Ron grabbed his wand and Ed was ready hex Malfoy himself. They didn’t get a chance to do that.

“What’s all this, what’s all this?” Ed groaned as Lockhart came striding towards them. “Who is giving out signed photos?”

No one had a chance to even explain to Lockhart who suddenly exclaimed, “Shouldn’t have asked! We meet again, Harry!” Lockhart swung his arm around Harry’s shoulder, drawing the poor boy closer to him. Looking at Colin, Lockhart then said, “Come on then, Mr. Creevey,” said Lockhart. “A double portrait, then the both of us can sign it for you.”

As soon as Colin finished taking the picture, the bell rang, notifying them to the start of the afternoon classes. Lockhart, just swept Harry away, a firm grip still locked on Harry’s shoulder. Harry meanwhile, was turning a bright red color.

Ed on the other hand rolled his eyes and proceeded to follow. ‘Someone shoot me,’ thought Ed. This was going to be a long afternoon… and Lockhart’s class hadn’t even begun to start….

-----------------------------------

“Me,” Lockhart said, as he picked up a copy of his book. “Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defense League, and five-time winner of Witch Weekly’s Most-Charming-Smile Award – but I don’t talk about that. I didn’t get rid of the Bandon Banshee by smiling at her!”

Ed rolled his eyes and wished he had some aspirin. He could already feel the headache coming on.

Lockhart continued, “I see you’ve all bought a complete set of my books – well done. I thought we’d start today with a little quiz. Nothing to worry about – just to check how well you’ve read them, how much you’ve taken in –“

Ed twitched and nearly fell out of his chair. While he had finished reading the stupid books…he still couldn’t believe this idiot was actually giving out a quiz still! “You have thirty minutes –start- now!”

Ed grumbled. Stupid teacher. He read the first questions.

1)What is Gilderoy Lockhart’s favorite color?

2) What is Gilderoy Lockhart’s secret ambition?

3) What, in your opinion, is Gilderoy Lockhart’s greatest achievement to date?

And it went on and on down one side on the back of another, making this quiz a page and half long, ending with the question:

54) When is Gilderoy Lockhart’s birthday and what would his ideal gift be?

‘This guy is self conceited idiot who doesn’t care about anything else but his stupid looks and gloats every moment about his so called accomplishments. I smell a rat and chances are this buffoon hasn’t even done half the things he’s said,’ thought Ed. With a sigh, he began to answer these stupid questions.

-----------------------------------

Roy, meanwhile, was shelving books: this time by wand. Bored or not, with Shinka prowling in the library like a lion does in a jungle, it was dangerous to shelve by hand. Roy sighed to himself, he supposed he might as well go get started on those paperwork that Riza gave him.

A sudden and dreadful thought washed over him. ‘Okay… definitely not mentioning those Howlers to Riza and Ray…. If they can use one… I’ll be getting one everyday from them…’ Roy shuddered at the thought. He could already see it now, two red envelopes coming in every single day and him having to open it everyday… and listening to it yell at him… Roy pushed away those thoughts. He was NEVER mentioning those red envelopes to anyone ever again.

-----------------------------------

Back at Lockhart’s lesson, Ed was trying not to fall asleep. The so-called ‘genius’ wizard kept droning on and on about how he mentioned this and that in his books. Ed was tuning out most of Lockhart was saying.

“ – It is my job to arm you against the foulest creatures known to wizardkind!…. blah… blah… blah… blah.. Know only that no harm can befall you whilst I am here.”

Ed snorted at that comment. Of course, Lockhart didn’t hear him and continued on with his speech. “All I ask is that you remain calm.” Lockhart reached for the cover on a cage that rested on his desk.

“I must ask you not to scream,” said Lockhart in a low voice. “It might provoke them.”

He whipped off the cover of the cage and said in a dramatic voice, “Yes! Freshly caught Cornish pixies!”

Ed almost fell out of chair with that comment. Cornish pixies? Those little blue things were harmless. An electric blue color, barely eight inches tall and with pointed faces, high pitched voices that could almost be related fingernails on a chalkboard, Cornish pixies were nothing but annoying troublemakers. Yeah, granted if you let one into a house they’ll probably end up destroying everything, but it was nothing a well placed charm couldn’t take of.

“Devilish tricky little blighters they can be!” said Lockhart. “And we’ll be testing how well you can handle them.” He threw open the door and out flew the pixies. One word.

