A.N: Wow this took awhile, but now I'm unemployed this should pick up much faster! This is the none beta version so mistakes will ensue.

Disclaimer: If I owned them Ed would be 3inches taller, Dumbledore would realise he had lost the plot, and there would be a series of books on the Marauders, but no dreaming will have to do.

Chapter 3 - He walks, He talks, He's dead!

Ed frowned and swallowed his nerves tingling he sighed feeling worn out all of a sudden, he lent back on the wall, not sure what to do, they had given his arm back, and left him untied, though he was not sure how that could help him, so now he could clap, but what could he use his alchemy for?

He didn't see these guys as a threat, well maybe the greasy git, but still, from what he had figured they had saved him from the strange men with the masks, but still he didn't know what to do.

He closed his eyes but the stiffness in his back never left.

"Its gonna be tough kid, that much I can guarantee"

Ed froze not moving, his eyes opened to see blue eyes not an inch from his face shielded by glasses but still sharp.

"Gah!" Ed yelped shocked.

He shook his head "Not possible…" Ed mumbled.

The Brigadier General lent back and grinned "You better believe it Ed"

Ed just pointed at the man "But you're dead! Sheska said, she told us and Whinry! It can't people don't just… not possible" By this point Ed was breathing irregularly.

"Well you'd be surprised, things are really different over this side, but enough about that… How's my little baby darling angel! She must be so big!" He got a dreamy look on his face he could only be talking about one person, "Oh I wish I had more photos!"

Ed closed his eyes and then opened them; nope Huges was still there, going on about his daughter.

Conforming to the idea that he was either asleep or was going insane, first his brother now Huges… He was going to get answers might as well use this hallucination while it was there he couldn't do much else, everything was getting ridiculous and he needed to sort this out, find out where he was and where his brother was.

"What's going on? Where is this place? How did I get here? How did you get here?" So many questions, so few ways to get answers.

Huges went serious and took the chair that Lupin had previously occupied, crossing his arms and frowning.

"I know I was good at getting answers, it was my job, and what I did best, but as to your questions I don't know, things have gone wrong, all I know is that you're not suppose to be here. It's good to see you again kid I'm just sorry I can't help you just now, it's not time…"

"Not time!?" Ed started aggravated by the lack of answers "When will there be time… just.." Ed trailed off realising who he was talking to.

Huges simply continued as if nothing had happened, "for you to know everything, all the pieces must be in place first, in the mean time I'll work on those questions, but until then…" He got to his feet and stretched out his hand, two fingers pointed between the young alchemist's eyes, Ed blinked and then slumped into unconsciousness. "Get some rest"

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The next time Ed opened his eyes his chest tightened after his memory came back to him, he jumped up "Huges?!" He looked around the room for his deceased friend, but no, nothing of the ghost, figment of his imagination, it was gone, maybe it was a dream.

He bowed his head in thought debating his sanity, when the door opened and there stood Severus in all his black intimidating glory, but he'd have to do better than that to get to Ed, who merely glared.

Severus sneered at the child's defiance, all full of his own big headedness, no wonder Lupin liked the brat he was far too much like a Gryffindor.

Ed got to his feet and folded his arms, not sure of what to do, but when in doubt act like your in control of the situation, it was surprising how often the tables would turn to that end on their own.

"It would appear your imprisonment is to be cut short, follow me." The scorn in the mans voice was disturbingly similar to Archer, a man Ed had no fond memories of, Ed blinked and flinched as his brain seemed to pound with a memory, Ed was shouting at Archer a feeling of impending doom, screaming and he was struggling…

He opened his eyes not aware of when he had closed them, he was looking at the wooded floor and there were voices, but he couldn't tell what they were saying, he was on his knees cradling his head, he didn't seem to think he just sat there blinking, strangely an image of the Gate lodged in his minds eye.

A hand on his shoulder startled him out of his daze; he darted back away from the hand and looked up to see the concerned brown eyes of Lupin, looking at him.

Ed managed to get to his feet his legs feeling like water as they tried to support him. "What…?"

It was Severus who answered him. "You had some sort of a fit, shouting that they would all die" He had an odd look on his face, one of intrigue hidden behind distrust.

Ed shook his head to clear it and looked at Lupin "I think I remembered something…" He looked down at his hands then blinked part of his mind registering where he was or rather where he wasn't and who he was in the presents of, he did not intend to look weak in front of these people.

Straitening up he looked over at the two perplexed men, not sure what the fragment he had seen was relevant to but it didn't matter right now. "Weren't you going to take me somewhere?" He asked hotly to the black haired brute.

Severs saw something in the boy that challenged his earlier assessment the way he recovered from the fit or what ever it was, made him think twice and to study the boy with more diversity.

Lupin looked at the youth and then at the potions master, not sure of what to make of the silent exchange, a battle of wits?

Severus nodded and shot a glare at Lupin before exiting the room, Ed followed with nary a glance in the werewolf's direction. Lupin soon followed behind more than a little unsure, hopefully Dumbledore would be able to make more of this young alchemist and see what should be done.

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After an extremely unpleasant trip with a "port key" of which Ed could only liken to flying through the air after being hit by his teacher during one of her lessons.

