Harry Potter and the Eastern Sage

The Man in the Red Cloak

"There has been rumors that he's back,"

"Y-yes, a man in a red cloak has been seen going in and out of towns in London-"

"But is it him?"

"I believe so. News from the leaky cauldron says he is heading towards Hogsmede-"

"He's after the stone. He's after Flamel. Follow him Lucius, bring him to the Dark Lord. Don't fail like that snivelling idiot Quirrel."

"And the stone?"

"He isn't the type of man that would leave such a piece behind."

….

"He's back?"

"He has been spotted in the leaky cauldron. He apparently is headed this way Albus."

"Are you sure it was him?"

"Red cloak, metal arm, hair like the sun, it is him."

"I didn't expect he would have made an appearance so soon. Flamel said he would be coming for it once news got out but-

"He is after Flamels stone?"

"Correction,Severus, he is after his stone. Flamel gave the philosopher's stone to me to safe keep but it never was truly his. He has gotten angry over the years and now he has come to get it back."

"Should we move the stone, Albus? If he knows it's here-"

"You act like he's the devil. On the contrary, Severus, Nicholas is the one in the wrong here. He is just coming to claim what was taken from him."

"So we just wait till he arrives? I really don't think such a powerful man is going to come in peacefully."

"As i have heard, he has always had a thing for the dramatics. However we must await for him here for the safety of ourselves and the stone. For I fear there are some less hospital people who would like his acquaintance as well."

…

Edward peered out over the hills of the abandoned forests and saw the dim speckle of lights that could only come from the well known yet perfectly hidden wizarding school named Hogwarts. They danced across the waters of the surrounding lake, welcoming the new school year forward as the late summer months turned to fall. It has been ages since he had come into contact with the place yet it appeared to have never changed. But however nostalgic the castle could have been, he wasn't there for fun and games. It has been too long since Flamel left his side. He had been on that wizards trail ever since he stole the stone away from him but wizards were a tricky breed and always managed to slip through his fingers. Now, with hell's fire burning in his eyes, he was finally going to get it back.

"It's been too long."

"I know," he replied stiffly into the wind.

"Do you think they're still-"

"Yes."

"The stones been used for a couple hundred years, a few are bound to have-"

"He's still there," Edward snipped a bit harshly. "He has to be."

He started down the mountainside towards where the gleaming castle sat across the lakes shore. He had a lot of ground to cover but he knew that with every step he took he would be just that much closer to his destination. As he wound his way through the treeline he found it thinning as it gradually grew into a small village; Hogsmede.

It was small, only really good for its food and a short few repairs from a local seamstress. A normal human would have went through the town and taken up a carriage to travel the rest of the way to the school. In fact, Hogwarts made frequent trips by carriage into the town just for the older students delite. But the school year had not begun and he wasn't a normal human. He found that taking a carriage would have just made the local townsfolk worry. He knew how the common wizards liked to gossip and rumors spread faster than fire. And though he could deny some, not all tales were false.

In fact, he learned long ago what dangers there were when he opposed the wizarding community, even the muggle community. He didn't like to stand out even though he knew he would never fit in. He was no muggle yet he was no wizard. He kept to himself over the years, becoming much of a hermit yet never truly alone. It took a great deal to get him out into the public of the wizarding world and every time there were stories made about his ancient red cloaked figure that he really didn't want to listen to. They weren't anything of a bed time story.

As Edward made his way towards the outskirts of town, his ancient red cloak billowing behind him, he froze as the familiar popping sound ricochet behind him. Apparition always got on his nerves as wizards tended to have the nerve to show up randomly uninvited. The floo network however was worse as those wizards might really have been invited but they tread black soot all over the nicely cleaned house.

He turned around to spot a dark cloaked figure lurking by the back corner of a cottage as if they had been there waiting for him. He knew he was being watched but he didn't realise that the wizards would have decided to address him at all, especially those from a young radical group. However they always were an impatient bunch.

"Are you the one they call the Eastern Sage?" The slick voice of the Death Eater, drawled out behind the token gaudy mask that obscured his face. Edward had many titles over the ages yet the Eastern Sage was the one that stuck in the legends. It sounded silly as he was nowhere from the east. He, hating that name, annoyingly nodded his head in reply and earned a rather harsh chuckle in return for his bluntness. "My master would like to meet you."

"Get in the back of the line then, for there is only one man I am going to see tonight and it isn't him," he grinned cruelly beneath the dark red fabric of his hood.

"If you will not come peacefully, perhaps some force would make you less complacent."

"You are an idiot to think that you could force me to do anything. I have a full schedule and I do not have time to deal with you. I have places to be," he huffed as he turned his back on the stranger. There was a rough yell as the wizard chanted one of his endless spells. A hot white ball of fire shot just a couple inches past his right cheek, a type of warning, a threat. It sputtered out pitifully as it hit the side of another cottage. He froze in his spot with anger and annoyance overwhelming him.

"Just take care of this guy. We aren't going to get him back if you keep messing with this fool."

Edward turned around to see cocky grin on the death eaters face. It appeared that the man assumed he had the Eastern Sage beat. However, he couldn't have been farther from the truth.

"If you wanted to fire a spell at me you should have made sure your first one hit its mark," he seethed as beneath his old and travel worn cloak he clapped his hands together. There was a soft ring as the air seemed to ignite with a sense of electricity. It was a power that he was quite familiar with yet so many of the wizards forgot about. It was the overwhelming intoxicating science of alchemy.

Edward slammed his hands to the earth and rubble and dirt tore apart in piling spikes towards the offender. There was a pop as the death eater quickly apparated out of the way and a few meters to the south but he already had another transmutation heading his way. Spells shot out of the Death Eater's wand as more of the earth was torn up from the fight. The balls of fiery energy flew through the air towards Edward, whizzing past as he danced out of the way. A couple he couldn't dodge but they sputtered out pitifully with a swipe of his hand.

"It would take more than your stupid magic show to take me down. Don't waste my time!" Edward scolded the wizard as he dodged another green flash of light. He was getting tired of dealing with the persistent man and just wanted to finish what he came there to do. However the wizard ignored his warnings and continued on as street after street was torn up. Lights of nearby houses turned on and he heard a few screams from open windows. Wizards were gathering in fear and amazement to watch the battle and he felt himself growing aggravated. He was so close to getting his stone back. He couldn't dance with this radical soldier for the entire night. He also couldn't let any of the civilians get hurt because of his recklessness.

"We don't have time for this. Let me handle this."

"No. You are not coming out just for this idiot," he whispered back as he sent another stone cascade upon the wizard. "You will destroy the entire block."

"You want to get them back right? Let me out. We don't have time." He looked around at the small village and saw that even though the houses and shops stood completely fine and untouched the roads were torn apart and destroyed. He doubted that any carriage magical or not could make it through like this. If he continued he was sure that eventually the entire town would lie in a pile of rubble. He couldn't fight the death eater like this. The wizard was quick he would give him that, so he needed precision.

