Hey, all! Sorry for the late update, but this one is significantly longer than what I normally write! I hope you all enjoy. And please review, I love reading your comments!
Lisad80: Haha yes, how would Ed survive without Fred and George!
Gguma030: Yes! And here's another one for ya!
iabsolutelylovekong: Here ya are! I hope you love it as much as you love my other chapters!
Ghostrapper1: Well, here's another one for you to read through; I hope you enjoy it as much as my other chapters. I'm so so so glad you think it's well paced, that's something I've struggled with as a writer, so it means the world to know someone thinks I'm doing pretty well with it. I'm glad you like the dialogue as well! I LOVE writing Ed, he's probably my favorite to write.
jamiehernandez8888: I'm glad you're enjoying it, and I hope you like this new chapter!
Guest: Thank you for your review, and I'm glad you find it interesting! I hope you enjoy this chapter, and I hope to hear more from you soon!
I rested my chin in my right hand as I looked down at the papers in front of me, one being Winry's most recent letter, and the other being my own letter that was going to be sent back to her as soon as I could get my brain on track. I was trying to address everything in the letter Winry had sent me, but all I could think about was facing Winry when she finally got to Hogwarts. I hadn't seen the girl since my makeshift proposal right before I left, and though we had been sending letters back and forth, her arrival was no doubt going to be awkward. I had proposed for the girl for Truth's sake, and we hadn't even acknowledged the unspoken thing going on between us. It was a strupid move, but not one that I regretted.
From reading Winry's letter, it sounded like we were both on the same page about Alphonse traveling through the Truth; neither of us thought it was safe. Apparently, when Winry had brought the topic up to Al, it had sent him into a panic attack so terrible that he had been sick, his still frail body unable to handle the mental stress. Winry had assured me that Al was now fine, but I couldn't help but worry about my little brother, the person that had made life worth living since That day. I knew he was strong, but what kind of brother would I be if I didn't worry. That boy was my reason for living.
Winry agreed to come out to Hogwarts as long as I promised I thought it was safe, which I did. I hadn't known Albus for very long, but there was something about the man that told me I could trust him. I had only had that feeling a few times in my life, so I knew to trust my gut on this one. I had already discussed the decision with the headmaster, and he agreed to retrieve Winry when the Yule Ball got closer. That was another thing I had to add to the letter, to be ready for an old man in robes to show up randomly.
Winry had also agreed to find something suitable for me to wear to the ball as well as find something for herself. I told her to buy whatever she wanted, and I would cover the expenses. I owed the girl for every stressful and scary situation I had put her through. She deserved so much more than that though, and I only hoped I could use the rest of my life to make it up to her.
I nearly jumped out of my seat when the great bell of the castle rang, signaling the end of lunch and the five minute bell to get to your next class. I sighed and pushed the unfinished letter to the side and got up from my seat. I had pushed off getting the classroom set up for too long, and I still had boxes of chalk, blocks of wood, and paper to set out.
Today was the first day the remaining alchemy students would be trying their first transmutations. We had two successful transmutations in my first class of the day, one being from Miss Lovegood and the other from a very shy Hufflepuff student. Though both transmutations had been a little wonky, I could recognize the shape of the little birds I had asked them to make. Both students had been overjoyed, and I could tell it only caused the other students in the classroom to work even harder than before. Though there were no other successful transmutations that class period, I was impressed. When we first started, I didn't think I would be seeing any successful transmutations before winter break.
From my trip down to the Great Hall for lunch after my planning period, the news of what we would be doing in class this week spread like wildfire. I could hear students chattering about what they wanted to transmute in class, and I couldn't help but chuckle at their aspirations. It was good to have goals, but I didn't want them biting off more than they could chew. Alchemy could be dangerous, and you had to start small. Hell, my first transmutation had been that little wooden bird out of the floor of Hohenheim's study. Now, I could transmute objects larger than buildings. Practice certainly made progress.
My group of sixth years from Gryffindor and Slytherin started to trickle into the classroom just as I was finished distributing the materials they would need for the day's lesson. Of course, they were all busy chatting about the class and their first attempts at transmutations. Even when the bell rang for classes to start, the students were still chatting excitedly. I shook my head with a smile as I took a seat on the edge of my desk as I often did. At least they were excited.
