Last time our three Aurors, Harry, Ron and Hermione, recovered from their disastrous encounter with the Homunculus. While out cold, Harry had another vision of Allen Shockley, a.k.a. The Stranger. Allen Shockley told Harry that to destroy the Homunculus, he and his friends needed to think about it from another angle, which Hermione figured out that the answer lay in Alchemy. The Stranger also spoke of someone named The Fullmetal Alchemist and that Harry needed to keep an eye out for him. On with the show!

Chapter 6: Grand Arcadium

"So tell me, mate," said Ron, "Did The Stranger give any hints on how we are to use Alchemy to destroy the Homunculus?"

"Nope," said Harry, "Just that we need to think outside the box. But if there's anyone who can figure out this riddle, it's Hermione. Now if we can figure out who this Fullmetal Alchemist is, we'd be in rather good shape."

Hermione meanwhile was once again up to her neck in books and parchment in The Ministry archives. "The archives have just about everything there is to know about Alchemy," said Hermione, "If there's a way to destroy the Homunculus, its here. We just need to find the creature's weakness."

"Well good luck," said Ron, "We're all counting on you." "Hold it, mister!" exclaimed Hermione, "When I said 'we,' I meant all three of us."

"But you're so much better at this than I am, darling," said Ron. "I know," said Hermione, "It's a wonder you lasted at Hogwarts as long as you did. But that's not the point, I need all the eyes and hands that I can get a hold of, so pull up a chair and start reading. You too, Harry."

And so our heroes delved into the art of Alchemy in search of a weakness of the Homunculus. Nine hours later they had turned up nothing that would help them.

"This is bloody nuts," said Ron, "There's more than enough on what a Homunculus is and how it's made, but nothing on how to kill one."

"The answer is within Alchemy," said Hermione, "We just need to look harder."

"I'll bet Nicolas Flamel would have known," said Harry.

"He did make a Sorcerer's Stone," said Hermione, "If only he left a record of his findings on how to make one."

"We don't need a Sorcerer's Stone," said Ron, "We need to figure out a way to kill this bloody beast that's killing people and taking their hearts."

By the next morning our heroes still hadn't discovered a way to destroy the Homunculus. By then word had reach Harry that the creature had killed again. The death toll had reached 15 muggles and two wizards who tried to face the creature.

"Seventeen people are now dead because of this thing," said 'Mad-eye' Moody as he addressed the Auror department, "This has to stop and it has to stop now! Everyone not on patrol is to help Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger, excuse me, Mrs. Weasley, in their search for a weakness in this creature. Everyone else is to try and locate the beast, CONSTANT VIGILANCE!"

"I'm really getting tiered of him saying that," said Ron. "Me to," agreed Hermione.

Our three Aurors were just about to return to their research when Harry saw Neville running towards them. "Harry!" exclaimed Neville, "It's Luna. She need's help"

"Luna has needed help for a long time," said Ron, just before being slapped by Hermione. "Don't be rude!" snapped Hermione. "Yes, dear," sulked Ron.

"What's wrong with Luna?" asked Harry. He knew that Luna wouldn't normally need help, that this must be serious to get Neville so worked up.

"She's obsessed with those dreams I told you about," said Neville, "and she keeps drawing the same symbol from her dreams."

"You told us this already," said Hermione. "Well now Luna's drawing the symbol on the walls and the floor," said Neville, "She hasn't slept in days and has barely eaten anything, she just keeps drawing the symbols. She keeps telling me that she's trying to get it right for something big that's coming, she won't tell me what."

"This does sound serious," said Hermione, "We should look in on Luna to see if she's alright."

"I agree," said Harry, "Luna has always been there to help us, we should be willing to help her if she need is."

One hour later our heroes arrived at Neville's high-rise flat in Oxford where they found Luna Lovegood scrawling with a piece of chalk the same symbol on the walls and the floor, just as Neville said she was. "This is serious," said Hermione, "I recognize these symbols now, they're part of Alchemic rituals."

