Ground rules:
Canon is now thrown out the window – mostly.
Set in the modern day – there will be smartphones and laptops, but mainly memes and cultural references.
There will be science
There will be grittiness
Harry Potter, Neville Longbottom and Draco Malfoy, do not attend Hogwarts.
Harry lives with his Godfather, Sirius.
Sirius is an Oxford Physics Professor – interested to learn the science behind magic

…

Exemplar
Chapter 1

The Exemplar Order has existed since the days of the Roman Empire. Through the years they have descended and settled upon the vast Commonwealth Empire. To this day, they remain loyal to the Commonwealth Crown of the Magical World.

To maintain secrecy and a steady rate of brilliant recruits, the Order has created a school, known as Exemplar Military Academy. This institution raises boys from their infancy and into adulthood, preparing them to merge seamlessly into magical and non-magical society. EMA is an internationally recognised school, based in international waters.

The school teaches boys arcane magic, sciences, mathematics, economics, humanitarian and arts subjects. But overall, the school teaches the art of warfare, to train the students into powerful warlocks. Students who are not from magical backgrounds undergo physical conditioning and cerebral modification to become proficient in magic.

Community Relations programs are made solely to enhance students understanding of society, and to divert (the non-magical) public attention away from magic.

-Exemplar Order Archives, Article 1.1.1

XXxxXX

London

As the cadre of Exemplar students entered the airport terminal in perfect formation, their navy blue standing collar, chrome trimmed uniform garnered many looks. Their black ceremonial dress shoes clicked on the tiled floor as they claimed their baggage and left the building.

"Have a good holiday Potter," Draco said as he entered his uncle's car.

"You too Malfoy," Harry said.

His navy blue uniform absorbed the rare English sun, allowing him to bask in its warmth. He straightened tie's Windsor knot and pushed his rectangle rimless glasses up the bridge of his nose.

"Draco gone home?" Neville Longbottom asked, pulling his luggage up next to Harry's.

"Yes, his uncle picked him up."

"Aw, I thought he was going to join us," Neville said in a mock frown.

Harry chuckled, "He said he must tend to 'a fate worse than death' while on the plane."

"What's that? Family dinner with Dad?" Neville joked.

"Don't let him ever hear you say that," Harry snickered, "you know how much he hates his father."

Pulling out his smartphone, Harry checked the weather. "Good day to play golf."

"You played golf while we were at school. How about horseback riding."

"Fine, riding it is," Harry said, "you realise how pretentious and arrogant we sound right?"

Neville looked around; people tend to be very judgemental towards students who attended prestigious schools. "I think they have bigger things to worry about. Anyway, is Ron going to join us this holiday?"

"No, he's heading to Egypt to visit his brother."

"So, just you, me and Sirius then."

Harry nodded.

Cedric Diggory, one of the Exemplar's finest and current School Captain, quickly past-by, eager to get home. "See you back at school chaps."

"See ya, Cedric," Harry and Neville waved.

Harry's phone buzzed, prompting him to check who it was. He opened up the message and frowned slightly.

"What's wrong?" Neville asked.

"Hermione's parents are away on business trip so she has to stay at her boarding school," Harry answered.

"Hermione?"

"Yeah, an old friend of mine," Harry shrugged, "best friends if you want to be accurate."

"Friends?" Neville raised an eyebrow, signalling his slight disbelief.

"What? Can't a guy and a girl be, just friends?"

Neville was about to say something, when Sirius pulled up to the picking area, in his silver Audi. Sirius worked as a physics professor, he was probably one of the few people who were interested in magic's impact beyond the visible world. Specifically, he wanted to see magic's effects, and gain a better understanding of it. Hence Harry's godfather sported neatly cut hair, glasses and a beard, looking very much like a stereotype.

"Hello chaps," he smiled as he got out of the car.

"Hey Sirius," Harry beamed, hugging his godfather.

"Where is Draco, thought he would be

"Thank you for having me over again Sirius," Neville said sincerely.

"A pleasure, poor old Harry here gets bored over the Christmas holidays."

Since the EMA was based in the Southern Hemisphere, the schooling timetable was different to that of English schools. Christmas holidays was also combined with summer holidays. Since most of Harry's friends attended EMA, the majority of them weren't from England or London for that matter. Making his holiday's rather lonely. Pranking Remus with Sirius was getting rather old. And pranking at Oxford University, where Sirius taught physics at, was off limits.

Ron attended Hogwarts, so the time Harry, Neville and him could spend time together was rather limited. Hermione on the other hand, attended a boarding school up in Scotland, which Harry assumed is a non-magical school. As far as he knew, Ron and Hermione had never met before.

"Thanks for coming Neville," Harry said, "and I call shotgun..."

"Hey! I wanna ride shotgun."

"Too bad lads, my gift basket calls shotgun," Sirius smirked.

The three got into the car, and buckled up.

"So what do you two want to do for the first day of your eight week holiday?" Sirius asked as he pulled the car onto the road.

"Not pranking Moony," Harry stonewalled.

"Aw," Sirius said, pretending to be hurt. "Don't worry about it; Moony's staying at Hogwarts for Christmas."

"So let's go movies then," said Neville.

"Movie it is."

