Author's Note: Sorry for the long wait, but here are the next four chapters! I hope you enjoy them.
DISCLAIMER: I OWN NEITHER HARRY POTTER NOR FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST!
Chapter Twenty-One
So Winry could replace the light model auto-mail she had made for Ed, she put the heavier model back on Ed. She decided, though, that she could start after the party at Gryffindor Tower.
"So, what kind of accident was it for you to get a fake arm?" asked Ron.
"Was it illegal?" asked Hermione.
Ed, who was drinking a bottle of butterbeer, looked at Harry, Hermione, and Ron. He didn't want to answer since it was none of their businesses.
"Well?" asked Ron.
"It's none of your business of what kind of accident it was," said Winry.
Hermione looked scandalized.
"We just wanted -," started Hermione.
"If Edward wanted anyone to know, he would have told someone," said Winry. "Right, Edward?"
"Uh-huh," said Ed. "I'm goin' to bed. I'm kinda tired out."
"At least open your egg first!" said Seamus.
"It's probably the same screechin' as Harry's," said Ed.
"How do you perform alchemy?" asked Lee. "Can't you at least tell us that?"
"Easy, I was taught," said Ed. "'Night."
Then Ed went up to the fifth year boy dormitory and got ready for bed, even though it was still early. Ed went to sleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.
The start of December brought wind and sleet to Hogwarts. Even though not normally allowed, Dumbledore allowed Ed to wear the red trench coat that Fuhrer President Bradley had sent to Ed since Ed wasn't used to such cold weather. Winry had resorted to using magic to complete Ed's new extra-light weight auto-mail and had it done in two days. To make it suitable for the harsh winter months coming, Winry had tempered the arm with aluminum and carbon fiber.
"Ed?" Winry asked, as Ed was flexing his new auto-mail fingers.
"Yeah?" Ed replied. "What is it?"
"Does it bother you when people stare at your auto-mail?" Winry asked.
"Not really," Ed answered, looking up at Winry. "Why?"
"Oh, it's just that I've found a spell where I can transfigure your auto-mail to make it look like your real limbs," Winry answered.
Ed sighed and put his arm down.
"Winry, why would you want to tamper with your creation like that?" Ed asked. "Aren't you proud of it? Auto-mail helped me stand back up on my feet. It helped me be able to have another hand so I can grasp the possibility of correcting my past mistakes. It helps remind me that I need to keep moving forward."
Winry was silent for a moment.
"You're right," Winry finally agreed, sniffling. "I was just being stupid."
Ed placed a hand on Winry's head.
"No crying, okay?" Ed instructed. "It's pointless right now."
Ever since the day that the dragon had destroyed his arm in front of the whole school and the people from Durmstrang, Beauxbatons, and the Ministry of Magic, Ed had received many stares and looks of pity. It annoyed Ed, but he was used to the staring and comments. As Ed and Winry did their homework one day, they were surprised to see Harry and Ron coming in with food and Hermione without any. The latter three went to Ed and Winry's table.
"Where did you get that food?" asked Ed.
"The kitchens," said Ron.
"You're allowed to go in there?" asked Winry.
"It seems so," said Harry. "The house-elves were happy to give the food away."
"Hm," said Ed.
"Edward, don't you think about it," said Winry. "We have work to do, and you just ate!"
"I know," said Ed, "but it doesn't mean that I'm completely full."
"You're never completely full," Winry muttered.
"That's not true!" Ed protested.
"It is too!" Winry argued.
"It is not!" said Ed.
"Have you figured out the clue yet?" Harry asked, not wanting to hear an argument.
Ed looked at Harry.
"No, not yet," Ed sighed. "Haven't had time to since I'm preparing for the O.W.L. tests."
"But I thought Professor Dumbledore said you would be exempt from the end of year school exams!" Hermione said.
"Not the O.W.L. exams," said Ed. "I asked Professor Bumblebore about it, and he said I still had to."
"Dumbledore, Edward, Dumbledore," Winry corrected.
"Whatever," said Ed.
"How is your brother?" asked Hermione.
"He's doin' okay," said Ed. "I was gonna send him a Howler, but he wrote to me first. He begged me to forgive 'em."
"Did you?" asked Harry.
"Yeah, I can't stay mad at him forever," said Ed. "He's my only family."
"It must be awful not to have any parents," said Ron, then adding after seeing the look on Harry's face. "Of course it's awful, but -."
"Yeah, it sucks, but…at least I have Al," said Ed. "If I didn't have him, I probably would be dead."
Hermione gasped.
"Don't say such things!" said Hermione.
"It's true though," said Ed. "I'm gonna go to the kitchens to get some chow."
"Edward!" said Winry.
But it was too late, Ed had already went out through the portrait hole. Winry scowled.
"Boys," said Winry.
Ron and Harry looked at each other. They didn't know if they should be offended by that remark or not, but they didn't say anything.
"Aren't you going to go after him?" asked Hermione.
"No, if he gets into trouble, it'll be his own fault," said Winry. "Besides, he'll be fine."
Then Winry went back to work on her homework.
A week later, McGonagall had called for the Gryffindors to be in the study hall classroom. The boys sat on one side as the girls sat on the other side of the room. Argus Filch was trying to fix a giant phonograph as McGonagall spoke.
