A/N: I PASSED! I PASSEEEEEEDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!

(Okay. Seriously. I wasn't expecting that. I passed the first rounds and the second rounds for the first time! I'm in the Allstate band! Ha!)

There was a Portal reference in the last chapter. And finally! This next chapter is written! A whole week late, but finally written! Hopefully the amount of content will make up for it :)

Anyway, I want to make a request for all of you: review honestly. If there's something you don't like about this story, or if it has weird spots, unclear spots, icky wordings, or something like that, just tell me. It really makes me super duper happy when I get a review saying you like/love my story (and I often reread it over and over with a goofy smile on my face and then run around showing it to all my dad at how nice people are on here), but I also want some constructive criticism. I know I'm more liable to giving it on stories if the author asks for it or has something on there profile about this, so I'm just mentioning it. But feel free to flatter me and my story if you want to! I love that too! (Tries to not sound like an attention-seeking idiot)

Oh, and I only reply to reviews in the actual document if they're guest reviews, since it just takes up space where there should be story. But now I've already taken so much space already, so... on with the story!

reply to Guest: (Initial Reaction: *Froze* Wait... there was something in the prologue that was related to the last chapter?) Then I realized you were the same "Guest" and you meant about the Shamballa incident and what I had typed up in the author's note. XD Yeah, I understand it's sometimes hard to keep track of what happens in what story.

reply to Moon: Thanks! :)

Required by Law
Phase 8.

Light filtered through the blinds, harsh and unforgiving to his eyes. Al blinked at it, then yawned, stretching as he got up from bed.

What time was it? It was definitely later than when he usually woke up, to get ready for school –

He blinked again.

Then his eyes widened as he realized.

School. Yesterday had been Monday, and he hadn't gone.

It had been so simple to forget in the midst of discovering a new world of magic. So easy for it to just slip past his mind, to instead wonder about the strangeness of magic when he should've realized he was supposed to be in school. It wasn't that he was worried about missing the material itself – he already knew most of it – but instead that attending was a requirement by law. Skipping only brought unnecessary attention.

He rushed downstairs.

"Ed! I just realized –" but stopped, peering over the staircase rail only to find Ed sitting at the dinner table with someone else. Someone he didn't recognize.

"Who are you?" His already panicked state didn't leave much room for politeness, something that the stranger noticed if her raised eyebrows were any indication.

"I'm Mafalda Hopkirk. I sent a letter here the other day?" Al nodded; he remembered her name scribbled neatly beneath the signature. But why had she come here? The letter hadn't said anything about –

"If any more unregistered magic is detected in this muggle residence, the Ministry of Magic will be forced to take action," he recalled, the words suddenly flashing through his mind, and groaned.

"Brother," he scowled at the offender, "You didn't try magic without me, did you?" His sheepish look was answer enough. Al sighed and made his way to the table.

"Are we in any trouble, Mrs. Hopkirk?" She looked mildly surprised, as if she hadn't expected him to be so polite, but quickly covered it with a smile.

"No, of course not. I was just explaining to Edward here," she gestured toward Brother, "about the Statue of Secrecy. You see, one of the most important rules we have is that under no circumstances, unless explicitly approved by the Ministry, is any wizard to reveal magic to a muggle. When I saw an unauthorized use of magic in a muggle home –" her cheeks were now tinged slightly red, as if embarrassed. "Well, I jumped to conclusions. So really, you two aren't in any trouble trouble at all. And to think! You were never contacted by the magical community at all?"

"No," Ed said with a polite smile, shaking his head. "Is that so unusual?" But Al could see the well-disguised tension in Ed's body; he was worried about something, and this woman was the cause.

"Oh, yes!" she exclaimed excitedly. "Usually, we're able to detect magical children at birth, or if they suddenly enter the Ministry's province. I suppose... How old are you two boys?"

"Why do you want to know?" Ed asked guardedly. There was something there – something only Al could see – a slight downturn of the edges of his lips, the tension in his brother's body increasing by the slightest bit. Somehow, the woman's innocuous question had hit a nerve, and Al didn't know why.

She, however, noticed none of this.

"Oh, I was only wondering. You see, if you're over seventeen, it would make sense why we never could detect you. Although... I thought all countries had this system?" she mused. "Well, I suppose there's nothing we can do now except remedy this situation. We can't change the past, after all!" She laughed, but neither Ed nor Al joined in.

