Chapter One
By Football Girl (aka JamZ)
This is only the first part of my series. Harry's got the chance for a fresh start at a wizarding school in America, of all places. Maybe eventually he'll meet a girl . . . who knows? I do! BWAHAHAHAHAHA! Read and enjoy, and then review!
"This is the last straw, Potter!" Professor Snape yelled as he waved his wand furiously, trying to remove the huge green warts that were rapidly spreading over the Slytherins. Harry had finally pulled off his plan to infect all the Slytherins with the Crackados virus, which caused them to be covered with green, bumpy, itchy warts every Halloween. He had also stolen the only book that contained the cure [to the virus] on Hogwarts ground. "I will be taking this matter up with Professor McGonagall," Snape continued, sneering at Harry.
Harry's smile disappeared. Since Professor Dumbledore had gone away to help with the war against Voldemort's rising forces, McGonagall had been in charge, and McGonagall was NOT happy with Harry right now.
"Again Potter?" McGonagall asked with a sigh as Snape shoved Harry roughly through her door. "I don't know why you keep getting into trouble, but you do." McGonagall sat back in her chair as Snape explained Harry's trick to the deputy headmaster. Her lips got tighter and tighter, until she snapped out of her seat and went to stand by the window.
"Thank you for informing me, Professor," she said, signaling that Snape should leave. He got up, bowed sarcastically, and reluctantly exited the room, giving Harry a token sneer on the way out.
"What's wrong Potter?" McGonagall asked as soon as Snape had left. "You used to be such a good boy. You have such potential!" Harry just sat there, unwilling to admit that he resented Dumbledore's absence, and that he was even a little afraid now that the old wizard had gone. McGonagall continued, "Potter, I know you need to be here. Hogwarts is the best place to get a wizarding education. But I just don't know what to do with you anymore! I'm sending you to America."
Harry's head, which, up until this point, had been focused on a bit of dust on the ground, snapped up, shocked. America? America! But he wanted to be at Hogwarts! His friends were at Hogwarts! Ron was at Hogwarts! Hermione . . .
"I know it must come as a bit of a shock, but the headmaster at Shawnee School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is exactly the kind of person who would know how to handle you."
"H-handle me?" Harry asked with a note of anxiety in his voice. How would the headmaster at the American school handle him?
"Yes, I understand he's had plenty of experience with, er, unruly students. I've already looked up his address. I'll just send him an owl today. Start packing, Potter; you're off to America." With that she ushered him out of her office and started scribbling away with a violet pen.
"Hey Harry!" Harry's best friend Ron Weasley came up the hall with Cho Chang and Justin Flinch-Fletchley tagging along behind him. "Tell 'em Harry! It was great, man, you shoulda seen it! Just spectacular! The way Snape's eyes got all buggy and these huge green bumps started popping up all over him! I'll never forget that! And Malfoy! He coulda just killed ya, huh Harry?"
"Yeah," Harry replied, trying to build up enough enthusiasm to seem his normal cheerful self.
"Snape chewed your butt pretty bad, huh Harry?" Ron said, slugging Harry on the shoulder. He walked on with Justin, still laughing and talking to everyone he saw about Harry's triumph over the Slytherins. Cho stayed behind, looking quizzically at Harry.
"You okay?" she asked, timidly laying a hand on his shoulder.
"McGonagall says she's sick of dealing with me. She wants me to go to the wizarding school in America. Says that the headmaster there will know how to handle me better." Cho's eyes went wide, and she gave Harry a quick hug. "She told me to start packing," Harry continued, forcing back tears angrily.
"I'm sorry Harry. I know that Professor McGonagall knows what she's doing, though. I'm sure that things will work out okay for you." Cho gave Harry a dazzling smile, then walked off.
How trite, Harry thought bitterly. Cho had said something so predictable, and it didn't help him at all. He wouldn't have minded a kiss, but he reminded himself that she was still recovering from the loss of her late boyfriend, Cedric Diggory, who had died in a confrontation with Voldemort the past year, Harry's fourth at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry had eventually escaped from Voldemort, but "You-Know-Who" was nevertheless back in all his former force, a condition which Harry still felt responsible for.
Harry turned towards the Gryffindor common room. He told the fat lady in pink the password (schizophrenia) when he came to her portrait. She swung her heavy frame out of the way, revealing the entrance to the Gryffindor common room, which was deserted, the fire almost out. Nearly everyone was in class. Harry slumped down in a big, comfortable chair near the dying fire and felt sadness wash over him.
