Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter nor Fullmetal Alchemist
Chapter 7 A Fullmetal Study and Woes
Ed and Al woke up the next morning a feeling bit down and depressed after hearing the conversation that took place in the study last night. After hearing that no one trusted them yet, they decided to show everyone that they could be trusted. The brothers walked down stairs and into the kitchen where they were met by Mrs. Weasley, Mr. Weasely, Tonks, Sirius, Remus, and Harry. Mrs. Weasley walking up to them and ushering them to sit in the table for breakfast.
"So, what's going on," asked Al as he looked around the everyone in the kitchen, "why are you up so early Harry?"
"I have that hearing remember," said Harry, but Al and Ed continued to looked at him bewildered. "Oh that's right, you haven't heard. Well after the dementor's attack that I told you about, I used magic, and well underage sorcery is strictly prohibited."
"Really," said Ed, "I wish good luck to you Harry, you'll do fine. I mean, you were trying to save yourself from the attack."
"Yeah, well, if the Ministry don't find anything too incriminating on me, I won't be expelled."
After everyone had eaten their breakfast, Harry and Mr. Weasely left for the Ministry. Harry feeling quite nervous felt his legs like jelly.
"So boys," said Mrs. Weasely, "what are you up to today?"
"Well," said Ed, "Al and I are going to lock ourselves in the study and read through those course books grandfather gave us. We have four years of catching up you know. We also need to practice are wand works."
After that, both brothers went back to their room to gather their materials and isolated themselves in the study.
"This is so pointless," said Ed after two hours of reading the theories in their course books and doing practical spells. "I mean, how is it possible that you can turn a tea cup into a mouse. Its not possible. A tea cup doesn't have the composition of an actual living, breathing mouse!"
"I know brother," agreed Al after putting his charms book down, "I mean we have devoted our lives into alchemy for so long that the rule of equivalent trade is almost second nature. Well, what can I say, this is magic after all. But you know, what I want to know is how our wands channel the magic within us," said Al looking at his own wand.
When Ed and Al got to Hogwarts, professor Dumbledore took them to Diagon Alley to get their own wands. Ed's wand is maple, ten inches with a hair of a unicorn. Well so said the wand maker, Mr. Olivander. Al's wand is ebony, with dragon heartstring also ten inches long.
"You know brother," said Al thoughtfully, "maybe we don't need our wands. I mean if the gate is within us all, don't you think it will grant us what we want. I mean if the gate grants these people what they want through their wands, maybe it will grant us what we want because we're alchemist, and plus this world seems to disregard the laws of equivalent trade. As long as we don't have to think about equations and compositions and only concentrate on what we want, then maybe we can do magic without the use of a wand and only alchemy! That's why they can turn cups into a mouse!"
"You know what Al," said Ed with an astonished look on his face, "I'm surprised I haven't thought about that! Let's try it!"
Ed took a cup from the table that he and Al had been practicing with. Placing it in front of him, he closed his eyes and concentrated only on what he wants, and not the complex equations. Clapping his hands together, he began to have that familiar tingling that tells him that he is ready to transmute. He touched the cup in front oh him, no lights appeared from the magic only that the cup had actually turn into a mouse. A cute brown door mouse. Walking, living, breathing, etc.
Ed could not believe that he had performed magic through alchemy. Without the familiar blue light, well that is something that both brothers need to get used to.
Getting excited, Ed clapped his hands again and changed the mouse back into a cup. He had done it, combining alchemy and magic without the hindrance of a wand.
"Hey Al," said Ed grinning madly at his brother, "why don't you try it. Come on, try something simple."
"Ok," said Al, a hint that he couldn't contain his own excitement.
Al looked through the course book his been reading. A first year charms book. He flipped through the pages and found a simple spell that he could practice on.
Al closed his eyes and began to concentrate. Clapping his hands together, he felt the gate within him opening, ready to grant him what he wants without an exchanged. He brought forth his right hand in front of him, facing up and said the spell out loud, "Lumos."
An orb of light appeared out of his hand and floated above it. Opening his eyes, he saw his older brother staring at him. He looked at his hand and saw the bright orb of light.
"Al," said Ed, unsure what his brother just did, "how did you do that? That's not transfiguration."
"I don't know brother," said Al unsure of what to do with the orb, "I just said the spell and there it is. I can't believe an orb of light will come out of my hand like that. Knox." And the light disappear out of his hands.
Both brothers looked at each other thinking of the possibilities.
With out the limitation of a wand, a field combat would be much easier. You can take your enemy by surprise and protect someone without them knowing.
"But I have a question though, brother," said Al looking thoughtful and confused.
"What is it Al?"
"If the Gate is within us all, how is it that wizards and witches can use it, but not normal people? And does this mean the so called magic is actually the Gate's doing?"
This was a good question, thought Ed. How is it possible.
"For your second question, yes, I think its the Gate granting us what we want without trade, but for the first question, let me think," said Ed. After a moment of concentration Ed spoke.
"I think I know why, pure wizards are able to use the Gate because somewhere in their family line, the Gate opened, and it remained opened for them and the rest of their family. As for muggleborns like Hermione, it was a stroke of good fortune that the Gate happened to open for them. That's probably why there are pure wizards and muggleborns. Its all about the Gate deciding to open up for anyone at anytime," concluded Ed.
Al thought for a moment on his brother's explanation. But something wasn't right about the whole theory. If their world requires an equivalent trade, how this world didn't?
"But brother," said Al after a long thought, "how come this world doesn't need an equivalent trade?"