"Al's thirteen," Ed said after an uncomfortable pause, his face settling into a strangely conflicted look. Mrs. Hopkirk nodded, inviting him to continue. "And I'm fifteen." Al struggled to hide his surprise. It was entirely possible to pass off; even after all these years, Ed's height was below average, but the question was why. Why had Ed decided to hide his true age?

"Wonderful! I'll contact Hogwarts right away and tell them –"

"Hogwarts?" Al asked before she could jump to another topic. Olivander had mentioned it earlier as well, and he was getting curious.

"The best and only magic school in all of England. It's where everybody goes to learn."

At that moment, the Elric brothers shared the same horrified expressions.

It was bad enough that Al had to go to school in this world, but Ed? He wasn't sure "Hogwarts" would still be standing by the end of it. He supposed this was the price of Ed's lie, only the justful repayment for once again, not thinking things through.

"We, um..." He glanced at Ed. He had to do something, anything to stop this atrocity, this misunderstanding, but the words wouldn't come out right. "We don't need to go to school," he finished lamely. It was true; they already knew more than the average adult, but he doubted Mrs. Hopkirk would accept that response.

"Nonsense! Every magical child in Britain has gone to Hogwarts. It's bad enough that you've gone so long without a proper education; now is the time to make up for that!" She paused, and when she saw our speechless faces, gently asked, "maybe I should speak to your parents about this? It's possible that –" But her sentence was interrupted from the sharp clap of hands slamming into the table, one hard automail, the other soft flesh.

"Don't patronize us," Ed snarled. The polite mask was gone. "we know perfectly well what you're asking us to do, and we were planning on learning magic. We just don't need to go to a school."

Her expression was so stern, it would have been funny if Al wasn't so worried, so angry, so tense. "I think I need to see your parents."

"We don't have parents," Ed hissed.

Silence.

"Brother..." It was all he could think to say. All his feelings packed into one word. Reprimanding, for so easily losing his temper. Sympathetic, for he shared exactly the same sentiments. Yet also sadness, sorrow for the past that they could never regain. The parents who had died. The world that they were trapped away from, and all the friends they had left there.

And all that Ed understood. They were brothers; they'd been together almost all their entire lives, shared experiences. Al knew the impact this isngle word would have on his brother, wincing even as it reached his ears.

"Sorry, Al," he mumbled quietly. Then louder, to Mrs Hopkirk, "And excuse me for that." Adruptly, he stood – his face so impassive even Al could barely read the turbulent emotions beneath it – and walked out of the door to their own house.

Al ran after him. There was nothing in the house of too much value; he wasn't worried about Mrs. Hopkirk taking anything. But what was important, more important than anything else, was Brother.

He was leaned against the wall right next to the door, looking down, taking deep breaths. He offered a wry smile when he heard Al settle next to him.

"I really am an idiot, aren't I? She didn't even do anything, and I just –" He stopped.

"Blew up?" Al suggested after a pause. Ed nodded, and he tried his best to give a reassuring smile. "It happens."

"But that's exactly the problem!" His hands flew into the air, only to be lowered a moment later. "I'm sorry, Al, really. I didn't mean to –"

"I know." And then finally, there was a genuine smile on Ed's face.

"Thanks, Al." Al grinned.

"It's my job to drag you through the mud," he said teasingly, and Ed wrinkled his nose.

"You're quoting Mustang now? I thought you had better taste than that." And he laughed, a little more weakly than normal but he had laughed. Brother would be fine; he just needed Al to set his head on straight once in a while.

"Mrs. Hopkirk's probably waiting," Ed said finally, and Al smiled.

"I wonder if she's still there," he mused, earning a roll of the eyes.

"Come on, Al. She probably wouldn't leave if we wanted her to. Hogwarts this, Hogwarts that. We don't need to go to a school to learn about magic."

But to their surprise, the woman was gone by the time they reentered the house. Instead, a single piece of paper lay on the table, daring them to read it. And when they did, they groaned the same groan of despair.

She had gone ahead and registered them at Hogwarts.

"Well, it doesn't mean we have to go, right?" Ed said dubiously. "I mean, they can't make us." There was an uncomfortable pause as they realized yes, with magic they probably could force them to go. It wasn't like they knew the "Ministry of Magic's" laws.

"Why did you lie about your age anyway?" Al asked curiously. Ed sighed.

"It was stupid. Remember back in Ollivander's? He had mentioned it was odd for someone my age to get their first wand. I thought it would seem less strange if I was younger." His lips quirked upwards. "I guess I was wrong." Al chuckled.

