Chapter XVIII

June 19, 1992

"How do you think Sam and Harry are doing?"

Diane leaned against the side of the duck boat they were riding, staring out at the city skyline. "I don't know. Do you feel like they left a lot out of their dealing with the American magical government?"

"You noticed that too?"

"It seems like Harry gets a lot more reluctant to tell us things every time Sam comes around."

"Diane..." This was a frequent point of contention in their discussions about Harry.

"I know he's your oldest friend. I like him, too, Norm!" She drummed her fingers along the edge of the green amphibious vehicle the tour company used. "He keeps telling us it's not safe for us to come along with Harry on these trips to the magical world, but Sam keeps going along no problem. It's starting to feel deliberate, like they're hiding something that's happening on the other side."

"But what reason would Sam have to do that?" Norm countered. "And why would Harry go along with it?"

"You know how Harry is with us – he acts how he thinks we want him to act. I can't really blame him, given what he went through when he was with his relatives." she said, her mouth twisting in disgust, "Sam is the reason Harry's with us to begin with. He was the one who met him first, he was the one that encouraged his abilities, he was the one that started the legal process to stay with us permanently."

"So your argument that we should worry about Sam's influence on Harry is that Sam has been a good influence on Harry?"

"Norm..." Diane said in warning tone.

"Okay, okay." He reached out and took her hand in his. "Do you ever wish that we could take Harry away from that whole world? Just find a good school and have him live without all the magic and supernatural powers?"

"Honestly? No. It's as much a part of him as anything else. And if he were just a normal boy, he'd still be trapped in that hell hole, starving and beaten. If dealing with magic is what it takes for us to have Harry, it's a burden certainly worth carrying."

"Enough about Harry for now. Tonight, we'll find out about what this other school is like, but right now let's just enjoy our first time in America."

She leaned over and gave him a kiss. "That sounds like a plan I can sign on to."

June 19, 1992

Amelia Bones was fed up. Rather than curse the miserable bastard seated in front of her, she instead chose to remove her monocle and rub her temples.

"What news do you have, Amelia? Have you managed to acquire the information?"

"Dumbledore, let me run through the issue at hand. You, in your function as magical guardian to one Harry Potter, somehow went an entire year without knowing that he was living in a different home than the one you'd arranged. Upon learning that the illegal warding scheme you'd erected, in a muggle neighborhood no less, had fallen, you then utilized mind magics against a blood relative of your ward in such a damaging method that the woman in question is unlikely to recover. Then, you storm into my office and demand I intervene in the muggle court system to learn the location of Harry Potter's current residence." She replaced the monocle over her eye, and skewered Dumbledore with a glare. "Do I have that right?"

"Amelia, you have to understand, these are extreme circumstances-"

"The only circumstance I find to be extreme is your actions against that muggle woman. I should throw you in a holding cell for muggle-baiting!"

"If you're not willing to help, then I'll find someone who will." Dumbledore, too, wasn't interested in making nice. "And you know that muggle-baiting charges would never stand against the Chief Warlock. You'd only succeed in displaying your impotence before the entire Wizengamot."

'Sweet Circe's ghost this man is infuriating!' Amelia fumed. "There is a reason why the Ministry acts as the sole connection between the muggle government and our world. You're not going to get a damn thing from me until you tell me why it matters so much where Harry lives."

"It's a matter of his safety-"

"I think it's fair to say that was proven a lie three years ago."

"I'm responsible for him as his magical guardian."

"A magical guardian who assaults his relatives, and didn't notice he was apparently living in a different home for the last year?"

Dumbledore made to stand up. This was obviously a waste of time. "Very well."

"Sit down, Dumbledore! We're not through yet." With a sigh, he obeyed. "You want something from me. Well, listen up old man, for once you're going to have to part with some of your precious secrets before you get it. Now, how long have you known that You-Know-Who is not dead?"

Albus struggled to contain his reaction. "I'm not sure what you... of course. Susan's memories."