More than a little freaked out by the way things were done in this place, Ed mutely followed Lupin, it was dark and the stars that were visible were shrouded by clouds lazily drifting obscuring the pail light of the waxing moon, a constant prickling down his spine, Severus no doubt glared at him from behind.

Walking down a long grassy lawn and up to a castle, old no doubt but still standing, he'd never seen anything like it in all of his travels, and he had seen a lot, temples, mansions, fortresses, none of which were anything like this.

Walking up to the front door, (an extremely large front door but Ed would not let it make him feel diminutive in any way) it opened seemingly of its own accord and in the flickering light beyond a man stood, his long purple robes fell to the floor in layers, he was stroking his long white beard absentmindedly as they walked closer.

Ed already realised he wouldn't like this old man, he could tell by the look in his twinkling blue eyes, now really who had twinkling eyes, he just put it down to one more oddity of this place.

"Albus" Lupin greeted with a nod of his head, the white haired man smiled warmly in return then turned his eyes to Severus who swept passed the alchemist, werewolf and old man with out a word disappearing further into the castle.

It was then the old mans twinkling eyes turned to Ed regarding him in a way that made him bristle, the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, he suppressed a shiver, a feeling strangely recognisant of the time he and his brother had breached the taboo, he felt oddly violated.

What ever it was the old man seemed to look pleased about it.

"Welcome you must be Edward Elric, it is a pleasure to meet you, my name is Albus Dumbledore, please if you would follow me" The mans smile never wavered as he stepped aside and beckoned then to enter.

Ed glanced at Lupin and then stepped forward, every muscle tense, his automail creaked as he looked around for threats, it wasn't as if he was expecting any attack he was their prisoner, and they seemed to have something big going for them, or they were just some bizarre cult, but still to put it bluntly he was paranoid.

Dumbledore turned and waited for the teens attention when the golden eyes turned to him he again spoke. "I have some things I would like to discuss with you Mr. Elric," He then turned to Lupin "Would you accompany us to my office."

Ed snorted, as much as he proffered Lupin to Severus, he knew an escort when he saw one, the formality was just a act, e was still a prisoner caught up in some war these weirdo's where having.

He was ignored and lead up a large staircase in the centre of the entrance hall and then they proceeded through many more silent halls and staircases that seemed to move of their own vocation, he didn't let it show that it unnerved him, this whole building seemed to be humming with energy.

It was then that they came to a halt in front of a rather deformed looking statue, butt ugly came to mind as Ed looked at it gone out not sure of the purpose of this thing.

But when Dumbledore spoke something about 'ginger bread' the statue came to life and stepped away from the wall Ed eyes widened and his jaw hung slack, he instantly snapped it shut as he hared a chuckle to his left as Lupin smiled at him, Ed only scowled and with a huff followed the old man onto the moving spiral staircase that had been revealed.

At the top of the stairs he followed Dumbledore into a large room the door creaked faintly behind them as it closed, Ed tensed, not only was this room filled with of silver gadgets and odd portraits of sleeping people but his little brother was standing looking at an old book shelf and its contence, the young boy turned and beamed at Ed who was struck still.

"Isn't this amazing! I've never seen anything like it!... Erm… Ed?" Al inquired timidly.

Said alchemist only stared, even more now doubting his sanity.

Al looked away "Brother that mans talking to you"

Ed's eyes flashed over to the aged man who had seated himself behind the ornate wooded desk, he suddenly had visions of the Cornel with a long white beard giving him his next mission.

He snapped out of the strange vision and realised the man was looking at him expectantly.

"What?"

Dumbledore smiled lowering his gaze so he could better pear over the half moon spectacles and repeated himself "If you would please take a seat, I imagen this could take some time and explaining before we are on even footing."

Ed blinked and folded his arms over his chest, he just knew he was going to hate this conversation.

----Some time later----

His rant had begun "It's completely impossible, there is no way magic can exist, it goes against all the laws of nature!" Ed yelled regardless that he was only three feet away from the man he was currently conversing with.

The aged wizard only smiled "On the contrary Mr. Elric it is quite natural, and one of the founding forces that hold this world together, like yourself, what is alchemy if not an arcane form of magic" He waited for the boys reaction.

Ed sneered "No way pops, alchemy is a science, an equation, an equivalent exchange, this magic it totally illogical, it doesn't even follow the basic rules!"

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled "What are rules, if not to be broken."

Ed blanked "That wired guy was right you are insane"

At this point Al spoke up having listened to what had been said. "But brother he does have a point, what happened to us, our search, our goal, we sleeked to brake those rules just the same."

"What you're on his side now!"

Al rubbed the back of his head "I didn't say that brother...I just...that is..." He laughed nervously trailing of, then sighed. "Well what do you suggest we do now brother?"

Ed stiffened their current predicament coming back to him. "I haven't thought that through yet, I gotta rap my head around it first" He looked at the smiling headmaster "It doesn't make sense."

Dumbledore clasped his hands in front of himself ignoring the boys strange conversation with himself "Perhaps if you did not try to analyze every detail and just except that there will always be mysteries in the world, you would find yourself a much more content person"

Ed glared, not a normal glare mind it was the glare he used when exceptionally miffed, a glare that would have grown men cowering under him regardless of his stature. "Are you saying I'm uptight?"

Al couldn't help but giggle.