Authors Note I should mention that this is after the fifth book so Harry will be starting his sixth year after the summer ends.  For any of you have not read the 5th book yet there may be a few spoilers in here. I am dedicating this chapter to yasmine123 for being the first to give me a review.  Ya keep those reviews coming.

Disclaimer I don't own Harry Potter or anything connected to it.  I am not making any money of this.  I'm poor L.

CH2

The Other Way To Fly

"America" Harry finally said.  What's going on?

Then he noticed the papers that his Uncle had thrown in, lying on the ground.  Perhaps there was something in there that could explain this.  Harry got up and collected an envelope as well as several papers.  He quickly read through the crumpled letter, then not sure he had read it correctly he read through it again.  A mixture of emotions ran through him.  He wasn't sure weather to be sick or burst out laughing at his Aunt being called caring and virtuous for taking him in

He was also excited about the prospect of going to another Country.  Sure technically he had been to another country.  Hogwarts was in Scottland after all, but this was hundreds of miles away.  He would have to cross the ocean to get there.  The letter had said the plane tickets were with the letter.  Harry quickly looked through the other papers and pulled out the plane ticket.  He looked at it as if it couldn't be real and then at the date.  "Tomorrow, Hedwig this ticket is for tomorrow I have to ."  Then Harry remembered Hedwig.  I can't take her with me.  I could send her to stay with Ron.  Harry went over to his desk and pulled out a fresh piece of parchment.

Ron

            I am going to America would you watch Hedwig for me.

 I am not sure when I am getting back but it will be before

school starts.  I'll see you then. 

                                                                                                Harry

Harry folded up the letter, tied it to Hedwig's leg, and sent her off.  Then he set to the task of packing.  Not only was this a chance for him to get way from the Dursleys but he could get away from everything.  He could forget everything, about school, and Voldemort, and Sirus.  His stomach sank as he thought about his Godfather.  Harry quickly pushed it to the back of his mind. Just don't think about it.  Lets see, the ticket had said Arizona.  Harry had no idea were that was or what the weather would be like so he decided to pack everything except his broom and cauldron.  He didn't want to have to explain them at the airport, or to his.what was she again.  He picked up the letter.  His Aunts cousin  The letter sure didn't go into a lot of detail about her.  What if she was like the Dursleys.  He didn't want to go half way around the world just to end up with another Aunt Petunia all summer. 

Harry continued on like this packing, getting excited, packing, worrying, packing and so on until everything he could possibly need was in his trunk.  By the time he had finished it was starting to get dark outside.  "Harry, dinner get down here", cried his Aunt. 

"Yes Aunt Petunia" he called back and headed down stairs.  His uncle and cousin were already at the table.  Uncle Vernon was still looking a little red and Dudley was pouting.  His Aunt was trying to put on a happy show of  "There's absolutely nothing wrong and how could there be".  She set the food on the table and they began to eat. 

"You better not mess this up boy" Uncle Vernon finally stated.  "Ms. Longhorn is family even if she is an American and normal like us.  I wont have you making her think were freaks like you.  Do I make my self clear?"

"Yes Uncle Vernon" said Harry.  He had learned well by this time that this was all they wanted him to say and he did not want to press his luck with this.

"The only reason you are going at all is because it would be rude to turn down the offer when she has already paid for and sent the ticket.  If there were any way around this boy you would not be going that all."

"Yes Uncle Vernon"

"The plane leaves at 8AM so you will get everything packed tonight and be ready to leave by 7AM precisely."

"Yes Uncle Vernon"

"Also, all she knows about you and those parents of yours is that they died in a car crash and that we have been taking care of you ever since.  You will not tell her any differently and will leave all mention of magic and sorcery out of it."

"Yes Uncle Vernon" Harry hated that he would have to lie about how his parents really died but he didn't have much choice.  "I am going to go finish packing" and with that Harry left the table and went back to his room.  He had already finished of course but he wasn't sure how long he could keep his cool if they got on the topic of his parents. 