Pandemonium.

As they darted out, the pixies grabbed textbooks and objects, throwing them at people. Several burst through a window, shattering glass through the class. Two grabbed Neville by his ears and lifted him into the air. Some grabbed inkbottles and sprayed the class as others torn books apart and grabbed bags. A few pixies dumped garage and caused students to slip and fall. Neville dangled from an iron chandelier and students darted underneath desks, trying to hide. There was a blue light in the background as Ed created a shield for himself. Minutes later, Harry joined him behind it.

“Peskipiksi Pesternomi!”

The spell Lockhart had just shouted had no effect pixies. He gulped and darted underneath a desk himself.

Then a miracle happened.

-RIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGG!-

The bell rang. Saved by the bell, literally. Students rushed out. Lockhart meanwhile, stood up, straightened himself out and pointed to Ed, Harry, Ron and Hermione who were almost out the door and so close to freedom.

“Umm, yes, you four. I’ll leave the rest to you. Just nip them back into their cage, please.” Then without another word, he walked out and shut the door behind him.

Ed grumble, “Idiot. Why do we have to clean up his mess? He’s the professor.”

“He’s just giving us some hands on experience,” Hermione protested.

Harry snorted. “He didn’t have a clue to what he’s doing!”

“Please! You’ve read his books. Look at all the amazing things he’s done,” Hermione defended.

“Yeah, all the things he says he’s done,” retorted Ed. He glared at the pixie that just threw a ball of paper at him. You know what, forget the clean up, someone just shoot him now, cause this day isn’t getting any better.

--------------------------------------------------------

“It’s so cool! Could I be a Shaman King too!”

Hahahaha! Fat chance! You don’t just decide to be a Shaman King. What’s got into you, Yoh? Why would such things interest a lazy fellow like you?”

“Because! If I were friends with the ‘King of Spirit’ … I could do whatever I wanted for the rest of my life! I’d never have to work!”

-Yoh and Yohmei Shaman King vol 2.

--------------------------------------------------------

------------------

Reimei

----------------------

Chapter V

Whispers of Honor; Bloody Letters

----------------------

For the most part, the days seemed to fly by. Before Ed knew it, Halloween was just around the corner again. The days seemed normal enough, but as was expected, there is always something abnormal bound to happen.

For one thing, Colin was still annoying Harry and every time Ed came across the boy, he almost felt like the strangling the younger boy. The boy even showed up at Quidditch practice, questioning Harry everything about it: what were beaters, what are the balls for, who were the players, etc, etc and at the time, it was the crack of dawn. Needless to say, Harry was not happy that Wood woke him up so early and that Colin kept asking all these questions.

Second, Malfoy somehow made it on the Slytherin’s team. You had to be blind as a bat, deaf, and just plain stupid to not realize that he had bought his way onto the team. The entire Slytherin team had brand new Nimbus Two Thousand and One models. (This model was even better than Harry’s Nimbus Two Thousand). Apparently, Malfoy asked his father for them… and bought his way onto the team… (Ed snorted at the thought. The jerk probably didn’t even have any real skills.)

What happened after was the major headache. Malfoy insulted Hermione and Ed. (Ed wasn’t sure what Mudblood meant, but he did know an insult and he was going to pay Malfoy back with twice the pain.) Ron, in the process of defending Hermione and Ed, ended up cursing himself so now he was hurling slugs. Not a pretty sight. All the while, Malfoy and the rest of the Slytherin team were getting a good laugh. Ron spent the rest of the day hurling slugs.

Third, Harry was beginning to hear voices. Ed thought the workload and Quidditch plus Lockhart and Colin finally got to the poor boy, but Harry insisted that he kept hearing this low, dangerous voice. The strangest thing about Harry’s story was that Harry was once serving detention with Lockhart and Lockhart didn’t hear a thing. Ed didn’t know what was going on, but he didn’t like it. (He hoped Harry didn’t have a few screws loose or anything)

But other than those three things, life seem to carry on pretty smoothly. Ed managed to pull off his Halloween prank on his roommates gain. Gave them another heart attack and knocked another year off their life.

-Flashback-

Harry fell out of his bed. His heart was racing, his palms felt sweaty and his glasses were practically falling off his face.

“Damnit, Ed!” cursed Ron. He was on the ground like Harry, nursing his newest head wound.

