"Hey, Ed, I was wondering, what is Equivalent Exchange? You've mentioned it twice now, but I don't really understand what it means. Is it like a trade, or something?" Harry asked, keeping pace easily with the height-deficient teenager.
"Yeah, I guess you could say that… kind of. It's more like giving something to get something in return. It doesn't always seem fair, though. But, alchemic experiments have proved time and time again that this one law is flawless, absolutely perfect. I've lived by this law ever since I was old enough to practice alchemy, but nowadays, I'm beginning to doubt it. I mean, just look at what you guys do with magic. It's unbelievable! You don't 'give' anything, but you get something in return. So, do you get it now?" Ed explained as best as he could, though he had veered off by the end.
"Yeah, I guess. Well, thanks for trying. The whole "give to get" business just passes way over my head for some reason," Harry said, smiling, "What are Hermione and Ron doing? They're way behind!"
"Ha ha! Hermione still hasn't forgiven Ron for his drooling over the girls from Beauxbatons! She yelling at him, just like the girl I was talking about, right before someone poured pumpkin juice on me!! Which reminds me; I need to change into something else. I don't want to go looking like this to Dumbledore's office!"
"Yeah, I'll come with you. We can leave those two alone."
"Oh, your never going to let them forget this, are you?"
"Not a chance!"
With that, Harry and Ed proceeded toward the Fat Lady portrait, which marked the entrance to the Gryffindor quarters. On the way, they met Peeves, who was up to some mischief on the second floor. "Peeves, good luck! Don't let Filch get you!" Harry yelled out as Peeves flew past.
"Don't worry, Harry, I sure won't let him get me! Not in a million years." Peeves replied.
"This is so cool, how you have ghosts. Do you know why they stay in the living world, instead of going to the world of the dead?"
"No, I've never really asked. So, who was this girl you were talking about? I'm a bit curious," Harry said, teasing Ed.
"Oh, her name is Winry, Winry Rockbell. She was a mechanic and my best friend since we were just little kids. We were neighbors, and lived in a town called Risenbol. You know, it was a really small place, mostly just farmland. But Winry, she is the best mechanic a guy could ever ask for, she's the best. I really miss her. I loved her a lot. Ha! Al, my brother, and I used to fight over who would get to marry her, but that was when we were like seven, or something. After that, I don't know, we never really talked about our feelings anymore. I never even said goodbye," Ed finished off. The pain was too much to bear, and he started sobbing quietly.
"Ed, are you okay? I'm sorry about...well, you know. I'm glad you told me though. Here we are. Pixie Dust!"
With a creaking noise, the doorway slid open, and they clambered inside. "Yeah, just let me change, and I'll be right there, 'kay?" Ed said, struggling to keep from crying. Get a hold of yourself! he thought angrily to himself as he walked up the staircase to the boys' dormitories. He sat down on his bed, and wiped away the tears on his face, and opened up his suitcase. Gingerly, he picked something up, a photograph, the last thing he had to remember Al and Winry by. It was an old, black and white picture of when they were nine years old. Those were the days, before Mom died, Ed thought bitterly to himself. We were so happy! It's all that bastard Hoemheim's fault that Mom never told us she was sick. Replacing the photograph to its hidden location, Ed took off his stained shirt, and got a fresh one out of the suitcase. He pulled it over his bare back, let out a deep sigh, and went downstairs.
Harry was still waiting for him, and looked back when he heard Ed coming down the stairs. "Ready to go?" he asked, anxious about the boy. Harry had never imagined that Ed would ever break down like that, since he always acted so tough. I guess he's hurting really bad inside. I will help him get back to his family. Harry thought determinedly, watching the other boy with such intensity that Ed noticed.
"You really remind me of my brother sometimes, even though I've only known you for a few days. It's your eyes, they're just as fierce at times, but also gentle in a way, you know what I mean. His were always grayish-blue, though. Yours are a bit greenish, am I right?"
"Yeah, I have my mother's eyes," Harry said, touched that Ed would make such a comparison, "Let's go. We don't want to be too late."
