Author's Note: Thank you all so much for your reviews. I really appreciated them all! Here's a long chapter for your reading pleasure. It just wouldn't wrap itself up! Stuff I meant to cover this chapter will be covered next chapter because Ron and Ginny decided to make a scene. Damn the rascals. I hope you like it!

Disclaimer: WolfishMoon does not own and never claims to own Hiromu Arikawa's Fullmetao Alchemist or J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter. She makes no money from the online publication of this free-to-read fanwork.

The Scientist's Lament

Chapter 7

In Which Ron and Ginny (And Everyone Else) Are Themselves. To Everyone's Frustration.

Ed had seen some strange things in his life, but he had never once seen a teenager hold a broomstick like it was their greatest treasure. But these two ginger children, who looked enough like Red to be likely hers, were doing so.

"Who's this," said the boy, "Mione?"

Granger, who'd already been reaching for her school bag and homework brought her hand back to herself, huffed. "He's my chemistry professor, Ronald."

That clearly threw Boy Ginger for a loop.

In contrast, Girl Ginger whistled, setting her broom against the door frame. "Your Muggle chemi-whatsit professor? I can stun the first auror who comes in the door, Hermione, but I don't know that I can get the second and third for you."

Ed was about to interject, but Granger beat him to it. "It's fine. His brother's a wizard we found out."

Boy Ginger still looked stumped. "This little kid's a prof?" he finally said.

"WHO'RE YOU CALLINK TOO SMALL VOR AMOEBA SNACK?" His fists were raised, one leg bent behind him to spring on this freakishly tall child, but...

From the kitchen came Al's voice, in Amestrian. "I don't think anybody called you that, brother!"

As Al's voice brought Ed back to himself, he could see that all around him sticks were raised. Boy Ginger's broom clattered to the floor as he drew, but he was no slower than his apparent sister and Granger.

Their eyes were wide and frightened - but set with a certain determination. Whoever these wizards - he internally snorted at the word - were, they were regularly in a large amount of danger.

Ed returned to his normal resting stance, but added more quietly, "Verdammt. Am nineteen you vreakishly tall giant."

The three teenagers slowly pocketed sticks, expressions sheepish. Granger moved to hide her own embarrassment, Ed was sure. "Ron! You don't say that!"

"Bloody hell, Mione," Boy Ginger muttered. "Didn't think he'd react like that."

Al's voice called from the kitchen again. "Sorry vor brozer!"

"Beink healthy height - unlike you vreakish people - doesn't make me... zat vord."

"Of course not," Girl Ginger said. "You're perfectly normal."

"But really, Mione," came Boy Ginger," Why is he here?"

Granger heaved a sigh. "He saw Tonks accidentally metamorphose. Attacked her using some strange magic."

"Well then," Girl Ginger said. "So he's a wizard."

"But why would he hide it?" Boy Ginger said, then answered his own question. "Maybe he works for You-Know-Who! He could be using you to get at Harry, Mione!"

"Iz not magic," Ed said. "Just science. Granger saw vor self. I'm no vizard."

"He really is a muggle," Granger said. "Even Alphonse - his brother - who is a wizard had no idea magic existed till today, I don't think."

But then Granger tilted her head. "But you'd met another metamorphmagus, so you must've known!"

"Vasn't magic eizer. Diverent mesod, similar result. Vas scientifically plausible, mesod, too."

Granger sent him a sidewise smirk-look that Ed refused to interpret. He wasn't being silly. This magic shit was clearly ridiculous. He'd bet his watch the Truth designed this whole backwards dimension just to spit in his eye. Or any scientist's eye, Ed decided. Either way. Bullshit.

"What do you mean it wasn't magic?" Granger asked. "I made sure to familiarize myself with most branches of muggle science when I first decided on my current schooling arrangement, and I never once came across anything like you do."

"You have PhD?" Ed asked.

"Well," Granger said. "No, but -"

"Zen schut up. You don't know vhat you're talkink about."

Boy Ginger looked at him with such an expression of awe, Ed found himself wondering precisely how overbearing his pupil could be. She couldn't be too bad, because Girl Ginger had a light of angry defiance in her eye in counterpoint to her brother.

