Everlasting
By LadysWords

Chapter 1: Dawn of a new Era

"Time changes everything except something within us which is always surprised by change."

-Thomas Hardy

July, 1980

-35 years later-

Despite his previous hope, Dumbledore was proven wrong; after the defeat of Grindelwald, another quickly took his place, one that became known as Lord Voldemort.

Tom Riddle, he noted, was revered as the most feared wizard of the age. He was so feared that he was often compared to Grindelwald, and people refused to say his alias and instead called him He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, or You-Know-Who. It wasn't just the wizards that felt the effects of the Dark Lord either, the muggles where effected by it as well. The killings done by Death Eaters as 'sport' were rather horrendous.

Yes, it had been a ghastly time. So many had been defiant during Lord Voldemort's reign of power and tried to bring him down, though none were able to make him falter in his time of power. That was until he was disembodied by the infant known as Harry Potter. When Voldemort attempted to kill Harry the spell rebounded instead of snuffing out the child's life.

Little did Lord Voldemort know before his defeat, that Professor Trelawney had already prophesied that an infant born at the end of the July would become the Dark Lord's marked equal.

It was quite shocking; enough that no one blamed Harry Potter. Despite the dismay of other powerful wizards who had attempted to kill Voldemort, everyone was grateful. It was rather amusing if you looked at it closely, because it was not Harry Potter defeated Voldemort, but rather it was his mothers' love that did.

Dumbledore shook his head silently. Hagrid should be on his way as well as Minerva…I shall be on my way as well…

Elsewhere, the night retreated, and as it did, it took away the darkness. In return, night gave light for the new dawn. A new day came, like many others before it, however, unknown to the muggles that the wizards lived hidden amoungst a new era was brought forth as well, an era of peace. Peace from the defeat of the Dark Lord Voldemort.

Or so he heard.

Currently though, the wizarding community knew nothing of him, and neither did the muggles.

Edward Elric was, to put it mildly, an unknown quantity to the general public. Since none of either community knew much of him, his claim that the Dark Lord was defeated by a mere infant was whimsical at best, and went unheard of, much to his own dismay.

There too had been a mistake committed by Voldemort… Wizards… A fox thought smugly in the shrubs, hiding. Should feel rather stupid, because it's absurd to think that a baby defeated a Dark Lord…after all, grown men also couldn't take him down, and a baby did… A baby defeated a wizard that was far more dangerous than Grindelwald.

The fox snorted to himself. He remembered how he had interrupted the legendary duel. Though that was over thirty-five years ago…

Since Voldemort was revered to be even more powerful than Grindelwald, the idea of an infant defeating him was even more improbable.

The fox silently climbed a nearby tree and took his nap until late in afternoon. At least it's safe enough now though.

Sometime later, when he woke again, he noticed a tabby cat that was, strangely enough, reading a map. 'Well, this is rather rare - to run into another animagus...'

Edward chuckled to himself as a large muggle stared at the tabby as well, as if he were deceiving himself that a tabby was not actually reading a map. As the muggle glanced back again, the tabby had already noticed his presence and made the map disappear.

Dumbfounded, the muggle just returned to his house on Privet Drive number four. Edward pondered this silently. 'Why on earth is wizard here? I'll try to see if I can telepathically communicate with them. As the fox stretched the cat finally noticed him, and blinked in surprise at the sight.Well, that might be because foxes aren't common in this area.

Quickly and silently, he made his way over to the small cat.

"Are you lost?" He thought telepathically to the cat. Rather quickly, the cat turned its head in surprise and raised an eyebrow, confirming the fact the cat was indeed an animagus, rather than the average cat on the street.

"Who are you?" Edward heard a female's voice reply finally. He blinked in surprise, and at the obvious distrust in her voice.

"The name's Edward Elric."

She nodded and responded. "I am Minerva McGonagall, a Professor at Hogwarts."

Somehow, he thought to himself after a few hours went past, it wasn't really surprising that they both started talking or, he should say, telepathically communicating with each other.

"So what I heard was true then?" Edward telepathically asked the Professor.

She just shook her head at his question, "I am not entirely sure."

"Do you mind if I wait to speak to Dumbledore about a proposition?" He suddenly asked.

"For what reason?"

"Vocational," Edward briefly stated to her.

It was sometime later that evening that the fox waited for Dumbledore on Privet Drive. He blinked in surprise as he heard a 'pop', and soon a much older wizard than he remembered during the battle of Grindelwald had entered the street from the forest settled at the end, where Edward had ventured from the earlier that day as well.

He noticed that the wizard now had spectacles, was wearing a fine long cloak, and had obtained a long white beard. As Ed looked more closely at the man, he saw the wizard was holding an object of sorts.

