Ed was back on his feet the next second, watching all with wary animal eyes, back into that stance. Harry glanced to the heap of twins, eyes wide in amazement. It looked like both twins were quite winded from the impact with the wall, were having difficulty sorting out what belonged to who enough to stand, much less point a wand at anyone.
"Bloody..hell..." Ron whispered.
Harry then felt a pair of hands on his shoulders, pulling him behind an adult's back. First Sirus's, then, of all people, Snape's. He looked back at who it was that was pulling him, and saw that it was Mr. Weasley.
Ed watched the group of people carefully. Most had wands pointed at him, but two held them with very shaky hands. One them was that Weasley woman. She splayed out her fingers, and slowly, deliberately, put her wand away. Then she slowly approached him.
"Calm down, Edward. No one's.." Mrs. Weasley said.
"Don't tell me be calm vhen I didn't choose to be here in the first place!!!" Ed snapped. "I am not about to let myself be taken again vithout knowing vhere I'm going to. Clear? These.."
Ed flicked his chin at the twins.
"..very sloppy. They yours?" Ed scowled at Mrs. Weasley.
"They're my sons. Yes. But..." Mrs. Weasley said softly.
"We didn't mean to..."
"It was just a joke mate.."
"You understand..?"
Ed eyed them and wiped his nose with his left hand. He flicked his eyes at it, noting the blood. He didn't break his stance.
"What. Happened?" Greasy hair said, voice calm and low. Ed flicked his eyes up at the man's cold dark eyes.. Noting that this one held his wand calmly, with cool confidence. Face a mask. Set in a sneer, but still, a mask.
'Likely hard to take down,' Ed thought.
"I vas attacked. I defended myself. It screamed. Then wasn't there anymore." Ed said, words clipped, tinged with anger.
The man called Sirius sighed, and lowered his wand.
"Kreacher." he said, disgust in his voice.
"Was wondering where he went off to.." said another voice in the group.
The other adults reluctantly lowered their wands as well. All except greasy hair. Ed kept his arms ready.
"vho sent..dis...creature..to attack me?" Ed said.
"No one. He's...a house elf." Sirius said.
Ed's face scrunched in confusion.
"He's a bit insane..but usually quite harmless." A bushy haired girl, in the behind the adults added.
Ed scowled.
"Riiiight. That's vhy he attacked me and called me filthy muggle vile doing it. I heard some of you say this vord at table tonight. Who sent him?"
"Wotcher. Just as paranoid as you Moody." A female voice whispered loudly.
There was a grunt in the crowd, and a heavy tap of a wooden something. The group parted, and up walked..or rather, limped a man. Ed recognised him as Scarface. Mismatched eyes and the half gone nose were clear in his memory.
"He has good reason." Scarface, now "Moody", said, and folded his arms across his chest. A wooden staff rested in the crook of his arm.
'No wand for this one?' Ed thought.
After a few tense moments, Ed blinked his eyes, shook his head, and sighed. He then slowly lowered his arms to his sides, and stood normally.
"If you vanted to kill me, I'd tink I'd be dead by now...."
"Wise decision." Greasy hair said with a sneer, and lowered his wand. Slowly.
Ed touched the bandage at his throat with his left living hand. "You. You're the one..that pulled me back?"
The greasy hair raised a single eyebrow, then give a slight nod. All the while looking as if he were examining something vile.
"Equivalence demands I return the favor. I vish to do so now. Can we speak in private?"
"Make it quick, Mr. Elric. I have pressing business to attend to."
Ed nodded a tight nod, but before he could take a single step...
"Put on some clothes, boy! Weren't you just freezing to death? You're dripping wet all over the hall...!" Mrs Weasley called out.
'Boy!!??' Ed clenched his teeth and fisted his mismatched hands at his sides. After a moment, he smirked.
'Why not now?' Ed thought.
Ed clapped his mismatched hands together in front of his chest. Then he raised them to either side of his head, fingers splayed. The rush of flowing energy warmed his arms and flowed throughout him. There was arching of blue electricity, and a flash of blue light. When the light faded, Ed felt steam rising up off of his head. His long blond hair was now dry. He quickly arranged it into a rough braid with mostly his left hand.
The hall was still silent when he finished with the braid, and Ed ignored their eyes. He followed the greasy haired man down the hall and down the stairs. Automail plates on his right jingling slightly with every step. Even with that in his ears, he heard someone in the crowd whisper.
"Blimey..!"
:::
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