"I bet you regret that." There was another long pause as his brother desperately searched for something to say, until his face suddenly went calm and he swtiched the topic.

"Why'd you come downstairs in such a hurry anyway? You said something about –"

"Oh!" Al's eyes widened in realization. "I forgot to go to school yesterday!"

But to his surprise, Ed only laughed.

"Don't worry, Al. I'm not as forgetful as you." He smirked at Al's annoyed expression. "I already called the school and told them you were sick."

"What about your work?"

"Same."

Al sighed.

⁂ ⁂ ⁂

It had only been a few hours when a wizard wearing a turban came for them, ringing the doorbell like any normal person.

"H-h-hello. I'm Q-Quirnus Quirrell. I saw you at th-the Leaky Cauldron?" Al blinked as he stared at the wizard through the open doorway.

"Are you okay?" he asked instead of answering.

"Er – yes." The man offered a weak smile, a shadow of the wry amusement he was evidently attempting. "I v-volunteered for this. I was c-curious."

Al stared at him.

"Would you like to come in?" he said finally. His questions could wait later; common courtesy should always come first, and this man was obviously in need of it.

"Th-thank you." The man shuffled in with a grateful smile, and Al held the door open for him. However, when Quirnus passed right by him, he was barely able to keep himself from wrinkling his nose in disgust.

What was that smell? It wasn't the sweat and grime he could've excused if the man had been exercising or simply forgotten to take a shower, but rather something more... mysterious. Sinister even. Like the foul stench of a decomposing corpse.

He hesitated, then followed Quirnus in.

"Brother, we have a guest," he called out, closing the door behind him. A voice soon replied, muffled by sleepiness and the comfy cushions of the armchair.

"Who is it?"

"Quirnus Quirrell. I think he's from the Ministry."

"Oh. Why's he –"

"Hogwarts," the man interrupted. "I-I'm from Hogwarts." The two brothers blinked at him.

"The school?" Ed asked, his voice more alert now, even bothering to stand up. "Why?"

"The, the Ministry wanted us t-to give you your a-acceptance letter." AN odd sort of smile, and then he pulled out two envelopes from his coat. "And this." Almost reluctant, Brother reached forward and grabbed them, quickly skimming through their contents. On the second one though, his eyes widened and his mouth hung open with shock it snapped shut angrily. Ed glared at Quirnus.

"You expect me to believe this?' he demanded. But the poor man's eyes widened in fear.

"I, I was only t-t-told to g-give it to you."

"Brother," Al cut in sharply. "Can I see it?" Wordlessly, Ed handed it over, and Al unfolded it carefully.

Dear Edward Elric, it read. I have discovered the circumstances around your living conditions. I am not sure how you were able to register as the owner of the residence at only age fifteen, but I assure you, the Ministry of Magic does not have the same low standards as the muggle world. For the majority of the year, you will be staying at Hogwarts, but for the holidays and summer break, I have arranged other residence where a responsible adult can take care of you. Please give this letter to Tom, the landlord of the Leaky Cauldron, at your soonest convenience. Details are included in the information below.

Best Wishes,
Mafalda Hopkirk

For a long time, Al could only stare blankly at the black ink infused into high-quality parchment, as if they were not words at all, but rather little pictures signaling doom and destruction. For a misunderstanding, this woman, Mafalda Hopkirk, was destroying the life the Elric brothers had worked so hard to build up for themselves.

"She did this?" His mouth felt oddly dry. "Without telling us?"

"T-the Ministry wanted a Hogwarts p-professor to give it and t-tell you about the Wizarding World." Al glanced up at him, but it was Ed who asked the question.

"Why?" The man shifted uncomfortably.

"I d-don't know. I just came because I was... c-curious."

"That's right," Al interjected. "You said that you saw us at the Leaky Cauldron, didn't you?" He nodded, and Al put on a smile. "Sorry, the news in that letter just put us on edge. You just came to give us them, right? Do you want some milk or something? Tea maybe?" The man hesitated.

"T-tea would be welcome."

"Sure." Before Al left to go to the kitchen, he turned and spoke to Brother teasingly, "And don't terrorize him, all right?" In other words, 'Don't shoot the messenger.'

"Yeah, yeah." But when Al turned his back and was safely far enough in the way, he could hear Ed asking almost too casually, "Hey, so can you tell your boss that we're not going to Hogwarts? Because we thought about it, but..." He continued, listing all these "persuasive" arguments against going to Hogwarts. Quirnus only made noncommittal noises that seemed to be of agreement, but could really mean anything.

And once again, Al sighed.