The walk back to Dumbledore's office was quiet, but not in an awkward way. They just enjoyed each other's indirect support. "Here we are. I think the password is 'chocolate frog'" Ed stated thoughtfully, remembering what Professor McGonagall had said on his first visit to the headmaster's office. The gargoyle, once again, jumped aside. They walked up the spiral staircase, and came into the cozy room. Hermione and Ron were already there, looking away from each other indignantly. Dumbledore was sitting on his grand chair with a bored look on his face.
"Thank everything magical! You are finally here. I've been listening to these two bickering for almost twenty minutes now!" Dumbledore said in a teasing voice. Ron and Hermione looked up, smiling regretfully at the headmaster. Fawkes stared once again at Ed, but he didn't feel the need to stare back, instead concentrating on the old wizard before him. "So, care to share with me why you two are so amazingly late?"
"Um... well, Ed had to change his shirt because Hermione poured pumpkin juice on him. He didn't want to come to you with a stained shirt, that's all."
"Oh, that explains everything," Dumbledore replied, a twinkle in his eyes. He had heard exactly what the uproar had been about, "Now, down to business, Ed. You need to tell me your story, and please be honest. I will do everything I can to help you, and I'm sure Harry, Hermione and Ron will do the same."
With a deep sigh, Ed began. "It all began when my mother died. My brother and I were utterly devastated. We didn't know what to do, and our bastard of a father never even came to her funeral. By this time, we had been practicing Alchemy, a science in my world, for many years. We had read hundreds of books, so we thought we could do the impossible, and bring her back to life." Hermione gasped, Ron looked up sharply, and Harry tightened his grip on the arm of the chair he was sitting on. Dumbledore just frowned slightly at what Ed had said. "So, we tried. We...we gathered the ingredients found in a human body. I can recite to this very day... So, we drew a circle, which is how you do alchemy, and started the reaction that was going to bring back our mother. It didn't work like we had planned..." Ed told his full story, up until the point where Envy had killed him, and Al had brought him back, sacrificing himself in the process. "Then, when I found Al was gone, I decided that my life didn't matter anymore. I brought him back, giving up my body and soul as Equivalent Exchange. Somehow, I cheated the Gate, and ended up on this side. Now, I'm not even sure whether my brother is alive, or not. I'm hopeful, though. I have to be, or else, I would have given up on life years ago," he ended, breaking down completely. He started crying, almost wailing in his anguish. Hermione was crying as well, not able to handle the devastation in Ed's life. Harry and Ron were looking into space, a cold, hard look on their face, tears running down their cheeks. Dumbledore had his head between his hands, the only one with a dry face.
Suddenly, Fawkes flew onto Ed's wet shoulder. He started singing the most beautiful song that Ed had ever heard. It was a lament, almost as if Fawkes was trying to take all of Ed's pain into himself. Silver tears landed heavily into Ed's blonde locks, and some fell into his eyes. Ed saw a vision of his brother's smiling face. I love you brother...
In Ametris, Al woke up with a gasp. Moonlight was shining brightly on his face, through the open window. A light breeze was whistling in. He was smiling peacefully, his upturned face tranquil, and shining from the tears covering it. "Brother...you are alive! I knew it!"
"Al, are you okay?!?" cried Winry, who had just burst through the door. Al had been staying at her house ever since Izumi had died.
"Winry, I saw brother! He is alive! And there was an old man with him, and a red bird..."
"Al, don't be stupid! It was just a dream. Ed's been gone for two years. He can't be alive. Or else, he would have come home..."
"What if he can't come home?"
"Al, look. It's the middle of the night. We can discuss this in the morning! Now, go back to sleep!" ordered Winry, clearly distressed by the reminder of Ed.
"Okay, Winry. We'll talk about this later. I'm sorry," Al agreed quickly to appease her. She was capable of anything when she was this angry, especially when it was about Ed. It almost reminded him of Izumi. He lay back down, wondering whether it really had been a dream.