"Fine," he huffed. With a clap of the hands and a touch of the earth crimson light rose up from the ground as a single body of stone was formed. A suit of black armor grew with perfect craftmanship, from many years of practice. It stood alone in the middle of the beaten street and silence called itself to the battle. The death eater froze in his place, wand cocked and watched the spectacle before them. The only movement in the town was the soft gusts of wind that flew down the streets and tussled the fabrics of their robes.

Edward took in a deep breath and closed his eyes, clapping his hands once more. A bright red circle filled with many runes, few who knew the meaning of, etched it's way in the air between the Alchemist and his armored creation. The eerie light casted a blood red glow across the village as the he brought his hand to his chest. He pulled away and a small red flaming spark danced around his fingertips as if he pulled the energy right from himself. The light was entrancing and onlookers of the scene would find themselves unable to look away from the flickering crimson lights. He casted the energy at his creation through the array and the entire armor ignited in a beam of red. The blinding light roared to life and burnt the town a bright scarlet as it grew. The armor it engulfed started to shake and quiver, joints grinding stone against stone. It violently shook and rattled making everyone but the alchemist anxious to see what would happen to it. Suddenly the light shot out and the armor froze in its spot, darkness of the night settling back where it had previously been as if it was never disturbed.

"Come on bastard, like you said we haven't got all day," his voice cut through the tension of the night at the stiff statue. As if on command, the stone suddenly began to move. It stretched it's limbs out and they creaked as the stone continued to grind against each other.

"What is this?" A sudden cry sounded as the death eater gaped at the sudden moving and conscious life form before him. The Alchemist glared at the wizard in absolute annoyance.

"I told you to get out of my way," Edward yelled at him. The armor lifted his hand up towards the stunned wizard, posed to strike. Just as the death eater struggled to cast a spell, the armors fingers snapped and a pillar of flames shot out. The earth near the wizard exploded in fire and charred cobblestone and rubble errupted from where the armor hit its mark. Horrible screams ricochet off of the cottages and filled Edward's ears. He looked away from the flames, unable to bear himself of another memory of them.

Edward only dared look back once the flames were extinguished by the cool night air and the smoke cleared. All that could be seen was a quivering hurt figure where the tall and prideful wizard once stood. He carefully let out a breath of air and snuck his way over to the rubble to seek aid for the casualty, leaving the armor where it stood. He found the death eater whimpering where he laid, his robes scortched and torn from the attack. Though the street around him was near destroyed from the fight the damage that the warrior sustained was minimal, a broken wand arm with a third degree burn. It was an injury cause with deadly accuracy.

As Edward examined the wizard for any more injury, the wimpering man finally got a better look at the legendary figure. His cold eyes widened in shock as he stared into the face of nothing more than a teenager.

"Y-you're a child-"

"Looks are very deceiving," Edward hissed as he leaned over the wizard and clapped his hands together. The man behind the mask seemed a bit startled in fear of another attack but he just grabbed a hold of the wizards wrist. With a shock of electricity, the burns on the wizards arm healed down to its minimal capacity, much to the uncomfort of the casualty. He gathered up the wizards wand from where it was dropped and flung it down on his chest. The man picked it up quickly, not wanting to be disarmed in the presence of his overwhelming power.

"If you know what was good for you, you would apparate out of here. I don't have time to mess with you and this bastard won't be so easy on you next time," he warned the death eater.

"What are you?"

"Nothing you want to mess with," Edward huffed as he stepped away and allowed the death eater to scramble to his feet. The man was worse for wear but managed to get up. "Leave. And tell your foolish bastard of a Dark Lord to come find me himself. I lived too long to take orders from a child like you." The alchemist turned around and started to walk back towards the suit of armor he had created. He heard the satisfying crack behind him as the death eater apparated out of sight to some unknown location. He sighed as stumbled over the broken streets that they tore up in their short lived battle. He really needed to control himself. With a clap of his hands he set the cobblestones back in their places and the road was returned back to new.

"Why did you let him go?" the armor asked as he passed by it.

"I don't have time for him. We need to find Flamel."

"Why didn't you kill him? Their small group is starting another genocide. He obviously had plans for their leader."

"Why didn't you kill him oh all powerful Flame Alchemist?" he retorted in a childish mocking tone. The armor, if it could show expressions, was taken back. They both knew that those flames could have done a lot more damage than the armor had let out. "We have been here for too long to be bothered about stupid wars. We always know who starts them and how they turn out. Especially the stupid ones over so called prophecies or destiny. I stepped into the wizarding world to get the stone back. I don't want to get tangled up in their mess more than I have to."

"People will die-"

"And I didn't choose to be their damn savior!"

Edward!" One of the million voices in his head scolded. Of course it had to be her. He groaned as he placed his head into his hands to try and massage his headache out that came whenever Winry talked to him. He knew that she was always right, always. But he didn't want to deal with her nagging then. He didn't have time.

"Look… I know what their little radical group is going to turn into but… that doesn't mean I have the right to take their life just like I don't have the right to take any of yours. Besides. We already saw what chaos happens when wizards get their hands on me. More people will die if I interfere and you know it. That's why you went with sparklers rather than your fireworks display," Edward told the armor that temporarily entombed Colonel Roy Mustang's soul. The man just stared down at him for a few moments and Edward knew that there wasn't an ounce of disappointment in it but rather understanding. They all remembered the day that the wizarding world found out about the philosopher's stone. They had all lost someone that day and even after 642 years they were still fighting desperately to get them back. Edward sighed as he spun around and started to head back down the streets towards the path that lead to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

"Come on bastard. I took all that effort to put you in a body the least you could do is keep up."

….

"No! Come back! My dad will kill me!" Ron shouted after the beaten car that was currently speeding through the forbidden forest without a driver. After being driven right into the whomping willow Harry could understand why it wouldn't want to spend another minute with Ron in the driver's seat. When the two of them had taken the car from Kings Cross station in order to get to school, they imagined a more victorious entrance to the grounds of Hogwarts. Instead they were battered and bruised and a little worse for wear than they were when they left all thanks to the car stalling out and finding itself a nice perch on the whomping willow.

"That's great. We managed to hit the only bloody tree that hits back," Ron grumbled as he looked down at the mess that was left over from the chaos. Luckily though, before the car went on its temper tantrum, it managed to fling their luggage out with it. Harry picked up his trunk along with his owls cage and started to march towards the castle, knowing full well that they were late for the sorting ceremony. Ron followed suit but sped up the green as he didn't want to miss his own sisters sorting. They all knew that she was going to get into gryffindor, no weasley they knew ever wasn't, but it was the sake of being there to watch.

