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Forgotten Rain
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Chapter: 4
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Harry knew they were done for. He could see the Dementor had Ed in it's slimy hands, and was about to administer it's 'kiss'. Suddenly a patronus flared, knocking the Dementor back, it began to round up the rest of them, slowly chasing them off. Harry saw that the Patronus was a Beaver, making it Hermiones'. He was glad she had arrived when she did.
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Suddenly some one some where screeched "Thanatos Patroni," a black light shot through Hermione's patronus. A hole appeared; the patronus flared and then exploded in a bright flash of light that somehow seemed dark and evil. As if some primal, primordial instinct was calling out to Harry through the misty rain of time he threw himself flat even though he had no logical reason to. Harry felt a rush of air over his head as the wall of the train behind him imploded. Debris fell around them; a man dressed completely in black walked slowly towards them. The man chuckled as he raised his wand, pointing it a Edward. The man muttered something and Ed's prone form rolled over exposing his face.
"How good to see you again, little brother." the man said a smirk forming on his otherwise hidden face. "Too bad I don't have time to stay and play, I must capture the Potter boy for the Dark Lord. AVADA KA-" The man was cut off as Harry tackled him.
The man threw Harry off. "Ahh, I see you saved me the hardship of finding you." Said the man raising his wand and shooting a full-body-bind curse off at Harry; Harry dodged it.
"You bastard." Harry yelled, "Who are you?"
"I'm known by many names, none of which would mean anything to you, boy." The man raised his wand as he said this. "Ask my...Brother," he gestured to Edward, "When, and if he comes around. I have tarried here too long, until another time." He saluted Harry mockingly and disappeared with a loud 'pop' reminiscent of apperation.
A milli-second later that seemed like an eternity for Harry there was a second pop. Dumbledore appeared in front of him with his wand out looking around with sharp eyes, his trademark twinkle absent.
"Harry, what happened?" Inquired Dumbledore.
"A man, attacked...he knocked out Ed and destroyed Hermione's patronus." Said Harry looking around he could see students curiously peering out of their hiding places at Dumbledore and him.
"I think it would be best if we all talked back in my office." Said Dumbledore calmly gesturing towards Hermione and Harry, while gesturing towards Edward with his wand; which caused him to float towards Dumbledore.
Dumbledore pulled a piece of parchment out of his robes tapped it with his wand; told Hermione and Harry to hold on to Ed. Harry felt a pull behind his navel and they were suddenly in Dumbledore's office.
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Miles away in a abandoned house:
"CRUCIO." Lord Voldemort screamed pointing his wand at one of his Death Eaters.
"Do you see," Said Envy "He doesn't blame me, he blames you and your idiotic intelligence." he screeched laughing in the face of the Death Eater that was writhing in pain.
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Edward gasped in pain; mental and physical as he jumped out of his bed in the hospital wing while raising his fists into a defensive position. He looked around only to come face-to-face with Harry, Hermione and Ron; who were sitting around his bed, Harry and Ron playing a game of 'Wizards' Chess while Hermione read.
They all looked up awkwardly, a silence falling over them. Looking down at himself Edward noted that he was luckily still dressed in the same clothes he had been in when he passed out.
"How are you feeling?" Asked Harry breaking the silence.
"Uh..what..um good." Edward replied absentmindedly.
"The Headmaster wants to see you tonight." said Hermione "You were out for a little over twelve hours and missed the sorting."
"You had better go change and wash." Said Ron "Madam Pomfrey(sp?) was so busy with all the minor injuries from the attack you were kind of ignored."
"What happened after I was knocked out?" Ed asked shivering involuntarily at the thought of the memories he had been forced to relive.
"Dumbledore took us all to his office via a portkey." Harry said. "He told us it was one of Voldemorts followers that had attacked us, Snape had just told him in time, and that he used very powerful magic of the Dark Arts to dispel Hermiones potronus."
"Then he floated you down to the hospital wing." Said Hermione, "And Ron's still pouting as he was left out of all of this." She tossed Ron a rather cold look.
"I am not pouting." He retorted coming out of his deep pout.