"Did you really think you could hide this from me? What were you doing employing a Death Eater, in the school where my niece is?" Amelia shouted.

"Quirinus Quirrell did not bear the Dark Mark."

"No, just the damned Dark Lord growing out of the back of his head!"

"Obviously, I was unaware."

"I don't believe you. What does Harry Potter have to do with this? I find the coincidences have been piling up at Hogwarts since he arrived. Before I give you a damn thing, I want answers."

Dumbledore released a heavy sigh. "Alas, then I fear we have nothing more to discuss." He stood up and walked to her door, pausing for a moment as she replied.

"If I find out you've stepped an inch outside your authority, Chief Warlock, I won't hesitate to alert the Wizengamot. Watch your step, Albus."

Ilvermorny Castle was beautiful. Unlike Hogwarts, which was designed to be a fortress, Ilvermorny was smoother, graceful, and modern. Arriving on Wright's portkey, the gates opened on their own as Harry approached.

"Mr. Potter, welcome to Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I am Headmaster Agilbert Fontaine." The man in question was young, at least compared to Dumbledore, perhaps fifty or sixty years of age, clean shaven, and wearing dark blue robes with a red wizard's hat. "I was told that you were seeking a tour of our facilities?"

"Yes, Headmaster, that's correct." Harry looked around, noting the dense fog that sat just outside the gates and surrounding walls. "Where are we, exactly?"

Fontaine led Harry along the path towards the main castle. "At the peak of a mountain in Western Massachusetts. Until you are accepted as a student, that is as specific as I'm allowed to be. The fog that you were observing outside functions as our defense against Nomaj interference. Only wizards and witches are able to penetrate it; it serves as a ward that functions in a similar way to a confundus charm." Harry nodded, recalling the spell from one of Sam's notes. "Naturally, that is not our only defense, merely the primary one."

"How many students attend this school?"

"Nearly three thousand. Ilvermorny is the primary educational facility in North America; there are a few regional schools on the west coast, but none offer NEWT level studies. And, of course, many of the Tribals choose to stick to their own traditional forms of education."

"Tribals, sir?"

"Yes, the native peoples. The Nomaj call them Indians, for some unknowable reason. There are nearly a dozen reservations that actively instruct in their own forms of magic. While Ilvermorny has incorporated certain parts of their training into our own curriculum, most of their magic can only be learned on site, so to speak."

"Do these, er, Tribals teach outsiders?"

"For the right amount of coin, they'll teach anyone. However, Ilvermony remains the only school that can provide a comprehensive education up to NEWT levels, and even beyond."

Harry had never heard of post-graduate studies in the magical world. "Beyond NEWT levels?"

"Indeed. Each of our faculty are required to have their Mastery in their subject area; typically around a dozen Ilvermorny students transition to apprenticeships at the school following their graduation each year." They entered a large courtyard where a young man in gray robes stood, waiting. "One such student is Mr. Wallace Jacobs, pursuing his Charms Mastery."

"Nice to meet you."

"Mr. Potter, transfer students are exceedingly rare in the magical world. It's rare that students from magical families are willing to sacrifice the networking connections by sending their heirs overseas, and even rarer that children from Nomaj families are willing to immigrate for their children's instruction in the arcane arts."

Harry was confused. "Transfer student? What are you talking about?" But Fontaine continued as though Harry hadn't spoken.

"Therefore, I thought it appropriate to arrange an opportunity for you to demonstrate your skills. You need not worry, Wally here is aware you are entering your Second Year." He stepped to the side, as Jacobs drew his wand.

A Jelly-Legs Jinx shot from Jacobs' wand, and Harry fell to the ground to avoid it. "Draw your wand, Potter!"

Rolling his eyes, Harry got back to his feet, twisting as he did to avoid a Tickling Jinx, calling out, "I don't use a wand!"

