A New Beginning

Chapter Two

Family

Reseembool

Gracia Hughes arrived the next day with her daughters and Sig Curtis. The house was already crowded, but Roy was quick to suggest that Gracia and Sig could stay on their couches in the living room, and the girls were welcome to camp out in the children's room upstairs. Edward, meanwhile, had already whisked away Elicia and Ana to join him and his children in a lesson on local plant life.

Edward had offered to take the other children as well, though this lead to Al, Ling and Kenja coming along so that he didn't have to keep track of them all by himself. A precaution he felt was mostly unnecessary, but he didn't protest. He didn't mind the company after all.

Ling walked ahead with Edward, as he pointed out various plants to the children, while Kenja and Al trailed at the back of the group to be certain none of the children wandered off. Once they reached the meadow, Edward sent the children to collect flowers with Kenja and Al following behind.

"I noticed that Ping is still with private tutors." Edward said as they watched the children.

"He will be Emperor. His education is tailored to that." Ling smiled and waved at the boys as they picked flowers. "Nothing has stirred within him. I will not tempt fate with magic or alchemy lessons…he seems to lack the aptitude at any rate."

"Last spring you were prepared to enroll him, did something happen to change your mind? Haun is still enrolled."

"William is attending, without aptitude toward either then?" Ling frowned.

"Yes, he is. Stop changing the subject."

"Nothing changed. I just have no desire to risk my son." Ling frowned at the doubtful expression on Ed's face. "Fine. He began having dreams. Dreams of living in the Fuhrer's mansion in Amestris."

"You think he's beginning to remember then?"

"No. Not really. I think if he isn't carefully monitored, we may end up with a problem I am not willing to face. I asked the palace wizards to look into his abilities. He has no Core or Gate yet seems to hold some form of innate magic anyway. They are baffled. I am terrified. I know I do not need to explain to you that I cannot lose my son Edward."

"You won't. His soul remains his own, even if his memories are surfacing. You've changed his fate, Ling; with the level of love, you have poured into him and your other children." Edward rested a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder.

He did understand Ling's fear. The older Yuery grew, the more he worried the world the boy had been born into would demand the child's attention. He would do anything in his power to keep his son safe, so in the end, he couldn't truly blame Ling for sheltering his own boy in an attempt to keep fate at bay.

"We never catch our breath, do we?" Ling sighed sadly. "There is always another looming threat. Our sons, they will end up involved in these matters nothing we do can prevent it."

"Maybe, maybe not, but I'm not about to let him face any of it alone." Ed frowned with determination. "Neither are you. That's why I left him to you to begin with. I knew you would keep him safe with everything in your power."

Elric House

Gracia sat holding the youngest Elric, while surrounded by his slightly older cousins. She smiled as she looked around the room, happy for the large and loving family Alphonse and Edward had made for themselves. She and Maes used to worry about these boys, fearful they were fated to spend all their days alone.

Instead, they were adopted and married wonderful wives and now had children of their own. A far cry from the sad, lonely, brave boys she met years ago. She was happy for them and the life they had gained. She smiled down at the new baby in her arms before she relinquished him back to his anxious mother.

"So, are you hoping for a boy or a girl Winry?" Gracia asked as Winry handled her a cup of tea before sitting herself.

"I only ever hope for a healthy baby and an easy delivery." Winry smiled, before grimacing and shooting her sister-in-law an apologetic smile.

"You meant no harm Winry. We all know that at times these things come up." Mei smiled down at Sovann happily. "I miss my first son and always will, but I will not dwell in the past when the future holds so much promise."

"You are a brave woman Mei, and I know you are going to be a wonderful mother." Winry smiled.

"That is a very kind thing to say Winry, thank you." Mei smiled at her in return. "Now, since everyone has had a chance to meet him, I think So and I will return to bed."

"Always a great idea. Sleep now, your body is healing, and your emotions are raw." Winry stood to offer to help bring the kids upstairs, but they all waved her back to her seat. She then returned her attention to Gracia.

It was no secret that Winry considered this woman her second mother. She often asked advice from Gracia, more so than Riza. Not because she didn't trust Riza's judgement in most things…it was just Gracia had been a mother far longer than Riza. Edward said that Roy and Riza were both known to ask for the woman's advice themselves, so Winry didn't feel badly about asking either.

She asked Pinako for advice over the years too, of course, but generally speaking she considered Gracia the greater expert in these things. The problem she was worrying over was the boys' schooling. Since they would be missing again in a few weeks when their new brother or sister arrived, she wondered about if they should be allowed to miss now as well. It was easier when they were younger, and their schedules were flexible thanks to tutors.

