Everlasting
By LadysWords

Previously on Everlasting:

Edward narrowed his eyes; he found the house he was looking for after several hours of searching. Edward sighed, 'I should have asked directions...I might of had found it earlier.'

The house was a large two story and had been built with bricks, making it look shabby and old compared to houses that were beside it. The lawn in front had weeds and scattered leaves; evidence that it had been uncared for a long while. Edward frowned as he looked at the house and stared it suspiciously.

'Don't think anyone would live in a house like that,' Edward thought to himself.

As he approached to path to walk that led to door of the house, he heard someone come up to him suddenly and say, "The lad that lives in that house isn't there, but I've noticed, that every time there's a new moon, he always leaves… sometimes I wonder what he gets up to."

Edward blinked as he turned around to see who had spoke, and while he did he remembered, 'Only wizards, witches and magical creatures can see me because of the Philosopher's Stone..'

The man that had spoke had white hair and brown eyes, and wore a faded brown cloak. Ed looked at the stranger warily, but decided to be polite, since he did not suddenly get into a argument.

"I see. Thank you. If I can't find him, could you deliver him a message for me?" Edward asked slowly after realizing he must Lupin's neighbor.

The man looked at him and nodded. "Yes, I can."

"Tell him that Dumbledore has a position for him at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

What happened after Ed said this?

"Looks like he isn't here and that mean it looks like I'll have to go to Black Mountain," Edward sighed to himself.

As Edward began to walk back he stopped as he remembered just how he got here. 'I have to find that damned Hippogriff, wherever the hell it went...'

Edward scowled and thought," If I were an annoyed Hippogriff, where would I go?"

"Sir," the man behind said.

"Yes?" Edward asked, turning around.

"I believe your hippogriff attempted to eat my ferret..."

Edward's eyes bulged as he listened to stranger and then he managed to splutter out, "E-excuse me?"

Chapter 20: Meeting Lupin

Edward had an urge to hit something, in particular Stormswift, but at the moment, he sadly couldn't. Since at the moment he was plummeting from the damned sky and towards the ground head first, is why. Therefore, Edward believed that was a pretty damned good reason for having the sudden urge to hit the damned Hippogriff.

As it had turned out, after a few days of flying over the English channel, Stormswift was still rather not pleased with the fact he was not allowed to eat the stranger's pet ferret. Therefore, Stormswift had decided to take it's revenge at Edward by dropping him off at the next destination; Black Mountain in Germany. Hence, why now he was falling down towards the ground at an alarming rate over the dangerous mountains.

'Shit-' Edward thought as he began to near the forest floor,after what felt like a good ten minutes of falling,and as he did he felt the twigs and leaves scrap his face as he began to end see the ground, to break his fall he grinned as he watched the familiar sound of alchemy cackle, which caused a tree branch to enlarge, and as quickly as he could Edward grabbed the enlarged tree branch, and began to helplessly swing from it.

As Edward looked around the forest floor he cursed as he tripped and fell to the ground head first, then he muttered, "Damn that Hippogriff."

'How the hell am I supposed to find the guy I needed to find now?' Edward thought as after he landed on the forest floor. He did not want to get up at all. But then he heard a noise approaching him, and he glanced up and then blinked in surprise to see a man, rather than a dangerous werewolf, he had heard that inhabited in these mountains.

'What the..?' Edward could only stare at the stranger that had appeared in front of him.

The stranger was a tall young man with light brown flecked with grey hair with onyx eyes, as Edward looked at the man more closely, he noticed that the stranger's brown shabby set of wizard's looked several years old seeing as how the color had long since faded. The man looked ill and exhausted, and had two slashes on the left side his face. Edward frowned as he saw that the stranger had pulled out his wand and pointed it wand point at him.

"Nice of you to drop by. But, who are you?"

Edward narrowed his eyes himself and decided to comply by introducing himself to avoid a fight, "I'm Edward Elric, the Alchemy professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

"Are you a friend of Dumbledore?" The stranger asked of him after he thought with some consideration.

Edward bit his lip and he responded, "Yes, I am."

"Good, any friend of Dumbledore is a friend of mine…well some more than others." The stranger grinned at him as he stowed his wand away, and as he did the tension slipped away as well. Edward breathed a sigh of relief, 'Well I'm glad that was resolved..'

Edward quirked his eyebrow, "Who are you?"

"Remus Lupin, at your service, I am a acquittance of Dumbledore's of sorts." The stranger revealed.

Edward couldn't help it but chuckled at the irony. What were the odds that he would simply stumble, more like fall, near by the man, he was trying to find in the Black Mountains?

Edward sighed in relief and thought 'Well.. that saved me time..'

