Chapter 3: Going to School

A few days after Dudley's eleventh birthday, the Dursleys got, among some bills and a letter from Vernon's sister, four special letters. Two of them are Harry's and Dudley's Hogwarts letters and the other two were their Beauxbatons letters. The Dursleys were dissatisfied Albus Dumbledore is still the Headmaster of Hogwarts. "How can people like him be left in charge of children's wellbeing?" Vernon Dursley mumbled. But they were glad both Harry and Dudley were accepted at Beauxbatons.

"Let's tell Hogwarts we won't send our children there, Vernon." Petunia suggested.

"Not yet." Vernon replied. "The sooner we let Dumbledore know we won't send Harry to his school, the sooner he'll start plan a way to drag him there. The letters say we have until July the 31st to send a reply and we'll wait until then. Besides, we must wait until then to get money from Harry's trust fund and buying the kids' Beauxbatons material earlier might get Dumbledore's attention."

Ten days later, at Hogwarts

"Minerva, have all accepted students replied?" Albus asked his Deputy Headmistress.

"Not yet, Albus." She answered. "Two students have yet to either accept or decline."

"Minerva, you seem to be letting it worry you more than usual." Potions Master and Slytherin Head of House Severus Snape commented.

"Very observant of you, Severus." Minerva McGonagall replied. "These students are Harry Potter and his cousin Dudley Dursley."

"Does the Golden Boy think himself too good for Hogwarts?" Snape asked with a sneer. "He's even more arrogant than his father."

"Severus, don't you remember what Lily's sister is like?" Minerva asked. "Her hatred of magic must be leading her and her husband into abusing poor Harry and trying to prevent him from learning magic."

"Minerva, I'm sure they've let go of their hatred."

"Look who's talking." She replied with disdain. "You still hold a grudge against a dead man and seem likely to take it on his son."

"Focus." Dumbledore asked. "We must find out why we still haven't got a reply from Harry."

"And Dudley." Snape added.

"Sure."

"Didn't they receive their letters?" Charms Professor and Ravenclaw Head of House Filius Flitwick asked.

"According to the charms on their letters, they have already opened them." Albus Dumbledore explained.

"Then what's the big deal?" Snape asked with a sneer. "They, like all accepted students, have until the end of the month to either accept or decline the offer. They just decided to wait longer than most before replying."

Before anyone had a chance to reply to Snape's comment, an owl showed up with a message for Albus Dumbledore. "Excuse me. It's a letter from Arabella." He then read the letter. "Interesting. The Dursleys have just received owl loads of something she couldn't tell what it was."

"And how would Mrs. Figg know it, Albus?" The Deputy Headmistress asked.

"She lives at the same neighborhood the Dursleys do, Minerva."

"To spy on Potter, I presume." Snape sneered again. "Don't you think his ego is already inflated enough?"

Albus decided to ignore the question. "Severus, I think it's time for me to send somebody to the Dursleys to check upon Harry."

"And Dudley." Added Snape, not wanting to let Harry be singled out more than needed.

"And I know just who to send." Said Dumbledore while looking at Snape on a way the Potions Master didn't like.

Later, at Privet Drive, Severus Snape appeared for a visit. "Blasted Headmaster. Making me go to a stupid Muggle neighborhood just because a couple of brats decided to wait a little longer before answering their Hogwarts letters."

He then knocked at the door. Vernon Dursley answered. "May I help you, Mr…"

"Professor Severus Snape, Potions Master and Head of Slytherin House at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Snape introduced himself. Reluctantly, Vernon Dursley invited Snape in. "Is there anything wrong, Professor Snape?" He asked.

"Severus Snape?" A shocked Petunia asked.

"That's right, Petunia." Snape answered. "I am now a Professor at Hogwarts."

"Did Dumbledore send you here?" She asked.

"Yes." He simply answered. "He wants to know why your kids still haven't replied to their Hogwarts letters."

"What's wrong with that?" Vernon asked. "Their letters said we had until July the 31st to reply."

