As big a tip as Remus gave, it wasn't quite big enough. Moody knew he was supposed to keep his search closer to headquarters, but he wasn't too keen on doing so. What if Elric had just shown himself to bait them then taken a plane to France? There were too many variables. Besides, tomorrow was Christmas eve, if he had wanted to get to someone or somewhere for it, he would probably be halfway there by now. There was no way to prove he was still in London.

Just as he was about to head home and start again the next day, Moody's magic eye caught sight of it, gold hair. In fact, there were two heads of gold hair. Just walking and laughing without a care in the world.

"Finally." He muttered before sending a quick patronus to Dumbledore and casting a disillusionment charm on himself. He set off after them walking on the opposite side of the street and taking care to not bump into anything, most likely, he would be led to their hideout, and then he could strike by night and take the twerp with him. The chase would be over.

Hours later, Moody apparated in front of the door and cast a quick alohomora to open it. It was around four in the morning, so he was pretty sure that the alchemist and the other one wouldn't be up and about. He would zip in, grab the runaway, and zip back out. Fool proof.

Now to find that muggle.

A rustle and a quiet groan made him turn towards the first bedroom where, conveniently, his target lay tangled in the sheets. However, said target was waking up, and that would not do. Just as he sat up, Moody flicked his wrist and the alchemist was bound by rope.

"AL!"

A thud, then the sound of bare feet running.

%%%%%%

This was not the first time someone had tried to kidnap him.

He screamed for his brother, because surely the person would know that Al was there, and at the very least then Al could escape if he heard him, which would be enough for now. Unless they took Al first, or if it was a group, or they hadn't known Al was there, then maybe he should've kept his mouth shut.

Edward jumped up because, clearly these were amateurs, his legs weren't even tied.

"Hold it boy," growled someone in front of him, suddenly there was a stick in front of him? He went cross-eyed looking at it, of all things, why a stick? Then he realized, not a stick, a wand.

"Hold your face" He stuck his tongue out.

"Ed!" Alphonse slid into view, then immediately ducked as a red beam of light flew towards him.

Ed took the opportunity to head bonk the old guy, but was only grabbed for his troubles.

The guy spun in place and Ed just hoped he wouldn't throw up again.

%%%%%%

Remus was mildly worried, Mad-Eye had left earlier in the day, and he wasn't back yet. Normally he would just assume that he decided to stay away for a while, or he had gotten another mission from Dumbledore. But since he had gone to get Elric, Remus felt it was justifiable to at least mildly worry. If anything at least for the welcome Sirius would surely give the Amestrian.

He was jerked out of his thoughts by the door slamming open and an unknown voice screaming.

"LET GO OF ME YOU OLD PIECE OF SHIT! I'LL BEAT YOUR ASS THEN FEED YOU TO THE SEWER RATS."

Remus rushed out to see what was happening and kind of wished that he hadn't when he saw Mad-Eye trying to wrestle a golden haired man, who had to be Elric, who was putting up a rather good fight especially considering he was tied up from the waist above.

"Stay still!" Moody grunted out.

"Fuck you!" He threw up on him.

Moody looked a second away from just strangling the captive, so Remus took out his wand and cleaned them up with a quick scourgify

"Hold on Moody, this isn't Elric." He said as he took a step forward

"What do you mean this isn't Elric!" Moody snapped.

The captive had stopped struggling and was looking at them with wide eyes. Remus kept going.

"Well, the one I saw had short hair and was tall -" Remus began.

"WHO'RE YOU CALLING SHORT YOU JACKASS." Interrupted the golden haired man.

"Shut up!" Barked Moody before he turned to Remus, "Are you certain Remus? This one has the prosthetic see?" He pointed at the metal limb, "There was another one with him, I left him alone but if you say it's him then I'll go grab him too. Not like we can let this one go if we're wrong since he's already here." He ended with a nod towards the man who, though he had been yelling just moments ago, looked unsteady now.

"Don't!" He yelled out suddenly, "Don't go! It's me you want, you've got the right guy."

"Well," Moody said with a raised eyebrow, "That makes everything easier. In any case, I've got to Obliviate him, he saw my wand and I wager he isn't a wizard just like this one here, got to think of the Statue of Security and all that."

"Don't you dare do anything to him!" Elric said in a raised and steely tone as Moody began to move towards the door. "If you want any of my help you will not touch a hair on his head, you will leave him alone!."

His tone and body language reminded Remus of all the things he had heard about him when he had gone to Amestris, and he found himself desperately wishing to be anywhere but there at that moment. He felt rather than saw Moody feeling threatened and chose to jump in rather than to be a witness of the extreme carnage that would surely come to pass if the two fought.

"I'm sure something can be arranged that will make everyone happy." He put in with a loud clap of his hands, which for some reason seemed to make Elric more on guard than anything, though he put that train of thought away to follow at a later time, "For now though, if you would be ever so kind Moody I would like to talk to you, in the kitchen, right now." He then grabbed Moody by the arm, ready to be hexed into next week, and guided him into the kitchen while leaving Elric standing in the hall.

"What's this about?" grumbled Moody after they had closed the door, his magic eye was pointed towards the door, no doubt keeping track of each one of Elric's movements and analyzing them.

"Alastor," Remus took a deep breath, "Do you remember when Albus sent me to Amestris to find out more about the alchemist?"

"Yeah and then I never heard of it again what're you trying to say?"

"What I found out, is quite frankly kind of disturbing. This man is extremely powerful and could beat many strong people when he was 12, it would be best not to aggravate him unnecessarily."

"We're wizards Remus, just hit him with Stupefy and he'll be out." Moody deadpanned.

"Sirius tried that remember, and it didn't work."

"I thought we established that he probably misaimed or his eyes tricked him or Elric put shield up or something. Constant vigilance Remus! Look for what most likely went wrong not just at what it looks like happened!"

"You say that but when we looked at his memory in the pensieve, it also looked like the spell just had no effect."

"Memories aren't too reliable you know, especially with sleep deprivation, Sirius had just woken up when that happened!" When it looked like Moody would not be swayed, Remus felt the beginnings of panic.

"Besides! The other one probably left by now if he didn't know what happened, or he blamed it on sleep deprivation or alcohol or thought it was special effect or something! You know muggles will explain anything away if they can. It just seems like a wasted effort to go after him when we already have Elric!"

Moody looked him up and down with both of his eyes before swiveling the other towards the door. "Have it your way." He said at length, "But if this blows up in our faces, you will take responsibility. Besides, he managed to get out of the rope and is, I think, getting ready to kick down the door."

"It won't come to that." Remus said, and then opened the door only to get a fist inches from his face instead. He wasn't sure whether to feel threatened or grateful that Elric's apparently fast reflexes stopped him from getting hit in the face. Afterall, it was the right hand that was raised.

There was a moment where both just blinked at each other until Elric put his hand down.

"So? What'd you decide?" He said.

"We will leave the other man alone, on the condition that you will help us as you can." Remus thought taking hostages was tacky, but it's not like they were doing anything to the other guy, and, he reasoned, they could stand some insurance that Elric wouldn't blow up and kill them all in their sleep.

"Fair enough." Elric nodded. "I can understand where you're coming from."

The two shook hands.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

AN:

Uh really really really sorry for this huge, year long delay. Yikes.

A lot of reasons for it, but I'm not gonna get into them. Thank you guys for your continuing support it really means a lot to me.

I'm gonna try my best with this story. Please be patient with me