The small group lapsed into a comfortable silence as Sirius manoeuvred through the peak hour traffic. This gave time for Harry to reflect on his life. When his parents had been killed by Voldemort, Dumbledore had made sure that Harry would get to live Sirius, and made sure that traitorous Peter Pettigrew would rot in Azkaban. The Headmaster of Hogwarts had foreseen that a war was coming, and knew that his school was in no way to shape a well-trained army. But the EMA was, so that was where the Old Wizard had told Sirius to send Harry.

Dumbledore was a personal friend of EMA's Headmaster, General Richard Symons. The two had discussed how they would protect Harry; the young boy had already gained much fame for having resisted Voldemort as a child. No doubt the media would always be hounding him. So Harry's enrolment was kept secret, and amazingly, the entire student body was extremely cooperative. Something about the gravity of the situation and that their enrolment at risk had kept their mouths shut.

Hermione was Harry's first friend, they literally grew up together. Apparently Hermione's father, Daniel Granger, was a personal friend of Sirius, James and Lily during their days at University. Harry remembered how happy Hermione was when she told him that she was accepted into a boarding school somewhere in Scotland.

Harry absolutely cherished the times he spent with Hermione, he could tell her everything, well, almost everything. Hermione didn't know that Harry was a capable of magic.

"Whatcha think' 'bout, Harry?" Neville grinned, "Is it your dear girlfriend, Hermione?"

"She's not my girlfriend!" Harry yelled, "You're almost as bad as Ron!"

"Does Ron know?" Neville raised an eyebrow, he loved making Harry squirm. If anyone said Neville was passive, they're in for a nasty shock.

Harry's eyes widened in horror, "you will not tell him!" he hissed.

"Have they met?"

"Who?"

"Ron and Hermione?"

"No."

"I think that should be changed."

"Do that and die!" Harry growled as menacingly as possible.

"Okay, okay, calm down," Neville said, raising his hands, "I wouldn't do anything to betray our trust."

"Right."

Harry could hear Sirius chuckle as he guided the car into the parking spot, and turn the engine off.

"She's not my girlfriend," Harry emphasised.

"I never said she was," Srius said, "but you certainly have feelings for her."

"I hate you."

"Ah ha!" Neville yelled, "tis true of your love."

"I'm not going to hear the ends of this am I?" Harry sighed.

Sirius and Neville shook their heads as they got out of the car and headed into the mall. Upon entering the main foyer, Harry noticed how many eyes were looking in his direction, most of which were female. It was really that surprising to the two Exemplar students. Having been raised at the school from the earliest age possible, Harry and Neville were the epitome of the perfect human. They walked with grace and precision, devoid of attitude. They were tremendous in stature, but didn't flaunt their size.

"So what should we watch?" Neville asked, browsing the film posters.

"Unto Perdition?" Sirius suggested.

"Okay," the two nodded in agreement.

XXxxXX

Hogwarts, Gryffindor Tower

Hermione sat on her bed, her long brown main was still damp from the shower she had just taken. The wood and crackled and popped as the fire slowly consumed it, casting a warm yellow glow in the girl's dormitory. The beautiful witch sat cross legged as she gazed upon a photo taken a year ago.

It was a picture of Harry and her, at the Granger's family gathering, on a warm sunny beach. Harry was quite lanky at the time, but he had a cute boyish look and deep emerald green eyes. Hermione hadn't seen Harry well over a year, and she certainly did miss him greatly.

The dorm's room creaked open, and in bounced Ginny. "Still up here? C'mon, snow ball fight outside."

"I thought you're heading to Egypt right now."

"Rest of the family is, but not me," the redhead replied. "Now are you coming or not?"

Hermione shook her head.

"What are you looking at?" Ginny asked, taking off her beany and gloves.

"I think Dean is waiting for you."

"He can wait, now, what are you looking at?" Ginny asked in her sing-song voice. She knew Hermione was hiding something. And if Hermione was hiding something, it ought to be gold.

"Nothing," Hermione whined.

Ginny raised her eyebrow. "Okay, tell me what it is, and I won't wrestle it out of you."

"It's a photo of me and a friend back home."

"Your friend is a boy," Ginny stated as a matter of fact.

"What? How'd you know?" Hermione asked, slightly surprised.

"No girl ever hides a photo like that if there's a guy on it," Ginny smirked, "especially if it was someone she liked. Tread carefully Hermione, this is gold."

And with that, Ginny bounded out of the room, she certainly had her brother's talent for mischief.

XXxxXX

London

"Wow," Harry began, "really good movie."

"A couple of the staff said that it was a must watch," said Sirius.

Satisfied with their daily dose of entertainment, the group decided to go home, mainly so that Harry and Neville could exercise and maintain their skill. As the Audi pulled up onto the estate that Sirius owned, Harry noticed the new fountain installed.

"Tell me you brought soap for that fountain," said Harry.

Sirius smiled, and waved his hands to perform wandless magic. A bubbly cloud began to form at the top of the fountain, before cascading down the sides.

"Perfect," Harry smiled.

Getting out of the car, Harry panned across the house, and admired it for the umpteenth time. He absolutely loved the sheer brilliance behind its design, it was the perfect amalgamation between classical and modern architecture. Red and marron bricks used in conjunction with large wood and glass panes and reflective metal frames worked spectacularly together.

"Harry, are you just going admire your house all day, or are you going to carry your bags?" Neville asked.

"I'm coming," Harry said.

From a distance, Sirius smiled at his godson. He was happy that Harry could live a life of joy and relative peace, thanks to a few caring people.

XXxxXX

A/N: Well, what do you think? Please review