Chapter 7: Leaving
Hogwarts Headmaster Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore was at his office when his predecessors' portraits informed him Minister of Magic Cornelius Oswald Fudge was desperately seeking entry. Dumbledore welcomed him in. "Dumbledore, what's the meaning of this?" Fudge angrily asked as he placed a piece of parchment at Dumbledore's desk.
"What's this, Cornelius?" Dumbledore asked using his grandfatherly voice.
"A request made by Sirius Black for an international portkey, Dumbledore." Cornelius answered, still annoyed.
"Oh, yes, Sirius entertained the notion of leaving England out of fear he'd be wrongfully sent to Azkaban for another decade." Dumbledore calmly replied. "What's the problem?"
"The problem, Dumbledore, is that the request was not only for himself but also for Harry Potter." Fudge explained.
"That was expected, an owl had just brought me the transfer forms signed by Sirius." Dumbledore said as if it was just as natural as breathing.
"Transfer forms?" Fudge asked in shock. "What the… what would Black want those for?"
"To transfer Harry from Hogwarts to Salem's Wizards Institute, Cornelius." Dumbledore explained with no hint of worry. He was a little sad but not worried.
"What?" Fudge was even more shocked than before. "Sirius Black cannot take the Boy-Who-Lived away from Hogwarts!"
"As Harry's Godfather and guardian, he can, Cornelius." Dumbledore corrected the stressed Minister.
"Headmaster, you must do something!" Fudge pleaded. "Do you have any idea of how bad I'll look like if Harry Potter completely cuts ties with Britain? Especially to live with Americans? If at least he transferred to Beauxbatons or even Durmstrang."
"And why would I do anything for someone who blamed me for the miscarriage of justice Sirius Black suffered?" Dumbledore asked in hopes of entertaining himself with Fudge's response.
"I had to keep the people from wrongfully blaming me." Fudge explained. "And it helped that you were one to blame. Well, Crouch and Bagnold were as well but you bring more attention. But you must do something about that, Dumbledore. You're the Superme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards."
"Not anymore, Cornelius." Dumbledore sadly replied. "I was suspended pending review for my role in Sirius Black's imprisonment. By the look of things, I'll be lucky if I still have a place among them after they're done."
"Albus, we must do something." Fudge pleaded. "It's too soon before I can have Black arrested on anything without the Confederation accusing us of foul play. What if Black takes advantage of the fact he's away from our jurisdiction to harm Harry Potter without anyone to protect him?"
"Don't worry, Cornelius." Dumbledore replied. "When Black came to Hogwarts to meet Harry, I noticed true regret within his eyes. Maybe he regrets having betrayed James and Lily."
"You cannot believe that!" Fudge was really shocked.
"Even if I don't, the American Magical Government is way more meddlesome than ours regarding child upbringing." Dumbledore calmly explained. "Something called a 'social worker' will be constantly keeping an eye on Black whenever Harry isn't at school. We'll have one whole year to bring Harry back before the social worker is officially required to give up."
Meanwhile, at Slytherin Common Room, Harry Potter already had everything of his packed. Slytherin Head of House Severus Snape was giving a farewell speech. "Students of the greatest House! As everybody here knows, one of ours will leave our school. Even though his presence at Hogwarts was short-lived, it'll never be forgotten given the impact he caused. Today, Harry Potter will leave our school to seek education at some place where he believes the justice system to be better. We wish him the best of luck on his future endeavors."
His speech was then interrupted by Deputy Headmistress McGonagall. "Mr. Potter, you're not really leaving this fine school. Are you?"
"Of course I am." Harry frowned. "If not for the fact I can't get out of having to attend a magical school, I'd go to a normal one."
"Define 'normal', Mr. Potter." She demanded.
"One that would prepare me to get by in a world where accused criminals aren't forced to wait for such an unreasonable time before having a chance to plead innocent." Harry firmly answered. "A world where people standing up to this injustice won't get labeled as abusive guardians for that."
