DISCLAIMER: I OWN NEITHER HARRY POTTER NOR FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST!

Chapter Twenty-Six

To try to get to Ed and Al's teacher's house on time, Ed, Al, and Winry left Resembool two days after Al woke up. The ride to Dublith was an uneventful one. It took two days to get to Dublith. When the train stopped, Winry woke Al up from his nap.

"We're there, Alphonse," said Winry.

"We are?" asked Al, rubbing his eyes.

"Yup," said Ed. "Can you stand by yourself?"

"I'll try, Big Brother," said Al.

Then, with Winry's help, Al stood from the train bench.

"These seats are uncomfortable," said Al.

Ed laughed.

"They sure are!" Ed agreed. "Now, let's go so I can get killed by Teacher!"

"Brother, you shouldn't joke like that," Al scolded.

"I agree, Ed," Winry agreed. "She just might actually kill you."

"I know…," said Ed, suddenly grim. "Let's go get it over with."

Then Winry helped Al as they got off the train while Ed got his and Winry's trunks. They would have brought some clothes along for Al, but Izumi Curtis (Ed and Al's teacher) had told them not to bother since she would get clothes for Al.

"Let's get a taxi," Ed suggested.

"Walking would be good for Al," said Winry.

"ARE YOU INSANE?!" Ed yelled. "IT'S THE BEGINNIN' OF JANUARY!"

"Don't yell at me!" Winry yelled back. "This is really south! It won't be so cold as in Resembool!"

"You aren't the one draggin' the trunks!" Ed argued.

"Well, you need the work!" said Winry. "You're getting flabby!"

"WHAT?" asked Ed.

"You heard me!" said Winry. "You haven't been workin' out like you should be."

"Well, excuse me if I've been too busy with homework and figurin' out how to get passed a dragon!" yelled Ed.

"Will you two please stop arguing?" Al pleaded. "I just want to get there."

"Sorry, Al," said Ed. "Let's go."

Then they began walking to Izumi's house. Any other town would have been cold, but since Dublith was in the south of Amestris, Dublith was warm. Ed had to end up taking his coat off and put it into his trunk. It took about twenty minutes to get to Izumi's house and meat shop. Ed and Al gulped as they stood in front of the house.

"Come on," Winry said, "let's go in."

But before they could take another step, the door was kicked open. A woman with black hair in micro-braids came out of the doorway. She had on a white trench-styled top and black Capri pants. Izumi Curtis had an angry look on her face. She smiled, however, when she looked at Al.

"Alphonse, you and Winry can go ahead and go in," said Izumi. "Sig is making lunch for everyone. You look like you need to sit down and eat."

"Thank you, Teacher," said Al.

Izumi watched as Winry helped Al into the house. Then once they were inside and the door was closed, Izumi looked right back at Ed. He gulped.

"I see that you were actually serious on the phone the other day," said Izumi, crossing her arms.

Ed nodded, too afraid to speak.

"Do you want to tell me why you've decided to go against my teachings?" Izumi asked, walking towards Ed.

"I had no choice!" said Ed. "I was ordered to go!"

"Ordered?" asked Izumi. "Ordered by whom? Don't tell me that the rumors I've been hearing are true?"

"Rumors?" asked Ed.

"The 'Hero of the People', the 'Alchemist of the People'… the 'FullMetal Alchemist'," said Izumi.

Ed gulped again.

"Yeah, as I said on the phone, I'm a State Alchemi -," started Ed.

But Izumi didn't give Ed the chance to finish his sentence. She started beating up on Ed. Ed's screams could be heard from inside the house. Al looked towards the window.

"Do you think Brother is okay?" asked Al.

"Oh, don't worry, Al," Mason assured Al.

Al looked at Mason and Winry.p

"Are you sure?" asked Al.

"Yeah, Al, you know Izumi wouldn't kill anyone," said Mason.

"Here you go, Alphonse," Sig said, as he put down a bowl of soup in front of Al.

"Thank you, Mister Sig," Al said, picking up the spoon and sniffing the aroma of the soup that had been placed in front of him. "It smells delicious."

"I'm glad," said Sig. "Izumi said that you should eat soup for a couple of more days since you just got your body back a few days ago."

Al took a spoonful of soup and closed his eyes.

"It's delicious," said Al.

Sig chuckled and went back to the kitchen so he could bring lunch to Winry and Mason. A few moments later, Ed came limping in. He limped over to the table and sat down between Al and Winry as Izumi brought the trunks inside. Al looked over at Ed.

"Are you all right?" Al inquired.

Ed groaned as he put his head on the table.

"I hope," Ed answered.

"Brother!" Al scolded. "Don't talk like that!"

"Sorry, Al," Ed apologized.

Sig came in a moment later and put a plate of food in front of Ed and Winry. Ed sat up and drooled for a moment.

"Food…," Ed drooled.

Ed started eating. Winry started eating a moment later and a few moments later, Izumi, Sig, and Mason were eating as well.

"Do you want anymore soup, Alphonse?" asked Izumi.

"Yes, please!" Al said, happily.