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The next morning Harry dragged his trunk down stairs and put it in the car.  Then they were off to the airport.  When they arrived at the airport his Aunt give him a manila envelope.  "Give this to Ms. Longhorn as soon as you meet her it has the pictures she asked for as well as other things she wanted to know about us and every thing she will need to know about you. Don't open it and don't bend it."  With that they tossed out Harry and his luggage and drove off. 

Harry found out where his luggage needed to be turned in and then went off to find his gate.  He got to his plane about ten minutes early and at five minutes to take off passengers began to board.  Harry found a window seat so he could look out at the clouds.  He doubted this would be as fun as riding a broom but he couldn't help but be excited.  This might be the only chance he would ever get to ride in a plane.  However after a few hours of watching clouds go by the excitement was replaced with boredom and boredom meant that he was left to his thoughts.

This was the first time Harry had really let himself think about what he was doing.  It had happened rather quickly after all.  He new it was a rash thing to do taking off for America like this.  He knew the others would be upset with him, worried about what had happened.  He just wanted to be alone.  To get away from everything that was expected of him as 'The Boy Who Lived' and the one destined to either kill or be killed by Voldemort.

The letter had said that Ms. Longhorn had just recently learned that his Aunt and her were related so she wouldn't have met his mum or dad.  She wouldn't know that they had been a witch & wizard or about the wizarding world & the boy who lived.  He wondered if there was a wizarding community in America.  He had never heard anything about one or heard of any American students at Hogwards.  There probably wouldn't be any old wizarding families.  Afterall the United States was still a flegling country compared to England and other Euopean nations.  That could be a good thing considering that most of Voldemorts supporters are old pureblood families.  But there had to be the occasional witch or wizard that popped up in Muggel families.  Where did they go to school? 

Would Voldemort be able to fallow him to the Americas.  This little jount of his could prove to be very dangerous indeed.  He wouldn't be at Home were all those protection wards were.   Ms. Longhorne was related to him he supposed, but no were near as closely as his Aunt.  There could still be some natural wards that would follow him in the form of blood magic.  But was Ms. Longhorn even technically his mothers side or his mothers blood.  She was related to his mother somehow at least.  Even if she was he would have to consider it his hime for the wards to form.  Didn't he?

I wonder if she is as fanatical about normalcy as the Dursleys?  Well even if she is one dursleyish person was better then three, right?  It was with these thoughts and other like it that he spent his journey

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Today was the day or night.  All Iris know was that Harry's plane came in on Saturday at 10AM.  She wasn't quite sure how that worked since he was leaving on Thursday at 8AM but she knew it had something to do with time zones.  The plane had pulled up just a few minutes ago and passengers were beginning to come off. Iris knew that Harry should be about 15 by now, but she had no idea what he looked like.  The instructions she had left with the letter had basically said look for the lady with the big "Welcome Harry" sign and they would eventual find each other.

It wasn't really her style she reflected about the Welcome sign idea, but she wasn't the only one touting a sign around.  At least she knew she would find him.  After all she was taking responsibility for him and it would be really embracing if she lost him the first day.

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Harry's legs weren't sure they wanted to work after the long plane ride.  He would have almost preferred to come by flu powder.  Almost.  Flu powder was much faster but it was a horrible trip.  As he reached the end of the tunnel that had connected the plain to the building he started looking for a Welcome sign.  The instructions hadn't been very detailed just like the letter.  He wondered if that said anything about Ms. Longhorn.

As he looked around he realized that there were actually several signs with greetings and names in the surrounding crowd.  He spotted one that had HARRY in bright neon colors and started toward it.  When he got closer he finally got a look at who was holding the sign.  She was older than him but he wouldn't have said she was old either.  She had long dark brown hair that was up in a ponytail but still can down to her lower back. She had on blue jeans and a plain white t-shirt. She looked a little shorter than him probably around 5'5" give or take and inch.