They all laughed.
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After washing and changing Edward was on his way to see the headmaster of Hogwarts for his sorting. When he asked for more specifics on the sorting than Hogwarts: A History Had provided they had not been able to give them as there wasn't much more to know; Just that a 'magical' hat looked inside his head and placed him in the house he would be best suited for. Quicker than he would have thought possible in the unfamiliar surroundings he arrived at the entrance to the headmasters office.
He looked around wondering where the entrance was; all he could see in the hallway was a gargoyle. Finally he spotted someone, he jogged towards the person who was dressed in the robes of a professor.
"Hello, I was wondering if you could help me," said Edward, "I'm looking for Professor Dumbledore's office."
"I'm Professor Snape," drawled Snape in a nasty tone, "And I suppose I could help you; but what would you want Dumbledore for?"
"I have an appointment with him, Sir." drawled Edward mockingly in the same tone Snape had used. "And I don't think he would appreciate you stopping me from making that appointment."
Snape looked like he was trying to stop himself from strangling Ed. "Fine, go over to that gargoyle the password is 'Lemon Treacle'" Snape said as he turned around and stormed off.
You have got to be kidding me thought Edward to himself as he walked over to the gargoyle. "Lemon Treacle" he proclaimed in clear tones; to his surprise the gargoyle jumped aside to reveal a circular staircase.
Edward climbed onto the stairs which slowly began to revolve when he stepped onto them. After about 30 seconds the staircase brought him to a thick wooden door; which he knocked upon. After hearing a 'Enter' from inside he entered.
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"Hello, Professor Dumbledore." Said Edward having to resist the urge to salute, "I'm Edward Elric."
"Yes, yes, I know." said Professor Dumbledore his eyes sparkling, "Now lets get to you sorting. You know this is highly unusual." he said as he searched through his desk for something.
"Yes, Sir."
"Normally, students are sorted at the feast, and normally students are sorted when they are eleven, when they normally first attend a wizarding school." Dumbledore said as he got up from his desk and snatched a large, stained, and somewhat patched hat from a high shelf behind his desk. "Have a seat." Dumbledore commanded as he waved his wand causing a stool to appear behind Edward.
Edward startled fell back onto the stool with a painful 'thump'.
"Now put this on." Said Dumbledore tossing the hat onto Edwards head.
The hat fell down in front of his eyes. Edward was about to yank it off when he heard a soft voice in his ear.
"Yes yes...Much pain...much sadness...Very intelligent, too intelligent for Ravenclaw, you'd outshine everyone there. Brave too, very brave...but you have a driving urge to complete your own ends; but you'd help others too, and you don't like to sacrifice others to achieve you own ends. GRYFFINDOR!" The hat cried the last word out loud.
"Very good for you," said Dumbledore smiling, "Gryffindor was at one point my own house, also I believe your friends are in that same house. Now go and tell your friends the good news." Smiling he ushered Edward out of his office.
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"Thats great, Edward!" Yelled Ron patting him on the back; Edward had just told them the good news that he had been sorted into Gryffindor. After he had told them they had very enthusiastically congratulated him and led him to the Gryffindor common room. It seemed that a new bed had already appeared in the sixth year sleeping quarters, much to the other inhabitants surprise. Edwards luggage had also appeared at the foot of his bed in his trunk.
After unpacking the little that he had to unpack and fishing out some of his personal belongings(Oil, a rag, and a screwdriver) and then taking care of his arm and leg in private, he headed down to the common room to meet up with his friends before dinner.
"Edward, Professor McGonagall told me to give this to you so you could select your classes for the year." said Hermione handing him a rather colorful brochure on the classes at Hogwarts.
"Thanks," Edward mumbled looking around for Harry and Ron.
"Hey, Edward." said Harry waving as he began to wade through the mass of Gryffindor's that were leaving to get down to the Great Hall for dinner. "Have either of you seen Ron, he disappeared right after we got back to Gryffindor Tower."
"No." Said Hermione and Ed in synchronization.
Harry looked at them strangely and then said "Okay...Are you two ready to head down to the Great Hall?"