Ed chuckled. “You screamed the loudest Ron. If I didn’t know better, I would say you’re scared of spiders.” Quite true. When the Weasley woke up, he let a terrified scream the moment he opened his eyes.

Ron turned a brilliant shade of red and didn’t say anything. This year, Ed had rigged all their bed with fake spiders so that the first thing you saw was this giant spider sitting on you, its eight eyes staring at you. Then there were smaller ones hanging above you. It was enough to terrify Ed’s roommates and wake their neighbors too.

As his roommates glared at him, Ed could do nothing but laugh.

-End of Flashback-

But other than that, the day had actually passed by rather quickly. Night had fallen and most of the students were downstairs celebrating Halloween. Nearly Headless Nick invited Harry, Ron and Hermione to his deathday party so they were there. Meanwhile, Ed and Roy were up in the library having their own little Halloween party. (Though, mainly both Ed and Roy were tired of drinking pumpkin juice and eating pumpkin pie.)

“It’s already October,” said Ed. “Time flies by fast.” In the spirit of Halloween, he was dressed like an elf. Even had his ears bewitched to be slightly pointed.

“Not fast enough…” muttered Roy to himself. He piled up the latest stack of papers that Riza had sent via owl post. The dog ears that he was wearing (Ed made him) looked like they were beginning to droop. What was his first lieutenant trying to do? Drown him in papers? Was this some kind of cruel and unusual punishment for leaving and not doing his work?

Probably…

Ed smirked. He had heard what Roy said. He couldn’t help but chuckle at the Flame Alchemist’s complaints. It was so nice to see Roy suffer once in while.

-Thud-

Yes, it was very nice to see Roy suffer.

Shinka let out a hiss towards Roy. The human’s ridiculously tall paper stack nearly crushed her as it fell. Did her master’s crush have to be such an idiot sometimes? What human in their right mind stacks papers that high anyways? Shinka glared at Roy. It might have to do with the fact that the human’s desk resembled more of an ocean of papers than a desk.

Ed chuckled and bent down to help Roy pick up the papers. “I swear I’m going to burn these documents soon,” mumbled Roy. Ed couldn’t help himself… he burst out laughing… Today was definitely a good day.

------------------------

“Ray?”

“Hm? Oh Riza. What brings you here?”

Riza took a seat. “Just here to tell you that the papers you asked to be delivered have been sent.”

“Thanks. Knowing Roy, it’ll take him the rest of the year to figure out those documents are important and that he’ll need to know them. I don’t know how he survived without you.”

Riza chuckled quietly.

“Well, that solves how to get Ed to England every year from now. So are you free for lunch, Riza-chan?”

-------------------------

“I heard that Harry’s been hearing voices,” said Roy.

“He claims to be,” said Ed. “But no one else can heard them.”

By now they had cleaned the mess of papers on Roy’s desk. Somehow the older alchemist manage to con Ed into helping get his paperwork. (“More like begged than ordered.”-Ed)

Roy paused in his work. “As long as he isn’t suffering from schizophrenia or any other type of mental illness, then he’ll be fine.” The last thing Roy wanted to hear and deal with wad that Harry turned out to be a little insane.

Ed nodded. “He’s probably stressed. Lockhart and that Colin kid is pretty much giving him a headache with their presence alone.” He had finished sorting through the papers when his elbow brushed against an old dusty book. The title read, ‘Myths and Legends of Hogwarts.’

“What’s this?” Ed put down his pen and picked up the book.

“It’s a book of legends. I was doing some light reading in it. It’s quite interesting,” said Roy, not missing a beat as he scribbled down on another piece of paper. This pile of papers was never going to end, was it?

Ed opened the book and began to flip through the pages. He stopped on one of the legends titled: The Chamber of Secret.

Over a thousand years ago, four of the greatest witches and wizards came together to build a school: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin. They built Hogwarts together, far from prying Muggle eyes for it was an age when magic was feared by common people, and witches and wizards suffered much persecution.

For a few years, the founders worked in harmony together, seeking out youngsters who showed signs of magic and bringing them to the castle to be educated. But then disagreements sprang up between them. A rift began to grow between Slytherin and the others. Slytherin wished to be more selective about the students admitted to Hogwarts. He believed that magical learning should be kept within all-magic families. He disliked taking students of Muggle parentage, believing them to be untrustworthy. After a while, there was a serious argument on the subject between Slytherin and Gryffindor and Slytherin left the school.