"I'm glad you asked Al," answered his brother with much confidence, "the reason why in our world that it needs a trade is because the Gate is only unlocked but closed, plus anyone can open it as long as they have the knowledge on how alchemy works. So to open the Gate, it needs a trade for it to open. In this world, the Gate inside the wizards remained opened and it never closes. As for the muggles, the Gate is closed and absolutely locked no matter what. Now back to the wizards, the Gate remaining open for them gives them the advantage. Also if the Gate is wide open for a wizard, he is that much more powerful. But if the Gate is only ajar or half way opened, that makes them somewhat weak or averaged. But the Gate is still open no matter what. It never closes. An average wizard has a good chance of opening his Gate wide open, given the right circumstances, but not all wizards have that chance. Now for the both of us Al, when we passed throught the Gate itself, it granted us the power to open it on our own. Now we have a choice, do we keep following the rules of alchemy, or do we simply keep the Gate inside us completely open? It is up to us. But if my hypothesis are correct, if we pass through the Gate one more time to get back to our world, the Gate could go back to normal for us, that is the rules of equivalency apply, or the Gate could completely lock for us and that would make us unable to use alchemy anymore. Either way, as long as we're back home, I don't care. We got what we were looking for."
"That makes sense," said Al, also thinking about the explanation. After this short discussion, Ed finally spoke.
"Say Al," said Ed, looking at his brother, "I think its time for us to really study these books and start practicing. The possibilities are endless. Think of it, we could work as a team and mix spells. We'll be undefeatable!"
"Yes brother, lets get started," said Al picking up a second year charms book and began reading it. Both brothers spend the remainder of their time reading and studying as fast as they could. Excited on their findings for their new found abilities.
After a rigorous studying in the study, both brothers went down the kitchen to have lunch when they found Harry and Mr. Weasely home. The twins and Ginny, are dancing like a lunatic and chanting: he got out, he got out, he got out.
Taking this bizarre behavior from the three as a good sign that Harry got off of his case without a hitch, Ed and Al went up to Harry to congratulated him.
"See," said Ed, smiling at Harry, "I told you there was no case against you!"
"Yes Harry," agreed Al, "you got out of it and you are coming back to Hogwarts with us."
"Yeah I know," said Harry smiling at Ed and Al, " if it wasn't for Dumbledore and his timely arrival, I wouldn't be he... wait a minute, what do you mean 'coming with you to Hogwarts'?"
At this point, Mrs. Weasely could only take so much chanting from the twins and Ginny that she yelled at them to stop.
"Oh," said Ed in mild surprise, "didn't Al tell you all? We're coming to Hogwarts this year as fifth years, We just came down here to have some lunch but we have to go back and study some more. Al and I have four years of catching up."
Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked at them very surprised.
"I didn't know you could do that," said Hermione, "I mean to simply catch up and go to the same year as we are is unheard of in Hogwarts history!"
"Well Hermione," said Ron, "If Dumbledore believes that these two can do it, then why not."
"I agree," said Harry, "plus if they are housed in Gryffindor, they could teach us alchemy."
"That's the spirit Harry," said Al while Ed prepared some sandwiches for them.
After eating their hasty lunch Ed and Al decided that it was time for them to go back in the study to work some more.
"Mrs. Weasely," Said Ed, "is it alright if Al and I miss dinner? Its just that we have so much catching up to do."
"Are you sure dear," asked Mrs. Weasely, her motherly instinct kicking back up again, "I mean you still have a long ways to go."
"Exactly Mrs. Weasely," responded Al in his brother's place, "brother and I have only studied charms and transfiguration. We haven't even opened our potions and defense against the dark arts yet. So we decided to lock the study so we wouldn't be disturbed."
"Well if your sure," said Mrs. Weasely, "but if you two get hungry, you know where to find me."
After the brief conversation, the two brothers went back to their work.
After a eight hours of rigorous studying and practical training, Ed and Al, began to feel the exhaustion. Having read the entire transfiguration book from year one to year four, and practicing the spells, Ed and Al are physically, mentally, and magically drained.
"Well I think that's enough for today, don't you think brother," said Ed, putting down a charms book after briefly examining its contents.
"Yeah, sure brother," said Al, "we can continue tomorrow with the charms, but I think we need to study defense against the dark arts pretty soon too. I mean, whats the point of us studying all this if we can't put it to good use."
"Yeah, your right Al, lets clean up."
Ed and Al began to put their books away and separated the charms books from the rest. Both brothers decided to absolutely skip dinner and just go straight to bed. As they were cleaning up, the study table in the corner of the room, began to move slightly. Getting the brothers attention, they decided to examine the contents. After all, Kreacher, the insane house elf, could be hiding in their.
"Brother," said Al, walking behind his brother, "didn't Mrs. Weasely told us not to mess with this table?"
"Yeah, but what could be in here that is so dangerous?"
As Ed neared the desk, he slowly reached for the handle and quickly opened it. Not knowing that a boggart resides in the old desk. What he saw next, caught him off guard. Al, beside his brother, fell on the floor, fear and shock starting to overwhelm him. Ed on the other hand doesn't know how to handle the situation. All he could do was scream.
"NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO..."screamed Ed in absolute shock, panic, and horror. Before him on the floor, the boggart had turned into Ed and Al's mother. Not as a dead, lifeless person, but as monster, an incomplete human transmutation.
Author's Note:
to my endearing readers,
well here you go. I hope the explanation about theGateand magic makes sense. Tell me in your review if you don't understand and I'll try to explain it in the next chapter. AlsoI think you got me convinced to finish this story, but its going to be a while. I want to write this fic that has been floating in my head for days now. Its going to have four installments so its going to be long. please be patient.