Harry knew that the grounds would have been abandoned since the feast and the Sorting was going on so he didn't have to fear over Professor Snape finding them out. But he couldn't help but feel like someone was watching them. As he looked up the park towards the doors of the castle he noticed two figures marching their way in. Their backs were straight in determination and it reminded him of soldiers going off to war except one was wearing a rather beautifully crafted suit of armor while the other was dressed in a red cloak of sorts.

"Who the hell are they?" Ron asked as he saw what Harry was staring at. The two of them watched as the two strangers disappeared into the castle undisturbed. "Do you think they are our new Defense teacher?"

"Don't be silly Ron. Lockhart is our defense teacher remember?" Harry reminded him as memories of their meeting in Flourish and Blotts haunted him.

"Well they've got to be someone new."

"Obviously."

"But who?"

"Good question. Let's get to the feast and find out," Harry suggested as he knew that the only place someone would go at this hour was the room with the food. With grumbles in their stomachs he knew that Ron agreed and they raced their trunks into the castle without another word.

….

Edward stormed through the doors of the castle, his anger rising in his chest. He was so close to Flamel he knew it. When he found him he was going to beat the living hell out of him. Mustang was rightfully more angry with the wizard than Edward was and he was actually afraid of what the man might do to him when they got their hands on him. But first things first, they needed the stone.

Edward had been to Hogwarts when it was first made. It was when his curiosity of the wizarding world had peaked. He knew it because he attended there for a couple of years. It was quite a long time ago when he was naive enough to think that magic could have helped him in any way. The only thing that he managed to learn at the school was that behind all of the silly spells they performed, wizards were a sly bunch of people with more tricks up their sleeves than they could fit. That was exactly how he was overcome by that blasphemous Flamel. Even thinking of that man made his blood boil and hushed curses fly from his mouth. However lucky for him, the castle didn't change. It was the same old thing with the hour glasses and all. And even he knew that the wizards were ones for tradition so he knew exactly where to find everyone. It was the first day of school so where else but the feast?

Just as he was about to break open the doors to the Great Hall, or in his schooling what was called Granda Flett, he felt a rough heavy hand rest on his shoulder. He looked back to see the stone cold armor of his former Commanding Officer stare back at him. He felt his raging anger settle down in his chest as the man made him take a moments rest, diverting his attention from what he was searching so long for.

"You know what could have happened to him. You know Flamel has used it," the man said calmly to him, his armored expression not changing.

"I-I know, Mustang. But he is still there I can feel it. We just need to get the bloody stone back from that bastard and-"

"What are you going to do if he really is gone?"

"Something stupid for sure. Are you going to stop me?"

"As long as you keep me out here I will," Roy replied softly, for he knew the pain that accompanied loss far greater than Edward would ever know.

"Good, I have done enough stupid things in my life," Edward said as he looked up at his old friend even though the face he created for him was far from familiar. The soul fire eyes that ignited the armor with life were nearly identical to his brothers as their bodies now were now one and the same. However, Roy's body was only temporary and he saw a dim flicker in his Commander's eyes and he knew it was time to go.

"I am sorry, but you have been out for too long. Your soul can't stay bonded forever," Edward sighed as he lifted his right hand. The armor shifted like he was going to stop him however before Roy could scold him, he beckoned with his hand the soul that he had placed in the armor. The metal body shook violently as Roy tried to fight him, wanting to stay in the armor longer. He didnt want to return to the hell within him. However the eyes started to dim and Edward pulled his hand back, the fiery red flame of Roy's soul dancing around his fingertips once again as the armor went slack.

"Don't worry Colonel. He's still alive. You don't have to worry about me," he told the man softly as if to reassure him that everything was going to be alright. Slowly he brought his hand to his chest and the flame returned to where it came, the philosopher's stone in his heart. Edward sighed as he looked back at the empty armor, noticing how much lonelier the world seemed without its presence.

Edward turned back to the door as he felt his own anger flutter a bit as an ounce of fear washed over him. It had been 642 years since Flamel stole a portion of the stone from him. The man undoubtedly used it to keep himself and his blasted wife alive this long. How much of the stone was gone? Most important question was who was gone?

Get him Edward. Get him back. Bring him home," he heard Winry's voice command him. Edward nodded his head, feeling her desperation and anger inside of him. He straightened out his long red cloak and fixed his stare on the doors of the Granda Flett.

"It sure has been too long," he huffed, the fire burning back in his eyes. Edward kicked the doors open and marched into the large room which was cluttered with students in their colorful robes sitting at their respective tables. A small group of first years were scattered in the middle of the aisle waiting to be sorted into their respective houses. The loud roar of applause from the previously announced was hushed almost instantly into still silence when they caught sight of the stranger entering the room. Edward felt all of the eyes fall on him as he stormed his way up towards the Heah Beod where all of the professors sat in shock, though his intentions were locked on one. The grey bearded bastard sat in his grand throne and just watched him knowingly as he stared back.

"Where is he?!" Edward shouted at the Headmaster of the school, who was wiser than his years had let on. He shoved a first year out of the way who didn't have the mind to clear the road. He was done fooling around. "Where is Flamel? Where is the stone?" The headmaster blinked a couple of times as if he didn't understand what he had just said. Edward growled as he walked past the sorting hat and the young witch that was conducting the ceremony. She looked amazed and absolutely baffled at his language and passing that it didn't seem to register with her that he was infact an intruder to the school.

"Why, Master Alchemist," the headmaster said with a welcoming smile that did anything but reach his eyes, "I must inform you that you are speaking in old english again and I am afraid I can't understand you."

"WHERE IS FLAMEL!" Edward raged in the modern tongue just for the headmaster as he slammed his hands down on the table. He had forgotten the new language as he had been so comfortable talking to Mustang earlier. He heard shocked gasps behind him from the students who probably thought he was going to murder their headmaster, which he didn't think was a bad idea. Albus Dumbledore looked a little more satisfied now as he stood up from his chair and walked around the table to meet him.

"Suppose we should talk about these rather personal matters somewhere else? Maybe after the feast?"

"I have been chasing that bastard for over six of your lifetimes! If you tell me to wait one more minute-"

"Master Alchemist-"

"My name is fucking Edward Elric you stupid fool. Do you honestly not remember or has the years gotten to your head? Obviously they haven't gotten to mine," Edward hissed at him. Albus just shone a small smile at him like he normally did and gave no other reaction. Edward felt the anger in him completely ignite as the man, barely bridging the century, had thought he had him beat. He grabbed the old wizard by the collar of his robes much to the fear of everyone in the room and brought him down to his level. Edward's golden eyes latched onto the headmasters with a cold burning glare that could only come from an older brother.

"Now, where is my little brother? Where is the stone!" he hissed at him, the anger bubbling inside of him.