However, it was said before the castle was finished being built, Slytherin had built a hidden chamber, unknown to the other founders. It was called the Chamber of Secrets. Legends say that he sealed the hidden chamber so that none but his own true heir arrived at the school. The heir alone would be able to unseal the Chamber of Secrets and unleash the hidden horror within, and use it to purge the school of all who were unworthy to study magic.

While no one truly knows what is hidden in the chamber, many are led to believe that it’s some sort of creature that only the heir could control it. Others say it is some sort of dark magic or perhaps some kind of secret weapon or tool that will help the heir in his quest. Whatever was locked inside still remains a secret. Many fear what will truly happen should the chamber ever be opened.

Ed closed the book. What a ridiculous legend. Seriously, who would believe that there was some kind of ‘hidden horror’ in the school? Dumbledore probably wouldn’t even take the chance if something was dangerous living in here nor would parents send their children here if any thing really dangerous lived in Hogwarts. Ever if there was some sort of monster, it must have died from hunger from being locked for up over a millennium.

“Find anything interesting?”

Ed looked up. “Nah, just a legend about some sort of chamber of secrets was build somewhere in Hogwarts. They talk about how there’s some kind of horrible monster and everything down there can only be controlled by the ‘true heir’.” It was a silly myth.

“Good.” Roy stood up and proceeded to drag Edward out of the library. “Cause we’re taking break. It would be pointless to spend Halloween like this.” As much as Roy loved spending any type of time with Ed, it was more or less too crude of him to force the younger boy to help with his paperwork all night. So they would pay a visit to the kitchen for a midnight snack.

Ed glared at the older man. “You just don’t want to do your work.”

Roy’s smile wavered a bit. “Nonsense. Why would you think like that?” He wasn’t that easy to read, right? He had no hidden motive for dragging Ed away from the library and downstairs. Of course not, what a silly idea to think of. No, he wasn’t using Ed as an excuse to walk away from his paperwork. He would never use the younger alchemist in such a lowly way.

Though… getting a snack did mean walking away from a certain paper-covered desk.

Ed’s glare increased, but oddly he let the Flame Alchemist drag him towards the kitchen. A midnight snack actually sounded pretty good right about now…

------------------------------

Meanwhile, Harry, Ron and Hermione were making their way back from Nearly Headless Nick’s Deathday party. They couldn’t stand much of the dreary atmosphere and the ghosts for much longer so they decided to leave. Hopefully, Nick wouldn’t find out and if he didn’t, they prayed he wouldn’t mind them just up and leaving like that.

“…rip…tear…kill…”

Harry stopped dead in his tracks. There it was… that cold murderous voice that seem to ring from nowhere. What was it? A phantom? Some sort of restless spirit?

“..soo hungry… for so long…”

Harry felt ill. It was moving upwards… how was that possible?

“Hey, Harry? You alright?” asked Ron with a worried expression on his face. Harry was acting strange…

“Shut up and listen. It’s that voice again!” Harry said urgently. The voice was beginning to grow softer. He ran down the hall. Where was it going? “This way!” he shouted. Harry darted up the stairs.

“Harry! Where are we going!” asked Hermione. She and Ron ran after Harry. They had no idea where Harry was going.

“… I smell blood… I SMELL BLOOD!”

Harry’s stomach lurched. “It’s going to kill someone!” he shouted. He ignored bewildered looks that Hermione and Ron gave him. What on earth was Harry talking about?

“Harry! What are you talking about! I couldn’t hear a thing!” shouted Ron.

Hermione suddenly gasped and pointed towards a wall. “Look!”

-------------------------------------

“Enemies of the Heir, beware! You’ll be next, Mudbloods!”

Ed looked as Roy as they both heard Malfoy suddenly shout those words. They noticed that people were beginning to cram into a corridor at the end of the second level. “What the hell is Malfoy yelling about?” muttered Ed as he attempted to push his way through the crowd of people.

Ed blinked rapidly as he saw what was before him. Painted on the wall in bright red paint were foot tall words.

THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED. ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE.

This was not good… Ed looked at Roy. “Remember that legend I was talking about back upstairs,” he blandly asked.

Roy nodded. Of course, they just had that conversation a good five minutes ago. It’s not something he would have forgotten right away. What was Ed getting at?

