Almost done with the first book! Woo Woo! This is making me excited :) I'm going to do a couple of interludes between now and the sixth book, just to show time passing, and also so the story flows better. Oh! And I got a review from a guest asking about the trio's reaction to Ed not having alchemy or a leg, and I want to clarify (Because I think I did earlier but I might not have) that he WILL still have alchemy, as well as both automail will be one this that will deviate from canon. Okay, so reviews. Thank you to the three guests and The Writer Es, ANekoForMe, The Leaf on Italy's Head, Amelia Loves Anime, Loopy Leefy, silverfan1772, percab8531, goodgirl275, GoddessDana, TKOOIS, and Wandering Watermelon for the reviews. Please enjoy the chapter!

"What on Earth?" Madam Pomfrey cried, startled, as Hermione and Ed burst into the hospital wing with Ron.

"No time to explain," Ed called back to her, dumping Ron onto a spare bed and running out into the hall with Hermione.

The two of them ran as fast as they possibly could (Ed was considerably faster than Hermione, due to the training he received with Izumi) to find Professor McGonagall.

"Do you know where her office is?" Ed asked Hermione, who nodded as she clutched her side.

"Y-yes," she gasped. "It's this way."

He followed her, and they burst into the Deputy Headmistress's office to find the older woman sitting behind her desk, grading papers.

"Elric, Granger," she began, a look of annoyance on her face, "I thought I told you-"

Ed's lurched forward, his hands gripping the edge of McGonagall's desk for support as Hermione leaned tiredly against the door. His eyes were wild and his hair was a mess.

"Professor, you need to contact the Headmaster now." He said. "Harry's down in the trap door, and he's in a load of shit."

He had never seen McGonagall so shocked, not even when the four of them admitted to knowing about the Philosopher's Stone.

"What do you mean by this, Mr. Elric?" she asked, a dangerous tone to her voice.

Ed gulped a bit, but his resolve held firm.

"Harry's gone past all the protections, and is about to face it off with Snape," he said hurriedly. "And if we don't get Professor Dumbledore here now, he's going to be in so much trouble – just get Dumbledore here already!"

McGonagall stared at Ed for only a second or so before she whipped out her wand and conjured up a silvery cat.

"Albus, you are needed here, urgently." She said to the glowing animal, which took off through the open window behind her desk.

Ed and Hermione watched it go before returning their gazes to the Professor.

"Although I understand that Mr. Potter is in danger, I believe the two of you are mistaken in assuming that Severus is responsible for it." She said to them.

"But Professor," Hermione said, "He's down there! He got past the dog and the protections, and even knocked out that horrid troll!"

McGonagall shook her head, but she looked rather worried.

"Miss Granger, I spoke with Severus only minutes ago. He is not down there."

It wasn't Snape? Ed's head was reeling. If Snape wasn't the one trying to take the Stone for himself, then why had he been threatening Quirrell? It didn't make any se-

Quirrell. Of course. Ed felt like an idiot for not seeing the signs earlier. It had been the Defense professor all along.

He smacked a hand to his forehead.

"Professor McGonagall, I know who it is," he said in a strained voice. "It's Quirrell."

The two Gryffindor students sat by Ron's bedside, waiting for him to wake up. Dumbledore had returned to the school, and had immediately gone to Harry's aid.

That had only been a few minutes ago, and McGonagall had sent Ed and Hermione away, not wanting them to put themselves in any more danger, considering that Ron had already been hurt. So they sat, waiting for their red-haired friend to wake up. Hermione was gripping Ed's arm rather tightly; she was terrified, he knew. And though he'd never tell anyone, Ed was pretty scared, too.

"Ugh," Ron's voice came from the bed. "Bloody Hell, my head."

Hermione let out a small sob and flung herself onto Ron.

"Ah, ouch, Hermione!" he cried, and she released him reluctantly.

"Sorry," she sniffed, wiping at her eyes with the sleeve of her school robes. "How are you feeling?"

"Like Hell," Ron said blandly. "But it looks like you got out okay. Where's Harry?" He looked around, as if he expected Harry to pop out of the nearest bedpan.

Ed and Hermione exchanged a nervous look, which Ron caught. He narrowed his blue eyes at them.

"What?" he said in an accusing tone.

Hermione bit her lip, and Ed closed his eyes briefly before opening them again and fixing Ron with a stare.

"He's still down there, the moron. Only one person could get to the final room, and he made Hermione and me leave because he's an idiot who thinks he has to save the world." Ed stated calmly, even though he was anything but calm. "When we got up here after grabbing you, we got McGonagall to send for Dumbledore. He went to get Harry. I think you're all caught up now."

Ron rubbed his hand across his face.

"Bloody idiot," he muttered. "Gonna get himself killed."

Harry was brought up shortly after that conversation. He was unconscious, and covered in blood. Ed winced at the sight of him.

"Did you stop Quirrell?" He asked Dumbledore after Harry had been tucked into bed.

Ron had been given the all clear from Pomfrey, so Hermione was helping him back to the common room. Ed had lingered behind to check on his friend.

Dumbledore nodded gravely.

"Harry was wounded and almost unconscious by the time I was able to arrive," he said. "He was also in possession of the Philosopher's Stone. Quirrell, from what I gather, attempted to take it from him, but was unable to even lay a hand on him." He looked to the prone form of Harry, lying asleep in the bed.

Ed was puzzled. What did Dumbledore mean Quirrell couldn't touch Harry?

"Sir?" he ventured. "What exactly are you trying to say?"

Dumbledore turned his gaze to the small boy.

"My dear Mr. Elric, do you know the details of how our Harry survived Voldemort's attack on him that night?"

He had no idea what this had to do with Quirrell, but Dumbledore probably was going to tell him, anyway, so Ed shook his head.

"I thought no one knew?"

"Indeed. Even I do not know the specifics of the event, but I do know more than most." He smiled softly. "Harry's mother sacrificed herself to protect her son, and, in doing so, caused a protection spell to take place. As long as he spends a fraction of his year with blood relatives of his mother, no harm shall come to him through Voldemort."

Ed's brow furrowed in thought.

"But… how does that explain Quirrell."

Dumbledore seemed to be looking right through him as he spoke.

"Quirrell was using himself as a host for Voldemort. Did you never wonder what was under that turban of his?" At Ed's shake of his head, Dumbledore continued onward. "Voldemort was on the back of his head. Thus, because of his presence, Quirrell could not touch Harry and crumbled to dust when he did. He destroyed himself."

"Oh," Ed said, once again staring at his friend. He looked to the Headmaster and gave a weak smile. "I think I'm going to find Hermione and Ron. They'll want to know what happened."

Dumbledore gave a bow of his head.

"I will have Madam Pomfrey alert you three when Harry awakes." He said, and then Ed left the hospital wing to find the others.

Word Count: 1,193 without A/N