DISCLAIMER: I OWN NEITHER HARRY POTTER NOR FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST!
Chapter Two
A little while later, Ed, Al, and Winry heard the front door open and close.
"He's here," Al said.
"Yup," Ed said.
"Do you think we should go to Harry's and Ron's room?" Al asked.
"No, let's wait," Ed answered.
"Why?" Winry asked.
"So Harry can get his cry-babin' over with," Ed replied.
"Coming from the king of cool," Winry remarked.
"What's that supposed to mean?!" Ed demanded.
"Oh, nothing," Winry said loftily.
"Bitch," Ed said.
"Asshole!" Winry said.
Al sighed. A few moments later, they heard Harry screaming at the top of his lungs. Ed rolled his eyes and got up from the bed.
"Let's go join them," Ed said.
Then he, Al, and Winry went to Harry's and Ron's room.
"I thought I heard your voice, Harry," Ed remarked, coming into the room.
Winry shut the door behind them after they went in. Harry looked at Ed.
"You might have wanted to yell a bit louder for Amestris to hear you," Ed said, grinning.
"What are you doing here?" Harry snapped.
"Is that how you treat a dear friend?" Ed asked.
Harry didn't say anything.
"Are you all right, Harry?" Al asked.
"I'm just fine," Harry snapped.
"You don't have to take your anger out on Al," Winry snapped back. "He's just concerned, Harry James Potter. Besides, did you forget that Ed was tortured by Voldemort?"
Harry flushed. He had forgotten.
"Sorry," Harry apologized. "What is this place?"
"Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix," Al answered. "It's a secret society. Professor Dumbledore founded it. It's the people who fought Voldemort last time."
"Who's in it?" Harry asked.
"Quite a bit of people, but we've only met about twenty of 'em," Ed said. "They don't let us in on their meetings because - ."
"But you're in the military, Ed," Harry cut him off. "They should at least - what's so funny?"
Ed was laughing.
"Brother was put on probation by Fuhrer Bradley," Al said. "Fuhrer Bradley wants him to finish school first before going back to the military."
"Oh," Harry said, as Ed quit laughing.
"Besides, did you think that they'd still let me in?" Ed asked. "But we do know the general idea since Fred and George invented the Extendable Ears. They were great at getting the information, but we can't use them anymore."
"Why?" Harry asked.
"Mum found out about them and went berserk," Ron answered. "Fred and George had to hide them all to stop Mum from binning them. But we got a good bit of use out of them before Mum realized what was going on. We know some of the Order are following known Death Eaters, keeping tabs on them, you know - ."
" - some of them are working on recruiting more people to the Order," Hermione said.
"And some of them are guarding something," Al said.
"Couldn't have been me, could it?" Harry remarked.
Al glared at Harry.
"You don't have to be rude," Al said. "I know you've been kept in the dark, and that'll make anybody angry. But you shouldn't take it out on everybody you see."
Harry didn't know what to say to that, so he changed the subject.
"What have you been doing if you're not allowed to be in the meetings?" Harry asked.
"We've been cleaning this dump," Ed answered. "No one's been here for centuries."
Just then, Fred and George Apparated into the room, startling Hermione.
"Stop doing that!" Hermione scolded.
"Hello, Harry," George beamed at Harry. "We thought we heard your dulcet tones."
"You don't want to bottle up your anger like that, Harry, let it all out," Fred also beamed at Harry. "There might be people fifty miles away who couldn't hear you. Amestris might want to know too."
"You two passed your Apparition tests then?" Harry asked grumpily.
"With distinction," Fred answered, holding up a very long, flesh-colored string.
"You could have just used the stairs," Winry commented.
"Time is Galleons, Winry," Fred answered. "Anyway, Harry, you're interfering with reception. Extendable Ears," he added in response to Harry's raised eyebrows, holding up the string, which Harry now saw was trailing out onto the landing. "We're trying to hear what's going on downstairs."
"You want to be careful," Ron cautioned. "If Mum sees one of them again…"
"That's a major meeting they're having," Ed said. "It's worth it."
The door opened and a long mane of red hair appeared.
"Oh, hello, Harry!" Ginny said brightly. "I thought I heard your voice."
She turned to Fred and George.
"It's no go with the Extendable Ears, she's gone and put an Imperturbable Charm on the kitchen door," Ginny said.
