The Philosopher's Stone

Chapter One

Eleven Years Ago,

Once Upon a Time

There are moments in life that seem like small choices at the time but have large ripples in history. Once, for example, Nicolas Flamel informed Albus Dumbledore should he ever need help to contact Amestris for the aide of alchemists. In one lifetime, this advice was not taken. Harry Potter would then have been raised by his mother's sister and her husband growing up feeling unloved and unwanted. He would have had no knowledge of the world he was born into and been terribly unprepared for what lay before him over the next few years as he trained in wizardry.

At the same time, in this life where they were never contacted, Edward Elric, having never claimed an innocent child as his own, would have no reason to second guess his more impulsive inclinations. Though he would, in the end, have defeated the greatest enemy his people had known, it would have cost him greatly. In this other life, he would have willingly given anything to save his brother, his only family, rendering himself unable to help the wizards should they choose to ask for aide later.

In this lifetime though, Edward had been contacted, he had rescued an innocent baby and claimed him as his own. He was still a capable alchemist. His son, no longer known as Harry Potter instead known as Yuery Elric, was raised with love and care and with the knowledge that magic was real and he was a wizard.

Once, in a different life, a letter would have arrived inviting young Harry to Hogwarts. Followed by more and more letters until the sheer volume would drive his family to run, in the end a wizard taking the boy anyway. He then went to the school happily and without fear.

In this life, when an owl landed next to him at the breakfast table with a letter labeled "Harry Potter" it took him a minute to remember that was what the wizards called him.

"Dad. I have a letter." Yuery said as he took the envelope from the owl and flipped it over. "From Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

"I see they decided to contact you directly, instead of listening to Edward's repeated statements that it would not be necessary." Roy, Yuery's grandfather, said with a frown as Yuery turned it back over.

"Yeah. This is weird. It says 'Harry Potter, Fuhrer's Mansion, First Bedroom, Top bunk on the left.' Why do they know that?" Yuery asked with a frown.

"Because they are weird ass stalkers. Go ahead and toss it out, it doesn't matter." Edward, Yuery's dad said as he set platters of eggs on the table for them all. "You can read it if you want, but it's just them inviting you to their school."

Yuery frowned at the letter, not opening it, before he set it down and picked up a spoon to heap eggs on his sister, Trisha's plate. He forgot about it after breakfast when he wandered off to play with his siblings.

The next owl arrived at dinner, with a second letter addressed in the same manner. Yuery took it once again, but before he could speak two more owls flew through the open window. His mom glared at the birds as she muttered about them landing on the table, and his brothers laughed at the birds, but his Dad looked annoyed. "Oh, for Truth's sake. Now he's going to harass my kid directly?! Really?!"

"How did they even know where I sleep?" Yuery frowned, "Wait, how did they know I didn't read the letter this morning?"

"Magic. I'm sure." Dad said as he collected the letters from the birds and watched them fly away.

"Open one, then they'll stop." William suggested, and Maes nodded along. The younger children seemed confused by the whole thing.

"I don't want to." Yuery frowned as he pushed the letters away.

"Then don't." his Dad shrugged. "I can open them if you would like."

Yuery handed the letters over to his Dad who read one then threw them all away after confirming it was an invitation to the school. After a thoughtful frown his Dad added. "We do need to figure out which location would be best to visit soon though. You are going to need a wand before school begins."

"I get a wand this year?" Yuery asked excitedly. "So, we start learning actual magic this year, not just magic prevention?"

"According to your uncle." Dad nodded. "Official letters won't arrive until next week with your supplies list.

Severus Snape arrived the next morning shortly after breakfast, as a dozen owls peppered the dining room with letters. He sighed at the sight before turning to the family. "They won't stop until Yuery opens one of them. It isn't enough for one of you to do it. Since the magic will assume you intercepted the letter without him seeing it."

"Well that seems largely inappropriate" Yeye said drily as he pushed one of the letters to Yuery. "Go on then, I prefer my morning coffee feather free."

"You know Dad's received Owls over breakfast before too." Yuery said as he opened the letter and read it. "I've been accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. When did we even apply?"

"We didn't need to apply. They enrolled you when you were a baby, and I've been telling them for years it wasn't going to happen." Dad said with a sigh. "Severus, thank you for coming over. I wanted to ask you where you recommend picking up Yuery's wand."