Normally, the students listening to that wouldn't let someone getting away with criticizing the Wizarding World like that but they respected Harry for talking back to McGonagall.
"Severus! I thought you'd have Harry stay at Hogwarts so Albus and I would be able to convince him to live his adult life as the British wizard he is." She commented.
"I never thought Black would put such a convincing case." Professor Snape explained. "Or that he'd not consider leaving a coward's way out. I guess all those years in prison taught him not to be reckless."
Meanwhile, Albus Dumbledore was recovering from Fudge's visit when another visitor came. "Welcome, Remus." Remus Lupin, along James Potter, Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew, was part of a team of pranksters known as the Marauders. Harry's parents listed him as a potential guardian for him but the Ministry would never allow Lupin to take Harry in because Remus Lupin was a werewolf.
"Headmaster, what's this about Black taking Harry away from Hogwarts?"
"It's his right as Harry's guardian, Remus." Dumbledore calmly explained, knowing the werewolf wouldn't accept that.
"He has the nerve to claim guardianship over Harry after all he did?" Remus was enraged. "Well, I guess it shouldn't surprise me given what he had the gall to say about Peter. I wonder what Wormy (Peter Pettigrew's Marauder nickname was "Wormtail") would say if he was here as a ghost to hear Black say those lies. Isn't there anything we can do to keep Harry safe from Black?"
"Our only hope is that Black only desires to restore his reputation and make the Wizarding World believe his tale about Peter Pettigrew having framed him." Dumbledore sadly commented.
Remus tried to find some sort of comfort. "Well, if the best we can hope for Harry is to serve as a Death Eater's means to look innocent… Wait a minute. You said you feared Voldemort might return. Aren't you afraid Black will put these plans aside and kill Harry once it happens?"
"I'll have to figure out some way to prevent Voldemort from returning before Harry reaches adulthood." Dumbledore stated.
Somewhat satisfied, Remus Lupin was leaving Dumbledore's office when he noticed Sirius Black approaching. "What do you want, Black?" He angrily asked.
"I came here for my godson but I'm happy I found you as well, Moony." Sirius happily exclaimed. "How are you?"
"I was fine until you cheated your way out of your richly deserved punishment, Black." Remus answered. "If you had any sort of decency you'd let Harry stay at Hogwarts like James and Lily wanted."
"They didn't know Snivellus would be a teacher here." Sirius argued. "What was Dumbledore thinking when he hired the greasy git?"
"The most adequate question, Mr. Black, is what was Dumbledore thinking when he left Mr. Potter with people who'd defend you to get out of raising him." Professor McGonagall said as she suddenly appeared.
"Professor McGonagall, I am quite sure Vernon and Petunia Dursley were clever enough to see through Pettigrew's deception." Sirius said in mock formality. "After all, somebody had to make up for the Wizarding World's stupidity."
"Anyway, Mr. Black, your godson is waiting for you at the Slytherin Common Room. I'll lead you there." McGonagall grudgingly said as the three of them went to the room. Sirius Black snorted at the password. "Toujours Pur".
"Mr. Black, I was expecting you." Severus Snape greeted and then looked at Remus Lupin with disdain. "Lupin, I can't say the same about you."
"Lupin?" Harry asked while looking at the shabby-dressed man with shock. "Are you Remus Lupin, the werewolf?"
All other Slytherin kids hurried to the other side of the room upon hearing the 'w' word.
"You know?" Remus was shocked.
"Yes, Mr. Lupin." Harry answered while ignoring his house mates. "Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia told me you were among my parents' choice of guardians but couldn't take me in because the Ministry would never allow any werewolves to do so."
"I see there is some truth among the stuff your Uncle and your Aunt told you about our world." Remus commented.
"If you think they lied to me about anything from this barbaric world, just say it." Harry demanded.
"They lied to you about the possibility of Black being innocent and Peter being alive just so you'd be too afraid to return to our world." Remus said.
"You think that and yet you're here with him." Harry argued.
