AN: Hello folks! As you can seem I'm not quite dead, and I thank you for the wonderful patience you have shown me. But I'm sure you know how it is when everything happens at once so you just have to put some things aside to not crack completely (tip from the coach: stop in time). Anyway, I'm not gonna bore you with details of my private, dull life, so I'll just leave you to this chapter which finally agreed to cooperate a little bit with me.

Enjoy!

Chapter nine – Putting the cards on the table

Roy kept glancing at the bound man whom he and his pseudo sisters had laid upon the bed before Claire and Pamela had left the room – Pamela to help the madam in the bar, Claire to get refreshments and inform the others of how it had went so far. But his main focus was on the items they had confiscated from his various pockets. A wand, a wallet, and oh so familiar throwing knives and multiple photos. A couple was of Gracia and Elicia – though they had been very well hidden – and then there were cut-outs from newspapers of a skinny boy with glasses; basically a mini-Hughes. They bothered Roy, but not because the boy in them looked so much like Maes, but because they were moving.

Pictures were not supposed to move. Though he was rather curious about a picture that had been cut in two, so that whoever it was that his arm around the not-so-happy child's shoulders was mostly missing. Sometimes they moved so he could see blond hair and a much too big grin. It was either from a toothpaste-commercial, or it was someone famous who tried to use the boy for his own gain.

He could only imagine how Edward would react if someone had tried to grab him like that. He was pretty sure those flashing teeth would have to be put in a box – at minimum.

A pained groan caused him to instantly snap his attention to the wizard.

"Ugh, my head…" the man grumbled. "Dipsy!"

With a loud crack a small shrivelled creature appeared from out of nowhere.

"What the hell?" Roy burst out and on reflex he raised his arm before he froze. The problem was, that he didn't stop on his own. No matter how much he tried, he could not move. All he could do was observe the small thing apprehensively lower its arms and turning to the tied up man. With a snap the ropes were gone and it addressed him.

"What can Dipsy do for Master Maes? Would Master Maes like healing potions?"

"…Yes please…"

With anther snap the big-eared little thing had summoned a small bottle of something, and the wizard downed it in one go. Soon enough, he released a relieved sigh and sat up, rubbing the spot where Claire had hit him.

"Man, potions might taste bad, but they are dead useful…"

The man looked around and spotted Roy. Straightening his shoulders and crossing his arms, he gave him what Roy could only call a mock-glare.

"Evening. Damn it Roy, I don't know which one of your sisters that was standing behind that door, but could you tell her that it hurt like hell? And aren't you going to say something- wait, you've been petrified, haven't you? Dipsy, did you petrify him?"

"Yes, Master Maes, Dipsy petrified him because she thought he was going to attack and yous were bound with ropes…"

"I see. You can release him now while I introduce you; Dipsy, this is my best friend since I ended up here: Colonel Roy Mustang. Roy, this is my house-elf, Dipsy, who has served the Potter family for a long time. Dipsy, please treat Mr. Mustang like you would treat me. Roy, please don't hurt or threaten Dipsy."

With a snap of her fingers Roy was released and he quickly scrambled to regain his balance. The house elf bowed towards him.

"Dipsy apologises for freezing Master Maes' friends, Dipsy was just trying to protect her Master."

The alchemist pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath. The-Man-Who-Looked-Like-Hughes let out chuckle.

"Having a hard time wrapping your head around all this magic, Roy?"

Mustang glared at the man.

"I'm a man of science, having stuff and creatures appearing from nowhere should not be possible! Nor should moving pictures be!"

"Oh, so you found the pictures of my boy Harry, did you? Anyway, you need to calm down and take a deep breath."

Roy observed the man get up on his feet, and did his best to not stiffen when he walked up to him and put a hand on his shoulder.

"You see, Roy, I have the perfect plan for what you can do to prevent this kind of reaction when weird stuff happens."

"Oh yeah, and what is that?"

