DISCLAIMER: I OWN NEITHER HARRY POTTER NOR FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST!
Chapter Thirty
The next morning, Ed woke up pretty early. He got out of bed and got dressed. As Ed headed toward the dorm door, Harry got out of bed.
"Where are you going?" Harry asked.
"Where do you think?" Ed replied. "I'm goin' to the hospital wing. Winry's gotta change my auto-mail out."
"Right," Harry remembered. "See you later, Ed."
Ed waved and left the dorm. He went down to the common room to see that no one was in there. Ed sighed and left Gryffindor tower and went on his way to the hospital wing. As he walked, Ed felt as if someone or something were following him. He clapped his hands, formed the top of his right arm into a blade, and swung around, facing the person who followed him. He saw that it was…
"You jackass!" Ed yelled. "What the hell are you following me for, Colonel?!"
"Calm down, Ed," Roy said. "I was just wondering where you were going."
"Not that it's any of your business," Ed answered, returning his arm to normal and walking again, "but I'm goin' to the hospital wing to get my auto-mail changed out."
"Why?" Roy asked, walking beside Ed. "You haven't grown any since I've been here."
Ed growled.
"SHUT UP!" Ed yelled. "I've grown a foot since I've been in this stupid school!"
"If you think this school is stupid, Mr. Elric, then why are you still here?" asked a simpering voice.
Ed and Roy turned. They had unknowingly passed Umbridge in the hall while walking to the hospital wing.
"That is none of your business, Professor," Roy answered.
"I disagree with that Professor Mustang," Umbridge said. "It is my business of what my pupils are doing."
"I don't think so, lady," Ed said. "I'm not gonna tell you anything."
Then Ed walked off.
"Don't bother threatening me or Edward, Professor," Roy threatened. "We have what we call 'Diplomatic Immunity'. If you don't know what that is, get a dictionary. If you'll excuse me, I have a class to get ready for before going to breakfast."
Then Roy left. Umbridge frowned. A few minutes later, Ed got to the hospital wing and went in. Winry was waiting for him by a bed with a screen by it. Winry was wearing her Hogwarts uniform sans the cloak.
"Are you going to go to classes after torturing me?" Ed asked, grinning.
"Ed, don't be so dirty minded," Winry scowled. "And of course, I have to go to classes. I have to keep up so I won't fall behind like someone else I know."
Winry smiled as Ed frowned. He put his hands on his hips and looked away.
"I can't help it if Chocolate's got it in for me, Winry," Ed muttered.
Winry made Ed get by the bed and take off his shirt, pants, shoes, and socks. Then Winry had Ed sit down on the bed. Winry took off Ed's arm and leg and set them down by the new limbs that were on the night table.
"Okay, Ed, I'm going to use magic to put them on you," Winry told Ed.
Ed shrugged. Winry flicked her wand at the new limbs and then at Ed. A moment later, Ed was grunting in pain as the limbs had connected themselves to the ports on his body. He lay down on the bed and Winry covered him with the sheet and blanket. Ed was fast asleep in seconds. Winry smiled softly at Ed and picked up the old auto-mail and then drew the curtain around the bed so Ed could have privacy while he slept. Madam Pomfrey came to her.
"Did everything go well, Miss Rockbell?" Pomfrey asked.
"Yeah, he's just sleeping," Winry answered. "He'll probably be asleep for half the day."
"Do you want me to take the used limbs?" Pomfrey asked.
"No, thank you," Winry replied. "I'll just send these back to Granny so she can break them apart and reuse them."
Then Winry bade Pomfrey a good day and then left the hospital wing. Winry went back to Gryffindor tower, into the common room, and up to the sixth year girls' dormitory where she wrapped up the auto-mail limbs. Winry then put her cloak on and got the package and went to the Owlery after leaving the Gryffindor common room. Winry had then sent Sara with the auto-mail to Pinako. After doing so, Winry went down to the Great Hall and sat down by Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Al. Harry and Ron were trying to ignore Hermione's insistent whispering. Al was successfully tuning Hermione out as he was staring down into his oatmeal while his chin was propped up on his left hand and was stirring his oatmeal absentmindedly with his right hand.
"Hermione, why are you harpin' on Harry for?" Winry asked, getting herself some toast and sausage.
"I see that you're wearing proper clothes this morning," Hermione commented, looking at Winry.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Winry asked.
"Nothing," Hermione denied loftily.
Winry sighed and poured herself some coffee.
"You didn't answer my first question," Winry reminded.
