A/N: Made it to Christmas Day!! wooot!! Hard chapter to do. But fun none the less.

Debating if there should be an argument over stitches or not. I do thing Ed needs them.

Thanks for the reviews...they do help motivate/remind me when I am going off into OC land. Anyhow...Enjoy!


Ed jerked his head up as he heard more footsteps approach from down the hall. He glanced behind him just as several people in 'normal' robes passed by, and he forced himself to relax. He leaned his right into the metal bench's back, and set the side of his head against the wall once more.

It was a convenient placement. This bench. One of many set along the hall of the first floor of this..St. Mungo's, and the only one that seemed to be made entirely of metal. Wonderful, comfortably solid metal.

Most wizards passed it by with a certain disdain painted on their face.

'Smells like Al..' Ed thought idly, and felt himself drifting off again. He did need rest, afterall, but he wouldn't allow himself to sleep.

As he sat there, occasionally, lime green robes would rush by. They were followed ever so often with the ones in dark green, all of which looked about in a obvious panic. He often heard whispers about a missing Muggle ..and something about rogue wizards snatching poor helpless Muggles from the ward. The shame!

(Oh how he snickered when he first heard that!)

Any good investigation would surely...

Maybe it was the dizziness, but he couldn't believe the wizards hadn't worked it out just yet.

Surely they couldn't be THAT dense?

Still. He knew he was taking a huge chance, sitting in plain sight like this, even if he was no longer a shambling mound of blankets.

He was dressed in a white robe with a hood, which was up over his head right now. Beneath that, some bluish long pants and a long sleeved tshirt he managed to change from the bright green of the sheets to a vague kind of brown. He even created a pair of gloves, which were white, from the scraps.

The only eyes that had seen him do the hurried calculations were the ones trapped in the framed images that hung along the stair wells. Half of those yelled that he had something highly contagious under his many bloody bandages, and called out ever weirder remedies as he slipped on his created garments with chattering teeth.

(He supposed that, in any other situation, it would have amused him greatly to hear that boiling a salamander alive in rose syrup and then dancing wildly about while naked in the moonlight would do anything remotely useful. )

The problem before him now was a finding a simple way to sneak out of this place. The only exit was down the hall behind him: The doorway with no door. Ed was sure it was the way he had come. Which meant it HAD to be the one that was alarmed.

And.

Not that it mattered much, but the general area over there was stuffed with wizards.

If he choose to go that way, he was sure he'd either have to run or fight his way out, and he knew he was not in any shape to do much of anything. At best he was only able to manage a sort of stumbling course if there was a sturdy wall nearby to support him.

Which meant he had to find another way. And, at the very least, learn exactly WHERE this place WAS.

The most he knew was that he was somewhere in England, and that was just judging by the language. That meant the last thing he wanted was to have to wander about in the snow and ice. He knew he wouldn't even make it ten steps in the kind of cold he was sure was outside. It was plenty cold for him inside this place as it was.

He shivered again and wrapped his arms about himself.

That was the entire reason why he was sitting still--or as close to it as he ever did-- in plain sight in this hall. Listening carefully while he gained some much needed rest at the same time.

More footsteps approached from behind, and he shifted his eyes.

He saw lime green robes. And some dark green ones.

And heard a familiar voice.

"..Then a room to room search if necessary.." Kingsley said. Ed made a quick glance and saw the tell tale robes of the dark skinned man, then carefully looked away as if he were just a teen looking about the hall at random.

"But..but..why? " This voice he knew too well, as it belonged to 'Dumpy'. "It's obvious to any that the boy was apparated out...!"

"Madam.." Tonk's voice. "This is now Auror business. Please allow us the luxury to do our inquiry as we see fit."

"Aurors may outrank mere Obliviators in the Ministry, Miss...Tonks is it?.." 'Dumpy' said. "But in this institution, you are well outside your appointed jurisdiction. The patients' privacy alone...!"

"Unless we are called in for a consultation, which indeed, is what is happening in this case." Kingsley said smoothly. "Now. I recommend that we begin with a good and thorough look at the scene in question..fourth floor you say?"

"Yes..um.."

"This is going to take a few hours..as we will need to examine all of the residue present.." Tonks said with considerable authority in her voice.

"All of the..uh..residue.."

Ed narrowed his eyes as he watched them pass through the doors that lead to the stairs. As soon as the door banged closed, he pushed himself back to his feet. He did not in any way like what he heard at all.

It meant that it was past time he moved, and he was far from ready.

He staggered his way a few steps down the hall, towards the large group of wizards gathered at the doorway, then happened to spot a mass of long red hair as it emerged from another door.

"Gotta go, Dad. Duty calls." What was his name again? "See you tomorrow..."

Ed's mind whirled and settled upon that strange party months back. As the man turned, Ed watched his eyes widen.

"Bill..? Vright?" Ed said as he let go of the wall, and gently lowered his hood. He even smiled in what he hoped was a friendly way.

"Ye-es..?" Bill said and narrowed his eyes as he looked Ed over. Then he turned his head slightly. "Dad? You up for another?"


