Prisoner of Azkaban

Chapter One

It All Fell Apart

Hogwarts

Headmaster's Office

Everything had been perfectly planned, the child was to return to them, they would rally behind him with the child as a symbol of hope and they would defeat Tom and his followers once and for all. Then, the child had known more than he had assumed, was more loyal to the ones who stole him than assumed. The child was gone now, beyond his reach. Worse, the only hope he'd had for a backup plan was gone because Nick's son, the one he had counted on to be able to retrieve the child should those people be stubborn, Nick's son was the same person who was keeping the child from him.

At first, he had denied it. How could that man be Nick's son and still not understand what was important? How could he be the one Nick had told him to go to, the most powerful alchemist aside from Nick, and he had only been a child himself at the time? What had Nick been thinking?! He had denied it, until he truly looked at the man.

Edward Elric was clearly Nicolas' son now that he looked at them side by side. He had a photograph from a muggle newspaper of Amestris, with a close up of Elric on his desk sitting next to a portrait of Nick. They were not identical. Nick was older than Elric, and Elric was clean shaven while Nick wore a beard, but the similarities between them were still glaring up at him. He could not believe that he had missed this.

He took a large gulp from his flask as he shoved the pictures aside. It didn't matter now. What mattered was finding a new plan. They could not let the boy slip away completely. He tried to have them blocked at the gate, and then again at the border but Elric had managed to convince the Ministry that his country was not one they wished to fight. Hagrid had let them pass. Snape and McGonagall had disappeared into town an hour ago, he had no idea what they were plotting, but he was certain they were with the glares sent his way on their way out.

It had all fallen apart. Now he needed a way to put it back together. For today though, for today he was done. Tom had escaped. Elric had taken the boy out of his reach once again. His teachers were in disarray. Somehow, the students had been kept from what had happened, but he doubted it would remain so after they asked where two of their most famous first year classmate's and one of their teachers had gone.

Tomorrow he would undo whatever damage Severus has done with his conversation with Minerva; as well as the rumors sure to rise from Potter and Malfoy's disappearances. Today, he was going to bed.

Hogsmeade

The Three Broomsticks

Severus had been grateful that Edward had given him permission to tell Minerva everything he had learned since he arrived in Amestris. Without the vow in the way, Severus could tell her the entire story, or at least most of it. There were certain parts still bound by his vow to Dumbledore, but she would know nearly all of that anyway.

They had arrived at the pub and asked for a private room nearly an hour ago, and since then he had been talking non-stop. He had told her everything from helping Edward find the missing child when had been kidnapped, to healing Edward's burns from the automail. Then he told her about Dante and Hohenheim and their true connection to Dante's attack on the school, about what Edward had learned when he had first came to England and how he had decided in that moment to save the child from his fate. How Severus felt grateful to Edward for keeping the boy safe when the wizards had failed, and more so, grateful that he had raised the child to be a completely different person than he would have been otherwise.

"Had James raised the child; I have no doubt that Yuery would have been a conceited entitled brat." Severus said, ignoring the disappointed expression on Minerva's face at the statement. "Instead, he is a self-assured but polite studious child…though I will admit he does have his father's sharp tongue and quick wit when the situation requires it."

"I know you had your issues with James, however- "Minerva began.

"Do not defend him to me. I have made peace with it. I admit I was not always kind myself, but James and his friends were terrible to me in school, and I spent years since then attempting to ensure that history does not repeat itself in my classroom." Severus said.

"I will let the matter drop for now." Minerva said. "If what you are saying is true, if this is all that has been happening all these years… I cannot continue to stand behind Dumbledore when he intends to use children like this."

"So don't." Severus said with a shrug. "I left. There is nothing keeping you from doing the same. Though I do think the students need teachers who are looking out for their best interests, so I also see the appeal in staying. In the end, I left to protect the boys that needed me most."

"I did not take a vow myself; would you like me to, or did you want me to spread this story to the rest of the staff?" Minerva asked after a few moments. "I cannot tell them what Edward told me, about Albus' plans, however the rest of it would turn a few heads."

"I would love for the others to know the truth…however, the more who know the more likely it is the wrong people will learn too much." Severus said with a sigh.

"I can see the problem you have been facing all along." Minerva frowned, unsure of which path to take. "Dumbledore cannot continue to be allowed to scheme against them though. We cannot let that child return to this school. He's not a general and shouldn't be treated like one."

"Agreed. Though that will not be a problem. Edward will not allow Yuery to return to the school even if the child wanted to and I know Yuery was already intending to ask to transfer back to Xerxes before today's events." Severus frowned. "Edward never wanted to let him come in the first place. We needed a way to get Edward into the castle, and I admit I suggested this course of action."

"I think you may have skipped that part?" Minerva asked as she leaned back in her chair.

