Chapter 16—Setting up a proper Patronus Charm

Ed had the strange sensation of being slammed into by many things at once. Luna's forehead was jammed into his chin (or was it the other way around?), something had latched onto her end of the broomstick (effectively shoving it upward—very uncomfortable), and Dean had grabbed onto the both of them.

"Hold on!" he shouted, dragging them free of their broom onto his own. They were too heavy and the broom started losing altitude, swirling through the air toward the ground below. They had hardly gotten clear when a sickening crunch told them that Ed's and Luna's broomstick had been destroyed. Flinching against a shower of splinters, Ed glanced up to see what Dean had saved them from.

The dragon was shaking splinters from its mouth. The persistent rain fell on its bronze scales and immediately enveloped it in a cloud of steam. Ed's eyes widened as he watched it rear back. A bright purple flame burst from its mouth with a shriek that sent shudders up and down Ed's spine.

"That's…not…natural," he whispered mostly to himself. The others wouldn't be able to hear over the roar of the wind.

Ed heard Dean swear and tore his eyes away from the monster above them. A black thing…more than one…moving toward them…it was growing cold…

Ed could feel unconsciousness creeping up on him again. Al was screaming in the back of his mind. Bad memories flooded his vision. He could feel Dean moving, doing something.

"Expecto patrunum!" bellowed Dean. Ed vaguely saw a silver shadow erupt from the tip of Dean's wand, and suddenly everything was clear again.

"Luna, come on! You do it too!" Dean seemed to be directing the silver shadow with his wand.

Luna grabbed her wand from her sleeve and yelled the same thing Dean had. Another silver shadow burst from her wand and charged the dementors. The dementors flew in a wide arc as the shadows chased them. Ed judged their path.

"Dean! They're heading for the dragon!"

Dean swore again. "Luna, cut them off!"

"There are too many of them! I can't…I can't…"

"NO! Luna, concentrate! Your Patronus is going to--!"

Ed watched in horror as one of their two protectors vanished, giving the dementors a clear shot at the dragon. Luna was trying to produce another Patronus.

"Expecto patronum! Expecto patronum. Expecto…" Each spell brought only a poof of silver smoke. Without the help, Dean couldn't keep two of the dementors from reaching the dragon. The three froze, Dean's Patronus disappeared, and Luna's spell died on her lips as they watched.

"It…shouldn't be able…to do that…" whispered Dean.

The dragon had seized the dementors and molded them into its body. Its skin bulged and shuddered, bubbling like its blood was boiling. Purple fire shot from its mouth. The bronze scales flashed black and red and gold before settling.

"It just got bigger, didn't it."

The dementors seemed excited, swooping around the dragon like giant wing-less vultures. The dragon looked down at them and grinned.

"Dean…Dean…let's go…." Luna said, knuckles white around her wand.

"But the broom…" They were still falling, and with the extra weight there would be no way for them to move forward. The dragon seemed to know this, and lazily tucked itself into a dive. It knew it had them.

Where are those ministry officials when you need them? Ed looked at the ground, then at the dragon, then at the ground again. What they needed was more time, and to get that they needed more protection, and to get that they could…

"Luna! Do that silver shadow spell again!"

"Ed, it's not going to help! Patronus charms don't work on dragons!"

"Do it, Luna!" Dean pointed his wand at the trees. "I'll get us down safely, you do whatever he's planning! Just think of a happy thought!"

Luna's eyes were as big as saucers. "Expecto patronum." There was only a small flash of silver smoke.

Happy thought, happy thought… Ed racked his brain for something that would make her happy. It suddenly struck him what he was doing and he briefly mused over the fact that he was using happiness, not science, to fight an enemy. Wizards. Weirdos. Wait!

Ed grabbed the sides of Luna's face and put his forehead on hers. He closed his eyes for a moment.

"Ed…what are you…?"

"I'm your best friend, Luna!" Ed yelled it, hoping she would remember the night she had showed him her tree house. Surely that was a happy memory? "I'm your friend!"

Ed felt Luna straighten a little. He opened his eyes. She was smiling. "Expecto patronum," she whispered. A silver shadow burst from the tip of her wand and hovered over her head, awaiting orders. Ed grinned and for the first time realized that it was in the shape of a hare.

"Guys?" Dean's voice sounded a little choked, like he was just barely controlling himself. "I hate to break up the little friend-fest, but THAT THING IS STILL COMING!"

