Everlasting
By LadysWords

Previously on Everlasting:

Alchemy to be Taught at Hogwarts, by the Son of the Legendary Alchemist Nicholas Flamel

By Rita Skeeter

Hogwarts has managed to find a master alchemist, the son of the legendary Nicholas Flamel, no less: Professor Elric, will also replace Professor Flitwick as the new Head of Ravenclaw house. Professor Elric will be teaching the students in fifth year and above-

"Would sir please come down to the Great Hall," a sudden small voice said. Ed put the newspaper down on his desk.

"Staff meeting?" The elf that stood at door frame nervously nodded.

"Yes, sir." How lovely… he was about to meet his other colleagues. He had heard that Professor Snape was an especially friendly man. He shook his head, sighed, and grabbed his newly bought cloak and swiftly left to join the others in the Great Hall. He might as well make the first impression a good one.

Chapter 4: Introductions of Events

As he made his way down to the Great Hall, he was greeted by the rest of his new colleagues, which were rather abundant considering the time of year. He saw Minerva McGonagall, the professor he had met a few days ago on Private drive. Edward was later informed by Dumbledore that she filled the positions of Deputy Headmistress and head of Gryffindor House; as well as being the Transfiguration professor. He walked down the length of the Great Hall towards the table where every member of the staff was looking at him.

When he had walked half way down, Dumbledore nodded towards him in acknowledgement of his arrival and began announcing it to the others, "Ah, here is Professor Elric." The others looked towards him with interest. Edward strode towards them; the faster he got there, the faster it would be over.

He had too many things to do already and he was hired only the other day. In front of him, a man nodded and announced who he was, "The name's Quirinus Quirrell, Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts".

Quirrell was a small man who seemed to look rather nervous at that moment. Beside him was a woman who peered at him curiously before revealing her hand to shake his, "I am Pomona Sprout, the Professor of Herbology and the Head of Hufflepuff House."

Ed nodded and turned to look beside her where he saw a man with black, greasy hair.

"Severus Snape, the Potions master and the Head of Slytherin House," The man spoke boldly all the while sneering.

A small man who he had met with Dumbledore spoke up now, "Professor Flitwick, but you already know." Edward just nodded in agreement.

"Yes, we met the other day." He glanced at a man who seemed to be too tall for his own good, and remembered that he had seen the man for the first time at Privet Drive. If he recalled correctly, the half giant was named Hagrid. Ed was later proven to be right and was subsequently told that the man was Hagrid, but was also informed that his full name was Rubeus Hagrid, also that he was the gamekeeper of Hogwarts. Edward later met the rest of the Hogwarts staff, but found it too boring; which was why he ended up tuning out the rest of the introductions.

OoO

Later, when he was in his office once more, Edward looked at the mysterious red reaction he had created, remembering something his father had said.

Ed still wondered what he was capable of as his father murmured, "I see, so you don't recall anything." Edward's so-called father looked at him with an expression of worry and concern.

He shook his head in response, "No, I can't remember for some reason."

This tall man before him had suddenly run into him, ridiculously claiming that he was his son just based on appearance…

"So – nothing at all?" Edward just sighed and shook his head once more. His 'father' looked at him and walked in front of him saying, "Right. What we can do…"

Edward was caught in his train of thoughts and before realizing it he was sitting in his office. He glanced at his door to find who had interrupted him, blinking in surprise when Professor McGonagall stood there.

"How are you settling in?" She asked him, getting straight to the point. Ed hadn't thought that any of the staff members would care…

At the question he looked around the office. It was, after all, still in shambles after receiving his suitcases and other namely possessions. He frowned and waved his wand and almost instantly all his things were organized.

"It's going well, though I need to speak to the Headmaster of something important." Edward replied finally.

"Very well, I will mention it to him, do you need anything else in the mean time?" McGonagall questioned him.

He shook his head, "Not now, Professor, thank you." She nodded and left.

