Thanks for Reviewing to everyone!

TokyoKitty16:  -smile-

Itasuko-chan: Thank you

L33Tbunny: This isn't as soon as I hoped it would have been, but hey, at least it got here XPP

Kristanite: This cat likes hands XD

plutobaby494: Thank you! -glomp- I love cats, they rock!

Al's-best-friend: LOVE the pen-name, tis awesomeness!

Okay people, I know I haven't updated for awhile, but my muse left for a frickin' long time, XPP I'll try to keep a shorter leash on it this time, -glares at muse-

Rated: T for teen, always wanted to say that!

Disclaimer: Don't own anything in this except Mary-Sue and Paul the incredibly uninteresting cashier who enjoys long walks on the beach and strip poker… don't ask, even I don't know where that came from –holds head in hands-

CHAPTER THREE

--------------------

Edward sat in an empty compartment of the Hogwarts express, he considered himself incredibly lucky; not many people who had just been introduced into the wizarding world and were firm believers of alchemy could have found their way onto the train without help. He was alone for the first half hour on the train, the station was suspiciously deserted, and he wondered if this was the wrong stop, but his paranoia was subdued when people began pouring through the brick wall. Ed glanced down at his watch again, the time on it read nine o'clock.

He had been sure that this was the time that the train left, so he put his hand in his pocket and came into contact with a piece of paper, so he pulled it out and unfolded it. It was his ticket and it told him clearly in bold print that he was to leave at eleven o'clock. With a sigh he stuck it back in his pocket and cursed the author silently for neglecting to give him the ticket in the last chapter when she was supposed to.

Well, he thought, I guess I could go check out the layout of the train. He stood and there was a faint meow from the luggage rack, "Go to sleep Cat," Edward told his brother's Christmas present, "I'll get you out later." Cat flipped her tail at him indignantly, as if to say, 'Make me, bitch.' But she lay down and closed her eyes.

After an hour or so Ed felt that with just a clap of his hands he could easily turn this entire train into a pile of lead and he would be able to walk away without any guilt what so ever. He made his way back to his original compartment and found two boys sitting in it. One had orange hair and an amazing amount of freckles, the other was completely normal looking in contrast to the other.

They stared at Edward for a moment, but were jerked back into reality as a train whistle sounded and the cars jolted forwards towards Hogwarts and the freckled boy asked, "Who are you?"

"Ed." Said Ed, "Who are you?"

"Ron."

Then the dark haired boy piped up, "I'm Harry."

Ed looked at him, this kid couldn't be him… but still…"Your last name wouldn't be Potter by any chance, would it?"

"Yes, yes it is." Harry looked surprised as Edward held a hand to his forehead. "Is something the matter?"

"No." Edward sat down with a sigh on the cushioned bench; I'm only sitting on a train to the middle of nowhere to protect some wet behind the ears kid, he added to his sentence mentally.

The train ride to the school was fairly uneventful, that is, until they reached the hour marker of their train ride.

"So, what year are you in?" asked Harry as he popped a Bertie Botts' every flavor bean into his mouth and then spit it back out when he realized it was chalk flavored.

"First." Edward ground out after a small pause.

Ron swallowed the gum he was chewing in surprise, "What! You don't look like a first year to me!"

"I'm a…" Edward searched for the right word to use, "'exchange student'"

"Right…" Ron looked skeptical but went back to stuffing his face with the candy that Harry had bought and was now sharing with them.

To Ed's relief the boys had quit questioning him and were now deeply engaged in a conversation about something that sounded like 'kwiditch', and so the rest of the trip passed without interruption. An hour is an awful long time, and it gave Edward more time to think than he wanted to.

At first his thoughts had started out innocent, like making alchemy circles in his mind to chase away boredom, but then they grew odd, his mind wandered back to Central headquarters and stopped in front of Colonel Mustang's office. Luckily for Ed, though not for the readers, sorry guys, a rather whiney sounding, bushy-haired girl stuck her head into the door and told them regally that they should start getting into their robes and that they would be arriving soon.

Edward stood up and shook his head, telling himself how stupid he was for thinking of that goddam bastard colonel, after all, if it wasn't for him Edward wouldn't be here right now. He tried to be angry, he tried to curse the name of Roy Mustang, but his heart just wasn't in it, so he pulled on his robes, and got ready to get off the train to what would undoubtedly be one of the most interesting years he's ever had.

---

Later Cat finally woke up, and with an angry yowl she realized that Edward had lied, he hadn't taken her out! So she sat down and brooded, thinking that the next chance she got, she was going to hack a fur ball in the short alchemist's shoe.

---

To be continued….

Yes, I know, my writing's quality went down, with all luck it will back up to par by the next chapter! UUU XDDDD sorry the chappie was so short! I'll try to make the next one longer!