"Alright!" I called with a few claps of my hands, trying to get the rowdy class to settle down. "Now, as I'm sure you have heard, you will be attempting your first transmutations today." I paused, knowing the class would erupt into conversation once more. Just as I predicted, they did just that. Fortunately, they were more inclined to quiet down this time and did very quickly when they heard me clear my throat in an attempt to gain their attention. "I want you all to remember right now, this is only your first attempt.
"Although we've been drawing transmutation circles for weeks, I don't want to see anyone attempt a transmutation without my 'okay.' Can anyone tell me what may happen if you don't have every single alchemical symbol drawn perfectly?" I asked the class, looking around expectantly. Both Fred and George immediately raised their hands in excitement. I waved for them to continue.
"If the transmutation circles are not drawn perfectly, a rebound may occur," they said in perfect unison.
"Exactly," I said with a nod. "And as I've said a hundred times before, rebounds are dangerous. They have the potential to harm and even kill. So, as I said, let me come look at it before you start." I looked at the class with narrowed eyes, making sure they were all paying attention and taking this conversation seriously. They all stared at me with wide eyes, and I knew I had gotten my point across.
"Now, please take a look at the wood we will be using. It is oak. I want some help listing the elements that make up the wood; we'll do this part together to ensure everyone has the exact list of elements." For the next few minutes, the students provided the list of elements before I turned them loose to start on their circles.
As the class period continued, I wandered around the room as the students worked on their transmutations. At least half the class had to restart on their circles which clearly aggravated them, but at least they understood the importance of getting it exactly right.. There had already been a few attempts, but each one ended up failing. Though the disappointment was evident in their expressions, I had yet to have anyone outright give up. I was very happy to see them all working so hard.
"Professor Elric!" I heard twin voices called, and I turned to see the Weasley twins waving me over to them. "We think we're ready!"
"Well, let's take a look here then," I said as I approached the boys. Taking a look at their circles, I found them both to be in perfect condition. "Very well done, you two. You may continue, but one at a time," I instructed. They agreed the twin of the left would start first. He placed the block of wood in the middle of his circle, placed his hands to the circle, and concentrated. Blue light illuminated his face as the lightning crackled with alchemic power. When the blue light dissipated, a little wooden bird was sitting on top of the paper.
"Great job!" I said looking down at the little bird that used to be a block of wood. "Really, that was excellent," I said. I then turned to the other twin. "You ready to give it a shot?" I asked, and the other red head nodded enthusiastically as he focused on the materials in front of him. Just like his brother, when the blue electricity created by the transmutation dissipated, another little wooden bird sat where the block of wood had resided. Although the birds were a little misshapen, the Weasley twins had successfully performed their very first transmutation.
"Good!" I cheered with a clap of my hands. "Excellent, both of you," I congratulated. The two boys looked at each other with the biggest smiles I had ever seen from the two of them. When I had sat down with Minevera after class one day when she had come to see how I was faring, she was surprised when I told her of the twins' incredible work ethic. At first, she hadn't been able to believe what she was hearing until I showed her the nearly perfect papers, tests, and worksheets the two boys had produced. "Have mercy on their mother," was all she said before leaving the room, leaving me in a gale of laughter.
Throughout the remainder of the class period, no other student from either house had been successful in their transmutations. Nearly everyone had given me perfect transmutation circles, yet they had failed to carry out the actual transmutation. They were all on the right path, but there was a little mental work to still be done. There was something faltering in their concentrations or their mental calculations. We could work on that another class period. For now, I was just happy that four students had actually been successful.
Even in the wake of the many failed transmutations, every student was chattering excitedly as they left the room, many of them flocking around Fred and George. I smiled and shook my head as the twins headed out the door to their next class, both retelling the great feat that was their first transmutation. Rolling my eyes, I set about getting my classroom ready for the next class, my class of Gryffindor and Slytherin fourth years.
I was in the middle of giving this class the same lecture about not attempting their transmutations without my permission when whispers from the back of the class gained my attention. My eyes narrowed when I found the source of the noise. Draco was in the back with Crabe and Goyle whispering and laughing about something.