Ed’s glaze returned to the wall. “It might be a little truer then I thought…”

---------------------------------------

Yami stopped a foot from them. He glanced down at Kurt’s tail and a smirk formed on his lips. He opened his mouth to say something, but quickly shut it as he found himself at a loss for words. Giving up on speaking, he tilted his head to get a better look at the blue furry one. It was then he found his voice, “I thought Halloween happened in October? Was I wrongly informed?”

‘The Forth God’ By RogueMoon, Ch 3 (X-men Evolution/YGO crossover)

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-------------

Reimei: Honor and Pride
--------------

Chapter VI

Painful Pride; Welcome Chaos

--------------

hibite (yonde) iru kimi no koe

koko de tachidomaru you na jikan wa nai sa

READY STEADY GO

Your voice is echoing -shouting-

There's no time to be like standing still here

READY STEADY GO

-------------

That Halloween night had turned into the talk of the century. The teachers questioned Harry, Ron, and Hermione as the three of them were the first one to arrive at the scene. Filch was sobbing as his cat, Mrs. Norris, was Petrified. Whispers of secrets darted around the school as several students eyed others with suspicious looks. Suddenly Roy had a double workload to do as hordes of students came to the library demanding that they have all the books that told about the Chamber of Secrets. (Of course it didn’t help that Ed had already borrowed over half of them). The whole school was talking about it.

“I bet Malfoy knows something about this chamber of secrets,” said Ron. Currently, he, Harry, Ed and Hermione were the only ones in the common room. Ed had his nose buried into a book, half listening to what Ron and Harry were discussing. Surprisingly, Hermione didn’t have her nose in a book.

“Just look at his family! They’re all Slytherin! He’s always boasting about how good his family is. They could definitely be Slytherin’s descendants. His father is evil enough!” ranted Ron. The Weasley was convinced that Malfoy was heir. “You hear him shout ‘You’ll be next, Mudbloods!’”

“But there’s no way to prove that,” Ed said, pausing in his reading to add in his two cents.

“If only I had my copy of Hogwarts: A History. All the copies have been checked out in the library and there’s a two weeks waiting list! I wish I didn’t leave my copy at home but there was no way I could have fit it into my trunk,” said Hermione with a sigh.

“Why do you want it?” asked Ed, flipping the page. The book he was reading wasn’t providing much new information. “Besides, if you wanted it so badly, why not ask your parents to send it to you through owl post?”

“My parents don’t own an owl. They’re not even wizards. And I want it for the same reason everyone else wants it: to read up on the legend of the Chamber of Secrets.”

Ed tossed a book to Hermione. “Here, knock yourself out. You won’t find much in it anyways.”

Hermione gaped. “You had a copy all this time? Why didn’t you tell me?”

Ed shrugged and picked up another book. “You never asked.”

-------------------------

“I still say Malfoy is the one behind all of this,” muttered Ron.

“And I keep telling you that we have no evidence,” said Ed. Class had just finished and they were heading down to the Great Hall for lunch.

“Actually… there might be a way to prove it,” said Hermione, her voice dropping lower. “Of course, it would be difficult and dangerous… very dangerous. We’d be breaking about fifty school rules, I expect-“

“In other words, it’ll probably get us expelled and you will be complaining and blaming us if it ever happens,” Ed said bluntly.

Hermione glared at the blond alchemist. “Yes. What we need to do is get inside the Slytherin Common room and talk to Malfoy without him knowing it’s us that he’s talking to.”

The light bulb went –ding- in Ed’s head. “Oh no…” he groaned. “You’re not thinking…”

Hermione grinned. “Yes, the Polyjuice Potion!”

Ron and Harry looked at each other. Why was it that Ed and Hermione were on the same wavelength when it came to being smart? “What’s that?” Harry and Ron chorused together.

“Snape mentioned it in class a few weeks ago-“

“Do you think we have nothing better to do than to listen to Snape in class?” muttered Ron.

“It’s a potion that transforms you into somebody else,” said Ed. He had a sinking feeling about this. The last time the three of them decided to do something that broke the rules, they ended up with detention in the Forbidden Forest or nearly dying while trying to retrieve the Philosopher’s Stone. Plus, knowing how stubborn they were, Ed also knew there was no way of convincing them otherwise. He let out a sigh.

“Think about it. We could change into Slytherins and no one will know it’s us. Malfoy is bound to tell us something knowing the way he boasts about everything,” said Hermione. There was a hint of excitement in her voice.

