ght with his left, as the flesh leg wasn't obeying him as well as his automail was. He again rubbed is temples with his left, trying to focus past the dizziness enough to make it up the stairs.
"Old hag! ..Help me take him to the hospital wing!" Ron's voice.
Ed blinked. He knew he missed most of what was going on around him as he looked up past his palm to see Ron's face looking at him with wide, even concerned, eyes. And what was that with him? A... broom?
"No." Ed said softly. "No..hospitals. Vill be fine."
"Hate to break it to you, Ed." Ron said. "You don't look all that..."
"Dhey vill vant to examine me. Poke me vith very..." Ed shivered "..very sharp needles. No. I vill be fine. Just. Need food."
"Ed.." Harry said. "You can't even walk..."
"If you take me to hospital.. I know I vill be kept overnight at the least. Dhen dhey vill..Look at me...vant to call my..my mechanic..It vill be..just a mess." Ed said, as he braced his right hand flat to the wall he was leaning on. Right arm obeying his will, he pushed off the wall and locked his legs. The left doing better than the living right. He placed his hand on the wall once more to steady himself.
Ed looked over to Harry. "Harry..You vant to go to dhat..quiddy thing..tomorrow, vright?"
Harry's eyes brighted, then he glanced over at Ron, who shifted his hold on the broom ever so slightly. He looked back at Ed with raised brows, and a question clearly written on his face.
"Iz but matter of Equivalent Exchange." Ed said as he tapped a metal finger to the scar on his left, thinking even this much must be only too obvious.
"What..?" Ron said.
"Ve talk later." Ed said. "But..No hospital. Not tonight."
"Ed.."
"Harry. I vreally..just need food now."
Both Ron and Harry helped him up the stairs to the Griffindor tower. The common room was not a haven, not that night. It contained far too many students for Ed's liking, so he jerked his head to the stairs that led to the dorms as soon as they were past the entrance. He knew they were drawing eyes..as well as questions..walking in like a six legged creature for no apparent reason. He was too tired and dizzy to really deal with either.
When Ed awoke, well past sunrise, his stomach complained loudly, acting much like an alarm clock.
He lifted his head and looked around. Yes..there were many wrappers of various descriptions about the covers of his bed, and those certainly looked like crumbs dusted all over.
He heard the others in the dorm stirring, and groaned.
"Crap..too late for a shower." He muttered in Amestrian. He rubbed at the ache in his right port as he reached for the curtain, then stopped. His right arm gleamed in the sullen light of the morning; He was no longer IN the long sleeved shirt.
He looked down..he was, in fact, in his black muscle shirt..the one he had on the day before. The one with the wide collar that showed the bolts and various surgery scars at his neck and clavicle.
His long sleeved shirt was wrapped about his left forearm, acting something like a protective bandage.
Confused, he sat up, rubbed at his eyes with one knuckle of his left, and yawned.
"Morning" chimed Neville's voice. It was cheerful yet sleepy.
Ed looked over, and was amazed that 'THE LOOK' was no longer on his round face; It was something that had lingered since Wednesday, when he had been a witness to Ed's fight with Crabbe and Goyle. Ed nodded a small nod in response, and said "Morning." in return.
He glanced about and saw instantly the same could not be said of Dean's or Seamus's faces, and frowned slightly, though he did note they did make a considerable effort to cover it up, or at least not stare. He nodded to them and then to Harry and Ron.
'Wait 'til they learn about the leg..' nagged an inner voice as he gathered his clothes to change into. He drew the curtains, and quickly got the day started.
:::
Complete novel available!
You can now access all my latest crossover stories and exclusive content on Ko-fi! Visit ko-fi.com/queenofkings2000 to dive into new adventures and support my writing journey.
Thank you for your amazing support!