"Gentlemen, gentlemen," he heard a smiling voice say from the table. Edward looked up for a breif moment to see a rather decorated, overly dressed wizard smiling at them. He looked as if this entire scene was a joke and for an instant Edward actually felt as if he preferred the Headmaster's company over his. The man gracefully rounded the table, his cloak billowing behind him and the smile still plastered on his face.

"I am sure that this dilema can be a little… vexing but we must keep in mind proper manners" his charming voice chuckled. "We are at a feast! We have guests! I am sure you can bash each other's brains out some other time but here we must remind ourselves who we are talking to. You young sir need to remember how to talk to frail elders. We didn't earn all of these titles for nothing. Why I myself am Order of Merlin, Third Class, an Honourary Member of the Dark Force Defence League; and five-time winner of Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award. But even with all of these titles at such a beautifully young age, I know when and how it is proper to talk to my elders. As they say, children should be seen and not heard!" Edward stared in annoyed disbelief at the man the entire world knew as Gilderoy Lockhart. He had heard almost everything about the man within the first five minutes he stepped back into the Wizarding world. It was a horrible new fanclub of witches buying the man's narcissistic books just to find out the bravest adventure he went on which was all a figure of his imagination. The overly confident man now was scolding him like a child for interrogating Dumbledore a man who was bridging 100 years of age and very well known in the entire wizarding world. Now Edward knew he looked young, nothing over 16 years of course but in his case, very severely, looks betrayed his years. He turned back to Dumbledore who, under his professional mask, looked just as annoyed as he.

"You hired this fucking idiot didn't you?" Edward asked the man who just raised his eyebrows ever so slightly as if to admit they all make mistakes. He heard some snickers pick up from a few of the faculty members but they quickly died out. Lockhart had his feathers ruffled and his face turned a little red in embarrassment. For such a man, he didn't seem to take to humility.

"I'll have you know-" Lockhart started but Edward cut him off, ignoring the fool entirely. He didn't have time to mess with most people, him least of all.

"Albus, I have been searching for this stone for too long. Now tell me where Flamel is hiding! I know it's here!" he pressed. However the headmaster continued to smile cheerily as Edward felt the smooth wood of a wand press into the side of his neck.

"Well, for a man who has been searching for over half a millenia, three silly first years seemed to have outwitted you," the slick voice of the offending wizard said behind him. Edward glanced back to see a black robed professor standing behind him with his wand pointed at him. He didn't even hear the man sneak up. "Headmaster, I have two boys, I am sure you know which two, down in my office. They need to be expelled properly by their head of house."

"Expelled Severus?" Dumbledore stated as if the word evaded him.

"They better be for what they have done."

"Very well. I will see to them," the headmaster said completely ignoring the fact that Edward still hung onto him by the collar of his robes.

"I am not done here!" Edward growled at the two of them, mostly Severus, as he send him a warning glare to put the wand away. "I will not leave here without the stone. I know it is here! Where is Flamel? Where is he?"

"Why Master Elric," Dumbledore said like his questions were childish. Edward tightened his grip around the man, threatening him as he was pushing the line just a little too far. He seemed little phased by this as the man behind him just pressed the wand harder into his neck. "Flamel is gone."

"He's what?!" Edward exclaimed as he realised that yet again he was too late. He had been chasing that child around the entire world for ages just for him to slip through his fingers yet again. He was gone and now the chase had to start again. How long would it be this time until he caught up to him? A hundred years? A thousand? Edward felt all of the fire, all of the rage, smothered in him as his hope of finding the stone that evening was crushed.

"Damnit, damnit, damnit. That fucking skalpie-limmer is probably halfway to bloody Paris by now," he growled loudly as he released Dumbledore's robes. Some of the faculty held strucken looks as they heard him curse in front of a whole school full of kids. He didn't care. They would learn eventually, probably newer and more insulting ones than the vocabulary he still held. They were so close to catching Flamel once and for all but he always slipped through their fingers. He was always one step ahead of them. They had made a week's trek all the way there from the last place they caught him in but now it was pointless to stay in the castle any longer. They needed to get going, to keep up with that blasted Flamel or else Edward feared he would never find him. As Edward turned to ponder his options he heard the Headmaster call out to him.

"Master Elric-" he said but didn't get much more out when Edward spun back around with the most foul glare he could muster.

"What? What could you possibly want? Can't you see I am busy?" He felt his fist clench up as glared at the overly smug man across the room.

"Flamel might be gone but the stone is an entirely other matter."

…..

Harry and Ron sat nervously in the Potion Master's office awaiting for the professor's return. The two of them knew that they were going to be expelled for sure, especially if Snape was the one to catch them. They had let muggles see them on their flight to Hogwarts in a flying car. They had broken not only the statue of secrecy but also put shame on the Weasley's name since Mr. Arthur Weasley worked in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts office. The two of them were mentally debating if they could have done anything worse that evening or if they topped the list when the Professor returned with McGonagall and Dumbledore no less. They all strode in with disappointed looks on their faces. Well, except for Snape who looked like he couldn't be happier for their upcoming expulsion. Harry had seen McGonagall mad only a few times and each one of them was just as frightening as the last however the anger that shown on the witch's face that evening topped it all.

"Explain yourselves, the both of you!" she ordered the both of them, her voice tense with rage. Harry and Ron looked at each other, silently asking who was going to tell but the Professor didn't await their answers. "Driving a car! In the sky! Through Muggle London! Why didn't you send an owl? Why didn't you wait for your parents?" she scolded in absolute hysteria. Her voice turned more shrill as she yelled at them, as if even she couldn't believe their stupidity.

"We- we didn't think-"

"Obviously! Ronald Weasley, I will be sending a letter home to your parents this evening about what you two have done-"

"But Professor, my mum will kill me-"

"That is if I don't kill you first!" McGonagall shut the red head up instantly. Ron was always a pale person, but Harry saw him turn into a ghost as he clamped his mouth shut and accepted his impending doom. After a small snort, Professor McGonagall turned to him and narrowed her eyes in disappointment. "As for you Potter-"

"Potter?" a new voice said in the small audience to their expulsion. Harry looked over to see the stranger he had spotted earlier that evening. The man wore a thick red travel cape and had the oddest golden eyes that Harry had ever seen. He briefly wondered if he used a spell to make them appear almost like molten gold. However as the man approached him, Harry realised that he was young. Harry had thought the stranger was older, but he appeared to be about the same age that he and his friends were, if not only a couple years older. His wrinkle-less face looked unamused and rather impatient but his eyes were studying him a bit, much like everyone who had ever first met him.

"This is Harry Potter? The one that's supposed to kill your Moldywarts fellow?" the kid asked Dumbledore instead of asking him directly. Harry was slightly relieved to not have that pressure on him but found it very odd how casually the kid spoke with the Headmaster. Everyone in the room seemed to stiffen at the man's mockery of Voldemort's name however the headmaster ignored his jab and just nodded his head silently in confirmation. The golden eyes returned to Harry for a moment before a light chuckle of disbelief escaped the stranger's mouth. "Well. Good luck with that!" he laughed as he spun around and headed towards the door. "Dumbledore I am going to your office. Come meet me when you are done."

