A week into the classes and the Elric Brothers had noticed one thing on their charge and his circle of friends: they never know when to shut up.
It is a real wonder how anything manages to remain a secret in this castle, with how loud they love to speak in public places, no less. Without talking to them, they now found out more than a couple of things than what General Mustang left them with:
First, Professor Grubby-Plank, the one who guided the first years to the castle is only subbing for the time being. The staff did not provide any reason for the original professor's leave, so naturally, numerous theories are rolling about, some of which, but not limited to, involves termination, a vacation with a headmistress from a french school (in the middle of the school year, no less), and if the so-called 'Golden Trio' is concerned, a secret mission for Dumbledore.
Second, that missing Care of Magical Creatures Professor a member of this group called 'The Order'. Other members of this include, Dumbledore, Harry, and his friends, and a wanted mass murderer named Sirius. Not that they have problems with murderers; Scar turned out pretty much okay, murdering state alchemists aside. Currently, this group is at odds with their government, but the government has not caught up with them yet.
Third, the government may not have caught up with the specifics, but they know something is up. Hence, government interference in that Umbridge person. Also, everything seems to stem from an event from last year which involved a student's death.
All in all, Harry is indeed in the middle of some fucked up shit, and said kid feels inadequate support from most adults with how he is acting. Totally guarded, unwilling to provide information with other people, unless it is with that person he would trust with his life: in Harry's case, his friends, Ron and Hermione.
The first three observations went to the report that the brothers are now sending to Amestris East City Headquarters, care of General Roy Mustang. The last, they discuss in the owlery, while watching one of the school owl leave for Amestris
"To think we could have grown up like him, Brother," Al told his brother, commenting on how similar they were to themselves when they started their journey. If it was not for the adults around them insisting their help on the brothers, the brothers are sure that they'd have been as jaded as their young charge.
"We could have, you know. If only Harry had somebody like anyone to lean on. Like Granny Pinako or Teacher, you know." Alphonse continued
"But the thing is, he does not. The most he has would be that old Dumbledore guy. And by the sounds of things, has way too many things on his plate right now. And that is Dumbledore going AWOL on him, as far as the kid's concerned. Besides, we don't have much information right now to do anything. I say we just follow the kid around until something happens." Ed responded.
"Yeah. You're right, Brother."Alphonse said, agreeing with his brother. "It's just the first week of class, anyway. What's the worse that could happen?"
In hindsight, Alphonse thinks he should not have said that.
The next week proved more trying than the last: between Harry getting another detention from Umbridge, being berated in public by a senior student over something about 'quidditch practice', and hearing that your best friend's brother believes you to be an attention-seeking, delusional liar, it can be safely said that Harry is not having a good time right now.
To add insult to the injury, he had another fight with Hermione and Ron.
At least, with all that is happening with Harry's life, he never noticed the fact that the Elric brothers are in the vicinity wherever he goes. Not that the Elric brothers would be noticed if they want to stay hidden though.
"You know what Al, I take that back." Ed finally spoke when Harry stomped over to the dorms, leaving his friends in the Gryffindor common room.
"Which 'that', Brother?" Al clarified.
"Harry is closed off to everyone. Period. Do you see how hurt he looked when his 'friends' decided that they have him teach them how to fight?" Ed told Al, looking at Harry's friends wondering; if they are indeed as close as how the rumors say, would they know that asking anyone to relieve any instances they were made to fight for their lives is just downright insensitive at the least. As much an asshole the General Bastard is, he's not gonna ask what happened in Ishval. That is just not on.
"To be fair, they could have handled this more tactfully." Al was about to say something else when something caught in his periphery. "Brother, did you see that?"
"See what?"
"In the fireplace."
Other people would usually move closer to the fireplace to take a closer look, but then again, the Elrics are not other people. The brothers moved away from the fireplace, hidden from view yet with a clear vantage point to the grate.
"What should I be seeing, Al?"
"There," Al said, redirecting his brother's attention back to the grate.
Where the fire has fashioned itself to look like a disembodied head. Said head looked both ways, sighed, and went away in a small flash of green fire.
"What was that?" Ed asked his brother, still looking at the grate with narrow eyes as if daring the fire to change shape again.
"I'm not sure. Though green flames are for floo travel, right?" Al asked, looking to his brother for confirmation
"You think someone's trying to get in the tower?" Ed asked Al, his head already taking note of the incident and mulling over any implications.
"It can be. I mean I have been noticing that head popping out for the last couple of days." Al agreed, sharing his observations with his brother.
"Argh! This place is much more troublesome than the Bastard made it up to be!" Ed then wailed, looking at Al despairingly.
Al can only agree with his brother at this point. Though, thinking about the grate, he noticed something that might be related.
"Brother," Al called his brother out.
Ed replied with his customary grunt.
"Come to think of it, Harry's also looking at the grate every day. Like he's waiting for something to happen." Al told his brother, slowly connecting the dots.
"So you noticed that as well?" Ed asked, not expecting Al to answer. Of course, Al would also notice. His brother is a genius, just like him.
"Do you think those two events are connected, brother?" Al asked his brother as an answer.
"I'll be stupid not to think to, Al. At least, since both of them are near each other, we can just stay here in the common room to observe both of them. Ed then confirmed, his mind figuring out the new pieces to the puzzle that is their charge.
After days of missing each other, the 'burning head' as Ed would call it and Harry was able to see each other and actually talk.
"Brother?" Al asks his brother on one of those days that they were able to catch Harry talk to the 'burning head'.
