Umm, we're back! Yay! Don't kill us!

We come bring excuses! Go for it sis!

{What? Why me?}

You're the oldest.

{Fine. We did a drama preduction. One week to lear and preform one full length show. We didn't have much time to type during that. Ica?}

It's the end of the marking period so lot's of prosjecs and tests. Can anyone guess what the following is from? We had to memorize it. (Well, two of us did.)

Mein Son, Mein Sohn, ich seh es genau:

Es scheinen die alten Weiden so grau.-"

"Ich liebe dich, mich reizt deine schoene Gesalt;

Und bist du nicht willig, so brauch ich Gewalt."

Plus the AP exam is comming up and some of us *ahem* Ala *ahem* are getting overly worried.

But hey, it hasn't been two months! Right? Um, January, febuary, march, april... Yup! only ONE moth. Now, go enjoy the story!


Chapter 17

Weighing of the Wands

The rumor mill had sprung to life. Ed couldn't even walk down the hallway without hearing his name mentioned at least five times, usually more depending on the amount of people. He was starting to get very annoyed. At least most people were staying away from him, unlike with Harry. He guessed that it had something to do with his angry glare that hadn't really disappeared ever since he got his letter from Mustang.

He had been avoiding a lot of people while he silently composed his reply to Mustang. It would have to be filled with a lot of insults and clear facts showing how he was jeopardizing the mission more than Ed was. Maybe he could threaten to send a letter to Mustang's superiors.

Ed started to mutter under his breath in a threatening manner. The population around him was suddenly much smaller. "Hey, um, Ed?" asked Neville who was standing to his right as they walked to potions.

"Hm?"

"Well, I know that you've answered the Amestris question, but will you tell me why you were called Fullmetal?" Neville had been asking small questions over the course of the past few days. He was slowly getting information out of Ed, but it was only when there wasn't a lot a people around.

"It's my code name."

"For the military, right?"

"Yup."

"Where you're a major."

"The equivalent of."

"Right, you're one of those State Alchemist thingys."

"Uh huh."

"And you use alchemy instead of magic."

"Correct again. If you know the answer then why are you asking me these questions again?"

"I just wanted to make sure that I'm getting this information right. It's kind of a lot to take in. You know, finding out that your best friend who is the same age as you is in the military and had been for years. I mean, here you wouldn't be able to even join for another few years."

"Yeah, but you have to remember how different our societies are. You guys don't have a history as bloody as ours. Besides, I'm not your best friend."

"Yes you are."

"But, you haven't known me too long. We didn't even start talking until a bit into this school year."

"Doesn't matter. You're still my best friend."

"You do know that's really sad."

"Yeah."

"But, thanks."

"Thanks?"

"Yeah, I've never really had a best friend before. I mean, I guess that Winry would count, but I don't really see her too much. The only other person I really hang out with is my brother."

"You know, that's really sad." Neville bumped Ed's shoulder with his own. The two boys laughed with each other until they entered the depressing atmosphere of the potions room. They were a little late, but still made it before the bell. Judging by the glares and whispers, they could tell that there had been some sort of commotion, probably a fight, before they got there.

The class was boring for a bit. Snape went on talking about antidotes, while while they were important they were also boring to just talk about. Then there a knock on the door. Almost no one ever dared to interrupt Snape's class. A certain Colin Creevey came in and walked up to Snape's desk.

"Yes?" asked Snape with a slight venom in his voice. It was obvious that he hated being interrupted.

"I'm supposed to take Mr. Potter and Mr. Elric upstairs, Sir." the boy said.

"Mr. Elric and Mr. Potter both have a potions class to complete. They will go upstairs after class is finished." Snape's tone was icy. Creevey was obviously losing the little confidence that could have when facing Snape in his own element.

"Sir - Sir, Mr. Bagman wants t-them." Colin started shaking slightly under the glare that was aimed his way.

"Very well, Potter, Elric, go but leave you things here. You will need to come back to test your antidote." Ed quickly leaned over to Neville and asked him to take his own stuff with him when he left class. He left the classroom as quickly as he could before Colin could say anything more.

Harry followed a few moments later, his face red. "What did he say?" asked Ed.

"He said that we were going to take pictures. Completely wrong thing to say to Snape."

"Either he had a death wish or he had no control over his mouth and will pay for it later. Either way, bad consequences." Creevey came out of the room and led them to their destination. Ed was glad that it wasn't too long of a walk. That kid had a serious pair of lungs. It was like he never ran out of air, or words to say.

The classroom had most of the desks pushed to the side and a few chairs in the clear area. They were the last ones to arrive. Along with the other champions, Bagman was talking to a witch in magenta robes. Next to the chalkboard there was a man with a camera around his neck who was hanging up a sheet of velvet.

"Ah! Finally, our fourth and fifth champions have arrived," said Bagman as he stood up from his conversation with the witch. "Don't look so worried. This is just the weighing of the wands ceremony. Our expert and judges are up in Dumbledore's office. They should be down shortly." They were almost the last ones there. "And we'll have a little photo shoot after. This is Rita Seeker. She's writing a small story on our tournament."