"Mr. Malfoy!" I shouted, nearly scaring the boy out of his chair. "Can you please tell me why I need to check over your transmutation circles before you attempt any transmutations?" I asked, a stern glare trained on the bleach blonde.
"Is it because you think we're incompent, Professor?" the boy practically snarled as he crossed his arms over his chest. "You know, I asked my father about you, and he's never heard of you, and he works for the ministry," the boy jeered, and I could feel my eye start to twitch. "If you were anything to talk about, my father would know about it."
"Well, Mr. Malfoy, believe me when I tell you I don't give a damn about your father and what he knows. I don't care if he's a pompous ministry official or the damn Fuhrer; they have to earn my respect. And if you take after your father at all, I'm not going to be impressed," I snapped. The boy looked like he wanted to say something more but chose not to. The entirety of the Gryffindor third years were trying to contain their laughter.
"Now, someone please remind Mr. Malfoy why I need to check your transmutation circles," I called, and Hermione's hand immediately shot up. "Miss Granger, please enlighten us," I said with a nod.
"You need to check our transmutation circles to make sure every alchemical symbol is correct so we don't create a rebound as they can be very dangerous," the brunette helpfully supplied.
"Thank you, Miss Granger. Five points to Gryffindor," I said with a small dip of my head. "Ah, yes, Mr. Longbottom?" I asked the shy boy who had his hand raised bashfully. Truth, he reminded me so much of Al.
"H-have you ever seen a rebound, sir?" Neville asked shyly. I took a deep breath and nodded.
"Yes, I have. I have actually experienced a rebound, as did my little brother; we're lucky to be alive. My teacher also experienced a rebound that nearly killed her and so did my..." I trailed off, not sure how to refer to Mustang. "A friend also had a rebound occur, and he lost his sight." I mentally shook myself. "So, please tell me when you're ready so I can check your circles. Now, let's get started."
The room was quiet as the students worked diligently on their transmutation circles, only speaking when asking a classmate a question or when they were ready for me to check their circle. Unsurprisingly, Hermione was the first one with a perfect circle.
"Alright, Miss Granger. Everything looks perfect. Go ahead and give it your best shot," I encouraged. Seeing as thi was going to be the first transmutation attempted in this particular class, everyone was gathering around, waiting to see if their perfect classmate would succeed. The brunette placed her hands on the edge of the circle and took a deep breath before blue light started to crackle. When the blue energy disappeared, signaling the end of the transmutation, the block of oak wood had indeed changed, just not in the way I had asked. Instead of a little bird, the wood was simply a little misshapen, some sides curved in, others jutting outward.
"That's a good start, Miss Granger," I said honestly. "Everything was set up correctly, but something faltered in the follow through. That's very common in beginners. We'll work on the mental blocks alchemists may experience next week. For now, it's a good start," I said. The girl looked a little disappointed, but the look in her eyes was one of determination. I would be surprised if she didn't get it nearly perfect the next time.
The class was quick to go back to their own transmutations, and a calm murmur fell over the class once more. As I walked around the class, surveying everyone's work silently, I wandered over to Nevilie to see how he was making out. I was surprised he hadn't had anything to give me yet. The boy was staring down at his paper in intense concentration, and from a quick once over, everything looked perfect.
"Everything alright over here?" I asked quietly. The young boy startled before looking up at me.
"Oh! Professor Elric! I'm sorry, I was so focused on my circle I didn't see you come over," he admitted, a blush on his cheeks.
"Quite alright, Nevilie. I'm glad you're concentrating on this the way you are," I told him truthfully. "How do you feel about your circle?" I prompted.
"W-well, I'm pretty sure I did everything correctly, b-but I'm not one hundred percent sure," he admitted.
"Well, let's take a look then," I said, and pretended to study the circle, as if I didn't already know it was perfect. After a few moments, I spoke. "Everything looks great, Nevilie," I said. "It looks absolutely perfect." The boy looked up at me with wide eyes.
"R-really?" he asked in disbelief.