"I'm here to protect you from him." Remus said, unhappy at the situation.
"Will you stalk us all the way to… Godfather, where are we going anyway?"
"Salem's Wizards Institute, Harry." Sirius answered. "And you may call me Sirius. May I call you Prongslet?"
"Where did you get that nickname for me, Sirius?" Harry asked.
"Your father's nickname was Prongs." Sirius happily said. "I'm Padfoot and Remus here is Moony."
"Did that traitor have a nickname as well?" Harry asked with a frown.
"He's Wormtail." Sirius frowned back. Remus was upset Harry believed Black's side of the story.
"I hate to interrupt this heartwarming moment but the kids are scared." Snape asked. "Please take the werewolf out."
After Sirius, Remus, Harry and Snape left the Slytherin Common Room, Remus gave Sirius an ultimatum. "If you harm Harry in any way, I'll make you pay regardless of what happens to me."
"No need to worry, Moony." Sirius replied. "Just catch the rat for me."
"Still with that, Black?" Remus asked. "Well, I suppose you wouldn't be able to weasel his way out of Azkaban without the ability to remain consistent with your lies."
"My Godfather isn't a liar!" Harry protested. "He's a victim of this barbaric government and is taking me away to keep me safe from them."
"The Ministry isn't that bad, Harry." Remus argued. It was too close for Remus' taste but Harry wasn't ready for that. "Sirius Black is obviously guilty and your muggle relatives only pretended to doubt as part of a plan to either keep you from returning to the Wizarding World or getting rid of you."
Harry stomped on Remus' foot as hard as he could. "Don't insult Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia!"
Severus Snape drew a rare smile. "Very clever, Lupin." He sarcastically said. "Speaking ill of the only family Potter ever remembers having."
"He also had his parents, Snivellus." Sirius Black protested. "And now he has me."
"The brat barely knows you, Black, and he lost his parents before he was even two years old." Snape replied. "I doubt he knows anything about them that he wasn't told by others."
Not wanting to discuss this any longer, Harry and Sirius went to Privet Drive so Harry could see the Dursleys for a last time before leaving England. "America?" Vernon asked in shock. "Isn't that taking things too far?"
"Unfortunately, the only way to stay away from Wizarding Britain's influence is to leave Britain at all, Vernon." Sirius sadly answered.
"Should we flee as well?" Petunia asked out of worry. "That barbaric Ministry might go after us in retaliation for standing up for you and teaching Harry to do the same."
"There's no need to worry about that, Petunia." Sirius reassured her. "When the miscarriage of justice I suffered came into light, it caused the International Confederation of Wizards to put the Ministry under too much scrutiny for them to be able to get away if they ever try something with you."
"Aunt Petunia, tell Dudley I thank him for the birthday gift but I couldn't reply sooner because that McGonagall person was keeping me isolated." Harry asked, sad that Dudley was at Smeltings and therefore unable to be home to meet him. After that, Harry and Sirius went to the International Portkey Station. "Excuse me." Sirius Black asked. "I'm Sirius Black and this is my godson Harry Potter. I believe there's an International Portkey to America reserved for us."
"That's right." The officer said as he checked the list and handed them the Portkey. "The keyword to activate it is 'Boston'. Make sure all your belongings are well tight and the both of you have a strong grip on the Portkey when you activate it. We do not hold us responsible for any people, animals or objects missing as a result of any of these warnings being ignored. Have a good day."
Right after that, Cornelis Fudge entered the office in desperation. "Black, you must let Harry to stay here!"
"So I'll be under constant attacks from students wanting to punish me for standing up for my Godfather?" Harry asked with a sneer. "No way."
"Black, I'll make you my Senior Undersecretary but please send the Boy-Who-Lived back to Hogwarts!"
"No."
"Senior Oversecretary!"
"No."
"Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot!"
"No."
"Deputy Minister of Magic!"
"Sirius, can we go now?" Harry asked and the two of them strongly held their Portkey. "Boston!"
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