"Believe me, Mr. Dursley. If it depended on me I'd have never bothered to come here because of two last day repliers, but Headmaster Dumbledore wants to be sure the Potter brat will attend Hogwarts."

"Doesn't he care about Dudley?" Petunia asked.

"For some reason, Headmaster Dumbledore thinks the Potter brat deserves special treatment." Snape explained.

"I'm surprised he cares." Vernon scoffed. "He simply left Harry at our doorstep with a letter instead of bothering to ring the door bell and explain things." Unbeknownst to Vernon, that statement led Snape to legilimize him in search for lies. Despite finding out Vernon Dursley told the truth, Snape didn't betray any emotions. "I see."

"Out of respect for your past friendship with my sister, I'll tell you Harry and Dudley are going to learn magic." Petunia said. "In fact, the both of them have been reading for a while. Care to see for yourself?"

Harry and Dudley were then called. "Potter, what would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?" Snape asked.

"The Draught of Living Death, sir."

"Correct. Dursley, where could I find a bezoar?"

"In the stomach of a goat, sir."

"Correct. Potter, what's the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

"They're the same and are also known as aconite, sir."

Snape put up a great effort in hiding his anger. "Correct. I see there's no reason to worry. I hope to see you both at Slytherin."

After receiving Snape's report, Dumbledore was worried. Harry was supposed to have blind trust on him after being rescued from an abusive family that would make him have no problem with risking his life to vanquish Voldemort. Hopefully he'd still be able to make Harry understand his destiny once he starts attending Hogwarts. Or so the Headmaster thought. Meanwhile, Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts, was glad to learn the Dursleys turned out not to be so horrible to Harry as she feared.

On the day of Harry's eleventh birthday, he and Dudley were abruptly woken up. "Wake up, children." Vernon said. "Today is a very important day. It's the day we can take money from Harry's trust fund and pay for the uniforms and material."

Harry was now afraid his Uncle Vernon had forgotten his birthday but decided to put this thought aside. Vernon took both children to Diagon Alley after taking the precaution of using Dudley's cap to, once again, hide the scar. As they entered Gringotts, Vernon's owl entered Hogwarts and gave Professor McGonagall his reply to Harry's and Dudley's Hogwarts letters. She couldn't help but be angry and sad at the reply.

Deputy Headmistress McGonagall,

I don't mean to be rude, but I'd rather have my son Dudley and my nephew Harry study abroad than trust their safety to Albus Dumbledore. Therefore, they won't attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Sincerely,

Vernon Dursley

As somebody who witnessed Dumbledore simply leaving Harry at the Dursley doorstep with just a letter hoping it'd explain it all, she couldn't, no matter how much she tried, blame the Dursleys for turning Harry against her former Transfiguration Professor. She then told the news to said Professor. "They can't do that!" Dumbledore exclaimed.

"Why not?" Snape asked. "Hogwarts attendance isn't mandatory. If the Dursleys think their son and their nephew are better off studying abroad instead of attending Hogwarts, there's nothing we can do about it."

"I wouldn't be so sure of it if I were you, Severus." Dumbledore calmly replied.

Meanwhile, Vernon Dursley took Dudley and Harry to Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, where a blond boy was having a Hogwarts uniform fitted for him. "Hello, dears. Hogwarts too?" Madam Malkin asked upon seeing Harry and Dudley.

"No, Madam." Vernon politely answered. "My boys will attend Beauxbatons Academy of Magic and I want two whole sets of Beauxbatons uniforms for each one of them, please."

Harry and Dudley were taken to the back of the shop, where the blond boy was having his uniform fitted. "Hello," said the boy. "Hogwarts too?"

"No." Answered Dudley. "Harry and I are going to Beauxbatons."

"Really?" The boy asked. "My Father also wanted me to study abroad. Durmstrang Institute for Magical Learning, to be exact. But my Mother didn't want me too away from her so he changed his mind."