"Yeah," I assured him with a nod. "Go ahead and give it a shot when you're ready. Just take a deep breath and focus," I encouraged. A few students, including Harry, Ron, and Hermione, were looking on in curiosity. The boy nodded and took a deep breath before settling his hands at the edge of the transmutation circle. Blue light sparked and crackled, seemingly deafening in the silent classroom. When the light was gone, a perfect wooden bird sat in the middle of the transmutation circle. Nevilie removed his shaking hands from the paper as he looked at the bird, his eyes wide and mouth hanging open in disbelief.
"Amazing work, Mr. Longbottom!" I said. "That's the best one I've seen all day," I told the boy who was still looking at the little wooden bird in disbelief.
"Congratulations, Nevile!" Harry cheered, clapping his friend on the back. The dark haired boy then started clapping for his blushing friend, and soon, the whole class was clapping too. A scoff from the back of the room broke the happy atmosphere. Malfoy was sitting in the back of the room with his arms crossed over his chest, his nose stuck up in the air.
"If that miserable screw up can transmute, then this should be no problem," he said, unfolding his arms.
"Draco, don't!" I shouted, reaching out for the boy, but it was too late, he had already put his hands to the transmutation circle. Immediately, blue electricity sparked and cracked before a resounding explosion rocked the classroom. Thankfully, I had experienced my fair share of things blowing up in my face, and I was at the platinum blonde's side in an instant.
The boy was on his back, having been knocked out of his chair from the force of the explosion. Deep crimson was already starting to stain his white dress shirt. I grabbed the ends of his robes and pressed them to the jagged cut across his torso. When the blood quickly saturated that material, I ripped off my white dress shirt and pressed it to the wound, hoping to staunch the blood flow. I knew my scars, the one on my shoulder, the one on my stomach that had a matching exit wound on my back, and every other red mark, were on full display, but I didn't have any other choice. I would have rather used anything else to help stop the blood flow, but I had left my red trench coat on the back of my desk chair.
"Someone get Madame Pomfrey!" I bellowed. The room behind me was in chaos, but I could only focus on the moaning boy laying before me. His eyelids were fluttering, and his hands were clenching and unclenching. Taking one bloody hand from his wound, I shoved my fingers to the junktion of his neck, feeling for his pulse. It was rapid and a little uneven, but it was strong.
"Draco," I called out to the boy. "Draco, can you hear me?" I asked. The boy groaned, but his eyes fluttered open. "Draco, can you hear me?" I repeated, pressing on the wound harder. There was a squelch as his warm blood pulsed through my fingers, and the boy cried out. "Draco!" I all but shouted, but it seemed to get the boy's attention. "Draco, I need you to focus on me until Madame Pomfrey can take you to the hospital wing, do you think you can do that for me?" I asked. Albeit a little shakily, the boy nodded. Despite how range inducing and stubborn the boy could be, I could see the fear in his eyes.
"I need you to take a few deep breaths and talk to me," I encouraged. I then turned to the class behind me. Some students were crying, some were gone from the classroom, and others were just staring in shock. "Someone get me my trench coat, and then everyone one needs to get out of this damn classroom!" I ordered, tossing my head in the direction of the red cloth. I could transmute another one later. Soon, Nevilie was handing me my coat, and I was quick to shove it into the wound.
"W-will he be okay, professor?" the boy asked shakily.
"Yes, Nevilie, now, I need you to go with the rest of the class and go outside," I said, looking up at the boy. "I can handle him from here," I promised. The shy boy nodded before quickly leaving the room.
"Draco, do you remember what happened?" I asked, trying to keep the injured boy talking. He nodded, still taking deep breaths. "Alright, tell me what happened while we wait for Madame Pomfrey," I encouraged. He nodded and started to speak. Thankfully, he was able to recount what had happened during class, all the way up to the point of his failed transmutation. I whispered encouraging words to the young boy, knowing how terrified he must be. I knew what he was going through, and I knew just how scary this situation could be.
Thankfully, Poppy, Minerva, Alastor, and Dumbledore were soon bursting into the classroom to handle the situation. Draco was taken from me as I knelt on the floor, the blood on the young boy staining my hands and vision.