"I don't know much about the muggle school system," Girl Ginger said, "But I do know that these PhD thingies are for people much older than you. I'd bet you don't have one either!"

"Vell zee joke ist on you, Girl Ginger! I'm vhat zey call genius! Ha!"

But she was right enough. He'd never even gone to high school, regardless of he fact that he had the sort of certification even good alchemists could only dream about.

The bantering went on for another few minuets, the mood slowly lightening as the conversation continued. But the kitchen - and checking on Alphonse - called Ed's name sooner rather than later. He excused himself and as he walked away he heard Boy Ginger start asking questions.

"Is he always like this, Mione?" Boy Ginger asked.

"Sort of?" Granger responded before Ed tuned them out. He'd rounded the kitchen door and there was Alphonse - still a sight to overwhelm Ed's senses even after all these months.

But Ed suddenly wasn't quite sure that Al needed him there. Al's easy smile and careful politeness had won him another friend, and he and Red were happily engaged in conversation.

"Oh, brother!" Al said in Amestrian, "Mrs. Weasley is so nice! She's making stew!"

Where Al's intense seriousness of just minuets ago had gone, Ed was not sure.

At the audible switch in language, Mrs. Weasley turned around. "Hello! Edward, right?"

"Right," Ed said, pulling a polite smile. "Zat iz me."

"Alphonse has been telling me just the funniest stories!" She said, stirring the stew pot in front of her.

"Brozer has lots ov zose," Ed said, eyes warily following the Matron of the Red Hair as she bustled.

"He certainly does!" She turned to the pot, "I heard Ron and Ginny come in. I'll talk to them about their manners after dinner. Really, Ronald should know better by now."

"Iz fine," Ed said. Red put on a good show, but the nervousness that floated about the other wizards floated about her too.

"You're lucky Remus and Tonks found your brother, you know," she said. And her brown eyes were so round and sincere at Ed found himself sure that part of her was speaking in reference to whatever trouble was brewing.

Regardless, he was going to get whiplash if Red made any more leaps in conversation, Ed was sure. "I don't know about zat," he said. "All I know is zat vee vere fine bevore, and now my brozer iz in a razer dangerous situation. I don't like zat much at all."

"Well," Mrs. Weasley said. "His magic would have blown up on him without training. Not finding out wouldn't have avoided that problem." She made a fair point, Ed admitted to himself. But he only was going to admit it to himself.

"I don't mean just zat," Ed said, a look of stubbornness coming into his face. "Your jumpy children make it fery obvious. Somezink bad iz happening viz you vizards. And I'd razer Al vasn't brought into it."

Mrs. Weasley blanched. Ed had hit his mark, he was sure. "I vant to know vat it iz, and I vant to know vhy no one's tryink zat memory hocus pocus on me. Alphonse may be vizard, but vee all know I am not."

"Bruder," Alphonse said. "Schtop it."

"Frau Veasley?"

But Mrs. Weasley had relaxed. Likely at the coming of something easier to explain. Whatever the danger was, it was bad. And it had touched even the children of this doting lion of an over protective mother.

"Immediate muggle family is an exception to the Statute of Secrecy. We wouldn't keep the truth from the brother of a wizard," Red said. "Hermione's parents are muggles, and of course they know she's a witch."

Ed nodded, slowly. That, he thought, might explain some things about his student. Al had expressed the opinion that Granger's parents were not a part of whatever it was she was into.

"Oh," he said. Because the relief was beginning to hit him. Al's ability kept his mind safe. "Zat is gut to know. But zee ozer sing?"

Mrs. Weasley blanched all over again. "Professor McGonagall is on her way, Edward. She'll explain it better than I can."

"Can she? Bekause in my experience, people like to call in zose zat are better at schtone valling me. Zee second person never gives me zee answers I vant."

But the Matron of the Red Hair was not going to budge an inch, the horror in her face had turned to a mulish stubbornness to mirror Ed's. And in the set of her mouth, Ed knew that this woman was used to being argued with - but she always won in the end.