Fontaine's expression did not change, though Wally's eyebrows raised, and he paused, wand outstretched. He glanced to the Headmater, as if for confirmation that the 'evaluation' should continue, and received a brief nod. His next spell was the Knockback Jinx.

Harry conjured a marble cube in the spell's path, intercepting the jinx, before launching the cube towards the Charms student, the rock colliding with a silent Reductor Curse. By the time the dust cleared, Harry had conjured another dozen cubes, and was already transfiguring them into wolves, which began to run towards the American.

Before any of his transfigurations were in striking distance, Jacobs shouted, "Alarte Ascendere!" and flew twenty feet into the air, peppering Harry with Stupefying Charms as he fell, landing safely on a Cushioning Charm, before using the increased distance to incinerate Harry's wolves with a widespread incendio charm.

Harry, caught flat-footed by the spectacle of his opponent soaring through the air was nearly hit by the first stunner. He raised a stone arch that blocked the other four before they could reach him. Harry muttered "Laetatio lata," and a massive wave expanded outwards from the young Ravenclaw, washing over both the Headmaster and the Charms apprentice.

"Cheering Charms, really?" Another Reductor curse exploded his stone arch, the sandstone crumbling to dust, causing Harry to cough and sputter as it got into his mouth and eyes. Harry summoned another wall to block any other incoming spells, only for that one to crumble to another Reductor moments later.

'Okay, that's not working,' Harry thought. Rolling to his right, he pushed towards the direction the spells were coming from, seeing his magic wash over the telltale blue sphere of a protego charm. Harry tried to think of another tactic. 'I doubt they'd take kindly to me turning a student to an ash heap...'

Two more stunners came towards him, one directly at him, the other just to his right. He summoned another wall, but didn't stop there, lifting the ground beneath Jacobs in an earthen eruption that sent the older boy tumbling to the ground.

It was soon apparent, though, just how easy Wally had been going on him. Reductor Curses exploded his walls moments after he summoned them, and stunners anticipated his attempts to evade to the right or left. New conjurations were hit with Vanishing spells before Harry had time to transfigure them, and quick protego shields bore the brunt of Harry's magical bludgeoning. Not more than two minutes later, a petrificus totalus struck Harry and he fell backwards to the ground.

He lay motionless in the dirt for a few moments, until a counter charm was spoken just above him and a hand reached out to help him to his feet. "I'm impressed, Mr. Potter. Hogwarts must be really something if you're this capable after a single year."

"Please, call me Harry. You were amazing! How did you know which way I was going to dodge? It was like you were reading my mind!"

Wally chuckled. "In that case, I'm Wally. You always roll to your right, and sidestep to your left. Gotta mix it up now and again, you were too predictable."

Even though his ego was somewhat bruised at how outclassed he was by the older boy, Harry grinned in response. "I'll try to remember that next time someone's shooting spells at me."

"You don't have a dueling club at Hogwarts?"

"No. At least, there wasn't one last year. They teach dueling at Ilvermorny?"

"Sure, in a school this big you need more than just Quidditch to keep the kids entertained. What do you do for fun at Hogwarts?"

"Um, I guess we hang out in the library, or play gobstones or chess."

Wally made a 'hmm' noise, but did not otherwise comment. "What was that spell you used to fly over my wolves?"

"The Ascending Charm. I used it on my boots – a little risky, but I've always had a flair for theatrics." Harry couldn't help but like the affable American. "How in Merlin's name are you able to conjure silently like that at your age?"

This time it was Harry's turn to smile. "Would you believe me if I said 'lots and lots of practice'?"

The two laughed together as Headmaster Fontaine approached. "So whaddya think, Headmaster? Did Harry pass?"

"I'd say so, yes. That was very impressive, Mr. Potter." Fontaine flicked his wand, removing the dust and dirt from Harry's robes. "Mr. Jacobs, thank you for your assistance. You may return to your normal duties."

