A/n- I still don't own fma or hp. I keep forgetting to do a disclaimer though. Sumimasen! Reply minne!

Ch. 12- Tuesdays Suck More

By ten the next night, Harry had asked every Gryffindor able to even remotely play Quidditch if they'd sub for the next game. Some had said yes and Harry had brought them to Wood, but the Captain had dismissed every last one within two minutes of tryouts. The tension between him and Oliver had risen profoundly and now Harry was beginning to think he'd jinxed himself.

He collapsed into a cushiony seat in the common room where few students remained to do homework, one of which being Edward. It suddenly dawned on the boy-who-lived that his new friend was the only Gryffindor he hadn't asked to fill in, minus the first years.

Although he knew Ed didn't even know how to fly, he still migrated over to the table he was at and sat down next to him with a depressing heaviness and a long exhale of breath. Edward paused the report he was writing in mid-sentence and looked up expectantly.

"Yes?" he prompted.

"Uh, what do you think of flying?" Harry asked.

"Honestly?"

"Yeah."

"I think it's a bunch of bullshit. How the hell you wizards get brooms to fly is way over my head. It makes no sense," Ed replied harshly; he wasn't feeling too courteous at ten o'clock on a Tuesday night when he still had tons of homework to do. Perhaps he shouldn't have blown all his time in the library.

"Come on, you make it sound devilish. Flying's really fun!" Harry protested.

"I still don't see the point of it. There are other ways to have fun," Ed countered.

"Ok, here's the thing. Wood put me in charge of getting a good replacement beater and if I don't follow through I get kicked off the team. I really don't want that; Quidditch is one of the few things I'm good at," Harry explained.

"And how does this relate to me?" asked Ed in disinterest.

"Well, I've asked everyone else except you. You're my last hope."

Ed replied with a scoff and a look saying, 'you're shitting me, right?' Harry shook his head.

"Come on, it's not that hard to fly and you've got a really strong arm. Come to think of it, your physique and personality is perfect for the position: strong, fast, outgoing, hard to target…" Harry trailed off because of the death glare he was receiving.

"You wouldn't be calling me small, would you?" Ed asked through gritted teeth, "I grew you know."

"Sorry, I'm just trying to make a point; I think you'd be good at Quidditch," Harry insisted.

"No. I haven't the time. Getting home is first priority. Everything else is an unnecessary waste of time."

"Even your so-called 'friends'?" Harry replied hotly, standing up; he was becoming exasperated by Ed's blunt and insulting words.

"Alphonse is my—" Ed started to answer, also perturbed by Harry's lack of understanding.

"You don't have to tell me," Harry replied bitterly, cutting Edward off by raising his hands, "Just don't expect any more help on my part. Thanks for nothing."

As the wizard turned to leave, a wave of guilt struck Ed. He hadn't thought of how generous Harry and the others were to him; how they carried his secret, occupied his mind with thoughts other than home, and so much more he couldn't begin to repay them for. It was the first time Ed had made real friends since he was a child so he had forgotten the rules that went with the territory.

He vaguely remembered his mother telling him that friends were to be treated as well as one's self, because of what they gave. Ed realized what he'd said went against this and equivalent exchange as well.

"Wait," he said softly after a moment had passed.

Harry stopped and faced Ed again, ready to lash out further. The look in his friend's downcast eyes extinguished this desire and instead left him with sympathy.

"What?" Harry asked, no particular emotion in his voice.

"I've been overlooking equivalent exchange. I'll give this sport of yours a chance."

Saying this was painfully hard for Edward. He longed to take back this commitment because of the dominating desire to go home, but there was also a tranquil feeling that told him he'd done the right thing. This was confirmed as Harry beamed and nodded.

"I'll give you some pointers before I let Wood try you out," he promised, "Chances are you won't have to play."

Ed nodded as well and Harry departed to the dormitory. Edward sat in a half daze, still unsure of his decision as he finished his homework.