OoO

Some time later, he was called into a private meeting with Dumbledore. Like Professor McGonagall had earlier inquired, he promptly asked, "How is everything going?" In what seemed to be a steady repeat of events.

"Everything is fine. I will begin to create an outline of what to teach the students soon."

Dumbledore nodded, "What did you have in mind?" He questioned.

Ed explained, "I will teach Advanced Alchemy in seventh year, but only to those who received either an Outstanding or Exceeds Expectations in Potions, Arithmancy, and Transfiguration. Also, they must be serious, otherwise I will remove them from my classes, alchemy is a serious matter that one shouldn't mess with."

"I'm surprised, is advanced alchemy that difficult?"

Edward nodded and stated, "It takes years to master this subject, it isn't the same as mastering the words for a spell. Also, it's one thing to be able to comprehend the subject, and another to be able to act with it. One more thing, Dumbledore, I need to find the Philosopher's stone that you and my father created. I believe it was stolen by Grindelwald before he was defeated and sent to prison, but I fear it might be in the wrong hands. I need your help to find it at all costs and give it proper protection once I do….to make sure it doesn't fall into the wrong hands."

OoO

No matter where he searched, he could not find the Philosopher's stone, even though it had been a decade since he first became known as 'Professor' Elric.

Overall, Edward was perhaps the most mysterious individual among the staff. After all, he always vanished whenever he could. Ed chuckled as he remembered when the children were first introduced to alchemy. They learned to hate it more than Potions with Professor Snape. Edward recalled that that was actually saying something. At the thought of Professor Snape, Ed recalled that over the years, this specific colleague had understood him better than the rest of the staff and students. Perhaps it was because they had a similar way of thinking.

It wasn't until August that he had a break through with finding the stone. His father's diary, one that he had found in his research stash, even though it had taken him ages to decode, had managed to trace back to where the man had traveled. Ed found that the stone might have had been hidden away in one of Grindelwald's old cottages in Belgium, a place that Edward's father had visited before their confrontation. When he had found it he realized it was lucky that the old cottage hadn't been ransacked by one of Grindelwald's former followers. Ed returned just in time for the new year. When he arrived he requested for it to be locked away, where it was decided that the stone would be protected at Hogwarts.

OoO

It was later, in September, that he saw a rather skinny boy with glasses, dark hair, and green eyes. Edward noticed Professor Snape narrowing his eyes at the boy as he finally recognized him, frowning all the while. Ed saw bleak professor mumble something. Yet seeing as how he sat between Professor Flitwick and Madam Hooch, he couldn't figure out what the man had said.

Ed later understood why when he found out the boy's name, "Potter, Harry!" Professor McGonagall announced loudly as she did every year. Immediately after the Great Hall, for the first time during the segment of the name-calling, had become deathly quiet.

It was quiet enough to hear the whispers of children saying, "Harry Potter?"

Students new and old looked around at each other, others trying to find the boy in front of the staff table, who seemed out of place, as he just stood there for a long moment. He groaned, the boy must have become conceited when he found his heritage and fame. Edward scowled at the boy as he hesitantly walked up those steps.

As the boy took his seat, Professor McGonagall placed the sorting hat on his head. The golden haired professor heard the hat murmur, "You could be great in Slytherin. You know it's all here in your head…"

"Not Slytherin..." The boy mumbled, even though the hat still insisted.

"Not Slytherin, eh? Slytherin could help you to greatness..."

After a few moments of a conversation debating which house Potter was to go into, the hat finally chose.

"Gryffindor!"

Immediately, the house cheered, and he heard the Weasley twins shouting, "We've got Potter! We've got Potter!"

Everyone soon quieted, and the sorting continued. Edward no longer paid any attention anymore; it was the same thing every year. Though this year, a celebrity of sorts was at Hogwarts School of Witch Craft of Wizardry. He, like Professor Snape, wasn't expecting much from him.

Author Notes: Please review, Thanks!

Edited by Kanathia

TBC