Fullmetal Wizard | Chapter 91
Ron glared from Seamus, then looked at Dean and Neville.
"Anyone else's parents got a problem with Harry?" he said aggressively.
"My parents are Muggle mate." Dean said, shrugging. "They don't know nothing about no deaths at Hogwarts, because I'm not stupid enough to tell them."
"You don't know my mother, she'll weasel anything out of anyone!" Seamus said. "Anyway, your parents don't get the Dailey Prophet, they don't know our headmaster's been sacked from the Wizengamot and the International Confederation of Wizards because he'd losing his marbles--"
"My gran says that's rubbish." piped Neville. "She says it's the Daily Prophet that's going downhill, not Dumbledore. She's cancelled our subscription. We believe Harry." He said simply. He climbed into bed and pulled the covers up to his chin, looking owlishly over them at Seamus. "My gran's always said You-Know-Who would come back one day. She says if Dumbledore says he's back, he's back."
Harry felt a rush of gratitude towards Neville. No one else said anything. Seamus pulled his bed curtains closed. Dean laid back and looked the ceiling. Neville gazed fondly at his moonlit cactus. Ron began bustling about, putting his things away.
Then Harry noticed Ed silently looking at first Seamus, then Dean. Then Neville. The strangest look on his face as he sat on the edge of the four post bed. It was a nameless expression that made his eyes look so...old. He hadn't changed from his all-covering outfit just yet.
"What.?" Harry said, certain Ed would attack him much like he had just experienced from Seamus.
He looked at Harry.
"Just..dhinking. Of vhat dhat stoopid hat said to me."Ed said.
"What did it say?" Ron said as he sat his bed.
"Vas about.." Ed said. "um..nevermind. Iz stoopid."
"Go on..you brought it up." Ron said.
"Who are dhese two?" Ed said, pointing with his chin. "I alvready know Neville. Dhat..cactus vas.."
"Disgusting?" Harry said with a smile.
Ed smirked at Neville, then glanced to the cactus.
"..fun...also. Didn't know a plant could do dhat."
"Uh..thanks." Neville said, with his eyebrows raised.
"Oh..This is Seamus..that's Dean." Said, Neville. Ed nodded his greetings to each. "Welcome to Griffindor, Edward."
"Call me Ed."
Then Ed yawned hugely. Harry watched as he backed onto his bed and closed the curtains, completely obscuring himself from view. Moments later, a potion of his bare left hand became visible beneath them, where his boots met the floor with a thump! They were soon covered with his discarded clothes.
Ron soon extinguished the candles. It was only then that Harry realised Ed didn't answer Ron at all.
Ed was up and dressed before Harry even opened his bleary eyes in the morning. Long sleeves and gloves on both hands, he was currently doing some sort of exercises with first one arm then the other. Seamus jumped out of his bed, dressed at top speed, and before Harry even pulled on his socks, was out the door.
"Does he think he'll turn into a nutter if he stays in the same room with me for too long or something?" Harry said in irritation.
Ed thunked one leg up on the wall and continued with his exercises. Harry noticed he had socks on instead of his boots.
'Must be his fake leg.' Harry thought.
"Don't worry about it, Harry...." Dean said."..he's just.." Dean looked over at Ed and threw his bookbag onto his back. He tilted his head as Ed stretched his arms to the ground, but moved only his leg on the wall--hissing through gritted teeth as he did so. "You all right there, mate?"
"Fine." Ed said. "..just..uh.. vreal flabby."
Ed got up and placed the other leg on the wall and repeated the exercise.
"Vwent almost a month vithout doing dhese...Can't be helped..tssst."
Dean skewed up his eyebrows, then walked out the door. By the time Harry and Ron were dressed and ready with their own book bags, Ed grabbed just a notebook, and after pocketing his pocket watch and hooking the chain to a belt loop, walked out with them to the common room. Halfway across they were joined by Hermione.
"Oh..Ed! Honestly. You really need to wear the robe..!"
Ed made a rude sound.
"uh.. Anyway..what's up Harry?" Hermione said. "You look really angry at something."
"Seamus reckons Harry's lying about You-Know-Who," Ron said, when Harry didn't respond.
Hermione sighed.
"Yes, Lavender thinks so, too." She said gloomly.
"Been having a nice little chat with her about whether or not I'm a lying, attention-seeking prat, have you?" Harry said loudly.
"No." Hermione said calmly. "I told her to keep her big fat mouth shut about you. And it would be quite nice if you stopped jumping down Ron's and my throats, Harry, because if you haven't noticed, we're on your side."
They had reached the stairs, and Ed turned about with widened eyes to watch when stairs moved, and Harry grinned at his facial expression -- the child-like wonder of it ecliped the look Ed had in his eyes the previous night.
"Um..Dhat You-Know-Who guy you keep talking about..is it dhat 'Moldy-shorts' guy?" Ed said, still watching the stairs, this time with his head cocked a bit to the side.
Harry raised his eyebrows, and blinked. He heard gasps from both Ron and Hermione. It was fortunate that the hall was relatively clear, because of Hermione soon erupted with decidedly nervous laughter. Ed glanced back with a grin on his face.
"I have many questions." Ed said calmly. "Like vhy do people dhink..no, HOPE.. you and dhat Dumbledore are lying..?"
"It's..a long story. You..uh.. already know what he did to my parents." Harry said. "They weren't the only ones."
Ed nodded, and watched as a bunch of Ravenclaws below them all looked up, eyes full of curiosity at Ed, then Harry saw them look directly at him, and suddenly they grouped tightly together on their way to the Great Hall.
"Dumbledore said to work together...You know what he said About You-Know-Who last year?" Hermione said, as they all headed down the stairs.
Ron and Harry looked at her blankly.
"He said, 'His gift for spreading discord and enmity is very great. We can fight it only by showing an equally strong bond of friendship and trust--'"
"How do you remember stuff like that?" Ron said, looking at her in admiration.
"I listen, Ron." Hermione said with a touch of asperity.
"So do I but.." Ron said.
"The point is..we have to stand together. This sort of thing is exactly what he was warning us about. The hat, too. We have to work together..."
"And Harry said it last night. If it means getting matey with the Slytherin, fat chance." Ron spat.
They sat down for breakfast. Ed watched Harry intently as he dined.
'He's hiding something.' Ed thought. 'Something about that Voldemort guy.'
Hermione was hidden behind a newpaper, and Ed spotted Professor McGonagall passing out sheets of paper along their long table. She gave him a glance, and her brows met for a moment. As soon as she was near enough..
"Edward..You really must dress appropriately. The robes.."
"..are part of school uniform." Ed finished for her, with a scowl on his face. "I refuse to be vwearing dhem. And no vone can make me."
Professor McGonagall's eyes narrowed ever so slightly, and Ed felt kind of tickling hum in his chest. He narrowed his eyes. "..you..didn't..!"
Ed glanced down at his arm. "Arggh!"
The hated robe was back.
Professor McGonagall handed Ed a sheet of paper, for which he shot her a glare before snatching from her hand.
"I am the Head of Griffindor, Mr. Elric. That makes this my house your are staying in. Do remember to follow the rules, or the consequences will be severe." She said rather coldly before handing other sheets of paper over to Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
"I tried warn.." Hermione began.
"Shut it." Ed said grumpily before she could get far, and looked down at his paper. It appeared to be a chart. For today, it read:
History of Magic
Potions
Potions
Divination
Defense Against the Dark Arts
Defense Against the Dark Arts
"You gotta be kidding me.." Ed said in Amestrian. "I thought they were going test me first."
Ed scratched the back of his head.
:::
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