Luna meanwhile hadn't taken notice of our heroes' arrival until Hermione spoke. To Harry it looked like Luna hadn't slept in days and was in need of a proper meal.

"Harry!" exclaimed Luna, "I'm so glad you're here! I've almost got it perfected."

"Got what perfected?" asked Harry.

"You'll see," said Luna, "I just need to clear the drawing board for it." With a flick of her wand, Luna erased the drawings on the floor and walls. She then started anew on the floor.

"Just what are you trying to do?" asked Ron. "You'll find out," said Luna as she continued to draw, "When I'm done, not one second sooner."

"I think you need to take a break, Luna," said Hermione, "We're all worried about you. So why don't you put the chalk down and we'll fix you a hot meal. Then you can rest and start over with a fresh mind and a full stomach."

"Sounds great," said Luna, her head not lifting up from her work, "But if I don't finish this now, it'll all be for nothing."

"What is it that's so important that requires you to risk your health?" asked Hermione.

"You'll know when I know," said Luna, "And I'll know as soon as I'm done with this."

"This has gone on long enough, Luna," said Neville, "You're going to work yourself to death if you keep this up."

"Neville's right," said Ron, "You need to take a rest before you burn out, you need to stop."

"I can't stop!" snapped Luna as she glared daggers at Ron, "I have to finish this! I don't know why, but I have to. I didn't ask to have this symbol stuck in my head but it's there and I have to finish it by, what time is it anyway?"

"Almost 4:52 in the afternoon," said Harry as he checked his watch. "Then I need to be finished by five," said Luna, "Something incredible is going to happen then and I have to be finished by that time."

Realizing it would be pointless to argue with her, Harry told the others to let Luna finish, which she did by 4:57 p.m. The symbol started as a circle twenty feet in diameter. Within the circle was the most complex array of Alchemic diagrams Hermione had seen in her research.

"This Alchemic symbol," said Hermione, "It's a Grand Arcadium circle. They're used for the most complex and dangerous Alchemic rituals."

"What does this one do?" asked Harry. "I don't know," said Hermione, "Most of these diagrams within the circle aren't in the archives."

"It's still not done yet," said Luna, "There's still one more thing to do." She flicked her wand again, this time from the floor to the ceiling. With a flash, an exact copy of the symbol appeared on the ceiling, exactly above the first one on the floor.

"Now it's finished," said Luna, "And just in time if I'm right." Harry checked his watch, 5:00 p.m. on the dot. Just then the chalk lines on the floor and ceiling began to glow blue.

"Now what?" asked Ron. Blue lightning began to crackle from the two symbols and connect in the space between the floor and ceiling. A white sphere of energy began to form where the lightning met.

Harry and the others had to shield their eyes from the brightness of the sphere as it got bigger and bigger. There was a loud 'BANG!' and the sphere faded out.

As Harry's eyesight cleared he saw two figures standing on the floor. The first was a somewhat short man who looked to be no older than 20. He had long blond hair in a braid and yellow eyes. He wore a brown jacket and white gloves on his hands.

The second person looked to be in his mid teens. He had brown eyes and long blond hair, but his was in a ponytail. He wore a red jacket and white gloves on his hands.

"What just happened, brother?" asked the younger of the pair, "Where are we?"

"I don't know, Al," answered the shorter of the two, "But I think a more appropriate question should be 'when are we?'"

"It's April of 2011," said Harry, "And you're in Oxford, Great Britain. This may sound a little strange, but are either of you known as The Fullmetal Alchemist?" Harry only asked that question on a hunch, but he would get his answer soon enough.

"I'm Alphonse Elric," said the younger of the two, "But everyone calls me Al."

"And I'm Edward Elric," said the older, shorter brother, "But everyone calls me Ed. But I'm also known as The Fullmetal Alchemist."

"Pleased to meet you," said Harry, "I'm Harry Potter. I don't know why we were to meet here today, but I'm glad that we did."

The end of Chapter 6. Next chapter our three Aurors hear the story of Edward and Alphonse Elric. Reviews will be rewarded with cake and pie. See you next time!