Dumbledore looked at the streetlights and brought up the object before clicking it. With each click, a light diminished, as if it was never there. Slowly, the street was once again thrown into darkness.

Soon, Dumbledore noticed the cat Ed had spoken to earlier, and said, "I should have known you would be here, Minerva." As soon as Dumbledore had spoken, the cat morphed into a woman with a pointed hat, and wore an emerald cloak similar to her acquaintance's.

"Good evening, Professor Dumbledore." Slowly, Professor McGonagall joined Professor Dumbledore. As she did, she asked him the very question every wizard was pondering that night, "Are the rumors true, Albus?" Dumbledore looked at her as he gestured towards the street to continue their walking.

"I'm afraid so Minerva, the good and the bad."

"And the boy?" She questioned, worried over the idea that the Headmaster had in mind.

"Hagrid is bringing him." He answered.

"Do you think it is wise to trust Hagrid with something as important as this?" McGonagall questioned him.

"Ah, my dear, I would trust Hagrid with my life." He informed her and, as he did, both turned around as they heard a thunderous noise in the darkened sky. They also saw a small light. As the noise came closer, it was apparent that the noisy object was a motorcycle. The motorcycle descended towards the street before hittingtheground hard and stopping in front of the two wizards.

The driver was big and tall, though not tall enough to be a giant, but rather a half giant. He had thick black beard and bushy hair that had matched it as well. He, like the wizards, wore a cloak, though much heavier than theirs and with much more black. It was apparent that he was carrying something around his neck even from where Edward was, though he couldn't see it clearly.

"Professor Dumbledore, sir, Professor McGonagall." The half giant grunted as he stepped of his off his motorcycle.

As he did, Dumbledore tentatively asked him, "No trouble I trust, Hagrid?"

"No, Sir," Hagrid he said gruffly, "the little tyke fell asleep just as we flying over Bristle." He chuckled slightly, before adding, "Try not wake him - there you go." As the bundle was passed, Edward blinked as he realized it was an infant. Looking more closely, he also saw was a scar shaped as lighting.

Professor Dumbledore then took the baby and walked towards one of the houses, as Professor McGonagall asked him, "Albus, Do you really think it's safe, leaving him with these people? I've watched them all day; they're the worst sort of muggles imaginable." McGonagall tentatively repeated herself, "They really are."

"They're the only family he has." Dumbledore reasoned softly.

Not letting the matter go that easily, she continued with saying, "This boy will be famous, there won't be a child in our world that won't know his name."

Again, she was caught off guard by Dumbledore stating, "Exactly; he's far better off growing up away from all that." He glanced back at Hagrid and Professor McGonagall.

"Until he is ready," The old wizard added for their own comfort, while placing the baby on the doorstep before leaving a letter with an explanation.

During which, Hagrid sniffed and heard, "There, there, it's not really goodbye, after all."

Leaning down, Dumbledore murmured, "Good Luck, Harry Potter."

After they left the doorstep, Hagrid quickly departed.

A few minutes later, Edward quickly strode towards the two wizards. He noticed that Professor McGonagall blinked in surprise at seeing him again before remembering him from earlier in the day, "Ah, Albus, there is one more matter that we have to attend to tonight," She stated.

The fox followed the wizards back to the forest at the looked at Professor McGonagall who began to explain at Dumbledore's confusion, "He is an animagus, professor, and would like to speak to you of a proposition."

Dumbledore nodded and walked down further until they were all in the forest, so they could not be seen, "Do you mind revealing yourself so we can communicate properly?" He asked.

The fox nodded in response and soon a man had appeared before them. He had long yellow hair that had been put neatly in a pony tail, though not all of his hair had managed tucked into it, seeing as how the rest of it framed his face. One peculiar piece of his hair on top of his head was seemingly out of place as it simply loitered in the air above his head. The colors of the stranger's eyes were golden like his hair, though a darker amber shade. His face was slightly round with no trace of baby fat. It appeared he was no stranger to the times with a long, brown coat, white button-up shirt, and black slacks.

"So, what is your proposition, and your name?" Questioned Dumbledore as he looked at him.

The man nodded, "My name is Edward Elric. You knew my father." He stated bluntly to the other wizard. Professor McGonagall looked surprised and glanced at Dumbledore.

At that response, Dumbledore raised an eyebrow, equally as surprised as his acquaintance and asked, "Do I now? I have known many men."

Ed bit his lip, "You knew him as Nicholas Flamel."

Author Notes: It would seem it was a bit unclear who defeated Grindelwald in the previous chapter; it was not Ed. He just knocked the wand from Grindelwald.

Edited again by The King in White as of 1/23

TBC