Fullmetal Wizard | Chapter 27

Sirius had come back; he was glowering at the elf from the doorway. At the sight of Sirius, Kreacher flung himself into a ridiculously low bow that flattened his long nose against the carpet.

"Stand up straight." Sirius said impatiently. "Lets get a look at you."

Siruis then went to Kreachers side and carefully handled the favored leg with his fingers. After a few moments, he sighed and sat back.

"Set it yourself, did you? "

"Kreacher remains useful to Master, though he was a nasty ungrateful swine who broke his mother's heart..." Kreacher said.

"My mother had no heart. She kept herself alive out of pure spite. What were you up to?" Sirius said.

"Kreacher is cleaning." Kreacher insisted.

Kreacher's face then twisted itself into a hateful scowl, eyes fixated at the doorway. Harry looked over. Standing there with Lupin, was Ed.

"Interrupting anything important?" Lupin asked.

"Not really...Kreacher. This is Edward Elric. He is a GUEST. You will treat him as such, is that clear?" Sirius said.

"Kreacher is ever loyal to the House of Black. Though it is now filled with the worst filth, scum and Mugglery..."

"Enough. Now go away, Kreacher." Sirius said.

Kreacher limped out, but not without leveling a gaze filled with loathing at Sirius. Ed watched him go with the most curious expression on his face. Harry wasn't sure what to make of it. It was a mixture of pity and sadness, yet there was a calculating quality to it as well. He noticed a crisp, clean white bandage taped at the front of his neck that Ed was trying, yet not, to scratch at with his left hand.

Sirius looked over at Lupin and stood. Hermione followed suit, blushing slightly at her cheeks as she did so.

"Come to help out?" FredorGeorge asked.

"Um. No. Sorry. I'm giving Edward the sickle tour." Lupin said. He looked over at the bucket by the window, and whistled. "That's quite the lot of..moxies?"

"That's not the worst of it. We're tackling the cabinet next." Ron said, nose crinkled at the thought.

"Remember to stay away from the writing desk. Least until Moody gives it a good look. Knowing my mother, she probably had something pretty nasty put in there, and I don't want anyone hurt." Sirius said.

"Don't worry." Ron said, as he glanced at the locked up desk. Even now, it occasionally jerked as the mystery thing inside struggled to get out.

Ed entered the room, gold eyes moving slowly about. He cocked his head to the side when he spotted the bucket by the curtain, and he walked over to it. He crouched down. Then gave a quick glanced at the bowl beside it. He then looked up at the curtains, eyes narrowed.

"Vhy?" Ed asked softly, his voice angry. And glanced over his shoulder at each of them. The same odd expression on his face. "Vhy..?"

"Ed..? They're moxies. They're...pests, really. Like...um..cockroaches." Hermione said brightly.

Ed's eyes widened slightly, and he swallowed. "Cockvroaches..." He glanced down to the bucket again, then stood up. "I can see dat in dem. Vhy anyone would do dis..." He sighed, turned and looked to Sirius. "Your mother..vas it she who did the making of these tings, and the house elfs, too?"

Harry blinked at that question. Ed crossed his arms, gazing steadily at Sirius, who was also blinking at the question.

"My mother was truly an awful person. But I assure you, she did not..um..make..either moxies or house elves." Sirius rubbed the back of his head.

Ed's face scrunched in confusion, then hardened to something unreadable.

"You really are of muggle stock .."

"...if you don't know that." FredorGeorge said with an uncomfortable laugh.

"Shut it you gits." Ginny grumbled, and cross her arms.

"I know I didn't know about them until I started at Hogwarts." Harry said, feeling really bad for Ed just then, and wanting to let him know he wasn't alone in his assumptions, however wrong they might be.

"Oh! There's this book that'll clear all this up! I'll happy to lend it to you!" Hermione said.

Ed looked at her, and his face softened slightly at the mere mention of a book. She blushed, and her smile widened.

'Great. Bookworm meets bookworm.' Harry thought. He glanced at Ron in time to see him frown.

"Come on, Edward. We have the rest of the house to see." Lupin said. Ed nodded a slight nod, and stepped out into the hall. He gave one last glimpse over his shoulder at them before Lupin closed the door.

"Odd one, isn't he?" Sirius said, as he turned towards them with a mischeivious grin.

"He's talking more than he did in that class, but I just don't get him. He was acting..um...more like I think a really, really smart muggle would. Now..?" Harry shrugged.

"What do you mean by 'really, really smart muggle' ?" Hermione asked.

"He spent all his free time at the library. Always with these...huge dusty books. Mostly for math and science. Stuff I couldn't even recognise except by the cover titles. Even worked on correcting some of them. He said for the fun of it." Harry said.

"That's just not natural. Spending all summer in a library!?! It's..just DEAD wrong." Ron said, clearly meaning every word.

Harry grinned at him.

"Why you reckon'd he reacted the way he did last night?" Ron said softer, scowling a bit.

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