“You do realize that it takes a while to make, right? And that the only way to get the recipe is in a book that is in the restricted section of the library?” Ed said, looking at Hermione. He came across the recipe while searching for the Philosopher’s Stone last year. It took a month to brew and the ingredients for it was hard to get by or just weird… Ed didn’t want to drink a potion with someone’s hair or toenails in it. The potion was complicated… and it wasn’t something second years should be trying. Then again… when was Ed concerned about age? After all he didn’t become a state alchemist at the age of 12 for nothing. He shouldn’t be the one reprimanding about age and they shouldn’t do.

“That’s why you’re going to get the book Ed. After all Mr. Mustang lets you into the restricted section,” said Hermione.

Ed took a step back and sweatdropped. He didn’t like that look in Hermione’s eyes…

-------------------------

Roy, in the meantime, was actually attempting to do his work up in the library. The books were shelved, the students were eating lunch, and Ed was nowhere in sight so he had free time. He also knew full well the Riza would kill him if he didn’t finish those papers.

That was when he came across a simple, white full-letter size envelope. It felt heavy and full of papers. Written on it in neat handwriting, it said. ‘Read carefully.’ Roy tensed. He knew that handwriting very well.

He opened the envelope and began to read. It had to be important if Ray sent it…

Onyx eyes widened. “This…”

-----------------------

“Here,” said Ed. He knew he was going to regret this… not to mention this would get him into trouble with Roy or worse, Roy would get in trouble. He handed the book over to Hermione who opened it up quickly and began to read.

“We need lacewings flies, leeches, fluxweed, and knotgrass. Also powdered horn of a bicorn, shredded skin of boomslang and a little bit of whoever we want to change into. We can get the first four ingredients from the student cupboards…but I’m not sure how we’re going to get the powdered horn of a bicorn and shredded skin of boomslang.”

Ron looked at her as if Hermione had grown another head. “Excuse me? What do you means bits of a person we want to change into? Are you telling me I gotta drink a potion that has Crabbe’s toenails in it?” Ron looked like he was going to be sick as Ed grimly nodded. This was the reason why Ed didn’t even want to come near this potion.

“I guess this means we have to steal some of this stuff from Snape’s private stores,” said Harry. He didn’t really like that idea in particular. Besides, he knew that Draco would never do something like this. Harry knew that deep down inside Draco had a good heart and what on earth was he thinking! Of course Drac- Malfoy was evil! Just look at his father!

“If you two are going to chicken out now, Ed can take this book back right now. I just thought saving other muggle-born students here came first,” snapped Hermione.

Ed, behind her, rolled his eyes and knew that Harry and Ron would instantly agree. He sighed, his friends were really justice orientated weren’t they?

-------------------------

Saturday came and the Quidditch match against Slytherin arrived. Harry was feeling butterflies at the thought of going up against Malfoy. Somehow… it sorta thrilled him. Harry paused for a moment. Why did it thrill him so much? It was just another Quidditch match. Yeah, that right. It’s just the feeling of excitement before a game.

He marched onto the field proudly with the rest of the team. They would win against the Slytherin’s team.

“On my whistle,” said Madam Hooch. “Three… two… one…”

The crowd roared as both teams took the air. The Snitch hovered for a few seconds in Harry’s view before disappearing from sight. Harry sped off in the direction it took, only to sway and pull back as a bludger nearly hit him.

‘That was close,’ thought Harry.

“Harry you alright?” asked Fred, flying next to him.

“That was close one,” said George. He hit the bludger again, sending it off its course. But something was wrong. Right after George hit it, the bludger changed its course and sped back towards Harry’s direction. Harry took off. What the hell is wrong with that bludger?

----------------------------

“This isn’t good,” said Ed, looking at the field trying to spot Harry. Rain had started to fall, making it hard for the alchemist to spot his friend on the field.

“What isn’t?” asked Ron.

“There’s this one bludger that keeps coming after Harry,” Ed said calmly. He found Harry again, and watched as he dodged the flying bludger. “I bet the Slytherin’s tampered with it or something.” He appeared to be calm, but his golden eyes were sharp and flashing.

Another whistle sounded through the rain, calling a time out. Ed frowned. They better do something about that bludger soon. Harry was going to get murdered.

-----------------------------

With much convincing, Harry managed to get Wood to get Fred and George to leave him alone and for him to handle the bludger. Harry wasn’t going to lose this match to some crazy bludger.

Madam Hooch’s whistle sounded again as the teams both took the skies once more. Harry sped off in search of the Snitch. He had no time to waste. Harry zoomed around the field looking for a glimmer of gold.