"Aw man," Ed complained.
"How d'you know?" George asked, looking crestfallen.
"Tonks told me how to find out," Ginny replied. "You just chuck stuff at the door and if it can't make contact the door's been Imperturbed. I've been flicking Dungbombs at it from the top of the stairs and they just soar from away from it, so there's no way the Extendable Ears will be able to get under the gap."
"Shame," Fred sighed. "I really fancied finding out what old Snape's been up to."
"Snape?" Harry asked. "Is he here?"
"Yeah, Snake's here," Ed said.
George carefully shut the door and he, Fred, and Ginny sat on one of the beds.
"He's giving a report," George said. "Top secret."
"Git," Fred said idly.
"He's on our side now," Hermione reproved.
"So?" Ed asked. "That doesn't matter. He's still a jackass."
"Bill doesn't like him either," Ginny said, as though that settled the matter.
"I thought Bill was in Egypt," Harry said.
"He got a transfer here," Ed smirked. "He misses the tombs, but he has his compensations."
"What d'you mean?" Harry asked.
"Fleur Delacour got a job at that Goblin bank so she can get better at her English," Ed said, grinning.
"And Bill's been giving her private lessons," Fred sniggered.
"Charlie's in the Order too," George said, "but he's still in Romania. Dumbledore wants as many foreign wizards brought in as possible, so Charlie's trying to make contacts on his days off."
"Couldn't Percy do that?" Harry asked.
Everyone exchanged darkly significant looks.
"He could if he weren't being a jackass," Ed replied.
"What do you mean?" Harry asked.
"He means that you shouldn't mention Percy in front of Mr. and Mrs. Weasley," Al clarified.
"Why?" Harry asked again.
"Because Mr. Weasley breaks whatever he's holding, and Mrs. Weasley starts crying," Al explained.
"It's really sad," Winry commented.
"I think we're well shut of him," George said with an ugly look on his face.
"What happened?" Harry asked.
"Percy and Dad had a row," Fred replied. "I've never seen Dad row with anyone like that before. It's normally Mum who shouts…"
"It was the first week back after term ended," Ron continued. "We were about to come and join the Order here. Percy came home and told us he'd been promoted."
"You're kidding?" Harry said, surprised.
"Yeah, we were all surprised," George said, "because Percy got into a load of trouble about Crouch, there was an inquiry and everything. They said Percy ought to have realized Crouch was off his rocker and informed a superior. But you know Percy, Crouch left him in charge, he wasn't going to complain…"
"Why did they promote him for?" Harry asked.
"That's exactly what we wondered," Ron said. "He came home really pleased with himself - even more pleased than usual if you can imagine that - and told Dad he'd been offered a position in Fudge's own office."
Ed growled at Fudge's name.
"A really good one for someone only a year out of Hogwarts - Junior Assistant to the Minister," Ron continued, ignoring Ed's growl. "He expected Dad to be all impressed, I think."
"Only Dad wasn't," Fred said grimly.
"Why not?" Harry asked.
"Well, apparently, Fudge has been storming around the Ministry checking that nobody's having any contact with Dumbledore these days," George said.
"Dumbledore's name is mud with the Ministry these days, you see," Fred said. "They all think he's just making trouble saying You-Know-Who's back."
"Dad says Fudge has made it clear that anyone who's in league with Dumbledore can clear out their desks," George said.
Fred, George, and Ron continued to tell Harry about the row between Percy and Mr. Weasley, and then Ron said that Ed's and Harry's names got dragged into the row.
"Percy said the only evidence were your and Ed's word, and…I dunno…he didn't think it was good enough, especially…," Ron started.
"Especially what?" Harry asked.
"Ed has to repeat the fifth year," Ron said.
"WHAT?" Harry asked as Ed growled again. "Why?"
"Because I didn't take the O.W.L. exams," Ed said.
"But you were exempt!" Harry said.
"That bastard doesn't care," Ed fumed.
"Percy takes the Daily Prophet seriously," Hermione criticized.
"What are you talking about?" Harry asked.
"Haven't you been reading the Daily Prophet?" Ed asked.
"Yeah, I have!" Harry answered.
"Cover to cover?" Ed asked again.
"No," Harry said defensively. "If they were going to report about Voldemort it would be headline news, wouldn't it?"