Edward nodded and followed Harry and Hermione out of the portrait hole.
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Ed screamed and jumped back from the table as food 'appeared' in front of them. Everyone sitting near him laughed; people sitting out of earshot that had just seen his strange behavior looked at them strangely.
"So Edward, took you long enough to calm down enough to eat." said Ron laughing as his little sister, Ginny, came up behind him. She looked somewhat disheveled and a equally disheveled Zachariah Smith coming up behind her.
"Where have you two been?" asked Ron coldly, looking at Zackariah as if he wished he could rip his throat out; Hermione, Harry, and Edward who had been deep in conversation fell silent.
"Thats none of your business." said Ginny forcefully interjecting before Zachariah had a chance to answer.
"Yes it is, you're my little sister." Ron retorted with equal force.
"No it isn't." Said Ginny coldly, "Now stop embarrassing yourself."
"Yes it is-" Ron started to say but Zachariah interjected.
"Listen, it really isn't your business." Zachariah said calmly while he wrapped an arm protectively around Ginny.
"Get your grimy hands off of my Sister." roared Ron standing up from his seat at the Gryffindor table.
"I'll put my 'grimy hands' where I please." Replied Zachariah taking his arms off of Ginny and moving in front of Ron.
"You will do no such thing." Yelled Ron swinging his fist at Zachariah's face. But Zachariah was prepared, he ducked underneath Ron's fist that just nicked the side of his head, pulled out his wand and began to scream some curse in Ron's direction; before he could finish the curse however Harry had already drawn his wand and stunned Zachariah. Zachariah slowly crumpled to the floor, but before he even had fully fell, the Professors were upon them. Dumbledore, Mcgonagall , and Snape all three of them were suddenly at the table surrounding Ron, Harry, Ginny, Hermione, Zachariah and Edward.
"All of you, EXPELLED!" Roared Snape.
"You forget, Severus, that only their Head of House can make that decision." Dumbledore stated firmly.
"What could have gotten into your heads that would cause you to do this?" asked McGonagall angrilly her lips pressing together so firmly that her lips appeared to disappear.
"Well...Ginny and...him." Ron stated the last word rather nastily as he looked at Zachariah.
"Thats none of your business, Mr.Weasly, if you have a complaint about their actions, please report it to a professor. A weeks detention for all of you." said McGonagall as she turned around and walked away. Snape enervated Zachariah as he walked by him; Dumbledore shook his head sadly and walked away, following the two other professors.
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"What did I do?" asked Edward angrily as soon as they had left the great hall; Ginny and Zachariah parted from their group shooting Ron and Harry nasty looks.
"What did you do?" Asked Hermione in a too-quite voice that signaled annoyance, "More importantly, what did I do?"
"You two could have helped me and done something to deserve your punishment!" Ron shouted at them angrily. "That Zachariah Smith...How I would love to beat him to a bloody pulp." He stated, a maniacal gleam in his eyes.
"Thats no excuse to yell at us." Said Hermione as she turned around and walked off.
"She's right." Said Edward as he followed Hermione.
"You know, she is." Said Harry as he looked at Ron who was rather red in the face from all his yelling.
"When has Hermione ever not been right?" Asked Ron glumly.
"Probably never." Said Harry cracking a smile.
"You know what? You're probably right." Said Ron, also beginning to smile.
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Edward had no clue why he had agreed with Hermione and he was even less aware of why he had followed her after he had agreed with her. He wasn't very upset about the detention, the worst they could do would be make them clean, which he admitted he didn't like very much but he was not stranger to hard work and if they made them right lines-so much the better, he had volumes full of his research notes and discoveries; he had no fear or qualms about writing.
"Hermione," Said Edward jogging to catch up with her, "Do fights like that happen here often?"
"Luckily no, but things like what happened on the train happen all too often." she said leaning against the wall.
"Joy..." sighed Edward sarcastically thinking about how he had hoped that Hogwarts would be a change of pace for him from his previous life.
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A/N...Yes I know it's kinda short...sorry about that...um...next chapter will be longer...promise!