"Ah. So that would be the Sirius guy" Ed mumbles, mostly talking to himself.
"It seems to be, Brother." Al agrees. "Looks like Harry trusts the 'burning head' so much." commenting on how Harry was visibly relaxed speaking in the fireplace.
"I know. The floor does not look too comfortable. But look at him." Ed states, nodding his head at the fireplace, where Harry was animatedly talking to the head on the fireplace.
This continued for days on end, where Harry would just meet with the 'burning head' and talk for hours on end. Until someone wakes up early enough and go to the common room or until sunrise, whichever comes first. This made the brothers' job easier as Harry spends almost all of his free time in the common room, waiting for the time when he can talk with the 'burning head' again.
On another note though, this made the brother feel like they are intruding on their young charge's privacy. With how loud they are talking to each other, they found out a whole lot more about their charge. So much more than what they would if they actually try to talk to the kid.
However, with all the information they have right now, they cannot confront their charge about it, much less act as they know about it. There are many more important things to do right now.
"Al, whoever thought Granger is the 'the smartest witch of this generation' is a total idiot," Ed told his brother, pulling his coat closer to himself in an attempt to keep the autumn air away from him.
"Don't be so harsh on her, Brother. I don't think she knows better." following a handful of students go past the touristy part of Hogsmeade to the outskirts of said town.
"Like really, Al. These kids are practically placing targets above their heads with this location. Honestly? Would the owner even allow them inside?" Ed muttered, as said handful of students went into this dodgy-looking pub. A small sign of a severed pig's head hangs pathetically by the door. "Will you look at that," Ed noted, seeing that none of the students who entered the pub were kicked out.
Around half an hour passed and students came in in small groups of around two or three and entered the pub, the same way as the others "That's around twenty-five kids missing from the town now, the staff should be looking for them." Al commented.
"They've gone too complacent. All because they can make things happen by waving those sticks of theirs." Ed answered for his brother. Seeing that there are no more students arriving, the brothers finally made their way inside the pub.
The brothers took seats by the door, first relishing in the warmth provided by the indoors. Then, once they felt sufficiently warmed, they tried to observe the going ons in the pub right now.
As of that moment, aside from the very obvious group of underage students huddled at one side of the pub and the barkeep who is actively ignoring said group of underage students, there is no one in the pub.
Save for the one drunk sitting in the side of the bar near the door: trying, yet failing miserably, to look like he is not listening in on the students. The brothers decided to see if the children were to sense that someone, namely them and the unidentified patron, is observing them closely.
"See what I mean when I say complacent?" Ed told his brother, glaring at the obvious lack of vigilance the children are showing.
"In her defense, she has asked the attendees to sign an obviously charmed sheet. I guess that's to protect their privacy or something." Al answered, half-heartedly. Really? No one even questioned why are they signing a sheet? Are children really that complacent?
"Anyone with half an ear can tell the details of their plan. In full detail. Is she gonna make them sign that sheet as well?" Ed said, cocking his head at the drunk that was listening to them.
A shrug was all Al can answer. He does have a valid point, he thinks, it looks these children are way too trusting and sheltered to create a secret group. He just hopes whatever these children plan to do will not hurt them much once it crashes and burns.
Deep in his own musings, Al failed to notice his brother going to the bar. Edward rapped his knuckles to the bar, effectively catching the attention of everyone in the pub.
"You know for a secret meeting, you guys are not being secretive about it" Edward then said, mainly addressing the group of students in various states of shock.
"Elric! What do you mean this is not a secret meeting! I had everyone sign a privacy sheet to make sure it stays secret. And by the way, you and your brother need to sign this sheet too." Hermione said, waving the attendance sheet towards the brothers.
"Nope. You cannot make us sign that. We did not agree with all this. Besides, you see that guy going out of the door? He heard everything too. I'm not seeing anyone chasing him to sign." Ed says, pointing to the drunk running out of the pub. This caused most of the students to panic as well, storming out of the pub and out into the town.
"You know that could have gone a whole lot better, Brother," Ed said, sighing. Why in Truth's name his brother so dramatic? he thinks to himself.
"It gets the point across," Ed said, looking at the remaining students in the bar: Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Of course, it would be the golden trio, Ed thinks.
"What was that for? You scared them away!" Ron yelled at Ed, upset that the meeting did not go as well as he has expected.
"Wow. You really are something, showing more concern about other people than your actual friend here." Ed said, cocking his head at Harry, who is still a little shaken by what just happened.
"How dare you think of us that way! I'm Harry's best mate here!"
"A 'best mate' would never ask how did he manage to get out of death's door. That's very insensitive, even for me." Ed countered Ron's argument. After a beat, he addressed Harry and said; "Potter, you are not the only one chased by a serial killer and constantly targeted by a delusional creature hell-bent on being god. If you need to talk, you know where to find me." after which, he walked out the pub in his usual dramatic fashion, leaving Al to do an apologetic bow to the trio and chase after his brother.
A/N: for the purposes of the narrative, definitely OOC Harry/Sirius. Mainly in such a way that Harry and Sirius have lots of conversation without Ron and Hermione at his side. These two deserve some family.
And yes, it has been a VERY long time. No excuses at this time, just running out of steam. BUT I WILL MAKE SURE TO FINISH THIS... eventually. So please bear with me?
And uh, my beta sort of bailed out on me. So I need a new beta. Pretty please? Thanks
Again, don't forget to comment and subscribe. :)
All the love,
juniorjay