"To hurry up and get yourself a wife."

Before any of the two magical beings in the room could react, Roy's fist sent Maes sprawling on the floor.

"Damnit Hughes, when will you shut up about that?!" the alchemist snapped, shaking all over before releasing a mirthless chuckle. "At least now I know for sure it's you. Others might have been able to fake you with the knives and photos, but you're the only one who would be stupid enough to say something like that to my face when I'm already at a bad mood."

"Geez, thanks for the vote of confidence", his not-dead friend muttered and climbed up on his feet, just to be sent sprawling a second time. "Ow, what the hell was that for?"

"I thought you were dead, you son of a bitch! Damnit, I almost started to look into human transmutation because of you. I've been trying to find out how to tell the Elric brothers that you're dead… and all along, you were alive?!"

"I'm sorry. I wanted to show you that I was alive earlier, but it just wasn't safe… Roy, are you crying?"

"No. It's just rain."

"…We're indoors."

"It must your stupid magic that's causing it then."

Hughes laughed and sat up. "Yeah, of course. So, if I stand up, are you going to punch me again?"

Roy snorted and shook his head. He offered his hand to Maes and pulled him up on his feet. For a couple of seconds they just stood there, and then they embraced each other and patted each other's backs.

"So, Hughes, can you please explain what's going on? How are you still alive?"

Hughes hummed and sat down on the bed in the corner again – and placing an ice-bag on his cheek which Dipsy gave him.

"Hmm, apparently, my magic turned my shirt into kevlar and while it didn't stop the bullet completely it was enough to make it possible for Knox and Dipsy to save me – yes, Roy, Knox knew all along I was alive, I've been recovering at his place."

Mustang huffed and leaned against the wall. "Remind me to fry him when this is all over. So, how come you're walking around with a dead man's name?"

"Dead man's name… hold on, you mean you recognize the name James Potter? How? You're a muggle!"

"Well, when I asked my subordinates it was revealed two of them were squibs, and one of them had heard that name. His cousin could provide me some more details about who James Potter was. So; why are you using that name?"

"Because I am James Potter, and I recovered my memories when I was shot. Who in your crew knew about me and who's his cousin?"

"Falman, and his cousin is that girl you recently recruited."

"You mean Sheska? Hmm… her name did feel familiar when I first heard it… Ollivander, Ollivander… where have I heard it before?"

"Dipsy believes Master Maes recognises it from the Wandmaker in Diagon Alley", the little house elf piped up.

"Oh, that's right! Man, that certainly explains where they got their memory from. That old man remembers every single wand he's sold, and that is very many I tell you! Anyway, we need to talk about the stuff I discovered."

And with that, Hughes spelled the room to be totally soundproof (or at least that was what he told Roy) and proceeded to tell him all he knew about the homunculi and the bloody history of Amestris and the philosopher's stone.

It was only a couple of hours left before dawn when they had filled each other in on all the details, Claire having come and left a couple of times before midnight. Dipsy had left long before that to get some rest. Roy was currently pacing back and forth in the small room, the whiskey glass in his hand once again empty, while Hughes poured the last of the bottle into his own glass.

"So, any ideas of what we should do?" the wizard asked and the alchemist shook his head.

"No, not yet."

"Bugger. Oh well, if worse comes to worse, at least I can send Gracia and Elicia to England and there they can hopefully take custody of my boy Harry – have I shown you the pictures of him yet?"

"Yes you did that again one hour ago and I still say pictures shouldn't move. Speaking of him though, why haven't you told him you're alive yet?"

"Frankly, I'm scared. What if he hates me? Besides, how should I tell him?"

"Why don't you have your elf-servant bring him over and talk to him face to face?"

"Geez, like that would end up well. 'Hey, sorry about the kidnapping, but I'm your dad!' Besides, Dumbledore have forbidden Dipsy from contacting Harry, and the only way to break that order would be if I…"

Roy watched Hughes eyes grow big as he trailed before he scrunched them shut and groaned.