"You'd need to read it cover to cover to pick it up," Ed said, ignoring the wincing around him. "We're mentioned a couple of times a week. I'm not talking about big articles, just small ones. We're slipped in like a standing joke. They're building on crazy lady's stuff."
"But she's not writing for them anymore, is she?" Harry asked.
"Oh no," Hermione said with satisfaction. "She's kept her promise - not that she has a choice. But she laid the foundation for what they're trying to do now."
"Which is what?" Harry asked impatiently.
Hermione explained about how the Daily Prophet was making Harry out to be a delusional person wanting attention and that Ed is just a delinquent wanting attention.
"And they didn't report a word about the dementors attacking you or Ed being held back," Hermione continued, and then adding as Ed growled, "Will you stop it? You're starting to sound like a dog!"
"I'm not a dog!" Ed shouted.
"Then stop growling!" Winry agreed with Hermione.
Before Ed could say anything more, footsteps could be heard coming up the stairs.
"Uh-oh," Fred said, giving the Extendable Ear a hearty tug.
There was a crack and he and George vanished. Seconds later, Mrs. Weasley appeared in the bedroom doorway.
"The meeting's over, you can come down and have dinner now," Mrs. Weasley said to everyone in the room, then looking at Harry. "Everyone's dying to see you, Harry. And who's left all those Dungbombs outside the kitchen door?"
"Crookshanks," Ginny lied. "He loves playing with them."
"Oh," Mrs. Weasley said. "I thought it might have been Kreacher, he keeps doing odd things like that. Now don't forget to keep your voices down in the hall. Ginny, your hands are filthy. What have you been doing? Go and wash them before dinner, please… And Edward, please behave and do not jump off the banister again."
Ginny grimaced at the others and followed her mother out of the room, leaving Harry alone with Ron, Hermione, Ed, Al, and Winry. Harry started to feel ashamed.
"Look," Harry started.
"Harry, don't worry about it," Ed said. "We all knew you'd be angry. And we all did want to tell you, but Bumblebore -."
"Dumbledore!" Hermione corrected.
"Whatever," Ed said. "We forgive you, so chill. And before you ask, Kreacher is the wacko house-elf whose life ambition is to have his head chopped off and become a disgusting decoration."
"Oh," Harry said.
"Kreacher is not a wacko, Edward," Hermione said angrily.
"He is and you know it," Ed said. "You need to give up on that vomit crap."
Ron laughed and Harry couldn't help but to grin as Winry rolled her eyes and Al looked clueless.
"It is not 'vomit'," Hermione said. "It's S.P.E.W.! The Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare!"
"Whatever," Ed brushed off.
"You jumped off the banister?" Harry asked.
"I was bored," Ed said.
They left the room and went to the landing, and Ron stopped them from going any farther since the hallway below was still packed with wizards and witches. Snape could also be seen.
"There's Snake," Ed said.
"Snape," Hermione corrected.
"Snake sounds perfect," Fred said, lowering an Extendable Ear toward the dark knot of people below and then hoisting it back up as the crowd moved out of sight. "Dammit."
They heard the front door open and close.
"Snape never eats here," Ron told Harry. "Thank God. C'mon."
"And don't forget to keep your voice down in the hall, Harry," Hermione whispered.
As they all passed the row of house-elf heads on the wall they saw Remus, Mrs. Weasley, and Tonks at the front door, magically sealing its many locks and bolts behind those who had just left.
"We're eating down in the kitchen," Mrs. Weasley whispered, meeting them at the bottom of the stairs and looking at Harry. "Harry, dear, if you'll just tiptoe across the hall, it's through this door here -"
CRASH!
"Tonks!" Mrs. Weasley cried exasperatedly, turning to look behind her.
"I'm sorry!" Tonks wailed, who was lying flat on the floor. "It's that stupid umbrella stand, that's the second time I've tripped over - ."
But the rest of her words were drowned out by a horrible, earsplitting, bloodcurdling screech. The moth-eaten velvet curtains had flown apart and revealed a painting of an old woman in a black cap screaming as though she was being tortured. The old woman was drooling, her eyes were rolling, the yellowing skin of her face stretched tight as she screamed, and all along the hall behind them, the other portraits began to scream, so that everyone clapped their hands over their ears.
"SHUT UP!" yelled a voice.
A flash of light later, the curtain was closed and silence followed.