"Master Elric please don't make a mess-"

"Of course I am going to make a mess. I am going to raid it," the man retorted rudely as he slammed the door behind him. Harry was absolutely stunned with the man's presence but it was short lived as his fate was yet again being discussed amongst the professors.

"Who was that?" Ron whispered to Harry.

"None of your concern Mr. Weasley!" Professor McGonagall scolded him. "The only business you should concern yourself with is the punishment you both are going to get for this foolishness!"

"We'll go get our stuff-"

"What on earth do you mean?" she barked at the red head once more.

"We're being expelled aren't we?" Ron asked, not wanting to drag the punishment on for too much longer.

"I am afraid not, Mr. Weasley," Dumbledore said softly, easing their worries once and for all. "Though if you would like to leave, it could be arranged-"

"No!" Harry begged the man as he even suggested that be an option. There was no way on earth he was going to spend the rest of his lifetime as a muggle living with the Dursleys. The Headmaster chuckled lightly as he gave Harry a knowing smile.

"As I was saying before Master Elric rudely interrupted," McGonagall huffed. "I am notifying your parents. The both of you will be serving detention for the entire first semester. And if this should happen again you will be packing your bags and walking home!"

"Now, with this issue being taken care of, I think we all better be getting back to the feast. I have some notices I need to announce," Dumbledore said cheerily with a clap of his hands.

"Albus, what about Master Elric? He's in your office," McGonagall hissed fearfully.

"Well. He can use this time to search my office. I don't think he would get very far on his own."

"But Albus-" Severus started to add but Dumbledore cut him off.

"As Mr. Lockhart pointed out earlier he is my elder, but he also doesn't seem to run out of time. I on the other hand am pressed with my years so I think he could wait just a bit longer."

….

"Where is he? He's taking too damn long!" Edward raged as he opened another drawer and dumped out all of the papers and artifacts held within. The Lareow Rum hung a mess as Edward ran through it toppling over papers, tearing books off of the shelves, and opening drawers. The doorway hung a jar as he didn't know the new headmaster's password to enter so he had to force his way in with alchemy. The poor gryffin statue laid in worse state.

"Edward calm down. Stop making a mess!" her voice scolded him silently.

"You know you aren't going to find it," Mustang's voice huffed at him.

"I know that! I just want to trash this bastards office. And if I so happen to find it along the way-"

"Which you aren't-"

"He's my brother. I have to try-"

"And he's our friend. We are telling you to rest. The wizard shouldn't be long," Winry's soft voice stated. Edward paused in his search and closed his eyes as he listened to Winry's guidance yet again. Her voice was gentle and had grounded him through all the years he was searching for the stone. Everytime he heard her voice it seemed to ease his worry. Yes, it shouldn't be long. He knew Dumbledore had the stone somewhere. A few more minutes shouldn't hurt right? "Relax Edward."

"Fine. Fine," Edward huffed as he collapsed down in the Headmaster's chair, not without taking a few more drawers and dumping the contents onto the floor just for the sake of it. He knew that the wizard wouldn't hold an all powerful legendary object in a desk drawer but he took pleasure in destroying the man's office.

"You are 1016 years old and you still act like a rebellious teenager."

"Shut up, Hohenheim," Edward huffed as he rested his head on the desk, watching the door for the expected headmaster.

"You should try acting your age for once."

"If I acted my age I would be dust in a casket six feet under. Which honestly doesn't sound that bad at this point," Edward grumbled as he sat back and kicked his feet up on the desk. He heard an annoyed sigh from his old man and silence followed, much to his own pleasure. His foot tapped the air silently as he waited for the wizards to finish up their ceremony. He felt anxious just sitting there, waiting. Though he had all of the time in the world, quite literally, he was never a patient person.

"That's it I can't sit here," Edward announced as he jolted up from the chair and started to pace around with the built up energy inside of him. He felt nervous, scared really. He feared what would happen when he did get the stone. Would he still be there? He had to be.

"Edward calm down. Everything will be okay." Winry told him.

"I know its just… I can't just wait here. I need to make sure he's okay," Edward sighed. "Out of the millions of people why…. Why did Flamel have to take him?"

"It could have been anyone. Flamel didn't know what he was dealing with-"

"He did! He knew! He knew just as well as anyone could and-""

"Master Elric, I am afraid you are talking in old english again and I can't understand you," the calm voice of the Headmaster said as the old man walked up the makeshift set of stairs Edward had created out of alchemy and into his office. He didn't wear the calm facade of a smile anymore since there wasn't any students around. It was all business now. The headmaster made his way towards his desk, waving his wand at random pieces of paper as he passed. They soared harmlessly back into their appropriate places in drawers and on shelves and the room was slowly cleaned up. Dumbledore took his seat and Severus Snape who had followed him, stood across from it waiting for Edward's input on the matter. He looked unamused at the whole ordeal.

"Where is my stone Albus?" Edward growled as he marched over towards the headmaster.

"Your stone? Why Master Elric, I must tell you that in Nicholas's last will and testament he did in fact give the stone to me to protect and use. So infact it is now my stone."

"You?! Will? He's dead?" Edward exclaimed in disbelief. It was only three years ago he had him cornered in Kowalski's Quality Baked Goods. Flamel escaped by apparation leaving a trail of small pastries in his wake. He still had to be out there. Even without the stone, Nicholas still was out there. If he was dead, Edward would never get the chance to kick his ass for what he has done. Seeming to sense his worry, though not fully understanding how it was directed, Dumbledore smiled reassuringly.

"No. Nicholas should still have a few months under his belt. He is living happily back in France with his wife. They had just finished up their living wills which entailed giving the stone over to me," he said calmly, though gravely mistaken in thinking that it would make him happier.

"That two timing no good son of a fucking bitch!" Edward raged as his frustration grew. "I am going to kill him-"

"And normal people would think it a relief to hear that someone isn't dead-" Severus noted sarcastically. Edward glared at him so violently that he saw the Slytherin professor stiffen slightly.

"With what Nick has done to me I don't give a damn if he dies in his bed or gets his soul sucked out by a dementor. As long as I get to kick his ass and teach him a final lesson before he goes I am fine. The stone wasn't even his to give, it is mine. Hell, you don't even know what you are dealing with!" Edward scolded them. Dumbledore frowned slightly and nodded his head in acceptance.

"I know. I do not know what powers the stone has. But I know it is a rather powerful artifact. Many, many dangerous wizards are after it Master Elric. Which is probably why Nicholas Flamel instructed me to destroy it-"

"NO!" Edward yelled. The anger and fear mixed together in his throat as he realised what Dumbledore wanted to do with it. "Dear god, no! You can't destroy it. You don't understand!"

