A/n- hey guys, sorry it's been so long. But, biology is over!! WHOOO!!! I just had a major presentation (which I did so bad on it's funny) but the good news is that I never have to think about bio again!! And to that effect, (now that I have some time and before finals start T.T ) here's the long-awaited chapter!!!

Chapter 30- Aftermath

Edward dropped his hands, an immense exhaustion and relief filling him at the same time. Behind him, Harry released the breath he'd been holding. Roy slipped his hands into his pockets and relaxed his tense stance while Russell openly slumped in fatigue, gripping his wounded arm.

"At long last," Hoenheim sighed after a moment, "It's over."

"For now, at least," Harry added.

"What do you mean?" Ed asked, his brow furrowing as he wondered how Harry could be so negative after such a spectacular victory.

"It's just…it's a feeling I've got. I don't think Voldemort is dead," Harry replied, shrugging, "I dunno. Maybe I'm wrong. That's what I'm hoping anyway, but, the thing is…well, the prophecy hasn't come true."

"I thought you didn't believe in that," Ed recalled.

"I dunno," Harry repeated, "It's just a feeling."

"Even so, he won't be bothering us for a while, I'm sure," Roy broke in.

"Right," Ed agreed with a relieved nod; then his eyes widened suddenly in horror as he remembered his brother, "Alphonse!!"

The older Elric bolted to the other side of the cavern where Al was still lying, unconscious. His brow was feverishly hot and his flesh was pasty and white; the state of him made Edward's skin crawl in worry.

"What have I done?" he asked himself in a whisper, his brow ladened with worry and guilt. He snapped out of his daze and picked up his younger brother, a new determination taking hold of his fright. "Let's go," he told the rest of the group, leading the way to outside the caves. They followed, Fletcher supporting his brother who struggled to keep up. At long last Armstrong picked the elder Tringham up, much to his embarrassment.

"Edward! Oh my god, Al!!" Winry exclaimed, running to meet them as they finally emerged from the caves, "Is he going to be alright? What happened!?" she demanded, casting worried eyes over Al's still body and then the rest of the wounded.

"I'll tell you when we get him to a bed," Ed replied firmly; he would say no more on the matter and merely walked past the others, making his way as quickly as possible toward the Rockbell household. Pinako patted Winry's arm, silently telling her deeply offended granddaughter to be patient.

Edward set his brother on the bed in one of the guest rooms and drew back with a weary sigh. He wiped his brow from the strain, the trek having been a good half-mile. His brother wasn't heavy, but even a small amount of weight seemed heavier when carried for a long time; Ed was not exempt from this, even for one as physically fit as he was. He straightened and turned to the crowd of worried and expecting friends behind him. All were there except Roy and Armstrong, who had left to oversee their soldiers.

"Can someone call a doctor?" Ed asked in a worn, tired voice; the events of the day were catching up to him and yet he clung desperately to the last sparks of awareness he had left in order to see his brother was taken care of.

"Of course," Pinako answered, rushing out of the room to fetch what was asked for.

"Will someone please explain what is going on!? Because I really would like to know!" Winry shouted suddenly, worry layered in her voice as she sighed and continued softer than before, "Ed, you promised you'd tell me."

"Al transferred a piece of his soul to a stone golem he made. But Voldemort…he used a spell to control the golem, so that it attacked me and not him. I…I destroyed it without realizing the consequences."

Edward finished, his distraught and distant eyes having never lifted from his brother's face. It was obvious to anyone watching, Winry included, that his brother's state was eating him up inside, even more so because he believed it was his fault.

"Ed, you can't blame yourself," Winry consoled, moving forward to place a hand on his shoulder. She couldn't see his face with his back to her, but she could imagine it was filled with pain.

"Is…is the doctor here yet?" he asked weakly, seeming to ignore her; it was either that, or he disagreed with what she told him.

"Edward…I don't think a doctor will help him," Hoenheim said gently, not wanting to upset his son further.

"I know, but…damnit, there must be something I can do!!" Edward exclaimed suddenly, knocking Winry's hand away as he stumbled back, "There must be something alchemy can do to help him! O-or magic; magic could definitely help! All we need to do is bring him back to Hogwarts and Madame Pomfrey will take care of him!"

"Ed, do you really think it's wise to cross the Gate when he's in this condition? Who knows what could happen. We might not even have another chance. We could have gotten through this time on luck alone!" Harry intervened, stepping forward to grip his friend's upper arm tightly and shake it to awaken his rationality.

"The only person who can find the missing piece of his soul is him," Hoenheim said softly.

"There is nothing we can do but wait," Winry reinforced.

Edward turned to glare at her steadily, a frightening and somewhat crazy determination in his eyes that blended with his mounting exhaustion in an unsightly manner.

"I refuse to believe that," he declared, yanking his arm from Harry's grasp so that he could march past them. He paused at the doorway and turned his head to look at his brother's still body. "I will find a way to help you," he promised, his voice now a delicate whisper, "if it's the last thing I do."

Winry stood speechless, staring at the doorframe where Edward had been previously. She decided to follow him and began to advance toward that endeavor, but found herself restrained by a blond teen with a limp, bloody arm.

"Let him go," Russell said gently, putting on a half smile to convince her, "If it were me, I wouldn't be able to sit and wait either."

Winry sighed, knowing he was right and nodded to show this. 'I want to help him too,' she admitted to herself, though she knew she couldn't do anything worthwhile. Looking back to Russell's bloody arm, she decided to help in a different way.

"Let's get you cleaned up," she said, leading Russell to the couch where she deposited him to fetch some towels. 'At least the doctor will have something to do,' she mused.

A/n- so the big battle scene is over. I got mixed feelings on it but most said it was good and I can't be more relieved!! .0 those things are SO hard to write. But does anyone notice how I am STILL torturing Ed?? geez, what's wrong with me…