"Maybe not so little, Mr. Bagman," said Skeeter as she made her way to the newest champions. "Mr. Potter, it is a pleasure to meet you. Would you mind if I did a quick interview before the rest get here?"

"Not at all!" said Bagman. "As long as Harry here agrees."

"Uh…" was all Harry had time to say before he was whisked out of the room by a certain journalist.

Not wanting to stand around, Ed walked over to the only other person in the room who wasn't engaged in a conversation, for Bagman had gone over to the cameraman to chat with him as the man struggled with the sheet.

"Hey," Ed said. "Mind if I stand here?"

"Not really," said Krum.

"So, having fun?"

"Not really. I hate journalists."

"The paper does seem to have a tendency to annoy people who actually know what's going on as well as twist the truth, doesn't it?"

"Yup."

The two stood there, leaning against the wall, in a manly and comfortable silence. Soon, the headmasters from the visiting schools as well as the other judges and an old man came in. They sat at a table near the champions. Harry, Dumbledore, and Skeeter came in not long after. Harry looked frustrated as he sat next to Cedric. Skeeter sat in a little away from the rest of the group and spread out a piece of parchment.

"I would like to introduce Mr. Ollivander." said Dumbledore as he took his place amongst the judges. "He will be examining all of your wands to make sure that they are in the best condition before the tournament begins."

Ed watch as each of the champions took their turns before he was called up. He handed the old man the wand. The mans eyes quickly ran over it, taking i each detail, before they lit up in recognition.

"This is one of mine. I specially made it at the beginning of the year, yes?" he said.

"Yes."

"And… it has been working correctly? No faulty spells or random explosions?"

"Um, no. Should there be?"

"No, no, no! Of course not. I was just wondering seeing as how I believe this to be the first of it's kind. I just hope I don't have to make many more. As fun as it was, it does take many resources and too much time than I have at my usual disposal."

"Well, it's been working just fine for my uses, thanks."

"All of the champion's wands are in perfect working order," declared Ollivander before sitting down.

"Good, good," said Dumbledore. "You may all return to your classes now. Actually, it might just be quicker to go down to dinner."

As everyone was about to get up to leave the room, Bagman interrupted.

"Photos! Don't forget the photos, Dumbledore. The champions and all of the judges, what do you think, Rita?"

"Yes, that'll work, and maybe we can get a few individual shots after."

Ed noticed how the reporter's eyes never strayed too far from Harry unless they were coming to him. It was kind of unnerving. There had been a reason that he had never had much of a tolerance for reporters back at home. At least they were easily avoided there.

"Sir," asked the photographer, "would you mind sitting at the end of this row?" Ed sat in the position that was gestured. "No, no, that won't work. Sit here, you're too short there." A vein of Ed's head was suddenly very visible as his anger became clear. Those who had the correct experience, Harry, covered their ears quickly.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A MICROSCOPIC FISH WHO DOESN'T NEED TO WORRY ABOUT BEING EATEN BY A WHALE BECAUSE HE CAN ESCAPE BY MOVING THROUGH THE MEMBRANES OF ITS CELLULAR STRUCTURE?!" Edward's loud voice echoed down the hall and frightened a ghost that had been floating past as well as a student who had skipped class to take a nap in a room six doors away from their own.

~~~~O~~~O~~~O~~~O~~~~

Edward was about to step foot out of the room when the noisy reported caught him.

"Hello, would you mind if I asked you a few quick questions?"

"Actually, yes, I would mind. Now, I'm going to go eat dinner. Don't bug me again." As he walked away from the woman with her mouth in a thing, agitated line, Harry came up besides him.

"Hey, Ed?"

"Yeah?"

"What did Ollivander mean when he said that your wand was the first one of it's kind?"

"Huh? Oh. I'm not really a wizard."

"What!?"

"Nope. I can't use magic, but I use another kind of energy that is, in some ways. like magic. For the school year Ollivander made a wand for me so that I can use the same energy that I usually do but in larger quantities. It also absorbs magical energy from the air inside and near the school so I can preform spells. But, if I try to use it for more difficult spells or away from a place with lots of magical energy, like this school, then it wouldn't work."

"That sounds really confusing."

"Trust me. It's not the most confusing thing I've ever heard."

With that, Edward left Harry's side to go and sit with Neville inside the Great Hall.


Hmm, that seemed longer.

{It'll be longer next time, hopefully.}

Ame- Well... it's not half of a year. Ah! Thanks!

Guest- {That's the only howler} For now! Hehehehe

Guest- What? {What?} What what?

Guest- DEATHS! :D Right awa- {This is involve a GROUP discussion}

ReginaDC21- {Thanks!} That would be interesting. I've read some like that. We could do something like that. Maybe.

Dashita Tichou- Well. She is awesome. {No disagreements here.}

A Stranger 0.0- {Thank you so much!}{Really, that was such a heart warming review Thank you so much.} Big egos? Please we have an older sister to take of that for us. {I'm not that critical of my own work and yours.} Yes you are. {Anyways, I hope this was soon enough for you.} We'll try to do the next one quicker.