"Yes sir. It was fun, Harry. Maybe if you come to Ilvermorny we can have a rematch." Wally waved goodbye, and walked off towards another building in the distance, as Harry and Fontaine stepped into the main castle. Murals lined the walls of the Entrance Hall, depicting what Harry assumed were key moments in the MACUSA's history.

"You'll find that Ilvermorny's curriculum is similar in subject matter to Hogwarts, with some minor variations. This is the entrance to the Dining Halls, where each of our four Houses has their own individual area. If you'll follow me," the Headmaster walked him past the Dining Hall to a large amphitheater. "This is the Ceremonial Hall, where new students are placed in their House."

"Do you use a Sorting Hat here, too?"

Fontaine smiled. "No, Ilvermorny has an enchanted seal that measures the quality of a student's character, and Houses select entrants based on spiritual attributes."

Harry reached out and touched the Headmaster's arm. "Sir, I think there's some confusion about my visit. I didn't come here as a transfer student. I read in a book about the history of Ilvermorny that you teach how to use magic wandlessly."

Fontaine smiled. "There's no misconception, Mr. Potter. I think once you see what Ilvermorny has to offer, you'll make the right choice. Now, wandless instruction. It's not as much of a focus as in years past, but we do have one member of the faculty who is well-versed in such techniques. Come, let's head towards the Runic Wing."

The two made their way towards a different branch of the castle, eventually coming to a door embossed with the name "Lake". A dark skinned man with long, black hair sat at a chair, writing on a piece of parchment.

"Professor Batisseur, I have a young man that would like to speak with you."

"A student? During the summer?"

"Not a student just yet. Jean Batisseur, I'd like to introduce you to Harry Potter. He's come from Britain to learn more about Ilvermorny's curriculum on wandless magic."

While Batisseur's eyebrows raised at Fontaine's explanation, he merely nodded and gestured to an empty seat in front of his desk."Now that the introductions are made, I'll leave you to it. Mr. Potter, I'll be back to pick you up for lunch; it will give you the chance to meet some of the other faculty. Professor." The Headmaster left the office.

"You're the wandless magic instructor here?" Harry asked, looking closely at the man. Batisseur wore robes similar to those of Fontaine, just a lighter shade of blue. His office was spartan, full of inlaid wood and a framed etching of a Native American.

"No, I teach Ancient Runes. There are no specific classes on wandless instruction at Ilvermorny. The last time it was taught regularly was just after the turn of the century." Taking in the frustration on Harry's face, Batisseur held up a hand to forestall any outburst. "That does not mean, though that we are not capable of teaching it, just that there have not been students with the aptitude to necessitate such instruction."

"I see." Harry tried not to jump to conclusions, but he was frustrated and feeling deceived.

"Where does your interest in the wandless arts come from?"

"I have a medical condition that leaves me unable to use magical foci. For me, there's no other option except to cast wandlessly."

Batisseur regarded Harry silently for a long moment, eventually asking, "How old are you?"

"I turn twelve next month."

"That's good. You're not old enough to need to unlearn anything." He stood up from behind his desk and motioned Harry to follow. Once they were outside the office, the professor closed the door and magically sealed it.

"Professor? If your name is Batisseur, why does it say 'Lake' on your door?"

"Among my people, it is customary to give a name of our ancestors to a child once they display signs of magical ability. I was born Jean Batisseur, but I became Handsome Lake."

"And that was one of your ancestors?" They left the faculty wing and headed towards an exit to the grounds.

"Handsome Lake was a great seer of the Six Nations. It is an honor to bear his name."

Harry didn't comment further, choosing instead to take in the ornate tapestries and stained glass windows that lined the castle halls. They stepped out of the castle and continued past the courtyard where Harry had dueled Wally Jacobs, and further into a grassy meadow.

"Now, what problems have you faced in casting wandlessly? Let me guess: you have difficulty in controlling the effect of your magic."

"Yes, that's exactly it!"

The Native American professor took a seat in the grass, and motioned for Harry to do the same. "There's a reason that we call a wand a 'focus'. It enables more precise spellcasting. May I also assume that you struggle with powering your spells?"

