Disclaimer: I own neither Fullmetal Alchemist nor Harry Potter. This story takes place post episode 51 and book 5. Read at your own risk for spoilers.
The Foundation of Truth
Bard Linn
Chapter 6: An Envious Affair
"Well Mr. Potter you aren't getting off this time," Snape sneered down at his student. Malfoy look just as smug from his place next to his Head of House. Harry bit down on his protests. Saying he had only defended himself wouldn't get him far with Snape.
Last year Harry's acts had ensured Malfoy's father would spend the rest of his years in prison (baring a rescue by Voldemort). Since then Malfoy had desperately wanted revenge on his school rival. Harry had an abrupt reversal with the revelation that he would have to kill Voldemort. Malfoy had become Unimportant in his book. So their last confrontation at the end of fifth year had reversed the usual roles. Malfoy had been spiting mad while Harry remained calm.
Once sixth year rolled around Draco had done his best to find and utterly destroy Harry. Unfortunately for the Slytherin, Harry had remained unfindable. If he wasn't in class, on the Quidditch pitch or in Gryffindor Tower he was hidden away in Ed's room. So when Ed asked Harry to come down to the dungeons to his new workroom, Malfoy had pounced. It just fit in with Harry's luck that Snape had heard the noise and had come to investigate.
"Ah, Professor Snape."
Snape looked slightly surprised to see Dumbledore in the dungeons but covered immediately. "Headmaster, I was just about to see you. Potter's been fighting again."
Harry examined the elder wizard carefully unable to shake the sense of wrong bothering him. Maybe he was being paranoid but there was no reason for Dumbledore to be in the dungeons. In fact Harry knew he should be in a meeting with McGonagall and the prefects discussing extra safely measures for Christmas. And after Moody in fourth year…
Harry firmly made up his mind. His wand was still in his hand. As soft as he could he whispered Legilimens. Dumbledore had a very good grasp of Occlumency. It it was him he'd deflect the spell easily and he would apologize. If not-
Not. Harry quickly found himself in a mind so alien the person couldn't possibly be human. Then he remember what Ed had said: ""I thought she was Envy. He's a homunculus, an artificial human. He could shift shapes. He used to spy on us all the time by shifting into other people.""
As if the thought had summoned it Harry could suddenly see Edward as he had been years ago at the fifth laboratory. His brain began to overflow with information. This wasn't Dumbledore, this was Envy! He had infiltrated Hogwarts in hope of finding Snape who might be able to synthetically create shards for him to consume. Harry finally snapped out of the spell when Snape yelled "Potter!" His fear gave him speed and strength far beyond his natural abilities. He grabbed a Slytherin in each hand and ran.
"Potter!" Snape finally freed his writs as they passed through the door. "What are you-"
"That's not Dumbledore," the Boy Who Lived snapped. He shot the strongest locking charm he knew on the door then pulled a very special gallon from his pocket. Last year they had used Hermione's invention to train. With a little luck the teen witch's foresight might just save their lives. "Come on. We have to hurry. That door won't hold for long."
Foundation of Truth
Hermione nearly jumped out of her seat when she felt the abrupt warmth in her pocket. She fished out her DA gallon in confusion. Members tended to keep them even though they didn't meet regularly anymore. She felt her jaw drop when she read the message in place of the usual date and time. Her.Get.Ed.Envy.Danger.
Now Hermione did jump from her seat and ran from her Aritimancy class ignoring the shocked looks from behind her. A quick consultation of her copy of the Marauders Map (Harry had found a spell to make copies last month and had give Ron and herself one) showed Ed in his rooms. It also showed her Harry's location. He was in the dungeons moving quickly followed by Professor Snape and Malfoy. That made her even more nervous since Snape was a very competent wizard.
By the time she reached Ed's door she was so out of breath she could barely gasp out her message. "Harry….needs….Envy."
The words were enough to gain the blond's complete attention. "Where is he?" Hermione quickly handed off the map and they were off. Halfway down they ran into Ron who also had his map out. "What's going on?"
"I don't know," Hermione admitted. She silently thanked that it was class time. There was little body traffic. Once they managed to reach the dungeons it became extremely easy to follow Harry's trail by the amount of destruction left by Envy. I n the second room Ed quickly scooped up some small red rocks littering the ground. He glance the map in his hand. Good, Harry was heading exactly where he needed to even if he was taking a roundabout route. "Hermione. We need to get here before they do." He tapped a small room on the map. "As soon as possible."
Foundation of Truth
Harryburst in the door to Ed's lab panting. Snape and Malfoy followed silently behind him. The pair of Slytherins hadn't argued with the Gryffindor after Snape had tried to kill Envy with the Avada Kedavra curse and fail. The spell's failure hadn't surprised Harry as Ed had warned him Homunculus were next to immortal.
It was a welcome sight that greeted his eyes. Ron, Hermione and Ed finished the last part of a rather complicated design on the floor. To the few that had seen it before, the design was slightlydifferent. Using some of the magical principles he had learned, Ed had altered it so that a piece of the person the homunculus was supposed to be. Useful, especially going up against Envy. The creature was over a century old. Who knew if anything from Hohenheim 's first sone even existed anymore!
"Alright. Harry, I want you down on the floor by the array. When I tell you put both hands on it and focus like you're casting a spell. Hermione, Ron and you two, keep as far away as you can." Ed tossed off his school cloak and moved to the center of the array. As an after thought he tossed his wand to Hermione. "Don't want that to break."
"Ed you said I can't-"
"Don't worry, I've got a back up if it doesn't work," Ed interrupted. "But if it does it'll take care of two problems at once."
Just then the door slammed open and Envy stalked in. He looked startled to see Ed then sneered at the array. "You can't use alchemy her Fullmetal shorty," He arrogantly stepped onto the lines towards Ed.
"Now Harry!" The green eyed teen slammed his hands on the floor and the array woke. Envy immediately began to loose the rocks that made up the homunculus diet.
A crackle of blue light signaled another alchemy reaction. Edward moved forward quickly attacking with his familiar blade ignoring the gasps behind him as his automail was revealed. Envy danced away and the pair began to fight in earnest. Unlike last time, Envy's unnatural abilities were restrained by the active array and he lost more and more energy giving Ed the upper hand.
Meanwhile Harry was in agony. It felt like someone was trying to split his skull open with an ax. He held on vaguely aware of the battle in front of him. 'Hurry Ed," he mentally pleaded. "I can't hold this much longer.'
Envy had finally run out of shards. Ed nodded to himself and ducked under the homunculus's guard. He rand the blade right through where Envy's heart would be. Envy's eyes widened in shock as he collapsed. The array died as Harry did like wise. Ed clapped his hands together. The blade retreated. He grinned and snapped his metal fingers. Fire flashed from his hands to consume the artificial body before him.
Ron and Hermione ran to their friend's side. Snape slowly made his way over as well and pulled a potion from his robes. Recognizing the pain reducing potion Harry took it without argument (for once). To Edward's eye the potion professor didn't look well wither. But then again that made sense. The blond retried his wand and quickly gathered up the red shards. He had them bundled away and replaced his cloak when the door burst open again. 'Ah. Now the cavalry arrives.'
Dumbledore quickly strode in the door McGonagall at his heals. "What is going on here!"
"Draco, Hermione and Ron looked taken aback .Then again they had never seen Dumbledore like this. Edward rolled his eyes and walked over to Harry holding out his hand. The raven haired teen grasped the metal appendage without hesitation and pulled himself to his fee. "It's a long story Professor."
End Chapter 6