"The Yule Ball is approaching - a traditional part of the Triwizard Tournament and an opportunity for us to socialize with our foreign guests," said McGonagall. "Now, the ball will be open only to fourth years and above - although you may invite a younger student if you wish. Dress robes will be worn, and the ball will start at eight o'clock on Christmas Day, finishing at midnight in the Great Hall. The house of Godric Gryffindor has commanded the respect of the wizard world for nearly ten centuries. I will not have you, in the course of a single evening, besmirching that name by behaving like a babbling, bumbling band of baboons!"
"Try saying that five times fast," Fred whispered to George.
Then George and Fred started to try to say it five times fast.
"Now, to dance is to let the body breathe," McGonagall said. "Inside every girl, a secret swan slumbers longing to burst forth and take flight."
"Something's about to burst out of Eloise Midgen, but I don't think it's a swan," Ron remarked.
"Inside every boy, a lordly lion prepared to prance," McGonagall continued, then going to Ron. "Mr. Weasley?"
"Yes?" Ron squeaked.
"Will you join me, please?" asked McGonagall.
McGonagall started to pull Ron forward. Ed gave him a nudge.
"Go join your girlfriend, Ron," Ed remarked.
Almost every boy laughed until McGonagall gave them a look. Ron and McGonagall got to the middle of the room.
"Now, place your right hand on my waist," said McGonagall.
"Where?" asked Ron.
"My waist, Weasley," said McGonagall.
One of the boys cat-whistled.
"And extend your arm," said McGonagall, pulling Ron's right arm to put on her waist and his left onto her shoulder. "Mr. Filch, if you please."
Mr. Filch turned on the music, and McGonagall and Ron started dancing.
"One, two, three," said McGonagall. "One, two, three."
Fred and George mimicked them.
"Hey," said Ed, grinning.
Fred and George leaned down to hear what Ed had to say.
"You're not gonna let him forget this, are you?" asked Ed.
"Never," Fred and George said at the same time.
"Everybody come together," McGonagall said, the girls instantly standing up. "Boys, on your feet!"
The boys groaned and didn't want to stand but Neville stood. Winry scowled and went to Ed. She pulled him to his feet and to the middle of the room. Winry started to try to teach him how to dance.
"Aw, come on, Winry," said Ed.
"Don't whine, Edward," said Winry. "Who are you going to take to the dance?"
"I don't know," said Ed. "You, I suppose. There's no one else I'd take."
"Good," said Winry.
The last class of Care of Magical Creatures of the term was an uneventful one. Hagrid had given up on direct contact with the skrewts, and they were preparing some food to tempt the skrewts with. Ed and Winry were at a trestle table with Hagrid. The other students refused to come to class since they didn't want to meet the skrewts anymore.
"Harry told us that you gave an interview to that Skeeter woman," said Winry.
"Yeah, but she didn't seem very interested in magical creatures, ter tell yeh the truth," Hagrid said.
"What was she interested in then?" asked Ed.
"Eh, about yeh and Harry," said Hagrid. "Wanted to know how long I knew yeh two. I told her that I just met you this year, and that I knew Harry ever since I got him from the Dursleys when he was eleven."
"Are the Dursleys Harry's relatives?" asked Winry.
"Yeah," said Hagrid. "They're a right terrible bunch, they are. They told Harry that his mum and dad died in car crash, they did."
"That's terrible!" said Winry. "Why didn't they want to tell him the truth, that they died protecting him?"
"Jealous, probably," said Hagrid. "A good kid, he is. I'm glad that yeh two are friends with him and Ron and Hermione."
"We're not friends," said Ed. "We're just acquaintances."
"Yeh are, are yeh?" asked Hagrid.
"What's that tone supposed to mean?" asked Ed.
"You need friends, Ed," said Hagrid.
"I have friends," said Ed. "They're just - ."
"Old enough to be yeh parents," said Hagrid. "You need friends your own age."
"There's my brother and Winry," said Ed. "Besides, what's the point of making friends here if I'm only going to be here this one year?"
"Yeh never know if yer goin' to decide to come back," said Hagrid.
"I have a job to do," said Ed.
"To turn your brother back to normal?" asked Hagrid.
Ed stopped what he was doing.
"How did you know that?" asked Ed.
"Your Fuhrer told Dumbledore, and Dumbledore told me," said Hagrid. "Don' worry, I didn't tell Harry, Ron, or Hermione. That's one thing I wouldn't tell anyone. When it comes to family stuff, I don't say nothing. It's a noble thing yer doin', Ed."
"What else did the Fuhrer say?" asked Ed. "Does he know what happened?"
"Suppose he does," said Hagrid. "The Philosopher's Stone was destroyed though."
"Yeah, well, I don't buy that," said Ed, pointing his knife in Hagrid's direction. "The Philosopher's Stone is supposed to be a pure substance. It wouldn't be easily destroyed. Besides, I'm not gonna give up until Al gets his body back and my arm and leg."
"Yeh might want ter keep those metal limbs," said Hagrid. "They saved yer life against that dragon."
"Yeah, well," Ed muttered.
"I also told that Skeeter woman that yer a handful, more than Harry," said Hagrid. "She was happy to hear that. Especially when she heard that yeh like giving yer teachers nicknames."
"Oh, really?" asked Ed, grinning. "Did you tell her the nicknames?"
"No, she would have used it against yeh, and yeh don't need anymore trouble than yeh got," said Hagrid. "It would give Colonel Mustang too much trouble."
"Ah, Hagrid, you're no fun," said Ed. "Colonel Mustang wouldn't have minded."
Ed knew that this was a bold-faced lie, but he wanted Colonel Mustang to suffer for making him go to Hogwarts.
Author's Note #2: I changed a few lines, but that's about it for this chapter.