"I know I don't understand. I know Flamel didn't either. So would you care to enlighten me?" the headmaster hummed as he gently pried into the unknown. Edward crossed his arms and glared defiantly at the man who wasn't even a tenth of his age. He knew Nicholas and Albus were friends. They worked together on false alchemy, built off of the teachings Edward willingly gave to Flamel before he ran off with the stone. However, he didn't know how far Albus was going to take the information on the stone. He didn't know the extent to which Nicholas instructed him. He didn't trust the man and though he seemed kind hearted under his manipulative mind, Edward didn't know if Dumbledore would stoop so low as to take a life or more just for the stones creation. He tapped his foot impatiently before letting out a huff of hot air.

"I taught Nicholas Flamel under the name of my father, Paracelsus. I know he probably mentioned me only a couple times in his flight. He taught you alchemy or a tainted form of it you wizards like to perform, so you must know the rule Equivalent Exchange," Edward stated as if he were telling Albus his own story. The headmaster kept quiet and just nodded his head, begging him to continue. But Edward just narrowed his eyes and stood off with the man. "The stone is thought to be the one thing to bypass it all. Some consider it a get out of jail free card but it isn't. It follows the first law as much as anything else in this world. So the only thing you need to ask yourself is what is equivalent to the stone? Now give it back to me. I need to take it home."

"I am afraid not, Master Elric," Dumbledore sighed, upset about not receiving a straight answer. It seemed that over his years of learning alchemy he still couldn't figure out the basis of Equivalent Exchange. Edward couldn't believe he felt disappointment in Flamel for not teaching this man better. "I am keeping it safe until the day I find someone I can trust to give it to."

"And you trusted Nicholas, someone who quite literally stabbed me in the back just to steal it from me?" Edward asked him rhetorically as if the idea of trusting Flamel was blasphemy.

"Yes I did," Dumbledore said with a threatening spark in his eye. "But fortunately for you I think you are both similar."

"I am nothing like that cheating bastard!" he growled.

"Life is a hard thing, Master Elric. Some, like Nick and yourself, brave to endure more than the rest of us can bare. But," he hummed lightly, lifting his finger as if to make a point, "eventually we must all come to accept the end result; death. It might just take some people a couple hundred more years to prepare themselves for it."

"Accept death? Well he sure accepted it now!" Edward spat at him. "He left the stone behind as he ran off to die a glorious and romantic death with his lover. Couldn't stand the 'forever' part of immortality! He's an naive idiot who just takes what he wants and doesn't deal with the consequences."

"Yes, but surely he has come to the end conclusion," he inquired.

"Death?" Edward hissed at him, the silence of the castle deafening the small audience before him. "I am not afraid of death. Infact, I am sure as hell ready for it once I finish what I need to do-"

"And what's that?" Severus asked gently. "What's so important that you need the stone for?" Edward chuckled cruelly at the young potion's master as he simply didn't understand. The greasy man looked quite offended at the insult to his intellect.

"Don't worry, Severus, Nicholas and now seemingly Albus still didn't figure it out. Not even after all these years," he stated, eyeing the headmaster in disappointment. "The stone was never supposed to exist. But now that it does, it is my job to return it home. I protect it because I am the only one who is able to. Until the day I can return the stone home I will protect it unlike the wizards here who just want to use it for themselves. You might not trust me but I don't trust you to treat them the way I have. It isn't a weapon you can wield. It isn't something you can just throw in a drawer and forget about. And that is all I have seen you treat it like. Now give me the stone. I will not leave here without it." Edward finished and lifted his hand up as if Dumbledore would just succumb to his words and place the philosopher's stone right in the palm of his hands. Unfortunately the headmaster had other ideas.

"I have no intention to keep it from you. After this conversation I will give it to you regardless of what happens. But as for leaving the castle, I am afraid I can not have you take it off Hogwart's grounds until we ensure the full safety of this relic."

"You act like this school is impenetrable. It's just a castle and all walls fall down eventually. How safe do you really think it is going to be here?"

"Enough for the time being," Dumbledore sighed. Edward frowned in aggravation as he knew the wizard was trying all he could to keep the stone for the sole reason of using it as leverage against him. This argument was going nowhere and he knew that the man wouldn't change his position no matter what he said. He was going to be on the wrong side of this debate no matter what. He could have stolen the stone and made off with it if only he knew where the it was kept. Knowing wizards, it was somewhere even someone of his power couldn't access without a wand. They were full of tricks and even with as many years of experience as he had with them, he couldn't see through them all.

"I am not going to jump through your hoops, Albus. This stone isn't something you can just trade for. I know what you are trying to do and I don't like it. Just return them to me," Edward scolded him simply. Dumbledore frowned as Edward had known what he was trying to do. The headmaster was treating him like a kid who he could trick into making him eat their vegetables. He sighed as he leaned back on the desk tiredly.

"All it will take is one year at Hogwarts. To you this will be like seconds out of your lifespan."

"A year is a year regardless of how long you live," Edward growled but let the man continue otherwise.

"I would like you to teach at Hogwarts for one year. I have a small group of people I trust, most of whom are faculty at this school-"

"So you would give the stone to Lockhart over me? I didn't know the standard of competency fell over the last millennia." Edward asked only mildly amused at the man's notion. The man looked rather annoyed at his suggestion.

"He hasn't served his term here at Hogwarts so he is in quite the same position as you."

"Once you give me the stone, there is nothing stopping me from just walking out of here with it," Edward stated flatly, getting annoyed that Albus was wasting his time on something he could so easily avoid.

"Yes, you might want to do that but I can think you would choose to stay," the man hummed tiredly as he shuffled his way over to an old standing mirror in his office. It looked dirty and dusty, nothing important. For a second Edward thought he was just trying to be dramatic, which anyone above the age of 99 likes to be, but then he saw Dumbledore simply slip his hand through the glass of the mirror like it was water and protrude with the red glowing philosophers stone resting in his palm. Before anyone had any sense to stop him, Edward clapped his hands and slapped them to the ground. The stone floor rose quickly up and slapped the headmaster's hand, sending the stone flying through the air. Edward snatched it out of its flight with his hand and craddled it to his chest as if he was afraid that the wizards would take it once more. Dumbledore stood there with a grandfatherly look on his face, rubbing his sore hand as Severus pulled his wand out to face him. Edward just turned his back on the foolish wizard and looked down at the stone.

He felt the presence of the 10,000 souls now more than ever as it sat right before them. He could name all of the people who laid within it. He knew their names, their families, and their desperation to get back home. However he also knew that a few of them were gone with the years of use Flamel had put them through. Fear rose in his throat as he turned the stone in his hand.

