Edward Elric the new Howard teacher

Chapter 5

Edward's POV:

I have been studying ever since I arrived here with a girl dressed in blue. For some reason, she decided to study with me the entire time. She wasn't bothering me, but I could tell she occasionally glanced at me. I'm used to being stared at for both good and bad reasons. I picked up one of her books about Defense Against the Dark Arts. When she asked why I wanted that book, I simply replied, "Research."

She looked at me with confusion and intrigue. "What are you researching?" she asked. I couldn't really tell her that I didn't understand what I read, considering I was going to be a teacher. So I opted for a general truth about why I read information. "What you read on the pages is only the surface of what you can learn from them," I pointed at the page, focusing on an entry about the basilisk.

"Let me ask you a question. From what is written here about the basilisk, how many ways are there to save someone suffering from basilisk venom?" I inquired. "There is only one cure for basilisk venom," she replied, still unsure where I was going with this. "That's only what is written about a cure. But there's another way hidden within the story," I explained, delving into more detail than I usually would.

Her eyes lit up with the look of a true seeker of knowledge. "The fact that the venom doesn't kill instantly provides an opportunity to extract the venom from the body and then treat the aftereffects, which has far more possibilities. That's what I do. I comprehend the given knowledge, deconstruct it, and then reconstruct it in a different manner," I elaborated. It's how alchemists work, and this situation was no different.

"I never thought of looking at it that way. You're really smart," she said with admiration. I shrugged and replied, "It's an occupational habit; it's just the way I think. Who knows, maybe it'll be useful to me or someone else someday." I gave a light smile at that, remembering how Winry always used to tell me that my way of thinking was not normal and let her annoyance be known. I should stop thinking about her or I'll have a hard time adjusting to this world.

Taking the book back, I resumed reading. "What's your name?" I asked. "Rose Goldfinch," she responded. I nodded, still reading. She smiled happily, giggling lightly. "This is the first time he's asked anything about me," she whispered to herself. I rolled my eyes at that. Then I remembered I still needed to get my stuff to my bedroom. I sighed and asked, "I need to do something else, so I have to go. Ms. Goldfinch, do you want this book here, or should I put it back on the shelf?"

She looked at me with a sad expression. "You can leave it with the other books," she answered. I did just that and left. I wanted to go to my room but got distracted by something that was bothering me. I looked around and saw GHOSTS. Were they created by magic like a phantom, or, more worrisomely, were they actual floating dead souls? I decided not to dwell on it. This is a different world than my own.

Some sights were disturbing to see. A nearly headless ghost who was politely talking to a student was my limit for ignoring them. They had to be real if someone like that would act naturally. If it were fake, it would be to scare people. I just stood there waiting for the student to walk away from the ghosts. I approached the ghost, pretending this didn't freak me out. "Hi there," I greeted the ghost.

"Oh, hello there, good sir. I don't think I've ever seen you here before. Who are you?" he greeted back, now focusing on me. "I'm Edward Elric, and you are?" I managed, hiding my unease about his appearance. "Oh my goodness, I didn't even introduce myself. I am Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, Sir Nicholas for short, and I am the Gryffindor house ghost," he introduced himself. His demeanor reminded me of some military people, which made it easier to talk.

"I haven't seen any ghosts like you before. How did you get that..." I pointed at his neck, which was barely connected to his head. "You know, that is not a question you should ask when you first meet someone," he said, lecturing me. I ignored his advice and redirected the conversation. "You see, if I find something I don't understand, I try to find the answer to it. It's just how I am. If that bothers you, then I'll just go away. I don't want to be a bother," I stated clearly.