‘There.’

It was hovering next to Malfoy and the pale Slytherin didn’t even notice. On top of that, the bludger was heading right towards Malfoy. ‘Get to Draco,’ Harry willed his broom.

Draco finally noticed that Harry was coming right at him “What the-?” He tried to get away but Harry rammed straight into him, pushing Draco out of the bludger’s pathway as Harry grabbed the Snitch while the bludger shattered his other arm. Harry was knocked off his broom.

“Damnit Potter!” shouted Draco. Without giving it a second thought, he dove to catch the falling Harry. Behind him, the bludger sped toward Draco and Harry, keen on hitting its target once more.

The bludger never made it and Draco and Harry fell to ground landing with a thud on a big pile of leaves. The bludger was caught in what appeared to be a giant hand made out of mud and stone.

“You know you gotta stop getting yourself into trouble, Harry.”

Through the rain, Harry and Draco looked to see Ed standing there, soaking wet like them. As soon as Harry had started speeding towards Draco, Ed had left his seat and darted down towards the field. Ed saw Harry beginning to fall and transmuted the grass into a big pile of leaves. Then Ed transmuted a hand out of the ground to catch the bludger.

Draco, on the other hand, decided it was a good time to punch Harry for pulling a stupid stunt like that. Not only was he muddy and dirty, Draco now felt extremely sore. It also felt like he pulled his arm out of his socket. Trying to pull Harry upwards while trying to hold on to his broom was a little hard to do mid-air.

-Bam! -

Harry was stunned, the numbness of his arm faded from his mind as he focused on his bruise thanks to Draco. “What was that for?” he snapped.

“For being a stupid idiot! What were you thinking? Are you trying to kill yourself!” shouted Draco. Never in his entire life had he been so scared. Why he was so scared, he didn’t know but one thing for sure, Draco NEVER wanted to see that happen again.

Harry punched Draco back with his good arm. “You were about to be rammed by the bludger yourself! You should be thanking me!”

Ed blinked. This conversation sounded strangely familiar… Not the exact same words… but the same meaning behind it. Didn’t Al say something similar to him once…?

Ed’s thoughts were interrupted by a horrible annoying voice.

“Not to worry, Harry. I’m about to fix your arm.”

“NO!” shouted Harry and Ed together. After that whole pixie incident they really didn’t trust Lockhart with a wand anymore.

“I’ll keep it like this, thanks…” said Harry. He heard a familiar clicking noise. “I don’t want a photo of this, Colin.” That boy was really starting to become annoying.

“He should just go to the hospital wing,” said Ed, wanting to snatch the camera away from the younger boy. Really, why was the boy taking pictures now?

Lockhart carefully ignored Ed and Harry’s protests. “Stand back,” he said as he rolled up his jade-green sleeves.

“No- don’t!” said Harry. It was too late. Lockhart waved his wand and pointed it at Harry’s arm.

A strange and unpleasant sensation started at Harry’s shoulder and spread all the way down to his fingertips. It felt like his arm was being deflated and that wasn’t a pleasant feeling. Harry dared not look. It was raining; he was sore and muddy with a broken arm that his incompetent teacher was trying to fix. Colin was bothering him with the clicking of his camera and Harry could feel all eyes on him. Plus, he still owed Draco a punch in the face for the one he just gave Harry.

Suddenly his arm didn’t hurt anymore… in fact he couldn’t even move it… Harry mentally groaned. He didn’t want to know, he didn’t want to know.

“Ah,” said Lockhart. His tone of voice just confirmed the worse for Harry. “Yes. Well, that can sometimes happen. But the point is, the bones are no longer broken. That’s the thing to bear in mind. So, Harry, just toddle up to the hospital wind – ah, Mr. Elric, Mr. Malfoy would you escort him? – and Madam Pomfrey will be able to – er – tidy you up a bit.”

Ed and Draco glared at each other for a split second before both glaring at Lockhart and his idiocy. Nevertheless, they both helped Harry up.

Harry finally willed himself to look at his arm. It looked like a thick, flesh-colored rubber glove. He tried to move his fingers. Nothing happened.

Ed stared in disbelief as he watched Harry try to move his arm again. Lockhart hadn’t mended Harry’s bones. He had removed them.

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Uhhh... it's not our fault...