"In the end, it is really up to you. You know Yuery and William are not missing any important lessons at the moment, and Maes and Trisha are still with the tutors."

"In other words, you don't really know either." Winry sighed, brushing out Sarah's hair. "Granny is insistent I need to get them back to class, but Roy and Ed both said not to worry so much about it. I don't know. On one hand, Yuery is already well above his grade in half his subjects thanks to Ed's teaching…so is William. Granny is still worried they may fall behind though."

"Well, considering that both the Headmaster, and half their class is currently out in the field giving them a lesson, I don't think it's a real worry so you?" Gracia smiled at Sarah in Winry's lap.

"Truthfully, I wasn't worried about it until Granny brought it up." Winry carefully braided her daughter's hair into two braids before letting the girl down to go play. "I think Granny might be worrying about nothing, but I also don't want to brush off her concerns."

"I think it is fine. I know how easy it is to worry Winry, but you are doing a great job with them." Gracia patted Winry's knee before she stood up. "Now, let's make them something to eat before they get back. Running around the countryside they are sure to come back hungry and not just the children."

"That's true." Winry laughed, feeling better about the whole situation now that Gracia agreed that the boys weren't going to fall behind in their studies.

Central

Narcissa spotted Rubeus Hagrid as he walked down the street, as she ducked into a nearby shop. She had no idea why the Hogwarts groundskeeper would be here in Central, but she had no desire to be seen by him. After she was sure he had passed, she bought the supplies she needed for dinner and rushed home to call Severus.

Perhaps he would know what was going on. She knew she might seem paranoid, but between her ex-husband's arrest and finding out the Elric's secret, she was not entirely certain which subject was the bigger concern at the moment. It would be terrible in her opinion should either boys' location be ousted in England.

In all fairness, she as a mother, was slightly more concerned for her own son above the other boy. Though she felt guilty even thinking that. Yuery Elric was a wonderful child and was one of Draco's closest friends. His father had done an extraordinary job keeping the boy both safe and unspoiled. She was still considering the whole thing when she reached their small house.

As soon as she had put the groceries away, she called the number Severus had left in case she needed anything while he was out of town. A woman answered the phone, claiming it was the Elric residence, but Narcissa didn't recognize her voice. Nervously, she asked to speak to Severus.

"Hello? Cissy, is everything alright?" Severus asked when he came on a moment later.

"No. I saw Hagrid downtown this afternoon. Why would he be here?" she said.

"Likely looking for an update on young Yuery. I would suspect Dumbledore's hand in the matter, since I am no longer available, nor is Remus, he must be growing nervous about the whole thing. Though why he would send that giant I have no idea." Severus said with a frown. "Perhaps I should seek him out to determine what they are up to… though that would verify I have been here the entire time."

"I assumed they had already known where to find you?" Narcissa frowned.

"They suspected I was here, of course, but I did not confirm it for them. I assume Figg has though. I am at the mansion often." Severus frowned when Narcissa stiffened suddenly concerned about Draco's safety. "Figg would have no reason to mention you, and should she have, it would have been to the Order not Death Eaters."

"I just do not want him to know where to look for my son. I know he is currently in prison, and we even spoke of returning to England, but I would rather make the choice myself and not my husband's associates."

"They cannot find you here. I assure you, the spells cast here, even if they knew exactly where to search, they could not find you unless they were invited in. Either group. Hagrid is searching around the city now because despite being given the information on where to find the Elrics, he simply cannot locate it. He isn't the first of Dumbledore's spies to come calling, though he must be getting desperate or foolish to send someone so noticeable. The Elrics have met Hagrid before, they would spot him easily." Severus waited until she had calmed down, before he sighed. I am going to locate Hagrid now and have a talk about subtlety with Dumbledore. I will be back this evening. Try not to worry."

Severus set out into the city in search of the half giant. It wasn't difficult to track the man down, Hagrid was lingering near the train station attempting to read a map of the city with a frown. Severus slipped up beside him and cleared his throat. "There are spells in place. You cannot locate the Fuhrer's Mansion in person or on the map unless you have been invited."

"How will the boy receive his owl then?" Hagrid asked sounding horrified at the idea of the boy missing his invitation to Hogwarts. Severus tried not to roll his eyes at that before he smiled.

"Owls can find the mansion; they have received letter all along. There's no guarantee there will be a response however, though Lt. Fuhrer Elric does own his own owl for that purpose." Severus shrugged unconcerned. "I fear your trip is a waste of your time Rubeus. Allow me to buy you dinner at least."