"Not for long," said Ed. He clapped his hands. "Hold that thing still, Luna!" He shoved his hands inside the Patronus.

It seemed as though all sound was sucked into the small ball of blue light hovering around Ed's fingertips. Complete silence reigned for a single eternal moment before exploding from Luna's throat, a pain-ridden shriek that pierced the clouds above them. Ed tried to pull his hands free from the Patronus, tried to stop Luna's screaming, but his hand wouldn't move.

"ED!" bellowed Dean behind him. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?"

"I don't know I don't know I don't know I don't—" Ed could hear his voice rising higher as he tried harder to pull his hands from the Patronus and make Luna stop screaming. Lightning surrounded his hands, lacing between his fingers and around the hare. Luna's shriek grew louder and Dean stopped trying to steady the broom. He wrapped his arms around the tiny girl.

"Ed, stop it now! You're hurting her!"

"I can't get my hands out! They're not coming out!" Luna's scream was almost hidden by the triumphant cry of the dragon above them. Ed braced suddenly felt completely helpless. He was hurting Luna, he couldn't save them, they were all going to die, it didn't matter, he would never see Winry or Alphonse or Granny Pinako or even Mustang or Riza or anyone ever again…he closed his eyes, bracing for the impact.

And suddenly he could move his fingers. Ed jerked back, and the lightning that had been covering his hands staying in the Patronus, splintering the hare into millions of tiny shards, covering the sky above the three on the broomstick, piercing the sky and the air around them. Ed shielded his eyes as the shards rushed past him. He looked around. Dean was covering Luna's head with his arms, and above them, covering the sky between them and the dragon and the dementors, was a giant net of blue lightning cris-crossing between the shards of patronus. The dragon shrieked, Luna screamed, and the broomstick plummeted to the ground.

Dean toppled off the broom onto the forest floor. Ed collapsed on the dirt, trying to rid his mind of the memory of Luna's cry. Suddenly Ed found himself lifted off the ground, feet dangling uselessly. His eyes met Dean's.

"If…you…ever…hurt…Luna…again...I…will…kill…you." With every deadly quiet word Dean's hands tightened on the collar of Ed's coat. "Do…you…understand?"

Ed nodded wordlessly. He knew he had been more frightened before, but it was difficult to think of a time. Dean set him down and then ran to Luna's side where she lay in the dead wet leaves. "Is she…?"

"She's fainted," said Dean tersely.

Ed looked at the two of them. Dean's shoulders shook slightly, Luna was motionless. "Um…"

"What?"

Ed shut his mouth, opened it, closed it, then opened it again. But he could say nothing. Dean lifted Luna into his arms, then slowly rose, cradling her softly against his chest. She groaned a little.

"Luna?"

"Dean…" Luna's eyes opened slightly. "I feel awful." Dean tightened his grip.

"Do you think you can walk?"

"…I…don't think so."

Dean glanced up through the Patronus-strewn sky at the dragon attacking the net. Ed waited on tenterhooks for him to say something.

"With that thing attacking it, the net's not going to hold forever."

"Mm." Ed waited for him to say something else, but he just walked off into the forest. Ed scampered after him, grabbing the broomstick as he followed.

Crap. I've messed up big time.

The walk was mostly silent, interspersed with Luna's moans whenever the dragon hit the net particularly hard. Ed could see Dean's jaw clench whenever she groaned. Each tiny, painful sound from her lips seemed to shove a thousand knives deeper into his gut.

I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't know it would…

But even his words seemed hollow to him.

"Ed." Ed turned his head so fast he strained his neck.

"Um, yes?" Ed replied in a pathetically tiny voice.

"I don't want that thing following us to the Weasley's house. I'm going to cast a Chameleon spell. Come over here."

"Um, yes." Still pathetically tiny.

"Camela cambio." Ed had a peculiar sensation of suddenly finding his arms and legs see-through.

"You'd better hold onto my belt."

Ed nodded and did as he was told.

"How fast can you a shorty like you run?"

And all was not well, but it was a little better than before. The sense of relief was so overwhelming that Ed almost forgot to choke out, "Just as fast as you can, and don't call me short."

There was a large sizzling crash, and Luna whimpered. The two boys looked up. The dragon had somehow shoved its nose through the net, but seemed to be in great pain.

"Crap."