"Harry has this stupid idea of wanting to use Umbridge's fire to contact Snuffles," Hermione answered.
"How will he be able to do that?" Winry asked.
"Fred and George are going to create a diversion," Ron answered.
"Hermione is trying to get me to drop it," Harry said. "But Fred and George have already-"
"If they want to get into trouble, then let them," Hermione interrupted. "It doesn't mean you have to, Harry."
"What do Ed and Al think of it?" Winry asked.
"They think it's my choice," Harry answered. "And it is my decision, don't you think, Winry?"
"Of course, it's your decision, Harry," Winry agreed. "Hermione, you've got to stop trying to shelter everybody. People have got to do things for themselves."
Hermione pursed her lips at Winry's comment.
"She's got a point, you know," Ron pointed out.
Hermione shot a glare at Ron. Then she looked at Al. Winry looked at Al as well. Al looked as though he were deep in thought. Hermione blushed lightly as she thought Al looked cute with his nose scrunched up and his mouth in a small pout. Hermione mentally shook herself. What was getting into her? Al was now with Cho. At least he was just before Easter Break began.
"Are you all right, Alphonse?" Winry asked.
Al blinked and looked up at Winry.
"Hm?" Al asked, putting his left hand down and stopping the absentminded stirring.
"I asked if you were all right," Winry said.
"Oh," Al said, blushing in embarrassment. "I'm sorry. I was just thinking about something, that's all."
"That's all right, Al," Winry reassured. "Everybody has a right to think."
Al nodded.
"Did you change Brother's auto-mail yet, Winry?" Al asked.
"Yeah, he's sleeping right now," Winry answered. "He went right out."
"Well, Brother has been studying a lot for the O.W.L. exams," Al reasoned. "And Brother hasn't had to study like that ever since the written exams for the National Certification."
"National Certification?" Ron asked.
"Yes, you have to take a test to be a State Alchemist for Amestris," Al explained. "But first, you have to interview with the Fuhrer and then it's the written test, the physical, and then you have to do a skill test. But Brother skipped the skill test since he pointed a spear at the Fuhrer's throat. He should have…"
A dark expression came over Al's face. Al then cleared his throat and grinned.
"Anyway, it's a long process," Al continued as if he hadn't had a dark look on his face. "I think Colonel Mustang will explain it to everyone sooner or later."
"I'd rather it be sooner than later," Ron said.
"Alphonse, are you all right?" Hermione asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Al grinned. "Nothing is wrong."
Hermione didn't say anything.
"Harry, can I talk to you later?" Al asked, looking at Harry.
"If it's about Cho -" Harry started.
"It's not about Cho," Al interrupted.
"Er, sure," Harry answered. "What do you -?"
But before Harry could answer, Al left to go to Professor Binn's class. In History of Magic, Al was able to tune out Hermione's whispering to Harry about using Umbridge's office fire and write notes for him and Ed. When the class ended, Al immediately went to Professor McGonagall's office and sat down in front of her desk.
"Am I late?" Al asked politely.
"Not at all, Mr. Elric," McGonagall answered. "I would tell you to sit, but you already have."
Al blushed in embarrassment. He stopped blushing as soon as he had heard someone sniffing behind him. Al looked to see that it was Professor Umbridge sitting in a corner with a clipboard on her knee, a funny little pie-frill around her neck. McGonagall shuffled the many pamphlets littering her desk.
"Well, Mr. Elric," McGonagall said, causing Al to look at her, "this meeting is to talk over any career ideas you might have, and to help you decide which subjects you should continue into sixth and seventh years. Have you had any thoughts about what you would like to do after you graduate Hogwarts?"
Al was finding the scratching noise from behind him very distracting.
"Well?" McGonagall prompted.
"I haven't really thought about it," Al replied.
"Well, you must have found something that interests you," McGonagall urged.
"Well, I'm not really for sure," Al said. "Winry wants to be a Healer specializing in Auto-mail prosthetics, and Brother was considering being a curse-breaker for Gringotts."
"But what about you?" McGonagall asked.
"I don't know," Al answered.
"Do you have a favorite subject?" McGonagall asked.
"I like Alchemy," Al replied. "I would like to be a State Alchemist, but Brother probably wouldn't let me be one. So I might consider being an Auror."