"I cannot tell you what we were looking for because it is outside the parameters of Edward's reworking of my vow. I can tell you that he knew the stone was here before we arrived, and that we both wanted to remove it from Dumbledore's care which was the final vote on allowing this year."

"Why though?" Minerva frowned.

"Did you understand what Edward was saying about what the stone truly is? The Stone contains souls. Specifically, it contains the souls of the people of Xerxes, who Edward's father came from. We carefully arranged it so that Yuery would always have someone from home in the castle watching over him." Severus frowned. "Aside from me, who also had other students who needed my attention. Though, there were a couple of gaps where I was the only one here it was unintended."

"You could not have foreseen today's issue Severus." Minerva patted his hand. "How were you to know in the short time you were gone from the school the children would sneak away and down into the maze of traps we created."

"I know the children well enough that I knew it was a possibility which is why I asked you to watch over them carefully. I do not blame you anymore than the rest of us though. Dumbledore, I blame the most. He allowed the barrier to fall, and You Know Who to get into the castle. He also arranged that he had to leave today, and drug me along with him."

"I do not think he intended for You Know Who to gain access to the Stone." Minerva defended.

"No, of course not. He did not want You Know Who to get the Stone. He wanted Yuery to get the Stone and gave the child hints on how to do it. Yuery would not have gone down there had he thought a grown-up was going after Him instead. "Severus said, raising a silencing hand to her annoyed expression. "I am not blaming you, you tried to deflect them, and they decided that meant you did not care. We both know children can be unpredictable and stubborn, and knowing his parents and grandparents this child is even more likely to be unpredictable and stubborn."

"He is always well mannered and polite in my classes and his work is always complete and on par." Minerva replied.

"We knew potions and transfiguration would be his best subjects. He's being raised by alchemists. His father used alchemy lessons to train him to control his magic as a toddler, and those lessons never stopped so he's miles ahead of most of his grade on those subjects." Severus said. "He did well in all of his tests though, I've seen his scores even if they aren't finalized yet."

Hogwarts Express

"I told Ron and Hermione and Neville they could write over the summer." Yuery said suddenly as he stared out of the window.

"That's fine. I do not want to cut you off of your friends Yu, but I cannot send you back there." Dad said with a sad smile. "You are my priority and that was far too close for me to even consider another year."

"I do not want to go back next year, even before today." Yuery said, finally looking at his father. "I was going to ask to transfer back. I hate being so far from home, I miss you all too much. Plus, I feel I would fall behind if my lessons are entirely magic during the school year even with the homework I was sent."

"They were sending you homework?" Draco asked. "I wasn't sent any additional homework."

"My ethics of leadership classes and alchemy classes sent me homework." Yuery said, "My languages classes and math classes did not which has me concerned."

"Al mentioned that to me, they didn't want to overwhelm you after seeing the syllabus for the magic classes you were in. The intent was to catch you up over summer break." Dad replied. "You can do so still easily, and Xerxes semester begins after Hogwarts so you will have a bit more time, since the year doesn't end for another three weeks."

"Oh good." Yuery and Draco both said together.

"I don't think I want to go back either, I plan to ask my mother to transfer me back to Xerxes as well. I believe I much prefer being a Black to being a Malfoy." Draco added. "Are you alright? I have no idea what happened down there, but I feel terrible for not following you."

"I told you not to, you waited and sent my dad and the others down like I needed you to, so you helped a lot." Yuery assured him. "I tried to talk Hermione and Ron into staying behind as well, they just didn't listen until Ron got hurt. Even then, Hermione tried to continue with me."

"Let's talk about it later boys." Dad said. "For now, we must mind the ears."

"Of course, Dad."

"Yes, sir."

"Now, once we get to London, I have arranged a quick retreat, we will be home today." Dad replied quietly. "I want you looked over Yuery, by our own healers and doctors before I can be satisfied, you're actually alright."

"Dad. Ron's rat." Yuery said, suddenly remembering that he wanted to warn people about it. "I am almost positive it is a person like Professor McGonagall. I don't think Ron knows."

"His rat?" Dad asked with a frown.

"Yes, Scabbers. He said it used to belong to his brother. It feels almost like a person, much like McGonagall when she's being a cat." Yuery said thoughtfully. "If I write and warn him, he might think I'm being crazy, or it might put him in danger."

"This rat has been in their home for years?" Dad frowned further. "I will write Severus; he can look into it."

"Can we stop for dinner before the next part? I didn't have lunch, and we both missed dinner with all the excitement." Draco asked.

"We will go to the Leaky Cauldron then." Dad said, "I wish you had mentioned it before we got on the train, I would have fed you before we left town."

"I think we all just wanted away from there." Yuery said with a shrug, glad to be heading home.