"Dinner's almost finished," Red said in a tone that ended conversations as she turned away from him. "If you would call in the children to help set the table I'd be thankful."

Ed nodded. "Vine. I vill ask my questions to zis McGonagall person. But iv I'm not satisfied, know zat I vill push until I know vat I need to know."

But Red was back to stirring the pot on her stove. She gave a sort of hum to indicate that she had heard, but the conversation was over and nothing Ed did would rejuvenate it.

Al apologized for him, and pushed Ed out of the room.

Outside, Ginger Boy, Ginger Girl, and Granger were in some sort of argument.

"He could be dangerous, Mione!"

"I think Hermione's a better judge of character than you, Ron!"

"Bugger off, Ginny!"

"You say that like it's none of my business!"

"It is none of your business!"

Ed exchanged an amused glance with Granger before stepping between them, cutting off Girl Ginger's next riposte. The banter had made another turn for the legitimately angry, he could see.

"Your mozer asked me to tell you zat dinner iz ready and zat she vants you to set zee table."

"Well, that's settled," Granger said, shooting Ed a grateful look, putting a hand on both Ginger Siblings' shoulders. "Let's go set the table."

Ed watched them hustle into the kitchen, eyes lingering on the back Ginger Boy's head. He had clearly inherited the mulish stubbornness of his mother, but he was one of his most violent questioners. Clearly uneasy around strangers, Ed decided. Which indicated not only exposure to danger, but the sort of paranoia that would likely keep the boy alive though whatever trouble was brewing.

Damn, I sound old, Ed thought. He's my age. But pretending to be nineteen and working as a teacher was doing nothing for removing his tendency towards associating with adults.

Just as the children rounded the corner and vanished completely from sight, Scruffy and Sad walked in. Both looked vaguely cross, and neither seemed to register that Ed was standing right there. "At least I managed the spell," Sad said. "Any patronus is an improvement over no patronus."

Scruffy shook his head, eyes closing. "I'm glad I'm the one who sent the message."

Sad just rolled her eyes and quickened her pace to put herself ahead of him. "Molly!" she said. "Professor McGonagall will be over for dinner!"

A plate dropped in the kitchen and Red could be heard berating Boy Ginger. Loudly.

This was the one Red wanted Ed to talk to. Good. Perhaps things could be resolved quickly and Ed would be in his own bed by midnight.

"But why's she gotta come to dinner mum?" That was Boy Ginger's voice. Ed walked into the kitchen, Tonks and Remus behind him, just in time to see Red ignore her son and point her stick at the broken plate on the floor.

"Reparo," she said. Clearly, firmly, with a steady flick of her stick. The pieces of the plate came together as though nothing had happened. Red's gaze narrowed, and with a swish and flick of the stick, the plate rose into the air and set itself on the table.

Al gasped from his place on the stool, picked up the plate. He turned to Ed and said in Amestrian, "Brother, look! No alchemy markings at all!" Ed leaned forward elbows on the table, leaning to favor his emaciated arm.

"Shit. You're right," he said. The wizards were watching their conversation with a certain curiosity.

"Sorry," Al said, in English with a sheepish smile. "Zee vay zis magik ov yours vorks is different vrom vhat brozer and I do. It shows in zee final product and vee cannot help our curiosity on zee matter."

Ed smiled at him, taking the plate in his own hands. There really was nothing. No tell tale flaws at shifted points.

The issue of the plate was so utterly transfixing that Ed hardly noticed the fire place blaze into wild green. But two people falling out of the fire, both coughing, was harder to miss.

Word Count: 2123

I hope you guys liked this one. The story is approaching the confrontation between Ed and McGonagall that I wanted to have happen in this chapter. But. Ron and Ginny took the wheel and that just did not happen. After we deal with this dinner and McGonagall - which seems to be becoming an arc all onto its own, to my consternation - Bill, Fleur, and Harry will enter the scene and we'll get to the part of the timeline that is actually covered in book six.

We'll all be happy when that happens, I am sure.

Tell me what you think guys! Review!