"Yes! So this is common?"

"It is. That's part of why wandless magic was phased out of the curriculum – too many students found it irrelevant given the weakness of casting without a wand."

Harry held up a hand, and a stone pillar rose out of the ground, ascending to the same height as a nearby oak tree. "I think, Professor, that there was a misunderstanding when I agreed that I struggle with the power of my spells." He bit back a sense of smug satisfaction at the speechless expression on Batisseur's face.

"I think, Harry Potter, that we have a great deal to discuss."

"Madam Bones, you wanted to see me?" Amelia motioned Arthur Weasley to take a seat.

"Arthur, how are you?"

The paunchy, balding Weasley patriarch gave a genial smile. "Molly's beside herself with Ginny leaving for Hogwarts this fall. It's been a long time since she's had the house to herself."

"I can well imagine. They grow up so fast."

Arthur nodded his agreement, but didn't respond. It was obvious that the head of the DMLE didn't summon him for idle chit-chat.

"I understand you recently decided not to submit the Muggle Protection Act that you've spent the better part of the last year working on to the Wizengamot."

'Ah, here it comes,' he thought. "That's correct, the bill has been shelved for the time being."

"Was there a problem with the bill? Did it lack a sponsor? I'm sure you're aware I have a seat on the 'Mot."

"No, nothing like that."

"Did you make some mistake in crafting the bill? Some oversight that would require it to undergo more development?"

"No, Madam, I believe the bill is appropriately written."

Amelia set down her quill, and placed her hands on her desk. "Then why the sudden change of heart? I believe that I'm owed an explanation; you've been assigned to craft this piece of legislation for nearly a year, after all."

A light sheen of sweat broke out on Weasley's forehead. "Well, you see, the Headmaster spoke with me during Yule, and told me that now wasn't the time."

"Did he? I wasn't aware that the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office fell under the Chief Warlock's purview." Amelia's tone was light, as though they were still discussing sending children to Hogwarts.

"Er, yes. Well, you must understand-"

"Arthur. Either the bill is ready, in which case it will be presented at the next session of the Wizengamot, or it isn't ready, in which case it may be time to reevaluate the usage of Ministry resources in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office. Do you understand what I am telling you, Arthur?"

His back ramrod straight, Arthur gave a firm nod. "I understand completely, Madam Bones." He hesitated, then continued, "And, off the record, ma'am, I'm glad to see the bill get a chance. It will do a lot of good."

"I'm glad to hear you say that." Amelia leaned back in her chair. "It occurs to me that the bill's chances might be strengthened if the DMLE were able to have some evidence of Dark artifacts employed in muggle spaces."

"Madam...?"

"Come now, Arthur, I'm sure you had a few raids in mind when you were formulating this bill. Point me in the right direction, and I'll even let you tag along and see that it's done by the book."

He sat quietly in his seat. This wasn't the sort of thing someone in his position dealt with very often. "There is a set of warehouses, in a muggle district in Liverpool..."

"Yes?"

"They're owned by Lucius Malfoy, there's been reports of muggle-baiting through the neighborhood. I think it's as good of a guarantee as we'll find."

"Very good, Arthur. Get me the details by the end of the week."

"I understand, Madam. If there's nothing further...?"

She waved him away, and Arthur hastily left the office. He considered sending the Headmaster an owl, but thought better when he remembered Madam Bones' veiled threat. Things were already tight with five children at Hogwarts.

"I trust your afternoon with Professor Batisseur was productive?" Headmaster Fontaine took a sip of his coffee. "You two worked through lunch."

"It was great! He was really helpful. I wish I had more time with him." Not being one for coffee, Harry took a deep gulp of the tea that a Pukwudgie had provided him.

"You could have all the time you desire, Mr. Potter. I'd like to formally extend an offer for your to attend Ilvermorny."

The high that Harry had been riding came to an abrupt halt. "Just like that? You don't even know anything about my marks at Hogwarts."