He knew that he shouldn't have played so many practical jokes. Perhaps he had overdone it. Dumbledore should never have left, Harry said to himself.
After almost an hour, Harry decided to accept the change. He would miss Ron. He would miss Professor Lupin. Hermione . . . well he just wasn't quite sure how he felt about Hermione yet.
He went up the stairs to his dorm and started packing his trunk.
Harry's smile disappeared. Since Professor Dumbledore had gone away to help with the war against Voldemort's rising forces, McGonagall had been in charge, and McGonagall was NOT happy with Harry right now.
"Again Potter?" McGonagall asked with a sigh as Snape shoved Harry roughly through her door. "I don't know why you keep getting into trouble, but you do." McGonagall sat back in her chair as Snape explained Harry's trick to the deputy headmaster. Her lips got tighter and tighter, until she snapped out of her seat and went to stand by the window.
"Thank you for informing me, Professor," she said, signaling that Snape should leave. He got up, bowed sarcastically, and reluctantly exited the room, giving Harry a token sneer on the way out.
"What's wrong Potter?" McGonagall asked as soon as Snape had left. "You used to be such a good boy. You have such potential!" Harry just sat there, unwilling to admit that he resented Dumbledore's absence, and that he was even a little afraid now that the old wizard had gone. McGonagall continued, "Potter, I know you need to be here. Hogwarts is the best place to get a wizarding education. But I just don't know what to do with you anymore! I'm sending you to America."
Harry's head, which, up until this point, had been focused on a bit of dust on the ground, snapped up, shocked. America? America! But he wanted to be at Hogwarts! His friends were at Hogwarts! Ron was at Hogwarts! Hermione . . .
"I know it must come as a bit of a shock, but the headmaster at Shawnee School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is exactly the kind of person who would know how to handle you."
"H-handle me?" Harry asked with a note of anxiety in his voice. How would the headmaster at the American school handle him?
"Yes, I understand he's had plenty of experience with, er, unruly students. I've already looked up his address. I'll just send him an owl today. Start packing, Potter; you're off to America." With that she ushered him out of her office and started scribbling away with a violet pen.
"Hey Harry!" Harry's best friend Ron Weasley came up the hall with Cho Chang and Justin Flinch-Fletchley tagging along behind him. "Tell 'em Harry! It was great, man, you shoulda seen it! Just spectacular! The way Snape's eyes got all buggy and these huge green bumps started popping up all over him! I'll never forget that! And Malfoy! He coulda just killed ya, huh Harry?"
"Yeah," Harry replied, trying to build up enough enthusiasm to seem his normal cheerful self.
"Snape chewed your butt pretty bad, huh Harry?" Ron said, slugging Harry on the shoulder. He walked on with Justin, still laughing and talking to everyone he saw about Harry's triumph over the Slytherins. Cho stayed behind, looking quizzically at Harry.
"You okay?" she asked, timidly laying a hand on his shoulder.
"McGonagall says she's sick of dealing with me. She wants me to go to the wizarding school in America. Says that the headmaster there will know how to handle me better." Cho's eyes went wide, and she gave Harry a quick hug. "She told me to start packing," Harry continued, forcing back tears angrily.
"I'm sorry Harry. I know that Professor McGonagall knows what she's doing, though. I'm sure that things will work out okay for you." Cho gave Harry a dazzling smile, then walked off.
How trite, Harry thought bitterly. Cho had said something so predictable, and it didn't help him at all. He wouldn't have minded a kiss, but he reminded himself that she was still recovering from the loss of her late boyfriend, Cedric Diggory, who had died in a confrontation with Voldemort the past year, Harry's fourth at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry had eventually escaped from Voldemort, but "You-Know-Who" was nevertheless back in all his former force, a condition which Harry still felt responsible for.
Harry turned towards the Gryffindor common room. He told the fat lady in pink the password (schizophrenia) when he came to her portrait. She swung her heavy frame out of the way, revealing the entrance to the Gryffindor common room, which was deserted, the fire almost out. Nearly everyone was in class. Harry slumped down in a big, comfortable chair near the dying fire and felt sadness wash over him.
He knew that he shouldn't have played so many practical jokes. Perhaps he had overdone it. Dumbledore should never have left, Harry said to himself.
After almost an hour, Harry decided to accept the change. He would miss Ron. He would miss Professor Lupin. Hermione . . . well he just wasn't quite sure how he felt about Hermione yet.
He went up the stairs to his dorm and started packing his trunk.