"Please be there, please be there, please be there," Edward begged himself and all of the forces of the world as the stone started to light up in his hand. It ignited in life's flame and he gently pressed it to his chest where it melted into his skin and joined the other part of itself. He felt an overwhelming feeling of joy from the millions of souls inside of him as they rejoiced the return of their friends and their families but the fear inside him just grew ten fold. With that many added at once they were all disoriented. He couldn't find the one person he was looking for.

"Winry do you see him?" Edward asked desperately, ignoring the stares of the wizards behind him as he talked to himself. Edward had learned chi from Lin Yao in his long years however it unfortunately was a near useless power when dealing with the massive presence of life within him. He couldn't even feel the presence of his own brother.

"We are looking, Edward, but I don't see him anywhere," Winry replied, her own fear noticeable in her voice. In response, Edward quickly clapped his hands and touched the floor again, this time a perfectly forged suit of armor. It was a familiar face, identical to the one he knew in his childhood but now it stood empty. Edward feared it always would.

The glowing red array started to etch its way through the air as Edward begged that he could fill that armor with life. He summoned with all his might the soul he had been missing for 642 years. At first, no soul fire appeared in his palm. He knew it would have been difficult to find one in the million but he still tried to call it forth. He needed to know. Suddenly a low spark spat out of his finger tips and ignited into the brightest red fire he had ever seen. It danced across his fingers with such ferocity that he knew it had to be him. In desperation Edward casted the fire through the array and it was sealed to the armor figure before him. It shook and rattled as the lifeless form got use to its consciousness and after the raging fire died out, the office stood still in silence. Edward raced over to the suit of armor and grabbed it by the shoulder plates, looking into the helmet's eyes which now glowed dimly red.

"Al? Are you there? Alphonse!?" Edward asked the empty suit desperate for an answer. Suddenly the suit shook and its back straightened out, eyes brightening.

"B-brother?" the armor asked as if he wasn't sure it was really him but after a second of assessment he snapped together. "Brother! You're here!" Alphonse's voice exclaimed as the armor scooped Edward up in is bone crushing metallic hug. Though Edward would usually whine about being suffocated, at this point he didn't care. He embraced his little brother as if he hadn't done it his entire life.

"Alphonse, I am sorry. It has been too long. I was scared that he-"

"It's alright, I am here. I wouldn't leave you," his little brother whispered softly as he let Edward go and set him back on the floor. Edward tugged on his cape to straighten it out and caught his breath which was nearly squeezed out of him. Alphonse started to pat himself down as he wasn't used to having a physical body again. He seemed shocked that he was even standing at all. Over 600 years they had been apart and Alphonse was trapped in the stone. Now he was free. Edward punched him playfully, relief flooding through him like wild fire. He felt the fear that he held over the years melt away seeing his brother standing there with him, even if he was just a suit of armor.

However, the wizards didn't share their joy or relief. They stood rather baffled in the corner of the room, as they watched a new conscious form talk excitedly in a foreign tongue. By the time there was a break in their reunion, the wizards thought it was ample time to start asking what had happened.

"Who is this?" Dumbledore asked calmly as he stepped forward from where he waited patiently by the mirror. Though his face looked happy with the new company in the room, his eyes screamed of fear and confusion. Magic could make objects move but only powerful magic could give them actual life and consciousness. Albus really didn't know what he was playing with when he held the stone. Edward glared at the man as he turned around to face him full on, his anger growing ten fold.

"Did you figure it out yet? What the stone really is? Or are you still confused because I could sort that out for you right now," Edward growled as he rolled up his black sleeves and started towards the man. Severus jumped between them, defensively holding up his wand as if it would have any effect in slowing him down but before any fight could break out, Alphonse stuck his arm out and stopped his brother.

"Um… sir, I am his little brother, Alphonse Elric. I am sorry if he has been a bit… tense-"

"Al!" Edward retorted defensively. "They had you locked in a mirror like an old antique!" But he was unheard by the rest of the rooms occupants as they just stared at each other. Edward saw the Severus didn't put his wand away and he rolled his eyes as he slapped the wand out of his face with his bare hand.

"Put that away. It isn't like it could do anything useful anyways," Edward huffed under his breath. The potions master was rather offended but took Edward's advice and returned his wand to his robes.

"How-" Dumbledore started to ask, wanting answers the questions he had but Edward gave him a stern look.

"Alchemy," he said flatly. It seemed wizards liked to give vague explanation of wandwork by just summing it up as magic so that was all Edward was going to give them about his science. He turned away and started towards the door which still hung ajar from his transmutation of it. "Come on Alphonse, let's go. We need to find Flamel before he passes so I can give him a piece of my mind. I know Mustang would like a piece of him too for what he has done."

"The Colonel, Brother?" Alphonse asked. Edward nearly stopped in his tracks as he realised Alphonse didn't know what had happened to the rest of them that night which Flamel took him. He frowned and rubbed the back of his neck tiredly. A lot has happened to them both and it has just been too long.

"Alphonse… I'll… I think it is about time we caught up on a few things. I'll tell you later," he mumbled to his younger sibling. The armor looked a little worried for him, afraid of what might have happened, but nodded his head and agreed for a later date. Now wasn't the time.

As they reached the door, Edward heard the annoying and persistent voice of the headmaster call to him.

"Master Elric, what about the teaching position?" he asked calmly.

"Find some other idiot like Lockhart to fill it. We apparently are on the same level of competency so he should do fine," Edward snapped without even stopping to turn around. He wanted to get out of there. They had waited too long. He stormed out the door and quickly replaced the entrance to the office back to its original form. He doubted he would be going back in there for a very long time. As he and his brother wandered through the halls of the huge castle towards the large entrance doors, Alphonse questioned him.

"What was that teaching position the headmaster was talking about?" his voice rang out.

"Bah," Edward brushed off, still angered about the man's deceit. "He tried to barter you. He wanted me to work in the castle just to get all of you back."

"And you're not doing it? Brother you never break a promise-"

"I didn't promise him shit. Trying to barter people's lives…. I could never imagine doing that."

"But brother, maybe he didn't know. He didn't understand-"

"Well he should have! It's very obvious what the stone is made of. Any person who wants to call themselves an alchemist should know equivalent exchange and he obviously doesn't!" Edward argued. However, he couldn't stay angry, it was over with and pointless to drag it on. He sighed as he stuffed his hands in his pockets as they strode down through the entrance hall.

"Besides he gave you back regardless. So it was more of a suggestion than an agreemen- oof!" he staggered back as his body felt like it ran into a brick wall. They were right at the door, about to leave the castle for good but for some reason his body wouldn't move. He tried to take a step forward but it was as if there was an invisible barrier blocking his path.

"What is going on?" Alphonse asked as he tried to stick his armored hand out of the doorway but came upon the same obstacle. "Magic," he muttered to himself as he touched the invisible force, trying to figure out what was causing it.