"Who?"

"Ed...Uh..I think?"

"Yeah." Ed said with a little nod.

"Ed..? What..!? However did he..?" Mr. Weasley's voice called out. "Uh..sure. I'm up to it."

Ed walked with great care through the door. Mr. Weasley was at the far side of the dingy ward, right by a tiny window. Directly across from him lay a sickly looking man who gazed mournfully at the ceiling. Ed spared a glance to this other occupant before turning his full attention to Mr. Weasley.

The man was wrapped in so many bandages that he resembled a mummy even more than Ed did beneath his clothes. Ed raised an eyebrow.

"You look vell." Ed said, and leaned a hand on the footboard of the bed for support.

"I feel great!" Mr. Weasley said, and looked hard at Ed. "You though..you look ghastly."

"I'm fine." Ed stated flatly. Mr. Weasley narrowed his eyes.

"I'm not about to let you lie to me, son." Mr. Weasley scolded. "You can barely even walk. You are far from being anything close to the word 'fine'."

Ed put both of his hands on the footboard and looked down.

"Well..look. What else am I supposed to.." Mr. Weasley began in a hurried sort of apology.

A sound came from Ed's chest. It was not quite a laugh, but more than a snort.

"It tink dat's the most divrect you have ever been, Mr. Sunshine." Ed said as he glanced to the man.

"Seems to work best with you, now doesn't it?" Mr. Weasley eyed him some more, then waved him to a chair. As Ed eased himself down, Mr. Weasley whispered softly.

"By any chance, did the..um Muggleguards here...Did they do this to you..?"

Ed waved the question off in irritation.

Mr. Weasley let out a breath.

"That's good." Mr. Weasley said in a more normal tone and volume. "I always worry, y'know. 'bout Muggles..Wizards can be so unkind and this recent business with the biting doorknobs and exploding toilets and.."

"Sunshine. Vhat I vant to know is..did you vreally get attacked by giant snake?" Ed said with narrowed eyes.

"Oh..yes." Mr. Weasley said. "I'm fine really. They just can't get the bleeding to stop. YET. There's worse cases than mine." Mr. Weasley pointed quickly and added softly. "Like that poor fellow there ..bitten by a werewolf. No cure."

Ed nodded, but didn't look to the man. Instead he leaned his elbows on his thighs, and took a breath as he looked down.

"Could you describe de snake?"

"Whyever for?"

Ed shrugged, and looked again to Mr. Weasley.

"Can't be dat many big snakes in de vorld. Should be simple ting to identif.."

"It's You-Know-Who's SNAKE, son." Mr. Weasley said incredulously. "I don't expect someone, well, like YOURSELF to.."

Ed glimpsed lime green robes out of the corner of his eye and made sure his face was hidden from the person's view by dipping his head down slightly.

"Ah..time for my treatments." Mr. Weasley said airily, and reached for his wand. Ed rose from the seat just before it vanished from beneath him.

Ed moved off in a sort of stagger and soon found himself across the room. More to steady himself than anything, he reached for the footboard of the sickly-looking man.

Gold eyes met dull brown, and the brown slipped to the side. Ed glanced to the empty bed beside the man.

With Mr. Weasley in the room, Shacklebolt and Tonks searching for who knows how long at each floor...This room very might be the safest he'd have in this place.

Ed glanced back to the newly minted werewolf, and whispered.

"Do not take dis vrong vay, but I vill be taking advantage of your condition for a little vhile." Then jerked his chin to the empty bed. "I have had very long and trying day."

"Knock yourself out." The man said dully. "Not like they'll place anyone so close to me, anyway."

Ed turned and shambled his way onto the mattress.


He was surrounded by white....

From a distance he heard someone yelling. He didn't recognise the voice.

"Oy! ...Oy Over here! His..his back's all bloody! Healer! Over here!"

A pair of eyes emerged from the haze. They were not purple. Nor filled with hatred. Human. They were very human.

"Burning up.." The eyes faded back into whiteness. Ed looked around for them in the formlessness about him.

The white faded again..revealing lime green. Lime green.

It meant something he should do something about, but he couldn't recall what. He lifted his heavy hand in an attempt to bat it away. Then..he felt a hum in his chest. He looked down at the peculiar feeling..and furrowed his brow..trying to place its meaning.

"Diffindo." He heard gasps of surprise, and felt icy cold. He tried to pull up his legs and wrap his arms about himself. Then discovered they were heavier than ever. He glanced at his left and saw a hands made of whiteness holding his forearm in a firm grasp.

"That..that arm's not real..? Amazing...Bandages...so many.."

"Yes..freshly done..by the looks. He's a patient..?"

"..."

"...."

"Master..?"

"Those eyes...hmm...and these limbs.."

"..."

"...."

"I believe we've found our missing Muggle."

"Then we have to take him back.."

Ed turned his head at that word.

His tongue felt three times too big for his mouth, and four times as hard to move.

"Baak" Ed said. "Baak vhere?"