He was almost to her when she noticed his approach.  She also looked him over (Not in that kind of way for you sick people.  She is way to old for him.) " I bet that's Harry. Wow", she thought "that hair make him like a living anime."  The young man that was making a b-line toward her had wild dark hair, glasses, and decent but slightly loose and worn looking cloths.

"Hi", he said seeming a little unsure.  "My name is Harry Potter are you waiting for me?"

"Ya, I hope the sign was clear enough I probably should have put you last name on there some where huu."  She said cheerfully.

Harry smiled, "Thats alright.um.did Ms. Longhorn send you to get me then?"

She gave Harry a what? look and a crooked smile.  "Uh.Harry, I am Ms. Longhorn."

Harry was a bit taken back by this.  In all the images he had conjured up as to what Ms. Longhorn would look like this was defiantly not what he had expected.  He had been picturing someone older like his Aunt.  He had thought this might have been her daughter of something.  "I.uhm.sorry it just.you don't look like..well your not what I.."

"Its alright, we should go get your things and then head back to my place.  The luggage area is over there," she pointed to the right. "Shall we?" 

"Uh ya.I mean yes Ms. Longhorn" still a little taken back by Ms. Longhorn's appearance and her sincere happiness.  It kind of reminded him of Mrs. Welely but without the smothering mother aspect.  As far as he could tell she was nothing like the Dursleys, which Harry was very grateful for.

"Oh, buy the way call me Iris.  No one really ever calls me Ms. Longhorn except my students."

"Alright Ms. Lon.Iris."

She smiled at his semi slip as they continued on their way.

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When they reached the luggage pickup area they both stood looking for his things.  Iris had no idea what his things look like so she didn't really know why she was even bothering, but it gave her something to do.  They both watched as the various suitcases and other containers slid by on the oblong luggage marry go round.

"There it is" said Harry pointing to his truck as it rounded the corner.

Iris followed his finger to a large trunk.  "Oh" was all she said.  She knew people used trunks but she had always been a suit case kind of person.  That way if you had a lot of stuff you could carry it in shifts instead of all at once.  They both walked up to it and Iris wanting to be polite grabbed a handle on each end and prepared to lift it.  She gave a tug it hardly moved. This things heavier than I thought. 

Harry had tried to warn her how heavy it was when he saw she going after it but the words died on his lip.

Iris was thankful that the conveyer was moving slowly or her weight miscalculation could have been a problem.  Having a better idea of what it weighed now she hefted the trunk and set it on the ground.  All that lifting of heavy art supplies had its benefits after all.

"Yeesh Harry what do you have in this thing it weight a ton." Said Iris

Harry had been a bit surprised that she had managed the trunk all by her self.

"Sorry" he said give her a sheepish grin.  "I was going to warn you."

"That all right.  Why don't you help me carry it out to the car."

"Oh, I can handle it."

"Don't be ridicules why should either of us to the work when we can both do half" see said already grabbing on to one of the handles.  Harry quickly grabbed the other and they were off to the carport.

The Dursleys would never have helped me with my luggage, Harry reflected. Then again the Dursleys are also sickeningly sweet when entertaining guests too and Harry was her guest.  What would happen once she learns more about me?  Will she still act like this? Harry remembered the manila envelope that his Aunt had given him.  She had said it had things that Ms. Longhorn would need to know about him.  He wondered what those things were and how they would effect how Iris would treat him.

Authors Note I am going to stop there I think.  If I don't who knows how long it will take me to update.  There was something I wanted to tell all of you.  Now what was it *puts hand up to head* think..think...think..AHHH!.  I just had a pooh-bear moment.  *shivers* scary.  Oh well maybe it will come to me latter.  

I remembered ..oh lost it again.  Well, I hope to see lots of reviews.  

If anyone can give some good British slang to use it may come in handy latter and also if you know any foods they would commonly eat over there that Americans don't usually eat and the other way around.  Thank  J

PS: I came back and tried to fix a few grammar error real quick hope it sounds better.