Ritsuko Akagi (Neon Genesis Evangelion)

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Reimei: Honor and Pride

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Chapter VII

A Piece of Honor; Midnight Visit

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Madam Pomfrey wasn’t pleased by the time they got up there. She was raging, actually. “You should have come straight to me!” she shrieked. In her hands was Harry’s limp limb. “I can heal bones in seconds, growing them back- “

“Is something you can do right?” asked Harry with a hint of panic in his voice.

Madam Pomfrey looked at him, looking almost insulted by the remark. “I’ll be able to, certainly, but it will be painful,” she said flatly. She handed Harry a pair of pajamas. “You’ll have to stay the night…”

Then, before anyone else could say a word to Harry, Madam Pomfrey ushered Ed, Draco, Ron and Hermione out of the hospital wing, saying that Harry needed his rest and that they could come and visit in the morning. Then she turned to give Harry his medicine. Skele-Gro, read the bottle. Harry paled. He didn’t like the sound of that.

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Night had fallen… and Harry was having a hard time sleeping. His arm felt like it was on fire or being stabbed by large splinters… either way it was painful. There was also someone poking his cheek.

“So you finally woke up from what ever nightmare you were having …? Or was that merely you tossing and turning due the Skele-Gro?”

Harry grabbed his glasses and looked at the source of the voice. Ed was sitting next to his bed, poking the younger boy’s cheek. “Ed?” asked Harry. “What are you doing here?”

The blond alchemist shrugged. “Roy had me helping him do paperwork. I thought I’d come and visit you before I head up to the tower for some rest.”

Harry blinked. He didn’t know Ed was helping Mr. Mustang… wait a minute… what paperwork did Mr. Mustang have? He was a librarian, not a teacher. And when did Ed address him by his first name? Harry’s head was spinning and he decided not to think about it… it was making his head hurt more.

“Thanks, Ed,” said Harry.

They were interrupted with a small –pop- and there stood on Harry’s stomach a little creature with large bat-like ears and bulging green eyes the size of tennis balls. It was dressed in a tattered old pillowcase and had bruises about its body. It was a creature that Harry knew a little TOO well. “Dobby!” he said.

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In the Slytherin’s dormitories, a certain blond Slytherin was having trouble sleeping. As usual it involved Potter and Draco couldn’t help but curse the other boy. It seems after every incident he met with Potter whether it be for a (un)friendly fight or just simple taunting in the classroom, Draco would go for hours without sleep, seeing bright emerald eyes in his dream. So yes… Draco was cursing Harry for causing his insomnia. It was that boy’s entire fault.

Why the hell was he letting it bother him so much anyways!

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Ed stared at the strange creature that stood on Harry’s stomach. He believed that Harry called it Dobby… Why such a creature was here… or how it got in here for that matter, Ed didn’t know… and he had a feeling that he didn’t want to know either.

Suddenly Dobby started to ramble, ignoring the fact that Ed was standing next to him. “Harry Potter came back to school. Dobby warned and warned Harry Potter. Ah sir, why didn’t you heed Dobby? Why didn’t Harry Potter go back home when he missed the train?”

Harry’s emerald eyes widened. “You’re the one who stopped the barrier from letting us through!”

“Indeed yes, sir,” said Dobby. “Dobby hid and watched for Harry Potter and sealed the gateway and Dobby had to iron his hands afterwards” –he showed Harry and Ed ten long, bandaged fingers – “but Dobby didn’t care, sir, for he thought Harry Potter was safe, and never did Dobby dream that Harry Potter would get to school another way!”

Ed picked up Dobby by the collar of the pillowcase outfit. “Who are you and what do you want with Harry?” Ed asked.

“I am Dobby, sir. And Harry Potter must go home! If only Harry Potter knew! If he knew what he means to us, to the lowly, the enslaved, us dregs of the magical world! Dobby remembers how it was when He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was at the height of his powers, sir! We house-elves were treated like vermin, sir! Of course, Dobby is still treated like that, sir. But mostly, sir, life has improved for my kind since you triumphed over He-Who-Must-Not-Be-named. Harry Potter survived, and the Dark Lord’s powers was broken, and it was a new dawn, sir, and Harry Potter shone like a beacon of hope for those of us who thought the Dark days would never end, sir…And now, at Hogwarts, terrible things are to happen, are perhaps happening already, and Dobby cannot let Harry Potter stay here now that history is to repeat itself, now that the Chamber of Secrets is open once more- “