"My parents don't trust Albus Dumbledore and that's the reason they won't send us to Hogwarts." Dudley explained.

"Look, my Father is on the Hogwarts Board of Governors and has been trying to have the old coot sacked but needs the other Board members to agree." The boy explained. "He could meet your parents so they could expose their case against Dumbledore and hopefully convince the other Governors."

"Well, we could talk to them about the idea, right, Harry?" Dudley replied. "But I think we should introduce ourselves first."

"Right." The boy said. "My name is Draco Malfoy, son of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy."

"I am Dudley Dursley, son of Vernon and Petunia Dursley, and this is my cousin Harry." Dudley replied. "Nice to meet you, Draco."

"I've never heard of any Dursley family." Draco said.

"Then you must have never lived outside the Wizarding World." Dudley commented.

"Are you muggleborns?" A shocked Draco asked.

Dudley then remembered what he read about this. "I am but my cousin Harry is a Half-Blood."

Draco then would have exposed his beliefs but then remembered how they had just revealed how useful they have revealed themselves to be. "Well, the offer still stands. My father's next door buying my books and mother's up the street looking at wands."

"My Mother said the wand chooses the wizard." Dudley replied. "Won't you have a problem using a wand somebody else bought for you?"

"Usually yes but some wizards can use wands that choose their parents." Draco said. "Talking about parents, where are yours?"

"My Father is waiting for me and for Harry at the front of the shop and my Mother is at home." Dudley said.

"And yours, Harry?"

Before either cousin had a chance to say anything, Madam Malkin and her assistant told Harry and Dudley they have finished with them.

"You both seem to have gotten along quite well with that boy at the shop, kids." Vernon commented as they walked towards a shop that sells cauldrons and other stuff needed for potion making.

"His name is Draco Malfoy." Dudley explained. "His Dad is on the Board of Governors and is trying to have Headmaster Dumbledore fired but needs the rest of the Board to agree."

"Draco even said his Dad wanted him to attend Durmstrang instead of Hogwarts but Mrs. Malfoy wouldn't have him go too far from home." Harry added. "Maybe it's because Mr. Malfoy doesn't trust Dumbledore either."

"We'll discuss this after getting back home, kids." Said Vernon and then they bought the required material and later went to Ollivander's Wand Shop. "Welcome, Mr. Potter. And I presume the boy with you is a muggleborn."

"He's my cousin." Harry said. "And how did you know?"

"You bear a striking resemblance to your father." Ollivander said. "And I just guessed about his cousin." He then started his "the wand chooses the wizard" speech and described James' and Lily's wands (Mahogany, eleven inches, pliable and excellent for transfiguration; and Willow, ten and one quarter inches, swishy and nice for charm work; respectively). Dudley soon had been chosen by a wand made of Oak wood, with ten and three quarter inches, unicorn hair core, swishy and nice for charm work. It took longer for Harry but he eventually was chosen by a wand made of Holly wood, eleven inches long, phoenix feather core, nice and supple. Ollivander then explained about that wand being brother of Voldemort's wand and apologized for the damage it caused.

"Mr. Ollivander, does it have any special meaning that Harry's and Voldemort's wands being brothers?" Vernon Dursley asked, ignoring Ollivander's shuddering.

"Please don't mention that name, sir." He asked. "As for your question, when brother wands are forced to fight each other, the Priori Incantatum effect is triggered, making both wands regurgitate their last spells."

"Anyway, we'll buy the wands." Mr. Dursley said.

"It'll be seven Galleons per wand, sir." Ollivander replied.

"We'd also like one wand holster for each wand." Vernon added. After paying for all, they went back home, where Petunia had prepared a surprise party for Harry, who was happy to see his friends from primary school. Meanwhile, Lucius Malfoy is still trying to decide if having allies on his campaign to have Dumbledore fired from Hogwarts is worth getting himself dirty from contact with Muggles.