Dean took off running. Ed was briefly surprised how fast he could run while carrying another person, but the surprise quickly turned into determination to keep up. Ed's legs moved twice as fast as Dean's.

How fast can he run if he's not carrying someone?

The dragon shrieked behind them, and Ed chanced a glance back. Its head was through the net!

"Dean!"

"I know, I know!"

Dean put on an extra burst of speed. Ed's lungs were burning, his legs throbbed, his breath came in short gasps.

"De—gasp—n!"

"If you can't keep up, I'm leaving you behind!"

"No—look—above us—Note!"

"Where?" Dean stopped and Ed plowed straight into him. Ed pointed. Dean shoved Luna into Ed's arms and frantically grabbed his wand and started shooting up red sparks.

"Hey Luna."

"Hey Ed." She weakly wrinkled her nose—a rain drop from his bangs had hit her in the face.

Ed shifted so he could tuck his hair behind his ear. "You're kinda light."

"Mm."

"Um…"

"It's okay."

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay."

"Oi! Take off the chameleon!" Note had pulled into a dive. Dean's wand hit Ed's head with more force than necessary.

"Give me Luna and the broom!" Ed handed both to Dean, who leaped on the broom and took off.

"Wait! What about m—oof!" The wind was knocked out of his lungs as Note swooped in from behind and dragged Ed onto his broomstick. He looked up at the net. "Nice little bit of alchemy there, Fullmetal."

Looking at the ground below, Ed murmured, "…sure."

Ed could feel Note's eyes on him, measuring his response. "Well, I don't know about you, but I for one don't really feel like being eaten by a dragon today." They flew up over the trees and Ed saw a few dark specks that were probably the other wizards. "It'd probably be especially dangerous for you. They tend to go for those they can down in a single bite."

Ed's reply was cut off by a large sizzling crash. He looked up. The dragon had somehow shoved its shoulder through the net, but seemed to be in great pain. Note's sudden acceleration took his breath away.

"That thing's not going to hold forever! To the Weasley's house!"

"I beg your pardon?"

Ed, Dean, Charlotte, and Tom exchanged glances. Convincing the Weasleys to shelter them for a time was clearly not going well. Note had asked Bill to ask with him, hoping that Bill's wife's friendship with Mrs. Weasley would help their cause a little, but it seemed to have little effect. Ed could feel multiple pairs of eyes boring into him from behind the chubby woman. He leaned on Note's broomstick and sighed. They shouldn't have come here, it was useless to ask these people for help, they were much too suspicious of him to help.

"Please, Molly. I wouldn't ask unless the situation was desperate."

"What exactly is this situation!? Does Xenophilius know his daughter is injured!? Why did you come here instead of taking Luna straight home?!"

"Luna's house doesn't have anti-Dementor spells like this one!"

"Anti-Dementor spells?! That's all this is about? I'll help Luna, but--!"

"Please, Molly!"

The short woman continued undeterred."—but I don't want that boy in my house! He destroyed the guest room with that Exploding Curse and caused Arthur a great deal of trouble at work! Pecksniff blamed the whole ordeal on Arthur's negligence in spelling the chains!"

"Pecksniff is a moron, Molly. You know that!" Bill's voice rose a few decibels. "Please, Molly. We need shelter!"

"And that's another thing! You come here expecting us to just be able to take you in with very little explanation as to what exactly is going on! We have children here, and the only thing you've told me is that you're being chased by rogue dementors and a dragon! A dragon of all things! And one that breathes purple flames?! I'm not an idiot, Bill! There are no purple-fire-breathing dragons! My son works with dragons, or did you forget!"

Ed sighed. They were getting nowhere. Time to use a skill he had picked up from Al. He shoved his broom into Tom's hands and stomped up to the doorway. He could feel every eye in the house—and outside it—focused on him. Slowly, deliberately, he lowered his head in a humble bow. "Mrs. Weasley, I am very sorry for all the trouble I've caused. I realize there is very little I can say that could make you trust me, but from the bottom of my heart I beg your forgiveness for the problems I have created for your family and friends." That's right. Okay, clasp hands, shake them a little. The rain is perfect—it makes him look even more pathetic! "I am truly sorry for destroying your beautiful home." Would a tear be too much? Probably. Alright then, maybe a penitent glance up at her? Perfect, she's falling for it. "I sincerely regret causing such damage to the people that showed me such kindness after I came here confused, grief-stricken, and alone."