"Yes sweetie. Back to the fourth floor where you belong.." Said a sugary voice that made Ed wrinkle his nose in disgust as his eyes tracked about the nothingness. He knew what the room meant..the meaning rang through him without a need for him to search for it.

"no." Ed said, and wriggled and jerked his too heavy limbs. "No." Another jerk..it seemed to upset the whiteness and make loud noises.

"Hold it." He felt another hum, and he arched his back, jerking his limbs again.

"My. Head." Ed growled. "Iz my. Head." He glared all about the nothingness and jerked his limbs again. More noise.

"Petrificus Totalus!!"

Whiteness entangled him, wrapping about his limbs, chest, and even about his neck. The only thing he could do was breathe. He did so, ever more rapidly and rolled his widened eyes blindly about as another hum rose in his chest.

"NO!!" He screamed, and lashed out with everything he could.

He heard a meaty crunch as he suddenly found his right arm moving freely.

The hum vanished, and the whiteness released its confining hold over the rest of him.

He looked about the nothing in confusion.


Ed awoke with a jerk..panting..

There were green curtains drawn around him. He saw red and green floating bubbles at the ceiling, within which were bundles of flickering candles.

He lifted his left hand and rubbed his eyes, then noticed it was bare. He then lifted his head from the pillow and looked down at himself. His right arm was just as bare as his left, and gleamed in the candlelight. A great pile of lime green hospital sheets was drawn up to his chest.

"He's awake now." He heard Mr. Weasley call from across the room.

"All the way awake...or are his eyes just open..?" Called back a timid sounding voice.

"He's awake." Called a dull voice nearby. Ed turned his head and saw the dull brown eyes of the newly werewolfed man in the bed next to him.

He narrowed his own eyes and lifted up the many sheets. He beheld a mass of bandages wrapped about him that rivaled those on Mr. Weasley in volume, and raised his brows in mild amusement. He then lunged to sit up.

"Don't." Wolfie said.

"Not staying..."

"Fine. Move and die quick." Wolfie snapped. "Or don't and die later. It doesn't matter much to me...Muggle."

At that word, Ed froze and looked hard at Wolfie, then after a few moments, leveled his glare at Mr. Weasley. Then lunged to sit up once more. Soon..he determined that the bandages were wrapped so thickly that he couldn't move his torso much at all.

"Edward..you really should stop." Mr. Weasley called.

"Shut it." Ed growled, settling for rolling to his side and was beginning to wiggle his way to the edge of the bed. His toes cleared just as the green curtains parted. He could see lime green robes standing there from the corners of his eyes.

"Mr. Elric? Could you...could you..calm down?" Ed glanced up at the timidly voiced man patting the air. "No one's going to hurt you.."

"Bullshit." Ed said mid-wiggle. "You'll.."

"DO. WHAT?" Wolfie said bitterly. "BITE you while you're..say..Asleep? Helpless? You're at St. Mungo's ..! A hospital..!"

"Vizarding. Hospital." Ed snarled as loud as he could muster as he leveled his glare at the werewolf. "And vhat am I? Huh?! You have any idea vaat dey do to people like ME?!? VAAT ITS LIKE?!? THEY DON'T EVEN LET US CHOOSE!!! THEY JUST..COME BY AND... ERASE VHAT DEY VANT!! VHENEVER DEY VANT!!!"

"It's not like that..not at all.." The timid voiced man said.

"DO NOT INSULT ME!!" Ed yelled, and scowled at the man. "I WAS DERE VHEN DHEY DID IT TO MY ROOMMATE UPSTAIRS!! HE DIDN'T KNOW DHAT VAS VHAT DEY VOULD DO IN EXCHANGE FOR DE RESTORING HIS HAND!!!"

"That..will not happen to you." The man said softly.

"AND DAAT MAKES IT ALL VRIGHT!??" Ed yelled ever louder. "TO DO TO ANYBODY ELSE!!??! ANYVONE DIS.. MINISTRY.. PLEASES TO LABEL AS MUGGLE??!!? "

The man calmly patted the air and slowly approached Ed's bedside. Ed immediately brought up his hands and held them close together at his chest. The man in lime green eased himself to the chair beside Ed's bed, and looked curiously at Ed's positioned hands.

For many moments, the only sound was Ed's angry breaths.

The man sighed, and leaned his elbows to his thighs, and looked Ed over from head to toe.

"You're right. It's wrong that we do that, Mr. Elric." The timid voiced man said diplomatically. "But that's not why I'm here. I'm here to ask..."

At those words, Ed inched his hands ever closer together. The man lifted a hand.

"Let me rephrase that." he said. "We have managed to determine that the sort of residue pervading your wounds is quite similar as the trace residue within the venom that is affecting Mr. Weasley over there."

Ed narrowed his eyes.

"We were hoping you would tell us something as to why that would be."

Ed swallowed his bile, and flicked a quick glance to Mr. Weasley. Then he looked hard at the timid voiced man before him.

"What da shit do I get if I do?"