"All right, now we are getting somewhere," McGonagall said, extracting a small, dark leaflet from under the mass on her desk and opening it. "You will need top grades for that. They ask for a minimum of five N.E.W.T.s, and nothing under 'Exceeds Expectations' grade, I see. Then you would be required to undergo a stringent series of character and aptitude tests at the Auror office. It's a difficult career path, Elric; they only take the best. In fact, I don't think anybody has been taken on in the last three years."
At this moment, Professor Umbridge gave a very tiny cough, as though she was trying to see how quietly she could do it. McGonagall ignored her.
"You'll want to know which subjects you ought to take, I suppose?" McGonagall went on, talking a little more loudly than before.
"Yes," Al answered. "Defense Against the Dark Arts, right?"
"Naturally," McGonagall answered crisply.
Umbridge gave another cough, a little more audible this time. McGonagall closed her eyes for a moment, opened them again, and continued as though nothing had happened.
"I would also advise Transfiguration, because Aurors frequently need to Transfigure or Untransfigure in their work," McGonagall went on. "And you are doing very excellently in my class, Alphonse, averaging 'Outstanding' at the moment. Then you ought to do Charms, always useful, and Potions. Poisons and antidotes are essential study for Aurors. And you are also doing well in Potions, averaging an Outstanding. Of course, your Alchemy will be a big help as well -"
Professor Umbridge gave her most pronounced cough yet.
"May I offer you a cough drop, Dolores?" McGonagall snapped, not looking at Umbridge.
"Oh no, thank you very much," Umbridge simpered. "I just wondered whether I could make the teeniest interruption, Minerva?"
"I daresay you'll find you can," McGonagall said through clenched teeth.
"I was just wondering whether Mr. Elric has quite the temperament for an Auror?" said Umbridge sweetly.
"Were you?" McGonagall retorted. "Well, Elric, even though you haven't been with us for your first four years, your testing in the Defense subject - are you quite sure you wouldn't like a cough drop, Dolores?!"
"Oh, no need, thank you, Minerva," Umbridge simpered, who had just coughed her loudest yet. "I was just concerned that you might not have Alphonse's most recent Defense Against the Dark Arts marks in front of you. I'm quite sure I slipped in a note…"
"What, this thing?" McGonagall asked with repulsion, pulling out a sheet of pink parchment from between the leaves of Al's folder.
She glanced down it, her eyebrows slightly raised, then placed it back into the folder without comments.
"Yes, as I was saying, Elric," McGonagall went on, "your Defense marks in the testing were remarkable. Professor -"
"Did you not understand my note, Minerva?" Umbridge asked.
"Of course I understood it," McGonagall replied.
"Well, then, I am confused," Umbridge stated. "I'm afraid I don't quite understand how you can give Mr. Elric false hope that -"
"False hope?" McGonagall asked, still refusing to look at Umbridge. "He has achieved high marks on his entrance exam to Hogwarts."
"I'm terribly sorry, but it seems that is the only good score he has achieved, Minerva, as you have seen from my note," Umbridge said. "Alphonse has been very poor in his classes with me. He sometimes falls asleep in my class, and his brother does not wake him until after class has ended."
"How can the boy help it if the only thing that's done in the class is reading a book?" said McGonagall.
"Excuse me, but I've already read the book before classes started," Al spoke up. "I know I should have waited, but I like reading."
"See there, Dolores?" McGonagall pointed out.
"What kind of character and aptitude tests do the Ministry give?" Al asked, hoping to stop an oncoming argument.
McGonagall looked at Al.
"You'll need to demonstrate the ability to react well to pressure and so forth," McGonagall answered, ignoring Umbridge, "perseverance and dedication, because Auror training takes a further three years, not to mention very high skills in practical defense. It will mean a lot more study even after you've left school, so unless you're prepared to -"
"I think you'll also find," Umbridge interrupted, "that the Ministry looks into the records of those applying to be Aurors. Their criminal records."
" - unless you're prepared to take even more exams after Hogwarts, you should really look at another profession," McGonagall continued as though she weren't interrupted.
"I don't mind exams," Al said. "And do they really look into the criminal records?"
"Yes, but you'll have nothing to worry about, Elric," McGonagall assured.
"But I got into trouble at school in Resembool and got detention a couple of times," Al admitted.
"What did you do to get detention?" McGonagall asked.
"I let the class pets out of their cages because I thought they looked sad being in their cages," Al answered.
McGonagall let loose a small smile.
"Don't worry, Elric, that won't count against you," McGonagall reassured. "Why don't you go to class?"
"Can I go visit my brother instead?" Al asked.
Before McGonagall could answer, her office door opened.