"ALBUS!" Edward raged as he spun around to see that the headmaster and his fellow teacher had followed them out to the door. The old man held a slim smile under his beard as if he had them caught. For all Edward knew, he had. "What did you do?" There was a slight gasp from Alphonse as if he remembered something.

"Brother!" he hissed as it seemed the younger sibling was now, too, getting angry. "Detinentum!"

"What?"

"I was in the castle for a long time. I remember! The headmaster was worried about someone coming to get us last year. He hid us in that mirror and casted the detainment spell on the stone so that someone couldn't steal it and remove us from the grounds! We're stuck here," Alphonse told him.

"You and the others?" Edward asked just to get a nod from his brother. The stone was bound within the walls of the castle by a simple spell the headmaster casted the previous year. With the souls returned within him, Edward was stuck there with them. Albus was right, he wasn't going to leave the grounds with the stone, not until he was released.

"You bastard. Why did you cast that spell on them? Why did you keep them locked away?" Edward roared as he turned on the headmaster, absolutely furious. "Weren't you the one who said the castle was 'safe enough'? Who was after it that got you so scared for its safety?"

"Voldemort," the headmaster replied, unfazed by his outburst. "A simple spell like that can be broken by even the first years. It was more to slow down the thief if anything were to happen. Luckily Voldemort was never able to get the stone out of the Mirror of Erised."

"You mean he got into your castle?" Edward growled in disbelief. He felt a heavy hand on his shoulder and looked up to see his brother looking down at him patiently. The look in his eyes told him to calm down before he upset someone. At that moment, Edward wasn't thinking of upsetting other people, rather how the others had upset him. He hated the wizarding world, and now he was forcefully stuck in it.

"Give me the counterspell," Edward ordered the bearded man who just stood there smugly, denying his request.

"Why, Master Elric, you attended Hogwarts when it first began. You are a wizard. Shouldn't you be able to figure it out by yourself?" Albus hummed, playing the same card that he previously did in the office.

"I am not a wizard. I want nothing to deal with you crazy weirdos and your magic. The spell is Vacatio but I don't have my wand anymore!" he hissed at the man. "Why don't you just chain us up in the dungeon if you want us to stay here, huh?"

"If you want to that could be arranged," the potions master said slyly, making Alphonse take a couple steps back from the man.

"Relax, alchemists," the headmaster said calmly. "I will give you the counterspell after final exams. That gives you just enough time to teach alchemy this coming year."

"I will do no such thing," Edward barked. "I don't trust anyone in this world with alchemy, especially not you wizards. That is why I let it die off. The wizarding world isn't ready for alchemy. Nicholas proved it in the 14th century, and you are proving it now. I will not teach it."

"As I remember someone saying to me before, 'A world without alchemy is a world without order.', Master Elric," Dumbledore quoted from someone Edward highly suspected was Flamel.

"A world without alchemy would be the same as it always was. We are all human. It doesn't matter what power we can wield. Laws of the universe still exist except you wizards like to deny all of them."

"Then teach us to obey the laws, Master Elric. You will be teaching the students who will shape the wizarding world in the future. If they had knowledge of these laws, maybe the chaos we live in will be less so," Dumbledore sighed.

"No, you will just have more odd power to do more whacked up shit! It will be even worse!" Edward exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air in disbelief. But something caught him off guard, a thought that lingered in the back of his mind. Edward relaxed and narrowed his eyes as he studied the headmaster who stood a little too smuggly. For as much pomp and circumstance the man was throwing out, there was an underlying desperation around him. Edward knew exactly now what the man wanted him to do.

"This isn't about me teaching at all. This is about that stupid war and the prophecy. You want me in on it-"

"I want you to teach here at Hogwarts and protect the students," Albus confirmed simply. Edward let out a cruel chuckle which then turned into an outrageous fit of laughter. Everyone grew silent as he let himself wrap around the hilarity of the moment. It was not funny at all.

"You lured me all the way here for the stone, tried to barter human lives, and trapped me here just so I would have to participate in this war you all are brewing in your little cauldrons? I have seen enough pathetic prophecies pass in my lifetime. I have seen enough wars to know how they all end. That Potter kid doesn't stand a chance."

"Which is why I want you to help him."

"You don't even trust in his own abilities!" Edward retorted promptly.

"Harry Potter is still young. He still needs schooling. If he were older, I would have to disagree. But until he comes of age, I am afraid that he can only go so far on luck," the man sighed.

"Harry Potter?" Alphonse asked quietly. Edward and the two professors nodded their heads to the quiet suit of armor. "He saved us last year!" he exclaimed. Edward stared dumbfounded at his little brother, feeling a little betrayed by his innocent statement of events. Dumbledore smiled, glad that at least he and Alphonse seemed to see eye to eye for a short moment.

"Yes he did. Along with his friends, he managed to find the Sorcerer's stone and stop Voldemort from laying his hands on it."

"So now you are saying that the castle isn't even safe enough to stop a couple of first years!" Edward said hysterically.

"Brother," Alphonse said in his knowing tone. Edward glared at his little brother knowing what he was going to say.

"No, Alphonse. Getting us involved in their games will only lead to more death and ruin than there needs to be. Voldemort came after the stone already. With me being so close to this boy, he is bound to try and get it again. I will not meddle in their world's affairs!"

"But Harry saved us. The least we can do is teach him some alchemy. It might help!" Alphonse begged him. Edward felt a sudden swirl of agreement in him as the other souls inside of him liked Alphonse's kindness. Cheering and voices rang up inside of him all at once, prodding him to accept the offer. It was deafening listening to that many people at once. It was roaring madness. Edward groaned as he clasped his hands over his ears as if that would block out the noise, but it wouldn't. It came from within him.

"SHUT UP!" he shouted and all of a sudden the torment of noise was silenced, leaving only hushed whispers in his wake. He already told all of them not to try and talk to him all at once, but the millions and millions of souls were sometimes forgetful over the years. A roaring headache soared through his head and bounced off of the sides of his skull. He moaned as he tried to massage it out, ignoring the confused looks on the wizards' faces.

"Come on Edward. It is only a year. We can find a way to return home after," Winry's whispered. Her voice was so soft it felt like it soothed his headache even for a few seconds. He groaned as he knew that she was right.

"Majority rules I guess?" he mumbled and suddenly a loud roaring cheer drover through him, sending his mind reeling with the noise. "Ack! Shut up already! I get it!" he whined. Though he couldn't follow all of the conversation, Alphonse was looking excited as if he already knew what the outcome was going to be. Edward sighed tiredly as he massaged his head.

"Fine. Whatever. I will teach your fucking class," he mumbled as he started to stagger past the wizards through the castle. Dumbledore seemed ecstatic on his agreement.

"Very well, Master Elric. You start tomorrow. Your chambers have already been prepared in the Gunhilda Cooridor-"

"Let's get this overwith," Edward groaned.