"Transcripts could be sent for; besides, after your display in the courtyard with Mr. Jacobs, I honestly don't care what grades you received in Britain. You're more advanced than students three or four years above you."

Harry took another drink of tea rather than reply.

"And frankly, Mr. Potter, having the Boy-Who-Lived transfer to the MACUSA's premiere school would be quite a coup. The kind of publicity that would put Ilvermorny in the ranks of Hogwarts, Durmstrang, and Beauxbatons."

At this, Harry set his cup on the small table he sat at in the Headmaster's office. "I'll certainly consider it sir," 'When hell freezes over.' "However, my family is likely expecting me. We're going to continue our travels through the MACUSA tomorrow. How will I get back to Boston?"

Fontaine slid a roll of parchment across the table. "This is your portkey. It is also, coincidentally, an application form for Ilvermorny. It is typically activated with the tap of a wand – I trust you're able to manage?"

Harry met the Headmaster's stare, and tried to smile. It came out as more of a grimace. "I am grateful for your hospitality, sir." He held a finger to the portkey and focused on his magic, feeling the jerk on his navel instantaneously.

He appeared in Lyman Hall, and immediately set out in search of Sam. He found him, drinking tea in an upscale cafe, leafing through a copy of the The New York Ghost. Harry sat down heavily across from him, reaching across the table to snag a biscuit. He'd skipped lunch, after all.

"Well?" Sam asked, an eyebrow cocked. "How did it go?"

Harry shook his head. "It was good until they told me they wanted me to come so they could rub my celebrity in the face of all of Europe. This was my portkey." He passed the application form over to Sam, who set down the newspaper to give it a look. "Were you okay here? No one hassled you?"

"In robes like these? Please." Sam read through the application form. "Tuition free? All school materials provided without charge?" He let out a low whistle. "Wow. They rolled out the red carpet. What did you think of the school, politics aside?"

"It was really impressive. They had a professor that understood wandless magic in a way I haven't encountered. Honestly, it was great until the end."

"So you'd want to attend?"

Harry stole the last biscuit off Sam's plate, chewing while he thought it over. "I don't know. I think I would learn more magic at Ilvermorny, but Hogwarts is in Britain. Going to school there is a really big part of life after graduation. Like all those people I was introduced to at the Eastre gathering; how many connections like that would I lose out on by snubbing Hogwarts?"

"Harry, if you're a big enough celebrity to attract this kind of favoritism at the school here, I'm pretty sure Britain would forgive you. Don't you want to learn as much as you can?" It was fairly transparent which way Sam was leaning.

Harry caught sight of the headline on the front page of the Ghost - "Nomaj Mob Terrifies Prominent Political Appointee!" - and scoffed. "What's their deal with muggles over here? It doesn't make any sense."

Sam glanced down at the paper. "You have to understand, the last time European magicals were threatened by nonmagical people was in the Dark Ages. Over here it is a lot more recent – in fact, until a few years ago there will still magicals who were alive when the Americans were hanging witches."

"But all of the spells and wards that keep muggles away; I don't understand why they're scared of them."

"I don't know the details of the system we've got, but in America there's a total separation between worlds. Magical children are taken from their parents at the first sign of magic, the nonmagical government is totally unaware of the existence of magic. It's unusual enough that all of the books I read on the MACUSA discussed that fact pretty prominently."

"I never would have thought Magical Britain was enlightened in its treatment of muggles, but compared to here it's practically a paradise."

"I don't know about that, kiddo. Remember Hogsmeade?" He left a few Sickles on the table. "C'mon, I'm sure Diane and Norm are waiting for us at the hotel."

A/N: Next chapter - back to Britain, DMLE raid and the fallout from that, birthday parties, Harry find a new mentor. Thank you everyone for your reviews, but no responses from me this time - I spent about 9 hours reading academic articles before writing this, feel like eyeballs are about to fall out of my head.