"Good, I was sent to find you," Edward said in relief and then he added, "I was sent to give you a proposition from Dumbledore."

"You were?" Lupin responded in curiosity.

"Yes… I was here to sent to…" Edward began to explain, but he suddenly cut off when Lupin as he looked around said in a low voice, "In this forest, the woods have ears, it's best we move to some where safe, let's go to my cottage."

Edward blinked, and nodded as he got up from the ground.

OoO

It was after short time of walking in the forest that the trees began to thin, when Lupin spoke to him, "By the way your Hippogriff, which I am assuming belongs to you, is near my cottage."

"It is?"Edward raised an eyebrow in surprise, and let out a groan and mumbled,"Damn.."

Lupin made a confirmed it by grunted, "It was going after the ferrets I keep in stock."

"Again?" Edward could only hopelessly groan.

Lupin stopped and turned around and asked, "What do you mean again?"

"It happened in before when I was looking for you in Godric's Hollow."

"I see, What's it's name?"

"Stormswift."

"I own a Hippogriff as well, its name is Ironwing,that's why I keep ferrets, perhaps Ironwing could coax Stromswift into liking you..." Lupin informed him as they continued to walk. Edward shook his head and replied, "Some how .. I doubt it, Stormswift would rather throw me off..."

"Like just now?" Lupin asked as he chuckled.

"Unfortunately, yes." Edward grumbled in response as he raised let his hand through his hair in annoyance and continued, "I swear.. that thing is like a child... with it's tantrums."

Lupin chuckled again, "Well gives us a more than enough reason to try an coax him into liking you."

"Ha, here we are.. Home sweet home, at last." Lupin announced.

Edward blinked in surprise and then as he looked, he realized why the trees had been to thin, it had created a large meadow in middle of the enchanted forest. As Edward let his eyes sweep over the area; he saw that over the edge of the meadow he that there was a wooden pin with two hippogriffs one larger than the other, one he had assumed was Ironwing, the other he recognized as Stormswift,beside the pin was a large round cottage,with a round window with wooden borders and the roof covered in green moss much like the rest forest of the floor. The door, was wood and old and was covered in splinters.

Edward stared at the area in awe, it wasn't something to expect in a dark forrest. But, even in the darkest of times there was all ways a light at the end of the dark tunnel.

OoO

"Why do you would live in this dark forest,anyway? It's filled with dark creatures..." Edward asked as after they settled down in the kitchen in the cottage.

Lupin just shrugged at his question as he brewed tea for the two, "I like here. Besides, it's nice to get away from us human sometimes.."

Edward nodded in agreement and mumbled,"That's true."

Edward heard Lupin sigh, "So, Professor, why did Dumbledore sent you?"

"He wanted you to take up the post for Defense at Hogwarts."

"I see.." Lupin said as he poured tea into a cup and handed into Edward,"What happened to the other one.."

Edward snorted in his cup of tea, "Gilderoy Lockhart, was quite simply an idiot... and he never did didn't qualify for that post anyway."

Lupin rolled his eyes and continued, "If Dumbledore suggested me, that I might as well take up the post then."

"Good." Edward smiled and said, "Dumbledore told me, to inform you, that there is meeting on the August 31, if you chose to accept the job offer."

"I see, I shall be there, then." Lupin replied.

Edward pulled out his state alchemist pocket watch,it was only noon.

"Thank you for the tea and hospitality; however, I have to head back to Hogwarts." Edward said as he began to sit up and leave.

"What made you quick enough to accept the job offer?" Edward asked curiously as they left the cottage, and headed towards the pin where Stormswift was.

Lupin replied,"Well, considering your... disheveled appearance after falling from the sky, I felt sympathetic enough to accept your job offer."

Edward chuckled," It was nice meeting you, Lupin." Lupin opened the gate that was near the gate and Stormswift, after heisting, walked towards to him as he did, Edward bowed to Stormswift, and in return Stormswift bowed back.

Lupin looked at him and mused, "I think he's just having it's tantrum to get use to test his new rider."

Edward blinked, "I didn't think of that.."

"Just a theory though... ask Hagrid about it when you get back to Hogwarts."

"Good idea, I will."Edward agreed as he eyed Stormswift. 'Perhaps that is something really I should look into...'

Edward sighed as he climbed on to Stormswift,"It was nice meeting you, Remus Lupin, I will see you later this summer then."

"Yes, I shall see you on August 31."

Edward nodded, "Let's go back home, Stormswift." At that Stormswift reared, and galloped a short distance and fly into the sky once more, happy to oblige his riders request.

Author notes: Thank you everyone that's reviewed, I appreciate it! Glad you all like Stormswift aka Ed's partner…the flying devil.

TBC