sharp," Moody continued, oblivious to Ed's inner monologue. "Constant vigilance, boy! You could be attacked at any moment!"

"Yeah, sure," Ed responded. "And how many scars did you have to get before you decided to take your own advice? 'Cause it seems to me that either you have the worst luck, or you are terrible at fighting."

Only after Professor McGonagall's fork dropped onto her plate with a clatter did Edward realize that perhaps he shouldn't have said that out loud.

'Whoops. Hopefully he won't hate me now. Though…he wouldn't be the first…'

Moody had fixed Ed with a steely gaze, and Ed was beginning to wonder if he should start running when the professor barked out a laugh and stood from the table.

"You've got spirit, boy," he said, grinning near-maniacally. "You'll do well." Moody limped past Edward's chair and towards the door, clapping him on the shoulder as he passed.

Both Edward and Professor McGonagall turned their heads to watch as the professor limped out of the Great Hall. Perhaps it was Edward's imagination, but he felt as if a chill had seized him, beginning Moody's hand had touched his shoulder. With a shrug and a shake of his head, Ed dismissed the feeling as paranoia and returned to his breakfast.

A/N – Well, I am late again, but not nearly as late as last time, so that's a plus, right? I've been really sick today, so finishing this chapter was a challenge, and I'm sure that there are plenty of mistakes. On another note…ooooh the plot's starting to pick up, huh? This chapter had a lot of exposition, but with that finally out of the way, we get to move on to the more exciting stuff :D

(Reviews are my lifeblood)