Izumi chuckled and got up from her chair. She took Al's bowl and went to the kitchen. Izumi got Al more soup and then took the bowl of soup back into the dining room and sit it in front of Al.

"Thank you, Teacher!" Al beamed.

"You're welcome, Alphonse," said Izumi, smiling.

Izumi sat back down as Al started to eat again.

"So, what are you studying, Ed?" asked Mason. "Izumi said that you're going to a magic school! What kind of stuff is there? Is it fun?"

"Uh…," said Ed, looking at Izumi from the corner of his eye. "Well, they have a lot of food at meal times. They have ghosts and portraits that talk and move. They have suits of armor that talk and move."

"Wow!" Mason exclaimed. "That's awesome! What type of magic do you learn?"

"Defensive magic," said Ed. "Transfiguration."

"Something like alchemy?" asked Mason.

Ed could tell that Izumi wasn't liking him talking about magic, especially transfiguration.

"Uh, no, not like alchemy," Ed answered. "Far from it, actually."

"But what is transfiguration?" asked Mason.

"Mason, go get some more soup for Alphonse," said Izumi. "He's about finished with his second bowl.

"No, thank you," said Al. "I'm getting kinda sleepy."

"Mason, help Alphonse to his room," said Izumi.

"All right," said Mason.

Then Mason helped Al to get to his room. Al went to sleep once his head hit the pillow. Mason went back to the dining room where Izumi was scolding Ed.

"YOU'LL NEVER SAY ANOTHER WORD ABOUT THAT MAGIC SCHOOL AS LONG AS YOU ARE HERE!" Izumi yelled. "DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?"

"Yes, Teacher," Ed answered, looking down at his plate.

Winry opened her mouth to say something, but Sig shook his head to signal that Winry shouldn't say anything. Winry sighed. After lunch, Ed was forced to do the dishes. Then, Winry decided to check up on Ed's auto-mail to make sure it was functioning properly. The auto-mail checked out. Ed and Winry woke up before anyone else in the household. They got dressed and got their things ready to go back to Hogwarts.

"It's about time to get back to…Hogwarts," said Ed, checking his pocket watch.

He and Winry were in the living room with their trunks.

"Don't you think you should wake Al so you could tell him -?" started Winry.

"Winry, Brother?" asked Al, from the doorway.

Ed and Winry looked at Al. Al was wearing a pair of blue pajamas. He had woken up to use the bathroom when he heard Ed and Winry talking. Izumi had transmuted a rail along the walls so Al could relearn walking by himself. Al was now holding on to the rail.

"Where are you going?" asked Al.

"We're on our way back to Hogwarts, Al," Ed answered.

"But it's only five-thirty in the morning," said Al.

"There's a two hour time difference on top of the year difference," Winry explained.

"But…can't you stay for a while longer?" asked Al. "I…I missed you a lot, Brother, and we didn't spend a lot of time together since I got my body back because I was too busy sleeping a lot."

Ed sighed. It's been a long time since he was able to see Al's face again, and he didn't want to leave with Al's face looking sad.

"All right," Ed said. "Professor McGonagall did say that she'd come get us if we missed the Portkey."

Al smiled. Ed put the book down onto a stand and went through his trunk.

"What are you looking for?" asked Al.

"You'll see," said Ed.

Ed found what he was looking for and closed his trunk.

"Come on, Al, let's go to the dinin' room," said Ed.

"Okay," Al agreed.

Then he went to the dining room along with Ed and Winry. Ed and Al sat opposite each other as Winry sat in between them. Ed set out a chess board on the table and set the pieces.

Al gasped happily.

"Chess!" said Al.

"It's not ordinary chess," said Ed.

"What do you mean?" asked Al.

"It's Wizard's Chess," Ed explained.

Then Ed explained how Wizard's Chess was different from regular chess.

"It sounds barbaric," Al commented.

"The chess pieces will be all right," Ed assured. "They talk too."

"Really?" asked Al.

"Yep," Ed answered.

Then Ed and Al started to play Wizard's Chess with the chess set that Ron had gotten Ed for Christmas.

"Where did you get this chess set, Brother?" Al asked after stating his move to the chess men pieces.

"Ron got it for me for Christmas," Ed answered.

"Is he your friend, Big Brother?" Al asked.

Ed opened his mouth to say something, but he didn't know what to say. Sure, Ron annoyed Ed with his moments of stupidity, but he did like Ron. Ed also liked Harry and Hermione, even though Hermione annoyed him and Winry at times.

"Brother?" Al repeated.

"Yeah, he is," Ed finally answered, then telling his chess men where to move.

"I'm glad that you have friends there, Big Brother," Al said, smiling. "You need to have friends in a place like that."

Al told the chess men on his side where to move. His face broke out into a big grin as he said, "Checkmate!"

Ed's eyes widened as he looked at the chess board.

"What?!" Ed asked.

"You should pay more attention to what you tell them," Al pointed out.

A few moments later, McGonagall appeared.

"Don't worry, Mr. Elric," McGonagall told Al. "There is another holiday where he will be able to come to visit."

"When will that be?" Al asked.

"Easter," McGonagall answered.

"Okay," said Al.

After the goodbyes, Ed and Winry left with McGonagall.