"I would suggest Diagon Alley. I intend to take Narcissa and Draco next week to collect his, you are welcome to join us." Severus said with a nod. "Narcissa is still trying to decide whether Draco should attend Xerxes or Hogwarts."

"Did Draco receive a bunch of owls?" Yuery asked.

"Just the one. We had him open it yesterday." Severus sighed. "You have questions?"

"How do they know where I sleep? That's just weird. How do I get a wand?" Yuery began with his questions, before they all began pouring out of him. "What about the rest of this supply list? What are school robes, are they the uniform? Because I don't understand why one would wear a robe in the day. If I did go to Hogwarts, would I be able to come home for dinner like I do with Xerxes? Dad said you would be teaching there next year, so does that mean you won't be tutoring us next year?"

"Diagon Alley has a wonderful wandmaker, as I suggested to your father. It has the rest of the supply list as well. Yes, it would be your uniform. I do not believe they allow for say students, though they may make an exception, and no I will not be tutoring you next year, I will return next summer." Severus said calmly.

"When do you leave for Hogwarts?" Edward asked.

"The day after we take Draco shopping. Hogwarts will hold Yuery's place until September 1st, so you have time to decide what you want to do." Severus said, before he glanced at the gathered children and added. "We do need to discuss something before I leave today. Once the children are settled."

Edward lead Severus down to his office a few minutes later, with Roy and Winry slipping in behind them a moment later. Riza had offered to stay behind with the children. Once the four adults had settled into the chairs around Edward's desk Severus began. "Dumbledore needs me to arrive early to help him with a side project. He needs various wards placed around a particular object in his possession that he believes to be safer at Hogwarts than Gringotts. He intends to send Hagrid to collect it once at least most of the wards are placed and I am inclined to help with this task given the rumored strength of the artifact."

"What else could he possibly be messing with aside from horcruxes that require this level of security?" Winry frowned.

"Flamel left in Dumbledore's possession a philosopher's stone." Severus began as the two men paled, and Winry gasped. "He believes Voldemort's followers would be after the stone to gain its ability to return the dead to life."

"The philosopher's stone. Why in the world would he leave one with someone Ed?" Winry asked, in a slight panic.

"Why did that bastard do any of the shit he did? He was crazy as hell, and nearly as bad as the monsters he was hunting." Ed sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. "Severus, I need an in. I cannot allow him to have an object of that level of power floating around a castle full of children…even if it's a red stone instead of a true stone."

"You believe it to be fake then." Severus asked, as he thought about Ed's request, and tried to think of a way to get Edward into the castle to find the Stone. It would be for the best in a way, since he was sure Ed would find the horcrux faster as well. Though there could be one problem, "He intends to wrap it within powerful wards, set by various witches and wizards. It will not be easy to bypass these wards, Edward."

"It won't be a problem." Edward said with a shrug. "Get me a way into that castle, and I will get to the stone."

"What will you do with it once you have it?" Severus asked.

"If it's a Red stone, destroy it." Ed closed his eyes and pinched his nose quietly for a moment. "If it is a real philosopher's stone…I will find a way to destroy it and release the souls trapped within."

"A true philosopher's stone is created with the lives of people. Many people. Thousands, generally." Roy said in a calm tone that did not betray his true emotions at the idea of a group of children near one of those things.

"Would he have even had one though? I mean Ed, he WAS a stone, he wouldn't need to carry one." Winry frowned.

"It doesn't matter. We need to be sure there isn't one out there where these people can get a hold of them. It's bad enough that asshole has it, these Death Eaters are even worse." Ed growled.

Once, long ago, a man without a name who chose the alias first Van Hohenheim, then later Nicolas Flamel, had set out to destroy a monster by any means necessary. His quest had taken him far. Farther than he would have otherwise traveled. As the name Nicolas Flamel he had trained a younger Albus Dumbledore in alchemy and left him with a nearly depleted Philosopher's Stone. In theory, it would have been enough to defeat Lord Voldemort if used properly. It was never used by a man, a wizard, who barely understood it.

Now, many years later it was a risk of falling into the same hands it had been lent out to destroy. Time had not been kind to the men who had plotted the course. One was gone, dead many years now, the other depressed and broken over the state things had become. He had been left with the promise that Flamel's son could help to defeat Voldemort and the Stone. The son had yet to appear, and the stone was at risk. Dumbledore would bring the Stone to his school. He would do everything in his power to protect it. He would not allow the Death Eaters or anyone else to gain control of this powerful artifact. Perhaps he also hoped Flamel's son would finally appear.