"God I'm a fucking idiot. Dipsy!"

Crack.

"Master Maes called for Dipsy?"

"Dipsy, I am hereby cancelling Dumbledore's order about you not being allowed near Harry. Please go and see how he's doing, but don't disturb him if he's busy, okay?"

The old little house elf beamed.

"Dipsy will go and check on him right away!"

With another crack she was gone and Roy raised an eyebrow.

"Care to explain that?"

"House elves are magically bound to various wizarding families, and as such they can't disobey orders they're given. Not directly anyway. And because Dumbledore became Harry's magical guardian with my supposed death, he could give Dipsy orders. And since she couldn't approach Harry, I was the only one who could break that order."

"I see. But doesn't that make them like slaves? I'm having a hard time imagining you keeping slaves…"

"I suppose that in a way they are slaves, since they can't really disobey orders, and I know some families treat them as slaves, but in the end, I suppose it's more like an exchange for them. I remember Dipsy explaining it for Lily once, that house elf magic is highly unstable but by being bonded to a witch or wizard it's like putting a keel on a boat; their magic doesn't really go any weaker, but they have a much easier time controlling it. The witch or wizard however also act like a steering wheel, so if they wish to they can direct what the elf is to do and not. And with how much those little elves likes to serve and care, I suppose it wasn't long until they became what they are today. I don't think most wizards even realize that's why house elf was bonded to us to begin with."

Roy hummed at that and put his glass down.

"Do you think house elves could help with the coup?"

"No I don't think it would be a very good idea. Not only because of the stature of secrecy, there's also the risk that the homunculi can sense their presence despite if they were to use a notice-me-not charm. I'm pushing it as it is with Dipsy popping in and out of Knox' house."

"Damn it. Maybe I should ask the Elric brothers if they know anything more next time I see them."

"If they will say anything at all. Remember, Bradley ordered us to not tell anyone else about it. I now know he must be involved in it all, and Armstrong gave you what hints he could, but those brothers don't know they can't trust Bradley and might stick to his orders."

Mustang scoffed. "And since when have they followed the rules?"

Hughes crossed his arms. "When have they broken it? They might not do things the way they are expected to, but I can't recall a situation when they have broken direct orders."

"Oh yeah? What about the Laboratory 5 incident that you told me about earlier tonight?"

Maes' shoulders slumped. "Okay, fine, they might break the rules sometimes. But I still don't think it's as often as you make it out to be."

"You're not the one who has to fill out all the paperwork."

"Hmf, as if you're the one who does it anyway."

"Oh shut up. Anyway, what should we do? We know what the homunculi are planning to do, but not when or how they plan to activate the array."

"Hmm. Well, it's seems to me like the next step we will have to take is to figure out those things."

Mustang glared at his friend who simply downed the last in his glass. "Way to make sound easy Hughes. Like you weren't practically killed when they discovered you were about to bust them."

The wizard grimaced. "Well when you say it like that… Still, investigating and doing research is all we can do for now, we just have to be extremely careful. Especially you, Roy; I'm still counting on you to become Führer, and quite frankly Edward an Alphonse needs you."

Roy opened his mouth to retort, when an extra loud crack suddenly interrupted him and made Hughes gasp.

A/N: That's all for this time. Hopefully the next chapter will be quicker than this. I just need to figure out how to not make it so overly sickly sweet and out of character like it's currently about to get. I'm sure you can figure out from who's pov it's going to be.

Also, if any of you are interested in writing-challenges or suggestions, I got a big list on my profile which might interest you. I've tried to keep it fairly organized by sorting it after fandoms and alphabetic order (it starts with a list of categories which hopefully helps), and I keep adding to the list (I stopped counting after 100) so hopefully those of you who likes that kind of stuff can find something that inspires you.

See you next time!
/Fwoosheye