The day to depart to Beauxbatons arrived, and Vernon and Petunia took their children to a seemingly abandoned carriage station where they'll wait for a Beauxbatons carriage to take Harry and Dudley. "I've always wondered why they've abandoned this place." Vernon commented.

After the Dursley bought some snacks at the station's stand ("There's no trolley inside the carriage", said Petunia), they got the shock of their lives with the apparition of Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, Severus Snape and Rubeus Hagrid, who side along apparated with Dumbledore. Both Minerva and Severus seemed like they didn't want to be there.

"What brings you here, Professor Dumbledore?" Asked Vernon while trying to be polite.

"Vernon, this is Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress, Gryffindor Head of House and Transfiguration Professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Dumbledore said. "This is Rubeus Hagrid, Hogwarts' gamekeeper, and you already know Professor Snape."

"I remember you." Said Harry, pointing at Hagrid. "From a dream where I was a baby and we were flying at a motorbike."

That got Hagrid watery-eyed. "That was no dream, Arry!" sniff "I drove you away from yer' wrecked home after… well, you know what."

"Thank you, Mr. Hagrid."

"You may call me Hagrid."

"Will it take long?" Vernon asked. "We're waiting for a carriage to pick up Harry and Dudley."

"That's precisely what we went to talk to you about, Mr. Dursley." Dumbledore replied. "For some reason, you've got the wrongful impression that you'd get to decide where Harry is supposed to get his magical education."

"My wife and I are his guardians." Vernon replied, starting to lose his patience.

"His Muggle guardians, Vernon." Dumbledore corrected. "That only gives you the right to decide when no magical guardian of Harry Potter is around."

"And there's no magical guardian around for Harry, Mr. Dumbledore." Vernon pointed out.

"Wrong again, Vernon." Dumbledore said. "I am Harry Potter's magical guardian."

"We've read James and Lily's will, Dumbledore." Petunia almost screeched. "Harry's magical guardian is Sirius Black."

"THAT MURDEIN' TRAITOR DOES NOT DESERVE TO BE 'ARRY'S GUARDIAN!" Hagrid yelled in anger.

"Calm down, Hagrid." Dumbledore patiently asked.

"Mr. Black has never been tried for any of the crimes he's been sent to Azkaban for." Vernon Dursley said. "Because of that and the terms of James and Lily's will, none of this crimes can be held as a reason to revoke his status as Harry's magical guardian, which still stands as the goblins told me."

Dumbledore didn't let it beat him. "After all those years in Azkaban with the dementors, Sirius Black is probably too crazy to be able to perform any guardianship duties. This can be used to have his guardianship revoked even if he somehow gets people to believe he's innocent. Then I'll be his guardian by default."

"Until then, you have no rights over him." Vernon said. "If you ever try to pull any trick, we'll let Lucius Malfoy use your abandonment of Baby Harry at our doorstep to convince the rest of the Board of Governors to fire you. Is that clear?"

That caught Dumbledore completely unguarded. He didn't expect the Dursleys to know which Governor is against him or even that there were people with the power to fire him.

"NOBODY THREA…"

"Calm down, Hagrid. It seems they won, by now. I expected they'd understand the importance of having Harry safe at Hogwarts but it doesn't seem there's anything I can do. For now."

The carriage soon arrived and picked up Harry, Dudley, a blonde girl with blue eyes and a black-haired boy with brown eyes.

"Excuse me." The girl asked. "Are you really the Boy-Who-Lived?"

"Oh, yes. My name is Harry Potter and this is my cousin Dudley Dursley. And you are…"

"Desiree Richaud." The girl says. "And this is my friend Pierre Depardieu."

"Nice to meet you." They say.

"We have some relatives back in France." Pierre says. "And you?"

"We never met anyone from there before." Dudley answered.

"And yet you chose Beauxbatons over Hogwarts?" Desiree asked.

"Our family doesn't trust Albus Dumbledore." Harry explained and his new friends decided not to make any more questions.

Please review. I didn't expect this chapter to be so long.