"…Grief-stricken?" Mrs. Weasley's voice was soft and tender. Ed looked up through his bangs at her, unshed tears shimmering in his eyes. She was playing right into his hands—now time for the trump card!

"My mother was a…wonderful person," he said softly, slightly accenting the past tense, choking out the last few words. Hide eyes behind bangs, tighten hands…wait for it…and now! Stand up straight, look strong, defiant—but keep those eyes as big as possible! "Please, help us!"

Mrs. Weasley looked tearful. Older women always fell for the 'I'm just acting strong because I'm a boy but really I'm hurting inside' routine. Ed ignored the skeptical look he was getting from Harry and the incredulous glance Note gave him. He kept his defiant look firmly focused in Mrs. Weasley's direction.

"I suppose you could come in…"

Ah, sweet victory.

"Thank you Molly. We'll make sure you're compensated."

"Oh, nonsense, Howard. I suppose it's the least I could do. We've got to get Luna lying down."

Dean moved forward with the girl in his arms toward the door. Suddenly, a loud crack resounded throughout the yard and surrounding forest and Luna shrieked.

"What the--!"

Shards of blue light raced across the ominous sky leaving blue lightning trails in their wake. Luna's scream went on and on and on, and Ed found his legs moving of their own accord toward the pain-ridden girl. Dean knelt on the ground, holding Luna close. Ed could see his wide brown eyes and knew he was frightened. The blue shards zig-zagged across the sky moving toward them, then suddenly they came together in a single mass of blue light. They sped up, moving faster and faster and faster until they stopped, hovering a thousand feet above Dean's head.

It was quiet.

Ed reached Luna and Dean and touched the suddenly still girl's shoulder. Blue lightning crackled from the touch, but Ed couldn't pull his hand away. Luna screamed, long and loud. There was a massive sucking noise, and the blue hovering mass was pulled toward them. Ed had a glimpse of long ears and a fluffy tail before it disappeared just above Luna's heart. Luna's mouth closed, but the shriek went on.

"Dean! Get her out of there!" Ed looked back at Note and Bill, over at Charlotte and Tom, down at Dean and Luna, and finally up, where his gaze met that of a triumphantly shrieking dragon surrounded by a legion of soul-suckers.

"Go Dean!" Ed dragged Dean to his feet with Luna and shoved him toward the Weasley's house. "Protect her!" Tom and Charlotte moved toward him, but the Dementors were already at the edge of the barrier, the dragon hovering just above them. The shouts of multiple wizards fell on deaf ears as Ed clapped his hands.

The alchemy was useless, however, because it was not used. Ed's powder-covered hands fell limply at his sides as another hand grabbed the front of his red coat. A fleshy hand. From above. Connected to a long, long arm. Ed's eyes widened as the arm contracted, bringing a human with black eyes close to his face.

"No…" whispered Ed as he looked into the familiar face. The rain running down his face was cold, but that was nothing compared to the chill settling in his stomach.

"Hello, little alchemist." The Homunculus grinned, and Ed knew his face revealed what he was thinking.

Ed felt sick. Scared. Horrified. But nothing, not even looking at the big eyes and pale blonde hair in front of him, nothing could compare to the fear he felt when from behind him in the shelter of Dean's arms Luna whispered a single, terrifying word.

"Mum?"

Soooooooo, how many of you were expecting that? Heehee....I'm so evil. But, hey! It's got a semi-plot now!!! I really was just kind of going in circles....If I ever decide to go and edit this thing I think I might just pull out a bunch of the more pointless chapters.

This update is dedicated to everyone who has reviewed thus far, thank you sooooooooooo much! I love getting reviews! It totally makes my day!

I think this chapter is a little longer than some of the others. That works, though, because in two weeks I have finals and won't be updating during Christmas because I'M GOING HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so excited! I love going home to see my family! I'm going to school about 1300 miles away from them, so I don't get to see them at all during the school year except at Christmas. Meh. I miss my dog.

churu

PS. It has recently come to my attention that I have never put a disclaimer on this story at all. Is that really necessary? I mean, this is FANfiction. Do we really need to put one on there? Whatever. I don't own FMA or HP or this computer, actually. If you want to sue me, just don't take my O-Chem textbook. I need that. Though it probably is the most expensive thing I own...